(editor’s note: Bleacher Fan is on vacation. Sort of.)
Greetings from the deck of the S.S. Badger! If you ever get a chance, take a ride across Lake Michigan on one of the famous “carferries” – you will not be disappointed!
However, after a trying journey to my vacation destination I’m a little tired and crabby. So, I feel like I’m in just the right mood to tell the USGA what I think about their decision to revoke Dusty Schmidt’s amateur status. IT STINKS!
Schmidt, who had recently returned to the game of golf after recuperating from a heart-attack five years earlier, decided to issue a “Million Dollar Challenge.” You see, Schmidt was also a professional poker player, and he saw an opportunity to combine the things he enjoyed – golf, poker, and competing for money – and offered $1M to any person who could beat him both at 72 holes of golf AND several hands of heads-up poker.
Well, nobody took him up on his offer, so the challenge went dormant, or so Schmidt thought. Apparently, the USGA felt that his challenge, which never materialized and is therefore nothing more than idle conversation, was “in violation of the spirit of the game.”
So the question I have for the USGA is… “What about his actions was so wrong?”
Was it that he made a public offer looking for competition in a proposition game? I’ve got news for the USGA – that’s what a Skins competition is. When two people play the same hole, and the person with the best score wins prize money, THAT’S proposition golfing. So it’s okay for a professional to play a proposition game when the prizes are funded by sponsors, but an amateur is not allowed to put up his OWN money in a proposition game? That doesn’t seem fair to me!
Was it the fact that Schmidt brought the “seedy” element of gambling into this fine, upstanding gentleman’s game, besmirching the good image of this noblest of sports? Before I hear an answer to that question, let me be clear on something – John Daly, a PROFESSIONAL golfer, can publicly admit to drinking, gambling, and drug addictions. He can be charged with domestic violence, can physically assault fans of the sport – DURING PLAY, no less – and be charged with public intoxication… and he only receives a six month suspension from the PGA. But, an amateur who does nothing more than offer a prize to anyone who can beat him at both golf AND poker is acting inappropriately and should have his status revoked?! Where’s the consistency?!
I understand that the USGA and the PGA are two different organizations, but they represent the same game, and so fans will naturally associate the two as a single body. If the interest of the USGA is to protect the image of the game of golf, they are going about it the wrong way. Especially when you consider the fact that friendly wagers in private golf games happen every day!
Instead, the USGA should partner with the PGA to identify what type of behavior is REALLY unbecoming of a golfer – such as committing a crime – and let the guys who just want to have some fun playing the game they love have their fun.
Read the debate intro and Bleacher Fan’s argument that the USGA has overstepped and was not correct in suspending Dusty Schmidt’s amateur status.
“Hey Dusty, would you like some ketchup with your foot?” Amateur professional golfer Dusty Schmidt made a big mistake, placing his foot squarely inside his mouth, when he wagered $1M that no person would be able to beat him in 72 holes of golf and then in poker. The USGA jammed that foot farther down Schmidt’s throat by denying him amateur status, making it impossible for him to play sanctioned golf under their banner. The USGA made the right decision, and Schmidt’s proposed wager was out of line.
Some believe the reason the USGA has given for not allowing Schmidt the amateur status necessary for playing professional golf in the Pacific Northwest is a bit shaky. However, the USGA says Schmidt’s wager violates the spirit of the amateur game – and they’re right. A professional sports organization can in no way be associated with gambling or betting (other “amateur” sports like college football and basketball can’t either – just ask Rick Neuheisel). Any association between gambling and a sport’s sanctioning body opens the door for fans to call every decision made by that body into question under the guise of “gambling” and who is “really benefiting” from a particular decision.
It is easy to feel empathy for Schmidt. Once an up and coming golf prospect, he suffered a heart-attack that was through to be career ending. As a result, he took up online poker (must still have a pretty good heart!) to make money and became quite good at it. However, five years after doctors told him his golf playing days were over, he was cleared to resume golf. Instead of putting his head down and doing his best to work his way up to the PGA Tour with the desire to become a great golfer, he chose to make a mockery of a gentleman’s game by placing a needless bet on his two best skills – golf and poker.
Schmidt was once a bonafide prospect within the golf world and has spent enough time around sanctioned golf to gain an understanding of the written and unwritten rules that govern the game. It is skill and etiquette getting equal importance and the USGA is taking strong, legitimate action to ensure their game remains ruled equally by both.
Schmidt fought the USGA’s decision in court, claiming that since no person stepped forward to take him up on his bet, his bet was never official, and therefore should not warrant a removal of amateur status. This is faulty logic. If I offer Bleacher Fan one million dollars, and he declines, the offer was still valid. Schmidt does not have a leg to stand on, and even a Federal judge agreed.
It is within the right of the USGA to make an example of a player who is lacks polish and professionalism. Golf is a game equally reliant on etiquette and skill. To receive endorsements and unquestioned backing from the USGA, and pave the way to give up amateur status in favor of professional status, a player must have both.
As soon as any type of gambling is associated with a sport, it is a public relations distraction and a constant albatross around the sport’s neck. Relaxed standards create opportunities for massive rules violations, and can trigger the beginning of the end of respect – and legitimate cash flow – for a major sport. By taking the action of disallowing Schmidt from attaining an amateur status, the USGA has succeeded in making the issue about Schmidt and his conduct, which is deemed inconsistent with the principles and spirit of sanctioned golf. Though the status is “amateur” it is still professional golf, and the players are expected to comport themselves accordingly or be held accountable by the USGA.
As I was sitting down preparing to write the intro for this debate, I got to thinking – in today’s world, what are the two things that men like to do the most? I compiled a list that included working out, fishing, hunting, and going to “ball” games (Loyal Homer’s personal favorite). But, at the top of the list has to be playing golf and playing poker. You can ride out to the local country club pretty much every weekend and there are people on the tee at the crack of dawn. There are many nights where a group of guys are sitting around the card table shooting the breeze and playing poker. At least that’s how it is where I’m from.
That leads into our debate on a topic that you may have missed, but The Sports Debates did not miss it.
Let me tell you about Dusty Schmidt. He was promising golfer from California who turned professional several years ago. Unfortunately, at the young age of 23, he suffered a heart attack ruining his chances at sustaining a prosperous golf career. While recovering from the heart attack, he became fascinated with online poker (which is a growing hobby on its own) and eventually became a professional poker player.
Then, a miracle happened and Schmidt was medically cleared to play golf again. He was granted amateur status by the United States Golf Association, which allowed him to compete in sanctioned events in the Northwest.
Combining his golf and poker skills, Schmidt issued a “Million Dollar Challenge.” The challenge was to anyone who could beat him at 72 holes of golf and at several hands of poker. No one took him up on the challenge so case closed, right?
Is the USGA justified in revoking the amateur status of Dusty Schmidt?
Sports Geek will argue that the USGA is within their right to remove Schmidt’s amateur status, while Bleacher Fan will argue that the USGA has overstepped and placed too harsh a punishment on Schmdit.
Before we get to today’s debate, which promises to be interesting for both golf and sports fans, I want to point out a few media outlets who have extended our The Big East in the BCS Debate from last week.
First, Salt Lake Tribune columnist Lya Wodraska devoted some ink to putting the Big East-BCS debate in the context of other emerging conferences like the Mountain West which the Utah Utes belong to. She makes an excellent point that potential of a conference is something to take into account when assessing the current BCS landscape. Of the current non-BCS conferences the Mountain West certainly has earned the most respect with BYU, TCU, and Utah all achieving double digits wins in 2008. Check her column out.
Greg Auman, University of South Florida beat reporter for the St. Petersburg Times, also highlighted our Big East debate, in a different light (obviously). The general sense out of central Florida seems to be that the value of the Big East as a football conference is not getting enough credit, considering the realigned conference from a few years ago has shown average results, not below average. Auman’s post, and blog, are worth a read.
Last, ESPN sports talk radio personality Matt McClusky had our very own Bleacher Fan on his show last week to discuss the verdict in the Big East-BCS debate. McClusky’s show is based out of upstate New York, the heart of Big East country, and even he had to admit the Big East is treading on thin football ice.
The debate continues! Voting is still enabled on it, so make your voice heard through a vote or a comment!
Here we are on July 20, with the baseball second half just starting and NFL training camps opening across the country for in the next couple of weeks. But, the NBA has stolen a lot of headlines this summer with a flurry of transactions through trades and free agency. Some of the moves are legit, while others are just plain “silly.”
The Sports Debates has decided to take a look at all the moves that have taken place so far this offseason and determine the three worst moves. We’re not going to debate the best moves because quite frankly, that’s just too boring.
Sports Geek will argue that the Houston Rockets signing Trevor Ariza was the worst move to date while Bleacher Fan will argue the contract the Cleveland Cavaliers gave Anderson Varejao is a terrible deal for them.
Meanwhile, I am arguing the worst move involved Orlando and the Polish Hammer! Marcin Gortat was drafted in 2005, but didn’t play his first game until March 1, 2008. So, for the sake of this argument, let’s call him a two year “veteran.” He played an average of 12.6 minutes per game this past season. He averaged 3.8 points per game. At 7-feet tall, he’s the backup for center Dwight Howard. But, after a solid postseason in which he played big minutes for the Magic as they made their run to the NBA Finals, Gortat was signed to an offer sheet by the Dallas Mavericks.
Now, judging by everything I just told you, you are probably thinking something along the lines of, “Dallas probably signed him to a three year deal worth about $15M.” Hah! You’re wrong!
Gortat signed an offer sheet for five years and $34 MILLION DOLLARS with the Mavericks. That’s an average of almost $7M dollars per season. Surely, Orlando wouldn’t match that, letting Gortat walk. Notice that Magic general manager Otis Smith said he would not pay more than $5M per year for a guy who will back up Howard. The Magic had seven days to match the offer, and all indications were that Gortat could pack his bags and head to Dallas, where he would have a chance to compete for a starting position.
Something happened on Gortat’s way to the Lone Star State. To the amazement of many experts in NBA circles, and to the shock of Loyal Homer, the Magic matched the offer sheet!!!!!
“You’ve got to be kidding me!!!!” That was my reaction when I first heard the news!
In a time when the NBA market is considerably down due to the economy, the Magic gave big money to a permanent backup. There are starters who don’t make anywhere close to that money. As I stated earlier, this is after “flourishing” this past year to the tune of 3.8 points per game. I think this is an example of someone cashing in on a team’s postseason success. Just imagine the deal he would get if he averaged double figures in points!!!
Kudos to Gortat and his agent for getting this amount of money. I hope everyone involved knows what they’re doing! On the surface, it appears they don’t!
The original Wild Thing in Cleveland sports is not a 6-foot 11-inch center/forward from Brazil with ridiculous hair. No, the ORIGINAL Wild Thing was a pitcher out of the California Penal league with ridiculous hair. And while “Veg-head” may have stolen a car, Cleveland’s newest Wild Thing has just committed highway robbery!
Anderson Varejao inked a new contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers last week that will keep him on the shores of Lake Erie through 2015, and could net him as much as $50 million dollars.
Surely, Varejao must be one heck of a player for the Cavaliers, who are trying to do everything in their power to keep LeBron James in town, to make that kind of an offer! I mean, it’s not like they would give that contract to a center/forward who averages less than one block per game and only scores 8.6 points per game off of the bench, would they?! Apparently, they would!
I do not mean to imply that Varejao is a worthless player. He is a high-energy player with above-average defensive skills, and he is not afraid to give OR receive a hard foul. The best word to sum up Andy’s style is, “hustle.” He will give 100 percent of himself every minute that he is on the court. Since when did hustle warrant that kind of cheddar, though?!
Varejao’s time spent with Cleveland has always been tenuous. During a contract holdout in 2007, the Cavs refused to offer him a five-year, $45 million deal. When Varejao realized that NOBODY was going to offer him that contract, he finally accepted an offer sheet from the Charlotte Bobcats for MUCH less. The Cavaliers matched that offer, and were able to keep him on their roster.
When that contract came up for renewal this past offseason, the Cavaliers gave every indication that they were willing to part ways with the Brazilian. Once again, it appeared that Varejao and his agent, Dan Fegan, were going to ask for another ridiculous contract, and Varejao declined to exercise his contract option with the Cavs for the 2009 season.
Something changed, though, within the Cavaliers organization. Whether it was the Cavaliers’ inability to sign free agent Trevor Ariza, or the rumored interest that Varejao was receiving from the Portland and Oklahoma City organizations, the Cavaliers surprisingly decided to make this offer to Varejao, which drew much skepticism from the public.
Whatever sparked the change of heart for Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry, they are now stuck with a sub-standard offensive player who, despite a high level of intensity, is a very sloppy ball handler. With all that, he has also gained a reputation as a flopper, something the NBA officials are quick to recognize. As a result, he has drawn the scrutiny of the NBA officials, and therefore gets little to no leeway from them when he is playing.
I sure hope Danny Ferry knows what he is doing. His entire career rides on every decision he will make in the next year, and whether or not he will be able to keep LeBron James in Cleveland. If LeBron ends up taking his talents to another city after this season, this will be added to the list of doubts cast on his ability to be an effective general manager, and it will likely result in his unemployment.
Read Bleacher Fan’s argument that the worst NBA free agency move was the Cleveland Cavaliers re-signing Anderson Varejao and Loyal Homer’s argument that the Orlando Magic matching Marcin Gortat’s offer sheet is.
It’s silly season in the NBA – that part of the off-season where teams jockey for position trying to sign the best free agent available, the one player a team was missing that could mean the difference between finishing ninth and eighth in the regular season, or the season ending in the Conference Finals or the NBA Finals.
For me, NBA free agency is not about making a splash with a big name player, it is about finding the right missing piece to put a team over the top. Finding the right player can mean re-signing a valuable player, correctly passing on a tantalizing opportunity, or finding a player who is that diamond in the rough who no longer fits into his former team’s strategy, but is perfect for another team. Those are examples of how free agency is supposed to work. But, sometimes teams sign players that are not a good fit.
First, the Rockets chose to use the money from an injury exception (about the same as the mid-level exception, $5.7M) for Yao Ming – who will miss the entirety of next season with a fractured foot – to sign a forward. Yao’s injury leaves a very weak center position on the roster. The Rockets have the following players under contract who could play center next season: 6-8 Joey Dorsey, 6-9 Luis Scola. Despite the lack of great center’s out there in free agency, the Rockets needed to explore a way to fill that gaping hole in their roster. Even though they lost forward Ron Artest to the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency, the more glaring need to fill on the Rockets is the center position given that a great deal of the current roster and offensive approach is designed around that position.
Second, and even more exasperating for Rockets fans, Ariza was signed very quickly in the free agency period. The quick signing is bewildering because many other players were available at the forward position that could help fill the role Artest filled. Rather than waiting out the off-season a bit, the Rockets made an aggressive offer (five years $33.5M) to a player with questionable NBA experience. Ariza is being paid as a big time player who can be the focus of an offense, not as the type of player he is – a journeyman with complementary skills… which brings us to reason number three.
Trevor Ariza is overrated. Granted, he played wonderfully in the 2009 NBA Finals (you’d think the Orlando Magic would have learned to look for him on in-bound plays after his second steal and dunk), scoring 11 points a game, grabbing six rebounds, and averaging nearly two steals a game. Ariza averaged less than nine points a game in the regular season, and has averaged less than seven points a game for his career – yet, he’s being paid as a major offensive contributor would be. For his career is shoots below 30 percent from long range, and only 66% from the free throw line. These are not the type of stats that usually fetch nearly $35M.
Ariza is a good complementary player, he is not the all-around player his contract figures may lead you to believe he is. Kudos to Ariza’s agent, David Lee, who has been criticized by some. He landed Ariza a contract that is far more valuable than the player. But, Ariza better enjoy his money – it’s the last big contract he’ll ever sign.
A great deal has happened in this off-season already, and it appears August is poised for a lot of off the court action, too. But it will be hard to top such a peculiar, rushed move with the remaining crop of free agents (depending on who signs Allen Iverson!).
A couple of weeks ago, the writing staff here at The Sports Debates were tossing around topic ideas and we discussed the 2005 NFL Draft. Folks, we trouble naming players out of that draft who had made big contributions. After looking over this list, we agreed that it was a terrible draft. Look at it, folks. The first round is lackluster AT BEST! San Francisco taking quarterback Alex Smith first overall really set the tone for the entire draft, didn’t it? You could make a solid case for Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White, as my colleagues have decided to do. But, since I had to choose one guy that I would want to resign to a long term deal, I chose Dallas Cowboys‘ linebacker DeMarcus Ware.
Ware, out of Troy University, was drafted with the 11th overall pick in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft. In a short time, he has become one of the league’s best linebackers. In four years, he has accumulated 297 tackles and 53.5 sacks, including a whopping 20 sacks last year. At one point last year, he had a sack in ten consecutive games. He also made the Pro Bowl the past three years.
Ware, who just turned 27, is in the last year of his rookie contract. His base salary is just over $1 million, a far cry from the extravagant contracts that not only some of the league’s top defensive players have (see Albert Haynesworth and James Harrison), but also what some of the players in his own draft class currently have (see Antrel Rolle, Aaron Rodgers, and Luis Castillo).
To the Cowboys credit, they have plans to extend Ware’s contract. The Cowboys obviously want to keep him, and he seems to want to stay in Dallas. He is also set to receive a gigantic pay raise that will raise him to the upper echelon of salaries in the NFL. Hopefully, this will raise his profile, also.
DeMarcus Ware still isn’t nearly as well known as some of his teammates. Yes, I know he plays for America’s Team and he gets a front row seat to the daily soap opera there. But, he’s strangely off of the national radar. Tony Romo and Terrell Owens stole all the headlines the last couple of years. The fact remains that Ware is a beast on the field and someone opposing offenses game plan around – without much success.
The Cowboys should definitely sign Ware to an extension… very soon. He’s just entering the prime of his career, and he should play the prime of his career at the new Cowboys Stadium.
The 2005 NFL draft. What a doozy! Er, snoozy. When San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith is the supposed “class of the draft” you know something is wrong. That “something” is a real dearth of talent. It is strange, looking back, to analyze what a truly terrible first round that was. Most NFL drafts have one or two redeeming players taken in the first, the kind of player that changes the complexion of a team, or the balance in a division, or proves to carry the burden of the franchise mantle for years to come. Instead NFL fans and teams were stuck with the likes of Miami Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown (read: no consistency), Cleveland Browns wide “receiver” Braylon Edwards (every time a bell rings Edwards drops a pass), Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson (aye, aye, Cedric), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Cadillac Williams (too many blown tires) to round out the top five of that draft. Yikes.
But, continuing to read down the list of players taken in the first round of the draft, it’s hard not to stop and stare at the name Aaron Rodgers, starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. If quarterback’s are supposed to have patience, he has plenty to spare. Playing by semi/almost/perhaps/maybe retired quarterback Brett Favre isn’t easy, but he waited his turn with class. His prolonged debut in the NFL was not because of a lack of skill or experience, it was because he was following a beloved legend. Most young players like Rodgers would lose their patience or demand a trade. Rodgers kept his head down and, get this folks, WORKED. HARD. On one hand it is a shame that hard work is such an impressive trait, on the other hand his willingness to stick out tough circumstances proved he has the poise to lead – a skill matched only by his physical abilities.
Rodgers is also 1-1 against division rival Chicago. This is important for Green Bay. Though he has a way to go before matching his predecessor’s 22-8 record against the Monsters of the Midway, he held his own in his first season, drubbing the Bears at home 37-3 before losing a close one on the road in the second to last week of the season.
It’s clear that Aaron Rodgers is the best player taken in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft, and was very deserving of the contract extension he already signed. It is easy to see why the Packers invested $66M in Rodgers, a 25 year-old up and coming leader with good decision making skills and a laser arm. He really is a franchise quarterback, at a franchise that LOVES franchise quarterbacks.
Despite the massive expectations heaved upon him by the stock-owning fans in Green Bay, Rodgers performed consistently behind an offensive line that was not always in the mood to protect him (sacked 34 times last season). Rodgers still managed to toss 28 touchdowns and throw for over 4,000 yards. Not bad for a first time starter.
All in all, very few first round picks from 2005 deserve to be resigned as their rookie contracts expire. The class was almost a complete bust. Rodgers, however, is an important exception. But, a low-key player like Rodgers is often under the radar, which is impressive for a guy who was good enough to make a once Favre-crazed city forget about #4.
To help refresh your memory, here are a couple names from that outstanding draft year:
Eli Manning (1)
Larry Fitzgerald (3)
Philip Rivers (4)
Sean Taylor (5)
Ben Roethlisberger (11)
This draft was SO loaded with talent that seven of the first ten picks have been named Pro Bowlers, with seven more coming in the remaining first round picks.
So, how is it that just ONE year later, we see one of the most lackluster first rounds in recent NFL draft memory?
In comparison to 2004, the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft has only produced seven total Pro Bowl players, and is highlighted by names like Alex Smith, Adam Jones, and who could forget Alex Barron?! Even the Pro Bowlers have been suspect, such as Braylon Edwards and Shawne Merriman.
But, that doesn’t mean that the first round of the draft was completely devoid of talent. There were still a few diamonds in the rough.
And while Sports Geek will argue for Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and Loyal Homer will argue for Dallas linebacker DeMarcus Ware, I look no further than Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White as THE diamond pick from 2005. At 6’0’’ the 27 year-old out of Alabama-Birmingham has emerged as one of the most dangerous wide receivers in the NFL.
Granted, his career got off to a slow start. In his first two seasons combined with the Atlanta Falcons White only grabbed 59 receptions for 952 yards and three touchdowns. Those are hardly stellar stats.
Itis important to keep something in mind, though, when you look at those numbers. White’s quarterback during those two seasons, one Mr. Ronald Mexico, was not known to be a “passing” quarterback. Instead, Michael Vick’s style was to be a rusher first and a passer second (in 2006, for example, Vick was a 1000 yard rusher, but threw the ball only 388 times). It should also be noted that Vick’s favorite target when he DID throw was his tight end, Alge Crumpler.
It wasn’t until Vick left the Falcons (whatever happened to him anyway?!) that White finally got his opportunity to showcase his tremendous talent.
To replace Vick, the Falcons brought in Joey Harrington at quarterback. Considering the upgrade in “passing” that Harrington brought to the Falcons, it was evident that the Falcon’s offensive game plan was going to be shifting – enter Roddy White.
In 2007, White turned in a season with totals that surpassed the combined results from his first two years with Vick. He caught 83 passes for 1202 yards and six touchdowns. His 1,202 yards was actually eighth in the NFL that season.
The 2008 season brought White a new head coach, Mike Smith, and a new quarterback, rookie sensation Matt Ryan out of Boston College. For White the 2008 NFL season was just another day at the office. Ryan and White were able to connect 88 different times for a total of 1,382 yards (the fourth highest total in the NFL) and seven touchdowns. White’s 2008 performance was so good that it even earned him a spot on the NFC Pro Bowl roster, and he helped the Falcons turn in an 11-5 record and a Wild Card berth in the NFC playoffs.
With a promising young quarterback in Matt Ryan and an explosive running game that features fellow 2008 Pro Bowler Michael Turner, it is very safe to assume that Roddy White’s performances are only going to get better.
If the Atlanta Falcons wish to continue their outstanding momentum which began in the 2008 season, they MUST consider Roddy White as an integral piece of their puzzle, and they MUST sign him to a new contract worthy of any other first round Pro Bowler in the NFL.
And we're back... Should college coaches look into criminal and juvenile records when recruiting? The verdict says YES! http://bit.ly/dZ5LF310 months ago
Posted by Bleacher Fan 
