2006 Roster of Voters in the Harris Poll

Here you have it, the roster of the 114 voters in the 2006 Harris Interactive Poll (double-click on the image for an enlarged view). This is a bit of a scoop because we beat Harris to posting the complete list of all their voters, so that shows you what a joke of a poll this is. The Harris poll, of course, was brought into the bowl championship series fold after Associated Press told the BCS it no longer wanted to be a party to the selection process. We haven't had a chance to pick over all the names yet, but there are several members of the media on board.

Admitting You Have a Problem

No longer do you have to run from convenience store to convenience store on the Internet in search of a fireyourcoach site. We're talking consolidation here, folks. It's all in one superstore on the Internet, or at least the names of 27 coaches. The site Redshirted, reportedly operated by a technology worker in Austin, has prices ranging from $50 to $250. Examples: FireTedRoof.com is available for $50 and FireGaryPinkel.com has a price tag of $250. The site says value is determined on fan base, expectation of success, team record and controversy. All the fireyourcoach URLs direct you back to the site, which is reportedly operated by a technology work in Austin. The site also suggests that a domain name could be used against an arch-rival to help destabilize the coach. "Sometimes your best defense is a good offense." Not all of the URLs have paid off. FireGerryDinardo.com is still available for $100, and he was ousted two years ago by Indiana. Thanks to the Midwest Correspondent.

Secret Agent Man Raids the Raiders

Before the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, this country's best and brightest were sent on covert missions deep into enemy territory. Knowing that Texas Tech officials were guarding their poster schedule like Stasi, the old secret police of East Germany, only one person was capable of penetrating the elaborate and unprecedented security measures to get the goods. We are happy to report that reader Greg successfully completed his mission and is now resting comfortably at a secret location, awaiting his next assignment. So the question before you is this: was it worth it? We will let the viewing public be the judge on this one. ... The list: Miami, Memphis, Arizona, North Carolina State, Oregon, Wyoming, Nevada, Kentucky, Clemson, Fresno State, Rice, Alabama, Oklahoma, Toledo, Vanderbilt-Tennessee, Washington State-Washington, Brigham Young-West Virginia-Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC. We have several poster images backed up and ready to go, but fear not because we will get to them all. In the meantime, keep them coming! The address: dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Give Us Your Best Shot

Are you headed to a game this weekend? If you are and happen to have a camera in tow, we'd be interested in photos from the scene. We will consider shots of almost anything: tailgating, cheerleaders, the band, mascots, the view from the top row of the stadium, the view from the press box, even shots of the game! Any reasonable debauchery will do, although we are not big fans of images taken with a camera phone. Now there's no guarantee we will run your shot and we can't pay cash, but our credit is damn good and we will certainly give you that. Remember to include a brief description with the photo. The address: dawizofodds (at) aol.com

Let the Hype Begin

Here is a list of Heisman hopeful sites from the Plain Dealer. We've featured some of these sites before, but there are a couple of additions to the list. There might be a site or two missing, and if you know of an official site we have not included, please let us know so it can be added. As the hysteria builds, check out Heisman Pundit, the authority on all matters Heisman. The list, in alphabetical order of the teams:
Auburn running back Kenny Irons
California running back Marshawn Lynch
Georgia Tech receiver Calvin Johnson
Houston quarterback Kevin Kolb
Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm and running back Michael Bush (combined site)
Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith
Ohio State receiver Ted Ginn
Rutgers fullback Brian Leonard

Reporters' Notebooks

Emily Badger, Orlando Sentinel: The ACC has taken out an insurance policy worth up to $8 million a year to recoup losses from any games canceled because of a hurricane (registration).

Anthony Gimino, Tucson Citizen: The SEC is widely considered the top conference, but teams from the league are only 3-7 against Pac-10 opponents this decade.

Bob Thomas, Jacksonville Times-Union: The average cost of two fans from Jacksonville to spend a weekend in Tallahassee and attend a Florida State game is $813. For eight home games, the total is $6,504 (registration).

Adam Smeltz, Centre Daily Times: Scalpers are cashing in at Penn State, and police are moving in to make sure starving students don't get rich.

Kent Babb, Columbia State: South Carolina officials say the decision to leave the band behind for Thursday night's opener at Mississippi State had nothing to do with cash and everything to do with class.

Tony Phifer, Coloradoan: Fum's Song, a rousing college ditty sung by deceased Colorado State great Fum McGraw, no longer will be shown on the video screen at Hughes Stadium between the third and fourth quarters because of objectionable lyrics. See the lyrics by clicking here.

Tom Dienhart, Sporting News: He has tomorrow's news today with this scoop: Kansas coach Mark Mangino has agreed to a contract extension and will sign the deal Thursday.

Sirius: Three games are scheduled to be broadcast Thursday night by Sirius satellite radio.

In Your Face!

More to the point, it's all about attitude, and few teams bring it like Miami. With Hurricane players seemingly running into trouble at every corner, it's clear that posing for mug shots comes natural to this group. ... All kidding aside, we like this poster schedule and like it a lot. It would be difficult to find a poster that so perfectly captures the aura of a team. The list: Memphis, Arizona, North Carolina State, Oregon, Wyoming, Nevada, Kentucky, Clemson, Fresno State, Rice, Alabama, Oklahoma, Toledo, Vanderbilt-Tennessee, Washington State-Washington, Brigham Young-West Virginia-Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC. Send the Wiz a link or image of your team's poster schedule: dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Reporters' Notebooks

Larry Williams, Charleston Post and Courier: A follow to our post from Friday. The Atlantic Coast Conference has determined that Clemson cornerback Ramon McElrathbey is prohibited from receiving any sort of monetary assistance despite his extenuating circumstances. Also, an entry from the blog of the Tiger Net's Mickey Plyler. Thanks to reader Dan!

Tom Mulher, Wisconsin State Journal: The mother of Jamathan Lyle, a freshman cornerback who recently left the Wisconsin team, is taking exception to comments made by Badger coach Bret Bielema.

Mark Rosner, Austin American-Statesman: Former Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar has almost no chance of playing when his new team, Sam Houston State, meets Texas on Sept. 30 (registration).

Lee Jenkins, New York Times: Meet Northern Illinois, the team from the pesky Mid-American Conference that nobody wants to play (registration).

Dave Reardon, Honolulu Star-Bulletin: Hawaii players, who have been practicing the Maori war dance every day after practice, don't plan to showcase their new steps in the opener at Alabama.

Rick Harmon, Tampa Tribune: How much clout does Notre Dame carry? A Tampa TV station had planned to pre-empt the telecast of the Fighting Irish's opener against Georgia Tech to show hometown South Florida's game against McNeese State. But after several complaints, the South Florida telecast is being moved to another channel.

Mike Baldwin, Oklahoman: An Oklahoma State receiver who thought his playing career was over after it was discovered he has only one kidney has been cleared to return to the team (registration).

Tim Tucker, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Scalpers are making a small fortune on tickets for the Notre Dame-Georgia Tech game, with an average ticket going for $195, almost four times the face value (registration).

Brett McMurphy, Tampa Tribune: South Florida coach Jim Leavitt didn't score any points with the media during his 1 minute 59 second press conference.

Craig Smith, Seattle Times: Washington State coach Bill Doba, who lost his wife of 43 years to cancer in April, says "it's tough going home at night" without her there.

Peter Hockaday, Casper Star-Tribune: The mtn., the Mountain West's new television network, still isn't on a single TV in Wyoming.

Scott Wolf, L.A. Daily News: So what happened to Paris? Former USC quarterback Matt Leinart and Trojan women's basketball player Brynn Cameron are expecting a baby boy in November.

Irish Round Table: An interview with Don Criqui, the new voice of Notre Dame football.

Columnists' Corner

Drew Sharp, Detroit Free Press: It's put-up or shut-up time for Michigan State coach John L. Smith.

Bob Wojnowski, Detroit News: Michigan's 7-5 season was damning and enlightening. And now we learn if it was also invigorating.

Sam Ross Jr., Tribune-Review: If you ignore questions regarding the offensive line, quarterback, defensive line and secondary, Penn State looks to have a sound team.

Paul Finebaum, Mobile Register: Danny Sheridan sits down for a Q&A and says Auburn will win the SEC West and Tennessee will take the SEC East.

Mark Bradley, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Notre Dame. Can you say overrated? Georgia Tech will spring the upset (registration).

Tailgate Crap

Tired of being outclassed by those tailgaters in that 65-foot recreational vehicle? Try a few of these gizmos and you will have that crowd partying over at your jalopy in no time. First we have the Tailgator, top left. This is a gas-powered portable blender that enables you to serve a margarita or daiquiri right from the bed of your 1987 S10 Chevy pickup. Top right, we have the Tablegater, a height-adjustable hitch-mounted table that is shown with an optional stand. After all, you need someplace to set your margarita. Last but not least, we have the Paha Que' Tepee outhouse/shower shelter. This could come in handy after several margaritas. And don't forget about the terrific Map Game Day to help plot your partying strategy. There's more where this came from, so fire up the brats and let's get this party going!

They're Working Out the Bugs at Nebraska

Nebraska's new HuskerVision big screen is already drawing a crowd, but it's not the crowd officials had hoped for. Bugs — mostly moths — are swarming to the new 4,000-square foot LED television. "There's like a billion bugs," said Scott Bennett, who spends about seven hours a week on the Memorial Stadium turf practicing with the marching band. Although John Ingram, an assistant athletic director for facilities, had no comment, others were talking. "The way it's constructed is going to act like a magnet for certain insects," said James Kalisch, an extension technologist with the university's entomology department. And the problem could get worse at night. "If you have night games that go particularly late, there could be a lot more insects," Kalisch told the Daily Nebraskan. "Don't be alarmed if they land on you." ... Thanks to the Big Red Network for the image!

Advertise With the Wiz

Today marks our one-year anniversary, and now that we have established our niche in cyberspace, we would like to open the doors to direct advertising. If you are interested in reaching our audience, please send an email to dawizofodds (at) aol.com. Our readers have a passion for college football and with the season set to begin and our audience growing by the day, now is the time to get in the game!

Memphis Polishing Its Resume?

Shakeups are inevitable in college football. In June, after the Kansas City Star mentioned the possibility of Colorado moving to the Pac-10 and Arkansas moving to the Big 12, you had to wonder what the SEC might have in mind if it were to lose a team. Certainly Memphis has geographical appeal. So when the Tigers' poster schedule landed on our doorstep, thanks to reader Mark, we weren't surprised to see a polished effort. It's certainly better than many of the offerings we've displayed from SEC teams. You can take a look for yourself. Here's the list of posters featured thus far: Arizona, North Carolina State, Oregon, Wyoming, Nevada, Kentucky, Clemson, Fresno State, Rice, Alabama, Oklahoma, Toledo, Vanderbilt-Tennessee, Washington State-Washington, Brigham Young-West Virginia-Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC. Send a link or image of your team's poster schedule to dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Reporters' Notebooks

Susan Miller Degnan, Miami Herald: A police report says Miami receiver Ryan Moore, who has not been arrested, grabbed a woman by the throat and threatened another woman early Saturday morning (registration).

Jorge Milian, Palm Beach Post: Monday night's Miami-Florida State game could be moved to Jacksonville, Tampa or Orlando if the Orange Bowl is damaged by Tropical Storm Ernesto.

Mark Rosner, Austin American-Statesman: Former Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar has enrolled at Sam Houston State and former Sooner offensive lineman J.D. Quinn has transferred to Montana (registration).

Matt Eagan, Hartford Courant: The Big East is expected to announce a contract extension with ESPN that will keep its games on the network until at least 2013.

Chuck Finder, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: West Virginia and Marshall officials appear to have put any hard feelings behind them over a spying incident last April.

Loser With Socks: Who is the toughest coach to play for in Division I-A? Try Penn State's Joe Paterno.

This Site Best Viewed on a Computer

No better time to dust off the playbook and run through the gameplan one last time before the season kicks off Thursday. This is a links site and the Wiz merely sorts through the various options on a daily basis for the best of college football. We're only as good as the team around us, and that is where you the reader come into play. We value each and every contribution and the more input we get, the better the site. Don't be shy! Keep those tips coming to dawizofodds (at) aol.com. And for all the new visitors, here is a look at how the site is structured:

The Lines: Each Monday, we set up the week with the announcement of the weekly posting of the lines from Docs Sports, one of our sponsors. It will be designated under the header Week 1, Week 2, etc.

Reporters' Notebooks: This is where news stories and notes columns appear. Time permitting, this is a daily feature.

Columnists' Corner: The best of the best. What the opinion-makers are saying about the state of your team or the game.

Crystal Ball: No need to go to your resident fortuneteller. Prognosticators put it all on the line every Thursday and Friday.

Game of the Week: This is a new feature. We will key in on one game and offer an in-depth look at what each side is saying.

As always, thanks for stopping by the site! And please help spread the word about our humble little corner of cyberspace. The quick and easy URL: thewizofodds.com.

Week 1

We are pleased to announce that Doc's Sports will sponsor our weekly announcement of the lines. If you are not familiar with Doc's, it is a family-run business and one of the trusted names in handicapping. Doc's has been in business since 1971 and built quite the following in Las Vegas with its Big Ten Game of the Year. Doc's is also listed under Sponsored Links (Free College Football Picks) and The Spread (College Football Betting Odds, NFL Betting Odds). And check into getting a copy of Doc's Sports Journal, a 120-page schedule that includes every college and NFL game. Week 1 action gets an early start with nine games on Thursday. We have games through Monday. Click here to take a look at the schedule and the lines.

Wildcat Strike Nothing to Be Proud Of

If you ever lose your checkerboard, the 2006 poster schedule from Arizona could come in handy. We are not sure what is going on here, particularly with the strange bolts of electricity that run through the piece. This confusing design is enough to send us racing to our favorite watering hole in Tucson, Dirtbag's. But the Wiz's attorney has asked many times for us not to discuss anything about our visits to Dirtbag's, so we will leave it at that. The featured list: North Carolina State, Oregon, Wyoming, Nevada, Kentucky, Clemson, Fresno State, Rice, Alabama, Oklahoma, Toledo, Vanderbilt-Tennessee, Washington State-Washington, Brigham Young-West Virginia-Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC. Keep those links and images coming! The address: dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Reporters' Notebooks

Mike Knobler, Jeff D'Alessio, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Here's a quiz for you. Only eight of the 65 teams in the six BCS conferences had all their recruits qualify. Name those teams. Hint: No Big East team had a perfect score (registration).

Ian R. Rapoport, Clarion Ledger: Even though the NCAA has dropped its crowd noise penalty, the SEC continues to insist that cowbells used by Mississippi State fans are illegal and can draw a penalty.

Andy Staples, Tampa Tribune: A reporter remembers his days as a walk-on at Florida and how he ended up covering the team.

Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News: Remember the brawl that broke out at the end of the 2004 Texas Tech-Southern Methodist game? The teams play again Saturday night in Lubbock (registration).

John Maher, Austin American-Statesman: Winning a national title has enabled Texas to cash in. The Longhorns have displaced North Carolina, which was No. 1 for the past five years, in licensing revenue (registration).

Billy Turner, Times-Picayune: New Orleans was once a hotbed of prep talent. All that changed after Hurricane Katrina swept through the city.

Brett McMurphy and Gregg Becnel, Tampa Tribune: Three projected starters for South Florida will miss the first two games and possibly six because of a second positive drug test.

David Showers, Northwest Arkansas Times: Some Arkansas fans waited for hours outside a Wal-Mart to have Lou Holtz autograph a copy of his new book.

Evan Woobery, Mobile Press-Register: Auburn self-reported seven minor violations to the NCAA, including one involving the recruitment of a junior college player who eventually signed with Mississippi.

Jonathan Okanes, Contra Costa Times: With the season upon us, Aaron Taylor says he has no regrets over leaving his job as a studio analyst for ABC.

Iliana Limon, Albuquerque Tribune: A series of heavy summer rains have New Mexico officials scrambling to firm up the turf at University Stadium.

Paul Zeise, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh has moved the start time for its Sept. 16 game against Michigan State from 3:30 p.m. to noon to avoid a conflict with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Columnists' Corner

Bernie Lincicome, Rocky Mountain News: Will Texas be able to defend its national title? It is hiring lawyers right now.

Mike Huguenin, Orlando Sentinel: At least five national title contenders are going to have their championship hopes dashed in September.

Paul Finebaum, Mobile Press-Register: A book about the 1966 Alabama team that finished undefeated but was denied a third consecutive national championship is a worthwhile read.

Ray Melick, Birmingham News: We are days from the start of the season, but in Dixie it's always football season.

Brian Murphy, Idaho Statesman: The man who came up with the idea for the blue turf at Boise State now says he wants no credit for the idea.

The Only Man for This High-Pressure Job

Weather can play a big part in a game. You know trouble is around the corner when a 998-millibar low moves into the area, but exactly how will it impact the kicking game? Mixing Mother Nature and football is dangerous business and best left to professionals, but finding the right meteorologist for the Wiz proved to be a daunting task. We needed somebody who could break down not only the science, but also the passing game. Enter a man who needs no introduction. He comes to us from KREX in Grand Junction and has built an enormous cyberspace following from his days at WCCB in Charlotte, where his unique and innovative approach to weather sent the station's ratings through the roof. Welcome former college quarterback and meteorologist extraordinaire Mark Mathis, who will be bringing his forecasting wizardry to the Wiz.

Wiz: Tell us about your playing career.
Mathis: I was a walk-on at Baylor during the Southwest Conference days and the scout team's quarterback for two-and-a-half years. When I realized I was not going to play, I decided to drink beer and chase women. Not necessarily in that order!
Most of the teams we played back then ran the option or power-I offense, which means I got the hell beat out of me during the week. My sophomore year we had the No. 2 defense in the country. We had guys like Ray Crockett (Denver and Detroit), Thomas Everett (Dallas, Pittsburgh), Ron Francis (Dallas), James Francis (Cleveland) and Ray Berry (Minnesota). I was officially the fourth-team quarterback behind Cody Carlson (Houston) and Tom Mickey (Canadian Football League). They called me Flutie, and later in life they called me Rudy!
I had scholarship offers to play at Air Force and Kansas State, but my entire family went to Baylor so I thought I could walk on there and play. I didn't, just got the hell beat out of me.

Wiz: How the heck did you go from college football to weather phenomenon?
Mathis: I wanted to do sports right out of college but saw how hard the sports guys work in small markets and decided weather was the way to go. I went to Mississippi State and got my meteorology degree. I had stops all over the country doing "normal ... we are going to save your life" weather and just got sick of it.
When I went to Charlotte they said I could have a little fun. Well, I kicked that door down pretty quick. I think I did everything on air but the weather in Charlotte! It was a great deal of fun. I knew I couldn't compete with the other big stations because those guys just loved the weather, so I decided to go the opposite direction. James Ray says, "If you want to be a success, find out which way everyone else is going and head the opposite direction." Well I did!

Wiz: Your tenure in Charlotte brought you notoriety on many fronts. Can you tell me about the experience?
Mathis: The GM in Charlotte wanted to "create a disturbance" while I was in Charlotte. So I did! It worked and it got noticed. I always thought if someone (out of five stations) would do what I did, I knew it would get noticed but would it be successful? Well, it got noticed and it was highly successful! It almost developed this cult following after a while. If I did the weather normal for a few days the GM would run back to the weather office and ask if I was looking for a job. It was a lot of fun and mostly ad-lib. I would just play off of the story (usually an entertaining one) right before the main weather.

Wiz: What are the meteorological equivalents to X's and Os?
Mathis: Bruce Coslet, Famous Football Quotes: "We can't run. We can't pass. We can't stop the run. We can't stop the pass. We can't kick. Other than that, we're just not a very good football team right now."
Mark Mathis: "I can't predict storms, I hate upper atmospheric discussions. 700mb charts bore me, hurricanes get on my nerves and who the hell cares about a tornado in Kansas? Other than that, I am just not a really good meteorologist.

Wiz: Anything you would like to say independent of this to our audience?
Mathis: I love the quote from Bill Cosby: "I don't know what the secret of success is but I know the secret of failure ... and that is constantly trying to please everyone!"

Wiz: One more thing: Is there a site you would like to plug?
Mathis: www.markmathis.org

Meet Nebraska's New Quarterback

Sports by Brooks has two photos posted said to be of former Arizona State quarterback Sam Keller, who was demoted last Sunday in favor of Rudy Carpenter and has since transferred to Nebraska. Although Sun Devil coach Dirk Koetter didn't give a specific reason behind his bizarre switcheroo, the speculation centered on Keller not doing things right off the field. From what we see here, Keller was doing plenty right off the field! Of interest in this photo is the young woman on the left doing what appears to be the Shocker.

Wall Street Journal Ranks the Rankers

Predicting the results of the college football season is huge business, but when you look back at those magazines sitting on the coffee table when it's all over, you'll see that most prognosticators didn't have a clue. The Wall Street Journal has a dynamite piece in its Weekend Edition that ranks college football's fortunetellers by examining the track record of 12 of the most-read guides and preseason rankings the past five years. Lindy's ranks at the top of the Journal's list, and if you are a Notre Dame fan, you'll like what the Birmingham-based magazine has to say about 2006. Iowa fans, meanwhile, might be in for a disappointment. The Journal also found that some teams are consistently treated more generously by preseason polls, notably Tennessee and Kansas State. The piece is available online only to subscribers. Otherwise, run down to your newstand and pick one up before it is replaced by Monday's edition. Thanks to Greg for the tip!

Signature Effort From North Carolina State

Here's proof that design doesn't count for everything. North Carolina State has something special here. Nothing like having the team sign your poster schedule, is there? Wow, what a terrific idea! This is something the players will cherish and can only help to foster team unity. The Wolfpack might be the first, but they won't be the last. Don't be surprised to see this idea spring up on poster schedules in 2007. Our thanks to Corey, who heard about the site from the Wiz's appearance on Morning Mojo on 620 The Bull, and Marty of the great CFB Stats. Keep them coming folks! Send an image or link of your team's poster schedule to dawizofodds (at) aol.com. The featured list: Oregon, Wyoming, Nevada, Kentucky, Clemson, Fresno State, Rice, Alabama, Oklahoma, Toledo, Vanderbilt-Tennessee, Washington State-Washington, Brigham Young-West Virginia-Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC.

It's About Quality, Not Quantity

When it comes to marketing, no team has been as aggressive and innovative in recent years as Oregon. With various websites, billboards, uniform designs and even personalized comic books for recruits, the Ducks are second to none in getting the word out. This brings us to the 2006 poster schedule. Actually, this is one of six posters produced by Oregon, all of similar design, and you can view the rest by clicking here. Our reaction? This is one ho-hum effort, folks. Innovative isn't the proper word here. Uninteresting seems to fit the series. Maybe it's just that we've come to expect more from the No. 1 marketing team. And maybe they've gone to the well one too many times. Thanks to Marc for this. The featured list: Wyoming, Nevada, Kentucky, Clemson, Fresno State, Rice, Alabama, Oklahoma, Toledo, Vanderbilt-Tennessee, Washington State-Washington, Brigham Young-West Virginia-Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC. Send an image or link of your team's poster schedule to dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Who Takes Advantage of the System?

Something is seriously wrong here. As usual, we can't help but think about those fatcats running the NCAA, which has at least nine honchos pulling in more than a quarter-million a year, including president Myles Brand, above, who is compensated to the tune of $870,000-plus. On the other side we have Ramon McElrathbey, a 19-year-old cornerback at Clemson. McElrathbey, who has seven siblings ages 6 through 23, spent most of his childhood bouncing around foster homes. His mother, Tonya, said she has battled an addiction to crack cocaine for more than a decade. Tonya said McElrathbey's father has lived in Las Vegas the past three years and has a severe gambling problem. He has never seen his son play a down of football. Ramon, determined to do what is right to help his family, recently was granted temporary custody of his 11-year-old brother, Fahmarr. The two will be living together in an off-campus apartment, and last Friday Ramon took Fahmarr to his first day of classes at a local middle school. After the story was published by the Charleston Post and Courier, Clemson officials received an unrelenting deluge of calls and emails from fans asking how they could help. But because of NCAA rules that restrict the ability of college athletes to receive financial assistance from most of the outside world, Clemson is treading cautiously as it tries to navigate a complex situation that could end up in a violation of NCAA rules. Yes, something is wrong. Very wrong. ... Thanks to reader Dan for this.

Reporters' Notebooks

Kyle Tucker, Virginian-Pilot: A hydrotrack underwater treadmill. A bod pod. Cooling shirts. Core temperature pills. Virginia Tech has gone high tech and it's not cheap.

Doug Lesmerises, Cleveland Plain Dealer: Ohio State has started Heisman campaigns for Troy Smith and Ted Ginn.

Chip Brown, Dallas Morning News: Prices for tickets to the Ohio State-Texas game could be headed for some kind of record (registration).

Jeff Metcalfe, Arizona Republic: Quarterback Sam Keller, in his first comments since transferring to Nebraska, had nothing but good things to say about Arizona State.

Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News: Texas players say Godzillatron, the new scoreboard and video screen in Memorial Stadium, could become a distraction.

Dave Hickman, Charleston Gazette: The dumb jock image is on its way out, according to West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez.

Iliana Limon, Albuquerque Tribune: New Mexico games not on TV will be streamed over the Internet.

Grabbing the Bull by the Horns

In case you missed it, a podcast is available from the Wiz's appearance Thursday on the Morning Mojo on 620 The Bull in Raleigh-Durham. You can go directly to the mp3 by clicking here. It is the second interview behind North Carolina defensive coordinator Marvin Sanders. And to other bloggers, here is an opportunity to have your voice heard. Host Joe Ovies has come up with a terrific idea. Writes Joe: "Once a week we'll take a look at what's poppn' in the blogosphere and would like your help if you think you can pull off those written opinions on the radio. Come on, it can't be that hard! So if you bloggers think you are good enough to drop some knowledge on the morning show, drop me a line." Details are available by clicking here.

Going Gonzo at Ohio State

How far will a player go for an edge? Ohio State junior receiver Anthony Gonzalez might be taking it to an extreme by sleeping and studying in an altitude tent, a 6-by-6-by-8-foot plastic chamber that is placed over his bed. An attached device then draws air from the tent, removes a percentage of oxygen and pumps rarefied air back into the tent. This creates an atmosphere that is similar to living at an altitude of 8,000 feet. The idea is to increase Gonzalez's number of red blood cells, which carry oxygen through the body, and improve his endurance. Gonzalez spent $5,000 on the system last summer. Now is this cheating? The World-Anti Doping Agency is considering adding the tents to its 2007 prohibited list. That could result in the NCAA also banning the tents. Thanks to Buckeye Commentary.

And Speaking of Thin Air ...

We bring you Wyoming's poster schedule. Maybe you didn't know this, but War Memorial Stadium in Laramie sits at an elevation of 7,220 feet, making it the highest Division I stadium in the nation. Given that edge at home, Joe Glenn's Cowboys should have done better than 4-7 last season. And we trust Wyoming will have a better poster schedule next season, too. The featured list: Nevada, Kentucky, Clemson, Fresno State, Rice, Alabama, Oklahoma, Toledo, Vanderbilt-Tennessee, Washington State-Washington, Brigham Young-West Virginia-Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC. Keep them coming! Send an image or link of your team's poster schedule to dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Reporters' Notebooks

Jeff Metcalfe, Arizona Republic: Last Friday, Sam Keller was named Arizona State's starting quarterback. Now he is a member of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, despite a late pitch from Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, who made numerous calls Wednesday to the Kellers.

Ben Wear, Austin American-Statesman: Texas' new Godzillatron could be in violation of a state law that prohibits light-emitting diode signs along the state's highways (registration).

George Schroeder, Oklahoman: The father of former Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar said his son is close to making a decision about his future (registration).

Brett McMurphy, Tampa Tribune: South Florida is the latest team to purchase RecruitingRadar, a software-based recruiting program. The service costs $28,800 annually.

Michael Pointer, Indianapolis Star: For the second consecutive year, Indiana has put a billboard promoting the Hoosiers' upcoming season in the backyard of rival Purdue. Anybody have a photo? Please send it to dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Lynn Henning, Detroit News: Now it can be told. When George Perles was fired as Michigan State coach in 1994, university president Peter McPherson made a pitch to land Nebraska's Tom Osborne.

Michael Rothstein, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: The eligibility of Notre Dame safety Tom Zbikowski won't be affected for his involvement in promotional spots for a TV show.

Heather A. Dinich, Baltimore Sun: Maryland has reached an agreement for naming rights to Byrd Stadium. The price is $20 million for 25 years (registration).

Mike Knobler, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: June Jones and Jerry Glanville, two former Atlanta Falcon coaches, are returning with their new team, Hawaii. The Rainbows will practice next week in Atlanta before busing to Birmingham to play Alabama (registration).

Garry Smits, Jacksonville Times-Union: The Gator Bowl must find a new sponsor after Toyota decided to end its 12-year relationship with the bowl (registration).

Keith Whitmire, Dallas Morning News: The Fort Worth Bowl has changed its name to the Armed Forces Bowl and taken on a new title sponsor in Bell Helicopter (registration).

Dan Wolken, Colorado Springs Gazette: Air Force offensive line coach Pete Hurt was reinstated, a week after striking an offensive lineman during a practice.

Ron Kantowski, Las Vegas Sun: Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson urged fans to help pressure cable providers to carry the conference's new TV channel.

This From Our Promotional Department

If you in happen to be in the Raleigh-Durham area Thursday, tune in to 620 The Bull sports radio between 6 and 10 a.m. (Eastern). The Wiz will be a guest on Morning Mojo. Also be sure to check out 850 and 620 The Blog. Our thanks to Joe Ovies. ... If you'd like to have the Wiz on your show, drop him a line: dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Keller Decision Expected This Week

Regardless of the circumstances behind the sudden and unexpected demotion of Sam Keller as Arizona State quarterback, one thing is clear: If he wants to transfer, plenty of teams are interested. Keller's father, Sam, told the Arizona Republic that he has spoken with Oklahoma, Colorado, Louisville and Texas El Paso, and that Notre Dame and Iowa also have interest. Of course, Nebraska remains in the mix and Cornhusker coach Bill Callahan confirmed Tuesday that Keller has received a release from Arizona State to talk with Nebraska. Sam said his son could even return to Arizona State and redshirt, then finish his undergraduate degree and transfer under the new NCAA rule allowing such a move without sitting out. "Everyone thinks this is easy. People want him, we pull the trigger. That isn't the case. It's been emotional and stressful. It's put us in a tremendous bind," Sam said. Keller's mother, Melissa Coveney, told the Lincoln Journal Star that an announcement on her son's future should come by Thursday. Thanks to Cactus Ranch for the image. Update: ESPN reports that Keller has enrolled at Nebraska.

Coming to a Theater Near You ...

Any regular moviegoer will notice similarities between Nevada's poster schedule and the latest Hollywood blockbuster promotional poster. What a wonderful effort here (double-click on the poster for a closer look). It's bold and clean, has a lot of detail (including the Fremont Cannon) and the entire piece just snaps out at you. No surprise to learn that Nevada has a newfound commitment to marketing after the Wolfpack's 9-3 season in 2005. Thanks to Aaron for this. Time is running out. Send an image or link of your team's poster schedule to dawizofodds (at) aol.com. The list of posters we have featured: Kentucky, Clemson, Fresno State, Rice, Alabama, Oklahoma, Toledo, Vanderbilt-Tennessee, Washington State-Washington, Brigham Young-West Virginia-Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC.

Reporters' Notebooks

Pete Thamel, New York Times: The high price of humiliation. With the weakest teams in Division I-A becoming more expensive, top programs are stooping lower for competition. Thanks to Joe for this beaut! (registration).

Andrea Jones, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: A week into the new semester, it's clear that Georgia president Michael Adams' war on underage and excessive drinking is off to a rocky start (registration).

Michael Rothstein, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: The paper's Notre Dame beat writer, who exposed a possible NCAA violation involving safety Tom Zbikowski, gets an earful from Fighting Irish fans (thanks to Bruce).

Brian Davis, Dallas Morning News: An anonymous e-mail sent to Oklahoma president David Boren on March 3 triggered the internal investigation that led to Rhett Bomar and J.D. Quinn's dismissal from the Sooner team (registration).

Lynn Henning, Detroit News: An edited excerpt from his new book details how Michigan State quarterback Jeff Smoker's 2002 season went up in smoke.

Mike Lucas, Capital Times: Barry Alvarez, the former Wisconsin coach and current athletic director, will join Fox's BCS broadcast crew.

Chris Low, Tennessean: Tennessee receivers coach Trooper Taylor collected $3,000 in violation of NCAA rules on supplemental pay last month, according to a report filed with the SEC by the university.

Chuck Carlton, Dallas Morning News: Former Texas running back Ramonce Taylor has enrolled at Texas College, an NAIA school in Tyler (registration).

ESPN: Former Miami linebacker Willie Williams has enrolled at West Los Angeles College.

Columnists' Corner

Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times: Rating the best and worst football films of all time.

Anthony Gimino, Tucson Citizen: Here's hoping that Penn State defensive back Knowledge Timmons and Hawaii offensive lineman Hercules Satele can finally settle the brains-vs.-brawn debate.

Dave Fairbank, Daily Press: On Dec. 15, Division I-A will be known as "Football Bowl Subdivision" and I-AA will be called "Football Championship Subdivision." Why?

John Pruett, Huntsville Times: Is Auburn in for a rough go of it? Coach Tommy Tuberville, normally an unfailing optimist, is sounding like a man who almost dreads the start of the season.

Kirk Bohls, Austin American-Statesman: The upside? As many as 35 coaches make as much as $1 million a year. The downside? The timetable for turnarounds has sped up dramatically (registration).

Keller Could Be a Cornhusker

What actually happened at Arizona State? Sam Keller was named the starting quarterback on Friday, then a bizarre switcheroo on Sunday had Rudy Carpenter replacing Keller. What happened in 48 hours that changed coach Dirk Koetter's mind? The first reports had 19 players coming forward Saturday to Koetter to express their preference for Carpenter. This suggests that Koetter had lost control of the team, which is unlikely at this point of any season. One thing is clear: the switcheroo had nothing to do with what happened on the practice field. Koetter said so himself. "It didn't have anything to do with how the quarterbacks played," he told the East Valley Tribune. So what was it? It's a guessing game, and guessing they are. The site Cactus Ranch — you might remember it from our earlier billboard posting — is filled with speculation. A common theory is that one quarterback (Carpenter) was doing things right off the field and another (Keller) was not. Columnist Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic alluded to "numerous players on the ASU football team who had concerns about Sam Keller as a leader." She goes on to describe the bizarre scene Sunday, when Carpenter was surrounded by media members after practice. Wrote Bolvin: "Several teammates walked by and shot their fists in the air as a show of support." It's clear Keller is not a popular teammate. We'd be stunned if he hangs around. Reports here, here and here have him packing his bags for Nebraska.

No Reason to Boo the Big Blue

We aren't going to sit here and bash Kentucky's poster schedule. No reason to kick a program when it's down, which in the case of the Wildcats seems like forever. Our best guess is that the poster actually serves as a countdown of sorts to the start of basketball season, which is what the Bluegrass State really cares about. The Wiz would also like to mention that poster schedules from every SEC team except Georgia and Mississippi have been displayed. Can anybody help us out on the final two? Send an image or link to dawizofodds (at) aol.com. Here is the list of teams we've featured: Clemson, Fresno State, Rice, Alabama, Oklahoma, Toledo, Vanderbilt-Tennessee, Washington State-Washington, Brigham Young-West Virginia-Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC.

Attention All Pencil-Necked Geeks

You scratch our hairy back and we'll scratch yours. Example 1A: George "The Animal" Steele was nearly unbeatable under the direction of "Classy" Freddie Blassie. Without Blassie, Steele was just another ham and egger. So in our attempt to gain control of the world (wide web) title belt, we are asking journalists in the audience to give us some love. In other words, a shameless plug (thewizofodds.com). Why? The more people who know about the site, the more tips we receive and the better the content for all. Hopefully, in some small way, we are making your job easier. Help make our job easier.

Score One for David

Late this month, the Wiz will celebrate his first year in cyberspace. We have our share of critics and our share of supporters. But we were truly humbled by the words penned recently by Yaysports! regarding our coverage of the 3-2-5-e rule. Yaysports! was taking a few rips at ESPN for being late to jump on the 3-2-5-e story. After referencing our brief explanation of the rule, Tar Heel of Yaysports! wrote: "We're quoting that from the greatest wizard this side of Merlin, the Wizard of Odds. His immaculate blog posted that on July 28. And a mere 13 days later, ESPN runs the exact same story. In the meantime, Mr. Odds posted not one, not two, but three separate entries about it. No wonder why ESPN carries the moniker the World Wide Leader in Sports. They even quoted Oregon coach Mike Bellotti, the same coach that the Wiz had quoted in his article." ... While it's always nice to be ahead of the curve, it's even better when people like Yaysports! notice.

First and Tundra

Can't wait for your football fix? Go north to Alaska, where the prep season is already underway and there's no need for Friday night lights because it's still light at 9:30. But that will soon change, when the state begins its rapid plunge into winter. That is why two-a-day practices start in July and the season begins in early August. In late October, the state title game is played. "You really don't want to be playing football in Alaska in November," Dimond High receiver Mike Melendez said. Only 29 high schools play football, reaching from Ketchikan, at the southern tip of the state, to Barrow, located north of the Arctic Circle. For players, getting noticed by college coaches is next to impossible. "You play your butt off, but most colleges don't have us on the recruiting circuit," Dimond defensive end Austin Mallory said.

So Who Did They Miss?

We have a new clubhouse leader — for number of players and coaches crammed on one poster. If Clemson is as indecisive on the field as its marketing department was in designing the 2006 schedule poster, then the Tigers are in for a big fall this fall. There are so many players on the poster, one wonders if the Tigers have handed out more scholarships than allowed by NCAA rules. They've never tried to skirt the rules before, have they? Our thanks to Sam and the Sporting Gnomes for the poster. Time is running out. Send your team's poster to dawizofodds (at) aol.com. Our featured list: Fresno State, Rice, Alabama, Oklahoma, Toledo, Vanderbilt-Tennessee, Washington State-Washington, Brigham Young-West Virginia-Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC.

Reporters' Notebooks

Dan Zeiger and Scott Bordow, East Valley Tribune: After naming Sam Keller his starting quarterback, Arizona State coach Dirk Koetter changed his mind 48 hours later and gave Rudy Carpenter the job. The switch in plans appears to have come about after 19 players came forward to express their preference for Carpenter.

Chip Alexander, Raleigh News & Observer: Another piece on the controversial 3-2-5-e rule designed to shorten games. Again, the problem is not the game, it's too many dang commercials (registration).

Marcus Nelson, Palm Beach Post: Florida Atlantic, which opens against Clemson, should have a terrific scouting report on the Tigers. Tight end Paul Muse, who left Clemson on Wednesday, is transferring to Florida Atlantic.

Jason King, Kansas City Star: A key figure in the academic-fraud charges dogging Kansas said coach Mark Mangino had no knowledge that violations were taking place (registration).

Susan Miller Degnan, Miami Herald: Former Miami linebacker Willie Williams appears headed to College of the Sequoias in California. It's the same junior college that former Tennessee and current Mississippi quarterback Brent Shaeffer attended last season (registration).

Doug Hensley, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech is talking about moving its 2007 game against Texas A&M to Dallas.

Iliana Limon, Albuquerque Tribune: Sorry New Mexico fans. You won't be able to go to your car for halftime tailgating and then re-enter University Stadium.

Mike Knobler, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: A group of parents of Georgia Tech players has formed a $upport group for players (registration).

David Brandt, Clarion Ledger: Marcel Frost, the tight end who was suspended last week by Ohio State, has packed his bags and transferred to Jackson State. He follows running back Erik Haw, who left the Buckeyes last month and transferred to Jackson State.

Robert Andrew Powell, New York Times: Terrific piece on Noel Devine, a hotshot running back entering his senior season at North Fort Myers High (registration).

Joseph Person, Columbia State: Lou Holtz, in the midst of a promotional tour for his book, said he overstayed his welcome at South Carolina.

Bob Thomas, Jacksonville Times-Union: Three members of Florida State's team are veterans of the United States military (registration).

Burnt Orange Nation/John Lopez Blog: Ever wonder how a Houston Chronicle sportswriter gets interested in blogging? It started with a party at his house. Two links, same story: Burnt Orange link and Lopez link.

Sunday Morning Quarterback: Bad, bad Wiz. We earlier said that we were the first to find cfbstats. Not the case. Check out this piece from SMQ.

Tim Rutten, Los Angeles Times: Journalist special: Who is calling the shots in newsrooms these days? Not corporate officers. It's fund managers and investors.

Columnists' Corner

Ray Melick, Birmingham News: With big-time college teams swimming in money, should donations to athletic departments remain tax exempt?

Pat Dooley, Gainesville Sun: Those hotshot recruiting classes signed by Florida in 2003 and '04? Of the 49 players signed, only 23 remain in the program.

Kirk Bohls, Austin American-Statesman: Can Texas do it again? The answer is a bold and definitive yes (registration).

Lenox Rawlings, Winston-Salem Journal: North Carolina State's Chuck Amato and Miami's Larry Coker need to have big seasons to save their jobs.

Mark Bradley, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: A program gets only so many chances to prove its worth before it proves instead that serious consideration is unwarranted. Such is the case for Georgia Tech (registration).

Ed Graney, Las Vegas Review-Journal: Nevada Las Vegas safety Jay Staggs, a senior, has vowed not to cut his hair until the Rebels make a bowl game. He hasn't been to a barber in 18 months.

Taking Stock of a Different Market

The Wall Street Journal took a little detour into the dark and dangerous alleys of our beloved sport and devised something called the "College Football Success Index." We won't bore you with the details behind this rankings system, we will simply spell out the result: Florida State. Yes, the Seminoles rank at the top of the list of teams with successful "alumni" in the NFL. Other items of note: Oklahoma ranks 27th and Alabama 29th, behind such teams as North Carolina (10th), Texas A&M (15th), Washington (19th) and Virginia (22nd). Last season's BCS title game participants didn't score all that well. USC is 14th and Texas is 16th. Nebraska, the Trojans' opponent on Sept. 16, ranked 13th. And Notre Dame fans, your team didn't even make the top 10! Thanks to Kevin.

Now You're Getting the Wives Involved

That's Shelley Meyer, wife of Florida coach Urban Meyer. Deep South Sports recently ranked the top-five wives of Southeastern Conference coaches and Shelley was third. Of course, everybody has their taste when it comes to such matters, so the expected firestorm followed, with SEC fans issuing their complaints, Auburn fans to be specific. This resulted with the addition of a sixth wife, Suzanne Tuberville, whose husband Tommy coaches the Tigers. The fuss eventually got the attention of Mobile Press-Register columnist Paul Finebaum, who invited Erik of Deep South to be a guest on his radio show. ... Others have joined the fun. Golden Tornado has an entertaining review of mascots of BCS conference teams. The SEC mascots have been broken into two links: Part 1 and Part 2. Links to carping judgments of mascots of other conferences: Atlantic Coast, Pacific 10, Big Ten, Big 12 and the Big East.

A Stroll Down Weaponry Lane

Where will we be on Gameday? Well, we know where all the outlaws in Fresno will be — on the field, playing for the Bulldogs. Granted, every team has its share of problems. It just seems like Fresno has a much bigger slice of the pie when it comes to troubled athletes. For that reason, we're not sure how good of an idea it was to show a Bulldog player carrying a sledgehammer onto the field on a poster schedule. This would indicate that players are now carrying weapons on and off the field. A scary thought to say the least. ... Our featured list: Rice, Alabama, Oklahoma, Toledo, Vanderbilt-Tennessee, Washington State-Washington, Brigham Young-West Virginia-Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC. Send your team's poster schedule to dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Just Try to Make Something Out of Nothing

Rice is one fine university with one really, really bad team. Maybe the idea behind celebrating 95 seasons of football is to remember the days when the Owls were actually competitive. That certainly wasn't the case last season, when Rice opened with 40-plus point losses to UCLA and Texas. So it's understandable why the Owls wanted to hit the mute button on creativity when the time came to conceptualize their poster schedule. After all, with more bludgeonings on the horizon in 2006, there's no need to try and call attention to all of this now, is there? Thanks to MoiseKapenda for sending the image. Send your team's poster schedule to dawizofodds (at) aol.com. The list of posters that have been featured: Alabama, Oklahoma, Toledo, Vanderbilt-Tennessee, Washington State-Washington, Brigham Young-West Virginia-Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC.

At USC, They Give It Their Best Shot

To play through pain, it sometimes helps to have a little help. According to USC team physician James Tibone, each game 10 to 15 players request an injection of Toradol, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication. Players interviewed by the L.A. Times say they are not pressured to take shots. "You wouldn't go to work with a headache, you would take some Motrin," defensive end Lawrence Jackson said. "You don't need it to play, but it eliminates aches and pains." Tibone said different types of medicines have been used at USC over the last 15 years and that the practice has not increased during the tenure of coach Pete Carroll. Several Trojan players have returned quickly from major injuries, including return specialist Desmond Reed, cornerback Terrell Thomas and safety Kevin Ellison. ... In another USC item, criminal defense lawyer Carmen Trutanich has returned to the family. Trutanich was once the focus of an investigation into his role with the team because he was retained so frequently by troubled Trojan players. Last spring, when his daughter was denied admission to USC, he severed ties with the university. But he said the football program asked him to speak to freshmen about legal matters this week and he was happy to help out.

Don't Even Bother to Open the Mailing Tube

Too much stuff stacked on top of each other, no real organization and a lot of cleaning up to do. Average effort from Alabama, folks. And reader David, who sent us the image, points out that Tyrone Prothro (No. 4) is front and center. Chances are the receiver won't play a down this season after a gruesome injury (warning: this is tough to look at) to his left leg and ankle last October. We even consulted the good folks over at Roll Bama Roll. They were quick to point out that the background shot of Bryant-Denny Stadium, which has been expanded, appears to show unfinished construction. Not cool! ... Send your team's poster schedule to dawizofodds (at) aol.com. Here's the ever-expanding list of posters that have been featured: Oklahoma, Toledo, Vanderbilt-Tennessee, Washington State-Washington, Brigham Young-West Virginia-Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC.

Reporters' Notebooks

Andrew Logue, Des Moines Register: Get this: Iowa and Iowa State fans are already gobbling up tickets to bowl games and booking charter flights.

Chad Hartley, Reno Gazette-Journal: How much does it cost to transport a team in the geographically challenged Western Athletic Conference? It ain't cheap.

Jim Kleinpeter, Times-Picayune: Louisiana State announced season-ticket sales of 67,800, a record for the third season in a row.

Kevin Gorman, Tribune-Review: Two games and one big parking lot. Now Pittsburgh is scrambling for solutions to a scheduling problem on Sept. 16, when the Panthers play host to Michigan State (thanks to Kevin).

Donnie Webb, Syracuse Post-Standard: Who said they had to be banners in the first place? Syracuse is replacing its championship banners with eye-popping billboards.

Kyle Ringo, Boulder Daily Camera: Why the Mountain West Conference's new deal with College Sports Television could be bad news to Colorado fans (registration).

Kyle Hightower, Orlando Sentinel: Central Florida and South Florida, after a nudge from a third party, have agreed to continue the war on I-4.

Omar Kelly, South Florida Sun-Sentinel: Fights have become routine at Miami practices, but is coach Larry Coker hoping the skirmishes foster team unity?

Karl Licis, Rocky Mountain News: Air Force offensive line coach Pete Hurt has been suspended indefinitely pending an investigation into allegations he struck a player during an Aug. 9 practice (thanks to Ben Maller).

EDSBS: Linebacker Willie Williams thought he was headed to a Mississippi junior college, but the door has been shut.

Doug Zaleski, Muncie Star Press: The new 3-2-5-e rule is going to make it more difficult for Ball State to duplicate what it did last season against Eastern Michigan.

Jon Solomon, Birmingham News: You heard about it here first. Now learn more about the terrific cfbstats.

Associated Press: Cybercasts of games are gaining popularity, especially with teams from smaller colleges.

Brent Schrotenboer, San Diego Union-Tribune: So what is former San Diego State coach Tom Craft up to? He still works at the university, but is seldom seen on campus.

Columnists' Corner

Robert Cessna, Bryan-College Station Eagle: The big-time recruit that got away? Recruiting winners sometimes lose in the end.

Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News: The scrutiny of Oklahoma's program appears to be getting to coach Bob Stoops (registration).

David Climer, Tennessean: Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer says he will stick with one quarterback this season, but will Erik Ainge be up for the challenge?

Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News: Alabama, the state that gave us Ken Stabler and Pat Sullivan, is once again the cradle of quarterbacks.

Bomar Is Gone, but Not Forgotten

Sooner or later, it had to happen. Oklahoma's schedule blends the old — Brian Bosworth and Billy Sims — with the new — Adrian Peterson and, hey ... is that Rhett Bomar? By gosh, it is! The hard-working car dealership employee himself! As if the Sooners weren't a preseason laughingstock already, there's the booted quarterback front and slightly center in the 2006 poster. This could be a collector's item, especially if you live in, oh, say Austin or Stillwater. And take note of this: two weeks ago we went to the official Sooner site to see about acquiring the poster. The instructions were to simple enough, but we never got around to it. Then after reader Trey fired a copy our way and we saw old No. 7, we decided that acquiring the poster was a must! Well guess what? This limited edition beauty is not available. We suspect the only place you can find one is in the dumpster behind the OU marketing department. If anybody actually has a copy and can provide us with a cleaner image for the site, please fire it our way. The address: dawizofodds (at) aol.com. Posters featured thus far: Toledo, Vanderbilt-Tennessee, Washington State-Washington, Brigham Young-West Virginia-Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC.

Back in the Ballgame

We were slowed because of a technical issue overnight and had to come out of the game. However, the doc has cleared us to re-enter and we will be in the next series.

Illness Is Not Keeping Smith Down

Former Missouri, USC, Arizona and Tulane coach Larry Smith is battling cancer. Smith, retired and living in Tucson, has chronic lymphatic leukemia and melanoma. Early last year, he was hospitalized because of a severe lung infection and dropped 35 pounds. "That was the scariest time," he said. Smith, 66, calls his melanoma "more of an inconvenience than anything" and he maintains an active lifestyle, including working Fox telecasts of several Arizona games each season. Friends see a different Smith. "Nobody, including a grizzled defensive-side football coach, can go through cancer and not be changed by it," said Dave Sitton, Smith's broadcasting partner. "Larry's always been a very decent man, but I think even more so now. He appreciates the little things a lot more."

Rockets' Red Glare, Bombs Bursting in Air

Toledo lost six scholarships in the offseason because it scored a dismal 853 on the NCAA's Academic Progress Report. While it's clear Rocket players are failing to make the grade, we now have evidence of plagiarism by the marketing department. In what appears to be a ripoff of arguably the most famous poster in history, Coach Tom Amstutz strikes an Uncle Sam-like pose in an attempt to rally the troops. Report immediately to the Dean's office and bring your marketing playbook! The list of posters featured thus far: Vanderbilt-Tennessee, Washington State-Washington, Brigham Young-West Virginia-Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC. Send a link or image of your team's effort to dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

In Tennessee, Creativity Takes a Vacation

One would think Vanderbilt would get all the mileage it could out of last season's 28-24 victory over rival Tennessee, the Commodores' first win at Neyland Stadium since 1975. In other words, opportunities like this come along about as often as Haley's Comet. Talk about a momentum killer. ... Conversely, Tennessee's 5-6 disaster should have served as rallying cry. Instead, the folks in Knoxville appear to have rushed an 11th-hour job to the presses and the result is an unmitigated disaster. If you were looking for Volunteers to design a bad poster, there appears to be an endless supply at Rocky Top. ... Click here to access the list of posters we've featured.

Reporters' Notebooks

Keith Whitmire, Dallas Morning News: Chris Todd, who is vying with Ryan Rowland to become Texas Tech's starting quarterback, apparently broke Rowland's nose Monday in a post-practice scuffle (registration).

Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times: Fullback Brandon Hancock blew out a knee and his USC career is over. Plus, receiver Dwayne Jarrett and offensive lineman Thomas Herring were briefly detained by police.

Tom Mulhern, Wisconsin State Journal: Quarterback Allan Evridge, who left Kansas State last week, is transferring to Wisconsin.

Tom Kubat, Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue coach Joe Tiller is no fan of a 12th regular-season game.

Terry Hutchens, Indianapolis Star: Indiana receiver James Hardy, his legal troubles behind him, has been cleared to play in the opener.

Kevin Haskin, Topeka Capital-Journal: Eric Butler, the Kansas player who went to court to have eligibility restored because men should have a "pregnancy waiver" similar to women athletes at NCAA institutions, had a legal setback.

Zombie Time: If you are one of the many journalists who visit our site, check this out. A look at alleged photo fraud taking place at Reuters.

Opening the Gates to Controversy

In an era where everybody is worried about cheats in sports, the biggest cheaters of them all continue to go unnoticed and unpunished. We are talking about those responsible for attendance statistics. It's the biggest crock in sports, yet many newspapers, television and radio broadcasts report attendance figures as fact when in reality, the numbers have often been tweaked to stoke interest among fans, advertisers and sponsors. There are several methods used to determine attendance, none of them you can count on. And attendance is important, especially when you consider that the NCAA mandates that a I-A team must average 15,000 in either paid or actual attendance for all home games once every two years. Because the governing body has no uniform policy for teams to follow, it should come as no surprise that pom-pom girls, reporters, the band and even comp tickets are often included in figures.

Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee

They have big canjones at Georgia Tech, but we like what the Yellow Jackets have done with their poster schedule. This piece clearly separates the Yellow Jackets from the pack and is something we'd like to see more of. It's important to have a good jab, and Georgia Tech displays one of the best. Thanks to Jeff from Ramlin Racket for sending this along. Our lengthy list of posters featured thus far: Washington State-Washington, Brigham Young-West Virginia-Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC. Send your team's effort to dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

The Great Northworst

Greg has provided two entries from the Evergreen State. The Washington State poster features a photo with an interesting angle, but we don't think the Cougars, coming off a 4-7 season, have the right to look down on anybody. As for Washington, it scores points for including Spirit, the Alaskan Malamute that serves as the Huskies' mascot. But even Spirit has a look of confusion. A dizzying series of photos that say next to nothing leave us feeling as empty as that Husky helmet. Click here to access the list of posters featured thus far.

Reporters' Notebooks

Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times: USC is trying to clean up the mess by ordering players to provide more detailed information about housing situations this season.

Tim May, Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State offensive coordinator Jim Bollman is back on the job, less than three months after undergoing heart bypass surgery.

Brian Bennett and Brett Dawson, Louisville Courier-Journal: Driven by fear of the Internet, more coaches are limiting access to media and fans.

Joseph Person, Columbia State: Speak of the devil! Steve Spurrier, saying too much information was being posted on the Internet, has closed South Carolina practices.

Scott Wright, Oklahoman: Continuing a nationwide trend, Oklahoma is said to be in preliminary discussions with a station to have its games broadcast in Spanish (registration).

Manny Navarro, Miami Herald: With no I-A takers, linebacker Willie Williams ends his Miami career and heads for Pearl River Community College (registration).

B.G. Brooks, Rocky Mountain News: Colorado coach Dan Hawkins has booted a second 2005 starter in the secondary from the team.

Jeff Haney, Las Vegas Sun: The golden age of bonus hustling appears to be over now that the feds are trying to crack down on Internet wagering.

We Hand Out Some Tough Glove

Brigham Young, West Virginia and Northern Illinois must be drinking from the same well. How else could we explain the decision by each team to go with the old player-holding-up-the-helmet shot for their 2006 poster schedules? While these shots can be memorable, particularly if a player is not wearing a glove and has bloodied up his knuckles, such is not the case here. Therefore, three big thumbs down. Thanks to Tim and Kevin for their help on this one! Have a poster schedule of your team? Send a link or image to dawizofodds (at) aol.com. Our list of posters featured thus far: Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC.

Hail Caesars!

If you've ever had the pleasure of spending a college football Saturday in the sportsbook at Caesars Palace, you know what we're talking about. Is there anyplace better in Las Vegas than Caesars? Case in point: In a city that continues to tear down old casinos to build new ones, Caesars has stood the test of time. Consider that it has been 40 years since Caesars opened the doors and embarked on building a reputation as the "Home of Champions." Evel Knievel's Fountain Jump in 1968 started it all. Since then, Caesars has been home to some of Vegas' most memorable sporting events. Ron Kantowski of the Las Vegas Sun chronicles Caesars' sporting history, and our favorite moment on his list has to be the Nov. 6, 1993 fight between Riddick Bowe and Evander Holyfield. It is known as the "Fan Man Fight." During the seventh round, James Miller, who was strapped to a parachute and huge parasail fan, crashed into the outdoor ring. Fans dragged Miller to the ground and beat him, with one security officer striking him 20 times. Miller was eventually knocked out (He later joked, "It was a heavyweight fight and I was the only guy who got knocked out.") and the fight was suspended for 21 minutes. After he was released from a hospital, Miller was taken to the Clark County Detention Center where he was charged with dangerous flying and released on $200 bail. Tragically, Miller was found dead in the Alaska wilderness in 2003 and his death was ruled a suicide.

Reporters' Notebooks

Glenn Guilbeau, Shreveport Times: Wait a minute. Not all Louisiana State night games have been memorable. Here are the 10 worst night games.

Brian Bennett, Louisville Courier-Journal: Matt Simms, son of former Super Bowl MVP Phil Simms, has reportedly made an oral commitment to Louisville.

Tom Mulhern, Wisconsin State Journal: Former Kansas State quarterback Allan Evridge, who visited Texas Christian last week, will check out Wisconsin on Monday.

Mark Janssen, Manhattan Mercury: Kansas State coach Ron Prince is upset over his team's conditioning. "This is not a game for horseshoes." (registration).

Justin Harper, Oklahoman: Oklahoma's offense did not look crisp during a scrimmage, although some key players were missing or had limited contributions (registration).

Mick McGrane, San Diego Union-Tribune: Tyler Campbell, son of Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell, made an impression during a San Diego State scrimmage.

Randy King, Roanoke Times: Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer has named sophomore Sean Glennon as his starting quarterback.

B.G. Brooks, Rocky Mountain News: Colorado coach Dan Hawkins has instituted a staff wellness challenge to keep those around him physically, mentally and emotionally sharp.

John Heuser, Ann Arbor News: Answers to the 10 most pressing questions you have about the Michigan Wolverines.

Who's Gonna Protect This House?

They laughed when Central Florida hired Notre Dame reject George O'Leary, the coach who struggles when it comes to writing a resume. But if there is a program to keep an eye on in Florida, it is O'Leary's. Of the state's seven I-A programs, Central Florida is the only one that surpassed expectations last season and the only one that — on paper, at least — appears to be on an upward trajectory. The new $47 million Bright House Stadium, pictured in a rendering, is scheduled to open in September 2007 with a game against Texas. The 45,000-seat facility could be just what the Knights need to be a big-time player.

Future's so Bright, Gotta Wear Shades

Strong effort from Oklahoma State, the latest in our lineup of 2006 poster schedules. This piece really works because of the balance of colors. It's easy on the eyes, yet grabs your attention. And the schedule is tastefully displayed across the bottom. Our big complaint isn't with the composition, it has to deal with coach Mike Gundy trying to look like he's ready for battle in those goofy sunglasses. For all we know, he's probably carrying a cell phone in a hip pocket so megabooster T. Boone Pickens can ring him up at a moment's notice. What do you think? Do you like this piece? Click on comments below and let us know. Previous featured posters: Northwestern, Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC. Time is running out. Send us a link or image of your team's 2006 poster schedule and we will be happy to display it. The address: dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Reporters' Notebooks

Paul Strelow, Columbia State: Clemson has judged that players Roman Fry and Nathan Bennett did not commit an NCAA violation by using Yamaha WaveRunners belonging to a booster group that were involved in the July 8 accidental death of assistant track coach Jarrett Foster. A criminal investigation remains open.

Joseph Person, Columbia State: South Carolina is threatening to crack down on "deadbeat donors," described as boosters who reserved tickets but are late paying for their seats and Gamecock Club donations.

Doug Harris, Dayton Daily News: Ohio State offensive lineman Alex Boone said he was drinking 30 to 40 beers a day until he regained control with the help of counseling (registration).

Andre C. Fernandez, Miami Herald: Linebacker Glenn Cook might miss Miami's opener against Florida State because of an unspecified knee injury (registration).

Emily Badger, Orlando Sentinel: Does former Auburn coach Terry Bowden miss coaching? Father Bobby said he thinks his son is "bored to death being out of it."

Don Williams, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech's Mike Leach has signed a contract that will pay him $2 million a year if he is coach in 2010.

Jeremy Fowler, Albuquerque Tribune: New Mexico hired a public relations firm that has polished the a savvy of Shaquille O'Neal, Derek Jeter and Peyton Manning to slick up its coaches and players.

Brian Vernellis, Shreveport Times: The Independence Bowl is entering its 31st year. It's also likely this will be the third year in a row without a title sponsor.

Ian R. Rapoport, Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom put on the pads and participated in drills with his players.

Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Advertiser: Jazen Anderson, the younger brother of former Pro Bowl running back Jamal Anderson, has quit the Hawaii team.

Columnists' Corner

Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times: UCLA coach Karl Dorrell may have taken away Andrew Baumgartner's scholarship, but he couldn't take away the receiver's love for the game.

Terry Foster, Detroit News: College football is experiencing an avalanche of popularity, but with growth comes problems.

Mike Lucas, Capital Times: Meet Tyler Donovan and Dustin Sherer, the two players battling to become Wisconsin's starting quarterback after knee surgery to John Stocco.

John Clay, Lexington Herald-Leader: We can't pass up a column on rule 3-2-5-e. In this case, will fewer plays benefit Kentucky?

USC's Sanchez Caught in a Lie

USC quarterback Mark Sanchez, battling John David Booty for the starting job, also has another battle on his hands. He can't tell the truth. Sanchez was grilled by Bill Dwyre of the L.A. Times over events leading to his April arrest on suspicion of sexual assault against a female USC student. No charges were filed because of a lack of evidence, but the aftermath remains, including questions about Sanchez's use of a fake ID to gain entrance into the 901 Club earlier that April evening. Sanchez is only 19 and the club does not allow anybody under 21 to enter, but the quarterback, who is from Orange County, used a fake ID that identified himself as Jordan Traver Uttal from Arizona. Dwyre came armed because he had reviewed bar tapes from that April night and knew the answers to his questions. He simply wanted to see if Sanchez would be forthcoming. He wasn't. When asked if Uttal was a real person, Sanchez answered, "I don't know what you are talking about." Wrote Dwyre: "Now we had a problem. Sanchez had taken the path most common and comfortable to athletes on the hot seat. He had avoided telling the truth." Later, he wrote: "Usually, reporters asking questions like this are basing them on reports, documents or secondhand information. Not this time. The interview ended shortly, and not exactly on a let's-have-dinner-soon basis."

Walker's Memory Lives On at Northwestern

No team had an offseason like Northwestern, which has suffered through the loss of its coach, Randy Walker. We are not sure if this was intentional or accidental, but Walker, who died last month of a heart attack, is featured on the team's 2006 schedule poster. Regardless, the Wiz thinks having the former coach included is a good thing. His memory lives on, and this in many ways is Walker's team. As for a critical analysis of the piece, we rate it somewhere in the middle of the schedule posters we have featured. You can compare it to the others and tell us what you think. Previous featured posters: Louisiana State, UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC. Send us a link or image of your team's 2006 schedule poster and we will be happy to display it. The address is dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Notre Dame, You're on Notice!

This all started with a post on the spat between reporters from the South Bend Tribune and Notre Dame coach Crewcut Charlie Weis on Heisman Pundit. It spread like a California wildfire and hit the Wiz with the force of a tsunami when the Notre Dame contingent took exception to our stand against Crewcut's attempts to intimidate the press. Although it is our opinion that many Fighting Irish fans are blindly following their leader, we like to present both sides of the story. Let it be known that the Michigan site MGoBlog sided with the Golden Domers, so score one for good, old Notre Dame. But as we mentioned, reporters are making a big stink about Crewcut and word gets around quickly in this fraternity. Al Hamnik's column in the Times of Northwest Indiana was a beaut. "Behind the scenes, away from cameras and tape recorders, we're told [Weis has] the people skills of a prison guard. And a temper to match," wrote Hamnik. He was just getting started. "A large number of alumni reportedly are upset by his behavior. As long as the Irish win, they'll bite their lip. But if the program struggles, his critics will multiply like roaches." And about those principles raised in the South Bend Tribune series, take note that Notre Dame's media day was held on a Sunday morning. A Catholic university, on a church day no less! OK, Notre Dame fans, what do you have to say now? Just so we can get flagged 15 for piling on, take a look at this thread on Sports Journalists. Consider yourself warned. There are words in it good Catholics shouldn't read.

We Have a New Clubhouse Leader

The year was 1931. Louisiana State defeated Spring Hill, 35-0, in the first game under the lights at Tiger Stadium. Ever since, night time has been the right time for the Tigers, who are 195-59-3 (.795) under the lights compared to 18-22-3 (.453) during the day. LSU's 2006 poster schedule celebrates the 75th year of night games in stunning fashion. The top half is an aerial photo of Death Valley in black and white. It blends into a shot of the helmets used during the era, and who can resist the old leather helmet! This is a classic piece, riveted by the use of a black and white photo to reinforce the significance of this milestone. Wow! Ladies and gentlemen, without a doubt this is the best poster schedule yet, and we have to thank Derek for sending it to us. If you can come up with something better from your team, send an image or URL to dawizofodds (at) aol.com. And as is our custom, here are links to poster schedules that have already been featured on the site: UCLA, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC.

A Classy Move at Auburn

Two heads of departments have resigned their positions at Auburn in the wake of a New York Times' piece that revealed academic irregularities at the university. Professor Thomas Petee, the department head for sociology, anthropology, criminology and social work, and James Witte, the program coordinator for adult education, were forced to step down. The individualized directed-reading courses became a favorite of athletes, including 18 members of Auburn's undefeated 2004 team. Although interim university president Ed Richardson didn't fault the athletic department, James Gundlach, the professor who was the primary source for the New York Times' piece, said the changes were "much more than I expected, to be honest." Gundlach added: "I expected them to do everything possible to clear athletics. You can see that when this first came out, athletics was their primary concern. With those kinds of policy changes in directed readings, and a change in administrators because they are not maintaining academic integrity, I think are all pretty good things to come out of this." Thanks to Preet for the image (registration).

Reporters' Notebooks

Gary Klein, L.A. Times: After hotshot recruit Vidal Hazelton was certified to join USC by the NCAA Clearinghouse, coach Pete Carroll — dressed as Ricky Bobby — and the team celebrated with alum Will Ferrell.

Rich Kaipust, Omaha World-Herald: Running back Leon Jackson is leaving Nebraska and could be headed to a Pac-10 team.

Mike DeArmond, Kansas City Star: Running back Tony Temple, Missouri's expected starter, remained on the practice field and out of Boone County Circuit Court (registration).

Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle: Houston Bowl no more. The postseason game at Reliant Stadium will now be called the Texas Bowl.

Bill Knight, El Paso Times: Sun Bowl no more. It's now the Brut Sun Bowl and the game has a new TV deal with CBS.

Tom Mulhern, Wisconsin State Journal: Former Kansas State quarterback Allan Evridge is interested in transferring to Wisconsin, but Texas Christian is also in the running.

Terry Hutchens, Indianapolis Star: Joe Kleinsmith, who was Indiana's kicker last season, is moving to cornerback.

Bloomberg: Jamie Gold, 36, a former Hollywood talent agent, won the 37th World Series of Poker in Las Vegas to collect a prize of $12 million.

Crewcut Charlie Is Out of Control

The gang at the South Bend Tribune never struck us as a threat to Notre Dame coach Crewcut Charlie Weis, but given the recent developments in South Bend, it's clear the big guy's aim is to once again intimidate reporters. A recent four-part series examined Notre Dame's recruiting culture and asked whether the Fighting Irish could "maintain principles and athletic dominance." What might have sparked the series was the hoopla surrounding California prep quarterback Jimmy Clausen, who arrived at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend in a stretch white Hummer limo and police escort, then announced he planned to attend Notre Dame. Team officials didn't appreciate the suggestion that Notre Dame's culture had changed because of the Clausen's flashy news conference, and Crewcut sent word through a team lackey that he and his staff would no longer take questions from the Tribune's Jeff Carroll and Bob Wieneke. The media freeze ended Tuesday, but reporters were banding together and chronicling Crewcut's latest bully tactics. Wrote columnist Al Hamnik of the Times of Northwest Indiana: "It's Charlie's way, or the closest you'll get to Irish football is the car radio." ... Thanks to the Midwest Correspondent.

It Has Balance but Not Beauty

UCLA's 2006 poster schedule has balance, is easy on the eyes and earns the seal of approval, but it lacks attention to detail and falls short of several other entries. Now how could this piece have been improved? Our main complaint is with the ugly typeface across the top proclaiming "2006 UCLA Football." It's wasted space and shows a lack of creativity. Something is needed here to punch it up and add pizazz. But hey, you be the judge. What do you think? Compare it to other poster schedules we have displayed: Ohio State, Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC. If you have an image or link to your team's 2006 poster schedule, send it our way. The address is dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Wanted: Slackers

According to a recent survey by AOL and Salary.com, American workers spend almost two hours a day at work goofing off. The Wiz, a noted slacker himself, believes that if slackers unite, we can create a better knowledge-based site for college football fans. Now we aren't looking for the run-of-the-mill slackers. No, we want elite slackers, slackers who have perfected the craft, brought it to an art form. Specifically, we want slackers who surf team message boards. Our hope is to get enough slackers together to actually get something accomplished, namely help provide news tips, rumors, works of fark, articles ... anything that falls through the cracks of our daily cruise through cyberspace. So if you want to contribute, let us know. The address is dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Reporters' Notebooks

Kelly Whiteside, USA Today: First national piece on the controversial 3-2-5-e rule that will cut plays from games (thanks to Brian).

Scott Wolf, L.A. Daily News: USC receiver Dwayne Jarrett had his eligibility restored by the NCAA and will not have to sit out any games.

Jorge Milian, Palm Beach Post: Troy has decided to take a pass on Willie Williams, leaving the linebacker searching for a new team.

George Schroeder, Oklahoman: The father of former Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar said his son will be enrolled in a new school within two weeks (registation).

Howard Richman, Kansas City Star: Kansas State is down to two quarterbacks on its roster after Allan Evridge decided to transfer (registration).

Mike Finger, San Antonio Express-News: He would like to issue a warning to everybody about the danger of fan sites.

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe: Messy situation at Harvard, of all places. Quarterback Liam O'Hagan has been suspended for five games for violating team rules.

Ken Gordon, Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State has suspended starting tight end Marcel Frost for the season.

Former Buckeye Clarett Arrested Again

Former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett was arrested early Wednesday after a brief police chase in east Columbus. Police had to use stop sticks to bring the sport utility vehicle Clarett was driving to a halt. Columbus Police Sgt. Michael Woods said Clarett resisted arrest and was a "handful." Woods said police, "attempted to Taser this person. Then come to find out they could not tase him, he was wearing a bulletproof vest at the time, so the Taser was having no effect. [Police] ended up using mace before they finally got him handcuffed and placed into a wagon." When police checked the vehicle Clarett was driving, they found three loaded handguns, an assault weapon, a half-empty bottle of vodka and a bulletproof vest on the front seat. Clarett is already awaiting trial on robbery charges. He is accused of robbing two people outside a Columbus bar on New Year's Day. Columbus station WBNS, NBC4i and the Columbus Dispatch will be updating this story throughout the day.

Bo: We Don't Need Notre Dame

How does Bo Schembechler really feel about Michigan's series with Notre Dame? "We don't need Notre Dame. They need us more than we need them." The former Wolverine coach, now 77, was just getting started. "Hell, we're playing all these Big Ten teams. When Penn State came into the league, then we should do everything we can to get this Notre Dame series over with. Now that's the way I feel." Schembechler, right, with former Notre Dame counterpart Lou Holtz, wasn't finished. "I would rather have an intersectional game than a Midwest game. Play Southern Cal. I don't care. Play Texas ... somebody like that. But not Notre Dame." Bo also questioned why Ohio State was regarded as the No. 1 team entering this season. "I find that hard to understand. What it tells you is the Big Ten is not as strong this year as it usually is because how can a team lose nine out of 11 starters on defense and be picked to win the national championship? I find that hard to believe."

Houston Enters Bomar Sweepstakes

With the door apparently shut at Texas Christian, former Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar spent Tuesday in Houston, visiting with coach Art Briles, right, and touring the Cougar facilities, the Houston Chronicle reported. Bomar's father, Jerry Bomar, has also been in contact with North Texas. Mean Green coach Darrell Dickey said he would be willing to consider Bomar continuing his career in Denton. One problem: Bomar has yet to be released by Oklahoma, which could choose not to release him to a team on its upcoming schedule. North Texas is scheduled to open the 2007 season with a game at Oklahoma.

And Their Favorite Band Is The Cars

OK, what is it about the Oklahoma Sooners and cars? Mean Horn sends along word that Nelson Peterson, the father of Sooner running back Adrian Peterson, is now an employee at Jackie Cooper Imports in Edmond. Peterson was recently released from federal prison in Texarkana. Adrian Peterson earlier aborted the purchase of a late-model Lexus from Big Red Sports/Imports, which drew the attention of the NCAA. Then quarterback Rhett Bomar and guard J.D. Quinn were dismissed from the team after it was learned they were paid for hours they didn't work at Big Red, including the revelation that the players were clocked in during practice. Nothing like double dipping now, is there? This brings back memories of those Sooners of yesteryear. Mike Gaddis, a former Sooner tailback, remembers all those freebies being handed out in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Just check out this video. As for Bomar and Quinn transferring to Texas Christian, which some said was a done deal, it's not going to happen, at least not yet. Horned Frog coach Gary Patterson said late Monday that he has stopped recruiting the players. Patterson didn't rule out pursuing the players if they landed at a junior college or lower NCAA division for this season and were eligible for Division I-A play in 2007. "Right now, I'm not going to think about that," Patterson told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Texas fans, of course, continue to dance on Oklahoma's grave. Check out this thread from Horns Fans (some registration, thanks to Deadspin for the Horn Fans' link).

Come on Buckeyes, You Can Do Better!

Reader Rich sent us this image of Ohio State's 2006 poster schedule — the schedule that hangs throughout the remodeled Woody Hayes Athletic Center — that was taken by Jim Davidson of the Ozone, one of the oldest fan sites on the Internet. We call them as we see them folks, and we are not impressed. This ranks at the bottom of our poster schedules. The Ozone said the same company that is doing artwork for the rest of the athletic center created this schedule. We shudder to think what else could be hanging from the walls. If Woody were around, he'd probably be ripping the stuff down as if it were a sideline maker. Disagree? Then compare it with the other images we have displayed: Mississippi State, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC. And we make our customary call to fans to send us an image or link of their team's 2006 poster schedule. The address is dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Reporters' Notebooks

Rick Kaipust, Omaha World-Herald: Harrison Beck, once considered Nebraska's quarterback of the future, officially became a thing of the past.

Don Williams, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Derek Shaw, judged by some recruiting magazine as the No. 1 quarterback prospect coming out of high school in 2005, is transferring to Texas Tech. He left Arizona State in the spring.

B.G. Brooks, Rocky Mountain News: Colorado coach Dan Hawkins will be cashing in if the Buffaloes have unexpected success.

Iliana Limon, Albuquerque Tribune: Former kicker Katie Hnida, the first women to score in a Division I-A game, has written a book that will be released Nov. 21.

Jim Kleinpeter, Times-Picayune: For the second consecutive year, Louisiana State defensive end Kirston Pittman's season ended before it started.

Terry Hutchens, Indianapolis Star: Indiana receiver James Hardy is in terrific shape and ready to play, but there's that Aug. 23 court date to deal with.

Paul Buker, Oregonian: Oregon State quarterback Matt Moore was sent to the sideline because of back spasms.

Jorge Milian, Palm Beach Post: Miami safety Brandon Meriweather said he was "protecting my family" during a July 21 shootout that left teammate Willie Cooper with a gunshot wound in his buttocks.

Columnists' Corner

Ray Melick, Birmingham News: Despite more and more research that suggests there is no direct correlation between athletic success and spending, athletic departments keep spending.

Ron Morris, Columbia State: Lou Holtz's autobiography "Wins, Losses, and Lessons" should only be read with a copy of "Under the Tarnished Dome" sitting nearby so the reader can get the other side of Holtz's life story.

Mike Hlas, Cedar Rapids Gazette: Entertaining piece on the carnival atmosphere surrounding Iowa's media day (subscription, so story is in comments).

Kurt Kragthorpe, Salt Lake Tribune: Imagine if quarterback Tommy Grady had stayed at Oklahoma instead of transferring to Utah.

Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: You have questions? We have answers. Ten questions and 10 answers about the Washington Huskies.

Tim Wise, Washington Post: It's time for Maryland and coach Ralph Friedgen to run another reverse (registration).

Ron Kantowski, Las Vegas Sun: Entertaining off-topic piece from our favorite city. Sports journalists say anything you can do while drinking a beer and/or holding a cigarette cannot be considered a sport. They've never seen John Daly play golf.

Bomar Expresses Interest in TCU

Rhett Bomar, the quarterback who was kicked off Oklahoma's team last week with guard J.D. Quinn, has expressed interest in transferring to Texas Christian. Horned Frogs coach Gary Patterson acknowledged that Bomar had contacted the school about a transfer but said little else. There are a lot of hurdles to clear. First, the NCAA has to clear Bomar to enroll at another Division I-A university. And TCU could be taking a haymaker to its public image belly if it accepts Bomar (some registration).

Wrestler Mocco Tackles New Role

Nobody is certain how this started, but two-time NCAA heavyweight champion Steve Mocco, right, who completed his eligibility in that sport in March, has joined Oklahoma State's football team as a defensive tackle. Because Mocco has yet practice, he can't talk to reporters, but others are talking, including defensive coordinator Vance Bedford, who said he didn't think Mocco had ever played football. But Mocco is not to be trifled with. "Just looking at it from metabolics and summer workouts, he can move," offensive lineman Corey Hilliard said. "He's got quick hands and stuff. He's an athlete, man." Wrestling Mocco in the photo, courtesy of Amateur Wrestling Photos, is Minnesota's Cole Konrad, who beat Mocco for the NCAA title in March. Thanks to reader Mark! (some registration.)

Reporters' Notebooks

Doug Lesmerises, Cleveland Plain Dealer: Get this: Ohio State left tackle Alex Boone, 19, has dropped 50 pounds of beer weight after giving up drinking in April.

Andrew Logue, Des Moines Register: Iowa's Kirk Ferentz, the third-highest paid coach in the land, says the money "won't affect me at all."

Dave Rahme, Post-Standard: Syracuse has fielded a team for 110 years, but none were as bad as the 2005 edition. So where do we go from here?

Jeffrey Martin, Wichita Eagle: Coach Ron Prince has released a list of the 14 Kansas State players who failed a conditioning test on Saturday.

Steven M. Sipple and Brian Rosenthal, Lincoln Journal Star: Nebraska cornerback Zackary Bowman is done for the season after tearing up a knee. And quarterback Harrison Beck was AWOL again, leaving his future with the team in doubt.

Chris Dempsey, Denver Post: They aren't playing EA Sports' NCAA Football '07 at Colorado. It's a serious video game called Pro Simulator, first unveiled at Arizona State.

Kevin Tatum, Philadelphia Inquirer: What, me worry? Temple coach Al Golden, whose team lost nine scholarships for failing to meet an APR of 900, is not concerned about tougher NCAA penalties for missing the mark.

Casper Star-Tribune: Two Wyoming running backs have had their suspensions reduced from three games to one game.

Doug Smock, Charleston Gazette: The controversial 3-2-5-e rule isn't the only change that has been made to the game.

Kyle Nagel, Dayton Daily News: With ESPN dangling dollars, more teams are switching games from Saturday to gain national exposure (registration).

Kyle Hightower, Orlando Sentinel: Just from the look of the press guide, life remains far from normal at Tulane.

Columnists' Corner

Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News: Who's tougher on crime, Mike Shula or Tommy Tuberville? That's easy. Hands down, it's Bob Stoops.

Jim Carty, Ann Arbor News: They say losing will humble you, and that appears to be the case with Michigan's Lloyd Carr, who doesn't flinch when asked about last season's 7-5 record.

Eric Hansen, South Bend Tribune: Sizing up Notre Dame's prospects against what appears to be a formidable schedule (thanks to Kevin!).

Robert Cessna, Bryan-College Station Eagle: Rhett Bomar and J.D. Quinn have brought Oklahoma down, but it has yet to be determined how far the Sooners will drop — and when.

Anthony Gimino, Tucson Citizen: A 6-6 season is mediocre, but at Arizona it might be cause for a parade through downtown.

Admit It! You Have a Problem!

Being a fan can consume a lot of time. Being a fan who visits message boards can take over your life. Example 1A: One Florida fanatic has posted more than 20,000 messages at one site since 2001. "That's 4,000 posts a year, 10 a day," he said. A problem? Not in his eyes. "When you break it down, it's not that much." Coaches tend to dislike them, schools monitor them and some boards have even been subpoenaed. But they can be the first to break spectacular stories, such as Mike Price's drunken escapades at a Pensacola strip club that led to his dismissal as Alabama coach less than a month later. That posting helped lift message boards from nerd to national status. Now comes this thread from seven months ago, exposing Big Red Sports/Imports for paying Oklahoma's Rhett Bomar (thanks to reader Dan). "It's not like it used to be, when everybody got up and read the sports page," Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley said. "Now everybody gets on and logs on to the Internet and either reads it or posts on it." And message boards aren't the only problem for teams. Several coaches want to pull the plug on players' blogs.

Reporters' Notebooks

Brian Rosenthal and Steven M. Sipple, Lincoln Journal Star: Nebraska sophomore quarterback Harrison Beck, who drew the concern of coaches after he failed to show for practice, sent a text message to his mother that read, "I'm safe."

Ryan Wood, Lawrence Journal-World: A Kansas player who was declared ineligible is trying to gain reinstatement through the courts, saying it is unfair for the NCAA to grant an extra year of eligibility to pregnant female athletes and not to male athletes who father children (thanks to Deadspin).

Barry Jackson and Susan Miller Degnan, Miami Herald: Linebacker Willie Williams is in discussions with Troy about transferring there after receiving permission from Miami officials. Plus, defensive end Chris Lewis is transferring to Fresno State (registration).

Steve Conroy, Boston Herald: Two projected starters for Boston College are among four players expected to miss the season.

Jim Moredich, Tucson Citizen: It took six months to clear academic hurdles, but the nation's No. 1 junior college recruit has become an Arizona Wildcat.

Carter Strickland, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia cornerback Thomas Flowers has been suspended for the first two games. Three other players are also suspended (registration).

Rick Scoppe, Greenville News: Good news for South Carolina. Syvelle Newton, the multi-tasking offensive threat, says he's back and ready to play.

Columnists' Corner

Blaine Newnham, Seattle Times: Tyrone Willingham can be tough on the media, but spend four hours with him on a golf course and you'll see a different side of the Washington coach.

Ray Melick, Birmingham News: At Alabama Birmingham, paydays are more important than paydirt.

Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star: Ron Prince is already winning over the media at Kansas State. He had the first of three open practices, something that never happened under Bill Snyder (registration).

Mark Tupper, Decatur Herald-Review: So far, it's a different tune coming out of Illinois, where cautious optimism has replaced brash predictions.

Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel: The knuckleheads in the Florida legislature should keep out of the debate over making a Central Florida-South Florida game an annual affair.

David Climer, Tennessean: So exactly when did Oklahoma join the Southeastern Conference?

Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times: USC coach Pete Carroll knows that image is everything.

Bulldogs Showing Serious Bite

Sylvester Croom was handed a mess when he took over the Mississippi State program on Dec. 1, 2003, but if the Bulldogs' 2006 poster schedule is any indication, the rebuilding effort is about to pay dividends. Croom has won only six games in two years, but one of the victories came over rival Mississippi (35-14) in last year's Egg Bowl. Croom and the Egg Bowl trophy anchor the piece, and as the reader (they asked to name anonymous) who sent this to us pointed out, the scowl on Croom's face is priceless. "Yeah, he really doesn't like Ole Miss," they wrote. (Double-click on the image to get a detailed look.) We really like this effort. It's big, it's bold. Everything blends together and the piece has balance. Although it has been a tough stretch for Mississippi State, the SEC championship game is on the schedule, an indication that the Bulldogs have clear goals despite their recent struggles. Now this project wouldn't be possible without your help, so if you want your team's poster schedule reviewed and featured, send an image or link to dawizofodds (at) aol.com. Here are hotlinks to posters that have been reviewed: Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC.

Zebras Grow Some New Stripes

Take a look at the new uniforms NFL officials will wear this season. Do you like them? The league unveiled the flashier look this week at Giants training camp and not everyone was enamored. "They should be riding on a horse at Saratoga," one spectator cracked. Given how fuddy-duddy the No Fun League can be, we are shocked it would tamper with tradition. The only logical conclusion is that somehow the NFL will profit from the switch. And with college football continuing to change its rules to be more like the NFL (how many more years before a running clock?), you can expect to see this look trickle down into the college ranks before long.

3-2-5-e: From Tiller to Our Favorite Martin

We aren't about to drop the ball on 3-2-5-e, the new rule we have been harping about for a week. Purdue coach Joe Tiller of trading card fame, above, had some blistering comments at this week's Big Ten gathering in Chicago. He got straight to point, saying the ever-expanding commercial time is to blame for longer games, not the game itself. "Why don't we just come out and say we want to shorten the game so we can get more TV commercials in?" Tiller asked. "Let's not say it's going to make the game faster and the fans are going like it." WAC coaches also had plenty to say. "It is ridiculous to me," Idaho's Dennis Erickson said. New Mexico State counterpart Hal Mumme said: "I think the rules committee went below and beyond when coming up with that rule." It's becoming clear that passing teams will be impacted most because they run more plays, but the question remains how many plays will be lost? Enter Martin of the incredible site CFB Stats. Martin has logged every play of the 718 games in 2005 involving Division I-A teams in his database. Folks, this is an amazing feat. He informs us that in 2005, the average game had 10.71 kickoffs, 10.67 punts, 2.09 interceptions and 1.74 fumbles. According to our number crunching, that comes to 25.21 plays. These are the plays that will be impacted by 3-2-5-e. Granted, commercial time will be inserted between some of these plays, but it is easy to see where 20 plays could be lost. We continue to pay visits to Martin's site and shake our head in amazement at what he has created. He has agreed to provide us with more goodies and will help track the impact of 3-2-5-e. His site is also linked here under Toolbox. Frankly, the NCAA should be ashamed of its stats site. CFB Stats is far superior and provides the detail true fans want and deserve.

USC-Notre Dame: It's On!

The Trojans and Fighting Irish don't play until Nov. 25 at the L.A. Coliseum, but the war of words has already started. Tailback Desmond Reed, right, who suffered a major knee injury and nerve damage in his right leg in the Oct. 15, 2005 "Bush Push" game at South Bend, is blaming the ankle-deep grass at Notre Dame Stadium for the injury. "I believe it was the grass," said Reed, who recounted the walk-through the day before the game. "Guys were complaining like, 'Wow, I can't believe the grass is so tall,' " he said. "You never really think anything is going to happen. But something did and I paid the price for it." Also of note here is that Reed's surgeon was Arthur Ting, the father of Brandon and Ryan Ting, the twins who quit the USC team last week. It was later revealed that Brandon had tested positive for steroids and that Arthur had been disciplined by the state medical board. Now this takes us to an announcement regarding the site. The photo of Reed was supplied to the Wiz by Image of Sport, which has agreed to provide us with periodically with photos. This should be a win-win for everybody. Image of Sport is a premium photo service designed for daily newspapers, editorial publications and websites, and because a substantial chunk of our audience comes from that demographic, it's a perfect fit. Even if you don't have a newspaper, website or magazine to produce, take a look at Image of Sport's gallery. It's top-notch photography and you can spend considerable time just looking at images. Image of Sport is also located on the links list, under Toolbox.

Stoops to NFL in 2007? Don't Bet on It

While Oklahoma goes through a state of depression, word comes that Sooner coach Bob Stoops will be looking to jump to the NFL after the season. Our reaction? A bunch of manure. First, the use of sources — unnamed at that — are regularly being tossed around again. We'd like to see some names here, otherwise the credibility factor is zero. Frankly, we have doubts there are any sources behind this, outside of imaginary ones that are cleverly created to bring in traffic. Second, we shall examine case history. A sister site went down the same path in June, saying that Notre Dame's Brady Quinn might be ineligible for the 2006 season because coach Charlie Weis pushed the quarterback to meet and pick an agent before the start of the season. That proved to be a bunch of dung, but it drew the attention of Notre Dame officials and earned a free plug. We weren't the only ones to see what was going on. The good folks over at EDSBS had it nailed, as you can see from this fine post. ... As for developments at OU, Sooner fans roared their approval over Stoops' decision to dismiss quarterback Rhett Bomar and guard J.D. Quinn, but is Stoops to blame for what happened? We also have video links to the national reaction, Stoops press conference and the fall from grace of another former Oklahoma quarterback (some registration).

Is This the Shape of Things to Come?

Unfortunately, the Blogger template does not allow us to properly display Auburn's 2006 poster schedule, but that might not be such a bad thing. Outside of the unusual shape, which sets it apart, we simply are not enamored with much of anything here. It's as if coach Tommy Tuberville, the man in the middle, didn't want to single out four or five players to be featured and decided to have shots of 22 players instead. The 2005 schedule, which you can view here, is more to our liking. We would like to thank NixforSix for sending this along, and if you want your team's 2006 poster scheduled featured, send an image or link to dawizofodds (at) aol.com. Here are hotlinks to the poster schedules that have been featured: South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC.

From the BCS Title Game to the Dust Bowl

Quarterback Rhett Bomar, above, and guard J.D. Quinn were dismissed from the Oklahoma team after officials determined the players had been paid for hours they did not work at Big Red Sports/Imports, a Norman car dealership. Employment records revealed the players were clocked in during practice, according to the Oklahoman. Big Red is the same dealership that was investigated last spring after Sooner running back Adrian Peterson aborted the purchase of a late-model Lexus, so if you are a Texas or Oklahoma State fan, you might want to purchase your next vehicle from Big Red, which has basically destroyed any hope the Sooners had this season for a run at the BCS championship. On top of this, the NCAA is likely to pay a visit, which is not good news for an athletic department already on a two-year probation for major rules violations committed by men's basketball coaches. Of course, they are having fun with this in Austin. As for the Oklahoman coverage, this is bigger news than the dust bowl, which the team will now try to avoid in the postseason. Columnist Berry Tramel says Bomar is a knucklehead. John Rohde says the Sooners have a quality punter in coach Bob Stoops, who booted the players. And we have links to video coverage: a no comment from Bomar at Will Rogers airport; the national media reacts; Dean Blevins reports on Bomar's OU stint; reaction from Sooner fans; and the owner of the Big Red dealership addresses the situation (registration).

Ting's Father Put on Probation by Board

Bay Area orthopedic surgeon Arthur Ting, right, the father of former USC players Brandon and Ryan Ting, is serving a five-year probation for distributing "dangerous drugs and controlled substances to friends and acquaintances, particularly athletes, for whom he kept no medical records or for whom the medical records were fictitious, inadequate or inaccurate," according to state medical records, the L.A. Times reported. According to an earlier report in the San Francisco Chronicle, Ting has twice been disciplined by the state medical board and his probation runs through 2009. Brandon Ting quit the Trojans last week, and it was revealed Tuesday that he had tested positive for steroids. Twin brother Ryan joined Brandon in leaving the team, citing the twins' desire to concentrate on their medical school ambitions. Arthur Ting reportedly appeared as a witness before a grand jury considering possible perjury charges against baseball's Barry Bonds, one of Arthur's many sports clients.

Reporters' Notebooks

Marlon Morgan, Commercial Appeal: Good news for Mississippi Madman Ed Orgeron. Quarterback Brent Schaeffer made the grade and is in Oxford (registration).

Chris Low, Tennessean: Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer has dismissed one player and suspended another.

Tommy Deas, Tuscaloosa News: Alabama's renovated Bryant-Denny Stadium will arguably have the best visiting locker room in the SEC.

Jim Kleinpeter, Times-Picayune: Louisiana State players are no longer participating in the trendy yoglates program because of a conflict with NCAA rules.

Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: Kenny James, the projected starter at Washington's dangerously thin running back position, has a broken radius bone in his right forearm.

John Moredich, Tucson Citizen: Two five-star defensive line prospects failed to show when Arizona reported for fall camp.

Aaron Fentress, Oregonian: Reason for concern at Oregon. Nike co-founder and Duck booster Phil Knight has changed course, giving $105 million to Pac-10 rival Stanford's Graduate School of Business.

Dan Collins, Winston-Salem Journal: Wake Forest is the latest team that wants to add luxury boxes to its stadium.

Jorge Milian, Palm Beach Post: Assorted misbehavior and general scandal. This has been an offseason to forget for Miami.

Loran Smith, Athens Banner-Herald: Former coach Bill Dooley is thankful to be alive after suffering two stomach aneurisms.

The Real Reason Ting Left the Trojans

USC safety Brandon Ting, above, quit the team Friday along with his twin brother, Ryan, and the reason given was a noble one: the players wanted to concentrate on the demands of their medical school ambitions. Now we know the real reason Brandon quit: He tested positive for steroids, according to the L.A. Daily News and L.A. Times, and would not have been eligible anyway. What makes this even more interesting is that Arthur Ting, father of the twins, is a Bay Area orthopedic surgeon who has reportedly appeared as a witness before a grand jury considering possible perjury charges against baseball's Barry Bonds, one of Arthur's clients. Credit goes to Bruins Nation, in its watchdog role over the crosstown rival, for pointing us to an exit interview the Tings gave to We Are SC. In that piece, Ryan said he received death threats (yes, plural) after he failed to make an interception in the BCS title game against Texas. Also of interest is that Ryan said he and his brother quit visiting the message boards after the loss to Texas, yet we would like to point out that they decided to use that forum to spread the word of their academic plans trumping athletic endeavors. Now it appears the We Are SC interview was merely an attempt to create a smokescreen, wouldn't you say? The remaining question we have is why Ryan also quit. The loss to USC won't be on the field because the Tings were merely contributors and not frontline players. What hurts, besides the p.r. hit, is that the team GPA is sure to take a tumble.

Gamecocks' Poster Is a Perfect Blend

It's clear that South Carolina has put a lot of love into its 2006 poster schedule, and we have reader Clark to thank for sending it to us. An image of Williams-Brice Stadium serves as the foundation, with coach Steve Spurrier and four players ringing the piece. There is considerable detail, with additional shots of Spurrier and his troops blended into the background. The schedule rests at the bottom, is easy to read and adds balance. Most important, it doesn't distract from the overall composition. This certainly ranks up there and you can compare it to previous posters we have displayed: Arkansas, Florida State, Florida, Iowa State and USC. Feel like your team is being left out and you have something better to show the world? Send us an image and we will be happy to review and showcase your team's effort. The address is dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Reporters' Notebooks

Angelique S. Chengelis, Detroit News: Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said he was merely doing his duty in telling Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany about James Filson, the official who continued to work conference games despite having lost an eye in an accident in 2000.

Mark Snyder, Detroit Free Press: Michigan receiver/quarterback Antonio Bass, who suffered a knee injury in the spring, could be done playing football.

Joe Rexrode and Tim Kirby, Lansing State Journal: Defensive back prospect Ken Tinney, who received a "one-way ticket" out of East Lansing, could be returning to Michigan State.

Shawn Courchesne, Hartford Courant: Connecticut receiver Seth Fogarty suffered leg and foot injuries in an all-terrain vehicle accident and his playing career could be over.

Kimra McPherson, San Jose Mercury News: A San Jose State defensive back was jailed on robbery charges for allegedly using classified ads on Craigslist to lure victims, then meeting them and zapping the victims with a Taser.

Susan Miller Degnan, Miami Herald: Miami's turbulent offseason continued, as coach Larry Coker suspended four players for the opener against Florida State (registration).

Our Man Trev Returns to Your Living Room

Trev Alberts is back in the game. Alberts, who was fired last year by ESPN, has been hired by CSTV and will serve as an analyst for the network's game coverage. It's a new role for Alberts, who was part of ESPN's "College Football Scoreboard" and "College Football GameDay" teams. In other words, he never left the studio at ESPN. And frankly, the two shows never regained their edge after Alberts' departure. Alberts will also serve as an analyst on CSTV's "Crystal Ball," a preview show that has been seeking an identity since its inception. Alberts' return is welcomed in this corner of cyberspace. The Wiz considers him one of the best in the business.

Reporters' Notebooks

Mark Janssen, Manhattan Mercury: Trouble at Kansas State, where quarterback Allen Webb failed to make the grades and will transfer to Texas College, an NAIA school (registration).

Randy Kenner, Knoxville News-Sentinel: Tennessee defensive back Marsalous Johnson was charged with aggravated assault after he allegedly pointed a toy weapon at another driver on Interstate 40 (registration).

Don Ruiz, Tacoma News Tribune: More reaction from Pac-10 coaches on the controversial 3-2-5-e rule that will significantly reduce the number of plays in a game (registration).

Keith Whitmire, Dallas Morning News: Texas Tech defensive back Anthony Hines remains hospitalized after being stabbed during a fight outside of a bar (registration).

Robbi Pickeral, Raleigh News & Observer: North Carolina, in hopes of bringing in a new stream of revenue, has launched a frequent-flier kind of points-accumulation program for fans shopping at selected Internet sites (registration).

Joseph Person, Columbia State: South Carolina has suspended two reserves for the first three games for violating "university policy."

Paul Strelow, Columbia State: Temple is trying to get out of a game against Clemson, scheduled to be played Sept. 15, 2007 at Charlotte.

Tony Barnhart, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: High pay and high pressure assure a high turnover rate in coaching (registration).