Cedric Benson will meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Thursday as the latest NFL player to be accused of disciplinary troubles off the gridiron.  The most recent trouble for Benson came on June 29 at an Austin, Texas bar where he was arrested on an assault charge.  Benson has previously faced criminal charges on three separate occasions. 

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis says that he “doesn’t believe Benson will be suspended” under the personal conduct policy of the NFL.  As the fourth overall pick by the Chicago Bears in the 2005 NFL Draft, Benson failed to find his stride and had personal issues with teammates that were well documented following a lengthy holdout.  After an alcohol related arrest, Benson was released in June 2008.

After serving a year as a backup in Cincinnati, Benson decided to remain with the Bengals in 2009 and rushed for 1,251 yards.  This made him the 8th leading rusher in the NFL on the season even though he missed 3 games due to injury.  In a tough postseason loss to the New York Jets, Benson set the team rushing record for a postseason game with a total of 169 rushing yards.  Under the guidance of Coach Marvin Lewis, Benson has become an integral part of the Bengals offense. 

While the tenure of Lewis has had its up and down moments; he has led the team to the NFL playoffs twice.  In 2005, the postseason ended after an early Carson Palmer injury in the opening playoff game after the team had posted a record strong enough to earn the first-round bye.  Last season, Lewis was awarded 2009 Coach of the Year by the Associated Press for turning the team around after a disappointing 2008 campaign. 

Despite the flashes of success on the field, Lewis has endured years of off the field issues by members of the team.  The most tragic of these was the death of wide-receiver Chris Henry in Charlotte, North Carolina last December after a domestic dispute with his fiancée.  However, Lewis is making the argument that the past issues of team members along with Benson’s previous history are the primary reasons why this case has received so much attention.

Benson isn’t the only NFL player currently facing possible disciplinary action. 

Earlier this week, recently released Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell plead not guilty to charges of illegal drug possession.  Russell was arrested July 5 after an undercover investigation led authorities to discover codeine syrup without a prescription. 

The image of Russell was already badly tarnished after several horrendous seasons that eventually led to the quarterback being benched.  Russell was then released on May 6 and his troubles grew further when the Raiders filed a grievance with the league in an attempt to recover $9.5 million of the $36.4 million that was paid to the former LSU star while in the silver and black. 

Although no arrests are planned from the incident in which Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young was cited for assault that resulted in bodily injury at a Dallas strip club. Young is expected to receive some sort of disciplinary action from the league. How severe or if a suspension would be included is left to be seen.

Successful Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been no stranger to success on the NFL field twice leading his team to become Super Bowl champions.  However, off the field, Roethlisberger has been involved in several high-profile incidents including a nearly fatal motorcycle accident in 2006 and, most recently, accusations of sexual assault.   

While neither allegation led to the arrest of Roethlisberger, the most recent sexual assault allegation resulted in a six-game suspension without pay.  The league has since mandated a “professional behavior evaluation” and he must further adhere to counseling or treatment that may be recommended by the evaluators.  During the 2010 NFL Draft, Big Ben was often referred to as possible “trade-bait” that the Steelers might use to move up to a higher pick in the draft. 

The rumors turned out to be inaccurate and Roethlisberger remains a Steeler at the moment.  The six-game suspension has led to much debate in the media about what might happen if another quarterback gets on a roll during the mandatory time off.  Earlier in the season, Dennis Dixon started a game for an injured Roethlisberger and nearly defeated a defense-powerful Baltimore Ravens squad.  This led many that were already upset with Roethlisberger to insist upon his replacement.

While on this disciplinary topic, you need to include New York Jets wide receiver Santonio Holmes who will miss the first four games of this season from a suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Holmes, no stranger to legal troubles, once acknowledged that he sold drugs on the street as a teenager. The star receiver has been faced with off the field issues twice in 2010.  The first came at a nightclub where a woman accused Holmes of throwing a glass at her and cutting her above the eye.  Shortly thereafter, a Twitter user spoke negatively of the incident to which Holmes responded with several disparaging remarks.

Holmes would later allege that his Twitter account had been hacked at the time of the responses and that it wasn’t actually him addressing the fans.  One month later, Holmes refused to turn an iPod off at the request of a flight attendant citing airline regulations.  Although no arrest resulted from the incident, Holmes was removed from the flight by police officers and reminded to comply with regulations. 

The ever popular Madden video game series will release its latest episode entitled “Madden 11” on August 10.  Although the game series doesn’t offer players the ability to live the life of their favorite players off the field the conduct of many stars as of late would have many wondering if it should be an option. 

Used with permission of the author.

Cade Caldwell is an Atlanta-based sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

Throughout the history of the National Football League the quarterback position has been one of great importance and in the minds of many NFL fans and the media the quarterback is usually the one to blame when things go awry.

While the game has traditionally focused on an even balanced attack consisting of passing, running and strong defense, recent statistics suggest this trend has shifted.

The passing game has exploded. 

During the 2009 season a total of ten quarterbacks passed for over 4,000 yards.  Matt Schaub of the Houston Texans compiled the most at 4,770 yards and nearly propelled his team into the NFL playoffs for the first time had it not been for several missed kicking opportunities earlier in the season. 

Also included in that elite list was Brett Favre of the Minnesota Vikings.  Though Favre had struggled with his decision on retirement earlier in the year, he led the Vikings to within one game of a Super Bowl appearance – a large part of which hinged on his arm. 

Among the other starters that exceeded 4,000 yards in 2009 are both Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints and Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts.  Not surprisingly, the Saints and Colts collided in the Super Bowl with Brees’ performance earning him the Super Bowl MVP. 

Interestingly enough, the leading rusher for the Super Bowl Champion Saints last season was running back Pierre Thomas with a total of only 793 yards.  A year earlier the Pittsburgh Steelers became Super Bowl Champ with another leading rusher with less than 1,000 yards in Willie Parker with only 791. 

The trend of recent NFL drafts supports this change in style of offense on the field.  In the 2009 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions drafted Matthew Stafford No. 1 overall with their first pick of the draft.  Placing the bank on the arm of their new quarterback, the Lions signed Stafford to $78 million, $41.7 million of that guaranteed, an NFL record. 

Later in the same draft, the New York Jets moved up with a trade and selected Mark Sanchez No. 5 overall.  Sanchez later signed a deal worth $50 million.  As the largest contract the Jets had offered in the history of the organization, the deal included $28 million in guarantees.  Sanchez became only the fourth rookie quarterback in NFL history to win his first playoff game. 

In the 2010 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams passed up the opportunity to take college defensive star Ndamukong Suh in favor of selecting Sam Bradford.  Although Bradford has yet to agree to a deal it is expected that the Rams will offer a deal that will likely surpass the record received by Stafford a year earlier.

Although teams are more likely than ever to place a premium on a young quarterback during the draft, it doesn’t always work as expected.  In 2007, the Oakland Raiders selected JaMarcus Russell with the No. 1 overall pick of the draft after Russell had displayed a substantial amount of talent throughout his days at LSU and was highly coveted following the NFL Combine. 

After a long holdout, Russell and the Raiders agreed to a contract worth $61 million with $32 million guaranteed.  As a starter for the Raiders, Russell would finish a dismal 7-18 before being released in May 2010.     

What does this mean in terms of the growing popularity of the sport?  The NFL leads the way among all professional sports organizations in television ratings and will receive a combined total of $20.4 billion from FOX, CBS, NBC and ESPN.  The current terms of the deal are until 2011 for FOX, CBS and NBC with ESPN maintaining rights through 2013.  Between the four, the contract of ESPN is the most valuable at $8.8 billion.  For the first time ever, the 2010 Draft was aired in prime-time and reported a 30 percent hike in ratings.

In 2003, the league launched the NFL Network.  Many argue that the network is among the most successful of the networks devoted to the four major professional sports.  In 2010, the network began airing Canadian Football League games and will air the Grey Cup.  Some criticize that the league is airing CFL games in order to stir further interest in a full-time team in Canada. 

Despite whatever motive may exist, the league has shown an interest in international exposure evidenced by playing a regular season game annually in both Toronto and London.  Closer to home, the league often makes its presence felt in San Antonio. 

While the success of all four sports leagues is apparent, only the NFL could move forward in operations without a marketing department.  When such a successful product explodes on the field boosting television ratings to levels previously not imagined the surge in viewers and in the cash flow destined to come from networks can only be expected to inflate further. 

 As long as the pigskin is being tossed for a record number of yards the NFL can continue to expect the popularity to follow.  And in this economy, it is nice to have advertisers that are looking for you!

 Used with permission of the author.

Cade Caldwell is an Atlanta-based sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

Recently, it was announced that the Golden State Warriors are to be sold for a record $450 million pending approval by the NBA Board of Governors.  This franchise, that made the playoffs only once in the past 16 seasons, is the latest example that sports may be recession-proof.

The change in ownership among professional sports teams is a carousel that can provide an organization with years of hope, tribulation or new rivalries. One of the earliest examples might be the purchase of the Boston Red Sox in 1916 for around $500,000, a purchase that initially paid off with a World Series championship in 1918.  

Shortly thereafter, the team began to struggle and the Red Sox – Yankees rivalry was born with the sale of Babe Ruth.  It was later determined that owner Harry Frazee had sold the contract of Ruth in order to finance a stage play entitled “My Lady Friends”.  Regardless, the rivalry had evolved and the Yankees would find great success with Ruth and other players acquired by the organization.

The state of Michigan has perhaps some of the richest history in sports. In terms of ownership, one of the most unique paths to ownership took place when Tom Monaghan purchased the Detroit Tigers in 1983.  

In the years leading up to the sale, Monaghan had enrolled at the University of Michigan and while still a student there borrowed $500 to purchase a small pizza store called DomiNick’s in Ypsilanti, Michigan in 1959 along with his brother.  After the opening of three more stores, Tom traded a Volkswagon Beetle to James for his half of the ownership. 

Monaghan, a lifelong Detroit Tigers fan saw the business grow into Domino’s Pizza and that’s when the eccentric owner realized a childhood dream and purchased of the team for $53 million. The first day of spring training, Monaghan showed up in the Tigers dugout donned in a Tiger uniform and hat, ready to ‘play ball’. And play ball the Tigers did as they cake-walked through a record-setting year and went on to win the World Series in 1984.  Year later in 1992, Monaghan sold the team to another pizza guru, Mike Ilitch for $85 million.

The purchase of the Detroit Tigers became the second organization owned by Ilitch, the Little Caesar’s founder. While $85 million for the Tigers sounds like pocket change in the sports world of today, imagine Ilitch purchasing the NHL Detroit Red Wings team for $8 million in 1982; that sounds like a yard-sale price.

Fifteen years after the purchase, the Red Wings won back-to-back championships in 1997 and 1998 and have become one of the most successful, popular and recognized teams in sports.

Ilitch helped move the Tigers into Comerica Park in 2000 after contributing half of the $350 million required to build the stadium.  The Tigers have once again become formidable competitors and captured the American League Championship in 2006. Like Monaghan, Ilitch had a love for the Tigers and was once offered the opportunity to become a competitor for the team himself but his demands for a larger contract were never met.

Across the country in Texas, Jerry Jones became owner of the Dallas Cowboys in 1989 after paying $65 million for the team. J.J. also had to absorb the cost of Texas Stadium’s leasing rights at an additional $75 million.

How is that investment paying off?

The ‘Boys with their world-famous Cowboys cheerleaders are said to be appraised at over $1 billion today after opening state-of-the-art Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.

Throughout the years, the cost to purchase sports franchises has soared.  That said, many organizations still show profits, some that may come from revenue sharing with wealthier large-market teams. Success isn’t always dependent on the value of the team.

Moving south into Florida, the Tampa Bay Rays soared to the American League Championship with a young core of talented players in 2008 and although they had built a winner, the team was recently listed as the 28th wealthiest team in Major League Baseball.

In the Big Apple, the New York Knicks are considered the richest team in the NBA but the last championship season came in 1973.

Across the U.S. and Canadian border sits the wealthiest team in the NHL, the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs have experienced rough times and have failed to make the playoffs in the post-lockout era but is believed to make around $1.9 million per game at the Air Canada Centre – a venue they have sold out since October 2002.  

As the value of many non-sports organizations continue to plummet the general rule of thumb is that financial success tends to follow as sports stand the test of time.  The new owners of the Warriors will be greeted by crowds packing the sold-out Oracle Arena even in discouraging seasons.  

With this NBA offseason filled with LeBron James’ “The Decision” drama, Golden State has been among the most active of teams exploring the free-agent pool.  Among the new group of owners is minority Boston Celtics partner Joe Lacob.  Much like other cities that have enjoyed past success, Oakland has a long and storied history of championships with the Athletics and Raiders.  While the Warriors have only enjoyed one championship while in California the enthusiasm surrounding this deal might suggest new excitement is just beyond the horizon.  After all, both Oakland and Lacob know all about winning.

Used with permission of the author.

Cade Caldwell is an Atlanta-based sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

On July 13, 2010, Major League Baseball and the New York Yankees lost one of their most eccentric owners on the same day they celebrated their 81^st All-Star Game. 

George “The Boss” Steinbrenner suffered a heart attack in his Tampa, Florida home and passed away after 37 years of ownership in Major League Baseball, a stint that began in 1973 when he purchased the Yankees.

To commemorate the owner, the Yankees will be wearing custom-made patches on their game jerseys for the remainder of the season.   

Steinbrenner revolutionized ownership in all major league sports after his purchase of the New York Yankees from CBS on January 3, 1973, an acquisition that occurred after his failed attempt to purchase the Cleveland Indians a year earlier.

Steinbrenner would go on to hold ownership of the Yankees longer than any previous owner in the team’s history and soon became known for his controversial moves with management, players and other personnel.

Three months after he unpacked his bags in the Bronx, controversy ensued when the team’s president left the organization after crossing paths with The Boss. The following season, Steinbrenner attempted to hire rival manager Dick Williams from the Oakland Athletics but was prevented from doing so due to Williams remaining under contract with the A’s. Adding controversy to this attempt was the fact Williams had mysteriously resigned following a second consecutive World Series championship for his A’s.

At that same time, the A’s and Yankees rivalry was fueled when the flamboyant Yankees owner began targeting and signing several Oakland players including Catfish Hunter and most notably, Reggie Jackson. 

Steinbrenner was also notorious for his grooming demands that prevented players from displaying facial hair with the exception of mustaches – a policy that was challenged several times most notably by fan favorite, Don Mattingly.

A more recent example of the results from the hair codes around the Yankee clubhouse is when Johnny Damon left the Boston Red Sox organization with his shoulder-length hair and a full beard then showed up at his first Yankees press conference as clean shaven as a Marine.

Throughout his years at the helm, regardless of performance, Steinbrenner would change management. In fact, Billy Martin was fired and eventually rehired five times among the twenty changes that were made in The Boss’ first 23 years of ownership.  Many times personal animosity would result from on-field moves and decisions such as the case of Buck Showalter’s resignation in 1995. 

One of Steinbrenner’s most unusual moves for the era came before the beginning of the 1981 season when Dave Winfield was presented with a $23 million contract over a period of ten years.  At the time, this move made Winfield the highest paid player in the history of baseball. By 1985 Steinbrenner openly questioned the performance of Winfield to media personnel after the team struggled in a September series against the rival Toronto Blue Jays. 

The feud with Winfield finally culminated in 1990 when it was discovered that Steinbrenner had paid for information to be “dug up” on Winfield who had already sued the Yankees in the amount of $300,000 due to a violation of contract issues.

After investigation by MLB, Steinbrenner would receive a lifetime ban from baseball that was later lifted when he was reinstated in 1993. The feud would remain so bitter that Winfield chose to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a member of the San Diego Padres – the first team Winfield had played for and the city he had left to become a member of the Yankees.

Steinbrenner eventually become less involved in the actual operations of the team and it was during this period that the team became a consistent contender, playing neck-and-neck with the eventual World Series champion Toronto Blue Jays until September 1993. The Yankees finally returned to the playoffs in 1995 ending a 14-year drought. 

In a more recent move that was heavily criticized by the media and numerous members within baseball, Steinbrenner hired Joe Torre in 1996 in what would end up his longest managerial relationship at a record of twelve years. With Torre as manager, Steinbrenner produced a World Series winner when the Yankees defeated a very competitive Atlanta Braves team in six games in 1996. 

The team would return to, and win, the World Series again in 1998, 1999 and 2000 while making the playoffs every season for 12 consecutive years until falling short and finishing third in the competitive American League East in 2008. 

Success was once again right around the corner as the Yankees again captured the World Series championship in 2009 after a series with the Philadelphia Phillies.  The championship marked the 27^thof the organization and the seventh under the ownership of Steinbrenner. 

Steinbrenner leaves behind a legacy of championships and controversy as owner of the New York Yankees.

The salaries of professional sports were forever changed when Dave Winfield was pulled away from the San Diego Padres with such a lucrative offer for that time.  For the most part – prior to Steinbrenner – management was content to hire general managers and presidents who would run the operation of the game as they watched from a distance.

The Boss was one of the first to become involved in day-to-day operations of the team and began a legacy of management changes during unsuccessful periods that still echo today.  Steinbrenner was one of the first to look for immediate success with new management and that trend has continued across all four major sports leagues. Above all, though, Steinbrenner will remain beloved as a man that loved his Yankees, city and game.

Used with permission of the author.

Cade Caldwell is an Atlanta-based sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC