On court to in court
Buckle up kids, this could get messy.
According to USA Today, NCAA president/clown Mark Emmert sent two California lawmakers a letter saying that if the state passes a law that would allow college athletes to earn money from their names, image and likenesses, California schools may not be allowed to play in postseason competitions.
Emmett’s letter, according to the report, included this not-so-thinly veiled threat:
“We recognize all of the efforts that have been undertaken to develop this bill in the context of complex issues related to the current collegiate model that have been the subject of litigation and much national debate,” Emmert wrote in his letter to the committee chairs. “Nonetheless, when contrasted with current NCAA rules, as drafted the bill threatens to alter materially the principles of intercollegiate athletics and create local differences that would make it impossible to host fair national championships. As a result, it likely would have a negative impact on the exact student-athletes it intends to assist.”
Emmert and his organization have always been slow to react, stubborn, and obtuse.
And his desperation is clear here. Emmert and the NCAA have always held tightly to the false perception of power.
They have always an organizational version of the Emperor’s new clothes.
Heck, the power schools run college sports, and have been for years. Or how could we ever forget Jerry Tarkanian’s pearl of wisdom that was “The NCAA is so mad at Kentucky it will probably slap another two years of probation on Cleveland State.”
So this is hardly a surprise.
But the ramifications are clear. An NCAA tournament without the largest state in the country will be quite noticeable.
Plus, if the law is passed it will be a clear recruiting advantage for California schools. And once Alabama loses a five-star quarterback to USC or Kentucky loses the No. 1 point guard in the country to UCLA, well, those states will get right on board with this law sooner rather than later.
It’s also quite clear that the NCAA needs to realize the simple and real truth: They better overhaul or get off the highway. The current model, especially as it continues to fail to meet so many new twists, concerns and issues, is at best flawed and quite possibly completely dysfunctional.
Getting their kicks
I watched a fair amount of the U.S. women’s 2-1 World Cup win over Spain.
Yes, they got a couple of key calls and in truth were lucky to advance to Friday’s quarterfinal match against France, the tournament’s host.
But you know what? So what.
“U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!”
Is there anything better than the collective cheering than our U.S. soccer troops when they head off to the World Cup?
Yes, I think it has passed each Olympics sport. Now the entirety of the two-week-plus run of the Summer Olympics may stir your sports patriotism more than World Cup soccer and that’s fine.
For some of you this may be a surprise, because, well I’ve been calling it kickball for years.
But it’s fun and international kickball, and it’s the sport that the rest of the world cares about the most.
Basketball? We crush everyone.
Baseball? Do you remember the last time you watched a World Baseball Championship?
Football? Nope.
The vast majority of the rest of the competitive international sports are individual, and we are marveled by the stories and achievements of Carl Lewis or Kerri Strug or Michael Phelps or any of the other Olympics all-timers.
But soccer gives us the team aspect and the women’s place as the favorite – but not as overwhelmingly a no-doubter as the NBA all-stars – and the men’s place as the underdog gives us some added spice of drama and intrigue too.
Yep, I got a little World Cup fever, and the cure is more cowbell. And Friday’s quarterfinal.
“U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!”
True MVP
I was prepared to write about the NBA Awards here. I was prepared to bemoan the timing of this ceremony and how the results are hollowed out by having them after the Finals. I was prepared to offer the lament that doing this after Kawhi looked like a mix between MJ and Alvin Robertson dominating Giannis in the Eastern Conference Final and being the best player on the planet is a dissolved to the league and the players.
But this story is better. This story is a real MVP.
We all watched and appreciated the exchange between U.S. Open champ Gary Woodland and Amy Bockerstette, the Down syndrome golfer who played the famous 16th at Phoenix with Woodland.
The video is touching and cool. It also is the most-watched video ever posted by the PGA Tour, and in these modern golf times being ranked over Tiger Woods on almost any list is a notable achievement.
ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss excellently shared more details on Amy’s amazingness, which included the phrase “I got this” in the cathedral that is the 16th at WMA and how it became Woodland’s battle cry in the final round of his first major championship.
Amy started taking lessons at the age of 14 because she wanted to play golf with her family.
She took to the game and made back-to-back state tournament trips in high school.
She’s now 20 and a scholarship golfer at Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix.
The story is well done and worth your time.
Thanks Amy. You got this. (And if we can get odds in Vegas on Amy getting an ESPY for something, put me down for a dollar.)
This and that
– As mentioned the NBA Awards Show was Monday night. Spy did you tape that? Giannis won the MVP. Luka Doncic was rookie of the year. There were some other ones too.
– Got to throw out the first pitch at AT&T last night and yes, I threw a strike. Fun experience at the ol’ ballpark.
– Jeopardy James Holzhauer was eliminated in 14 hands at the World Series of Poker. With a $10,000 buy-in that means he paid a little more than $714 for each run of the cards. Yes, after winning more than $2.4 million on the quiz show he can afford it, but wow. Good thing he was on Jeopardy! rather than Card Sharks, huh?
– Michigan toppled Vandy in Game 1 of the College World Series on Monday night. Michigan is one win from its first baseball title since 1962.
– Well, the soap opera that is the Mets continue to swirl. Buster Olney is reporting that the front office is making in-game moves, something that is highly unusual and potentially against MLB rules. After the explosion from the manager and a starting pitcher on a New York beat writer on Sunday, manager Mickey Callaway needed two news conferences to properly apologize and pitcher Jason did not apologize at all. Each was fined $10,000.
– Here’s betting Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher is not going to ask for a signed copy of Matt Haynes’ look at the downfall of FSU football. Here’s the story and the title is quite clear: The Mess Jimbo Left. Not surprisingly a lot of the downward spiral of the program according to former assistants and others close to the program – including the FSU AD who is quoted in the story – started with Fisher’s coddling of Jameis Winston.
– Always enjoy these look-backs. Hey, it’s part of the draft and I love the draft. You know this. The folks at 247sports.com shared where each first-round pick was ranked in their high school recruiting class. Not counting the foreign players, there were three players – Ja Morant, Dylan Windler and Brandon Clarke – were not ranked as recruits coming out of high school. That friends, is making yourself a ballplayer and making the most of your opportunity.
Today’s questions
True or false, the World Cup has passed the Olympics in terms of our U.S. sports patriotism.
True or false, the $20,000 in fines on the Mets manager and pitcher should be given to the reporter they harassed and embarrassed and, in the pitcher’s case, committed a crime against.
True or false, the NCAA will be completely overhauled within the next decade.
You know the drill. Answer some true or false and leave some true or false. No big whoop.
As for today, June 25, well, where in the world is the summer going?
On this day 90 years ago, the Hoover Dam was authorized by Herbert Hoover. In 1950, the Korean War started.
On this day in 1630, the fork reportedly was introduced to Americans by some dude named Governor Winthrop.
In 1984, Prince released Purple Rain on this day. Yes, it’s an all-timer. Prince at the Fox in Atlanta was the best concert I’ve ever seen. So there’s that.
Wow, on this day a decade ago, Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett died. Did any celebrity ever get the type of pass that Michael Jackson did all things considered?
As for the Rushmore, in 1876, the Battle of Little Big Horn – when Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse leading the charge against Gen. Custer – happened.
If we had a Rushmore of all-time cool Native American names – real or in movies – Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse have to be frontrunners, right?
Go.