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“Kicking Dirt on a Grave”

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They put Aaron Hernandez into a hole yesterday in Bristol, Connecticut. His funeral service included family, friends, but no one from the New England Patriots organization.

Not his coaches, nor teammates. In fact only 3-NFL players were there, ex-Bills-Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes, and former Florida teammates Mike Pouncey of the Dolphins and Maurkice Pouncey of the Steelers.

And as he was laid to rest, more and more dirt came to the surface about him, while dirt was being filled on top of the casket.

Newsweek went public with its probe, saying the ex-Patriot star was bisexual, dating all the way back to high school days in Briston, and that he used his gang influences to keep his private affairs, private.

They theorize Odin Lloyd, whom Hernandez shot 6-times, and went to prison for, had made a joke about the player’s sexuality, and that is why he was murdered.

Sources told the magazine, Hernandez was about to be outed by others in prison in Shirley, Massachusettes, and that is why he killed himself.

Other media reporting Hernandez had become ‘insecure’ in prison, and had become linked with a violent gang, seeking protection.

Banks report he transferred large amounts of money after his arrest, some to his fiancee and child, but the biggest amount, to his gay boyfriend from high school.

The three suicide notes seized by police inside his cell, will be shown to the family.

And the report hew was invovled with dealing K-2, synthetic marijuana, under investgation.

Going forward, there will be lots more to be reported, especially the cause, and the inner workings of that prison.

Guess the real question, what is to be gained by kicking more dirt on the grave of a dead football player, already underground?

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“Goodbye Chargers-Hello Trouble”

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The Chargers are gone, and left behind, bitterness, resentment, still simmering anger, and emptiness.

That surround the fans, and that problem now enveloping the media.

Now the newspaper has a real issues. What to write, what to talk about, in a community raging over the loss of the franchise.

The Union-Tribune got rid of its NFL writer, Michael Gehlken, since gone to cover the Raiders for the Las Vegas Review Journal.

Left behind is know-it all NFL columnist Kevin Acee, who no longer has a team to write about, and is no longer welcome within the Chargers inner-circle for calling departing owner Dean Spanos, “a coward”, rightfully so, for refusing to negotiate with the city and county, nor meet with the media.

But the UT has a nitemare on its hands now in terms of content. What does Sports Editor Jay Posner do to fill up all those column inches that used to be taken up by the Chargers storylines.

Game stories, columns, notes, features. What once was a ‘must read’ by the fans, is now an enormous turn-off by readership. Incensed by all Team Spanos did, they no longer want that content.

The UT has decided only to run reprints of the parent LA Times stories, a true turnoff.

How bad has it gotten?

Looking for filler content, and that is all it is, Acee has authored columns “Who will Chargers fans root for now that their team has left town, turning their back on them?” Who cares what team Joe Six-Pack is going to root for.

Another piece, expansive in the column inches devoted to it, was a piece of the Padres uniforms, the bland Blue & White vs Bring Back the Brown. A real reach in terms of content.

And a puff piece on Ted Leitner, the Padres jack of all trades announcer, but that is stuff we have all heard from him, and read before.

The UT has also given us in depth written pieces of things like rugby, lacrosse, high school baseball, air races, all off the radar topics.

Yes, Mark Ziegler has continued to author long form pieces on all things Aztecs, and there have been extended pieces written on Soccer City-the MLS-Aztecs stadium, and rightfully so.

Padres coverage has been extensive, but how long and how often can you write about the future blueprint and the current teams struggles?

It is odd the decision making process there at the UT. They have given significant coverage to the Tijuana XOLOs, who play in another country, but have done very little, on the successful AHL-San Diego Gulls.

They ignore the once proud San Diego Sockers, whose franchise and league have almost become semi pro in stature.

If I were king, I’d dive into that think tank, and rethink, who you have on that staff, and what they should write.

Make Acee a true NFL columnist, travel him weekly, make him write NFL content.

Take one of your Padres writers, and make him your MLB national guy, same concept. It can not be all about the Padres weekly.

We may not have an NBA team, here, but up there, LA, we have two, so develop a concept of how you cover the National Basketball Association.

Allow Mark Ziegler to become a college basketball guru nationwide, to compliment his Aztecs coverage, and write it weekly.

Continue to let him excel in the Olympic venues with columns also coverage.

Find someone strong to be a college football columnist.

Put your exceptional golf writer Todd Leonard out on the PGA beat, for big events, and big stories.

Develop someone to cover NASCAR, Indy Car, Formula 1, and get him to write weekly.

Ditto for an upgrade of coverage in the Gulls, but expand that to all things American Hockey League and the NHL.

Expand John Maffei’s roles to more high school stories and a weekly high school notes column.

And re-insert what once was well read, the Radio-TV media columns the papers put out. Complimentary or critical, people paid attention.

Change the focus of the paper. Utilize the resources from the parent LA Times. Time to rethink content. And not just ‘cut and paste’ stories from the AP wire, of load it with big pictures, or fill up the agate page with stats.

The Chargers left a big void. The newspaper now has a big hole to fill in terms of what they put in the paper everyday.

Have to be bold. May have to spend some money differently. May have to force people to write alot more. But readers value opinions and information.

Make those guys from Nick Canepa to Bryce Miller, give us more. The same with those guys covering beats, or being sent out to cover things no one pays attention to. Re-brand your people, re-style the content.

This is a unique market, a melting pot from across America.

Who were the most popular guys in the newspapers you used to read back home? The Peter Gammon’s-Boston Globe’s of the world. Mike Lupica and all things in New York. The columnists like Tony Kornheiser in Washington, or the guys in LA-Philiadephia-Atlanta-St. Louis.

What’s wrong with going back to a formula that worked, re-defining jobs and the stories they file? Throwback columns, so people don’t throw out your newspaper.

What’s on TV now?. Lots of talking heads, lots of opinions. It seems to be working there. Why not here, in my morning paper tomorrow.

Opinions and notes columns, in a major market with people from everywhere. Better than what we’re getting right now for sure.

The Union Tribune should strive to develop that now, because this market would take to it, this market should probably demand it.

When I am king, that’s what I’d do, better than what’s being done now.

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“The Gulls-A Little Playoff Hate”

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You can tell it’s that time of the year, there (NHL), here (AHL).

Playoff time..a little stubble on the beard…a gash on the nose..a black eye..little scrape on the cheek..some blood on the front of the jersey, alot of intensity…and some playoff hate.

The San Diego Gulls, playing before packed houses at the Sports Arena, dominating teams, open their post season playoff series against the Ontario Reign, their nasty rivals up the road.

It the Anaheim Ducks-Junior-vs-the LA Kings-Junior, and we know the parent clubs of both, don’t like each other.

It’s been quite a two year growth spurt with the return of pro hockey to San Diego.

The old Gulls, in the old Western Hockey League, were pretty successful. The World Hockey Association San Diego Mariners flourished for a short time. The rebirth of the Gulls, members of the International Hockey League, then the West Coast, then East Coast Hockey Leagues brought great success, including 5-Walker Cups.

But this has been special. This is skill, sizzling speed, spectacular goaltending. This is no longer ‘Slapshot’.

The Ducks have shipped in lst round picks, hot shot college players, signed quality young free agents, and sprinkled in a Euro or two, plus a couple of AHL grizzled veterans.

And America’s finest city has responded, despite the fact the Union-Tribune has ignored the team, and the TV coverage as been spotty.

Dallas Eakins, the deposed coach of the Edmonton Oilers,has delivered as a leader, teacher, and patient coach. A two year record of (83-43-11), and that’s with 104-players coming thru here in a two year span with all the NHL callups, injuries, trades.

And the Valley View Casino Center has been something special. Loud, boisterous, a Mardi Gras, and a (43-19-6) record infront of the home crowds over two winters when the fans weren’t at the beach.

And the fans, screaming, cheering, drinking, wearing the Orange, have turned out in droves. They averaged (8,675) that first season, (8,876) this season, and now weekend crowds of over 12,000 are jamming the building.

It’s a tribute to GM-Bob Ferguson and to Eakins, and to the Ducks, who already have 4-young players up top, playing nightly in the NHL playoffs, with more to come.

Tonight there will be glares-stares at center ice when they drop the puck. The Kings have done a good job in Ontario putting talent on the ice, and prior to that winning the Calder Cup in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Ontario shows up with 9-players have scored double digit goals, led by Jonny Brodzinski (27G), NHL veteran Teddy Purcell, and fiesty center Mike Amadio. There is bright young defenseman Paul LaDue, who has already been up and back to the Kings. And workhorse goalie Jack Campbell went (31-15-6) with a 2.52-goals against average, not bad in what can be a shooting gallery league.

The Gulls won’t have bright light blueliners Shea Townsend nor Brandon Montour, both with the Ducks, and playing lots. Veteran Anton Langaniere, and fellow forward Corey Tropp are here. Amongst the young guns is Kallie Kosilla, a Finnish product via St. Cloud State.

The defense is anchored by gray-beard Jeff Schultz and some young blueliners.

The goaltenders are cut from NHL cloth, ex Maple Leaf Jhonas Enroth, and former Montreal netminder Dustin Tokarski.

The turnstile infront of the locker-room has been busy. The Gulls currently have 36-players in their room right now, counting the main roster, and a group of just-signed college free agents, some of whom contributed down the stretch.

Gulls hockey, no different tonight than other places, other arenas, other rooms. It’s such a different feeling tonite, that room once you put that sweater and that crest on, and a very different intensity level when they drop the puck tonight.

If you’ve been part of a hockey team, whether its Division III-St Lawrence or NCAA kingpin Minnesota Duluth, whether you are in the AHL or the Memorial Cup, or whether you wear the Maple Leaf or the Red Wing colors, you know what it is like.

If you’re a fan, you feel it in the building. If you’ve never experienced it, you should.

All out…every shift…every night. Doesn’t get any better than this.

Playoff hockey, a different world, beginning tonight. Playoff hate is here. The Gulls are ready for Ontario.

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“The Final Fall-Gang Member-NFL Player Dies”

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So how are we supposed to feel about all this?

Aaron Hernandez goes from NFL stardom, to prison, to suicide.

He did it on the day his former team, the New England Patriots visited the White House.

Hernandez found innocent of double murders of 2-Dorchester men last week, supposedly was to meet with lawyer to plot plans for an appeal of his first murder conviction.

The stories are starting to circulate now that Hernandez could no longer cope with the reality of prison life. The solitary confinement for 19-hours a day in a maximum security prison cell.

Reports he had become insecure in prison, and had started consorting with inside prison gangs, seeking protection.

Reports he was doing synthetic drugs in prison, and that when he committed suicide by hanging himself with 2-sheets from the top window bars in his cell.

He he had written in red magic marker “John 3:16” on his forehead, and had put red dots on his hands and feet as if crucified.

He had spoken to Miami Dolphins center Mike Pouncey, a former teammate at Florida, just the day before the death, with no notice something was wrong.

But people around the murder trial, said Hernandez was trying to be friendly with guards and staff members, entering and exiting the court, as if looking for companionship.

He wept when the not-guilty verdict was announced, but stunned when the judge gave him 5-additional years of prison time for illegal firearms conviction. Somebody shot those two Dorcester men with Hernandez guns.

The world has moved on. The Patriots keep winning. They got to keep much of the (5Y-40M) contract they gave Hernandez, just two weeks before the murder of Oden Lloyd, killed by the player, in a rage over a nightclub incident.

The Patriots released him 90-minutes after he was charged with murder in the first case, then ignored him after the conviction. They never interacted nor spoke of the player and person leading a double life.

Tight end football star, gang banger with a resume of incidents in and around Boston, his hometown in Bristol, Connecticut, and all the way back to Gainesville.,

Reports say no family members, not his monther, not his brother, not any friends, sat in the court during the 2nd trial, just his longtime fiancee, now a widow.

Oddly prison officials say he was about to be moved to medium security next month, which would have given him more freedom, the ability to hold down a courtyard work job, and interact with others.

Maybe Hernandez killed himself because he was marked man inside the walls.

Maybe he killed himself when the additional sentenced was tacked on to his lifetime sentence.

Maybe he killed himself when his body reacted to what drugs he had ingested that night.

Maybe it was the reaaction to the Patriots-White House visit, and the success and fun on the outside, while he sat and rotted on the inside.

What goes on behind walls sometimes never really gets out. We do know that max security prison in the Boston suburb of Shirley, Massachusettes, has had 27-suicides in 10-years.

Add Hernandez name to that roster.

Aaron Hernandez is dead at his own hand, just like he used his own hands to fire guns, killing one man, and more likely than not, two others, regardless of what the jury says.

How are we supposed to feel about all this? You tell me.

Aaron Hernandez must have thought he was ending his life in prison by hanging himself. It seems he has now committed himself to a life in whatever “hell” is…forever.

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“Rule Changes Football for Better or Worse”

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Just what we needed, more pages added to the NCAA rule book, though maybe this will help. Here’s what they voted in..and what I think.

DECEMBER SIGNING PERIOD…Division 1-schools will be able to sign a full compliment of recruits in early December now, rather than wait for February. The big boys are going to get whom the big boys want, but it helps mid level schools, because the Power 5-schools will know who they have and don’t have, therefore it will cut down on last minute raids of teams in the Mountain West, Mid American level, who would lose players at the last minute.

GOODBYE GRAYSHIRTS…The NCAA mandates schools only sign 25 players to grants, no more over signing players, and taking the excess and holding them out till January to count against the following year’s count. There will be no gray shirting of any recruits.

EARLY RECRUITING VISITS…Prospective players will be able to make their paid recruiting vists in April-May-June of their junior season, because they can now sign in December of their senior season. It puts more stress on coaches, who now have to evaluate players earlier and likely have to use all their 56-on campus visits. Recruiting costs will go up.

COACHING STAFFS…Each school can add a 10th full time assistant to their staff, however left undecided, what to do about the super powers who bring in all these administrative assistants to do research, game film study etc. Alabama last year had 21-total working under Nick Saban.

PRESEASON PRACTICES…Completely eliminate 2-a-day practices,as a safety measure, and it comes after a cutback in spring workouts in pads. Coaches will have to figure how to teach players when you are not in pads and not going full speed. Classroom work and film study only goes so far. Just ask the NFL about their cutbacks in offseason and preseason.

SUMMARY…Tightening rules helps, but the NCAA has to be vigilant because coaches will find ways to create new recruiting advantages, witness the Jim Harbaugh satellite travel camps.

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