Episode #18: The Electric Slide

On the latest edition of New Era Radio...

Marcas dusts off his long-standing (and one-sided) feud with Jaleel White. The guys break down the 'Melo and D-Will trades. Cacique professes his love for the NFL Combine. And we give out our own Oscars.

Monday's Birthday Shout-Out: Brian Billick Makes Whoopie

Before he was an NFL analyst or a Super Bowl winning head coach with the Baltimore Ravens, Brian Billick was just another workaday Joe with a wide lapel leather jacket and an ugly tie with a fat knot.

All of which was good enough for Billick to make an appearance on Match Game PM shortly after being cut by the 49ers and Cowboys just before the start of the 1977 season. Even then, Billick had that same cocky smirk. Too bad his offense on the show was as poor as it was in Baltimore.

Billick would take the loss, prompting Richard Dawson to crack "Football: failed. Game show: failed." Ouch.

Sunday Reading: The NBA Sky Isn't Really Falling

The idea that LeBron James taking his talents to South Beach to pair up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh was the beginning of the end of the NBA as we know it picked up steam again with the great ado that was last week's trade deadline.

Carmelo Anthony finally willing his way out of Denver? Utah trading Deron Williams to New Jersey before they get Carmelo'd? Chris Paul possibly landing at Madison Square Garden? Dwight Howard possibly taking his Superman act to Los Angeles?

It's unsustainable! It's unfair! It's the death of the NBA! Or is it?

On the same day the new-look Oklahoma City Thunder play the Los Angeles Lakers and the newly-paired Carmar'e (or should it be Amelo?) meet up with The Heatles, there are more than a few people thinking that we need to hold off on the doomsaying.

After all, this isn't totally unprecedented, as Harvey Araton reminds us in the New York Times:

But the concept actually did the league a world of good during the 1980s when Larry Bird’s Celtics and Magic Johnson’s Lakers had star-studded rosters that helped launch the sport into the global marketplace that eventually became Michael Jordan’s celestial airspace.

Araton argues that fans should embrace the idea of stars teaming up, remembering a not-too-distant era when top tier players each wanted Jordanesque billing and consistently had problems co-existing. What it led to was nearly a decade dominance by the Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons who were able to build their team around a pair of superstars and a cast of strong role players willing to subjugate their game for the greater cause.

So why should players catch heat for that? According to Dave Hyde of the Miami Sun-Sentinel, they shouldn't. Hyde's opinion isn't a new idea nor is it particularly radical. But it is a deep breath moment in a room full of hyperventilators.

But this fear that players are overstepping their bounds is as overstated as big-market teams suddenly destroying small-market teams. What's happening is dumb, short-sighted, mismanaged, small-market teams are being penalized.

As a fan of one of those dumb, short-sighted, mismanaged, small-market teams (when will my GS-Dubs have their moment in the sun?), I grudgingly have to accept that the franchise has been its own worst enemy for the better part of two decades now. But I also have a hard time believing that if the revenue gap continues to increase amongst the big and small market teams that we'll ever see a real diversity of teams that win championships.

Then again, that's not new either, says the Denver Post's Benjamin Hochman. Since 1980, only eight teams have won NBA titles - a number that might have stood at seven if Jordan hadn't left to play baseball. But Nuggets coach George Karl doesn't think it has to be that way. Karl wonders why a group of well-coached, unselfish role players working as a team couldn't one day hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

"Why can't you win with 10 really good players? Maybe not the top five at their position, maybe not even the top 10 or top 15, but what about a guy at every position in the top 15, top 20? And they play hard and they play as a team. And then you have one of the best benches in the game. Why can't that win a championship?"

That's a wonderfully rosy statement from a guy who has been around professional basketball since debuting with the Spurs in the ABA in 1973. In theory, he's right. Why couldn't 10 really good players compete for a championship? After all, we've seen it work at the high school and college levels. But the NBA isn't college. And it damn sure isn't high school.

To build the type of team Karl envisions takes time, a luxury NBA franchises rarely afford head coaches. Thanks to the resignation of Jerry Sloan in Utah, Gregg Popovich is the NBA's longest tenured coach at 15 seasons in one place. In today's professional sports, that's an eternity. Even if you do keep a coach in place, how do you convince even a core of five players (let alone ten) to stick around?

Nonetheless, all three pieces make an interesting counter balance to the hysteria that followed the trade deadline.

• New York Times - Genius loves company in NBA balance of power
• Miami Sun-Sentinel - Why can teams be selfish and players can't?
• Denver Post - Karl isn't buying superstar blueprint

This could also be something to remember as the NBA's labor fight ramps up during the summer. Initial indications are that the league will do what it can to break the union. LeBron, Kobe and Carmelo have mostly succeeded in building the teams they want to play for. With small market teams crying foul, will that forced autonomy backfire on the next crop of superstars looking for their chance to play amateur GM? Stay tuned.

Wanna stay up on the latest with New Era Radio? Check us out on Twitter!

Police Seize Desmond Clark's Rental Home

According to a report from a Tampa television station, local police in Lakeland, FL have temporarily seized custody of a rental home belonging to Chicago Bears' tight end Desmond Clark. The seizure came after police grew tired of repeatedly investigating the house because of suspected illegal activity.

Via BayNews9.com:

Known drug dealers and prostitutes were regular guests at the rental home of Desmond Clark, of the Chicago Bears, owns at 901 North Tennessee Ave. in Lakeland, according to police.

Police say Clark and his brother, who acts as the property's landlord, were warned several times to clean up the property before the issue was brought before Lakeland's City Nuisance Abatement Board. The board decided that the house should be made off-limits on January 15th. At that point, the windows were boarded and signs were put up warning people not to trespass on the property. Clark will be allowed to once again rent the property beginning next year.

One of the questions that has been asked (and as yet unanswered) regarding the lockout is whether any off-field transgressions would be punished by the Commissioner's office once the NFL resumed playing. This could be a potential test case, especially if Clark is found to have any further connection to the unsavory types who were using the house for *ahem* business purposes.

(H/T to Todd Wright)

this day in sports history..O.J. on SNL 78'

I know this is not a sports history but in 1978 this O.J. made his debut on SNL.Things have changes since then.....

NER Playlist: Tony Parker Seeks Balance

Since hip-hop music is such a large part of NBA culture, it shouldn't be surprising that even a guy like Tony Parker would try to make his mark in music.

Considering how unassuming the Spurs are as a whole, I always imagined Duncan, Parker and Ginobili listening to Kenny G or Sade. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it doesn't lend itself to living a hip-hop lifestyle.

TP is apparently out to prove me wrong. Seems the Belgian baller put out a French hip-hop album back in 2007 (it even featured Jamie Foxx!) and the first single made it all the way to number one on the French charts. Since I pretty much have just a high school understanding of the French language, I didn't catch a good chunk of it, (the poor mix on his mic didn't help either) although I do think I heard something about Snoop Dogg in there.

TP was always the good teammate, putting Tim Duncan, Robert Horry Brent Barry and Nazr Mohammed in one of his videos. But something tells me this video is more a re-enactment of the reason Parker and Eva Longoria broke up. 

Friday's Birthday Shout-Out: Remembering Ron Santo

2011 will be the first season without Ron Santo in the Chicago Cubs' radio booth. The self-proclaimed "World's Biggest Cub Fan" died in early December after a long, public bout with diabetes.

For all of the great icons in the long history of the Cubs franchise, Santo easily ranks alongside fan favorites like Ernie Banks, Harry Caray, Andre Dawson and Ryne Sandberg. And because he spent the past two decades as one of the team's beloved broadcasters, it shouldn't overshadow the fact that he was one of the better third basemen ever to play the game - both offensively and defensively.

But it was Santo's ability to connect with not only Cub fans, but fans in general that allowed him to garner such a national identity. For instance, right around the 2:26 mark, Santo engages play-by-play man Pat Hughes into a lengthy and detailed discussion about cake. Yes, it's as funny as you imagine it to be.

As a fan of baseball and especially baseball on the radio, it's sad to see so many of the longtime familiar voices of the game disappearing. Ron Santo will truly be missed by fans everywhere.

Kevin Love Unimpressed With Shawn Kemp's Unimpressededness

Blake Griffin's over-the-car effort to win last weekend's Slam Dunk Contest is still generating conversation. Look no further than Shawn Kemp's criticism of Griffin's dunk, calling it "the weakest dunk in the dunk contest that I've seen in a long time."

So far in his NBA career, Griffin has taken to just playing his game and not responding to any comments, criticisms or hard fouls from opponents. In this instance, it's Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves coming to Griffin's defense via Twitter:

Kemp does know a thing or two about putting on a show in the dunk contest. However, it's hard to disagree with Love since the last time most of us saw the Reign Man, he'd grown into a rather large thunderstorm. Although with Michael Jordan working out and rumors that Rasheed Wallace might be back in a Celtics uniform, maybe Kemp might consider putting down the burgers and picking up some weights.

Super Bowl XLVI Logo Unveiled...I Think We've Seen This Before

We're all aware that the NFL has some internal issues to work out at the moment. However, the league is trying to portray an image of business as usual. The combine is going on this weekend in Indianapolis, draft preparations are being made and Al Davis is signing everyone but his best player to huge contracts.

That normal laser-like NFL focus wasn't applied to Super Bowl 46 marketing. The league unveiled the logo for next season's Super Bowl, to be held in Indianapolis...

which is nearly identical to...

So, you added an "I" and changed the background from JerryWorld in Dallas to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Considering how diverse the previous set of Super Bowl logos have been (the Indy Star conveniently put together a slideshow of them here), this is just plain lazy.

Then again, maybe the NFL is in the midst of collective bargaining with its marketing people, too.

Allstate's Stand? It's Making Fun of LeBron James

Even though we're more than halfway through the season, people still continue to take shots at LeBron James. Then again when you set yourself up for public scorn the way James did during "The Decision", you're going to take some shots for awhile.

Now we have insurance companies jumping into the fray. Chicagoland radio stations have been playing Allstate insurance ads featuring spokesman Dennis "President David Palmer" Haysbert taking a shot at competitor State Farm via James, who is the company's pitchman.

The ad cuts deeper and deeper, adding more references along the way. Things like:

"Should you go where you get the most for your money? Or go with your hometown organization? Or maybe you should just team up with one of the best in the business."

And just in case you weren't totally sure if this was a shot at You Know Who, Haysbert hits you with...

"Are you ready to take your talents to Allstate?"

Hear the full commercial here...

I'm waiting for the television version when Mayhem rushes the floor in Miami, places his foot down for LeBron to awkwardly land on top of it, then yells "Karma!" as James writhes in pain on the hardwood.

(H/T to Darren Rovell and Dig Communications)

Bart Scott To Live Out His Pro Wrestling Dream

After Bart Scott's epic post-game interview with ESPN's Sal Paolantonio after the New York Jets' playoff win over the New England Patriots, you had to know that an announcement like this was only a matter of time.

Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com reported on Thursday that Scott has signed with TNA Wrestling to make a March 3 appearance on "TNA Impact". His appearance will reportedly coincide with the return of one of Scott's wrestling idols - Hulk Hogan.

Hogan was glowing in his praise of Scott's post-season interview performance, telling ESPNNewYork.com that he "knew when Bart looked down the barrel of the camera he believed in himself and in what he was saying. And that makes him a real dangerous man."

Scott won't be the first NFL player to show up in TNA Wrestling. Adam "Pacman" Jones and Frank Wycheck have checked in. And if the lockout happens as expected, there's a good chance you can see more of your favorite football players showing up in the ring.

As for Scott and Hogan, I'm not even all that interested in watching them wrestle. But as for the post-fight interview...Can't Wait!

Bell Biv Devoe Reunion on Jimmy Fallon

Had to put this up just for ol time sake

New Era Song of The Week...Bow Wow

Bow Wow comes with a sick ass flow that shows he is not on some SO SO shit no more. He reps Cash Money and with the talent on that roster his game will be on a whole new level.
This was not some lil kid flow, you can tell he has some shit to say and is challenging his lyrical wordsmanship.

Thanks Omarion for not dancing or singing on this track.

this day in sports history..1980 USA Hockey Gold

1980 USA Hockey Team Wins Gold

The "Miracle on Ice" is the name in American popular culture for a medal-round men's ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York, on February 22. The United States team, made up of amateur and collegiate players and led by coach Herb Brooks, defeated the Soviet team, who were considered to be the best ice hockey team in the world at the time.

Team USA went on to win the gold medal by winning its last match over Finland. The Soviet Union took the silver medal by beating Sweden in its final game. As part of its 100th anniversary celebrations in 2008, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) chose the "Miracle on Ice" as the number-one international ice hockey story of the century.

Thursday's Birthday Shout-Out: How Can Bronson Arroyo Get You Into A New Car?

Do a YouTube search for Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo and you'll find videos of him in action on the mound and plenty of him performing with his band.

You'll also find just as many with him starring in local Cincinnati-area commercials. It's not uncommon for a team's star player to do local advertising. But Arroyo's made a cottage industry out of it.

Case in point: This commercial for Champion Ford. It's the Arroyo Trifecta - a chance to show off his hair, his humor and his *ahem* use of salty language.

If he could have worked the leg kick in there, it would have been perfect.

this day in sports history...Jackie Robinson signed with Brooklyn

This day is long forgotten in the sense that I had to look this up. You would think there would be more of an uproar and celebration in all sports regarding this event.

What this date means to me is really pride. Yes, I say pride because I don't think I have the heart or the resolve that this man, this pioneer, this great American has displayed for his people and race. Going from the UCLA to War and then the Negro Leagues, finally Branch Rickey had the balls to go ahead and show what a black man can do in a white sport.

Jackie was not the most talented Negro League player at the time as Josh Gibson could swing with the best of them. No, he had the best temperament that any one man could have done in this situation. If you think about, we are all punks compared to what people in the Civil Rights Movement. Today we could not stand sitting on the back of the bus or staying in low budget hotel and eating establishments. The biggest and most important words he ever spoke of were the words he didn't say. If I was called "Nigger", "Spook", "Monkey", "Tar Baby" and last but not least "Jiggaboo".

Today we would have not let the word Ni...come out someones mouth before we take a fist to their face.

Jackie Robinson is a better man than I will ever be.

Nets Plan-B is Deron Williams

S.I.com reports:

The Utah Jazz have agreed to send All-Star point guard Deron Williams to New Jersey in a multi-team deal, SI.com has confirmed. The Jazz will receive rookie power forward Derrick Favors, point guard Devin Harris, two first-round draft picks and $3 million cash.

The Nets will also close to a deal that would send Troy Murphy's expiring contract to Golden State in exchange for big men Dan Gadzuric and Brandan Wright.

The surprising blockbuster comes after the Nets struck out on attracting LeBron James last summer in free agency, and Carmelo Anthony in a trade with Denver.

Williams, who's averaging 21.3 points and is third in the league in assists with 9.7 per game, is signed through next season and has a $17.8 million player option for 2012-13. There was a growing belief within the Jazz organization that Williams would opt out of his contract and sign elsewhere, and Utah was likely going to trade him next season to avoid losing him in free agency.

The 26-year-old guard and former longtime coach Jerry Sloan reportedly had a heated exchange during halftime of the Jazz's frustrating loss to the Chicago a couple weeks ago. Though Sloan denied the dustup as reason for his resignation the following day, it's been reported that Sloan grew tired of the struggles with Williams and was ready to end it.

Wednesday's Birthday Shout-Out: Bobby Bonilla Goes Undercover!

For about a three year period, Bobby Bonilla was one of the most feared hitters in baseball. Playing on a Pittsburgh Pirates team that owned the NL East for three straight seasons (I'm sure that's as weird to read as it is to type), Bonilla teamed up with Andy Van Slyke and a much slimmer, mustachioed Barry Bonds to create a formidable outfield.

After signing for big bucks with the New York Mets, Bonilla's production nosedived and all of the attitude problems that were overlooked when he was hitting .280 and above started to catch up with him. He put together a couple more big seasons - one in 1995 while splitting time between the Mets and the Orioles, then the following year in his only full season in Baltimore.

Not that he didn't put his time in the Big Apple to good use. In 1994, Bonilla made a cameo on the hip-hop cop drama "New York Undercover" playing a washed-out pro athlete who wears a wire to bust a drug dealer.

As far as athlete cameos go, Bonilla's acting is respectable. Although I'm sure there are plenty of Mets fans who were quite happy to see his character get pistol whipped.

By the way, check around 4:26 in...Cannon Howard looks suspiciously like Rick Barry.

Caltech Ends 310-Game Conference Losing Streak

Courtesy: LA Times (Gary Friedman)

You could poll everyone in Southern California on what they think of when they hear the name Caltech and not a single person would say "basketball". That's because the small, private research school in Pasadena is better known as the home of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Southern California Earthquake Data Center.

But for one night, Beaver Fever took over the campus after Caltech's men's basketball team beat Occidental, 46-45 on Tuesday night. It was Caltech's first win in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference since January 23, 1985 when they beat the University of La Verne, 48-47.

To put the streak into perspective, senior forward Ryan Elmquist - who made the game winning free throw - is the team's oldest player, born in 1989...four years into the streak.

With the win, the Beavers finish the season at 5-20, easily their best season in years.

Check out the final seconds and the celebration below:

(H/T Los Angeles Times)

Tuesday's Birthday Shout-Out: Julius Erving Can Dunk!

In 16 professional seasons, Julius Erving...

• Won an NBA championship and two ABA titles
• Won an NBA MVP award and three ABA MVPs
• Was an 11-time NBA All-Star and a five-time ABA All-Star

In addition, he was named to a slew of All-ABA and All-NBA teams and defensive teams from both leagues. His incredible hang time and amazing aerial acrobatics helped energize the NBA and created a slew of new above-the-rim style players.

He helped the Philadelphia 76ers win their only title since 1967. He popularized the slam dunk. He rocked Michael Cooper to sleep. He sailed behind backboards to make shots. 

He sported a kick ass afro.

So without further ado, we give you...

The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh.

There's no place like home!

FINALLY!! The MELOdrama is OVER!!

After days, weeks, months of having to hear about where Carmelo Anthony is going to play his post Denver Nugget ball... We have the final answer!! New York, baby! After giving up half their team, the ball boy and Spike Lee (Well maybe not Spike) The Knockerbockers aquire Melo this afternoon!

This 12 player, 3 team trade sends Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov, the Knicks 2014 1st round draft pick, the Golden State Warriors 2012 AND 2013 2nd round picks (aquired by NY for David Lee last summer) and 3 Million in cash to Denver. Anthony heads to New York with Chauncy Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter and Renaldo Balkman and Corey Brewer. The Minnesota Timberwolves get Eddy Curry and Anthony Randolph.

We already know Melo is a native of NY. Not to mention his wife LA-LA really wanted to be in NY as well.

I think the only team in the Western Conference that is happy about this trade is the Dallas Mav's. Lets not forget the 2009 2nd round play-off series where the Nuggets knocked off the Mavericks in 5 games. Currently the Mav's are the 2nd seed in the West and were on track to play the 7th seed Nuggets if the playoff picture stays the same

Melo kept his lips sealed with his best poker face on as he skipped todays Denver Nuggets practice (with the blessing of the Nuggets organization) to be a guest on Conan this afternoon! The show was filmed prior to the announcement of the trade going public, but I am sure the deal had been set in stone prior to the filming.

Now all the Knicks need to do is find out a way to make the Deron Williams rumors come true and they'll be a contender in the East!!

Melo! As the Big Apple welcomes you BACK home! The NERD's as well a @MagicJohnson (via Twitter) wishes you much success in your new home!! (Unless you're playing the Lakers or Warriors)

Angels' Unveil Tallest Player in Baseball History

Courtesy: Orange County Register (Bill Plunkett)

Prospects are always looking to stand out in Spring Training. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have one that will do just that - even if he doesn't play well.

Meet Loek (pronounced "Luke") van Mil, a 7-foot-1 Dutch right-hander looking to make a splash in his first full season with a new organization. After being signed by the Minnesota Twins in 2005, he was sent to the Angels as the player to be named later in the Brian Fuentes deal.

Right now, van Mil's biggest claim to fame is being the tallest player in professional baseball history - two inches taller than Jon Rauch, who previously held that distinction.

In actuality, Loek is just a shortened version of his name. His full name is Ludovicus Jacobus Maria van Mil...because a big man should have a big name.

So far, neither the length of his limbs nor his name did much to slow down opposing hitters last season. He split time between High-A and Double-A, posting a 1-3 record with a 5.97 ERA. He'll likely begin this year at Double-A Arkansas.

Monday's Birthday Shout-Out: Steve Francis' Legacy

Over the weekend, a conversation arose on Twitter about the best "pound-for-pound" players in NBA history. Allen Iverson and Isiah Thomas were considered the top two (in no particular order), but one interesting name did pop up.

Steve Francis.

The Franchise had the skills to be one of the NBA's great stars for a long time. Ankle-breaking handles, a lightning quick first step, a killer jumper and ridiculous hops made Francis the most exciting player to come out of a very deep 1999 draft class.

But the NBA history books are littered with prospects who for one reason or another failed to live up to their potential. In Francis' case, he was often his own worst enemy. From his initial refusal to play for the Vancouver Grizzlies, Francis began a pattern of wearing out his welcome wherever he went.

After his very short stay with the Beijing Shougang Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association, it appears that we've seen the last of Steve Francis in professional basketball. Looking back on what he could do on the floor, you have to shake your head and wonder what could have been.

Episode 17: Impostors!

This week...the Lakers drive Cacique to L.A. (Lakers Anonymous), how Albert Pujols could end up as The Most Hated Man In The History of Everything, a celebrity threesome you never thought of (for good reason) and when it's not good to be compared to Chris Rock.

Sunday Reading: NFL Players Get Real World Inspiration

Recently I've commented on the sometimes fractured solidarity of the NFL players as the expiration date for the league's collective bargaining agreement draws near.

News of a potential NFL work stoppage has begun to seep over from the sports sections to the business section. But in the past week, it appears that many "real world" issues are starting to find their way into the league's affairs.

Some inside and outside of the NFL Players Association have questioned union head DeMaurice Smith's ability to get a deal done without giving up major concessions. While other players have publicly expressed their support, Smith used the inspiration of the recent Egyptian revolution to help make his case and galvanize his constituents at the same time.

Via The Nation:

“You know,” he said, “we watched things unfold in a far-off country where a lot of the discussion preceding the protests was purely social media, people connecting. We have an ability to get our ‘let us play’ ad out. We know that anybody listening can type in ‘let us play’ and that ad will pop up and, frankly, if networks want to make a decision to boycott us, keep us off, those are the kind of things that get me fired up and let me know that I’m on the right side of right.”

His words were given a boost by a pair of news stories peripherally related to football later in the week. It began with the ongoing public worker protests in Wisconsin. Several current and former Green Bay Packers publicly extended their support for the unions, the most notable being All-Pro cornerback Charles Woodson.

Woodson's statement was about more than looking good in the eyes of Packer fans (although it certainly won't hurt). It was also a message to owners from one of the league's elected NFLPA player representatives about the union's resolve to fight.

The second story was the tragic suicide of former Chicago Bear Dave Duerson. Just a day after his death, reports surfaced that Duerson believed football led to a degenerative brain disease and left his brain intact in order to have it studied. The idea has strengthened current players' objections to the idea of an 18-game regular season. It should also boost the union's push for better benefits for retired players.


DeMaurice Smith: On an NFL Lockout and Inspiration From Egypt

For perhaps the first time in the history of NFL labor negotiations, the players have significant leverage. The league is reportedly earning billions every year (and was recently reported to be nearing a $2 billion extension with ESPN to continue broadcasting Monday Night Football), yet is asking the players to take a "trust us" approach over owners' claims of financial losses. The players are being asked to work more for less money while the league will still collect television revenue even if there is no football next season. 

Everything is aligned for Smith and the NFLPA to begin their stand here. If this week doesn't build player unity, what will?

Jim Gray Booted From Golf Channel Coverage

It appears that network sideline reporter Jim Gray is once again stirring the pot. This time he got himself kicked off the Golf Channel's coverage of this weekend's Northern Trust Open in Los Angeles by getting into an argument with Dustin Johnson's caddy.

Johnson was penalized two strokes for arriving late for his first-round tee time and explained to reporters that he was given bad information by his caddy. The caddy, Bobby Brown (no, not that one), took responsibility for his mistake. But after the round was over, Brown had some words for Gray about the reporter's attempt to ask Johnson about the penalty while the round was going.

The Golf Channel, perhaps sensing the potential of another dust-up like last year's Jim Gray-Corey Pavin feud, released a statement trying to nip things in the bud:

"Our aim is to provide the best possible golf coverage for our viewers. Anything else is a disservice. In order not to provide further distraction, we've decided to remove Jim from this particular assignment," Golf Channel spokesman Dan Higgins said.

No doubt the network wants to avoid the embarrassment of having their reporter get snubbed on national TV, the Chad Curtis famously did Gray during the 1999 World Series. But it also leads you to wonder if Gray realizes how much he's continually torpedoing his own career. He was considered to be nothing but a shill after playing the patsy during LeBron James' "Decision".

Most fans consider sideline reporting jobs to be dubious at best. Much of their in-game reporting centers on checking on injuries and nearly all of that information is given by the teams' PR people.

Golf might be the one sport in which they still have major value. Unlike in the four major sports, there are no media relations reps to give in-round reports on the health of a particular golfer. They also have the ability to get to areas on the course that the announcers in the tower can't see and report on a player's lie, course conditions, slopes, angles, etc.

Fans have long since run out of patience with Gray. With his future at The Golf Channel now in question, you wonder how much longer networks are going to put up with his shenanigans.

Friday's Birthday Shout-Out: Maurice Lucas' Championship Moment

Back when the NBA was a much more rough and tumble game; back before "NBA fight" became a punchline, there were some epic scraps in the league. Most fans can recall or have seen the scary punch Kermit Washington's landed on Rudy Tomjanovich.

Then there was The Enforcer.

Journeyman big man Maurice Lucas earned the nickname during the 1977 NBA Finals. While playing for the Portland Trailblazers, Lucas broke up a fight between 76ers center Darryl Dawkins and Blazers forward Bob Gross - by challenging Dawkins!

Nowadays, NBA fights are a lot of pushing, posturing and yelling. But Lucas and Dawkins squared off in what was going to become a heavyweight street fight if officials and teammates hadn't stepped in.

Lucas and Dawkins were ejected. The Sixers won the game to take a 2-0 lead in the series. But the fight sparked something in the Blazers. They went on to win the next four games to earn the franchise's only championship.

Unfortunately, Lucas died of bladder cancer in 2010. The Blazers honored him all of last season by wearing a patch with the number 20. 

New Era Song Of The Day

This group go down as one of the greatest rap groups ever!

This Day In Sports History.......

Today is the passing of NASCAR's greatest racer in the most important race of the year. On the morning of the 2001 Daytona 500, Earnhardt appeared confident and relaxed. When the race started, Earnhardt showed early promise, leading the race and maintaining a front-running position for most of the event.

A multi-car wreck late in the race eliminated several cars in spectacular fashion. Tony Stewart, who had beaten Earnhardt in the Budweiser Shootout, found his car tumbling wildly down the backstretch. The race was red flagged to facilitate cleanup of the track, and when the race resumed, it was Earnhardt and DEI drivers Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip who were running up front. As the laps wound down, Waltrip was leading Earnhardt Jr. and Earnhardt.

While Michael Waltrip raced toward the checkered flag to claim his first victory, with Earnhardt Jr. close behind, the cars of Earnhardt and Schrader slid off the track's asphalt banking toward the infield grass just inside of turn four. After climbing from his car, Schrader peered into Earnhardt's car, only to jump back and signal for EMTs.

Earnhardt's death was the catalyst for a number of changes in NASCAR,NASCAR also made the use of the HANS device mandatory in all cars following Earnhardt's death. Until that point, use of the HANS device was optional, at the discretion of the drivers or teams. Earnhardt had refused to wear the device, arguing it was uncomfortable and ineffective. He was not using a HANS device on the day he died of a Basilar skull fracture. The HANS device is designed to prevent such injuries.

Something To Make You laugh..........

A Scene from this movie made him legendary to every black household.

Magic Johnson & Larry Bird...On Broadway!

It's probably fitting that on Michael Jordan's birthday, two of the NBA's other icons - Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are reportedly having their careers once again remembered.

According to a report on ChicagoTribune.com, Fran Kirmser and Tony Ponturo - the men who produced "Lombardi" - are working on a new show to be titled "Magic/Bird". The production is slated to open on Broadway in 2012 with an assist from David Stern.

Just as "Lombardi" was produced with the help of National Football League, "Magic/Bird" will have the backing of the National Basketball Association. Bird and Johnson will also participate in Simonson's new project, scheduled to debut on Broadway in 2012.

Because the two careers have been so inextricably linked since their respective days in college, it's nearly impossible to tell the story of one without the other. It's also a story that has been told (very well) many times over. That leads us to wonder how Kirmser and Ponturo will approach their lives this time around - especially in a medium that doesn't lend itself to the ballet of basketball.

More than likely it will focus heavily on the off-court relationship between the two, presumably with video of their on-court exploits thrown in. Like many complex athlete stories, it would be best to center the narrative around one particular event. "Lombardi" dealt with a week in the life of the great Packers coach. "Magic/Bird" could deal with an NBA Finals series or the 1992 Summer Olympics.

The obvious response is to make a joke about the train wreck that has been "Spider-man: Turn Off the Dark". But people have been falling all over themselves to do that already...

So we'll go to the next question instead...who should play Magic and Larry? Derek Luke has been an early popular Internet choice, but I'm going with Morris Chestnut to play Magic. As for Larry...somebody get me Jesse Eisenberg and a bottle of bleach!

(H/T Kurt Helin & Ball Don't Lie)

New Era Radio Song Of The Day...Jam by MJ

To have to Icons in the same video is one thing. But when you have 2 men that were the best EVER! at what they did is a whole nother ball of wax. Both of these men have had impact on not only black men but all men on this planet. You see this is not a USA thing when comes to the the MJs...no it's a global thing. You can go into the slums of the worst ghettos in South Africa to the high society people in Antarctica. That would be cool to see what the boooshie people look like with million dollars igloos and such.

Anyway, the moral to my rant is that there has not been two men that have transcended there culture in terms of entertainment and fashion. Michael Jordan came out with his own line of shoes for basketball mind you and now, I don't think people wear Jordans for basketball at all. People will look at you pretty stupid to see you playing in Jordans for the amount of money it cost and could put your parents back a paycheck.

The marketing campaign around Jordan was a template for how every athlete of elite status should and how to be a mogul. Lebron James is the closest thing we have marketing wise to compare to Jordan with his shoes, commercials and basketball on the court. The most important thing that they have in common is HATERS! You will never be considered great unless you have just as many haters and fans.

We can talk about Jordan for hours and still not touch what he meant as the greatest player to ever touch a "rock". That's the impact he had in my life, there will always be the day that you remember your first home run or even your first kiss from some tramp in the 6Th grade who KISSED JOSEPH THE VERY NEXT DAY RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU AND HAD THE WHOLE CLASS LAUGHING AT POINTING........
Let me calm down, as I was saying you will always remember the first time you ever put on some Jordans but especially the day your parents actually bought you some Jordans.
The very next day you were at the playground, "Freakin niggas every way like MJ". But still couldn't pull the sick ass reverse lay-up, dunk or closing your eyes to make a free throw. But it didn't mean any different to you, you had the shoes.....and that is all what counted.

Thursday's Birthday Shout-Out: Still Wanna Be Like Mike (Jordan)

Eight years after Michael Jordan retired (for the final time), he is still the gold standard in the NBA. The list of his accolades would be enough to take up an entire post. An analysis of his impact on the NBA, professional sports and American culture at large could stretch much, much longer.

And while Twitter paused in "what if" reflection a few days ago after His Airness worked out at a Charlotte Bobcats practice, I think we can all agree that Michael is best letting sleeping Favres lie. Although I'm sure Byron Scott was tempted to pick up the phone when he caught wind of it.

Nonetheless in honor of Jordan's birthday, we tried to find a highlight or set of highlights that would best sum up his one-of-a-kind career. But then we figured that it would take us all day to decide that. And to just put a whole series of them would be unwieldy and probably prevent you from getting any work done today. We didn't want that on our conscience.

Instead, we give you the Gatorade commercial/music video that launched the phrase (and eventual Bow Wow movie series) that would eventually stick to every potential heir to his throne.

I remember going to a record store not long after the commercial became a national sensation and seeing cassette singles of the song for sale. Right next to it were singles by Joey Lawrence. They were on sale...two for the price of one.

Everyone under the age of 22 didn't understand half of that paragraph.

This Day In Sports History....Ted Williams Plane Crashed In Korean War

Courtesy of Roy Firestone

This really makes you think how any one's life can change within seconds. Probably the best hitter that has ever lived, had just as many trouble as you and me. Tony Gwynn could not hold a candle to him and Tony was the best hitter of my generation.

Respect to all War Veterans

Will Terrell Owens' Milkshake Bring All the Boys (and Girls) to the Yard?

Terrell Owens is cashing in on NBA All-Star weekend. While it doesn't have the same marketing cache as Radio Row during Super Bowl week, it's not uncommon to see stars from other sports trying to promote during the NBA's mid-season showcase.

T.O.'s been a reality TV star and a talk show host and says he plans on becoming a movie star. But before he takes his turn on the big screen, Owens apparently wants to try his hand as a soda jerk (insert your own joke here).

A YouTube video of T.O. dressed in a Cincinnati Bengals-themed Cosby sweater and promoting his appearance at a West Los Angeles milkshake shop made its way around the Internet on Wednesday morning.

It's certainly not the first time an athlete or celebrity has lent their fame to a food menu item. But it got us wondering what exactly you'd call it? Here are a few things we came up with:

• I Love Me Some Chocolate
• Get Your Peanut Butter Ready
• If It Looks Like Strawberry & Smells Like Strawberry, By Golly, It Is Strawberry
• That's My Butterscotch!

Post your ideas in the comments section.

Ochocinco Does Not Have A "Twit" Baby Momma

Chad Ochocinco loves meeting women on twitter however according to TMZ the NFL superstar claims he NEVER messed around with a woman who recently told a Philly radio station she was 3 months pregnant with his child.

The woman who called herself Paige went on the air Tuesday claiming she and Chad had a secret affair and she is now 3 months pregnant with his kid.

But sources close to Chad who’s engaged to “Basketball Wives” star Evelyn Lozada tell us Ochocinco is adamant the woman is merely giving birth to a BS rumor because the two have never, ever met in person.

We’re told Ocho exchanged some Twitter messages with the woman more than a year ago but insists nothing ever came from it.

When we called Ocho to ask about the story — he simply told us, “Child, please.”

A's Fans Getting Shortchanged On Beer?

What do Oakland A's and Seattle Seahawks fans have in common? Apparently both are getting ripped off when it comes to buying beer.

It was back in January when some fans at Seattle's Qwest Field recognized that the "small" and "large" beer cups held the same amount of liquid (despite the $1.25 price difference). The Seahawks tried to calm fans by announcing they would sell beer for the lower price for their remaining home schedule - which was just one game.

But it seems the folks in the Emerald City weren't the only ones playing Mr. Wizard. Last May, a couple of A's fans conducted an experiment similar to the one in Seattle.

What makes this more egregious is the significant price difference the A's are charging between the two sizes. The "Small Domestic Draft Beer" was priced at $4.99 last season with the "Large Domestic Draft Beer" going for $8.00 - a difference of more than $3!

Oakland has been one of the teams commonly mentioned when the issue of franchise revenue has come up in Major League Baseball. Not to say that Lew Wolff and the guys in the East Bay are hoarding cash, but it makes you wonder how bad off they'd be if they weren't getting that extra three bucks.

It also makes you wonder how many other teams in professional sports are going to have to start re-pricing their beers.

(H/T Athletics Nation)

Dodgers Take A Shot Across Angels' Bow

For decades, the Dodgers were the undisputed kings of Southern California baseball. They played in one of the most picturesque parks in the entire league, had a farm system that was the envy of most other organizations and were consistent winners.

Then came 2002. The Angels finally broke through and won a World Series and that started a tilt in the balance of power in the Southland.

Although neither team was all that memorable in 2010, the Angels still appear more likely to trend upward. Unless Carole Moreno decides to file divorce papers on her husband soon.

So what do you do if you're the Dodgers? You take the third grade route and make fun of the Angels' name. With Nike's help of course. The almighty Swoosh has helped print a series of t-shirts touting "The Los Angeles Dodgers of Los Angeles".

Granted, most fans and media people have been chuckling about "The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" for years now. It doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. And people in SoCal have a difficult time calling them "Los Angeles" for the simple fact that they don't play there. In fact, they don't even play in Los Angeles County.

The Boys in Blue have previously taken the high road, but apparently after losing five of six to their southern rivals in interleague play last year, the batting gloves have come off.

(H/T Orange County Register)

This Day In Sports History... Magic Johnson's Jersey Is Retired

1992 - The Los Angeles Lakers officially retired Magic Johnson's #32 jersey. Johnson was the fifth Laker player to have his jersey retired. The other players were Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Growing up as a Laker fan, you get spoiled of what just he meant to the Lakers. When he was on the court you just thought that Lakers could never lose any game. If there was a such thing as a total package: height, vision ,athleticism,and probably the best leader of all time.

Somthing To Make You Laugh...Weird Science Bar Scene

This is the kind of movie every 12 year old should grow up in. I tried making a woman but all I got was a beaten from my mom burning up Compton Barbie.

All-Star Dunk Contest..Dominique Vs. Michael Jordan

Wednesday's Birthday Shout-Out: Johnny Mac and His Axe

Do a quick YouTube search for John McEnroe and you'll find plenty of montage videos about the tennis great's famous tantrums.

(I recently learned when challenging a call in tennis, "Are you sure?" is the proper etiquette. "You can not be serious!" is not. Who knew?)

Just when I thought I'd be spending all morning going through tantrum videos to find just the right one, I came across something interesting. I had no idea he was a pretty talented guitarist. So in honor of Johnny Mac's 52nd birthday, I give you this pretty cool video of McEnroe alongside Rob Thomas imitating another famous left-hander...

McEnroe's got it like that? You can not be serious!

New Era Girl Of The Week....Brooklyn Decker

Just seeing her walk out of the water is priceless and worth going to the movie. It is the #1 movie in the country.

O.J. Beaten Up For Having Sex With White Women

HuffingtonPost.com reports:

According to USA Today, a prison official said that the National Enquirer's report about O.J. Simpson being attacked is "totally bogus." Steve Suwe, the public information officer for the Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada, denied the claims in an interview with Game On!

The National Enquirer reported on Tuesday that O.J. Simpson was attacked in the Nevada prison and beaten unconscious. The paper said he spent three weeks in the infirmary:

Inmates cheered as a muscular young skinhead knocked him to the ground, punching and kicking him to a bloody pulp and inflicting injuries so severe he secretly spent nearly three weeks in the infirmary before he recovered.

It has been reported that O.J. was beaten for claiming that after having sex with white women they do not want another white man in their life.

A Bird Made A Million Off The Super Bowl!

Yo..Bryan "Birdman" Williams the CEO of Cash Money Records tells and shows why he is about his cash and his money, especially when it comes to betting on the Super Bowl. It is reported by XXL Magazine that "Birdman" made a million dollars by betting on the Green Bay Packers at a Las Vegas sports book this past Super Bowl. He has his boy Lil Wayne to thank for the tip, since Wayne made it perfectly clear that he is a Packers fan and if you did't know that you should hear his rap called" Green and Yellow "(Check the NER archives)

Birdman took to twitter to announce that the money is gonnne:

"I already spent that money [on] a Landaulet Maybach," Birdman revealed in an interview. "My son [Lil Wayne] is a Green Bay fan -- I'm a diehard Saints fan, but he's a die-hard Green Bay fan. So I just went hard. And I believed Green Bay was going to win, they pulled it off. My son knows a lot of about sports, so I was just like whatever he's going to rock with I'm going to rock with hard." (XXL Mag)

I can only dream of coming up on pay day like that. By the way a Maybach cost around 1.5 million dollars....yes for a car.

Something To Make You Laugh..Katt Williams on Shaq

.......Tooo Dam Funny

Something To Make You Laugh..Coming To America

Could Albert Pujols Join Cardinals Ownership?

With the clock winding down on the Albert Pujols negotiations, anxiety in St. Louis has been turned up to 11. And there could be a new bargaining chip on the table.

Ownership.

Former MLB commissioner Fay Vincent offered his thoughts on talks between Pujols and the Cardinals with St. Louis' Fox 2 News and suggested that the organization offer Phat Albert the chance to become a part-owner.

"I think Albert Pujols may be the first,” Vincent continued, "because he's going to be entitled to an enormous amount of money. He should take 10 to 15 million dollars a year in regular salary and the rest in the form of a capital asset, an option to buy stock in the Cardinals."

The two sides are said to be very far apart after the slugger turned down an offer the Cardinals made two weeks ago. In the meantime, the St. Louis front office is working feverishly to prevent "Albertgeddon" from hitting the Gateway City. With reports that Pujols is looking for a ten-year contract possibly exceeding $300 million, it's hard to imagine a lot of ways the franchise can satisfy their star while still being able to build a winner around him. According to the Fox 2 story, sources within the Cardinals front office say the idea of offering Pujols an ownership stake is not out of the question.

It's an idea that Vincent first proposed in a Wall Street Journal op-ed in November 2010. In the piece, Vincent mentions that there is nothing in MLB's bylaws that prevents it. The only stipulation is that the player must sell his shares if he is traded. It's a concept that is very common in business and entertainment and Vincent wonders why athletes looking to maximize their earning power haven't thought of it sooner.

As for Pujols and the Cardinals, it will be fascinating to see if the idea has any legs. With the rule about selling shares in the event of a trade, ownership would work as something of a no-trade clause (making it unlikely the players union will okay it). But now that the seed has been planted, it's very easy to imagine that the next top-of-the-marquee free agent may float the idea to see if it gains any traction.

Tuesday's Birthday Shout-Out: The (Mark) Price is Right

After Ray Allen broke the NBA record for most three-pointers made in a career last week, it spawned a national discussion about who the best shooters in NBA history were.

One name that didn't get a lot of attention was Mark Price. Injuries prevented him from being a lot higher in NBA record books than he likely could have been, nonetheless, Price was one of the league's purest shooters for a very long time. A two-time winner of the three-point contest, Price was a career 40.2% shooter from beyond the arc and has since taken to helping current NBA players improve their shooting stroke.

But apparently that wasn't exciting enough to make it into this early '90s NBA music video soundtracked by Soul Asylum. Then again, since the song wasn't really going to fire anybody up, you probably would need to spice up the highlights a bit. Instead we're left with a montage that gives you the impression that Price was a Steve Nash prequel.

Lakers, Time Warner Agree to 20-Year Cable Deal

The Los Angeles Lakers have announced a 20-year deal with Time Warner Cable for local distribution of all pre-season, regular season and post-season games via a pair of new regional sports television networks beginning with the 2012-13 season. One of the networks will be produced entirely in Spanish - a first for regional sports networks (as opposed to the national ESPN Deportes or just having SAP feeds).

The immediate impact is that Laker road games will no longer be seen on local KCAL 9. But the new channels' carriage throughout the Lakers' territories in Southern California, Nevada and Hawaii should help make up for the households lost with the lack of local television. For the Lakers it's an obvious win, especially with the addition of the Spanish language network in a market with a large Spanish-speaking population that loves the team.

On the surface it would seem to be distressing that a team with a $91 million payroll is on the verge of reaping an even greater windfall with a huge new TV deal. While the league does allow teams to keep all of the revenue it makes from it television contracts, the NBA's salary cap should prevent the league from running into Major League Baseball's problem of the Yankees versus everybody else.

For Time Warner, it appears to be a win on many different levels. First, the Lakers get great ratings, meaning the network will have no trouble generating ad revenue. Second, as Kurt Helin points out at Pro Basketball Talk, it gives all of the other teams in the market leverage. The Lakers, Clippers, Dodgers, Angels, Kings, Ducks, USC and UCLA have all been fighting for space on L.A.'s two sports cable networks - Fox Sports West and Fox Sports Prime Ticket. With pro and college basketball and hockey all going at the same time, it can get crowded. Suddenly the other entities have a lot more leverage when it comes time to re-up.

But it also means Time Warner will have negotiating leverage of their own when it comes to having the networks picked up by other distributors like Charter, DirecTV and Dish Network. Reminiscent of 1997 when then-Dodgers owner Rupert Murdoch moved the team's Opening Day game to Fox Sports Net West 2 (now FS Prime Ticket) in a successful effort to strongarm cable operators who had balked at carrying the network. Similarly other carriers will be more willing to get a deal done if it prevents Laker fans from switching services to see their team.

However it could mean Time Warner subscribers may have to keep waiting for the NFL Network. The operator has been loathe to work out a deal with the league and the revenue that could be earned from this Laker deal means that (in L.A. at least), TWC won't be in any hurry to bend to Roger Goodell's demands. Although with the way things are going, NFL Network may not have too much new programming to show anytime soon.

The NFLPA Just Wants Some Love

With just over two weeks until the NFL's collective bargaining agreement expires, both the league and the player's union have been in a fight to win over the public's trust (even if at times it seems like the NFLPA has been fighting amongst itself).

As the deadline approaches, the rhetoric ramps up leaving most of us to wonder just how far apart the two sides are when it comes to making a deal. But as we all know, there's a thin line between love and hate, so the union has decided via Twitter and its NFLLockout.com website to spread the love on Valentine's day.

I wonder if this came in a box of 33, with an especially big one for the teacher (Roger Goodell). 

Monday's Birthday Shout-Out: Clipper Darrell's Greatest Love

It's only fitting that on Valentine's Day, our birthday shout goes to a guy who has displayed unconditional love through circumstances thick and thin - mostly thin.

Anyone who has ever been to a Los Angeles Clippers game knows that no one is a bigger fan than Clipper Darrell. Sprinting through the stands dressed in a blue and red three-piece suit leading cheers, Darrell Bailey has been a fixture at Clipper games for years. He even went so far as to spend $12,000 to give his BMW a custom Clipper paint job.

As a man who says he and the Clips are going to "ride and die" together, he once turned down an offer from Mark Cuban to move to Dallas and become the Mavericks' number one fan. (Darrell says he's never been to the state of Texas.) Although with recent news that he wasn't going to renew his season tickets because of recent mistreatment by the franchise, you wonder if this relationship isn't on the rocks.

But the Clipper Darrell love story goes beyond L.A.'s "other" team. Darrell is a huge fan of NBA basketball as he showed while breaking down the playoffs in 2009...

So happy birthday to you, Clipper Darrell. The best present would be the Clips getting their act together and giving him his seats back. But I'm sure he'd settle for Blake Griffin winning the dunk contest this weekend, right?

Sunday Reading: Breaking Down the NFL Labor Situation

Now that the NFL season is over just about every piece of news about the league has something to do with the continuing labor negotiations and the threatened lockout. There are plenty of great insiders on the Internet with plenty of great insight on what's going on with the negotiations and predictions on what could happen next.

But the most thorough analysis of the root causes that have led us to where we are may be on a blog hosted by a group promoting Austrian School ideals.

(Don't worry, I had to look it up myself. Click here.)

In a two-part blog post, the author comments on everything from the rookie wage scale and public stadium financing to the league's stance on gambling and Roger Goodell's demagoguery. Through it all, the owners are roasted for being a staid, ineffectual billionaire boys' club riding a wave of unprecedented success created by the players, television networks and the public at large.

Via Mises Economic Blog:

The NFL produces three things: stadium debt, intellectual property, and bureaucracy. None of these things should be confused with “free market” values. The league is a prime example of what happens when you mix politically influential egos with easy credit and a media environment that largely promotes economic ignorance. You have the perfect boom business. 

But all booms eventually end. NFL acolytes — and they are presently the majority — will insist, as Homer Simpson once did, that “everything lasts forever.” One media writer I correspond with insisted to me recently the NFL will be even more popular in 20 years then it is today. Go back to 1991 and think about all of the businesses you could have said that about, incorrectly, at that time.

There was a time not long ago when sports was a separate entity from politics and economics. As the NFL and other leagues have continued to expand in both size and monetarily, they have started to intertwine with policy and finance. This is a fascinating read showing how all sides interconnect.

Behind the Lockout, Part I
Behind the Lockout, Part II

Turns out this could be as good an argument as the NFLPA could have hoped for. Maybe it can stop its members from taking shots at one another.

Does Antonio Cromartie Want To Fight Kevin Mawae, Too?

A couple of weeks ago, we wrote about a brief but heated feud between New York Jets' cornerback Antonio Cromartie and Seattle Seahawks' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.

The spat began when Hasselbeck suggested that Cromartie (who had recently criticized NFLPA leadership) didn't know "what CBA stands for". Cromartie not so kindly offered to give Hasselbeck a facial re-do before the quarterback sheepishly withdrew his comments.

So it's with baited breath that we wait to hear what Cromartie has to say about NFLPA president (and former Jet) Keven Mawae's comments in Sunday's New York Post. In an interview with Steve Serby, Mawae commented on player unity while taking an unsolicited shot at the Jets' DB. Via NY Post:

I think our players understand the issues. If you have guys like (Antonio) Cromartie who want to pop off because they don't know what's going on, they haven't taken the initiative to understand the issues. I truly believe we're more united than ever before.

Earlier in the interview, Mawae says the union has spent the past two years preparing players for the possibility of a lockout and that if a player isn't educated on the issues, then that is the player's fault. But to come back minutes later and imply that there ARE uneducated players by calling one out by name suggests a failure on the part of the union.

The point has been made repeatedly that the owners with their deeper pockets and alternate sources of income have the resources to withstand a work stoppage better than the players. For those that have heeded the union's warnings and saved in preparation of not receiving that weekly game check, they will likely be okay. But labor solidarity needs everyone pulling the same direction and if ownership senses they can pick off a disgruntled player here or there, it could poison the well for everyone.

There are still about three weeks until the March 4 deadline, but already outside observers like former MLB union chief Marvin Miller doubt the resolve of the union. When the NFL's union leadership is taking public swipes at its own membership, it does nothing to restore faith.

(H/T Pro Football Talk)

Does Mike Vick's Success Give Plaxico Burress a Better Shot?

There likely are few who are praying for a resolution to the NFL's ongoing labor negotiations more than Plaxico Burress. The former New York Giants wide receiver is set to be released from prison on June 6th after serving a two-year sentence for weapons charges after Cheddar Bobbing himself in a NYC nightclub.

Burress' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, took to Twitter Saturday to begin the Plaxico Redemption Tour. Via Twitter:

The reaction to Rosenhaus' tweets have been mostly positive. So far, Bears fans have come out in force lobbying Lovie Smith to sign Burress. But it makes you wonder if Rosenhaus' job might have been made a little easier by Michael Vick's resurgence this season. Vick's repeated shows of remorse combined with a remarkable season on the field made his return to the league much more palatable - at least for a lot of people not named Mark Buehrle.

Granted, there are differences when you look at the histories of the two players. Burress has been a notorious head case throughout his career with multiple instances of running afoul of both the league and the law. While Vick admitted after his release from prison that he was "lazy" during his time in Atlanta, it was never a label that was applied to him by others. And before the dogfighting conviction, Vick was hit with various allegations of criminal misconduct, none of which stuck.

(The Ron Mexico Incident - while hilarious - was a civil suit, not a criminal one.)

Certainly the firestorm that surrounded Vick after the dogfighting revelation far outweighed public reaction to Burress' situation. Which begs the question - will fans be more accepting of his return to the league? Many people wondered how Burress could spend two years in prison for only injuring himself when guys like Donte Stallworth and Leonard Little have done little or no jail time after having been convicted of killing other people. Plus people charged with gun crimes in America are often treated less harshly than those who commit crimes against animals.

Generally, the public's attitude has been that if a guy proves he can perform on the field, he is more easily forgiven. Of course, if there is no football in 2011 it means Burress will be 34 years old and have sat out three seasons. The chances of him returning to his previous form could be slim.