Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Reporters' Notebooks

J. Brady McCollough, Kansas City Star: Kansas' offense, which finished No. 2 nationally in scoring offense last season, sputtered in its spring game. The unit resembled a group that had lost its two starting offensive tackles, its starting tight end and its leading rusher and receiver from 2007.

Ilana Limon, Orlando Sentinel: Central Florida's Cliff McCray, who was the roommate of Ereck Plancher and projected starter on the offensive line, left the team days after Plancher collapsed during an offseason workout and died March 18.

Michael Dirocco and Jenna Marina, Florida Times-Union: The Waterford crystal atop Florida's 2006 Bowl Championship Series title trophy was shattered in an accident outside Urban Meyer's office.

Dave Curtis, Orlando Sentinel: SPARQ Training, a popular individual athletic improvement program, removed the name and likeness of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow from its website after receiving a call from Florida officials asking the company to make the change.

Shannon Shelton, Detroit Free Press: A draft to select players for Saturday's spring game at Michigan State got heated when one team selected two centers, forcing "commissioner" Mark Dantonio to step in and settle matters.

West Virginia Metro News: A West Virginia attorney predicts the Mountaineers will win their lawsuit against Rich Rodriguez.

Rick Scoppe, Greenville News: South Carolina's Steve Spurrier now says he never predicted his team would win the Southeastern Conference title last summer. He just said if the Gamecocks got in position to win, they’d have a chance. "We got in position and didn't compete for it. But we were certainly in position there at 6-1, but obviously we weren't ready."

Norm Wood, Newport News Daily Press: In the year since the April 16 shootings on the campus of Virginia Tech, Frank Beamer has been a pillar of strength and a symbol of recovery. Thanks to Ryan!

Dennis Romboy, Deseret News: College are beginning to add the name of corporate sponsors to sports venues. "So much of what we see in professional sports percolates into the college scene," said Dennis Howard, a business professor at Oregon's Warsaw Sports Marketing Center. "They are starting corporatize."

Molly Yanity, Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Washington kicker Ryan Perkins says the 2008 season could be his last. The level of pain in his twice surgically repaired knee continues to increase. "I don't want to have knee replacement surgery in 10 years if I can [wait and] have it when I'm 50 or older."

To bypass registration, go to Bug Me Not. Here is today's mystery link.

No comments: