Friday, August 27, 2010

University of Non Compliance - oops

What's happening with North Carolina football as well as South Carolina's hotel situation should serve every college program as the ultimate reminder: do not attract the NCAA's attention. Even if the original situation doesn't prove to be a crisis, they'll inevitably look under enough rocks that something else turns up. Thanks to Marvin Austin tweeting about his glamorous South Beach lifestyle enough to make people ask questions, suddenly the Tar Heels are in the middle of a major academic scandal. Another lesson: just because players stay rather than leave for the draft, it's not always a good thing. As for Butch Davis, he's got a DL coach who's reportedly tied extremely closely to an agent that's been reported at the center of the South Beach mess and now a cheating tutor who also was paid by him to work with his son. How much more mud can his image get before it starts to leave a stain?

Georgia's got a problem on their hands today, thanks to Washaun Ealey's arrest on hit and run and driving with suspended license charges. Caleb King has shown little to indicate he's special or an every down back even though he's the projected starter, and now the Bulldogs aren't likely to have Ealey for their game with South Carolina. That will up the pressure on starting QB Aaron Murray, who'll be starting his first road game in college, to play at a high level because it will be easier for SC to take away the run. No way that's a good thing for Mark Richt and company.

FSU's decision to begin going after high schools for using the Seminoles name and imagery might make sense to an attorney in an office, but in the real world it's idiotic. The Seminoles have recruited players out of Bradenton Southeast High for years - they just noticed the helmet and name were the same? When Miami tried this crap with Umatilla High they looked petty and foolish, and maybe FSU realized too late the same was true for them. Now they're trying to work it out, which is simple to do. Southeast agrees they can't market their logo nationwide in competition with FSU (not that they were ever going to) - problem solved. My hourly rate's a lot cheaper than the attorneys.

Is there anything in sports lamer than self proclaimed "Super Fans"? Every team seems to have a couple of guys who've decided they're the next "Big Dawg" from Cleveland and dress up like clowns to try and make it happen. Meet "Boltman", the San Diego Chargers biggest fan. This guy tried to sell his getup for $75,000. Shockingly, no one took him up on the offer. That might be because any mascot gear is smelly and disgusting, and most people are smart enough not to want to wear it to games unless they're getting paid for it. The guy now is babbling something about "Boltman" protecting kids from "Stranger Danger". I'm pretty sure I know the first stranger I'd want them to stay away from. Have a good weekend and I'll see you back here Monday. Follow along on Twitter @heathradio for anything that catches my interest between now and then.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I'm surprised to see FSU going after a team's logo since they've been at the receiving end of similar treatment. Dodge went after my high school in Lake Mary last year for using their "Ram" logo and it ended in pretty much the same manner. These big teams/corporations always look silly for harassing a high school because it looks like their attacking the kids.

In all honesty, I side with the teams/businesses. Unless a school has obtained explicit permission to use another organization's logo they're stealing intellectual property. The kids, of course, don't know any better, but the adults and administrators should set a better example.