Reporters' Notebooks

Ian R. Rapoport, Birmingham News: Neal McCready, the host of a drive-time, Mobile-area radio show on WNSP, was unceremoniously fired because he "wasn't pro-Alabama enough."

David Wharton, Los Angeles Times: Despite Notre Dame's 1-9 record, fans have been more patient than Crewcut Charlie Weis expected.

Sean Keeler, Des Moines Register: The current odds that an Iowa player will run afoul of the law are about 10-1. To put that number in perspective, the chances of a Hawkeye getting hemorrhoids is about 25-1.

Bart Wright, Greenville News: A victory over Boston College on Saturday night will likely force Clemson to rewrite agreements it has in effect with coach Tommy Bowden and his staff.

Jennifer Floyd Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: A season that began with Appalachian State winning at Michigan is destined to end in mass chaos as well.

Dave Curtis, Orlando Sentinel: Ron Zook coaching against his former team? Florida and Illinois could be headed for a matchup in the Capital One or Outback Bowl.

Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel: Can't help but ask: What if Florida didn't fire Zook?

Richard Sandomir, New York Times: Two distant cousins of George Gipp filed suit against his great-nephew, ESPN, a biographer of Gipp’s and several others over the exhumation last month of the remains of Gipp, the Notre Dame halfback who died in December 1920.

Wendell Barnhouse, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: The family of Phil Bennett, who has been fired as Southern Methodist coach, remains grounded in tumultuous times.

Pete Bosak, Centre Daily Times: Penn State starting defensive tackle Chris Baker and teammate Navorro Bowman were charged with felony aggravated assault after police said they "brutally attacked" a person at the HUB-Robeson Center last month.

Lindsey Willhite, Arlington Heights Daily Herald: Illinois and Ohio State were each fined $10,000 by the Big Ten for the skirmish at midfield after last week's game in Columbus. It's the second time the Fighting Illini have been fined in 14 months.

Brad Rock, Deseret Morning News: For those willing to defend Utah State coach Brent Guy's 4-29 record, there's always the argument that if he's fired, the Aggies will have to start over again. Start over from what? They're already the worst team in America.

Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star: Incentive? It's in the contracts. Missouri's Gary Pinkel and Kansas' Mark Mangino would earn an extra $50,000 for winning a Big 12 championship.

Brent Schrotenboer, San Diego Union-Tribune: Is San Diego State improved? The final three games will tell the story.

Shannon J. Owens, Orlando Sentinel: Rosters at historically black colleges and universities are more than 80% African-American, but the kickers rarely are.