Legislation signed on Seattle arena deal (Yahoo! Sports)
2012
Vince Young has run out of money
2012
On July 30, 2006, Vince Young, the No. 3 overall pick of the 2006 NFL draft, signed a six-year contract with the Tennessee Titans that was worth just over $48 million, had a maximum value of $57.79 million, and contained $25.74 million in guaranteed money.
Just over six years later, Young is not on the NFL radar screen and has run out of money, the Associated Press reports.
Young earned over $30 million of his rookie contract and banked another $4 million last season with the Philadelphia Eagles. Young signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Buffalo Bills in May, but that deal included just $350,000 in guaranteed money and the former University of Texas standout was released in favor of Tyler Thigpen and Tarvaris Jackson in August.
[More NFL: Tim Tebow may eventually consider a career in politics]
Young's financial mess has been well-documented. In June, Young filed a lawsuit against his former agent, Major Adams II, and financial adviser, Ronnie T. Peoples of Peoples Financial Service. In the suit, Young claims that at least $5.5 million of his money was misappropriated by Peoples Financial Service. The suit came on the heels of Young defaulting on a $1.9 million loan obtained in Young's name with Pro Player Funding LLC, which has received a $1.69 million judgment against the former Heisman Trophy finalist.
According to Trey Dolezal, Young's attorney, the loan with Pro Player Funding was obtained by Adams and Peoples, who Young has accused of falsifying documents, forging his signature and impersonating him for their own financial gain.
"They conspired to take Vince's money," Dolezal told the Associated Press. "It's that simple."
What's not so simple is Young's path back to the NFL. His opportunity with the Bills may have been his last shot for a steady NFL paycheck. Bills head coach Chan Gailey is a creative offensive mind who could have used a player with Young's mobility, but a 48.1 percent completion percentage and a pair of interceptions in the preseason helped seal his fate with the club. Another factor was Thigpen's willingness to take a $1 million pay cut to remain with the team, a move that Young, who was due $1.25 million in salary, a $300,000 roster bonus in the opening week of the season and $6,250 for each game he was active ($100,000 total), couldn't make.
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Dolezal believes that Young's financial situation may have been a factor in the Bills' decision to release the quarterback.
"I wasn't in the room when they (the Bills) made a decision, but what would you think? It certainly wouldn't help me if I'm the owner or the head coach knowing all this is going on with Vince and then he goes out and plays poorly," Dolezal said.
A possibility for Young could be the CFL. After his release from Buffalo, Young was added to the Montreal Alouette's "negotiation list," which would give them exclusive negotiating rights. The Als currently have the ageless Anthony Calvillo, Adrian McPherson and Josh Neiswander on their quarterback depth chart. Another possibility is the United Football League, which is attempting to restart in a few weeks and has a contract with the CBS Sports Network.
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John Wes Townley(!) to make Cup debut at Pocono on Sunday
2012
The only surprises on the Sprint Cup Series entry lists come from the teams at the bottom of the points standings, and for the most part, the surprises aren't all that surprising. However, the entry list for Sunday's race at Pocono had a double take moment with the inclusion of John Wes Townley.
Yes, the same John Wes Townley who planned to return to NASCAR before the 2012 season but was suspended by his team, RAB Racing, for the first race of the Camping World Truck Series season for being arrested for DUI. The same John Wes Townley who parted ways with Richard Childress Racing after just five Nationwide Series races in 2010 and boasts not one single top 10 in 57 NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series races.
Huh.
Townley will be driving the No. 32 for FAS Lane Racing this year. The car, in 34th position in the owner's points standings, is locked into the race. While FAS Lane hasn't been competitive this year, Ken Schrader, Terry Labonte, Mike Bliss, Reed Sorenson and TJ Bell have all taken turns behind the wheel. Labonte and Bliss have NASCAR championships. Hell, TJ Bell has 13 top 10s in the Truck Series. And now Townley will join them on the No. 32 driver roster.
The reasoning for FAS Lane putting Townley in the car is simple. His father is the co-founder of Zaxby's Restaurants. Zaxby's has sponsored Townley for much of his career and will be on the No. 32 on Sunday. It's precious funding for a team that's been off the pace but running at the finish at all but three Sprint Cup Series races this season -- and those three ended early because of accidents.
It's not a stretch to wonder if Townley would have a NASCAR career if it wasn't for the funding that his family provides. Yes, Zaxby's hasn't sponsored his truck for RAB this year, but the chain sponsored his first 44 NASCAR races. He may not even have gotten a shot if he hadn't had a father who is the CFO of the chain and a stockholder in over 40 restaurants.
But with the sponsorship landscape being what it is in NASCAR, funding has become the 1B to talent's 1A. (Or maybe it's the other way around?) Just look at the patchwork of sponsors that Matt Kenseth, the freaking points leader before crashing on Sunday, has had this season. With the costs of fielding a Sprint Cup car -- lest even a competitive one -- still rising while corporate spending isn't, a situation like this was inevitable.
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