Pay Us for the Preseason. This is Richard Sherman’s second column for SI.com’s MMQB. The Seahawks All-Pro cornerback writes about the injuries that a lot of players have suffered, but he still thinks the preseason is necessary.
All told, there’s only one way to soften the blow of injuries like (Giants safety Stevie) Brown’s: Either make the experience more affordable for fans, or pay players for the risks we’re taking. Now, I hesitate to complain about money. We all make a really good living playing this game. Yet there’s a certain economic inequity at work here. Logically, if a Seahawks fan has to pay over $375 dollars for club seats on Thursday when we play the Raiders in the final preseason game, and the beers in the 300 section still cost the standard $8, and the owners are still pulling in near the same amount they would for a regular season game, why shouldn’t players get the same cut we’ll soon earn when the games count?
The Gangster in the Huddle. This Rolling Stones story alleges former Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was heavy into using angel dust. It traces the days leading up to the murder he’s been charged with and recounts his life as a well-respected youngster growing up in Bristol, Conn., and how he failed drug tests at Florida (yet never missed a snap) and ended up as a gangster-like thug.
It hasn’t been a smooth road for Chiefs QB Alex Smith. The Kansas City Star story takes a look at the unconventional route that Smith took to get to the NFL and how the death of his closest friend impacted his life. The Bremerton-born quarterback is the son of former Olympic High football coach Doug Smith, who is quoted in the story.
Wayback Machine: Genesis of Husky Stadium. Sportspress.com takes a look at how the original Husky Stadium came to be. It opened in 1920. The latest remodeled version debuts on Saturday when the Huskies play Boise State at 7 p.m.
