Is History "Classless"?

For weeks, the possibility of a broken record in the NFL has been on the minds of many. Dan Marino's record for most passing yards in a season was in reach of a few quarterbacks, but none more than Saint's quarterback, Drew Brees. On Monday night, Brees only did what he always does, play like one of the best in the game.

He weaved, side-stepped, and danced around in the pocket all night long. He threw with an accuracy that would frighten a military trained sniper. The sound from the pounding linemen could scarcely be heard before the ball had already hit one of his receivers. All this was just a typical night for Drew Brees.

Brees continues to be one of the best around.
(AP-Bill Feig)

Even with his impressive abilities and already a Super Bowl ring on his finger, Brees has been nothing if not humble throughout his career. His quick to give credit where credit is due, or to put blame on his own failure. He has long been considered a "classy" guy.

This especially irked some people on the conclusion of his final drive of Monday night's game. With 5:08 remaining in the game and the Saints already up 38-16 on rival Atlanta Falcons, Brees marched once more. The defense had turned the Falcons over on downs on their own 33-yard line. That distance is easily within striking distance of Drew Bress, but that isn't the point.

Some felt that the Saints should have tried to run out the clock. Let's start there. There's five minutes left in the game. Yes, many teams might decide to coast in that situation and let the running backs take over. Of course, most teams don't have one of the best quarterbacks in the game who is only 30 yards away from breaking a legend's record set in 1984.

Now the issue of the score. Yes, the Saints were up 22 points, and often, in any sport, it's thought of as unsportsmanlike to run-up a score on a blowout late in a game. However, that's not the point here, and shouldn't be. Drew Brees is shooting for history. Does it really matter whether the Saints won by 22 or 29? Either way it's a blowout. The Falcons got embarrassed either way, and can use it for motivation when the two teams likely meet in the playoffs.

Drew Brees and the Saints had every reason to push for history.
(AP-Rusty Costanza)

The final touchdown actually had no true relevance to record at all, it was merely icing on the cake. If Brees started on his own 1-yard line. I would have loved for him to just get the 30 yards and then he could hand it off the rest of the night. However, he has handed a circumstance that put both him and his coach in a tough position.

Instead, he was able to cap off a very short drive that put his name in the record books and, because of the touchdown, was able to enjoy the moment. He stood there smiling and acknowledging his teammates who helped him and the fans that supported him.

Anyone who thinks that this was a classless move, such as members of the Atlanta Falcons, is probably looking at this out of frustrated emotion. They're going to look back on this and think of how stupid that statement sounds. One of the classiest men in sports was given one of the best opportunities that he could ask for, and we're supposed to care what the score was? The score will be the furthest afterthought in the future. The National Football League and its fans will remember a talented, humble, and "classy" man who simply did his best and joined history.

Why Are We So Far Behind?

Concussions are certainly nothing new in sports. They've been one of those unfortunate issues that has hovered over everyone's heads. They can diminish a players ability at the very least, if not lead to them giving up the game entirely. Unfortunately, the initiative to remedy this problem has only just begun in a number of sports where it should have started decades ago.

Many have questioned the new kickoff rule,
but not the thought behind it.

Of course, sports are dangerous. I don't think their is anyone that could argue that point, but how dangerous they have to be is something else entirely. Every sport has begun to develop safer helmets every year, and they may even force players to begin wearing the helmets, even if they don't like them. I have no problem with that at all. Who care if it looks stupid or feels a little different from what you're used to? The benefits greatly outweigh those points. Another move has been to change rules in the game. The NFL has done that by moving the kickoff 10 more yards so that players can't get up to full speed.

However, I've got a little issue with that idea. I understand changing the rules for safety, but not when it changes the complexion of the game, which this rule did. The first half of this season was all boots into the back of the endzone with no returns. This took away a big part of the game. Now it seems that teams have begun to try and drop the kick as close to the one as they can, but that often just leaves the receiver with maybe a few seconds to move before the kicking team is all over them. The problem is that the guy becomes defenseless and we're back at square one. I could go on, but I'll digress.

This is an image we all hate to see.

While I do applaud some rule changes and improved equipment, I have to wonder why it's only happening now. My concern comes from one story in particular. Sydney Crosby, the star of the Pittsburgh Penguins, has been suffering through a concussion since last season. This is one of the NHL's biggest stars and he's young.

There's my biggest fear right there. No one likes to see a veteran have to go out on anything but their own terms, but if a veteran has to quit because of a concussion then I think the general populace can cope. A real tragedy is when the younger stars have to go through it. These guys are young and healthy and usually go all out all the time. That's begging for a concussion, but we love them for their tenacity.

If we love them so much and want them to actually stick around then maybe it's about time we kick things up a notch and protect the future of our sports. That's all I'm sayin'.

BCS or Not?

I'll say right off the bat that I am not in favor of the BCS. It's motivated by money and that's really all. Most of the other reasons that I've seen for those that favor it are hardly believable. There still be plenty of money to be had with a playoff system because there are still games, more in fact. The extra games would be during winter break. So, what class time are the athletes missing? As for the concern of more injuries, it's football. They take the risk every time they step out onto the practice field, let alone an actual game.

The look that on the face of many college football fans after the final BCS standings.
Brett Deering/Getty Images

Regardless, here's a little something I put together on this year's BCS mishap. I disagree with the final decision this year, but I tried to stay somewhat neutral overall.

http://storify.com/JonStraub/lsu-bama-part-2

Parents Become School Kids Again

Here is a piece that's a part of a project for 48 hours of football in a college town. You can check out the project as a whole here.

Parents Become School Kids Again

It seems as though every Friday night in the fall is similar. A cold chill fills the lungs, but it’s not the only thing that fills the air. Pride and excitement are what keep fans coming week after week to high school football games in Missouri. Most are parents that follow their sons from game to game and high school to high school.

The fans of Hickman High School are no exception to this. They travel to away games throughout the year. On a 43-degree night in Troy, Hickman fans arrive with the usual jackets and blankets that they have ready to battle the cold every week.

Mark and Mary K. Brown (left) watch Hickman
play Troy-Buchanan with their friend, Sandy Beair (right).

Among those fans are Mark and Mary K. Brown. Not long into arriving at the field, they’re meeting with friends and talking it up with other parents. Mary K. does most of the talking and even leaves Mark and their daughter Jessica to go find seats.

Eventually they meet up again along with their friend, Sandy Beair. The duo of Mary K. and Sandy chat up a storm at the game, talking about anything from their high school days to how the Trojans of Troy-Buchanan run onto the field.

After they run past the band and cheerleaders through a paper sign, Sandy asks, “Why don’t we do that?”

They also talk about their two young boys, Charlie and Shane.

Charlie Brown is a senior offensive tackle, and Shane Beair is a senior wide receiver for the Kewpies. The two boys are good friends just like their mothers. The boys also play baseball together in the summer and hang out at each other’s house “all the time,” says Mary K.

Shane Beair (2) and Charlie Brown (65) stick together.

According to Charlie’s sister, Jessica, the mothers and sons have some more similarities.

“You two are like little school girls,” says Jessica, referring to Mary K. and Sandy.

Mary K. gives her daughter a confused look.

“I’ll tell you when you’re older,” Jessica answered.

While Jessica cracks jokes and Mary K. and Sandy crack smiles, Mark Brown goes virtually unnoticed for much of the beginning of the game. While the girls are busy chatting it up and following along with the Hickman cheerleaders, Mark keeps a watchful eye on the team on the field, particularly number 65 on offense.

Mary K. makes sure he’s doing his job too after nearly every play.

She looks to Mark and asks, “How did he do?”  Mark gives her a quick nod and a short “Good.”

Paid to Play?

Eric Dickerson and Craig James were members of
the SMU team that almost lost it all.

The last thing I talked about what was whether those gifted with athletic ability should attend college or jump right into professional play. Much of my argument was for the different kinds of education that the athlete will receive in college both in the books and in life.

You Want 500 Dolla?

But what about when an athlete makes that decision to take his talents to the college level? Recently the idea of paying these athletes has become a popular topic. To me, this is absurd. If you really want to get paid then go pro. Otherwise, get your education and be happy.

That basically sums up what I'm about to talk about further. I've already mentioned that the reason someone goes to college, or what the reason should be, is to get an education. This is something that seems to have been forgotten, not only recently but for years. It's a common joke about athletes that cruise through school on their talent and not their brains, and jokes are almost always based on truth.

Terrelle Pryor has been in the center of
 much of the controversy at Ohio State.

But something more concrete has come to light in more recent years. Further back were the incidents at Southern Methodist University where players were played under the table and the university almost lost it's football program due to the severity. More recent issues have been found at Ohio State and Miami University. All of these have shown instances where money and benefits for players became more pivotal than their education.

The NCAA has handed out suspensions and penalties in each of these instances, and that is certainly a good thing to see. I don't necessarily agree with the NCAA all the time, but this is an important thing to happen. Some might say that it is their job, but it's still good to see. Unfortunately, these penalties probably won't change the mindset about college athletics and its athletes.

Most will shrug off these penalties and maybe make some small changes to their programs, but that won't change the big picture. These kinds of deals will continue to go on even after the NCAA is done, simply because the ideals have not changed.

I'm not going to pretend to have the answers, just an understanding of the problem. The true question is not about whether college athletes should be paid, but rather if we should acknowledge that we pay them. Players receive benefits and money all the time, but schools aren't willing to acknowledge it.

Of course, scholarships are one form of payment that NCAA is okay with, and I'm not against it either. Do athletes dedicate more of their free time than most students? Possibly, depending on your thoughts of the "joke" I mentioned earlier. If you don't buy the joke, then these players have the same school work as the rest of us but add all of their athletic obligations on top of that work.

If this is the case, and many would believe it's so, then there is absolutely no reason that some athletes shouldn't be allowed some sort of compensation for their time and representing their respective schools. However, beyond this basic compensation is where the issue begins.

The point of college is education. That is priority one. Some athletes believe that they are special and deserve special privileges, and schools oblige because they are afraid to lose the athlete.

This concern by the schools stems from universities being more business than education. Schools have become more concerned with image and filling seats for a game rather than graduation.

Blame doesn't sit with any one group. Athletes, schools, and even fans need to collaborate to change how we think about college athletics. Then the conversation of whether athletes should be paid wouldn't even be necessary. College is for education. If you want to get paid, go pro.

College or Career?

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Speaking with a friend the other day, we were on the topic of LeBron James and we got onto the topic of whether athletes should jump right into a professional career or take their talents to college. This, of course, has been a topic in athletics for years now, and is a part of the debate for paying college athletes which I'll discuss at a later date.


Check Yourself...

Let's start with going to college. What are the advantages to going to college? There are quite a few. The first is what most seem to forget when discussing college athletics, education. Most people go to college to get an education that will help them be better prepared for the rest of their lives. And I'm not just talking about those boring elective classes that teach you how to grind through long, boring meetings that seem to drag on forever. What I'm more concerned with are the lessons learned that have an impact on the everyday.

In college, you understand that you are part of a bigger picture of things. Whether that is because your university is literally bigger than you or because you realize the importance of teamwork and working with others. You meet a number of characters in college and each presents you with the opportunity to learn how to handle different people. YOU GROW UP!

Now, I don't want this to be simply a Lebron bashing, because that's a band wagon that's easily ridden, but also because I don't have a huge problem with the man himself. He's made some bad "decisions" this year and beyond, but he is still a nice guy with a ton of talent.

Some call Bryce Harper "The Chosen One." Chosen to do what?

Basketball is not the only sport with this problem, Baseball might be even worse about the number of kids that sign with teams right out of high school, or at least at a young age. The Washington Nationals Bryce Harper is an example of this point.

In my mind, both he and James are still kids that still thinks that the world revolves around them and they can get away with what they want. Harper has already been ejected from a number of games in his brief minor league career, and how it happens just demonstrates how much of grown up he has become. His antics don't always get him ejected but they are bad just the same. Whether it's drawing lines in the dirt, spiking his helmet, rushing the approaching dugout, or blowing the apposing pitcher a kiss, Harper still thinks that just because he signed the big contract that he is a big deal.






Harper hasn't even proven that he can play in the big leagues yet, and James chokes under playoff pressure. I don't think there is any doubt that both of these guys are tremendous athletes, but there comes a point where you need to bear down and just do your job.

It's certainly painful, but do they always recover?

But let's pretend that an athlete is not full of themselves and won't get the billion dollar contract. Why should they go to college? The same reasons still apply, because no one graduates high school fully mature. In addition, let's look at the assurance of athletics: none. An athlete can brake their leg or tear a tendon or any number of injuries. If nothing else, injuries can diminish an athletes skills if not completely end their career, and this can happen in an instant at any time. This is the danger of sports, and what do the athletes have after that? Some get into broadcasting, which is hit or miss, but otherwise they can fall off the face of the earth.
A sports career can last, typically, 10-20 years at best, and then they live off their name. But if you don't end up making a name for yourself then you are back to square one. A college education is something that lasts a lifetime and will always leave options in the future. It's just a safe bet and makes sense.
The biggest potential wrench for an athlete becomes affording for college. Some institutions provide full-rides for athletes, but not all do and not all athletes get them. Money is a big player in athletics, and college athletics is no exception. But that's for another time.
Like I said, I know these aren't the only two guys, and I also know that college isn't a complete fix. Some have attended college but still have issues. And there are those who haven't gone to college, have a ton of talent, and still have respect for the the game and their opponents. Atlanta Brave's Jason Heyward is the first to come to mind. He's playing for a contending team and has been a pretty good addition for them.
However, when it comes down to it college is a valuable asset to anyone, and athletes need an education as well. They need to learn how to handle relationships. They need to learn how to handle being on their own. They need to learn how handle life "in the real world," where the world is bigger than them.

The Heat is On

Another year, another opening week of college football, and everyone is hoping that this year will be the year for their team. They hope that they can compete for the big prize at the end of the year. Every year it’s the same thing, whether expectations are higher or lower than last year.

This is similar in every sport, but it seems that college football holds something universal. Fans sacrifice, suffer, and enjoy more than fans of most other sports.

For the city of Columbia, Mizzou, and all its fans the excitement has been building up to see how the uncertainties of the season would be answered and if hope for a championship was reasonable. However, when it came to the day itself, fans just looked to enjoy the day.

This would be difficult task for some, given the fact that the game was at 11 o’clock in the morning and that means getting up early for tailgating. On the other hand, that was the least of the worries for the rest.

Mother Nature decided that sweating proverbial bullets over the beginning of the season wasn’t enough, fans had to sweat the natural kind in over 90 degree heat all day.

Whether fans arrived early or late for the game, everyone had to endure a scorching heat that barely let a bead of sweat reach the surface before expiring it. Everyone had to find his or her own way to fight through the heat.

Some tried to drown it by downing bottle after bottle of water or your preferred beverage. There were enough hand fans to make a wind farm jealous, and yes there were poor souls who had nothing to subdue the heat they found themselves enduring.

Some simply baked in the oven that seconds as a football field known as Faurot Field. Unfortunately, not everyone got off unscathed.  One girl sitting in Mizzou’s student section tried to brave the heat, but fought a losing battle when she fainted in the second half or maybe a player waved to her.

Either way, many fans stopped waiving and bottles were put down. Fans who had been waiting months to see their team on the field had diverted concern to this girl. Fortunately, she did come to and her friends followed her to be cooled off. In the end, that will probably stick with those who witnessed it for the rest of this season, at least.

Sometimes things get to us. It could be a bad call, a bad season, or even the heat. But fans never let that stop them from hoping for the next game, for their team, or for their fellow fans.