School gets no reward for brand loyalty
Evidently, there is a different set of Jordan Rules for the next generation.
When Michael Jordanâs son, Marcus, persisted in wearing a pair of white Nike Air Jordan shoes during the University of Central Floridaâs recent exhibition game against St. Leo, Adidas announced it was ending its sponsorship of Central Florida sports, proving this Jordan was not bigger than the game -- or a contractual obligation with a sporting goods manufacturer.
âThe University of Central Florida has chosen not to deliver on their contractual commitment to Adidas,â Adidas spokeswoman Andrea Corso wrote in an e-mail to the Associated Press. âAs a result, we have chosen not to continue our relationship with them moving forward.â
Jordan, a freshman guard, has said he will wear only his fatherâs Air Jordan shoes because they hold special meaning for his family. UCF, meanwhile, was in the final year of a five-year contract with Adidas requiring the schoolâs athletes and coaches to use the companyâs equipment and apparel.
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Trivia time
Since the beginning of interdivision playoffs in 1969, only once have the same teams met in consecutive World Series. Name the teams and the years.
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Bumped
Generally speaking, the chest bump is a universally accepted form of self-expression on an athletic field. It is usually unplanned, not choreographed and doesnât take much time at all to execute.
In the Washington, D.C., area, however, one chest bump in a high school football game can get you a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. Two can get you suspended.
Thatâs what happened to Broad Run High running back T.J. Peeler during his teamâs 47-7 victory over Potomac Falls. Two chest bumps in the first quarter earned him unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, which earned him an ejection from the game.
Because of that, Peeler was suspended by the Virginia High School League from his teamâs next game, a regional semifinal on Nov. 20. Broad Run successfully appealed the suspension, enabling Peeler to play in the semifinal. But when he returns, Peeler says he will do so with a scaled-back act.
âIâll probably just not do any chest bumps,â Peeler told the Washington Post. âProbably just do a thumbs up or something like that. I donât know, thatâs what my coaches told me to do. Thumbs up sounds better anyways.â
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Class vs. . . .
Miami Dolphins linebacker Jason Taylor, to Sirius NFL Radio, on New York Jets fans: âTheyâve had a lot of fun at my expense. Iâve had some fun at their expense at times. Itâs the times like this where you beat them and they just keep talking. They just keep going and they just donât know when to be quiet. You know, Iâve said a lot of things about Jets fans in the past and Iâm sure at heart . . . most of them are good people.
âThe Giants fans are a different type of people, just put it that way. Thereâs a little more class on the Giantsâ side and some Jets fans take the âclâ out of class.â
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Trivia answer
The Dodgers and the New York Yankees, 1977 and 1978.
(Question and answer provided by reader Craig Fagan of San Diego.)
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And finally
From Greg Cote of the Miami Herald: âChiefs running back Larry Johnson was suspended by his team for criticizing his coach on Twitter and for using a gay slur. New word for the growing list of athletes in this kind of trouble: Twittercide.â
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