This week in sports

Happy Holidays everyone! I would like to update some stories that are back in the news.

Michael Vick has surrendered and gone to jail before his sentencing on December 10th. He is turned himself in to look sincere in accepting responsibility for his actions. I think this is a PR move to get his sentence reduced by the judge. Remember he also faces state dog fighting charges, with a trial by jury set for April 2 Even if Vick gets 12 to 18 month in prison he still faces more time if he is convicted in the state case, he could miss the next two or three football seasons. His football career is all but over. I hope he is sincere in accepting responsibility for his actions, but I don’t think so.

Barry Bonds has been indicted by a federal grand jury on perjury and obstruction of justice charges. Thank God there is some justice in the world. I’m not sure how Major League Baseball should handle the home run record now. I don’t think you can just erase it from the record books, but I do think you need to do something, like a note in the record books that say Barry Bonds cheated to break the record. The message should also be to don’t lie to a federal grand jury. History might of treated Bonds better if he didn’t lie.

I would like to correct something I said in a previous column. Women’s pro soccer in the US will start back up in 2009. Sorry for any confusion, they have all their financial backers to start in 2008 but want to get everything right for a 2009 start.

College Football needs a playoff because right now they have a mythical championship created by history. When you have no idea who’s going to play for the national championship, it is time for a playoff. In comparison, college basketball has a playoff. The final 65th team to get in to the field is always debated, but the committee always seems to get it right. My idea in college football is to:
1. Have all 11 division 1-A conferences have a championship game,
2. Those winners plus Notre Dame, or any other independent team, who has more then 10 wins gets an automatic bid into the playoffs.
3. Then a committee chooses 4 or 5 at-large teams.
4. The conference title games would be played in December
5. The first round games could be played as bowl games (Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl etc.) on January 1.
6. Then, play down from there until you have a national title game the day before the Super Bowl, and make it a Super Championship weekend.
I don’t think a play off in college football will happen in my lifetime because the bowl games already have so much rich history and are worth so much money for the schools.

My sincere condolences go out to the family of Sean Taylor. What a horrible act, his home was burglarized a few months ago but he was not home at the time. I guess the burglar was back for more and Taylor was unfortunately home this time. This shows that any one in the spotlight is open to being a target.

This week spotlight is on the winners of the 2007 Paralympic Awards. Held on November 24 at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) General Assembly in Seoul, South Korea

The Paralympic Sport Awards 2007 were awarded in five categories, based on performance at the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games:
Best Male Athlete: Brian McKeever (CAN, Cross Country Skiing)Best Female Athlete: Lauren Woolstencroft (CAN, Alpine Skiing)Best Team Performance: Canadian Ice Sledge Hockey TeamBest Games Debut: Thomas Pfyl (SUI, Alpine Skiing)Exemplary Games Official: Dr. Karl Quade (GER)The Paralympic Media Awards 2007 honour members of the media who presented the highest quality and most dynamic coverage of the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games, in three categories:Broadcast: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (AUS)Written (Online): BBC Sport Website (GBR) Photo: Mikael Helsing (ESP)The Paralympic Scientific Award 2007 recognized one outstanding contributor (academic or scientific) for research in the field of sport for persons with a disability. Paralympic Scientific Award 2007: Garry Wheeler (CAN)Furthermore, the Paralympic Order, the highest recognition presented by the IPC, was awarded to two persons, who have made an outstanding or long-lasting contribution to the Paralympic Movement and/or to the overall success of the Paralympic Games. The recipients were Mr. Silas Chang (Hong Kong) and Mr. Stavros Stavrianopoulos (Greece).
In the Seoul Declaration, signed by the IPC and Korean Paralympic Committee President on 25 November, the IPC and all its members committed to advance the rights of Paralympic athletes, achieve sporting excellence, promote values and empower youth.

That my take, I like to hear yours

Jamie Lazaroff