Current Event (Rob Sesso)

NFL Comissioner Looking To Extend Regular Season
Commissioner Roger Goddell is looking to propose a deal to NFL owners to extend the regular season to 17 or even 18 games. In order to do so, the league would have to cut the preseason short or not have one at all. The fans do not derive much satisfaction from such preseason games, and this would be an opportunity to increase revenue in spite of the poor economic times. From an economic standpoint, the NFL would be able to make more money from extra games and possibly be able to retain more employees as a result. On the other side of the coin, the players would demand more money for the additional games that are being played, and they would have to risk injury in addition to the 16 game strenuous season that is currently in place. There are two sides here -- basically the owners and the players. The additional compensation could be a problem that slows the negotiation process between the owners and the players association whose collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2010 season. This is something not quite set in stone, and there are foreseeable roadblocks that could curtail such negotiations. Goddell thinks that this would be a chance to keep the NFL out of debt and garner the interest of fans. It might also help the NFL generate global interest.

Here are some article to spark your opinion on the issue.
http://www.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idUSTRE52P40L20090326
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_10310155

Some questions for thought:
Is this a plausible idea for the NFL moving forward?
What kind of effect could this have on the NFL as a whole?
Are the players being put at a disadvantage in this situation?
Do you think that this is a good idea with respect to the economy?

Current Event (Week 11 - Jim Faklis)

This Media Clip is an interview with the President of the NCAA, Myles Brand. In this short interview, he addresses the importance of the student athlete and how universities should treat these people as students first rather than athletes. Also, this clip briefly examines commercialism of the NCAA. Commercialism has become somewhat more apparent intercollegiate athletics in the past few years, but Myles Brand hopes that this does not dictate how the NCAA will be portrayed in the future.  It should be noted that this is only one side of the issues. The other side of this issue deals with the NCAA and how these student athletes should have the opportunity to receive some type of financial gains or benefits from the performances they put out on the field.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O59vEd7o8_s