Labor Day: Odds and Ends

Originally Posted on Foxsports on August 29, 2007.



Ah, Labor Day.  The final fling of summer.  So many things to do each summer, so little time left to do them.  Here are a few of the end of summer traditions I like to take part in...

Kruse Auctions holds its annual bash in conjunction with the Auborn (Indiana) Duesenberg Days during the Labor Day weekend.  If it has wheels, it will be sold here.  Pick a year, a manufacturer and a color.  They have it.  Want a car owned by AJ Foyt, Carroll Shelby, Elvis? Get the garage ready.  Want your own Mark Martin Cup car?  Franchitti IndyCar?  Transfer money to the checking account.  I love going to the auction to see cars and manufacturers I've never heard of, along with everything I have heard of.  Plus, where else are you going to get a look at a million dollar tour bus?  Oh, yeah, they have a parade of Duesenbergs through town too, which is worth the trip by itself.

Local track racing.  It is the end of the season for many of the local tracks.  Despite weeks of racing, most tracks have points races close enough to make one race determine the winner.  That will happen near you this weekend.

IMCA Boone SuperNationals.  SuperNationals, sanctioned by IMCA, begin on Monday at Boone Speedway.  Several hundred teams (yes, you read that right) will sign in for the chance to become SuperNational Champion.  It will take all week, Monday through Saturday night, to qualify cars and run the final races in each of six different divisions.

The Southern 500.  Oops, forgot we modified this to California because the racing's better there.  No, that's not right.  The crowd is a sell-out.  No, no.  Californians dig stock car racing way more than South Carolinians.  Hmm...maybe not.   Well, for whatever reason, Nascar decided it would be better.  Parade starts sometime Sunday afternoon and may end under the lights.   Wake me if something exciting happens.

Labor Day signals the start of the college football season.  And tomorrow night, the Iowa State Cyclones take on the Kent State Golden Flashes.  I plan to be there.  Let the tailgating begin.

NFL seasons officially start immediately following Labor Day.  The placeholders can now sit the bench while starters like LaDainian Tomlinson take the field.  The Quest for Super Bowl Championship begins.

Why Goodell Should Send Vick to Camp

Originally Posted on Foxsports.com on July 23, 2007.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell ordered Michael Vick not attend the Atlanta Falcons training camp, slated to start on Thursday. Interestingly enough, Thursday is the day Vick is to be arraigned in Federal Court on the dogfighting charges.

Goodell wrote Vick a letter which said that "While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility as commissioner of the National Football League to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, nonetheless violated league policies, including the Personal Conduct Policy."

Vick is innocent until proven guilty, but the NFL has been enforcing its conduct code and benching players who are in legal trouble before convictions are issued by the Courts.

Thus, the sticky wicket all sides find themselves stuck in. What to do that is (1) fair to Vick, who is merely accused of a crime (2) fair to the league who is interested in law-abiding competitors and (3) fair to fans who are both for and against punishment at this point?

Vick should go to camp. And he should get "hurt" at camp. {By this I mean he should not actually be hurt by someone, but that he should announce his knee's injured or something similar - with the blessing of the NFL & team, naturally}. Is this lying to the public? Maybe, but with Vick's leg problems, it is possible that he could even have a legitimate injury or surgery to fall back on.

It is the best of both worlds for everyone involved - the NFL and Falcons do not have to punish him, and Vick doesn't lose face by being sat by either the Commish or the team. Both sides can then wait until the federal case is resolved to decide what is next. The player's union does not have to get involved, and no horrible precedent is set for the next time someone is federally indicted.

Yes, Michael Vick should go to camp, with Goodell's blessing. It may be his best shot to save his career.

Who Will Win vs. Who I Want to Win

Originally Posted on Foxsports.com on January 12, 2006.

Disclaimer:  Don't expect hardcore statistics or reasons why a team will win.  My philosophy is that if you torture numbers, they will admit to anything.  And we all know how reliable information gotten from torturing is...

Bears vs. Panthers

OK, I admit I was a Bears fan in 1985.  And yes, I am a fairweather fan of the Bears.   Good Grief, I was a teenager back then.  And I tend to follow players more than teams.  There hasn't been anyone there in the last few years that I have been entertained and amazed by as much as Walter Payton, Wiliam Perry, Jim McMahon and company.  This year's team is a bit rough, but they have muddled through the season.  I don't have a lot of confidence in the offense, but hey, they've gotten this far.

Want to win: Chicago Bears

Will win: Carolina Panthers

 

Broncos vs. Patriots

I do not like the Patriots despite the fact that they have recognized the talents of Tim Dwight and Ellis Hobbs.  As a champion of the underdog, I think the time has come for the end of their stranglehold of the Super Bowl.  How long can the magic hold?

Want to Win:  Denver Broncos (Maybe this should be want to lose:  Patriots as that is my stronger feeling at the moment)

Will Win:  Denver Broncos

 

Seahawks vs. Redsklns

Of these two teams, I follow the Redskins more than the Seahawks.  My brother now lives in Washington and is a big fan of Mike Holmgren.  I like Joe Gibbs.  Rest assured that there will be multiple phone calls and heckling going on during the game.  The Redskins have the entertainment edge (despite Alexander's onfield heroics) because I think Clinton Portis will eventually have a bestselling book describing his multiple personalities.

Want to Win:  Washington Redskins

Will Win:  Seattle Seahawks

 

Colts vs. Steelers

 I love watching Peyton Manning play.  I don't know why.  He caught my eye when he was at Tennessee.  He reminds me of the geeky shy kid at school that everyone ignores until he does something spectacular.  Or scary.  I also like the Colts because they have Dungy, Dallas Clark and Bob Sanders.  Bob Sanders has little concern for what happens to his body when he tackles someone.  He played that way in college and has kept it up.  Probably my other attraction to the Colts is the streak of loses they have in the playoffs - it's that underdog thing.  The Steelers are fine - but I'm more of a pass girl than a rush girl (let the sorority jokes begin). 

Want to Win:  Indianapolis Colts

Will Win:  Indianapolis Colts.