Jaguars Fans Rally For Tebow--3 Show Up

Uh, it's never a good thing to hold a rally where more media types show up than actual people rallying.

Yet, that appears to be what happened Monday afternoon in Jacksonville.

There was a bit of a ripple in the blogosphere/Interwebs Monday when it was announced a group of disgruntled Jacksonville Jaguars fans were going to hold a rally starting at 3:16p.m in front of the teams stadium to try convincing the team to sign Jacksonville god/former NFL player Tim Tebow.

It appears to not have gone well

Check out this Vine Video of the event:



But the event did get the attention of ESPN.com (surprise) perhaps the biggest Tebow media supporter in the whole land.

Check out their dramatic story RIGHT HERE

They even have their own WEBSITE

Now, all snarkyness aside, it probably wouldn't hurt the Jags to at least take a serious look at this. Because quite honestly, it can't get much worse for the team.

11 points in 2 games. They scored their 1st TD of the season with just under 3 minutes left in the Ugly-a-thon with the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.

It was so bad, an Orlando, Florida TV station aired an apology for being forced by CBS to air the Jaguars/Raiders game.

You can read about that RIGHT HERE

And yes, the dreaded Chad Henne is the quarterback.

Really, we feel horrible, as we were a part of this teams beginnings back in the early 1990's and we have many friends in the River City.

Unfortunately for them, they've got a looooooonnngg way to go before they are going to get better. And they will. But all the years of former G.M Gene Smith are going to be hard to burn off.

It's going to take time.

And while The Tebow might be a short term fix to get butts in seats, there's realistically no scenario where he'd be a long term savior for the team.

And they know this.

But the pressure is going to ramp up. With ESPN pushing the issue, the fanbase will eventually notice and considering Tebow's status as a deity in North Florida, there will be a cry to sign him.

In order for that to happen though, they are going to have to do a little better than today.

Justin Blackmon: I'm done with drinking...for now

((ht: firstcoastnews.com))

Really....

Justin Blackmon is a 1st round NFL draft pick who's future is limitless...until he gets an aggravated DUI charge at 3am, which just adds to the 2010 DUI charge he got near his Texas family home, which mysteriously got lowered to an underage possession charge.

And the best he could muster during his "Apology" press conference is "I'm done with drinking for now". He says "I do not have a drinking problem" Oh, he's sorry for making a poor decision too.

Oh boy.

You guys in Jacksonville picked a winner.

Read about Blackmon and 

Yeah, we get the Jaguars G.M Gene Smith still likes and believes in Blackmon and heck, he may still turn into an NFL star. But this sure isn't a good start.

We know Jacksonville friends, "He's not the 1st person to get in trouble". And you are right, no, he isn't. But come on, you gotta come up with more than this.

Sure, we all know that kids will be kids and that is essentially what Blackmon is, but you also have to show some signs of being a responsible grown-up at some point in your life.

Blackmon will get to visit the NFL Drug and Alcohol counselors very soon and maybe then he admit that he has a problem. It's not something that can't be fixed.

But the impression being given right now by Blackmon and to a lesser extent his new employers is that "We hate that this happened, but sometimes it happens".

No, sorry, this time that answer isn't good enough.

Our friends at 1st Coast News and friend of the OSG, Dan Hicken give us the Blackmon presser:

Report: Ohio St. may still have even more violations

Gene Smith

((ht: thelantern.com))

**UPDATE at bottom of the story**

The hits, they just keep coming.

According to a report in the Ohio State student newspaper "The Lantern", OSU athletic director Gene Smith admitted the school may have another dozen NCAA violations to tack onto the 46 that surfaced last week.

Really?

The paper...nor Smith specified the violations other that to say it wasn't known if they were primary or secondary in nature.

Among those already known, and we might add are mostly minor in nature, include one by Smith himself who appeared in a personal recruiting video for a prospect along with OSU legend Archie Griffin.

Yes, that's a violation and Smith admitted it wasn't the 1st time he's done such a video.

Read the Lantern story RIGHT HERE

Okay. While Smith and Chad Hawley of the Big 10 don't seem to think any of this is a big deal, the fact of the matter...is that it is.

Sure, we detailed some of the original 46 violations last week, which you can read RIGHT HERE. and showed that most were minor and many were just plain idiotic, they also show a bit of a pattern.

The school, the Big 10 and Smith in particular seem to think that having 40 something violations a year is minor. In some ways it is, but considering the other problems with the NCAA the Buckeyes face, this is kind of a big deal.

Yeah, the NCAA rulebook is bloated and full of silly, idiotic things that you can and can't do while recruiting, but it seems, at least on the surface the OSU either doesn't teach or doesn't concern with it. In fact Smith shrugged it off to the paper, saying its because the athletic department is so big.

Sigh.

He doesn't get it. And he is a big part of the problem. But he's the AD at a "Power School" in a "Power Conference". They will get a slap on the wrist. Both for this and for the Terrelle Pryor, tattoo-gate whole enchilada thing too.

And they'll continue doing business the way the feel like, while the smaller school will receive monster penalties...for similar...or the same infractions.

**Smith released a statement Thursday morning, apparently after realizing he put his foot squarely in his mouth. The statement read "Contrary to reports attributed to me, Ohio State athletics is not facing any major NCAA violations."

Hmmmm...wonder why Smith felt compelled to deny saying anything to the Latern?

BREAKING: NCAA to Ohio St.: Failure to monitor

OSU AD Gene Smith

((ht: dispatch.com))

Lost in the Penn State shuffle may be a story of equal significance, particularly in the Big 10. Ohio State University announced today that the NCAA has informed them they will be charged with "Failure to Monitor", a charge only slightly less severe than "Lack of Institutional Control".

The school also announced they would forfeit 5 scholarships over the next three years. Which was symbolic, but for a program as large as OSU, it means very little.

Read the story from the Columbus Dispatch RIGHT HERE

It appears, based on the charge, that the NCAA saw through Ohio State's attempt to blame their problems on former coach Jim Tressel. Rather, it indicates they feel it is a systemic problem.

And that problem may--and probably should cost Athletic Director Gene Smith his job. We reported just yesterday on the "Notice of Allegations" at UCF. Those allegations were also serious and UCF immediately fired Athletic Director Keith Tribble.

What many believe pushed the NCAA over the edge was the Ohio State/Bobby DiGeronimo problems. DiGeronimo, a booster, was paying players for either not or barely working at his business.

The question now is "Does Ohio State impose a bowl ban?". We don't think they will...though we might add, it would save them money. If they took the rules seriously, they wouldn't have allowed Terrelle Pryor and the other players suspended for "Tattoo-Gate" to play in the Sugar Bowl last season.

tOSU tattoo players will sit at least another game

Gene Smith

((ht: wbns.com))
((ht: dispatch.com))

Does the trouble ever end at Ohio State? Apparently the rumors were true and running back Daniel Herron, wide reciever DeVier Posey and offensive lineman Marcus Hall who have already sat out the beginning of the season, will sit out at least one if not more games.

The reason, the 3 along, with two injured players worked on-again, off-again jobs for booster Bobby DiGeronimo and got paid rather well for their time. Much more than what the NCAA would consider normal for the jobs they would have been doing...when they allegedly did them.

Capish? (Not sure that's spelled right)

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith held a press conference Monday afternoon in an attempt to explain all of this. All one could gather from that conference: The system continues being manipulated at tOSU and either the compliance department, Smith or both were either blind or willing accomplices.

Read a play-by-play from the Columbus Dispatch RIGHT HERE

Smith, while denying this is a systemic problem at the troubled school, did admit in the presser that the results of the NCAA inquiry they are currently under, will be delayed from the expected mid-October release date.

Of course tOSU faithful are convinced the NCAA had it out for them, but this information came about as a result of their ongoing investigation. That isn't to say they are the only school where this is a problem, but they got caught.

As for Smith, tOSU prez G.Gordon Gee really should be considering some alternatives. While Smith maintains the schools problems were the result of some "Rogue" individuals, there is nothing to indicate it is anything less than a "Total Systemic" issue. And ultimately the head of the system...is Gene Smith.

Smith admitted just today that school officials were unaware of the employment issues. That alone should get him fired.

tOSU Says Their Peace In Indy, Forfeits Their Piece From New Orleans

((HT: WBNS-TV Columbus))

Ohio State University officials and former coach Jim Tressel appeared before an NCAA infractions committee for about four hours in Indianapolis, getting the third degree from the Committee on Infractions and defending their life in and around the Tattoo Six...

It'll take about another 8 to 12 weeks for any word to trickle out one way or the other on any kind of punishment. If more charges come to the surface, another meeting could be called by the CoI, but for every subsequent meeting it'll take another 8 to 12 weeks for another judgment to come down from the mountain...

Oh, and Terrelle Pryor testifying...???
tOSU doesn't want that...

Here's AD Gene Smith talking about the day and giving up the one piece of news on the day- the fact that the Buckeyes gave up their Sugar Bowl share...


Why he and Gordon Gee are still employed are anyone's guess...