The Jacksonville Jaguars

[BridgeTroll]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/04/jaguars-plan-to-bring-back-blackmon-ifwhen-hes-reinstated/

Jaguars plan to bring back Blackmon, if/when he's reinstated

Posted by Mike Florio on June 4, 2014, 10:00 PM EDT

With receiver Justin Blackmon, the fifth overall pick in 2012, still serving a suspension arising from multiple violations of the substance-abuse policy, the Jaguars have not turned their back on him.  And they don't plan to.

Ed Werder of ESPN reports, and PFT has confirmed, that the Jaguars intend to welcome Blackmon back if/when he's reinstated by the league.  Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the Jaguars have not ruled out a reinstatement for Blackmon at some point during the 2014 regular season.  But they don't expect to have him available as of Week One.

Even though Blackmon wasn't drafted on the watch of current G.M. Dave Caldwell or current coach Gus Bradley, they're making the right decision, for several reasons.  First, the kid has shown that, when he's available to play, he can perform at a very high level.  Second, as Blackmon tries to overcome his substance-abuse issues (which presumably arise from alcohol or marijuana or both) while exiled from the team, he needs to have a reason for hope.  Knowing that his employer is ready to bring him back could be the difference between Blackmon winning and losing the broader battle he's fighting.

Regardless of whether Blackmon's issues arise from alcohol or marijuana or some other substance that doesn't enhance performance, his case provides another example of a heavy-handed NFL policy that elevates discipline over treatment, throwing guys out of the league for matters in their private lives that in most cases have no impact at all on their ability to perform their duties as players.

Whether it's Blackmon or Josh Gordon or Daryl Washington or Onterrio Smith or Ricky Williams or anyone else who consistently chooses a recreational substance over football, important questions need to be asked.  First, if it's not a PED, why does the league care what a guy drinks, smokes, or ingests on his own time?  Second, why isn't the focus helping get and keep these guys clean?

We've yet to detect much public sympathy for players who, in many cases, already have developed their habits before showing up in the NFL.  Many college football programs have done little to help players overcome substance abuse, and for many players who have substance abuse issues in college, the problems started in high school.

Shouldn't the NFL be willing to take a broad, common-sense, and compassionate view of players who developed these issues before ever showing up for work?  Doesn't it make sense to find ways to help highly-talented players stay in the league?

This situation provides a prime example of the negative consequences of a monopoly.  If there were another viable pro football league, the NFL wouldn't be in the business of running off guys like Blackmon, Gordon, and Washington.  Here's hoping the NFL eventually behaves the way it would if there were another professional league that doesn't feel compelled to snoop into a guy's urine as part of a private police force aimed at telling guys how to live their lives away from their places of employment.

The system needs to change, and more people need to start calling for it to happen

[urbanlibertarian]

+1

[BridgeTroll]

I found this GIF while looking for something else... Enjoy! 

[I-10east]

Ace on the bubble?

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/08/ace-sanders-already-on-the-outs-in-jacksonville/

[duvaldude08]

I would higly dought Ace is on the bubble. Why would he be? I read that stupid ass article on the florida times union the other day and it may absolutely new sense. I despise our local media.They have been a mess the past couple of weeks. I don't know if their bored or what. But their articles have been a reach this offseason. For him to be a fourth round pick, he's been damn good. And he is versatile players that were getting excellent value for. Who gives a fuck if hes 5'7". The times union writers are dumbasses to the fifth power. The best comment I read was "They knew he was short when they drafted him, why would they cut him because he's short?"  I swear between Vito, Gene, and Ryan the times union has have enough dumbass-ness to go around here lately.

[I-10east]

^^^I totally agree. Between the sports national media and much of our local sports media, that's enough to drive a person insane. I'm glad that 1010XL does a pretty decent job.

[duvaldude08]

Ive learned that sports writing is about rumor and speculation. Theres not much truth to anything they write

[urbanlibertarian]

Ive learned that sports writing is about rumor and speculation. Theres not much truth to anything they write

Plenty of rumor and speculation on cable news as well.

[duvaldude08]

Ive learned that sports writing is about rumor and speculation. Theres not much truth to anything they write

Plenty of rumor and speculation on cable news as well.

yup. Thats why I dont watch it. LOL I wanna know the facts, not someone's opinon.

[copperfiend]

^^^I totally agree. Between the sports national media and much of our local sports media, that's enough to drive a person insane. I'm glad that 1010XL does a pretty decent job.

The source for this is O'Halloran, who is part of 1010XL. Their coverage has improved when they became the offical station but prior to that it was dreadful.

As for the original report. It is really nothing. O'Halloran is a reporter and there is zero reporting in the story. Just a random guess about what might happen in 3 months.

[MEGATRON]

O'Halloran is usually pretty spot on.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

Just to dredge up a sore subject, I figured that I'd post an article detailing our ticket sales....

Jaguars create new category of premium poolside seating

Published June 9, 2014, Page 17 Font Size   Resize Small Resize Normal Resize Large   |  Print  |  Share  |     
Don Muret
Welcome to the NFL, Vegas style. The Jacksonville Jaguars are rolling out the league's first party cabanas this season at EverBank Field.

As part of a $63 million stadium renovation, the Jaguars have developed 20 cabanas, replacing hundreds of regular seats, some of which had been covered by tarps, in the north end zone. They are marketing them as group spaces for both season tickets and single-game buys.

The cabanas are tented spaces, split into eight 50-person units and a dozen 20-person spaces. Each cabana has a lounge area, cushioned furniture, ceiling fans and multiple TVs with programming including the NFL RedZone channel.

The larger Spa Cabanas are tied to the two swimming pools that the Jaguars announced last year as part of the stadium upgrades, and that they have since branded as the Smart Pharmacy Spas. Those patrons buying Spa Cabanas get exclusive access to the pools and have private changing rooms, said Chad Johnson, the Jaguars' senior vice president of sales.



The Spa Cabanas and Terrace Cabanas will sit in the north end zone of EverBank Field.
Photo by: COURTESY OF JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

The smaller, Terrace Cabanas sit one level above, overlooking the pool, but those individuals do not have access to the water, Johnson said. Spa Cabana buyers are identified by wristbands they wear when entering and exiting the pools, Johnson said. The cost to buy a Spa Cabana is $12,500 a game, which comes to $250 a person. The price covers game tickets and food and drink, including beer and wine but no hard liquor.

Terrace Cabanas cost $3,000 a game, an average of $150 a person. The same food and drink package applies to those spaces. As of last week, the Jaguars had sold 65 percent of all cabanas between season-ticket and single-game sales, Johnson said. The 50-person units alone are 50 percent sold for the season.

Elsewhere in the stadium, the Jaguars are installing 38 four-seat tables between the 30-yard lines on both sides of the stadium. It's the same 4Topps product that MLB teams have installed as retrofits in their parks. In Jacksonville, the tables sit at the top of the lower bowl on walkways separating two club levels. To date, the Jaguars have sold 22 of the 38 tables. The price is $13,500 as a season-ticket package.

Another new product is the 180 new field-level seats, split equally in the northeast and southeast corners of the field, on the visitor's side. As a season ticket, those individual seats cost $375 a game, the same price as a single seat among the four-seat tables. The four-seat tables and field seats also cover the cost to buy food and drink through loaded tickets scanned at concession stands on the club levels. Hard liquor is a separate fee, Johnson said.

The opportunity to create new premium seat inventory in underperforming spaces drove the new seating projects, Johnson said.

"For us, it gives our stadium some character," he said. "We're at a place in Florida where water plays an important part and these additions help the stadium take on a new personality."

Don Muret can be reached at dmuret@sportsbusinessjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2014/06/09/Facilities/Breaking-Ground.aspx?hl=cabanas&sc=0

[KenFSU]

I love how people are acting indignant that the swimming pools aren't open to all ticket holders.

[Steve]

Did they think that the jags would allow 65,000 people in the pool??

[Crabernacle]

I've maintained since the beginning that there will be a firm no plebs policy governing the pools.