Eli better than Brady?? Miami returning to its normal self?? NFL sticking it to Pryor?? Did Vice President Biden start a fight?? Wow, ScottJax77 mentions the Vice President in this weeks edition of Rants and Raves.

Former Baltimore Oriole and Toronto Blue Jays pitcher, Mike Flanagan was found died outside his home yesterday. The lefty played 18 seasons, and was 167-143 with a 3.90 era over an 18 year career. He was a world series winner on the 1983 Oriole’s team and also won a Cy Young in 1979. From 1977 through 1983, he made more starts (223) than any pitcher in the American League and was third in wins (109) during that span.

What was Eli Manning thinking???? He’s better than Tom Brady?? What drugs is Manning taking??? Eli was a guest on the “Michael Kay Show” on ESPN New York when he was asked if he was in the same class as Tom Brady. This was Manning’s reply:

"I consider myself in that class," said Manning, the MVP of Super Bowl XLII. "Tom Brady is a great quarterback, he's a great player and what you've seen with him is he's gotten better every year. He started off winning championships and I think he's a better quarterback now than what he was, in all honesty, when he was winning those championships. "I think now he's grown up and gotten better every year and that's what I'm trying to do. I kind of hope these next seven years of my quarterback days are my best."

He also mentioned that the Giants have an offense that puts him in a good situation. Their physical run game opens the play-action, a facet of the game that he performs well in.

Only time will tell, but the clock is ticking and he has a long, long way to catch the 3-time Super Bowl Champion quarterback.

Let’s get ready to rumble? Wait they did. Georgetown Hoya’s Men’s Basketball Team and a Chinese professional team named Bayi Rockets had a major clash. It all stemmed from a very physical game in which Baiyi had 57 free throws to Georgetowns 15.

Here is a clip of the brawl from someone in the stands:

"Tonight, two great teams played a very competitive game that unfortunately ended after heated exchanges with both teams,'' Thompson said in a statement. "We sincerely regret that this situation occurred. We remain grateful for the opportunity our student-athletes are having to engage in a sport they love here in China, while strengthening their understanding of a nation we respect and admire at Georgetown University.''

It was reported that the game had been tense from the beginning and was stopped earlier after two players exchanged words. At one point, a Rockets player even berated Thompson after the Hoyas' coach yelled at his team.

Here is an account posted on a GT message board:

So, tonight's game...we started out behind and were having trouble moving the ball around. The PLA team's big men actually matched up with us pretty well and they played solid defense early on. We were quickly in foul trouble and they moved to the line pretty often, although it wasn't that notable at the time. Then in the second quarter we made a nice run, started hitting open shots, and played really nice defense and forced some turnovers- truly fun to watch and gives us some hope for the regular season. I believe we were down 5 at the end of the first, and then we built a 6-point lead.

Then things got really lopsided on the officiating front in the second quarter. They were in the bonus (five fouls) in the first two minutes of the quarter. The fouls continued- I think we had about 12-14 in the second quarter alone, if I had to guess without seeing a stat sheet (which I doubt will be published). On a couple of plays there was a bit of shoving under the basket, but it calmed down fairly quickly, JT3 clearly called the team over and probably said something along the lines that the officiating was ridiculous, but it didn't matter and everyone needed to stay cool. Then JT3 became more active in pushing the refs for some calls on our end (we were getting mauled, and the PLA team was getting a call basically every time down the court). Despite all of this, we finished the half up 4 or 5- we were shooting really well.

The whole thing came undone in the third. About two minutes in, the ridiculously lopsided foul calls continued (we were in the bonus again 2 1/2 minutes in) and the first real shoving match kicked off over a loose ball. The players on the court separated each other pretty quickly, but then the craziest thing I've ever seen happened- one of the Bayi big men got in JT3's face and almost took a swing. He was so shocked he didn't know what to do. So that upped the ante a bit.

Then the foul calls truly took on a comical dimension. We supposedly fouled them every time down the court, despite some really good defense on some possessions. There were four or five intentional fouls called, giving them four shots each time down the court. JT3 was called for a technical for stepping over the line onto the court. I counted Bayi scoring two field goals in the entire third quarter. I don't know what the count was, but I would not be surprised if they shot 45-50 FTs through three quarters, and we shot 6-10. I honestly think the foul count was likely in the range of 30 or 35 to 5-7. A few exchanges got testy and at one point players had to restrain themselves again. I started joking with some Chinese people in the crowd, who to their credit similarly thought it was a bit ridiculous but were mainly upset that the game had no flow. At the end of the third, despite all of this, we were tied or up two points or so. 
 

Two minutes into the fourth, they were pressing full court, trapped one of our guards (I forget who it was), and then must have pushed or punched him on the ground after he made the outlet pass, because then there was a shoving match and then a bit of a fight, and then the whole thing set off. He tried to get away as quickly as possible as the Chinese players sort of converged on him, and then benches cleared, and then people on the Chinese bench started picking up chairs. Everyone on the other side of the court started fighting as well. Brawl spread all over the court, and then off the court. After it kicked off it immediately became possible for the crowd to get involved, and then they did. As we tried to get the team off the court, bottles (plastic ones, thankfully) came out of the crowd at the team and everyone left. Security was there (sort of), but it was more equivalent to mall cop-quality security rather than actual security. The Georgetown staff wanted the security to get on the floor, but honestly these guys didn't have a clue what to do. They escorted the whole alumni contingent out fairly quickly after that. Game over, 64-64 (following another intentional foul).

I don't know how much news this will make, but even given my admittedly partisan view of how this played out, this was really not our fault. The refs completely failed to control the game, and these things happen when they can continue to maul us underneath with no consequences. The coaching staff called the whole team over at several times during the game and calmed everyone down. We didn't throw any punches and players and coaches were generally just laughing at the absurdity of the officiating at times. Anyway, not exactly what I was expecting to see tonight...

Wow, great discription.

Have you noticed that wherever Vice President Biden goes troubles follow???

He’s eligible, he’s not eligible, what is it? Here’s the deal. Terrelle Pryor was eligible for this past Monday’s supplemental draft, taken by the Oakland Raiders in the 3^rd round. He will be suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season once he signs his contract. Pryor says he will not appeal the suspension. 

Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Bowl linebacker James Harrison should consider nicknames like "Truth", "Nostradamus", or "The Thinker".

It has been the outspoken Harrison who has constantly railed against the NFL machine that Roger Goodell is the figurehead overseer of. He has said Goodell is a "crook and a puppet", and also said that "I hate him and will never respect him.”

Pure gospel to any real football fan and any man who has played the game. Goodell gets praise for drawing a hard line on misbehavior, but he often crosses the line because his ego feels it subjugates the media and players. His minions whose only duty is to blindly follow any of his decisions to the letter.

Now Goodell has overstepped his job description again at the expense of Terrelle Pryor. Pryor, who wants to be a quarterback, is going to be involved in the 2011 NFL Supplemental Draft.

To say Goodell has destroyed Pryor's draft stock and potential earnings throughout his career could be construed as accurate by some observers. Pryor is being forced by Goodell to serve a five-game suspension for infractions incurred at college, not the NFL.

While Pryor broke NCAA rules that would have forced him to miss five games for the Ohio State Buckeyes this season, if he had stayed in college, Goodell decided that his league still held jurisdiction over this matter. As if NCAA football was nothing more than a minor league system owned by the NFL.

Pryor already was heading to the NFL with a lot of baggage, no matter how his agent Drew Rosenhaus tried to ignore it. Pryor is a big athlete, but it is highly doubtful he will ever play quarterback in the NFL with his questionable fundamentals and abilities.

His best position most likely lies elsewhere on the field. Wide receiver, tight end, and even linebacker has been the opinion of several experts who have followed him since he began play at Ohio State.

Knowing this, teams may take a chance on him as early as the fourth round of the draft. Not this first, as his agent keeps telling anyone who will listen. The reasons are not based on purported character flaws, but the lack of ability to play the quarterback position at the next level.

Even with all the rules the NFL has put into place since 1978 to make a quarterbacks job easier, Pryor's footwork, release point, arm strength, decision-making abilities, and overall field vision are just some mechanics that will take too many years to refine enough to see if he has what it takes.

Goodell acted like the hunter in this decision, but he could soon become the hunted if Pryor plays this right. Goodell's ego has unwittingly put the NFL in a dangerous position.

This is saying something for an entity so strong, they had their television blackout rule pass through the U.S. Senate, Congress, and White House in mere hours. Besides maybe a declaration of war, rarely has this occurred in the history of the United States.

One day you may hear Pryor say he was defamed by Goodell's ruling, which also affected his earning potential and overall confidence in himself. The kind of rhetoric you often hear in lawsuits throughout the planet. If he ever is deemed to have a case, Pryor could sue for many more millions of dollars than any player in the history of the NFL has ever made.

It could also teach Goodell and the NFL to stay within their boundaries. While a powerful league, they are supposed to represent professional football while colleges represent amateurs in all sports they play.

Goodell has now firmly placed himself in the cellar of the worst commissioner in NFL history, probably even surpassing Joe Carr. Carr was the second ever president of the NFL from 1921 to 1939, replacing Hall of Famer and Olympic hero Jim Thorpe, and had his own issues between amateurs and professionals.

While Carr was known for acting swiftly on teams using college players then, mainly because the college game was perceived as superior to the National Football League in that era, he is forever linked to one bad decision.

The Pottsville Maroons joined the NFL in 1925 and proceeded to win the NFL title. They then took on Notre Dame University in an exhibition game, because the Fighting Irish featured the "Four Horsemen". The purpose of the game was to bring credibility to the NFL.

After the Maroons told Carr of their intentions to play the game, discrepancies soon arose. Pottsville claimed they had Carr's blessing, while Carr said he gave the team three separate warnings not to play the game.

Pottsville won the game, which helped boost the popularity of the league. Carr, however, took away the Maroons NFL title and gave it to the Chicago Cardinals, a franchise that still proudly holds onto that trophy today. The Maroons folded in 1929.

Now Goodell's decision has replaced Carr's error in the scale of epic buffoonery of poor choices in NFL history. It comes as no shock to anyone who has followed the career of the son of a former United States Senator whose contacts with the league gave his kid a job in 1982.

While the NFL career of Terrelle Pryor might not amount to much on the gridiron, he could have a long lasting impact on the league itself. An impact brought on by the bloated ego of Roger Goodell.

TERRELLE PRYOR

Then there is the plight of Pryor. The 6'6" quarterback recently withdrew from college and there is speculation he will try his hand at professional football this year.

Regardless of whatever charges Ohio State or Pryor may face down the road from NCAA rules infractions, the size and athleticism will have a team intrigued enough to look at him.

He is a project with suspect mechanics that will take time to refine. Murmurs of his lack of character will be put through a test if he wants to get to the next level. A team will have to be patient, as Pryor will need to be as well.

He has already rejected the advances of the Canadian Football League, even though the wide open CFL game may be the best fit for his game right now. The UFL may be an option to play a game similar to the NFL while learning his position more.

Though there are certainly no guarantees he could earn a starting job in the UFL, some speculate Pryor will sit this season out and put is name into the 2012 NFL Draft. Then there is a chance he is involved in a supplemental draft or try to latch onto a team via free agency.

Assuming he is allowed to sign with any team as a free agent, the questions begs on who would give him a shot.

Here are a few possibilities :

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals quarterback situation is still up in the air because no one knows where starter Carson Palmer will play when play resumes. Palmer has made it quite clear he has no intention returning to Cincinnati.

The cerebral Andy Dalton was drafted in 2011, but he has questionable arm strength and athleticism. If Palmer leaves, the current quarterbacks on the Bengals roster is Dalton and the untested Dan LeFevour.

Even if the Bengals re-sign Jordan Palmer, Carson's little brother, they will then have three quarterbacks with no real NFL experience.

If Carson Palmer comes back to the Bengals, taking a flier on Pryor certainly could not hurt. The worst that can happen is they cut him, while the best scenario is that one day Pryor marries his abilities with the mechanics he will soon be taught.

Oakland Raiders

Again, Al Davis loves outcasts. He also loves excellent athletes. Pryor is certainly both right now.

He could put Pryor at third-string to learn behind veterans Jason Campbell and Bruce Gradkowski as Oakland takes their time learning what type of player Pryor will eventually be.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Pryor grew up not too far away from Pittsburgh and the Steelers do like to mold a young quarterback as a third-string player. Ask Dennis Dixon, a player no one wanted because of an injury in college during his senior year. Dixon, now a free agent, started a few games and earned a Super Bowl ring.

Men like Jim Miller started out in Pittsburgh before becoming productive starters elsewhere. With veteran Brian Leftwich as the primary reserve. maybe molding Pryor will more of an attractive scenario than bringing back Dixon?

Arizona Cardinals

John Skelton showed promise in his 2010 rookie year, as did Max Hall, but it still is unknown if either can hold onto the starting job at quarterback. Derek Anderson's confidence appears shot as well.

This could be one of the few NFL teams Pryor has a shot at starting right away. Especially if Skelton and Hall play poorly. Arizona appears to be a team Carson Palmer may want to go to.

The Cardinals also may be one of the teams willing to spend a few years developing Pryor, so this could be a good fit. Especially if Pryor becomes the player some think he can be.

Next week, we will look at a few crazy old farts who still think their shit doesn't stink and the NFL is obliged to give them a roster spot and fat paycheck.

 
Getting to this later than I wanted to...After bumping uglies with the wife last night, all I had left in the tank was to watch the end of "Chopped" and crash...But of course the baby woke up and wanted to play, so then I was up for a couple more hours...Today was filled with taking care of the baby, being lazy, picking the other two kids up from their last day of school, and making dinner and food for my wife's office, for some dumb-ass party tomorrow...

So here I am, ready to break out the hits...

First, I have to say that one highlight from today, was seeing Opie and Anthony tweeting the picture of Anthony Weiner's fully erect, and shaved, junk to every and all media outlet after they swiped a shot of it from Andrew Breitbart...What a dope Weiner is!

Now before I get into sports, I have to give the media some shit...And maybe all of us, including myself...As I laugh about Weiner and his cock, and I look at the stats that my BLOG from Monday night about Weiner and Palin, and see it has gotten close to 300 views in two days...While I'm happy people are reading my shit, I wonder, shouldn't the media be pushing some more important stories?

How about the fact that it has finally been released that 3 of the 4 reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear power Plant in Japan, completely melted down...Just like Roberto Luongo is doing right now against the Bruins...Seriously, that is Chernobyl times 3! Maybe this should be brought up just a bit...Trim a couple minutes off the cock story, and tell people that Japan is becoming a major nuclear hazard...

But whatever, onto sports...So Terrelle Pryor is breaking his promise to Jim Tressel and running away from Ohio State...Okay, driving away in one of his 8 cars...


This happened right before news broke that Pryor, not only got whatever cars he wanted...Not only traded memorabilia for tattoos...Not only sold awards...But also was paid for signing memorabilia...As more comes out, it is really looking like "The" Ohio State University needs the "Death Penalty"...

Remember when Penn State, Michigan, and Ohio State, were all in a bidding....I mean recruiting war, for Pryor...I bet Michigan and Penn State are happy that they lost! Besides Pryor's illegal (By NCAA standards) activities, he just was all he was hyped up to be...So much talk about him coming out of High School...Even more hype the first couple years of college, and to be honest, he wasn't that great...He made some nice plays, but a lot of guys can look good against MAC schools, and a number of weak Big-Ten teams...I hope he saved some money, cause I don't see him making much in the NFL...

Hey, did you see Ohio State is getting new stickers for their helmets?


So this week I'm being lazy...Since The Bruins just took two from Vancouver, in a couple of physical blowouts, we go to the Bruins Ice Girls...On this Hump Day evening, which of these lovely Bruins Ice Girls would like to give a slap shot to?



Left? Right? or Center?


Later, The Beeze.
 

 
Well in case you missed the news that has been buzzing around Ohio since last night, 5 Ohio State Football players have been suspended for the first 5 games next season, including "star" QB Terrelle Pryor...Apparently, the players have been selling off jerseys, and shoes, and awards, for money, and or discounts...They also swapped autographs for cheap tattoos...

Why would they do this? This is a know NCAA violation...They did it for money of course...Everything about this story is all twisted up in money...The NCAA suspended them for the first 5 games next season, but not for their upcoming Bowl Game...Why not the Bowl Game? Because, it's a BCS game, and the NCAA doesn't want to lose any money they can make off the backs of these players...Who is really going to tune in if Pryor isn't playing...The next best QB for Ohio State is a high school senior...there is no way the NCAA is going to pass up on making big-time Bowl money!

The players most likely felt they needed the money, because they aren't allowed to have jobs...The universities make boat loads off of College Football...They make a shit-ton of money selling merchandise...Are Dayne Crist, and Brady Quinn seeing any money from all the #10 jerseys that get sold...NO! And Pryor isn't getting a dime for all the #2 jerseys sold in Columbus...

Now many say, 'Well those kids are getting a free college education!' Yes they are, and I use to argue the same point...But the cost of that education, doesn't even compare to the money the schools and the NCAA take in from those players busting their asses on the football field...A regular student, can get grants, and academic scholarships, and they are still allowed to get a job and have some cash for beer, and condoms, and whatever else they may need...

There has to be a way to give players a stipend...Just a little something for their efforts, and giving them the ability to have some spending cash, so they don't screw their team by breaking some NCAA rules...Maybe if college players got a stipend, we wouldn't have Heisman winners tainted by allegations of taking money from boosters and agents...Maybe we wouldn't have dumb players trading autographs for tattoos, and trophies for money...

That said, these douchebags at Ohio State knew they were breaking the rules...Some say the penalty was too harsh...Not me, but maybe that's just because I don't like Ohio State...But I'll take them over those ass-hats from Michigan any day! Anyway, they knew what they were doing was wrong...And for some reason, the fact they sold awards off really bothers me...I don't understand how you could just toss aside something commemorating an achievement of yours...And the players who sold their Gold_Pants, that is really bothering me...The Gold Pants are all about tradition, and Ohio State's rivalry with Michigan...Clearly, either these guys don't give a shit about tradition, or they are really desperate for money...

They should have been suspended for the Bowl Game...But as I said, money won't allow that...The NCAA should look in the mirror, and think about giving players a cut for what they do...But most likely, money won't allow that either...The schools and the NCAA don't want to share their wealth

Later, The Beeze.

PS: Merry Christmas!