Bleacher Report - Articles by Jeremiah Jackson

Open Mic: USA Soccer Needs The Top Athletes To Be Any Good

Jeremiah Jackson — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:53:16 -0400

Soccer is the world's most popular sport, but has not caught on with adults in America. Arguably, the world's best soccer is going on now with Euro 2008 and this young American is starting to like soccer.

I am beginning to understand why my soccer-playing friends are so passionate about their favorite club teams. The fans are so into their teams, and the star players are often like rock stars in their countries. More of the top athletes this country has to offer need to play the game though.

It would make a huge difference if America’s top athletes played soccer instead of the two major sports of basketball and football. Soccer would have more attention in the sports conscience of America. Americans gravitate towards football and basketball because of the exhibits of athleticism that take place.

There are so many chances to show just how athletic players are when players like Allen Iverson crossing over an opponent, or Josh Smith is blocking a shot from the other side of the lane, or when Kobe Bryant skies over the defense and throws one down in basketball.

Football players can bounce a run outside and elude every tackler on the field like Hall Of Famer Barry Sanders, light up somebody in the hole like Ray Lewis, or intercept a pass with one hand like Antonio Cromartie. It is just more exciting to watch athletes exhibit their skills in those two sports.

If these athletes were on the soccer pitch, not the basketball court or the football field, using their athletic ability then Americans would be much more inclined to watch these athletes work and the sports media would most likely expand their coverage of soccer.

Just imagine Steve Nash dribbling circles around defenders and making cross-field passes to a player who can outrun anyone like Michael Vick. Then picture LeBron James positioning himself after a corner kick then jumping up and heading a seemingly out-of–reach pass into the back of the onion bag for a goal. Soccer becomes exponentially more interesting for the casual American, sports fan or not.

USA Soccer would not be stuck in the mid 20s of the FIFA World Rankings if the top athletes played soccer. The US would rank at the top among the great teams like Argentina, Brazil, and the aggressive Netherlands. The highly athletic US team would most likely be aggressive, seeking to attack throughout the 90 minutes.

The American public would be more likely to support the team if the product was stimulating and high stakes are involved. I have become a casual soccer fan thanks to Euro 2008. The games are contested and the fans support their side to no end. I especially enjoy teams like the Dutch and the Spanish that attack the goal aggressively.

Basketball players have a slightly easier transition to soccer than football players because of the endurance and creativity needed to be good at basketball.

Steve Nash, Chris Paul, and Tony Parker (note: they are all point guards) would make the best soccer players from other sports because of their vision to see things before they happen and the ability to maneuver themselves through complex defenses.

However, football players, in particular, wide receivers like Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Smith would also be able to make the switch to soccer because of the essential abilities of jumping, separating from defenders, and making plays in space.

There is only one reason I can think of that a young American athlete would play soccer over being paid millions to play in the NBA or NFL. This young athlete could become a global superstar and be put in the same breath as a Pele, Maradona, or a current player like Thierry Henry or David Beckham.

All of these players produced results for their clubs and for their countries on the global stage at the World Cup. The World Cup captures the attention of whole world in comparison to The NBA Finals and Super Bowl, which do not even captivate all of America’s attention.

Only a few athletes have a mindset to think in advance to that extent, but money is not a reason to be a soccer or rugby player.

Maybe an American-born soccer superstar can bring about a change in the cultural dynamic of America, but it is a catch-22 or chicken and the egg situation. Americans want something inspiring and exciting to happen in soccer for it to garner its support, but the athletes of a sport need tangible support and coverage to be noticed.

Americans paid attention to soccer during the US Soccer Team’s surprising run to the final eight in the 2002 World Cup. On the other hand, a superior athlete would not want to go into a sport with no support and no coverage from the media.

Demarcus Beasley burst on the international soccer scene in the 2002 World Cup, but little has been heard about him since due to the apathy for soccer in America.

The US Men's National Team needs some of the top athletes America has to offer because top athletes bring a better chance to win and attract attention that is desperately needed to keep soccer from further disappearing from the American psyche.

Open Mic: Surprise! The NCAA Needs to Stop Improper Benefits

Jeremiah Jackson — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:04:37 -0400

The NCAA has had student athletes receiving improper benefits for just about its entire existence.

The NCAA punishes its programs by stripping scholarships and imposing postseason bans but merely suspending the student-athletes for a few games.

These antiquated punishments are no longer deterrents for student athletes to accept improper cash and gifts or for programs to step in and stop the infractions. The NCAA cannot punish a player who enters a professional draft.

For most of these student athletes, "erasing" of records and accomplishments have no bearing on them because all they want to do is make it to the pros.

A new system would include punishments handed down from professional sports leagues to players who were previously involved with handlers paying out improper benefits.

These punishments could range from restitution and community service (i.e. speaking to collegiate student athletes about receiving cash and gifts from handlers) to suspensions for the more egregious offenders.

Although student athletes who receive or have received improper benefits from handlers play many collegiate sports, most play basketball and football.

The kids who have a chance to make an impact in Division I are coddled throughout high school.

These student athletes receive many gifts like cell phones and clothes and are not subject to the same rules as the other students. Sometimes they have grades fixed for them.

These particular student athletes may have their entourages comparable with one that may follow a professional boxer. The handlers often make contact with student athletes before they even consider a program to commit.

The NBA's rule of requiring players to be 19 years old or be one year removed from high school has brought a new element to the world of improper benefits and shady dealings.

This rule has lead to more basketball players forfeiting the final three years of eligibility in hopes of making a large payday in the NBA.

Instead of a member of the high school booster club giving the kids money and gifts, agents and their runners now make contact with these student athletes in high school.

They offer cash and gifts in exchange for representing these student athletes in the NBA like O.J. Mayo and BCA Sports.

The NCAA cannot totally prevent the agents, runners, and other handlers from making connections with these student athletes, but they can make these connections more difficult to make.

The NCAA can educate high school coaches and administrators on how to identify handlers and students who appear to receive improper cash and gifts, and students on how to resist the temptations that come with connections with handlers, as well.

The NCAA can work with the professional sports leagues to new ways to eliminate the incentive of giving out improper benefits.

Some new ways might be to ban these agents from representing any other player in the future or finding ways to prosecute these handlers in a court of law.

The NCAA and professional sports leagues (primarily the NBA and the NFL) need to avoid systems that inhibit one another from policing infractions in the area of improper benefits.

The bottom line is if the NCAA can force student athletes who transfer for legitimate reasons to forfeit a year of eligibility, then they can also find ways to stop student athletes from receiving improper benefits and not being punished.

How to Fix the BCS

Jeremiah Jackson — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 14:30:26 -0500

The BCS Championship Game was so riveting that I watched American Gladiators instead.

Ever since the game was announced, my enthusiasm had been slight. I finally had no choice but to utter the familiar refrain about changing the way college football's champion is determined.

The BCS needs to be overhauled in a hurry. Computers shouldn't determine the two teams that play for the National Championship. After all, the computers can't watch the games or gauge momentum.

The 2001 Oregon Ducks, 2003 USC Trojans, and 2004 Auburn Tigers all have credible gripes. This year's Georgia Bulldogs and USC Trojans could be added to the list.

These teams ended the season very hot, but were casualties of surging too late in the polls or having poor computer rankings.

Here's my solution to the BCS mess:

First, scrap the BCS rankings. Go back to the AP and Coaches Polls. Human pollsters are writers, former players, or coaches—so they can tell whether a team is legitimate or not.

This would promote move movement in the polls in the latter part of the season.

Second, start the AP and Coaches Polls after the sixth week of the season. This will allow pollsters to see how teams do against stiffer competition.

With the polls starting later, the better teams will already be near the top and ready to make their move.

Third, all conferences with 12 or more teams must play a conference championship game, and the other conferences must play a round-robin system. This will ensure that the best teams in each conference will have played each other—and that the champion won't be a fraud.

Fourth, all bowls except the former BCS games will maintain their traditional tie-ins. The four major bowls (Rose, Sugar, Orange, and Fiesta) will all be played on New Year's Day, and will also keep their conference tie-ins.

These bowls would be more entertaining because of the better matchups. The two teams that rank the highest in the final AP poll without a conference championship will get the at-large berths.

After all bowl games are completed, the four highest-ranking teams will compete in a playoff held at one neutral site on successive Saturdays to determine the National Champion. The season would wrap up before the Super Bowl, and the champion would play 16 games.

Such a system would give the teams who got snubbed out of National Championship a chance to prove themselves on the field—the way everyone wants it.

Capital One Bowl: Florida's Statement For Next Season

Jeremiah Jackson — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 08:20:57 -0500

Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators take on the Michigan Wolverines in Orlando tomorrow.

This is the second time these two teams have matched up in a bowl game. Many experts predict an easy win for the Gators, but Big Blue will have plenty to play for.

The Gators are the favorites going into the game based on their superior speed on both sides of the ball. Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow will be the latest quarterback to carve up the Michigan defense via the spread.

Michigan hopes not to get embarrassed in another bowl game, like last year's Rose Bowl against USC. Since this will be Lloyd Carr's final game as head coach, Michigan seniors will have added incentive to end their bowl-game losing streak at three.

However, the team will have added pressure to impress incoming head coach Rich Rodriguez and his Spread Option attack.

Another advantage for the Gators is that the layoff has allowed Tebow's injured hand to heal, and given the defense some time to make improvements. Those two factors should make for a faster, tougher Gator team.

Tim Tebow, Percy Harvin, and the rest of the Gator offense should easily handle the slower Wolverines. A blowout in this game will allow the Gators to go into next season with some momentum for a championship.

The Gators hope to spend next January in Florida again—this time in Miami.

Florida 38, Michigan 10