This past weekend, agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration interviewed doctors and trainers of several NFL teams after their games Sunday, part of an investigation into allegations of illegal dispensing of prescription drugs. The DEA questioned the medical and training staffs of the San Francisco 49ers following the team’s 16-10 victory at the New York Giants, according to an agency spokesman..
The 49ers cooperated with the “random inspection” at MetLife Stadium, the team’s director of communications, Bob Lange, said. The team departed the stadium as scheduled, he added. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced via Twitter that the DEA “checked in” with the team at the Baltimore-Washington International Airport. After a five-minute delay, the team proceeded to its plane without incident, the team said. A justice department official told CNN that DEA agents interviewed team doctors at “several locations.”
The DEA investigation stems from allegations in a lawsuit filed by 1,300 former NFL players last May that the league illegally provided powerful painkillers and other prescription drugs to keep them on the field. The suit also alleges that drugs were being administered by athletic trainers who do not have the proper licenses to administer these drugs. If true, these actions would violate the Controlled Substances Act. According to the DEA, Sunday’s questioning of doctors and trainers were administrative and not criminal, and no arrests were made. The NFL announced that all teams approached had cooperated with the investigation.
I read a story in the New York Times magazine from Sunday November 8, that posed the question whether football was the new tobacco, still legal, but waning in popularity and participation. LeBron James stated in an interview last week that he wouldn’t let his boys play football, and I know a few parents that feel the same way. Since I only have daughters, I don’t know what I would do.
The embattled NFL is fighting a battle on a different front on the drug situation. If the Feds find any wrongdoing, another big chuck of the $9 billion engine that is the National Football League is in jeopardy. I have been a big fan of the NFL my whole life, but as I wrote 20 years ago for the Sportswriters, the equipment has to be much improved or the game needs to undergo fundamental changes or, even as popular as it is, it could become a memory.

I posted a few weeks ago a story about the fact that many nations are choosing not to bid on the 2016 Winter Olympics to use their money in other ways, especially not on bribes to International Olympic Committee members. The IOC is far from the only organization with a reputation for corruption, but unlike the IOC, this organization is actually being investigated.
The U.S. FBI is stepping up the pace of a corruption investigation into senior leaders of FIFA, the world soccer organization. However, the world soccer body has just released a report giving itself a clean bill of health (surprise, surprise).
The FIFA ethics committee announced this week that it was closing its investigation into alleged corruption in the 2018 and 2022 bidding process that awarded the World Cup to Russia and Qatar, respectively. The committee said its investigation found no corruption and has no reason to reopen the bidding process.
The FBI, which is leading the U.S. probe, however is ahead with its probe, which could result in charges against senior FIFA officials. FBI agents based in New York have been investigating FIFA for three years, and will be requesting the findings from the internal probe which was headed by former U.S. prosecutor, Michael Garcia, which FIFA hasn’t yet released.
Garcia distanced himself from the FIFA ethics announcement, saying: “Today’s decision by the Chairman of the Adjudicatory Chamber contains numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of the facts and conclusions detailed in the Investigatory Chamber’s report. I intend to appeal this decision to the FIFA Appeal Committee.”
The bidding process for World Cup and Olympics have always been shrouded in secrecy and rumored to be filled with perks to the members of the committees, all of which have been just short of suitcases of cash. Stories of free college tuition to children of committee members, lavish parties and gifts are common, and rumors of drugs and prostitutes have circulated for years.
Once again, it is long past time for politicians stop drinking the Kool-Aid of spending millions of dollars trying to pitch their nation, city to people with dubious expertise on putting on these sports events; for the opportunity to spend billions of dollars on building facilities that often end up unused, while FIFA and the IOC keep all of the ticket and television revenues. We have all assumed that the process is nothing more than kickbacks to the committee, to the politicians and their friends, who all make money while the actual cities lose money.
I look forward to seeing how this plays out. If I were a member of FIFA or the IOC, I would make preparations for legal counsel.

The original story can mostly be considered a lesson young athletes everywhere and to universities like USC, we have finally learned what happened to USC cornerback Josh Shaw. You may remember the story – the senior Shaw sprained both ankles, he said, after he jumped off the third story balcony of his cousin’s apartment complex in Palmdale, Calif., and landed on concrete trying to get into a pool in efforts to save his nephew.
Lesson 1 – the university picked up on the story and before long, Shaw was being considered a hero (a term that it tossed around far too easily these days). Shaw maintained that lie for three days before releasing a statement saying that he made up the story. He apologized to the university and USC head coach Steve Sarkisian, who promptly suspended him indefinitely, although saying that he could “potentially” return to the team at some point this season.
Shaw told the Los Angeles Times’ Bill Plaschke that he confessed to school officials after they found out he had jumped off his balcony after an argument with his girlfriend. The police were called to the apartment as a result of the incident and authorities opened a domestic violence probe. As of now, Shaw has not been charged with any crime.
According to the article, on Aug. 23 Shaw went home to meet his girlfriend of seven years, Angela Chilton. The two started arguing and Chilton ran down the hall. Shaw stayed in the apartment until he heard cops on the street. Shaw said he was wearing only flip-flops when he jumped from the balcony and landed on his feet. Shaw then called his brother and did not go to the hospital.
“I was in excruciating pain,” he said. “But I thought, how do I explain to my coaches that, as a senior captain, I just shattered both of my legs? I wanted to come up with something that they would say, ‘Josh, if you got hurt, that’s a good reason to get hurt.’ That’s where fabrication came in.”
Shaw admits he didn’t think about the fact that the story could easily be verified. He told USC officials the balcony story the day after the incident and they ordered him to go to the hospital.
Sarkisian welcomed him back to the team after the Trojans lost 37-31 to Boston College on Sept. 13, but he has yet to play in a game.
It sounds like the young man has learned his lesson about trying to cover up his actions, especially in this world of social media and smart phone cameras. All in all, assuming that there was no violence involved, this sounds like something that happens to people, especially young people. I am hesitant to criticize these types of discretions simply because I was, believe it or not, young once, and I did quite a few things that I’m not particularly proud of. I never did anything violent or criminal, just stupid young adult nonsense.
However, one would think that the people in the PR department of the university would investigate stories before they print them on their website. They are more experienced in the world and human nature; they should know better.

Radio is a sound salvation
Radio is cleaning up the nation
They say you better listen to the voice of reason
But they don’t give you any choice
’cause they think that it’s treason.
So you had better do as you are told.
You better listen to the radio.
– Elvis Costello – “Radio Radio”

I started this blog site in 2008 when I got tired of having to wait for a friend to post my stories on his website. I have always said that this site is “cheaper than therapy,” I can discuss whatever I like (except for a self-imposed ban on writing about work or much on the Indignant Family), rant to my heart’s content, and leave it here for the world to read (or ignore).
One of the things that had angered me for a very long time was the repetitiveness and boredom of WXRT, Chicago’s best rock radio station. In the 1970s and 1980s, WXRT was groundbreaking, playing artists that no one else would touch. Being independently owned, the station was the breaking ground for new artists, especially the New Wave movement (they never really warmed to punk). Alas, the old owners wanted to cash out and corporations took over, and while the DJs remained the same, the music got more repetitive, blander, more boring. The ultimate slam was when CBS took over. At first, I couldn’t put my finger on why the station sucked so much, but one day it came to me – WXRT still plays more artists than any other station, but they play only the same 3-4 songs by those artists (unless the artists are the Beatles, whose every song is subject to play at any time, and not just of Teri Hemmert’s shows).
So, in March of 2008 (followed up in, coincidentally, March of 2011 – use the search engine on the site and enter WXRT), I wrote about it, and I picked up a reader who wanted to do something about it. He had gotten the e-mail address from someone named John at the station, someone high up, it appeared. We e-mailed John (and I linked the post) In the e-mail, I quoted an acquaintance of mine, former Chicago Sun-Times and Rolling Stone music critic Jim DeRogadis who said of WXRT that “the station was never more than one song from playing the Talking Heads.” When I commented to an on air personality after it was announced that David Byrne and the Talking Heads were the station’s Friday Feature, I asked “how is that different from every other day?” I was told “it hurts me as much as it does you.”
Well, it turned out that John was John Farneda, Operations Manager and Music Director of WXRT. John at first said that the station didn’t play the Talking Heads that much; he obviously not picking up on the symbolism of the comment or the way I used it. Of course he went on, saying that if we didn’t like the station, turn it off. I said that having listened to the station before it broadcast 24 hours, and the fact that many on-air personalities are like friends on the radio (and I have met 3-4 and they are very nice), I felt like listeners had a stake in the station’s success, and we should be listened to. He disagreed, saying “when you own the station, I’ll play what you say.”
It made sense, acts like Norah Jones, who is not rock and roll, and other more pop influenced acts (many of whom were on CBS) made their way into WXRT’s playlist. What struck me was how thin skinned and sensitive Farneda was. He basically blew us off, despite my having been on radio in college and written for two television shows. What was also galling was that Farneda threw the DJs under the bus, saying that they programmed the music. From what I learned, this was a boldfaced lie, everyone took their marching orders from the CBS suits. The aforementioned not-to-be identified air personality told me that while my argument had merit and probably the agreement of many staff people, no one was going to throw their livelihood away, especially since so many of the DJs have been with the station for decades (and a couple of them have been canned and rehired – Johnny Mars, a former staple of the station afternoons was fired when he became too expensive and eventually rehired as a weekend jock at much reduced pay, and Tom Marker was reportedly let go when negotiations for a new contract with the station broke down last January. It was only after reportedly taking a pay cut did a new contract get signed.) Anyway, the station was and is profitable, so there was no way the station would be changing.
Knowing that money makes the world go around, I decided to no longer ram my head against the wall. I still listen to Lin Brehmer in the mornings and occasionally at other times, but I rely on my iPod and CDs for music the rest of the time, and no longer waste my time on the corporate monolith and its minion Farneda. My contact with Farneda made me realize that this guy had the cushiest job in the world; it’s very easy to be program director when other people are telling you what to play. And, when challenged on the playlist, you could say, the DJs pick the songs, and yes, we do play the new Graham Parker album – at 4:00 AM when most people are asleep. But during the day, it’s the same mix of the songs we’ve heard a billion times before and a mix of new songs that CBS wants to peddle. To me, Farneda was just a company man, doing what he was told, but being insecure in a ego driven business, he had the oversized ego to not recognize (or perhaps just not to admit) the toady that he was.
The key word in the previous sentence is “was.” It turns out that Farneda, who has himself been with the station for 31 years starting as an intern for Teri Hemmert, is leaving the station at the end of November. Called “The Heart and Soul” of WXRT in Robert Feder’s column, there were, as to be expected, a long list of people tweeting his praises. To me, the heart of WXRT are the suits – the DJs would love to open the playlist, but paychecks are on the line. And the Soul of WXRT died a long time ago, when the station became a nonthreatening aural blanket, to wrap yourself in and be anesthetized by. John Farneda did a great job if you consider profits, but to true music fans, he was just a sycophant.
Farneda says that he is going to spend time with his family, then will “explore new adventures in the music industry.” What music industry John? The industry is a ghost of its former self, and if the CBS guys are showing you the door, I mean, you have decided to move on and they can’t find a job for you, what do you have? What led to this separation? Did he suddenly get a spine and push for better music? Nah! Probably the suits decided that he was too expensive and they didn’t need a rubber stamp on the payroll.
Now, it may seem like I’m gloating (and I admit that I am a little), but the only thing I wanted was a better WXRT. I have no stock in CBS, but I am an avid music fan, who would like to be surprised once an hour with something I haven’t heard in a long time. (The most interesting show is Saturday Morning Flashback where we do get to hear deep tracks from a specific year.) As I said, I have almost 4,000 records and CDs and have 24,000 songs on my iPod (another technology that it going the way of all flesh), and one of the things I like most about the shuffle feature is that I will hear songs that I haven’t heard in years, or songs on CDs that I never took the time to hear.
I realize that WXRT is a for-profit organization, but in its infancy it used to have featured artists everyday, which could include Frank Zappa, and Ludwig van Beethoven in the same day. I don’t expect any station other than college radio to be that diverse, but WXRT has a unique position, a tradition of playing what no one else does. Or should I say “did.” Now the Kongos “Come With Me Now” has been on heavy rotation on WXRT, but also on The Mix, and WKQX and who knows where else? Before, WXRT played songs no one else would play; now, they only do that for songs that are 20 years old or older, and always the same two or three songs.
Again, maybe I should be happy to see this man get beaten down by the very people he defended at all costs, but that is beneath me. I wish this would mean that the station gets better – more songs by all of the artists that WXRT already plays would be a start. I have been told that WXRT can’t play a song more then two times per day. Since I only listen in the shower or in the car, I can’t verify that, but I do know that I do hear the same songs over and over again. Did John Farneda program the same songs at the same times everyday, as thought the listeners are Pavlovian dogs? I don’t know.
I don’t believe that John Farneda was the problem, just the enabler of the problems in return for 31 years worth of checks. I wish someone would come in, someone younger perhaps, or perhaps let the DJs REALLY program the station. I’d bet that there would overnight be flexibility to open the playlist and inject more songs, even R&B and soul songs (they only play the same songs from this genre also). The on-air hosts are already our friends; we love listening to them. We would love to hear a much more diverse playlist.
But they won’t. The suits will never admit that they’ve driven this once proud station into the toilet. They will say that WXRT remains profitable, and as long as that happens, change is unlikely. And the million listeners won’t complain since, as I’ve said, the great majority are happy with the station, otherwise they would turn it off, which is the only thing the suits listen to other than the orders from “on high” as to what to play. I’m sure CBS will find someone else, younger, cheaper, to do their bidding, and we will still hear the same Talking Heads and Police songs into oblivion. And I’ll be listening to my iPod for as long as it lasts, enjoying the surprise of hearing something different, and not just the newest songs on the CBS label.

And the radio is in the hands of such a lot of fools
tryin’ to anaesthetize the way that you feel
– Elvis Costello (again) from “Radio Radio”

If there is a scandal or accused wrong-doing by a rich celebrity or an institution, out come the lawyers suing someone who has reportedly been harmed by the offense. For the past few weeks, stories have been published (and blogged here) about the fake classes and grades that athletes “took” for 18 years at the University of North Carolina. Well, one of the young men has stepped forward looking for money.
Mike McAdoo was a football player who lost his eligibility in 2011 when he was accused of getting too much help with a paper. He was one of the first athletes revealed to have taken part in “paper classes,” for which the only requirement was completing a single paper. McAdoo is now suing the university in federal court, saying UNC broke its promise to give him an education in return for playing sports. His lawsuit is a class-action suit that the other 3,100 students who enrolled in the fake classes approximately one half being athletes, could join.
The lawsuit alleges “(f)rom selection of a major to selection of courses, the UNC football program controlled football student-athletes’ academic track, with the sole purpose of ensuring that football student-athletes were eligible to participate in athletics, rather than actually educating them. UNC has reaped substantial profits from football student-athletes’ performance for the school, but it has not provided them a legitimate education in return. As such, UNC has breached its contract with Plaintiff and Class members, in violation of North Carolina common law.,,” wrote his attorney, Jeremi Duru, who is also a professor of law at the Washington College of Law. The university refused comment.
On the face of it, the charges are absolutely true, but the problem I have with it is that McAdoo and the other “paper course” participants could have refused the classes and gone to regular classes, unless they were incapable of doing the work in which case, they shouldn’t have been in school in the first place. No one forced them to take those classes. I remember Ohio State star running back (and ESPN college football analyst) Robert Smith challenged that university to allow him to take pre-med courses, which are notably harder than the paper courses. (The other question of course is: who are the one-half of students who took these classes who weren’t athletes? How did they get these classes? Politically connected? Too dumb to take ordinary classes? What’s the story here?)
What UNC reportedly did is inexcusable, especially if they did not allow the athletes to take normal classes and earn normal grades. However, if the athlete knowingly went along with the scam, then it’s a little late to come back for financial remuneration now, especially since you knew you took those classes, but you’re not suing until after the practice comes to light. The same can and should be said for the other 3,099 participants in those classes.

I have watched a ton of bad football, as being an alum/long suffering fan of Northwestern, but this past weekend, I may have watched the worst football game that I have ever seen, Northwestern vs. Michigan. I posted something about that over the weekend and I had a couple of people ask me – worse that the 0-0 tie between NU and Illinois on September 9, 1978? Here’s why…
For those who don’t know, Michigan won the game 10-9, but both teams played poorly, both coaching staffs made extremely dumb moves, it was a complete embarrassment. The first half finished 0-0 and it didn’t look like anyone was going to score. NU quarterback Trevor Siemian started the half holding the ball too long, missing receivers, and eventually he looked so shell-shocked that he was repeatedly sacked. With all of this happening, when NU Offensive Coordinator Mick McCall put in backup Matt Alvini, a red shirt freshman who hasn’t played much, everyone on the field knew he was going to run, so, when he did, Michigan stuffed the plays easily.
It’s not like Michigan was a juggernaut. Quarterback Devin Gartner played horribly, throwing two interceptions. The second one, which was returned some 70 years to deep in Michigan territory, led to a relatively easy 36-yard field goal attempt by Jack Mitchell that missed wide left. Michigan had a field goal blocked after NU Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald called two time outs at the end of the half to freeze kicker Matt Wile. It was hard to tell whether the defenses were excellent, or if the offenses were inept, although it definitely looked like the latter.
After being continually sacked in the third quarter, NU lost on downs at their own 40 yard line, and Michigan marched into the end zone for their only TD of the day. NU’s woes continued into the 4th quarter until the offense showed life scoring field goal early in the quarter, then putting on their only drive of the game. Fitzgerald went for two points, but Siemian slipped and fell with .03 on the clock for the Michigan win. As I found out the next day, it was the exact same play they tried for 2 points earlier in the season. Is this the only play they know in this situation? Fans from both teams were fairly quiet with the horrendous play. Disgust or boredom, it was hard to tell.
For the first time, some students held up a sign saying “Fire Fitz.” While Fitzgerald is probably not going anywhere, McCall should be fired immediately, and Fitzgerald soundly reprimanded. Fitzgerald’s “Sgt. Rock” routine has played out, and it is obvious that his team makes no changes, no adjustments, believing just that “if we execute, we will be successful.” Well, that’s ok in theory, but running the same plays when everyone in the stadium knows what’s coming is fine when you are in a short yardage situation, but not for an entire game, especially when your team isn’t executing. I hate to rag on a kid, but Siemian played horribly. He holds the ball too long; takes too long in his reads and check downs; and when flustered, get swamped.
So, why was this worse than the infamous 0-0 tie or any of the other losses from the “bad old days” when I was at Northwestern (1977 – 1981)? It is simple – because more was expected. NU came into the game with three wins, which was more than any of the teams from my tenure. Good teams bounce back from adversity. Not that I expected much, but with a winnable opponent in front of them and wins at Penn State and against Wisconsin, I hoped that NU would play with some urgency.
More was expected from Michigan also. After disappointing losses to Minnesota and Notre Dame, they stomped Indiana the week before 34-10. I fully expected them to come in on a roll against a reeling Northwestern team. Head Coach Brady Hoke is a dead coach walking, with his most unforgettable moment this season was sending a quarterback into the game after he was obviously concussed and nearly knocked out after a call. The rumor mill is that San Francisco 49ers head coach and Michigan alum Jim Harbaugh will get big money to come back to Ann Arbor as soon as the NFL season is over. Their play calling was also atrocious, and execution was just as bad.
In the bad old days, we had little or no chance against anyone. In the 0-0 game, Illinois also was a terrible team, and while the football may have been as bad or worse, no one expected anything else. Even with the lows of each program, and the fact that in recent years, NU – Michigan games have often been tight, hard fought affairs (including the best college football game I’ve ever witnessed in person, the 54-51 NU victory in 2000). The game should have been at least interesting, not the “2014 Toilet Bowl.”
So, let’s tally it up from Saturday: Michigan offensive drives: one touchdown and PAT, one field goal, one stopped on downs, 2 interceptions, 2 lost fumbles, and one blocked field goal. For NU, one touchdown and missed PAT, one field goal, two series lost on downs, 2 interceptions, and 1 missed field goal. It was ineptitude on an epic scale.

I hate to be a cynic, but I saw the writing on this wall quite some time ago. Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson pleaded no contest to one count of misdemeanor reckless assault, resolving his alleged child abuse case. Per terms of the agreement, there is no reference to family violence or violence against a minor. Peterson will pay a $4,000 fine, be placed on probation and perform 80 hours of community service. Peterson does not have to serve jail time.
Under the original indictment on felony charges of reckless or negligent injury to a child after authorities said he hit his 4-year-old son with a switch, Peterson faced up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted. A tentative trial date of Dec. 1 had been set, but the plea deal ends the legal process before any trial.
Following Peterson’s indictment, various reports detailed alleged improprieties with the running back’s charity and other claims of illicit behavior, and prosecutors attempted to have Peterson arrested again after he admitted to smoking marijuana. Yes, in a country where marijuana is being legalized almost daily, Peterson was almosty sent to prison for smoking a joint while on probation (of course, this isn’t the US, we are talking about Texas).
Now the ball is in the court of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who has the authority to remove Peterson from the Commissioner’s List which suspends him with pay. The Commissioner and/or the Vikings could also levy additional discipline, but I would say that’s doubtful. Peterson hasn’t played in seven weeks, and while the Vikings have survived Peterson’s absence at 4-5, how much better do they immediately become with rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater and one of the best running backs in the game?
I must admit being surprised by one thing however. We have learned out of all this that Peterson has slept around more than a narcoleptic person in a mattress factory, having numerous kids by a number of baby mamas. OK, that’s his right, but I always thought he was a single man. There was a picture of Peterson and his wife, a stunning black woman, coming out of the Texas courthouse. Again, it’s between them as to what she’s willing to accept, but even if the marriage is one of money, I would think tat she would still want to protect his assets from other women/children?
I fully expect Adrian Peterson to suit up for the Vikings soon, certainly before Thanksgiving. The truth is, kids don’t have a lobby, there’s no videotape of Peterson hitting his son, and the legal proceedings are over. Goodell’s real test will come when Ray Rice is allowed to formally apply for reinstatement. The call on Peterson will be easy; the call on Rice will be hard and potentially litigious.