Police Seize Desmond Clark's Rental Home

According to a report from a Tampa television station, local police in Lakeland, FL have temporarily seized custody of a rental home belonging to Chicago Bears' tight end Desmond Clark. The seizure came after police grew tired of repeatedly investigating the house because of suspected illegal activity.

Via BayNews9.com:

Known drug dealers and prostitutes were regular guests at the rental home of Desmond Clark, of the Chicago Bears, owns at 901 North Tennessee Ave. in Lakeland, according to police.

Police say Clark and his brother, who acts as the property's landlord, were warned several times to clean up the property before the issue was brought before Lakeland's City Nuisance Abatement Board. The board decided that the house should be made off-limits on January 15th. At that point, the windows were boarded and signs were put up warning people not to trespass on the property. Clark will be allowed to once again rent the property beginning next year.

One of the questions that has been asked (and as yet unanswered) regarding the lockout is whether any off-field transgressions would be punished by the Commissioner's office once the NFL resumed playing. This could be a potential test case, especially if Clark is found to have any further connection to the unsavory types who were using the house for *ahem* business purposes.

(H/T to Todd Wright)

Sunday Reading: NFL Players Get Real World Inspiration

Recently I've commented on the sometimes fractured solidarity of the NFL players as the expiration date for the league's collective bargaining agreement draws near.

News of a potential NFL work stoppage has begun to seep over from the sports sections to the business section. But in the past week, it appears that many "real world" issues are starting to find their way into the league's affairs.

Some inside and outside of the NFL Players Association have questioned union head DeMaurice Smith's ability to get a deal done without giving up major concessions. While other players have publicly expressed their support, Smith used the inspiration of the recent Egyptian revolution to help make his case and galvanize his constituents at the same time.

Via The Nation:

“You know,” he said, “we watched things unfold in a far-off country where a lot of the discussion preceding the protests was purely social media, people connecting. We have an ability to get our ‘let us play’ ad out. We know that anybody listening can type in ‘let us play’ and that ad will pop up and, frankly, if networks want to make a decision to boycott us, keep us off, those are the kind of things that get me fired up and let me know that I’m on the right side of right.”

His words were given a boost by a pair of news stories peripherally related to football later in the week. It began with the ongoing public worker protests in Wisconsin. Several current and former Green Bay Packers publicly extended their support for the unions, the most notable being All-Pro cornerback Charles Woodson.

Woodson's statement was about more than looking good in the eyes of Packer fans (although it certainly won't hurt). It was also a message to owners from one of the league's elected NFLPA player representatives about the union's resolve to fight.

The second story was the tragic suicide of former Chicago Bear Dave Duerson. Just a day after his death, reports surfaced that Duerson believed football led to a degenerative brain disease and left his brain intact in order to have it studied. The idea has strengthened current players' objections to the idea of an 18-game regular season. It should also boost the union's push for better benefits for retired players.


DeMaurice Smith: On an NFL Lockout and Inspiration From Egypt

For perhaps the first time in the history of NFL labor negotiations, the players have significant leverage. The league is reportedly earning billions every year (and was recently reported to be nearing a $2 billion extension with ESPN to continue broadcasting Monday Night Football), yet is asking the players to take a "trust us" approach over owners' claims of financial losses. The players are being asked to work more for less money while the league will still collect television revenue even if there is no football next season. 

Everything is aligned for Smith and the NFLPA to begin their stand here. If this week doesn't build player unity, what will?

New Era Radio Episode #14: It's Not Easy Being Green

On this week's exciting episode of New Era Radio...Marcas goes on a diet! The boys decide which classic hip-hop albums deserve a re-release. Oh, and they break down the NFC and AFC championship games (if you're into that sort of thing).

Strip Club Owner Banking On Bears-Jets Super Bowl

With the NFL set to host its AFC and NFC Championship games on Sunday, football fans are deciding which of the four possible Super Bowl matchups would be the most entertaining. While this is one of those years in which the NFL wins either way (four great football markets with large, rabid fanbases and great storylines), it appears that a Dallas-area strip club operator has his wallet heart set on seeing two particular teams get there.

Eric Langan, CEO of Rick's Cabaret says a Chicago Bears-New York Jets Super Bowl could mean a boost of up to $2 million for his clubs in the DFW area. From Reuters:

"We estimate, worst case, it will be about an additional $1 million in revenue for us," he said in a telephone interview, adding the company did about that much extra during the Super Bowl in Miami last year.

"But if we get a New York-Chicago Bears Super Bowl, then it could be really big," Langan added, citing the size of the cities. "We could be as high as $2 million."

It's no secret that hosting a Super Bowl is a huge financial boost to the local market. Hotels, restaurants, bars, taxi cabs all see a major boost in revenue for the week that the entire American sporting public focuses its beer-goggled gaze at the lucky city. You can add strip clubs to that list as well. But only $1 million last year? In Miami? C'mon, sports fans. You can do better than that. It's even more disappointing when you consider the women of Rick's picked the Saints to win it all.

Then again, Langan knows what he's talking about. According to a 2008 profile in Forbes Magazine, Rick's was (literally) a heartbeat away from setting up shop inside Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas which would have been the first gentlemen's club ever inside of a casino along The Strip. Which, come to think of it, would have been the perfect name for the place.

Forget Bart Scott's "Can't wait!", it appears that Rick's Cabaret has thrown down the gauntlet to you, Packer and Steeler fans. Are you really willing to be outdone by the depravity of New Yorkers and Chicagoans? Are you ready to prove that you can spend thousands of dollars one at a time? We know you can handle snow, but are you willing to make it rain? We await your answer.