No Excuses for Adrian Peterson

Posted by Michael David Smith on June 22, 2011, 3:26 PM EDT

AP

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is supposedly missing the Adrian Peterson Football Camp because of a conflict with a taping of an NFL Network show. But that’s news to NFL Network.

The league-owned network says that Peterson’s taping is scheduled for July 3, and there’s no reason he’d need to miss a football camp that’s taking place June 23-24.

“Adrian Peterson will be live in-studio for NFL Network’s final Top 100: Players of 2011 – Reaction show on Sunday, July 3 to discuss the final episode unveiling the Top 10 players,” Dennis Johnson, the director of communications for NFL media, wrote in an e-mail to the Star Tribune. “There is no conflict with the camp.”

The Old Spice Adrian Peterson Football Camp has not replied to an e-mail from PFT seeking an explanation of why Peterson has to miss the camp for a TV taping that takes place nine days after the camp ends. But if Peterson can’t make it, it would be a nice gesture for him to offer to refund the $199 admission fee for any kids who signed up thinking they’d get to meet him.

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I am not big on young kids seeing stars and athletes as super heroes.  I think that the role models need to be in the family, in the class rooms, and in the community.  But the reality is that most young kids are fascinated with them.  So when these kids sign up for a camp where someone like an Adrian Peterson is supposed to be there, the kids expectations are off the charts.  Some of these kids families ponied up a hefty $200 simply because their child could meet some football player.   Not only the kids will be disappointed, but the parents have every right to be upset and wanting at least a partial refund.

Now life happens, and if in the end A.P. has a better reason to not make the appearance, then that is one thing.  But as it appears at this point, it looks like just another athlete getting paid for an appearance, and not showing up.  I hope Adrian has a better reason than this.

Sex sting operation catches Buccaneers employee

Posted by Mike Florio on June 22, 2011, 11:49 AM EDT

Getty Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been plagued lately with a rash of arrests, of players and non-players alike.

Now, a Bucs official reportedly was one of 32 men arrested in a Dateline-style sex sting operation.

Per The Daily Commercial of Leesburg, Florida, one of the suspects is named Brian Weiss.  He told police that he works for the Buccaneers.

An online search reveals that a man named Brian Weiss is the team’s Luxury Suite Sales Manager.  (He also appears to be on Twitter, but he hasn’t posted any new messages since late April.)

The men (in ages ranging from 19 to 63) arrived at a local vacation home with the intent of having sex with girls ranging in age from nine to 14.  They were lured to the location via online communications with undercover officers posing as underage girls.

“These suspects came with the intention of having sex with a child, instead they went to jail,” Sheriff Gary Borders said Tuesday during a press conference.

The seven-day operation began on Tuesday, June 14 and lasted a week.  The defendants reportedly face 25 years in jail.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the Buccaneers already have parted ways with Weiss.

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The old saying goes, "one bad apply spoils the batch".  Unfortunately more often than not, sweeping generalizations and stereotypes are formed based on the choices and actions of few. But in the case of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization, you have to wonder.  I don't believe there has been a busier team this off season, than the Bucs.  Here is one article that briefly lists the others.

Sometimes, you just have to wonder.

Derrick Mason calls Joe Flacco their "Michael Jordan"

Posted by Michael David Smith on June 22, 2011, 10:05 AM EDT

AP

Responding to Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodely saying the Ravens will never get to the Super Bowl with Joe Flacco at quarterback, Baltimore receiver Derrick Mason made a strong statement in Flacco’s defense.

On ESPN First Take, Mason said that the Ravens and Steelers are like the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons of the 1980s and 1990s, with the Bulls at first struggling to beat the Pistons but eventually surpassing the Pistons and winning six NBA championships.

“They’ve had our number for the last couple years,” Mason said of the Steelers. “I equate it to the Chicago Bulls, they couldn’t beat the Pistons, and then they finally beat the Pistons.”

With that, Mason was asked who would play the role on the Ravens that Michael Jordan played on the Bulls.

“Flacco is our Jordan,” Mason said. “He’s our Michael Jordan.”

That’s a bold statement, but Mason seemed to be in the mood to make bold statements in response to Woodley and other players on the Steelers, whom Mason seems to genuinely dislike. And Mason says he’s eager to see the Steelers on the field, rather than trade barbs with them in the media.

“You can talk all you want during the offseason,” Mason said. “No one plays the game, no one hits, during the offseason.”

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It is great to see a team that has total confidence in their quarterback.  This is a very bold statement and Mason isn't shying away from it either.  I think more importantly it alludes to the leadership and poise of Flacco, that comments like that can be made of him without placing too much on his shoulders.  

I think Flacco is a very talented young QB, the Jordan reference though... a stretch at this point.  I know a lot of Baltimore fans that are hoping Mason is right though.

Josh Cribbs fighting Cleveland for the commoner

Posted by Michael David Smith on June 22, 2011, 9:24 AM EDT

AP

To everyone who has ever received a parking ticket unfairly, Josh Cribbs feels your pain. And he’s doing something about.

Cribbs, the Browns’ receiver and return man, got a parking ticket in Cleveland Heights even though he says he fed his meter. And now he’s taking on the Police Department.

“I was at the barber and I went outside to put a quarter in the meter,” Cribbs told Fox 8 in Cleveland. “I saw I had a parking ticket. But there was eight minutes left on the meter, I was highly upset.”

Cribbs said that after he posted about his ticket on Twitter, he learned that many people in Cleveland Heights have had similar incidents.

“I made sure to take pictures with time stamps,” Cribbs said. “I got a lot of response. People saying the Cleveland Heights Police Department is notorious for writing out tickets, people who have been wronged.”

Most people who are wrongly ticketed probably pay it anyway, just because they don’t have the time to fight — not to mention that Cribbs says it actually costs more money in court fees to contest the ticket than the ticket itself costs. But Cribbs says he’s going to fight the power on behalf of all the people who didn’t think they could.

“Well, since this is a lockout, I have the time to fight for Cleveland,” Cribbs said, “fight for the blue collar workers here, and I think it’s wrong and I am trying to stand up for those who can’t.”

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For some reason this story just puts a smile on my face.  I hope Cribbs, in his free time, is able to stand up to the man and find justice!  Now if only all the people who have wrongly been ticketed could also get paid back for any fines they have paid.

Get em Josh!