AFL Suspends 2009 Season

AFL Suspends 2009 Season
By Dr Bill Chachkes-Managing Partner-Football Reporters Online

Sad but True: the AFL will not play in 2009. It seems that the economic downturn has hit even sports (except for baseball which is still paying grossly inflated salaries to marginal players-Maybe they will suspend operations for a year when people stop showing up to watch a poor product!). I have received several e-mails from AFL fans asking "What's the deal here? One went so far as to insinuate that someone must have embezzled some cash somewhere for this to happen. I can assure you to the best of my knowledge, no one has stolen any cash from The AFL. They simply need to "restructure" for the benefit of the players and the game to continue.

The question now is "Does the AFL return in 2010?" My Guess is Yes, but many of the players that made up the 2008 AFL will be gone. Most veteran players will find work playing in Canada, a few might get into the NFL next fall, some may head to AF2, which as of this moment is still in operation, still some more will turn to coaching at the High School and college level, or return to college as students.

F.R.O. Will do everything it can to bring you whatever we learn over the next few weeks...

Indianapolis Colts' Marvin Harrison has MRI, will sit Thursday game - ESPN

Marvin Harrison out for game: “NDIANAPOLIS -- Colts receiver Marvin Harrison did not travel to Jacksonville on Wednesday and will miss Thursday night's game against the Jaguars.”

ESPN - Minnesota Vikings go for division title with Tarvaris Jackson at QB

Tarvaris Jackson at QB: “EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson will make his second consecutive start Sunday against Atlanta in a move that might portend a permanent return to that role.”

Tom Engelhardt of The Nation Morns The Passing of Studs Terkel

Hard Times Without Studs: A heartfelt blog post. Tom Englehardt rightly points to radio host Laura Flanders mention of the Chicago Labor protest by over 200 workers and how President-Elect Barack Obama supported their efforts. It's a new day; a shock to a generation raised on the idea of union-busting without even knowing what unions are, let alone why they exist.

Matthew Devlin formerly with Lehman , others charged with insider trading | Reuters

Insider trading story | Reuters: “Former Lehman salesman Matthew Devlin was charged with participating in an insider trading scheme, a criminal complaint filed in District Court in Manhattan showed.

The complaint said Devlin should have known not to divulge confidential information his wife shared with him.

His wife is a partner in public relations firm Brunswick Group LLC. Brunswick said in a statement: "The husband of a Brunswick employee has been arrested by U.S. authorities for using information obtained illegally from her and without her knowledge, which has then passed to third parties."”

Chuck Todd Named White House Correspondent -- Political Wire

Chuck Todd To The White House -- Does this mean no more cool political board work? Todd's on camera numbers drawing on delegate counts was the hit on MSNBC.

Mary L. Schapiro, Gary Gensler and Daniel K. Tarullo, Obama Economic Appointees

Truthdig - Ear to the Ground - Tough Road Ahead for New Economic Appointees: “Mr. Obama named Mary L. Schapiro, 53, to head the Securities and Exchange Commission, which has come under sharp criticism for its failure to detect signs that major Wall Street banks were in trouble before the financial crisis, as well as lax oversight of the New York financier Bernard Madoff, who the authorities say has confessed to running a $50 billion Ponzi scheme.

[...] Mr. Obama also announced the selection of two former Clinton administration economic officials, Gary Gensler and Daniel K. Tarullo, to leading economic posts.

Mr. Gensler, who will head the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, was a Treasury official in the Clinton administration. He also worked as a senior adviser to former Sen. Paul Sarbanes, a Maryland Democrat, who wrote legislation to increase oversight of the accounting industry and reform corporate governance.

Mr. Tarullo, a law professor at Georgetown University who was also an economic advisor to President Clinton, will fill an open seat on the Federal Reserve board in Washington. He is currently leading Mr. Obama’s transition team at the Treasury Department, and is considered an expert in international economic regulation.”

-- President-Elect Barack Obama is rounding out his economic team with the choice of Mary L. Schapiro, Gary Gensler and Daniel K. Tarullo. I have to note that it seems there are more women appointed to this cabinet than at any time in American History. I think the reason for this is these choices -- and women in general -- may have better "vetting" track records than their male counterparts. It's just a guess -- I have nothing other than experience to base this on.

Paul Weyrich Leader of Conservative Movement Passes On - The Swamp

The Swamp: “Paul Weyrich, one of the best-known leaders of the conservative movement, died this morning at age 66 from an undisclosed cause.

He was a co-founder of the Heritage Foundation, one of the most influential think tanks in the nation's capital.”

-- Oh, no. I'm not a conservative, but I am a political junkie.

Socialtext offering laid-off networks for free - Susan Mernit's Blog

Socialtext News - Susan Mernit's Blog: “As we all know, alumni networks frm opast companies ate great ways to get jobs, Ross Mayfield's Socialtext is going to be right there helping those folks out.

Ross writes: "Today, Socialtext is meeting this latent need with a free Corporate Social Network offer for the 2009 Recession. Any former employee and HR director of a company that reduced its workforce by 5% or more in the last year can create a private Corporate Social Network for free by applying here. Please note that this offer does not include free ”

-- Nice find Susan!!! I just wonder, considering the digital divide, how many companies will actually make the leap.

Renetto v. YouTube - Renetto's In YouTube's House

YouTube star Renetto's been at odds with the YouTube execs of late, so I thought I'd chime in with my take on his problem. Basically, he wants to be able to say what he wants when he wants. I'm explaining that YouTube and digital media is too monetized with corporate sponsors who are sensitive to their image, so much so they are fearful of comments left that could lead to embarrassment. Renetto can play their game, what would it harm?

1100 Broadway Downtown Oakland Mural Finished: Rocky Rische-Baird

 

After several months of work, the mural at 1100 Broadway in downtown Oakland is finished. 

The work of Oakland artist Rocky Rische-Baird, it is a step back in time as much as it is a celebration of downtown Oakland and a landmark for 1100 Broadway itself. I talked to Rocky Rische-Baird about his new classic work.

Republicans in Congress have a lower approval rating than President Bush

Republicans tanking ratings - Real Clear Politics: “Republicans in Congress have a lower approval rating than President Bush, according to the latest Gallup survey (Dec. 12-14, 1008 A).

Just 25% of U.S. adults approve of the job Republicans are doing in Congress, 4 points lower than Bush's 29%. It is the lowest mark for either party since Gallup began polling the approval ratings of Congressional parties in 1999.

Congressional Democrats received a 37% approval rating -- still low, but a 7-point increase from their all-time low at the end of last year.”