League Notes
The NFL Rookie Symposium is currently underway in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and NFL Net's Steve Wyche reported the 255 rookies attending the symposium "have been inundated with information from NFL and NFLPA staffers, security personnel and even psychologists." Wyche: "The biggest concern of the players I spoke to … is making money and making that money last.” NFL Net’s Rich Eisen said the league tries to "make sure the players get it before they step on the field because … they represent the shield and if one of them slips up -- it only takes one of them -- then everybody gets painted with a broad brush" ("NFL Total Access," NFL Network, 6/29).
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WPS In Talks For All-Stars Like
Marta To Play Top Int'l Teams |
LYON EYES: In N.Y., Jack Bell reported WPS has "had discussions about playing" its All-Star Game against French women's soccer team Lyon, "a club that has spent aggressively on its women's program and has employed a number of American players in recent years, including" St. Louis Athletica G Hope Solo. The league also has had discussions with Swedish women's soccer team Umea IK, the former club of L.A. Sol F Marta, about playing in the game, scheduled for August 30 at Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton, Missouri. WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci last week in a statement said, "Our league is part of the bigger growth of the women's game at the global level, and we wanted to acknowledge that by bringing in a club from outside the league to play in the U.S." (N.Y. TIMES, 6/28).
MAKE IT TWO: In Philadelphia, John Smallwood writes he likes the "so-called 'one-and-done' restriction associated with the NBA and college basketball," and he hopes NBA Commissioner David Stern can persuade the NBPA to "agree to expand the rules under the collective bargaining agreement to require prospects to wait 2 years." Smallwood notes the league "has the right to set or negotiate job requirements just like any other business," and it also "has no age requirement to play" in the NBDL (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 6/30).
Unifying Call: Rachel Alexandra co-Owner Jess Jackson said the long-term future of horse racing is "best served if we get together voluntarily, for a league [and] have a commissioner." Jackson: "Get uniform laws and have uniform excitement in the United States as they do in other nations. I think it's incumbent upon the racing (community) themselves to solve the problem. Do it voluntarily. And have internal regulations and compliance the way (other sports) do" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 6/27).
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