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| Commissioner Bill Money (far right) is on the road with the Bernie Sanders campaign. |
By Ariel Mutha-Tafoya
FSN Sports
In the latest bizarre twist to an increasingly bizarre story, NFFA Commissioner William D. Money claimed he could not recall ever authorizing fellow owner QCurl Sharif to rule on a claim that Money’s East Nashville Black Dogs should be named as rightful champions for the 2014 season.
Last week, Sharif, citing authority he had received from the commissioner, declared that the Downtown Corsairs must forfeit all claim to last year’s league title. His ruling stemmed from a complicated claim filed in May by Black Dogs’ GM Buddy Ryan.
Money, who reportedly spent last week at a spiritual retreat/spa in Arizona, turned up Monday backstage at a Bernie Sanders rally in Dubuque, Iowa. A reporter covering the Sanders campaign for Politico recognized Money, who was wearing Dunhill sunglasses, a grey “Feel the Bern” t-shirt and a “Newport ‘65” baseball cap.
When the reporter asked for a comment about last week’s ruling, Money appeared perplexed and said, “I don’t remember appointing Mr. Sharif to arbitrate anything. In fact, I can’t imagine why I would ever appoint him to do anything that I wanted to get done.”
Money’s statement left a pall of uncertainty around whether Sharif’s ruling should or even could be enforced. “When the whole decision rested on authority given by the league commissioner, and the commissioner then says that authority was never given, then I can’t imagine how the ruling would be allowed to stand,” said Prudence Juris, a professor at Nashville’s Belmont University School of Law. “The league would be open to charges of fraud, collusion and antitrust violations.”
Money stopped short of suggesting that Sharif had knowingly usurped the authority to invalidate the Corsairs’ championship. “Somebody will have to investigate this investigation,” the commissioner said. “First, I’ll have to find someone I can trust. That’s no easy task in this league.
“I trust QCurl, but as we all know it has been a tough year for him, as is every year. I am sure he is doing his best.”
Money’s shocking revelation produced an impromptu celebration at The Palm, the Corsairs’ unofficial headquarters. NashVegas Mayor Karl Dean said that, in the wake of the news, he would reconsider his threat to prevent fans and players from accessing the city’s five NFFA stadiums when league play was to begin in September. “Perhaps,” said Dean, “Bill Money has come to his senses and helped this city avert a moral and economic calamity.”
Mojo D, reached during a team-building exercise at Third Man Records, also refused to assign blame. “I find it completely plausible that Bill Money does not remember authorizing QCurl to take any action on the league’s behalf, and I find it entirely believable that QCurl might have hallucinated the whole thing with the purest of intentions,” said the Corsair owner. “Our calling as an organization is not to be pointers of fingers but seekers of truth.”
Money declined to say whether Sharif’s ruling would be reversed, suggesting that he might consult with the league’s newest owner, Donald Trump, who also is in Iowa this week. “He’s beholden to no one,” Money observed.
Asked about reports of memory loss following head injuries he suffered from an unknown assailant with an iron skillet, Money smiled and said, “I have no recollection of that,” and excused himself as he purchased a skewer of chocolate-covered tofu cubes from a concessionaire.
FSN Sports
In the latest bizarre twist to an increasingly bizarre story, NFFA Commissioner William D. Money claimed he could not recall ever authorizing fellow owner QCurl Sharif to rule on a claim that Money’s East Nashville Black Dogs should be named as rightful champions for the 2014 season.
Last week, Sharif, citing authority he had received from the commissioner, declared that the Downtown Corsairs must forfeit all claim to last year’s league title. His ruling stemmed from a complicated claim filed in May by Black Dogs’ GM Buddy Ryan.
Money, who reportedly spent last week at a spiritual retreat/spa in Arizona, turned up Monday backstage at a Bernie Sanders rally in Dubuque, Iowa. A reporter covering the Sanders campaign for Politico recognized Money, who was wearing Dunhill sunglasses, a grey “Feel the Bern” t-shirt and a “Newport ‘65” baseball cap.
When the reporter asked for a comment about last week’s ruling, Money appeared perplexed and said, “I don’t remember appointing Mr. Sharif to arbitrate anything. In fact, I can’t imagine why I would ever appoint him to do anything that I wanted to get done.”
Money’s statement left a pall of uncertainty around whether Sharif’s ruling should or even could be enforced. “When the whole decision rested on authority given by the league commissioner, and the commissioner then says that authority was never given, then I can’t imagine how the ruling would be allowed to stand,” said Prudence Juris, a professor at Nashville’s Belmont University School of Law. “The league would be open to charges of fraud, collusion and antitrust violations.”
Money stopped short of suggesting that Sharif had knowingly usurped the authority to invalidate the Corsairs’ championship. “Somebody will have to investigate this investigation,” the commissioner said. “First, I’ll have to find someone I can trust. That’s no easy task in this league.
“I trust QCurl, but as we all know it has been a tough year for him, as is every year. I am sure he is doing his best.”
Money’s shocking revelation produced an impromptu celebration at The Palm, the Corsairs’ unofficial headquarters. NashVegas Mayor Karl Dean said that, in the wake of the news, he would reconsider his threat to prevent fans and players from accessing the city’s five NFFA stadiums when league play was to begin in September. “Perhaps,” said Dean, “Bill Money has come to his senses and helped this city avert a moral and economic calamity.”
Mojo D, reached during a team-building exercise at Third Man Records, also refused to assign blame. “I find it completely plausible that Bill Money does not remember authorizing QCurl to take any action on the league’s behalf, and I find it entirely believable that QCurl might have hallucinated the whole thing with the purest of intentions,” said the Corsair owner. “Our calling as an organization is not to be pointers of fingers but seekers of truth.”
Money declined to say whether Sharif’s ruling would be reversed, suggesting that he might consult with the league’s newest owner, Donald Trump, who also is in Iowa this week. “He’s beholden to no one,” Money observed.
Asked about reports of memory loss following head injuries he suffered from an unknown assailant with an iron skillet, Money smiled and said, “I have no recollection of that,” and excused himself as he purchased a skewer of chocolate-covered tofu cubes from a concessionaire.
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