BIG NEWS!!!!

Sports Law School Thoughts is now oh so much more than a blog..... We are in the process of moving to a new site. Find us at http://sportslawschool.webs.com/ and stay tunned for more exciting changes!!!

The Perfect Game

Once in a while there comes a time when something so spectacular happens in sports that everyone can't help but be amazed by it. Today was one of those days. Philip Humber of the Chicago White Socks pitched a perfect game. In the modern era it is something that has only happened 19 times.
Enjoy the video of the last batter of the game.

And, a little clip from How I Met Your Mother all about perfect games...and baseball

NFL Announces Schedule

In what has to be one of the most over-hyped NFL schedule announcements (NFL.com subscribers received several emails leading up to the announcement) the NFL has once again proven that it is no idiot when it comes to money. While some teams might feel as though they drew the short straw, the NFL and NBC are likely celebrating their soon to be high rating and ad revenues. The biggest day for the NFL regular season is, without question, Thanksgiving (the Sunday after Thanksgiving is probably the next closest rival). This year without a doubt, will be a doozy for the NFL. Thanksgiving football will be capped off with game featuring the seasons most highly anticipated and highly discussed team, the Jets playing host to a likely playoff contender, the Patriots. The Sunday after Thanksgiving will be another big day as Packers will get a shot at redemption as they face the reigning Super Bowl Champions, the Giants. These games will likely be a huge money-maker for the NFL and NBC, proving once again that, when it come right down to it, sports is, first and foremost, a business.

Sad News In Soccer

Italian soccer player Piermario Morosini

Some sad news this weekend from the world of European soccer, with the passing of Piermario Morosini, from an apparent heart-attack while on the field. The death sent shockwaves through the soccer community. Soccer is a very close knit community and a death like this often effects many people. Morosini had played for several different clubs in Italy and the Under 21 Italian National Team.

Fabrice Mumba in the hospital, posted to his Twitter

Morosini was only 25, which seems to young for a heart-attack, especially considering the fact that as a professional athlete Morosini was healthy. This tragic death comes soon after a similar incident in England. On March 17, Fabrice Mumba suffered a heart attack during a match between Bolton and Tottenham Hotspur. Fortunately, Mumba was revived by field medical staff and hospital doctors and has begun what will certainty be a long road to recovery. It is questionable whether Mumba will be able to play again.

Team tribute to Marc-Viven Foé

With tragedies like this, it makes me wonder how common it is for soccer players, or any other athlete to suffer a heart attack while participating in their sport. After a little research, it seems to more common than we might like.  My research reminded me of another heart related football tragedy from 2003. Marc-Viven Foé passed away while playing for Cameroon in the FIFA Confederations Cup. Foé and Morisini join a rather lengthy list of footballer players who died on the field playing soccer. According to my very unscientific research no less than 18 soccer players have died on the field, or shortly after leaving the field, due to some heart related condition. Of soccer players who have died during their career, the second most number of players have died due to heart attack, second only to car accidents.

These tragedies are not unique only to soccer. They are also common in football and track and field. More sports players have died during wars or from homicide, but the second most athletes have died from heart attacks. Many of these athletes causes of death have been determined to be hidden heart defects, such as cardiomyopathy. These deseases are often difficult for doctors to detect and are commonly made worse during physical activity. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that we will see a decline in these instances any time soon. Fortunately, leagues are more aware of these problems and have placed defibrillators on the sides of the field. In 2003 FIFA ordered all stadiums to have defibrillators on the side of the field at all international matches.

It is also worth noting that athletes sometimes suffer heart attacks even after retiring from professional sports. Bobby Rhine, a former soccer player for FC Dallas passed away from a heart attack. Rhine had been retired for three years before his death.

Miami Marlins v. Ozzie Guillen: Athletes Speaking Out

Big news in sports today. The Miami Marlins have suspended manager Ozzie Guillen for comments he made regarding Fidel Castro. ESPN broke the story yesterday and today.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7795152/ozzie-guillen-miami-marlins-suspended-five-games

It is easy to see how this story effects a lot of people. After all the Cuban-American community in Miami is quite sizable and baseball, of all things, being the great unifier. Ozzie's apology seemed heartfelt and sincere. Of course it is easy to seem heartfelt and sincere when your job is on the line. From a legal standpoint, this is the classic example of exactly why sports franchises include Standards and Morals clauses in their employment contracts. But of course, this is still the United States and we still think that people (athletes included) should be allowed to say whatever they want on any subject. The problem that sports franchises and advertisers are realizing is that athletes hold a lot of power. People are often persuaded by what athletes say (this is the exact reason why advertisers use celebrities to advertise for their product).

This is not a new phenomenon. Athletes often find themselves in hot water over comments that they make, but with the fast paced cycle of news and the advent of technology, these problems are going to become more and more common. Websites like Twitter and Facebook make it possible for anyone to post their thoughts and feelings on any subject. Pittsburg Steller's Running Back Rashard Mendenhall was recently dropped from his sponsorship agreement by Hanes Brands over comments he made on Twitter. Mendenhall is no stranger to controversy. He commonly took to Twitter to voice his opinions on subjects as various as racism and women. Hanes dismissed Mendenhall after he asserted 9/11 might have been a conspiracy and people might not be happy that Osama Bin Laden had been killed by the US if they had "heard his side of the story."(http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/lawsuit-defends-celebrities-rights-say-214881). Mendenhall is suing Hanes for breach of contract. Hanes has asserted that they dismissed Mendenhall for cause, since, they claim, he violated his standards and morality clause.

Incidents like this are going to become more and more common as athletes have more and more contact with the media and social networking sites. Franchises and advertisers will be looking to include more stringent standards and morality clauses that include the changing nature of technology. No one will ever assert that athletes must check their right to free speech at the draft, but they will have to be more careful about what they say. However, no matter what the athlete says there will always be someone that disagrees with what they say...just consider Tim Tebow.