UEFA President Michel Platini said that he "did nothing wrong" in accepting a $2M payment from FIFA and that he was "'still determined' to stand for the presidency of the troubled world organisation" (AFP, 9/30). However, the GLOBE & MAIL's Cathal Kelly writes all the current candidates for the FIFA presidency "are tainted by associations" with President Sepp Blatter’s "fiefdom, and at the very top level." Platini "at least had brand value." Unlike the others, he "played the game professionally." But now, "he’s finished," or "should be." In FIFA’s "upside-down world," that means he "probably isn’t." He "remains the bookies’ favourite to take the job." Kelly: "Nothing has changed and nothing will change" (GLOBE & MAIL, 9/30).
FIGHTING CHANCE? YAHOO SPORTS' Kevin Iole wrote UFC fighter Jon Jones "deserves the opportunity to fight again if that’s what he chooses" after being suspended for a hit-and-run incident. UFC yesterday announced that a Las Vegas-based law firm "will review Jones’ court case and make a recommendation about his return to competition." Jones "violated the UFC’s code of conduct, but it seems that time served, in essence, is plenty of punishment." It might "take some time before sponsors want to associate with him again, and that’s up to them." Iole: "There is little point, though, for the UFC to continue to penalize him" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 9/29).
...AND THE FANS GO WILD: CBS Sports Radio’s Nick Wright said the addition of MLB's second wild card team in each league has been "great for the fans." Wright said, "The fans like it, and because of that, it's fine." However, he added, "I hate the idea if I'm the Pittsburgh Pirates and I might finish with the second-best record in all of baseball that I’m going to maybe have one game to decide my season. That is the equivalent to a six-minute football playoff game. Even the five-game series is the equivalent to a half of a football playoff game, to use their season in comparison” ("Fox Sports Live: Countdown," FS1, 9/29).
