Why Miami Should Get the Death Penalty

The NCAA should kill Miami's football program, for at least a year. Miami should not be allowed to field a football team until its program has righted itself. More importantly, the Hurricanes need to be an example. If schools and programs don't check their players and coaches, the NCAA should let it be known that the consequences will be dire.

What might stop the NCAA from imposing the Death Penalty is exactly why the NCAA should impose it. The Death Penalty would punish the enitre ACC, it would punish the 12 teams Miami is scheduled to play in 2011. It punishes the 5 teams that Miami was going to visit this year. It punishes other sports teams at the school, and the university as a whole. It even punishes the economy of southern Florida. Everyone suffers, from the rich owner of hotels near Sun Life Stadium to the cleaning crew picking up trash after the game.

All these people are not responsible for what Miami's football program has done. But from now on, they'll be watching that program. And so will the interest groups surrounding other big football programs across the country.

Currently, the NCAA tries to monitor and discipline all the schools and programs in the country. That's a tough task. That's over 10,000 D-IA scholarship football players to keep tabs on, plus over 4,000 scholarship basketball players in D-I. And that's just the big money making programs. With so many athletes at so many schools, there has to be a more effective system of supervision and discipline.

It's all about pressure. If Miami receives the Death Penalty, there'll be pressure on the football team to clean up. That pressure will come from the school's trustees, from the AD, from local politicians. And there'll be pressure to keep the program clean once it's resurrected.

Going forward, the NCAA needs to apply pressure to the conferences. When USC was banned from postseason play for 2 years, the then Pac-10 suffered by losing potential bowl revenue. However, the Pac-10 did not have to relinquish the ill-gotten bowl money that USC was paid for their 2005 Rose Bowl appearance. It might seem unfair to punish the whole conference for USC's transgressions, but isn't it also unfair to reward the whole conference for USC's transgressions?

If the NCAA fines conferences for what happens with individual programs, the conferences will suddenly become excellent watchdogs. The schools running clean programs will lean on those running dirty ones to straighten themselves out. The conferences will investigate their programs. And instead of the NCAA monitoring 120 football teams, each conference can focus on the 8 or 10 or 12 programs under their supervision. That's just so much more efficient.

No conference has been directly punished for the violations of a program under their authority. Not surprisingly, I can't recall a single time that a conference reported a violation to the NCAA. The conferences aren't being watchdogs, because there's no pressure on them to do so.

If the NCAA holds conferences more accountable for what goes on underneath their noses, the NCAA also needs to grant the conferences more power. Conferences should be allowed to withhold TV and bowl game revenues from teams that are violating the rules. And once Athletic Directors are threatened with that possibility, they're going to be watching their coaches like a hawk.

Once the ADs scare the coaches, the coaches will realize that their job depends on the players they coach obeying the rules. The coaches will no longer wait until there's an accusation of foul play until they get off their asses and investigate. They'll actively take an interest in the financial lives of the players under their charge. And when a defensive end suddenly has a new Lexus, they'll take notice.

If the NCAA applies pressure to the conferences, the conferences will apply pressure to their schools. The schools will apply pressure to their programs. The programs will then apply pressure on the coaches, who will apply pressure on the players.

A few weeks ago, Ohio State's football program went unpunished for the memorabilia violations of its players, and the failure of the head coach to report it. The NCAA claimed that the school didn't have knowledge of what was going on, and therefore should not be punished. That's bullshit. In my opinion, Ohio State's football program failed to sufficiently monitor its athletes. Isn't it the job of the program to ensure compliance with NCAA regulations?

As long as the NCAA continues to use passive and soft disciplinary inactions like that, there will be widespread violations of NCAA rules. OSU football was excused for not knowing what was going on in their own program. I believe that OSU, and every other program in the country, needs to be held responsible for what goes on under their supervision. That's the only way to make them actively monitor their athletes' behavior.

There's always going to be sketchy boosters and agents giving money, cars, and girls to athletes. But if the NCAA overhauls its disciplinary system, and holds conferences responsible for their schools, schools accountable for their programs, programs responsible for their athletes. then epidemics of corruption like that at Miami won't occur. There will be single, isolated incidents. But there won't be systems of negligence and abuse that go on for years and involve dozens of athletes and coaches.

It's all about applying pressure, and making people scared that they might lose some money.

-The Commodore

Why College Athletes Shouldn't Get Paid

In the maelstrom of the Miami scandal, I've been hearing many people suggest that it's time for the NCAA to allow schools to pay their athletes. After all, athletes in some sports generate huge amounts of revenue. And while they receive a free education, they're hardly living the high life on their weekly food stipends. It all seems so unfair.

And after what's been happening at Miami and other schools, it seems like a system of paying college athletes would be better than random boosters hooking them up with prostitutes and cars. Athletic salaries would put cash in the players' pockets, which would make them less likely to seek and/or accept illegal "gifts" from outside their institution.

There's a few problems, though. While big football and basketball programs do create revenue streams, that money isn't going to an owner or to a corporation. It's going to a school. And that school takes that money and reinvests it within itself. The money produced by a big football program can help pay a tennis programs' travelling expenses, it can refurbish a soccer field, pay for a new Zamboni. Or outside of athletics, it can pay for the renovation of science labs, for campus security, for more teachers, for better computers.

While it might seem fair to compensate the athletes that play for revenue producing teams, it's impossible to pay them and not deprive funding for another athletic program or part of the school.

I believe that athletics are an important part of education. Do you know what Division-I school fields the most intercollegiate varsity teams? Harvard. They field teams in 41 sports, so they must feel as though sports are important, and surely not just for the revenue. I doubt that the Ivy League's TV contract is particularly lucrative.

The lessons learned by playing sports can be invaluable in the real world. That's why I have no problem with state and Federal money helping to fund athletics (most big-time athletic programs are at state schools, and even the one's in private schools receive Federal assistance). That's also why I believe in Title IX. Because if schools are going to argue that athletics is an important part of education, then athletics cannot be just for the boys to benefit from.

If athletics are important to the educational experience, then sports and teams that generate revenue shouldn't receive special treatment, especially at the expense of the teams that don't generate revenue. It might seem unfair to not pay a Heisman winning QB that wins a national title, but it's unfair if that QB received a $50,000 paycheck and subsequently the baseball team couldn't afford bats and helmets so the team had to fold.

There are unfortunate stories of athletes hamstrung by NCAA rules, and forced to drop out because even with a full scholarship, they're restricted from earning enough money on their own to support a parent or a child. Perhaps the NCAA can make special exceptions in such cases, and allow an athlete to get a job and earn money. But just because there are a few of these sad stories, doesn't mean that the whole SEC should receive a paycheck. There are countless regular people who cannot finish or even start their college education because of financial constrictions. Why should someone be an exception just because they know how to read a blitz?

I struggle to sympathize with the plight of a college athlete. While some generate revenue, there is no greedy, mustachioed owner exploiting them, pocketing all that revenue for his own evil schemes. All schools are non-profit organizations. These athletes receive a free education, which can be worth upwards of $100,000. That means that when they graduate, they'll have no student loans to pay off. And there's no shortage of companies run by alumni who will give a middle linebacker a job in middle management.

I've heard it suggested that the NCAA should allow boosters to pay athletes. After all, isn't that sort of like tipping a bartender for doing a good job? And that would allow the school to continue to reinvest the money it makes off of its big teams. But this creates a massive conflict of interests. In the Miami scandal, some boosters offered bonuses for big hits against Miami's rivals. That impacts a game. What if a booster offers a reward for sacking the QB? That might encourage a defensive lineman to rush upfield Dwight Freeney style, instead of listening to his coach and defending the run. That impacts the game.

If boosters pay athletes, those athletes are beholden to them. In other words, the boosters become the bosses. The coach loses power, the school loses power, the boosters can even discipline players by cutting salary. Most disturbing of all is the idea of boosters having an impact on how the game is played. And how long would it be before a gambler started paying players to do things?

Compensating athletes would likely suppress the amount of illegal payments that are made by boosters. What else could suppress such payments is a comprehensive overhaul of the disciplinary hierarchy of college sports. The schools and conferences need to step up and take charge over monitoring their athletes. The NCAA cannot possibly keep tabs on 120 football programs, each with 85 scholarship athletes (that's over 10,000 players). I'll discuss the measures the NCAA, conferences, and schools need to take in my next post: Why Miami Should Receive the Death Penalty.

-The Commodore

MLB Nixes Nats Tribute

So the Washington Nationals wanted to play a game wearing hats representing the different branches of the United States' military. It was going to be a tribute to the helicopter crash in Afghanistan that killed 30 Americans, from three different branches (Navy, Air Force, and Army). But Major League Baseball said no.

The Nats were allowed to don the caps in batting practice, but were not permitted to do so in an actual game. When asked for an explanation, an MLB spokesman stated:

"We reserve hats for national tributes, where every club is wearing them on the same day. But we're happy to work with clubs on alternatives."

That cryptic, vague, almost Belichickian response really pisses me off, as does this whole story. The Nats wanted to do a nice tribute to all the men and women who commit themselves to serving our country. Think about how cool it would be to be a Marine, or a sailor, or a soldier, or an airman, and see a pro ballplayer wearing a Marine hat, or an Air Force hat.

It was just a minor little tribute, but Major League Baseball are being major league dinks for no good reason.

-The Commodore

Patriots 31, Buccaneers 14

I'm excited. I know it was a preseason game. I know it was against the Buccaneers. But it was exciting just seeing Tom Brady throwing passes in a game for the first time since that calamity against the Jets, especially with that lockout thing in between.

Brady was 11 for 19 for 118 yards, 2 TDs, and 0 picks. That's a 111.3 rating, by the way. He connected with Aaron Hernandez for a touchdown, and with Ochocinco. It was one of only two passes caught by the receiver formerly known as Johnson.

The Patriots amassed 200 yards on the grand, thanks mostly to Stevan Ridley's 84 yards on 14 carries. Ridley also caught 3 passes for 27. BJG Ellis ran for two scores.

If the Patriots can get a solid, reliable running game, it will help their passing so much. With tight-ends, and medium-route receivers like Welker, Branch, and Ochocino, it's a real luxury to be able to run the ball on 1st and 2nd downs, and create 2nd & 6, or 3rd & 2. That just opens the whole playbook for Brady.

The Patriots look good, but is that a surprise? This team won 14 games last year. We know they have the talent to make the playoffs and contend for a divisional title. So far, they look a little better than last year.

Maybe that's because we're anticipating guys like Woodhead, Hernandez, and Gronkowski to be good. They were surprises last year. They all have expectations now. Maybe because Ridley is having a good pre-season. Maybe because the young players are a year older and wiser. Maybe because the Pats added Ochocinco.

I haven't been this excited for a Patriots season to start since 2007.

-The Commodore

Pats Better Safe(ty) Than Sorry?

The Patriots brought in a pair of safeties to work out for them Monday: Darren Sharper and Renaldo Hill. Sharper's 35 with health concerns. Although he's also a 5 time Pro-Bowler, who three times in his career hauled in 9 interceptions. He's a veteran free agent with 14 seasons under his belt and a Super Bowl ring on his finger.



Renaldo Hill doesn't bring the same pedigree. He's a veteran of 10 years, but he's been a bit of a journeyman, playing for Arizona, Oakland, Miami, and Denver. He's played in one career playoff game.



I'm not sold on Brandon Meriweather, and I don't think the Pats are either. He's got talent. But he wanders around too often. The Patriots' defense is based on all 11 guys doing their specific job. When that happens, the big plays (in theory) come. The Patriots don't like a guy going off on his own trying to force the big play to happen.



The Patriots' secondary also lacks experience. Chung looks sharp, but there isn't much leadership back there. Sharper, if healthy, can be effective in that role. Who knows how much he's be able to play, but at least with Sharper, you'd know what you'd get from him every down.



-The Commodore

Texas A&M to Stay in the Big XII

The Big XII can breath a little easier, at least for now. While Texas A&M wanted to join the SEC, the amount of obstacles potentially blocking such a move were too many to overcome. A 13 team SEC would present scheduling difficulties, a 14 team begs the obvious question "who would be team #14?" Then there was a minefield of legal difficulties, most of which originated from the Lonestar State.

So for now, Texas A&M will remain in the 10 team Big XII.

But I think eventually, the Big XII will be torn asunder. The Pac-12 must still be considering a move to 16 teams. The SEC seems to be thinking about the same thing. Missouri wants to be part of the Big Ten. And who knows, the Big East might want to cherry-pick another team from the Central Time Zone.

In a few years, all the conferences are going to look different. Originally, the conferences were formed based on region and size of the school, as well as how much focus schools had on athletics. Now, conferences are being reshuffled based on TV dollars. That's why the Big East snatched up TCU, why BC is in the ACC, and why the centrally located Big XII is being ripped apart.

One thing I expect to happen shortly is a process of shedding inferior programs. Conferences will drop the schools that can't make big bowl games, don't make the NCAA basketball tournament, and are never on national television. The SEC will drop Mississippi State, The Big XII (if it still exists) may drop Iowa State. The Big Ten may send Northwestern packing.

The age of the super-conferences will soon be upon us.

-The Commodore

If LA Builds it, Will the NFL Come?

Los Angeles' City Council approved a plan for a privately funded $1.2 billion football stadium to be built adjacent to the Staples Center. The stadium would seat 70,000 and would likely be completed by 2016. The planners still need to endure the environmental permit procedure. And of course, they need a team.

It's ridiculous that there's no NFL football in LA, and hasn't been for 17 years. It's the second largest media market in the country.

Then again, it's not like the people of LA don't watch NFL football on the television. And the NFL does get most of its revenues from TV. One of the problems with LA is that fans don't show up unless the team is winning. Not just competitive. The team has to be good enough so that it becomes the cool thing for people to do.

There are candidates to go West. The Vikings, who have stadium issues and would ironically be following in the Lakers' foot-steps. The Bills. The Jaguars. I think it should be the Jags. It's kind of silly to have a pro sports team in Jacksonville. The Jaguars are a decently competitive team that can't fill its own stadium.

You have to move a team that can make the playoffs out to LA. The Bills would become the Clippers if they go to California. The Vikings or Jaguars would at least generate some excitement.

Photo Credit:
HO - Reuters

-The Commodore

Texas A&M to SEC?

When Texas decided to stay in the Big XII, the conference seemed like it had been saved from being carved up by the SEC, BigTen, and Pac-10. But they're still vulnerable. Texas A&M might be leaving the 10 team Big XII.

On August 22, A&M's regents board will decide the fate of the historic football program.

To be honest, I can understand why A&M might want to do this. Part of the reason U-Texas decided to remain in the Big XII was because it would be receiving a lion's share of revenues. Texas is the king of the Big XII, which is becoming an ever smaller kingdom. A&M could move east to the SEC, where the throne is contested, and they'd be treated as an equal.

And the Big XII can survive without A&M. Frankly, they let TCU slip through their fingers. The Frogs would have been a perfect addition to the conference, joining the 4 other Texas based programs of the Big XII.

And if A&M goes to the SEC, does the SEC kick someone out? Vanderbilt, perhaps? Mississippi State? There's also rumors of Florida State joining the SEC, which could force the ACC to add a team. The musical chairs in college football continues.

-The Commodore

Why Not?

Why not enjoy a ridiculous song from the 80's that I only discovered a week ago and haven't been able to get out of my head since. It's about a fictional chess tournament being played in Thailand. Cocaine is a hell of a drug.

-The Commodore

Patriots 47, Jaguars 12

I have to admit, I've never been more excited for a pre-season opener than I was last night. Maybe because just a month ago, we had no idea if this game would even be played.

Then the game started and reality sunk in. This is the first game of the pre-season and it doesn't matter much. Brady didn't play a snap, neither did Welker, Branch, Ochocinco, Wilfork, McCourty, Mayo. This was a game to evaluate other players. As Belichick said after "We didn’t rest anybody. There were players that we wanted to see play, and we looked at them and we let them play."

Some did well, some didn't. Taylor Price caught 5 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown. He's been having a very good training camp and looks to have the inside track for the 4th spot on the WR depth chart.

Andover, MA native and utility man Buddy Farnham made an interception. He's listed as a receiver, but he's one of those guys that can do multiple things. Will he make the team? That might be tough, but he's definitely in that Belichick mold.

Darius Butler and Jonathan Wilhite were both heavily evaluated last night, playing deep into the 4th quarter. That's not a good sign for either guy. Neither played well, neither has played well in their tenure in Foxborough, and I wouldn't be shocked if one of these guys gets cut before the regular season started.

Aaron Hernandez caught 6 passes but wound up fumbling twice. That's not a good way for him to get playing time in the future, considering he has Gronkowski to compete with.

Overall, it was the Jaguars, it was pre-season. We already know the Patriots have a pretty good team. Some of the details have to be figured out by the coaches, such as the #4 WR spot, such as what to do with Butler and Wilhite.

But wasn't it nice to see some football, after an off-season that was more about legal proceedings than the game?

Pre-season game #2 is next Thursday night at Tampa Bay.

-The Commodore

Oklahoma Tops Pre-Season Poll

It shouldn't matter, yet it does matter. It's the pre-season poll, based purely on speculation, guessing, reputation, and high school football results. And unfortunately, it does matter. Because if you're up at the top, you have to lose in order to be knocked down. If you're #18, well you have to hope that the teams ahead of you lose.

What truly proves the stupidity of the pre-season poll is that 50 teams received votes. 50! Anyway, Oklahoma topped the USA Today Poll, but four teams (Oklahoma, Alabama, Oregon, and LSU) received first place votes. In other words, we're in for another fun-filled season of college football, loaded with intrigue and surprises. Here's the poll:

1. Oklahoma
2. Alabama
3. Oregon
4. LSU
5. Florida State
6. Stanford
7. Boise State
8. Oklahoma State
9. Texas A&M
10. Wisconsin
11. Nebraska
12. South Carolina
13. Virginia Tech
14. Arkansas
15. TCU
16. Ohio State
17. Michigan State
18. Notre Dame
19. Auburn
20. Mississippi State
21. Missouri
22. Georgia
23. Florida
24. Texas
25. Penn State

It's nice to see the Big XII seemingly relevant again, with three teams in the top 10. Then again, it's hard to take this poll seriously. Spots 22 through 25 are filled with reputation picks. Georgia always seems to weasel its way into the top 25 despite having no talent and no prospects for victory.

I can't wait for the college season to actually start, so we can discuss polls that have a meaning. But as a Sooners fan, it's nice to start out as #1.

-The Commodore

Red Sox 8, Twins 6

David Ortiz's 4 hits (including a homer and double) and 3 RBI propelled the Sox to victory last night. However, the game-winning run crossed the plate after Wakefield finished his outing, thwarting yet another bid for Wakefield's 200th career win.

Wake was, however, good enough to receive a 'W.' 7 innings, 3 earned runs, 5 runs total. He hasn't been great for the Sox this year, but his service has been invaluable, considering the alternative would be some AAA pitcher. Even though his ERA is 4.92, that's still pretty good for a 45 year old.

Another unsung hero of the season - Jarrod Saltalamacchia - had a good night. He hit a solo homerun (his 11th of the year), and an RBI double in the 9th. Guys such as him and Josh Reddick have kept the lineup solid from top to bottom. There are no easy innings for opposing pitchers.

Tonight, Bedard faces Francisco Liriano, who is 7-9 with a 5.03 ERA.

-The Commodore

Patriots Bolster Defensive Line

Back in 2000, the Patriots had to send a 1st round pick to the Jets as compensation for Bill Belichick. The Jets drafted Shaun Ellis with that pick, but now he'll be playing under Belichick. The Patriots signed the veteran defensive end to a one year deal.



Ellis isn't a pass rushing end, but he's very solid against the run. He can consume blocks and allow Wilfork and Haynesworth to do their jobs. It's a smart signing by the Patriots, as the Jets were up against the cap and could only offer Ellis the veteran minimum.



Rex Ryan made some remarks about the transaction, then started talking about pieces of pie, then he got distracted. I tend not to take Rex Ryan's words seriously. His rants are old news, like Charlie Sheen's, only his rants are fatter and covered in crumbs.



The Pats also signed defensive end Andre Carter, formerly of the Redskins. Carter amassed 11 sacks in 2009, and has 66 total in 10 seasons. Once again, I'll throw around the word "solid" to describe this signing.



The Pats have completely revamped their defensive front. Wilfork remains the spearhead, but the additions of Haynesworth, Ellis, Carter, along with the release of Ty Warren make for an almost brand new D-Line. I think overall it's improved, and should be far more consistent at stopping the run, mounting a decent pass rush (although not getting many sacks), and preventing big plays.



-The Commodore

Red Sox 3, Yankees 2 (10)

Win or lose Sunday night, I was going to write about how this series didn't mean much in the grand scheme of things, as the loser would be 2nd in the AL East, but still have a significant lead in the Wild Card. However, this series has been a good gauge for the postseason. And what we learned was that these two teams are extremely close together.

Anyway, where would the Sox be without Josh Reddick? He's hitting .338 in his 45 games as a replacement right-fielder. His game-winning RBI was his 23rd of the season. That's 2 more than Drew has, even though Reddick has about 100 ABs fewer than JD.

We saw the strengths and weaknesses of both these teams on display these last three days. And while winning the division would be nice, the Sox have proven to be good enough on the road (33-21, the best in the Majors), that homefield advantage shouldn't be much of a factor.

But I did like to see this team grind out a win against Rivera. I liked Beckett's 6 innings of hard work in a humid environment. I liked the big hits by Scutaro, Ortiz, and Reddick. Not only was it fun to watch, but this kind of timely hitting is what can be the difference between winning and losing a playoff series.

Sox play 14 of the next 17 on the road, starting tonight in Minnesota. Wakefield goes for win #200 against Scott Baker.

-The Commodore

Let's Get Bedarded in Here

How long before we start seeing "Can't Spell Erik Without a 'K'" T-shirts?

After the Rich Harden deal fell apart due to concerns over his health, the Sox went after another Canadian born pitcher. As part of a three team deal, they acquired Erik Bedard. They dealt C Tim Federowicz, RHP Juan Rodriguez and RHP Stephen Fife to the Dodgers in exchange for minor leaguers OF Trayvon Robinson and OF Chih-Hsien Chiang. The Sox then sent Robinson and Chiang to Seattle for Bedard. Righty Josh Fields was packaged along with Bedard.

Fields was drafted by Seattle with the 20th overall pick of the 2008 draft. He's a 25 year old reliever just promoted from AA to AAA Tacoma.

Bedard is obviously the main event of the deal. The Sox need pitching to fill out their rotation. Buchholz was just placed on the 60 Day DL and his recovery has hit some roadblocks.

Bedard's been plagued by injury problems the past few years. He hasn't tossed a full season of work since 2007. He hasn't even thrown 100+ innings since 2007. He missed the entire 2010 season. And he was sidelines for a month with a sprained left knee. He made his return to Seattle's rotation Friday night, struggling through 1.1 innings and allowing 5 runs.

However, when healthy, he is a legitimate frontline starter. On the season, he has a 4-7 record (remember, this is Seattle, who have saddled Felix Hernandez with a 9-9 record) and a 3.45 ERA. But those numbers don't tell the whole story. He struggled in April, starting the season 0-4 with a 7.71 ERA. Since April 27th, he's gone 4-3 with a 2.34 ERA. That ERA includes his 1.1 inning, 5 run debacle on Friday.

Nine of his last 11 starts have been Quality Starts.

This is a good move. Bedard may end of on the DL by early September, but if he doesn't... Well, he's not just an upgrade over Andrew Miller. He solidifies the top of the Red Sox rotation.

His first start is slated to be Friday night against the Yankees. Welcome to Boston, Mr. Bedard.

-The Commodore

Captain's Thoughts on Patriots' Moves

It was an interesting day for Pats fans. Albert Haynesworth in the morning, Chad Ochocinco in the evening. It's one of the most intriguing day in Patriot maneuvers since Randy Moss was traded. And the phrase to repeat over and over is "low risk, high reward."

And there is a high reward. Haynesworth was an All-Pro twice, Ochocinco received that honor 4 times. These are two extremely talented players. One has numerous on the field and off the field problems. The other was stuck in Cincinnati, where they find ways to lose even when talent falls into their laps (see: allowing Palmer to retire), and is perhaps in the twilight of his career.

Albert Haynesworth is a lazy scumbag. There, I said it. He's got a bit less than Randy Moss potential, and puts in even less effort than Moss did with Oakland. Now, if he tries, he can help the Patriots. If he tries, he'll at least be a second DT, to give relief for Wilfork, and sometimes play in a 4-3. And the Pats play more 4-3 than most people realize.

If Haynesworth tries, and still has "it," then things get fun. Wilfork can shift to DE in a 3-4, where he played a significant amount of time last year, and be free to rush upfield, using his power, and surprising speed. A line of Wilfork, Haynesworth, and Warren would present some difficult conundrums for opposing offensive lines. And that would also help out the LBs.

If Haynesworth doesn't try, the Patriots lose a 5th round pick. Would you draft a defensive lineman with his upside, but with his baggage, with a 5th round pick? I would.

Then there's Ochocino, whose problems are not effort related. This is a guy with seven 1,000 yard seasons under his belt. Thought he can't do the deep thing anymore. But the Patriots are ingenious in implementing matchups to allow guys like him to get open, and get the ball. He's not Randy Moss. His longest reception last year went for 42 yards. But he can still produce.

Ochocinco gets a slightly unfair reputation because he tweets and talks. But his effort and dedication have never been in doubt. We all thought it was silly when he kicked PATs for the Bengals in a preseason game against the Pats. But he nailed the kicks, which demonstrates that he'd been practicing them. He was the Bengals' emergency kicker because he put in that little bit of extra effort, not as part of some joke or stunt.

Ochocinco might have to cool down the tweets, or at least edit them. But he already has a tremendous rapport with Belichick. I think Ochocinco will slot in nicely with the Pats, and find himself in a Deion Branch kind of role.

One thing's for certain, and that is uncertainty. Will Haynesworth try? Will Ochocinco give bland press conferences? Suddenly, training camp and preseason games have become more interesting. And that's good. These guys CAN help. I'm pretty sure Ochocinco will help. I have no idea if Haynesworth will.

All I know for certain right now is that perennial Belichick doubter/hater Ron Borges has his doubts, which is typically a good sign.

-The Commodore

White Men Can Jump

So long as their Australian.

And if you've never seen a game of Aussie Rules Football, you're missing out. Just look at that score. This was a 140-77 game. You won't know what's going on when you watch it, but that just makes it all the more entertaining. It's a great sport to watch while getting hammered.

-The Commodore

McDonalds to Change Happy Meals

McDonald's has announced that by 2012, all of its restaurants will be serving a new kind of happy meal. Instead of French fries, all happy meals will come with apple slices. This is in an effort to provide healthier meals, and to change their image. Currently, apple slices are an option for happy meals, but only 11% of people make that selection.

This is just another example of people not being able to control themselves. People blame McDonald's for making their kids fat. They don't blame themselves for taking their children there three times a week and letting them sit on their asses all day playing video games.

McDonald's food isn't healthy. But it's tasty. And if consumed only occasionally, it won't result in obesity. But we live in a society obsessed with not taking responsibility for itself and its own actions. I'm a chubby guy myself, but I don't blame Ronald McDonald, the Burger King, or Wendy for my surplus mass. We live in a free country (at least we used to), and part of having the freedom to make decisions is having the responsibility of living with them.

Apple slices don't go with hamburgers anyway. And neither does milk.

-The Commodore

Mike Vick Gets It

He may or may not feel remorse for what he did. He may or may not feel as though what he did was wrong. But Michael Vick is at least smart enough to realize that almost everyone else thinks what he did was wrong. And since being released from prison, he's done everything right.

Not only has he entertained us on the field, but now he's gone to Washington to lobby Congress in support of anti-dogfighting legislation. Specifically, the law he's supporting would make it a crime to knowingly attend a dogfight, and additionally penalize anyone who brings a minor to such an event.

Vick is doing this in conjunction with the Humane Society of the United States.

Especially compared to other athletes that screw up, Vick has brilliantly rebuilt his reputation and his life. He's even been re-signed by Nike. His endorsements are back, and people are once again viewing him as a football player and not a dog abuser.

And while I still wouldn't let him walk my dog, at least he's doing the positive things and apparently supporting a good cause. Could you imagine Kobe Bryant or Ben Roethlisberger supporting a feminist group? How about Plaxico Burress speaking at a MADD function? Or how about Roger Clemens appearing on Sesame Street and telling kids how important it is to tell the truth?

I don't think so.

College Hockey Teams Playing Musical Chairs

The shape of college hockey will be changing in 2013. Right now, there are four power conferences: The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), ECAC, and Hockey East. But that's all changing this summer. Two new conferences have emerged out west and they've raided the top teams from the WCHA and CCHA.

The Big Ten is coming to college hockey. Five Big Ten members already field Division 1 programs, with Penn State joining them in 2012. And in 2013, the Big Ten will appropriate (take) two teams from WCHA: Minnesota and Wisconsin. They'll absorb three teams from CCHA: Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State. These teams are some of the best from the WCHA and CCHA.

Not only has the Big Ten plundered those two conferences, six teams (5 from the WCHA and 1 from the CCHA) have decided to form a new power conference: The National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC). 2011 National Champs Minnesota-Duluth will join perennial powerhouse North Dakota, along with Denver, Colorado College, and Nebraska-Omaha. CCHA will "donate" Miami (OH) to the new conference. These were the best 6 teams remaining in the WCHA and CCHA after the Big Ten defections.

Notre Dame's fate still remains up in the air. The NCHC has been courting them, and it would make sense geographically for them to join. And considering that the CCHA is now a shell of what it once was, Notre Dame almost must move in order to maintain its program's prominence.

Another possibility for the Irish is to join Hockey East. The ECAC and Hockey East have remained untouched by this drama. But Hockey East would probably love to add a national program on Notre Dame's level. Geography is a bit of a problem, but the idea of Notre Dame vs. BC bringing their rivalry to the ice is very appealing.

Notre Dame has a national fanbase. Their hockey program is on the rise. Wherever they wind up, whether it's the NCHC or Hockey East, they're going to welcomed with open arms.

What I like about all this shuffling and maneuvering is that the power conferences have gotten smaller, but more powerful. Big Ten Hockey's members have combined to win 23 NCAA titles. The NCHC's members have won 17. Compare that to Hockey East's 11, the ECAC's 5, the WCHA's 4, and the CCHA's 4.

I wouldn't be shocked if, within a few years, some realignment occurs here in the northeast. As the struggle for TV money increases, especially with these two new conferences in play, power programs like BU and BC might seek to separate themselves from the UMass-Lowell's of the world, and perhaps align with other power programs from the ECAC like Cornell.

This is just speculation, but one day Hockey East might look like this: BC, BU, Northeastern, Notre Dame, Maine, UNH, Cornell, and Yale.

And I think while this is bad news for about half of the programs in college hockey, it's also beneficial for the game as a whole. Schools with national fanbases like Notre Dame, Michigan, and Ohio State can help bring new fans to the game. But they're going to do that by playing other top tier programs and rivals, not by playing Lake Superior State.

College hockey also needs large schools to put money into their programs. UConn, for instance, has a D-1 program, but they don't reward the full number of scholarships that they could. Syracuse only has a club level program, which is odd considering there are 10 Division 1 programs in New York. If Colgate, Clarkson, Union and RPI can field D-1 teams, why not Syracuse? Colorado, Northwestern, and Pittsburgh are all in regions where hockey is widely played. Yet Colorado is in D-3 and Northwestern and Pitt field only club teams.

College hockey is always going to be a regional thing, but like all other college sports, the powerhouses are what draw fans to the game, they're the ones that draw TV money and media attention. And unlike other sports, these conferences only exist in just one sport: hockey. It's not like the ACC, which has its football powers and its basketball powers, and they're all able to support each other. I want to see conferences that are ridiculously good from top to bottom. That makes the regular season interesting, as opposed to the 22 week warm-up to the NCAA Tournament that it currently is.

-The Commodore