Hewitt Wants Tickets to the Last Game

Today we dip our toe into the world of Hugh Hewitt, talk show host, author, blogger, fortune teller. According to Wikipedia, "he comments on politics and society from a neo-conservative and evangelical Christian viewpoint."

Political commentators are prone to say outrageous things, but Hewitt may have topped them all with this doozy regarding the Ohio State-USC game on Sept. 13 at the L.A. Coliseum:

"I'm still trying to find two tickets to the Ohio State-USC game. And none of the USC people will give up their tickets to me. I'd pay fair price. They — they know Ohio State's gonna slaughter the Trojans. They know that they're gonna slaughter the Trojans, and therefore they do not want me there at the bloodbath, since it's probably the last football game we'll ever get to see before the United States gets blown up by the Islamists under Obama.

"I — I would like to see Ohio State slaughter USC. This is what I'm living for right now. I'm keeping — all the bad news, I just focus on the Ohio State upcoming slaughter of USC. So if you are a USC fan willing to sell me two or perhaps even three USC tickets to the Ohio State game, hugh@hughhewitt.com, or if you're a Buckeye fan with those tickets back in Ohio, I'll trade you some Browns tickets. New York Giants, Monday night game? Think about it. Hugh Hewitt Show."

Not Much Left in Cardinals' Nest

If Louisville fans didn't have enough to scream about, last week's report that 20 scholarship underclassmen have left Steve Kragthorpe's team since the end of spring practice in 2007 certainly put them over the top.

Reasons for the departures vary. Some players were kicked off for behavior problems, some transferred to other teams and others simply quit. Although Kragthorpe says he will have 85 scholarship players this fall, he has lost what amounts to a full recruiting class.

Given the turnover, more turbulence is ahead for the Cardinals, who were No. 10 in the Associated Press preseason poll in 2007 before stumbling to a 6-6 season.

In fairness to Kragthorpe, the coach says he had to clean up a lot of "off-the-field issues" when he came to Louisville from Tulsa.

"When you go into a program that has been losing and there's attrition, people say, 'That's just a new coach who's changing the way they do things.' In my situation, I came into a program that had been winning, so people aren't as apt to see it that way."

Reporters' Notebooks

Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: Running back J.R. Hasty, considered the plum of Tyrone Willingham's first recruiting class at Washington, and cornerback Jordan Murchison did not have their scholarships renewed.

Paul Finebaum, Mobile Press-Register: Is Alabama getting a good return on its Nick Saban investment? The Crimson Tide were 7-6 in 2007 and after yet another disastrous week, patience is wearing thin.

Mike Perrin, Birmingham News: In 1991, the NCAA banned athletics dormitories. Now, no more than 49% of the population of a dorm, or a wing, or even a floor of university housing, can be athletes. But does this make it impossible for coaches to monitor their players?

Donnie Webb, Syracuse Post-Standard: Yet another Syracuse player has been suspended because of academic issues. Defensive end Brandon Gilbeaux will not play this fall.

Berry Tramel, Oklahoman: Oklahoma State's average home attendance in 2007 was 39,857, but with Boone Pickens Stadium now expanded to 60,000, the pressure is on Mike Gundy to put fans in the seats.

Kyle Ringo, Boulder Daily Camera: Colorado fans sense a team on the rise. Athletic director Mike Bohn said 92% of season-ticket holders had renewed and that 41 suites in Folsom Field are sold out.

Dave Matter, Columbia Tribune: When former Iowa Hawkeye Bob Stoops became Oklahoma’s coach almost decade ago, a branch of the Hayden Fry coaching tree took root in Norman. Since then, Stoops’ branch has blossomed into a giant sequoia.

Rick Bozich, Louisville Courier-Journal: No need to go to the newsstand and buy all the preseason magazines. Here's a capsule look at what they have to say.

Ray Buck, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: The Heisman Trophy fraternity has reached out to Ricky Williams, who will try to resume his playing career this fall with the Miami Dolphins.

Associated Press: Former Quarterback Jamelle Holieway, who led Oklahoma to a national championship in 1985, was jailed in Eufaula, Okla., because of outstanding traffic warrants.

Craig Smith, Seattle Times: Washington State backup quarterback Cole Morgan is transferring to Western Washington in search of playing time.

Rob Oller, Columbus Dispatch: The Terrelle Pryor fallout: Ohio State backup quarterback Antonio Henton is transferring to Georgia Southern.

Ferd Lewis, Honolulu Advertiser: Hawaii will discount tickets in selected locations at Aloha Stadium in an effort to boost sales in a declining economy.

Jennifer Thomas, Centre Daily Times: Former Penn State linebacker LaVar Arrington is getting into the restaurant/bar business in State College. Thanks to Kevin of We Are Penn State.

Here is today's mystery link. Thanks to Jim of Erratic Magic.

Uga VI Suffers Heart Attack, Dies

Uga VI, the latest in the line of solid white English Bulldogs to serve as a mascot for Georgia, died Friday night in Savannah of a heart attack.

Owner Frank W. "Sonny" Seiler returned home from work Friday evening and noticed Uga was breathing heavily. He took the dog to Stanley Lester, the family's veterinarian, who consulted with Bruce Hollett at the Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine.

"I noticed he had a little congestion in his throat, which usually is not cause for alarm," Seiler said. "I gave him a bath, which he always loved, to cool him off. After that, I called Dr. Lester, whose office is about a four-minute drive from our house.

"His heart just played out. He suffered no pain and died peacefully."

Uga VI would have turned 10 on July 22. He will be buried in a marble vault in the Southwest corner of Sanford Stadium with his predecessors. The private ceremonies are expected to be held early next week.

Uga IV was the biggest of all the mascots at 65 pounds, 20 pounds heavier than his father, Uga V. His registered name was "Uga V's Whatchagot Loran?" — a reference to the famous question of Georgia radio play-by-play announcer Larry Munson when communicating with sideline reporter Loran Smith.

Let the Heisman Foolishness Begin

It's June 27, the temperature is soaring into the 90s across much of the country and here we are, talking Heisman Trophy.

Score one for West Virginia. The 'Eers are the first on the Internet board with a site promoting a Heisman candidate, in this case quarterback Pat White. At the time of this post, the site had only been online for a couple of hours.

White's site contains the usual trappings, plus a few other goodies, including — get this — his iPod playlist. ... We thank the Heisman Pundit.

Reporters' Notebooks

Andrea Cohen, Oklahoman: The money continues to roll in at Oklahoma State. Alum Malone Mitchell donated $57.2 million in stock to the university, with half going to academics and half to athletics.

Brian Bennett, Louisville Courier-Journal: Defensive lineman Aundre Henderson has left the Louisville team, bringing the number of scholarship players who have left the team since the spring of 2007 to an astonishing 21.

Ian R. Rapoport, Birmingham News: Former Alabama linebacker Jimmy Johns is "distraught" and "deeply saddened" by his arrest on six drug-related charges, his lawyers said. Johns faces two to 20 years in prison and a $30,000 fine for each of the five charges of cocaine distribution. The possession charge carries one to 10 years in jail and a $15,000 fine.

Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News: Dave Radar, quarterback coach at Alabama under Mike Shula, says his old boss isn't to blame for the embarrassment created by the arrest of Johns. Neither is Nick Saban. "What he did, it was Jimmy's decision," Radar said.

Losers With Socks: Bored? Play the hilarious Bommeroid Wordsearch.

Teddy Greenstein, Chicago Tribune: Illinois and Ron Zook will be featured in the Big Ten Network series called "The Journey." Michigan's Rich Rodriguez was first approached, but turned down the offer.

Jeremy Olson, St. Paul Pioneer Press: Minnesota recruit Sam Maresh underwent successful heart valve surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

Kevin Murphy, Capital Times: A state appeals court restored the wrongful death lawsuit against a state employee brought after an ABC cameraman died from a fall at Camp Randall Stadium while preparing for a Nov. 22, 2003 telecast of a Badger-Iowa game.

Angela Delli Santi, Newsday: A U.S. senator from New Jersey is urging the federal government to take action on artificial turf fields that contain lead.

Suzanne Halliburton and Alan Trubow, Austin American-Statesman: Former Texas players Andre Jones and Robert Joseph pleaded guilty to felony charges.

Bob Kravitz, Indianapolis Star: The reign of error is almost over. The departure of Indiana athletic director Rick Greenspan is long overdue.

Chris Allen, Marshall Democrat News: If Miami (Ohio) is known as the "Cradle of Coaches," then Marshall High in Missouri could be called the "Cradle of Equipment Managers." Thanks to Ben Maller.

To bypass registration, go to Bug Me Not.

Coke Deal Outside Tide Football Complex?

Former Alabama linebacker Jimmy Johns, who is facing felony charges for selling cocaine to undercover agents, allegedly conducted one of the five transactions in the parking lot of the Crimson Tide's football complex.

According to documents, all of the transactions involving Johns were either videotaped or audiotaped. On three occasions, both were used. A search of Johns' residence also turned up ecstasy pills, according to police.

Johns also had a side business as a breeder of pit bulls. Officials say he violated NCAA rules this spring by allowing his image to be used on a website promoting the breeding and purchasing of pit bulls. Johns' email address was left as a contact.

Nick Saban gave Johns the boot after learning of the linebacker's arrest.

While Auburn fans are having their fun with the Crimson Tide's latest mess, former Tiger coach Terry Bowden is defending Saban, saying the Alabama coach might have had no choice but to back Johns.

More Strange Stuff Out of Lawrence

First came word that 61-year-old White Owl, Kansas' No. 1 fan, will get hitched to a 22-year-old former coed. Now this dispatch about a new seating plan at Memorial Stadium.

Kansas is selling open-air luxury seats behind the stadium's south end zone. For $2,500 a seat, you get a cushy leather recliner — located six feet off the ground and 10 yards behind the end zone — free food and drinks and flat-screen TVs to watch the replays.

And when the season ends, you can buy the recliner.

"We wanted to do something to add ambiance and excitement to the open end zone," associate athletic director for external affairs Jim Marchiony said.

The seats are considerably more expensive than what had been the most expensive nonsuite season tickets ($300), but already 50 of the 56 recliner seats have been sold.

Reporters' Notebooks

Ben Malcolmson, USC Rips It: USC's Pete Carroll says he was involved in a fender bender Tuesday night with an L.A. County Sheriff's squad car on Pacific Coast Highway. "Everything’s OK, I was a little shaken up then, but I’m good now,” Carroll said. “Obviously there’s damage to the car, but fortunately there’s nothing worse." Plus, the scoop on Malcolmson's site.

Rodrigo Zamith, Minneapolis Star Tribune: A change of heart by Minnesota officials, who have notified they do not want mascot Goldy Gopher associated with Victoria's Secret upcoming Pink Collegiate Collection.

Mike Lucas, Capital Times: Former Nebraska and Wisconsin defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove is now a volunteer assistant for his son's high school team.

Addicted to Quack: Bad TV contracts, bad bowl games, unwillingness to look to the future. Outgoing Pacific 10 commissioner Tom Hansen is full of excuses.

Dave Matter, Columbia Tribune: Missouri backup quarterback Dominic Grooms has left the team because of personal reasons.

Jake Schaller, Colorado Springs Gazette: A new indoor athletic facility appears to be on the horizon for Air Force.

Randy Peterson, Des Moines Register: Iowa, which opened the 2007 season with a game against Northern Illinois in Chicago’s Soldier Field, wants to schedule another game at the venue, possibly in 2010.

Scott Wright, Oklahoman: Oklahoma senior starting left tackle Phil Loadholt was arrested Saturday along Interstate 35 on suspicion of driving under the influence and for allegedly transporting an open container.

College Baseball Blog: Coverage of Fresno State's improbable championship at the College World Series in Omaha.

Johnathan Goddard Bereavement Fund

Former Marshall defensive end Johnathan Goddard, the 2004 Mid-American Conference defensive player of the year, died earlier this month from injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident. There is a fund-raising drive to help the family pay funeral expenses, which total $13,000.

A football that was signed by Goddard is being auctioned on eBay, and a bereavement fund has also been started, with details available on this link.

Thanks to Matt.

The Linebacker Lounge

The next best thing to having a bar on campus is having one across the street. Welcome to The Linebacker, which has been serving thirsty patrons in South Bend for 45 years.

On football Saturdays, former Notre Dame players and coaches mingle with the faithful, and a beer tent serves customers who can't fight their way inside. No wonder locals affectionately call it "The Backer."

Talk Four Horsemen or Ara Parseghian all you want, but what sets this establishment apart is a stripper's pole erected in the middle of the dance floor. As legend goes, the spirits flow and women decide to go for a spin as they vie for attention.

The inside is described as a "plethora of '70s-style wood paneling and a low-tiled ceiling." More than one online reviewer describes the Long Island ice teas as "potent."
Other reviews are generally favorable, but one visitor from San Francisco didn't care for his experience. "This place sucks. ... The music is pretty bad. If you like it, then you have bad taste in music. The floors are also disgusting while people are dancing; if you're wearing jeans, when you get home you'll think you spent your night mucking out a stable or wading through a shallow swamp."

Running a joint as popular as The Backer can be a royal pain in the rear, and owner Greg Delinski was asked in 2005 about visiting fans. Specifically, which ones present the biggest headaches.

"Ohio State is the worst," he told Dawgman.com. "I could go one and on about their fans, but they are the worst. Michigan and Michigan State fans are always bad. They stir up trouble. I think it is due to the close proximity of the schools to each other."

Have you visited The Backer? We'd like to hear about your experience. Thumbs up or thumbs down?

Previous reviews: Esso Club (Clemson); Dirtbag's (Arizona); Bash Riprock's (Texas Tech); The Original Varsity Club (Ohio State); Walk-On's (Louisiana State); O'Connell's Irish Pub & Grille (Oklahoma); Top Of The Stairs (Virginia Tech).

Week 1, or Shall We Call It Weak 1?

It's shaping up as a lousy opening week for college football bettors. The first set of lines for games on Aug. 28 and Aug. 30 were posted at Doc's Sports (they have since been on and off the site) and the lack of marquee games was reflected in pointspreads.

Every game but one had a double-digit spread. The only exception was James Madison at Duke, with the Blue Devils a mere two-point favorite in David Cutcliffe's debut.

On the other end was Chattanooga at Oklahoma, with the Sooners listed as 47.5-point favorites.

Other games of note: Appalachian State at Louisiana State (-23); Youngstown State at Ohio State (-34); Tennessee Martin at South Florida (-39.5); Western Illinois at Arkansas (-23); Coastal Carolina at Penn State (-37);

Villanova at West Virginia (-35); Maine at Iowa (-22); Eastern Washington at Texas Tech (-33); Idaho State at Boise State (-44.5); Northern Arizona at Arizona State (-31.5).

Louisiana State and Texas Tech each had an opening on Aug. 30, but instead of playing each other, they opted for the lightweight approach to scheduling.

Seriously, is this what passes as competition in this day and age? It's laughable how the big teams run from each other. Just laughable. When does the actual season start?

Reporters' Notebooks

Claudia Zequeira, Orlando Sentinel: Central Florida will ban consumption of alcoholic beverages at tailgate parties on campus parking lots once kickoff starts. "We want people to enjoy the game once kickoff starts . . . not to be outdoors engaging in alternative behaviors," athletic department spokesman Joe Hornstein said. Thanks to Steve of SoCal Tennis.

Stephanie Taylor, Tuscaloosa News: Nick Saban continues to trim his roster. Jimmy Johns is the latest to go. The linebacker was charged with five counts of selling cocaine to undercover investigators. Johns is the 10th Crimson Tide player to be arrested within the past year and the second to face felony charges.

Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News: Saban would have been wise to cut Johns long before his arrest.

Scott Dochterman, Cedar Rapids Gazette: Now that the Big Ten Network has a deal with Comcast, it will ramp up pressure on other cable providers, including Mediacom.

Stewart Mandel, SI.com: Mike Slive, the commissioner of the Southeastern Conference — the reigning darling of the college football world and proven ratings machine — says an SEC network "remains a very viable option." A decision is expected later this summer or early fall.

Mike Casazza, Charleston Daily Mail: Rich Rodriguez must reveal whether anyone else has agreed to pay the $4 million buyout that West Virginia's lawyers are trying to recover.

Bill Koch, Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati's Brian Kelly is waiting for clearance from university president Nancy Zimpher that would allow former Minnesota player Alex Daniels to become a member of the Bearcats' team. Daniels was one of four players dismissed from the Minnesota team in July 2007 after they allegedly were involved in an incident with an 18-year-old woman.

Alan Schmadtke, Orlando Sentinel: A defense lawyer in an obscenity trial recently used "Tim Tebow" as a search term in an attempt to show the popularity of pornographic sites on the Internet.

Ferd Lewis, Honolulu Advertiser: Hawaii's game against Florida is set for a 12:30 p.m. start in Gainesville, which translates to 6:30 a.m. in Honolulu.

Meghan Montemurro, Daily Illini: Get ready for "Zook Zone" towels at Illinois. The towels will go on sale July 1 for $7 each, with $1 going toward the fight against cancer.

The Rivalry, Esq.: A tongue-in-cheek look at the cigar preferences of the coaching elite. Thanks to FanBlogs.

To bypass registration, go to Bug Me Not. Here is today's hilarious mystery link. It comes with a language warning.

White Owl Hits the Jackpot

Kansas' No. 1 fan is getting married. White Owl, who also goes by Jimmy Neal and Saul Tucker, and former Jayhawk student Julia Lee are planning to tie the knot. White Owl is 61, Lee 22.

While this union might might not be considered unusual in say, California, it's a different story in conservative Kansas, where dictatorial practices on who you can marry are the norm.

Fans have long known the wise, old Owl for his vocal support of the Jayhawks, rhythmic dancing and criticisms of the Vietnam War. Given that he knows how to put on the all moves, it was only a matter of time before White Owl found a mate. Check out this video of White Owl in action at last season's Nebraska-Kansas game in Lawrence.

But Lee's family is not happy about the daughter running off and getting married.

"They are still kind of struggling with this," Lee said. "My dad wants to meet with a third party so we can communicate about this. He wants to meet with me, my mom and a preacher to sort some of this stuff out. He wants this to end because he is not comfortable with this at all."

Thanks to Ryan of Gobbler Country.

Ray Ray Finds a New Home at Howard

Ray Ray McElrathbey, whose scholarship was not renewed in a sinister move by Clemson's Tommy Bowden, is headed to Howard University to continue his playing career.

McElrathbey gained custody of his 11-year-old brother Fahmarr in 2006 to get him away from a mother who was addicted to drugs and a father who was addicted to gambling. Last August he tore a knee ligament that required surgery. Then Bowden kicked him out the door in March.

McElrathbey reportedly considered Mississippi, Central Florida, North Carolina Central and Jacksonville State — where former Louisiana State quarterback Ryan Perrilloux now resides — before settling on Howard.

Barnhouse's Departure

Although newspapers have more readers than ever because of the Internet, circulation of the profitable printed product continues a steady decline. Revenue streams are drying up and the corporate-run media's answer is to cut its way to back to prosperity. In the meantime, good people are leaving the newspaper biz at an alarming rate.

On Monday, Wendell Barnhouse announced that at the end of this week, his run at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram is over.

"After 36 years, 23 Final Fours, all 10 Bowl Championship Series title games and a half-dozen laptops, I'm done," he writes.

"I will begin working as a writer/blogger for the Big 12 Conference web site (so I'll need laptop No. 7). The Big 12 wants its web site to convey information about its schools in both video and story form. I'll be somewhat involved with the former and heavily involved with the latter. It's a great opportunity that I’m lucky to have considering the death spiral of major newspapers.

"McClatchy, which bought Knight-Ridder (and the Star-Telegram) a few years ago, is $2 billion in debt. Slicing $70 million in payroll, as it did recently by sacking 10 percent of its work force, doesn't make much of a dent in that debt. My job was safe. However, after two decades of covering national college basketball and more than a decade covering national college football, there is no travel budget for either sport. My assignment, had I stayed, would have been the Texas A&M beat. Nothing against the Aggies, but it was clearly time to bail out."

We wish Wendell continued successes in cyberspace. His weekly conference calls column was must-link material here on the Wiz.

Reporters' Notebooks

Jim Carty, Ann Arbor News: Louisiana State's Les Miles shared his first real insight into the erroneous report by ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit that he had been offered and accepted the Michigan job last December. Miles also said the Tigers would win the Southeastern Conference's West Division this fall.

Bill Koch, Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati is expecting a decision this week on quarterback Ben Mauk, who is down to his last appeal in an effort to gain a sixth season of eligibility.

Wayne Drehs, ESPN.com: Excellent piece on how football is helping Parkersburg, Iowa, much of which was destroyed by an EF-5 tornado a month ago, find its way.

Patrick Ridgell, Longmont Times-Call: They don't come much bigger than this. Colorado's projected starting offensive tackles are Nate Solder (6-foot-8) and Ryan Miller (6-7).

Kyle Hightower, Orlando Sentinel: Central Florida running back Ricky Kay was suspended from the team after he was charged with a felony and a misdemeanor for an incident that occurred on campus and caused over $5,000 in damage.

Anna Simon and Ed McGranahan, Greenville News: Clemson safety DeAndre McDaniel was arrested and charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature after a woman reported an incident at McDaniel’s off-campus apartment.

Gromer Jeffers Jr., Dallas Morning News: The biggest booster of them all, T. Boone Pickens of Oklahoma State, is under attack from 10 men who served in Vietnam with Sen. John Kerry. Thanks to Eric!

Heisman Pundit: A look at some of the top candidates for the 2009 Heisman Trophy.

Kevin Donahue, FanBlogs: Kentucky has unveiled yet another change to its jerseys.

Hulu.com: Amazing thing, this Internet. You can now watch the 2008 BCS title game, the Sugar, Cotton, Orange and Fiesta bowls online. Thanks to Adam Rose of All Things Trojan.

The M Zone: Our man Yost announces that he's closing shop, ending a brilliant blogging run lasting nearly three years.

Washington State's Troubled Program

If Paul Wulff was looking for a challenge, he found it at Washington State, which has had an astonishing 25 players arrested or charged with offenses in the past 18 months.

Among the incidents:

• One player faced felony charges after hitting a man on the head with a frying pan.
• Another tried to hurt a teammate by soaking his contact lenses in alcohol.
• A player was accused of punching a student, knocking him unconscious and fracturing his cheekbone.
  

Wulff, who has been the coach for only six months, also lost eight scholarships because the Cougars failed to meet NCAA academic standards in 2006-07. Former coach Bill Doba kidded Wulff by saying, "Just blame it on me. I'm gone."

But recruiting the right players to isolated Pullman — population 27,030 — might be Wulff's biggest challenge.

Courtney Williams, a defensive back from Los Angeles who left because of academic problems, said: "WSU is a hard school to go to, man. You ain't got nothin' to do but get drunk and smoke weed, and not go to class because you're too tired from doing what you're doing."

Reporters' Notebooks

Tim Stephens, Orlando Sentinel: The Superconference discussion continues. Why having 16 teams is advantageous to having only 12.

Michael Rosenberg, Detroit Free Press: Attention Big Ten fans: The Big Ten Network-Comcast deal doesn't define who won the long negotiations. Comcast is in this to win and the cable giant gets to define winning.

Scott Ferrell, Shreveport Times: When Mississippi State bumped Sylvester Croom's salary package to $1.7 million for next season, it meant every coach at a public institution in the Southeastern Conference will be making more than $1.5 million next season.

Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Advertiser: Wide-ranging interview with June Jones, who says even though he has moved from Hawaii to Southern Methodist, he still doesn't wear socks.

Kyle Hightowner, Orlando Sentinel: Central Florida is looking to slice $10.9 million from its budget because of recently ordered state cuts, but the athletic department budget will grow by 10%.

Donnie Webb, Syracuse Post-Standard: Receiver Mike Williams is plotting a course for his return to Syracuse.

Chadd Cripe, Idaho Statesman: The tab for the expansion project at Boise State's Bronco Stadium could go as high as $37.55 million.

Ron Musselman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: One "recruiting expert" says Penn State is being hurt by the uncertain status of Joe Paterno.

Patrick Ridgell, Longmont Times-Call: Former Colorado players Bernard Jackson and Lionel Harris have been arrested in connection with a June 5 robbery in Boulder. Jackson was the Buffs' starting quarterback in 2006.

Associated Press: Raycom Sports has announced a partnership with Jacked SportsTop, an Internet application that allows fans to view statistics, videos, photos, news and other interactive features during game telecasts.

The BCS' Self-Inflicted Wound

No playoff? No problem. After two years, the Bowl Championship Series appeared to be the solution to picking a true national champion, but all that came to a crashing end in 2000.

While undefeated Oklahoma breezed into the title game, the selection of one-loss Florida State marked the beginning of the BCS' fall from grace. The Seminoles were No. 3 in the Associated Press and coaches polls and leapfrogged No. 2 Miami for the spot opposite the Sooners in the Orange Bowl.

The media went berserk, calling into question the credibility of the computers and making note of the Hurricanes' 27-24 victory over the Seminoles. Miami's only loss came at home against Washington, 34-29, and the Huskies lost only once, at Oregon.

Controversy didn't end there. Enter Notre Dame, which was selected by the Fiesta Bowl over four other teams ranked ahead of the two-loss Fighting Irish. Virginia Tech had only one loss, and Nebraska two. One of the Cornhuskers' victories came against Notre Dame at South Bend. The Fighting Irish then were annihilated by Oregon State, 41-9, in Tempe.

Judge Agrees That Duke Is Godawful

A Circuit Court judge in Kentucky has sided with Duke in a breach of contract lawsuit brought forth by Louisville.

The Blue Devils backed out of a four-game series against the Cardinals with three dates remaining. The contract called for a penalty of $150,000 a game if a date with a "team of similar stature" could not be arranged.

Duke argued that its team, which is 6-45 the past five seasons, was so bad that any team would be a suitable replacement.

The judge sided with Duke.

"At oral argument, Duke (with a candor perhaps more attributable to good legal strategy than to institutional modesty) persuasively asserted that this is a threshold that could not be any lower. Duke's argument on this point cannot be reasonably disputed by Louisville," Judge Phillip J. Shepherd said in his summary.

"We're disappointed with the ruling," Louisville spokesman Kenny Klein said. "We will take our time to review the decision and explore our future options."

Thanks to Scott Brown at WKDZ Sports.

Reporters' Notebooks

Jared Janes, Baton Rouge Advocate: The Baton Rouge police department has released surveillance tapes showing the Oct. 26 fight outside the Varsity that led to the benching of former quarterback Ryan Perrilloux. Thanks to Get The Picture.

Eric Hansen, South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame and NBC extended their TV deal from 2011 to 2015. “This is just a great day for Notre Dame,” puffed Notre Dame president Rev. John Jenkins.

Chip Brown, Dallas Morning News: Texas Tech's Mike Leach says basketball coach Pat Knight gave him a 6-foot pirate. "It's got a motion sensor, so the cleaning lady will come through my office at night when the place is dark. She opens the door, his eyes light up, his head moves and starts talking. She's had a number of unnerving experiences with the pirate."

Oklahoman: ESPN "SportsCenter" anchor John Anderson and his wife, Tamara, are Oklahoma State season ticket holders.

Ray Ratto, San Francisco Chronicle: A judge's ruling that California's long-delayed athletic training center is sort of legal and sort of not largely advances the legal notion that there really is something called "semi-pregnant."

Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle: The Texas Bowl will be played on Dec. 30, two days later than in previous years. Officials eventually hope to play the game on Jan. 1.

Jeff Rabjohns, Indianapolis Star: Indiana will replace the AstroPlay playing surface at Memorial Stadium. It was was damaged in a series of storms earlier this month.

Associated Press: Troubled Washington State safety Xavier Hicks has been ticketed for driving with a suspended license as he was driving home from jail.

Jason Riley, Louisville Courier-Journal: A charge of driving under the influence against Louisville's JaJuan Spillman was dismissed by a district court judge, but the receiver pleaded guilty to misdemeanor marijuana possession.

Ian R. Rapoport, Birmingham News: Alabama cornerback Lionel Mitchell, who started 10 games over two seasons, has ended his playing career because of back problems.

Kevin Donahue, FanBlogs: Louisiana Tech has unveiled new logos.

The Big Lead: Sports journalists' salaries, in two takes. Here and here.

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Top Of The Stairs

If there is a stairway to heaven, it might well be in Blacksburg.

Welcome to Top of the Stairs, located just a short distance from Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium. Some locals actually consider this establishment — affectionately known as TOTS — as the town square. The joint, which opened in 1978, gets high marks for pulled pork sandwiches and live music. It also features a bitchin' outdoor deck.

We asked the head Hokie, Ryan of Gobbler Country, to give us a review:

"It's always packed. Good mix of students and alumni. Typically it will overflow from the bar area to the deck, especially after wins. I've never tried to get food on gamedays, which from appearances looks to be a pain. But it doesn't take long to get a drink. Bar staff is very quick.
"It can get a little crowded inside, especially later in the season when the temperatures fall in Blacksburg, so I usually brave the elements on the deck. After a couple of Rails, you don't notice how cold it is.

"I've never had a bad time there. For me, it's the place to go before a Hokie game if I'm not tailgating. Navigating down the stairs after getting over-served at TOTS can be a challenge, but it's well worth the risk."

Again, reviews are few and far between for TOTS, so if you've been there and have an opinion, we'd love to hear about it.

Previous reviews: Esso Club (Clemson); Dirtbag's (Arizona); Bash Riprock's (Texas Tech); The Original Varsity Club (Ohio State); Walk-On's (Louisiana State); O'Connell's Irish Pub & Grille (Oklahoma).

Reporters' Notebooks

Carolyn Jones and Charles Burress, San Francisco Chronicle: California's plan to build a state-of-the-art athletic training center next to Memorial Stadium is on hold until the university can prove the project would not violate state earthquake-safety laws, a judge ruled. Plus, a slideshow of the Berkeley tree-sitters, featuring "Dumpster Muffin."

Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle: The Big East Conference has parted ways with the Texas Bowl and will be replaced by Conference USA the next two years.

Shaggy Bevo: A very cool timelapse of the expansion project at Texas' Darrell K. Royal-Memorial Stadium spanning three years. Thanks to TV Tan Line.

MGoBlog: How's that renovation of Michigan Stadium coming along? Here's a look from inside the Big House.

John E. Hoover, Tulsa World: Why do coaches love the bowls and wish to stay married to the BCS? More importantly, why do university presidents and conference commissioners favor the current system instead of a playoff? Thanks to Get The Picture.

David Climer, Tennessean: Gas might be $4 a gallon and the economy is struggling, but you can't tell it by college coaches' salaries, which continue to break the bank.

Tim Stephens, Orlando Sentinel: Notre Dame to the Pacific 10? He's back to clarify a few things about superconferences and thinning of the herd.

Ray Melick, Birmingham News: When it comes to breaking NCAA rules, the number of repeat offenders suggests that many teams simply believe the risk of punishment is worth the potential reward.

Jenna Marina, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Bill Curry will be paid $350,000 a year to coach Georgia State. This is what his resume looks like (PDF).

Brian Morelli, Iowa City Press-Citizen: Law enforcement officials struggled to preserve material from a month-old alleged sexual assault crime scene that court documents indicate they did not have access to but Iowa players did.

Aubrey Whelan, Daily Collegian: Football tickets for students entering their junior year sold out in about 90 seconds Tuesday morning, one day after a senior ticket sale that did not sell out for nine hours.

Natalie Meisler, Denver Post: Colorado State coach Steve Fairchild is on crutches after having hip replacement surgery this month.

Indianapolis Star: A decision on whether to repair or replace the turf at Indiana's Memorial Stadium, which was recently damaged in a series of storms, is expected by Friday.

To bypass registration, go to Bug Me Not. Here is today's mystery link, plus this add. Thanks to Gordon Keith.

How Two Ballboys Saved Michigan's '97 Title

Stealing signs using the naked eye is perfectly legal. Seldom has it been done to the level of success mastered by Northwestern, writes Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press.

The Wildcats went 30 years without beating Michigan, but suddenly had a two-game winning streak in the series entering an Oct. 11, 1997 game at Ann Arbor. Sure enough, undefeated and No. 6-ranked Michigan found itself in a struggle against 2-4 Northwestern.

Then Michigan ballboys Jonathan Datz and Mike Youtan, who worked the opponents' sidelines at home games, noticed something.

"There was a guy on their sideline that day, and he had our signals down pat," Datz said. "Every time, he would scream into the defense what we're going to do — pass or run — and he was almost always right. ... They were blowing up draws, calling our counters and destroying our screen passes — all a big part of our plays that year. I was just screaming mad. Youtan and I are thinking to ourselves, 'This guy has us.' "

Early in the third quarter, Youtan ran around the field and got word to Michigan's coaches. On a third-and-25 play late in the third quarter, the Wolverines made an unusual call, a sweep. Northwestern swarmed the play, throwing running back Clarence Williams for a loss. Michigan coaches knew they had been had.

Adjustments were made and the Wolverines took control with a 12-play, 70-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter. Michigan won, 23-6, finished undefeated and ended up with a share of the national title.

Only recently did David Hansburg, a Northwestern graduate assistant back then, acknowledge he was stealing signals.

"That was what I would do," he said. "If I could see them signal in plays, I'd watch. This was no Spygate, and there was no video of anybody. I equated it to being like baseball when you've got a runner on second base; it's part of the game."

Hansburg also had a hand in Northwestern's victories in 1995 and '96. It was easy then, he said. All he had to do was watch Michigan center Rod Payne, a one-handed snapper who apparently put his opposite hand on the ground for a running play and on his thigh for a passing play.

Northwestern coaches pointed at the ground or the sky, and linebacker Pat Fitzgerald, who declined to be interviewed for the story, spread word to his teammates.

The Rocky Divorce of Mendenhall, Zook

Illinois made it all the way to Pasadena last season on the running of Rashard Mendenhall, but the Big Ten MVP left after his junior season and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. From the sound of it, he won't be back in Champaign for a long time.

"To tell you the truth, as long as Ron Zook is there it will be hard for me to support the University of Illinois football team," Mendenhall told Bob Asmussen of the News-Gazette of Champaign-Urbana.

Zook said: "I feel bad that he feels that way."

Mendenhall said he nearly quit days before the 2007 season only to be talked out of it by his brother, Walter, who was also a member of the team. Walker has since transferred to Illinois State for his final season of eligibility.

The Steelers' bye week is Oct. 11 and the Fighting Illini play host to Minnesota that weekend. But Mendenhall has already made plans to be in Cedar Falls, Iowa, to watch Walter play against Northern Iowa.

"The biggest thing I can stress is that it's not about my brother and what happened to him," Rashard said. "It's so much more than that. It's so much that's going on right now, that went on with me that people don't know. It's hard for me to support how things are done."

Thanks to Image of Sport.

Reporters' Notebooks

Ron Moseley, Eugene Register-Guard: Coach Todd Therrien of defending California state champion St. Bonaventure High said "Oregon is not welcome" to recruit his players after the Ducks ended their pursuit of safety Xavier Ramos on Monday.

Maria Matzer Rose, Columbus Dispatch: Columbus-based Victoria's Secret is rolling out loungewear lines for 33 universities, including Michigan, but not Ohio State — at least not yet. The CEO of the parent company also serves on Ohio State's board of trustees, creating possible conflict-of-interest issues.

Marcus R. Fuller, St. Paul Pioneer Press: Quarterback Clint Brewster, son of Minnesota coach Tim Brewster, is transferring. Destination unknown.

Iowa City Press-Citizen: Excerpts from the affidavit used by University of Iowa police to get a warrant to search rooms in connection with a sex assault investigation. Thanks to Gary at Steroid Nation.

Jesse DeConto and Javier Serna, Raleigh News & Observer: Defensive lineman Jared McAdoo, a North Carolina recruit from Chapel Hill High, faces a criminal charge for allegedly selling the prescription painkiller Percocet at a graduation after-party intended to be free of alcohol and drugs.

Ron Higgins, Memphis Commercial Appeal: Liberty Bowl founder A.F. "Bud" Dudley died at the age of 88 after an extended illness.

Kyle Hightower and Iliana Limon, Orlando Sentinel: Central Florida president John Hitt says the school could have done a better job of handling the aftermath of player Ereck Plancher's death. Then he criticized the media's coverage of the incident.

Scott Wright, Oklahoman: Offensive lineman Britt Mitchell has left Oklahoma and enlisted with the U.S. Marine Corps.

Steven M. Sipple, Lincoln Journal Star: He has a confession to make: Don't follow the recruiting hype, especially his.

Eric Hansen, South Bend Tribune: Defensive lineman Pat Kuntz, who spent the spring semester at Ivy Tech, is back at Notre Dame.

Ron Kantowski, Las Vegas Sun: Five-year contracts might be considered the "industry standard," but it's a bad practice for Nevada Las Vegas. Example 1A: Football coach Mike "6-29" Sanford.

Jake Schaller, Colorado Springs Gazette: Starting Air Force Z-receiver Ty Paffett is scheduled to undergo surgery for a herniated disc, but he hopes to be ready for fall drills.

Jay Paterno, Obama '08: Yes, that's right. The son of the Penn State coach is a blogger. Thanks to Kevin of We Are Penn State.

Joe Ovies, 850 The Blog: The sports sections of the Raleigh News & Observer and the Charlotte Observer are merging.

Here is today's highly recommended rockin' mystery link. Thanks to Houston.

Fact: Tebow Won't Win Heisman in 2008

Billy Sims, Ty Detmer, Jason White and Matt Leinart. They've all had a shot at winning the Heisman Trophy a second time, but all came up short.

Get ready to add Tim Tebow to that list, the Heisman Pundit writes:

"There are many reasons why a Heisman winner can’t repeat (outside of Archie Griffin, of course). For starters, imagine how hard it is for a player to have ONE Heisman-worthy season. But to have back-to-back Heisman-worthy seasons? Forget about it!

"Furthermore, once such a season is accomplished, it must also be perceived as more worthy than all the other candidates in the running. In essence, everything has to fall perfectly into place for a player to win the Heisman ... once. For things to fall perfectly into place twice is highly unlikely."

And Tebow's biggest competition could be himself.

"He will be running not only against his peers, but the legacy of his incredible 2007 performance. If his stats do not compare to his sophomore season, then it will be hard to avoid the perception that he underachieved."

Fulmer to Get Fat Raise

Many Tennessee fans want to see Phil Fulmer replaced, but unless something unexpected happens, the 57-year-old coach is in no rush to leave.

"I'm committed for another eight to 10 years. At least," he told Bryan Mullen of the Tennessean.

Why is Fulmer so confident about his future in Knoxville? Mullen reports that Fulmer is about to get a fat raise, pushing his salary between $2.6 and $3 million a season, up from his current salary of $2.05 million.

And the extension could be for seven years.

"It's never been about money; it's never been about fame," Fulmer said. "I just enjoy the job."

Reporters' Notebooks

Dave Hickman, Charleston Gazette: Michigan's Rich Rodriguez attended the nearly 12-hour deposition given last week by West Virginia president Mike Garrison. Plus, Rich Rod acknowledged talking to Oklahoma's Bob Stoops "a few days before" the Sooners played the Mountaineers in the Fiesta Bowl. "I didn't divulge any secrets," he said.

Lee Hermiston and Brian Morelli, Iowa City Press-Citizen: Unsealed search warrant documents show Iowa players Cedric Everson, Abe Satterfield, Jevon Pugh and Michael Daniels Jr. were either inside or came by the Hillcrest Residence Hall room where a student allegedly was being sexually assaulted last fall while the victim was inside.

MGoBlog: Michigan appears to have a new road uniform and it looks somewhat West Virginia-esque.

Ron Higgins, Memphis Commercial Appeal: The Discovery Channel is preparing a program that will focus on the death of Alabama booster Logan Young.

Colby White, Daily Texan: Magazine archives show that college football's postseason has long been a source of heated debate.

Paul Finebaum, Mobile Press-Register: If Miami (Ohio) is the Cradle of Coaches, does that make Alabama the Coaching Graveyard?

Kevin Donahue, FanBlogs: Think the Big Ten is a winner against Comcast? Think again. The league left millions on the bargaining table.

Michael Rothstein, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Welcome to the Lou Holtz/Upper Ohio Valley Hall of Fame.

Losers With Socks: Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno clears up a few things about noise pollution.

Idaho Statesman: Demand is high among Boise State fans for tickets to the Broncos' Sept. 20 game at Oregon, and officials announced a lottery system to distribute the 2,000-ticket allotment for the game.

To bypass registration, go to Bug Me Not. Here is today's valuable mystery link. Thanks to Get The Picture.

Adding Fuel to the Consolidation Fire

What does a map reflecting the current prices of gas in the U.S. have to do with college football? As fuel costs rise, so do the expenses for college teams. Combine that with the insane salaries paid to coaches, rising college costs other downturns in the economy and you have a recipe for consolidation and — dare we say it — a playoff system.

Tim Stephens of the Orlando Sentinel follows his "Thinning of the Herd" piece with a look at what superconferences could look like in the not too distant future. The BCS would consist of four 16-team leagues, each divided into two eight-team divisions. After conference title games, the four winners of each of the superconferences would advance to a four-team playoff.

The rest of the riff-raff reorganizes into five leagues, hoping that the greedy superconferences one day expand the playoff system to eight teams.

Thanks to Gas Buddy for the snazzy map, which you can click on to examine in detail.

O'Connell's Irish Pub & Grille

After extended time off to recover from one nasty hangover, we're back with the Thirst and 10 contest. Check out O'Connell's Irish Pub & Grille in Norman, the place for die-hard Oklahoma fans.

O'Connell's opened in 1968 and offers the usual trappings of big screen TVs, the finest selection of greasy food and — most important — beer. Memorial Stadium is right across the street (see image below), meaning you can consume up to the coin flip and make a made dash in an attempt to see the kickoff.

Outside of the joint being called pricey for college students, reviews in cyberspace are favorable. Ryan of the Virginia Tech site Gobbler Country has visited O'Connell's and had this to say:

"O'Connell's is the best gameday bar I've been to. The beer flows freely, there's not a lot of waiting for drinks and inside there are six flat screens that show football and a big projection screen in the parking lot that shows the best game on at the time.

"O'Connell's is just a classic college bar that has a tremendous gameday atmosphere. Perfect mix of beautiful college-aged women, college kids and alumni."
Now here's the very, very bad news. It's last call for O'Connell's! The damn university bought the land and the 2008 season is expected to be the last for O'Connell's. In it's place will go a parking lot. And they call that progress?

Previous reviews: Esso Club (Clemson); Dirtbag's (Arizona); Bash Riprock's (Texas Tech); The Original Varsity Club (Ohio State); Walk-On's (Louisiana State)

Big Ten Network-Comcast Feud Set to End

The Big Ten Network and Comcast have agreed to a deal whereby the league's channel will be made available over the cable carrier, nearly doubling the number of homes that will have access to the league's offering.

An announcement on the deal is expected this week, according to the Chicago Tribune. In March, Sports Business Journal reported that a framework for a deal was in place.

The sides have been squabbling for two years and it would appear — according to the reported terms of the deal — that the Big Ten won and won big.

The Big Ten's central demand was that the network be put on an expanded basic level rather than a sports tier in the league's eight-state footprint. It got that with the exception of the Philadelphia market, according to the Tribune.

The Big Ten also demanded $1.10 per month per subscriber and reportedly got between 70 and 80 cents. Given that the network will now be available in 55 million homes — up from 30 million — we're talking big, big money. In the eight Big Ten states alone, the number surges from 6.5 million to about 13 million.

This will also increase pressure on Time Warner, Mediacom and Charter to reach agreements with the Big Ten.

Reporters' Notebooks

Jon Solomon, Birmingham News: The top athletic program in the first 75 years of the Southeastern Conference? It's the Florida Gators. The best rivalry? That belongs to Auburn and Alabama. Plus the criteria used and a searchable database.

Mario F. Cattabiani, Philadelphia Inquirer: Pennsylvania legislators are on the take, including tickets to Penn State games, paid for by the university. "If they want to put me in jail over this, then go ahead," said Camille "Bud" George, a plain-talking representative from rural Clearfield County. "I am tired of this goddamn place anyway." Thanks to Kevin of We Are Penn State.

Jay F. Marks, Oklahoman: A Texas fan is seeking more than $100,000 in damages from an Oklahoma city bar and a Sooner fan for injuries he suffered to his scrotum in a "vicious attack" last summer.

Ferd Lewis, Honolulu Advertiser: Hawaii and Southern Methodist are talking about a 2009 game at Aloha Stadium.

Paul Finebaum, Mobile Press-Register: Alabama abandon Kenny Stabler? Not in this hour of need.

Doug Smock, Charleston Gazette: Former Marshall defensive end Johnathan Goddard died from injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident.

Let's Party Like It's 1999

The BCS Guru continues his review of what has gone right and what has gone wrong with the Bowl Championship Series by looking at the 1999 season. How could the BCS screw this one up? Florida State and Virginia Tech, both undefeated, finished atop the standings and met in the Sugar Bowl. The Hokies had a 29-28 lead entering the fourth quarter before the Seminoles turned on the afterburners and scored the last 18 points in a 46-29 victory.

But just like 1998 when unbeaten Tulane was left out of the party, a 12-0 Marshall team watched the big boys slug it out in the BCS bowls. And Kansas State, which lost only to Nebraska, was again passed up by the BCS.

All Things Heisman

If our math is correct, we're roughly six months from presenting the Heisman Trophy. Now it's never too early to think about that stiff-arm trophy, is it? And the Heisman Pundit has been busy preparing for the 2008 season with a redesign of his site. There are still a few tweaks to be made, but the majority of the heavy lifting is done. Check it out!

Sign of Things to Come?

Funny image from the gang at Losers With Socks. Alabama fans are getting all too familiar with the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, which has been the Crimson Tide's postseason destination three times since 2001, including the past two seasons.

Reporters' Notebooks

Dan Zeiger, East Valley Tribune: Dane Guthrie, projected as Arizona State's starting tight end, will not return for his senior season. No reason was given, but he missed part of spring drills because of academics.

Andrea Cohen, Oklahoman: In part because of a $20 million donation from alumnus Sherman Smith, Oklahoma State will soon become the 10th team in the Big 12 to have an indoor practice facility. Plus a look at other indoor practice facilities in the Big 12.

Yoon Kim, The Technique: Georgia Tech is switching to more earth-friendly lights in Bobby Dodd Stadium.

Andrew Carter, Orlando Sentinel: Florida State offensive line coach Rick Trickett, a native of West Virginia and former Mountaineer assistant, on recruiting kids from his home state: "If you sign five kids in West Virginia, that’s three too many.”

Detroit Free Press: Former Michigan State backup quarterback Connor Dixon is transferring to Duquesne.

FanBlogs: A look at the Orange Bowl, before, during and after.

College Baseball Blog: A preview of all the teams in the College World Series, which begins Saturday in Omaha.

Newshoggers: Bloggers beware: Associated Press is starting bogus copyright suits against those linking and quoting even the merest fraction of an AP news report.

To bypass registration, go to Bug Me Not.

Worst Fans in the ACC? Maryland

Joe Ovies and colleagues at 850 The Buzz in Raleigh have come up with a list of the five worst groups of fans in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The winner is Maryland, whose followers are described as "crude, disgusting, and at times dangerous."

Also making the list are Miami, Clemson, Duke and North Carolina State.

Clemson fans, according to Ovies, need to cleanse themselves of the past: "As cloning technology continues to improve, the dream of a second coming of Danny Ford is closer to reality. Tiger Fan doesn't even care that the cheating can’t be removed from his DNA."

Reporters' Notebooks

Mike Holtzclaw, Newport News Daily Press: Former Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick was arrested and charged with driving under the influence.

Ian R. Rapoport, Birmingham News: The newspaper obtains surveillance video of Alabama linebacker Rashad Johnson's arrest on disorderly conduct charges in February. The charges were dropped last week.

Matt Winkeljohn, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Jamaal Evans, listed as Georgia Tech's starting running back after spring practice, has left the team.

Sports By Brooks: Republican U.S. Senator Gordon Smith, who is running for re-election, has been accused of using a typeface on campaign literature that is strikingly similar to the lettering used on University of Oregon uniforms.

David Brandt, Clarion-Ledger: A recent decision to lower Southeastern Conference initial eligibility requirements for non-qualifiers could help defensive tackle Jerrell Powe's chances of playing this fall.

Luciana Chavez, Raleigh News & Observer: Duke coach David Cutcliffe made a recruiting trip to Knoxville — his previous place of employment — and got 22 people to purchase season tickets for the Blue Devils.

Justin D. Anderson, Charleston Daily Mail: Rich Rodriguez claims West Virginia coach Bill Stewart wanted to go with him to Michigan in December, only to later criticize the coaches who went to Ann Arbor.

Thomas O'Toole, USA Today: The cost for big-time programs looking to schedule games against inferior opponents continues to go up.

Austin American-Statesman: Texas projects its athletic budget at a whopping $125 million next school year.

Waco Tribune-Herald: Baylor announced several additions to its schedule, including a six-game series against Southern Methodist beginning in 2011.

Ethan Conley, Monroe News-Star: Receiver Cruz Williams appears to be bound for Louisiana Tech after originally signing with Arkansas.

Dwight Jaynes, Portland Tribune: Pixels or paper, the truth doesn't care.

A Thinning of the Herd

A day of reckoning is coming for college football's mid-majors. Faced with rising costs and only an occasional crumb from the Bowl Championship Series pie, the pressures are building to justify a Division I-A program in challenging economic times.

New Mexico State, for example, just received a warning from Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson, who said the Aggies must average 15,000 fans this season or risk being booted from the conference.

And really, does North Texas belong in the same division as Texas?

Tim Stephens of the Orlando Sentinel tackles the question, saying that mid-major teams might have to "finally face up to the truth they've denied for so long and stop spending taxpayer money in an effort to be something they are not — and never will be."

Alabama: 45th in Education

With apologies, here's an interview with Alabama fanatic Donnie Ingram. We have Losers With Socks to blame for this.

Reporters' Notebooks

Donnie Webb, Syracuse Post-Standard: Suspended Syracuse receiver Mike Williams was accused of cheating on at least two occasions in one class, including a final examination during the spring semester, according to a source.

Jeff McLane, Philadelphia Inquirer: A majority of players being recruited by Penn State — whether they meant it or not — have told the newspaper that the "Paterno situation" has not influenced, or will not influence, their decision on a college.

Kyle Veazey, Clarion-Ledger: Congratulations to Mississippi State. The Bulldogs' four-year NCAA probation has come to an end.

Bama Sports Report: Nick Saban, struggling to trim his roster, is getting help from Major League Baseball. By this site's count, he still needs to cut five players to reach the NCAA limit of 85 scholarship players.

Mr. SEC: Southeastern Conference teams have not fared well when traveling to play Pacific 10 opponents. Thanks to Get The Picture.

Steroid Nation: Louisiana State claims that junior receiver Trindon Holliday is the fastest player in college football. Ever. The Tigers forgot about former Dallas Cowboy, Florida A&M and Olympic standout Bob Hayes.

Melissa Lee, Lincoln Journal Star: The Nebraska athletic department stands to reap nearly $110 million if regents approve a 13-year contract with media and marketing giant IMG.

Steven M. Sipple, Lincoln Journal Star: It says here that eight wins is a reasonable expectation for Nebraska.

Don Williams, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech running back Kobey Lewis and safety Steven Harris have been suspended for the 2008 season for violating team rules.

Alex Abrams, Springdale Morning News: Arkansas dismissed linebacker Freddie Fairchild from the team. He was arrested in late March on battery charges.

Charleston Daily Mail: Former West Virginia coach Don Nehlen, 72, underwent successful triple bypass surgery.

Stan Awtrey, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Bill Curry is leaving ESPN to become coach at Georgia State, which will begin play in Division I-AA in 2010.

Nearly Impossible to Fix a Football Game

Explosive allegations continue to swirl around the NBA involving manipulation of games, the most recent made by disgraced referee Tim Donaghy that reference a 2002 playoff game.

Manipulating a basketball game appears relatively easy. Get to the refs or a key player or two and — as they say — the fix is in.

But rigging a college football game is next to impossible. Why? Several reasons, beginning with the use of instant replay to review calls made by the officials.

Basketball has no such safety net and when a call is made, it stands. There is no such thing as a coaches challenge to overturn a bad call.

Football also involves way too many players. Even if a quarterback or running back were on the take, an interception here or a fumble there usually results in the player quickly finding a seat on the bench.

Last year, the FBI made a stink about a Toledo reserve running back named Harvey McDougle conspiring with others in a points-saving scheme involving games in 2006. Less than two weeks later, bribery charges against McDougle were dropped.

The real investigation came later that summer when it was revealed that Toledo's athletic department had bartered $700,000 worth of goods and services.

No, it's not impossible to manipulate a college football game, but the odds are stacked against somebody actually pulling it off.

Slick Rick Auctions Off Playcalling

UCLA held an athletic fundraiser Saturday night and Slick Rick Neuheisel was in fine form.

Not only did the Bruin coach conduct the Alumni Band for one song, he played auctioneer when it came time for bids on a sideline pass to UCLA's game against rival USC on Dec. 6 at the Rose Bowl.

According to an account posted on Bruin Zone, the bidding wasn't going well, so Neuheisel got up and said, "OK, I'll let you call call the first play."

Bidding picked up and the pass went for $10,000. Later, Neuheisel muttered that, "Well, we may audible your call."

Neuheisel was only warming up. Next up was a package to the Bruins' game at Washington, where a rather hostile crowd is expected to greet the former Huskies coach on Nov. 15. The package includes travel on the team charter, lodging at the team hotel and a game ticket.

Again, bidding was slow, so Neuheisel grabbed the microphone and said he would make sure the winning bidder would get a sideline pass, adding that "if you know my history at UDub, I need somebody in case they want to throw debris."

The crowd laughed and the bidding picked up, with the package going for $10,000.

There's Plenty of Love to Go Around

In case you've missed it, the New York Times college sports blog, The Quad, is in the midst of breaking down and ranking all Division I-A teams, starting with a May 1 review of No. 120 Western Kentucky. (We actually think Quad had Florida International ranked a tad high at No. 118, but that's a story for another day.)

This ambitious project will conclude with the start of the season. The smart money is on Georgia, everybody's sexy pick, being No. 1.

Now if you can't wait that long, Cake Rocks the Party can hook you up right here, right now. "From fat coaches to giant receivers to the sleepers. I break down rooting reasons for 118 of the 119 teams in D-1 or whatever it's called now," Cake writes.

Yes, there's a reason to love every team in this land. Every team but one, according to Cake. At No. 59 comes Notre Dame. "There is no reason whatsoever to cheer for Notre Dame."

Sporting News Reinventing Itself

In yet another sign of the changing media landscape, the Sporting News announced that it will begin a free digital daily sports newspaper on July 23 called Sporting News Today. It will deliver scores, statistics and national stories to subscribers' inboxes every morning.

The weekly print product will be redesigned and reintroduced as a biweekly publication on Sept. 1.

Publisher Ed Baker told the New York Times that he expects circulation, currently at about 700,000, would drop by about 100,000 as a result of the moves.

"We came to the quick realization that digital is where it's at," Baker said. "Sports fans want on-demand information."

Reporters' Notebooks

Marcus R. Fuller, St. Paul Pioneer Press: Sam Maresh, Minnesota's top incoming recruit, must undergo open-heart surgery and his playing career is on hold. Doctors won't know until after the June 26 procedure if the linebacker will be able to return to playing.

Bill Kline, Allentown Morning Call: ESPN's "Outside the Lines" is pursuing a story about the legal issues involving the Penn State team since April 2007. Thanks to Kevin of We Are Penn State.

Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: Washington's schedule, which includes nonconference games against Brigham Young, Oklahoma and Notre Dame, plus five Pacific 10 road games, is rated the toughest in the nation.

Sports By Brooks: Louisiana State says junior receiver Trindon Holliday is the fastest player in college football. Ever.

Mr. SEC: Interesting piece comparing Las Vegas' opening lines for the 2008 season with the updated numbers. Thanks to Get The Picture.

Tom Keegan, Lawrence Journal-World: Two players have left Kansas. Senior defensive lineman Todd Haselhorst said he departed for "health reasons." Junior cornerback Anthony Webb was dismissed for violation of team policy.

Kent Faulk, Birmingham News: Wes Colley, a Huntsville astrophysicist whose ranking system influences which college football teams get into the top four bowls each year. is taking aim at predicting presidential races.

Ian R. Rapoport and Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News: Alabama says it plans to support former quarterback Ken Stabler after his third arrest of driving while intoxicated, but is it time for Alabama to tell Stabler to take a hike?

Jacob Threadgill, Daily Mississippian: It certainly doesn't feel like Mississippi went an abysmal 0-8 in the Southeastern Conference last season.

Ryan Suchomel, Iowa City Press-Citizen: Is Iowa's streak of home sellouts — currently at 30 — about to end?

Gobbler Country: Something called Nubian Peak might be headed to Virginia Tech.

Larry Brown Sports: Are Reggie Bush and Kim Kardassian talking marriage?

To bypass registration, go to Bug Me Not.

Cockaboose Co-Creater Dies

Carl Francis "Doc" Howard, the last of the "fathers" of South Carolina's Cockabooses, died on Monday. Howard and Ed Robinson, who died in 1998, came up with the idea of transforming old cabooses into the most unique of tailgating units back in 1990.

The men acquired 22 cabooses and the ugly vacant tracks behind the south side of Williams-Brice Stadium. Each of the cabooses were 45 feet long and 10 feet wide. In two days, Howard and Robinson sold 20 of the cabooses for $45,000 each.

The Cockabooses look identical from the outside, but it's the interiors that make them one of the nation's unique monuments to tailgating. Some resemble a Victorian palace, others have an "Orient Express" theme. Most of the owners have spent in excess of $100,000 customizing the units, which have central heat and air, water and sewage, electrical wiring, telephones and satellite TV.

It's rare when one of the Cocabooses goes on the market, but one did in 2006 with an asking price of $300,000.

Title IX Helped Kill Football in Cali

The old-timers among our audience will remember George Allen, the Hall of Famer who completed a brilliant coaching career by leading Cal State Long Beach — a I-A team — to a winning record in 1990. Ecstatic after a season-ending victory at Nevada Las Vegas, Allen's players dumped a bucket of Gatorade on him, a foolish move with temperatures in the 50s. Six weeks later, Allen died of ventricular fibrillation.

A season later, Long Beach pulled the plug on its 36-year-old program. It was the start of an exodus of California universities playing football, leading to today's dearth of teams in the state, especially in Division I-AA.

According to 2007 U.S. Census Bureau population estimates, of the 38 states with I-AA representation, none has as low of a team density per capita as California, with only four members for more than 36 million would-be fans.

New York, with more than 19 million, has 10 teams to choose from. Even South Carolina, with about four-and-a-half million people, can pick from seven.

What happened? Although some officials point toward funding inadequacies spurred by the state's ongoing budget crisis, others say the insufficiencies were ultimately intensified by gender-equity measures, specifically Title IX.

Not Sure What This Is All About

It seems Pete Carroll never misses an opportunity. He appears in this Nike commericial that also features USC strength and conditioning coach Chris Carlisle. Thanks to Adam Rose of All Things Trojan.

Reporters' Notebooks

Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: The Pacific 10's Tom Hansen, the longest-tenured Division I conference commissioner, will retire next summer after 26 years on the job. We're not sure what will happen to Fire Tom Hansen.com.

Pete Thamel, New York Times: Will Hansen's departure, along with Kevin White leaving Notre Dame for Duke and Mike Tranghese's upcoming retirement as Big East commissioner, change the way the Bowl Championship Series does business? "I don't really think so," Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said.

Tim Stephens, Orlando Sentinel: Could $5-a-gallon gasoline drive the playoff debate? Given skyrocketing coaching salaries and the fact there are millions of playoff dollars sitting on the table unclaimed, it's a possibility to consider.

Anthony Cotton, Denver Post: Colorado's Dan Hawkins, who toured the state in a motor home and greeted fans during the recruiting dead period created by the Saban Rule, plans to expanded the "CU Hawk Talk Tour" to more cities in future years.

Mike DeArmond, Kansas City Star: Surgery to repair a torn graft from previous ACL surgery in the left knee of Missouri receiver Danario Alexander was termed a success.

Amy Donaldson, Deseret News: Here is one hotshot recruit who has already said no to Crewcut Charlie Weis.

Ron Morris, Columbia State: South Carolina learned a few lessons from its three years of probation. First, hire a coach with no history of problems complying with NCAA rules.

Ferd Lewis, Honolulu Advertiser: The state Ethics Commission said it has received a list of Hawaii officials and others who traveled to the Sugar Bowl for what it said will be a wide-ranging review of the school's travel policy.

Donovan Aird, Mustang Daily: How Cal Poly plans to spend the $500,000 it will get for playing at Wisconsin.

Reporters' Notebooks

Pat Harty, Iowa City Press-Citizen: Iowa's Kirk Ferentz and 16 of his players traveled to southwest Louisiana to help in the ongoing recovery of Hurricane Rita, which struck in September 2005. They spent two days cleaning up around a school that was ravaged in the storm. They are also planning a trip to Parkersburg, Iowa, much of which was recently destroyed by an EF-5 tornado.

Charley Walters, St. Paul Pioneer Press: Despite coming off a 1-11 season, Minnesota's Tim Brewster is as buoyant and invigorated as the day he got the job. "That one-win season very easily could have been a six-, seven-win season, easily," Brewster said. "We lost six games by a total of 23 points. We were in three overtime games."

Jonathan Okanes, Contra Costa Times: California is doing everything it can to make sure tailback Jahvid Best is ready for the season. Best missed a sizable chunk of the 2007 season and spring drills after suffering a bruised hip. Best, a sprinter, also sat our Cal's track and field season.

Play Is Under Review: What's it like to cover Nick Saban on a daily basis? Ian R. Rapoport of the Birmingham News, who had a confrontation with the Alabama coach this spring, offers his perspective. Thanks to Dunaway & Brown.

Rob Keys, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: The good news is that Arkansas is at least on the radar of sportsbooks in Las Vegas. The same can’t be said for Vanderbilt, Mississippi State or Mississippi.

Jeff Tedford Gets Wired

Jeff Tedford lives in one of the most technologically savvy areas of the country, but the California coach was never one to embrace the new ways of the world.

All that has changed. Welcome Tedford's blog.

"Over the last few years, I have been teased by my players for not being up-to-date with the latest internet developments like youtube, facebook and itunes, but I realize it's a reality and want to use it productively to communicate with you, the fan," he writes.

This probably has more to do with marketing the program, selling tickets and relating to recruits and players than the fans. But now that Tedford has a footprint in cyberspace, it's time to critique his first entry.

Gary Peterson of the Contra Costa Times has advice for Tedford as he takes baby steps:

"This is the Web — it's OK to bend the rules. The use of slang such as 'wazzup' or 'dude,' abbreviations, even texting shorthand such as 'lol' (laugh out loud) or 'DQMOT' (don't quote me on this) can give a blogger 'street cred' (street cred)."

And by all means, don't break the rules by writing, " 'Rough game today. I thought our quarterback was going to get killed by Washington's pass rush. How nice it would be, I thought to myself, if we only had a 6-foot-7, 295-pound left offensive tackle from Mater Dei High School on our squad.' "

Peterson adds that the "key is to make it work for you. For example, it is rumored Pete Carroll has offered to blog about USC football for a $75,000 annual stipend. DQMOT."

I Wish They All Could Be Like Charissa

The great Ryan Parker is back, this time with a look at women sports reporters, done to the Beach Boys' song, "California Girls." Check out more of Ryan's great work at Ryan Parker Songs.

The Playbook Goes Cyberspace

You're looking at a screenshot from Agile Sports' interactive playbook titled the "Huddle." It is a computer program designed by three Nebraska graduate students and it allows players and coaches to be in strategic communication through the Internet.

Here are a few examples of the system's use: A Nebraska coach on a recruiting trip in Dallas can write notes or draw diagrams on game video with a telestrator pen and those notes can be viewed by a player in his dorm room in Lincoln.

That same coach can record comments about plays that can be heard by players when they log in. A coach can also text message players to log into the system to study highlighted plays.

Nebraska started using the program last year and a handful of other teams are reviewing it for possible use. The New York Jets have already adopted it and about half the teams in the NFL are also considering it.

Take the 2008 Test for NCAA Officials

Football on many levels is a simplistic game. Get a bunch of big brutes and slobberknocker an opponent into submission.

But officiating, well, that's another matter. It's not as easy as it looks. So if you think of yourself as Mr. Know-It-All, here's your chance. USA Football has posted an online test that college referees take to check their knowledge of the rules.

You'll have to sign in and identify yourself as "non-staff official." (Thanks to the Orlando Sentinel's On Campus for this.) The test is 100 questions, with the first 15 true/false and the remaining 85 multiple choice.

Thanks to Image of Sport.

Reporters' Notebooks

Brian Hilderbrand, Las Vegas Sun: Ticket revenue for Nevada Las Vegas increased 114% last season — largely as a result of a home game with Wisconsin. It turns out that Badger fans bought thousands of UNLV season tickets just to make sure they would have a seat for Wisconsin's visit to Las Vegas.

Mike DeArmond, Kansas City Star: Receiver Danario Alexander will miss at least the nonconference part of Missouri's season, having torn a graft on his anterior cruciate ligament, a repair to his left knee that he underwent after last season.

Dan Zeiger, East Valley Tribune: Three reserve Arizona State players — receiver Rodney Glass, defensive lineman Zach Niusulu and linebacker Antone Saulsberry — are no longer with the program. More departures are expected as the Sun Devils trim their roster to the allowable 85 scholarship players for the fall. The Sun Devils were on pace to be five scholarships over the limit.

David Flores, San Antonio Express-News: Texas legend Darrell Royal retired when he was 52 and now says he should have continued coaching. “I probably quit too soon,” he said. “I should have come back for another year or two.”

Ian R. Rapoport, Birmingham News: Nick Saban and his wife, Terry, donated $1 million to Alabama's scholarship fund and earmarked the sum for first-generation college students.

Neill Woelk, Boulder Daily Camera: College football games belong on college campuses. Local businesses that support the universities in their towns deserve the economic benefit provided by a home game, and fans who purchase season tickets should be able to sit in the seats they paid for.

Jerry Hill, Waco Tribune-Herald: Legendary Texas sportswriter Dave Campbell, 83, is retiring. He is a member of the Texas Sports, Texas High School Football and Baylor Athletic halls of fame and has won numerous lifetime achievement awards from the Football Writers Association of America, College Sports Information Directors of America and the Houston Touchdown Club.

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

Rehabilitating Petrino's Tarnished Image

Bobby Petrino's sudden departure last December from his job as coach of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons drew criticism from far and wide, including the players he left behind and never addressed face to face, instead informing them of his decision by leaving a note in their lockers.

"Disloyal," defensive end Jamaal Anderson said.

"He's selfish. He's definitely a liar," tailback Warrick Dunn said.

"This league is for men. Not everybody is built for this league," safety Lawyer Milloy said.

Those were some of the nicer things said about Petrino, who coached the Falcons on a Monday night and was introduced as Arkansas' coach the next day.

But they're telling a different story in Arkansas. A sports agent with connections to the Razorback program says Petrino originally had the blessing of the Falcons to seek a return to the college game. That changed the day before Petrino took the Arkansas gig when Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison, with the NFL team fearing yet another tsunami of negative publicity.

Reader Greg writes: "These facts reveal the disgraceful efforts of the Falcon organization, ESPN, and some of the other media to discredit a very good football coach and person. ... Bobby Petrino has been nothing but business and class since he arrived."

Reporters' Notebooks

Terry Hutchens, Indianapolis Star: A series of storms severely damaged the turf at Indiana's Memorial Stadium, creating a 10-inch deep sinkhole from the middle of the field inside the south end zone to the fence separating the field from fans. Officials are not sure if the field can be fixed or will need to be replaced.

Justin D. Anderson and Jack Bogaczyk, Charleston Daily Mail: West Virginia president Mike Garrison will resign, effective Sept.1, amid the controversial master's degree he provided the daughter of the West Virginia governor. Garrison's exit could benefit Rich Rodriguez in his legal dispute with the university.

Dave Hickman, Charleston Gazette: West Virginia hopes to have the website for Heisman Trophy candidate Pat White up and running by July 1, if not sooner.

Carter Strickland, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia fullback Brannan Southerland, a three-year starter, could miss at least the first five games after surgery on his left foot to repair a fracture.

Brett McMurphy, Tampa Tribune: What is the benefit of South Florida playing a home-and-home series against Western Kentucky and Ball State instead of Central Florida?

Steven Kreytak, Austin American-Statesman: A judge used the Texas-Arkansas football rivalry for his decision on where the deposition of the plaintiff would take place in a wrongful-death lawsuit against Wal-Mart.

Tom Keegan, Lawrence Journal-World: A new outdoor luxury seating section will be installed behind the south end zone of Kansas' Memorial Stadium. The plan calls for the 56-seat section to include 22 flat-screen televisions, an exclusive hospitality area with complimentary beverages and upscale buffets, and luxury chair-back seating.

Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: Washington quarterback Jake Locker was back on the baseball diamond, getting one hit in three at-bats for the Bellingham Bells.

Brent Zwerneman, San Antonio Express-News: Texas A&M starting kicker Matt Szymanski is transferring for "personal reasons." He made 17 of 30 field goals over two seasons.

Saturday in Blogtober: Another round of the popular Southeaatern Conference limericks.

Paul Finebaum, Mobile Press-Register: "A Lynch Mob Mentality: Ronnie Cottrell vs. NCAA, The Untold Story," has (supposedly) been written by Steve Wilson, the retired judge in the infamous lawsuit. It should be worth a few laughs.

St. Paul Pioneer Press: Yet another outdoor hockey game in a football stadium is in the works. The one would be between Minnesota and Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison.

Oklahoman: Tulsa and Oklahoma have agreed to add three games to the series, which already includes games in 2009 and 2011.

Here is today's mystery link.

High-Def Trailer for 'The Express'

"The Express," the movie based on the life of Syracuse's Ernie Davis, the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy, won't open in theaters Oct. 3, but a high-definition trailer is available on the Internet. You can go to this link to view the trailer. It looks terrific. Thanks to Donnie Webb of the Syracuse Post-Standard.

Reporters' Notebooks

Jon Wilner, San Jose Mercury News: In 2008, the Pacific 10 will live up to its reputation for having tough nonconference schedules. Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Brigham Young, Tennessee, Fresno State, Penn State, Boise State, Michigan State, Maryland, Utah and Oklahoma State are among opponents for league teams. There are three games against Notre Dame and only two games against Division I-AA teams.

Pete Pelegrin, Miami Herald: Florida International unveiled a new logo and announced a twist to the name of the Golden Panthers teams, which will now be known as the FIU Golden Panthers and no longer be referred to as the Florida International University Golden Panthers.

Joe Juliano, Philadelphia Inquirer: Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese announced that he will step down on June 30, 2009.

Michael Rothstein, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Tranghese's decision to step down could leave Notre Dame in a precarious position.

Brent Schrotenboer, San Diego Union-Tribune: Another delay in the Reggie Bush legal battle. Bush's team filed a motion to have the case decided in confidential arbitration instead of a public court. Thanks to Mike.

Scottt D. Pierce, Deseret News: When DirecTV adds The mtn. to its lineup on Aug. 27, but it's not going to cost an arm and a leg if you live in the Mountain West Conference "footprint."

Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News: The "Under the Lights" documentary about Alabama football should give Mississippi State and Sylvester Croom plenty of reason to get motivated to beat the Crimson Tide again.

If you're into college baseball, remember to check the outstanding College Baseball Blog. Here is today's mystery link.

Definition of a Boondoggle

Ever wonder what really happens when university presidents, athletic directors and coaches gather for their annual conference pow-wow at some posh location? The answer is not much. The Ralphie Report "recapped" a recent day at the Big 12 meetings held at the Broadmoor, above, a five-star resort nestled on the edge of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado Springs:

"7:00 a.m.-12 p.m. — Tee Off on the East Course, the Course that the 2008 U.S. Senior Open will be played on. My guess is that Stoops gave everyone strokes and Mangino quit after nine. Leach got thrown off the course, Hawkins stopped over at a local school to talk to a recruit and Mack Brown tried to lure Darrell Scott back to Texas. Boone Pickens bought half of the hotel and hassled Bill Self to join the Pokes ... again."

And this:

"1:00 p.m. — 4th round of 'business.' Location — Penrose Lounge and Bar — Add more bowl games. (How many 5-7 teams can we get into the cash cows?)"

You get the idea. ...

Thanks to Jon.

Living After Midnight

Join us Friday night at the midnight hour in the Pacific time zone for "Sports Overnight America," heard worldwide on the Sports Byline USA Radio Network. Listen live by clicking here and give us a call at 800-878-7529.

The Pac-1,000,000,000

Laugh all you want at the Stanford Cardinal and its crazy tree mascot, but Stanford is likely laughing all the way to the bank. Forbes has released its list of billionaire universities and Stanford is among four Pacific 10 schools in the top 10.

Harvard tops the list with 50 billionaire alumni. Then comes Stanford with 30. USC, UCLA and California each have nine billionaires in the family, good enough for a ninth-place tie with Northwestern, the only other Bowl Championship Series school on this list.

'Show and Blow' to Continue in Madtown

Drive through any town in Wisconsin and you're likely to see two things: a church and a bar. After all, you can't spell Wisconsin without sin.

Heavy consumption of alcohol at Badger games has long been a problem. (Example A: the above video is from 1987.) Go back to the Billy Marek and Rufus Ferguson days and you might find a keg in the stands at Camp Randall.

“Alcohol and Big Ten football seem to go hand-in-hand,” University of Wisconsin Police Lt. Bill Larson said.

Unfortunately, there have been tragic consequences. The Camp Randall Crush occurred on Oct. 30, 1993, when students rushed the field after Wisconsin upset Michigan, 13-10. A total of 73 students were hurt, six of them critically.

This resulted in lawsuits, which resulted in stepped-up efforts to curb excessive drinking, including the "Show and Blow" project that launched last year. It requires students with a previous ejection or citation at a home game to blow into a portable Breathalyzer test before a game to prove their sobriety.

Officials plan to continue the program this fall.

"We think students should be held accountable for their actions," associate dean of students Kevin Helmkamp said.

The No Stranger Land Project

Stuck in an office cubicle in the corporate world? Looking for a way out? Brian Triplett and Denny Clark have found an escape route.

On May 20, the 24-year-old University of Iowa graduates boarded a flight from Des Moines to Portland, Maine, and started a cross-country trek, with plans to end up in California by the end of the summer. Along the way, they are blogging about their experiences at No Stranger Land.

Each week, Brian and Denny tape a "You Ask, We Answer" session, and we've posted this week's edition, which was shot in New Milford, Conn. A link to their site is at the top of column one here on the Wiz and we'll be posting periodic updates as they make their way across the U.S.

Reporters' Notebooks

Eric Ferreri, Raleigh News & Observer: A plan to renovate the aged bathrooms in Duke's Wallace Wade Stadium is on hold for another year, so the university is bringing in high-end portable toilets for women to use during games. "They're a lot nicer than what we have now," associate athletic director Chris Kennedy said.

Jon Wilner, San Jose Mercury News: An excellent look at Pacific 10 coaches' salaries. Oregon State's Mike Riley needs a raise. Arizona's Mike Stoops and Washington's Tyrone Willingham each get a dollars-to-win grade of D. Stanford's Jim Harbaugh might be a steal at an estimated $550,000 a year.

Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News: Searching for reasons to hire a search firm. Why can't an athletic department with dozens of people on the staff and tens of millions of dollars in the budget handle the entire search process from beginning to end?

Kyle Ringo, Boulder Daily Camera: Colorado's athletic department, swimming in red ink, is exploring selling the naming rights to Folsom Field under the condition that any potential buyer agree to include the current name in the future moniker.

Tom Murphy, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Louisiana Monroe, which entered into a five-game agreement with Arkansas in 2003, will be paid $500,000 for a game in Little Rock on Sept. 6. As part of the deal, Louisiana Monroe will be designated as the home team in order to use the crowd count for its home attendance figures.

Joseph Person, Columbia State: NCAA probation ends Friday for South Carolina, bringing a close to an unpleasant chapter in the Gamecocks' history that cost one athletics department official his job and increased to three the number of teams Lou Holtz left on NCAA probation.

Eric Hansen, South Bend Tribune: There are three pillars that protect Notre Dame's football independence — the team's strong presence at the Bowl Championship Series negotiating table, the NBC TV contract and a stable Big East Conference. If any of those collapse, the new athletic director will likely be charged with finding a conference home for football and the other sports without the kind of leverage Notre Dame enjoys now.

Dave Reardon, Honolulu Star-Bulletin: The Hawaii State Ethics Commission has requested that the University of Hawaii provide it with a complete list of the travel party for the Sugar Bowl. Officials want the list to help determine whether any laws were broken, specifically the Hawaii State Ethics Code.

Gordon Brunskill, Centre Daily Times: An NHL regular season game between the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins on Jan. 1 at Penn State's Beaver Stadium sounds like a good idea, but...

Associated Press: A luxury suite at Minnesota's new, on-campus stadium will get you accommodations for 16 to 19 guests, top sight lines, indoor and outdoor chair-back seating, a refrigerator and sink and two flat-panel televisions (and a lousy team). The cost? $45,000 a season.

Ivan Zlatar, The Dartmouth: Former Stanford and Tulane coach Buddy Teevens is getting mixed reviews for his rebuilding project at Dartmouth.

Dave Hickman, Charleston Gazette: West Virginia safety Charles Pugh, who is facing a felony charge, was kicked off the team.

Paul Zeise, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh sophomore receiver Maurice Williams has been declared academically ineligible for the upcoming season.

Carter Strickland, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia defensive end Jeremy Lomax was arrested late Tuesday night by on charges of carrying a concealed weapon and speeding.

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

Mark Townsend Fights the Good Fight

It was election day Tuesday in many parts of the country, and one of the most-watched races involved the Democratic primary for U.S. Senator in Alabama, where Mark Townsend hoped to make a stand.

Despite appearances, Townsend is no dummy. Knowing that many voters in the state have a deep dislike for the NCAA, Townsend hoped to corner that vote with a platform that included abolishing the governing body. To reinforce his position, he actually had his named listed as Mark "No NCAA" Townsend on the ballot (click on sample ballot or the image above for a closer look).

Townsend sued the NCAA in 2001 for — among other things — sanctions it imposed against the football programs at Auburn and Alabama. Unfortunately, he didn't get anywhere in federal court.

Townsend has reportedly complained about NCAA football telecasts not showing college bands playing the national anthem before the games or performing at halftime.

"I believe the National Collegiate Athletic Association is the devil's pitch fork," he said in a campaign announcement.

Townsend ran for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2002 using the nickname "Rodeo Clown." The nickname apparently got voters' attention. Townsend, a truck driver, finished third in a five-candidate field.

But on Tuesday, Townsend's hopes were dashed as he finished third in the three-person runoff.

Erin Andrews

Jamie Mottram of Mr. Irrelevant and Dan Steinberg of D.C. Sports Blog interview Erin Andrews for the Blog Show. Thanks to Awful Announcing.

Reporters' Notebooks

Molly Yanity, Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Linebacker E.J. Savannah, Washington's leading tackler in 2007, broke his arm last weekend (one report says he did it arm wrestling) and could miss the first two games of the season.

Donnie Webb, Syracuse Post-Standard: The loss of Mike Williams is a huge blow to Syracuse considering the receiver scored 10 of the team's 24 touchdowns a year ago.

Joseph Person, Columbia State: As the trend of players graduating high school a semester early and putting their college careers on fast-forward continues to grow, coaches question whether 17- and 18-year-olds are socially ready to be thrust into college life in the middle of the academic year.

Lee Hermiston, Iowa City Press-Citizen: Former Iowa player Abe Satterfield sexually assaulted a woman and allowed teammate Cedric Everson to perform a sex act on her in a Hillcrest dorm room, according to criminal complaints.

Eric Petersen, Cedar Rapids Gazette: Iowa State's transition to a new logo will end up costing well into six figures.

Brian Bennett, Louisville Courier-Journal: Dale Martin, one of the top running back prospects ever to sign with Louisville, has decided to transfer.

Allen Trieu, Scout.com: Quintin Patilla, a linebacker and fullback who is transferring from Michigan to Grand Valley State, took a few shots at Rich Rod's staff before he left Ann Arbor.

Michael Rothstein, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Yes, Digger Phelps wants to be Notre Dame's athletic director.

Associated Press: A Hubbell, Neb., woman could have had an all-expenses paid trip to the Rose Bowl. Instead, she settled for lunch with the "College GameDay" crew. Thanks to Get The Picture.

Peter St. Onge, Charlotte Observer: Charlotte wants to start a football program and gain entrance into Division I-A by 2016, but where will it get the money?

Wally Hall, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: The days of old when a sports reporter was an extension of the team are long gone.

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

About Those Schiano to Penn State Rumors

With Joe Paterno's future at Penn State in question beyond this season, talk is again heating up over who might take over for the coaching legend.

Rutgers' Greg Schiano, a former assistant at Penn State, remains the odds-on favorite to replace Paterno should university president Graham Spanier decide to look outside Paterno's staff for a coach.

Kevin Donahue of FanBlogs takes a detailed look at Schiano's situation and comes to the conclusion that he "is the best, most viable option for the Nittany Lions." And get this: Schiano's buyout after the 2008 season is only $650,000, certainly affordable in today's marketplace.

'Under the Lights: Alabama Football'

Nick Saban, control freak that he is, doesn't allow reporters within shouting distance of an Alabama practice. But he swung open the gates for a film crew this spring to chronicle several practices and the spring game, presumably because this will help Saban on the recruiting trail. Here is a teaser of "Under the Lights: Alabama Football," which will be shown Wednesday night on SportsSouth.

Reporters' Notebooks

Dave Curtis, Orlando Sentinel: The Southeastern Conference is considering starting a television network. What it all means and outlining the pros and cons of such a move.

Tim Stephens, Orlando Sentinel: Is the Bowl Championship Series 'restraint of trade' or simply the marketplace at work?

Ray Melick, Birmingham News: Wait a minute. Alabama's Nick Saban can create an associate athletic director for football operations position, and he can hire a buddy from Pennsylvania to come in and work with the entire athletic department on motivation, but he can't afford a baby sitter?

Scott Dochterman, Cedar Rapids Gazette: In a state where white residents outnumber blacks 47 to 1, playing ball might be the easiest part for black athletes coming to Iowa.

Ana M. Alaya, Newark Star-Ledger: A state audit took Rutgers to task for spending thousands of dollars to send friends and family of athletic staff members to the Texas Bowl in 2006.

Dave Hickman, Charleston Gazette: A police report is expected to implicate West Virginia safety Charles Pugh in the theft of a credit card from a car that was parked at the university and its subsequent use in fraudulent purchases.

Dave Hickman, Charleston Gazette: More goodies from the deposition of Rich Rod agent Mike Brown, who told West Virginia attorney Bob Fitzsimmons that Michigan was a great school because "people earn their degrees there instead of giving them out for free.''

Neill Woelk, Boulder Daily Camera: Why doesn't Colorado schedule top-notch opponents like it used to, when Bill McCartney was winning conference championships?

Chadd Cripe, Idaho Statesman: A Q&A with Boise State coach Chris Petersen.

Mike Hlas, Cedar Rapids Gazette: Dan McCarney, who was shoved out as Iowa State coach near the end of the 2006 season, has resurrected his career and is assistant head coach/defensive line coach at Florida.

Donnie Webb, Syracuse Post-Standard: Syracuse receiver Mike Williams, who caught 14 touchdown passes in two seasons, has been suspended by the school over an academic issue.

Daniel Lyght, Fresno Bee: Fresno State's Pat Hill testified in former player Jason Shirley's defense against four misdemeanor counts.

Amy Donaldson, Deseret News: Utah's Kyle Whittingham says he likely will rescind the scholarship of defensive lineman Keni Kaufusi, who was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of unlawful purchase of alcohol, a weapons violation and a weapons violation with the intent to assault.

Jeff Dahn, Cedar Rapids Gazette: The final copy of the final newspaper will appear on somebody's doorstep one day in 2043.

3-D Stadium Maps From Google Earth

Richard at Map Game Day writes to say that Google has just released the Google Earth plug-in for Internet browsers using Windows. This means you'll be able to view Google Earth and college stadiums in 3-D right from the comfort of your browser.

Currently about 40 stadiums have 3-D animation capability and Richard has links to several of the stadiums on his site, as well as links to NFL 3-D stadium maps. Google says support for other operating systems is planned in future releases.

Richard also sent screen shots of what four venues look like in the new plug-in. From the top: Ohio Stadium, Notre Dame Stadium, Florida State's Doak S. Campbell Stadium and the L.A. Coliseum.

Rich Rod's Agent Linked to Gambling

Mike Brown, Rich Rodriguez's agent, has acknowledged that he promoted a college professional sports betting service in 2001.

The revelation came during a May 5 deposition Brown gave for West Virginia's lawsuit against the Michigan coach. Brown said that he helped prepare and read sports betting scripts that aired on a Cleveland radio station. The agent maintained he was only doing a friend a favor and "never ran a sports betting operation. I just did voice-overs."

The gambling allegation centers on a script obtained by West Virginia attorneys that Brown acknowledged he read on-air promoting a gambling service. In the script, Brown is identified by the nickname "waterboy."

Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press also reported on other juicy tidbits in the deposition, including that Brown called Louisiana State less than a year after Les Miles took over to inquire about that job.

Brown said he spoke to Chuck Neinas, who was running North Carolina's search two years ago, and last year he initiated contact with Arkansas on Rodriguez's behalf.

Brown said last August he urged Rodriguez not to sign the contract with West Virginia and claimed that university president Mike Garrison threatened to replace athletic director Ed Pastilong if Rich Rod refused to sign.

Former Iowa Player Everson in Rap Video?

This YouTube video, titled "Pullin On My Jersey" by Stak Mu$ik, was posted on March 14, 2007, exactly seven months before an alleged rape of a woman took place at Iowa's Hillcrest Residence Hall. Cedric Everson and Abe Satterfield, two former Hawkeye players, are facing charges of second-degree sexual abuse — a Class B felony punishable by a 25-year prison term — for their alleged involvement in the incident. Satterfield is also facing a charge of third-degree sexual abuse, a Class C felony that carries a possible 10-year prison term.

Only Everson is mentioned in the video, which comes with a language warning. Bottom line: If you're facing a felony charge, this is not the type of material you want floating around the Internet.

Two screen grabs below show a Cedric Everson listed in the credits and a Rivals photo of the player is also used in the clip. Comments associated with the video also suggest this is Everson.
Everson and Satterfield were removed from the team last October and on Dec. 17, they announced their plans to transfer.

Everson ended up at Alcorn State in Mississippi but wasn't listed on the team roster. Satterfield transferred to Indiana University of Pennsylvania, which is coached by Lou Tepper, who was the coach at Illinois from 1991-97.

There has been a string of incidents involving Iowa players — 17 arrests, including five felony charges — since April 2007. Tepper told the Cedar Rapids Gazette on Jan. 19 that he called Iowa coaches for a character assessment of Satterfield.

"I said 'Would you take him back if you could?' and they said 'Absolutely' They told me that he might have started for them next year at corner. They were all high on him. He seems like a great kid."

Comments posted on the YouTube video include the following:

Trevaug: "Aren't these the guys that are being investigated for RAPE? Idiots..."

Jasorolling: "Ced is going to have mad street cred when gets out of prison in 2030."

Gtisdabest: "He had a heck of a season for Iowa this year. ...err not."

SEC Wants NCAA to Cut Zooker Loophole

Get this: The Southeastern Conference will sponsor NCAA legislation that would prevent head football coaches from visiting high schools for any reason during the spring evaluation period, Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News reports.

This is in response to a loophole in the "Saban Rule," which prohibits head coaches from making off-campus visits with prospects during the spring evaluation period from April 15-May 31.

One of the biggest critics of the Saban Rule has been Illinois' Ron Zook, and the Zooker quickly exposed the loophole by speaking at six high school coaching clinics.

"It's one-stop shopping," Zook told Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune.

Saban also found his way around the rule through technology. The Alabama coach introduced video conferencing as a way to keep in touch with prospects, but the SEC proposal won't address that. The league already prohibits its coaches from participating in off-campus clinics and merely wants to extend that rule to cover everybody else, namely the Zooker.

USC's Pete Carroll, who said he felt "caged" by the Saban Rule, has gotten his message out through his website and Facebook page.

"We're just winging it in a creative sense and seeing what people like and what they don't like," Carroll said.