More games that count, perhaps as early as August 2011?
That's exactly what NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wants.
There are several hurdles before the league can expand its regular season from 16 to 17 or 18 games. Among them is reaching a new collective bargaining agreement with the players' union.
Still, the commissioner hopes to present a proposal to the owners in May after the matter was discussed at length this week at the owners meetings.
"It's possible that we could vote in May, but we want to have core discussions on this," Goodell said Wednesday. "Anytime you have change, there is some reluctance. But it's clear we don't need four preseason games anymore."
Goodell said the league has not seriously discussed the subject with its broadcast partners. He couldn't imagine them not being interested in more meaningful games.
"I think the quality of NFL programming, that every one of our network partners would say, if they have the chance to have more regular-season programming, they'd be interested in it," Goodell said. "A key point is the fans also recognize players they want to see are not in those preseason games; that's why they are not attractive. They want to see those players play."
As for those players and their union, Goodell recognizes an expanded schedule will be part of CBA negotiations. Owners opted out of the current deal last year, and it expires after the 2010 schedule, which would be an uncapped season.
"Under the current agreement, additional regular-season games would not be covered," Goodell said. "I think our most important priority after we get done with our internal analysis is talking to our key partners, and that includes the players. I think we want to make sure that the right dialogue takes place before we make any final votes."
DeMaurice Smith, the NFLPA's incoming executive director, wants any decision that affects the players to happen collaboratively.
"His hope is that the concerns and interests of the players will be seriously considered," said George Atallah, a director at the public relations firm Qorvis Communications and a spokesman for Smith during his transition. "He was elected by the players to be their advocate on such issues and is more than ready to serve them."
Among the issues team owners must discuss is when the regular season would begin; how many bye weeks would be scheduled; how deep into February the playoffs and Super Bowl would go; and when the offseason programs -- including the combine and the draft -- would be held.
Plus, where would the extra games be played, particularly with 17 of them?
One possibility, an idea Goodell and senior vice president of sales and marketing Mark Waller first mentioned several years ago, would be 17 neutral-site games, including some abroad. That would enable the league to step up its efforts internationally, a particular goal of Goodell's.
"There's been some discussion about that," Goodell said. "That's been one of the appealing features of converting preseason games into regular-season games is it gives you more inventory, more games that you can take to neutral sites, either internationally or domestically. So that is a compelling feature."
Another option would be having one conference play nine home games during a season, and the other conference do so the next year.
An 18-game schedule, obviously, would eliminate such concerns. It also would mean dropping two preseason contests.
"Fans don't believe preseason games are up to our standards," Goodell said.
Clearly, neither does he.
The Outlaw Micheal Tomsik
www.outlawsportsradio.com
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
The NFL headed for no salary cap in 2010
The NFL is headed toward a season without a salary cap next year, and it will take an unexpected breakthrough in the sport's labor negotiations to avoid it.
Negotiators for owners and the NFL Players Association have made modest progress toward resolving the major financial issues at stake in ongoing discussions about a possible extension of their labor deal, sources familiar with the deliberations said. However, people on both sides of the negotiations said in recent days they consider it unlikely that the owners and the players' union will complete a deal in time to prevent next season from being played minus a salary cap. In fact, one source, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to comment publicly on the talks, said it's "becoming close to a certainty."
A system that has helped to promote competitive balance among the teams since being put in place in 1993, greatly boosting the sport's prosperity and popularity, would be replaced by a system in which teams could spend what they wish on players while facing other restrictions on free agency that NFL officials say would serve to preserve competitive balance.
"The forefathers of our league put personal interests aside to promote competitive balance," said Peter Schaffer, a veteran NFL agent. "That prevented the NFL from turning into Major League Baseball with George Steinbrenner and the Yankees. ... Right now you have two of the smallest-market teams out there, Indianapolis and New Orleans, having these wonderful seasons. The salary cap is part of that. If it goes away, it will eventually affect competitive balance."
For years, revenue-sharing among the teams and a salary cap to regulate spending on players have been fundamental components of the NFL's successful business formula. The teams share the revenues from their lucrative national television contracts equally, with the idea being to keep a franchise in Green Bay, Wis., on relatively equal financial footing with a team in New York.
The salary cap has gone hand in hand with that, keeping one team from too greatly outspending another to assemble its roster. It is a flexible ceiling on player salaries, but it is designed to make a team pay a future price for any extravagant spending. The system stayed in place through a series of extensions of the labor deal negotiated by former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and Gene Upshaw, the late executive director of the union. Upshaw said that the best thing he could do for the players was to ensure they received a fair share of the sport's revenues and then do everything he could to help the owners increase those revenues.
Problems arose before the last extension of the labor deal was completed in 2006. There was a growing revenue disparity between the league's wealthiest franchises and other teams after some owners found ways to maximize revenue streams not shared with other teams. Upshaw also wanted the players to receive a larger portion of the league's revenues under the salary cap.
The deal approved by the owners in 2006 gave the players about 60 percent of total league revenues. The owners also approved a supplemental revenue-sharing plan that was to transfer at least $100 million annually, and potentially up to $200 million per year if the labor deal stayed in effect for its full six-year duration, from higher-revenue to lower-revenue teams. That was needed, owners said at the time, for some teams to meet their increased salary cap obligations to the players under the new deal. But owners found the deal to be too expensive and exercised a clause in the agreement to end the labor deal two years early. That made next season the final season in the deal, and this season the final one in the agreement with a salary cap.
The two sides always had made the final season in their labor agreements a non-capped season, believing that both parties would be wary of venturing into the great unknown of a season without a salary cap. That worked in the past but might not work this time in the first set of negotiations overseen by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith, who replaced Upshaw as executive director of the players' union.
There also would be new free agency rules that would go into effect automatically for an uncapped season. A player would need six seasons of NFL service time to be eligible for unrestricted free agency, instead of the four seasons now required. Each team would be given an additional transition-player tag to use, along with its current allotment of one franchise player or transition player designation, to restrict the mobility of its players in free agency. And the top eight playoff teams could sign a free agent only to replace a lost player.
According to the most recent figures available, 237 players would be eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason in an uncapped system. An additional 203 will be restricted free agents under an uncapped system -- enabling their teams to retain them by matching any contract offers from other clubs -- instead of being eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason. That group of 203 players who would lose some of their free-agent mobility includes Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell.
The prevailing sentiment within the sport for now is that the owners and players are likely to go through a season without a salary cap in 2010, then will try to negotiate a deal before the 2011 season could be threatened by a work stoppage
The Outlaw Micheal Tomsik
www.outlawsportsradio.com
Negotiators for owners and the NFL Players Association have made modest progress toward resolving the major financial issues at stake in ongoing discussions about a possible extension of their labor deal, sources familiar with the deliberations said. However, people on both sides of the negotiations said in recent days they consider it unlikely that the owners and the players' union will complete a deal in time to prevent next season from being played minus a salary cap. In fact, one source, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to comment publicly on the talks, said it's "becoming close to a certainty."
A system that has helped to promote competitive balance among the teams since being put in place in 1993, greatly boosting the sport's prosperity and popularity, would be replaced by a system in which teams could spend what they wish on players while facing other restrictions on free agency that NFL officials say would serve to preserve competitive balance.
"The forefathers of our league put personal interests aside to promote competitive balance," said Peter Schaffer, a veteran NFL agent. "That prevented the NFL from turning into Major League Baseball with George Steinbrenner and the Yankees. ... Right now you have two of the smallest-market teams out there, Indianapolis and New Orleans, having these wonderful seasons. The salary cap is part of that. If it goes away, it will eventually affect competitive balance."
For years, revenue-sharing among the teams and a salary cap to regulate spending on players have been fundamental components of the NFL's successful business formula. The teams share the revenues from their lucrative national television contracts equally, with the idea being to keep a franchise in Green Bay, Wis., on relatively equal financial footing with a team in New York.
The salary cap has gone hand in hand with that, keeping one team from too greatly outspending another to assemble its roster. It is a flexible ceiling on player salaries, but it is designed to make a team pay a future price for any extravagant spending. The system stayed in place through a series of extensions of the labor deal negotiated by former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and Gene Upshaw, the late executive director of the union. Upshaw said that the best thing he could do for the players was to ensure they received a fair share of the sport's revenues and then do everything he could to help the owners increase those revenues.
Problems arose before the last extension of the labor deal was completed in 2006. There was a growing revenue disparity between the league's wealthiest franchises and other teams after some owners found ways to maximize revenue streams not shared with other teams. Upshaw also wanted the players to receive a larger portion of the league's revenues under the salary cap.
The deal approved by the owners in 2006 gave the players about 60 percent of total league revenues. The owners also approved a supplemental revenue-sharing plan that was to transfer at least $100 million annually, and potentially up to $200 million per year if the labor deal stayed in effect for its full six-year duration, from higher-revenue to lower-revenue teams. That was needed, owners said at the time, for some teams to meet their increased salary cap obligations to the players under the new deal. But owners found the deal to be too expensive and exercised a clause in the agreement to end the labor deal two years early. That made next season the final season in the deal, and this season the final one in the agreement with a salary cap.
The two sides always had made the final season in their labor agreements a non-capped season, believing that both parties would be wary of venturing into the great unknown of a season without a salary cap. That worked in the past but might not work this time in the first set of negotiations overseen by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith, who replaced Upshaw as executive director of the players' union.
There also would be new free agency rules that would go into effect automatically for an uncapped season. A player would need six seasons of NFL service time to be eligible for unrestricted free agency, instead of the four seasons now required. Each team would be given an additional transition-player tag to use, along with its current allotment of one franchise player or transition player designation, to restrict the mobility of its players in free agency. And the top eight playoff teams could sign a free agent only to replace a lost player.
According to the most recent figures available, 237 players would be eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason in an uncapped system. An additional 203 will be restricted free agents under an uncapped system -- enabling their teams to retain them by matching any contract offers from other clubs -- instead of being eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason. That group of 203 players who would lose some of their free-agent mobility includes Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell.
The prevailing sentiment within the sport for now is that the owners and players are likely to go through a season without a salary cap in 2010, then will try to negotiate a deal before the 2011 season could be threatened by a work stoppage
The Outlaw Micheal Tomsik
www.outlawsportsradio.com
Who is going to the Playoffs in the NFL?
1. Indianapolis Colts (14-1) – Clinched top seed in AFC.
Sunday: at Buffalo, 1 ET (CBS/DirecTV 704)
2. San Diego Chargers (12-3) – Clinched No. 2 seed and first-round playoff bye with win at Tennessee.
Sunday: vs. Washington, 4:15 ET (Fox/DirecTV 714)
3. New England Patriots (10-5) – Clinched AFC East title with win vs. Jacksonville. Lead Bengals based on better strength of victory (Patriots have beaten teams with combined 65-85 record; Bengals have beaten teams that are a combined 60-89).
Sunday: at Houston, 1 ET (CBS/DirecTV 706)
4. Cincinnati Bengals (10-5) – Clinched AFC North title with win vs. Kansas City.
Sunday: at Jets, 8:20 ET (NBC)
5. New York Jets (8-7) – Currently No. 5 seed based on better conference record than Houston (6-5 to 5-6) and better record in common games (3-1) than Denver (2-2) and Baltimore (0-4).Would clinch No. 5 seed with win. Eliminated with loss to Cincinnati (because Jets then would not beat Denver in common games tie).
Sunday: vs. Cincinnati, 8:20 ET (NBC)
6. Baltimore Ravens (8-7) – Currently No. 6 seed because of better division record than Pittsburgh (3-3 to 2-4), better conference record than Houston (6-5 to 5-6) and head-to-head victory vs. Denver. Would clinch No. 5 seed with win and New York loss. Would clinch No. 6 seed with win and New York win. Eliminated with loss.
Sunday: at Oakland, 4:15 ET (CBS/DirecTV 717)
7. Denver Broncos (8-7) – Currently No. 7 seed due to better conference record than Houston (6-5 to 5-6). Would clinch No. 5 seed with New York loss and Baltimore loss and Houston loss and Pittsburgh loss and Jacksonville loss. Would clinch No. 5 seed with win and New York loss and Baltimore loss and either Pittsburgh loss or Houston win. Would clinch No. 6 seed with win and 1) New York loss or Baltimore loss (not both), and 2) Pittsburgh and/or Houston loss. Would clinch No. 6 seed with loss and either 1) New York loss and Baltimore loss and Houston loss and Miami loss and Jacksonville loss, or 2) Pittsburgh loss and losses by three of the following: New York, Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville. Eliminated with 1) Jets win and Ravens win, or 2) Steelers win and Texans loss and either Jets win or Ravens win. Eliminated with loss and 1) Pittsburgh win and New York win or Baltimore win or Houston win or Jacksonville win, or 2) Miami win and wins by at least two of the following: New York, Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville.
Sunday: vs. Kansas City, 4:15 ET (CBS/DirecTV 716)
8. Houston Texans (8-7) – Currently 8th in AFC because of better record than Pittsburgh in common games (3-1 to 1-3). Would clinch No. 5 seed with win and New York loss and Baltimore loss and Denver loss. Would clinch No. 6 seed with win and losses by two of the following: New York, Baltimore, Denver. Eliminated with loss or wins by at least two of the following: New York, Baltimore, Denver.
Sunday: vs. New England, 1 ET (CBS/DirecTV 706)
9. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7) – Would clinch No. 5 seed with win and New York loss and Baltimore loss and Houston loss. Would clinch No. 6 seed with win and either 1) New York loss and Baltimore loss and Denver loss and Houston win, or 2) Houston loss and either New York loss or Baltimore loss. Eliminated with loss or 1) New York and Baltimore wins, or 2) Houston win and New York, Baltimore or Denver win.
Sunday: at Miami, 1 ET (CBS/DirecTV 707)
10. Miami Dolphins (7-8) – Currently No. 10 seed based on head-to-head win over Jacksonville but would lose multiple-team 8-8 ties with Jacksonville because of worse conference record (7-5 to 6-6). Would be No. 6 seed with win and New York loss and Baltimore loss and Denver loss and Houston loss and Jacksonville loss. Eliminated with loss/tie or New York win/tie or Baltimore win/tie or Denver win/tie or Houston win/tie or Jacksonville win.
Sunday: vs. Pittsburgh, 1 ET (CBS/DirecTV 707)
11. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-8) – Would win all 8-8 ties because of 7-5 conference record. Would be No. 5 seed with win and New York loss and Baltimore loss and Denver loss and Houston loss and Pittsburgh loss. Would be No. 6 seed with win and 1) New York loss and Baltimore loss and Denver loss and Houston loss and Miami loss, or 2) Pittsburgh loss and loss by exactly one of the following: New York, Baltimore, Denver, Houston. Eliminated with loss or wins by at least two of the following: New York, Baltimore, Denver, Houston.
Sunday: at Cleveland, 1 ET (CBS/DirecTV 705)
NFC PLAYOFF PICTURE
1. New Orleans Saints (13-2) – Clinched top seed with Minnesota loss at Chicago.
Sunday: at Carolina, 1 ET (Fox/DirecTV 709)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (11-4) – Clinched playoff spot but would lose NFC East tiebreaker with Dallas due to head-to-head sweep. Would be No. 2 seed with win or both tie and Minnesota loss/tie. Would be No. 5 seed with loss and Green Bay loss/tie. Would be No. 6 seed with loss and Green Bay win.
Sunday: at Dallas, 4:15 ET (Fox/DirecTV 713)
3. Minnesota Vikings (11-4) – Have clinched NFC North title because of head-to-head sweep vs. Green Bay. Would clinch No. 2 seed and first-round playoff bye with win and Philadelphia loss/tie, or tie and Philadelphia loss. Would be No. 3 seed with Philadelphia win plus Minnesota win and/or Arizona loss. Would be No. 4 seed with loss and Arizona win.
Sunday: vs. Giants, 1 ET (Fox/DirecTV 710)
4. Arizona Cardinals (10-5) – Clinched NFC West title. Would be No. 2 seed with win and Philadelphia loss and Minnesota loss. Would be No. 3 seed with win and either Philadelphia loss or Minnesota loss (not both). Would be No. 4 seed with loss/tie or both Philadelphia win/tie and Minnesota win/tie.
Sunday: vs. Green Bay, 4:15 ET (Fox/DirecTV 715)
5. Green Bay Packers (10-5) – Clinched playoff berth with win vs. Seattle and Giants loss vs. Carolina. Currently No. 5 seed because of head-to-head win vs. Dallas. Would be No. 5 seed with win or Dallas loss, or tie and Dallas tie. Would be No. 6 seed with loss/tie and Dallas win.
Sunday: at Arizona, 4:15 ET (Fox/DirecTV 715)
6. Dallas Cowboys (10-5) – Clinched playoff berth with win at Washington. Would be No. 2 seed with win and Minnesota loss and Arizona loss. Would be No. 3 seed with win and 1) Minnesota win and Arizona loss, or 2) Arizona win and Minnesota loss. Would be No. 4 seed with win and Minnesota win/tie and Arizona win. Would be No. 6 seed with loss (Would be No. 5 seed with tie and Green Bay loss).
Sunday: vs. Philadelphia, 4:15 ET (Fox/DirecTV 713)
Sunday: at Buffalo, 1 ET (CBS/DirecTV 704)
2. San Diego Chargers (12-3) – Clinched No. 2 seed and first-round playoff bye with win at Tennessee.
Sunday: vs. Washington, 4:15 ET (Fox/DirecTV 714)
3. New England Patriots (10-5) – Clinched AFC East title with win vs. Jacksonville. Lead Bengals based on better strength of victory (Patriots have beaten teams with combined 65-85 record; Bengals have beaten teams that are a combined 60-89).
Sunday: at Houston, 1 ET (CBS/DirecTV 706)
4. Cincinnati Bengals (10-5) – Clinched AFC North title with win vs. Kansas City.
Sunday: at Jets, 8:20 ET (NBC)
5. New York Jets (8-7) – Currently No. 5 seed based on better conference record than Houston (6-5 to 5-6) and better record in common games (3-1) than Denver (2-2) and Baltimore (0-4).Would clinch No. 5 seed with win. Eliminated with loss to Cincinnati (because Jets then would not beat Denver in common games tie).
Sunday: vs. Cincinnati, 8:20 ET (NBC)
6. Baltimore Ravens (8-7) – Currently No. 6 seed because of better division record than Pittsburgh (3-3 to 2-4), better conference record than Houston (6-5 to 5-6) and head-to-head victory vs. Denver. Would clinch No. 5 seed with win and New York loss. Would clinch No. 6 seed with win and New York win. Eliminated with loss.
Sunday: at Oakland, 4:15 ET (CBS/DirecTV 717)
7. Denver Broncos (8-7) – Currently No. 7 seed due to better conference record than Houston (6-5 to 5-6). Would clinch No. 5 seed with New York loss and Baltimore loss and Houston loss and Pittsburgh loss and Jacksonville loss. Would clinch No. 5 seed with win and New York loss and Baltimore loss and either Pittsburgh loss or Houston win. Would clinch No. 6 seed with win and 1) New York loss or Baltimore loss (not both), and 2) Pittsburgh and/or Houston loss. Would clinch No. 6 seed with loss and either 1) New York loss and Baltimore loss and Houston loss and Miami loss and Jacksonville loss, or 2) Pittsburgh loss and losses by three of the following: New York, Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville. Eliminated with 1) Jets win and Ravens win, or 2) Steelers win and Texans loss and either Jets win or Ravens win. Eliminated with loss and 1) Pittsburgh win and New York win or Baltimore win or Houston win or Jacksonville win, or 2) Miami win and wins by at least two of the following: New York, Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville.
Sunday: vs. Kansas City, 4:15 ET (CBS/DirecTV 716)
8. Houston Texans (8-7) – Currently 8th in AFC because of better record than Pittsburgh in common games (3-1 to 1-3). Would clinch No. 5 seed with win and New York loss and Baltimore loss and Denver loss. Would clinch No. 6 seed with win and losses by two of the following: New York, Baltimore, Denver. Eliminated with loss or wins by at least two of the following: New York, Baltimore, Denver.
Sunday: vs. New England, 1 ET (CBS/DirecTV 706)
9. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7) – Would clinch No. 5 seed with win and New York loss and Baltimore loss and Houston loss. Would clinch No. 6 seed with win and either 1) New York loss and Baltimore loss and Denver loss and Houston win, or 2) Houston loss and either New York loss or Baltimore loss. Eliminated with loss or 1) New York and Baltimore wins, or 2) Houston win and New York, Baltimore or Denver win.
Sunday: at Miami, 1 ET (CBS/DirecTV 707)
10. Miami Dolphins (7-8) – Currently No. 10 seed based on head-to-head win over Jacksonville but would lose multiple-team 8-8 ties with Jacksonville because of worse conference record (7-5 to 6-6). Would be No. 6 seed with win and New York loss and Baltimore loss and Denver loss and Houston loss and Jacksonville loss. Eliminated with loss/tie or New York win/tie or Baltimore win/tie or Denver win/tie or Houston win/tie or Jacksonville win.
Sunday: vs. Pittsburgh, 1 ET (CBS/DirecTV 707)
11. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-8) – Would win all 8-8 ties because of 7-5 conference record. Would be No. 5 seed with win and New York loss and Baltimore loss and Denver loss and Houston loss and Pittsburgh loss. Would be No. 6 seed with win and 1) New York loss and Baltimore loss and Denver loss and Houston loss and Miami loss, or 2) Pittsburgh loss and loss by exactly one of the following: New York, Baltimore, Denver, Houston. Eliminated with loss or wins by at least two of the following: New York, Baltimore, Denver, Houston.
Sunday: at Cleveland, 1 ET (CBS/DirecTV 705)
NFC PLAYOFF PICTURE
1. New Orleans Saints (13-2) – Clinched top seed with Minnesota loss at Chicago.
Sunday: at Carolina, 1 ET (Fox/DirecTV 709)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (11-4) – Clinched playoff spot but would lose NFC East tiebreaker with Dallas due to head-to-head sweep. Would be No. 2 seed with win or both tie and Minnesota loss/tie. Would be No. 5 seed with loss and Green Bay loss/tie. Would be No. 6 seed with loss and Green Bay win.
Sunday: at Dallas, 4:15 ET (Fox/DirecTV 713)
3. Minnesota Vikings (11-4) – Have clinched NFC North title because of head-to-head sweep vs. Green Bay. Would clinch No. 2 seed and first-round playoff bye with win and Philadelphia loss/tie, or tie and Philadelphia loss. Would be No. 3 seed with Philadelphia win plus Minnesota win and/or Arizona loss. Would be No. 4 seed with loss and Arizona win.
Sunday: vs. Giants, 1 ET (Fox/DirecTV 710)
4. Arizona Cardinals (10-5) – Clinched NFC West title. Would be No. 2 seed with win and Philadelphia loss and Minnesota loss. Would be No. 3 seed with win and either Philadelphia loss or Minnesota loss (not both). Would be No. 4 seed with loss/tie or both Philadelphia win/tie and Minnesota win/tie.
Sunday: vs. Green Bay, 4:15 ET (Fox/DirecTV 715)
5. Green Bay Packers (10-5) – Clinched playoff berth with win vs. Seattle and Giants loss vs. Carolina. Currently No. 5 seed because of head-to-head win vs. Dallas. Would be No. 5 seed with win or Dallas loss, or tie and Dallas tie. Would be No. 6 seed with loss/tie and Dallas win.
Sunday: at Arizona, 4:15 ET (Fox/DirecTV 715)
6. Dallas Cowboys (10-5) – Clinched playoff berth with win at Washington. Would be No. 2 seed with win and Minnesota loss and Arizona loss. Would be No. 3 seed with win and 1) Minnesota win and Arizona loss, or 2) Arizona win and Minnesota loss. Would be No. 4 seed with win and Minnesota win/tie and Arizona win. Would be No. 6 seed with loss (Would be No. 5 seed with tie and Green Bay loss).
Sunday: vs. Philadelphia, 4:15 ET (Fox/DirecTV 713)
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Sun Cruz Employees out in the cold
According to the bankruptcy filing, the company owes several hundred companies and individuals money, totaling between $50 million and $100 million.
Last week about 20 of the largest creditors formed an ad hoc committee to try to obtain payment.
In addition to outstanding debt, the company also failed to pay for insurance premiums for employee health policies that had been deducted from employee paychecks.
Some employees lost their COBRA rights as a result and are now uninsured, according to a statement released by the committee.
Fortress Investment Group, which was Ocean Casinos lender, took control of the company in November 2008 and there are questions about motivations of the bankruptcy, said Jonathan Stein, an attorney representing the group.
"It's highly, highly unusual in the gaming industry to leave unpaid gambling debts, and that seems to have occurred here," he said.
"There is also a great deal of questions whether a withdrawal of $1.6 million in cage cash, used to pay gambling debts, was lawful or not."
He said the committee is pursuing an investigation into whether there was any illegal activity.
The bankruptcy filing appears to be intended to benefit Fortress at the expense of other creditors, the committee said in the statement.
Attempts to reach Ocean Casinos for comment were unsuccessful.
In recent years changes in Florida gaming rules, which have allowed American Indian tribes to provide land-based gambling, has eaten into the casino boat market, said Eric Rahn, a gaming consultant who has more than 25 years of experience in the maritime gambling industry.
SunCruz, a Florida-based company, likely saw a decline as the result of those changes, but the Myrtle Beach operation was profitable, he said.
"I think there is enough demand in the area, I believe the market has been established," Rahn said.
"Unless South Carolina and North Carolina change their gaming laws there'll continue to be a need to provide this type of adult entertainment."
The general state of the economy also has had an impact on the industry, but he said he expects it will continue to prosper in certain markets, including along the Grand Strand, as long as a healthy business can come in to operate another ship.
"Over the years it's been proven two ships could survive up there," he said.
The remaining casino boat sailing out of Little River, the Big "M," has seen business pick up since SunCruz started sailing, said Jo Mull, the marketing coordinator for the company.
"People came over [but] we do everything so differently they're finding it hard to get used to us," she said.
Chris Sager, who played poker aboard the SunCruz ship several nights a week, said the Big "M" doesn't offer live poker or sports betting, his two main activities aboard SunCruz.
He was upset to find out that SunCruz had shut down when he went to pick up past winnings, he said.
"They owed several people money and they don't say nothing or go out on a cruise one more time," Sager said.
Business had slowed on the SunCruz ship for the last few weeks it was operating, he said.
The Big "M" didn't see a big dip in passengers during that same period and doesn't plan to make any changes in the number of trips, types of gambling it offers or its marketing.
Little River can sustain two casino boats and "there is definitely enough room for two of us," Mull said.
Horry County, which collects a $7 per passenger fee from the casino boats will lose some money with SunCruz gone, but for the time being the uptick in passengers going on the Big "M" may help lighten the blow, said Harold Worley, the Horry County councilman who represents Little River. SunCruz also owes the county more than $100,000 for October fees and an unknown amount for November.
"The bankruptcy filing is obviously going to affect the waterfront but at some point in time I think you are going to have a boat replace that boat," Worley said.
In addition to pressures that the overall economic downturn and fewer tourists have put on the boats, North Carolina is allowing a form of video poker at Internet cafes, he said.
"That's draining off a few customers that would go," Worley said. "Between those two issues it's creating
Last week about 20 of the largest creditors formed an ad hoc committee to try to obtain payment.
In addition to outstanding debt, the company also failed to pay for insurance premiums for employee health policies that had been deducted from employee paychecks.
Some employees lost their COBRA rights as a result and are now uninsured, according to a statement released by the committee.
Fortress Investment Group, which was Ocean Casinos lender, took control of the company in November 2008 and there are questions about motivations of the bankruptcy, said Jonathan Stein, an attorney representing the group.
"It's highly, highly unusual in the gaming industry to leave unpaid gambling debts, and that seems to have occurred here," he said.
"There is also a great deal of questions whether a withdrawal of $1.6 million in cage cash, used to pay gambling debts, was lawful or not."
He said the committee is pursuing an investigation into whether there was any illegal activity.
The bankruptcy filing appears to be intended to benefit Fortress at the expense of other creditors, the committee said in the statement.
Attempts to reach Ocean Casinos for comment were unsuccessful.
In recent years changes in Florida gaming rules, which have allowed American Indian tribes to provide land-based gambling, has eaten into the casino boat market, said Eric Rahn, a gaming consultant who has more than 25 years of experience in the maritime gambling industry.
SunCruz, a Florida-based company, likely saw a decline as the result of those changes, but the Myrtle Beach operation was profitable, he said.
"I think there is enough demand in the area, I believe the market has been established," Rahn said.
"Unless South Carolina and North Carolina change their gaming laws there'll continue to be a need to provide this type of adult entertainment."
The general state of the economy also has had an impact on the industry, but he said he expects it will continue to prosper in certain markets, including along the Grand Strand, as long as a healthy business can come in to operate another ship.
"Over the years it's been proven two ships could survive up there," he said.
The remaining casino boat sailing out of Little River, the Big "M," has seen business pick up since SunCruz started sailing, said Jo Mull, the marketing coordinator for the company.
"People came over [but] we do everything so differently they're finding it hard to get used to us," she said.
Chris Sager, who played poker aboard the SunCruz ship several nights a week, said the Big "M" doesn't offer live poker or sports betting, his two main activities aboard SunCruz.
He was upset to find out that SunCruz had shut down when he went to pick up past winnings, he said.
"They owed several people money and they don't say nothing or go out on a cruise one more time," Sager said.
Business had slowed on the SunCruz ship for the last few weeks it was operating, he said.
The Big "M" didn't see a big dip in passengers during that same period and doesn't plan to make any changes in the number of trips, types of gambling it offers or its marketing.
Little River can sustain two casino boats and "there is definitely enough room for two of us," Mull said.
Horry County, which collects a $7 per passenger fee from the casino boats will lose some money with SunCruz gone, but for the time being the uptick in passengers going on the Big "M" may help lighten the blow, said Harold Worley, the Horry County councilman who represents Little River. SunCruz also owes the county more than $100,000 for October fees and an unknown amount for November.
"The bankruptcy filing is obviously going to affect the waterfront but at some point in time I think you are going to have a boat replace that boat," Worley said.
In addition to pressures that the overall economic downturn and fewer tourists have put on the boats, North Carolina is allowing a form of video poker at Internet cafes, he said.
"That's draining off a few customers that would go," Worley said. "Between those two issues it's creating
Casino called Sun CRuz Filed BK
The parent company of a Grand Strand casino boat has filed for bankruptcy. Oceans Casino Cruises, based in the Miami area, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy Monday.
The company ran the Sun Cruz casino boat that docked in Little River.
Court documents show the company claims more than 200 creditors and over $50 million in liabilities.
Nevada Gold and Casinos, Inc., which had a contract to manage the company, has said it is negotiating to purchase some of the casino boat company's assets.
The boat attracted thousands of gamblers each week to the waterfront at Little River that's lined with bars and restaurants.
While many managers of those businesses say they feel sorry for the boat's employees, it's hard to find too many of them who are heartbroken at the loss of the Sun Cruz.
At Fibber's, a waterfront restaurant that caters mostly to retired folks, owner Rich Dobkin says his business won't suffer at all from the loss of the casino boat.
In fact, he thinks the boat was a detriment to the community.
"They never really did too much positive things for the area. They ate up parking. Parking's our biggest problem down here on the waterfront. They attracted not the type of people I'd like here on the waterfront," Dobkin said.
Dobkin says it'd be fine with him if the one remaining casino boat, The Big M, left the area, too.
He says the casino customers rarely patronize other waterfront businesses and clog the area's few parking spaces.
Down the street at Crab Catchers restaurant, manager Neil Mantor says he feels bad for the casino boat's employees, but says it was "kind of shady" the way the boat suddenly shut down and left.
"There was no rumors about the company struggling or anything like that. That's the longest running one down here, so we just kind of assumed it was stable."
Mantor says the Crab Catchers schedule didn't coincide well with the casino boat's, so the loss of the boat won't mean much to his business, either.
Dobkin says he'd like to see Horry County and Little River try harder to bring more shops and attractions to the waterfront instead of the casino boats.
"I don't think gambling's really helped the waterfront here. I know Horry County has gotten money out of it for the taxpayers but I don't know what Little River benefits by the gambling ship here, except for employment maybe for residents."
Most business people who talked to NewsChannel 15 don't expect the boat to be gone for long. They say they're already hearing rumors the Sun Cruz will get a new owner and could be back as soon as next week.
Sun Cruz owes Horry County more than $100,000 in unpaid passenger fees
The Outlaw Micheal Tomsik
The company ran the Sun Cruz casino boat that docked in Little River.
Court documents show the company claims more than 200 creditors and over $50 million in liabilities.
Nevada Gold and Casinos, Inc., which had a contract to manage the company, has said it is negotiating to purchase some of the casino boat company's assets.
The boat attracted thousands of gamblers each week to the waterfront at Little River that's lined with bars and restaurants.
While many managers of those businesses say they feel sorry for the boat's employees, it's hard to find too many of them who are heartbroken at the loss of the Sun Cruz.
At Fibber's, a waterfront restaurant that caters mostly to retired folks, owner Rich Dobkin says his business won't suffer at all from the loss of the casino boat.
In fact, he thinks the boat was a detriment to the community.
"They never really did too much positive things for the area. They ate up parking. Parking's our biggest problem down here on the waterfront. They attracted not the type of people I'd like here on the waterfront," Dobkin said.
Dobkin says it'd be fine with him if the one remaining casino boat, The Big M, left the area, too.
He says the casino customers rarely patronize other waterfront businesses and clog the area's few parking spaces.
Down the street at Crab Catchers restaurant, manager Neil Mantor says he feels bad for the casino boat's employees, but says it was "kind of shady" the way the boat suddenly shut down and left.
"There was no rumors about the company struggling or anything like that. That's the longest running one down here, so we just kind of assumed it was stable."
Mantor says the Crab Catchers schedule didn't coincide well with the casino boat's, so the loss of the boat won't mean much to his business, either.
Dobkin says he'd like to see Horry County and Little River try harder to bring more shops and attractions to the waterfront instead of the casino boats.
"I don't think gambling's really helped the waterfront here. I know Horry County has gotten money out of it for the taxpayers but I don't know what Little River benefits by the gambling ship here, except for employment maybe for residents."
Most business people who talked to NewsChannel 15 don't expect the boat to be gone for long. They say they're already hearing rumors the Sun Cruz will get a new owner and could be back as soon as next week.
Sun Cruz owes Horry County more than $100,000 in unpaid passenger fees
The Outlaw Micheal Tomsik
Monday, December 28, 2009
The Outlaw Solution for Mayweather VS Pacquiao
Ok Pacquiao and Mayweather you guys both know this is the biggest fight ever. Yet Pacquiao has a problem with the blood test 24 hours before the fight. So why not do the olympic style test 30 days before the fight and after the fight, and do the NFL, MLB, NHL test before the fight and everyone will be happy.
Recent News on this fight:
Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum made what he called his “final proposal,” suggesting that each camp make representations to the Nevada State Athletic Commission as to why their preferred testing system should be used. Both sides would then be expected to accept the commission’s final ruling on a testing format. Arum said that if the Mayweather camp doesn’t agree, he would begin negotiations Monday with Paulie Malignaggi as Pacquiao’s next opponent.
But Mayweather adviser Leonard Ellerbe and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer indicated to Yahoo! Sports that they would not accept such a proposal, meaning Arum’s deadline of Monday morning would not be met.
Mayweather with adviser Ellerbe.
(Getty Images)
That means Pacquiao-Malignaggi and not Pacquiao-Mayweather will happen on March 13, right?
Not so fast.
In this feud that operates in a parallel boxing universe, where truth, spin and trickery make awkward bedfellows, ultimatum can mean conciliation. Indeed, with the egos and pride involved on all sides, it could take this fight heading to the brink of collapse before it can actually get sorted out.
Everyone knows what is at stake here, from Arum to Schaefer to the fighters themselves. The magnitude of the fight, the biggest and most lucrative of both fighters’ careers, means that negotiations must be made with strength and conviction.
But it is all for nothing if the whole thing goes to shreds, leaving nothing more than a black hole of lost money for both sides.
So Monday, deadline or no, this thing has a ways to run.
“We are prepared to have this handled in a way that is not us deciding or them deciding,” said Arum, speaking while vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. “The commission meets on Jan. 19. Mayweather’s people can say why they believe additional testing above what we agreed to is necessary and we can give our viewpoint.
“Let the commission decide. If they come away and decide Manny needs to be blood tested every single [expletive] day, then we will go with that. This is the way to go to give this thing legitimacy. I hope they [Team Mayweather] see reason.”
Arum’s concession may help swing public opinion in Pacquiao’s favor. The Filipino star’s arguments that he did not like needles and feared that blood testing within 30 days of the fight would drain him were met with little sympathy.
But it is Mayweather who stands to look unreasonable if he does not accept this proposal. And now we may find out once and for all whether the Pretty Boy’s stance over the drug issue was more mired in deep concern that Pacquiao is a steroid cheat or mere posturing aimed at disrupting his opponent.
Either way, there are no guarantees that the Nevada commission would approve the kind of random testing that Mayweather’s people want, as it would effectively be an admission that its current policies are ineffective and potentially would set an expensive precedent for future fights.
“It does not make sense for this to become a commission matter,” Schaefer told Yahoo! Sports. “This is a contractual matter. The commission did not decide the weights or the purse split or how the foreign television rights would be sold.
“If this is Bob’s final ultimatum, then that’s what it is. That is his decision if he wants to take that position. I very much hope this fight can be made, but the reason it is at a standstill is because of the way they have handled things.”
Ellerbe’s response when told of Arum’s offer was brief and to the point.
“Random is random,” he said. “We are all intelligent people and we know what random testing is. That is what we want and it has not changed.”
This to-and-fro negotiation is boxing’s biggest fight right now, and it has become a bitter feud. There has to be some give and take – and with millions of dollars and countless reputations on the line, it would still be a surprise if Mayweather-Pacquiao doesn’t happen, despite all the bumps in the road.
“This is boxing and it is the boxing business,” HBO commentator Larry Merchant said. “Mayweather calls himself ‘Money,’ so it is hard to see him walking away from this much of it, especially when he thinks he is going to win.
“This would be the biggest fight that has been sabotaged because of a blood feud. No one wants to see it come to that.”
Also this twist to the fight a LAWSUIT?
Negotiations to finalize a lucrative boxing match between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. took another bizarre twist Friday as Pacquiao threatened libel lawsuits and the chief executive officer of Golden Boy Promotions was accused of telling a Filipino journalist that Pacquiao is using performance-enhancing drugs.
Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum said Friday that reporter Ronnie Nathanielsz of the Manila Standard told him that in September, Nathanielsz was in the Golden Boy offices in Los Angeles when Richard Schaefer accused Pacquiao of using PEDs.
Schaefer, whose company is representing Mayweather in a fight expected to be the largest-grossing in history, recalls meeting Nathanielsz in his downtown Los Angeles office but denied the allegations.
Popular Yahoo! Sports StoriesNFL player's shoe gaffe turns into big gift NBA star had guns in his locker More From Kevin IoleTop boxing stories of 2009 Dec 28, 2009 Pacquiao-Malignaggi match could stop superfight Dec 24, 2009 ADVERTISEMENT
Manny Pacquiao denies taking steroids.
(Ethan Miller/Getty)
Nathanielsz, whose newspaper has not reported the alleged conversation, declined via email to comment.
Talks to finalize the bout between the two best pound-for-pound fighters in the world hit a snag on Tuesday when Mayweather issued a statement demanding “Olympic-style drug testing” administered by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Top Rank, on behalf of Pacquiao, declined and the sides have exchanged bitter words since.
On Friday, Arum said he spoke on the telephone late Thursday with Winchell Campos, a Pacquiao publicist. Arum said Campos told him Pacquiao planned to file a lawsuit against Mayweather, Mayweather Sr., Golden Boy Promotions and Schaefer for allegations Pacquiao says they made without evidence that he is on performance-enhancing drugs.
Arum said he tried to talk Campos out of issuing a statement from Pacquiao announcing plans for the suit. But Arum said Campos then put Pacquiao on the telephone and that Pacquiao was as angry as he has ever heard him.
“Manny is usually this mild-mannered guy, but he was unbelievably angry,” Arum said. “I never heard him like that. He told me to make it stop. This was a different Manny than I’d ever heard. When I hung up, I said, ‘What the hell was that about?’ ”
When he spoke to Nathanielsz by telephone 30 minutes later, Arum said Nathanielsz recounted a meeting in Schaefer’s downtown Los Angeles office in the buildup to the Sept. 19 fight in Las Vegas between Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez in which he alleged that Schaefer told him Pacquiao was using performance-enhancing drugs.
Arum, who flew to Mexico on Friday for a week-long vacation, said Nathanielsz’s comments clarified things for him. He said he had been puzzled by Mayweather Sr.’s public allegations against Pacquiao, but said they began to make sense after speaking with Nathanielsz.
“Ronnie said he came over early for the [Mayweather-Marquez] fight and he met with Schaefer,” Arum said. “He said they met for a half hour and that Schaefer went on and on and on that Manny is a cheater and that Manny uses steroids and that Manny was on performance-enhancing drugs.
“Ronnie asked him, ‘Why would you take this attitude with this young man?’ Ronnie told me he thinks Schaefer is pissed off that Manny chose us over Golden Boy, though Schaefer is happy to take the money.”
Pacquiao signed promotional contracts with both Golden Boy and Top Rank in 2006. Golden Boy president Oscar De La Hoya met Pacquiao at Los Angeles International Airport and gave him a suitcase filled with $250,000 in cash, which Pacquiao later was forced to return, as an inducement to sign.
Lawsuits were filed and the matter was eventually settled in arbitration by retired judge Daniel Weinstein. Weinstein ruled Pacquiao would be promoted by Top Rank, but that Golden Boy is entitled to a percentage of profits in perpetuity from all Pacquiao fights as long as Top Rank had Pacquiao under contract.
Arum said he has asked his attorneys to have the arbitration reopened and have Golden Boy eliminated since Schaefer’s actions were not in the fighter’s best interests.
Schaefer said Nathanielsz has had a good relationship with Golden Boy, particularly with its matchmaker, Eric Gomez. Schaefer admitted he hosted Nathanielsz in his office, but denied he made any accusations about Pacquiao and performance-enhancing drugs.
“I would never accuse anybody of anything and those who know me know that’s just not the way I am,” Schaefer said Friday. “I would never go and allege anybody is doing anything, so that is absolutely not true that I would have said to anybody that Manny is cheating. I didn’t.
“We have a pretty good relationship with Ronnie. I think Eric does. He came to see our offices, but there was no accusation of cheating. And in this process, over the last few days or weeks, not once did you hear me say, to you or to anyone else, that I am accusing Manny of taking anything or doing anything illegal.”
Schaefer also questioned why, if Nathanielsz had such information, that he had not reported it.
Mayweather Sr. began inferring that he suspected Pacquiao was on steroids or some other performance-enhancing substance in September, not long after Nathanielsz visited the Golden Boy offices.
After Pacquiao’s victory over Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 in Las Vegas, Mayweather Sr. suggested to Yahoo! Sports reporter Martin Rogers that Pacquiao’s improvements were not natural.
“You know there is something going on with him,” Mayweather Sr. told Rogers. “If I was Floyd I wouldn’t fight him because of that. It just don’t add up. Take a look at them old pictures, man. That’s a different dude. And he got knocked out when he was 30 pounds lighter, but now he can stand there and take Cotto’s best shots? Come on.”
Arum reiterated Friday that Pacquiao is clean and said the fight can be salvaged if Mayweather backs off his insistence that testing be administered by USADA. USADA’s procedures demand random testing up to and including the day of competition.
Pacquiao has an aversion to giving blood close to an event, both Arum and his adviser, Michael Koncz, have said, believing it weakens him. Arum said Pacquiao would submit to testing if it were done under the auspices of the Nevada Athletic Commission.
“They’re corrupted in this thing; they’re complicit,” Arum said of USADA. “Both sides here know the people involved in the Nevada Athletic Commission. It can handle the testing and we can work out a protocol that will prove Manny is not on anything and that won’t interfere with the fight.”
Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions and the fighter’s closest friend, refused to say Friday whether his side would accept testing done by any group other than USADA, as it has demanded.
Ellerbe said he and Mayweather adviser Al Haymon came up with the idea to require the testing, not Mayweather Jr., as a way to protect their fighter.
“We’re waiting to see if Manny Pacquiao is going to do the Olympic-style drug testing,” Ellerbe said. “The bottom line is that neither Top Rank, nor Manny’s camp, nor Mayweather Promotions or Golden Boy Promotions are going to dictate how the blood and urine testing is conducted.
“I understand this could be the biggest fight in the history of the sport, but all money ain’t good money. You can’t put a price tag on anything when it comes to a man’s livelihood. The fighters are the only ones stepping up, putting their lives on the line. It’s the fighters who are putting their lives on the line, not me, not Top Rank, not Golden Boy, not Al Haymon. Our responsibility here is to protect the interests of our guy and that’s what we’re doing.”
In his statement in which he threatened to sue, Pacquiao denies taking steroids and said he didn’t sue Mayweather Sr. earlier because he didn’t want to create distractions during his preparations for Cotto.
“I maintain and assure everyone that I have not used any form or kind of steroids and that my way to the top is a result of hard work, hard work, hard work and a lot of blood spilled from my past battles in the ring, not outside of it,” Pacquiao said in his statement. “I have no idea what steroids look like and my fear in God has kept me safe and victorious through all these years.
“Now, I say to Floyd Mayweather Jr., don’t be a coward and face me in the ring, mano-a-mano and shut your big, pretty mouth, so we can show the world who is the true king of the ring.”
Arum said he plans to continue parallel negotiations with Lou DiBella, who promotes Paulie Malignaggi, and plans to resume those talks on Monday for a Pacquiao-Malignaggi fight on March 13.
Malignaggi has suggested Pacquiao may have taken performance-enhancing drugs and Arum said Pacquiao would agree to some type of testing administered by a regulatory agency like the Nevada Athletic Commission to quell those fears.
The Outlaw Micheal Tomsik
www.outlawsportsradio.com
Recent News on this fight:
Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum made what he called his “final proposal,” suggesting that each camp make representations to the Nevada State Athletic Commission as to why their preferred testing system should be used. Both sides would then be expected to accept the commission’s final ruling on a testing format. Arum said that if the Mayweather camp doesn’t agree, he would begin negotiations Monday with Paulie Malignaggi as Pacquiao’s next opponent.
But Mayweather adviser Leonard Ellerbe and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer indicated to Yahoo! Sports that they would not accept such a proposal, meaning Arum’s deadline of Monday morning would not be met.
Mayweather with adviser Ellerbe.
(Getty Images)
That means Pacquiao-Malignaggi and not Pacquiao-Mayweather will happen on March 13, right?
Not so fast.
In this feud that operates in a parallel boxing universe, where truth, spin and trickery make awkward bedfellows, ultimatum can mean conciliation. Indeed, with the egos and pride involved on all sides, it could take this fight heading to the brink of collapse before it can actually get sorted out.
Everyone knows what is at stake here, from Arum to Schaefer to the fighters themselves. The magnitude of the fight, the biggest and most lucrative of both fighters’ careers, means that negotiations must be made with strength and conviction.
But it is all for nothing if the whole thing goes to shreds, leaving nothing more than a black hole of lost money for both sides.
So Monday, deadline or no, this thing has a ways to run.
“We are prepared to have this handled in a way that is not us deciding or them deciding,” said Arum, speaking while vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. “The commission meets on Jan. 19. Mayweather’s people can say why they believe additional testing above what we agreed to is necessary and we can give our viewpoint.
“Let the commission decide. If they come away and decide Manny needs to be blood tested every single [expletive] day, then we will go with that. This is the way to go to give this thing legitimacy. I hope they [Team Mayweather] see reason.”
Arum’s concession may help swing public opinion in Pacquiao’s favor. The Filipino star’s arguments that he did not like needles and feared that blood testing within 30 days of the fight would drain him were met with little sympathy.
But it is Mayweather who stands to look unreasonable if he does not accept this proposal. And now we may find out once and for all whether the Pretty Boy’s stance over the drug issue was more mired in deep concern that Pacquiao is a steroid cheat or mere posturing aimed at disrupting his opponent.
Either way, there are no guarantees that the Nevada commission would approve the kind of random testing that Mayweather’s people want, as it would effectively be an admission that its current policies are ineffective and potentially would set an expensive precedent for future fights.
“It does not make sense for this to become a commission matter,” Schaefer told Yahoo! Sports. “This is a contractual matter. The commission did not decide the weights or the purse split or how the foreign television rights would be sold.
“If this is Bob’s final ultimatum, then that’s what it is. That is his decision if he wants to take that position. I very much hope this fight can be made, but the reason it is at a standstill is because of the way they have handled things.”
Ellerbe’s response when told of Arum’s offer was brief and to the point.
“Random is random,” he said. “We are all intelligent people and we know what random testing is. That is what we want and it has not changed.”
This to-and-fro negotiation is boxing’s biggest fight right now, and it has become a bitter feud. There has to be some give and take – and with millions of dollars and countless reputations on the line, it would still be a surprise if Mayweather-Pacquiao doesn’t happen, despite all the bumps in the road.
“This is boxing and it is the boxing business,” HBO commentator Larry Merchant said. “Mayweather calls himself ‘Money,’ so it is hard to see him walking away from this much of it, especially when he thinks he is going to win.
“This would be the biggest fight that has been sabotaged because of a blood feud. No one wants to see it come to that.”
Also this twist to the fight a LAWSUIT?
Negotiations to finalize a lucrative boxing match between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. took another bizarre twist Friday as Pacquiao threatened libel lawsuits and the chief executive officer of Golden Boy Promotions was accused of telling a Filipino journalist that Pacquiao is using performance-enhancing drugs.
Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum said Friday that reporter Ronnie Nathanielsz of the Manila Standard told him that in September, Nathanielsz was in the Golden Boy offices in Los Angeles when Richard Schaefer accused Pacquiao of using PEDs.
Schaefer, whose company is representing Mayweather in a fight expected to be the largest-grossing in history, recalls meeting Nathanielsz in his downtown Los Angeles office but denied the allegations.
Popular Yahoo! Sports StoriesNFL player's shoe gaffe turns into big gift NBA star had guns in his locker More From Kevin IoleTop boxing stories of 2009 Dec 28, 2009 Pacquiao-Malignaggi match could stop superfight Dec 24, 2009 ADVERTISEMENT
Manny Pacquiao denies taking steroids.
(Ethan Miller/Getty)
Nathanielsz, whose newspaper has not reported the alleged conversation, declined via email to comment.
Talks to finalize the bout between the two best pound-for-pound fighters in the world hit a snag on Tuesday when Mayweather issued a statement demanding “Olympic-style drug testing” administered by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Top Rank, on behalf of Pacquiao, declined and the sides have exchanged bitter words since.
On Friday, Arum said he spoke on the telephone late Thursday with Winchell Campos, a Pacquiao publicist. Arum said Campos told him Pacquiao planned to file a lawsuit against Mayweather, Mayweather Sr., Golden Boy Promotions and Schaefer for allegations Pacquiao says they made without evidence that he is on performance-enhancing drugs.
Arum said he tried to talk Campos out of issuing a statement from Pacquiao announcing plans for the suit. But Arum said Campos then put Pacquiao on the telephone and that Pacquiao was as angry as he has ever heard him.
“Manny is usually this mild-mannered guy, but he was unbelievably angry,” Arum said. “I never heard him like that. He told me to make it stop. This was a different Manny than I’d ever heard. When I hung up, I said, ‘What the hell was that about?’ ”
When he spoke to Nathanielsz by telephone 30 minutes later, Arum said Nathanielsz recounted a meeting in Schaefer’s downtown Los Angeles office in the buildup to the Sept. 19 fight in Las Vegas between Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez in which he alleged that Schaefer told him Pacquiao was using performance-enhancing drugs.
Arum, who flew to Mexico on Friday for a week-long vacation, said Nathanielsz’s comments clarified things for him. He said he had been puzzled by Mayweather Sr.’s public allegations against Pacquiao, but said they began to make sense after speaking with Nathanielsz.
“Ronnie said he came over early for the [Mayweather-Marquez] fight and he met with Schaefer,” Arum said. “He said they met for a half hour and that Schaefer went on and on and on that Manny is a cheater and that Manny uses steroids and that Manny was on performance-enhancing drugs.
“Ronnie asked him, ‘Why would you take this attitude with this young man?’ Ronnie told me he thinks Schaefer is pissed off that Manny chose us over Golden Boy, though Schaefer is happy to take the money.”
Pacquiao signed promotional contracts with both Golden Boy and Top Rank in 2006. Golden Boy president Oscar De La Hoya met Pacquiao at Los Angeles International Airport and gave him a suitcase filled with $250,000 in cash, which Pacquiao later was forced to return, as an inducement to sign.
Lawsuits were filed and the matter was eventually settled in arbitration by retired judge Daniel Weinstein. Weinstein ruled Pacquiao would be promoted by Top Rank, but that Golden Boy is entitled to a percentage of profits in perpetuity from all Pacquiao fights as long as Top Rank had Pacquiao under contract.
Arum said he has asked his attorneys to have the arbitration reopened and have Golden Boy eliminated since Schaefer’s actions were not in the fighter’s best interests.
Schaefer said Nathanielsz has had a good relationship with Golden Boy, particularly with its matchmaker, Eric Gomez. Schaefer admitted he hosted Nathanielsz in his office, but denied he made any accusations about Pacquiao and performance-enhancing drugs.
“I would never accuse anybody of anything and those who know me know that’s just not the way I am,” Schaefer said Friday. “I would never go and allege anybody is doing anything, so that is absolutely not true that I would have said to anybody that Manny is cheating. I didn’t.
“We have a pretty good relationship with Ronnie. I think Eric does. He came to see our offices, but there was no accusation of cheating. And in this process, over the last few days or weeks, not once did you hear me say, to you or to anyone else, that I am accusing Manny of taking anything or doing anything illegal.”
Schaefer also questioned why, if Nathanielsz had such information, that he had not reported it.
Mayweather Sr. began inferring that he suspected Pacquiao was on steroids or some other performance-enhancing substance in September, not long after Nathanielsz visited the Golden Boy offices.
After Pacquiao’s victory over Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 in Las Vegas, Mayweather Sr. suggested to Yahoo! Sports reporter Martin Rogers that Pacquiao’s improvements were not natural.
“You know there is something going on with him,” Mayweather Sr. told Rogers. “If I was Floyd I wouldn’t fight him because of that. It just don’t add up. Take a look at them old pictures, man. That’s a different dude. And he got knocked out when he was 30 pounds lighter, but now he can stand there and take Cotto’s best shots? Come on.”
Arum reiterated Friday that Pacquiao is clean and said the fight can be salvaged if Mayweather backs off his insistence that testing be administered by USADA. USADA’s procedures demand random testing up to and including the day of competition.
Pacquiao has an aversion to giving blood close to an event, both Arum and his adviser, Michael Koncz, have said, believing it weakens him. Arum said Pacquiao would submit to testing if it were done under the auspices of the Nevada Athletic Commission.
“They’re corrupted in this thing; they’re complicit,” Arum said of USADA. “Both sides here know the people involved in the Nevada Athletic Commission. It can handle the testing and we can work out a protocol that will prove Manny is not on anything and that won’t interfere with the fight.”
Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions and the fighter’s closest friend, refused to say Friday whether his side would accept testing done by any group other than USADA, as it has demanded.
Ellerbe said he and Mayweather adviser Al Haymon came up with the idea to require the testing, not Mayweather Jr., as a way to protect their fighter.
“We’re waiting to see if Manny Pacquiao is going to do the Olympic-style drug testing,” Ellerbe said. “The bottom line is that neither Top Rank, nor Manny’s camp, nor Mayweather Promotions or Golden Boy Promotions are going to dictate how the blood and urine testing is conducted.
“I understand this could be the biggest fight in the history of the sport, but all money ain’t good money. You can’t put a price tag on anything when it comes to a man’s livelihood. The fighters are the only ones stepping up, putting their lives on the line. It’s the fighters who are putting their lives on the line, not me, not Top Rank, not Golden Boy, not Al Haymon. Our responsibility here is to protect the interests of our guy and that’s what we’re doing.”
In his statement in which he threatened to sue, Pacquiao denies taking steroids and said he didn’t sue Mayweather Sr. earlier because he didn’t want to create distractions during his preparations for Cotto.
“I maintain and assure everyone that I have not used any form or kind of steroids and that my way to the top is a result of hard work, hard work, hard work and a lot of blood spilled from my past battles in the ring, not outside of it,” Pacquiao said in his statement. “I have no idea what steroids look like and my fear in God has kept me safe and victorious through all these years.
“Now, I say to Floyd Mayweather Jr., don’t be a coward and face me in the ring, mano-a-mano and shut your big, pretty mouth, so we can show the world who is the true king of the ring.”
Arum said he plans to continue parallel negotiations with Lou DiBella, who promotes Paulie Malignaggi, and plans to resume those talks on Monday for a Pacquiao-Malignaggi fight on March 13.
Malignaggi has suggested Pacquiao may have taken performance-enhancing drugs and Arum said Pacquiao would agree to some type of testing administered by a regulatory agency like the Nevada Athletic Commission to quell those fears.
The Outlaw Micheal Tomsik
www.outlawsportsradio.com
Week 17 the whos in and who is out of the NFL Playoffs?
The NFL Playoffs are all but set in the NFC.
Week 16 decided the fate of many teams in the NFC.
Currently the teams who are in the playoffs are:
Eagles, Cowboys, Vikings, Packers, Saints, Cardinals
The AFC Playoffs still make the final week of regular season football fun to watch.
Currently the teams who are in the playoffs are:
Patriots, Bengals, Colts, Chargers
With the final week a lot of teams still have a shot including the following teams:
Jets, Ravens, Steelers, Texans, Broncos who all have a win/loss record of 8-6.
For the Jaguars, Dolphins and Titans who all have a win/loss record of 7-8 hope is almost gone.
The only possible way they could make it would be if all five teams above lost and they won the last game, and even than it comes down to a lot of other factors.
I think these games for week 17 will be the best games to keep your eyes glued on:
Bengals VS Jets
Reason: Jets need to win to get in the Play offs.
Patriots VS Texans
Reason: Most likely Patriots will not play the starters but the Texans need a win.
Steelers VS Dolphins
Reason: Steelers need a win and the Dolphins have a slim chance still at the play offs.
Ravens VS Raiders
Reason: Ravens need this one and the Raiders would love to spoil the playoff hopes of the Ravens.
Chiefs VS Broncos
Reason: Broncos need a win to make play offs.
Eagles VS Dallas
Reason: Both are in the play offs but this game determines who will be at home and who will be on the road. Also last time they played the Eagles made the Cowboys look really bad so it is a revenge game for the Cowboys.
Titans VS Seahawks
Reason: Though it is a very slim chance the Titans will bring it all in hopes of a play off shot.
The Outlaw Micheal Tomsik
www.outlawsportsradio.com
Week 16 decided the fate of many teams in the NFC.
Currently the teams who are in the playoffs are:
Eagles, Cowboys, Vikings, Packers, Saints, Cardinals
The AFC Playoffs still make the final week of regular season football fun to watch.
Currently the teams who are in the playoffs are:
Patriots, Bengals, Colts, Chargers
With the final week a lot of teams still have a shot including the following teams:
Jets, Ravens, Steelers, Texans, Broncos who all have a win/loss record of 8-6.
For the Jaguars, Dolphins and Titans who all have a win/loss record of 7-8 hope is almost gone.
The only possible way they could make it would be if all five teams above lost and they won the last game, and even than it comes down to a lot of other factors.
I think these games for week 17 will be the best games to keep your eyes glued on:
Bengals VS Jets
Reason: Jets need to win to get in the Play offs.
Patriots VS Texans
Reason: Most likely Patriots will not play the starters but the Texans need a win.
Steelers VS Dolphins
Reason: Steelers need a win and the Dolphins have a slim chance still at the play offs.
Ravens VS Raiders
Reason: Ravens need this one and the Raiders would love to spoil the playoff hopes of the Ravens.
Chiefs VS Broncos
Reason: Broncos need a win to make play offs.
Eagles VS Dallas
Reason: Both are in the play offs but this game determines who will be at home and who will be on the road. Also last time they played the Eagles made the Cowboys look really bad so it is a revenge game for the Cowboys.
Titans VS Seahawks
Reason: Though it is a very slim chance the Titans will bring it all in hopes of a play off shot.
The Outlaw Micheal Tomsik
www.outlawsportsradio.com
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Jacksonville Jaguars Stink, Stank and Stunk!
The Jacksonville Jaguars looked so bad today it was really Sad
Brady threw four touchdown passes, three to Randy Moss, and the young defense put together its third straight solid game as New England beat Jacksonville 35-7 on Sunday, further dimming the Jaguars’ slim postseason chances.
For the Patriots (10-5), it was another encouraging outing in what had been an inconsistent season. They clinched the AFC East title after missing the playoffs last season for the first time since 2002 despite an 11-5 record. And they did it in a one-sided manner, just like most of their games in the 2007 season when they lost the Super Bowl to the New York Giants 17-14 on a last-minute touchdown.
Brady bounced back after throwing for just 307 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in his previous two games. He completed 23 of 26 passes for 267 yards, reminiscent of his brilliance the last time the teams met—26 of 28 for 262 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in a 31-20 divisional playoff win on Jan. 12, 2008.
Jacksonville dropped its third straight game and fourth in its last five after going 6-4 in its first 10. New England won its third straight—outscoring the opposition 72-27—after losing three of four.
It also was another bounce-back day for Moss two weeks after Carolina players questioned his effort in a 20-10 Patriots win. He caught one scoring pass the next week in a 17-10 win at Buffalo, then was the Moss of old against the Jaguars.
He caught a 2-yard scoring pass for the first touchdown after the Patriots got the ball on downs at the Jacksonville 35. Then, with 45 seconds left in the half, Moss raised his hand in the back of the end zone when the Jaguars somehow left him wide open and Brady found him for a 6-yard score and a 28-0 halftime lead.
His third touchdown came six seconds into the fourth quarter, a 17-yarder on which he reached the ball out to the goal line. Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio challenged and, while officials reviewed the play, fans chanted “Randy, Randy, Randy” and he smiled broadly at them.
The touchdown call was upheld, giving Moss the ninth three-touchdown game of his career, and Stephen Gostkowski’s(notes) extra point made it 35-0. Moss finished with four catches for 45 yards.
The Jaguars (7-8) ended the first series of the game by forcing Laurence Maroneyes to fumble at the Jacksonville 1-yard line after the Patriots had moved 82 yards. And they mounted an impressive drive on the first possession of the third quarter, moving from their 26 to the Patriots 5. But David Garrardthrew his second interception of the game as Shawn Springs picked off his first pass of the season.
That’s the kind of day it was for the Jaguars—from a fourth-and-1 that failed in their own territory to Brandon Meriweather’s 56-yard return of Garrard’s first interception, to punts on their other four first-half possessions.
The Patriots also scored on Chris Baker’s 26-yard reception and Sammy Morris’ 1-yard run.
The Jaguars couldn’t stop Wes Welker either. He had 13 catches for 138 yards, his seventh game of the year with at least 10 receptions and sixth with at least 100 yards.
Jacksonville finally scored with 12:41 left on a 2-yard keeper by Garrard
Brady threw four touchdown passes, three to Randy Moss, and the young defense put together its third straight solid game as New England beat Jacksonville 35-7 on Sunday, further dimming the Jaguars’ slim postseason chances.
For the Patriots (10-5), it was another encouraging outing in what had been an inconsistent season. They clinched the AFC East title after missing the playoffs last season for the first time since 2002 despite an 11-5 record. And they did it in a one-sided manner, just like most of their games in the 2007 season when they lost the Super Bowl to the New York Giants 17-14 on a last-minute touchdown.
Brady bounced back after throwing for just 307 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in his previous two games. He completed 23 of 26 passes for 267 yards, reminiscent of his brilliance the last time the teams met—26 of 28 for 262 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in a 31-20 divisional playoff win on Jan. 12, 2008.
Jacksonville dropped its third straight game and fourth in its last five after going 6-4 in its first 10. New England won its third straight—outscoring the opposition 72-27—after losing three of four.
It also was another bounce-back day for Moss two weeks after Carolina players questioned his effort in a 20-10 Patriots win. He caught one scoring pass the next week in a 17-10 win at Buffalo, then was the Moss of old against the Jaguars.
He caught a 2-yard scoring pass for the first touchdown after the Patriots got the ball on downs at the Jacksonville 35. Then, with 45 seconds left in the half, Moss raised his hand in the back of the end zone when the Jaguars somehow left him wide open and Brady found him for a 6-yard score and a 28-0 halftime lead.
His third touchdown came six seconds into the fourth quarter, a 17-yarder on which he reached the ball out to the goal line. Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio challenged and, while officials reviewed the play, fans chanted “Randy, Randy, Randy” and he smiled broadly at them.
The touchdown call was upheld, giving Moss the ninth three-touchdown game of his career, and Stephen Gostkowski’s(notes) extra point made it 35-0. Moss finished with four catches for 45 yards.
The Jaguars (7-8) ended the first series of the game by forcing Laurence Maroneyes to fumble at the Jacksonville 1-yard line after the Patriots had moved 82 yards. And they mounted an impressive drive on the first possession of the third quarter, moving from their 26 to the Patriots 5. But David Garrardthrew his second interception of the game as Shawn Springs picked off his first pass of the season.
That’s the kind of day it was for the Jaguars—from a fourth-and-1 that failed in their own territory to Brandon Meriweather’s 56-yard return of Garrard’s first interception, to punts on their other four first-half possessions.
The Patriots also scored on Chris Baker’s 26-yard reception and Sammy Morris’ 1-yard run.
The Jaguars couldn’t stop Wes Welker either. He had 13 catches for 138 yards, his seventh game of the year with at least 10 receptions and sixth with at least 100 yards.
Jacksonville finally scored with 12:41 left on a 2-yard keeper by Garrard
Friday, December 25, 2009
Foget the Casino Boat and lets open a land base operation in Jacksonville, Florida
The problem with the boat in Mayport was a lot of things. First of all the weather conditions, and the sea conditions determined a major role in the company business.
The other part was following the laws and regulations.
I think Sun Cruz Casino or Nevada Gold Casino should ask for a gambling Establishment that is open 24 hours a day on the dock or even consider a real casino in Jacksonville.
For all accounts the casino boat did attract business, but the simple fact is that many people do not want to be stuck on a boat for 5 hours to gamble. If the company could make it so the boat would stay at the dock and never leave except for maintenance issues you cut a lot of expenses down, also you could open the casino boat 24 hours per day. If the city would not let the boat sit on the dock maybe just float in the river instead of going 3 to 10 miles out in the ocean. They could make it an attraction just to sail in the river up and down while gambling. This would save a lot of passengers from the seas sickness, weather conditions would be less of a factor.
My position is also backed by the fact that around town you see these sweepstakes halls that are gambling establishments on the Internet, we have two dog parks that offer poker rooms, and horse betting. I am surprised one of these companies do not jump at the chance to open a full blown casino in Jacksonville.
I would love to talk to people interested in my idea of opening a casino in Jacksonville.
If your interested please e-mail me:
outlawsports@live.com
The Outlaw Micheal Tomsik
www.outlawsportsradio.com
The other part was following the laws and regulations.
I think Sun Cruz Casino or Nevada Gold Casino should ask for a gambling Establishment that is open 24 hours a day on the dock or even consider a real casino in Jacksonville.
For all accounts the casino boat did attract business, but the simple fact is that many people do not want to be stuck on a boat for 5 hours to gamble. If the company could make it so the boat would stay at the dock and never leave except for maintenance issues you cut a lot of expenses down, also you could open the casino boat 24 hours per day. If the city would not let the boat sit on the dock maybe just float in the river instead of going 3 to 10 miles out in the ocean. They could make it an attraction just to sail in the river up and down while gambling. This would save a lot of passengers from the seas sickness, weather conditions would be less of a factor.
My position is also backed by the fact that around town you see these sweepstakes halls that are gambling establishments on the Internet, we have two dog parks that offer poker rooms, and horse betting. I am surprised one of these companies do not jump at the chance to open a full blown casino in Jacksonville.
I would love to talk to people interested in my idea of opening a casino in Jacksonville.
If your interested please e-mail me:
outlawsports@live.com
The Outlaw Micheal Tomsik
www.outlawsportsradio.com
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Blood test issue turns to test of will
So far 57% of people think the fight will happen, and 43% thinl it will not.
So far the date was set, the place was set, but the details of the fight are not set as it comes down to a simple blood test issue.
On Wednesday, Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank proposed a drug testing schedule that would include three blood draws and an unlimited number of urine tests in an attempt to salvage the bout that hit a negotiating snag on Tuesday, when Mayweather’s side insisted on random Olympic-style drug testing administered by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. The world’s top two boxers had agreed to meet on March 13 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas for what is expected to become the largest-grossing bout in the sport’s history.
More From Kevin IoleFight flap puts spotlight on boxing's problems Dec 24, 2009 Pac-man a no-brainer pick for Fighter of the Year Dec 24, 2009 ADVERTISEMENT
Arum said frequent urine testing is sufficient in the final 30 days to prevent either fighter from using performance-enhancing drugs. He said Pacquiao is willing to submit blood samples in early January, in mid-February around 30 days prior to the fight and then again in the locker room immediately upon conclusion of the fight.
In the interim, Arum insisted urine testing would be sufficient.
“Everything can be picked up by urinalysis,” Arum said. “Everything.”
Travis Tygart, the CEO of USADA, disputed Arum’s contention and said a combination of blood and urine testing is required to be effective. He also said that to be most effective, athletes would have to be subject to random testing while out of competition.
If any testing is conducted in the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight outside of what is mandated by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, it would be during competition since the fighters are scheduled to start training in early January.
“To have an effective program, you have to collect blood and urine,” Tygart said. “The reason for that is that there are some things that are only detected in urine and there are some prohibited drugs that are both very lethal and potent from a performance-enhancing standpoint that are only detected in blood. One of those, for example, is human-growth hormone (HGH). There is no urine-based tested for human-growth hormone. It doesn’t show up in the urine. It’s only a blood-based test. That’s true of a number of prohibited substances, particularly those that would enhance and aid a boxer.”
Experts told Yahoo! Sports that the amount of blood the fighters would be required to give is minimal and would have no impact upon their performance.
Pacquiao is reticent to give blood within days of a fight because he believes it weakens him, his adviser, Michael Koncz, told Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday by telephone from Manila, The Philippines, where he has been meeting with Pacquiao.
An extraordinarily angry Arum, who had harsh words for Mayweather’s camp, which includes the boxer’s father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, said a deal would have to be reached Thursday in order to salvage the show.
Mayweather Jr. released a statement on Tuesday in which he demanded the testing be conducted and that it be administered by USADA. That didn’t sit well with Arum, who said he wanted whatever testing was done to be conducted by the Kansas City, Mo.,-based National Center for Drug Free Sports.
Bob Arum, right, says if an agreement can’t be reached by Thursday, the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight is off.
(Getty Images)
“The fight is definitely off,” Arum said. “I read their statement and we’re not acceding to it. Unless they pull that statement and call me, they can go screw themselves.”
Victor Conte, the founder and president of the Bay-Area Laboratory Cooperative (BALCO), said that while Pacquiao might be affected mentally by having his blood drawn, the draws would have no impact upon his performance in the fight.
Pacquiao, though, isn’t the only high-profile athlete who has expressed reservations about giving blood near or at the time of competition. Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell complained he was tested excessively during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, in which he won a gold medal as a member of his nation’s 4 x 100 meter relay team.
“I got pretty upset two days ago because since I have been here, they have tested me four times,” Powell said during the 2008 Games. “They’ve taken so much blood from us we’re going to be very weak before the final.”
Conte
Conte said to do comprehensive testing, drawing three tubes of blood with three milliliters in each would be sufficient.
“That amount would be less than one-half of one percent [of the total blood in the body],” Conte said. “It’s not going to have any effect, the drawing of blood. Could it have some mental effect? It possibly could and that’s what Asafa Powell did complain about in Beijing. And now we have this complaint from the Pacquiao side.
“That’s the only down side of that. It’s certainly not going to have any physical effect, giving blood before a fight.”
Mayweather’s statement indicated that several elite athletes, like basketball players LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, swimmer Michael Phelps and cyclist Lance Armstrong, have submitted to the testing that he is requesting.
Arum said Wednesday that none of those athletes provided blood and that each gave only urine samples. However, Schaefer, who is representing Mayweather in negotiations, said each of them competed under USADA requirements in Beijing, which includes random blood and urine sampling.
“We asked and we were told that Kobe, LeBron and Michael Phelps all submitted themselves to the same policies, which includes the right of USADA to test for blood,” Schaefer said.
Schaefer, though, said he didn’t know independently whether any of them had given blood.
Arum vehemently insisted none of them gave blood and said Pacquiao would not do so any closer than 30 days out from the fight until it is over, even if that meant the fight did not occur.
He said he consulted experts who “were unanimous in their opinion” that urine testing would be sufficient.
However, Dr. Gary Wadler, an internal medicine physician and chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Prohibited List and Methods sub-committee, said an athlete should not be able to dictate the terms of testing.
Wadler called Top Rank’s offer to have Pacquiao give a sample in early January, 30 days before the fight and then immediately at the conclusion of the fight “a non-starter.”
Manny Pacquiao is scheduled to begin training for a fight with Floyd Mayweather in January.
(Getty Images)
“The fundamental principle is that the time and place of testing is in the domain of the governing body, not of the athlete,” Wadler said. “It would lose all its validity if the athlete could pick and choose when he is going to be tested and for what he’s going to be tested for and how he’s going to be tested. They’re sophisticated enough now that if someone wanted to, you could play the calendar to your advantage.
“There are pretty savvy guys out there who are quite conversant with that very issue. That, to me, would be a non-starter.”
Arum said he objects to USADA doing whatever testing is agreed to because of its many requirements.
He said the National Center for Drug Free Sports is used to working with professional athletes and administers testing for the NFL and Major League Baseball.
“USADA is an Olympic body and it is not for professional sports,” Arum said. “They’ve got all this crazy paperwork. It’s nonsense. [The National Center for Drug Free Sports] deals with pro athletes in a professional kind of way. They don’t do [blood] tests during the season. They do urine tests. Urine tests will detect everything. Blood tests are archaic.”
Schaefer hoped that Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach could intervene and talk to Pacquiao and convince him that submitting to the USADA testing would not hurt him or impact his performance.
He said a deal would have to be reached by sometime early next week in order for the fight to go off as planned in March.
“Freddie could explain to Manny that there is a very small amount of blood taken, only about a tablespoon, and that it wouldn’t have any impact on him at all,” Schaefer said. “Kobe is Manny’s hero and Kobe has done it. If Freddie talks to him, this could get resolved very easily.”
Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, reiterated Wednesday that the testing is the only outstanding issue. Though there has been talk that there is an issue over whether or not the fight will be for Pacquiao’s World Boxing Organization welterweight title, Ellerbe said the drug testing is the only unresolved issue.
“That’s it,” he said. “Otherwise, we’re done.”
So far the date was set, the place was set, but the details of the fight are not set as it comes down to a simple blood test issue.
On Wednesday, Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank proposed a drug testing schedule that would include three blood draws and an unlimited number of urine tests in an attempt to salvage the bout that hit a negotiating snag on Tuesday, when Mayweather’s side insisted on random Olympic-style drug testing administered by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. The world’s top two boxers had agreed to meet on March 13 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas for what is expected to become the largest-grossing bout in the sport’s history.
More From Kevin IoleFight flap puts spotlight on boxing's problems Dec 24, 2009 Pac-man a no-brainer pick for Fighter of the Year Dec 24, 2009 ADVERTISEMENT
Arum said frequent urine testing is sufficient in the final 30 days to prevent either fighter from using performance-enhancing drugs. He said Pacquiao is willing to submit blood samples in early January, in mid-February around 30 days prior to the fight and then again in the locker room immediately upon conclusion of the fight.
In the interim, Arum insisted urine testing would be sufficient.
“Everything can be picked up by urinalysis,” Arum said. “Everything.”
Travis Tygart, the CEO of USADA, disputed Arum’s contention and said a combination of blood and urine testing is required to be effective. He also said that to be most effective, athletes would have to be subject to random testing while out of competition.
If any testing is conducted in the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight outside of what is mandated by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, it would be during competition since the fighters are scheduled to start training in early January.
“To have an effective program, you have to collect blood and urine,” Tygart said. “The reason for that is that there are some things that are only detected in urine and there are some prohibited drugs that are both very lethal and potent from a performance-enhancing standpoint that are only detected in blood. One of those, for example, is human-growth hormone (HGH). There is no urine-based tested for human-growth hormone. It doesn’t show up in the urine. It’s only a blood-based test. That’s true of a number of prohibited substances, particularly those that would enhance and aid a boxer.”
Experts told Yahoo! Sports that the amount of blood the fighters would be required to give is minimal and would have no impact upon their performance.
Pacquiao is reticent to give blood within days of a fight because he believes it weakens him, his adviser, Michael Koncz, told Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday by telephone from Manila, The Philippines, where he has been meeting with Pacquiao.
An extraordinarily angry Arum, who had harsh words for Mayweather’s camp, which includes the boxer’s father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, said a deal would have to be reached Thursday in order to salvage the show.
Mayweather Jr. released a statement on Tuesday in which he demanded the testing be conducted and that it be administered by USADA. That didn’t sit well with Arum, who said he wanted whatever testing was done to be conducted by the Kansas City, Mo.,-based National Center for Drug Free Sports.
Bob Arum, right, says if an agreement can’t be reached by Thursday, the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight is off.
(Getty Images)
“The fight is definitely off,” Arum said. “I read their statement and we’re not acceding to it. Unless they pull that statement and call me, they can go screw themselves.”
Victor Conte, the founder and president of the Bay-Area Laboratory Cooperative (BALCO), said that while Pacquiao might be affected mentally by having his blood drawn, the draws would have no impact upon his performance in the fight.
Pacquiao, though, isn’t the only high-profile athlete who has expressed reservations about giving blood near or at the time of competition. Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell complained he was tested excessively during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, in which he won a gold medal as a member of his nation’s 4 x 100 meter relay team.
“I got pretty upset two days ago because since I have been here, they have tested me four times,” Powell said during the 2008 Games. “They’ve taken so much blood from us we’re going to be very weak before the final.”
Conte
Conte said to do comprehensive testing, drawing three tubes of blood with three milliliters in each would be sufficient.
“That amount would be less than one-half of one percent [of the total blood in the body],” Conte said. “It’s not going to have any effect, the drawing of blood. Could it have some mental effect? It possibly could and that’s what Asafa Powell did complain about in Beijing. And now we have this complaint from the Pacquiao side.
“That’s the only down side of that. It’s certainly not going to have any physical effect, giving blood before a fight.”
Mayweather’s statement indicated that several elite athletes, like basketball players LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, swimmer Michael Phelps and cyclist Lance Armstrong, have submitted to the testing that he is requesting.
Arum said Wednesday that none of those athletes provided blood and that each gave only urine samples. However, Schaefer, who is representing Mayweather in negotiations, said each of them competed under USADA requirements in Beijing, which includes random blood and urine sampling.
“We asked and we were told that Kobe, LeBron and Michael Phelps all submitted themselves to the same policies, which includes the right of USADA to test for blood,” Schaefer said.
Schaefer, though, said he didn’t know independently whether any of them had given blood.
Arum vehemently insisted none of them gave blood and said Pacquiao would not do so any closer than 30 days out from the fight until it is over, even if that meant the fight did not occur.
He said he consulted experts who “were unanimous in their opinion” that urine testing would be sufficient.
However, Dr. Gary Wadler, an internal medicine physician and chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Prohibited List and Methods sub-committee, said an athlete should not be able to dictate the terms of testing.
Wadler called Top Rank’s offer to have Pacquiao give a sample in early January, 30 days before the fight and then immediately at the conclusion of the fight “a non-starter.”
Manny Pacquiao is scheduled to begin training for a fight with Floyd Mayweather in January.
(Getty Images)
“The fundamental principle is that the time and place of testing is in the domain of the governing body, not of the athlete,” Wadler said. “It would lose all its validity if the athlete could pick and choose when he is going to be tested and for what he’s going to be tested for and how he’s going to be tested. They’re sophisticated enough now that if someone wanted to, you could play the calendar to your advantage.
“There are pretty savvy guys out there who are quite conversant with that very issue. That, to me, would be a non-starter.”
Arum said he objects to USADA doing whatever testing is agreed to because of its many requirements.
He said the National Center for Drug Free Sports is used to working with professional athletes and administers testing for the NFL and Major League Baseball.
“USADA is an Olympic body and it is not for professional sports,” Arum said. “They’ve got all this crazy paperwork. It’s nonsense. [The National Center for Drug Free Sports] deals with pro athletes in a professional kind of way. They don’t do [blood] tests during the season. They do urine tests. Urine tests will detect everything. Blood tests are archaic.”
Schaefer hoped that Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach could intervene and talk to Pacquiao and convince him that submitting to the USADA testing would not hurt him or impact his performance.
He said a deal would have to be reached by sometime early next week in order for the fight to go off as planned in March.
“Freddie could explain to Manny that there is a very small amount of blood taken, only about a tablespoon, and that it wouldn’t have any impact on him at all,” Schaefer said. “Kobe is Manny’s hero and Kobe has done it. If Freddie talks to him, this could get resolved very easily.”
Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, reiterated Wednesday that the testing is the only outstanding issue. Though there has been talk that there is an issue over whether or not the fight will be for Pacquiao’s World Boxing Organization welterweight title, Ellerbe said the drug testing is the only unresolved issue.
“That’s it,” he said. “Otherwise, we’re done.”
WHAT is wrong with the NFL and Eagles Players?
Shutdown Corner Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:24 am EST
Eagles players honor Michael Vick with award for courage
By Chris Chase
According to Philadelphia Eagles players, the most courageous man on the team in 2009 was one who started the year serving time in prison for an act of extreme cowardice.
Today, the Eagles announced that Michael Vick was the 2009 winner of the Ed Block Courage Award, an honor given to a player who shows courage in the face of adversity. Vick's teammates voted for the award, thus demonstrating how tone-deaf and out-of-touch NFL players are with reality.
According to the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation Web site:
Each year, the Ed Block Courage Awards honors those National Football League players who exemplify commitments to the principles of sportsmanship and courage. Recipients are selected by their teammates for team effort, as well as individual performance.
The Ed Block Courage Award recipient symbolizes professionalism, great strength and dedication. He is also a community role model.
One recipient is selected from each NFL team, usually for things like coming back from injury, doing good work in the community or long, dedicated service to a franchise. I'd be surprised if the award's founders intended for the honor to be given to someone doing community service as part of the terms of his parole or for showing courage in the face of reporters asking legitimate questions about federal crimes.
The Eagles' vote is not only a slap in the face to the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation, but to the other 31 players who won the award for their respective teams. Some men are truly deserving of the honor, like Ravens safety Dawan Landry(notes) who was nearly paralyzed last year, but has come back in '09 with four interceptions and a touchdown or Mike Furrey(notes) of the Browns, who does extensive volunteer work in his community. Adding Vick's name to the roll makes the award seem illegitimate and meaningless.
Apparently Philadelphia players confuse Vick handling dogfighting questions and booing with a measure of class as some sort of courage. That Vick only got a chance to show this mild courageousness because of the extreme cowardice it takes to murder helpless animals isn't something that crosses their mind. They confuse Vick's desperation with some sort of integrity.
I'm all for second chances and find myself rooting for Vick to redeem himself both on and off the football field. He's served an appropriate sentence (and then some) and I see no reason for him to keep paying for his past transgressions. But I also see no reason to celebrate his character.
Michael Vick(notes) is very much a work in progress. A few years from now, I hope he will be deserving of such an honor. At this time, however, he has only just started down the path to redempt
Eagles players honor Michael Vick with award for courage
By Chris Chase
According to Philadelphia Eagles players, the most courageous man on the team in 2009 was one who started the year serving time in prison for an act of extreme cowardice.
Today, the Eagles announced that Michael Vick was the 2009 winner of the Ed Block Courage Award, an honor given to a player who shows courage in the face of adversity. Vick's teammates voted for the award, thus demonstrating how tone-deaf and out-of-touch NFL players are with reality.
According to the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation Web site:
Each year, the Ed Block Courage Awards honors those National Football League players who exemplify commitments to the principles of sportsmanship and courage. Recipients are selected by their teammates for team effort, as well as individual performance.
The Ed Block Courage Award recipient symbolizes professionalism, great strength and dedication. He is also a community role model.
One recipient is selected from each NFL team, usually for things like coming back from injury, doing good work in the community or long, dedicated service to a franchise. I'd be surprised if the award's founders intended for the honor to be given to someone doing community service as part of the terms of his parole or for showing courage in the face of reporters asking legitimate questions about federal crimes.
The Eagles' vote is not only a slap in the face to the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation, but to the other 31 players who won the award for their respective teams. Some men are truly deserving of the honor, like Ravens safety Dawan Landry(notes) who was nearly paralyzed last year, but has come back in '09 with four interceptions and a touchdown or Mike Furrey(notes) of the Browns, who does extensive volunteer work in his community. Adding Vick's name to the roll makes the award seem illegitimate and meaningless.
Apparently Philadelphia players confuse Vick handling dogfighting questions and booing with a measure of class as some sort of courage. That Vick only got a chance to show this mild courageousness because of the extreme cowardice it takes to murder helpless animals isn't something that crosses their mind. They confuse Vick's desperation with some sort of integrity.
I'm all for second chances and find myself rooting for Vick to redeem himself both on and off the football field. He's served an appropriate sentence (and then some) and I see no reason for him to keep paying for his past transgressions. But I also see no reason to celebrate his character.
Michael Vick(notes) is very much a work in progress. A few years from now, I hope he will be deserving of such an honor. At this time, however, he has only just started down the path to redempt
Mayport Sun Cruz Casino Boat is gone from the Dock!
For all those of you following the story on Sun Cruz Casino in Mayport the boat is no longer at the dock as of 12/24/2009. At least it was not there when I went to take some photos of it.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
TITLE FIGHT IS OFF THE BOOKS
The biggest fight of 2010 — Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather — could be off.
Early Tuesday evening, Golden Boy Promotions, which represented Mayweather in negotiations, distributed a press release that said the March 13 bout was in "jeopardy."
Reached late Tuesday night, Bob Arum of Top Rank, who promotes the Filipino, took it a step further.
TELL US: Who's to blame if Pacquiao-Mayweather is off?
"The plug is pulled. The fight is off as far as we're concerned," he said, adding that he expects Pacquiao to fight on that date but is seeking a new opponent.
The public remarks highlight a significant turn because both sides, including television partner HBO, have been cautious to not speak publicly about specifics regarding the bout for fear of jeopardizing negotiations.
Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) has demanded drug testing as required by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency which includes random blood and urine sampling. Pacquiao (50-3-2 38 KOs), however, will not agree to have his blood taken within 30 days of the bout. He did agree to have his blood taken before the press conference to kick off the promotion and after the bout.
"The press release is absurd," said Arum, Mayweather's former promoter. "Mayweather proves that he's a coward and he's looking for a way out of the fight. The Nevada commission has been doing drug testing for the last 40 years. To appease Mayweather, we agreed they could do urine analysis anytime they wanted. But Manny doesn't want them to draw his blood when he's in training because it weakens him."
Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said earlier Tuesday that Top Rank president Todd duBoef told him Pacquiao would not agree to have his blood taken within 30 days of the bout.
"Todd told me that Pacquiao has difficulty with taking blood and doesn't want to do it so close to the fight," Schaefer said in the statement. "(Pacquiao) would only agree to have blood drawn before the kick-off press conference and after the fight."
Mayweather said Pacquiao needs to explain himself immediately or face questions regarding his status as a clean, drug-free athlete.
"I understand Pacquiao not liking having his blood taken, because frankly I don't know anyone who really does," Mayweather said. "But in a fight of this magnitude, I think it is our responsibility to subject ourselves to sportsmanship at the highest level. I have already agreed to the testing and it is a shame that he is not willing to do the same.
"It leaves me with great doubt as to the level of fairness I would be facing in the ring that night. I hope that this is either some miscommunication or that Manny will change his mind and step up and allow these tests, which were good enough for all these other great athletes, to be performed by USADA."
Las Vegas was expected to host the bout and construct an outdoor venue to accommodate what likely would be the highest grossing fight of all time. Both Mayweather and Pacquiao stand to make at least $25 million for the fight.
"All they're doing is harassing Pacquiao. I'm not going to allow it to happen," Arum said. "We're willing to do urine analysis at random even though we don't have to do it under Nevada rules. … I know deep down Mayweather doesn't want the fight. He can take a walk."
In 2002, the Nevada State Athletic Commission found that Fernando Vargas tested positive for performance-enhancing substances in his bout with Oscar De La Hoya.
The Outlaw Micheal Tomsik
www.outlawsportsradio.com
Early Tuesday evening, Golden Boy Promotions, which represented Mayweather in negotiations, distributed a press release that said the March 13 bout was in "jeopardy."
Reached late Tuesday night, Bob Arum of Top Rank, who promotes the Filipino, took it a step further.
TELL US: Who's to blame if Pacquiao-Mayweather is off?
"The plug is pulled. The fight is off as far as we're concerned," he said, adding that he expects Pacquiao to fight on that date but is seeking a new opponent.
The public remarks highlight a significant turn because both sides, including television partner HBO, have been cautious to not speak publicly about specifics regarding the bout for fear of jeopardizing negotiations.
Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) has demanded drug testing as required by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency which includes random blood and urine sampling. Pacquiao (50-3-2 38 KOs), however, will not agree to have his blood taken within 30 days of the bout. He did agree to have his blood taken before the press conference to kick off the promotion and after the bout.
"The press release is absurd," said Arum, Mayweather's former promoter. "Mayweather proves that he's a coward and he's looking for a way out of the fight. The Nevada commission has been doing drug testing for the last 40 years. To appease Mayweather, we agreed they could do urine analysis anytime they wanted. But Manny doesn't want them to draw his blood when he's in training because it weakens him."
Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said earlier Tuesday that Top Rank president Todd duBoef told him Pacquiao would not agree to have his blood taken within 30 days of the bout.
"Todd told me that Pacquiao has difficulty with taking blood and doesn't want to do it so close to the fight," Schaefer said in the statement. "(Pacquiao) would only agree to have blood drawn before the kick-off press conference and after the fight."
Mayweather said Pacquiao needs to explain himself immediately or face questions regarding his status as a clean, drug-free athlete.
"I understand Pacquiao not liking having his blood taken, because frankly I don't know anyone who really does," Mayweather said. "But in a fight of this magnitude, I think it is our responsibility to subject ourselves to sportsmanship at the highest level. I have already agreed to the testing and it is a shame that he is not willing to do the same.
"It leaves me with great doubt as to the level of fairness I would be facing in the ring that night. I hope that this is either some miscommunication or that Manny will change his mind and step up and allow these tests, which were good enough for all these other great athletes, to be performed by USADA."
Las Vegas was expected to host the bout and construct an outdoor venue to accommodate what likely would be the highest grossing fight of all time. Both Mayweather and Pacquiao stand to make at least $25 million for the fight.
"All they're doing is harassing Pacquiao. I'm not going to allow it to happen," Arum said. "We're willing to do urine analysis at random even though we don't have to do it under Nevada rules. … I know deep down Mayweather doesn't want the fight. He can take a walk."
In 2002, the Nevada State Athletic Commission found that Fernando Vargas tested positive for performance-enhancing substances in his bout with Oscar De La Hoya.
The Outlaw Micheal Tomsik
www.outlawsportsradio.com
Little River Sun Cruz Boat is gone and left a bill !
The Sun Cruz Casino Boat in Little River has set sail indefinitely and no one knows if it's coming back.
With the departure, they've left a hefty unpaid tab with Horry County.
Financial trouble is looming for the ship that's now at sea.
In its wake, 150 people are without jobs and Horry County is out at least a couple hundred thousand dollars.
But there may be hope. Most agree the ship will be rescued, but by whom is not yet clear.
The parking lot is empty, the dock unattended, and a note tacked on the door says the Sun Cruz Casino franchise is closed for now.
The note says they will not sail until the transfer of ownership of the company.
The big players involved are quiet, but what we know paints a picture of financial trouble.
Sun Cruz fell behind on payments to Horry County. They didn't pay the $102,000 October passenger fee. And they haven't paid November or December yet.
The ship's parent company, Oceans Casino Cruises Incorporated, owns other operations in Florida.
Sources have said the Little River operation has always been profitable, but the ones in Florida have drained the company dry.
It was announced last week a new company may gobble up some of Ocean Casino's assets, including the Sun Cruz Casino line.
NewsChannel 15 spoke with one couple who said they were stunned and upset after booking a sail with Sun Cruz only to be stood up.
"And you think it a common courtesy after asking me three times what hotel I was in, my hotel room number, and my cell phone number, they would call us back and let us know that we're not running any cruises. They never called. So my wife and I just said the heck with it," said Anthony Papa.
The county's attorney said if there is a new buyer for Sun Cruz, they'll have to settle up the late payments to the county before they set sail again.
There is still one gambling boat left in Little River, and that is the Big M Casino.
With the departure, they've left a hefty unpaid tab with Horry County.
Financial trouble is looming for the ship that's now at sea.
In its wake, 150 people are without jobs and Horry County is out at least a couple hundred thousand dollars.
But there may be hope. Most agree the ship will be rescued, but by whom is not yet clear.
The parking lot is empty, the dock unattended, and a note tacked on the door says the Sun Cruz Casino franchise is closed for now.
The note says they will not sail until the transfer of ownership of the company.
The big players involved are quiet, but what we know paints a picture of financial trouble.
Sun Cruz fell behind on payments to Horry County. They didn't pay the $102,000 October passenger fee. And they haven't paid November or December yet.
The ship's parent company, Oceans Casino Cruises Incorporated, owns other operations in Florida.
Sources have said the Little River operation has always been profitable, but the ones in Florida have drained the company dry.
It was announced last week a new company may gobble up some of Ocean Casino's assets, including the Sun Cruz Casino line.
NewsChannel 15 spoke with one couple who said they were stunned and upset after booking a sail with Sun Cruz only to be stood up.
"And you think it a common courtesy after asking me three times what hotel I was in, my hotel room number, and my cell phone number, they would call us back and let us know that we're not running any cruises. They never called. So my wife and I just said the heck with it," said Anthony Papa.
The county's attorney said if there is a new buyer for Sun Cruz, they'll have to settle up the late payments to the county before they set sail again.
There is still one gambling boat left in Little River, and that is the Big M Casino.
Sun Cruz Casino Boat leaves Little River
A casino boat that had operated out of Little River is gone, and no one seems to know if or when it will be back.
The Sun Cruz Casino Boat sailed away Monday night around 6:00, according to the manager of the marina where the boat was docked.
The gaming company Nevada Gold, which manages the boat, put out a statement last week saying it had ceased operations, pending their purchase of Suncruz assets.
Suncruz owes Horry County more than $100,000 in unpaid passenger fees and reportedly owes $300,000 to a port authority in Florida where it operates another boat.
Nevada Gold officials wouldn't comment beyond their official statement
The Sun Cruz Casino Boat sailed away Monday night around 6:00, according to the manager of the marina where the boat was docked.
The gaming company Nevada Gold, which manages the boat, put out a statement last week saying it had ceased operations, pending their purchase of Suncruz assets.
Suncruz owes Horry County more than $100,000 in unpaid passenger fees and reportedly owes $300,000 to a port authority in Florida where it operates another boat.
Nevada Gold officials wouldn't comment beyond their official statement
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Nevada Gold in Discussions to Purchase Selected Assets of SunCruz Casinos
HOUSTON, Dec. 18, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nevada Gold & Casinos, Inc. (NYSE Amex:UWN) announced today that Oceans Casino Cruises, Inc., owner of SunCruz Casinos, decided to cease operations of its casino cruises effective December 15, 2009. In November of 2008, Nevada Gold was engaged by Oceans Casino Cruises, Inc. to provide management services to SunCruz Casinos. Although its management contract is currently in effect its future status is uncertain.
Nevada Gold is currently in discussions to purchase selected assets from Oceans Casino Cruises, Inc. These discussions are subject to numerous conditions and there can be no assurance they will result in the purchase of any assets.
Robert Sturges, CEO of Nevada Gold stated, "We recognize these are difficult times for the employees of Oceans Casino Cruises, Inc. We hope to have the opportunity to work with these employees after our acquisition discussions are complete."
About Nevada Gold
Nevada Gold & Casinos, Inc. (NYSE Amex:UWN) of Houston, Texas is a developer, owner and operator of gaming facilities in Colorado, Washington and the southeastern United States. The Colorado Grande Casino in Cripple Creek, Colorado, the Crazy Moose Casino in Pasco, Washington, the Coyote Bob's Roadhouse Casino in Kennewick, Washington and the Crazy Moose Casino in Mountlake Terrace, Washington are wholly owned and operated by Nevada Gold. The Company has an interest in Buena Vista Development Company, LLC which is working with the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians on a Native American casino project to be developed in the city of Ione, California. The Company also has a management contract with Oceans Casino Cruises, Inc., owner of SunCruz Casinos. For more information, visit http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/ctr?d=180645&l=5&a=www.nevadagold.com&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nevadagold.com.
The Nevada Gold & Casinos, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1552
Nevada Gold is currently in discussions to purchase selected assets from Oceans Casino Cruises, Inc. These discussions are subject to numerous conditions and there can be no assurance they will result in the purchase of any assets.
Robert Sturges, CEO of Nevada Gold stated, "We recognize these are difficult times for the employees of Oceans Casino Cruises, Inc. We hope to have the opportunity to work with these employees after our acquisition discussions are complete."
About Nevada Gold
Nevada Gold & Casinos, Inc. (NYSE Amex:UWN) of Houston, Texas is a developer, owner and operator of gaming facilities in Colorado, Washington and the southeastern United States. The Colorado Grande Casino in Cripple Creek, Colorado, the Crazy Moose Casino in Pasco, Washington, the Coyote Bob's Roadhouse Casino in Kennewick, Washington and the Crazy Moose Casino in Mountlake Terrace, Washington are wholly owned and operated by Nevada Gold. The Company has an interest in Buena Vista Development Company, LLC which is working with the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians on a Native American casino project to be developed in the city of Ione, California. The Company also has a management contract with Oceans Casino Cruises, Inc., owner of SunCruz Casinos. For more information, visit http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/ctr?d=180645&l=5&a=www.nevadagold.com&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nevadagold.com.
The Nevada Gold & Casinos, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1552
Monday, December 21, 2009
BRETT Farve VS the Coach
It was always going to be about December and, more importantly, January. The Minnesota Vikings, even with Tarvaris Jackson(notes) at quarterback, were going to win the weak NFC North. If you have that defense and that Adrian Peterson, you can hold off Green Bay, Chicago and Detroit and get back to the postseason.
So whatever Brett Favre(notes) did the first three months of the season would be for show – just like last year with the New York Jets. The end was for the dough and three Sundays into December it’s beginning to crumble.
For the second time in three weeks, Favre couldn't avoid the pressure.
(Rick Havner/AP Photo)
The team was listless Sunday, losing 26-7 to a lousy Carolina club. It’s now 11-3 on the season, but 1-2 on the month. And, in the confrontation that will send the frozen Upper Midwest into a virtual meltdown, coach Brad Childress tired to bench Favre in third quarter only to have the quarterback somehow overrule him.
Related CoverageGame-changers in the NFL More From Dan WetzelFor one day, Vick again belonged to Atlanta Dec 6, 2009 ADVERTISEMENT
“Yeah, there was a heated discussion, I guess you would call it,” Favre told reporters afterwards. “We were up 7-6 at the time. No secret, I was getting hit a little bit. I felt the pressure on a lot of plays. We had seven points. So I think everyone in the building was like, ‘They’re not moving the ball, they’re not getting points.’ Brad wanted to go in a different direction and I wanted to stay in the game.”
Favre won that test of wills, which, may not be taken well within the Vikings locker room. Since when does the player get to tell the coach to shove it? Actually, it happens more than you think, which doesn’t mean it isn’t a significant sign about who’s in charge of whom.
From afar, it didn’t look like you could pin the loss all on Favre’s surgically-repaired shoulder. His wideouts dropped too many passes. Peterson managed just 35 yards on 12 carries and not until it was too late did he break a nice screen pass open.
And, as Brett conveniently mentioned, he was sacked four times and rushed a million more. Julius Peppers(notes) all but lined up in the Vikings backfield. The offensive line was terrible.
Then again, did Brett Favre really need to mention it? When it goes bad for Tom Brady(notes), he takes the blame and defends his teammates’ talent, effort, performance. When it goes bad for Favre, he starts talking about secrets.
“I was getting hit a little bit. I felt the pressure on a lot of plays.”
While Favre was rushed and pressured as he went 17-of-27 for 224 and one pick, he could’ve avoided at least a couple of those sacks. The guy holds onto the ball forever trying to make crazy plays, just one reason he’s become so easy to take down. Yes, his line was lousy, but he could’ve adjusted.
Perhaps that’s why Childress was willing to sit a man he all but begged to come out of retirement, allowed to skip training camp and watched earn MVP talk – for Jackson, presumably, a player who’s thrown 15 passes all season.
“We were having a conversation about how the game was heading at that point in time and what we needed to do to head it the other way,” Childress would only say.
When Jackson is the other way …
This is not the first time Childress has been unable to pull Favre from a game according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. The coach tried to sit Favre during a 17-point victory at Detroit earlier this year only to have Favre refuse (in six other victories, Favre sat late in the game). Perhaps against Detroit he wanted to pad his stats. Perhaps he didn’t want a backup to get a chance. Perhaps he just “loves to play the game” as the announcers slobber.
Perhaps he ought to figure out how to help his teams finish as strong as they start. And while you can’t blame him for looking crossways at Childress and saying, “I’m Brett Favre, he’s Tarvaris Jackson” sometimes that isn’t the point.
Not all of Childress’ instructions were carried out on Sunday night.
(Kevin C. Cox/Getty)
“We were up 7-6,” Favre said postgame Sunday about the “conversation.” “Yeah, it’s not 70-6, but we’re up 7-6. So I said, ‘I’m staying in the game, I’m playing.’ I don’t know if it was exactly to protect me, or we had seven points, I’m not sure. That’s his call. But we talked it out.
“I didn’t have time to sit there and say why or what. My response was, ‘We’ve got to win this ballgame and I want to stay in and do whatever I can.’ Now, unfortunately, I didn’t do that, but that was my intention.”
Yes, unfortunately. Favre’s intentions have always been easy to identify. He wants individual glory wrapped in team success. When it works, it really works. When it doesn’t, everything blows up.
“I could sense we were struggling, and there were a lot of reasons for that, and I’ve got no problem taking that on my shoulders,” Favre continued, showing, by mentioning “a lot of reasons” that he’s got a problem taking it on his shoulders. “That’s what I’m here for.
“But in no way being up 7-6 and being banged around a little bit, would I consider coming out. I don’t even know if I would consider that being down 70-6. But winning the ballgame? I don’t know. … But believe me, I wanted to get something going, I wanted to score points. I don’t know the answer to that question of what his reasonings were.”
He probably didn’t care. When you install Brett Favre as our quarterback, you don’t get to make a second decision. You get a QB who’s not sure he would accept a benching down 70-6. You’re all in with this guy, or he’s going to defy you on the sideline, argue with you in the media and keep inviting sacks while waiting to throw balls all over the field.
This was the deal Childress made in the calm warmth of summer. Now it’s winter in Minnesota. The season is in the balance, Brett Favre is still talking.
So whatever Brett Favre(notes) did the first three months of the season would be for show – just like last year with the New York Jets. The end was for the dough and three Sundays into December it’s beginning to crumble.
For the second time in three weeks, Favre couldn't avoid the pressure.
(Rick Havner/AP Photo)
The team was listless Sunday, losing 26-7 to a lousy Carolina club. It’s now 11-3 on the season, but 1-2 on the month. And, in the confrontation that will send the frozen Upper Midwest into a virtual meltdown, coach Brad Childress tired to bench Favre in third quarter only to have the quarterback somehow overrule him.
Related CoverageGame-changers in the NFL More From Dan WetzelFor one day, Vick again belonged to Atlanta Dec 6, 2009 ADVERTISEMENT
“Yeah, there was a heated discussion, I guess you would call it,” Favre told reporters afterwards. “We were up 7-6 at the time. No secret, I was getting hit a little bit. I felt the pressure on a lot of plays. We had seven points. So I think everyone in the building was like, ‘They’re not moving the ball, they’re not getting points.’ Brad wanted to go in a different direction and I wanted to stay in the game.”
Favre won that test of wills, which, may not be taken well within the Vikings locker room. Since when does the player get to tell the coach to shove it? Actually, it happens more than you think, which doesn’t mean it isn’t a significant sign about who’s in charge of whom.
From afar, it didn’t look like you could pin the loss all on Favre’s surgically-repaired shoulder. His wideouts dropped too many passes. Peterson managed just 35 yards on 12 carries and not until it was too late did he break a nice screen pass open.
And, as Brett conveniently mentioned, he was sacked four times and rushed a million more. Julius Peppers(notes) all but lined up in the Vikings backfield. The offensive line was terrible.
Then again, did Brett Favre really need to mention it? When it goes bad for Tom Brady(notes), he takes the blame and defends his teammates’ talent, effort, performance. When it goes bad for Favre, he starts talking about secrets.
“I was getting hit a little bit. I felt the pressure on a lot of plays.”
While Favre was rushed and pressured as he went 17-of-27 for 224 and one pick, he could’ve avoided at least a couple of those sacks. The guy holds onto the ball forever trying to make crazy plays, just one reason he’s become so easy to take down. Yes, his line was lousy, but he could’ve adjusted.
Perhaps that’s why Childress was willing to sit a man he all but begged to come out of retirement, allowed to skip training camp and watched earn MVP talk – for Jackson, presumably, a player who’s thrown 15 passes all season.
“We were having a conversation about how the game was heading at that point in time and what we needed to do to head it the other way,” Childress would only say.
When Jackson is the other way …
This is not the first time Childress has been unable to pull Favre from a game according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. The coach tried to sit Favre during a 17-point victory at Detroit earlier this year only to have Favre refuse (in six other victories, Favre sat late in the game). Perhaps against Detroit he wanted to pad his stats. Perhaps he didn’t want a backup to get a chance. Perhaps he just “loves to play the game” as the announcers slobber.
Perhaps he ought to figure out how to help his teams finish as strong as they start. And while you can’t blame him for looking crossways at Childress and saying, “I’m Brett Favre, he’s Tarvaris Jackson” sometimes that isn’t the point.
Not all of Childress’ instructions were carried out on Sunday night.
(Kevin C. Cox/Getty)
“We were up 7-6,” Favre said postgame Sunday about the “conversation.” “Yeah, it’s not 70-6, but we’re up 7-6. So I said, ‘I’m staying in the game, I’m playing.’ I don’t know if it was exactly to protect me, or we had seven points, I’m not sure. That’s his call. But we talked it out.
“I didn’t have time to sit there and say why or what. My response was, ‘We’ve got to win this ballgame and I want to stay in and do whatever I can.’ Now, unfortunately, I didn’t do that, but that was my intention.”
Yes, unfortunately. Favre’s intentions have always been easy to identify. He wants individual glory wrapped in team success. When it works, it really works. When it doesn’t, everything blows up.
“I could sense we were struggling, and there were a lot of reasons for that, and I’ve got no problem taking that on my shoulders,” Favre continued, showing, by mentioning “a lot of reasons” that he’s got a problem taking it on his shoulders. “That’s what I’m here for.
“But in no way being up 7-6 and being banged around a little bit, would I consider coming out. I don’t even know if I would consider that being down 70-6. But winning the ballgame? I don’t know. … But believe me, I wanted to get something going, I wanted to score points. I don’t know the answer to that question of what his reasonings were.”
He probably didn’t care. When you install Brett Favre as our quarterback, you don’t get to make a second decision. You get a QB who’s not sure he would accept a benching down 70-6. You’re all in with this guy, or he’s going to defy you on the sideline, argue with you in the media and keep inviting sacks while waiting to throw balls all over the field.
This was the deal Childress made in the calm warmth of summer. Now it’s winter in Minnesota. The season is in the balance, Brett Favre is still talking.
UFC FRANK MIR wants Brock Lestnar or Shane Carwin
Frank Mir took step one in his “Vision Quest” on Saturday night when he leapfrogged a pack of hungry UFC heavyweights to what could be the biggest money match in company history.
In the 1985 movie, Matthew Modine played a wrestler who was totally and completely obsessed with beating a muscular monster named “Shute,” the unbeatable local high school wrestling champion.
“Shute” was a fictional character. At least he was until 1999, when Brock Lesnar showed up at the University of Minnesota, a decade later became the living embodiment of that character as the UFC heavyweight champion.
More From Dave MeltzerMelendez's win tops strong Strikeforce card Dec 20, 2009 Thomson-Melendez rematch worth the wait Dec 18, 2009 ADVERTISEMENT
Like the lead character in the movie, Mir, who steamrolled Cheick Kongo on Saturday night at UFC 107, seems completely obsessed with getting a shot at the monster who beat, taunted and humiliated him after winning at UFC 100, the biggest show in North American MMA history, on July 11.
The moment is hard to forget for anyone who saw it, as Lesnar’s post-fight behavior became the biggest story in sports for a few days. But it’s harder still for Mir, the loser of the match.
A week ago, there was very little interest in a third Mir vs. Lesnar fight because of how handily Lesnar beat Mir the last time. But now, provided Mir doesn’t lose and Lesnar can return, the fight would likely do more business than any fight the UFC would put on in 2010.
Mir (14-4) may not be the rightful No. 1 contender, but there is no other heavyweight who would garner anywhere near the public interest, as much because of Mir’s verbal talents as his physical ones. In a world where hype overrides substance in drumming up interest, Mir reigns supreme as the UFC’s best talker among fighters.
Of course, no matter how well a fighter talks, you still have to win your way to title shots, and Mir did so in impressive fashion Saturday, needing only 1:12 to beat Kongo (24-6-1) at the FedEx Forum.
The new Mir, coming in at 264.5 pounds, the heaviest of his career, knocked Kongo down with a looping left hand, the first punch he threw in the fight. On the ground, Mir grabbed a guillotine choke and Kongo eventually passed out, stunning the crowd of 13,896.
Most of the fans booed Mir when he came out, largely because of his verbal taunts of Kongo on the countdown show that aired this past week. Mir downgraded Kongo’s striking, saying it wasn’t world class, and said that when it came to wrestling and submissions, Kongo was the worst guy in the heavyweight division.
“When you talk as much [expletive] as he did, you’d better back it up,” UFC president Dana White said after the show.
Mir made no bones about his desire to fight Lesnar, who is currently battling a case of diverticulitis.
“The first thing is, I want him to get healthy,” said Mir. “But when he gets healthy, he may not want to get too healthy.”
Right now, there is no target date for when Lesnar will be back in the cage. It will be 4-6 weeks before doctors can determine how well his recovery has gone and whether or not he will need major surgery, which would put him out for several more months.
White said if Lesnar needs the surgery, there will be an interim champion. If not, they’ll get a contender ready. Shane Carwin was initially the top contender, though he’s also out of action with a knee injury. The other top contenders, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Cain Velasquez, are scheduled to fight on Feb. 21 in Sydney, Australia.
Mir felt his performance should put him ahead of Velasquez, generally thought to have the most potential at this point of the four contenders.
“When Velasquez beat Kongo, he couldn’t knock him out or submit him in three rounds,” said Mir. “I almost knocked him out and did submit him.”
But if Mir could pick his next opponent, it would be Nogueira.
“He’s talked a lot of crap about me,” said Mir, who is the only person to have ever finished the legendary Brazilian in his entire career, in a match where Nogueira clearly wasn’t himself coming off a staph infection and a knee injury. “Look, he could say it once, but he says it so often he might as well be wearing a T-shirt that says ‘I had a staph infection and a major knee injury when I fought Frank Mir.’
“But if I was really bothered by it, I’d get back at him by never giving him a rematch, that way I’d always have it over him.”
Mir said that if Velasquez wins, he’d have no interest in the Nogueira fight, feeling it wouldn’t at that point benefit his career.
As for his other two rivals for a title shot, Velasquez and Carwin, Mir has his own scouting report.
“Cain Velasquez, I feel, is the best wrestler in the division,” he said. “And he’s got great cardio. But he’s lacking punching power.”
“Shane Carwin, he’s a better Brock Lesnar than Brock Lesnar. He’s just as powerful, if not more powerful. But his defense is his weakness. He got knocked down by Gabriel Gonzaga.”
Mir was largely responsible for the late interest in the show with his televised taunts of Kongo, as well as the unveiling of his new physique, built on heavy powerlifting and Olympic lifting movements. Mir felt he simply didn’t have the power to contend with Lesnar in their second meeting, which came about after Mir submitted Lesnar with a kneebar in 90 seconds in Lesnar’s first UFC match.
But there were a lot of questions whether adding so much weight so quickly wouldn’t play havoc with his conditioning, since even the smaller Mir had questionable stamina.
As it turned out, that question was never answered.
“I showed that I could rebound from a bad loss,” Mir said. “I had all the pressure on me. Another loss would have been devastating to my career. I talked so much that it put even more pressure on me. But if you saw me walking to the ring, you could see the pressure didn’t affect me.”
Mir’s goal is to get up to around 280 pounds, when his previous best conditioned weight was between 240-252.
“I want to get to where I’m cutting 15-20 pounds just to make 265 pounds,” said Mir, regarding his goal for the Lesnar showdown. “That’s going to take some time. But that way I’ll be the same size he is. I may not be quite as strong as he is, but I’ll be strong enough to neutralize his strength, and then it will come down to who is the better technical fighter. He will never be as technical a fighter as I am because he started too late.”
In the 1985 movie, Matthew Modine played a wrestler who was totally and completely obsessed with beating a muscular monster named “Shute,” the unbeatable local high school wrestling champion.
“Shute” was a fictional character. At least he was until 1999, when Brock Lesnar showed up at the University of Minnesota, a decade later became the living embodiment of that character as the UFC heavyweight champion.
More From Dave MeltzerMelendez's win tops strong Strikeforce card Dec 20, 2009 Thomson-Melendez rematch worth the wait Dec 18, 2009 ADVERTISEMENT
Like the lead character in the movie, Mir, who steamrolled Cheick Kongo on Saturday night at UFC 107, seems completely obsessed with getting a shot at the monster who beat, taunted and humiliated him after winning at UFC 100, the biggest show in North American MMA history, on July 11.
The moment is hard to forget for anyone who saw it, as Lesnar’s post-fight behavior became the biggest story in sports for a few days. But it’s harder still for Mir, the loser of the match.
A week ago, there was very little interest in a third Mir vs. Lesnar fight because of how handily Lesnar beat Mir the last time. But now, provided Mir doesn’t lose and Lesnar can return, the fight would likely do more business than any fight the UFC would put on in 2010.
Mir (14-4) may not be the rightful No. 1 contender, but there is no other heavyweight who would garner anywhere near the public interest, as much because of Mir’s verbal talents as his physical ones. In a world where hype overrides substance in drumming up interest, Mir reigns supreme as the UFC’s best talker among fighters.
Of course, no matter how well a fighter talks, you still have to win your way to title shots, and Mir did so in impressive fashion Saturday, needing only 1:12 to beat Kongo (24-6-1) at the FedEx Forum.
The new Mir, coming in at 264.5 pounds, the heaviest of his career, knocked Kongo down with a looping left hand, the first punch he threw in the fight. On the ground, Mir grabbed a guillotine choke and Kongo eventually passed out, stunning the crowd of 13,896.
Most of the fans booed Mir when he came out, largely because of his verbal taunts of Kongo on the countdown show that aired this past week. Mir downgraded Kongo’s striking, saying it wasn’t world class, and said that when it came to wrestling and submissions, Kongo was the worst guy in the heavyweight division.
“When you talk as much [expletive] as he did, you’d better back it up,” UFC president Dana White said after the show.
Mir made no bones about his desire to fight Lesnar, who is currently battling a case of diverticulitis.
“The first thing is, I want him to get healthy,” said Mir. “But when he gets healthy, he may not want to get too healthy.”
Right now, there is no target date for when Lesnar will be back in the cage. It will be 4-6 weeks before doctors can determine how well his recovery has gone and whether or not he will need major surgery, which would put him out for several more months.
White said if Lesnar needs the surgery, there will be an interim champion. If not, they’ll get a contender ready. Shane Carwin was initially the top contender, though he’s also out of action with a knee injury. The other top contenders, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Cain Velasquez, are scheduled to fight on Feb. 21 in Sydney, Australia.
Mir felt his performance should put him ahead of Velasquez, generally thought to have the most potential at this point of the four contenders.
“When Velasquez beat Kongo, he couldn’t knock him out or submit him in three rounds,” said Mir. “I almost knocked him out and did submit him.”
But if Mir could pick his next opponent, it would be Nogueira.
“He’s talked a lot of crap about me,” said Mir, who is the only person to have ever finished the legendary Brazilian in his entire career, in a match where Nogueira clearly wasn’t himself coming off a staph infection and a knee injury. “Look, he could say it once, but he says it so often he might as well be wearing a T-shirt that says ‘I had a staph infection and a major knee injury when I fought Frank Mir.’
“But if I was really bothered by it, I’d get back at him by never giving him a rematch, that way I’d always have it over him.”
Mir said that if Velasquez wins, he’d have no interest in the Nogueira fight, feeling it wouldn’t at that point benefit his career.
As for his other two rivals for a title shot, Velasquez and Carwin, Mir has his own scouting report.
“Cain Velasquez, I feel, is the best wrestler in the division,” he said. “And he’s got great cardio. But he’s lacking punching power.”
“Shane Carwin, he’s a better Brock Lesnar than Brock Lesnar. He’s just as powerful, if not more powerful. But his defense is his weakness. He got knocked down by Gabriel Gonzaga.”
Mir was largely responsible for the late interest in the show with his televised taunts of Kongo, as well as the unveiling of his new physique, built on heavy powerlifting and Olympic lifting movements. Mir felt he simply didn’t have the power to contend with Lesnar in their second meeting, which came about after Mir submitted Lesnar with a kneebar in 90 seconds in Lesnar’s first UFC match.
But there were a lot of questions whether adding so much weight so quickly wouldn’t play havoc with his conditioning, since even the smaller Mir had questionable stamina.
As it turned out, that question was never answered.
“I showed that I could rebound from a bad loss,” Mir said. “I had all the pressure on me. Another loss would have been devastating to my career. I talked so much that it put even more pressure on me. But if you saw me walking to the ring, you could see the pressure didn’t affect me.”
Mir’s goal is to get up to around 280 pounds, when his previous best conditioned weight was between 240-252.
“I want to get to where I’m cutting 15-20 pounds just to make 265 pounds,” said Mir, regarding his goal for the Lesnar showdown. “That’s going to take some time. But that way I’ll be the same size he is. I may not be quite as strong as he is, but I’ll be strong enough to neutralize his strength, and then it will come down to who is the better technical fighter. He will never be as technical a fighter as I am because he started too late.”
TNA goes head to head with WWE on a Monday
Wrestling fans mark your calander becuase TNA with Hulk Hogan is going head to head with WWE on a January 4th 2010.
SpikeTV and TNA Wrestling have unveiled a huge billboard in New York City's Times Square to promote the upcoming January 4 live Monday Night "iMPACT!" on SpikeTV! The billboard is located at 1500 Broadway in Times Square! If you are visiting NYC in the next few weeks, be sure to check it out!
HULKAMANIA IS COMING BACK TO MONDAY NIGHT ON “TNA iMPACT!” LIVE JANUARY 4 ON SPIKE TV
Hulk Hogan’s First Live Appearance On Spike TV’s “TNA iMPACT” Will Be In A Special 3-Hour Live Episode Monday, January 4 At 8:00 PM ET/PT
The biggest name in professional wrestling history, Hulk Hogan, will make his first live appearance on Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling’s “TNA iMPACT!” in a live 3-hour special on Spike TV Monday, January 4, 2010 at 8:00PM ET/PT. Hogan and TNA President Dixie Carter attended “The Ultimate Fighter Heavyweights” Finale in Las Vegas where Hogan made the announcement in an interview with Joe Rogan.
“TNA iMPACT!” will be going against “WWE Monday Raw” on USA Network, the first time two wrestling companies have broadcast live head-to-head since the “Monday Night Wars” in the late 1990’s between WWE and WCW. This “iMPACT!” special will broadcast live from the TNA iMPACT! Zone at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fl.
Hogan’s first appearance inside the six-sided ring of TNA Wrestling will follow weeks of speculation after Hogan and Carter announced their partnership on October 27 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Hogan has hinted in various media interviews that he’ll have multiple surprises in store for TNA Wrestling fans.
“I knew when I signed with TNA, that it would be important to make a statement with the first episode. Going head-to-head on January 4th, makes the statement loud and clear: Game on!” Hogan said.
“TNA is kicking off 2010 in the biggest way possible with the biggest name in the history of our sport. Hulk Hogan is a pop culture icon, and his arrival will change not only TNA, but the entire professional wrestling landscape. We’re firing that first shot,” Carter said.
Joining Hogan for the three-hour live “iMPACT!” will be TNA World Heavyweight Champion “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles, Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle, Mick Foley, Kevin Nash, “The Samoan Submission Machine” Samoa Joe, “The Boss” Bobby Lashley and “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan.
“TNA iMPACT!” will resume its normal timeslot on Thursday, January 7th at 9:00 PM ET/PT with an encore viewing of the live “iMPACT!” special.
SpikeTV and TNA Wrestling have unveiled a huge billboard in New York City's Times Square to promote the upcoming January 4 live Monday Night "iMPACT!" on SpikeTV! The billboard is located at 1500 Broadway in Times Square! If you are visiting NYC in the next few weeks, be sure to check it out!
HULKAMANIA IS COMING BACK TO MONDAY NIGHT ON “TNA iMPACT!” LIVE JANUARY 4 ON SPIKE TV
Hulk Hogan’s First Live Appearance On Spike TV’s “TNA iMPACT” Will Be In A Special 3-Hour Live Episode Monday, January 4 At 8:00 PM ET/PT
The biggest name in professional wrestling history, Hulk Hogan, will make his first live appearance on Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling’s “TNA iMPACT!” in a live 3-hour special on Spike TV Monday, January 4, 2010 at 8:00PM ET/PT. Hogan and TNA President Dixie Carter attended “The Ultimate Fighter Heavyweights” Finale in Las Vegas where Hogan made the announcement in an interview with Joe Rogan.
“TNA iMPACT!” will be going against “WWE Monday Raw” on USA Network, the first time two wrestling companies have broadcast live head-to-head since the “Monday Night Wars” in the late 1990’s between WWE and WCW. This “iMPACT!” special will broadcast live from the TNA iMPACT! Zone at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fl.
Hogan’s first appearance inside the six-sided ring of TNA Wrestling will follow weeks of speculation after Hogan and Carter announced their partnership on October 27 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Hogan has hinted in various media interviews that he’ll have multiple surprises in store for TNA Wrestling fans.
“I knew when I signed with TNA, that it would be important to make a statement with the first episode. Going head-to-head on January 4th, makes the statement loud and clear: Game on!” Hogan said.
“TNA is kicking off 2010 in the biggest way possible with the biggest name in the history of our sport. Hulk Hogan is a pop culture icon, and his arrival will change not only TNA, but the entire professional wrestling landscape. We’re firing that first shot,” Carter said.
Joining Hogan for the three-hour live “iMPACT!” will be TNA World Heavyweight Champion “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles, Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle, Mick Foley, Kevin Nash, “The Samoan Submission Machine” Samoa Joe, “The Boss” Bobby Lashley and “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan.
“TNA iMPACT!” will resume its normal timeslot on Thursday, January 7th at 9:00 PM ET/PT with an encore viewing of the live “iMPACT!” special.
Danica Patrick enters Nascar in Style
Once IndyCar star Danica Patrick figured out how to get in and out of the stock car, the rest of her testing session at Daytona International Speedway went without any problems.
Her five laps around NASCAR’s most famous track Friday felt “a little slow”—no surprise since those IndyCars go about 50 mph faster—and her test was considerably smoother than the storied superspeedway.
Her main concern?
“I felt most disoriented with how the heck I am supposed to get my stuff on?” she said following a rain-shortened ARCA test. “I can’t get in the car with all that stuff and I can’t buckle my belts and I can’t do it with my helmet on. So I get in the car and I have to tuck my hair down the back of the suit and I can’t do it because I am strapped in and I am just awfully confused, so I decided I needed everything on but my helmet and then get in the car.
Danica Patrick prepares to get…
AP - Dec 18, 6:06 pm EST
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“It sounds silly, right? It’s logistics, but they’re logistics I am not used to. I am used to being fully dressed and then getting in the car.”
If that turns out to be her biggest problem, then her NASCAR future might be brighter than the fluorescent, green-and-orange paint job on her No. 7 Chevrolet.
Patrick started the day with a van ride around the track, getting a much better feel for the 2 1/2 -mile tri-oval than she ever got testing IndyCars on Daytona’s road course or racing in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in 2006 and 2009.
Rain delayed the start of the session, and Patrick had dozens of photographers and reporters following her every move through the garage.
“It was a bit of a circus out there,” she said. “I’m not unfamiliar with having people around, although it does seem a little funny when there is not much else going on. I definitely feel very singled out. I’m lucky for that, so it definitely felt like there is a lot of interest.
Even competitors were taking pictures during the drivers meeting.
“I definitely felt the lenses of cameras all morning,” she said.
Patrick took part in a private test session in Orlando last week, driving ARCA and Nationwide cars, so this wasn’t her first laps in a stock car.
They were her most anticipated. How would she handle the hefty cars on a bumpy track? How would she communicate with crew members? Would she stall leaving pit road, spin coming out of a turn or scrape the wall? Some of the concerns seemed justified when she admitted afterward that she didn’t even know the track was 2 1/2 miles around.
But there were few hiccups.
“The car is different,” she said. “It definitely moves around quite a bit. It was getting some action in the rear on the bumps. It was getting a little bit loose, but I kept my foot in it and I tried not to chase it too much with the steering. Didn’t want to have an accident, but I felt all right. It was fun. I trusted the car. I trusted the preparation of it. I trusted the guys.”
Patrick was one of a record nine women at the first day of the three-day test. Part-time IndyCar driver Milka Duno, twins Amber and Angela Cope, Alli Owens and Leilani Munter were among the others. But none of them received the attention Patrick got.
Even NASCAR president Mike Helton showed up to watch the sport’s newest star.
“I don’t know I can relate it to anything I can remember,” Helton said. “Obviously, there was anticipation when Dale (Earnhardt) Jr. and Matt Kenseth moved from the Nationwide Series to the Cup Series and there was anticipation when Tony Stewart decided to switch from open wheels to our type of racing, but I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anything quite like this.”
Patrick will make her stock car debut in the ARCA race at Daytona in February. She plans to drive a partial schedule in the Nationwide Series in 2010 and hasn’t ruled out making her NASCAR debut at Daytona.
Her hesitation?
“Just don’t know enough right now,” she said. “It’s quite an arena to run my first Nationwide. With 30 Cup guys out there, it’s going to be really, really challenging.”
Although crew chief Tony Eury Jr. said Thursday that Patrick is capable of top-15 finishes every week, she stopped short of placing any lofty expectations on herself, especially after just a few laps.
“I would have to say that putting a number on it at all is a bold move,” Patrick said. “I don’t ever do that, really. I never really say I think I should run third today or 13th. I never say any number whatsoever because you just don’t know. I never want to be held accountable or judged by you based on what I say. I never give a number. All I can say is I hope to go out there and win every single race, and we’ll see what happens from there.”
Helton called Patrick’s arrival positive, adding that “it doesn’t hurt us to have good story lines, and this is certainly a good story line.”
But can she live up to the expectations?
“I don’t know,” Helton said. “I sure hope so, and I hope everybody’s expectations can be reasonable. That’s important. She’s obviously got her own goals and expectations. … It’s important for the rest of us to be reasonable with ours.”
Her five laps around NASCAR’s most famous track Friday felt “a little slow”—no surprise since those IndyCars go about 50 mph faster—and her test was considerably smoother than the storied superspeedway.
Her main concern?
“I felt most disoriented with how the heck I am supposed to get my stuff on?” she said following a rain-shortened ARCA test. “I can’t get in the car with all that stuff and I can’t buckle my belts and I can’t do it with my helmet on. So I get in the car and I have to tuck my hair down the back of the suit and I can’t do it because I am strapped in and I am just awfully confused, so I decided I needed everything on but my helmet and then get in the car.
Danica Patrick prepares to get…
AP - Dec 18, 6:06 pm EST
Danica Patrick drives her car …
AP - Dec 18, 6:03 pm EST
Danica Patrick peeks into the …
AP - Dec 18, 6:01 pm EST
Danica Patrick walks to her ra…
AP - Dec 18, 5:58 pm EST
Danica Patrick speaks during a…
AP - Dec 18, 5:58 pm EST
FILE - This is a Dec. 8, 2009,…
AP - Dec 17, 12:14 pm EST
IndyCar driver Danica Patrick …
AP - Dec 8, 4:14 pm EST
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FILE - This is a Sept. 18, 200…
AP - Dec 8, 2:00 pm EST 1 of 23 NASCAR Gallery
“It sounds silly, right? It’s logistics, but they’re logistics I am not used to. I am used to being fully dressed and then getting in the car.”
If that turns out to be her biggest problem, then her NASCAR future might be brighter than the fluorescent, green-and-orange paint job on her No. 7 Chevrolet.
Patrick started the day with a van ride around the track, getting a much better feel for the 2 1/2 -mile tri-oval than she ever got testing IndyCars on Daytona’s road course or racing in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in 2006 and 2009.
Rain delayed the start of the session, and Patrick had dozens of photographers and reporters following her every move through the garage.
“It was a bit of a circus out there,” she said. “I’m not unfamiliar with having people around, although it does seem a little funny when there is not much else going on. I definitely feel very singled out. I’m lucky for that, so it definitely felt like there is a lot of interest.
Even competitors were taking pictures during the drivers meeting.
“I definitely felt the lenses of cameras all morning,” she said.
Patrick took part in a private test session in Orlando last week, driving ARCA and Nationwide cars, so this wasn’t her first laps in a stock car.
They were her most anticipated. How would she handle the hefty cars on a bumpy track? How would she communicate with crew members? Would she stall leaving pit road, spin coming out of a turn or scrape the wall? Some of the concerns seemed justified when she admitted afterward that she didn’t even know the track was 2 1/2 miles around.
But there were few hiccups.
“The car is different,” she said. “It definitely moves around quite a bit. It was getting some action in the rear on the bumps. It was getting a little bit loose, but I kept my foot in it and I tried not to chase it too much with the steering. Didn’t want to have an accident, but I felt all right. It was fun. I trusted the car. I trusted the preparation of it. I trusted the guys.”
Patrick was one of a record nine women at the first day of the three-day test. Part-time IndyCar driver Milka Duno, twins Amber and Angela Cope, Alli Owens and Leilani Munter were among the others. But none of them received the attention Patrick got.
Even NASCAR president Mike Helton showed up to watch the sport’s newest star.
“I don’t know I can relate it to anything I can remember,” Helton said. “Obviously, there was anticipation when Dale (Earnhardt) Jr. and Matt Kenseth moved from the Nationwide Series to the Cup Series and there was anticipation when Tony Stewart decided to switch from open wheels to our type of racing, but I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anything quite like this.”
Patrick will make her stock car debut in the ARCA race at Daytona in February. She plans to drive a partial schedule in the Nationwide Series in 2010 and hasn’t ruled out making her NASCAR debut at Daytona.
Her hesitation?
“Just don’t know enough right now,” she said. “It’s quite an arena to run my first Nationwide. With 30 Cup guys out there, it’s going to be really, really challenging.”
Although crew chief Tony Eury Jr. said Thursday that Patrick is capable of top-15 finishes every week, she stopped short of placing any lofty expectations on herself, especially after just a few laps.
“I would have to say that putting a number on it at all is a bold move,” Patrick said. “I don’t ever do that, really. I never really say I think I should run third today or 13th. I never say any number whatsoever because you just don’t know. I never want to be held accountable or judged by you based on what I say. I never give a number. All I can say is I hope to go out there and win every single race, and we’ll see what happens from there.”
Helton called Patrick’s arrival positive, adding that “it doesn’t hurt us to have good story lines, and this is certainly a good story line.”
But can she live up to the expectations?
“I don’t know,” Helton said. “I sure hope so, and I hope everybody’s expectations can be reasonable. That’s important. She’s obviously got her own goals and expectations. … It’s important for the rest of us to be reasonable with ours.”
The Sugar Bowl Floida VS Cincinnati Jan 1st 2010 8:30PM
Florida defensive end Carlos Dunlap is back with the team, back at practice and could be back in the starting lineup in the Sugar Bowl.
The fifth-ranked Gators reinstated Dunlap on Friday, less than three weeks after he was arrested and charged with driving under the influence.
“He’s going to play,” Meyer said after practice. “I met with the administration, president and also the athletic director. His first mistake. It was a real serious one, but he paid a serious price as well. Real serious mistake, but he’s been a good student, good person, and represented well.”
Dunlap was arrested Dec. 1 after a Gainesville Police officer found the player passed out behind the wheel at an intersection. Meyer suspended Dunlap for the Southeastern Conference championship game, which the Gators lost 32-13 to Alabama.
Meyer said school president Bernie Machen and athletic director Jeremy Foley agreed Friday that Dunlap should be reinstated because it was his first time in trouble in three seasons.
“There was a lot of discussion, and like I said, the previous track record,” Meyer said. “It’s case by case. If there was another issue, then there’d be an issue. And there hasn’t been, and that’s what basically administration let me know. They let me know.”
Dunlap, a 20-year-old junior from North Charleston, S.C., has a hearing scheduled for Jan. 21.
According to police, Dunlap was passed out through several traffic signals around 3:45 a.m.—hours after a teammate’s birthday party. An officer woke up Dunlap through a cracked window, but he kept falling back asleep.
Dunlap had watery and bloodshot eyes, the officer said, and there was a smell of alcohol. Dunlap failed a field sobriety test, refused a breath test and was arrested.
Dunlap, the defensive MVP of the Bowl Championship Series national title game in January, has 35 tackles and seven sacks this season.
Dunlap had been considered a top-10 pick in the NFL draft, and many expect him to leave school early in January.
Florida players insist there’s still plenty to play for when the Gators face Cincinnati on New Year’s Day in the Sugar Bowl.
“We have a month left with each other, with this team and it’s a special team,” senior wide receiver David Nelson said. “We might not be playing for a national championship, but we’re still playing (to be) a top-5 team in the country and for a 13-1 record. That’s something we’re not going to take light. We’re going to enjoy each other. This is a special group.”
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The Gators fell short of their stated goal to repeat as BCS national champions when they lost 32-13 to Alabama in the SEC championship game. Florida is looking to avoid a letdown similar to what Alabama suffered in the Sugar Bowl last season. After Alabama lost to Florida in the SEC title game, the Tide lost 31-17 to Utah to close the season with two straight losses.
“Winning (22) straight games in a row … is not much of a letdown,” redshirt junior offensive lineman Carl Johnson said. “We had the nation’s (longest) win streak there for a while. We’ve still got a BCS bowl game. We’ve still got another opponent. It’s not much of a letdown.”
Cincinnati, though, could come into the game with extra motivation after head coach Brian Kelly left the team to become head coach at Notre Dame. Many Bearcat players have said that they want to finish the season with a perfect record to prove they can win without Kelly.
UF safeties coach Chuck Heater still expects the Gators to be ready for the Bearcats (12-0).
“They take on challenges very well, so I would expect them to step up, rise up and do what men do when you have another game to play,” Heater said.
NOTES, QUOTES
• Florida coach Urban Meyer says Cincinnati could contend in the SEC.
Meyer can only hope the Gators will summon a better effort then they did against their last Southeastern Conference opponent. After a stunning 32-13 loss to Alabama that ended dreams of an undefeated season and repeat BCS championship, Florida (12-1) will look to regroup against the Bearcats in the Sugar Bowl.
“We have to move on pretty quickly from the loss,” UF offensive lineman Carl Johnson said. “We have one more chance to make everybody proud.”
Florida held the No. 1 ranking from September until its loss to the Crimson Tide in the SEC title game.
“We’re 12-1, we have to stay positive,” Florida cornerback Joe Haden said. “We have to focus on the bowl game.”
Meyer said his he’s confident that his senior-laden team won’t suffer a letdown against the undefeated Bearcats (12-0). Cincinnati clinched its second straight Big East title with a 45-44 comeback win over Pittsburgh on Saturday.
“If you’re dealing with an immature football team, you have an issue,” said Meyer about responding the right way. “We don’t.”
Scouting The Offense: Florida will look to find a way to get Jeffery Demps and Chris Rainey more involved in the offense after the two running backs combined for just three carries against Alabama. Florida senior receiver David Nelson was one of the few bright spots against Alabama, catching four passes for 53 yards and a touchdown. The offensive line has improved in pass protection since true freshman Xavier Nixon moved into the starting lineup at left tackle four games ago against South Carolina. Florida held Alabama without a QB sack in the SEC title game.
Scouting The Defense: Florida was unable to get a pass rush going against Alabama, recording just one sack on a safety blitz. The Gators can’t afford to let Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike to get comfortable in the pocket. Florida also must shore up its tackling after giving up a surprising 272 yards rushing against Alabama.
Matchup To Watch: Cincinnati WR Mardy Gilyard vs. Florida CB Joe Haden. Gilyard, a Florida native, will be looking forward to making big plays against the Gators. But he’ll have to shake himself free from Haden, one of the best cover corners in college football and a projected NFL first-round draft pick. In one of the few bright spots of the SEC title game for the Gators, Haden shut down talented Alabama receiver Julio Jones.
Other Key Matchups:
Cincinnati WR Armon Binns vs. Florida CB Janoris Jekins.
With UF CB Joe Haden matched up against Cincinnati receiver Mardy Gilyard on one side, Jenkins (5-foot-11) will face the task of matching up against the much taller Binns (6-4, 200). Look for Cincinnati QB Tony Pike to throw the ball high and try to get the ball to Binns, especially in the red zone. Binns has 10 TD catches this season.
Florida’s kickoff coverage unit vs. Cincinnati receiver/return specialist Mardy Gilyard.
Florida coach Urban Meyer takes pride in his special teams, even using starters to cover punts and kicks. The Gators will need to contend with the speedy Gilyard, who had three returns for TDs this season.
Florida’s offensive line vs. Cincinnati’s pass rush.
Florida has allowed 26 sacks this season, but the line actually played well in the SEC title game against Alabama and didn’t allow a sack. The Gators will need to give starting quarterback Tim Tebow time to throw against a Cincinnati team that’s had 35 sacks in 12 games this season.
Quote To Note: “Our legacy is going to be dependent on how we finish this season.”—Florida coach Urban Meyer, on his team’s motivation for the Sugar Bowl.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Bowl Breakdown:
Florida vs. Cincinnati, Sugar Bowl, Jan. 1, New Orleans, La.—Florida gets the Southeastern Conference consolation prize this season after losing 32-13 to Alabama in the SEC title game. The Gators will be making their 19th straight bowl appearance, which ranks first among SEC schools and second nationally. It will be Florida’s eighth Sugar Bowl game appearance.
Players To Watch:
QB Tim Tebow—The Sugar Bowl will mark the final game in Tebow’s storied four-year college career. Tebow is Florida’s unquestioned offensive leader and UF’s top threat in both the running and passing game. Look for Tebow to will his teammates into not finishing the season on a negative note.
MLB Brandon Spikes—Spikes is the senior leader of UF’s defense. Like Tebow, Spikes will be motivated to finish his career on a positive note.
TE Aaron Hernandez—Look for Florida to work the ball to Hernandez underneath and up the middle in an effort to loosen up Cincinnati’s defense. Hernandez (739 yards, four TDs) is a junior but could decide to put his name in for the NFL draft after the season.
DE Jermaine Cunningham—Cunningham will play his final game. If Carlos Dunlap is still suspended, Cunningham will need to step up as UF’s top pass-rushing threat. Cunningham and Dunlap are tied for the team lead in sacks with seven.
Roster Report:
• It’s still unclear whether DE Carlos Dunlap will play in the Sugar Bowl. Dunlap was suspended for the SEC Championship game after being arrested for a DUI earlier in the week.
• LB A.J. Jones (knee) sat out the SEC title game and is questionable for the Sugar Bowl.
• WR/KR Brandon James aggravated a foot injury and was forced to sit out the second half of the SEC title game. James wore a protective boot on the foot in the locker room following the game but said he did not know if it will hold him out of the bowl game.
• Florida coach Urban Meyer was treated for dehydration at Shands Hospital in Gainesville on Sunday morning after the SEC title game. Meyer was released from the hospital on Sunday afternoon.
• Defensive coordinator Charlie Strong has accepted the head coaching job at Louisville. Strong will return to the Gators on Dec. 17 and coach in the Sugar Bowl.
• UF receivers coach Billy Gonzales has left to become the passing coordinator at LSU. Gonzales was replaced by Central Michigan wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni, who coached with Florida coach Urban Meyer at Bowling Green.
The fifth-ranked Gators reinstated Dunlap on Friday, less than three weeks after he was arrested and charged with driving under the influence.
“He’s going to play,” Meyer said after practice. “I met with the administration, president and also the athletic director. His first mistake. It was a real serious one, but he paid a serious price as well. Real serious mistake, but he’s been a good student, good person, and represented well.”
Dunlap was arrested Dec. 1 after a Gainesville Police officer found the player passed out behind the wheel at an intersection. Meyer suspended Dunlap for the Southeastern Conference championship game, which the Gators lost 32-13 to Alabama.
Meyer said school president Bernie Machen and athletic director Jeremy Foley agreed Friday that Dunlap should be reinstated because it was his first time in trouble in three seasons.
“There was a lot of discussion, and like I said, the previous track record,” Meyer said. “It’s case by case. If there was another issue, then there’d be an issue. And there hasn’t been, and that’s what basically administration let me know. They let me know.”
Dunlap, a 20-year-old junior from North Charleston, S.C., has a hearing scheduled for Jan. 21.
According to police, Dunlap was passed out through several traffic signals around 3:45 a.m.—hours after a teammate’s birthday party. An officer woke up Dunlap through a cracked window, but he kept falling back asleep.
Dunlap had watery and bloodshot eyes, the officer said, and there was a smell of alcohol. Dunlap failed a field sobriety test, refused a breath test and was arrested.
Dunlap, the defensive MVP of the Bowl Championship Series national title game in January, has 35 tackles and seven sacks this season.
Dunlap had been considered a top-10 pick in the NFL draft, and many expect him to leave school early in January.
Florida players insist there’s still plenty to play for when the Gators face Cincinnati on New Year’s Day in the Sugar Bowl.
“We have a month left with each other, with this team and it’s a special team,” senior wide receiver David Nelson said. “We might not be playing for a national championship, but we’re still playing (to be) a top-5 team in the country and for a 13-1 record. That’s something we’re not going to take light. We’re going to enjoy each other. This is a special group.”
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The Gators fell short of their stated goal to repeat as BCS national champions when they lost 32-13 to Alabama in the SEC championship game. Florida is looking to avoid a letdown similar to what Alabama suffered in the Sugar Bowl last season. After Alabama lost to Florida in the SEC title game, the Tide lost 31-17 to Utah to close the season with two straight losses.
“Winning (22) straight games in a row … is not much of a letdown,” redshirt junior offensive lineman Carl Johnson said. “We had the nation’s (longest) win streak there for a while. We’ve still got a BCS bowl game. We’ve still got another opponent. It’s not much of a letdown.”
Cincinnati, though, could come into the game with extra motivation after head coach Brian Kelly left the team to become head coach at Notre Dame. Many Bearcat players have said that they want to finish the season with a perfect record to prove they can win without Kelly.
UF safeties coach Chuck Heater still expects the Gators to be ready for the Bearcats (12-0).
“They take on challenges very well, so I would expect them to step up, rise up and do what men do when you have another game to play,” Heater said.
NOTES, QUOTES
• Florida coach Urban Meyer says Cincinnati could contend in the SEC.
Meyer can only hope the Gators will summon a better effort then they did against their last Southeastern Conference opponent. After a stunning 32-13 loss to Alabama that ended dreams of an undefeated season and repeat BCS championship, Florida (12-1) will look to regroup against the Bearcats in the Sugar Bowl.
“We have to move on pretty quickly from the loss,” UF offensive lineman Carl Johnson said. “We have one more chance to make everybody proud.”
Florida held the No. 1 ranking from September until its loss to the Crimson Tide in the SEC title game.
“We’re 12-1, we have to stay positive,” Florida cornerback Joe Haden said. “We have to focus on the bowl game.”
Meyer said his he’s confident that his senior-laden team won’t suffer a letdown against the undefeated Bearcats (12-0). Cincinnati clinched its second straight Big East title with a 45-44 comeback win over Pittsburgh on Saturday.
“If you’re dealing with an immature football team, you have an issue,” said Meyer about responding the right way. “We don’t.”
Scouting The Offense: Florida will look to find a way to get Jeffery Demps and Chris Rainey more involved in the offense after the two running backs combined for just three carries against Alabama. Florida senior receiver David Nelson was one of the few bright spots against Alabama, catching four passes for 53 yards and a touchdown. The offensive line has improved in pass protection since true freshman Xavier Nixon moved into the starting lineup at left tackle four games ago against South Carolina. Florida held Alabama without a QB sack in the SEC title game.
Scouting The Defense: Florida was unable to get a pass rush going against Alabama, recording just one sack on a safety blitz. The Gators can’t afford to let Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike to get comfortable in the pocket. Florida also must shore up its tackling after giving up a surprising 272 yards rushing against Alabama.
Matchup To Watch: Cincinnati WR Mardy Gilyard vs. Florida CB Joe Haden. Gilyard, a Florida native, will be looking forward to making big plays against the Gators. But he’ll have to shake himself free from Haden, one of the best cover corners in college football and a projected NFL first-round draft pick. In one of the few bright spots of the SEC title game for the Gators, Haden shut down talented Alabama receiver Julio Jones.
Other Key Matchups:
Cincinnati WR Armon Binns vs. Florida CB Janoris Jekins.
With UF CB Joe Haden matched up against Cincinnati receiver Mardy Gilyard on one side, Jenkins (5-foot-11) will face the task of matching up against the much taller Binns (6-4, 200). Look for Cincinnati QB Tony Pike to throw the ball high and try to get the ball to Binns, especially in the red zone. Binns has 10 TD catches this season.
Florida’s kickoff coverage unit vs. Cincinnati receiver/return specialist Mardy Gilyard.
Florida coach Urban Meyer takes pride in his special teams, even using starters to cover punts and kicks. The Gators will need to contend with the speedy Gilyard, who had three returns for TDs this season.
Florida’s offensive line vs. Cincinnati’s pass rush.
Florida has allowed 26 sacks this season, but the line actually played well in the SEC title game against Alabama and didn’t allow a sack. The Gators will need to give starting quarterback Tim Tebow time to throw against a Cincinnati team that’s had 35 sacks in 12 games this season.
Quote To Note: “Our legacy is going to be dependent on how we finish this season.”—Florida coach Urban Meyer, on his team’s motivation for the Sugar Bowl.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Bowl Breakdown:
Florida vs. Cincinnati, Sugar Bowl, Jan. 1, New Orleans, La.—Florida gets the Southeastern Conference consolation prize this season after losing 32-13 to Alabama in the SEC title game. The Gators will be making their 19th straight bowl appearance, which ranks first among SEC schools and second nationally. It will be Florida’s eighth Sugar Bowl game appearance.
Players To Watch:
QB Tim Tebow—The Sugar Bowl will mark the final game in Tebow’s storied four-year college career. Tebow is Florida’s unquestioned offensive leader and UF’s top threat in both the running and passing game. Look for Tebow to will his teammates into not finishing the season on a negative note.
MLB Brandon Spikes—Spikes is the senior leader of UF’s defense. Like Tebow, Spikes will be motivated to finish his career on a positive note.
TE Aaron Hernandez—Look for Florida to work the ball to Hernandez underneath and up the middle in an effort to loosen up Cincinnati’s defense. Hernandez (739 yards, four TDs) is a junior but could decide to put his name in for the NFL draft after the season.
DE Jermaine Cunningham—Cunningham will play his final game. If Carlos Dunlap is still suspended, Cunningham will need to step up as UF’s top pass-rushing threat. Cunningham and Dunlap are tied for the team lead in sacks with seven.
Roster Report:
• It’s still unclear whether DE Carlos Dunlap will play in the Sugar Bowl. Dunlap was suspended for the SEC Championship game after being arrested for a DUI earlier in the week.
• LB A.J. Jones (knee) sat out the SEC title game and is questionable for the Sugar Bowl.
• WR/KR Brandon James aggravated a foot injury and was forced to sit out the second half of the SEC title game. James wore a protective boot on the foot in the locker room following the game but said he did not know if it will hold him out of the bowl game.
• Florida coach Urban Meyer was treated for dehydration at Shands Hospital in Gainesville on Sunday morning after the SEC title game. Meyer was released from the hospital on Sunday afternoon.
• Defensive coordinator Charlie Strong has accepted the head coaching job at Louisville. Strong will return to the Gators on Dec. 17 and coach in the Sugar Bowl.
• UF receivers coach Billy Gonzales has left to become the passing coordinator at LSU. Gonzales was replaced by Central Michigan wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni, who coached with Florida coach Urban Meyer at Bowling Green.
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