College football commissioner
Steve Spurrier had an amazing quote this week when asked about potentially being the commissioner of college football.
""That sounds like a lot of work," he told Nic Gulas of WIAT in Birmingham. "Traveling around the country trying to keep up with Ole Miss or whoever is under investigation right now..."
Classic Spurrier. And yes, the entire college football world will miss him as we replace guys who make pregame and postage news conferences fun rather than places that resemble insurance seminars and libraries filled with cliches and what not.
While Spurrier may not be interested, the idea of a college football commissioner could really be something that could redirect a game that so many of us love and is teetering on several edges of uncertainty. A commissioner - charged with maintaining the interests across all levels of the sport by supervising directors of the Power 5, the non-Power 5 and the FCS levels - makes so much sense.
There are problems that are shared by all three levels, but the solutions are not universal because of myriad of mitigating factors.
With proper leadership and guidance, though, why couldn't there be different rules - as long as they managed and thoughtful - across the game for the different levels. There already are a multitude of variations, but most of those are viewed placated and perpetrated for the powerful. A universal leadership branch for just football would make a ton of sense.
Granted picking a leader - someone with a football background without major ties to this conference or that school or you name it - would be a chief challenge. In fact, it would be next to impossible, considering the popular public move of screaming bias whether bias exists or not. And in today's world, bias is an easy charge to make since just the perception of bias is actually as damning if not worse than actual bias in most cases.
The semantics of picking a College Football Commissioner, aside, it's quite intriguing to think of the ways a poohbah could greatly help the game. Let's go over five items that instantly could be addressed and made better:
First, make a universal punishment system for players in regard to criminal offenses. Failed drug test is this. Have a sliding scale, of course, but a uniformity in dealing with offenses like Cam Robinson's recent arrest in the grand scheme of things would be awesome. In fact, while most coaches would likely fight this at the beginning, it ultimately would be way easier for the coaches, since the discipline would be predetermined depending on the offense.
Secondly, no more scholarship offers to eighth-graders. This is out of control and futile, and happening more and more.
While we are here, next let's make an early signing period happen. Yes, there has been some scuttlebutt about this in recent years, and some coaches are worried about where you would put it in the calendar. Here's a thought: Make it in the same place that national signing day is now, but let a limited number of juniors sign on that first Wednesday of February as well. (While we're here, we will also make any player doing the multiple-hats-selection process known as the hat dance ineligible for one year.)
You know what else an early signing period could do? It would help level the playing field of recruiting across all levels and all skill ranges. If a team only has, say 10 slots, for early signees some kids will take the offer in hand rather than waiting, and that's a good thing.
Speaking of offers in hand, we are going to re-evaluate the transfer rules, especially after coaches resign or are fired. Yes, we can all rattle off the recruiting brattle of committing to a school rather than a coach because the coach may leave, but that still does not make it any more believable when it comes to college football players.
And that's just the tip of the ice berg. Conference stability and expansion, the soon-to-be discussions about making the college football playoff field bigger, the proper amount to pay players and merchandising reimbursement.
All of it going through the same desk using one thought in mind: Keeping college football great.
Even Spurrier would have a hard time knocking that.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, center, shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA basketball Western Conference finals in Oakland, Calif., Monday, May 16, 2016. The Thunder won 108-102. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) Warriors' war path
Admit it, that's what we all expected in Game 1, right?
Golden State splashing 3s. Crowd going nuts. The big OKC lineup unsuccessfully chasing those shooters.
(Side note: Speaking of the OKC bigs, in a moment that actually proves some of the advancement of race relations in this country, OKC center Steven Adams said something that easily could have set off the politically correct internet morality mob after Game 1. He said it's tough to defend against Golden State because of the "quick little monkeys" in the backcourt. Adams, who is from New Zealand, quickly apologized and amazingly the moment kind of faded away. That's so encouraging that a foreign player after a heated game can actually, you know, make a human mistake without getting the full force of PC morality mob landing on him. Way to go 'Merica.)
(Side note, II: Sadly, any traction made from that positivity almost certainly was washed away when the morality mob directed its wasted efforts on actress Blake Lively, who posted "L.A. face and an Oakland booty" underneath a picture of herself on social media. For a large majority of us from a certain generation, that's simply a line from Sir Mix-a-Lot's rap classic "Baby Got Back." Well, a vast majority of the more than 16,000 lively comments under Lively's original post are calling Lively a racist. Buckets.)
As for the game, this was the record-setting Warriors we saw all year, and they were out in full force in Wednesday's Game 2, as they ran away from Oklahoma City 118-91 to even the series. Game 3 is Saturday in Oklahoma City (8 p.m., TNT).
Steph Curry was tremendous, as was Draymond Green as a distributor and defender. But through two games, we must caution everyone not to overreact on either side.
Yes, the Thunder swiped home-court advantage in Game 1. Yes, the Warriors blew them off the floor in Game 2.
The answer to that equation is that the series is tied at 1, and this could be a classic.
(In fact, if you are not rooting for a full seven games in this one, then that's a you problem.)
Home plate umpire Mike Estabrook, right, throws out a new ball while Atlanta Braves' Ender Inciarte, left, pleads his case after a called third strike during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, May 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)Braves
The Atlanta Braves are now 1-1 under interim manager Brian Snitker, and at this pace he will be a contender for manager of the year. (Sarcasm aside, if he finishes 68-67 with this bunch, we'd vote for him. That also brings up a different debate, though: Do the Braves want Snitker to succeed and become a darkhorse, fan-favorite candidate as the long term manager? We think no.)
We are still trying to stay positive about this team because regardless of who fills out the lineup card, the goal is the same: Develop meaningful pieces for a roster that should contend in 2018. That starts with pitching, primarily the rotation, and the staff has generated a run of quality outings this month. Following along.
Julio Tehran (who is just 25 years old) pitched 7.2 sterling innings Wednesday. He allowed five hits and no walks and lowered his ERA to 2.73. He needed just 91 pitches - 60 strikes - before turning it over to closer Arodys Vizcaino. Tehran has a 0.68 ERA in four starts in May.
Mike Foltynewicz (24) has a 2.89 ERA in three May starts.
Matt Wisler (23) has a 1.89 ERA in three May starts.
Vizcaino (25) also looks the part of a closer. That's four relatively young pieces to insert into the pitching puzzle of the future, considering they don't deal any of them between now and Memorial Day.
Thank God they got rid of Fredi, because this thing is really coming together now that they cut that dead weight. (Yes, that's sarcasm and not exactly positive, but you get the idea.) Either way, add in some of the young arms matriculating through the system, and the Braves have pitching promise for sure.
As for adding bats, well, that's a discussion for another time. (But at least we have the managerial whiz that is Brian Snitker pulling the strings. Print the playoff tickets, gang. Seriously, that's the last one.
FILE - In this Jan. 27, 2016, file photo, Phoenix Suns coach Jeff Hornacek watches the team's NBA basketball game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland. A person with knowledge of the details says the New York Knicks are working on a deal to hire Hornacek as their coach. Knicks President of Basketball Operations Phil Jackson has had discussions with the former Suns coach and there is mutual interest, but they have not begun negotiations on a contract, the person tells The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details of the coaching search are private. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File) This and that
- The folks that operate Muirfield, the renowned golf club in Edinborough that has hosted 16 Open Championships between the years of 1892 and 2013, voted not to allow female members. The R&A - the PGA on the otherside of the Atlantic - have pulled Muirfield from future consideration of hosting The Open Championship because of that decision.
- It looks like Jeff Hornacek is going to coach the Knicks and Frank Vogel is the leading contender for the Orlando job. Wonder if Fredi Gonzales got a call from either. Probably not.
- ESPN announced that Joe Tessitore will replace Brad Nessler on its Saturday night college broadcast and Steve Levy will be moved into the play-by-play rotation as well.
- There are allegations that the Baltimore Ravens broke protocol rules - using full pads during mini camps - and the NFL is investigating. Know this Roger Goodell, Patriots Nation is watching this one very closely.
Today's anniversaries and a question
We normally spend some time each morning looking at some of the noteworthy things that happened on this date through history. There were quite a few that caught our eye today.
For example, on May 19 in 1796, the first U.S. game law was enacted making it illegal to hunt or destroy wildlife on Indian territory. (Killing Indians, though, was a different matter entirely apparently.)
The first U.S. legal conviction in a case using finger-print evidence happened on this day in 1911. Somewhere Jack McCoy smiles.
On this day in 1935, the NFL adopted plans for a way to add players starting the following year, giving birth to the NFL draft. We love the draft. You know this.
This is the 54th anniversary of the Marilyn Monroe singing a sultry birthday song to JFK, and the 42nd anniversary of Erno Rubik inventing some puzzle/game that took the 1980s by storm. (No, Spy, it was not the Jumble.)
And two Star Wars movies opened today, with Revenge of the Sith opening 11 years ago today and the Phantom Menace hitting theaters on this day in 1999. So in addition to all the other stars, including Andre the Giant, today is the official birthday of Jar-Jar Binks, too. Scratch that last one, will you.
In honor (or dishonor, rather) of Jar-Jar Binks, who makes the Rushmore as the most hated characters in movie history.
Go, and friends, remember the mailbag.