**I would have bet you the farm that the next time I mentioned Sam Keller on this blog it would have been in conjunction with Casey Connelly. Man, I was way off. Keller is suing video game giant Electronic Arts (EA Sports) and the NCAA for the blatant and unlawful use of student-athlete likenesses in EA Sports video games. The class-action lawsuit claims "virtually every real-life Division I football or basketball player in the NCAA has a corresponding player in Electronic Arts’ games with the same jersey number, and virtually identical height, weight, build and home state. In addition, Electronic Arts often matches the player’s skin tone, hair color and often even a player’s hair style.” According to the LJS, 'the suit further contends that the NCAA and its licensing arm, Collegiate Licensing Company, have approved such use of players’ names and likenesses, which clashes with the NCAA bylaw that prohibits commercialization of a student-athlete’s name, picture or likeness.'
Although I am a big fan of EA Sports video games, I love it that a former collegiate player, whose playing days have been behind him since his sophomore year in college, has the means to take on the NCAA and a video game giant. The NCAA is hypocritical in everything they stand for. It's funny how they can take a player's eligibility away and turn his life upside down because of a homework paper that went missing in prep school but then turnaround the same year and use that same player for profit in a video game. This lawsuit is far from over and I absolutely think that Keller's class-action suit has some merit here. Go get'em Sam. And in case you're wondering, Keller lives in Phoenix and is currently working as a bartender while he trains to become a firefighter. Whether or not Casey is still in the picture, here's to hoping she is still working the pole while Sam is still serving up some rufi coladas.**Former Duke basketball star Greg Paulus concluded his two day visit to Lincoln last weekend. Paulus is mulling his decision over two schools right now - Syracuse and Nebraska. “Sooner than later, I think,” Joe Casamento, Paulus’ high school coach, told the LJS on Wednesday about his decision. “I don’t think it will go on more than two weeks.” I've had many an argument with some folks over the past few weeks about what I think about Paulus possibly coming to Nebraska. It's a win-win. One, Paulus can add much needed depth at QB and possibly open the door for Cody Green to redshirt. Two (as some commenters here have said), having a Duke graduate attend graduate school at Nebraska is fantastic for the academic department. My prediction: Paulus will go to Syracuse. He can play immediately there, and since he wants to continue his studies in broadcast journalism, he should just ask anyone that works at ESPN what school he should attend. But what hell, if you want to come Nebraska, Greg, you're more than welcome.
**I've always given former QB Joe Ganz his due for his toughness and leadership and I've always been hard on him for his abilities. Therefore, I am more than willing to be proven wrong again as the QB battle in Washington between Ganz, Chase Daniel, and Colt Brennan will heat up come camp. Ganz has several things going for him here. One, I don't believe Daniel and Brennan have ever taken a snap from under center before the NFL - ever. Furthermore, Ganz has played in a pro-style oriented offense much more than Daniel and Brennan and should be able to pick up the offense quicker. It's hard to argue that Ganz was a product of a system at Nebraska. Two, Ganz' biggest downfall is size and size doesn't matter here. Daniel is listed at 6'0, 225 lbs., Brennan is at 6'3, 200 lbs., and Ganz is at 6'1, 210 lbs. In other words, they're all equal and I don't see any of these QB's possessing outstanding arm strength. And finally, the numbers game doesn't hurt as many teams usually have more than five initially competing for the three spots at QB. Go get'em Joe.
**Former Huskers Erwin Swiney and Lawrence Phillips were both back in the news this week, and to everyone's surprise, it wasn't football related. Swiney received 2-5 years for possession of 41 pounds of marijuana with intent to distribute and another 12-13 months for not having a drug tax stamp. My only question here is what is a drug tax stamp? Phillips faces up to 25 years in prison if he is convicted in a San Diego court. He's charged with only eight felonies and two alleged assaults from attacking his girlfriend in 2005. I don't know who didn't see that one coming, but thankfully, Phillips is already serving a 10 year sentence for hitting three teens with his car after a pick-up football game in Los Angeles. Think you can run from Lawrence Phillips don't you, but where are you gonna go?
**The Big 12 recently relased their APR rankings - Academic Progress Rate - for their football programs. Oklahoma lead all Big 12 schools with 952, Missouri had a score of 951, and Nebraska came in third with 950. Rounding out the bottom was Colorado with 929, Baylor with 930, and Texas Tech with 935. Colorado is at danger level as a score of 925 (60 percent graduation rate) will lose you a scholarship for every player that left the program due to academics. Currently, they are at four for sure with the fifth possibly coming. I've been saying that Colorado will be the next head coaching job to open up in the Big 12, and with Colorado being a pretty decent academic school (4th best in the Big 12), look for Dan Hawkins to hit the hot seat soon. And one more thing, when Mike Leach said that the tie-breaker for the Big 12 title game last season should be graduation rates, exactly what the hell was the mad scientist talking about?**And finally, Playboy's Best Boobs Bracket has concluded. Basically, it was a single elimination tournament featuring the best from the Big 12, SEC, Pac-10, and Big 10. (***editor's note: every link from here on is NSFW!! NSFW!! wait until you get home!***) To view the entire bracket, click here. LSU's Whitney Leigh took home first prize as she nudged out Ohio State's Mari Morgan in the finals. If you're at work now and if you missed the tournament in its entirety, make sure to catch up when the timing is right. Fantastic stuff I must say. Nebraska was represented by the lovely Amanda Adams who was eventually knocked out in the second round. Who is Amanda Adams you ask? Only this smokeshow below that you can see more of by clicking here - NSFW! Enjoy.
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