Your NFL Strike Update: Rich vs. Rich Day 6 and there was nothing

The legend of Shane Falco!

And on the 6th day, there was nothing. Though we do feel a bit of a sense of guilt for not mentioning yesterday, the stupid and inane comment by Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson two days ago that the owners "Treat the players like slaves".

Really.

We resist the temptation to go off on this comment, because there are certain parts of it that quite honestly we can't relate to.

But. Last we checked "Mr. AP", you were getting paid several million a year to play football. And while yeah, there are certain things the owners could do for the players that they don't, the analogy is just plain stupid.

In the meantime, we are monitoring several people representing both sides of this issue on Twitter. And right now, they are mostly exchanging rhetoric.

We really wish somebody would just "Man Up!" and put their ego aside and just deal with the issues at hand. You aren't that far apart. You are arguing about trivial matters when you are talking about the kind of money you are talking about. But quite honestly, there is a part of us that thinks it would be fun to see the withdrawal symptoms that the writers, players, owners and fans would go through if they didn't play in 2011.

We'd really like to see what "Joe Six-Pack" who paints his face team colors, tailgates at 5:30am for a 1pm kickoff and drinks 12 beers before walking into the stadium is going to do. He's the guy making $25,000 a year, but yet dishes out $1000 a year for a P.S.L and another $850 for season tickets (8-games) and 5-days a week feeds he and his family Raman noodles. And will happily pay another $15 per ticket per game when the owners jack-up tickets prices after they eventually lose this dispute.

What's he going to do? Hopefully he's going to spend that money on acting like a grownup. But I could be wrong.

Anyway, enough soapbox. Take a look at a TV station sports guys spoof from 1987:

Adrian Peterson can't drive...1-0-9

Maybe we finally found something that will slow Adrian Peterson down. Like maybe the Edina Police Department in Minnesota. The NFL's leading rusher was cited over the weekend for doing....oh...109 in a 55mph zone.

The story from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune RIGHT HERE.

((Adrian Peterson says "I wasn't going very fast"//Photo Courtesy: mokers.org))

The funny or maybe really the sad part of this was Peterson's response when asked about it. Peterson told The Associated Press he "got a little speeding ticket. I need to be more aware of the speed I was going and not let it happen again."

Sorry there Mr. A.P. for the rest of us mortals, doing double the speed limit will get you in trouble. Granted the Edina PD called it a "Routine Traffic Stop", though one wonders how routine it is to see a car going that fast anywhere other than a racetrack.

In the meantime, enjoy one of Mr. Peterson's commercial's where he runs only slightly slower than he drives. Thanks Nike/You Tube:

Okay, So Adrian Peterson Wasn't Going To Help...

((HT: Mason City Globe Gazette/KIMT-TV))

First off, Northern Iowa Community College was set to wipe out its football program because of budget shortfalls...about $172K short...

That, we understand...
Here's an interview from the Globe Gazette with NIACC folks about the dissolving and the deception...
Next... someone who ID'd themselves as an assistant coach said Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was going to help out... only Peterson wasn't even contacted about the idea...

Kevin Griffin, who initially was identified as a NIACC assistant coach, told head coach Steve LaLonde on Thursday that Peterson and three other NFL players were willing to give the school up to $150,000.

It turns out that wasn’t the case as Griffin said in a phone interview with the Globe Gazette Friday evening that he never spoke directly to Peterson.

“I made a mistake and anything that comes out of this falls on me,” said Griffin, who started coaching duties at NIACC on Monday. “Nothing ever came out of Adrian’s mouth. I should have said I’ll try to get the money from him and other people. I should have given coach LaLonde more info on that. I’m at fault. I want to apologize to him and the school, to Adrian and the Vikings.”

NIACC’s Sethanne DeGabriele, director of marketing and community relations, issued a statement Friday evening:

“NIACC is extremely saddened to learn that the much-publicized potential donations to save the football team that was presented to the administration earlier this week was not able to be substantiated,” the statement read.

DeGabriele also said that the school continues to try to help players transfer to another school with a football program.

“If a student decides to stay at NIACC to pursue his education, his scholarship will be honored,” DeGabriele said.

LaLonde, who was contacted Friday night, declined comment.

College officials told coaches and players Tuesday that the program was being terminated. NIACC President Deb Derr said donations of $171,996 would be needed to fund the program for the 2009 season.

Griffin, 32, said he has tried to contact Peterson.

“He’s not taking any phone calls right now,” Griffin said. “It’s a bad situation right now. All the blame goes to me.”

Griffin said he talked to “one of his friends” about possibly having Peterson and other NFL players give money to the program.

“It was a close confidant in his inner circle,” Griffin said. “I haven’t spoken to him (Peterson) and don’t know if I ever will. It’s real bad right now.”

Griffin, who has ties to Peterson dating back to his high school playing days in Palestine, Texas, said the last time he saw Peterson was at an Oklahoma Sooner game last fall.

“We talked for about a minute,” Griffin said.

Griffin said Friday that he doesn’t want to hurt Peterson’s reputation.

“Adrian Peterson is a great guy,” he said. “It was my fault for not having all my facts together.”

Griffin was an assistant coach at Jenks High School in Oklahoma and left the position to be an assistant for the Trojans.

“I got here on Monday and got fired on Tuesday,” he said. “I left my fiancee and two children and a great job in Oklahoma.

“Now, I’m scrambling to find a job and obviously this bad press is not helping right now.”
Here's KIMT-TV's report on the deal...AJ Ellingson has the story...

The rest of KIMT-TV's coverage is in black...