Imagine being Plaxico's cellmate - you got two years for shooting yourself?

Do you ever feel like you're living the movie Groundhog Day? July 3rd of last year I wrote about my contempt for Tampa Bay's selection of first rounder Aqib Talib when he got in trouble (Favre was unretiring, too). In May, Talib was in trouble again. Hey, guess who's been arrested for battery and resisting arrest? The lesson of the Dungy years in Tampa Bay was clear - draft quality people who also are good players and you will win. Draft talent that is undisciplined and irresponsible (the Keith McCants types of the world) and you will lose. Unfortunately, the Bucs chose not to continue to follow that blueprint when Dungy was ousted. They are getting what they deserved as a result.

Further illustrating my point that it's not worth dealing with people who can't be counted on to make smart choices, even if they're really talented, is Plaxico Burress. He was reportedly offered a plea deal which would have given him a few months in jail on his gun charges and turned it down to try his luck with the grand jury. Yesterday, he pled guilty and got two years in jail instead. I've heard lots of people make the argument that this is ridiculous compared to Donte Stallworth's sentence, which I agree with in theory but is totally irrelevant since we're talking about crimes which happened in different states. NYC has strict gun laws, and it's not a secret. Burress chose to ignore them at his own peril.

Talib and Burress are unquestionably talented, which is why they were first round draft picks despite coming into the NFL with baggage. Guys who aren't talented and come into the league with baggage are undrafted free agents like Marcus Vick. You might have thought that given the events of the last two years there was no chance Michael would be considered the smart son in the Vick family, but Marcus has found trouble yet again. For every Eli Manning that can handle being the brother of the superstar and thrive themselves, there are a whole bunch of Adam Bledsoes and Marcus Vicks who can't.

With all the revenue streams college football already has, there's one that would be a surefire moneymaker that they're missing out on right now: booze at games. Most places don't allow it, or restrict it to the skyboxes and possibly club seats. Some schools are beginning to allow their concession stands to sell beer, even at on campus venues. There's no SEC or NCAA policy that says a school can't sell beer, but common sense should keep them from doing so since they have plenty of money coming in. If one decides to and makes big money though, you can count on others jumping in quickly.

I don't typically make commercial mentions in the blog, but I want to put one in for my buddy Kyle Cohan at Wing Zone in Gainesville. This year has been a tough one for business owners everywhere, with restaurants especially getting hit hard. So the other day when Kyle got an order for 1000 wings from UF football, that was a pretty nice surprise. Ten minutes later, they called back and changed plans - ouch. Kyle backed the Dog Day Thursday contest on the show for a couple of years, so I'd like to return the favor. If you're a Gainesville reader and you enjoy wings, call him up at 377-BIRD (campus area) or 377-WING (Tower Road). I'd get honey BBQ or sweet teriyaki, but they've got plenty of styles for you to choose from. Might be a good way to enjoy some preseason football this weekend. This isn't the start of monetizing the blog or anything: I don't have any "tell 'em Heath Cline sent you" deal I can give you, and Kyle doesn't even know I'm doing this. Just helping out someone who helped me take care of the Gainesville audience. Have a good weekend and I'll see you back here Monday.