Sporting News

A quick collection of sports related blogging. Michael Irvin was charged with misdomenor possession of drug paraphanillia. ESPN will allow him to continue to work as an anchor until this is resolved. Earlier a Judge ordered Gerogia Tech to reinstate a player facing trial for participating in a drug ring. I agree with both decisions. Innocent until proven guilty must mean something. After guilt is proven, then both organizations should act according to their standards. But firing or suspending folks pre-trial does not suppose innocence.

On other football news, the collective bargaining agreement is up at the end of this season. Its time for the NFLPA to again show how it doesn't understand the union concept. Every year players complain about how short a their careers are, and that's why they need to make so much money. No disagreement here, but I've never understood why the union doesn't address chop-blocking and lousy field conditions for example. The backbone of any union is safety. Why doesn't the NFLPA simpy put into agreement an abolishment of chop-blocking, and write something in that states that artificial fields must be replaced every three years with the best commercially avialiable turf, and that natural fields meet some sort of standard? I know this is outside the normal parameters of this blog, but everytime I hear someone like Sapp complain about chop blocks, I just think, "take it the union." But the NFLPA is too consumed with the cash side of the negotiation. Lengthening careers means more cash to the players too. If you have a union, at least use it correctly.