Jameis Winston vs the Law

Tampa Bay Buccaneer quarterback Jameis Winston is among one of the best young talents in the NFL.  While in college, Jameis was a 2 sport athlete and was drafted by the NFL as well as the MLB. He is no stranger to winning as he won a national championship in college playing for Florida State, however he has lost numerous battles with the law throughout his career. The troubled athlete has excelled on the field but has gotten himself into trouble at every stage of his life. I have decided to make a timeline of the career of Jameis Winston and his legal struggles.


November 25, 2012:
Jameis Winston is found by Florida Police officers after shooting BB guns at squirrels with another college teammate. Guns were drawn on the two Florida State football players and they were then arrested.



December 7, 2012:
Winston is accused of raping another Florida State student. After numerous revivals of the case, it is eventually dismissed for lack of evidence and problematic testimony.

April 30, 2014
Jameis is accused of stealing crab legs from a supermarket in Tallahassee and is suspended from the Florida State baseball team until he completes mandatory community service.

March 13, 2016
An Uber driver accuses Jameis Winston of touching her inappropriately when going through a drive
thru

June 21, 2018
The NFL suspends Jameis Winston for three games for his involvement in the Uber incident in 2016 for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.

NFL's Annual Popularity Contest

Every year since 2011, the NFL has had an offseason poll which involves players in the league voting on the top players that year. In a series of 8 episodes on television, they release the list of the top 100 players according to this poll. Having the players vote was thought to provide the most accurate list since they are the ones who would know best how great a player is firsthand. However, many players argue that the list has not been accurate as the big name players known around the league always seem to be listed higher than they deserve.

Eric Weddle and Terrell Suggs both made the 2018 Pro Bowl and were the best two defenders on the Baltimore Ravens and the reason why they led the NFL in turnovers. Both players were somehow left off this years top 100 list. Teammate Tony Jefferson had this to say on twitter: "I just don’t understand the top 100. Weddle & Suggs been going to pro bowl after pro bowl.. how do they not make it? Should Especially be in front of people who didn’t even play half the year?". Jefferson is referring to numerous players that landed on the top 100 list without playing more than 8 games but most shockingly being Aaron Rodgers. No one doubts that Aaron Rodgers is a top player in the league but since he had only played 7 games and his season numbers were mediocre to say the least, it is very odd to say that he was the third best player of the 2017-2018 season.

Another player that was ranked much higher than expected was Jimmy Garoppolo. Landing at number 90 on the list, Jimmy only started 5 games last season and was playing for a team that had already been eliminated from playoff contention. Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey, ranked number 17 on the list, was asked if Jimmy should have made the list: "Not yet. What'd he play, five games?" I do not agree with including someone on the top 100 list when they did not play even one third of the regular season. The NFL's top 100 does not seem to represent who the best players were during the season but rather the players with the best career accolades given recognition year after year. Terrell Suggs that has proven to be a great player every year and had four forced fumbles this year. His name not put on the top 100 list just goes to show that other players around the league do not like Terrell Suggs and that the popularity of a player has more influence of his ranking than does his actual performance.

Within the top 100 list there is emphasis on making the top 10. The last episode that airs exclusively shows the top 10 players with interviews and commentary by opponents and teammates of these players. Here are this years top 10 players voted by the players themselves:

1. Tom Brady
2. Antonio Brown
3. Carson Wentz
4. Julio Jones
5. Leveon Bell
6. Todd Gurley
7. Aaron Donald
8. Drew Brees
9. Von Miller 
10. Aaron Rodgers

If I was to name the top 10 players in the NFL during the 2017-2018 season it would be as follows:

1. Tom Brady
2. Carson Wentz
3. Aaron Donald
4. Drew Brees
5. Leveon Bell
6. Antonio Brown
7. Todd Gurley
8. Kareem Hunt
9. Deandre Hopkins
10. Xavier Rhodes

Is There a Substitute for the NFL Preseason Schedule?

In the NFL season there are 16 games to be played in 17 weeks with each team getting one week off, referred to as their "bye-week". Prior to the start of the season, there are four pre-season games to be played that are exhibition games. The outcome of these games have no relevance to the season as a whole but some argue that they are actually detrimental for the players. Fox sports analyst, Dieter Kurtenbach, had this to say: "The preseason is an unnecessary and meaningless quarter of a campaign that rips off fans, puts players at risk of significant injury and provides little, if any, entertainment value". I agree with Dieter that players face significant risk of being injured in these meaningless games. The idea behind the preseason itself however provides value to the sport for franchises as well as for younger players.

The preseason is crucial for teams that try to evaluate the young talent or new additions that they have on their roster. Starters and other key players do not see the field for extended periods of time during the pre season in order to limit the chances of injury. This also limits their opportunity to get back in the groove of things and build team chemistry prior to the season. The players whose abilities and skillsets are being questioned are then put into the game for a chance to impress their coaches and general mangers. The only problem with this strategy is the inferior competition that is put on the field. It is hard to assess the abilities of these players when they are not going up against true NFL caliber athletes. For this reason teams have began to schedule joint practices during training camp.

Joint practices before the season have gotten more popular as of recent. There is reason to believe that these could possibly replace preseason games. However, I do not see this as a viable option due to the money generated during preseason games. What is interesting about joint practices is the fact that organizations are inviting themselves to be scouted. This certainly was one of the reasons why coach Bill Belichick decided to have joint practices with AFC East division rivals Miami Dolphins. Belichick has been known around the league to do whatever it takes to get a leg up on the competition whether it was "Deflate-gate" or "Spy-gate". Along with giving your opponents an open invitation to scout your plays and tendencies, another reason against joint practices is fighting.

When you have two teams on one field for an extended period of time without true boundaries in a physical sport like football, there is bound to be an altercation. Teams that have been involved in joint practice fights include:

• Los Angeles Rams
• Los Angeles Chargers
• Dallas Cowboys
• Denver Broncos
• San Francisco 49ers
• Washington Redskins
• Houston Texans

The early exposure to opponents as well as the frequency of fighting prove that joint practices might not be the solution that some were looking for when hoping to get rid of Pre-season games. As it appears, the NFL will most likely keep the 4 game exhibition schedule they have implemented since 1978. 

Prison Rules

In honor of one of my favorite movies being on television today, I will be doing a review of Gridiron Gang. The film stars one of the highest paid actors, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The film came out in 2006 at a time where Dwayne Johnson was known for being a WWE wrestler because his acting career had not picked up yet. The film also stars Xzibit, a former rapper.

The movie takes place in a juvenile detention center located in Los Angeles. Most of the inmates are associated with gangs and within the confines of the center there is tension and aggression towards rival members. Seventy-five percent of the inmates find themselves back in prison or killed in gang related violence. Probation officer Sean Porter has seen enough once a reformed inmate is killed upon release.

Dwayne Johnson played college football as does his character in the movie. Sean Porter has the idea to start a football team at the detention center in order to bring unity among the inmates. This is an interesting idea considering that the players do not have knowledge of the game and are not interested in playing sports let alone associating themselves with rival gang members.

Porter brings these kids to their breaking point as he has only four weeks to turn a bunch of poor behaved men into a football team. They have been referred to as losers their entire lives and Porter wants to change the stigma. Their first game goes horribly wrong. Not only do they lose the game, but they are physically and mentally defeated. Everyone at the detention camp starts to doubt whether this was truly a good idea or not. This becomes the turning point for these young men. They can either call it quits and continue to be a bunch of violent thugs with no promise, or they can grow from this experience and unite to become one cohesive unit.

Throughout the movie Porter uses his role as a probation officer and translates this "drill sergeant" mentality to the football field as a coach. He is successful because when the team is off the field he acts as their best friend and their mentor and helps them grow as individuals. In the beginning of the film you see the inmates as violent and heartless individuals but as the movie progresses you begin to feel bad for the position that they find themselves in and you start to root for them.

Gridiron Gang is based on a true story and it is amazing how creating a football team at the camp significantly lowered fighting as well as the retention rate of prior inmates. It is amazing to see the power of sports and how being part of a team means so much more off the field than you would anticipate. Football is a true team sport where all 11 players have to be on the same page in order to be successful. The time spent in order to create that chemistry also creates the sense of family and this movie perfectly depicts that message.

Bad Beginnings for New York Jets 4th Round Draft Pick

"Christopher Herndon IV (born February 23, 1996) is an American football tight end for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Miami.^[1] "

Highschool

Christopher Herndon attended Norcross Highschool in Georgia. In his senior year, he had 33 catches for 543 yards and 6 touchdowns. Christopher was rated as a 3 star recruit and the 32nd best tight-end in the country by 24/7 sports. Herndon received numerous Division 1 offers but decided to get his college education at the University of Miami.

College Career

The 6 foot 4 253 pound tight end started all three years at the University of Miami. His career numbers as a Hurricane: 86 catches, 1048 yards, 7 touchdowns. In his senior year, he received second team all ACC honors. Herndon injured his mcl in the last regular season game against the University of Pittsburgh and was unable to play in the ACC championship against Clemson or in the Orange Bowl against Wisconsin. The University of Miami was unable to win either of these games without him.

NFL

Christopher Herndon IV was the 4th round selection by the New York Jets and the 107th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

In the 2018 NFL Draft the New York Jets selected Chris Herndon out of the University of Miami as their 4th round selection, 107th pick overall. With poor production at the tight end position in prior years, the New York Jets are hoping that Herndon is their guy. With the season a couple months away, Chris Herndon has already gotten himself in trouble. 

Dating back to May of 2017, there have been 7 player arrests for members of the New York Jets. This has become a problem for the organization, and along with legal penalties come league disciplines such as suspension. Chris Herndon was arrested on DWI charges when he crashed his car at 4:45 am on June 2nd. No one was seriously injured in the crash. The NFL always waits for legal issues to be resolved before making any decisions to implement suspensions. It is possible that Herndon could miss the first few games of his rookie season. 

Chris Herndon's page on Wikipedia was extremely limited. I found it necessary to update the page by adding information about the New York Jets Tight End. Herndon was not a highly touted prospect in college and is currently a rookie in the NFL, therefore it is not always easy to find information about him. Now,  Jets fans as well as others who wish to find out about the 22 year old can locate his freshly updated page on Wikipedia.

How Mandatory is Mini Camp?

The offseason for any NFL team begins right after they are eliminated from playoff contention. For most teams in the league, this occurs after week 17 since they have not clinched a playoff birth. Most players begin to train on their own as the teams do not require any attendance until June. Everyone wants to be better than they were the year before and the players who outperformed expectations expect to be compensated.

The NFL is highly scrutinized for not giving contracts with guaranteed money. In a high contact sport with higher risk of injury, this is huge liability for the players. On average, at least 10 players on a given team will be placed on injured reserve throughout the year. Players can request injury guarantees in their contract if they are in high demand.  In order to maximize earning potential, players will demand contracts with high signing bonuses. This money cannot be contested and is guaranteed to be received upon signing the contract.

The importance of contracts plays a large role in the offseason. Free agents are trying to get signed to new deals and current players are always looking to renegotiate their current contract. The big time players know how valuable they are to an organization and will always seek to raise their salary based on the new contracts being signed by similarly performing athletes at their position. But what happens if the team does not want to pay?

Players are not required to show up to summer sessions until mandatory minicamp. It is interesting that these players whose contract demands are not met decide to skip minicamp. This puts the team in an awkward position. The player may face fines for not showing up which is ironic considering the player wants more money from the team rather than to lose money by failing to show up. Players will continue to hold out for as long as they want and in most situations will eventually get what they want and even get the fines waived.

Minicamp is essential for the coming season. New coaches and players are given a short time to get to know each other as well as prepare for the season and every moment is crucial. As much as players want to get paid they want to win. By skipping mini camp they are hampering their teams ability to improve and the act itself is seen as very selfish.

Some of the top players around the league are upset with their current contract and are exercising the same strategy. Skip mandatory minicamp. These players include pro bowlers: Julio Jones, Khalil Mack, Aaron Donald, and Earl Thomas. None of these players have been fined as of yet and due to their importance to the teams that they play on, they are not expecting any fines. These organizations realize that the faster they get things settled, the better their team will be. Teams are aggressively trying to resolve these contract negotiations however the true power lies with the players. It seems that for most players minicamp is mandatory but for the great players it seems that attendance is simply voluntary.

New Jersey Places Large Wager on Sports Betting

One month ago the Supreme Court decided to get rid of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which was passed in 1992. This act was brought forward to prevent legal gambling on sporting events. One of its major advocates was Bill Bradley, a New Jersey Democrat, who had played college basketball. He argues that gambling on sporting events has an impact on the integrity of the game. Placing sports wagers has however been legal in Las Vegas casinos, drawing large crowds during popular sporting events such as March Madness or Floyd Mayweather fights.

Casinos have not been performing well this year. In Atlantic City specifically, year over year revenues have dropped nearly 5%. This means that the revenues from 2017 were 5 percent higher than the current year. The new bill that was signed yesterday by New Jersey Governor Philip D. Murphy allows for sports gambling in New Jersey. This gives Atlantic City casinos the opportunity to tap into the estimated $400 billion that is illegally gambled in the United States each year. The average profit margin on sports gambling in Las Vegas is around 5.3%. If Atlantic City casinos expect similar numbers, this major source of revenue can help these struggling casinos continue to grow.

A major issue that must be dealt with is the issue of integrity which was brought up earlier. In order to oversee betting transactions and prevent the "fixing" of games, all major sporting associations are requesting an "integrity fee". It is essential that sporting bets are monitored in order to ensure the integrity of the games being played. The National Basketball Association as well as the Major League of Baseball have also stated that they deserve a cut of all wagers that are placed because the casinos are profiting off their brand. This is an interesting dilemma because if the major sports associations get a cut of these profits, it is uncertain where this money will truly end up. Athletes will most likely not see this money entering their contracts, therefore, the destination is unknown. A counter argument on the side of the casinos, is that the margins are small to being with an by giving a portion of the 5 percent to these leagues, they are potentially losing billions of dollars. 

Some say that sports gambling ruins the game itself. Viewers will be more concerned about the point spreads and whether or not that garbage time basket goes in or not. This may not necessarily be such a bad thing for sports. The increase in attention as well as excitement in moments that may not be important to determine who wins and loses the game, can cause viewership to increase and allow for larger profits for the television stations and sports providers. People may now find interest in sports and other events that they can gamble on knowing that there is something in it for them other than the entertainment of watching as a spectator. Rising popularity can increase profits in areas such as fan attendance as well as memorabilia and jersey sales.

Legalized sports gambling will make an immediate impact on the world of sports and the ways that spectators view the sport. It is uncertain how long it will take to know whether or not this move was the right one and if the sporting world can sustain integrity. The moving force in this new legal action was certainly the potential profits that could be taken form illegal offshore books and effectively taxed to benefit the community as well. 

Suit up, Its Draft Day!

I may not be the number one overall pick in this years draft but I am certainly excited for the upcoming season. 

My name is Lorenzo Kazdan. I am from Staten Island, New York. This fall I will be a senior in Gabelli with a major in Finance. I am very passionate about sports and I thoroughly follow just about every professional sporting event. I love to compete and I wish that I was able to perform on the highest level but sadly that is not the case. I can recite statistics and give play by play accounts for numerous sports as I watch and follow everything that is televised or broadcasted on a sports app. 

In this blog I want to share my thoughts about recent sporting events as well as give my two cents in regards to any stories or scandals that surface in the world of sports. As an athlete I believe that I have the authority to comment on these topics and I hope to provide you with new thoughts and ideas that are not shown or spoken about on ESPN.