Sports Agenda For Tuesday (8/16/11)
Big Story:
Not quite as much coming and going yesterday, lots of little nuggets about the Dolphins, the Marlins lost AGAIN, UM's in it up to their eyeballs, and the SEC will expand sooner rather than later.
Plus, why you should always know a little history in the news business!
Firsties:
Well, yesterday morning everyone was talking about how the SEC wasn't expanding. Everyone except those of us with common sense.
By Monday afternoon, people realized that the train is on the tracks and it's just a question of when the train gets here.
Monday, the Texas A&M Board of Regents authorized the president to seek conference realignment.
The NCAA stuck its nose into the fight asking that conferences not expand, basically because they fear the power that the SEC would gain.
When Aggies president Loftin was talking about possible realignment he said, "It's not what's wrong with the Big XII; It's what's right with Texas A&M and where we want to go in time."
It's not you, it's me just entered the debate…Guh!!!
Who might be hosed and gained the most out of the deal once it goes through, reportedly.
ESPN will win and lose with this one.
The Sports behemoth would win because it would add another top tier team to the SEC. It would lose because it's Big XII contract would be shaky at best.
Plus, if the SEC expands, it can command a HUGE new rights deal from ESPN and CBS.
Or, it could go with Fox Sports or anyone for that matter.
Buckle up, this one's going to take a little while to sort out, but once the first domino falls, it's going to be one heckuva bumpy ride.
UM:
Not a lot new on the UM front, but they are square in the crosshairs of the NCAA.
Head coach Al Golden is taking the right approach with the NCAA and telling all involved to be honest.
I feel bad for Golden if anything comes of this, but until I hear some concrete evidence or am able to see some documents, I'm withholding judgment on the U.
Marlins: (@ Colorado Rockies, 8:40 p.m., Fox Sports)
The Marlins continue to fall faster than John Boehner at an open bar.
The Marlins dropped another game Monday night in Coloardo, 7-4.
The Fish squandered Mike Stanton's 27th home run in the loss. With that homer, Stanton is now tied for fifth in the NL for home runs this season, just 2 behind Albert Pujols who is first with 29.
Past that, there's not much to celebrate about this team, other than the fact that the season is already over.
Dolphins: (next game, Friday vs. Carolina Panthers, 7:30 p.m., CBS4)
Couple of quick nuggets about the Fins.
People are starting to now realize what I said weeks ago, the Fins have a massive tight end problem. Basically, they have guys with stone hands or guys who can't block.
Wonder if they wish they had gone hard after Zach Miller, or Greg Olsen, or heck even Jeremy Shockey now.
The Fins will get a chance to watch a duo of great tight ends on Friday when Olsen and Shockey come to town with the Panthers.
Also, Matt Moore remains the backup, but if Henne plays like he did last Friday, Moore will start week 3 of the preseason.
Finally, Livas is day-to-day with a strained hamstring, and Will Allen could be out of a job soon if he can't stay healthy and beat out Benny Sapp.
That's how you know your career has gone downhill when you're struggling to beat out Benny Freaking Sapp.
And finally, a note about why you should pay attention in history class to all future journalists.
On Monday, Congressman Allen West was revealed to have sent a one word response to CAIR that said "Nuts!" to their request to ease up on the fiery rhetoric attacking Muslims.
Many in the news business across the country, who primarily studied journalism, were shocked that Congressman West would say something like this.
This is where history comes in.
Congressman West was quoting an American general during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II who was told to surrender by the Germans. The general sent a note back saying, "Nuts!"
Here's why you should know things like this.
First, if you don't know it, you sound ignorant when you report on it without context.
Second, if you report the story and say at the end you learned this, then you sound just as ignorant.
I remember talking to Ted Koppel once after he gave a speech at a news director's gathering in Las Vegas. He told students in attendance they need to quit studying journalism, or at least pick up a double-major in political science, economics, history, or something.
West's letter is a prime example of why journalists should always know history or have the initiative to see if anyone has heard of it.
It was a sad day for journalists across the country, and I'm sure it made Congressman West rightfully chuckle and it made those of us who know history and study history, politics, journalism, etc. cry a little for the death of quality journalism.
