IS VICK A LIABILITY OR AN ASSET?

Never before has an animal cruelty case been handled at the highest levels of the justice system, nor has anyone been more vilified as details of his dog-fighting operation and his callous and heartless attitude towards underperforming dogs was revealed to the nation on national television. But Michael Vick’s 23-month sentence in Leavenworth is coming to an abrupt end. The once highly touted and now oft-criticized star will serve the remainder of his sentence under supervision in his Hampton home. The NFL is also set to reinstate the star quarterback but the question is now floating around in sports circles about the viability and for that matter the sensibility of Vick’s return.

Is there room for yet another tainted character in a league that is already top heavy with stars who have questionable character? There are of course two arguments: 1) Should Vick return to the NFL considering his sordid past and the questions about his inclination for gambling; 2) Why not give the guy another chance? He will serve his time, albeit under more posh circumstances than most federal prisoners. Why does he need to pay for the rest of his life?

I’m a huge proponent of second chances. But I also believe that guys who have a couple of million dollars sitting in the bank tend to deal with second chances a little differently from the guy who doesn’t even have a bank account.

Vick should be allowed to make a living doing what he does best. But I believe a dramatic cut in pay is in order, simply to teach Vick and any other players contemplating a life of felonious activities that there are penalties for illegal activity. Let’s face it, no matter how many times we say, ‘They have a right to do what they want with their lives,’ the truth is when people engage in illegal activities it affects more than those involved in the endeavor whether they are human or animals.

Judging by the way NFL teams are already distancing themselves from Vick, even his own team the Atlanta Falcons, the ‘problem’ may take care of itself of its own accord. Let’s hope that anyone considering the same lifestyle takes a page out of book of Michael Vick’s life.

IS BOXING SINGING ITS SWAN SONG?

There was a time when the Sweet Science was a throwback to a different age. A reminder of the days when gladiators entertained the masses in the Roman Coliseum. A time when young boys idolized guys like Rocky Marciano, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Joe Louis, Roberto Duran, Ray Leonard and of course Muhammad Ali. We cheered (or jeered) for guys like George Foreman, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Larry Holmes and Julio Cesar Chavez and boxing was a part of our every day vernacular and often in our thoughts. It was as much a part of our past times as baseball, basketball and football.

But lately, our pugilistic heroes are few and far in between. The 1980’s and 90’s were arguably the Golden Age of boxing. Fighters like Mike Tyson (pre-cannibal days), Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones Jr., Bernard Hopkins and Lennox Lewis gave us something to root for, something with which to attach our loyalties. Now, besides the occasional headlines for a Oscar de la Hoya comeback, a possible Bernard Hopkins retirement, a mediocre Kelly Pavlik performance or another overmatched Shane Mosely affair, the boxing world has largely became a spectacle for its non-boxing news and not for its exciting mega bouts.

Why is boxing rapidly becoming a sport of yester-year and what has happened to the worlds fascination with the sport and its athletes? Here are some possible reasons why boxing may soon be relegated to the annals of history:

1. Management & Promotions Fiasco – Can anyone say the name Don King without feeling like they need to take a Haz-Mat shower? There seem to be more controversial promotion and management nightmares in boxing than in any other sport that we are aware of. In one of the more recent management debacles, former Welterweight champion Antonio Margarito and his trainer were banned for having an illegal object in Margarito’s hand wraps. David Tua’s once promising heavyweight career was stumped when it mattered most because of ongoing legal issues with his former manager/trainer Kevin Barry. The list goes on and you would be hard pressed to find a time when boxing was not sullied by those who should have been watching out for the sports best interests and not their own.

2. Mixed Martial Arts – Fans miss the days when their fighters fought for passion and love of the sport and not just for a multi-million dollar pay day. Mixed martial arts from its burgeoning days when it was a more of a freak show traveling smaller markets in the Midwest and the Rocky Mountains and in smaller venues in big cities like Los Angeles and Phoenix, has provided fans with the instant gratification they crave through fewer rounds while giving its fighters more latitude in the number of skills they can use in the octagon. Even fighting competitions like K-1 and Pride have grown at a much faster rate in a relatively shorter amount of time compared to its frontrunner, boxing. MMA’s popularity has essentially given boxing the boot.

3. Lack of interesting/elite talent – Let’s face it, aside from names like Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Roy Jones, Kelly Pavlik and brothers Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko there are very few guys we know any more in the boxing world. Heavyweights were the big names in the sport and now it appears that the most popular and talented pound-for-pound fighter in the world is Lightweight Champion Manny Pacquiao. In stark contrast to boxing’s waning popularity, MMA stars like Brock Lesnar, Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira are much more familiar as heavyweights as are Middleweights Anderson Silva, Nate Marquardt and Demian Silva.

Boxing is suffering a slow death in my mind and it would take a monumental overhaul of the sport for it to realize its former glory. There are more villains in the sport than there are hero’s and its hard to imagine that the sport will ever return to the status it once enjoyed in arenas and living rooms throughout the world.

MARCHING TOWARDS MADNESS

We’re just weeks away from filling out office brackets in an effort to win this year’s bragging rights and crowning this seasons college hoops champion. The experts are already tagging the Midwest region as the region with the most power. Pitt, Missouri, Wake Forest and Xavier are names that you are recognizable even when basketball is not in season, but this year like years in the past will become more familiar after you’ve seen them play.

Your usual March Madness favorites will make it again this year. Michigan State, Kansas, Duke, UConn, Arizona and current national No. 1 North Carolina are ready to make a run at the title but teams like Gonzaga, Louisville, California, Oklahoma and Texas are just a solid performance away from putting an end to their ‘Cinderella’ tag.

Other spoilers include Memphis, Purdue, Boston College, Notre Dame and Utah State. I’ve been a lifelong UCLA and North Carolina fan but I have my doubts that either of these teams are going to breeze through the competition with the level of talent they’ll be facing again this year.

PEPPERS GETS FRANCHISE TAG

Four-time Pro Bowler Julius Peppers (North Carolina) mentioned during an in-game interview at this years Pro-Bowl in Honolulu that he was seriously considering moving on and saying goodbye to the Carolina Panthers. In response to Peppers’ request, the Panthers today announced that they placed their franchise tag on the multi-talented (he also played on the Tar Heels basketball team) defensive lineman.

Financial details were not disclosed but it basically ensures that Peppers will be in the top five percentile at his position based on 2008 salaries. Peppers has always been at the forefront of the NFL in comparison to his peers.

I’m a huge fan of Julius Peppers. He’s an incredible athlete and a fine human being. His list of accolades continue to grow and today, adds another honor to that growing inventory. However, depending on how you look at it this may be a good or a bad thing. But, regardless of how you look at it, Peppers is looking at more money, but he’s stuck in the defensive scheme he’s been playing in throughout his career rather than in the one that he prefers, the 3-4. You hate to see a guy stuck in a rut when he could do much more damage in another situation, but perhaps this could be the incentive that Peppers needs to break out like he did in his rookie and second years in the league.

Tight End Bo Scaife (Tennessee), Pittsburgh Offensive Tackle Max Starks, Seattle’s Leroy Hill (Linebacker), San Diego’s Darren Sproles and Cornerback Daunta Robinson (Houston) were also tagged by their respective teams.

WHO TO WATCH FOR IN IRB RUGBY WORLD CUP SEVENS

The IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens is just two weeks away but is already obvious who the contenders and who the spoilers are in the race for sevens supremacy.

CONTENDERS:

England have been in contention for the IRB Sevens Series Cup in each of the first three legs of the competition. The Brits were just a try short of outpacing South Africa for the Dubai title but were able to capture the Plate in George against Portugal. England finally got the winning formula right when sevens star Ben Gollings converted on Isoa Damu’s try in the waning seconds of the final period to edge New Zealand on the latter’s home pitch. They came within one more try of beating Argentina for the title in San Diego after losing in the pool rounds to Samoa.

You can never count New Zealand out of the race. The Kiwi’s were the most talented and strongest delegation in each of the last four cups but alas, like their 15-a-side counterparts the All Blacks, the NZ Sevens squad often struggles with inconsistency and health making 2001 the only year that they were able to win the coveted Cup on the powerful legs of their inspirational leader Jonah Lomu. New Zealand has only shown spots of brilliance in this season’s Sevens Series but trust the Kiwi’s to come storming into the competition this time with a grudge.

Fiji has won two of the four previous cups but that was with guys like Waisale Serevi who has been divorced by the Fiji Rugby Union as player-coach due to irreconcilable differences in coaching philosophy. Fiji was at the top of the Sevens Series throughout all of last season going into the final stages neck-and-neck with New Zealand. It’s a new and unfamiliar era for Fiji as they struggle to find their identity on the backs of new young players. Despite the struggles, plan on Fiji playing a crucial part in the Cup.

South Africa is always a threat for their incredible pace and experience. They are physically imposing, faster than a lightning strike from top to bottom and they know what needs to be done to win. They have never won the Cup, but its only a matter of time and judging by the way that the ‘Boks have been competing in the Sevens Series since the last Cup, that time may have finally arrived.

PRETENDERS:

Samoa has been a program on the rise for roughly two decades and though they have shown flashes of brilliance, they have been relegated to the ‘has-beens’ heap again this year before the World Cup has even begun. Try-scoring machine Mikaele Pesamino was sorely missed in San Diego this year and even with the reemergence of Ofisa Treviranus and Lolo Lui, their inspirational captain Uale Mai can only do so much to keep the Samoans at the forefront of the sevens game. No one has high expectations for Samoa again this time around but they will still spoil the Cup for at least a few possible contenders.

The last time Australia was a heavyweight in the Cup was back in the inaugural tournament in 1993 when the Aussie’s were beaten in the final by England. Since then they have struggled to keep pace with the top teams in the tournament and in the Sevens Series they have even been sluggish against emerging nations like Kenya and Portugal. This may be their year to separate from the pack, especially since they have been pooled with Samoa, Portugal and Ireland.

DARK HORSES:

The United States have been very impressive this year and if they continue to fight above their rugby weight, they are going to be raining on someone’s Cup parade and after watching them stomp on South Africa in San Diego last weekend, their stock is ever increasing. They have been most remarkable on defense.

It didn’t take long for Kenya to become one of the new poster boys of sevens rugby. They have vastly improved with each season and opposing teams have found it difficult to deal with their length in the lineouts as wells as their pace in the open field. They are exciting to watch and every time they trot onto the pitch you can feel the electricity because you know they are going to push their opponent to the limit.

The IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens begins March 5^th and runs through March 7^th in Dubai, U.A.E. For more information about the tournament visit IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens.

SINK OR SWIM: PROFITING FROM A GOLDEN BOY’S IMAGE

Since the rest of the world seems to be mentally punching, scratching and burning Michael Phelps in effigy I thought I’ll put my token in the Michael Phelps Kicking Machine and see how much damage I can do without getting second hand smoke….or not.

Here’s the thing, everyone has vices. We all have at least one little character frailty that either endears people to us or repels them like bikers at a tea party. Some of us are addicted to illicit drugs and others need to do a little shoplifting to make life seem normal, right Wynona Ryder?

The point is Phelps was engaged in an activity (albeit an illegal activity) that a good number of people who attend these types of parties (the ones that are not hosted by clergymen or the local chapter of M.A.D.D.) are doing. And before I start sounding like I’m advocating this type of behavior let me make it clear that I don’t agree nor do I condone his conduct. But it is absolutely clear that had this been a regular Joe Schmuck (or Joe the Plumber) and not a guy whom everyone at the party knows has some serious cash money sitting in a vault back at the mansion, this picture would have ended up on his buddies MySpace page with a tag line that reads, “Joe Gets More Bong For His Buck!”

Cereal giant Kellogg’s has already dumped Phelps’ endorsement contract because his behavior is “not consistent with the image” of the company. Fortunately for Phelps, Subway is standing by him even though he may still be facing charges for his illegal activities and other sponsors like Visa, Speedo and athletic beverage PureSports still believe that Phelps’ golden smile are still worth the money they are spending to retain him as a spokesperson.

Compounding the Phelps saga is the fact that it’s now being reported that eight people have been arrested in conjunction with the misdeed after reportedly trying to sell the bong that Phelps used when the photo was taken, on eBay. Where do they find these guys, the University of the Dimwitted?

I’m not going to flog the guy for being human. After all, this is a guy who wears a Speedo for a living. I’m not going to look past this slip up because my sons all thought he was “pretty cool for winning all of those gold medals,” in the Olympics. I think the thing that bothers me most about this stupid thing is that celebrities are held to a different standard when they are living or breaking the law. It’s never a black-and-white, cut-and-dry situation when a celebrity is involved and in the background, someone is somehow looking for a way to profit off the guy’s peaks and valleys. The guy is being demonized by the same media that elevated him to a ‘larger-than-life’ status. And while he’s trying to be human, some Johnny Profiteer is taking his picture to sell to the media while his buddy Roger Racketeer is selling his shorts to the highest bidder.

This is the reality of fame. You break a few world records swimming like a dolphin amongst guppies and the next thing you know someone is clipping your fins to sell to a novelty shop for a pretty penny. If that’s what celebrity brings you, sell my fifteen minutes to Paris Hilton!

WHY DON’T THEY HAVE NBA ALL-STAR WEEK ANYMORE?

What happened to the NBA All-Star game I loved as a kid when you watched your favorite starts like Magic and Bird, Olajuwan and Kareem? I remember being a kid among kids, joining the masses who flocked to television sets to watch the Slam-Dunk contest. There was Jordan taking off from the free-throw line or Dominique do that unearthly double-clutch-below-the-knees-while-his-head was-somewhere-in-the-rafters dunk. Dee Brown, Cedric Ceballos, Kenny Walker and who could forget Spud Webb? The guy had helium in his feet!

What happened to Bird and Hodges? Guys who could sink long-range missiles with ease during the three-point-shootout. Dale Ellis, Mark Price and Jeff Hornacek were naturals in pressure situations and made shooting from the cheap seats look easier than putting cheese on nachos.

The all-star game itself was never something I was very interested in but there was something captivating about watching guys like James Worthy, Karl Malone, Isiah Thomas and John Stockton join the aforementioned on the same court, all at the same time. Those guys were my hero’s, my athletic demigods, the guys I emulated whenever I laced up my beat up Converse, hitched up my jean shorts and threw on Hanes tank top to hit the black top. They earned their stripes eating elbows for breakfast and taking a charge in the chest.

I guess when you grow up in an era where the players settled their differences by trading baskets and rebounds instead of jail cells and agents you come to the realization that basketball, like life grows up and changes and sometimes those changes are obstinate with your view of what was and should have been. Now instead of a celebration of what the league has done for basketball, the NBA All-Star game has become exactly what every other all-star game has become in other sports – An all out media frenzy to hawk corporate goods and services. Even though their ad revenues may never equal the rates touted by their step-brother the NFL, the NBA machine sputters along despite the dip in interest amongst the fans.

Don’t get me wrong. The NBA has done a lot of good for a lot of people. I just wish that they could strip the All-Star Game down to its roots and let it be the spectacle that it was meant to be when it was introduced. Okay, I’m a throw-back and a sentimental old fool, but even though I enjoy watching the incredible talent of guys like Tim Duncan, Dwayne Wade, Kevin Garnett, LeBron James and that ‘kid’ named Kobe, I still long for the days when you knew the script as it unfolded. You knew that when Larry Bird drove the baseline he was going to stop short, pivot and throw up and off balance shot that would make the net snap when it sailed through. You knew that when Magic drove the lane from baseline to baseline that his opponents neck would knot up trying to figure out if the ball was going out to the wings or if he was going to take it up himself. That was when basketball was poetry. That is the All-Star stuff I miss!

A-ROD AND WHO ELSE?

I want a refund!

After MLB mega star Alex Rodriguez’ revelation to ESPN’s Peter Gammons today that he did in fact use steroids while he was a Texas Ranger from 2001-03 it is very likely that we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg. Rumor mills, pundits, arm-chair athletes, talking-heads, even soccer moms are weighing in on the long term implications and affects of yet another steroid scandal.

In this day and age performance enhancing drug scandals are becoming about as commonplace as the next Jessica Simpson or Brittany Spears headline. I’m not so much concerned about these losers as I am about the kids who are seeing this behavior and thinking that its okay to get a little “horse therapy” as long as it doesn’t hurt anybody else. The problem is, it hurts a lot of people, especially the ones paying money to sit in overpriced seats to watch you play, taking up valuable slots in prime-time when I could be watching Oprah re-runs and giving my kid ideas to circumvent the process! Where are the league commissioners when this obvious and deliberate indifference to their rules is taking place?

Marion Jones’ popularity took a nose-dive when she broke an Olympic record for more excuses in under ten seconds. Her punishment after our tax money was spent to uncover the details in a U.S. District Court and in Congressional hearings? Six-months in a federal resort-spa, 400 hours of community service for two-years upon serving her six-month jail term and the immediate return of her five Olympic medals “earned” in the Sydney Games.

Former NFL lineman Dana Stubblefield did his own version of “I did not take performance enhancing drugs” when he was questioned in the BALCO investigations. Stubblefield did a complete turnaround a year ago when he finally admitted to taking a little bit of ‘boost juice’. His sentence? $5K for lying to federal investigators.

The list of cheaters goes on and will continue to grow because everyone seems to know that this type of behavior is on-going, but no one seems to care as long as we’re all getting our fair share of the profits and the fans keep on paying. I think this is a job of Jack Bauer-esque proportions because no one in CTU can pull this stuff up on the screen and someone in the White House is in on the conspiracy! Okay, it doesn’t really reach the White House but shouldn’t there be a better mechanism to regulate these crooks?

A-Rod thinks that by admitting his insolence he’s going to get a sympathy vote from fans because after all, he told the truth. Yeah, but did it need to come down to an investigation eight years later? And did you also have to carefully draft your response to the American people?

Here’s the part of his statement that I hope will inspire every athlete, current, past, present and dying to feel the aggravation being felt by fans and the skepticism we have about the bureaucracy that governs professional sports and the insanity that propels that machine:

"Back then, it was a different culture. It was very loose. I was young, I was stupid, I was naïve. I wanted to prove to everyone that I was worth being one of the greatest players of all-time. I did take a banned substance, and for that I'm very sorry. I'm deeply regretful.

"I'm sorry for that time, I'm sorry to my fans, I'm sorry to my fans in Texas. It wasn't until then that I ever thought about substances of any kind. Since then, I've proved to myself and to everyone that I don't need any of that."

Compare that to the statements often heard by reformed crack addicts who have to steal, beg, prostitute and borrow for unsuspecting victims to feed their fix and then spend years behind prison bars to atone for their sins. Don’t think it’s the same? Well tell that to the public who are getting cheated out of their hard earned cash to pay multi-million dollar contracts only to find out that they are paying to watch lying, cheating, manipulative losers in sheep's clothing. Oh and by the way A-Rod, it isn't that you realized that you don't need the steriods, its just that you don't need steroids after you've inked several multi-million dollar deals since then.

Give me my money back!

WHY THE USA SEVENS IS A HOT TICKET

Rugby is a sport that you live. There is an unrivaled camaraderie that is built on the rugby pitch that spans your entire life. And even if you never play an organized game of rugby but have come to know the game and reveled alongside its fans, you will never be able to purge it from your blood or scrub the beautiful stench of rugby from your skin.

So when the International Rugby Board (IRB) and USA Rugby announced that they were adding the United States as a leg of the IRB Sevens Series, you can imagine the buzz in rugby circles around the nation. (Okay, at the time there were only like, twelve of us in the whole country but it was still quite a buzz for me.)

Since 2004, when the USA Sevens first opened its doors, the event has grown from a more grassroots affair into a full-scale media blitz. Fans were skeptical at first and the reception was tepid at best but five years later, fans can’t wait for February to arrive (especially in recent years) to take part in the festivities and there are a few reasons why.

Venue
I don’t mean this in a derogatory way (nor do I intend to put my name on the “This Guy Is Banned From Visiting” list, after all I spent my summers in L.A.) but ever since the International Rugby Board and USA Rugby decided to move the USA Sevens from Carson’s Home Depot Center to San Diego’s Petco Park it’s been like a home away from home. Located near San Diego’s Gas Lamp District and just a few stone throw away from the beautiful San Diego bay, a mild climate and ample parking and facilities, this place is ideal for ruby fanatics to stretch their legs and enjoy international rugby at its finest.

Fan Festival
Inside the park is not the only place to find fun at the USA Sevens. Just outside the park the event organizers put together a host of games, music, vendors and a kids zone to give rugby fans a little bit more than just rugby. So when you’re not watching your favorite team scoring tries, you can hope over to the Fan Festival for a bite to eat, a drink, test your rugby skills in the Interactive Rugby Zone or buy merchandise at one of the many vendors on site.

The Competition
Argentina won the inaugural USA Sevens in 2004, but since then New Zealand has won it twice (2005, 2008), England captured the cup in 2006 and Fiji won it all in 2007. There are 16 teams in this years competition including the three aforementioned past champions. South Africa is way ahead in the standings after winning in Dubai and at home in George but New Zealand and England are hot on their heels heading into Wellington. As usual, Argentina, Samoa and Fiji are once again in the hunt, but need a good push heading into the Rugby World Cup Sevens when they return to Dubai in March.

The Crowd
After spending the first four years in the media centre with the rest of the writing stiffs, I decided last year to get a taste of the action in the stands. Four straight years I missed out on the fun and games amongst the fans. There is nothing more exhilarating than hearing fans cheer for their respective teams. From one end of the park to the other, likeminded fans huddle together and chant, yell, scream and proclaim their undying devotion to their teams until the whistle has blown and South Africans settle down to toast the brilliance of the Fijians. Or a Kenyan fan offers a nearby group of Brits a bag of popcorn. That’s the nature of rugby fans. We love the game enough to show our mutual respect for it at the end of the day.

What to do before you go:
Buy your tickets online at USASevens.com or you’ll be standing in line to get yours when the matches have started. If you haven’t booked a hotel yet you may still have time, but you’re probably going to pay a pretty penny to get a great rate in San Diego a week before the event. If you haven’t booked a rental car yet, no worries! The bus runs from the airport directly to the park. Just make sure you consult the Information Desk on routes and times.

What to do when you get there:
You’ll have no trouble finding parking at the venue. I like to park at the convention center because it is covered and it is secured but keep in mind that if you do park there its about a ten minute walk to the gates. If you ordered your tickets online, you’ll probably need to pick them up from will-call at the main ticket gate which is located opposite the Party Zone (the gate with the brick façade).

What to bring:
The wind whips through the park occasionally and its been known to be overcast, foggy and wet, especially during the morning and evening hours. So bring a sweat shirt or a light jacket. There are lots of food vendors in the park but bring a bottle of water if you can. Bring a camera to capture the athletes and the fun in the stands. Last but not least, bring a lot of good nature and fun but if you can’t, don’t worry there will be plenty of crazy, fun-loving fans with contagious energy.

For more information visit usasevens.com or irb.com/irbsevens

THREE BASICS FOR COLLEGE RECRUITS

College football coaches are a fickle bunch but can you argue with their disposition when the weight of an entire program rests on your shoulders? Who do you pass up and how much effort and time do you expend to sign a ‘blue chip’ prospect? Do you go with the kid who shows potential or do you bank on the kid who has proven himself on the field but has a reputation of being naughty off the field?

According to Bountiful (Utah) High School Coach Alema Te’o, in his experience, there are a multitude of variables that college coaches must consider before offering a young man a scholarship.

Te’o, who has experienced the stress and pressure of coaching on the collegiate level, now runs one of the most successful football camps in the nation. All Poly Sports takes high school juniors and seniors (and a few exceptional sophomores) to assess their football knowledge, skill and academic standing. Coaches from the PAC-10, WAC, MWC, SEC and more come here to help young men understand the rigors of the college game.

Thousands of hours are spent watching film, critiquing, evaluating and visiting with young prospects from around the country to determine if they have what it takes to play in their respective college sport. But when all the cards are on the table, no matter what sport you play, it still comes down to three very basic criteria:

1. Academics – This is by far the most difficult criteria of them all. Anyone who follows college sports knows that if you don’t have the grades, you don’t play. College sports are highly competitive and athletes live in a pressure cooker trying to balance academics, practices, games and social life. But those who have been there before can tell you that when you can’t maintain at least the minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) established by the NCAA you will not be allowed to take the field or court. Coaches are putting their trust in you in both the classroom and on the field. So if you are a high school student who wants to play in college, make sure that you are a student-athlete and not just an athlete. And at the very least, if you don’t make it to the WNBA, NFL or MLB, you will have walked away from campus with a college degree and more opportunities to succeed in your professional career.

2. Character – Te’o listed the criteria in this order for a reason. If you have good, solid character, the other two things on the list will fall into place. If you can stay out of ‘trap’ on the basketball court but you can’t stay out of trouble at a frat party, coaches may second guess whether or not you will fit into their program. Coaches don’t necessarily need ‘Yes-Men’ but they do need guys who are honest and honorable. There are thousands of young men and women who have lost scholarship opportunities because they have disregarded university rules and standards. You’ll hear it every time coaches speak to young athletes – Integrity is the mark of a true champion. That carries over into life.

3. Athletic Ability – There’s no doubt why this fell into the final spot. The other two items on the list may seem complimentary to this one trait, but Te’o believes that coaches start with those two and let this last come naturally. By the time you’re a junior in high school, coaches already know who you are and what you can do on the field. It’s what you do in the classroom and in life that will really accelerate your opportunities athletically.

If you need more advice on how to improve your chances to secure an athletic scholarship, keep these three things in mind and work double time to improve in any of these three areas. Speak to your high school coaches for advice and direction and if you can, attend as many clinics and camps for your sport as possible but before you do, make sure to check their references and ask about the quality of the material and skills they use by asking others who have attended the clinic or camp in the past.

NEW MANU SAMOA HEAD COACH

The Samoa Observer reported yesterday that on February 2nd, the Samoa Rugby Union hired Fuimaono Titimaea Tafua as the new coach of Manu Samoa. The announcement comes just two weeks after the former coach, Lepale Niko Palamo, was dumped from the top spot.

Pundits are already questioning the move to appoint a coach who has very little experience outside of his success at the helm of the Samoa Sevens team and his coaching resume in the local competition. Many feel that in order for the team to be competitive on the world stage, only a top-notch coach with international experience and whose resume might include a stint in the Super 14 might give the team a bit more credibility. But keep that argument in mind when the name Quddus Fielea comes up in conversations about who is fit to lead a national side.

Fie-Who? That's a common response outside of Ikale Tahi circles. Fielea was the guy who stepped in to lead Tonga to their most successful Rugby World Cup campaign to date. Coach Fielea's Tongan side embarrassed Manu Samoa, played neck-and-neck with England to the end and were just seconds away from stealing a victory from the eventual champions South Africa in a nail-biter.

International experience aside, there is something to be said about a coach with local ties who understands his players, what it takes to motivate them and when to play to their strengths and recognize their weaknesses. Being technically sound is just a fraction of what it takes to coach a competitive side and anyone who has played on a team, professional or otherwise will tell you that it is the ability of the coach to draw out the best in his players that makes the difference between winning and just going through the motions.

Manu Samoa is going to go through a lot of changes in philosophy, mentality and technicality. I'm hoping that Fuimaono is up to the challenge and having spoken to the guy during his time as coach of Samoa Sevens, I'm confident that he can light a fire under his new charges, whomever they turn out to be.

UPDATE: COLLEGE FOOTBALL RECRUITING

Linebacker LT Filiaga (Bingham HS) has signed with the Utah Utes. Manti Te'o has shunned the west and is headed to Notre Dame. It should be an interesting transition for him and we'll all be watching. Good luck fella's!

Next update: Noon MT

SIGNING DAY UPDATE

Its the big day for high school football seniors around the country as they declare their intent to play for one of the hundreds of salivating colleges and universities around the nation.

Manti Te'o, by far the biggest Polynesian name on the radar today, will inform his adoring fans and the nation at 2PM Pacific Time today. Coming into the home stretch, Notre Dame, USC and UCLA are at the top of the list, but its never a done deal on signing day and Stanford, Tennessee, Oregon, BYU, California or Colorado may still have a glimmer of hope to sign the man-child from Punahou. Manti's signing-day frenzy has been monitored closely by the nation, a lot like another Polynesian star, Haloti Ngata did a few years ago. That's how big Manti's number has become.

Timpview senior Xavier Su'a-Filo will announce his college of choice at 2PM Mountain Time. The 6-4, 285-lbs offensive lineman has Auburn, BYU, Colorado, LSU, Notre Dame, USC, Stanford, UCLA and Utah on his mind. With his pro-style body and nimble feet, Xavier is a hot commodity for teams looking to beef up in both pass protection as well as the run. Will he opt to stay in Utah close to family, or is his future in the PAC-10 or SEC?

Another Utah product, James Aiono (Murray HS) became the #1 Junior College prospect in the nation thanks to his impressive stats and consistency on the campus of Snow College in Ephraim, Utah. Unfortunately for Aiono, becoming a non-qualifier meant that he would not be able to join the Utes right out of high school. But fortune has a way of finding those who persevere and Aiono has made the most of his time in Ephraim. He will be wearing red after all next season and I can guarantee you, this guy is going to turn lots of heads when Ute Defensive Coordinator Kalani Sitake gets his chance at molding a hot young prospect.

I'll update you throughout the day on the latest signings and surprises.