M-Borg vs. THE Flavortown U Thread, Orig. by Buckeye Paul, absconded w/by talent.

[WM Wolverine]

He's a receiving tight end in the NFL.

[hack]

Assuming he can catch, run routes, do a bit of blocking, etc. Could be -- he's an excellent athlete. My point, however, is that few people want to give up a pick in next year's draft to find out given that he won't be able to play or practice until the season's half over. He wouldn't have even been a first-day pick in April. He would have been a completely speculative pick then. Now?

(checking -- this NFL-mandated suspension means he can't even participate in what's left of training camp, and practices and games until 5 of the latter have been played. Right?)

[hack]

It appears from this that he can participate in the rest of training camp. Then it's off the field until 5 games are played.

[Jeff Buchanan]

From reading around about all of this (frankly, I'm tired of it and ready for some football), I think the NCAA is done with osu. They've got bigger fish to fry and not enough boots on the ground to keep up with tats, golf and things when you've got guys like Shapiro shelling out some pretty impressive benies, in South Beach for Miami players, that stuff being a whole lot sexier than anything going on in c-bus.

Comments coming from the loathsome osu characters that frequent this place (some having reappeared after recognizing that it is now safe to raise their heads above the bunker heights) regarding ESPN's stories and their motives are spot on ..... just another reason to hate on ESPN.

While I come from a background in which I share Hanni's views on stopping this crapopla from boosters and the players that gladly accept the benefits (don't blame them), counterpoints from talent regarding reigning in the boosters, et. al, and their play for pay schemes are, unfortunately, and once again, stunningly accurate. Schools are essentially powerless when it gets right down to it. So, ain't gonna happen.

Suggestions involving measures to make what boosters do in their play for pay schemes illegal or possibly in violation of contracts they sign for seats, have merit but I doubt there is the political will to pass legislation at the state level that would affect this in the intended way. Nice try though.

I do believe the NCAA and the Presidents have to come up with some way to make an effort to clean up play for pay in college sports. Unfortunately, it is the confluence of TV money, the creation and demand for big media stories and the ad revenue this generates for broadcasters/spin off dollars for top journalists who write good stuff, and men without an ounce of character that has created the mess we've seen this summer with Cam Newton and his bag man, pryor, sarniak and talbot, Miami and Shapiro and before that, USC, Reggie Bush and his family (certainly a prelude to the coming deluge of bad shit for college football).

I'm troubled by it but talent is right, it's not going to stop me, as one of those troubled fans, from going to a good football game. It is going to stop me from watching them on live TV .... but I've already done that.

[WingsFan]

OP and WingsFan (don't know his moniker over here) do it.

Same here, I just don't post much anymore. Talent when is date the games will be up?

[Optimus Prime]

Hey Packy how are doing?

To the guys of this Forum, I have participated in Talent's CFB Pool over the last few years, it's excellent, professionally hosted, accurately run, change picks up to kick-off , weekly summaries and full Stats.....huge payouts, at 75$ it's worth it IMO. Give it try.

[iam416]

WingsFan:

Games will be up some time during the week before Labor Day. I'll send around an invite e-mail next week reminding everyone to sign up.

If you know of anyone who'd be interested, feel free to forward that info to them.

[WingsFan]

Hey Packy how are doing?

Im doing ok, working a lot and feeling old :-) Must have football, damn these off seasons seem to get longer and longer for me!

[iam416]

From reading around about all of this (frankly, I'm tired of it and ready for some football), I think the NCAA is done with osu. They've got bigger fish to fry and not enough boots on the ground to keep up with tats, golf and things when you've got guys like Shapiro shelling out some pretty impressive benies, in South Beach for Miami players, that stuff being a whole lot sexier than anything going on in c-bus.

Comments coming from the loathsome osu characters that frequent this place (some having reappeared after recognizing that it is now safe to raise their heads above the bunker heights) regarding ESPN's stories and their motives are spot on ..... just another reason to hate on ESPN.

While I come from a background in which I share Hanni's views on stopping this crapopla from boosters and the players that gladly accept the benefits (don't blame them), counterpoints from talent regarding reigning in the boosters, et. al, and their play for pay schemes are, unfortunately, and once again, stunningly accurate. Schools are essentially powerless when it gets right down to it. So, ain't gonna happen.

Suggestions involving measures to make what boosters do in their play for pay schemes illegal or possibly in violation of contracts they sign for seats, have merit but I doubt there is the political will to pass legislation at the state level that would affect this in the intended way. Nice try though.

I do believe the NCAA and the Presidents have to come up with some way to make an effort to clean up play for pay in college sports. Unfortunately, it is the confluence of TV money, the creation and demand for big media stories and the ad revenue this generates for broadcasters/spin off dollars for top journalists who write good stuff, and men without an ounce of character that has created the mess we've seen this summer with Cam Newton and his bag man, pryor, sarniak and talbot, Miami and Shapiro and before that, USC, Reggie Bush and his family (certainly a prelude to the coming deluge of bad shit for college football).

I'm troubled by it but talent is right, it's not going to stop me, as one of those troubled fans, from going to a good football game. It is going to stop me from watching them on live TV .... but I've already done that.

Re-tweeted! Heh. Good stuff, Buchanan.

I'll add another thought to the legislative side -- boosters, as a whole, are monied folks and a whole hell of a lot more likely to use that money to influence legislators than those wanting to pass anti-booster laws. It short, aside from lack of political will, I don't see the monied influence allowing an anti-monied influence bill to pass.

[SeanB]

talent or op (whomever sees this first), how does the pool work? Are you picking a set number of games against the spread each week? Games from each conference, or is this strictly Big 10 stuff? Let me know. I have some interest.

[Optimus Prime]

I like that Mr. Buchanan Jr., op add a "c" and I am a cop without the paperwork.

Pool Manager (Talent) selects 25-30 games per week, most of the marquee Big Ten, usually
"biggest" games of the week, against the spread, confidence points, season total wins. Email confirmation, changes, picks, immediate updates... makes Saturdays a little more special...Talent will tell you more, hope to see you there. I am glad I joined...FWIW.

[iam416]

SeanB:

There are generally 17-20 games per week to pick. I select the games based on general importance. Most B10 games are part of the slate. As I work down toward the lesser games, I'll generally put games that are on TV on the slate so that you have some modest interest in a game if you flip to it.

The picks are against-the-spread AND confidence picks. So, you have to rank each of your picks from 1-17 (or whatever) with 17 being the highest. If you get a game right, you get the value assigned.

The biggest cash prize is for total confidence points. The highest percentage always gets a decent payout as does 2nd place in confidence points. Depending on the numbers, I pay out down to 5th place. I also randomly select, at the outset, 2 positions that will get their entry fee back. Last year, I think it was 25th and 17th or something. So, even if you're out of the money race, you'll still have something to follow.

The website is really nice. Logs all your picks and shows your results by team and conference (I have like 3 years running of sub-35% in the P10...woof).

The entry fee is $75. I would assume you're good for it, so no particular urgency to pay it. We usually have around 30 people in the contest.

Oh, the games are usually posted on Tuesday and you change your picks up until noon on Saturday (I don't usually include Thursday or Friday games).

Also, Georgia +3.5 is my high point pick for week 1. Believe it!

[*JD*]

Doug Lesmerises of the Plain Dealer had a sane, rational write-up of the TP thing today. As it is sane and rational, I suspect it's of little interest to you folks.

Sane and rational- that's what Stinktown is known for. Just ask beloved son, Kirk Herbstreet.

[Optimus Prime]

There are generally 17-20 games per week to pick.

Well...that explains why I have finished out-of-the-money, I guess I wagering on Water Polo.

[WingsFan]

I think (?) its also set up where you can't copy someone elses picks, as I plan on being IN the money again this year OP.