Elaine Watson: February 2011

SFS FLASHBACKS | SPANISH BASKETBALL | DRAZEN PETROVIC

Found this priceless video on "youtube" (thanks to "CroPETROforever") of when REAL MADRID ruled SPANISH BASKETBALL. That reign ( the 80s) was made even more glorious thanks to Croatian DRAZEN PETROVIC who was the finest European Basketball Player that I have ever seen in Spanish or European Basketball

The player left Real Madrid for the NBA (USA), being a poineer to open the way for other

Boise State Scholarship Downloaded 100,000 Times

This February, ScholarWorks recorded its 100,000^th full-text download. Launched in 2009, ScholarWorks is specifically designed to showcase Boise State scholarship and helps remove access barriers to publicly funded research.

The collection includes faculty publications, graduate scholarship, university publications, conference information, and institutional documents. In recent months the use of ScholarWorks has increased significantly with a high of over 12,000 Boise State documents downloaded in just November 2010 alone.

In addition to providing access to scholarship produced at Boise State, the service also provides SelectedWorks sites that highlight individual faculty member’s professional accomplishments.

For more information, please visit ScholarWorks or contact Michelle Armstrong at 426-2580.

SPANISH FOOTBALL | ROUND 25 MONDAY NIGHT REUSLT | MALAGA 3 ALMERIA 1

The Spanish Football League ended Round 25 with the Monday Night LIGA match between MALAGA & ALMERIA with the victory going 3 - 1 to the home team. A desperate win for Malaga who are bottomed placed & need all the points they can muster up to attempt to get out & not get caught in the relegation zone.

Malaga - Almeria: Spanish Soccer 2011

It was Almeria that looked good early & was playing

DePaul's Friday Symposium on Compliance in Chicago

This Friday, the DePaul Journal of Sports Law and Contemporary Problems hosts "A Rule is a Rule: Compliance in the World of Sports." The presenters include Timothy Epstein, Marc Edelman, and myself. 2.75 hours of CLE is available for attorneys and a reduced rate admission is offered for law students from other area schools. Here's the event description:

The DePaul Journal of Sports Law & Contemporary Problems will host its annual sports law symposium, A Rule is a Rule: Compliance in the World of Sports, on March 4th, 2011. During this event, panelists will discuss a variety of legal issues currently arising in the world of sports. In line with our organization’s mission statement, the symposium will investigate the intersection between law and sports with a focus on today's most important sports law issues, and discuss the contemporary problems that result.
Last year, our symposium was a great success. In fact, our symposium was recently acknowledged at the prestigious National Sports Law Institute Conference as being “an excellent Conference.” Panelists at our previous conference included representatives from the National Football League, the Big Ten Conference, the Chicago Cubs, and notable professors from Sports Law academia.

This year we are striving to hold another highly successful symposium to uphold the tradition. Our panelists will include compliance experts from universities, as well as scholars who have written and taught on the subject.

Compliance is a very broad topic. In the legal field, our entire careers focus on compliance with rules, whether they be federal law, state law, or bylaws within an organization. This symposium will explore issues of compliance that are particularly relevant in sports. We will have two panels: the first panel will focus on compliance in college sports, while the second panel will address compliance in professional sports

The event is being held at the University Center (525 S. State), a few blocks south of DePaul's law school.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH: A Tribute to Daniel Skelton, DVM, Cornell 1939

By Donald F. Smith, DVM, Cornell University
Posted February 28, 2011

This historical blog is in recognition of the 150th anniversary
of the American Veterinary Medical Association (1863-2013).

Dr. Daniel Skelton, DVM
Photo by Cornell University

As Black History Month comes to an official close for 2011, I wish to recognize Dr. Daniel Skelton, who died earlier this month at age 98. He is believed to have been the last surviving African-American veterinarian to have received his education during the Great Depression.

Daniel was born in Tennessee on September 10, 1912. He attended undergraduate college at LeMoyne College in Memphis, one of the Historic Black Colleges, majoring in chemistry and biology. Seeing his interest in medicine and animals, university president Frank Sweeney encouraged him to become a veterinarian. However, with no veterinary colleges available to him in the segregated south, President Sweeney suggested he move to New York to establish residency and then apply to Cornell.

Dr. Skelton described what happened next during my 2008 interview with him, I graduated on a Tuesday night [in 1934], then Mrs. Sweeney took me directly to the train station and I was washing dishes in Brooklyn 48 hours later. I wrote to Cornell’s veterinary college, but was rejected. I applied two more times, but to no avail. Discouraged, I called President Sweeney. “Don’t do anything”, he told me, “I will look after it”. Within a week, I was accepted.

Dan was a popular and well-respected student among the 40 members of the Class of 1939. After graduation, he joined the federal food inspection service and was assigned to a meat packing plant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was a small town, mostly white, and the people referred to me as a ‘fly in cream’. After 18 months, I was promoted to supervisor over the objection of some of my colleagues. One of the workers in another part of the plant said to his buddy who was assigned to me, making sure I heard his comment, “How do you like a N____ supervising you? What is the world coming to?

Dr. Skelton was transferred to Wichita, Kansas, in 1942. Though still a segregated community, he and his wife were much happier living in the larger city and they remained there for the rest of his career. He eventually became circuit supervisor, responsible for food safety at 22 packing houses and supervising veterinary inspectors throughout central Kansas.

Fewer than 70 African-Americans received DVM degrees from northern schools before a veterinary college was established at Tuskegee Institute in 1945. Several of these early graduates, and also many of the graduates from Tuskegee during the 1950s and 1960s, worked in the federal meat inspection service. Their legacy in helping assure a safe supply of food to the American public (and also the military) is an important aspect of African-American veterinary history.

Dr. Skelton was an important part of that legacy. The transcript from my interview with him, including a decription of his student experiences at Cornell and his family history may be found at http://ecommons.library.cornell.edu/bitstream/1813/14963/4/Skelton%20Daniel%20'39%20BioInt.pdf.

Dr. Smith invites comments at dfs6@cornell.edu.

CNN's Puzzling Story on Crossan

Sure, John Dominic Crossan is an interesting figure. He is an engaging and very personable individual. His scholarship has been extremely provocative and influential. While I disagree with many of his conclusions, I've benefited from reading his work. But why is it that CNN has run a story on him for two days on the homepage of their website? I know that every year as Easter approaches the major news outlets like to run stories on the historical Jesus, often highlighting depictions of Jesus that undermine the church's major Christological claims. But Crossan's major work on the topic, The Historical Jesus: The Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant, came out in 1993. When this book came out, Bill Clinton was beginning his first term, the Dallas Cowboys were a good football team, Janet Jackson had a number one hit, and "Jurassic Park" was in theatres. A considerable amount of work on Jesus has come out since 1993. Two days on the homepage, with the caption "John Dominic Crossan's 'blasphemous' portrait of Jesus".... I won't hold my breath waiting for them to highlight a "non-blasphemous" portrait of Jesus.

CEO Vikings Futsal Talks Futsal 2011 - Part 2

This program will be broadcast on 2xxfm (98.3mhz), Tuesday 1 March 2011 across the Australian Community Radio Network.

We begin the program with something for the Coaches as we navigate the pre-season (sourced from the ASC). A short description of the physiology of the athlete and how that must be considered in preparing a player(s) and as the season progresses, how to maintain peak fitness and performance. Gone are the days of run around the outside of the oval and don't worry about the footballs till later. If you have a coach doing this rubbish, get another coach or a new club.

Then its on to Part 2 of our interview with CEO Vikings Futsal, Alasdair Miller. The CEO talks a ittle more about the business model used by Vikings Futsal, the need for Futsal to secure its own playing facilities and a fascinating update on the impact of the floods/cyclone in Queensland and Victoria on Vikings Futsal operations. They got hit hard, but the game goes on! Nothing much stops the Vikings Futsal mob for long. The CEO just talks plain sense. Its refreshing. Wish others could do the same! For those that have asked whether Vikings have considered coming into the ACT - the CEO answers that question in this part of the interview.

Download Podcast here:

CEO Vikings Futsal Talks Futsal 2011 - Part 2

This program will be broadcast on 2xxfm (98.3mhz), Tuesday 1 March 2011 across the Australian Community Radio Network.

SPANISH FOOTBALL LEADING GOAL SCORER - EL PICHICHI - AFTER ROUND 25 SEASON 2010-2011

Firstly , please accept my apologies for the Spanish Football League Leading Goal-scorer "widget" on the right hand side. I have contacted the Football website that they are not updating the goal scoring tally & they have not responded. The site in question - "Footbo.com" - has been losing its "attraction" for some months with some poor service that leaves you wondering why they are still

REAL MADRID | KAKA | PATIENCE IS WEARING THIN

Some say that KAKA came from AC MILAN with injury. Some say that the Brazilian had the 2010 World Cup as his main objective with Brazil & thus placed REAL MADRID as a secondary obligation. The last accusation is out of line & I personally doubt it 100 % , but here are some numbers from the ex FIFA World Player:

9 goals from 33 games ( 8 in 25 Liga matches; 1 in 7 Champions League)

Kaka with

ROUND 25 SPANISH FOOTBALL - LA LIGA SUNDAY GAMES RESULTS

SPANISH FOOTBALL action this Sunday via LA LIGA & its Round 25 with four matches scheduled. Here is a brief summary of events, the results & the scorers.

Caicedo scores for Levante

LEVANTE settled their game with OSASUNA in 10 explosive minutes with a 2 -1 victory. The game reached its maximum height in the 41st min when PANDIANI put Osasuna ahead. Then Levante reacted in deadly fashion with

Sunday Sports Law Links

* Mark Cuban wonders why more superstar U.S. teenage basketball players don't go play professionally in Europe, where players can be as young as 14 and earn lucrative contracts. The NBA, as we know, requires that U.S. players be 19-years-old and one-year removed from high school before they are eligible to play.

The European route was clearly successful for Brandon Jennings, who played professionally in Italy for one-year before becoming eligible for the 2009 NBA draft. Jennings earned about $1.2 million in Italy between salary and endorsement income -- obviously more than he would have "earned" while playing as a freshman in college, assuming he had overcome his eligibility issues.

The international experience has been much less successful for 6'11 power forward Jeremy Tyler, however. Tyler skipped his senior year of high school and struggled playing professionally in Israel in 09-10. Then again, Tyler has been much more impressive this season while playing in Japan's pro basketball league--a league which has former NBA players in it, including Bruce Bowen and Jerold Honeycutt. Tyler is averaging an efficient 9 points, 6 rebounds and 14 minutes per game while drawing consistent praise from his coach. Tyler is eligible for this year's NBA draft -- his recent improvement in play, not to mention impressive size and athletic ability, probably will land him on an NBA roster next season.

* * *

* Shira Springer of the Boston Globe has an excellent preview of this week's MIT Sloan Sports Analytics conference (hat tip to Warren Zola). I will be speaking at the conference on the Sports Labor Relations panel.

* * *

* How would you like to study international sports law in Florence, Italy over the summer and get law school credit for it? The South Texas College of Law is sponsoring a study abroad program in Florence between June 3 and June 25 that will focus on two courses: international amateur sports law and international professional sports law. NFL agent/attorney and former NFL player Ralph Cindrich is one of the instructors, as is South Texas College of Law prof James Musselman. Sounds like an awesome experience to me.

* * *

* Last year I wrote a guest column on Torts Prof Blog on the tort implications of "g ame presentation" -- the various things stadium operators do to keep fans interested during games, including on-court and on-field promotions -- in the context of Coomer v. Kansas City Royals, a lawsuit filed by a guy who while attending a Royals game was injured by a hot dog that had been propelled by the Royals Mascot as part of a promotion. A couple of weeks ago, the Royals lost a motion for summary judgment in the case. Carla Varriale of Athletic Business Network has the story on the Royals' inability to get rid of the case and what it means for game presentation.

* * *

* I was interviewed on the Dennis and Callahan Show on WEEI Boston last week to talk about legal issues involving Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and DJ Henry (a Pace football player who was shot and killed by a police officer in a terrible misunderstanding of a situation). I also spoke with Drew Forresster of WNST Baltimore about Bonds, Clemens and the NFL labor crisis, and how NBA players might be in a better position than NFL players when it comes to being locked out: some NBA players, particularly the stars, will have opportunities to go play in Europe and earn considerable $$, while playing with and against legitimate talent (while European basketball may not be as "good" as the NBA, it's far better than the D League or some other minor league).

* * *

* NBA Deputy commissioner Adam Silver claims that three-quarters of NBA teams are losing money, even though NBA television ratings are way up this season.

* * *

* UConn men's basketball coach has been suspended by the NCAA for the first three games of next season. The Hartford Courant's Paul Doyle has the story and interviews, among others, Connecticut Sports Law's Dan Fitzgerald.

* * *

* Do Male Athletes have Body-Image Problems? Admittedly, that's not a question I've thought much about, or maybe at all, but Libby Sander of The Chronicle of Higher Education explains why it's an interesting topic and why new research on the topic may shed light on behavior issues with male athletes.

* * *

* Before the Red Sox offered 29-year-old outfielder Carl Crawford a 7-year, $142 million contract this past off season, they obviously did their due diligence on him. After-all, the contract is fully guaranteed and the financial commitment being made is enormous, especially for a player who will turn 30 this season and whose game is based to a large extent on his speed. As Gordon Edes of ESPN.boston p

oints out, the Red Sox took due diligence to a such a point that it creeped out Crawford:

[Red Sox Assistant GM] Allard Baird, who oversees the club's pro scouting department, was assigned to scout Crawford for most of the second half of the 2010 season.
"I knew they were scouting me," Crawford said. "Coaches would tell me this guy asked about you, or that guy."
But he said he had no inkling they were monitoring him off the field, too.
"I definitely look over my shoulder now a lot more than what I did before," he said. "Just when he told me that, the idea of him following me everywhere I go, was kind of, I wasn't comfortable with that at all.
"I don't know how they do it, how much distance they keep from you when they watch you the whole time. I definitely check my back now, at least 100 yard radius. I'm always looking over my shoulder now. Now I look before I go in my house. I'd better not see anything suspicious now."

Kind of reminds of me when the NBA "ordered its security forces" to more closely follow NBA players off-the-court.

Here a shirt, there a shirt, everywhere a shirt, shirt...

I design t-shirts. I even sell some of them. I use several different companies to print my artwork, but Zazzle.com is the one that brings in the most business (Erin McIntyre Designs is the "hub" for my stuff, but the links all point to Zazzle). I'm kind of a graphic design geek, so I mess around in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop almost every day. When I come up with something good, I turn it into a t-shirt and list it for sale on Zazzle. It's interesting to see what sells and what doesn't. I've created designs that I think are beautiful and brilliant, that no one wants to buy. I've created designs that at first seemed obvious and lacking in finesse, that sell like crazy. For example, I initially felt just luke-warm about this one, but my "I'm Ignoring You" shirt has become a top seller:

"I'm Ignoring You" T-shirt from Erin McIntyre Designs

So what is so attractive about it? Let's face it - sarcastic, insulting t-shirts are much more popular than happy, sunshiny ones. Plus, a design with a reference to a social networking site like Facebook appeals to a market of online buyers. A second Facebook-inspired shirt, "I Like New York", has sold fairly well, too:

"I Like NY" T-shirt from Erin McIntyre Designs

Given the success of the Facebook designs, I'm giving a Twitter shirt a shot:

"Tweet Pray Love" T-shirt from Erin McIntyre Designs

Whadaya think? And yes, this is your cue to buy several of my t-shirts for every member of your family.

SPANISH FOOTBALL ROUND 25 SATURDAY GAMES RESULTS & SURPRISE

SPANISH FOOTBALL action tonight with five matches scheduled as part of Round 25 of the La Liga.

A 0 - 0 draw result between REAL SPORTING DE GIJON & REAL ZARAGOZA with both teams taking a point each. Not much to really add here at all.

Atletico de Madrid - Sevilla FC

Great game between ATLETICO DE MADRID & SEVILLA FC with a 2 -2 draw. It was end to end stuff with the home side having to

Water for Elephants: Meet the Veterinarians

Posted February 26, 2011
Author Dr. Donald F. Smith, Cornell University

When the movie, Water for Elephants, opens on April 22^nd, all eyes will be on Tai, the 42-year-old Asian elephant who plays the lead role of "Rosie". Veterinarian Dr. Linda Reeve Peddie considers "Rosie" the best-trained and most mature elephant in the world. Linda and her husband, Dr. James Peddie, have jointly managed the health care of "Rosie" and her herd mates at the Johnson ranch, "Have Trunk Will Travel", since the early 1990s. http://www.havetrunkwilltravel.com/

Dr. Linda Reeve Peddie and Dr. James Peddie, Cornell 1965,
Veterinarians to the Asian elephant, Tai,
who stars as "Rosie" in movie, Water for Elephants.
Interview and photo by the author.

The Water for Elephants story involves a Depression-era veterinary student at Cornell University whose parents are tragically killed just before he is scheduled to sit for his final examinations. The despondent Jacob Jankowski bolts from Cornell and joins the circus. Coincidentally, Drs. Peddie also received their veterinary education at Cornell, graduating together in the Class of 1965, more than three decades after mythical Jacob.

Linda and Jim have taken care of the elephants for Gary and Kari Johnson for almost two decades. The array of medical and surgical challenges, as well as the sheer size and complexity of their six elephants requires extensive medical knowledge, creativity, perseverance, and a gentle touch. Tai, who plays the role of "Rosie" in the movie, is in marvelously good health thanks in large part to their veterinary care.

During the creation of the Disney movie, Operation Dumbo Drop, in 1994, Tai developed gastroenteritis during filming in Asia. She lost her appetite and dropped a significant amount of weight. The Peddie’s wisely arranged for a 747 jumbo jet to airlift her favorite Southern California oat hay to the set in Thailand. It was an immediate success, and Tai's appetite resumed miraculously. Though some would call it a ‘Jumbo for Dumbo’, Jim simply refers to it as the most expensive load of hay in history.

Drs. Peddie are regular visitors to the Johnson ranch and have examined and treated Tai and her herd mates numerous times. That familiarity, however, does not afford them casual access to the elephants. The Peddie’s would never approach Tai without being accompanied by one of the Johnson trainers. Elephants form a matriarchal society, explained Linda, and in Tai’s case, Gary Johnson is the head matriarch. A trusted trainer must always facilitate interaction with a non-herd member such as one of us.

How is actress Reese Witherspoon viewed by Tai? Reese and the others are simply props for "Rosie", who views herself as the lead actress, Jim said. As long as the human stars know their place in the pachyderm pecking order, everything proceeds smoothly.

What about the scenes depicting cruelty to "Rosie"? The Johnson’s were absolutely adamant that nothing harm Tai, either emotionally or physically. During trainer August Rosenbluth’s rampage where he portrays brutal treatment of Rosie, the handlers gently move Tai backwards and out of harm’s way, and August simply strikes the air next to her body. Because Tai has never known mistreatment, Linda told me, she does not view the flailing as anything more than some imbecile beating the air.

In a similar manner, the ugly traumatic wounds that the movie depicts on Rosie are just convincingly-fashioned latex molds that are perfectly affixed to her flawless hide.

Creating a movie of this nature requires a unique blend of almost mystical proportions. To more fully appreciate these numinous qualities requires an understanding of the longstanding bonds that form between animals and humans working with mutual respect at every level. http://filmwaterforelephants.wordpress.com/wfe-cast/meet-wfe-rosie/

Veterinarians Linda and Jim Peddie are an integral part of that matrix. I think that fellow Cornellian, Jacob Jankowski, would be proud.

Addendum: In a future blog, I shall describe some of the medical problems that Drs. Peddie face in their care of elephants. The most serious challenge to young Asian elephants is a Herpes virus that causes acute death in calves. A research consortium involving clinicians and scientists at Cornell, Johns Hopkins, the National Elephant Herpesvirus Laboratory at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, and Baylor College of Medicine attempts to understand this devastating disease and create a vaccine for its control.

Readers are invited to support this important effort by following the donations link at: http://www.helpelephantsnow.org/

Dr. Smith welcomes comments at dfs6@cornell.edu

John D. Murray DVM, Cornell 1939: A Memorial Tribute

Posted by Donald F. Smith, DVM, Cornell University
February 25, 2011

This historical blog is in recognition of the 150th anniversary
of the American Veterinary Medical Association (1863-2013).

Dr. John Murray, one of Cornell’s most loyal veterinary alumni, died early today. He was ninety-eight.

Born of hearty Irish stock on a farm near Addison, Pennsylvania, John spent two years at Alfred College, then applied to the veterinary college at Cornell. After waiting for several months without a response, he traveled to Ithaca one Saturday morning and had an impromptu meeting with Dean William Hagan.

Dr. John D. Murray, 2008
Photo by the author

Three months later, his father carried a letter into the tannery where he was working. “My fingers were trembling when I opened that letter and read the opening lines, ‘We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted.’ That letter changed my life forever”, he recalled during a conversation in 2007.

Following graduation in 1939, he spent a year as Instructor in Surgery at Cornell’s large animal clinic then started a general practice in the rural community of Painted Post. He was a capable and innovative practitioner, and a good surgeon.

Dr. Murray became active in the local veterinary association and, in 1970, served as president of the New York State Veterinary Medical Society. John and his first wife, Agnes, raised three children, John, Martin (“Mickey”) and Mary Agnes, and were active in the local community until she unfortunately succumbed to Alzheimer’s.

Retiring after four decades in practice, Dr. Murray and his second wife, Marion, spent their summers in southern New York, relocating to Florida during the winter months where he enjoyed golf and fishing.

Dr. Murray served as the quintessential ambassador for Cornell, participating on the Cornell University Council. As chairman of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s fund raising committee, he never asked others to contribute more than himself. University President Frank H. T. Rhodes named him a Foremost Benefactor of the university in 1980 and the college’s John D. Murray Lecture Hall was named in his honor.

Though Dr. Murray’s later years were punctuated by sadness with the loss of Marion, he continued to serve as the Class of ’39 leader, staying in frequent touch with classmates and helping host their five-year reunions. Until a few months ago, he would even occasionally drive back to his beloved Cornell to meet friends and perhaps pop into the executive office to great the dean.

Dr. Murray recently developed heart failure and spent his remaining days in a local Hospice facility. It was there I had a wonderful visit with him two weeks ago. He regaled me with familiar stories of his early days in practice, and affirmed his love for Cornell and his classmates.

With his passing, we lose a legendary veterinarian of incredible wit and charm, and unsurpassed loyalty to the profession and to Cornell's veterinary college.

The full text and audio of a 2007 interview with Dr. Murray, including his sidesplitting rendition of “Petey the Snake”, can be heard at http://ecommons.library.cornell.edu/bitstream/1813/12302/1/Murray,%20John%20D.%20'39%20BioInt.pdf

Dr. Smith invites comments at dfs6@cornell.edu.

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ATLETICO DE MADRID MAKES 18M€ OFFER FOR LAMEAL OF RIVER PLATE ?

ATLETICO DE MADRID is a fascinating Club. While there is a debate to whether the Clubs debt is +700€ o +182M€ ( a big difference) an issue that has the Club in courts against those who published the first, the Spanish Football Club is reported from Argentina to have made a 18M€ offer to RIVER PLATE for their "creative" midfielder LAMELA.

Lamela in action

The 19 year old is also said by media

REAL MADRID FOLLOWING JAVI MARQUEZ OF RCD ESPANYOL ?

According to Spanish Sports paper "AS", REAL MADRID is following RCD ESPANYOL player JAVI MARQUEZ. Apparently the player left a "glowing" impression on Real Madrid Coach José Mourinho last time both teams played & he has asked his "men" to follow the Espanyol player.

Javi Marquez Spanish Football talent

The 24 year old has many Clubs interested, from Valencia to Clubs in the English Premier

New York: To Stay or To Go?

I've been living in New York City for ten years. This ten-year milestone is significant on its own, but for me it represents something additional: I've now lived in New York for the same length of time that I've lived in Vermont, the place I consider home. My life has been characterized by frequent moves - two years in Pennsylvania, six years in Virginia, four years in Vermont, a year in Montreal, five more years in Vermont, three years in Minnesota, another year in Vermont, and then ten straight years here in New York. So why doesn't this feel like home? I try to remind myself why I came here in the first place. I came to learn about and participate in music and theater. Somewhere along the way, I stopped learning and participating, and now I just watch from the sidelines. New York living takes a real toll on your mind and your spirit, so if you're going to survive here, you must be passionately involved in something that brings you a lot of joy. I don't have anything like that anymore, and that realization has hit me like a ton of bricks. So what do you do when you're feeling stuck? Do you continue to bang your head against the wall, hoping that eventually you'll break through it and there'll be something good on the other side? Or do you run the other way before you give yourself a concussion?

Peter Carfagna's Negotiating and Drafting Sports Venue Agreements

Our friend and colleague Peter Carfagna, who teaches sports law at Harvard Law School and has a long and storied career in the industry, has written his third sports law book: Negotiating and Drafting Sports Venue Agreements (West, 2011).

His two other sports law books -- Sports and the Law: Examining the Legal Evolution of American's Three 'Major Leagues" (West, 2009) and Representing the Professional Athlete (West, 2009) -- are also excellent.

Peter's new book provides outstanding insight on the drafting of sports venue agreements, including naming rights agreements, media rights contracts, food and beverage agreements, and sponsorship deals with state-operated entities. It also includes complete model agreements of these types of contracts. I very much enjoyed reading the book and will no doubt be referring to it.

Here's the official description of Negotiating and Drafting Sports Venue Agreements:

In addition to being an engaging teaching tool for instructors teaching drafting practices for sports venue agreements, this book is valuable to any sports law practitioner wanting to learn more about these state-of-the-art drafting practices. Beginning with the drafting of the seminal lease agreement, the book leads the reader through a series of best-practices drafting techniques for every major sports venue–related agreement, including naming rights agreements; presenting sponsorship agreements; media rights and concessions agreements; and agreements with state-operated entities. Hypothetical drafting exercises are included in each chapter for classroom use.

Federation Cup Draw For 2011

The initial draw for the 2011 Federation Cup (mens and womens) has been completed.

Depending on who you follow, it looks good or not so good. All Premier League Clubs are participating, with Capital Football extending invitations to a small number of Clubs to join the competition.

Thre are plenty of pre-season games going on around the PL clubs, with many of them travellling to NSW to play. The Federation Cup will see some of them play each other and give an opportunity for the Football "brains trust" in every Club to observe their opposition in 2011.

Federation Cup form is not not an absolutel indicator of form, but it sure helps.

The competition groups for the Federation CUp are as follows, with a detailed playing schedule to follow soon:

Mens

Group A: Belconnen United, Canberra City, Canberra Olympic, Woden Valley, White Eagles, Tuggeranong United

Group B: Canberra FC, Monaro Panthers, Cooma Tigers, Queanbeyan City, Goulburn Strikers, Weston Creek

Womens

GroupA: Woden Valley, ANU WFC, Gungahlin United, Tuggeranong United

Group B: Belwest Foxes, Canberra FC, Weston Creek, Belconnen United

Federation Cup Draw For 2011

Traveling Violations

This week the University of Tennessee released the NCAA’s “Notice of Allegations” against its football and men’s basketball team, outlining eleven violations. Both current men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl and former (albeit brief) football coach Lane Kiffin were cited for multiple violations. While many are predicting sanctions against the University of Tennessee, Bruce Pearl, and possibly the Director of Athletics Mike Hamilton, what is interesting is whether the NCAA will impose further sanctions on Lane Kiffin now that he is the head football coach at USC.

Historically, coaches have left town before the NCAA hammer comes down, often resulting in infractions on the school and players left behind but not on the coach himself—John Calipari anyone? However, on occasion the NCAA has imposed penalties on coaches themselves even if they are employed at a new school. In the NCAA’s Manual, Bylaw 19.5 gives the NCAA the right to impose penalties on either an institution or individual—with no restrictions on whether that individual is still at the institution at which they committed the infraction.

This has happened at least twice within the last decade. Specifically, Rick Neuheisel was punished in 2002 while at the University of Washington for violations he was deemed to have made at the University of Colorado. More recently, in 2008 Kelvin Sampson was punished while at Indiana University for conduct he engaged in while at the University of Oklahoma.

It will be interesting to follow whether or not the NCAA will impose some form of punishment on Lane Kiffin now that he is in charge of the football program at USC. If this does happen, does USC have a claim against Kiffin and/or the University of Tennessee?

The Price We Pay for Not Owning Our Own Football and Futsal Facilities in the ACT Is Too High A Price to Pay!

We have precious little in the way of dedicated Futsal and Football playing facilities in the ACT, after so many years of running these sports. The difficulties this imposes on both games, at every level of the games, constitutes a major threat to the competitive viability of both games. Our flexibility to change how we organise Football and Futsal is very much limited by a lack of playing facilities, which we can control to effect change. The pressure from other sports on ACT Government public facilities drives what can be done for football. For futsal, we are int he hands of private owners who also service other sports. This must change if things are to improve.

Futsal has no home in the ACT. Nor does Football. We have no Futsal and Football complex in the ACT and our circumstances would indictae that this is the most obvious infrastructure development to be undertalen by Capital Football. The small but commendable introduction of a FIFA standard artificial surface at Hawker Enclosed is a step in the right direction, a beginning!

The Kambah 3 field is so often touted as the Capital Football centre for High Performance football - no one believes that! Not in its present confiuration. Not even close. However, there is no doubt that the Kambah fields area would make a fantastic multi playing surface hub for Football and Futsal. That's one view that has been around for a long time - and yet nothing has happened. Just talk! Same for the vacant space at Woden, near the Mawson playing fields. So much talk about it being a site for a FIFA standard playing surface (like Hawker enclosed) on the South Side of Canberra. Talk, talk, talk, inspection and wait, wait , wait. What's the plan, when and what will be done and where does the money come from? Is the ACT Government with us. We control nothing, we just wait for "crumbs from the master's table"! The artificial playing surfaces at Gold Creek High School are a terrific playing facility, alas, you need to take a long trek to a neighbouring field get to the toilets, as the school facilties are made available outside school hours.

We cannot rely on the good grace of the ACT Government. Nor should we. We should expect the ACT Government to be willing to make investments in the sport with the highest participation rate in the ACT. The tourism dollars generated by the Futsal Nationals and the Kanga Cup in the ACT, must be worth preserving and investing in. The AFL don't do anywhere near as much, nor are they likely too, but the sum contribution of nothing in the past and a bit in the future saw the ACt Government Minsters, Mr Barr, liberate $26 million over ten years ($2.6m per annum) from the Tourism and Chief Ministers respective buckets of public funds. So there is obvioulsy money around, just not much for Football or Futsal! And we accept it?

Alas, the departure of $26 million to the AFL, seems to have left Futsal and Football investment (in terms of ACT Government expenditure), high and dry! There has been no explanation from the CF Board as to the reason Football and Futsal missed a cut of this cake, nor did they go on the front foot and make a noise about it in the media. Its a subject that should be visited at the CF AGM. So, what's the plan now?

I know that Capital Football liaises with the ACT Government. So they should, as we are almost entirely dependent on the ACT Government for access to playing surfaces all over the ACT. The limitations on access to ACT Government playing surfaces (they are for they sports), menas that we are severely limited in how we can manage Football. As for Futsal, we hire facilties becasue we own nothing of our own - the wonderful "MPower Dome" facility is a good example of what can be done, but its not being by us!

The two ACT Football powerhouses of Belconnen United and Canberra FC own their playing surfaces and have developed good supporting infrastructure around them, while Capital Football, after all these years has established next nothing by way of a supporting playing infrastruture. Hawker Enclosed, as I have said, is a step in the right direction. It seems very unlikely that in the medium term, other ACT Football Clubs will do as Belco and CFC have done.

As to Futsal, we have three clubs in the ACT. The North and South Canberra Clubs are instruments of Capital Football, staffed by hard working volunteers, but in the contxt of this subject, little more than competition managers and venue co-ordinators. We shouldn't expect them by anything else. They don't raise and train teams. They are not like Belco or CFC. They have no capacity to do as say Vikings Futsal does when confronted with the same facilities issues. So its back to Capital Football. The other Club is Boomerangs FS and given the wonderful successes in the NSW Supa League, populated by creative, passionate, determined and business savvy people, they may turn out to be the savour of Futsal in the ACT on the subject of future Futsal facilites. I'll wager that had the Boomerangs FS been given a fraction of the ACT Government's grant to AFL, to sort out a playing centre for Futsal in the ACT, the solution to Futsal (if not Football's) infrastructre issues would already be solved and building begun.

If you go to metro NSW to play Futsal, you will find a robust Futsal environment and among the many Futsal Clubs, you will find community, NSW Government. Football NSW partnership arrangements and club Futsal owned / leased specific futsal facilties, and all this demonstrates is that it can be done and should be done. Same can be said for Football.

Its intersting to listen to the CEO Vikings Futsal talk about this important matter. Vikings know the value of creating Futsal specific facilties. This is a central activity in the Vikings Futsal business model. The CEO also speaks on other aspects of the Vikings approach to Futsal.

We desperately need a Football / Futsal centre, a hub for our sport(s). But who will do it? Does the FFA care? What's the plan Capital Football Board?

It doesn't seem to stop Vikings Futsal.

Download Podcast here:

The Price We Pay for Not Owning Our Own Football and Futsal Facilities in the ACT Is Too High A Price to Pay!

VILLAREAL 2 NAPOLES 1 | VILLAREAL GO THROUGH TO KEEP THE SPANISH FLAG FLYING

Fantastic news for Spanish Football as VILLAREAL won 2 - 1 Italian Club NAPOLES to go on in the EUROPA LEAGUE competition. It was never going to be easy & the Italians put up a good game & fight but were overcome by a more determined & better Villareal.

Nilmar scores for Villareal

The Italian team via TAMSIK scored first in the 16th min to make us all wonder if the Spanish team could pull

The Hedges Coffee Shop

PE is known as "The Friendly City." It has certainly lived up to its nickname in the last seven months that Lou and I have lived here. Today's visit proved to be no exception as this week's crawlers and I ventured out to The Hedges Coffee Shop. This shop is located at 151 Main Rd. (corner, 10th and Main) in Walmer. We were warmly greeted by Nadia who helped us set up on the patio. Joining me at Hedges was Fr. Dominic Griego. June Nash, Fran and Keith deBeer, and Beth Vieira.

Fr. Dominic is celebrating the fifth anniversary of his ordination today. He is of the Capuchin Franciscan Order. There is really a connection between the Capuchins and cappuccino coffee. (Maybe that's why Fr.'s eyes lit up when the megas with cream were served!) Congratulations, Father Dominic!

June's son, David, is married to the deBeer's daughter, Marie. June told us as we entered the shop that she just figured out how to punctuate and capitalize in her text messages. It is a happy day for those of you who regularly text with June. There's no stopping her now!

As for the coffees, Fr. Dominic, June, Keith, and I all ordered mega cappuccinos, while Beth had a mega black coffee and Fran, a regluar black coffee. Our barista, Juanette, informed us that Hedges uses Masterton's Blend 81 for all their coffee beverages. Masterton's is a long time family owned local coffee roasting business. Lou and I frequent their shop, and I'm sure to do a special blog posting on Masterton's "just now." (in SA, "just now" means sometime later, whenever, etc-- a real communication issue for us at first!)

Good coffee and good conversation was had all around. I especially enjoyed the crash course I was given on African spiders. Needless to say, when I got home I checked behind all the wall hangings looking for "flatties." I found none, but knock on wood. I'm sure if I ever do see one, you'll hear me all the way in the USA!!!

At the end of our visit I chatted with Hedges owner, Robby Brunette. He showed me around the shop which includes two outside areas (a tea garden and a patio) and two dining rooms that have been recently refurbished.. Robby explained that in the late 1800s / early 1900s The Hedges Tea Garden was situated at a stop on the railway line coming from the harbor. Robby has retained the Hedges name for historical interest. He has acquired a number of great old photos of the original tea garden and patrons. These photos are framed and hanging in one of the dining rooms. Very cool touch...be sure to check them out when you go to Hedges for breakfast, lunch, or just a quick cup o' joe.

A tray of outrageously delicious looking food was being served as I was leaving. Decisions, decisions.... gym?...omelet?...gym?...another cappuccino?...gym?...french toast?... Okay, so the gym won out, but not by much! Next time though.....

My thanks go out to Robby, Juanette, Nadia, the Hedges staff, and this week's crawlers. You are all doing your part in helping to make PE "The Friendly City."

Two asides--

* Kevin (Charlene's boyfriend) - If you are reading this, get back to work on your own blog. Mine is

for fun...yours is for a grade! Also, maybe you could give me some advice on how to keep the pics w/ the blog text from week to week....sounds like extra credit to me!

* Fr. Dominic - The author (Lizzy thinks) is Shusaku Endo.

Until next week,

Ellen

Meet the Owner
Robby Brunette

Meet the Barista
Juanette

This Week's Crawlers
Fr. Dominic, June, Fran, Keith, Beth