Really? Are Green Bay, Kansas City, Indianapolis, New Orleans, Seattle, Pittsburgh major markets? No. Those teams make up half the NFL playoffs this year. 3 of those cities have MLB teams that will never compete under the current MLB structure. .

1. These were not secret rules that Pryor, et. al. violated. They knew it was a violation, and they did it anyhow. When you sign up for a football scholarship, this is part of the deal you’re agreeing to. You don’t have the privilege of deciding you don’t like some parts of the deal (even if they seem unfair or arbitrary) and ignoring them. If you don’t like the NCAA’s rules, play JuCo, where nobody will care about your jersey.

2. If the NCAA tolerated this kind of thing, it would open up a giant loophole. Who’s to say that a game-worn jersey isn’t worth $10,000 or $50,000 or $100,000? Ohio State could give Pryor a fresh jersey every quarter, and then he could turn around and sell them to a “supportive” alum for $25,000 a pop. Voila! Legalized cash payments. One might argue that Pryor should be paid a salary (a proposal that has some issues of its own). But even if you do argue that, it has nothing to do with whether or not this rule is apropos. Even if players are paid a salary, it’s still not ok to open the door for this short of thing.

I don’t care that everyone who made important plays for Ohio State in that game has been found to have violated NCAA rules. They’re dumb, hypocritical exploitative rules and I will not for one second slam college football players for not abiding by NCAA idiocy. Especially when that same NCAA idiocy allowed them to play anyway. We’re all a part of the same hypocrisy, Senator.

What’s absurd is the hypocrisy when applying the same rule! AJ Green sold his jersey for $2500 and had to sit out 4 games this season, screwing over Georgia. 5 players get caught and are allowed to play in a bowl game [only after promising they'll return next year. and if you believe that, i have some bridges in NYC to sell you].

Or how about the hypocrisy across sports? James Paxton was dropped by his UK team after refusing to meet with NCAA investigators on whether he hired a lawyer to negotiate with the Blue Jays after being drafted in ’09. UK was afraid they’d lose their season since that action is punishable by the NCAA. See the precedent set by Andy Oliver as he was suspended for doing the same thing.

So remember kids, if you want to take money, have your parents do it and keep yourself out of the negotiation[Reggie Bush vs Cam Newton]. If you are going to break the rules, make sure you do it at the end of the season rather than the offseason [AJ Green vs Pryor].

So you have a limit on the amount of sports you can watch? I guess I am fortunate; my wife is as fanatical a Phillies fan as I am, sometimes even moreso.

Spot on. No need to start a week night game at 8:45 or so. Also, no need to consume as much alcohol as I may have.

As far as the players go, concur with your stance. I’d go a step further and tell the folks bitching about it to get off their high horse, particularly SEC fans. These two years old infractions were self reported. In the SEC self-reporting is considered cause to fire a coach.

Like many I scoffed at Tressel proclaiming the players promised to return for their suspension next year. Having said that, the ones talking last night seemed legitimately committed to return. I’m not naive and understand various people will be whispering in their ears all the reasons to forgo their senior season. Be interesting to watch.

You notice no one tends to hear anymore about how NBA games take 20-30 minutes to complete the final 2-3 minutes of clock time. I guess many of us probably just say “wait a minute, the NBA is still around?”

If you want exciting football. I have 2 words. Mike Vick. The Philadelphia Eagles shocked every Philly fan I know. We all expected one dud of a season with Kolb taking the ball, but boy were we in for a shocker weren’t we? Mike Vic may just be this seasons NFL MVP. Redskins fans, How’s DoNabb doing btw??? tee hee hee….

I don’t expect the Eagles to make the superbowl, but I wouldn’t be totally shocked if they did either.. Man, Philly sports teams are kinda getting elite. Between the Phills, Flyers, and Eagles, I couldn’t be much more content.

But yeah, when does spring training begin again???

1) I love football, but it doesn’t hold a candle to baseball.

2) Kudos to the Godfather 2 reference. But never think it applies to my family.

3) Mallet may have cost himself some money, despite it being more on his receivers.

Bring on the Hall of Fame results and Spring Training.