AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2008 > July > 28
Monday, July 28, 2008
Tech stuff, other stuff, idiocy aplenty
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s late, and I’ve got to move fast …
Nothing hard to offer here on Ga. Tech. Been working double-time on other issues, like the pay-for-play story I wrote for Sunday’s paper.
Hard to have an opinion here. But I think college football and basketball (D-I level) generate so much money that somehow, some way, some of it needs to end up in the pockets of the players generating it. Not much, but some.
I don’t have a great model for how to split the cash, but how about making sure that if it ever gets to where players are paid beyond their scholarships making sure that ALL division I PROGRAMS get the same thing, and that they’re limited strictly in how they give out the dough.
If you start breaking it down to where big conferences and big-time programs have more money to spread among their players, it will only make the strong stronger. That would destroy parity, if such a thing exists (it probably doesn’t).
I’ll say this: if it was split evenly, I think that would be a much bigger factor in basketball. If North Carolina had no more to give than Kent State, it might actually level the playing field.
If there are a dozen one-and-done-caliber hoops players every year, and North Carolina has no more to often them than Wisconsin or UNLV or Davidson or whomever … perhaps some of those kids would say to themselves, “well there are already two studs heading for UNC to get big bucks,” so maybe I could go to Davidson, or wherever, to get my share of big money, too. There would, I think, be a point where the idea of going to UNC just to have a better than average chance at winning it all, would diminish in the face of the possibility of making bukoo more cash somewhere else, especially if you’re only going to play one year in college (dumb rule).
Bet you wouldn’t have four McDonalds All-Americas all going to the same place.
Just a thought.
Football, I don’t think the difference would be as great.
Changing subjects big-time … I know Brett Favre, sort of. Met him, or interviewed him, about half a dozen times. A couple times in one-on-one situations. All-American in every way, not pretentious in the least.
That said, he has not handled this in ideal fashion.
But he’s earned the right to change his mind. Period.
The Packers need to trade him, to whatever team offers the most. Period, again.
The Packers deserve something in return for their holding Favre’s rights. Why? Because they’ve already paid him tens of millions of dollars, and while they’re not doing anything wrong by standing by Aaron Rodgers as their starter in planning for the future, they also both owe — and are owed by — Favre.
They ponied up with that big contract over several years. And now, if Favre is to play again, they should be able to back up the truck and get their load of picks and/or cash.
You just can’t keep that guy out of the NFL if he wants to play. That’s not right.
Read something about Reggie Ball injuring a knee and going on injured reserve for the Lions. Don’t have much positive to say about Reggie. My only dealings with him were during his senior year, and he was a major pain in the rump.
And he was a double pain after the Georgia game with all the “Yo, dog,” garbage, and talking about how the Georgia game was no different than any other.
Please!
And by the way, Calvin Johnson will have a monster season.
Love it for Anthony Morrow.
I wrote something Friday about him signing with the Warriors. Dude shot lights out for the Heat and Warriors in their summer leagues. Unreal 3-point numbers.
Anthony is slow. He doesn’t jump well. He’s an average defender at best.
But he can shoot, and he really, really knows the game. Plus, he’s extremely willing to work hard at any and everything he thinks he has to work hard at.
I thought Hewitt was a little off when he told me once last year that Morrow had a chance to play at the next level (and he didn’t mean in Ukraine). I hope I’m wrong, and Paul is right… .
Now that Anthony’s contract with the team in Kiev is void, that’s not such a good thing for former teammate Ra’Sean Dickey, who signed with the same team (they have the same agent!?) Ra’Sean definitely would have benefited from having someone he knows well close by while working so far away.
Cross your fingers for Dickey.
Matt
