Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Spurrier Quits

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On the day he was named Head Coach of the Washington Redskins two years ago, Steve Spurrier was coy with the press, saying he didn’t expect to work as hard as some of the other coaches (he named Jim Haslett as one) and he didn’t expect any surprises in the NFL. “Football is football,” Spurrier said that day, “we’ll pitch it around and see what happens.”

Two years later, the Redskins franchise is in disarray, Spurrier has resigned and Dan Snyder will look for his fifth head coach since buying the team. Not all of the Redskins problems can be blamed on Spurrier, but many can be traced to a single personality trait that he possesses: he tries his best all of the time until the battle seems lost.

Spurrier has been successful at everything in life, save for professional football. And the one thing in pro football that differs from college football and just about everything else is that the players aren’t always playing at the top of their game. Sometimes they’re on, sometimes, as the saying goes, not so much. That never got into Spurrier’s head, and consequently he kept running into the same wall, banging his head and bouncing back to the same spot.

There’s lots of talk about discipline problems on the Redskins, and Spurrier admitted in a meeting with Dan Snyder on Sunday as much. Again, Spurrier’s refusal to put an emphasis on small details that he considers a grown man’s domain got him in trouble. He suspended a couple of players at the end of the season, but it was too late. NFL players are young guys with lots of money and tons of time. If left to their own devices the “wanderers” on a team will do just that, wander. The discipline isn’t for guys who know what it’s all about (players like Kyle Brady, Maurice Williams, and Fred Taylor to name a few) but rather about those who need to be kicked in line, and there are plenty of them in the league. If they’re running off, they have a negative effect on the whole product. The Redskins seemed to be full of “free spirits” and guys with plenty to say, but there wasn’t enough self policing on the team to be successful.

Washington Post columnist Thomas Boswell wrote earlier this year, “Four groups are running the Redskins; Spurrier, Vinny Cerrato (the GM), Dan Snyder and the last guy who walked by Snyder who said something Snyder thought was smart.” Snyder can’t quite make up his mind what he wants to do with his team. He paid $800 million for the club so he doesn’t think he should surrender running it to somebody else, no matter how much that person might know about football.

There are a select few coaches who will be able to work under Snyder’s reign, but none will get the overall control so many of them want. Spurrier, on the other hand, had the opposite problem. He didn’t want to work with a lot of the things that most coaches want; he just wanted to coach football. He knew taking the job in Washington that they didn’t have the players necessary to run the kind of offense he likes, but figured he could fix that in short order.

Looking back on his success at Duke and at Florida, Spurrier’s system worked with just a few good players running the offense. Whether it was Dave Brown, Shane Matthews, Danny Wuerffel or Rex Grossman, his quarterback was one of the best, if not the best player on the field. In the NFL, the separation between the talents of different positions is very small. And on defense, they’re fast and they’re also good.

Perhaps it would have been a different situation in a different situation. A more talented quarterback, wide receivers who had more speed, a running back who was suited to running and catching the ball and a defense already in place would have been a much better fit for Spurrier. He’s quirky, but he’s also a smart guy who could have success as a coach in the NFL, but I don’t think he’ll try it again. At 58 years old, Spurrier is not interested in coaching forever. Perhaps he’ll be back in the college game in the near future, but not for too long.

I’ll admit I was rooting for Spurrier to be successful. There are too many guys in and around the NFL with their noses up in the air about how great the league is and how nobody can re-invent the wheel when it comes to success. A lot of those guys will come out of the woodwork to rip Spurrier (just read Merrill Hodge’s column on espn.com) but that’s the nature of the league and the hangers-on that surround it. It’s full of self-importance and those people don’t take well to interlopers.

There is a certain amount of truth to the notion that certain things win in the league and other things don’t. Given another shot, even Spurrier would do things differently. But I don’t think he’s too interested.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Dads and Daughters

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I’ll admit I’d been in a little bit of a funk for the past few weeks. The Thanksgiving holiday snapped me out of it. I like spending time with my kids around, doing nothing in particular but enjoying their company. The funk didn’t have anything to do with my birthday (not a milestone), or some work related issue.

It was about girl’s volleyball.

Not volleyball per se, or the fact that my youngest daughter’s team endured five lead changes in the fifth and deciding game in the state championship, only to fall to the same team that beat them last year. The same way. (can you tell I remember all of it!)

Actually, that game signaled the end of an era of sorts in my household. My two daughters are my two oldest children, and both have had spectacular high school athletic careers. Four-year varsity athletes, they have excellent and varied skills, strong leadership qualities and a tenacity that make them a coaches’ dream. Since they’re four years apart in school, for the past eight years, my fall schedule has been wrapped around girls’ high school volleyball games (with some football thrown in). Seven trips to the Final Four.

And now that’s over.

I know it’s the natural progression of things, but there is something special about dads and daughters sharing the bond of athletic competition. Maybe because it’s the thing they most often come to you for when they have a question.

High School is about growing up, about studying and socializing, about what to wear and how to act in public. All things girls ask their mom’s about. But when they wanted some help with their mechanics, or some competitive advice, Dad was the resource.

I know those things transfer to something else as they get older. I’ve seen it with my oldest daughter as our relationship has shifted, and grown. But there’s something about that stolen glance from the court up into the stands after a particularly good play that I’ll always miss. That little acknowledgement of thousands of conversations, demonstrations, admonitions and words of encouragement all flashing by in the turned up corner of a smile in front of a bouncing ponytail. If there’s anything better than that, I’ve never heard of it.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

They’re Zook’s Gators

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“And we’re a pretty good football team too,” is what I heard from the podium Saturday night after Florida beat Georgia for the 13th time in 14 years. The speaker was Gators Head Coach Ron Zook, and that quote made my ears perk up. It’s the first time I’d heard Zook say he thought his team was pretty good, or had a chance to get there.

“I don’t know if it’s the first time I’ve said it publicly,” Zook answered when I pressed him on it, “but it’s not the first time I’ve thought it, I can tell you that.”

The post-Georgia press conference was pretty impressive on Zook’s part. There weren’t a bunch of quick answers or quick responses where it seemed Ron wanted to say the last thing in the sentence before the first thing was finished. And it wasn’t measured or vengeful. It was just Zook. It was the first time I’d seen him in public comfortable in his own skin. Comfortable in his own accomplishments, with the confidence that he’d shown to every coach who employed him before Jeremy Foley named him the head of the Gator Nation. And he’s the undisputed head of the Gator Nation. Despite websites calling for his ouster and newspaper columnists wondering in print if he’s the right guy for the job, Zook has proved his worth both in Gainesville and on a national scale. He can recruit and he can coach. No matter what happens the rest of the year, he’s taken a young team and taught them how to win. For once, Gators can really mean it when they say, “Wait ‘till next year!”

Forty-four different players in orange and blue this year have seen their first action as Gator football players. They’ve played 33 freshmen, including at quarterback, where Chris Leak has made a believer out of just about everybody. He’s smart, sees the field, is just mobile enough and makes good throws. The game winning drive against Georgia was the perfect spot for a freshman to make a mistake and send the game into overtime. Instead, Leak delivered perfect passes, including the big one to Ben Troupe that put them in field goal range.

Having won at Baton Rouge and Fayetteville, and beaten Georgia in a half-hostile environment, it won’t matter where these young players go in the future, it won’t bother them. And credit Zook for that. He’s solid when it comes to game preparation, and motivation, but probably doesn’t get enough credit when it comes to the psychology of coaching. You might have seen the television shot of him walking by and saying something to Matt Leach when Florida was marching down the field at the end of the game against Georgia. What could he possibly say in that situation that might help a guy, especially one who struggled in the past, make that kick? “I’d give a thousand dollars to do what you’re about to do,” was the one line he delivered. That’s not Head Coach-speak. That’s a guy to a guy, and the perfect bump to a not-so-sure kicker. A Head Coach sometimes has to be a CEO, and other times he has to be your best friend. Zook seems to have figured out how to use the “velvet hammer” when necessary.

Winning the rest of their games is important for Florida in the SEC race. Not just the obvious SEC games, but a win against FSU would go a long way in allowing the AD’s to vote the Gators as the East Division representative in case of a three way tie including Georgia and Tennessee. How strange is that? The Gators have to root for Georgia against Auburn, while Tennessee has to root for Florida to beat both Vandy and South Carolina.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Solving Ticket Problems

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They seem to have it all: A beautiful stadium, nice weather, natural grass, a solid fan base and an attractive product. So why can’t the Jaguars sell out the stadium? They’re not the only ones with this problem. Tampa, Atlanta, Miami and many other NFL towns aren’t selling out unless their team is a winner.

The math is tough on the Jaguars from the start. When the stadium is sold out, 73,000 fans from a total population of about 1.1 million are at the game. That means one in about every fifteen people, men women and children, are inside the stadium. Ticket prices are an issue. The Jaguars ticket prices range in the upper end of prices throughout the league, while the median income of their local fan base is in the bottom end of the league.

Although the Jaguars have put some in the affordable range, a season ticket is still out of range for a lot of the working class in North Florida and South Georgia. Remember, nobody is buying one season ticket. It’s a couple or three or four for family or friends and it can add up quickly.

Market size and stadium size don’t match. Forget Green Bay, Jacksonville is the smallest city to have an NFL team. The Packers have been around forever and they have Milwaukee close by. The 73,000 seats are too many for a modern day football stadium, as evidenced by every stadium built since the one in Jacksonville was completed. About 65,000 seats is a good size, so it’s no coincidence that Jaguars sellouts miss by about 8,000 on a regular basis. The size of the stadium was mandated by local politicians who wanted to ensure that the Florida/Georgia game was accommodated with 80,000 or so seats after the temporaries were put in. So with the facts laid out, it’s obvious a sellout is a hard sell to begin with.

But it has been done.

And with regularity.

The Jaguars were the ticket when they were winners and when they were new. That combination, starting in 1995 and going through 2000 gave the organization a false sense of security. Their first blackout didn’t occur until September of 2001.

“We were a little bit spoiled,” Owner Wayne Weaver admitted to me recently. Spoiled by success on the field and at the ticket window. Because of that success, and the continued explosion of interest in the NFL, Weaver saw his $120 million cash investment in 1993 grow to an estimated worth of $500 million in 2002. That’s a pretty good return. So by just about every measure, save for recent wins and losses, the Jaguars are a success.

But why can’t they sell enough tickets?

Part of it is the complacency Weaver alluded to. They had the doors open and people flocked through. Jaguars paraphernalia was everywhere, the hottest gift item. Players were as popular as rock stars, never having to pick up a check, anywhere. But that shine is gone. The newness has worn off, and the winning is in the past, and they hope, in the future. That’s where their connection with the city, and its population counts. And for some reason, they haven’t been able to make one.

Jaguars insiders agreed that in Tom Coughlin’s final season, the team had suffered a total disconnect from its casual fan. Coughlin’s abrupt manner kept people away and a losing record ensured they’d spend their money elsewhere. So changing the coach seemed to be the panacea the organization saw to fix their sagging fortunes, both on the field and at the box office.

Jack Del Rio, a vibrant, young, energetic former player replaced Coughlin and the team saw an immediate jump in season ticket sales. But that lagged as well, and the teams on-field success is realistically at least a couple of years away.

A connection with the fans depends on a history, both of winning and losing. Fans need to celebrate their victories together and have a common misery when it comes to losing. College stadiums in Gainesville, Athens and Tallahassee are sold out on weekends in the fall, regardless of the team’s record. It’s a part of people’s culture, how they’ve grown up and what they see of themselves. But the Jaguars haven’t tapped that.

Business partners say the Jaguars’ attitude toward them is “We’re the Jaguars and you’re not.” Many fans have said buying a ticket is much harder than it has to be. The game day experience in most NFL cities starts early and ends late, regardless of the team’s record or the time of the game. Even in Carolina, with the same amount of history as the Jaguars, fans have street parties and post-game gatherings to rival anything around the league. The Jaguars have parking lots with scattered tailgaters, but nothing that’s about to go into the books as legendary.

Their marketing this year began with a slogan touting “A New Era.” A new coaching era yes, but it’s not a new era just because you say it is. Television and radio ads have a deep voiced announcer promoting tickets so you can be involved in a “New Season of Historic Proportions.” How so?

The Jacksonville sports fan is smarter than that. In fact, they know this season is the first step in getting the team back to contending status. Most people who have given up their season tickets cite the game day experience as their number one reason.

“I had season tickets for the first five years,” one Jaguars fan told me, “and I never sat next to the same person twice. I didn’t know anybody in my section, so I felt pretty isolated.”

A marketing strategy that puts people in the seats with people they know is important for any professional sports team, especially one based in a small community like Jacksonville. Knowing how many studies and surveys the team has commissioned in the past, have they figured out why they haven’t ever been embraced by the community in a passionate way? Maybe it’s because the community doesn’t feel embraced by the Jaguars.

“They’re Wayne’s Jaguars, they’re the NFL’s Jaguars,” is how many fans describe the team. Weaver needs to figure out how to have people feel like they’re Jacksonville’s Jaguars. Fans need to think they have a proprietary interest in the team, even if they don’t. That’s where the Jaguars marketing strategy has failed from the beginning. And their biggest asset is right under their nose: Weaver himself.

The Jaguars owner made his millions marketing shoes to women, knowing what they were looking for in style and color. As a “Georgia Boy” (he’s from Macon), Weaver has an easy personal style that would connect with potential ticket buyers, the everyday Jacksonville fan. He needs to be out front, explaining his affinity for this town. The owner as pitchman for his product isn’t an unusual idea, it’s just different than what happens in other towns. Weaver had his chances to back efforts to take an NFL team elsewhere, most notably St. Louis, but he liked it here. His philanthropy is near legend in a town with limited “deep pockets” givers. Developing Weaver as a “hometown” owner, makes people feel like he’s a part of what they are, and in turn, his team is a part of what they are as well.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Jimmy Smith’s Long Road

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I guess I’m supposed to be mad at Jimmy Smith. I sat in his living room nearly two years ago, doing a live broadcast for Channel 4, two days after Smith was charged with DUI and, according to police, tested positive for cocaine. Smith maintained that the test was a police mistake and said he wasn’t a drug user, hadn’t been in the past and didn’t plan on it in the future.

Now, of course, we know that was a lie.

But it was a part of a pattern that Smith had developed over a couple of years. The night before, Smith had committed to an appearance on our weekly show “The End Zone” only to not show. The year before, Smith had agreed to join Keenan McCardell as a co-host of “The End Zone” only to not show for the contract signing with no explanation. All the signs were there, the lifestyle, the notoriety, the availability, and the cash on hand and now police evidence that Jimmy Smith was in trouble.

But he denied it.

Flat out, looked into the camera and said he didn’t do it. Told Wayne Weaver and Tom Coughlin the same thing. Sold the story to his teammates, the fans and the media. Eventually the charges were dropped and the whole thing kind of went away. But Smith had spent the reservoir of good will he had built up during his time in Jacksonville as a Jaguar. He was known as somebody who was involved in charity work, was accommodating to the fans, and produced on the field. When he got in trouble, he was given a free pass by just about everybody, even those who thought he was guilty and lying. He had a chance, right then, to throw his hands up and say, “I’m in trouble and I need help,” and people would have rushed to the rescue.

But he didn’t. He lied instead and continued the farce.

He had medical problems, enduring three abdominal surgeries, only to return to the field and light up the opponents. He held out during last year’s training camp, until Weaver acquiesced and gave him a bucket full of money. And now he’s suspended for four games and has voluntarily entered an undisclosed treatment program. No wonder the Jaguars’ owner was furious when he heard the news.

After allegedly missing a mandatory drug test, the NFL imposed the next level of punishment on Smith, forcing him out of the Jaguars lineup and into treatment. Smith could have stayed with the team until the regular season started, but instead chose to leave immediately to seek help. That’s about the first good sign for Jimmy Smith.

There have been hundreds of guys who have fallen to the temptations of the high living lifestyle, and all have been given some kind of “wake up call” at one point or another. That’s when they have to choose to get their lives straight, or continue on a path that leads to more trouble. It might be about two years late, but Smith is at that spot right now. He can either get his life straight, or continue to think he’s fooling everybody. Smith has put a permanent black mark next to his name as a professional athlete, and as one fan said, “Brought dishonor to his name and to his family.” He’s out of goodwill from the fans. He has nothing left to spend.

I’m not mad at Jimmy Smith. I’m disappointed that he didn’t trust somebody enough to tell them the truth and get some help. More than anything, I feel sorry for him right now. He’s got a long road ahead of him.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

USA Hockey 1980: A Different Time

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It was a very different time for journalism, television and the USA. Although Watergate was still fresh in our minds and a healthy amount of skepticism was essential for every journalist, there was still innocence to news coverage. The responsibility for reporters was to the viewers and there was a real attachment between the two. It wasn’t all a ratings game.

It was 1980.

A 24-hour cable news network was just starting. There were some all-sports stations, but none of them had any impact because nobody really had cable. Satellite TV was something for the science fiction movies. The Internet was a dream. Local television stations, the radio, the morning and evening newspaper were the only conduits of information into everybody’s home. There weren’t soup lines, but the economy was weak and politicians talked about the “misery index,” a combination of economic indicators that kept Americans treading water. The Cold War raged on, with America’s role in the world undefined. Iran took hostages from the US embassy in Tehran and instead of action then President Jimmy Carter advised “patience.” Although only 23-years ago, as you can see, it was a very different time.

Set against this backdrop, the Olympic Winter Games were being held in the US, at Lake Placid, NY. Live television broadcasts were still part of the American Olympic experience. Not a lot of pre-packaged personality profiles. A lot of competition and live events. Eric Heiden was on the verge of one of the greatest feats in athletic history, capturing all five gold medals in speed skating, from the sprint to the marathon. American’s still were competitive in figure skating and some skiing events but the Winter Games were not considered an American stronghold.

Twenty years earlier, the US Hockey team won the gold medal in Squaw Valley, but since then, they weren’t a factor. The USSR, (the Russians, the Rooskies, the Soviets) had put together the best hockey team in the world. Disguised as amateurs, the USSR’s Red Army team had speed, finesse, passing and the finest goaltender in the world. It was before the Olympics allowed professionals and before the NHL was really international, and the Russians weren’t allowed (or welcomed) in American sport. So a collection of college players was chosen to represent the USA on the ice, everybody hoped they could possibly get a medal, but not gold.

Hockey was not considered a huge sport across the American landscape. There weren’t any teams in the West, and certainly none in Florida or Texas (not counting the WHA). So the interest in the USA Hockey team was strictly patriotic, an us vs. them situation.

Herb Brooks’ death on Monday in a traffic accident brought all of these memories to life in an entirely different light. It really hit home how much things have changed in just under a quarter of a century. With information overload one of the concerns of news executives, it’s almost hard to believe, or remember, that people couldn’t get enough of the US Hockey team.

It was early in my career, but it was a big enough event that I recognized the significance outside of just a sporting competition. I was working at an ABC affiliate at the time, and although live broadcasts were the rule and not the exception, the USA/USSR semi-final game was played in the late afternoon in Lake Placid, so the network decided to show it on a tape-delay basis. Interest had been building in the team, and in this game. The college players wearing the red, white and blue were clearly an overachieving team. They were going to have a chance to earn a medal. Nobody thought they’d actually beat the Russians, but in that political environment, it was something we could latch onto and compare our way of life to theirs.

Our boys vs. their men.

Our freedom vs. their repression.

It seems rather quaint now, but people were adamant about being able to watch the game, on tape, as if it was live. They didn’t want to know the score, or anything about the game. So, during the early news that night, I explained that I wouldn’t be giving any information about the game. In television, “teasing” the viewer is a part of the business. Those three second “teases” that are aired at the end of commercial breaks at the top of the hour allegedly draw viewers to the next newscast. As the game was about to be broadcast by the network, our late-night anchor appears in the “tease” and says, “Cold temperatures and a big win for the US Hockey team, details tonight.” Like everybody in the newsroom, the anchor was young (she went on to have a very successful career) but she wasn’t much of a sports fan and wasn’t particularly politically oriented. Almost instantly, the phone lines lit up, first on my desk, then across the newsroom. People were incensed. I mean really angry. Like “I’m coming to the station to burn it down” angry. The game went on, we got a bunch of hate mail and more threatening phone calls, but it eventually blew over.

The US team beat the Russians 4-3. Al Michaels delivered his now famous, “do you believe in miracles” line, which seemed so right at the time because before the game, everybody admitted it would take a miracle for the US to win.

Herb Brooks was the architect of the win, a master motivator and an unmatched innovator. No matter what other team he coached, no matter what he did anytime after that, Brooks was able to help change, at that bleak moment, how America thought about itself. It might be a stretch to say he changed history, but it’s not a stretch to say he’ll always be a part of it.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

He Said, She Said

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An NBA star is accused of some sort of sex crime, and the usual “he said, she said” begins, while there’s a collective yawn from the public. Unless the star is Kobe Bryant and his hometown is Los Angeles. The instant Bryant was accused, the coverage has been nonstop. From the major networks to the cable channels and even the entertainment shows, Bryant’s tribulations have been the lead story. The initial reaction any NBA star getting in trouble is always “here we go again.” But with Bryant, it’s been just the opposite. Much of the press and the public don’t want to believe that Kobe could be involved in this kind of situation. The Sheriff in Eagle County, Colorado even was dismayed by the attention given to Bryant instead of the alleged victim.

But Kobe has built a reservoir of good will during his career in the public eye. He’s cooperative with the media, signs autographs for fans, and usually says the right things (in English or Italian, he’s fluent in both). He’s married. He and his wife have a child. He has a reputation for staying at home, or in his hotel room instead of sampling the nightlife in various NBA cities. His teammates say the crime he’s accused of is completely out of character for Bryant. Usually when something comes up that seems out of character for a public figure, there’s first a trickle, then a flood of corroborating stories that follow. Gary Hart wasn’t forced out of the Presidential race because of a picture taken with Donna Rice. It was the flood of other women who came forward with a similar story. Bryant’s situation is just the opposite. The women whom he’s had relationships with in the past (and it can’t be that many, he’s only 24) have defended him and his demeanor. Even the woman he left behind to marry his current wife said he was incapable of that kind of behavior.

The accuser has used a variety of surrogates to get her story out in public, calling on friends to appear on national television and offer quotes for the print media. They began by saying she came from a good family, was a popular cheerleader at the local high school and was liked by everyone. She couldn’t possibly be skirting the truth. Then the stories regarding her recent personal problems and ultimately her alleged attempt suicide surfaced. Her character is called into question. Her emotional stability seemed as anything but. Associates claimed she bragged about the encounter at a series of parties a week after she levied the charges.

The media has played a large role in how this thing is playing out. If Kobe played in Cleveland instead of L.A., would Inside Edition lead with “the latest in the Kobe Bryant situation”? A national sports magazine recently reported that several NBA players had fathered many children with multiple mothers all over the country, yet that story never made it out of the sports broadcast of the local news. Kobe Bryant’s press conference was carried live on national television by nearly every outlet. Why? So people could form an opinion for themselves? Or because this story has just the right amount of titillation and celebrity to attract viewers?

Bryant’s accuser’s identity is protected from being broadcast by law. Sexual assault was considered the most under-reported crime 35 years ago. Lawmakers reasoned, rightly so, that protecting the victim’s identity would allow more of them to come forward with complaints. The law has officially kept her identity hidden, although its spread all over the Internet and in some cases talk radio. While protecting victim’s rights is important, in this case there’s something not right about it.

Bryant has already been tried and convicted by some because of the media coverage. What if he’s found innocent? Does he get his reputation back? Do we reveal the accuser as a fraud? The penalty if found guilty is severe; being found not guilty shouldn’t have a punishment of its own, just because you’re famous. Bryant has admitted to an adulterous relationship with his accuser. He says the sex was consensual. Recently, two state courts have clarified the law regarding the definition of consensual sex, saying that if any time during the engagement one partner decides to say no, it changes from consensual sex to rape.

Will this case be tried on that notion? When did she decide this was the wrong thing to do? Lawyers will debate her original motives when she appeared at Bryant’s hotel door shortly after her working shift ended. The league is holding its collective breath, hoping the other shoe doesn’t drop on Kobe. He’s their image, their role model. A black man, who has tremendous skills, can converse at just about any level, plays for a high profile team and wins championships. Did you know Kobe was black? Or for some is he not black enough? There’s even a conspiracy theory that the whole thing is a sham, something to give Kobe some street credibility among black city kids so they’ll buy his shoe. As preposterous as that sounds, Allen Iverson’s street “image’ is given the credit as the primary factor for the popularity of his shoes. The whole marketing of the “thug life” is irresponsible to begin with, and the basketball shoe makers walk a fine line in trying to appeal to an urban audience yet staying on the right side of the law.

Bryant’s deal with a soda manufacturer was based on his clean image, easily appealing to mainstream audiences. Selling a basketball shoe is a whole other story. Who’s buying basketball shoes these days? Jr. High, High School and College age males. What demographic makes up this buying group? Young, black males. And how do you reach this demographic group? By getting one of their heroes to endorse your shoe. One of their heroes who has the right blend of skills and street appeal. Shoe sales notwithstanding, Bryant has said he’s innocent, and when all of the evidence is revealed, he’ll be exonerated. I believe him. Unless Kobe is about to disappoint all of us with some dark side he’s been hiding, some money will exchange hands between lawyers, and this episode will be over. It’s a long stretch for a lot of people to think Bryant could be that far out of line.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Boselli’s Retirement

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A career that seemed destined to end at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton now ends in an auditorium in Houston. Tony Boselli will announce his retirement this week from football at age 31. Rest, rehabilitation nor three surgeries have given Boselli relief from the shoulder problems that originally put him out of the Jaguars lineup in October of 2001.

Drafted to be the “cornerstone of the franchise” by then-coach Tom Coughlin, Boselli was plagued by injuries throughout his career. Not big injuries generally, but ones that nicked him enough to miss a game here or there, forcing the Jaguars to alter their game plan on the offensive line. When healthy, Boselli could take his place among the best left tackles in the history of the game.

Over the 1995-2001 run, he started 90 games for Jacksonville, and was credited with allowing 15 1/2 sacks in their period. Knowing he might be damaged goods, Coughlin and the Jaguars made a deal with Houston, allowing the expansion franchise to take Boselli off their roster, along with Seth Payne and Gary Walker, giving the Jaguars a chance to get out of cap jail. It was a risk by the Texans, but a calculated one, knowing they’d get Payne and Walker in the deal. In fact, those two started every game for Houston last year on their defensive front four. Boselli was checked out by the Texan’s medical staff, and was declared sound enough to continue rehab. He said he’d play in 2002. But in October of last year, the Texans put him on injured reserve. He didn’t play a down. His retirement this week will bring his career to a close, but not his cap space on Houston’s roster. He’ll count against the cap this year and next before they stop paying for their first pick in the expansion draft.

In an ironic twist, it looks like Zach Weigert will be the player to replace him on the Texan’s offensive line at left tackle. Because it’s happening to a celebrated player in Jaguars’ history, Boselli’s retirement seems tragic, but it’s a story told a hundred times a year, from high school, to college to professional football. Staying healthy is as big a part of the game as playing itself.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Black and White

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An NBA star is accused of some sort of sex crime, and the usual “he said, she said” begins, while there’s a collective yawn from the public. Unless the star is Kobe Bryant, and his hometown is Los Angeles. The instant Bryant was accused, the coverage has been nonstop. From the major networks to the cable channels and even the entertainment shows, Bryant’s tribulations have been the lead story.

The initial reaction an any NBA star getting in trouble is always “here we go again.” But with Bryant, it’s been just the opposite. The press and the public don’t want to believe that Kobe could be involved in this kind of situation. The Sheriff in Eagle County, Colorado even was dismayed by the attention given to Bryant instead of the alleged victim. But Kobe has built a reservoir of good will during his career in the public eye. He’s cooperative with the media, signs autographs for fans, and usually says the right things (in English or Italian, he’s fluent in both). He’s married. He and his wife have a child. He has a reputation for staying at home, or in his hotel room instead of sampling the nightlife in various NBA cities. His teammates say the crime he’s accused of is completely out of character for Bryant. So it’s a long stretch for a lot of people to think Bryant could be that far out of line.

The league is holding its collective breath, hoping the other shoe doesn’t drop on Kobe. He’s their image, their role model. A black man, who has tremendous skills, can converse at just about any level, plays for a high profile team and wins championships. Did you know Kobe was black? Or for some is he not black enough? There’s even a conspiracy theory that the whole thing is a sham, something to give Kobe some street credibility among black city kids so they’ll buy his shoe. As preposterous as that sounds, Allen Iverson’s street “image’ is given the credit as the primary factor for the popularity of his shoes. The whole marketing of the “thug life” is irresponsible to begin with, and the basketball shoe makers walk a fine line in trying to appeal to an urban audience yet staying on the right side of the law.

Bryant’s deal with a soda manufacturer was based on his clean image, easily appealing to mainstream audiences. Selling a basketball shoe is a whole other story. Who’s buying basketball shoes these days? Jr. High, High School and College age males. What demographic makes up this buying group? Young, black guys. And how do you reach this demographic group? By getting one of their heroes to endorse your shoe. One of their heroes who has the right blend of skills and street appeal. A shoe sale notwithstanding, Bryant has said he’s innocent, and when all of the evidence is revealed, he’ll be exonerated. I believe him, even though friends of the victim say it’s hard to believe she’d be involved in anything like this. Unless Kobe is about to disappoint all of us with some dark side he’s been hiding, this thing will just go away.

One thing that won’t go away unless we let it is the simmering resentment between blacks and whites in sports. Dusty Baker’s comments on how Blacks and Latinos are better prepared to deal with the heat showed that resentment bubbling to the surface once again. It also shows the double standard applied to comments made about race in sports. Baker didn’t pay any price, except revealing his ignorance, for his comments. Whites who have made similar comparisons in sports have been chastised and usually fired for such ill-informed utterances. What Baker said isn’t racist, it’s just stupid. It again points out how an expert in or on one field isn’t necessarily qualified to speak about another. Baker might know when to call for the hit and run, but how that qualifies him to comment on the heat exchange rates on different skin colors and metabolisms is a mystery. As the saying goes, better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you’re a fool than open it and remove all doubt.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Proud Americans

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It’s a shame Venus was injured and couldn’t perform at the top of her game in the finals at Wimbledon, but in truth, the women’s finals wasn’t about who won and who lost. The Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, are far and away the best female players in the world. Yes Kim Clistjers and Justine Hennen-Hardenne occasionally give them a game, but it’s still not close.

Venus is taller, older and has tremendous speed, while Serena has worked herself into a fitness level perhaps not seen before in women’s tennis. Maybe Martina Navratilova approached it, but never got to the level Serena is at.

Serena won in three sets, taking her second Wimbledon crown and her fifth Grand Slam title in the last six events. But besides the tennis, the fact that two American women are dominating an international sport is impressive in itself.

American men are almost extinct on the international tennis scene. Agassi is aging and Sampras is retiring. Andy Roddick is 20 years old, and might be a force, but not yet. In a time when the question is “Why does everybody hate the Americans?” the Williams sisters are gaining, not retreating in popularity. The ten minutes after their match showed exactly why. Serena was the victor, and graciously acknowledged the crowd’s applause. Then she went and sat by her sister, and chatted her up about the match, and her injury. Like you’re supposed to act after a win! The on court interview conducted by both sisters wasn’t full of me this and me that. It was genial, cordial, thoughtful, and even a little funny.

Both sisters suffered early in their career from the boorish behavior of their father. His training of the two girls to be champions is undeniable. His actions once they reached the top were despicable. Without their father there and their mother present at Centre Court, neither of the sisters was embarrassed by a parent or their siblings, and neither were we. Maybe it’s just the holiday, but I was proud to say, “they’re Americans” after watching that.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

ACC SEC Moves

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Now, there are eleven. Eleven being the operative word in that sentence. Eleven is a nice number, a good number for players on either side of a football. It’s about the right number on a soccer pitch for guys in the same color jersey, but it’s not the right number for teams in a conference. Especially a football conference. That’s why eleven teams in the ACC is a bogus number, a temporary number of teams until they figure out who is the best fit as the twelfth team. Twelve is the right number. It balances the schedule, it allows rivalries to develop and it enables the conference to have a championship football game at the end of the season. That’s millions and millions of dollars, and in this case, again, money talks.

So who is the twelfth team? Louisville, East Carolina, USF, UCF? If the league is just interested in adding numbers, any one of those schools will do. If they’re interested in keeping the travel budgets down, any of those will do as well. But if the ACC is trying preserve their reputation as the “Tiffany” conference, they might want a bigger name, a marquee school, stolen from another conference. Florida? Georgia? Kentucky? All of those upgrade the conference in just about every way. The ACC will have 12 teams, it’s just a matter of time.

Is there any intrigue involved in these conference switches? Not really. The driving force is money, and when it comes to conferences and money, bigger is better. The Big East was created as a basketball conference to begin with, an outgrowth of the old ECAC. Miami’s rise to prominence in football, and Virginia Tech’s commitment to upgrade their program made the conference a bigger football player, but those two couldn’t drag the Big East up among the elite. So the ‘Canes decided to listen to other offers, and needed somebody to come along. Boston College and Syracuse were their first choices, but they couldn’t work all of the details out. So Virginia Tech got the call, and happily, the Hokies went along. Miami was driving the bus on this deal though, working out a way to move from the Big East to the ACC. The ‘Canes thought, and rightfully so, they were losing some of their clout by staying in the Big East. Football’s their game, and the Big East wasn’t all of a sudden going to become this powerhouse football conference, without convincing Notre Dame to be a football member as well.

It’s a baby step toward what eventually will be a football “super conference” where teams will play by the same rules. There’s no reason Florida should be playing Vanderbilt or Florida State should be continually banging Wake Forest year after year. Schools interested in playing big time football should be playing each other, and Miami’s move is a precursor to that. It might be 15 years or so down the road but that’s where it’s headed. And eventually, they’ll all get into the same conference, and have a playoff at the end of the year to determine a national champion on the field. Instead of a vote.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

A Fish Story

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About this time of year, I get to tell a fish story. You might know that I like to fish. I’m not very good at it, growing up on the concrete and asphalt streets of Baltimore wasn’t conducive to knowing anything about fishing. But my time in Charleston, S.C. and specifically in Jacksonville has given me a real education in fishing.

“That’s why they call it fishing, not catching,” my friends recite to me after a day where not much was biting. Still, there is a certain feeling, call it serenity (some call it boredom) that comes from spending time on the water. I can’t pinpoint it, but I know it when I feel it. That’s why when a couple of months ago my friend Ernie invited me to Southwest Florida to fish for tarpon, I put it on my calendar and looked forward to it almost every day.

Boca Grande is a well known hang out for those in the jet set. Multi-million dollar real estate, and the beautiful people are an every day staple. That’s not where I went. I was on the “other side of the tracks,” actually the other side of Charlotte Harbor in Bokelia, one of the small fishing towns on the north end of the southern banks of the Harbor. Bokelia is where the road ends, literally. You drive until the road ends, and you’re in Bokelia. So nobody’s just “passing through.” If you’re in Bokelia, you’re either lost, or you meant to be there.

Ernie’s friend Alan has a house there, and was hosting the Second Annual Bokelia Invitational last weekend. It’s what you would hope a fishing tournament is about: lots of food, drink, friends and most importantly fish. From this outpost across the Harbor from the beautiful people, it took us about 12 minutes to get to one of the most famous fishing holes in the world: Boca Grande Pass. Famous because you can’t pick up a fishing or outdoors magazine these days that doesn’t say somewhere, “and the world’s best tarpon fishing can be found at Boca Grande Pass in southwest Florida.” If it’s that famous, people are going to find it, no matter how difficult it is to get to or how remote it is.

So as the sun came up behind our backs, Ernie and I, along with our guide Brian skimmed across the Harbor as part of an armada intent on fishing the pass. The scene that greeted us just after 6 am is hard to describe. One of my fellow fishing competitors said later, “remember when you were a kid and rode the bumper cars? It’s like that, only without the rule that you all have to go the same way.” I thought that was a pretty apt description. In an area smaller than two acres, at least 75 boats were working their way through the pass, some drifting with lines in the water, others looking for a spot. It was bedlam, chaos, crazy, funny, confusing and amazing all at the same time.

“The pass is just the pass,” one guide noted, “fishing rules apply everywhere else, but in the pass, everybody knows what they’re getting into.”

I saw boats with fish on, screaming through the mass of boats, separating them like a hot knife through butter. Generally. Sometimes the captains were otherwise occupied with their own fish, and didn’t have a chance to get out of the way. Lines were tangled, fish were lost, hooked tarpon were flipping in the air between boats, hooked by some distant angler in a far away boat. Marine scientists estimate as many as 20,000 tarpon are migrating through the pass at any one time this time of year, so it’s no wonder it seemed like an equal number of boats where there to catch them.

We had lines in the water for over an hour, and I had hooked the bottom twice and felt the small “tap, tap” of a tarpon once before I knew what it was. Right after eight, Brian threw a line in the water along side Ernie and me and before his rig got to the bottom he screamed “fish on!” A scramble to reel our lines in ensued, with Brian handing me the screaming rod and reel and commanding me to the fighting chair on the bow of the boat.

Tarpon can grow big, and they’re solid muscle. Smaller tarpon fight longer than the big ones, but big tarpon let you know they’re not happy about being hooked in the mouth. As I tried not to be yanked overboard, the reel continued to scream, as Brian put the boat in gear, trying to track the fish down. We were parting boats, zig zagging our way through the pass. “Reel down,” Brian screamed. “Tell him that won’t do any good,” I told Ernie witha laugh, “this fish is still taking line out faster than we’re chasing him!”

Knowing the possibility that this tarpon could be cut off my line at any second, I was determined to get him to the boat quickly. So I “horsed” him a little tougher than I might in different conditions, and after about 10 minutes, we saw him roll about 20 feet to starboard, right on the surface. He got a look at us, and dove back down, taking plenty of line with him, leaving my arms shaking worse than before. But this time I got him to the surface a little quicker, and as I felt the tide turning in my favor, not 15 feet in front of the boat, I saw a scene I thought only happened in the movies. The fish came to the surface, and a bull shark, at least 10 feet long, hit it broadside with it’s mouth.

We’d seen our fish twice now, and knew it was big. Well over 100 lbs. The bull shark tossed the tarpon around like a dog bone, but for some reason didn’t bite through it or cut the line. The shark let go, and I quickly drug the stunned tarpon to the side of the boat. “I’m not reaching over there,” Brian said with the calm demeanor of somebody who knew what he was doing. “That shark is hiding under the boat, just waiting.” We did need a measurement, so Brian quickly worked up a lasso for girth and a quick length estimate, and sent the tarpon on his way. The fish swam freely back toward the Gulf, but as if on cue, the shark reappeared and devoured him in about three bites! We all stood there is a stunned silence, mouths agape, looking at each other with that “did you see that” look.

Our official numbers were 38 inch girth and 70 inch length (which I swear is smaller and shorter than the fish actually was) which adds up to, according to the formula, to about 134 lbs. It was good enough for third place in the tournament, for which Alan presented me with a very nice trophy. It’s another fish story I won’t soon forget.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

NBA Finals

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There’s no real flash or pizzaz to the NBA Finals this year. No Lakers, no Knicks, no Michael, no nothing. San Antonio and New Jersey aren’t major metropolitan areas (technically speaking if you actually count New Jersey as New Jersey.) They aren’t teams with a rich history; in fact, both are ABA transfers who actually met in the ABA playoffs in 1976. Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin have some stories behind them, but San Antonio is the favorite and rightly so. The Spurs have a championship behind them, but there’s an asterisk next to it because it happened at the end of the strike season. The Nets are in the NBA Finals for the second straight year.

So there you have it, just about everything you need to know about the NBA playoffs.

One of the shining championships in all of sports, distilled into about five sentences.

I could say something about Tim Duncan, or something about David Robinson’s final year, but that’s just a couple more sentences of stuff. If the Spurs and Nets were playing during the week, would you watch this game? Admit it, not really. Maybe it’s an indictment of the entire league that this is the finals. Who did we want to see in the Finals? The Lakers? Again? There’s a story line there, but more Kobe and Shaq would be just more Kobe and Shaq and a bunch of spoiled Laker fans who turn out only when they win. I’m convinced the league would have been better served if they’d somehow gotten Dallas and Sacramento into the finals. The series between the two was the best basketball of the playoffs. Up and down, lots of shooting, lots of three’s., fun basketball. And that’s what the league is missing. There’s no joy in the game, no fun. Both the Spurs and Nets play team basketball, but they don’t do it with any flair, no fun. They’re plodders. I’m not an advocate of the current game, the system of having “the Man” on each team, and a bunch of ancillary players. But the Mavs and the Kings seem to actually be enjoying the game. Right now, none of us seem to be enjoying it much.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

It’s A Girl’s Game

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Now that the circus has left town, the PGA Tour can look at the “Great Annika Experiment” and decide if it was good for everybody, or good for anybody. The organizers of the Colonial look brilliant. They invited the one person on the planet who can actually play, who brought more publicity to their tournament than even Tiger Woods. Certainly, Vijay Singh looks silly, his harsh comments and subsequent withdraw from the Colonial putting him in caveman status in most women’s eyes.

Men’s golf is no worse for wear, Sorenstam herself admitting, “this was a bit much for me,” with Women’s golf getting a little bit of a boost. It’s not a completely inferior game, just a different level of competition. Sorenstam’s opening round 71, one over par, was solid as she hit almost every fairway and every green. But she couldn’t putt worth a lick. She’s never been considered a great putter, one of the stark differences between the PGA and LPGA Tours, but her putting wasn’t even average by her standards. Thirty-three putts usually means six or seven over in a normal round, but Sorenstam’s accuracy off the tee and with her irons gave her plenty of chances.

Her second round 75 is where some of the cracks in a game that isn’t rewarded by good putting started to show. Over two days, Annika made just two birdies, not anywhere near the kind of performance that gets into contention or even makes the cut on the PGA Tour every week. But once she teed it up on Thursday, much of the conversation regarding Sorenstam changed from “will she make the cut,” to “I hope she makes the cut.” If you watched her interaction with the media, the fans and other players, you couldn’t help but be rooting for her. Somehow, she was able to show that she was serious, yet not threatening to either the men or the women. She was funny. She was humble. She was astute. And she wasn’t afraid to let everybody know that this was “my Mt. Everest.” Other than Arnold Palmer, I can’t think of one professional athlete that could have handled her situation with the same style and grace as Sorenstam. She was unfailingly polite, admitted her shortcomings, thanked everybody, and said she hoped she played better.

So what’s not to like about the whole thing?

Nothing!

Sorenstam got a chance to measure her game against those who compete at the highest level. She found the going pretty tough, even against a limited field. As I’ve said before, just looking at her game, she has “cut line” talent on the PGA Tour. She’d be hanging around the cut line each week, making it to the weekend when she putted well, and going home on Friday nights when she didn’t. She’s by far and away the best female player, so there’s no threat, at least right now, that this scenario will be repeated with any serious thought of a woman being able to compete. Not to say that it won’t happen in the future. The money’s too good, and the game is too widespread to not see some female players develop enough game to challenge the men.

Michelle Wie says she wants to compete half the time against men. But she’s 13 years old, and her opinion might change. Beth Daniel played on the men’s golf team during her time at Furman, but opted for the LPGA Tour when she turned pro. Sorenstam didn’t shoot 80, but she didn’t shoot 65 either. This wasn’t about men vs. women anyway; it was about one dream fulfilled. And it was, even if somebody woke Annika up before she hoped it was over.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Coaches Foibles

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It’s been a strange week for coaches and their image. Alabama football coach Mike Price goes to a charity golf tournament in Pensacola, has a few drinks, ends up in a strip bar and a woman charges $1000 of room service to his credit card the next morning in a Holiday Inn. Larry Eustachy declares himself an alcoholic after pictures were published of him kissing and being kissed by coeds on the cheek at a frat party following games his Iowa State Hawkeyes played this past season.

Price was fired on Saturday by Alabama before coaching one game for the Tide. In fact, he hadn’t even signed his 7-year $10 million contract. Price had lead the team through spring drills and thought he was the man to lead Alabama back to national prominence. He said all the right things when being introduced as Dennis Franchione’s successor. “I want to be the second best coach in Alabama history,” referring to Bear Bryant’s legacy.

There was a clause in his contract that allowed the school to get rid of him for bringing “disrepute” on him and the university. They exercised that clause in firing him. Price’s situation could involve some legal issues, although just the act of going to a strip club and having a woman charge room service to your credit card shouldn’t put you in jail. Should they cost you your job? Perhaps if it’s part of a pattern of behavior, but for all of the human failings made public these days, you would think a second chance would be in order for Price and others. Could he still lead? Certainly. Could he be an example that you can make a mistake, pay a price (both monetarily and emotionally) and return? Of course. But Alabama had had their share of scandal (Mike DuBose) recently and wasn’t willing to have any blemish on their new coach’s record. Price hadn’t won any games for the Tide either, meaning he didn’t have any leverage among boosters. Nobody was actually “casting the first stone” at Price, except the ‘Bama administration. Strip club business no doubt will be down in the Panhandle among those wearing crimson and white. Price knew better, but made an error in judgment. He should have paid a price, but in this case, the punishment didn’t fit the crime.

He also could have been a victim of Larry Eustachy’s public battle with Iowa State’s administration. Eustachy was suspended and the Athletic Director wants him fired. Eustachy is fighting for his job, and thinks his confession of guilt should give him a second chance. The problem is, university administrations have never been places where controversy is tolerated, unless of course, it means raising more money. They want problems swept under the rug, they want them to go away, not become part of the school’s landscape. Just get rid of the problem.

It all comes back to money. They don’t want to offend any large donors to the point where the money dries up. So fire the coach and move on. Eustachy’s declaration that he’s an alcoholic is either a true attempt to get his life in order or, from a cynical viewpoint, a desperate and elaborate attempt to keep his job. Any 47-year old man knows a fraternity or sorority party is not where they should be. Anybody with a million dollar salary paid by a state university really knows that’s not where they should end up. The only thing they’re going to find there is trouble. An admission of personal foibles doesn’t always keep the critics at bay. If Eustachy’s actions are a one time thing and not part of a pattern, he should be allowed to get his life in order.

But getting a second chance in life doesn’t always mean keeping your job. If we’ve learned one thing it’s that your boss is your boss. If they want you gone, you’re gone. Even when it’s not fair.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Del Rio’s First Draft

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Jack Del Rio stepped to the podium on the day he was introduced as the Jaguars’ Head Coach, it didn’t take long to realize he was a presence. He commands attention and is a force in whatever he’s doing. He was that way as a player, as an assistant coach, and now as a Head Coach. His first foray into the selection process known as the college draft confirms Del Rio’s “in charge” status. He’s not pussy footing around, he’s making decisions, and following his ideas without worrying about politics, what people think or who’s toes he might step on. Mark Brunell might be an icon to some Jaguars fans, but Del Rio, and Personnel Director James Harris know he’s a football player with a certain amount of value and a limited shelf life for production on the field. They thought they needed a quarterback, so they got one, Byron Leftwich from Marshall in the first round. “Shack is a pretty good poker player,” Owner Wayne Weaver said after the selection. Harris passed on giving up an extra pick to the Vikings to ensure the Jaguars got Leftwich, instead banking on Minnesota and Baltimore not having time to get the deal together before the clock ran out. Harris was right, and the Jaguars rushed to the podium when they were on the clock, turning in their selection card with Leftwich’s name on it. “He’s the player we wanted all along,” Del Rio said while answering questions during the Jaguars fan fest on the field at the stadium. “Was he the top rated quarterback on your board, better than Palmer,” I asked from the cow pen set up for reporters. “I’d rather not get into that,” Del Rio said with a smile, “Yes he was,” he added somewhat sotto voce, to the delight of the crowd.

Do the Jaguars need a quarterback? It depends on what your definition of need is I suppose. I’ve said all along that they couldn’t go wrong in the first round, unless they took a quarterback with their first selection. But what they’ve done is put their own stamp on this team, given a new face to the Jaguars in just 24 hours, and that face is a smiling quarterback from Marshall. “He was just too good a player to pass up,” Harris said during his time in front of the fans. What they’ve told Mark Brunell is that he won’t finish his career in a Jaguars uniform, unless he decides to retire after the next season or so. “We expect Mark to be a mentor to Byron,” Weaver admitted, “We have our quarterback situation solved for the next ten years.” How much longer Brunell will play is anybody’s guess, but he won’t be on the Jaguars roster past next year, if that, because of his bonus and salary cap number.

There were no “reaches” in the Jaguars first four picks. Leftwich can play, and it’ll be only a matter of time before he’s a starter. Rashean Mathis will find a spot in the defensive backfield either next to Donovin Darius, or replacing him if the Jaguars move Darius through a trade. They picked up an offensive lineman, a tight end and a running back to fill immediate holes. They’re not dealing with sentimentality; they’re dealing with reality. “We’re not in the message business,” Del Rio has said more than once, “we’re in the business of putting together the best football team we can.”

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Playing Augusta

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I’ve always said I’ve gotten to do things throughout my career that I never would have come close to if not for the job I have. Playing Augusta National is one of those things and near the top of the list. I’ve played Augusta several times, including last Monday as an invited member of the media. Actually, I won a lottery spot after throwing my name into a basket with several hundred other members of the media.

The last time I played Augusta as a member of the media was 1980 and was told it was a “once in a lifetime” thing. And I believed them. I bought new shoes and an Augusta National shirt, I worked on my game and ground out every shot from the back tees. I’ve played there since as a guest, but never again as a member of the media, until last Monday. I joked with the Masters PR director Glenn Greenspan for years about a “10, 15 or 20-year rule” after covering the tournament for more than two decades. “Sorry, Sam,” was Glenn’s reply, “you know, once in a lifetime.”

My friend and Senior Sports Photographer Kevin Talley even wanted proof one time that “The National” kept up on such things. The year he was selected, 1997, he asked to see if I could play again. “Kouvaris?” the smiling woman behind the desk inquired. “Let’s see,” she said as she reached under the desk for an old strongbox with 3X5 cards filed inside. Under the “K’s” she pulled out an old, yellowed and faded card, looked at it and read, “Sam Kouvaris, 1980,” put the card back, closed the box and slid it under the desk, with a smile.

Last year in the credential request form, a notification announced that as a member of the media, you were now re-eligible to submit your name into the lottery every seven years. “Every seven years?” I asked Glenn on the phone in early January. “Yeah, just call it the Sam Kouvaris rule,” he chuckled. Glenn and I have a long professional and personal relationship. He was the original Media Director for the USFL’s Jacksonville Bulls in the early ’80’s. We forged a friendship then that has lasted through my tenure here and his stops with Georgia Southern, the PGA Tour, Gary Player and now Augusta National.

So there I was, lined up to play on Monday at Augusta National. Sunday pin placements, perfect 72 degree weather, a caddy, and another new shirt. Without boring you with the details, suffice to say I didn’t play as well as I would have liked, but I wasn’t horrible either. I didn’t make anything over 5 feet (including four birdie chances) and had my share of three-putts and doubles. I was determined not to be score oriented, and grind away, but rather enjoy the experience, if only for how beautiful a walk it is. But it did give me an appreciation for how hard the golf course is, how small the margin for error is, and just how exacting you have to be to score well.

I had parred one and two, and was down the middle on three, 109 yards to the front and 114 to the hole. I hit my “gap” wedge, caught it a little heavy, and as it was in the air, thought it might be a little short. “Just get up a little,” my caddy, Brandon said while the ball was in the air. It landed in the fringe, 108 yards from where I hit it, and instead of hopping forward to set up a birding chance, it spun back 25-yards down the slope away from the hole. Now I have a nearly impossible shot (for someone of my limited talent anyway) and end up making six! So playing there was a thrill and it accomplished just what I had hoped: a confirmation of the PGA Tour’s slogan that I repeated more than once that day. “Boy, those guys are good!”

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Hooties Comments

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Sometimes when you read the things you’ve heard said, they look very different in print. Sometimes without the impact and subtleties and sometimes more harsh than intended. Hootie Johnson, Chairman of Augusta National and the Masters golf tournament has suffered from both cases for the past ten months. He’s been characterized as a Neanderthal and as a progressive. He’s been lauded and vilified for his comments regarding single-gender rights for private organizations. And each time, his comments, when read, seem well thought out.

Today in his annual question and answer session with the media at the Masters, Johnson reiterated the club’s policy on membership in an opening statement and said he wasn’t going to take any questions about that issue. Some of the assembled media worked their way around that, and others decided to ask anyway. Johnson relented after admonishing a reporter for lecturing him. His comments, in print, were well crafted as he cited the Girl Scouts, sewing circles and the Junior League as examples of women-only private organizations. But how he made those comments won’t win him any friends.

When asked about Tiger Woods’ comments saying he believes that there should be a woman member at Augusta, Johnson said “I won’t tell Tiger how to play golf if he doesn’t tell us how to run our private club.” Kind of a funny line if made in an off-hand manner, but from the podium of the pressroom at Augusta there wasn’t any humor in it. Johnson seems to be a paradox to many people. A father of four daughters and a champion in many cases against discrimination, he’s been whittled down to a small-minded man who is a brute by those who want to make this a right or wrong issue. His record for supporting so-called progressive causes in the state of South Carolina is well documented. He has fought against discrimination in very public ways. But he doesn’t see this issue as discrimination.

“Single gender is an important fabric on the American scene,” Johnson responded to a question today. “There are thousands and thousands all across America. Both genders. Health clubs, sewing circles, Junior League, Shriners and we should not and we’re not discriminating. And we resent it very much when that accusation is made against us.”

Johnson was asked about his daughters’ thoughts on the issue and he recounted a story about his wife’s recent birthday. ” . . . And my wife and the four daughters wanted to go to the lake place to celebrate her birthday. And they let me know that the really didn’t want me to come along with them. And they didn’t want their husbands to come along. We congregate there all the time, but they were going to do their thing. It’s just a natural thing. And I don’t know how to articulate that or how to explain it. But it’s just been going on for centuries and centuries that men like to get together with men every now and then and women like to get together with women every now and the. And that’s just a simple fact of life in America.”

Research seems to back Johnson up, as a vast majority of women don’t think the gender membership policy at Augusta is an issue. I’m with them. It’s not an issue. It’s a private club that can set their own rules. They give money to charity and strive to put on the best sporting event they can every year. I’ve always had a rule I follow: I don’t go to any parties I’m not invited to. Why try and shoehorn myself somewhere where they don’t know me or possibly they don’t want me to be there?

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Augusta 2003

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Plenty of people have been to Augusta National. Thousands stream here every year for the practice rounds, holding their tickets as if their admission to the site of the Holy Grail. Up until about five years ago, you could just show up in Augusta, walk to the gates of Augusta National and buy a ticket to the practice round. For the par three tournament one year, so many people showed up, the membership decided it was literally unsafe for the spectators and decided to go to a lottery system and limit the number of tickets made available.

At the Masters, your ticket is good for one particular day in the practice rounds, Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. What’s called a Series Badge is good for the tournament days only, Thursday thru Sunday. The change in the crowd is dramatic. Practice rounds have patrons moving about the course in a frantic pace, trying to get everything in during their one day. They’re dressed in golf clothes, with the names of clubs from all over the country emblazoned on their chests. Starting on Thursday, the crowd is smaller, quieter, and older. They take up positions all over the course, watching the parade of players come through, acknowledging their skill with polite applause. They’re dressed is a more demure fashion, khaki jackets, floppy hats and sensible shoes.

This year, those shoes need to be waterproof, with rain falling on the course throughout the beginning of the week. The wet conditions have also changed the golf course, again, making it even longer. They’ve redesigned the fifth hole, moving the tee behind the fourth green, giving it some more length, and they’ve added two, huge, gaping bunkers on the left side of the fairway. “I’m not going in there,” Davis Love said yesterday after a practice round. “I’ll go into the trees right before I go in there. It’s so steep David (Duval) said he wouldn’t snowboard down it, so you know it’s bad.” Duval doesn’t necessarily like the changes, saying they’ve taken some of the drama away from the tournament. The two-time runner up added, “There aren’t as many birdie holes, you have to pick your spots. The back nine isn’t there for the taking anymore, even the par fives. If you had a two shot lead going to the back on Sunday, you might take nine pars and feel pretty good about your chances.”

“You can tell by the roars,” 1979 champ Fuzzy Zoeller observed. “It used to be you could tell what was happening by the roars coming up the hill from all over the course. Now, there aren’t so many ’cause guys are trying to scratch it out, trying to make pars.” One concensus is that length is essential. Fred Couples was amazed how long you have to hit it to just get into position. “From what I saw out there today, I’m not going to say you can’t play the course if you’re not long, but it’s definitely a bomber’s paradise.”

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Love Wins 2003 Players

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When it happens in your town, it always seems so huge when weather stops play in the local PGA Tour event. But the guys on tour deal with weather every week. It’s no big deal to them. Sometimes we make a lot about the advantage of playing in the morning vs. playing in the afternoon, and the players know the “luck of the draw” does have an effect on the outcome, but over the course of a year, it probably evens out. That’s why the players were pretty non-plussed about the weather delay at the Players Championship this year.

“We’ll finish 72 holes,” Rocco Mediate said after Friday’s round. “No way this is a 54-hole tournament, they’ll play until they’re done, no matter how long it takes.” And that seems to be the prevailing attitude among all the players. Tell me when to tee it up and that’s when I’ll be there.

When was the last time you heard of a PGA Tour player missing his tee time? Darren Clarke wanted to finish on Friday night despite the darkness toward the end of his round. David Duval was one of his playing partners when they approached the 17th tee, Duval told Clarke he’d come back tomorrow to finish if Clarke wanted to. Clarke said he wanted to get done that night, that he didn’t like to get up early, especially to play one hole as tough as the 18th at the Stadium Course. The other player in the threesome, Garrett Willis agreed. Willis and Duval were not going to make the cut. Their tournament was over as soon as they were done. Clarke was four under par and in touch with the leaders. But they hatched a plan to get finished under the rules.

Knowing the horn was going to blow to suspend play because of darkness, Willis agreed to quickly putt out on 17, hustle to the 18th tee and hit his tee shot, putting their threesome in play on the 18th. The Tour rule allows a group to finish the hole they’re playing once play is suspended for darkness, if they choose. Willis did just that, hitting his tee shot on 18 before Duval and Clarke had even lined up their putts on 17.

“A little bit of a veteran move,” is how Duval described it on Friday night. “Darren said he wanted to finish, but I told him I’d come back tomorrow if he wanted.” As expected, the horn blew before Clarke and Duval had teed off on the 18th, but they were allowed to finish the hole. Clarke made bogies on 17 and 18 and in retrospect cost himself a lot of money and potentially a chance to win. “I wouldn’t do it again,” Clarke said after Saturday’s round put him in touch with the leaders, “but I was all for it last night.”

Maybe because the Players Championship isn’t considered a major by the media (it is by the players themselves) but somehow Davis Love’s final round won’t go down in golf lore as what it most likely is: the best final round in a big tournament ever played. David Duval’s 59 at the Hope a few years ago is pretty strong, but the TPC at Sawgrass’ Stadium Course is treacherous and unforgiving. Love striped it all day and after making birdie on 9, knew it was his tournament to lose.

“The drive on 10 was key,” Davis explained in the darkness an hour after his win, “but I killed my drive on 11 (303 yards, the longest of the day) and Freddie (Couples) said to me, ‘that’s the best drive of the day’ and when I hit my drive on 18 Freddie said, ‘OK, that’s the best drive’.” Love didn’t miss a shot all day and according to Couples, his playing partner, “everything was within a few feet. It was amazing.” By any measure, it would be hard to diminish Love’s career to this point. He’s won a major, he’s a zillionaire, and is considered among the game’s elite. But there is a gnawing thought that somehow his career has fallen short of expectations. “There’s no higher expectation than the one you have of yourself. We all want to be the number one player in the world and we’re not satisfied if we’re not. I know Tiger is a great player, but he doesn’t win every week. I’m going to continue to work like I have been and I won’t be satisfied until I’m ranked number one. Maybe I’ll get there, maybe I won’t, but that’s what I’m working for.”

A long list of players have been set up as Tiger’s foil: Duval, Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson, but never has Davis Love been mentioned as the man who can challenge Woods’ dominance, and Davis didn’t like that. “I’ve promised myself that I’m going to concentrate on every shot over 72 holes, to get focused in on the target, to work hard and be the best I can be.” Fred Couples, Love’s best friend on tour, says there’s no question Love has the talent to ascend to the top. “Davis likes to do other things, as we all do” Fred said after Sunday’s round, “but I think he’s committed to seeing just where his talent can take him. I know this; I’ve never seen anybody play a round of golf like he did today. It was amazing.”

There was a lot of talk about Love’s potential domination when he arrived on tour. His length, the distance between his head and hands at the top of his back swing, his ability to overpower a golf course, etc. He’s harnessed all of the physical ability, and perhaps his motivation as caught up with that as well. If so, we’re in for a show.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Gators Lose In 2003 NCAA

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It’s not the worst-case scenario, but it’s close. Florida’s second round 68-46 loss to Michigan State in the NCAA tournament is not the kind of ending to the season that Billy Donovan, the Gator players or fans expected. While it’s been an up and down year and the team is young, the expectations were high for the post-season. But that’s what happens with a team that’s built on speed, the three and the press. When things are going well, it’s exciting and fun to watch. When things aren’t going well, it’s painful.

Florida doesn’t have anything to fall back on if their original game plan doesn’t work. They try to press harder, hustle more and get better shots, but if they’re not going in, they’re just not going in. They can’t walk the ball up the floor and go into some kind of half-court inside-out game, because they don’t have that in their arsenal.

Since being ranked #1 in early February, Florida has been a .500 team, losing four of their last five, the only win coming against outmatched Sam Houston State. That doesn’t mean it’s time to panic, but Billy Donovan is going to ask and be asked some tough questions. Nobody expects you to win the National Championship until you’ve gotten to the Final Four, and nobody expects you to get to the Final Four until you’ve played in the NCAA Tournament and had some success. Florida has been to the Final Four, and even to the title game, but can’t seem to build on that and sustain an elite position in college basketball. Is it because Kwame Brown didn’t go to Florida? Throw into the mix Donnell Harvey and Mike Miller’s departure early, and add Teddy Dupay’s dismissal and you have some very solid building blocks gone while they were still very effective. So blame Florida’s recent failures on that, but that excuse goes away in time. Everybody’s losing players, and the Gators have lost some more than expected. Perhaps Donovan will alter his recruiting strategy a bit, looking for players who will stay and help build the program as well as the top talent that will be effective right away.

Florida is young and it showed in some of the big games. And maybe they raised the bar a little too high with their success throughout the regular season. If this group stays together, and that’s not such a big if, they’ll be a force, especially if Donovan’s Midas touch in recruiting stays golden.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Jaguars Big Signing

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“First off, move those microphones back some. I’d like to say first of all that the comment that was made earlier about being a little bit older and having a knee injury. I didn’t have knee injury. I had a bone bruise. I never had any knee surgeries, and I played the whole season. That happened the eighth game of the season; I played the whole season. As far as the age, I was 31 years old last year and I had 12-1/2 sacks, so I kind of beat the numbers as far as how 30 year old players are. So I’m not worried about that. I’m kind of like Merlot – I get better with age. I just wanted to put everybody’s mind at ease on that.”

That was our first introduction to Hugh Douglas, new defensive end for the Jaguars. Douglas had overheard Times-Union writer Gene Frenette’s question to Jaguars personell vice-president James Harris. “Does it concern you that you’ve spent a lot of money on a guy who is 31, soon to be 32 and hid a knee injury from the media?” was how the question was phrased. Douglas took exception to that, and let us know right away.

“I take stuff like that back to the laboratory and put it in the mix. I’ll use it as motivation to let you guys know you can kiss my ass.” Maybe he was mistreated somewhere else, but Douglas took control of the situation without excuse. Not to say he wasn’t smart, sometimes funny and very direct. He’s ready to play, and is anxious to get on the line with Marcus Stroud and John Henderson. “The two tackles,” was his response to the thing that sold him on Jacksonville. “Marcus Stroud and (John Henderson), I was just like ‘Man!’ Not to disrespect Cory Simon and Darwin Walker, but being in a situation where you can play with some big guys in the middle that can really push the pocket, that’s really exciting. That’s something I never had a chance to play with, and having Marco Coleman on the other side, it’s just a great situation to be in.”

Harris was very thoughtful in his explanation of Douglas’ signing. “We’re in the player business,” Harris told the assembled reporters. “Hugh is a guy that wanted to come here. He played for Ray Hamilton in New York. I was with Hugh with the Jets and he played very well there. I knew what kind of character he was, what kind of player he was. The key thing for a player that is over 30 is that he is the right kind of guy with his work ethic and how tough a competitor he is. He does all those things. He practices hard, he plays hard and knowing the makeup of the player, that increases the real interest in signing a guy that’s 31. Guys are playing longer in the league because they are taking care of themselves and knowing Hugh like we do, we felt that he was the right kind of guy.”

Head Coach Jack Del Rio concurred, saying Douglas’ signing makes the team better, and that’s his job. “We are in the player business and we are looking to upgrade the roster and to make this as competitive a situation as we can. This is a good fit for us and a good player. We are happy to have him.” For the first time since his formal introduction in January as the Jaguars head coach, Jack Del Rio was not the affable, easy-going guy he’s been in other media situations. I’m not sure what he was uptight about, but there was definitely a burr under his saddle during his time with the media. Either way, he said he’s committed to doing what it takes to make the team better. “It’ll be now, during the draft and in the post-draft free agency period. We’ll keep doing what ever it takes.” As for the draft, Del Rio said he was pretty happy with the eighth selection overall. “We’d listen to offers to move up or down, but we’re pretty happy with where we are.”

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Harrick’s Demise

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After a spate of college basketball transgressions have come to light in the last couple of weeks, the big hammer dropped on Monday when Georgia suspended their Head Coach Jim Harrick and withdrew the team from the SEC and the NCAA tournaments. Harrick has been suspended pending further investigation into academic fraud at the University, allegedly committed by his son and former assistant, Jim Harrick, Jr..

Harrick, Jr. was fired last week after allegations of grade fixing and extra benefits came to light during an interview given by former player Tony Cole. An investigation into those allegations showed some to be true, and in a pre-emptive strike, the University decided to fire Harrick, Jr. hoping the NCAA and the SEC would take notice of their quick action and give them some lenient treatment when it came to sanctions.

Apparently on Monday morning, the University President Michael Adams was made aware of more academic fraud, declaring two current players, Chris Daniels and Rashard Wright academically ineligible. Problems have followed Harrick during his career off the court. He was fired at UCLA for allegedly falsifying an expense report. At the University of Rhode Island, a sexual harassment suit was settled out of court, brought by a woman naming Harrick as the perpetrator. Now at Georgia, on his watch, the basketball program has been thrown into disarray after what looked like a promising season.

The Bulldogs were ranked 21st and had a third seed in the SEC tournament. Their withdraw gives Tennessee a bye into the second round and a second round game with Auburn. Vince Dooley knew of Harrick’s past problems when he hired him in Athens. At one point, Harrick couldn’t decide whether he was coming to Georgia or not. He wasn’t fired today because the Bulldog administration wants to have all of their I’s dotted and t’s crossed before they make a move that could be challenged in court.

Giving players extra benefits is something that’s almost a time honored tradition in college sports, especially basketball. But academic fraud is a whole other story. When Adams was given evidence about grades being handed out without a class actually existing, he didn’t have a choice but to make a bold move. They’re trying to salvage the future by giving up the present, withdrawing from the conference and NCAA tournaments. They’re falling on their sword early, hoping mercy will follow their actions. Firing Harrick, Jr. was the right thing to do. Firing his dad is the next step in the right direction.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Ephedra’s Ills

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In our never ending quest to look younger, feel better, have a slimmer waist and better hair, exercise has been tabbed as one of the essential ingredients to happiness. At least that’s what the studies say and that’s what the media has bought into. Despite Oprah’s focus on feeling good about yourself, even if you’re a “plus” size, thin is in.

For guys, it wouldn’t be exactly thin, but ripped might be a better word. Gyms are full, self-help magazines are everywhere, and sweat is a fashionable scent. Working out hard is also fashionable, and pushing to the limits is where everybody seems to be going. “Can’t I get there without all of this work?” is the question many people are asking. And American ingenuity is answering yes. “Just take this pill, and you’ll be on your way,” is what the supplement industry has tried to say for years. Supplements that raise your metabolism at rest and let you work out harder in the gym are all the rage. Ephedrine in it’s over-the-counter form Ephedra, has been the main supplement of choice for weight loss and “super” workouts.

I believe in the theory that there are two kinds of bodies in this world: those who feel better in motion and those who feel better at rest. I like to be in motion and, like anybody else, have looked for an edge, even a shortcut in the past. Looking for that edge, I talked with a supplement representative about how to get “leaner.” They immediately pointed me to a product that had multiple pills of varying colors and said, “these will give you energy, super-size your workouts and lean you out.” The box was well marked, had official looking descriptive words and charts on it outlining what was contained inside. I took it, and immediately knew something was up. I couldn’t sleep, I was agitated, my heart was racing and I couldn’t concentrate on anything for more than a couple of seconds. It made me feel weird, so I went back to the salesman who said, “Oh, just take half of this brown pill and you’ll be fine.” “What’s in there,?” I asked. “Just some Ephedra, small amounts that will keep you ‘juiced,’ your body will get used to it,” was the blase response. So I took half the pill, felt the same, and went to work investigating.

Ephedrine has been a popular product in Asia for centuries, a derivative of a root that’s been chewed, cooked, boiled and served in just about every form. It’s promise is anything from more masculinity to cures for sickness. Sounds like a drug that we should know more about. But it’s not a drug, it’s a supplement. If it was a drug, it would be regulated, and the amounts doled out would be regulated. As a supplement though, it doesn’t come under any jurisdiction and therefore is a wild card when it comes to its use.

Professional athletes are looking for an edge all the time, so their use of performance enhancing products is a regular happening. Most teams even have a deal with one of the supplement companies to supply product. In the past year, two high profile deaths in pro sports, Korey Stringer and Steve Belcher, have been linked to supplement products containing Ephedra. Numerous other college, high school and amateur athletes have suffered serious injury and even death without the fanfare associated with the coverage on the pro scene. The NFL and the NCAA have banned Ephedra, and baseball is considering it, (and they don’t ban anything.)

Ephedra is bad stuff.

When you take it, you don’t know how much is in that little pill. Is it a lot? Is it enough? The combination of Ephedra and exercise at the highest level is deadly. (The mind set, of course, is that if Ephedra is good and exercise is good, then combining the two would be better.) You can walk into any convenience store and buy and Ephedra based product hanging next to the register with the jerky and the laser pointers. Perhaps if regulated, Ephedra could be helpful to some people who’s bodies can handle it, and they’d know just what they’re getting. But that’s not going to happen. Hopefully, we’ll have enough educated decision-making that Ephedra makers and distributors won’t have anybody to sell to. It’s bad news. Don’t take it.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Not Ready for Prime Time NASCAR

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Of course NASCAR should have run the Daytona 500, 500 miles, that part is indisputable. If it’s the biggest race of the year, it needs to be afforded that kind of attention to detail. But again, NASCAR is a growing organization, still uncomfortable in the glare of the “big sport” spotlight.

The Monday before the 500, Channel 4 meteorologist Brad Nitz said on our half-hour special from Daytona, “it’s going to rain on Sunday, but when it comes in is the question. They’ll get most of the race in.” That was seven days before the event, and as Sunday drew closer, it was obvious that rain was going to play a role in the 500. So many new fans have come to the sport that the expectations might have been different. But long-time NASCAR fans knew the rules. If rain is going to be a factor, they can’t stop the race and start it again tomorrow after they reach the halfway point. Once they got to 100 laps, the teams, drivers and informed fans knew that each pass and each pit stop could determine their final standing in the race. That’s why Michael Waltrip’s pass with Jr.’s help, even though he was two laps down, was so crucial: and everybody knew it.

There was a large, uninformed cry after the race was called that NASCAR couldn’t do that. Actually, NASCAR can do anything they want. They run all of the events and make the rules, and in this case, they stuck to them. The problem is, they had a chance to get it right and for some reason, couldn’t figure it out. Start the race early. I know they started somewhat early, but they knew the rain was coming and could have started at noon. NASCAR doesn’t like to cut into church time on Sunday, so noon is about the earliest starting time. Still, they had the chance to move it up, tell Fox they could televise it live, or join it in progress, let the fans in early, and get 500 miles finished. NASCAR fans don’t care what time the race is! You let them know, and they’ll be there. If it’s early, it doesn’t matter, because most of them are already there anyway! I’m glad NASCAR didn’t change rules on the fly, but as they take these baby steps into the psyche of the casual sports fan, sometimes, they’ll need a better plan.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

The Art of Daytona

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Opening testing to the news media and the public in January gives NASCAR a head start on publicity for the new season, but it really kicks off ten days before the Daytona 500, a 10-day “Speedweek.” The drivers gather on Thursday for the Bud Shootout draw, a goosed up media event that determines the starting grid for that weekend’s race. They used to run this race on Sunday afternoon when it was called the Busch Clash, but now it’s at night, better to take advantage of the higher television viewing, and give Fox a chance to figure out how they’re going to cover the big race. The Thursday event is also a sort of “media day” for the 500, with the drivers consenting to interviews after the draw. It’s a far cry from years past when drivers chased down the media in the garage area, seeking publicity for their sponsors and owners. Now, Thursday is the time to get the questions in, because the top guys disappear virtually until race day.

You can feel things get revved up at the track. The haulers arrive, the sound changes as more cares are cranked up, tested, and get on the track. The numbers increase, whether it’s fans, media, sponsors or NASCAR officials. The place is buzzing by Saturday of the Bud Shootout, campers have arrived, tents are pitched and the beer is flowing. I’ve covered NASCAR for 25 years, but the last ten years have seen the sport explode. The hard-core fan has always been there, setting their calendar around the Daytona 500. Vacations are planned, money is saved, and hopefully, designated drivers are assigned. International Speedway Corporation owns and runs the track in Daytona (as well as several others) and allows people in and out of the track based on the events scheduled. You can buy a day pass, a multi-day for the infield, or in some cases, a weekend pass to experience the race environment with about 100,000 of your closest friends. If they’re not when you get there, they will be by the time you leave. The sight of the infield as you emerge from the tunnel beginning on Thursday of race week is at first stunning, and in part mystifying. Where’d all these people come from and what are they doing here? Jaws drop as the tube tops start to come off, the flags flap in the breeze and the pile of beer cans turns into first a hill, then a mountain. There are some fans that make artwork out of their discarded cans, a testament to their stamina and creativity.

I was standing in the parking lot once, surveying the line of vehicles preparing for entry to the infield through the tunnel. They weren’t opening the gates for another eight hours, but the cars and trucks were already lined up. “Hey, Sam,” one of the drivers called out. “Check this thing out,” he shouted as a follow up. His pickup was outfitted with a welded ironwork platform on the back with the bed full of beer. “Twenty-two cases,” he said with pride. “But we’ll have to restock in a few days.” “That thing’s too tall,” I naively said, noting the height restriction to pass through Daytona’s tunnel. “Naw, seben, leben, tree-quarter,” was the immediate reply. It took a few times of hearing that phrase repeated to translate it to seven feet, eleven and three-quarter inches. “The man says ‘too tall’ I tell him, ‘put a stick on it’,” my new friend’s way of inviting a measurement. Anything over eight feet has to wait for the gate to open to cross over the track. That’s wasted infield time, and nobody wants that. “I still think it’s too tall,” I said after surveying the height. The driver leaned toward me, glanced over both shoulders and whispered, “We lit the are out the tares,” and chuckled at the thought. I laughed as well, and gladly accepted the offer of an adult beverage. I’ll drink with anybody with that kind of ingenuity.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Super Bowl Bucs

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Going into Super Bowl XXXVII the main question was, Can the Bucs score? The answer, of course, is an emphatic yes. In fact, the Bucs were not only the best team in the playoffs but also the hottest, leaving San Francisco, Philadelphia and eventually Oakland in their dust.

After a tentative first quarter, Tampa Bay made a couple of adjustments, started to gain some yardage on the ground and started to dominate the game. Michael Pittman and Mike Alstott provided a nice 1-2 punch out of the backfield, and the accuracy of Brad Johnson’s passes made the Raiders defensive backs no factor.

So what happened to Oakland?

The Bucs are what happened to Oakland.

Tampa Bay was better on paper, better prepared, executed better, brought more emotion to the game and “would not be denied” according to many players in the post-game locker room.

After trading away much of the future for John Gruden, Malcolm Glazer looks like a genius (a dweeb genius, but a genius none-the-less). This from a guy who headed an ownership group in Baltimore during the 1993 expansion and was denied because the league thought he wasn’t a “good fit.” The owners are smart, at the top of the NFL’s food chain, and weren’t about to hand over a $200 million franchise to somebody who wasn’t a “good fit.” But Once Glazer bought into the league by purchasing the Bucs (for substantially more than $200 million) they’ll all have to follow their lead in building a Super Bowl Champion.

How many owners would now trade two number one’s, two number two’s and $8 million for a Super Bowl championship? John Madden rhetorically asked during the 4th quarter Sunday night. All of them is the answer.

The Bucs built their team piece by piece, some through the draft, some through trades and some through free-agency. They used the Patriots success from a year ago as a model, snapping up mid-level free-agents like Keenan McCardell and Ken Dilger to fill some key roles. Not high-impact players, but solid role players who don’t put a big dent in the salary cap and could contribute all year long. Once again, the theory paid off with a title.

Jon Gruden is hoping he’ll be able to keep most of the team together and add to it as well. He even started recruiting right after the game. “We’ve got some money to spend and we’ll be interested in some free-agents in the off season. So if you’re a free-agent interested in Tampa, you can expect a call,” is how Gruden put it, slyly on Monday. It appears he likes the feeling of winning it all.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Super Bowl Host

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Going to a Super Bowl city can be fun, frustrating, exhilarating and exhausting all at the same time. Super Bowl XXXVII is San Diego’s third time hosting the NFL’s big party, and that’s just what it is: a big party, or parties to be more correct. While 70,000 people attend the game, upwards of 300,000 arrive in the Super Bowl city to take part in the festivities. Just about every large corporate entity in the US uses the Super Bowl as some kind of client entertainment. Many of the corporations have a connection to the NFL through sponsorship, others are just there as part of the revelry.

There are official functions, sanctioned functions, and in every town, there’s a place where the assembled assemble. In New Orleans, of course, it’s Bourbon Street, in Miami, South Beach, in San Diego it’s the Gas Lamp district, and in Jacksonville it’ll be, well, where will it be? For the first time, the league allowed a city two years away from hosting the game to have a spot in the media headquarters, allowing Jacksonville’s host committee to give a long-range preview of their plans to put on the game. Set up right next to Houston, next year’s Super Bowl city, the Jacksonville host committee had about a 25X25 octagonal shaped booth, complete with a continuous running video highlighting the city, a Tiger Woods video golf game set up so you could play TPC as Tiger, pamphlets and brochures trumpeting the city’s climate and beaches, downtown and riverfront and showing off the cruise ships as the centerpiece of what they’re calling the “Super Bowl by the River.”

Yet everywhere I’d go, there’d be skeptics. “I might skip that Super Bowl,” said Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com, “it’s a terrible town.” While Pasquarelli might be a little harsh, that’s the general consensus about Jacksonville hosting the game. We can’t do it, and even if we do, it’ll be terrible and the league will come to their senses and never come back. I covered the game in 1984 in Tampa and 1988 in San Diego, those cities first foray into the Super Bowl hosting business. Both were “not ready for prime time” places to be the first time around. Tampa was pretty sleepy and spread out, San Diego was downright scary in downtown. Both, with the help of the NFL, hosted the game, had their problems and set out to fix them. In each case, the league gave them a pat on the back and said “good effort, change the stuff that needs to be changed and we’ll be back.”

Tampa’s subsequent hostings have included a new stadium and expansion of their resorts, so it’s gotten easier each time. San Diego transformed itself downtown, adding the Gas Lamp district with plenty of restaurants and drinking establishments and two big hotels attached to the new convention center. It’s an easy choice for the league to put their big game.

Jacksonville’s a whole different story.

While the host committee has used San Diego’s bid and execution as a model, they’ve got a whole different idea. “San Diego is good for use because of its similar military personnel, the water and the population but we’ve got a different idea,” said Wayne Weaver, Jaguars owner and board member of the Jacksonville Host Committee. “We’re going to have everything possible within two miles of the stadium. People won’t have to go anywhere, and for sure they won’t have to drive.”

The big picture plan has semi-permanent tenting, trams and trolleys, cruise ships for accommodations and entertainment. So to the question “Where are all those people going to eat and stay?” the answer is: right by the stadium. “Oh, we’re actually ahead of schedule,” Mike Kelly, the president of the Host Committee said on Friday. “We’ve got contracts with the cruise lines and plans from the league so we’re very busy.”

While none of that seems to be tangible yet (the cruise ships won’t arrive until the week of the game) nobody’s panicking, especially not the NFL. Tim Murphy, the VP of sponsorship of the league and one of the key figures in executing the Super Bowl for the NFL is excited. “We’ve got a lot of work to do, but it’s going to be great. People won’t even recognize the downtown when the game is there.” And that’s part of the whole plan.

Jacksonville’s transformation for the game should give people a glimpse of what the city can be in the future. I went to a party in downtown San Diego on Friday night, very exclusive (invited by my brother), where the guests had no idea they were in an abandoned warehouse, painted, scrubbed and fixed up for the Super Bowl. Same thing with many of the bars and eating establishments downtown. Unoccupied storefronts are spruced up, food service and liquor licenses granted and voila, a place to eat, drink and meet is created. The NFL has plenty of experience at changing planning and changing things. They’ve accepted Jacksonville’s application and they’ll make it work. What we do with it while it’s here and after it leaves is up to us.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Raiders Bucs Super Bowl XXXVII Preview

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A bunch of people asked me on Saturday, “Hey, who won that game last night?” Some of them just had a passing interest in what was going on (since neither Florida nor Florida State were playing) and others just went to bed before the game went into overtime. Either way, as sports fans, they missed a riveting, if not a well-played game. This game to determine a national champion had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows for both teams, collectively and individually. As a team, Miami felt the ecstasy of winning and the despair of losing within ten minutes of each other. Their kicker did what all kickers hope to do: kick the game winning/tying field goal on the last play of the game. Their star running back was beginning to dominate the game when in the flash of an eye; his season was over, his career in jeopardy. Ohio State had the same emotions as a team; going from thinking they had lost to knowing they had won, one right after the other. Their quarterback couldn’t do much in regulation, yet completed a 4th-and-14 pass to keep his team’s hope alive.

With the flurry of action at the end of regulation and in overtime, the focus on the interference call in the end zone and Willis McGahee’s injury, one play might get lost in the memory of this game, but it’s the play this game will be remembered for years from now. The Buckeyes were about to score a touchdown to go up 21-7 when Miami’s Sean Taylor intercepted the ball in the end zone and headed the other way. Instead of a two-touchdown lead, the game was about to be tied and thrown into a frenzy. As Taylor was headed down the sideline, Ohio State’s freshman running back Maurice Clarett caught him from behind, made the tackle and stole the ball all at the same time! The physical ability to make the play and the mental presence to execute it and change the outcome right on the spot is a rare combination for any athlete, let alone a true freshman playing in the national championship game. Clarett spent the week bashing the athletic department in Columbus for their lack of understanding, so his motivation was in question as the game approached. Even though Miami did a good job keeping him in check, that one play, and his subsequent touchdown run in overtime raised his profile equal to his hype.

It wasn’t a clean, well-played game, but rather the kind of game Ohio State hopes to be in every week. It was tough, it went down to the wire, it had all kinds of strategy and turnovers and it turned into a test of wills.

“They couldn’t match our talent,” Hurricane tight end Kellen Winslow said after the game, “But sometimes it takes more than that. I guess we learned that tonight.”

Many sports fans also learned a lesson: don’t go to bed too early.

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Ohio State Wins Title

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A bunch of people asked me on Saturday, “Hey, who won that game last night?” Some of them just had a passing interest in what was going on (since neither Florida nor Florida State were playing) and others just went to bed before the game went into overtime. Either way, as sports fans, they missed a riveting, if not a well-played game. This game to determine a national champion had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows for both teams, collectively and individually. As a team, Miami felt the ecstasy of winning and the despair of losing within ten minutes of each other. Their kicker did what all kickers hope to do: kick the game winning/tying field goal on the last play of the game. Their star running back was beginning to dominate the game when in the flash of an eye; his season was over, his career in jeopardy. Ohio State had the same emotions as a team; going from thinking they had lost to knowing they had won, one right after the other. Their quarterback couldn’t do much in regulation, yet completed a 4th-and-14 pass to keep his team’s hope alive.

With the flurry of action at the end of regulation and in overtime, the focus on the interference call in the end zone and Willis McGahee’s injury, one play might get lost in the memory of this game, but it’s the play this game will be remembered for years from now. The Buckeyes were about to score a touchdown to go up 21-7 when Miami’s Sean Taylor intercepted the ball in the end zone and headed the other way. Instead of a two-touchdown lead, the game was about to be tied and thrown into a frenzy. As Taylor was headed down the sideline, Ohio State’s freshman running back Maurice Clarett caught him from behind, made the tackle and stole the ball all at the same time! The physical ability to make the play and the mental presence to execute it and change the outcome right on the spot is a rare combination for any athlete, let alone a true freshman playing in the national championship game. Clarett spent the week bashing the athletic department in Columbus for their lack of understanding, so his motivation was in question as the game approached. Even though Miami did a good job keeping him in check, that one play, and his subsequent touchdown run in overtime raised his profile equal to his hype.

It wasn’t a clean, well-played game, but rather the kind of game Ohio State hopes to be in every week. It was tough, it went down to the wire, it had all kinds of strategy and turnovers and it turned into a test of wills.

“They couldn’t match our talent,” Hurricane tight end Kellen Winslow said after the game, “But sometimes it takes more than that. I guess we learned that tonight.”

Many sports fans also learned a lesson: don’t go to bed too early.