We welcome Gavin McDougald to the writing team at betED.com!

The view from the Couch

A decade ago a major sports media outlet came up with a very novel idea: to give the fan a voice. They - for no good reason - gave it to me. I was perhaps the first professional sports fan.

A lifelong follower of the world of fun and games, I was as opinionated as, well… you are. The only difference being, I was in the right place at the right time.

They hired me to blather on about the concerns from those in the cheep seats, or in my case, from the couch. To protect my identity, and to avoid parental embarrassment, I took on that nickname, Couch, or for formal occasions, CouchMaster.

For whatever reason, after all these years later, I am still paid to prattle on about what I see, hear and occasionally, think. I do think on occasion.

However, mine is a voice in the wilderness. We fans remain all but ignored by those in power in sports. Be it the leagues, the athletes themselves, even the press; the constituency that pays all of their salaries has been all but disregarded.

Never are fans considered when a league is in collective bargaining negotiations with its players. Not once have the fans been asked for their say on any of the major decisions that the sports we love make on our behalf. When was the last time a commissioner in any sport met with those who fill their seats to get their input?

I have heard of it happening only once. Gary Bettman of the National Hockey League met with a pal of mine who was voted the NHL’s, “Fan of the Year.” He even was allowed to be, “Commissioner for a Day.” The end result? That league shortly thereafter locked out its players and cancelled an entire season for the first time in North American history.

Let’s hope the other leagues don’t use the NHL as an example – for anything.

So – very briefly – here’s what I think about sports:

We are collectively, without a doubt, on top of the sports food-chain, but for the most part, we’re wasting this great opportunity. We do vote with our remotes on what we want to and what we don’t want to watch. We do get to apply pressure with our wallets by not buying tickets, beer and hotdogs or that latest jersey. In addition, we, on very rare occasions, force players, coaches, GM’s and even ownership changes.

But to truly exercise our power to its fullest extent, the aforementioned leagues, players and media would all be bending over backwards to satisfy us.

Currently they abuse us, and that is what we will have to change.

The action adds to the world of fun and games’ attraction, but regardless of how serious a player you are here at betED.com, the essential truth is you, like me, are a sports fan.

That means we are in charge.

Let’s hope the new boss ain’t like the old boss.

Cheers – Gavin McDougald – AKA Couch

NFL Wire - The NFL's most stable and successful franchise had a fairly tumultuous offseason. It only seems appropriate considering what the league has witnessed over the past few months.

While the NFL and its fans welcome the start of the regular season, maybe more than ever, the Patriots see if they can overcome a bevy of personnel changes as their quest to win a third consecutive Super Bowl begins against Randy Moss and the Oakland Raiders.

Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, league officials and fans across the country must be happy their focus can finally turn to the games that count, as opposed to many ugly off-the-field issues that have made headlines in recent months.

The Terrell Owens saga in Philadelphia was the big story for quite some time before significantly more grim matters took the forefront. First, it was the death of 49ers lineman Thomas Herrion, and now it's the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina that could force New Orleans to play its entire schedule outside of Louisiana.

New England dealt with its share of disheartening news on a smaller scale, learning Tedy Bruschi would have to sit out this season due to a stroke he suffered only days after the team beat the Eagles to win the Super Bowl.

"We have a lot of respect and love for Bruschi. But he's gone," safety Rodney Harrison said. "That's unfortunate for us, but we have to move on. Just like if I got injured they'd have to move on without me. That's just part of the game. That's reality."

Bruschi's situation and the sudden retirement of Ted Johnson leaves coach Bill Belichick without half of his starting linebackers. Journeyman Monty Beisel, former Pro Bowl selection Chad Brown and special-teams standout Matt Chatham are expected to fill in.

The absence of Bruschi and Johnson certainly makes things tougher on defensive coordinator Eric Mangini, the longtime Belichick assistant who takes over for Romeo Crennel.

"I don't anticipate any problems. Eric's been in the system," Harrison said. "We love both of those guys to death. We have all of the respect in the world for Eric, as well as Romeo."

Though facing the defending Super Bowl champions is a tough way to start things off for a team coming off a 5-11 season, many Raiders are looking forward to the challenge.

"I think it's a great opportunity for us," Oakland center Jake Grove said. "Obviously last year was disappointing, and this year we have a chance, a fresh slate to come out on national TV -- everybody's going to be watching -- and show people what we're all about."

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Seattle Mariners rookie Mike Morse was suspended 10 days Wednesday for violating baseball's steroids policy, and said he was still being punished for an "enormous mistake" he made in 2003.

Morse became the ninth major-league player penalized under the sport's tougher drug rules. He hit a go-ahead single in the seventh inning for a 3-2 win over Oakland on Tuesday, and on Wednesday the grievance by the players association to overturn the suspension was denied by arbitrator Shyam Das.

"This result is unfair and unfortunate. It punishes Michael Morse again for conduct for which he has already been punished," said Michael Weiner, the union's general counsel. "The PA does not believe the parties ever intended for the Basic Agreement to compel such a harsh result."

Morse, 23, was batting .287 with three home runs and 23 RBI in 209 at-bats since being called up from Triple-A earlier this season. The infielder-outfielder was acquired last season in the trade that sent pitcher Freddy Garcia to the Chicago White Sox.

"We think you cannot evaluate a program based on the results of a single case, that overall, the rules that we negotiated are designed to be strict but fair with the overall goal being to deter use," said Rob Manfred, executive vice president of labor relations in the commissioner's office. "To the extent that anyone disagrees with the result in a particular case, it might be the result of our desire to deter use."

In a statement before Wednesday's game against the Athletics, Morse apologized to "the fans, my teammates, the Mariners organization, baseball and to my family," and he offered an explanation.

"Back in November 2003 when I was 21 years old, I made an enormous mistake in my life: I took steroids while in the minor leagues," he said. "My thigh muscle, which I had previously torn, had never healed and I was scared that my career was over. I was desperate and made a terrible mistake which I deeply regret.

"In May 2004, I was punished and suspended, which I deserved, for my mistake. I embarrassed myself, my family and my team. I am responsible for the mistake of taking steroids and the positive result was not due to some over-the-counter supplement, protein shake or tainted test."

Morse said the steroids, however, remained in his body and that he was again suspended in July 2004 while in the minors. He said those remnants resulted in another positive test this year, and he appealed those results.

"I am troubled that I will be suspended for the third time despite the fact that the scientific evidence supports that I kept my promise that I would never use steroids again," he said. "Even the (arbitration) panel states in its written decision that 'the panel recognizes that this result may be viewed as unfair to Michael Morse.'

"I find it unfair that I am being punished three different times for making the mistake of taking steroids in the 2003 offseason. At least there is some solace in the fact that the scientific evidence supports that I kept my promise that I would never use steroids again," his statement said.

Later, Morse met with reporters and said, "I know what I did and I was wrong."

"I was a man about it and I confronted it. I came forward and served my time," he said. "Now it's twice for the same thing. Now I get this again two years later. It's just unfair."

"I'm not lying and I'm not hiding anything," he said. "I'm for testing. I'm for kicking out steroids."

Earlier this season, Mariners pitcher Ryan Franklin and Seattle outfielder Jamal Strong were penalized for violating the steroids policy.

"We've had two other people at the major-league level and this is no different," Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi said. "We're not happy about it."

Asked whether he felt badly for Morse because of the background, Bavasi said: "Everyone has natural feelings and given the circumstances, sure."