Clarksville, TN – Welcome to the first edition of Marlon Scott: Sports Fanalyst Fourthoughts
There is the real world, and then there is the sports world. A lot of people happily commute back and forth between the two. This is for those commuters, dressed like Clark Kent, but when they emerge from a McDonald’s bathroom (due to lack of phone booths in 2014) they have on their favorite sports jersey and foam finger, ready to talk about the latest update that just popped up from the ESPN app on their smart phone.
Four sports topics with four not so humble opinions from a local sports writer/analyst/fan and a cool quote on the end like an extra cherry in the limeade you pick up during Sonic’s happy hours everyday.
No NFL Blues
Right now in sports mythology, the NFL is Zeus, happy to toss a bolt of lightning at all those blasphemers who think otherwise. As a result, we who worship at the NFL altar go into a state of grieving once the Super Bowl has concluded.
In the eight weeks since the Seattle Seahawks became the latest NFL Champions, we have gone through denial and anger and have settled comfortably into bargaining. .. At least we hope our favorite teams are bargaining to improve the roster.
Only 39 days until the draft. Afterwards, depression will set in as we try to traverse the limbo after March Madness, the NBA Playoffs, NHL Playoffs and games 10-40 of the MLB 162 game season. Does acceptance really ever come before the first preseason games?
March Madness, The Billion Dollar Bust
We were going to fill out a bracket anyway. Even a slim chance to win $1 billion is better than no chance. I know college basketball. I feel lucky.
I can remember so many rationalizations driving me to register my bracket, drooling at my daydreams of how I would attempt to spend $1 billion.
I read some Depaul University Math Professor calculated the odds of filling out a perfect bracket at 1 in 9.2 quintillion. Yet I am confident I was not alone feeling the extra sting when my bracket spontaneously combusted in a flash of light and smoke like a magician just said “Abra-Kadabra!”
Gators have to be the odds on favorite at this point, but it feels like the stars are lining up for the Wildcats. Regardless, the overtimes, upsets, buzzer beaters…the Madness did not disappoint.
College Athletes Unite
Last week the National Labor Relations Board made a decision that could change the landscape of college sports in the future forever.
They ruled that Northwestern football players are employees with the right to unionize, citing primarily the hours they must devote to football and the fact their scholarships are performance based.
Cast in the role of David, former Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter is the face of the Northwestern athletes who are looking to “ensure that players have a voice,” by forming a union. The recent ruling staggered the Goliath that is the NCAA.
The ruling is being appealed by Northwestern officials and could take years to resolve, inevitably making its way to the Supreme Court. However, until the appeal is settled one way or another, a precedent has been set and what originally appeared as just another protest doomed to fall on the deaf ears of the monolith NCAA, is now a small fire headed toward a fireworks factory.
History is about to be made and I cant wait to look up and see the “Kaboom.”
The New APSU
The key word for Austin Peay State University the last few years is new. New dorms, a new stadium, new athletics director, a new head football coach and even a search for a new President …this is not the same APSU alumni from just four years ago attended.
Specifically, a new “visual identity series” including a new primary logo, Governor Peay logo and an updated word mark will be revealed.
It is all the results from a committee formed nine months ago to “enhance the visual identity of APSU athletics.” The committee included staff members, alumni and local businessmen.
Merchandise with the new logos will not be available until the summer and teams will not be outfitted with the new look until Fall 2014. The complete transformation of courts, fields are estimated to take four years to complete.
As far as I know, all the cool kids still hate Murray and cheer Lets Go Peay!
“I’ve never lost a game. I just ran out of time.” -Michael Jordan, For the Love of the Game
