1
The Timbers continue to work their way toward the bottom of the Major League Soccer power rankings with the Portland team now at 0-2-3 for the season.
Fansided.com slots Portland at No. 13 and says, “On paper, it doesn’t look like Portland will have a rough time with Chivas USA on Saturday, but you never know in a parity-driven league like this.”
But soccer.si.com actually has Chivas at No. 14, one slot ahead of Portland at No. 15.
“After such a promising 2013 season and an offseason of hopeful additions, the Timbers are winless in five games and searching for answers,” says the website.Fansided ranks Seattle at No. 10, while soccer.si.com places the Sounders at No. 8.
2
A month from today is the NFL draft, which is being hailed in league circles as one of the deepest in years. If there’s any team that holds keys to the major drama that could unhold in the first round, it’s St. Louis.
The Rams have the second and 13th overall picks, which also gives them limitless trade scenarios.
With consecutive records of 7-9, the Rams are not that far from a playoff team. The won seven games in 2013 with their starting quarterback out.
GM Les Snead could trade down and keep the team stocked in the draft for years to come. But 7-9 isn’t a stellar mark and pressure to win now might be more important.
3
Many newspapers and their local college have a symbiotic relationship, where each benefits from the other. But at Rutgers, wow, it’s nasty.
Rutgers athletic director Julie Hermann is not a fan of the media, and wouldn’t mind seeing the Newark Star-Ledger fold. The Star-Ledger announced layoffs last week of 167 workers.
Speaking to a class of journalism students a few weeks ago, Hermann said it would be “great” if the newspaper ceased to exist.
“If they’re not writing headlines that are getting our attention, they’re not selling ads — and they die,” Hermann told the Media Ethics and Law class, according to the website Muckgers.com. “And the Ledger almost died in June, right?”
“They might die again next month,” a student said.
“That would be great,” she replied. “I’m going to do all I can to not give them a headline to keep them alive.”
When Hermann was hired last year, the newspaper reported allegations that she was verbally abusive to players when she was a volleyball coach at Tennessee.
