Cash Flow

Good Morning Vietnam. A major complaint of sports fans all over the world is that the athletes that the idolize make too fat of a paycheck. This argument is ignorant and biased. Even athletes that I hate make fair paychecks in my opinion (I am not a laymen such as the reader of this article. I even have numerical statistics to back my correct-ity up). When Babe Ruth was asked by a reporter if he deserved to make more than the President of the United States, he responded by asking, "Can Mr. President hit a baseball?" Professional athletes get paid what they get paid because they specialize in what they do. The pros in any sport is a collection of the very best athletes in their given position (if you were one of the very best at what you did, you would get a fat check, too). One (ignant) might argue that if one does not actually perform academic work, they do not deserve a paycheck. This argument is simply a grasp at acceptance by the mediocre. An athlete should be considered a role model for the youth and adults of the world, based on the mental and physical aspects of what they do* (Do soccer players count? American football players make less than basketball, baseball, soccer, and tennis players individually. Yet they are still singled out as making too much.) Education goes a long way in this particular instance. In a business where millions of dollars worth of admission are collected per sporting event, where would you suggest the money goes? I personally think that it is ignorant to have the money go to the rich, aristocratic, (caucasian) owners of the sports teams and clubs to which these players belong. If the players are the reason that these events draw such interest, they should split the money without giving any to the owners. However, it is in everyone's best interest if the owners, coaches, and other supporting staff get a fair paycheck. If you actually play a sport [or played a sport (on a team)], and you would like to share your opinion, please write it below. Thank you, thank you very much.

GAME OVER (the creativity shines)

Pacman is in a heap of trouble. Blinky and Pinky and all those other blobs have finally caught up to him and he ran out of the big flashing dots to eat. Just kidding, not that Pacman (hahaha I am a comedic genius huh). As a whole, Adam Jones (the corner formerly known as Pacman) has been an example of showmanship and a behavioral issue for team owners throughout his troubled career. Personally, I like Pacman for several reasons. Not only does he wear my jersey #32, but he is a solid defensive back with a playing style that I thoroughly enjoy. He is perfectly capable of playing both sides of the ball as demonstrated by his time with the Tennessee Titans.

Although he is a phenomenal athlete (yes, he did have a mediocre season), his off-field reputation precedes him. In 2007, Pacman was arrested in Las Vegas after a brawl (and later shooting) that left one person paralyzed from the waist down. Two more strip club patrons were shot during the same incident (hahahaha). Outside of having people shot at skin joints, Pacman has had a reputation as a raging alcoholic. Most recently, after a brief stint in rehab, Pacman was released from the Dallas Cowboys. Personally, I disagree with the Cowboys' decision to release Pacman because even though he had a below average season, he did reach out for help with his problems and he was abandoned instead of aided. Here's where I could go all off topic and say how Black Athletes (namely football players) are persecuted today. But I won't because you won't like that. Thank you for your time and goodbye. Beam me up, Scotty. I'm out.

Larry Fitzgerald

There has been much debate as to who is the best Wide Receiver currently playing in the National Football League. I am here to end the speculation. Larry Fitzgerald is the answer most people would give you if you asked them right now. However, I have to disagree and therefore, based on my disagreement, Mr. Fitzgerald has been demoted from his pedestal of hype. All jokes aside, I have to say that it is impossible to answer such a subjective question because it is completely based upon favoritism and opinion. However, I will try to offer my take on the situation without bias. As a Wide Receiver myself, I can safely say that the major criteria for judging a Wide Receiver should be caliber of quarterback, speed & agility, catching ability, route running, and willingness to block. Larry Fitzgerald is a solid reciver because of his physical style of play and solid hands. It is true that his jumping ability combined with his size make him an impressive specimen, indeed.

If you truly are able to assess the receivers of the league without tainting your assessment with your opinion, you will agree with me when I say that Terrell Owens is the best wide receiver in the National Football League. No homo, but Terrell Owens is truly physically gifted with the body to be the best receiver in the league. He gets extra points for having an inconsistent quarterback in Tony Romo, plus his speed and quickness are for the most part, unmatched among humans. With his incredible size and strength, T.O. has the ability and willingness to throw blocks, showing that he can be an integral part of any offense. The main thing Terrell Owens is known for is his work ethic in the weightroom and on the field. Terrell Owens has worked long and hard and the result is the ability to make acrobatic catches and the thorough knowledge of pass routes that allows him to separate from defensive backs.

Please offer your opinion on the subject if you agree. If you don't agree, please do not bother to respond. Simply degrade yourself for the duration of the day on the grounds that you have no sports knowledge whatsoever. Thank you kindly.

PS-NFL 2008 Statistics

Terrell Owens-69 receptions, 1052 yards, 15.2 avg yards per game, 10 touchdowns, 38 first downs

Larry Fitzgerald-96 receptions, 1431, 14.9 avg yards per game, 12 touchdowns, 66 first downs

The key statistics here are average yards per game, and touchdowns. With only around 2/3 the receptions that Larry Fitzgerald got, T.O. had just about the same amount of scores and he gained more yards per catch than the Cardinals Receiver. Just because Larry Fitzgerald is a bigger part of his team's offense does not mean he is a better receiver. It just means he does not have the supporting cast to back him up.

Indiana State University

As a small school located in the butternut region of the United States, Indiana State University does not recruit far away from the states of Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois. Therefore, they have not been exposed to the speed and finesse of southern players from states like our very own Florida. As a result, the Indiana State Sycamores have been on a 24 game losing streak as of late. All of that changes over the next two weeks. I know that I have been writing frequently about the visit that Indiana State's head coach is paying to Cypress Bay, but this is a great opportunity for several players. Current players, including myself, will all have an opportunity to impress the coaches and earn a scholarship for signing day of 2010. Former members of the Cypress Bay football team, such as Carlo Ullysse and Anthony Guerra, will sign their official commitments on February 4 of this year. Some of you may think that it is not a great opportunity to attend a division 1aa school on the opposite end of the country, but I beg to differ. If Cypress Bay players can step into starting roles on the team and impress the ISU coaches, current and future players will have an opportunity to play for a successful program that has been made so by the character and athletic ability of the Lightning. As a large school located in one of the most privileged areas in the country, Cypress Bay has never been respected athletically to the extent that we deserve. However, if provided with the opportunity, Cypress Bay will truly demonstrate that we are the hardest working program in the nation and we have the ability to compete on any level.

Cypress Bay Players in College: *-maybe

Jason Douglas, Buddy Jackson, Shane Gordon-University of Pittsburgh
Josh Smith*-Virginia Tech University
Austin Gamble-Duke University

Carl Miles-Georgia Tech University
Phil Walker-Marshall University

Amari Sapp-Eastern Illinois University
Jonathan Faucher, Leslie Tripp, Joe McNamara*-Florida International University
Jordan Rae-University of Central Florida
Brentley Harstad, Donny Stephens-Florida Atlantic University
Mike Decaro, David Baptiste-University of New Haven

Vince Mantuo-Campbell University (North Carolina)

Kenny Nwankwo-Bridgewater College

Eddy Cabrera-South Alabama University

Collin Robinson*, CJ Ullysse, Josh Smith*, Anthony Guerra* (North Broward Prep)-Indiana State University