Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Behold: Superbowl XLVIII

The irresistible force—that being the Bronco offense—meets the immovable object of the Seahawk defense, Usually, such matchups are won by the defense, which would augur for picking the Seahawks in tonight’s matchup.

However, Seattle’s style of defense sort of plays right into Peyton Manning’s hands.

Seattle plays a lot of one-high, two-high and cover two zone defensive schemes, schemes that Manning has long been known for recognizing and exploiting. But the Legion of Boom is also well known for putting enormous pressure on the quarterback and while Manning is arguably the most prolific signal-caller in recent history, he can’t make plays if he’s running for his life. Add to that the fact that Manning is about as gifted at scrambling as Dan Marino was, and Seattle has a chance to wreak havoc.

Seattle also has one of the most prolific running games in the 2013 season. Marshawn Lynch—in beast mode—is extraordinarily hard to stop.

There has been a lot of media hype on Manning’s legacy and what tonight’s Superbowl means as far as establishing him as one of the game’s greatest ever. While Russell Wilson is no Peyton Manning, he has the ability to make plays on his own. I’d look for some exciting plays where Wilson makes something out of nothing and moves the chains.

This could be one of the most exciting Superbowls in history.

The weather is not going to be a factor. Both teams come from cold weather cities and are used to chilly, breezy conditions. It should be a chilly 50-ish field with a light breeze and almost no chance of rain. If this were a matchup between a dome team (Hey, New Orleans) and a tundra team, I’d take the tundra team in a rout.

Manning has a chance to make history, and given the Seahawks’ propensity to align in zone coverage, I think the Broncos have a slight edge. If the Seahawks can somehow manage to get off the field on third downs, they have a shot at winning tonight.

I don’t think that happens often enough tonight. While I also have deep respect for Lynch and Seattle’s ground game, I think Denver puts enough points on the board to win a thriller, 31-27.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Trent Richardson finally wins over his biggest skeptic

I was going to write “Trent Richardson finally wins over his biggest critic,” but a more accurate descriptor of Jim Brown’s comments regarding the Browns’ rookie RB has open skepticism. That appears to have changed following Richardson’s performance on the field.

Via the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

The former great Browns running back met with the current Browns starter. They posed for photographs, exchanged telephone numbers and shared stories of battle wounds. Brown declared the future is bright for his Browns, particularly with the no-longer ordinary Richardson leading the way.

"That's my partner, man," Brown said. "He's done everything I thought he should do. He never took anything I said the wrong way. He's interested in his family. He's interested in this team. And he's willing to make sacrifices because really, he's hurt more than you think he is right now."

Richardson ran for a career-high 122 yards on 24 carries with a rib cartilage injury that makes it painful to move. Brown said he's never had an identical injury, but he remembers how any pain in his midsection made it particularly difficult to move, even more painful to be tackled. Brown was impressed with not only Richardson's resilience against the Chargers, but the exceptional ability he has shown in his first eight NFL games.

I hate to use a religious analogy, but everyone who saw Richardson carve up SEC defenses in his three seasons at Alabama knew Brown was just another Doubting Thomas who had to put his finger in the wounds of the savior before he truly believed.

Jim Brown has never been at a loss for words. When reporters ask him questions, he gives answers. Sometimes those answers have made sense and rung true. But at other times he’s left people shaking their heads and wondering if he suffers dain bramage.

At least for now, Brown is a believer in Trent Richardson. Just like we’ve always been,

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Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Jim McElwain: NFL draft a measuring stick for college football programs

By: @LivingCrimson

REUTERS / Mike SegarAlabama is expected to have five players go in the first round of the Draft next week ▬ Mark Barron, Dont’a Hightower, Dre Kirkpatrick, Trent Richardson and Courtney Upshaw. If the predictions prove true, the Crimson Tide will take second place in NFL draft history for first-rounders taken in the same Draft. Miami currently holds the record with six first-rounders in 2004. Alabama would also become tops in the SEC, after tying for the lead in 2011 with four first-rounders.

Jim McElwain, head coach at Colorado State University and former Bama offensive coordinator, is working to mold his football program into a successful pipeline to the NFL as well. And he is finally able to give insight into The Process under Nick Saban.

"The opportunity to play at the next level, that's everybody's dream. [T]here is a skill set there to get invited to the Combine, to get drafted into the National Football League, to be part of an NFL program. And that is a skill set we're looking to find as coaches as well."

Seems straightforward enough, no surprises there. We already knew Saban (and his coaching tree) evaluates high school recruits based on prototypical measurables position by position.


Ah, but then McElwain gives us the twist ▬ lower round guys that make it in the NFL are the real success.

“Our responsibility is to develop these guys for the rest of their lives by what we do academically, what we do spiritually, what we do psychologically. And if they desire a chance to play in the National Football League, it's our responsibility to put them in a system that's going to help them succeed. ... The guys at the top of the draft, it doesn't matter what system they were in. It's the back end, the later rounds, the (undrafted) free agents. Those guys might be the (best) measure of your developmental skills. Teams see them on film and see how what you do has a chance to translate to the NFL.”

McElwain says "the whole package" matters to him and to Saban. Well-rounded players will be more attractive to NFL teams, and a college degree will stand any player in good stead for the rest of his life.

The Process is working. The Tide leads the SEC in Academic Honor Roll placement and ranks fifth nationally in BCS academics. In addition to winning national championships on the collegiate level, each year brings more success on NFL draft day ▬ including more players drafted in the lower rounds. Players who otherwise might not have been drafted at all if it weren’t for their successful development at Bama.

  • In 2008, zero Alabama players drafted, the first draft following Nick Saban’s inaugural season in Tuscaloosa. However, the Tide had four undrafted free agents who went on to play at least a couple of years in the NFL. DE Wallace Gilberry remains active.
  • In 2009, four Alabama players drafted. All were drafted third round or higher with only one first-round pick in OT Andre Smith.
  • In 2010, six Alabama players drafted, two in the first round, two in the second round, and two in the seventh round – DE Brandon Deaderick and DB Marquis Johnson. Deaderick found himself starting in the Super Bowl after only his second season.
  • In 2011, five Alabama players drafted, four in the first round and QB Greg McElroy in the seventh round. Plus undrafted free agent LB Chavis Williams was picked up by the Ravens and re-signed for 2012.

In 2012, seventeen Alabama players have a realistic opportunity to be drafted or picked up as undrafted free agents ▬ the five predicted first-rounders, John Michael Boswell (FA), Josh Chapman (3-4 Rd), Nick Gentry (FA), Darius Hanks (FA), Jerrell Harris (FA), Phelon Jones (FA), Alfred McCullough (FA), Marquis Maze (7 Rd), DeQuan Menzie (4-5 Rd), Brad Smelley (6 Rd), William Vlachos (FA), and Alex Watkins (FA).

What McElwain is really saying about Saban’s system is that when an average player reaches the end of his eligibility, he is more likely to get a shot in the NFL because Alabama has equipped its athletes with the tools to succeed. Then he is more likely to capitalize on his opportunity in the NFL because he is able to put all that development into practice.

Of course, winning the NFL Draft with the most first-rounders certainly doesn’t detract from any program.





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Saturday, March 24, 2012

Bill Parcells: This Alabama program is as good as it gets

By: @LivingCrimson

Alabama Coaches Clinic 2012Once every twenty-five years, Bill Parcells agrees to speak at a coaching clinic. This quarter century it was the Crimson Tide’s turn to host the two-time Super Bowl winning coach.

Nick Saban introduced Parcells with very high praise, saying the Alabama team and recruiting methods reflect Parcells’ philosophy, by way of Bill Belichick.

The Big Tuna returned the favor with his opening remarks to the 1,400 high school coaches in attendance. Noting 52% of NFL players come from 27 schools, Parcells put Alabama at the top of the list for producing good football players. He also commended the organization of the Tide football program under Coach Saban and The University’s storied tradition being carried forward for future generations.

The videos released from the event contain only the beginning portion of Parcells’ remarks in which he emphasizes the foundations of a winning formula: the player’s knowledge, commitment and personal responsibility.

Sound familiar, Bama Nation?

Some of Parcells’ most famous quotes have been offered up in one form or another by Coach Saban to reporters over the past few years:

  • “Sometimes when everybody's feeding you the cheese, it's hard not to eat it.”

Saban’s interpretation – "I don't care what award they won, or how many made All-American or how many we had. None of that's going to matter when the game starts."

  • “When you don't know that you don't know, it's a lot different than when you do know that you don't know.”

Saban’s interpretation – “You never stay the same. You either get better, or you get worse.”

  • “Knowledge is confidence. And confidence lets you play fast.”

Saban’s interpretation – After each game, “I have a good, bad and an ugly reel” for the players.

  • All you have to do is play better than the other guy and things go well.”

Saban’s interpretation – “We stopped ourselves in the red zone by not executing what we were supposed to do. It’s not a systematic problem. It’s a lack of execution problem.”

  • “The only players I hurt with my words are the ones who have an inflated opinion of their ability.”

Saban’s interpretation – “Sometimes when you make those role changes, how they respond to that change goes a long way to telling me what kind of player they are, or it tells me what kind of competitor they are, because if they pout about it, that’s not really what we want.”

After five years of tough love molding tough Bama players, Nick Saban has won two national championships and earned a statue near Bear Bryant's. On any list of the greatest football coaches of this modern generation, most would include Bill Parcells. After three national titles in nine years at two different SEC schools, Saban rightfully joins the same elite status.

The Crimson Tide is pleased Parcells’ coaching philosophy has found a new home in Tuscaloosa.

Video courtesy of al.com

Lou Holtz will be the featured speaker on Saturday night to close out the Coaching Clinic.


I would love to hear from you. Comments on this article can be posted to LivingCrimson on Twitter or Facebook.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

More fallout from the Saints bounty scandal

image Highlighting why this won’t “just go away,” here’s a smattering of coverage, reaction and analysis from media outlets.

Turley wants to know what Brees knows about bounties

Former Saints tackle Kyle Turley, who left the team long before quarterback Drew Brees arrived, made an interesting point on Monday regarding Brees’ potential connection to the now-dismantled Bayou Bounty Bureau. What did Drew know, and when did he know it?

Eli Manning: Bounties are a big deal, Goodell will make sure they stop

Giants quarterback Eli Manning has weighed in on the Saints’ bounty scandal. Manning, who was on the receiving end of a roughing the passer penalty when the Giants played the Saints last season, said Monday that he’s concerned about the stories that former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams bounties to players for knocking opponents out.

Looking at why bounties work

So when an NFL player is earning hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, why does the promise of another $1,000 or so provide any extra motivation? It’s a question that was addressed during Monday’s PFT Live.

NFL Network explains decision to yank Vikings-Saints game

Before Friday, NFL Network planned to televise the 2009 NFC title game between the Vikings and Saints at 3:00 p.m. ET on Monday.  At some point after the NFL announced on Friday that the Saints had maintained in 2009, 2010, and 2011 a system of bounties that paid defensive players for injuring opponents, NFL Network replaced Vikings-Saints with the 1992 NFC title game between the Cowboys and 49ers.

The full statement from the league on the Saints’ bounty program

[Editor's note:  Due to confusion and contradictions and misinformation regarding the March 2 announcement by the league that the Saints had violated NFL rules through the use of a bounty program, it makes a lot of sense to post the full text of the league's release.  It probably would have been smart to do it Friday.  But it would have been dumb to not do it now simply because I now realize I should have done it then.  And so the full text of the release from the NFL appears below, without edits or omissions.]

Dungy on Peyton Manning, bounty programs

Former Colts and Bucs coach Tony Dungy joined PFT Live on Monday to talk about two of the hottest topics in the NFL:  the status of Peyton Manning and the league’s discovery of a three-year bounty system in New Orleans.

Report: Loomis, Payton have Tom Benson’s full support

We haven’t heard any public statements from Saints general manager Mickey Loomis or coach Sean Payton after Friday’s revelation about the NFL’s investigation into the team’s bounty program, but signs continue to be strong that they have the support of owner Tom Benson.

Darren Sharper needs to stop talking

Former Saints safety Darren Sharper has worked as a guest analyst for NFL Network, the TV operation owned and operated by the league.  But Sharper may never get another invitation again, if he continues to openly dispute the findings that the NFL already has made regarding the bounty system that the Saints used …

Steve Young thinks players who were injured should sue the Saints

Steve Young isn’t only a Hall of Fame quarterback. He’s also a lawyer. And in his legal opinion, the bounty scandal in New Orleans is outrageous, egregious, preposterous. Young said on ESPN today that he believes a player who was injured against the Saints during the three years that defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was running…

Brett Favre happy that truth on Saints coming to light

There was plenty of information about the Saints bounty program bouncing around over the weekend and one of the biggest was that Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma reportedly offered $10,000 to any defender who could knock Brett Favre out of the 2009 NFC Championship Game.

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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Peyton Manning reported to be interested in Texans

Video report from KTRK in Houston says there is strong interest between Peyton Manning and the Houston Texans, an AFC south franchise that the star QB is familiar with and which he believes has a shot at making a Super Bowl.



Bob Allen, Sports Director at KTRK, doesn’t name his sources but drops these two little nuggets for fan and viewer consideration:

I'm told the relationship between him and Colts owner Robert Irsay now is strictly business. And don't underplay the competitiveness between Peyton and Eli -- it "does" matter that Eli has two Super Bowl rings to his one.

The Texans routed the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs before losing 20-13 to the Baltimore Ravens. Could a healthy Peyton Manning have made the difference and gotten the Texans farther?

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Thursday, January 19, 2012

DeMeco Ryans: Ben Tate didn’t have much to say about Auburn this year

By: @LivingCrimson

In an interview with Eli Gold and Stan White on 97.3 The Zone, funny stuff from former Alabama linebacker DeMeco Ryans about SEC players kidding each other in the Texans locker room. He says former LSU wide receiver Trindon Holliday had a lot to say leading up to the national championship game, then nothing. Especially when “Honey Badger didn’t show up.”

He goes on to talk about the Texans offense, and says Tate has run for tough yards in the NFL because he learned how to at Auburn without an offensive line to block for him. (Bama fans note he did have one to "chop" for him.)

More from DeMeco in the audio including insight into the playoff games, the Texans roster and coaches, and his Super Bowl picks. Always interesting to hear from Bama’s NFL Rookie of the Year and two time Pro-Bowler.






More Bama updates on Twitter @LivingCrimson.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Condoleezza Rice suggested as next UA Chancellor

By: @LivingCrimson

Condoleezza Rice Bama gameDr. Mack Portera announced Monday he was stepping down as UA Chancellor. A member of the Alabama House of Representatives quickly moved to suggest Condoleezza Rice as a prestigious replacement.

Dr. Rice is originally from Birmingham but spent her middle school and high school years in Tuscaloosa, where her father the Rev. John Rice took a position at Stillman College and her mother was a teacher at Druid High School. She maintains strong ties in the State of Alabama even though her college education and career were spent far away from Alabama. During George Bush’s presidential campaign, she even named a political group The Vulcans in honor of the ideals embodied in the great strides made in Birmingham public policy.

She continues to be a supporter of The University of Alabama, as well as an avid fan of Crimson Tide football. In her book, “Condoleezza Rice: A Memoir of My Extraordinary, Ordinary Family and Me,” she spends a couple of chapters on her time in T-Town including stories of attending Bama football games, and the University speakers series where she met the famous politicians of her time.

According to Mark Schlabach, her father had been a coach as a young man. Father and daughter played football in the yard. Even before moving to Tuscaloosa, they listened to Bear Bryant's Alabama teams on the radio. She loves to tell stories of attending recent Bama games, including tossing the coin at Bryant-Denny Stadium for the opening of the huge rivalry game with Tennessee. This past season, Rice even attended the Alabama-LSU game on November 5th and predicted a win for the Tide.

As former Secretary of State, politics doesn’t want to let her go though. Despite her denials, Rice continues to be mentioned as a possible Vice Presidential candidate on the Republican ticket. She remains firm in her commitment to the educational and public policy establishment rather than returning to politics. In fact, her ultimate goal is to be the NFL Commissioner.

It would be indeed be a coup if the University of Alabama system could entice Dr. Rice back to Alabama.

 

 

More Bama updates on Twitter @LivingCrimson.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

It’s late December. Cue the Jon Gruden rumors!

image It’s that time of year again, folks!

While the college coaching carousel is spinning down (only Penn State has yet to name a new head coach), the NFL version is just warming up. The final weekend of the 2011 season is upon us and all of the usual suspects are being rounded up as we speak.

What would an NFL coaching carousel be without rumors of Jon Gruden returning to the brotherhood of football coaching?

The San Diego Union Tribune cites typically anonymous sources in reporting that if the Chargers fire General Manager AJ Smith, the Rams will pick him up and Smith will bring Gruden with him.


People familiar with Rams owner Stan Kroenke’s plans said Monday that Kroenke is waiting for [Chargers owner Dean] Spanos to make a move on Smith. If Smith is available, league and agent sources strongly indicated that Smith will be hired as Rams’ general manager and bring along Jon Gruden as head coach.

Sources said Gruden has decided to return to coaching in 2012 and that his current employer, ESPN, is already preparing for his departure.

Spokesmen for ESPN and the Rams declined comment on Monday night.

Smith also declined comment when asked both about his future employment or his association with Gruden.


Gruden was fired by the Buccaneers following the 2008 season and joined the ESPN Monday Night Football crew for the 2009 season. Although his name has come up each year since then, he has never shown any interest in leaving the broadcast booth.

ESPN announced in October that the network and the former coach had agreed on a new contract that would keep him in the booth for the next five years.

"I said I want to get good at this," Gruden said at the time. "I was serious about this from the day I started it and I am serious about wanting to get good at it. I spent 26 or 27 years in coaching, 18 of them in the NFL. I want to focus on this and get better every day."

Gruden’s name also comes up in connection with high profile college coaching jobs. In 2009, rumors swam that he was the lead candidate for the Tennessee Vols job, eventually filled by Derek Dooley. In 2010, unsourced reports had him agreeing in principle to take the Miami Hurricanes job, eventually filled by Al Golden. Google “Jon Gruden” and “Penn State,” and the predictable parade of Bleacher Report stories linking him to the Nittany Lions top the list.

The Union Trib is a credible news organization. They may have legitimate sources and Gruden might actually be considering a return this time. But given his comments just a couple of months ago, I’m betting it’s not likely.

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Friday, December 16, 2011

“Perfect Storm” threatens to end Peyton Manning’s run with Colts

image In the modern lexicon, a “perfect storm” is a confluence of conditions or events that radically alters a situation in ways that would have been unimaginable without that confluence.

Peyton Manning is soon likely to face a maelstrom unlike any we’ve ever witnessed.

Manning is one of the best quarterbacks to play in the NFL, a league in which the quarterback has increasingly become the make-or-break position in the game. But Manning is 35 years old and quickly aging into geezer status.

In September, the old fella had the third of three surgical procedures to heal an injured neck. The latest surgery—called a single-level anterior fusion—isn’t really as scary as its name implies. In fact, quarterbacks typically fare well after this procedure and there is very little risk of a catastrophic injury resulting from it. But still, it’s neck surgery, man.

Despite the team’s early season rallying cry that “we’re not a one man team,” the Colts’ record says otherwise. As in, winless. The Colts are realistically looking at an 0-16 season, with the odds heavily favoring it. The organization’s reliance on one guy is also having an impact on front office thought processes. Despite being one of only five rookie head coaches to take his team to a Super Bowl (2009, lost to Saints), head coach Jim Caldwell is likely going to be dismissed at the end of the 2011 season. Perhaps no other team in NFL history has staked as much of its fortunes on the health and play of a single player. How much of a stake did the Colts have riding on Manning? They have a $28 million option to keep him on the roster in 2012. That’s a lot of coin that could be used to sign supporting role players in free agency and the upcoming 2012 NFL Draft.

Therein lies the last of conditions making up the Perfect Storm. The 2012 Draft features Stanford’s Andrew Luck. The two-time Heisman runner-up is by far the best quarterback prospect to enter the league since Heisman runner-up Manning signed with the Colts in 1998. Sitting at 0-16 (or even 1-15, should they avoid the goose egg season), the Colts will have the No. 1 pick and would be brain dead not to take him. With the No. 1 pick comes No. 1 money, meaning the Colts may be looking at spending tens of millions to keep an aging, ailing Peyton Manning on the roster with their new burgeoning superstar.

Talking heads in the media are divided over the issue. Do they keep both hoping that Luck is willing to be understudy, protégée and clipboard carrier for Manning for a year or two? Do they convince Manning to restructure his contract to make room for Luck and more supporting cast members? Or they pick Luck and release one of the most beloved players in Colts franchise history?

Aging superstar with health issues. Likely 0-16 with a new coaching staff. The need to beef up in free agency and the draft with (somewhat) limited resources. The No. 1 draft pick and the perfect fit in a league dominated by quarterbacks.

Welcome to the Perfect Storm.

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Monday, June 27, 2011

Darnell Dockett live tweets a traffic stop. What could go wrong?

 

I don’t know how this ended. These were sent from Darnell Dockett’s verified Twitter account. The first was posted at 11:58 am EDT and the last was posted at 2:18 pm EDT. Apparently, the local constabulary had the outspoken Arizona Cardinals Defensive Lineman pulled over for more than two hours.

image
There R 3police cars and they are talking! I don't see A search warrant they won't see inside this escalade! I got all day hope they don't!
image Police said "do you mind if we look around in your Vehicle?" I said I sure DO! He said "I'm gonna call back up" I said u wanna use my phone?
image I think they (POLICE) going to get a search warrant cuz they sitting here looking like fools waiting on something!
image These COPS really think I'm stupid they playing good cop bad cop! BOY STOOOOP! I'm not falling for that! NO SIR YOU WILL NOT LOOK IN MY CAR!
image This cop just ask me how tall R u & where R U from! I'm bout to ask him can I go across the street to POPEYS while we sitting here waiting!
image I been sitting here for a HOUR 1cop by the driver window, 2talking at the car! And the 1by the window being friendly! Like wtf?
image I asked the cop why he pulled me over he said I was speeding I said BULLSHIT! But give me the ticket that's when he asked to search my car!
image So you gonna lie and say I'm speeding then you wanna search my car! Get the F*ck ouutta here! Better go get a warrant *turns up radio*
image OK so now I think they letting me Go cop just brought my DL's and registration! Yeah I'm bout to be out this MOFO!

If you use Twitter and you don’t follow Dockett, you’re missing one of the NFL’s most colorful Tweeps.

Usually NSFW but always good for a laugh.

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Friday, March 11, 2011

NFL Players Union moves to decertify, creates NCAA compliance nightmare

Talks between the NFL owners and NFL Players Association disintegrated today, and the ramifications of the union decision to decertify could reach into the compliance offices of every college athletics program, from the Little Sisters of the Poor to the University of Alabama.

Fox Sports reports on the developments today:


There is no more overtime in labor negotiations between the NFL and NFL Players Association.

Talks for a new collective bargaining agreement fell apart Friday, as the players' union moved to decertify. This will undoubtedly lead to the league's first work stoppage in 24 years.

In a statement, the NFLPA said it would "move forward as a professional trade association with the mission of supporting the interests and rights of current and former professional football players."

The news came Friday afternoon following a contentious Thursday of verbal salvos between both sides during heated negotiations. Nine NFL owners on the league's executive committee as well as a slew of NFLPA executives and player representatives were among those who attended Friday's session at Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service headquarters in Washington.

Several legal proceedings are now set to follow, which could continue the impasse into the regular season.

"The fastest way to a fair agreement is for both the union and the clubs to continue the mediation process," the NFL said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the players’ union has notified our office that at 4 p.m. ET it had 'decertified' and is walking away from mediation and collective bargaining."


image Yes, the lockout will threaten the 2011 NFL season and the likelihood of missed football games looms for the first time since 1987.  Yes, teams and their host communities stand to lose millions in revenue and rookies will miss golden opportunities to develop before trying to crack rosters before the start of the season. But there are other impacts, and many football fans haven’t yet grasped those ancillary ramifications of today’s decision. But they soon will.

The NFLPA is the body that regulates professional football agents. With decertification, that regulatory power goes away and along with it, even the most distant threat of punishment for improperly seducing college athletes is gone with the stroke of a judge’s pen.

Remember when Alabama Football Coach Nick Saban compared rogue agents to “pimps?” You ain’t seen nothing yet.

There is no federal statute governing the behavior of professional sports agents outside of prohibition of activities that are against existing federal law (fixing games, shaving points, etc). Agent registrations are left to the states, and each state has its own way of dealing with them. Some states’ laws are toothless. Others are tougher. But the only real threat that agents faced was being ostracized by the NFLPA and forbidden from representing them in contract negotiations.

Decertification eliminates that threat, and NCAA bylaws don’t apply to agents. Those rules only apply to the schools and players who play for them, and the pimps Saban referred to—along with their sleazy networks of runners and street reps—fear the NCAA Committee on Infractions the way the Alabama Defense fears the Little Sisters of the Poor’s Pro-style Offense.

Get ready for a slew of compliance issues related to agents, and I sure hope the NCAA Enforcement staff for agents, amateurism and gambling is ready for the overtime.

They’re gonna need it.

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