WEDNESDAY MUSINGS: MARSHAWN'S SLOGAN, LA STADIUM NEWS, KENTUCKY - ARKANSAS

Marshawn Lynch: I guess I better quote Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch before it costs me some royalty fees. "I'm just here so I won't get fined" may soon be trademarked by Lynch. Since the Super Bowl is now ancient history, I'll remind you that the sentence is what Lynch repeatedly stated during media day prior to the Seahawks' match-up with New England. Really? The guy has turned  tweaking the noses of the NFL and it's agreement with the players' union into a merchandising gold-mine. I don't fault the guy for attempting to cash in on his NFL success, but I find it pure hypocrisy that he would wear a hat sporting his own product line logo while maintaining that the NFL was some arm-twisting, exploitative body with commissioner Roger Goodell as its chief villain. I think after the latest revelation of how Lynch has profited from those appearances, it will be a bit more difficult for him to make anyone believe that he was being forced or exploited by the NFL and the Seahawks. I'd like to see Marshawn Lynch make it out there on his own with no NFL television package and without the league popularity that he had very little hand in generating. Prior to Lynch's blatant money grab, I was leaning toward his position of not having to sit for interviews if it was an uncomfortable situation for him. But that ship has sailed and any support I might have had for him has clearly dissipated, not for his great on the field performance, but specifically relative to this issue.

Raiders and Chargers To L.A.? Could it be that the NFL franchises in Oakland and San Diego will swing a deal to share a stadium in the Greater Los Angeles area? Both California teams have long been seeking better places to play and L.A. has been without an NFL team since the Rams left for St. Louis. Another deal seems to be much farther along that will bring the St. Louis Rams back to Los Angeles, one that was approved this week by the Inglewood city council. It would have an 80,000 seat stadium as part of a larger, $2 Billion project on the site of Hollywood Park and the old L.A. Forum. The beauty of this construction beast is that it doesn't involve taxpayer funding, something that's very attractive to me. Is it possible to go from no teams in the country's second largest market to having three by the 2018 season? I seriously doubt it, but the Rams appear to be the most likely to make the move. It would greatly surprise me if the St. Louis area can come up with a better deal than Inglewood, but the ball is definitely in their court in an effort to avoid losing their second NFL franchise to another city.

Kentucky Still Unbeaten: The top ranked Kentucky Wildcats (27 - 0) head to Mississippi State (12 - 15) in an effort to remain unbeaten and to get within a conference win of clinching the regular season SEC crown. But if they get by the Bulldogs, which they should, a very talented and athletic Arkansas team will come into Rupp Arena on Saturday with their sites squarely set on spoiling the Wildcats' perfect season. Although the Razorbacks allowed Texas A&M to make last night's contest in Fayetteville close at the end, there were times that the home team looked absolutely dominant in every phase of the game. Do the Hogs have enough to pull the upset? Definitely. Is it probable? No. The outcome could very well hinge on how well Arkansas can defend on the perimeter and make Kentucky work for open shots. At times this season, teams have been able to get a lot of clear looks at three pointers, most notably Ole Miss when they routed the Hogs 101 - 86, a game that prompted Arkansas coach Mike Anderson to revamp his defensive scheme. If Kentucky wins to go 29 - 0, the only game that would probably challenge them prior to the NCAA tournament would be a rematch with Arkansas in the SEC tournament. A 34 - 0 Wildcat team entering March madness would certainly ratchet up interest in an event that really needs no further hype.

Don't forget to check out my new book, "Roughing the Passer - A PK Frazier Novel" and my first, "Illegal Procedure - A PK Frazier Novel", available in print and e-formats at Amazon.com, iBooks and Smashwords.