Talking College Football

I'm going to be a guest Thursday night of Bobby Fenton on Sporting News Radio. Bobby will be doing the college football countdown and the show airs from 7-11 p.m. (Pacific). We are scheduled to be on around 8:25. You can listen live at Sporting News Radio.

If you're looking for a guest for your radio show or podcast, drop an email at dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Snoop Dogg Now on the LSU Bandwagon!?!

Sports By Brooks has the scoop. Yes, Snoop Dogg was spotted Wednesday with none other than Les Miles at a Rotary Club event. This came a day after Snoop first met the Louisiana State coach. Snoop has been a frequent visitor to USC practices, but perhaps the Trojans' street cred has run out with the Dogg.

Sooners' Jarboe Already Getting a Bad Rap

Oklahoma freshman receiver Josh Jarboe is rapping about carrying guns and shooting people in a video that is making the rounds (discretion is advised). Jarboe was arrested in March for receiving stolen property and having a weapon on school property — both felony charges. The charges were reduced to misdemeanors and Jarboe, despite being on two years probation, was allowed to keep his scholarship to Oklahoma.

The video is also available at this link.

The video below is of Jarboe announcing his decision to attend Oklahoma during the Under Armour All-American game in January.

Colorado

"It's Division I football!" Colorado goes with a basic look for its poster schedule. Come to think of it, Dan Hawkins wouldn't have it any other way. Thanks to Justin for sending this poster our way.

Reporters' Notebooks

Jeff McLane, Philadelphia Inquirer: Penn State announced that defensive tackles Chris Baker and Phil Taylor have been booted off the team. The move comes days after ESPN's "Outside the Lines" questioned whether Penn State players that had gotten in trouble with the law were being disciplined enough.

ZagsBlog: Heisman candidate Pat White is upset that West Virginia doesn't have more African American players on its baseball team. Athletic director Ed Pastilong issues a statement saying the "university is committed to diversity."

Marcus Nelson, Palm Beach Post: Howard Schnellenberger, 74, received a new contract from Florida Atlantic.

Rick Bozich, Louisville Courier-Journal: How much did quarterback Brian Brohm lose by deciding to return for his senior season at Louisville? Minimum $7 million, with some estimations as high as $33 million.

Chip Towers, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia offensive lineman Clint Boling had drunk driving charges against him reduced to reckless driving, meaning he likely won't get suspended.

Kyle Veazey, Clarion Ledger: Three Mississippi State players have been re-admitted to the university after each pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obstructing an arrest.

Consider This Your Last Warning

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.

And if you're looking for a guest for your radio show or podcast, drop us an email at dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Penn State's Off-Field Troubles

In case you missed it, here is the ESPN "Outside The Lines" report on off-field troubles at Penn State that aired Sunday. It's 14:40 long, but if the boss isn't looking, it's worth the viewing time. Thanks in part to EDSBS.

David Jones and Bob Flounders teamed for an interesting commentary about ESPN's report in the Patriot-News, and Jones has since followed with another piece. Thanks to Kevin of We Are Penn State.

Spurrier Joins Chorus Against Rivals, Scout

Steve Spurrier finished a round Tuesday on Woodcreek Farms Country Club in Elgin, S.C., then teed it up in a press conference where he took a few swings at websites that cover Clemson.

The South Carolina coach charged that someone working for a Clemson fan site has been mailing recruits and sending them articles about Gamecock players having brushes with the law. Spurrier didn't name the site, but publishers of Rivals' Tiger Illustrated and Scout's CU Tigers denied the allegation.

Seven of Spurrier's players have been arrested or cited since Dec. 31, but charges have been dropped in three of the cases, including a marijuana possession charge against receiver Dion LeCorn. That charge was dropped Monday and Spurrier made note of it in his statement.

"Usually when a guy’s arrested for whatever, that always makes the headlines," Spurrier said. "And the guy that runs the Clemson website, he likes to send those articles to recruits all over the state. So I just wondered if he sends the articles about all charges dropped. So you guys that know that dude over there, tell him he can add that one today hopefully when he sends them out."

In April, Illinois' Ron Zook took a shot at Rivals and Scout, saying the sites are likely to be at the heart of the next major scandal.

"Some programs have secretly allied themselves with the websites that report on their school as another way to communicate with recruits," Zook said. "In return, the websites get better information, more traffic and make more money."

That drew a harsh response from Bobby Burton of Rivals, who wrote that the Zooker was out of line.

Reporters' Notebooks

Bob Smizik, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Penn State received the "Outside The Lines" treatment from ESPN on Sunday, and it made the once-admired program look like a renegade outfit with its revered coach seemingly out of touch with his team and its players. The numbers were damning but no more so than the responses from Joe Paterno.

George O'Leary, Orlando Sentinel: That's right. The Central Florida coach tells his side of the Ereck Plancher story in an op-ed piece and takes a few swings at the paper in the process. "I believe it is beneath the Sentinel to sensationalize this tragedy as it has. All of this has led me to discontinue conversations with the paper for the time being." Thanks to Losers With Socks.

Jorge Milian, Palm Beach Post: Time to adjust those recruiting rankings. As many as seven freshmen from Miami's class may not be on hand Thursday when players report to school.

Ray Melick, Birmingham News: The attorney for Phillip Fulmer said that he will fight to prevent the Tennessee coach from having to give a deposition in a civil lawsuit filed against the NCAA and others by disassociated Alabama booster Wendell Smith.

Brian Bennett, Louisville Courier-Journal: Louisville receiver Trent Guy, who was shot in the lower back this month, intends to play this season, coach Steve Kragthorpe said.

Brett McMurphy, Tampa Tribune: Gator Bowl president Rick Catlett wants South Florida to play a neutral-site game in the Jacksonville stadium and has had several discussions with Bulls athletic director Doug Woolard about the possibility.

William Weathers, Baton Rouge Advocate: Attention Southeastern Conference teams: The big, bad Sun Belt Conference is coming for you.

Marc Morehouse, Cedar Rapids Gazette: The Big Ten and Mid-American conferences will combine their instant replay programs, with administration of the program being handled by the Big Ten.

Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: College football has its "watch-out" games on opening weekend.

Katie Kennedy, Daily Reveille: Louisiana State may over-sell tickets for non-Southeastern Conference games (Appalachian State, Troy, North Texas and Tulane) in an effort to increase student attendance. (Or is nobody interested in seeing games against inferior opponents?)

Alex Abrams, Springdale Morning News: Arkansas defensive tackle Ernest Mitchell is facing charges of improper display of tags on his vehicle, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and simultaneous possession of drugs and a firearm.

The Bowlology Code: More realistic than a playoff. More sensible than the current bowl mess. Check it out!

Here are today's mystery links, here and here. Thanks to Gordon Keith.

If You're a Longhorn Fan, Forget It

It seems like everybody this side of Marty Robbins wants to attend the Sept. 6 game between Texas and Texas El Paso at the Sun Bowl. Certainly understandable considering the teams haven't played since 1933.

Now El Paso's party of the new millennium can be yours. UTEP is conducting an online auction for two tickets and roundtrip air transportation to the festivities, but if you're a Longhorn fan, forget it. Check out the disclaimer posted on the auction:

"Winning bidder must be a UTEP fan and supporter and must dress and act accordingly and in a professional and courteous manner while participating in this experience. At the sole discretion of UTEP Athletic Department, if at any time during the Experience the winning bidder is not acting in a professional and courteous manner, UTEP Athletics may end the Experience and no refund or additional services will be offered to the winning bidder whether or not the entire experience was completed. Winning bidder will be required to sign an indemnification waiver prior to participating."

The auction ends Sunday night and the bidding stood at $700 at the time of this post.

Hawaii

Keeping with this week's green theme (see Michigan State and South Florida), we present Hawaii's poster schedule. This is the first time in three years of doing this feature that we've had a poster schedule from Hawaii. We thank Tombo of Warriors Will Throw.

Strangest Brew ... Just Go There!

Reader Tom has completed work on Strangest Brew, arguably the finest online college football schedule in the land.

This handy site allows you to create a custom schedule grid. Simply input your time zone, week range, whether or not you want logos and select your teams or conferences.

For future reference, a link to Strangest Brew is stashed on our Wiz Resources page, under Toolbox, titled Strangest Brew Schedule.

Reporters' Notebooks

Ted Sherman and Josh Margolin, Newark Star-Ledger: The New Jersey comptroller's office opened an inquiry into fiscal practices at Rutgers. The review is focused on the financial management of the athletics department amid reports of detailed hidden side deals with coach Greg Schiano.

Ray Melick, Birmingham News: With Ohio State as the preseason favorite to win a fourth consecutive Big Ten Conference championship, Southeastern Conference teams are slobbering over the prospect of dope-slapping the Buckeyes again in a third-consecutive BCS title game.

Tony Barnhart, Atlanta Journal Constitution: Trying to explain why Georgia, the sexy pick for the national title, was picked to finish second behind Florida in the SEC East.

Heisman Pundit: Five programs that should be great, but aren't.

Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: It's time to look ahead because there's no going back.

Jake Trotter, Oklahoman: Oklahoma defensive end Auston English, the Big 12's preseason defensive player of the year, is out indefinitely after having emergency surgery to remove his appendix.

Mitch Vingle, Charleston Gazette: No truth to the report that the Big East is considering an arrangement with Army and Navy to give the league another member in regard to scheduling.

Anthony Fenech, Detroit Free Press: What's Lloyd Carr up to these days? The former Michigan coach is busy in retirement.

Rochelle Olson, Minneapolis Star Tribune: Former Minnesota player Dominic Jones, who is serving time for fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct: "My name now is inmate."

Jeff White, Richmond Times-Dispatch: Virginia offensive linemen Will Barker, who has started 25 games in a row, and teammate Dave Roberts were arrested at Club 216 in downtown Charlottesville around 3:45 a.m. Saturday. Both reportedly admitted to police that they stole beer from a cooler at the nightclub. Each was charged with a misdemeanor.

Mike Sorensen, Deseret News: Utah finalized its deal to play Notre Dame. The teams will meet Nov. 13, 2010, in South Bend.

Michael Rothstein, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Tennessee — as an athletic department — spends the most on recruiting. Notre Dame is second.

Robbie Neiswwanger, Springdale Morning News: Arkansas linebacker Freddy Burton and receiver Marques Wade have been suspended for the first two games (scrimmages against Western Illinois and Louisiana Monroe). They'll be back for game 3, against Texas.

Ian R. Rapoport, Birmingham News: If you're not familiar with the Jerrell Powe story (it's a lengthy one), here is a primer.

Will Collier, From The Bleachers: Interesting piece on the exodus of sportswriting talent from newspapers to online ventures.

To bypass registration, go to Bug Me Not.

South Florida

South Florida has gone poster schedule crazy. As it did last year, the Bulls have issued five poster schedules. Our favorite is the one below, with a packed Raymond James Stadium at night. Our guess is that shot was taken last Sept. 28, when the Bulls upset West Virginia on a Thursday night. Thanks to Carlos.

Ducks in a Row

The gang over at Ducks Attack invited the Wiz as a guest for their podcast Monday morning. We covered a lot of territory, including Pacific 10 coaches on the hot seat and top games involving conference teams. You can give a listen by clicking here.

If you are seeking a guest for your radio show or podcast, send an email to dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Florida Has Something to Be Proud Of

The Princeton Review unveiled its annual list of biggest party schools and the winner is ... Florida! The Gators edged fellow Southeastern Conference member Mississippi, with Penn State finishing third.

On the other end is Brigham Young, voted No. 1 among stone-cold sober schools. Outside of BYU, you probably won't recognize many of the schools unless you carefully study nonconference schedules of SEC teams.

Here are the top 20 party schools:

1. University of Florida
2. University of Mississippi
3. Penn State University
4. West Virginia University
5. Ohio University
6. Randolph-Macon College (Ashland, Va.)
7. University of Georgia
8. University of Texas
9. University of California Santa Barbara
10. Florida State University
11. University of New Hampshire
12. University of Iowa
13. University of Colorado
14. Indiana University
15. Tulane University
16. University of Illinois
17. Arizona State University
18. University of Tennessee
19. University of Alabama
20. Loyola University New Orleans

Here are the top 20 stone-cold sober schools:

1. Brigham Young University, Provo.
2. Wheaton College, Wheaton, Ill.
3. U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, Conn.
4. College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, Mo.
5. Grove City College, Grove City, Pa.
6. U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
7. U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.
8. Wellesley College, Wellesley, Mass.
9. Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, Calif.
10. Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Mich.
11. U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.
12. Wesleyan College, Macon, Ga.
13. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, Needham, Mass.
14. City University of New York-Queens College, Flushing, N.Y.
15. Webb Institute, Glen Cove, N.Y.
16. Berea College, Berea, Ky.
17. Agnes Scott College, Decatur, Ga.
18. City University of New York-Baruch College, New York.
19. Simmons College, Boston.
20. Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pa.

Thanks to H.T.

Penn State or State Penn?

If you're looking for the runaway leader in off-field troubles, look no further than Penn State.

According to an ESPN study of Pennsylvania criminal records, 46 Nittany Lion players have faced 163 criminal charges since 2002 and 27 have been convicted of or have pleaded guilty to a combined 45 counts.

In 2007 alone, 17 players were charged with 72 crimes, with nine guilty pleas.

Joe Paterno, when asked about the disturbing numbers, told Steve Delsohn of ESPN's "Outside The Lines" that the network was on a "witch hunt."

The centerpiece of the "Outside The Lines" report chronicled an incident last year when several Penn State players forced their way into an apartment and attacked several people attending a party, including one individual who tried to break up the altercation and was knocked unconscious after being hit in the head with a beer bottle. While unconscious, police say the man was repeatedly punched in the head.

Paterno is entering the final year of his contract and the speculation continues that this season will be the last for the 81-year-old coach. After watching the "Outside The Lines" report, which you can view by clicking here, you have to think Penn State officials have had enough and are ready to send Paterno into retirement.

Reporters' Notebooks

Jeff McLane, Philadelphia Inquirer: Big Ten coaches are still fighting the perception that their conference is stuck in the dark ages of college football — all run and no pass — and, thus, one of the lesser weights among Bowl Championship Series conferences.

Tony Barnhart, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Alabama's Nick Saban, worried about his security when the Crimson Tide plays at Louisiana State on Nov. 8, says he is considering traveling separately from the team (second item).

Brett McMurphy, Tampa Tribune: Didn't even know Stony Brook had a football team, but it will play at South Florida to open the 2010 season.

Jon Solomon, Birmingham News: Views on where the Southeastern Conference is headed over the next 25 years. Here are some predictions.

Ray Melick, Birmingham News: The SEC is not likely to follow the lead of the Atlantic Coast Conference, which has adopted an NFL-style guideline for reporting injuries.

Doug Lesmerises, Cleveland Plain Dealer: Ohio State starting defensive tackle Doug Worthington was arrested over the weekend and charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Alex Abrams, Springdale Morning News: Arkansas receiver Marques Wade was arrested on misdemeanor charges of driving while intoxicated and careless driving. According to a police report, Wade nearly struck an officer when he slid to stop at a stop sign.

Christopher Walsh, Tuscaloosa News: It was a particularly long offseason for many teams, with the overall list of off-field transgressions running the full gamut of charges, including alcohol-related incidents, assault, weapons and drugs.

Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati season ticket sales have reached the 11,000 mark — the highest in team history.

Bob Hammond, Laramie Boomerang: Former Alabama receiver and defensive back Tarence Farmer is transferring to Wyoming.

John Coon, Deseret News: A story on Utah sports bloggers, mentioning our friends at Block U.

Crewcut Charlie Jeered at Wrigley

It was Notre Dame weekend at Wrigley Field, or so they thought.

It started Friday, with former Fighting Irish receiver-turned middle reliever Jeff Samardzija making his major league debut for the Chicago Cubs, pitching two innings in the North Siders' 3-2 loss to the dreaded Florida Marlins.

On Saturday, Crewcut Charlie Weis arrived on the scene and his son, Crewcut Jr., threw out the ceremonial first pitch on his 15th birthday. Then the big guy made his way upstairs to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh inning stretch.

Things didn't go as planned, as the Wrigley faithful let Weis have it. This account on All Headline News said: "Weis appeared to be a bit shook up by the reaction, singing way off-key, but eventually settled down to finish the fabled song."

Michael Rothstein of the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette received a text message from a friend at the game: "At Wrigley. They just BOOED THE [naughty word] out of Charlie Weis."

Fortunately, the weekend wasn't a total loss. Samardzija pitched two innings Sunday in the Cubs' 9-6 victory.

Thanks to Awful Announcing.

Michigan State

There never seems to be a dull moment with Mark Dantonio, set to begin his second season as Michigan State coach. Who can forget his jabs at rival Michigan last season? And what about the clock in the Spartan practice facility that counts down the seconds until the Michigan game? It's ticking on the trip to Ann Arbor, set for Oct. 25. Another game of note: at California on Aug. 30. Thanks to Brian.

Rich Rod: They Sell Guns in West Virginia

It's a summer Rich Rodriguez would like to forget. Not only will the Michigan coach have to fork over $1.5 million of the $4 million buyout on his deal with West Virginia, he has found those trips back to his home state something less than comforting.

Rodriguez, talking with Brent Yarina of the Big Ten Network, described the long drive from Ann Arbor to West Virginia, mentioning how Ohio and Pennsylvania are never fun to drive through.

But, he added, it's nothing compared to West Virginia because, "There are more than ['wanted'] posters [with my face on them]. They sell a lot of guns in that state."

Miami Hurricanes

Miami's poster schedule, sent to us by Steve, resembles a computer wallpaper. You would think moving into the new digs at Dolphin Stadium would inspire something more out of the Hurricanes. As the tools suggest, Miami has some work to do.

Reporters' Notebooks

Wendell Barnhouse, Big 12: A tweak in the instant replay system will allow replay officials to review if a player fumbles even if the on-field officials ruled the ball carrier down without fumbling. Also, if the officials rule a player steps out of bounds on his way to the end zone but replays show the player stayed in bounds, the officials can rule a touchdown.

Matt Winkeljohn, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Is it time to stop this foolishness and pay players? An argument for and an argument against such a system. Plus, a full ride looks empty to some critics of the NCAA

Iliana Limon, Andrew Carter and Jeremy Fowler, Orlando Sentinel: What do selected coaches and players think about a playoff? What rules changes would they like to see? And do athletes think they should get paid?

John Helsley and Berry Tramel, Oklahoman: The best and the worst of Big 12 nonconference schedules. Plus, ranking games involving Big 12 teams, from one to 96. How about that Chattanooga-Oklahoma game, eh? And Big 12 teams are playing more neutral site games.

Paul Gattis, Huntsville Times: The 10 questions you want answered before they tee it up in the Southeastern Conference.

FanBlogs: Check out the new Virginia Tech uniforms. Not sure we are fans of the new threads.

Eric Crawford, Louisville Courier-Journal: Drug policies often differ from team to team at the same school, let alone between schools. Maybe it's time to standardize testing and penalties.

Jeff Potrykus, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Henry Mason, who joined the Wisconsin staff in 1995 to coach receivers, continues to battle a severe spinal-cord injury suffered during a fall last summer in his home.

Eugene Register-Guard: Oregon has suspended linebacker Kevin Garrett for a violation of team rules.

Jim Watson, Shreveport Times: Louisiana Tech coach Derek Dooley has suspended junior linebacker Zach Schreiber.

To bypass registration, go to Bug Me Not. Here is today's bizarre (troubling?) mystery link.

A Snake Charmer or a Snake Oil Salesman?

Bobby Petrino was the headline act Friday at the Southeastern Conference media days, and why not? The Arkansas coach, working on his third job in two years, had a controversial departure from the Atlanta Falcons, leaving the post without speaking to his players. Safety Lawyer Milloy taped a copy of Petrino's farewell letter to his locker and crossed out the coach's name, substituting the word "coward." Running back Warrick Dunn was more direct, call Petrino "a liar."

At Louisville, coach Steve Kragthorpe has dismissed seven players since taking over for Petrino in 2006, essentially blaming Petrino for recruiting players with discipline problems.

And let's not even get into the clandestine meeting Petrino had in 2003 with Auburn officials.

A poll of media members conducted by the Mobile Press-Register ranked Petrino last among SEC coaches in terms of media savvy, public speaking and friendliness/media accessibility.

Is Petrino being treated fairly? Here is a look at how papers in Louisville, Atlanta and Little Rock interpreted Petrino's appearance at media days.

Brett Dawson, Louisville Courier-Journal: Petrino, responding to Kragthorpe's comments, said: "We didn't have a discipline problem when I was there. ... we had players that were real focused, did a great job, went 41-9, and I think returned 21 starters off that Orange Bowl team. So, you know, I felt good about the way we left the program and the shape that we left the University of Louisville in."

Chip Towers, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Petrino declined to discuss the details of his departure from the Falcons. "I don't think we need to get into that. It's something that I've put behind me and I'm sure that the Falcons have."

Wally Hall, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: It was not the vicious feeding frenzy some thought it would be. Petrino did what he does best. He took center stage and was himself.

Boise State

Doesn't it seem like Ian Johnson has been around forever at Boise State? He's back for his senior season and takes a spot front and center in the Broncos' poster schedule. Thanks to Allison.

Reporters' Notebooks

Sunday Morning Quarterback: The blogger announces that he's leaving Sports Blog Nation in two weeks and will "let readers know where to find me for the upcoming season. Only hint: that place doesn't exist yet."

Brett Dawson, Louisville Courier-Journal: Kentucky quarterback Curtis Pulley is facing disciplinary action after two brushes with the law in the last six weeks.

Robert Cessna, Bryan-College Station Eagle: Former Texas A&M kicker Matt Szymanski will transfer to Southern Methodist.

Dan Hinxman, Reno Gazette-Journal: The Western Athletic Conference is becoming a running league?

Brent Schrotenboer, San Diego Union-Tribune: San Diego State has offered to reduce its on-field practice activities by one hour during the first week of practice as a result of having excessive practice time in March 2007.

Centre Daily Times: ESPN's "Outside the Lines" will air a piece on Penn State's off-field troubles on Sunday.

The Grandmother of All BCS Disasters

The BCS Guru continues his examination of the 10 years of the Bowl Championship Series with a look at the 2003 season, the most catastrophic finish yet for the system supposedly designed to bring you, the fan, the best possible matchups in the postseason. Who is the BCS fooling?

After five years, you think the bugs would have been worked out of the BCS. Far from it. It all came crashing down in 2003 with split national champions.

Entering the final weekend of the season, three teams were vying for two spots in the Sugar Bowl. USC had one loss — in triple overtime at California, 34-31 — as did Louisiana State — at home to Florida, 19-7. No. 1 Oklahoma was undefeated entering the Big 12 title game against Kansas State.

USC defeated Oregon State, 52-28, and LSU beat Georgia, 34-13, in the Southeastern Conference title game. Oklahoma was routed by Kansas State, 35-7, in the Big 12 title game.

So who played in the Sugar Bowl? LSU and Oklahoma, of course. USC's anger was directed not only at the Sooners, but the Tigers as well. The Trojans' nonconference games were at Auburn and Notre Dame and home games against Hawaii and Brigham Young. LSU steamrolled Louisiana Monroe, Louisiana Tech and I-AA Western Illinois at home and Arizona on the road. As the Guru writes, "Just how LSU's schedule could be considered to be among the top 30 in the country showed the flaw in the [strength of schedule] ratings.

LSU, of course, beat Oklahoma, 21-14, in the Sugar Bowl. USC defeated Michigan, 28-14, in the Rose Bowl. LSU was named the BCS champion and USC was crowned the Associated Press champion.

Ted Waitt of Gateway Computers offered $31 million for LSU and USC to settle it on the field. LSU fans were upset with USC followers for claiming a piece of the title pie and eventually raised funds to put up a billboard across the street from the L.A. Coliseum.

Great system we have here. Great system.

Cover Story

Very cool post by Joe at Only Time Will Tell. He gathered all of the regional covers from the Sporting News preview magazine and rolled it into one snazzy post. There are 16 covers in all.

Reporters' Notebooks

Bryan Mullen and David Climer, Tennessean: Tennessee's Phil Fulmer acknowledged that he was served with a subpoena during the Southeastern Conference media days.

John Adams, Knoxville News-Sentinel: Last time Fulmer was threatened with legal action, it ended up much worse for Alabama, which was put on probation by the NCAA.

Tony Barnhart, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Serving a subpoena on a coach is just the kind of knucklehead stuff that the SEC has been trying to get rid of under commissioner Mike Slive. It's time to move the league's media days out of Alabama and to Atlanta.

Andy Hamilton, Iowa City Press-Citizen: Iowa's Kirk Ferentz said he reluctantly met with the alleged victim in a sexual assault case involving two of his former players, days after the attack. The victim's father said during the meeting Iowa officials talked to him and his daughter about all the options. He said they were told, "if we contact police it goes formal, it will take a long time." He added: "I've been working in the sales business for 27 years. They sold this to us."

Erin Jordan, Iowa City Press-Citizen: Letters from the mother of an alleged sexual assault victim were not the only documents that Iowa officials failed to turn over to the Board of Regents during the initial investigation of how the assault report was handled, university president Sally Mason acknowledged.

Jeff Potrykus, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: Wisconsin's Bret Bielema gets a bit fiesty when defending a nonconference home schedule that includes Akron, Marshall and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Centre Daily Times: A Penn State student was charged with burglary after police say he got drunk while celebrating his 21st birthday and decided to trespass on the football team practice field and break into the Lasch Football Building.

Paul Strelow, Columbia State: Clemson announced that the athletic department had raised $21 million, $5.6 million more than the previous year, "due in part to the new seat equity plan" that restructured the seat distribution policy for season ticket holders.

Randy Shannon, Miami Herald: Maybe the move to Dolphin Stadium is paying off for Miami. Despite a souring economy, Hurricane season tickets are expected to total more than 28,000.

Kevin Clark, Sun-Sentinel: Former Miami quarterback Kenny Kelly has been arrested and charged with three felony drug charges.

Laurence Miedema, San Jose Mercury News: Yonus Davis, the eighth-leading rusher in San Jose State history, was granted a sixth season of eligibility.

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

Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Another bitchin' poster schedule, this one from Tulsa. A sleek design that is bursting with color. We thank Mike for sending it our way. What does reviewer Mike think of the effort? Let's find out:

"Overall I like the use of colors. They work together and give the poster a sense of balance. The dark shadows behind the players help separate them from the blue background. The images are arranged in an arc and helped draw my eye to the center of the poster. The schedule stands out and is easy to read.

"But what is with the calendar months at the bottom? This bizarre addition detracts from the overall piece."

Living After Midnight

Join me at the magical hour of midnight in the Pacific Time Zone on Friday for "Sports Overnight America" on the Sports Byline Radio Network. If you don't have a local affiliate, click here to listen to the Internet stream. Our men and women in the military can listen over the American Forces Network, available in 177 countries and U.S. territories and Navy ships at sea.

And if you missed our appearance Thursday on 98.1 The Sports Ticket in Pensacola/Ft. Walton Beach, click here to hear the segment.

Need a guest for your radio show? Send an email to dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Phil Fulmer Is Served

We're not talking breakfast, lunch of dinner. We talking subpoena. At least that is what legal channels suggest.

Fulmer, in Hoover, Ala., for the Southeastern Conference media days, denies being served the document, which calls for the Tennessee coach to be deposed Sept. 25 in Birmingham, two days before the Volunteers' game at Auburn.

This is all part of a defamation lawsuit brought by Chattanooga car salesman Wendell Smith against the NCAA.

Four years ago Fulmer refused to come to the event in suburban Birmingham and took part by phone, incurring a $10,000 fine from the SEC. Back then, Fulmer was being sought in order to testify in another case involving an NCAA investigation of Alabama.

Fulmer was asked Thursday about possibly being subpoenaed and denied he had been served.

"I have not seen a subpoena," he said. "This is not the place for that kind of thing. The great fans that are very passionate about the Southeastern Conference aren't interested in that kind of B.S."

Thanks to Richard of Map Game Day.

Wake Forest

Seniors are the backbone of any program, and Wake Forest honors its group of 16 and coach Jim Grobe with small player cards that form the design for its poster schedule.

While this design lacks the snap, crackle and pop featured in many other posters, it's a classy way to remember your frontline gladiators. Click the image for a larger view.

We thank Michael for sending the poster. Let's see what Mike has to say about the Demon Deacons' effort:

"This design is little overwhelming although, unlike Clemson, the images do not run into each. Again, you know how I feel about putting a kicker/punter on your poster, and I do not care if he is a Groza award candidate or not.

" 'Back in Black'? Did they get copyright permission from AC/DC? The schedule itself seems to be an afterthought. Just kind of stuck at the bottom in small type that is overpowered by the rest of the piece."

Reporters' Notebooks

The Joe Cribbs Car Wash: You want previews? Here are links to every online preview of all the Division I-A teams that can be found. Thanks to Get The Picture for turning us on to this amazing resource. Check it out!

Lee Hermiston and Brian Morelli, Iowa City Press-Citizen: The mother of the victim in an alleged sexual assault released another scathing letter to Iowa officials criticizing their handling of her daughter's case. "Shame on all of you for backing down when the going got tough. Shame on all of you for turning away from your moral and professional obligations."

Josh Margolin and Ted Sherman, Newark Star-Ledger: Rutgers' Greg Schiano would not discuss any of the terms of his $2 million contract that is now under increasing scrutiny.

Christopher Walsh, Tuscaloosa News: Louisiana State's Les Miles sidestepped questions about his Alabama comment earlier in the week, saying he has "great respect" for the Crimson Tide.

Bill Koch, Cincinnati Enquirer: Quarterback Ben Mauk still doesn't know if the NCAA will grant him a sixth year of eligibility that will allow him to play this fall for Cincinnati.

Brian Hamilton, Chicago Tribune: Notre Dame doesn’t expect any lingering eligibility issues after sending a cease-and-desist letter to a cell phone ring tone service that used images of two active Fighting Irish athletes in an online advertisement. One of the athletes was quarterback Jimmy Clausen.

Charles Burress, San Francisco Chronicle: Hours after the University of California won a court decision allowing a long-blocked athletic training center to be built next to Memorial Stadium, supporters of illegal tree-sitters occupying the project's site commandeered a new tree on the main campus. They later abandon the newly occupied tree.

Ian R. Rapoport, Birmingham News: Alabama and Clemson will earn nearly $2 million apiece for their season-opening matchup in Atlanta. And fans will be able to purchase beer until halftime!

Associated Press: Army has revised its interpretation of U.S. Department of Defense policy regarding soldiers playing professional sports, requiring cadets to complete two years of active duty before applying for a release.

FanBlogs: Breaking down the top 15 intrastate rivalries.

Building The Dam: Your favorite Oregon State commercials, all rolled into one post. Thanks to EDSBS.

Samuel Spies, Raleigh News & Observer: North Carolina's Board of Trustees approved the design for a first phase of plans to substantially expand Kenan Stadium.

Mick McGrane, San Diego Union-Tribune: San Diego State is in the midst of negotiating a new lease with the city that would allow its football team to continue playing at Qualcomm Stadium for at least the next five years, even if the Chargers opt to leave San Diego.

Going to the Air Game

If you're in the Pensacola/Ft. Walton Beach area, set your radio dial to 98.1 The Sports Ticket. On Thursday, I'll be a guest of Adam McCloskey and Rob Brown on the "Morning Wrap." beginning at 8:20 a.m. (Central). We urge all our friends in SEC-land to check it out.

If you need a guest for your show, please don't hesitate to ask. Drop an email to dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Schiano's Secret Deals Lead to Penn State?

A day after the Newark Star-Ledger reported that Greg Schiano had a previously unknown side agreement with marketing group that paid him $250,000 a year, another clause was revealed in the coach's contract.

Schiano will be able to break his 10-year contract without penalty if Rutgers is unable to complete an expansion of its stadium by 2009. Currently, the buyout on his contract is $500,000.

Rutgers president Richard McCormick apologized for the university's continuing "lack of transparency" involving Schiano's deal and said all terms should have been made public.

"I'm not sure why we didn't, but I regret it," McCormick said.

So let's get right to it. Schiano, a former Penn State assistant, has long been the odds-on favorite to replace Joe Paterno, who is likely in his final year as Nittany Lion coach. And yes, that renovation of Rutgers Stadium is — you guessed it — running into all kinds of roadblocks.

It all seems too perfect, doesn't it?

A Tour of Pac-10 Stadiums

Fasten your seat belts and take Google Earth tour of stadiums in the Pacific 10 Conference. Thanks to Tom Kirkendall.

Reporters' Notebooks

Paul Strelow, Columbia State: Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner John Swofford said it would be at least six years before there is a chance the plus-one model for the Bowl Championship Series could be implemented. Swofford indicated that negotiations on a four-year extension with Fox should be done by Christmas, thus locking in the current format through 2014.

Gregg Hennigan, Cedar Rapids Gazette: The University of Iowa was trying to protect an alleged sexual assault victim's privacy when it kept secret from the state Board of Regents two letters from the alleged victim's mother, university president Sally Mason said.

Mark Anderson, Las Vegas Review-Journal: Is Boise State ready to jump to the Mountain West Conference?

Dirk Facer, Deseret News: Utah's rifts with Nevada Las Vegas and Wyoming are apparently over.

Ryan Autullo, Toledo Blade: Bowling Green coach Gregg Brandon is defending his program after seven players and a former captain were arrested in the offseason.

Mike DeArmond, Kansas City Star: Mike Gundy is still a man. And he's still 40. "I am for about two weeks," he said.

Heisman Pundit: Here is what Missouri's Chase Daniel has to do to win the Heisman.

Ken Tysiac, Charlotte Observer: More than half of the 65,837 seats at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa have been sold for the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

Brett McMurphy, Tampa Tribune: South Florida defensive line coach John Hendrick is returning to his job, three weeks after suffering a heart attack.

Marcus Nelson, Palm Beach Post: The Sun Belt Conference reached agreement with three bowl games that could put a team other than the conference champion in the postseason beginning in December.

Steroid Nation: A Louisiana steroid bust identified at least 100 users — some of them high school students.

Louisiana Monroe

Up next, the giant killers of Louisiana Monroe. Who can forget the Warhawks' stunning 21-14 victory last season at Alabama. We thank Adam for sending the poster. Let's see what Mike and Mike have to say.

Mike:

"This is a rather ho-hum effort. I like the layout, the curved football-like area for the images provides a nice visual separation from the schedule. Other than that there is not much to get excited about. The colors are drab and lackluster and the images are nondescript. The band has some hefty members though. Maybe it's the Biggest Damn Band in the Land?

"On a personal note, I'm running the Chicago Marathon in October and raising funds for a charity organization, Opportunity Enterprises, whose mission is to promote self-sufficiency and life choices for challenged individuals. If you wish to help, here is a link to my fund-raising page."

Mike from S.F.:

"Monroe is selling the family environment with pictures of fans, the marching band, tailgating and a packed stadium. The real kicker is the jab at Alabama on the bottom, showcasing the Warhawks' upset of the Crimson Tide last season. I like this poster so much I'm not going to comment on the Arkansas 'home game' in Little Rock.

"Last year was a good year to be a Warhawk fan, and this poster is all about the positive."

Mouth of the South

Move over Jimmy Hart, you've been replaced. Louisiana State's Les Miles is strutting his stuff, taking yet another pop at Alabama during a Tiger Tour stop in New Orleans.

Miles, back in the city where his team won the Bowl Championship Series title in January, was asked about LSU's 41-34 victory over Alabama last Nov. 3 in Tuscaloosa. According to the Times-Picayune, Miles brought down the house when he urged the faithful "not to make too much of that game as it seems like a lot of teams in Louisiana beat that team," referencing the Crimson Tide's stunning 21-14 loss to Louisiana Monroe on Nov. 17.

Miles, of course, ripped into Alabama last year, dropping the old F-bomb.

And who can forget Miles' performance before last season's Southeastern Conference championship game.

Reporters' Notebooks

J.P. Giglio and Robbi Pickeral, Raleigh News & Observer: The Atlantic Coast Conference will adopt a standard guideline for reporting injuries during the week, resembling the weekly injury report produced by the NFL.

Josh Margolin and Ted Sherman, Newark Star-Ledger: Five months after agreeing to terms that will pay him as much as $2 million annually with bonuses, Rutgers Greg Schiano quietly signed a side agreement providing for an additional $250,000 a year from the university in payments made through a vendor.

Associated Press: The University of Kansas is concerned it might look like it is supporting Barack Obama after governor Kathleen Sebelius was pictured holding a T-shirt with the words "Barack Chalk Jayhawk" across the front.

Lee Hermiston, Iowa City Press-Citizen: The Iowa state Board of Regents is planning to have a special meeting this week to address a letter sent to University of Iowa officials by the mother of the alleged victim of a sexual assault involving Iowa players last fall. Board president David Miles also confirmed the existence of a second letter the mother allegedly sent to Iowa president Sally Mason on May 16.

Mike Hlas, Cedar Rapids Gazette: We are in the early stages of what could prove to be some of the darkest days for University of Iowa athletics.

Adam Rose, All Things Trojan: Our man Mr. Rose has the scoop on what will be replacing USC and UCLA "Rewind."

Jon Wilner, Mercury News: Bet best in Vegas? Take California over 5.5 victories.

Kristy Eppley Rupon, Columbia State: A tanking economy and overbuilding are blamed for 40 condos near South Carolina's Williams-Brice Stadium being put on the auction block.

Kyle Ringo, Boulder Daily Camera: Colorado receiver Markques Simas is one of three Buffaloes who failed to make the grades and will be ineligible this fall.

Dick Harmon, Deseret News: It's put up or shut up time for Mountain West Conference coaches.

Lawrence Journal-World: If you're in need of weightlifting equipment, you should check out the sale going on at Kansas.

To bypass registration, go to Bug Me Not.

Scholz Garten

The booze cruise known as Thirst and 10 continues with a stop at Scholz Garten, a place that seemingly has been around longer than Texas.

History, food, booze, music. This Austin watering hole has it all. Two distinguished Longhorn bloggers have offered their opinion of the joint. First, let's hear from Henry James of Barking Carnival:

"The place to be before and after a Texas Longhorn game is Scholz Garten. Founded in 1866 by a German immigrant, it has been around longer than the University of Texas.

"You can sit in the air conditioned inside area, but the real action takes place in the large outdoor biergarten. Here Texas fans of all shapes and sizes cram themselves in to either praise or curse coach Mack Brown. Healthy debate has always been welcomed at Scholz though. Whenever the state legislature is in session, it's a popular hangout for representatives and politicos of both parties.

"Like any good biergarten, Scholz has a host of German beers available. But the number one choice of Texas fans is Shiner Bock. It comes from the Spoetzl Brewery in the small town of Shiner, Texas (pop. 2070), located about halfway between San Antonio and Houston. And don't worry if you drink too much. Scholz is located within easy staggering distance of the stadium."
Matt Berg of Bevo Sports gave us this review:

"Talk about Texas history, Scholz Garten first opened its doors after the Civil War in 1866 and was a favorite meeting place for the German population around the Austin area. It serves classic German dishes such as Wienerschnitzel and Jägerschnitzel, though I don't recommend going there for the food.

"What it is known for is great beer (probably at least 20 different beers on tap), the large outdoor biergarten (patio), and history (self-proclaimed oldest business in Texas).

"With only a short walk to the stadium, this is the place to be, that is if you can find any room to stand. The large outdoor biergarten is filled with burnt orange and long lines of Longhorn faithful trying to beat the heat with a cold beer. Outside expect to find a live band, that is unless a radio station is running their pregame there. The atmosphere is crazy and energetic, and is something every Longhorn fan has to experience at least once."

Glowing reviews from the Texas bloggers, but there are many experienced drinkers in our audience who view each and every watering hole with a critical eye. Have you been to Scholz Garten? 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); Linebacker Lounge (Notre Dame); The Bear's Lair (California); Eskimo Joe's (Oklahoma State).

Florida State

A bitchin' effort from Florida State, if we may say so ourselves. We thank Brent for sending it our way. Do the reviewers agree with our favorable opinion? Let's find out.

Mike:

"Apparently FSU is going for some post-apocalyptic theme.

"There are so many things wrong with this poster. One, never use what appear to be drawings of players when you have photographs. Two, the visual tone of the poster is too dark. I kept wanting to turn on a light. Third, if you want people to read the copy, don't make it blend into the background.

"However, I do like how FSU displayed the schedule. I do not recall seeing it done that way.

"If Bobby Bowden retires after this year, I hope he takes the people that designed this poster with him."

Mike from S.F.:

"I like the way this poster integrates the team colors into a burning background, definitely conveying intensity. I am pretty sure those are textbooks burning in the background, given the team's recent tutor scandals and (future) sanctions.

"I am not a fan of the understated way FSU differentiated between home and away games across the bottom, but really when you're only leaving the state of Florida three times during the season, how big of a deal is it?

"In general, this poster will get Seminole fans fired up about this season."

Taking Matters Into Their Own Hands

The gang at Spartan Thunder went on the hunt for a San Jose State poster and found out the school is not producing one. So they took it upon themselves to produce their own. They write: "It does have a few spelling errors, and is not perfect, but at least we now have a schedule!"

Update: Mark of Spartan Thunder has sent us a final version of his poster, minus the spelling errors.

Southern Methodist

Southern Methodist alums are not shy about flaunting their financial success. This is the place where you'll see BMWs sporting bumper stickers that read, "My maid went to Texas."

Imagine what will become of the fatcat alums if June Jones can resurrect the football program. Jones' boldest move to date has been a return to the white helmet, which is featured prominently on the poster schedule, sent to us by Todd of College Football Top Ten. What do our reviewers have to say?

Mike:

"I like the design because it is clean without being mechanical (see Texas El Paso). Despite the dominance the helmet, it doesn't throw the piece off-balance and the image of Jones, which is somewhat faded into into the background, is a nice way to highlight the coach. To me it seems to be a metaphor for Jones being the force behind the program.

"The colors are balanced and transition well into each other, giving the poster a certain flow. It would appear that the Pony Express is on its way to riding back into college football relevance."

Mike from S.F.:

"This poster is all about Jones and the return of a once great program. In the background across the top, you see the SMU facilities, part of reason Jones bailed out of Hawaii. In the middle is the white helmet, bringing back memories of the program's glory years. Behind the helmet you see an image of Jones. All of this is layered on parched paper background.

"Other than the relatively small font for the schedule at the bottom, my only complaint would be that the poster resembles a beer ad. At first glance, it seems like the helmet is buried in packed snow, like a frosty one you reach for at tailgate time. But that may be more my problem.

"A good job on this by SMU, a team that will be fun to watch this season."

Reporters' Notebooks

Eleven Warriors: Former USC and current Cincinnati Bengal quarterback Carson Palmer gives his thoughts on the Ohio State-USC game: "It’s amazing to hear what those guys think about that university and what they think about that football program and Tressel and all the crap I gotta put up with being back there. I just can’t wait for two years from now when SC comes to the Shoe ... and I can go up there and watch us pound on them in their own turf and kind of put all the talk to rest because I’m really getting sick of it and I just can’t wait for this game to get here so they can come out to the Coliseum and experience L.A. and get an old-fashioned Pac-10 butt-whooppin and go back to the Big Ten."

Gene Collier, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Asked for an historic 456,000th time over the weekend how long he plans to continue coaching, Joe Paterno replied for the 456,000th time, "the way I feel right now, four, five, six years."

Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star: Is the balance of power in the Big 12 shifting to the north?

Jake Trotter, Oklahoman: Upgrades to the Cotton Bowl mean there will be more seats available for the Red River Shootout between Oklahoma and Texas.

Adam Jones, Tuscaloosa News: Alabama will be charging a hefty fee for RVs to park on most campus tailgating areas.

Brian Murphy, Idaho Statesman: Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson, who presided over the split and the rebuilding of the conference, can rightfully smile.

Associated Press: Marshall's J.J. Johnson was kicked off the team after he was arrested early Sunday morning.

Turn on, Tune in but Don't Drop Out

In our continuing attempt to turn readers into listeners, we're giving yet another shameless plug to a radio appearance, this time on the Writers Block with George Schroeder on 1320 The Score in Eugene/Springfield.

The festivities are scheduled to begin Monday morning at around 9:15 (Pacific). You can listen live by clicking here. If you miss it, the show will be archived on Schroeder's blog.
Schroeder's work has been featured here on the Wiz. When he's not doing radio, he's writing for the Eugene Register-Guard, where he arrived in 2007 after working at the Oklahoman. That's him above right, with Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports in the middle and Joe Schad (not taking notes) of ESPN talking with Florida State president T.K. Wetherell.

If you need a guest for your show, please don't hesitate to ask. As noted last week, we've been given the gift of time and on top of that, it's simply good karma to have me on your show. Email: dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

Thanks to the Football Writers Association of America for the image.

George O'Leary, Newspaper Editor

George O'Leary can do it all. Coach football, lie on his resume ... now he wants to be a newspaper editor.

The Central Florida coach says he's "under advisement not to have any dialogue with the Orlando Sentinel until basically some things that have been written have been corrected."

O'Leary is upset over the newspaper's coverage of Ereck Plancher, who collapsed and died in March after a voluntary workout. Shortly after Plancher's death, the paper talked with four Central Florida players who said Plancher showed signs of distress during the workout.

One of the players said O'Leary singled out Plancher and cursed at him for lack of effort. "That's a bunch of [expletive] out of you, son," O'Leary said.

When asked about this in April, O'Leary said: "I did not see him struggle."

On Thursday, O'Leary was asked by a Sentinel reporter what it would take to repeat as Conference USA champions. O'Leary responded by clarifying what newspaper the reporter represented. According to the Sentinel, O'Leary said, "I'm not having any dialogue with your paper until corrections to erroneous statements have been written."

Wrote Sentinel columnist David Whitley: "I don't expect you to care about this little hissing match between O'Leary and the Sentinel. But check out the corrections UCF has had to make.

"Plancher's final workout was easy. Not quite.

"He didn't appear fatigued. Don't tell that to the players.

"UCF didn't know about his medical condition. Turns out it did.

"O'Leary is mad at the Sentinel. At least that one is true."

Thanks to Get The Picture.

Reporters' Notebooks

Jake Trotter, Oklahoman: Salaries for assistant coaches in the Big 12 are skyrocketing, with long-term contracts and performance-based incentives rapidly becoming the norm. Associated charts: Ranking salaries by teams; pay according to title; average league salary by responsibility; the 10 highest- and lowest-paid assistants; total assistant salaries; contracts for head coaches.

Ted Sherman and Josh Margolin, Newark Star-Ledger: While Rutgers hiked tuition and student fees to deal with an ongoing budget crisis the past two years, the state university also boosted spending for athletic scholarships by more than $1 million.

Ron Musselman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Now that Joe Paterno has been enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame, one question remains: When is he going to retire?

Scott Cacciola, Memphis Commercial Appeal: Houston Nutt has gone from rejected in Fayetteville to respected in Oxford.

Chadd Cripe, Idaho Statesman: Boise State would like to close the south end of Bronco Stadium with about 5,500 seats and renovations to the locker rooms, training room and equipment room that would be at the base of the new stands.

Jacob Messer, Charleston Daily Mail: Marshall senior cornerback James Paul "J.J." Johnson II has been arrested for the second time in six weeks.

Here is today's mystery link.

Ball State

Ball State of the Mid-American Conference is next up on our tour of poster schedules. This poster was sent by Joseph, and the Wiz will be handling the first part of the review:

The Cardinals take a straightforward approach to their design, with a layout resembling a Quark snap-to-grid template. OK, the color-coded schedule at the bottom is functional, the text is readable and there is a certain balance to the piece, but overall this effort lacks the pizazz needed to make it stand out among our crowded field of poster schedules.

Simply put, there are many spectacular posters out there. This is not one of them.

Here is Mike's review:

"What do you do when you don't have recognizable players, an iconic coach or notable tradition? These were the challenges facing Ball State on this year's poster schedule.

"I can live with the large image of the stadium, but layering the Cardinal over the top makes it appear that the bird is a ghost floating above the stadium. Maybe the idea is that visiting teams will be haunted by failure. Whatever.

"The images in the middle — one is of a fan holding a sign, another a cheerleader — merely reinforce that the Cardinals are lacking a recognizable face in 2008. And I do not like how the schedule was laid out.

"This is a rebuilding year for the Ball State poster schedule."

Attempted Coverup in Iowa Sex Scandal?

Iowa athletic director Gary Barta and coach Kirk Ferentz encouraged the victim of an alleged sexual assault last fall involving Hawkeye players to keep the matter in-house, the mother of the alleged victim told the Iowa City Press-Citizen.

The mother provided the newspaper with a letter she sent to Iowa officials last fall. The letter detailed the mother's account of the events that followed the alleged attack at Hillcrest Residence Hall on Oct. 14, 2007, and the university's course of action that followed. The letter says that officials — including Barta and Ferentz — encouraged the alleged victim to follow an "informal" process, promising that the athletic department would act swiftly and effectively.

The Board of Regents announced last month that Iowa had acted properly in handling the alleged incident, but two regents told the newspaper they were not informed about the existence of the letter.

"I was very surprised that such a letter existed and that the board was not informed about it prior to [Friday]," regents president David Miles said.

Iowa governor Chet Culver is calling for an investigation.

Two former players have been charged in the alleged incident. Cedric Everson has pleaded not guilty to second-degree sexual assault charges. Abe Satterfield has been charged with second- and third-degree sexual assault. Satterfield's lawyer has said his client plans to plead not guilty.

The bad news keeps rolling out of Iowa City. Early Saturday, recruit Riley Reiff was arrested for public intoxication and interference with official acts after leading at least eight officers on a foot chase that lasted 20 minutes.

Add another to the dizzying string of incidents involving Ferentz's players.

Trojan and Bruin 'Rewind' Are No More

If you're a fan of USC or UCLA, nothing beat the Fox-produced "Rewind." The shows recapped the previous week's games in a unique format using behind-the-scenes footage and radio calls to describe the action. A sample from last year's USC-Notre Dame game in South Bend is included with the post.

But all good things come to an end.

"FSN has reformatted and combined some of those shows ... instead of the rewind, coach's press conference and gauntlet shows, FSN will do a weekly Monday live hour-long show about USC and UCLA football/all sports, alternating broadcast sites between campuses," writes USC sports information director Tim Tessalone.

Bad ratings are said to be behind the dropping of "Rewind." While Trojan and Bruin fans can't agree on much, I suspect they would be united in saying that any replacement programming won't come close to "Rewind."

Thanks to H.T.

Louisiana Tech

Louisiana Tech of the Western Athletic Conference has a rather striking poster, sent to us by Malcolm. Let's get to the reviews.

Mike:

"Another retro approach, but at least it is a consistent look. While the layout is OK, the colors are overwhelming. I felt like I needed to put on sunglasses to look at this one. The green is really, well, green and overpowers everything else. The typeface is a little too strong as well. I felt like the poster was yelling at me. I did like the old-school photos and the way they layered over each other. Finally, is there a need to have your logo that big?

"Can schools please stop having their English department write copy for posters? The "Bark is Back" but what about the bite? Isn't that the important point? And "The Bark of a New Generation." Pepsi called, they will be suing for copyright infringement."

Mike from S.F.:

"Geographically, it seems that La Tech is a better fit for the Sun Belt, or Conference USA, and apparently the Bulldogs' design team agrees, as they have taken a cue from Texas El Paso and prominently featured a kicker (punter Chris Keagle) — not a good sign. What is a good sign are the six sponsors at the bottom (seven if you include the prominent Nike logo on the football). In general, though, it is a basic, classic poster, consistent with La Tech's basic, classic uniform design.

"The season kicks off with a home game against Mississippi State, the first match-up since 1996 and the first visit from Southeastern Conference team since, well, at least the 1970s (I got tired of looking). The Bulldogs will know their place in the WAC hierarchy quickly with conference games at Boise State (Oct. 1) and at Hawaii (Oct. 11). If they can sneak a few road wins, they could be in the hunt for a bowl."

Reporters' Notebooks

Iliana Limon and Kyle Hightower, Orlando Sentinel: Central Florida officials say they notified Ereck Plancher that he tested positive for sickle-cell trait as part of a team physical exam and monitored his activities in workouts. But family members and friends say that Plancher never disclosed the diagnosis to them.

Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: Tyrone Willingham's job status could be giving recruits reason to pause when considering Washington.

Matt Krupnick, Contra Costa Times: California has settled a lawsuit filed by the penny-pinching denizens of Tightwad Hill, which for more than 80 years has offered free viewing of games.

Victoria Secret: Yes, the retailer of women's wear, lingerie and beauty products has taken the wraps off its pink collegiate collection. Thanks to the Midwest Correspondent.

FanBlogs: A rundown of the most lopsided rivalries. Oklahoma-Iowa State tops this list.

Jason Arkley, Athens Messenger: Ohio extended Frank Solich's contract through the 2013 season.

Brian Christopherson, Lincoln Journal Star: Life in Nebraska would have been much different had the Cornhuskers not defeated Texas Tech, 27-24, in the 1976 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl.

Lawrence Journal-World: Tom Kivisto, a major donor for Kansas football facility improvements, was removed as president and CEO of SemGroup LP.

Dave Michaels, Dallas Morning News: T. Boone Pickens, the biggest booster of them all, is turning his attention from Oklahoma State to concentrate on weaning the U.S. off foreign oil. The Pickens Plan.

Maurice Patton, Tennessean: Jermaine Doster, a freshman running back at Vanderbilt, was arrested on three misdemeanor charges after an incident at a nightclub in his hometown of Tampa.

Meet Gene Chizik, 'Celebrity Sex Partner'

When it comes to a "celebrity" sex partner, women in Des Moines desire Gene Chizik.

This according to the Des Moines Register's dmJuice.com, a racy and suggestive entertainment and lifestyle site targeted at the 25- to 34-year-old demographic. Chizik won only three games in 2007, but it appears he won over the hearts of Iowa women.

The second-year coach does have some stiff competition. Governor Chet Culver made the list, as did actor Ashton Kutcher, former Drake basketball player Klayton Korver, brother of Kyle Korver of the Utah Jazz, and Slipknot and Stone Sour vocalist Corey Taylor.

Troy

Up next is Troy of the Sun Belt Conference. We thank Eric for sending the poster schedule our way. Let's see what Mike and Mike have to say. ...

Mike:

"This poster resembles a comic book cover with big puffy letters and players flying through the air. It does not work for me for a number of reasons.

"The poses of the players bring back memories of the old black and white images of players flying through the air. But if you are going to use these old-time poses, go all the way with a retro look for the entire poster. And I didn't care for the different level of lighting on the two players. If you're going to stage photos, at least make them consistent. Three, do you really need your mascot to have such prominent place? Like I said about coaches (see North Texas review), if your mascot is well-known then use it. Otherwise no one cares."

"Maybe next year Troy will go with a Dungeons and Dragons theme."

Mike from S.F.:

"This is my least favorite poster thus far. The colors appear washed out and the prominent play of the mascot takes from the images of players Boris Lee and DuJuan Harris flying through the air.

"With its victory over Oklahoma State and 8-4 record last season, Troy had a better case to be in a bowl game than several .500 teams. Trips for payday games to Louisiana State, Ohio State and Oklahoma State highlight the 2008 schedule and the Trojans should be in the hunt for a berth in the New Orleans Bowl."

Just Another Nutt Case

Check out the latest fashion trend at Mississippi, where Houston Nutt has the locals fired up. Thanks to Erik at Deep South Sports.

Reporters' Notebooks

Iliana Limón and Kyle Hightower, Orlando Sentinel: Central Florida player Ereck Plancher, who collapsed and died on March 18 after a conditioning workout, had a medical condition — sickle-cell trait — that put him at risk for sudden death under physical stress, according to an autopsy report. Is a lawsuit next? Plus a timeline of the case and Plancher's final workout.

Brett McMurphy, Tampa Tribune: Tickets to the South Florida-Florida International game — the Golden Panthers' first in the new on-campus stadium — are becoming a prized item.

Heisman Pundit: The fastest players in college football.

3rd Saturday in Blogtober: The site obtains the specs for new Tennessee uniforms, which will include orange pants.

Wade Jewkes, Deseret News: Utah rolled out its new uniforms.

Shreveport Times: Offensive tackle Jarvis Jones has been dismissed from the Louisiana State team because of a violation of team rules.

Parrish Alford, Northeast Mississppi Journal: Mississippi recruit Jerrell Powe has apparently been cleared to play with the Rebels this season.

Awful Announcing: ESPN's "College Football Live" will return next week.

Week 1 Lines Are Posted

The first complete list of lines for Week 1's games have been posted on Vegas Insider. It's a crummy slate of games for the most part because teams continue to litter their schedules with creampuffs, but there are some interestings matchups. Let's get right to some of the numbers:

South Carolina -13 over North Carolina State
Wake Forest -10.5 over Baylor
Oregon State -5 over Stanford
Michigan -7 over Utah
Northwestern -12 over Syracuse
Oregon -10.5 over Washington
Oklahoma State -6 over Washington State
Florida -27 over Hawaii
Missouri -7.5 over Illinois
California -7 over Michigan State
USC -17 over Virginia
Clemson -5 over Alabama
Louisville -3 over Kentucky
Colorado -12 over Colorado State
Rutgers -5 over Fresno State.

No line yet on Tennessee at UCLA. The numbers are constantly changing, so check the Vegas Insider link for the latest line. Other games are also listed at Doc's Sports.

Listen Up, Oklahoma

Apology for the short notice on this one, but I'll be a guest of Chris Plank on Tulsa's 1430 The Buzz at 3 p.m. (Central) on Thursday. You can listen live through 1430's site.

If you're interested in having me as a guest, just drop an email to dawizofodds (at) aol.com.

The Soaring Price of SEC Tickets

The average Southeastern Conference ticket price — including the minimum donations required for the right to purchase season tickets — has increased 80% since 1998, from $61.07 to $110.05, according to an analysis by Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News.

Alabama ($50.71) and Auburn ($50) have the highest average face-value prices in 2008, but eight SEC teams require a minimum donation just for the right to purchase season tickets, up from six teams in 1998. Example: Florida charges only $224 for seasons tickets, but getting them requires a $4,200 donation.

So not only are SEC fans paying exorbitant prices just to see a game, they continue to get a watered-down product as league teams embrace the practice of scheduling cupcakes in nonconference play. See the evidence here and here.

The excuse for doing this is that the league schedule is too demanding, but couldn't all Division I-A teams start playing each other and eliminate the need for nonconference cupcake scheduling? Teams from the Big Ten and SEC — regarded for some reason as the top power conferences — seldom meet in the regular season. Why?

Back to the SEC. ... One would think the league's fans would be outraged paying ridiculous prices for season tickets that include two or three "scrimmage" games against lower-level Division I-A teams, or — worse yet — I-AA opponents.

Now we understand why SEC teams don't want to travel for nonconference games. It would cost them a bundle.

This virus has now spread to other conferences and you, the hard-working fan, deserve better.
Click the charts for an enlarged view.

Reporters' Notebooks

Kyle Tucker, Virginian-Pilot: Virginia Tech will open the 2009 season against a Southeastern Conference opponent — possibly Alabama — at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

Ian R. Rapoport, Birmingham News: Check that. Sources in Alabama say the Crimson Tide won't be playing the Hokies in 2009. ... Rapoport also reports that linebacker Ezekial Knight's career officially ended when Nick Saban declared him "medically disqualified."

Bryan Mullen, Tennessean: Tennessee junior offensive guard Jacques McClendon set a team record with a Herculean 645-pound deadlift.

Heisman Pundit: What does West Virginia's Pat White have to do to win the Heisman?

Honolulu Advertiser: This Bud's for U. Budweiser will donate 25 cents from the sale of every case of the adult beverage to help fund improvements to Warrior facilities.

Jonathan Tamari, Philadelphia Inquirer: Obstacles are mounting for Rutgers' $102 million expansion of its stadium.

Scott Bordow, East Valley Tribune: Former Arizona State coach Bruce Snyder, 68, has told friends that he is battling cancer.

Terrance Harris, Houston Chronicle: New Mexico athletic director Paul Krebs said he turned down a $1.8 million offer to move the Lobos' Sept. 6 home game against Texas A&M to San Antonio.

Indianapolis Star: Workers began laying down portions of the new FieldTurf at Indiana's Memorial Stadium. Part of the old surface was damaged last month by flooding. Officials say the project will be completed in time for the Hoosiers' season opener Aug. 30 against dreaded Western Kentucky.

Auburn

Our tour of poster schedules continues with a look Auburn. The Tigers' effort was sent to us by Greg. Let's go to the reviews:

Mike:

"This is a good-looking poster. I was immediately drawn to 'Auburn' at the top. I love the treatment of the letters; they looked kind of chromed and the images are crisp and clear. Each image within a letter shows enough of the action to let you know what is going on. Beveling also sets the letters apart from the dark sky. The use of the blue and orange type to signify home and away games is a nice touch as well.

"Jordan-Hare Stadium presents a powerful image when contrasted against the night sky. The message is clear: Visiting teams had better be prepared for a beat-down when they come to Auburn."

Mike from S.F.:

"Simple, yet effective. This poster is well done and reinforces that a tradition-rich program doesn't need a lot of bells and whistles to get the message across. My only complaint is the tight cropping of the stadium, obscuring the army of RVs that surround the area.

"Auburn's Southeastern Conference schedule is favorable, with Louisiana State, Tennessee and Arkansas visiting Jordan-Hare. The home opener is against Louisiana Monroe, which upset Alabama last season. There is a chance that the Warhawks will get as big a cheer when they run on the field as the Tigers."

Does Pregame Sex Help or Hurt Athletes?

It turns out that Rocky Balboa's trainer, Mickey, was wrong. Women do not weaken legs of an athlete.

University of Kansas sports team physician Sean Cupp settled the matter this week, saying no true scientific studies proved night-before sex impedes performance in any way. Cupp told the Daily Kansan that if sex happened to be part of an athlete’s typical nighttime routine, the person shouldn't suddenly abandon lovemaking.

"Basically, the best way to continue positive performance outcomes would be to not change your pregame ritual," he said.

Radio Waves

Two radio announcements. I'll be a guest of Bobby Fenton on Tampa's 1010 Sports, WQYK, at 10:10 a.m. (Eastern) on Thursday. There is a live link off the 1010 homepage. We will be talking football.

And I'm scheduled to join John Woolard and Fred Wallin on Sports Byline's "Sports Overnight America" at 10 p.m. (Pacific) on Friday. We're talking newspapers, with an emphasis on the Los Angeles Times. You can listen live by clicking here.

Getting Hosed

Auburn didn't take kindly to Georgia fans storming the field after a 20-16 victory at Jordan Hare Stadium on Nov. 15, 1986. Thanks to Get The Picture.

Sun Devil Shenanigans

Who needs Mill Avenue in Tempe when you have tailgate parties like this at Arizona State? This hilarious video, shot before the before the 2005 USC-Arizona State game at Sun Devil Stadium, comes to us from Mark at Pitchfork Nation.

Texas El Paso

Texas El Paso's poster was sent to us by Jesus. What do Mike and Mike from S.F. have to say about the Miners' effort? Let's find out. First Mike's review:

"From a purely aesthetic standpoint I like this poster a lot. I think the images pop out against the white background and I like the ghosted images in the background. Overall the style is clean and the lines used to border the schedule give it a crisp look. I like the combination of orange and blue on the text and schedule.

"Now the bad: At first glance, I thought I was looking at an Illinois poster. Maybe that's my Big Ten bias. And what's with the font? It resembles a crumbling brick and 'UTEP' gets lost in the poster. I am not sure the phrase 'Orange Fever — Catch It' helps convey any message about the team. Finally, it's never a good idea to put a kicker or punter on your poster because it screams, 'The rest of our squad isn't very good.' "

Mike from S.F.:

"The poster has a nice, clean look, in particular the layout of the schedule at the bottom.

"Teams generally feature skill players on posters. Not the Miners, at least this year. UTEP selected an interesting mix of center Robby Felix, tight end Jamar Hunt, safety Josh Ferguson, linebacker Adam Vincent and kicker Jose Martinez.

"The Miners might regret the 'Come Early, Be Loud, Wear Orange' line for their home opener against Texas, the first meeting between the teams since 1933."

Reporters' Notebooks

Christopher De La Cruz, Newark Star-Ledger: Let's party like it's 1758! Rutgers Stadium expansion has yielded artifacts, including shattered beer bottles along the perimeter of the stadium that were found to be nearly 250 years old.

J. Brady McCollough, Kansas City Star: The big man gets a raise. Kansas' Mark Mangino signed a two-year contract extension that will pay him $2.3 million annually through 2012, making him one of three Big 12 coaches who have surpassed the exclusive $2 million barrier, joining Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops ($3.8 million) and Texas' Mack Brown ($2.75 million). A detailed look at Mangino's deal and Big 12 coaching salaries.

Brandon George, Dallas Morning News: Representatives from the Cotton Bowl and the Dallas Cowboys expressed preliminary interest in bidding to play host to the Army-Navy game.

Heisman Pundit: What does Ohio State's Chris Wells, the preseason favorite to win the Heisman, have to do to win the award?

Bleacher Report: Is Florida's Meyer and Urban Legend or an Urban Liar? Thanks to Get The Picture.

Ian R. Rapoport, Birmingham News: Alabama linebacker Ezekial Knight, who has not been cleared to play by the medical staff because of undisclosed health issues, has asked for clearance to transfer.

Tennessean: Vanderbilt players will wear nine uniform variations this season with black, gold and white options for both jerseys and pants.

To bypass registration, go to Bug Me Not.

Nevada

Nevada's eye-catching poster was sent by Aaron. It's an usual shape and unfortunately doesn't play well on our template, but you can click the image and get an enlarged view.

Enough of our yakkin'. Let's see what reviewers Mike and Mike from S.F. have to say:

Mike:

"Talk about striking. My eye was instantly drawn to the wolf's eye. Overall this is a nice, clean look and distinctive poster. There is never any doubt that you are looking into the eye of a wolf. I also like the reflection of the players in the wolf's eye. The use of colors are great — white for the wolf and most of the players in home blues. It also does a nice job of using the shadowed colors on the bottom. Overall, a menacing look, like this is a dangerous team.

"The only downside is the copy used at the top; it takes from the power of the images. Plus what's with that 'stay true' logo. Stay true to what? Is defection to other schools a big issue? This text adds nothing, in fact it detracts from the images."

Mike from S.F.:

"Last year's Nevada poster evoked the skyline of downtown Reno, including the National Bowling Stadium, the Taj Mahal of tenpins. This year's poster is more intimidating and inspiring, with the eye of the wolf top and center and a rowdy Wolf Pack crowd at the bottom. It's unclear what to interpret from the man in the checkered shirt; perhaps a bagger from sponsor Scolari's coming straight from work?

"The featured home game is a Sept. 6 contest against Texas Tech, the first time a Big 12 team has traveled to Reno. The pistol vs. the spread should make for entertaining TV."

Reporters' Notebooks

Randy Ellis, Oklahoman: The Oklahoma Publishing Company and Oklahoman sportswriter Jake Trotter filed a lawsuit against a Nebraska fan who admitted creating a fake Internet article about two Oklahoma quarterbacks.

John Ourand and Michael Smith, Orlando Business Journal: The University of Florida and Fox's Sun Sports have signed a media rights deal that is not only one of the most lucrative in the country, but also could end the likelihood of an Southeastern Conference channel being created any time soon. Thanks to Kevin of We Are Penn State.

Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star: A federal jury ruled that Joe-College.com, Lawrence T-shirt company, infringed on the trademark of the University of Kansas, awarding the university $127,000. But the decision was not a total victory for the university.

Joe Varden, Toledo Blade: Michigan can afford to pay Rich Rod's buyout. The Wolverines' new jerseys are part of an eight-year, $60 million agreement with Adidas.

EDSBS: Times must be tough in Tallahassee. Florida State is now selling tickets to Tallahassee Community College students.

Terry Foster, Detroit News: Big Ten commish Jim Delany says the league plans to expand its streaming capabilities, which means more games will be shown on the conference's website.

Andrew Carter, Orlando Sentinel: Conference commissioners say a football playoff is not in the picture.

To bypass registration, go to Bug Me Not.

The Man Behind the Curtain

Today, a personal note. I've been doing this site for nearly three years under the name "The Wiz." My anonymity ends today.

Monday at 1:52 p.m., I received a message on my cell phone. The caller I.D. was "blocked," and my instincts told me this was not a good thing. It was after all Black Monday, a day of 150 or more editorial layoffs at the Los Angeles Times where I have worked in Sports for nearly two decades.

The message was from Melissa McCoy of the Times: " I need to talk with you."

The executioner was waiting.

About 30 minutes later, I learned that "my position" had been eliminated.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do this face-to-face ... these are trying economic times ... you'll be receiving a packet in the mail," she said, apparently reading from a prepared statement.

I asked when I could clean out my desk. Arrangements were made and now, like it or not, I'm moving forward.

Journalism is a career I have cherished since my first newspaper job at 16. The downward spiral of the newspaper business has helped me prepare for this day. But it still feels like my best friend just died.

I've kept this site under wraps from all except a handful of confidants. I've spoken of the site publicly only on Sports Byline, the weekly radio show in which I participate.

But, hey, the Wiz is now a free agent. Anyone have a lead on a good gig? Here are my details.

Clemson

Starting today, we're adding a second critic for the review of poster schedules. Why? Because he kept pestering the hell out of us to do it. Making the situation somewhat awkward is that our two critics share the same first name — Mike. At first we considered this some stroke of blogging genius. Then somebody reminded us that there's a national radio show on a four-letter network with two guys named Mike. Oops.

Our hope is that this will give each team's effort a fair and balanced look. ... Fair and balanced. Seems like we've heard that one before on some three-letter cable network. Oh well. ...

Today's Clemson poster was sent by Tim. I know, you thought we were going to say his name was Mike.

Let's see what reviewer Mike — the original Mike who has been doing a stellar job, by the way — has to say:

"Apparently the message is 'Clemson Football — we are fielding a full squad in 2008' because it looks like the Tigers are trying to show every player on the team. Did they miss any walk-ons?

"Talk about a cluttered mess. Nothing stands out or catches your eye, making it difficult to focus on anything. Apparently the Tigers want to turn the poster into a king of 'Where's Waldo' to find the schedule.

"I also think it is interesting that on many posters, the coach is prominently displayed but here Clemson kind of hides Tommy Bowden. Hmmm.

"Clemson has some really cool traditions: Howard's Rock, the run down the hill ... and this is what the Tigers came up with? I am not a fan."

Now let's welcome our new critic, Mike from S.F.:

"Clemson is unable to settle on any one or two stars, so it put 27 (!) players on the poster, along with Tommy Bowden. I am going to re-read the Da Vinci Code tonight and try and figure out the hidden meaning behind 27 and will get back to you.

"Did a double-take of the first game on the schedule to make sure it wasn't Alabama State or North Alabama. Credit the Tigers for opening against a Southeastern Conference opponent. Other than the annual rivalry game against South Carolina, Alabama is Clemson's first nonconference opponent of note since 2005 when it opened against Texas A&M."

Reporters' Notebooks

Mark Snyder, Detroit Free Press: Pricing for the new suites at Michigan Stadium: $85,000 between the 35-yard lines, $75,000 between the 35 and the 10, $65,000 between the 10 and just past the end zone, and $55,000 from that point to the end of the structure. Each suite features 16 tickets and four parking passes, and the suite terms are three-, five- or seven-year commitments.

Chris Amos, Navy Times: The tradition-rich Army-Navy game could be coming to a city near you, and it might have a different name when it gets there. Thanks to Brian at the Business of College Football.

John Hunt, Oregonian: Oregon redshirt freshman defensive back Todd Doxey drowned Sunday in the McKenzie River in a swimming accident.

Jason Whitlock, Kansas City Star: Kansas is suing Joe-College.com, a company that produces T-shirts lampooning Jayhawk coaches and opponents.

Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: Washington will continue the practice of having its players drink chocolate milk after practices. Officials say doing so helps replenish certain nutrients.

Jennifer Iannone and Crystal Owens, Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia sophomore defensive end Michael Lemon has been dismissed from the team. He was charged earlier this month with misdemeanor battery and felony aggravated battery after police said he beat a fellow student during a cookout at an Athens apartment complex.

Bryant-Jon Anteola, Fresno Bee: Is Fresno State this season's Boise State or Hawaii. The Bulldogs, who play Rutgers, Wisconsin, Toledo and UCLA in nonconference games, return nine starters on offense and six on defense from a 9-4 team.

Smart Football: A site we stumbled upon that has a wealth of technical information. Give it a look!

West Virginia

Country roads. No easing up on the pedal this fall at West Virginia, where big things are once again expected of the Mountaineers. We thank Joe for the poster. Let's see what reviewer Mike has to say:

"Bill Stewart takes over for Rich Rodriguez. He was the interim coach when West Virginia blasted Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. Apparently that was the best job interview he could have had as Stewart was given the job the next day.

"I am not saying that Stewart isn't the right guy for the job, but I would have thought that West Virginia would have talked to a few more people before hiring a guy who in is only previous head coaching job at VMI went 8-25. But it was fun to watch him laugh and smile along the sidelines during the Fiesta Bowl.

"As for the poster, if you have any question as to who the marquee player is for West Virginia, it's Heisman candidate Pat White, who blots out other players. In fact, I had to look at this poster a couple of times before I realized that the smaller images were actually other Mountaineers.

"I think the poster would be better if White’s image were not so dominant or they used a full length shot to create a more balanced look. It just feels too top heavy."

Reporters' Notebooks

Ferd Lewis, Honolulu Advertiser: No team will be impacted by high fuel costs more than Hawaii, which is 2,500 miles from its nearest I-A opponent. A year ago, a chartered flight for the team's game at San Jose State cost $85,000. This year's trip to nearby Fresno State will cost $319,000.

Brent Zwerneman, San Antonio Express-News: Elsa Murano, Texas A&M's new president, hails from Cuba and has one request for new coach Mike Sherman: beat Miami. "I'm counting on a win," she says. "I've told coach Sherman if you win nothing else, you've got to win this game for me."

Steve Yanda, Washington Post: Is bigger really better? A look at the Atlantic Coast Conference, five years after expansion.

Kevin Van Valkenburg, Baltimore Sun: Maryland fans have a problem, especially when it involves Penn State, which, for whatever reason, is one of the biggest lightning rods for any Terrapin fan. But perhaps it's a state of denial.

Joseph Goodman, Miami Herald: Florida safety Dorian Munroe suffered a right knee injury during a drill and will require surgery. The Gators have lost five safeties this offseason for various reasons, and depth at the position is at a critical level.

Andrew Carter, Orlando Sentinel: Something strange has happened in Tallahassee. Florida State is a football school no more.

Randy Rosetta, Baton Rouge Advocate: A purely unscientific top-six ranking of Southeastern Conference stadiums. Guess which venue is No. 1?

Never Say Goodbye Brett Favre

Ryan Parker puts the Brett Favre situation into song using Bon Jovi's "Never Say Goodbye." Check out more of Ryan's great work at Ryan Parker Songs.

So Easy, a Caveman Could Do It

After two disastrous seasons, something was bound to go right for the Bowl Championship Series.

It did.

With Miami and Ohio State being the only teams to finish the 2002 regular season undefeated, picking the contestants for the title game was easy. But this being the BCS, something had to go wrong.

It did.

With Miami holding a 24-17 lead in overtime, Ohio State faced with a fourth-and-three situation from the Hurricane five. A Craig Krenzel pass into the end zone for Chris Gamble fell incomplete and Miami started to celebrate a national championship.

Then a flag came from back of the end zone. Miami's Glenn Sharpe was called for pass interference. Take a look at the video. If you think this was pass interference or holding, well, you're wrong. Any infraction came after the ball arrived and Gamble had a chance to make a play.

Ohio State went on to win and claimed the national title.

Craft's Behavior Questioned in Lawsuit

Attorneys reprsenting San Diego State strength coach Dave Ohton in his whistle-blower protection lawsuit against the university have alleged that former Aztec coach Tom Craft, above, was drinking excessively in 2002, in one case before a game.

Craft, who was fired in 2005, removed Ohton as strength coach in 2003 because the coach was said to be unhappy with the team's speed. Ohton claims Craft was retaliating for the strength coach aiding in an audit of the athletic program in 2002. That audit led to the ouster of athletic director Rick Bay, two top administrators and an equipment manager.

But back to the juicy drinking allegation. Ohton's attorneys say booster Don Sutton corroborated Ohton's story, but university vice president Sally Roush covered it all up to protect Craft, then in his first year as coach.

Christopher Cato, an attorney representing San Diego State, said Ohton maliciously exaggerated allegations in regard to Craft's behavior before games at Idaho and New Mexico in 2002. Cato said Ohton originally stated the allegations stemmed from a "few boosters" who witnessed Craft.

"There was only one booster he spoke to and not the few who he had talked about seeing coach Craft being helped back to the hotel," Cato said.

Cato also said Sutton "was not at the Idaho game, but he believed he saw Craft drunk in the lobby before the New Mexico game."

The key words being "before the New Mexico game."

For the record, the Aztecs lost at Idaho, 48-38, and at New Mexico, 15-8. Craft is now offensive coordinator at Mt. San Antonio College and his son, Kevin, is a quarterback at UCLA.

A judge is expected to rule in the next couple of weeks if Ohton's case can proceed to trial.

Thanks to Mike.

Purdue

It's time to Boiler up! Purdue's poster schedule is next on our list and the first from a Big Ten team. For the review, let's hear from Mike:

"In the interest of full disclosure, I'm a Purdue alum.

"Joe Tiller enters his final year as Boilermaker coach needing only two victories to become the program's winningest coach. However, I think this season will be a mighty struggle for his team. Oregon comes to West Lafayette, as does Central Michigan, a team Purdue beat, 51-48, in the Motor City Bowl. If all goes well, Joe will ride off into the sunset after some mid-level bowl game.

"The poster features senior Curtis Painter, who some believe will be one of the top quarterbacks in the country. He needs to win a few big games before I jump on the bandwagon.

"Overall, the poster has a nice look and prominently uses Purdue’s colors of black and old gold. Not exactly sure what that background is — it appears to be bricks. Apparently the blurring of them is supposed to convey motion. But to me it looks like falling down a well, maybe an apt metaphor for the season."

Reporters' Notebooks

Brendan Shorts, Daily Collegian: Penn State president Graham Spanier denied a report that said a decision had been made regarding the future of Joe Paterno.

Jeff Nelson, Penn State: More than 93,500 season tickets have been sold at Penn State. Thanks to Kevin of We Are Penn State.

David R. Henry, Daily Texan: Would Texas be better off with Chase Daniel instead of Colt McCoy at quarterback? Sometimes early recruiting decisions hurt both sides.

Bob Wieneke, South Bend Tribune: Cornerback Darrin Walls, who started 11 of Notre Dame's 12 games in 2007, will not be enrolled in the university during the fall semester because of personal reasons and will return home at the conclusion of summer school.

Louisville Courier-Journal: Louisville receiver Trent Guy was released from a hospital on Friday, less than a week after he was shot in the lower back. He's expected to make a full recovery, but his football future is unclear.

Heisman Pundit: The 10 most important games that should help determine the winner of the Heisman.

Mickey Furfari, Charleston Daily Mail: The thought herein is that West Virginia had Rich Rodriguez in a corner, but let its former coach wiggle out easier than perhaps its legal minds should have allowed.

Cecil Hurt, Tuscaloosa News: Ken Stabler will take a leave of absence from the Alabama broadcast booth in the wake of his arrest last month on drunken driving charges.

Robert Stewart, Daily Reveille: Louisiana State plans to install a high-definition scoreboard in Tiger Stadium for the 2009 season.

Pete Carroll, What the Hell Are You Doing?

Sent to us from the gang at Bruins Nation. A shirtless Pete Carroll joining "top recruits" in a testosterone moment.

Bizarre Twists in Internet Hoax Story

That Nebraska fan who created the bogus webpage and story about Oklahoma quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Landry Jones being arrested on cocaine distribution charges? He happens to be the computing services manager in the information technology department at the University of Texas.

James Conradt's hoax spread quickly Wednesday through cyberspace and was reported as fact by at least two Texas radio stations. Although he apologized, Conradt's legal problems are growing. Jones' dad said he is considering prosecuting Conradt "to the fullest extent of the law." Now Oklahoman publisher David Thompson is considering legal action after Conradt used a template from the newspaper to create his bogus page.

Conradt was also featured in a 2005 article that appeared in the Lincoln Journal Star about message boards and their potential danger.

"I think anonymity brings out the worst in people. There are no consequences for saying what you say," Conradt told the Star. "New people come along all the time and are naive and believe too much of what they read. A lot of people just post stuff to stir the pot."

The Oklahoman also posted the above video by columnist Berry Tramel, who calls Conradt a "dweeb" and says message boards "have no more redeeming qualities than a porn site."

Tramel also says Oklahoma and Oklahoma State "identify message boards as a constant thorn in their efforts to run quality and dignified athletic departments."

Speaking of quality and dignified athletic departments, Oklahoma football has been on put on NCAA probation, what, five or six times? We've lost count.
As for dignity at Oklahoma State, who can forget Mike Gundy's tirade last fall, holding up a copy of Oklahoman and ripping into reporter Jenni Carlson? Carlson's story, of course, was proven to be true when Bobby Reid transferred, but there was never an apology from Gundy.

Eskimo Joe's

It takes years of dedication to fill your arteries with cholesterol. When you finally near the summit and are seeking that one dish to put you over the edge, we have the place for you: Eskimo Joe's in Stillwater.

Yes, we're talking cheese fries.

This bizarre creation has become the stuff of legend in the Midwest. Even the first President Bush endorsed cheese fries during the 1990 Oklahoma State commencement ceremony.

There's quite a story behind Eskimo Joe's and you can read about it on their website, which includes a webcam. But we wanted the inside scoop on the cheese fries and those rumors of hot chicks in — of all places — Stillwater. No better source than the gang at 1430 The Buzz in Tulsa.

First let's hear from Chris Plank, who also does the weekend third shift on Fox Sports Radio:

"Eskimo Joe's is a necessary stop before and after every Oklahoma State sporting event. There is no better way to get ready for kick- or tip-off than having a full plate of cheese fries and a couple of ice cold beers. Eskimo Joe's truly captures the college lifestyle and somehow maintains a certain family friendly feel before the game (probably not so much afterward).

"The thing that is incredible about Eskimo Joe's is the massive popularity of its logo and gear across Oklahoma. I mean don't get me wrong, gameday is not complete until you make the trip to Joe's. But it's almost as necessary to sport your Eskimo Joe's gear!

"The Joe Dome is usually rocking with live music, but the most amazing part — hot chicks. I mean they are everywhere! Might be something in the water."
Also giving a ringing endorsement is Don King, co-host of the Big Show:

"Eskimo Joe's recently celebrated its 33rd anniversary. I happened to be in school there when it first opened as only a beer bar because the drinking age at the time was 18. Once the age went to 21 — in 1985 — it became a restaurant that really grew its popularity. In fact, the logo and merchandising sales are reported to be second in the nation only to the Hard Rock Cafe logo and merchandising sales.

"Having been to sporting events throughout the Midwest, I feel there is no better place in the Big 12 that captures a true sports bar atmosphere to follow your team. They have the TV sound down and the OSU radio broadcast piped in. That's the way the patrons want it!"

What do the readers have to say? Thumbs up or thumbs down on Eskimo Joe's?

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); Linebacker Lounge (Notre Dame); The Bear's Lair (California). The Thirst and 10 contest.

South Carolina

Today's poster schedule featuring South Carolina was sent in by Andy. A clean looking effort, but what does in-house critic reader Mike have to say?

"The Blake Mitchell era is over — was it me or did it seem like he was there forever? How will the Gamecocks rebound from a season that started with SEC title aspirations and ended with a five-game losing streak and no bowl game? Stepping outside the SEC, their schedule includes such heavy-hitters as Wofford and Alabama Birmingham. Overall, I think the truth is that Spurrier has taken South Carolina as far as he can; they just don’t stack up against the big boys in the tough SEC East that includes Georgia, Florida and Tennessee.

"The poster features seniors Mike Davis (No. 25), Jasper Brinkley (No. 52) and Kenny McKinley (No. 11), plus the old ballcoach himself. The poster is a little too heavy on the garnet for me. I also think the poster would work better if all three players were wearing a uniform with the same color, either all home or all away. Finally, I do not like the way they arranged the actual schedule on the side tabs. It looks like some sort of foldout arrangement. Hopefully a better season in 2008 will inspire a better design for 2009."

Reporters' Notebooks

Jeff Carroll, South Bend Tribune: Jason Peter, in his new book, on Lou Holtz: "I still wouldn't turn down the opportunity to spit in Lou Holtz's [bleeping] face. Each Saturday in the fall when Holtz makes his jovial, dumb ... remarks on ESPN, I hope he knows that there's at least one family on the other side of the screen, the Peter family, that knows what a -- -- -- he really is."

Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times: California's Thousand Oaks Christian High, which produced Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen, really has name this season. Nick Montana, son of NFL Hall of Famer Joe, and Trevor Gretzky, son of hockey legend Wayne, are members of the team, which also includes box-office champion Will Smith's son, Trey.

Mark Snyder, Detroit Free Press: An attorney who helped John Beilein negotiate his buyout from West Virginia represented the other side in the university's case against Rich Rodriguez.

Eric Crawford, Louisville Courier-Journal: A couple of years ago you'd have been hard-pressed to find two hotter coaching names than Rich Rodriguez and Bobby Petrino. How do you like them now?

Jon Solomon, Birmingham News: The American Football Coaches Association is leaning toward proposing an early signing date for the third week of December beginning in 2009.

Ferd Lewis, Honolulu Advertiser: All signs point to the Western Athletic Conference shortly announcing a significantly upgraded and expanded contract extension with ESPN.

John Kaltefleiter, Athens Banner-Herald: They haven't even had the first coin flip for the season-opening game, but already you can see the Bowl Championship Series storm clouds brewing.

Michael Murphy, Houston Chronicle: Houston and Texas Tech have agreed to a home-and-home series beginning in 2009.

Nicquel Terry, Columbus Dispatch: A new ticket lottery at Ohio State has been called unfair by alumni. Plus, Buckeye tickets at a glance.

Tommy Hicks, Mobile Press-Register: Former Alabama center Roger Shultz is basking in the glow of finishing second in the NBC reality show "The Biggest Loser."

Idaho Statesman: Construction crews have been installing a new blue playing surface in Boise State's Bronco Stadium and the $800,000 project is scheduled to be finished by the end of the month.

Today's mystery links, here and here. Thanks to Gordon Keith.

More Fun With Nonconference Games

We continue to fight for you, the college football fan.

With salaries skyrocketing for coaches and ticket prices rising just as rapidly, fans deserve to see quality games each and every week. Seriously, what good does it do when your team schedules DeVry Institute? Such a game amounts to a glorified scrimmage. Why don't college football's heavyweights go toe-to-toe each week?

As Ric Flair says, "To be the man, you have to beat the man."

That brings us back to the fantastic study by Ed Gunther of National Championship Issue. Last week we talked about teams that have been feasting on cupcakes in nonconference play for the past 10 years. Today we present a conference-by-conference examination of scheduling.
This first chart details the total number of nonconference home games the past 10 years. Not surprisingly, Bowl Championship Series conferences occupy the top six slots, with the Southeastern Conference leading the way.
Charting the total road games shows how seldom teams from the power conferences pack their bags for nonconference play. Check out the Southeastern Conference, whose teams have played only 78 nonconference road games in 10 years. Amazing.
Now take a look at the total number of I-AA opponents scheduled for home games the past 10 years. Of the power conferences, the Big 12 and the SEC lead the way. Since the NCAA adopted the divisional setup in 1978, only five I-A teams have not played a I-AA opponent. Those teams are Michigan State, Notre Dame, USC, UCLA and Washington.
Here's a breakdown of the percentages of I-AA opponents booked for home games. This shows the class system in college football, with lower-level I-A conferences scheduling a higher percentage of I-AA teams in nonleague play.

Seldom does the team from a power conference travel to a lower-level I-A opponent. And Arkansas is using a new trick to make it appear the Razorbacks are playing more road games when they're actually not.

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.

Welcome to fraudulent world of college football in 2008.

Nebraska Fan in Trouble Over Internet Hoax

James Conradt, a Nebraska fan living in Austin, finds himself in considerable trouble today.

On Wednesday, Conradt lifted a template off the website of the Oklahoman and created a bogus page and story about Sooner quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Landry Jones being arrested on cocaine distribution charges. Conradt then posted the story on a message board and it was soon reported as fact on at least two Texas radio stations.

Officials at the Oklahoman were eventually notified and they were able to track down Conradt as the person behind the post.

Although Conradt has apologized, his problems are only beginning. "I'm going to prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law,” said Kevin Jones, Landry's father. "I've got deep enough pockets to do it.”

We've Simply Run Out of Rich Rod Photos

So we bring you this closeup of Rita Rodriguez, wife of the Michigan coach. Good news for the Rodriguez family. Yes, Rich Rod owes $1.5 million in his settlement with West Virginia, but that's a heck of a lot better than having to pay $4 million. Rich Rod somehow got Michigan to pick up the other $2.5 million, effectively doubling his first-year compensation. A sampling of the fallout:

Jim Carty, Ann Arbor News: People wondered why Michigan's athletic director and president allowed this to go on so long when the outcome and the right thing to do were obvious from the beginning. Michigan should have been better than this.

Michael Rosenberg, Detroit Free Press: This embarrassing ordeal revealed some ugly truths about Rich Rod.

David Goricki, Detroit News: Michigan alums are wary about the decision of the university to pay most of the settlement.

Jack Bogaczyk, Charleston Daily Mail: New Mountaineer coach Bill Stewart has taken shots from his former boss, but he may start punching back soon.

Dave Hickman, Charleston Gazette: Michigan basketball coach John Beilein can't be too happy over the news. He didn't get any help from Michigan in paying off his buyout clause with West Virginia.

USC

Yes, we know. A rare USC post without the Song Girls. Please forgive us. ...

Nonetheless, here's the Trojans' poster schedule for 2008, thanks to readers Adam and Ken. Let's see what in-house critic Mike has to say:

"Once again the Trojans have legitimate national title hopes. However, USC has shown a troubling habit of losing games it shouldn't and ends up watching the title game from the sidelines (see Stanford 2007, Oregon State and UCLA 2006). It does break in a new quarterback in Mark Sanchez, 2004 Parade All-American Player of the Year, and if he stumbles Mitch Mustain, 2005 Parade All-American Player of the Year, is ready to go. Geez, all that talent to go with the Song Girls.

"Apparently, USC liked the poster so much it decided to show it twice, going with the same image in a Salvador Dali-esque, poster within a poster. But I have to acknowledge that it works for me, with the ghosted background framing the smaller, sharper middle image. The featured player is No. 10 — linebacker Brian Cushing. I also like the way the poster plays up the Trojan heritage with the sword and image of the players in the Coliseum."

Reporters' Notebooks

Josh Margolin and Ted Sherman, Newark Star-Ledger: Rutgers will scale back its $102 million stadium expansion project in the face of skyrocketing fuel, concrete and steel costs.

Syracuse Post-Standard: Suspended Syracuse receiver Mike Williams didn't sign up for summer classes at a community college, likely dashing any hope of his return this fall to the Orange.

Heisman Pundit: Ranking the teams that have either the talent, schedule or coaching (or best combination of the three) to win a national title in any given season.

Randy Kennedy, Mobile Press-Register: Paul Finebaum is taking a leave of absence from his writing duties because of complications from eye surgery three years ago to repair a detached retina.

Sports By Brooks: T. Boone Pickens' $193 million gift to Oklahoma State athletics is now valued at $400 million.

Kevin Donahue, FanBlogs: There is talk of Miami and Notre Dame scheduling a game

Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: Washington center Juan Garcia, who feared his career might be over when he suffered a serious foot injury during spring practice, said he could be ready to return by mid-to-late September.

Adam Rose, All Things Trojan: USC's Pete Carroll recently took a turn at the controls of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

Daily Kent Stater: Two Kent State players pleaded guilty to burglary, a fourth-degree felony.

To bypass registration, go to Bug Me Not.

North Texas

The popular college football poster schedules are back for the third year in a row. If you're new to the site, we will display one poster schedule — the official poster schedule released by the team — each day leading to the start of the season. We have several in hand already but if you're an SID or a fan and want your team's poster displayed, send it to dawizofodds (at) aol.com. Only clean copies will be accepted. Thanks to Todd of College Football Top Ten for the North Texas poster, which you can click for a closer look.

Last week we asked if anybody wanted to review the posters. Reader Mike sent in the following credentials:

1) College football fan
2) Avid reader of your blog
3) Willingness to state what is good and what sucks

Of course, we took note of No. 2. Yes, it always helps to say good things about the head blogmaster in this corner of cyberspace. Mike is our winner for this daunting task and here is what he has to say about the Mean Green's effort:

"Todd Dodge moved from coaching perennial high school power Southlake Carroll to take over the Mean Green of North Texas in 2007. He might be second-guessing that decision, as the team lost more games in 2007 (10) than he did in the previous five years (79-1). Things don't seem to be getting any easier as the Mean Green travel to Kansas State and Louisiana State. Hope the payday is worth the beating. An interesting note entering this season is that Dodge's son, Riley, decommitted from Texas to play for his dad at NT.

"As for the poster, not very inspiring. Maybe because it looks like some wannabe be graphic artist designed it with the main image looking too much like a comic book drawing. Plus, unless your an iconic coach, I am not too fond of putting them on your poster. And the jury is out whether Todd Dodge is more Paterno or Faust. Finally, in what will be come a recurring theme, please no ads on the poster. Do we have to sell out on everything?"

The Mother of All BCS Disasters

In his latest installment examining the 10 years of the Bowl Championship Series, the BCS Guru takes us back to 2001 and the series of events that exposed the system for what it is: a fraud.

How else can you explain Nebraska, a 62-36 loser in its season finale at Colorado, earning a bid to the BCS title game? Heck, the Cornhuskers didn't even win the Big 12 North, yet found themselves playing Miami in title game in Pasadena, where they were drilled by the Hurricanes, 34-14.

The BCS' answer to all of this, of course, was to keep tweaking the system, notably throwing out the impact of margin of victory in computer rankings. So Nebraska's 26-point loss at Boulder looked more like a one-point loss to the computers, even though human eyes knew otherwise.

Reporters' Notebooks

Fred Girard, Detroit News: Rich Rodriguez has agreed to pay West Virginia a $4 million buyout clause, ending an ugly court fight. Metro News says the settlement, which had been negotiated over two days, was sparked in part because of pressure brought by West Virginia to depose Michigan president Mary Sue Coleman and athletic director Bill Martin. Thanks to Brian at the Business of College Football.

Alan Schmadtke, Orlando Sentinel: Miami's move to the Atlantic Coast Conference is beginning to pay off. Florida State has benefited financially but not as much. Other winners in the ACC-Big East realignment: Louisville, Virginia Tech, South Florida and Central Florida. Losers: West Virginia and Syracuse.

Associated Press: San Jose State linebacker Ryne Gonzalez has been sentenced to 45 days in jail in Auburn, Calif., for punching a friend in the face three years ago.

Bryan Strickland, Durham Herald-Sun: At the urging (orders?) of David Cutcliffe, more than 70 members of the Duke team and numerous coaches spent a couple of hours cleaning up the campus.

Shandel Richardson, South Florida Sun-Sentinel: Officials at Dolphin Stadium did not plan to put Miami's "U" logo at midfield during Hurricane games, but dozens of fans complained and officials have changed their stance.

Corey Clark, Tallahassee Democrat: Florida State left guard Evan Bellamy is expected to miss the season because of a blood clot in a leg. The loss of Bellamy means Florida State will enter 2008 with only 10 scholarship players on the offensive line and one of those is expected to miss the first three games because of a suspension stemming from last year's academic scandal.

Reporters' Notebooks

Terry Hutchens, Indianapolis Star: Indiana reinstated quarterback Kellen Lewis, four months after he was suspended from the team for undisclosed reasons.

Kristin Bender, San Jose Mercury News: A fourth protester has begun sitting in a tree not far from where the three remaining tree-sitters are living in a redwood at the grove near California's Memorial Stadium.

Ken Tysiac, Charlotte Observer: New Duke athletic director Kevin White is pushing for a renovation of Wallace Wade Stadium.

Selena Hinds, Winnipeg Free Press: Former Oklahoma linebacker Brian Bosworth, in Canada on fishing trip, helped rescue a woman who flipped her car and ended up in a ditch.

Tennessean: Tennessee has settled a case over copyright infringement. Punter Britton Colquitt will spend 24 hours picking up litter and lose his license for a year after he pleaded guilty to drunken driving.

Paul Strelow, Columbia State: Clemson defensive back DeAndre McDaniel will be allowed to participate in team activities while facing a criminal charge.

The Book On Jason Peter

Former Nebraska All-American defensive tackle Jason Peter's new book "Hero of the Underground" is set for release Tuesday and from early reviews, it appears to be must-read material.

Peter, now a sportstalk radio host in Lincoln, was quite the badass on and off the field, but he became addicted to pain medication and street drugs and writes that at one point he was taking 80 oxycodone a day.

He also chronicles a cross-country flight on a private plane to enroll in a rehab clinic, with plenty of coke and heroin and two hookers on board.

Peter, who grew up in New Jersey, gives this account of the girls on his recruiting trip to Lincoln: "Oh Christ, they were like something from some cheerleader sex fantasy. Agape I watched them with their blond hair tied back, their impossibly long legs, their ice-blue and emerald-green eyes, and their dazzling, perfect teeth, I noted the way that they fell over themselves to get close to the football guys who treated them with calculated indifference, and I realized that to get onto the team at Nebraska was to get all-areas access to the best parties, the best girls, the American f------ dream."

The Bear's Lair

Thirst and 10 resumes with a look at the Bear's Lair, the gathering place of the California Golden Bears. We asked Erik at California Golden Blogs to give us a review of the joint:

"This on-campus pub (the only one at UC Berkeley) is a must for Cal fans. Strictly a beer and pizza joint (no liquor), what it lacks in selection it makes up in quality, with a number of good beers on tap, pitchers of which are available at reasonable prices — and that's not counting 'Beat the Clock Fridays', where pitchers start at $5 until 5 p.m. and increase a buck an hour. The food is good too, with tasty pizza and nachos (plus the only White Castle sliders on the West Coast!) for reasonable, college student-friendly prices.

"All the Cal memorabilia on the wall adds to the decor (including part of one of the goalposts torn down after the 2002 Big Game win over Stanford, the first since 1994), and the plethora of HDTVs around the place make it a great place to watch sporting events. I've made plenty of 'single serving' friends while watching Cal sporting events there, though it can get packed for other events as well (it was standing-room only during the 2006 World Cup final).

"For the more ambitious, the Bear's Lair does host team drinking competitions, and though I've never participated, they still make a fine spectator sport.
"Finally, what will really make for a true college pub experience is a postgame appearance a few hours after the game by the band and Cal's mascot, Oski T. (The) Bear. Very little fires up an inebriated crowd like the Cal Drinking Song (at this point, the band is pretty hammered from playing at other bars and frats, but so is everyone else at the bar), and I can think of few mascot traditions more bizarrely awesome than Oski chugging a pitcher of beer through a tube in his eye. (Oski, being a secret mascot, cannot remove his headpiece even to drink, thus the need for the straw.)

"Personally, I have a lot of great memories at the Bear's Lair, from vomiting on the floor on my 21st to unsuccessfully hitting on the bartenders who cleaned it up, and watching something called Louis Rankin run for 200-plus yards on our defense. OK, they may not be good memories, but at least I remember them."

Let us know what you think. Thumbs up or thumbs down on the Bear's Lair?

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); Linebacker Lounge (Notre Dame).

Reporters' Notebooks

Dick Harmon, Deseret News: Brigham Young and Utah in the Pacific 10 Conference? Won't happen until gasoline is back to a buck a gallon or the Left Coast becomes one big, long beach.

Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: Of the 84 players on scholarship at Washington, only 15 are fourth- or fifth-year players. The vast majority of the roster is made up of the last two recruiting classes — 52 scholarship players (out of 53 who originally signed).

Berry Tramel, Oklahoman: Former Oklahoma quarterback Jason White said he nearly quit playing the spring before his Heisman-winning junior season. A talk with then-Sooner assistant Chuck Long convinced White he could continue to play despite two injured knees.

Detroit Free Press: Michigan State's Mark Dantonio will throw the ceremonial first pitch Wednesday at Comerica Park before the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins.

Irv Moss, Denver Post: Air Force coach Troy Calhoun has apparently convinced athletic director Hans Mueh to take the cupcake approach to scheduling. Thanks to Kevin Donahue at FanBlogs.

Bob Kelly Charleston Daily Mail: A biting piece on Rich Rodriguez, who arguably presided over the biggest choke job in college football history.

Brian Rosenthal, Lincoln Journal Star: Nebraska recruit Josh Williams, who was accused of robbing a man of $900 in Denton, Texas, on April 4, has received deferred adjudication probation. He plans to begin classes at Nebraska next week.

Colin Dunlap, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Iowa's Kirk Ferentz reached out to old friend Ed Thomas, the coach at Aplington-Parkersburg High, after an EF-5 tornado destroyed Thomas' house and the high school. Thanks to Kevin Gertsen at Herkypub.

Jon Solomon, Birmingham News: Colleges have little interest in cracking down on players who get in trouble. Doing so would threaten the dollars that football prints for the university and its town.

Amber Ellis, Cincinnati Enquirer: Eugene Clifford, a backup cornerback for Ohio State, is facing assault charges after allegedly punching two men in the face. Thanks to Eleven Warriors.

Brian Bennett, Louisville Courier-Journal: JaJuan Spillman has been dismissed from the Louisville team after his arrest on drug and gun charges last week.

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

Reporters' Notebooks

Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News: With salaries like these, who needs incentives? After extending his losing streak in the Southeastern Conference championship game to three, Phil Fulmer got a new seven-year deal that will pay him an average of $2.99 million a year.

Brian Bennett, Louisville Courier-Journal: Louisville receiver Trent Guy was shot outside a downtown nightclub, but team officials were hopeful that he would make a full recovery.

Jeff Carroll, South Bend Tribune: Lou Holtz will forever be linked to Jesse Helms, the six-term U.S. Senator from North Carolina who died Friday. Thanks to Get The Picture.

Sports By Brooks: From the Department of Wasted Money: The Texas high school athletic association spent $3 million on a steroid testing program this past year and only two kids out of 10,000 tested came up positive.

Jerry Green, Detroit News: The Big Ten and Pacific 10 should embark on an annual football challenge.

Drew Sharp, Detroit Free Press: Rich Rodriguez needs to apply the disciplinary hammer to Kevin Grady.

Barry Jackson, Miami Herald: Good news for Miami fans. They'll be able to purchase alcohol at Hurricane games at Dolphin Stadium until the end of halftime.

Dave Matter, Columbia Tribune: The best linemen in the Big 12 play at Oklahoma.

Ferd Lewis, Honolulu Advertiser: Hawaii received a $4,922,062 disbursement check from the Western Athletic Conference, nearly three times that of the next highest school, Boise State.

Dan Hinxman, Reno Gazette-Journal: The FieldTurf surface at Nevada's Mackay Stadium will undergo maintenance on July 21, and officials hope to replace the surface before the 2009 season.

Charleston Gazette-Mail: Former Marshall player Donte' D. Newsome was shot and killed inside a Huntington nightclub.

Allison Kasic, Christian Science Monitor: Title IX's damage to men's sports needs to be discussed.

It's Good to Be a Yankee

The great Ryan Parker is back, this time with a look at a few New York Yankees and their female companions. Check out more of Ryan's great work at Ryan Parker Songs.

Updating the No Stranger Land Project

It has been a month since we posted an update on Denny Clark and Brian Triplett, the 24-year-old University of Iowa graduates who are crossing the country on foot and doing acts of kindness along the way.

Denny and Brian videotape a weekly "You Ask, We Answer" session that they post on No Stranger Land, the site where the men are chronicling their adventure, and this week's Q&A session was shot in Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Haley Loves the Spearmint Rhino

The World Series of Poker simply cannot be ignored. The main event started this week in Las Vegas, and the event brings out the usual collection of so-called celebrities who attempt to play their way into the limelight.

Among the players this week was former NBA benchwarmer Jack Haley, who plucked down $10,000 to enter the main event. Despite being short-stacked, Haley had the attention of the ESPN cameras throughout much of Friday and according to Ian McKenzie of Bluff Magazine, he wasn't too heartbroken as his chip-stack dwindled before he was eliminated.

"I either need to accumulate mad chips or get going man," Haley joked. "Does the term Spearmint Rhino mean anything to you dealer?" The Spearmint Rhino is one of Las Vegas’ most popular clubs for gentlemen.

No Defense for Sooners' BCS Bowl Problem

Oklahoma, despite going 97-22 in nine seasons under Bob Stoops, has a problem. The Sooners have lost their way in the postseason, dropping four Bowl Championship Series games in a row, a streak during which the defense has given up an average of 41.8 points.

Suddenly the team that rolls through the Big 12 — the Sooners have won five of the last six league titles — is no longer feared nationally.

But Oklahoma's problems are the kind other Big 12 teams would love to have. Only Kansas State, Texas and Kansas have been to BCS bowls from the Big 12 during the Sooners' four-game BCS skid.

"There's a lot that happens between the Big 12 championship and the bowl game. ... You've got juniors that are going into the NFL." Stoops said. "You've got agents all over the place. There's a lot that changes from the Big 12 championship to the BCS bowls. And obviously, we've got to do a better job of it here."

Only Three Berkeley Tree-Sitters Remain

University of California officials have ramped up pressure in recent weeks on a group of tree-sitters who are protesting plans to cut down 44 oak trees to make way for a planned $140 million sports training center next to Memorial Stadium.

The project has been challenged in court and a judge is expected to make a ruling in the long and complicated case later this month. But university officials, apparently optimistic of a favorable ruling, have started making life difficult for the tree sitters by cutting off their supplies. Each tree-sitter is given two or three energy bars a day, plus bottled water, by university officials. All other support lines have been cut off.

The move is working. Four of the tree-sitters, including one known as "Dumpster Muffin," ended their protests this week. Three remain perched in the trees and the protesters say they plan to tough it out until the judge rules on the case.

The Saban Bunch

They are working overtime over at Losers With Socks. Click the image for an enlarged view.

Reporters' Notebooks

Chip Towers, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia suspended defensive lineman Michael Lemon, who turned himself into authorities after a warrant was issued for his arrest on battery charges. Starting offensive guard Clint Boling, who had been arrested for DUI back in the spring, was suspended for two games. Charges were dropped against defensive end Jeremy Lomax, who was cited last month for carrying a concealed weapon. Coach Mark Richt said in a news release that he doesn't think the team has a discipline problem. Seriously. ...

Mark Heller, East Valley Tribune: Arizona State announced a preseason practice schedule that includes only one day at Camp Tontozona — the Sun Devils' August retreat since 1960.

Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star: Among the attractions at Kansas' new 80,000-square-foot football complex: Scout team players have their own meeting room.

Iliana Limon, Orlando Sentinel: The final autopsy on Central Florida player Ereck Plancher still has not been completed, 15 weeks after his death.

Brian Brennett and Andrew Wolfson, Louisville Courier-Journal: Junior receiver JaJuan Spillman's career with the Louisville team likely is over after his second arrest in less than 18 months.

Jon Solomon, Birmingham News: The Memphis real estate company creating Birmingham's entertainment district wants to build a tourist attraction devoted to the Southeastern Conference. The venue would include a merchandise store, restaurant and catering services and an interactive history of the SEC.

Bill Koch, Cincinnati Enquirer: Alex Daniels, one of four players dismissed from Minnesota in July 2007 for his involvement in an on-campus incident with an 18-year-old woman, will be allowed to play at Cincinnati.

Athens Banner-Herald: An audio slideshow of UGA VI's funeral.

Baltimore Sun: Navy and Rice have scheduled a game on Oct. 10, 2009, at Rice Stadium.

Jeff Haney, Las Vegas Sun: They've started the main event at the World Series of Poker in beautiful Las Vegas.

Holiday? What Holiday?

After spending the day watching hot dog eating contests and pyrotechnics, it's time to start your decline back into the the real world. To help you through the transition, the Wiz will be working the Fourth of July, honoring a long-standing belief that days off are truly over-rated.

So here's your invitation to join us Friday night at the midnight hour (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.

Today in Alabama Football

With all the offseason troubles involving Alabama players, it was only a matter of time before somebody took the header of the Tuscaloosa News' TideSports.com and created this page. We thank Losers With Socks for this beaut, which you can click for closer inspection. Dig that houndstooth ski mask!

It's Time for Crewcut to Come Clean

Terrific piece by John Walters of NBCSports.com questioning the role Notre Dame's Crewcut Charlie Weis may have played in Spygate, the New England Patriots' illegal videotaping of signals by opposing coaches. Weis, of course, was an assistant with the Patriots when much of the cheating was taking place, and he was directly linked to the scheme in May.

Weis has addressed the matter only once and that was 10 months ago. Walters, a fine writer who happens to be a Notre Dame graduate, makes this argument for Weis to come clean: Given that Notre Dame holds itself to a higher standard and considering it fired George O'Leary for inaccuracies on his resume, is it not proper for Weis to tell the truth?

Thanks to The Big Lead and Image of Sport.

Auburn Rings Up 2004 National Title

Nothing gets past the sharp eyes of the gang at Losers With Socks. While cruising a post on the Orlando Sentinel's On Campus blog about various rings up for auction on eBay, Patrick Donohue of Losers With Socks noticed a ring from Auburn among the collection.

Upon closer inspection, you will see "National Champions" on the Tigers' ring, which honors the Tigers' 13-0 season in 2004.

The Bowl Championship Game that season featured USC and Oklahoma, with the Trojans winning, 55-19. Auburn was screaming beforehand that it was left out of the title game after playing a nonconference slate of Louisiana Tech, The Citadel and Louisiana Monroe — all at home, of course — and squeaking past Virginia Tech, 16-13, in the Sugar Bowl.

Oklahoma did slightly better in nonconference, playing Oregon, Houston and Bowling Green — all at home, of course — in going undefeated during the regular season.

USC played Notre Dame, Brigham Young and Colorado State in nonleague games, with the BYU game on the road. Of note here is that USC won at Auburn, 23-0, in 2003.

Reporters' Notebooks

Alex Abrams, Springdale Morning News: Bizarre story out of Fayetteville, where Arkansas linebacker Wendel Davis was arrested on a felony charge of first-degree criminal mischief. Davis also was taken to the hospital after suffering injuries to his right hand while punching a car belonging to Onyebuchi Odunukwe. Davis claimed Odunukwe had rear-ended his scooter and said the man had sent him threatening messages in the days leading to the incident after Davis kissed Odunukwe's girlfriend last Saturday.

Tom Witosky, Des Moines Register: It's never a good thing when your coach is listed among 30 potential witnesses in a sex abuse trial of two former players, but Iowa's Kirk Ferentz finds himself in that position.

Ferd Lewis, Honolulu Advertiser: Hawaii has issued an apology, promised improved openness and will pay the Honolulu Advertiser's attorney fees in return for the newspaper dropping its six-week-old lawsuit seeking the release of a complete list of people who traveled to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on the university dime.

Marc Morehouse, Cedar Rapids Gazette: Mediacom is negotiating to get the Big Ten Network on its cable lineup.

Mike Casazza, Charleston Daily Mail: Even if West Virginia wins its case against Rich Rodriguez and collects the $4 million, it's going to take a significant hit in legal fees.

Chuck Carlton, Dallas Morning News: In a move we applaud, Southern Methodist is bringing back its white helmets.

Ben Prather, FanBlogs: Nevada Las Vegas has unveiled what could be the ugliest uniform design in the history of mankind. Take a look.

Deep South Sports: Mississippi State knows how to bust the balls of rival Mississippi. Put up a billboard!

Chip Towers, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Georgia defensive end Michael Lemon, who is wanted on aggravated battery. Lemon reportedly punched DeMarius Jackson in the face Saturday night and Jackson suffered a blowout fracture of his left eye socket. ... Thanks to Art!

Paul Strelow, Columbia State: The decision on whether Clemson sophomore safety DeAndre McDaniel can play pending a criminal charge appears to be in Tommy Bowden's hands. McDaniel was arrested June 21 on charges of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature after an incident with his girlfriend at his off-campus apartment.

Kyle Tucker, Virginian-Pilot: Virginia Tech receiver Brandon Dillard ruptured his Achilles' tendon during a game of toss and will miss the 2008 season. Thanks to Ryan of Gobbler Country.

Drew Edwards, Knoxville News-Sentinel: Phil Fulmer not only got his first raise in three years, he got his contract extended through 2014.

Mark Snyder, Detroit Free Press: Michigan junior tailback Kevin Grady is facing a driving while intoxicated charge after blowing 3.5 times over the legal limit.

Oklahoman: Oklahoma State receiver Damian Davis was arrested and charged with being underage in a bar, possessing a fake ID and presenting a fake ID to a police officer with the intent of deceiving the officer and obstructing an investigation.

Mississippi State Sports Blog: Mississippi State is installing a $6.1 million HD video board over the south end zone at Scott Field.

Think you can name all the teams? Check out this terrific mystery link. Thanks to TV Tan Lines.

Send Us Your Team's Poster Schedule

One of the more popular features on this site has been poster schedules, and we will begin posting the 2008 editions next week. If you're a fan of a team or with a sports information office and wish to have your team's poster displayed, send an image to dawizofodds (at) aol.com. Only clean and readable images are allowed. We post one team's poster schedule each day in the run-up to the season.

If you're new to the site or simply not sure what this is all about, here are links to the poster schedules displayed for the 2007 and 2006 seasons. The links are also available on the right-hand column under "Best of the Wiz."

Nearly all of the posters are beautifully crafted and if anybody is interested, we're open to a qualified person critiquing each poster. This isn't easy work, as we expect to display 50-plus posters.

One last note: We're also looking for somebody to create a custom banner for the Wiz. We figure it's about time for an upgrade. Drop us a note if you're interested.

Did the ACC's Raid of the Big East Pay Off?

Who got the better end of the deal, the Atlantic Coast Conference or the Big East?

It has been five years since the ACC began an expansion process that led Boston College, Miami and Virginia Tech to join the ACC and leave the Big East. The ACC's move put the Big East on the brink of extinction, but the superconference maneuver hasn't turned out as planned for the ACC.

Financially, the bold move has paid off for the ACC, but on the football field, the league's teams have floundered.

"I think the way you have to measure expansion is positioning for the long term," ACC Commissioner John Swofford (above left) said.

The Big East — despite questions about its long-term stability — has been a football success, with commissioner Mike Tranghese (middle) luring Louisville and South Florida to a league with emerging powers West Virginia and Rutgers.

The Big East's plundering of Conference USA also had an impact. Conference USA, which had a cumbersome 15-team league, became a streamlined 12-team all-sports conference that in "most respects," commissioner Britton Banowsky (right) said, is better than it once was.

But is a 16-team league better than eight, 12 or 14? With finances continuing to skyrocket, a 16-team league would appear to be the model of future conferences.

Reporters' Notebooks

Kevin Donahue, FanBlogs: A 1999 Florida State national championship ring has been posted on eBay, with a buy-it-now price of $3,899.99.

Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia offensive linemen Trinton Sturdivant and Justin Anderson were arrested on charges of simple battery. A third Bulldog, defensive end Michael Lemon, is expected to face more serious charges after he was accused of severely beating an Athens man. The victim reportedly suffered fractured bones around an eye. ... Thanks to Art.

Associated Press: Possibly coming to a high school near you: the Kirk Herbstreit Varsity Football Series. Thanks to Sam of Bleed Crimson.

M Go Blog: Looks like Verizon is adding the Big Ten Network to its lineup.

Paul Buker, Oregonian: Oregon State senior safety Bryan Payton is no longer a member of the team. He made a memorable interception in the Beavers' upset of USC in 2006.

Terry Hutchens, Indianapolis Star: John Pont, who guided Indiana to its only appearance in the Rose Bowl, has died. He was 80.

Chuck Carlton, Dallas Morning News: The American Football Coaches Association continues to push for guaranteed contracts for assistants. Currently, only an estimated 40-50% of I-A teams offer assistants 12-month contracts.

Steve Ellis, Tallahassee Democrat: Florida State will appear before the NCAA infractions committee on Oct. 18 to discuss the school's academic fraud case that led to the suspension of several athletes.

Larry Vaught, Advocate-Messenger: Kentucky's Rich Brooks is OK after a boating accident in Oregon.

Joe Meyer, Columbia Tribune: Missouri freshman defensive lineman Jimmy Burge was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of leaving the scene of an accident, three days after allegedly running over a mailbox in his truck and driving away.

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

Art of the Cupcake Schedule

If you've ever wondered what the key ingredients are in making a perfect cupcake schedule, ask a fan from Minnesota, the Southeastern or Big 12 conferences.

Numbers don't lie now, do they?

The site National Championship Issue has completed an amazing study, looking at nonconference schedules the past 10 years. And guess what? Scheduling abuses are greatest among SEC and Big 12 teams, who continue to shy from playing other Bowl Championship Series teams in nonconference games.

Much of this data reinforces the study posted here last December by Map Game Day detailing how SEC teams rarely left the neighborhood to play a game. Georgia, for example, has traveled a total of 358 miles for nonconference games the past 10 years.

So not only do many of these teams refuse to travel, they schedule the lightest of the lightweights for home games. Shame, shame, shame.

College football fans should be outraged. You pay good money to attend games and get a product that continues to be cheapened by a watering down of competition. And don't give us that crap about how difficult your conference schedule is. Today's business model is to go 4-0 in nonconference play and 2-6 in league play. That gets your team a 6-6 record and trip to Shreveport. Yippee!
Let's get to this amazing piece of work posted by National Championship Issue, which cautions that "this is NOT a study of how difficult a team’s non-conf schedule actually was. Instead, this study attempts to measure how difficult a non-conf schedule a team tried to arrange."
Here's the first chart showing the lowest percentages of BCS opponents scheduled for nonconference games the past 10 years. Minnesota, which has played 34 nonleague games in that span, has played only two BCS opponents — Baylor and California. Arkansas is not much better with only four of its 34 nonleague games coming against BCS teams.
This chart details the fewest number of nonconference road games the past 10 years. Of Auburn's 34 nonleague games, only three — USC, Georgia Tech and Syracuse — have been on the road. Notice there are seven SEC teams in the bottom 12.
Here we look at teams that have really sold out, scheduling the most games against I-AA opponents. There are 18 teams charted, and Big 12 teams occupy seven of the slots.

As always, click a chart for an expanded view.

Reporters' Notebooks

Chuck Finder, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Another round of depositions in the Rich Rodriguez case have been released. West Virginia president Mike Garrison acknowledged he told Rich Rod he wasn't sold on the idea of buyouts in contracts, but denied telling the former Mountaineer coach in August that the $4 million buyout clause in Rodriguez's contract would be lowered. Plus, the Charleston Gazette has posted downloadable files of the five transcripts that were released Monday.

Angelique S. Chengelis, Detroit Free Press: "Michigan Replay," the coach's show that has been on the air for 33 years, is no more. Rich Rod said he's not interested in hanging around after games to tape a show because he would rather use the time visiting with recruits and spending time with his family.

Graham Couch, Kalamazoo Gazette: Michigan State and Western Michigan will play a Nov. 7, 2009 game at Detroit's Ford Field.

Brett Dawson, Louisville Courier-Journal: Kentucky fans won't be able to fire up a Marlboro inside Commonwealth Stadium this season. Smoking inside the stadium is now prohibited.

Chip Towers, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Dignitaries were out in full force in Athens as Uga VI was laid to rest in a ceremony at Georgia's Sanford Stadium.

Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: Washington's recruiting class of 2005 — generally regarded as the worst in team history — is living down to the hype. There are only seven players from the group left on the team.

Ryan Finley, Arizona Daily Star: Arizona's Mike Stoops is bringing a military approach to training camp this fall. The Wildcats will practice at Fort Huachuca, sleep in army barracks and spend much of their downtime with the troops.

Thayer Evans, New York Times: Jamarkus McFarland, one of the nation's top defensive tackle recruits out of Lufkin, Texas, is prized for his brainpower as much as his brawn. McFarland is senior-class president at Lufkin High and makes $6.50 an hour working part-time at a Kmart. He also has an academic average of 92.4 on a 100-point scale.

Paul Finebaum, Mobile Press-Register: Montgomery attorney Donald Maurice Jackson says things have changed dramatically over the years for African American students, and it hasn't all been good. "For example, I love rap music," Jackson said, "but USC has Snoop Dogg walking around the sidelines and when you connect your program to that element, you are inviting this."

Kevin Donahue, FanBlogs: California will have new helmets and uniforms this season that will feature bear claw slashes around the neckline and on the side of the pants.

Mike Knobler, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia Tech cornerback Jerrard Tarrant was arrested and charged with rape and sodomy stemming from an incident that allegedly occurred in late April on campus.

Northwest Arkansas Times: Arkansas sophomore linebacker Freddy Burton, 19, was arrested in Fayetteville and charged with driving while intoxicated.