Perhaps Sergio Needs some Cheese to go with the Whine?

So does anyone else remember the line from ESPN the Magazine's commercial 10+ years ago? Where the guy says, "Just hit the ball, Sergio?"

Maybe that ad needs to reappear.

This blog isn't just about Sergio. It's about golf--especially pro golf--in general. It's about the ridiculous little quirks and the absurd little rules and the supposed honor system that surrounds pro golf. There is nothing in particular wrong with all of that, until it leads to a couple of 12 year olds sniping at each other on the playground. And that's a pretty accurate summary of what happened between two golfers last weekend.

That would be Tiger Woods and Garcia, in case you missed it. And we'll throw in the course marshals from last week's Tournament Players Championship at Sawgrass.

I won't rehash the whole sequence, but suffice it to say that Sergio blamed Woods for his poor shot and an excessively sophomoric exchange has continued ever since.

You know, golf is supposed to be so honorable and upstanding. People had a fit because Tiger Woods didn't withdraw from The Masters after violating a rule. Players are supposed to self-report and self-police. It's supposed to be a "gentlemen's game".

So why is it that golfers throw hissy fits and whine to the media every time someone so much as sniffs or scratches during play? Why is it that they have rules violation phone-a-thons to let guys sitting on the couch report a player violation they saw on TV?

I am not a fan of athletes who make excuses, and golfers sometimes have a lot of them. This doesn't let Tiger of the hook, either. He's been known to make some serious waves when people in the crowd didn't behave according to his standards. Didn't he even have Steve Williams bust a few cameras over the years.

Enough of this. Let's have some real fun with the PGA. When I was in college, I used to play at a lovely course called Hillandale (aka, Hill-and-Rock). Not only did you have to play on greens that were like my front lawn, but you also had to play across fairways that literally crossed one another.

Yes, I want to see the PGA play on a course like that one. I want to see how the pros manage themselves on that kind of course.

There was actually a hole that had a high-voltage power line tower sitting in the fairway. Course rule: Play it where it lies! So, technically, if you landed under the tower, you had to hit out.

Why can't we find out how the pros play on that kind of course? And I'm not even mentioning the guys who had just emptied two coolers of beer by the fourth hole, yet continued to grace us with their presence. After all, it was only $15 to ride 18, so it wasn't necessarily a high-class clientele.

I can only imagine where Sergio would have hit the ball with all of this happening.

This is exactly what I would like to see:  Pro golf played on the "everyman" level. Let's see what happens when the pros don't have perfect conditions and manicured landscapes and complete silence. I bet Tiger's timing of club selection would suddenly become the least of Sergio's worries.

Yes, I'm sure that I will hear how I don't understand, don't honor the game, don't respect the tradition. And you're right, I don't. I don't play much, and when I do I could not care less what the score is. But as a very casual fan, I'm becoming more of a fan of the guys who just play and own it when they don't get it done. As for the prima donas that are too sensitive to handle any of the "curveballs" that the rest of us duffers encounter all the time, I would love to see them play a round at Hill-and-Rock.

Until then, I say:  Just hit the ball, Sergio. Until you have to hit through a power tower in a well-groomed cow pasture, we're really not interested.

Where Does the Southern Conference Go Now?

Well, some might say "good riddance" to the latest defectors from the Southern Conference. Appalachian State and Georgia Southern are now leaving for the joys of Tuesday night football, sparing all of us the "joy" of taking our life into our own hands as we drive through Statesboro.

It's a huge blow for the SoCon, along with the loss of the College of Charleston to the Colonial Athletic Association. ASU and GSU have nine national championships between them, and College of Charleston has represented the league exceptionally in basketball and baseball. It really hurts the profile of the conference on a national level.

Now, the question is this:  What can the SoCon do to get that profile back on top, both as a I-AA (sorry...FCS) football power and as a "mid-major" in other sports?

The obvious response is to add teams. But who should they add?

Everyone knows the standard criteria that every conference should consider when adding member schools:  Academic compatibility, athletic commitment, facilities, and geography (media markets, recruiting regions, and--at least in FCS--proximity).

But two other criteria need to be considered:  Endowment and graduate programs.

Endowment doesn't indicate the amount of $$$ that schools will have to spend on athletics. But it is an indicator of the alumni commitment and the ability of the school to raise money. This means potential for paying to hire/retain coaches, build better facilities, and add or improve sports.

Grad programs may seem to be the oddball in the discussion (Furman has few, Wofford still has none). Make no mistake, these programs are the new cash cow in higher education. Again, they don't mean that athletic departments will directly benefit. But it does mean that the institution has revenue streams that will allow them to designate money towards athletics.

With all these in mind, who are the candidates and who should the Southern Conference wine and dine?

1.  Mercer University

-Est. Endowment:   213 million

-Est. Enrollment:  4500 undergraduate, 3800 graduate

This is An Affair to Remember for a revamped Southern Conference. The Bears should be the #1 candidate for the Southern Conference, as they open their first season of football in 2013.

It's a geographic fit, picking a Georgia school to replace a Georgia school. They have multiple campuses, including graduate programs and a medical school in Atlanta. They have an established basketball program and begin football under Bobby Lamb. As a former SoCon Player of the Year and head coach at Furman, Lamb is familiar with all the expectations of the conference.

There is no question about Mercer's academic history or reputation, and there doesn't appear to be any sign of downgrading. With a growing alumni base, a share of the Greater Atlanta market and tremendous potential, Mercer is easily the cream of this crop...and Lamb's trips back to Greenville should be, well, intriguing.


2.  Gardner-Webb University

-Est. Endowment:  48 million

-Est. Enrollment:  2700 undergraduate, 1600 graduate

The Bulldogs' growth in the last 20 years is nothing less than impressive. A look around the campus reveals brand new facilities all around, including relatively new, extremely attractive football and basketball facilities. The alumni base is growing, particularly as the University continues to add graduate programs. It is absolutely a natural geographic fit, 40 miles west of Charlotte and less than two hours' drive for Furman, Wofford, Western Carolina, and Davidson.

The problem is that Gardner-Webb's athletic history, fundraising possibilities, and media market offer absolutely nothing. Directions to the school are, "Go to the cow pasture, and take a left!" There is very little nearby to entice fans, and the school does not have a great athletic tradition on which to build.

Gardner-Webb may end up in the SoCon some day, but it should be as a result of expansion after more viable candidates are pursued.


3.  Presbyterian College

No.

I'll just let you read the numbers from this link. (Okay, so it's Wikipedia...even there, they don't look like a good candidate).


4.  Coastal Carolina

-Est. Endowment:  23.5 million

-Est. Enrollment:  8360

Here's the good:  Coastal Carolina has a demonstrated commitment to athletics. Even as a new football program, they've been to the FCS playoffs several times and boast several NFL players. They've also been to the NCAA tournament in basketball and baseball (probably their strongest sport). It would give the SoCon a strong presence along the coast to replace College of Charleston. Their facilities are terrific, and they show a solid commitment to getting better. Their baseball program would be a welcome addition to an already strong conference. (College baseball may not be big business everywhere, but it is in South Carolina).

Here's the bad:  Coastal's academic reputation is not the best, and several school presidents seem opposed to their inclusion. Their endowment isn't great, nor is their pool upon which to draw donors, since the school is relatively new. However, with additional graduate programs and a growing alumni base, that may be destined to change.

Coastal may not be making any of the top 10 lists in US News, other than the one for party schools. But it's certainly no worse academically than Georgia Southern or other potential candidate East Tennessee State, and their profile is steadily improving. SoCon school presidents might have to swallow their pride (snobbery?) in order to get this up-and-coming program into the fold.


5. William and Mary

-Est. Endowment: 644 million

-Est. Enrollment: 6171 undergraduates, 2087 graduates

This makes sense on so many levels that they are almost as good a fit as Mercer. The only negative is that travel to Eastern Virginia is a headache, but the return may be worth the investment.

W and M is a former member of the Southern Conference. They offer access to recruiting in the Central/Tidewater/Northern Virginia area, not to mention those media markets. Their endowment and alumni base is solid, and they have a strong commitment to athletics (especially football). Not to mention they boast Mike Tomlin as an alum.

Yes, it's a long ride to Williamsburg. But if schools could make the trip in the 60s, then it shouldn't be a problem now. And you can take a side trip to Busch Gardens while you're at it.


6. East Tennessee State

-Est. Endowment:  97 million

-Est. Enrollment: 10,259 undergraduate, 2589 graduate

Well, Johnson City Community College may want to come back to the SoCon!

That's not an inaccurate assessment of ETSU from its previous stint in the league, but that may all be changing. The addition of numerous graduate programs, including a medical school, has elevated the school's academic profile. It's not Harvard, but it's no longer Harvard on the Hill, either.

The Bucs have a long-standing basketball tradition, and they are returning to the football field as well. Fortunately for all involved, they won't be playing in the Mini-Dome, a facility that resembles a design from an exercise yard at a state penitentiary. (In fact, I'm pretty sure the playing surface wasn't even that good). A new stadium and a new program give the Bucs some appeal.

I'm still not sold on ETSU. The Tri-cities area is beautiful and growing, but the Vols still rule the roost. It's not fertile ground for recruiting or media, and their loyalty is not stellar (they already left the conference once). Its academic reputation will be a question mark for some SoCon schools. But once again, it's not any worse than Georgia Southern.

So what are the top picks for the SoCon, from one independent blogger's perspective?

Top-Shelf:  Mercer, William and Mary

Good Buy on Special:  Coastal Carolina, ETSU

Happy Hour Only:  Gardner-Webb

Cheap Stuff You Bought in College:  PC

Furman Should Go Out on a Limb with their Next Basketball Hire

Once again, Furman basketball is jumping on the coaching carousel.

After a rather forgettable 85-131 record over his career, Furman coach Jeff Jackson is stepping down. His career concluded with a horrible 7-24 this past season. Any hope for the season snapped on February 2, when the Paladins blew an 18-point second half lead to The Citadel.

Yes, that's right. 18-point lead. Against The Citadel. Still lost.

After that, the Paladins lost their last ten regular season games. In fact, they barely showed up prior to an upset win over Samford in the Southern Conference tournament. As much as I hate it for Jackson and his family, this ending looked more and more inevitable with every dismal performance.

Jackson is a brilliant man, a good basketball mind, and a mediocre promoter for a sport that hasn't had any enthusiasm in Greenville for years. This is not the 1970s, and a basketball coach at Furman has to be a promoter if there is going to be any development in the program. Students and fans have very little reason to show up, other than the unlimited food that comes with your ticket.

Yes, that's correct. Furman is so desperate to draw fans that they give away concessions in order to put people in the seats. That's a pretty good indication that the next basketball coach needs to have "showmanship" on their resume.

And that's exactly why Furman should hire Bruce Pearl.

Okay, so Pearl brings with him just a bit of baggage. As in a U-Haul full of it. If Furman hires him, they must allow sanctions levied against Pearl in 2011 to come along with him. This means that Pearl cannot recruit unless the athletic department decides to challenge the NCAA's rulings.

Well, so what? Pearl can recruit through his assistants. He can send game tape from his NCAA appearances with Milwaukee-Wisconsin and Tennessee. And after all, it would only be for one season. The only problem is that the restrictions may also keep the Paladins from participating in the NCAA tournament.

Once again, so what? Furman hasn't played in the NCAAs since 1980, and they're nowhere close to changing that right now. And, so what if he leaves after one or two seasons for a bigger program? That could be one or two better seasons than Furman has seen in decades.

The biggest thing that Bruce Pearl would bring is excitement and enthusiasm, something lacking since before the infamous Rich Cantafio Fiasco in the 1990s. He would bring fast-paced, high energy basketball to Timmons Arena. I can already see the sweat soaking through that purple sports coat.

Imagine the press conferences. Imagine the energy that he could generate in a student body that's lukewarm when their teams are winning. Can you imagine Pearl cooperating with energetic women's coach Jackie Smith Carson, as he did with Pat Summit at UT?

Obviously, there are plenty of potential issues with this. But it would be hard to imagine a more exciting, headline-grabbing, attention-getting and energy-generating hire than Pearl.

I clearly know that there is almost no chance for this to even be considered, even if it was possible. But at least it's "outside the box" for the typically conservative athletic department at Furman.

After 33 years of futility, maybe outside the box is exactly where Furman basketball needs to go. They won't go there with Pearl, but perhaps they'll go there with someone else. Unless the Paladins are willing to get a little unconventional, the only empty box around campus will be Timmons Arena.

Pittsburgh Places Cortez Allen in the Driver's Seat

No one seems to have a clue what the Pittsburgh Steelers are doing during the offseason. Least of all the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The commentators just keep saying, "This is what the Steelers do" and "You have to trust their front office." Well, that trust is eroding in a hurry this offseason. The Steelers have released James Harrison, re-signed octogenarian linebacker Larry Foote, and let Mike Wallace walk. Emmanuel Sanders looks to be headed for New England. And they let up-and-coming cornerback Keenan Lewis sign with New Orleans for what amounts to a bag of peanuts and some type of fermented chicken drink.

Thus enters Cortez Allen.

The two-year corner from The Citadel is about to become the lead dog in the Pittsburgh Steeler secondary. Oh, it doesn't mean that he is suddenly the most important player, not with the likes of Ike Taylor, Ryan Clark, and Troy Polumalu still skulking around. But he's pretty darn close.

And the Steelers' success in 2013 may hinge on him more than any of the previously mentioned big dogs.

Allen obviously made a huge impression on the Steelers and their coaching staff over the last two years, or they never would have allowed Lewis to walk. In just three starts in 2012, Allen had 10 passes defended, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles to go with 55 tackles. (This also includes time on special teams and in nickel/dime packages).

But his most impressive performance came in a game where his statistics were not spectacular.

He was spectacular against the Super Bowl champion Ravens in a December contest at Baltimore. Yes, he got beat a couple of times, but it took long-ball master Joe Flacco a lot of shots before he finally connected. Flacco was 1 for 6 going deep on him, and that's pretty impressive.

Allen ran stride for stride with Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin for most of the game. And don't think that Steeler head man Mike Tomlin, a former defensive backs coach, didn't notice.

This season, a large part of the Steelers success (or potential lack thereof) will depend on Allen. If he stays healthy, he could be the hinge that swings Pittsburgh above the .500 mark. Not only that, but he could suddenly become an "honorable mention" candidate among the current and former greats in the Steeler secondary.

And "honorable mention" among that group is pretty darn good, especially for a Southern Conference star out of The Citadel. Here's to hoping that Cortez Allen can develop into one of the great draft bargains of all-time.

Because if he doesn't, Pittsburgh will find themselves sitting at home again come January 2014.

Tom Brady, Everybody's All-American

There are few things worse than turning on ESPN the morning after Tom Brady has done something good. Well, other than turning on ESPN the day after the Ravens win the Super Bowl.

I was swamped Tuesday morning with all the discussion of the benevolent, team-only, All-American Brady. I mean, who else would be so wonderful as to give up money in order to give their team help with the salary cap? Only the golden boy with the Bieber Fever locks would do such a thing! It’s the “Patriot Way.”

This is the image of the "Patriot Way" that most players and fans prefer

Great. One MORE reason for the media to slobber all over Brady and the Patriots. Still, let’s slow up a little here and deal with the facts.

Brady didn’t “give up” any money. Brady extended his contract for a lower salary on the back end in exchange for getting his money now and giving the Patriots some cap relief. He is still due to make the same amount of money.

The risk for Brady is that this makes it easier for the Patriots to cut later in his career if his play declines. But it really won’t matter because he’ll already have his money.

And before we start worrying about his ability to make rent this month, keep in mind that his wife makes a little cash at the boutique on the weekends. Something in the neighborhood of 100 million or so.

Yes, this is a good thing for Brady, who gets to keep a solid offensive line and Wes Welker. It’s a good thing for the Patriots, who may get to sign some additional players to help Brady. But he isn’t St. Francis or Mother Theresa by any stretch of the imagination.

NFL teams will try to use this to keep salaries down for their free agents (see Flacco, Joe). But most players don’t have a wife who is raking it in, and therefore don’t have the luxury of leaving money on the table.

And I don’t blame them a bit for seeking every dollar now rather than later, because it can all be gone in a split second. There isn’t an NFL team out there that won’t cut you the minute that you are of no use anymore. Players have no choice but to strike while the iron is hot.

Brady gave up very little, and he had a lot of collateral that other NFL players don’t have. Good for him. It’s perfectly within his rights. But you shouldn’t criticize your team’s stars if they don’t follow suit. 

They’ve got a lot more at risk than Brady. And I suspect that's one more reason that players will feel the same way that Terrell Suggs does about All-American Brady and the Patriots.

(Not to leave out some fan perspective: Here's a fun blog to sum up the fans' feel for the Patriots.)

Another Big 10 (plus 2) Farce Cuts Out the FCS

Well, praise the Lord for Barry Alvarez!

The Citadel and Furman and Wofford can all fall prostrate before him and shout in adoration, "We're not worthy! We're not worthy!" Because that's exactly what Alvarez thinks of FCS opponents for his Conference of the 1%, otherwise known as the Big 10. He and his fellows athletic directors have declared that they will no longer play FCS opponents.

We'll ignore the fact that the ADs were playing video of the AppSt/Michigan game while they made this decision. Barry has saved us from the embarrassment of watching our little guys from around South Carolina from having to play the "mighty" Big 10 teams.

Thank you, Big 10, for solving a problem that wasn't a problem. Unfortunately, it could become a big problem FCS schools just trying to make budget, particularly FCS schools that are near and dear to the Palmetto State.

Small schools have been playing "money ball" against big schools for decades. The objective is a nice, fat paycheck. Mix in the occasional upset and it's not a terrible system.

Yet, writers and pundits are suddenly concerned that someone is going to get "hurt" in one of these games. I don't know of a single instance of an FCS player losing a limb or severing an artery just because their opponent had Buckeyes on the back of the helmet.

I've argued on the air on ESPN Spartanburg about these FCS schools "prostituting" themselves in this way, and I still don't get it. It gives these smaller schools a chance to play in a setting and on a level of which they normally just dream. It offers them an opportunity to play David in the Goliath passion play and see if their best may just be good enough against a big-time program.

Here's the thing:  Some fans and bloggers believe this will mean better regular-season match-ups for Big 10 schools. I dare you to check in two years for the replacement schools for these FCS games. You won't be seeing Texas or 'Bama or Southern Cal. But I'm betting you'll see a lot of Marshall and Toledo and Middle Tennessee State.

They may be FBS (artist formerly known as Division I), but does anyone think MAC Conference USA teams are that much better than Wofford or The Citadel or Furman?

There is legitimate concern around the Southern Conference that other conferences may follow suit, although this is not set in stone. Southeastern Conference schools have plenty of tough games in their own league, and certainly don't need to ramp up the schedule. Unlike the Big 10, they play real football. The ACC might be more likely, especially since they've been embarrassed more than once against the FCS. But that could create some scheduling nightmares and end some long-standing connections.

Besides, the SEC seems content with their "SoCon Challenge" each year. Here at home, both Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier support the idea of continuing to play "home grown" FCS opponents. Death Valley was full last season for Clemson-Furman, so this seems like a positive arrangement (although Spurrier might prefer to leave off the option teams in the future).

Still, it could all change very quickly. There is even some rumblings that the NCAA may try to ban games between FCS and FBS. (And we all know that things can only get better when the NCAA gets involved).

No matter what some people are saying, this really isn't about these schools "prostituting" themselves or safety or fair competition or better games for season ticket holders. This is, as always, about one thing:  Money.

The Big 10 believes that it would be more profitable for them to leave FCS opponents off the schedule, and they may well be right (particularly if they have another Mountaineer Fiasco on their hands). But this is also about an ongoing desire of the BCS-level conferences to keep their money and not share it with anyone, least of all FCS.

And that's okay. FCS will be fine and continue to play a more pure brand of football that is designed for the last remaining bastion of true student-athletes in the nation. It would just be nice if people like Alvarez and his Big 10 brethren would drop the charade and just speak the truth. They may not know how many teams they have in their conference, but they know that they want every one of their schools to keep every dollar available.

That's fine. At least our FCS teams know how to count. We'd rather play real football teams in the SEC anyway.

Miami Could Be the First Domino for the NCAA

I try not to be "that guy" who overreacts to events in sports. I'm not willing to say that LeBron is greater than Michael Jordan. I'm not ready to declare mixed martial arts or soccer as the next big thing in the US. And I'm certainly not ready to put Joe Flacco as the best QB in the NFL (and he certainly shouldn't be the highest-paid one).

I'm also not ready to say that the NCAA is dead because of their colossal blunder in its investigation of "The U"...as in the University of Miami...football program. But I'm awfully close, with every article drawing me closer to such declaration.

For several years, I've argued that one of two things can tumble the NCAA:  Internal corruption, or a legal challenge from the big-time schools. The Miami investigation gives us both.

NCAA President Mark Emmert now has on his desk an investigation that was corrupt and possibly illegal. Now, University of Miami president Donna Shalayla seems ready to challenge Emmert’s authority.

As a minister by trade, I often hear critics who say the church is just full of hypocrites. It’s a valid criticism; but compared to the NCAA, the church look like, well, choir boys.

There is no greater hypocrisy than Emmert using terms like “student athlete” and “lack of institutional control,” when wielding power over an organization that is more of a slave to money than a Las Vegas casino. And that slavery is making it just as corrupt as the programs that it “investigates.”

Miami is talking tough about challenging those investigations, in light of the undisputed ethics violations of Emmert’s team of attack dogs. For the record, their assessment of the Miami program is probably right. Shalayla hasn’t been presiding over an athletic department so much as a TKE party, going all the way back to the "kickoff" event for that party.

But when the investigation of your program involves blatantly unethical (if not illegal) conduct by the governing body, you have plenty of reason to bow your neck and challenge the system. That’s exactly what Miami is set to do, and there's no sign of anyone backing down.

Big-time athletic programs already view the NCAA much like the public views the IRS. They take money that isn’t necessarily theirs for things that may not be that important; and they give money that “we” earned to people who don’t really deserve it.

Pretty soon, those programs are going to decide that they don’t need the NCAA and they can do their own thing, at least in football and basketball. They can run their own programs and keep all the money without anyone else's approval. 

All it's going to take is one legal challenge, one "don't mess with Texas" attitude, one president who is willing to say that they're not going to take it anymore. The NCAA will watch all of their influence--and, more importantly to them, their money--walk right out the door.

It may not happen soon, and it may not even happen with Miami. But a legal challenge from Shalala and South Beach is definitely causing the first domino to rock back and forth. If it happens to fall, then plenty of others will follow suite.

Emmert might be wise to call it a day and walk away from Miami, no matter how corrupt the program actually was (perhaps "is"). Otherwise his organization may not hold up to a challenge from a program like the 'Canes, much less a bigger one. If Miami can make a run at them, can you imagine what Texas or Alabama or USC might do?

The NCAA would do better to walk away with its tail between its legs. Yes, it would look like they are selling out for money and a desire to maintain power, but that ship sailed a long time ago. Is there any point in trying to maintain the illusion that they are benevolent and concerned about anything other than themselves?

Might be better to just admit who you are and keep what you already have.