Recent Comments

i would be careful about the business colors.

In Bd. of Supervisors for La. State Univ. v. Smack Apparel Co., 550 F.3d 465 (5th Cir. 2008), the Fifth Circuit upheld the district courts finding that a t-shirt maker who used school color schemes in combination with specific facts and indicia about the school infringed on the schools trademark rights in those color schemes, even if neither the school logo nor other marks appeared on the t-shirt.

http://www.lawupdates.com/commentary/ilsu_v_smack_apparel_i_trademark_pr...

Not sure it would apply in this situation but I thought it was interesting.

I understand the purpose of the mock drafts, but isn't Kiper's list a bit premature considering there's a lot of combine work to do.

This is a stupid contract, and here is why:

I understand why the Clemson Board wanted to lock down Yo Dabo Dabo for 8 years at a reasonable salary. It seems reasonable to assume that his salary figure and built-in escalators/bonuses will be outdated in 3-4 years given the arms race that we have seen in the last few offseasons. It theoretically protects the University over the long term. Then you factor in the obvious short term benefits and long term security for Dabo [and in some cases, his staff] and it seems like a win for all parties.

Recent history has shown us that if Dabo exceeds expectations, that salary figure and associated escalators will be pointless in no time. In addition, you've already got a highly paid OC in Chad Morris who deserves a Head Coaching position, whenever he decides its time for him to take it, and another highly paid DC in Brent Venables. If they wish to keep both around, they would be foolish to assume that the pot allocated to them in 2014 will suffice in 2016 or 2017. So how long until Dabo & Co. come back to the Board or AD asking them to re-open the purse strings?

What Dabo has proven is that he is a great salesman, an adept motivator, and has done a fantastic job assembling a strong staff. They were rudderless without the dynamic offense Chad Morris brought to the table, and were held back by Kevin Steele (remember the Cousins' 70-point whipping in the 2012 Orange Bowl?) until Venables came into town. But what if one or both leaves? Is Dabo really that strong of a coach? Sure you could make the argument that half (if not more) of a HC's success is tied to the abilities of his assistants, but when we think Alabama football or the New England Patriots, we think of Saban and Bellichek - the assistants that surround them have been a mixed bag on their own, lending credence to the head coaches' supreme talents and less reliance on the assistants.

In my opinion, the verdict on Dabo is still out - and it says something that his name isn't mentioned when the big time gigs come open (e.g. Texas) - but good for him for cashing in.

Yes.

Another very good point. The NFL fan bases down south are nothing compared to the Steelers/Packers/Bears/Seahawks/Ravens etc.

Speaking of our terrible team, look at who's on the front page on ESPN.

We vill win for Mother Russia!

Even in the professional work force in Huntsville that ratio still seems correct. The majority of Alabama fans I work with didn't go to that school. The ones that did are actually quite down to earth. When it comes to Alabama Fans, show me a woman kicking some opposing fan in the head wearing bear bryant houndstooth plaid apparel, and I'll show you someone who did not attend college at UA at T.

KyFuller INT McCarron pass.

He'll get at least one more year, possibly two. For one thing, Seth didn't leave him with much in the way of talent. (Many VT fans seem to want to forget that Seth went 15-16 his last season at VT.) The the timing of Seth's firing meant that James Johnson and his new staff got a very late start on last year's recruiting class. Then he lost two players that he thought he'd have this season (Malik Mueller to the NCAA clearinghouse and Donte Clark to grades). Finally, it seems like half of this year's team is either sick or injured at any given point in time.

The people at VT understand all of this. Considering what he was up against last year, Johnson still managed to bring in a decent class and he just signed a solid group for 2014, including a potential difference-maker in Jalen Hudson.

IMHO, many VT fans are giving up on him way too early. Coach K endured three losing seasons at Duke before turning that program around.

With all due respect, you aren't privy to what has been going on behind the scenes. Personally, I'm all for JJ laying down the law if players are insubordinate to him or are sulking because they've been beaten out for PT. Can't have the inmates running the asylum.

I have no way of knowing, obviously, but my suspicion is that Joey Van Zegaren and Trevor Thompson have simply been playing better than Raines in practice.

correct.