Good afternoon (or evening for some of you, as it were) Giants fans! It's a slow news week, except for Roger Goodell and Bountygate, the blackout rule, noise rules and the obligatory Erin Andrews update.
So let's get to it.
First, earlier this week, Goodell upheld the suspensions of the four Saints players suspended for their roles in Bountygate--Jonathan Vilma, Will Smith, Anthony Hargrove and Scott Fujita. Then on Thursday, the NFL Players Union sued the NFL on behalf of Smith, Hargrove and Fujita--while Vilma has sued the NFL separately. Here is what a league spokesman said in the article:
The NFL said the action is an "improper attempt to litigate" and said there is "no basis for asking a federal court to put its judgment in place of the procedures agreed upon with the NFLPA in collective bargaining."
In other words, the NFL is saying not to waste their time, and the players are saying, "No, Mister Hand, this is OUR TIME."
In other legal news, an artist has had an ongoing battle with the Baltimore Ravens over what he claims to be theft of a logo he created for the team. After winning in court, Frederick E. Bouchat (yeah, he sounds like a football fan, doesn't he?) the Ravens never paid him and now he's suing because M&T Bank Stadium is using what he claims to be his logo. Stay tuned, this could go on for another ten years.
So the NFL, in an effort to hold onto fans so that it can afford to pay for all of the impending legal fees, is trying to make the stadium experience more friendly. There will be wireless Internet access (you gotta check fantasy stats, right?) and the same replays that officials can see will be shown. They are also watering down the blackout rule. Hey, whatever. Strippers, do I hear strippers?So Goodell is also actively seeking applications for NFL teams to move to Los Angeles. Hey, how about the Jets?
Erin Andrews has officially signed with FOX Sports, and her main gig will be to host the college football pregame show. Let's start an impromptu poll here--does that mean anything to any of you? Just asking!
When it comes to the NFL, gambling and organized crime, I'm always fascinated. This article did not tell me much I didn't already know, but still a good read.
I'm not a huge NBA fan, but if Dwight Howard joined Steve Nash and Kobe in Los Angeles to counter the Heat's big 3, I would watch much more.
Did any of you read this story about RA Dickey last week? Great stuff, and truly inspiring. I, for one, hope he gets to start the all-star game.
Finaly, I trust none of you blew your fingers or toes off the other day. That would suck. I stayed far away from the fireworks. In fact, we have a sweet view from our deck of the professional fireworks in Madison, so stayed away from the crowds as well as the dry plains that are lawns in Wisconsin right now. Of course, there was a bit of drama. As I was putting out my cigar and my wife came back outside to grab our 4-year old boy's iPad, the kid locked us out of the house! Thankfully he knew how to unlock what he had just locked. And I think he snickered to himself.
It was 107 here in Wisconsin yesterday. That'll warm your beer in a hurry. I can't wait to see how hot the weekend will be.
Enjoy the weekend, everyone. Is it football season yet?