Examining pros and cons of NFL clean zones as lawsuit nears trial

I have a new SI column on the Super Bowl and the controversial concept of "clean zones", which grant the NFL legal rights to control commercial activity in streets around the Super Bowl. Here's an excerpt:

* * *

Clean zones raise a bevy of concerns.

For one, clean zones unabashedly limit competition when businesses are denied permission from the league or city. A decrease in competition implicates two core worries of antitrust law: fewer choices and higher prices for consumers. So perhaps instead of two dozen T-shirt street vendors around Lucas Oil Stadium, the NFL only grants permission to a handful. Although they would still compete with vendors of other items, the licensed vendors might charge more and offer less variety.

Second, clean zones restrict commercial speech, meaning speech that solicits a commercial transaction, such as when a company advertises or promotes a product. To be sure, commercial speech is accorded much less protection under the law than political speech. While the First Amendment aggressively protects one's right to express personal opinions from government suppression, a government, such as the City of Indianapolis, can readily limit commercial speech that is deceptive and misleading.

* * *

Eric Williams v. NFL: A Clean Zone Test Case

Last year anti-bullying advocate Eric Williams teamed up with Best Buy on what seemed like a promising idea: Williams would park his bus in Best Buy's parking lot near Cowboys Stadium between Feb. 4 and Feb. 6 and host a John Madden video game tournament. Williams would charge participants of the tournament, which would teach children about how to detect and stop bullying.

The tournament never happened.

Arlington police and code enforcement officers asked Williams if he had a permit to be there. He did not and saw no reason why he should. After all, his bus was on Best Buy's private property, with the store's express invitation. The security officers nonetheless insisted that Williams move the bus, since it was a commercial operation located within a clean zone ordinance.

To read the rest, click here.

Social Media and Intercollegiate Athletics

The inaugural issue of the Mississippi ("Ole Miss") Sports Law Review is now available. You can view it online here. The presentation that we had in Oxford this past fall was a great event, and now we have the law review available to compliment the presentation on social media and intercollegiate athletics. The issue is ordered as follows:

Timothy Liam Epstein - Student-Athlete.O – Regulation of Student-Athletes’ Social Media Use: a Guide to Avoiding NCAA Sanctions and Related Litigation

Jerry Parkinson – Impact of Social Media on NCAA Infractions Cases
Mary Margaret “Meg” Penrose – Free Speech versus Free Education: First Amendment Considerations in Limiting Student Athletes’ Use of Social Media

John T. Wendt & Peter C. Young – Reputational Risk and Social Media

2007 Highlight Film

Ferrum by the Numbers

I thought it would be interesting to look back at the statistics from this past season, and see if any inferences can be drawn. While it will be difficult to know how things will go in 2012, I believe that the finishing order from this past season will give insight as to who will be able to challenge for the 2012 USA South title.
Teams that I believe will have a much improved record will be Methodist, Averett, and N.C. Wesleyan. Lower tier teams will likely be Greensboro and Maryville, but with the Scotts going into this season with a new coach, they are more of an unknown than anything.
Another team that is an unknown will be the LaGrange Panthers. As this will be their first season in the conference, it is difficult to get a read on their ability.
They finished 4-6 on the year, and while there is not a lot known about their opponents, I do know that two of their wins came against Maryville, and North Carolina Wesleyan. I will feature their team as the start of the season gets closer.
What is known for the upcoming season is that Christopher Newport and Ferrum will again be very competitive for the conference championship. In fact, I am of the opinion that whoever wins the conference, has to defeat CNU to win the title. I am also of the opinion that if any team can beat the Captains, Ferrun can.

Last season, Ferrum led the conference in in four categories for team rankings....Rushing Offense, Rushing Defense, Pass Efficiency Defense, and Sacks allowed. This was a marked improvement over the 2010 season, and the Panthers did play for the conference championship, but in that game, it appeared that Christopher Newport dominated the Panthers in two of those four areas.
Ferrum's rushing offense was strong, putting up 208 yards, and 4 rushing touchdowns, but their ability to defend the rush was challenged as the Captains reeled off 241 yards rushing, and had 3 touchdowns on the ground. Through the air, CNU connected for 223 passing yards and 4 touchdowns. Ferrum did not allow a sack.
So what does all of this mean? Well, these numbers to me suggest that while Ferrum made a huge first step in its first year under Coach Harper, to win the conference championship, the defense still has some work ahead of it.
Defense wins championships, and for the Captains to have run 21 more offensive plays, and to have had well over 100 more offensive yards suggests an inability on Ferrums part to shut down the Captains offense. The Captains had 13  third down situations, and converted six of them. They went for it on fourth down 4 times and converted three.
There is no denying that Christopher Newport has a talented team. In the upcoming season, they will lose very few of their core players, so I would expect them to again be very strong.
For Ferrum, their much improved defense has to get even better. This, to me would have to start with their front four. Simply put, to beat Christopher Newport, this unit has to dominate the line of scrimmage. They have to be Bigger, Faster, Stronger, and Smarter. This means dedicating time to an off season workout schedule, and being even better prepared for next season. The front four is a talented group of players, but they have to look at football as a year around endeavor, and work on improving every day.
As for the secondary, this year yeilded huge improvements over the previous years.This is a trend that must continue. The improvement shown in 2011 must be the starting point for where this unit will be in the next few years.
This year, valuable seeds were sown. Ferrum is building a program that will be one of the premier programs not only in the USA South, but in the South Region. I look for the recruiting to continue to be solid, and for this team to take its next step in its continued improvement.

Go Panthers!     

Gould on the 2011 NBA Lockout

Stanford Law Review Online has published an essay by William Gould on the 2011 NBA Lockout. Gould is a former chair of the NLRB and a leading scholar and advocate on sports-and-labor issues, (H/T: Concurring Opinions). Worth a read.

Tide Teabagging Scandal Really Puts this Commemorative Shirt in New Light

The jackhat who teabagged the passed out LSU fan after 'Bama beat the Tigers in the BCS title game was arrested and jailed.  Brian Downing, 32, of Smiths Station, AL was booked on charges of sexual battery and obscenity after officers met him at his attorney's office in New Orleans.

Yes, I can't think of a more appropriate place than a jail cell for a person who likes to rub his genitals up against another dude against his will.  Good luck with that, Brian!  I'm sure your other cellmates in LOUISIANA will be very understanding and realize you were just joshing around with that Tiger fan, huh?

But that's all really just preamble to the picture below.

Is it just me or, in the wake of the Tide Teabagging Scandal does this shirt design commemorating 'Bama's National Championship just seem...wrong?

Maybe the text at the bottom should read, "He's not dead...he's just passed out and getting teabagged."

Happy New Year from Columbus: Now take cover!

Michigan fans have experienced first-hand what a hellhole Columbus is during visits to the 'Shoe for Michigan-Ohio State games. But apparently the city's suckness is not limited to rivalry weekends. The video below was taken in C-bus this past New Year's Eve. As the person who posted it on the vid's YouTube page says:

Listen for about five minutes with your eyes closed and imagine where this video might have been taken. I think this speaks for itself.

Right around the 4 minute mark is where it really gets Fullujah-esque.



(HT: DC)

2012 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference

I'm thrilled to be joining Daryl Morey, Jessica Gelman, Gary Bettman, Scott Boras, Mark Cuban, Brian Burke, Adam Silver, Bill James and many others as a speaker at this year's MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, which will be held on March 2 and 3. In my view, it's hands-down the best sports business and sports law event of the year.

Here are this year's list of speakers.

The following topics will be discussed:

• Art & Analytics of Negotiation

• Baseball Analytics

• Basketball Analytics

• Cuban one-on-one with Simmons

• Fanalytics

• Football Analytics

• Franchises in Transition

• Media Rights: Comparing Strategies of Leagues and Media Entities

• Motorsports Analytics

• Soccer Analytics

• The Commish: The Role of the Modern Commissioner in Sports

• Ticketing Analytics

Hey, Sparty -- Get off my floor!

Would've put this up yesterday but was too busy doing my cyber-duty and protesting SOPA/PIPA.  But today it's back to blogging.  So, without further adieu...

Here's the wallpaper Andy made in the wake of Michigan's 3rd consecutive victory over MSU. Simply...beautiful.

Skuad Burkina Faso di Piala Afrika 2012

Brkina Faso adalah negara peserta Piala Afrika 2012. Berikut ini adalah nama-nama pemain yang akan membela Burkina Faso pada perhelatan Piala Afrika 2012:

Kiper: Daouda Diakite (KV Turnhout), Moussa Germain Sanou (St Etienne), Adama Sawadogo (Missile FC)

Pemain belakang: Ibrahim Gnanou (Alania Vladikavkaz), Bakary Kone (Olympique Lyon), Paul Koulibaly (Charleroi), Saidou Mady Panandetiguiri (Valletta), Mamadou Tall (Persepolis)

Pemain tengah: Wilfried Balima (Sheriff Tiraspol), Charles Kabore (Olympique Marseille), Mahamadou Kere (Konyaspor), Mohamed Koffi (Petrojet), Djakaridja Kone (Dynamo Bucharest), Jonathan Pitroipa (Stades Rennes), Florent Rouamba (Sheriff Tiraspol), Bertrand Traore (Chelsea)

Pemain depan: Aristide Bance (Samsunspor), Moumouni Dagano (Al Khor), Prejuce Nakoulma (Gornik Zabrze), Issiaka Ouedraogo (FC Admira Wacker Modling), Abdou Razak Traore (Lechia Gdansk), Alain Traore (AJ Auxerre), Narcisse Yameogo (AD Camacha).

MZone on strike today to protest SOPA & PIPA

If I had any clue how to dig into the MZone's HTML without fear of totally screwing up everything, you would be looking at this more professional and impressive strike page.  Since I'm lost when it comes to the code stuff, you get this half-ass attempt instead.  But the intent today is the same: to join websites Google, Wikipedia, Bluehost, Craigslist, Reddit, Mozilla and hundreds of others to protest Internet censorship bills SOPA and PIPA.

For the record, we are TOTALLY AGAINST sites that simply exist to traffic in stolen TV shows, movies, music and the creative efforts of others.  Internet piracy is a real problem.  However, when the decision as to what constitutes such creative thievery is left to a handful of entertainment companies and folks like Rupert Murdoch (who is for both the bills as you can see via his tweets), then I get more than a little nervous.  These are, after all, the same companies that tried to stop the VCR from ever being citing piracy in the famous Betamax Case  (Note: I would have linked to Wikipedia's explanation of that case.  But since they're dark today...)

Yes, Internet piracy must be stopped.  But these bills aren't the answer. 

Click here to get an overview of both sides of the debate.

Click here to contact your representative in Congress.

Association for Conflict Resolution to host sports law panel next Wedesday Jan. 25

For our Chicago-based readers, looks like a great panel coming up next Wednesday:

* * *

The Association for Conflict Resolution – Chicago Chapter

Presents

Dispute Resolution in the Sports World

Come join ACR-Chicago for an evening with three experts on Sports Alternative Dispute Resolution! You will learn more about ADR in the sports world and the various alternative dispute mechanisms utilized in the sports industry: arbitration, mediation, conciliation, mini-trials and ombudsmen. The panelists will discuss how these processes have been used in recent years (for example, mediation in the NFL and NBA 2011 lockouts). The panel will also focus on an introduction to Olympic arbitrations, and life as a sports arbitrator. It promises to be an interesting and engaging program!


When: Wednesday, January 25, 2012
6:00-6:30pm Reception and Sign-in
6:30-8:00pm Program
8:00-8:30pm Networking

Where: The John Marshall Law School
315 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago, IL

Cost: Free to ACR-Chicago Members and The John Marshall Law
School; $20.00 for non-members (new or renewal memberships
accepted at door)

Speakers on the Sports ADR Panel will Include:

Matt Mitten, Professor of Law; Director, National Sports Law Institute and LL.M. in Sports Law Program for Foreign Lawyers, Marquette University Law School.

Cari A. Stern, Chapman and Cutler LLP. Adjunct Professor of Sports Law at The John Marshall Law School

Daniel Gandert, Clinical Instructor, Program on Negotiation and Mediation, Northwestern University School of Law.

Many thanks to The John Marshall Law School for hosting this Program

Please RSVP by January 20, 2012 to Jennifer DeGregorio
by email at info@acrchicago.org or at 312-458-0984


The Association for Conflict Resolution – Chicago Chapter
is an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) umbrella organization dedicated to resolving disputes.
Visit our website at www.acrchicago.org

University of Oregon School of Law Sports Law Symposium on Friday Jan. 27

Rick Karcher, Maureen Weston, Woodie Dixon and other panelists will participate in what looks to be an excellent sports and entertainment law symposium at the University of Oregon School of Law (Portland campus)  next Friday.  It is hosted by the law school's sports and entertainment law forum.

Topics include:

Women in Sports and Entertainment
The number of women enrolled in law school and working in the legal field has risen to rival men in the last decade with women even making up the majority in some schools and cities. However, sports and entertainment and their corresponding legal markets continue to be male-dominated industries. This panel will address both the legal and practical issues of women in sports and entertainment, including the function of Title IX and its continuing legacy, differences in media and networking between men and women athletes and entertainers, methods of contract negotiation in women’s sports, and how to break into the industry without making it all about gender. This panel will also feature a five-minute clip from Ellen Devlin’s film documenting the history of the University of Oregon’s women’s track program and the influences of Title IX on the different generations of female athletes.

The Rise of the Agent
As anyone familiar with sports knows, agents are now ubiquitous. An agent is a representative of the athlete, and in recent years, the number of agents has risen significantly. Now it seems as if there are as many agents in the business as there are athletes. As is often the case with those in the legal profession, an agent’s job is mostly unglamorous. Even down-and-out Jerry Maguire of pop-culture fame, manages some semblance of high class, as a jet-setting friend and confidante of the stars. Yet, for most agents, this is far from the truth. Whether it is the high stress, high stakes world of superstar contract negotiations between the Scott Borases of the agent world, or the increasingly popular agent-on-the-side approach, an agent is many things. This panel will focus primarily on the agent as an entrepreneurial figure, a power player in the decision making process in the industry, and the agent as a day-to-day representative of his client’s interests.

The Changing Face of the NCAA
With the college football bowl season just finishing, and the madness that is the college basketball’s final four on the horizon, it is an appropriate time to evaluate what has happened to college sports. Gone are the days where a school’s academic reputation is more interesting than its athletic. Gone are the days of a few clubs meeting on the muddy football field in front of a handful of local fans. Gone are the days of the amateur ideal. Whether we think the changes in interest, emphasis, and allocation of resources are good or bad are immaterial. Change has occurred: the NCAA basketball postseason championship is a billion-dollar event, bowl games are glittering multi-million dollar prizes that await teams and conferences at the end of the college football season, and college venues are becoming as elaborate and expensive as professional ones. This panel of experts will talk about the changing landscape of the NCAA conferences, the legal and practical issued posed by the growing revenue generated by college sports, and the eroding idea of the amateur athlete.

For more information, click here.

Daftar Klasemen Liga Italia Serie A (Pekan-17)

Daftar klasemen sementara Liga Italia Serie A musim 2011/12:

P	Tim	M	M	S	K	Gol	Nilai
1.	AC Milan	17	11	4	2	37-16	37
2.	Juventus	17	10	7	0	28-11	37
3.	Udinese	17	10	5	2	24-10	35
4.	Lazio	17	8	6	3	24-17	30
5.	Inter	17	9	2	6	27-19	29
6.	Napoli	17	7	6	4	32-19	27
7.	AS Roma	17	8	3	6	23-19	27
8.	Catania	17	5	7	5	20-25	22
9.	Fiorentina	17	5	6	6	18-15	21
10.	Cagliari	17	5	6	6	15-17	21
11.	Palermo	17	6	3	8	19-23	21
12.	Genoa	17	6	3	8	19-27	21
13.	Atalanta*	17	6	8	3	23-21	20
14.	Chievo	17	5	5	7	13-20	20
15.	Parma	17	5	4	8	21-31	19
16.	Siena	17	4	6	7	18-16	18
17.	Bologna	17	5	3	9	16-24	18
18.	Novara	17	2	6	9	17-32	12
19.	Cesena	17	3	3	11	9-24	12
20.	Lecce	17	2	3	12	17-34	9

Ket: Peringkat 1, 2: Liga Champion Eropa; Peringkat 3: Kualifikasi Liga Champion Eropa; Peringkat 4, 5: Liga Europa; Peringkat 18, 19, 20: degradasi.*Atalanta mendapat pengurangan 6 poin akibat karena terlibat skandal pengaturan skor.

Skuad Angola di Piala Afrika 2012

Berikut ini skuad tim Angola di Piala Afrika 2012:
 
Kiper: Carlos (tanpa klub), Hugo (Kabuscorp), Wilson (Primeiro Agosto),

Bek: Amaro (Primeiro Agosto), Dani Massunguna (Primeiro Agosto), Kali (Primeiro Agosto), Marco Airosa (AEL Limassol), Mingo Bille (Primeiro Agosto), Zuela (Atromitos)

Gelandang: Andre Makanga (Al Jahra), Dede (AEL Limassol), Gilberto (Lierse), Mabina (Petro Atletico), Miguel (Petro Atletico), Osorio (Recreativo Caala), Xara (Petro Atletico)

Penyerang: Djalma (FC Porto), Flavio (Lierse), Jose Pierre Vunguidica (Preussen Munster), Love (Petro Atletico), Manucho (Real Valladolid), Mateus Galiano (Nacional), Nando Rafael (FC Augsburg).

Daftar Klasemen Liga Inggris (Pekan-21)

Berikut ini klasemen sementara Liga Inggris musim 2011/12, sampai pekan ke 21:

No.	TIM	M	M	S	K	Gol	Nilai
1.	Man. City	21	16	3	2	57-16	51
2.	Man. United	21	15	3	3	52-20	48
3.	Tottenham	21	14	4	3	39-21	46
4.	Chelsea	21	12	4	5	40-25	40
5.	Arsenal	21	11	3	7	38-31	36
6.	Newcastle	21	10	6	5	30-25	36
7.	Liverpool	21	9	8	4	24-18	35
8.	Stoke	21	8	6	7	22-31	30
9.	Norwich	21	7	7	7	32-36	28
10.	Swansea	21	6	8	7	23-25	26
11.	Everton	21	7	4	10	21-25	25
12.	Sunderland	21	6	6	9	27-24	24
13.	Aston Villa	21	5	9	7	23-27	24
14.	Fulham	21	5	8	8	23-29	23
15.	West Brom	21	6	4	11	20-30	22
16.	Wolverhampton	21	4	6	11	23-37	18
17.	Blackburn	21	4	5	12	32-44	17
18.	QPR	21	4	5	12	19-36	17
19.	Bolton	21	5	1	15	25-46	16
20.	Wigan	21	3	6	12	18-42	15

Ket: Peringkat 1, 2, 3: Liga Champion Eropa; Peringkat 4: Kualifikasi Liga Champion Eropa; Peringkat 5: Liga Europa; Peringkat 18, 19, 20: degradasi.

Skuad Sudan di Piala Afrika 2012

Sudan akan ikut ambil bagian di Piala Afrika 2012. Berikut daftar pemain yang akan membela Sudan dalam perhelatan Piala Afrika 2012:

Nama	Klub
Kiper:
Akram Al Hadi	Al Merreikh
Bhaldien Mohammed	Al Merreikh
Mouez Mohjob	Al Hilal
Bek:
Ngemaldien Abdullah	Al Merreikh
Khaliefa Ahmed	Al Hilal
Siefaldien Ali	Al Hilal
Ahmed Al Basha	Al Merreikh
Mowaia Bashir	Ittihad Madani
Bala Jaber	Al Merreikh
Mosab Omar	Al Merreikh
Gelandang:
Mohammed Ahmed Bashir	Al Hilal
Baderaldien Aldoud	Al Merreikh
Mohamed Al Tahir	Al Hilal
Nazer Hamed	Al Hilal
Amier Kamal	Al Merreikh
Mohammed Moussi	Al Nsoor
Faisal Musa	Al Merreikh
Haitham Mustafa	Al Hilal
Alaadine Yousif	Al Hilal
Penyerang:
Ramadan Alagab	Al Mourada
Abdulrahman Hassan	Al Merreikh
Eltaib Mudather	Al Hilal
Mohammed Sheikh Eldin	Al Hasahesa

Skuad Mali di Piala Afrika 2012

Mali adalah negara peserta Piala Afrika 2012. Berikut ini adalah daftar nama pemain Mali di Piala Afrika 2012:

Kiper: Soumbeyla Diakite (Stade Malien), Oumar Sissoko (Metz), Alimamy Sogoba (Real Bamako)

Pemain belakang: Idrissa Coulibaly (Esperance), Ousmane Coulibaly (Stade Brest), Drissa Diakite (Nice), Mohamed Fofana (Toulouse), Cedric Kante (Panathinaikos), Abdoulaye Maiga (USM Alger), Mouhamadou Ndiaye (Vitoria Guimaraes), Adama Tamboura (Metz)

Pemain tengah: Samba Diakite (Nancy), Seydou Keita (Barcelona), Sidi Kone (Olympique Lyon), Samba Sow (Racing Lens) Abdou Traore (Girondins Bordeaux), Bakaye Traore (Nancy), Kalilou Traore (OB Odense), Mahamane Traore (Metz)

Pemain depan: Garra Dembele (SC Freiburg), Cheick Tidiane Diabate (Girondins Bordeaux), Modibo Maiga (Sochaux), Mustapha Yatabare (En Avant Guingamp).

Skuad Pantai Gading di Piala Afrika 2012

Pantai Gading adalah kontestan Piala Afrika 2012 yang sepertinya akan turun dengan kekuatan penuh. Pemain yang kebanyakan merumput di klub Eropa sebagian besar dipanggil. Berikut daftar nama pemain Pantai Gading yang dibawa ke ajang di Piala Afrika 2012:

Kiper: Boubacar Barry (Lokeren), Gerard Gnanhouan (US Avranches), Daniel Yeboah (ASEC Abidjan).

Pemain belakang: Arthur Boka (VfB Stuttgart), Benjamin Brou Angoua (Valenciennes), Soulemanye Bamba (Leicester City), Emmanuel Eboue (Galatasaray), Igor Lolo (Kuban Krasnodar), Siaka Tiene (Paris St Germain), Kolo Toure (Manchester City), Didier Zokora (Trabzonspor).

Pemain tengah: Kafoumba Coulibaly (Nice), Jean-Jacques Gosso Gosso (Orduspor), Max Gradel (St Etienne), Didier Ya Konan (Hannover 96), Ismael Tiote (Newcastle United), Yaya Toure (Manchester City).

Pemain depan: Wilfried Bony (Vitesse Arnhem), Seydou Doumbia (CSKA Moscow), Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Gervinho (Arsenal), Salomon Kalou (Chelsea), Abdelkader Keita (Al Sadd).

'Bama "grayshirts" new OC after oversigning coaches

(from MZone wire reports) TUSCALOOSA, AL -- The MZone has learned that newly hired Alabama offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeir is being asked to sit out the 2012 season and join the Crimson Tide staff next year because Nick Saban has signed too many football coaches.  Nussmeir, who had been the offensive coordinator at Washington, found out only after he and his family arrived in Tuscaloosa on Monday afternoon.

"Coach Saban said he wished he would’ve been able to tell me before I quit my old job, sold my house, moved all the way across the country with my family and had six other coaching offers I turned down instead of telling me now," said Nussmeir as he stood next to his crying wife and kids on the front lawn of the new Tuscaloosa house that they can no longer afford.  "He (Saban) said the only reason he can’t have me join his staff for this season is because he can’t have too many offensive coordinators.  He can only have one.  And he hired three.  But he said he was going to bring me in for the 2013 season.  And I know it's true because he said he would pinky swear that he would keep his word about that – which has to really, really mean something.  I mean, it's not like he offered to just sign some random piece of paper."

So what happened to Nussmeir's new job between the time he agreed to it on Friday and the time the offer was pulled on Monday?  According to MZone sources, after Nussmeir accepted Saban's offer, the Tide head coach then made an offer to Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Todd Monken on Saturday and Stanford OC Pep Hamilton on Sunday.  When both said yes, it left Nussmeir as the odd man out since Washington's offense wasn't as highly ranked as Oklahoma State's or Stanford's.  No word yet on whether Monken or Hamilton will be next to get &^%$ by Saban on this one.

When the MZone asked Nussmeir what he was going to do this fall since all the prime OC jobs are already filled at this point, Nussmeir said he was going to stay in Alabama.  "Coach Saban said he'd help me get a job at the Piggly Wiggly during the time I'm not on his staff.  What an awesome, caring man, huh?"

While, Nussmeir seemed understanding about having his job yanked away at the 11th hour, other assistant coaches weren't so forgiving of Saban.

"It's deplorable," said new Florida OC Brent Pease.  "A person agrees to something, doesn't look elsewhere because he thinks he's set, then is told at the last minute, 'Sorry, you're on your own'?  And that's supposed to be okay?  I can't believe there's not a national outcry about this.  But, as usual, the ESPN's and Gary Danielson's of the world aren't saying shit.  They only care about the players.  Typical."

Last summer, the SEC instituted limits on the number of assistant coaches a team can have.  But Saban, notorious for having extra coaches to his staff at Alabama, was unfazed at the time.  "It's not going to be that much of a management issue for us to be able to continue to create the same number of opportunities for young coaches and just try to manage it a little better."

Alabama coach Nick Oversaban reveals how many
coaches he's over the limit for the 2012 season

Brian Porto's new book: The Supreme Court and the NCAA

Vermont Law School Professor and Sports Law Institute Deputy Director Brian Porto's new book, "The Supreme Court and the NCAA: The Case for Less Commercialism and More Due Process in College Sports," was recently published by the University of Michigan Press.

Two U.S. Supreme Court decisions, NCAA v. Board of Regents (1984) and NCAA v. Tarkanian (1988), have shaped college sports by permitting the emergence of a supercharged commercial enterprise with high financial stakes for institutions and individuals, while failing to guarantee adequate procedural protections for persons charged with wrongdoing within that enterprise.

Porto examines the conditions that led to the cases, the reasoning behind the justices' rulings and the consequences of those rulings.

Arguing that commercialized college sports should be compatible with the goals of higher education and fair to all participants, Porto suggests that the remedy is a federal statute. His proposed College Sports Legal Reform Act would grant the NCAA a limited "educational exemption" from the antitrust laws, enabling it to enhance academic opportunities for athletes. The Act would also afford greater procedural protections to accused parties in NCAA disciplinary proceedings.

Porto's prescription for reform in college sports makes a significant contribution to the debate about how best to address perennial problems in college sports such as cost containment, access to a meaningful education for athletes and fairness in rule enforcement.

Skuad Ghana di Piala Afrika 2012

Berikut ini adalah skuad Ghana di Piala Afrika 2012:

Kiper: Daniel Adjei (Liberty Professionals), Adam Kwarasey (Stromsgodset), Ernest Sowah (Berekum Chelsea)

Pemain belakang: Lee Addy (Dalian Aerbim), Masawudu Alhassan (Genoa), John Boye (Stade Rennes), Samuel Inkoom (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), John Mensah (Olympique Lyon), Jonathan Mensah (Evian Thonon Gaillard), Daniel Opare (Standard Liege), John Paintsil (Leicester City), Isaac Vorsah (Hoffenheim)

Pemain tengah: Mohammed Abu (Stromsgodset), Emmanuel Agyemang Badu (Udinese), Anthony Annan (Vitesse Arnhem), Kwadwo Asamoah (Udinese), Andre Ayew (Olympique Marseille), Derek Boateng (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Sulley Muntari (Inter Milan), Charles Takyi (St Pauli)

Pemain depan: Jordan Ayew (Olympique Marseille), Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain), Prince Tagoe (Bursaspor)

Skuad Niger di Piala Afrika 2012

Daftar nama pemain yang akan membela Niger pada perhelatan Piala Afrika 2012:

Penjaga gawang: Losseny Doumbia (Daring Club C Motema Pembe), Daouda Kassaly (Coton Sport), Rabo Saminou (Sahel SC).

Bek: Jimmy Bulus (NA Hussein Dey), Mohamed Chikoto (Platinum Stars), Koffi Dan Kowa (ES Zarzis), Kader Amadou Dodo (Olympic), Issiaka Koudize (Garde Nationale), Souleymane Mazadou (US Marignane), Djibrilla Moussa (Garde Nationale), Mohamed Soumaila (Olympic)

Gelandang: Yacouba Ali (Africa Sports), Moutari Amadou (Akokana FC), Olivier Bonnes (Lille), Issoufou Boubacar (FC Phuket), Abdoul Karim Lancina (Coton Sport), Idrissa Laouali (ASFAN), Cameroon), William Ngounou (IF Limhamn Bunkeflo), Idrissa Saidou (Coton Sport), Boubacar Talatou (Orlando Pirates)

Striker: Issoufou Alhassane Dante (Raja Casablanca), Kamilou Daouda (CS Sfaxien), Moussa Maazou (Zulte Waregem).

Coming Soon: Panthers Streaming Video

In a recent phone conversation with Gary Holden, Sports Information Director at Ferrum College, I was told of new enhancements coming to the College's Internet coverage of Ferrum athletics. The College is in the process of installing the necessary hardware to develop live streaming video of athletic events.
Much of the equipment is in place, and according to Holden, the ability to broadcast  streaming should begin fairly soon. It is hoped that several spring athletic events will initiate the streaming coverage.
To me this is another huge step for Ferrum athletics. The better Internet experience for the fan  will allow much more enjoyment, and this will also allow for added exposure for Ferrum ahletics.
Stay tuned as more details become available.
Go Panthers!

Strong Scrape Fire Zone and Fire Zone Adjustments

How many times have you been to a clinic and heard a speaker talk about America's Fire Zone? Too many times, probably. It's not like there are only a limited number of pressures that you can run (Blitzology with proof of that on his site here).  I will talk about America's Fire Zone, but I will use it as an example of how to make Fire Zone adjustments.  Dick LeBeau refers to this as Strong Scrape Fire Zone in his 2002 Bengal playbook here.

The Strong call tells the defense to run this Fire Zone to the side of the passing strength or the 2 WR side, either a TE and a WR, or two WRs.  Many teams also will call it to the wide side of the field with a Wide or Field call or to the boundary or short side of the field with a Short or Bench call (see Manny Diaz Fire Zone article here for diagrams). The Fire Zone is called Scrape because of the assignment of the Buck LB, who must scrape tightly off the butt of the DE so as to not allow a crease in the defense.

I won't get into the techniques of each position so the clinic guys have something to talk about this clinic season, but I want to talk about the adjustments that are important to run this Fire Zone effectively.

I have borrowed a lot from Manny Diaz when it comes to Fire Zone adjustments.  There are many adjustments that can be run, which include having the DT being a dropper at times, but there are two adjustments that I think are the most important.  Diaz talks about how the coverage needs to be the easiest thing as far as Fire Zones go, so it is important that we not over-complicate things.  If a defender blitzes the wrong gap, you may have a bad play but it won't be a disaster.  Now, if there is a mistake in coverage, that's a disaster.  

The great thing about the teaching of these adjustments is that only the Will LB has to think about the checks (this would be the backside Mike LB in LeBeau's defense).

Fire Zone Adjustments

Switch - vs. 2 WRs to Boundary, Will makes a "Switch" call with DE. Now, DE is Hot 3 and Will is Hot 2 to the Boundary. Can't Switch unless #3 is in backfield.

Swap - vs. 3 X 1 Trips teams that try to throw a lot of Screens, Will makes a "Swap" call with Mike. Now, Mike is Hot 3 and Will becomes blitzer.

Here is the base call, Field Scrape, from a 4-3 look:

 

The Offense has a mismatch with a fast WR in the boundary slot vs. a DE, so we make a "Switch" call.  You may not need this call with the ball on the hash, but it becomes more important as the ball moves toward the middle of the field.

 

The "Swap" adjustment is great vs. teams that like to throw quick screens or Y Stick vs. Field pressure (for more on how offenses like to use Y Stick vs. Fire Zones, go here, here, here, and here).  Mike can easily get to number 3 and it will difficult for the OL to see Will coming from the other side of the Center.

 

You have to be careful vs. Empty.  A "Switch" call would have the Fox DE trying to cover number 3 to the other side of the field.  It is important for your Will to know that there is no "Switch" call unless 3 is in the backfield.  There is no "Switch" vs. any Trips sets.  The only adjustment that can be made is a "Swap" call. 

 

Also, as my good friend, T.J. Williams reminded me, you need to practice these adjustments vs. motion from a 2x2 ("Switch" call) to a 3x1 set ("Swap" call) and vice versa so your guys aren't unprepared.

This is the "Swap" call vs. Trips:

If I can find some examples of the "Switch" call on film, I will put them up on here later.

Why so many coaches are yellers instead of teachers--they can't teach.  See here.

Well done, MZone readers

I tweeted about this the other day but felt it deserved its own post.

Last December we asked MZone readers to help the state of Ohio come up with a new slogan for their license plate.  Well, the results are in and apparently you made your voices heard.

Put it this way, here's the opening paragraph from the The Plain Dealer story about the license plate campaign:

COLUMBUS, Ohio — It's pretty clear: Ohioans love God. And they also love to mock Ohio State football.

Uh, I'm going to go out on a limb and say the "they" the writer is referring to aren't Ohioans.  Just guessing.  Because here was another paragraph later in the story:

But some were downright mean and surely won't make the final cut, such as "Worst State Ever," "O-Lie-O" and 81 votes for phrases containing the word "sucks." You get the picture. 

Priceless.  Finally, the story mentioned this:

But about half of the OSU-related suggestions referenced the school's embarrassing recent NCAA scandal, including "Free tattoos."

Terrelle Pryor, the former OSU quarterback who left the school in 2010 amid scandal, pulled in nearly 800 votes from fans or haters, many of whom cannot spell his first name -- there were seven different variations.

And then there was Pryor's coach, Jim Tressel, who was booted from the school and subsequently punished by the NCAA over the same issue.

Tressel received only 16 votes, far fewer than the football program's most popular coach ever, Woody Hayes, who reeled in 656 votes. Even Hayes' arch-nemesis, Bo Schembechler, former coach of That School Up North, got 225 votes. Go figure.

Yeah, go figure.

Best of all, the link above for the Plains Dealer  contains a searchable database of all the submissions.   Gee, I wonder how variations on "Buckstache" got five submissions? (Although the MZone takes no responsibility for whoever submitted "Titty Fucking" as their suggestion.  Really?  "Titty Fucking"?!)

Anyway, I just think it was mighty neighborly of so many MZone readers to help Ohio out.  Well done, folks.  Well done.

Ohio State, this is your fan base...

How are we gonna make it through the off-season?  Like this...



And this...



And it's only January 11th.

Buckeye fans: The blogging gift that keeps on giving.

And the new most-watched MZone video is...

As a college football nut, I know I should be excited about the title game tonight.  But I'm not.  Not on January 9th.  Not a for a rematch.

However, what I am excited about is that we have a new most-viewed MZone video (at least from MZone 2.0) and it's very appropriate that it became #1 this weekend as it's LSU-centric.  Clocking in with approximately 157,000 views, The Les Miles Hand Clap Song passed Michigan Fans Discuss Rich Rodriguez (152,000+ views) over the weekend.

Is this a sign for Miles' Tigers?  Leave us your prediction in the comments section.

OSU Deja Vu: Legal Lessons from the OSU Basketball Tragedies

The National Transportation Safety Board (“NTSB”) has released its Preliminary Report regarding the November 18, 2011 airplane crash that killed Oklahoma State University (“OSU”) Women’s Basketball coach Kurt Budke and his assistant coach, Miranda Serna. The Piper Cherokee 180 was owned and flown by former Oklahoma State Senator Olin Branstetter who, along with his wife, was also killed in the crash. News reports indicate that the four were flying from OSU to Little Rock, Arkansas for a recruiting trip.

Unbelievably, this was the second tragic plane crash to afflict OSU within a decade. In 2001, an airplane chartered for the OSU Men’s Basketball team crashed in Colorado, killing ten, including two players. The NTSB determined that the 2001 crash was caused by a loss of a.c. electrical power that was not adequately managed by the pilot. Spurred by the loss to its athletic community, OSU revised its team travel policy, and the NTSB held up OSU’s revised post-accident team travel policy as a model for other sports organizations. This policy is largely articulated in a January 21, 2003 letter from the NTSB to Dr. Myles Brand, former NCAA President. It is not known whether OSU’s current travel policy was applicable to the flight that killed coaches Budke and Serna.

The NTSB’s Preliminary Report on the most recent crash, as is typical for preliminary reports, simply addresses “who, what, when, and where.” Over the next several months, the NTSB, along with any manufacturers or others it designates as a party, will conduct a comprehensive investigation into the “how.” Oftentimes this investigation involves, among other things, wreckage and component part inspections and testing, analysis of aircraft logbooks and maintenance records, analysis of the pilot’s experience and qualifications, and analysis of radar and other data pertaining to the accident flight. The investigation will culminate in the NTSB’s probable cause finding, which is the NTSB’s determination as to the probable cause or causes of and contributing factors to the accident.

The NTSB investigates accidents and issues probable cause findings to promote safe transportation, not to help litigants win lawsuits; thus, there are federal regulations that govern the admissibility of NTSB findings and the type and amount of discovery a litigant can conduct with respect to the NTSB. These rules often vex courts presiding over air crash litigation. It is evident, even at this early stage, that many other issues that commonly arise in air crash litigation could be implicated in any lawsuit regarding the recent OSU crash. For example, the question of forum often takes center stage early on in airplane crash lawsuits. In this case, the individuals killed were from Oklahoma, but the plane crashed during a recruiting trip to Arkansas, so a court may have to sort out the appropriate and most convenient forum, and determine which state’s law to apply. The possibly varied residences of any defendants could further complicate this issue. Another possible legal issue is the applicability of the General Aviation Revitalization Act’s 18-year statute of repose which protects manufacturers. Federal Aviation Administration ("FAA") records reveal that the Piper was manufactured in 1964, so product liability lawsuits may be barred, though this is a highly fact-intensive issue that also implicates volumes of precedent. Also, few airplane crash claims are resolved without accompanying insurance coverage disputes, and the factual circumstances surrounding the recent OSU crash lend themselves to possible complex coverage issues.

Regardless of the cause of the recent OSU accident, it underscores the importance of air travel to collegiate sports teams. Colleges and universities are often located in areas not well-served by commercial aviation, so staff and athletes may rely on private aircraft transportation on recruiting trips or away games. Whether a college or university uses its own flight department, a private charter operator, or donated airplanes and crew can have far-reaching and difficult to foresee consequences in the wake of a crash. Shortly before this tragic crash, in light of the KHL hockey team crash, I published an article in Sports Litigation Alert with fellow partners from the Aerospace Group at my firm discussing airplane crashes and sports teams; we discussed prior accidents, common issues in aviation lawsuits, and the importance of safe airplane travel policies. This unfortunate accident should serve as a stark reminder to sports organizations to ensure that their travel policies are current with respect to aviation safety developments, and that their policies are rigorously adhered to. Sports organizations should also watch closely for the NTSB’s findings and any safety recommendations it may make, and review their policies accordingly.

Hat tip to my partner, Michael McGrory, for his work on this piece.

The NHL says it will postpone its plans for realignment because the players association wouldn't approve it in time for next year's schedules. (The union has taken to Twitter to deny it balked at the plan.)

This is tied to travel, which is subject to collective bargaining, but only indirectly. So it's not clear to me that this is something the union should have any say over. The league says it will pursue all avenues to preserve its rights, but it says it's too late for next season.

The "healing" picture you would have gotten had Michigan lost

As I watched the initial ugliness of the Sugar Bowl play out on my TV -- .a 0001 yards per carry average on first down, VT making 3rd-and-long conversions as if Gerg had been named honorary DC before the game, and a Hokie walk-on kicker drilling FGs like he was an All-American -- I mentally picked out the perfect "healing" picture if Michigan ended up losing.  Actually, it wasn't so much a healing pic as punishment.  If the team was going to give the effort that it initially looked like it was going to give, then I was going to give the same effort in finding a healing pic.

The photo I had in mind comes from a previous MZone post on November 1, 2007.  Entitled Caption Contest: M Go Mardi Gras!,  I thought the New Orleans connection and beaded content would have made it the perfect choice based the explanation above.  Thankfully, I didn't need to use it.  Because if you think a loss would have made you ill...

Here's the original post with the pic that would have been used:

Yesterday, reader WM sent us perhaps the greatest single reader-submitted picture in the history of the MZone. NSFW? Folks, this thing is Not Safe For Life!

First, the setup courtesy of WM's email...

"I'm a big fan of your blog and live in Houston, TX. I just traveled up there for the Michigan/Minnesota game, and I wanted to share a pic I took from that game, and more IMPORTANTLY, and picture from Mardi Gras several years ago. I'm wearing a Michigan hat and the rest....well, the rest explains itself! Thought you may be able to use the Mardi Gras pic for some lighthearted comedy!"

Talk about burying the lead. He sends a picture of Michigan running out of the tunnel which is good, you know. Then the one below...

(ED. NOTE: Please finish any and all beverages you are currently drinking before scrolling down)


Do you fine people have idea how many pixels of blackout I had to use to make this remotely semi-safe for our often-R-rated-but-never-X-rated site? Those were the largest areolas I've ever seen in my life - real, pornographic or imagined.

Sweet Jesus! He's being swallowed alive. His buddy right next to him could have been shouting WM's name at the top of his lungs and he wouldn't have heard shit.

And check out the reactions of the guy in the Dolphins hat on the left and the dude in the background. Priceless. Simply priceless.

Folks, this deserves a caption contest - nay, demands it. Here's what we came up with...

"New Orleans ear muffs."

Leave us your best in the comments section while I go gouge my eyes out with a tuning fork.

MZone Autopsy looks at the flip side of all things Sugar

Another downside of bowl games stretched out across January is that some of us have to jump back into the post-holiday work world and thus can't blog about the games as quickly as hoped.  So, after a slight delay, let's take one more look back at Michigan's Sugar Bowl victory in...

MZone Autopsy: Virginia Tech

*  Yes, it was an ugly game.  And yes, we got a little lucky.  But after several instances of Michigan getting the short end of the bowl karma stick, the Wolverines were due for the bowl gods to finally smile their way.  Phantom Touchdown, anyone?

Charles White's "TD" in the '79 Rose Bowl: Football Optional

* Along those same lines, in short time, nobody will remember how Michigan won only that we won. 

*  Okay, I admit it: I actually felt a little bad for the VT kicker when he missed that last FG in OT.  It was such an amazing story -- 3rd string kicker who'd never before made a FG in a game calmly making kick after kick -- that I hated to see it end that way for the kid.  On the flip side...

* How 'bout Michigan's kicking game?  From the depths of last season when any FG had about as much chance as a fan-pulled-from-the-stands halfcourt shot during a basketball halftime contest...to Brendan "Brunette Girls" Gibbons becoming absolutely money.  On the flip side...

*  Yeah, I know: Keith Stone Gibbons probably shoulda been called for a false start on that final FG for, you know, false starting. 

Keith Stone...or Brendan Gibbons?  You make the call

*I'm not usually one to bitch about play calling but when your All-American center can barely stand on one of his legs, it's probably not best to keep putting your wildly mobile QB under center.  Doesn't it make more sense to run out of the shotgun even more so Denard has a least a little more time in case your hobbled center gets beat?  Just sayin'.

*  Bitch, Part II:  Uh, for the record, that Fitz Toussaint running play on first down didn't work.  Like, ever.  So we might have wanted to get away from it at some point.

*  Is it just me, or throughout the years, does Michigan seem to be the team with the biggest disparity between how they played during the regular season and how they look in a bowl game?  My goodness.  Along those same lines...

*  Our defense gave up so many uncharacteristic 3rd and longs that I almost expected to see members of our defensive coaching staff rubbing stuffed animals on our players.

*  Frank Beamer deserves props for sending home his 2nd string kicker due to a curfew violation.  He'd already left his 1st string kicker back in Blackburg due to B&E charges.  So when his 2nd string kicker came back to the hotel late, how easy would it have been to have him run extra laps in the spring?  Or make him not run out of the tunnel with the team?  Or not let him kick the opening kick-off?  You know, BS "punishment" that Tressel or Dantonio would've doled out (yeah, I know -- Tressel and Dantonio would've had the B&E kicker there saying we "have to let the legal process play its way out" before dealing with it).  Instead, Beamer put the 2nd stringer on a bus -- A BUS -- home and went with a kid who'd never made a FG before.  I was impressed.  On the flip side...

*  Frank Beamer's 4th down "fake" in the 4th quarter was one of the more boneheaded call I've seen in a loooong time.  When everybody I was watching the game with is yelling, "Watch the fake!" as VT lined up to punt -- coming out of a time out -- you know you're not fooling anyone.  Don't understand it, but I'm thankful for it.

*  As for VT's OT TD/Non-TD, put it this way, if that had been Michigan, I'd still be pissed but it probably was the right call.  I think.  However, the question really isn't about whether I think he made/didn't make the catch.  To me, the question is whether or not there was indisputable video evidence to overturn the call that had already been made.  By that measure, I'm not so sure.  I had to watch the damn play several times to conclude that I think the ground aided the catch.  Point is, if the rule states that the replay must show indisputable evidence to overturn the call on the field, then I'm not sure this instance rose to that.

In the same way, I think Michigan got boned in the Iowa game re: the Hemingway TD catch/non-catch at the back of the endzone.  I thought he caught it, but once the initial call on the field was "no catch," it was going to be hard to overturn that based on the rule calling for indisputable evidence.

*  Don't fuck with Holly Rowe.  And no, that wasn't Angelique Chengelis from the Detroit News on the receiving end as some initially thought.

* The feeling after winning the game was one of the strangest I've ever felt after winning a big game.  After the Ohio State game, it was pure ecstasy.  After the Sugar, it was subdued relief.  On the flip side...

*   The pure joy I did feel was for Brady Hoke and those players.  Brady did something nobody expected this year.  11-2 and a BCS bowl victory?  Are you kidding me?  Yeah, I saw that coming.  And Junior Hemingway's emotion after the game was so pure.  He perfectly summed up everything those kids -- especially the seniors -- went through during their U-M careers.  Nice job to ESPN for cutting away from most of such a moving speech to play it underneath game clips.  You know, because why would we actually want to see it?

*  The oft-repeated stat that this is only the 5th U-M team with 11 wins is a tad misleading in that we now play 12 regular season games.  Put it this way, how many times do you think all those Schembechler teams that went 10-2 in the 70s and 80s would have notched an 11th win, especially if that 12th game was a home contest against WMU/EMU/PICK A CARCASS.

*  When's the last time you've felt this much optimism going into an off-season?  Damn, it feels good!  On the flip side...

* Not to rain on the optimism parade, but Michigan has to have one of the most brutal schedules in the country next year: Open with 'Bama in Dallas; ND, Nebraska and Ohio all on the road; then throw in likely top 10 team MSU at home.  It's gonna be tough but something tells me Brady will have the team up to the challenge.

Go Blue!  And congrats again to team 132 for a hell of a season!