(More) Quick Hits 8/26

• I could've edited this into the Sam piece, but I'll let it stand on it's own:  I am reminded of several years back -- I believe it was the year Auburn won the BCS title with $Cam.  ESPN, the week before the first BCS standings were out that year, published an article compiling all of the computers and polls which were available, and computed a provisional BCS standing.  Boise State was #1.  Boise was never in the top 2 of any official BCS standing that season.

It really makes me wonder if this is the warning shot that is basically trying to show the demand that the league be kept "pure" from Michael Sam (and those who support him).

• Current apparent skinny is, should ESPN and the homophobes succeed, than an undrafted free agent (Ethan Westbrooks) would be the beneficiary. 
• Manchester United may need some serious help staying relevant.  They just held their first league cup (the Capital One Cup -- kind of secondary to the FA Cup), and lost to a team two divisions below them (MK Dons) 4-0.  They have no wins on the season.
• More silence from Roger Goodell, et. al., on both Ndamokung Suh and D.J. Swearinger.  One would have to think, with Suh's track record about matching Meriweather's, that his penalty would already have been looked at.
• The New York Daily News is crying to Mommy about the penalties in the NFL preseason.

Let's get with reality:  They can't play defense.  Many of them have no business out there.  Take away defensive holding, the illegal chucks they used to get away with downfield, and the horse-collar tackle, and many of these people might as well watch the WRs run by, because they can't play the position.

• Through 49 games of the 2013 pre-season, according to the statistical gurus at ESPN (ESPN Stats and Info), 66 penalties were called for illegal contact (17), defensive holding (27) and illegal use of the hands (22).  THREE HUNDRED TWENTY-NINE in 2014 in 49 games.  Sounds like they dialed back a bit in Week 3, but it's still an increase of a factor of 5. 
• 84 contact, 146 holding, 99 illegal use of hands.  The difference of 263 is most of the difference in the penalty counts for the preseasons.  This season's 1,106 comes out to 22.7 penalties a game.
• For the record, Cincinnati was called for 13 penalties vs. Arizona on Sunday, making them the 17th team out of 32 that week to get 10 or more accepted flags.
• And here's some numbers from the story which I believe will be the main focus of this season, team-wise:  Seattle only got six penalties against the Bears in Week 3.  (Won 34-6)  Eight vs. San Diego in Week 2. (Won 41-14)  Thirteen vs. Denver in Week 1. (Lost 21-16 -- Denver had 12)
• In no coincidence, the last two Seattle preseason games have been at home.  The Denver game was in Denver.  It is largely believed that the emphasis is in response to the "Legion of Boom" and their "dominance", when, really, that "dominance" was dirty hits and taunting, not necessarily the little stuff.
• Brandon Meriweather, in surprise to nobody, will appeal his fine, and some of his team have his back.