NIKE has been known the past few years as the company that took NCAA Uniforms to the next level.  It all started with owner Phil Knight’s Alma Mater in Oregon, and their 130 possible combination football uniforms.  The story at Oregon is that the GOLF coach at the school keeps all the combinations straight and plans the season for the Ducks football team. On the right is a picture of the single colors that can all be mixed and matched.

Although many CEO’s and celebrities have donated uniforms to their Alma Mater, such as Deion “Primetime” Sanders did at Florida State, Phil Knight had a business plan behind his generosity.  He now has most of the NCAA schools and the entire NFL in his collection.

Now, many of the NCAA uniforms have come under scrutiny.  Many, like the ones the University of Maryland wore on opening night, have been called into question.  It is a matter of taste of course.

What NFL fans should remember as the date nears for the unveiling is that the owners of the teams still had to agree to any changes.  I wouldn’t look for too much tinkering to be done to our Giants uniforms.  I personally wish we would return to the 1986 uniforms more often, but a conservative approach is what to expect from our owners.  I believe the Giants, if they could do it all over again, would like to have stuck to the path of the Yankees, and Penn State, and never changed logos or uniforms.  That opportunity has passed, but I suspect the changes to be minimal.  Now if you root for a team like Cincy, Miami, Denver, and maybe Seattle, cover your eyes.  There could be some shocking combinations of colors and designs.

We will see……..It all happens at 11 AM Eastern time, but you know Twitter and GmenHQ will have it before that…stay tuned!

The Referee system in the NFL has been a carefully crafted plan since day one.  They are NOT employees of the league, but independent contractors.  They are chosen from the college ranks usually and investigated as if they were running for President or working at the Pentagon.  Keeping the game clean and free of gambling influences was always the main goal. Now, with the game changing the way it has, and the advancement in television, that goal must switch somehow.

I am always the one that defends officials, having actually been on the field, that they don’t actually see what we see on t.v.  If we want to switch to a game that is officiated by replay, after the fact, then so be it. But this is not the answer.  Using the college system of officiating, where every play is reviewed by a replay official. has made the college game a little better, but has taken the control of the game out of the officials hands.  This would never work in the NFL unless Fox Sports. CBS, NBC, and ESPN want to relinquish advertising time for the myriad of replays we would have during what would become a 4 hour game.

The only answer seems to be a combination of the NHL system (who thought anyone would ever say that), and the college system.  basically an expansion of the scoring play review they have now.  Just as I think the answer to baseballs umpiring problem is this, we need an official in the stadium, that works with the officiating crew.  Hire 16 more officials to be replay officials.  Teach them all the technical necessities of television, have each stadium build them a room, and make the Networks fill it with their best monitors and replay equipment.  This replay official, who will be part of the crew working the game, will make the determination on all replays.  No more replay booths. Just the buzzer system, and all plays can be reviewed.

The importance of the official being part of the crew is that he can then explain to his colleagues after the game what he saw, and why he changed or stayed with a call.  The learning experience is important, and the conversation that follows will allow all officials to get better.  The NFL can then monitor the 16 replay officials and make sure they are making calls the way the league is interpreting the rules.  Crew members respect each other, they have many meetings a week, they would welcome the replay official as a fellow official, and the entire system would be better.

Having just one person, like a Mike Peirera, be in a “war room” alone and making all the calls wouldn’t allow for the education, and would probably breed some contempt.  The official on the field can’t simply be told he was wrong by some guy he may or may not have any interaction.  You can hear the conversation now….”Coach….that’s not what I saw….but that’s what he told me to tell you”

That simply would not work.

The Jim Tressel/Terrelle Pryor/Ohio State saga.

We all know the sweater-vest wearing Tressel as the man who headed up The Ohio State university football program and led them to one NCAA college football national championship. In addition to that one national championship his other many accolades at Ohio State includes an undefeated season, a 106-22 win-loss record, six Big Ten Conference trophies, 5 bowl victories, 4 BCS bowl wins, and three national championship appearances.

There’s no doubt that the man can coach. He can. And there’s a reason why he got himself a gig in the NFL even though he had to resign as head coach of the Buckeyes due to the Ohio State football program being investigated for rules violations.

Everybody makes mistakes and everybody is allowed a second, third, fourth, etc., chance in life. It’s the way the world works. If the Indianapolis Colts feel like hiring Tressel to be a game day consultant for them then that’s their prerogative.

All I think is that if Roger Goodell can suspend former Ohio State starting quarterback and current Oakland Raiders supplemental draft pick Terrelle Pryor for something that had nothing to do with the NFL then the man in charge of the program while Pryor was there should be getting the same treatment.

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Those are my thoughts…now I’d like to hear yours

Sal Alosi, the New York Jets Strength and Conditioning Coach, spoke about the potential consequences that may be taken against him for his despicable sideline tripping of Miami Dolphins CB Nolan Carroll, “whatever the disciplinary actions are, I’m going to accept them. It’s on me.”

Well, what other choice does he have? He opened the press conference earlier today by saying, “Once again, I’d like to apologize.” Does anyone really think that Alosi is legitimately sorry for this heinous act? Or is his remorse more about getting caught? Would he have been so forthcoming with an apology if the video cameras didn’t capture, unequivocally, his blatant act or would he have fought tooth and nail professing his innocence if there were a lack of evidence?
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