Meeting of the Minds

The transcript from the meeting of the BCS Commissioner in south Florida

Mike Tranghese - Big East
Dan Beebe - Big 12
Mike Slive - SEC
Kevin White - ND Athletic Director
John Swofford - ACC and BCS Commissioner
Thomas Hansen - Pac 10
Jim Delany - Big 10




JS: Hey guys thanks for getting together again this year. Great year all around for everybody. Mike nice championship. Two in a row for you.

MS: You're @#$% right nice year. The SEC rules all.

JS: Calm down, calm down... ok ok. Old Business?

KW: Yes. We talked last year about changing some of the revisions to get Notre Dame into the BCS more easily...

JS, MS, DB, JD, TH, MT: ... grumble grumble grumble.............

KW: ... well I think we need to change it more.

JS: Why the heck do we need to do that?

KW: Well we got left out this year.

DB: You guys won 3 games man... what do you expect?

KW: We're Notre Dame. We're the definition of...

JS: We'll talk about it later Kev.

KW: OK... but don't forget like last year.

JS: We won't. OK new business?

MT: I would like to make a motion. I want to kick out you, John, and Jim Delany

JD: What? Why?

JS: That's ridiculous Mike. Why would we do that?

MT: Well.... we're still pissy about the whole raid of Virginia Tech and Miami thing.

JS: Mike that was over five years ago man.

MT: And our only good coach left for Jim's league to Michigan

JD: That's not my fault.

MT: I don't care. I'm tired of sucking. We've sucked for too long. It's somebody else's turn to start sucking for a while. Why not the Big 10. They've sucked up their last four BCS appearances. Or the Big XII We beat OU. Yeah let Dan for a while now. He's the rookie.

JS: It doesn't work like that. Maybe y'all need to get some more competitive teams. Kevin, I don't get why you guys can't just join up like in the other sports.

KW: We're Notre Dame. We don't need a league. We'd dominate the East. No question.

MT: Y'all sucked last year. We won our BCS game against Oklahoma. You won three games and lost to Navy for the first time in forever.

JS: OK we'll talk about that one later to guys. Let's talk about the elephant in the room.

BCS.
Controversy.
Playoffs.
Plus-one.

All: ... ... ...

JS: Come on guys you have to talk about it this year. They said we would and I have to say something to the reporters.

Jim, Thomas have y'all made any head way.

JD: #$@$#%$#% you and #@$%$%$ your @$#@$% playoffs. Rose Bowl or bust &^%^*%.

TH: Yeah. What he said!

DB: Guys come on you have to at least talk to us about this... why not?

TH: The Rose Bowl stays. It is the Grand Daddy of them all.

DB: Look guys, I know you hate losing the match up but we all have to at one point or another. It's just part of the deal. We didn't get to be in the Fiesta Bowl for two years there. It's just a part of trying to find the best teams.

JD: The Pac 10 and the Big 10 are the best teams.

MS: Y'all have two championships this decade guys.

TH: 2003 counts.

MS: Like heck it does. LSU won that fair and square.

TH: The AP says otherwise.

MS: The AP also has Pitt ranked before the start of the season

MT: Hey!!! What's wrong with that!

DB: Shut up Big Least.

JS: Calm down calm down guys. Come on. Now look. This is why we have to figure this out. All the arguing and fighting has to stop. We set up a solid system and this stuff goes away.

KW: I'll only accept a plus-one/playoff if ND is guauranteed an invite.

JS: We can't do that Kevin.

KW: Why?

JS: Is it fair if we invite a 0-12 Notre Dame over a 12-0 Boise State?

DB and KW: Yes!!!

KW: Dan... why do you care.... oh yeah. Forgot about that.

DB: Shutup.

JS: Stop it all of you. Am I going to have to call Myles again.

All: No sir.

JS: Good. Now seriously. We've got to decide on something. We're taking too much heat.

Jim.
Thomas.

I need you guys to be serious and help us out here. We're going to have to be serious here and have some intelligent discussion. Playoffs. ABC. Rose Bowl. Breakup.

JD, TH: (begin singing) We shall be free.... We shall be free. So stand straight, Walk proud, 'Cause we shall be free.

(JS begins crying quietly)

DB: How about we keep the Rose Bowl and the match up, but just make it a part of the playoffs?

JD: The Rose Bowl is the MNC each year.

MS: No it's not, man. It hosts the MNC game once every four years like every other Bowl.

JD: No it's the MNC.

TH: He's right.

JS: (wiping his tears and speaking through a broken voice) Let's just bump it to next year.

sob..

sniff...

JD: Anything else wainch?

NH: Yeah got got something else to say?

JS: No. Good meeting.... See you guys.... sniff... sob... next year.

(Delaney and Hansen slap each other on the back and walk out for a night of bar hopping and loose living. Swofford curls into a ball continues crying.)

KW: Wait what about the BCS and the...

MT: Not this year man... next year maybe... next year.

DB: Are all the meetings like this?

MS: Well a lot of them involve some fighting so this was a relatively good one.

MT: You get used to the crying after a few years.

Charlie, It's Not That We Hate You Because You're That Good,

it's that your school pulls crap like this on a regular basis.

Notre Dame continues to try and schedule teams without giving them the benefit of home games.

Instead of bending over and taking it, Rutgers politely told the Irish where they could stick their home and not-home series.

Personally, I'm glad. Teams need to have some pride and demand that the big boys come to their house.

It's ridiculous and insulting that ND would make that offer to a team that is in the same conference for every other sport. Schiano has changed things at Rutgers and I'm glad that this has been a part of it.

Long weekend

It was a very long weekend.


I can't go in to too many details.

The short version involves poker, calk, eye sties, getting beat with a high four-of-a-kind by a slightly higher four-of-a-kind, bubblegum, toilets, Splinter Cell, carpentry, vandals, tornadoes, the NFL Draft, mirrors, paninis, Lord's Supper, moving couches down stairs, jager, and most importantly Whataburger's Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit.

Without the love of a woman, the grace of God, or the HBCB I probably wouldn't have made it.

Gold Jerry Gold

Doug over at Hey Jenny Slater did an outstanding post on Undrafting the NFL
(Getting rid of current players to make your team better)



Some highlights if I may:


9. CINCINNATI BENGALS
The pick: WR Chad Johnson, Oregon State. Obviously, he doesn't want to be there. Cut him so the Redskins can sign him. I mean, so that your team morale improves. That's what I meant to say, team morale.



10. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
The pick: TE Jeremy Shockey, Miami (Fla.). No, they haven't actually signed the poster child for repressed homosexuality yet, but you just know they're gonna. Saints, I'm begging you to stop this danse macabre by pre-emptively un-signing this overrated thimbledick, thereby preventing him from douching up what otherwise looks like it could be a reasonably solid team going into 2008. Haven't the people of New Orleans suffered enough?




13. CAROLINA PANTHERS
The pick: WR Dwayne Jarrett, Southern Cal. I was really pissed when the Panthers drafted him last year rather than his USC teammate -- come on, Panthers, you're afraid of having two Steve Smiths on the roster? That could've been the source of some of the greatest misdirection plays in league history if only you'd given it a chance.


22. CLEVELAND BROWNS
The pick: QB Brady Quinn, Notre Dame. Everyone who thinks Brady Quinn will ever take a meaningful snap for the Browns, raise your hand. (Put your hand down, Brady.)

31. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
The pick: QB Tom Brady, Michigan; WR Wes Welker, Texas Tech; LB Tedy Bruschi, Arizona. As punishment for Spygate, the Pats’ control over the 31st overall pick is taken away and handed over to a three-judge panel consisting of Roger Goodell, me, and my friend Joe who’s a rabid Colts fan; the Patriots also get an additional first-round player taken away from them (and a third taken away solely because of Bill Simmons). These three players are dismissed as part of a tough-love social experiment to see if the Patriots’ legions of suspiciously recent fans will still support them if they don’t have any white players to cheer for.




And saving the best for last:


28. DALLAS COWBOYS
The pick: QBGF Jessica Simpson, J.J. Pearce High School. Yes, this is the obvious joke, but we all know Tony Romo’s brain barely has enough RAM to hold down simple tasks like handling a field-goal snap; even the most blinkered Cowboys fan out there can’t honestly think Chuckles is ever gonna win a playoff game as long as he’s got the added distraction of blond hair and an (admittedly spectacular) pair of tits following him around wherever he goes. Give J-Simp the heave-ho, set Romes up with a chick who looks more like Peter King, and give him a chance to spread his wings and fly, dammit!

New Unis Baby!

Utah Utes





Hawaii Warriors




Minnesota Golden Gophers






Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets





Miami Hurricanes


All Canes is refuting said rumor
Still cool looking though



Texas A&M Aggies
(New helmets)

Players We're Friggin' Excited About

Mike Goodson, Texas A&M

Goodson was expected to be a star out of the gate for the Aggies but had to share the field with Jorvorskie Lane and QB Stephen McGee.

Franchione opted (and "brilliantly" at that) to let his QB have the most rushing yards. The option didn't fit as well with Goodson's skillset. While he had his moments, Goodson never got to be the featured back.

Franchione was fired and Mike Sherman came in his place, bringing a pro-style offense that should fit Goodson perfectly

With Lane being moved to FB and McGee staying in the pocket more, expect Goodson to finally get his chance to shine in 2008





Just to get an idea of Goodson's speed... skip to the 4:10 mark.

You see him cut up and turn up field at 4:18 (Texas A&M 35 yd. line)

He crosses the goal line at 4:24.

65 yards in 6ish seconds.

The Audacity of Hope.

Things are hard now, my fellow Americans. There is no hope on the horizon. The BCS season has left us jaded and angry. Les Miles and his gorillas with chainsaws have pillaged the College Football world and left you with no passion. Ohio State has left you wanting again.

You've been fooled too long by the Hawaii's of this world. All cupcakes and no substance. You've been deceived by SEC speed. You're bitter that you've been left again with a top heavy Big East. You've failed to make a bowl despite the preseason ranking one time to many.

You've been lied to by the BCS and promised a true champion that you can believe in. Instead year in and year out you get controversy at every turn.

Small town colleges like West Virginia are clinging to their couch-burnings, internet fodder, coach suings to ease the pain.

Rules committees have gone on too long taking game time away from you, the deserving fans.

College football fans suffer while the rest of the world sits on their chaise lounges enjoying NBA Playoffs and baseball.

We do not have to live like this.

Where are the people that will stand for the rights of you, college football fans? Where is your champion? Where is your defender?

Let me tell you something, my friends.

Change is coming. Your champion is on his way.

Hope is on the horizon

In less than 130 days I promise you a change. A change we can all believe in.

I promise you that your Saturdays will not be empty voids any more.

I promise you that the fire in your heart that burns will be rekindled. The likes of Pete Carroll will be stoked to be on your screens again soon.

I promise that forty year old men will soon be on the sideline again defending players.

I promise you that Tim Tebow will rock the swamps of Florida and it will be heard throughout all the SEC.

I promise that Joe Paterno will continue to roam to and fro' in Happy Valley.

I promise that you will no longer have to assume what Lou Holtz will say, but that you will in fact hear him in his locker room talks.

I promise that Erin Andrews will be there to bring insight from half-time talks and adjustments.

I promise you that come August 30th we will have sweet victory.

I promise you that these games are coming on that day:

Michigan State at California
Illinois vs. Missouri (St. Louis)
USC at Virginia
Oklahoma State vs. Washington State
Tennessee at UCLA
Utah at Michigan
Kentucky at Louisville
Fresno State at Rutgers
Alabama vs. Clemson
Hawaii at Florida

When we win those games we'll move on to the next week and the next and then on to the next.

Come November the people will have spoken and new hope and change will have arisen.

I can promise that we will work together with ABC, CBS, ESPN, Fox Sports, B10N, VS. and CSTV to bring you the best Saturdays in America that we can bring.

My fellow Americans...

Hope is on the way.

We believe.
We believe.
We believe.

Thief.

It's been super busy... And there hasn't been that much going on.

So I'm going to steal. This is directly from Pete Fiutaks weekly mailbag. Last week he had a question about RichRod and the WVU situation, in which he called WVU the crazy ex-girlfriend

ASK CFN 4/18

And finally …

Last week I remarked that West Virginia fans need to just let it go about Rich Rodriguez leaving for West Virginia. The responses were, well, interesting.

Let it go? Let it go?! The guy owes us $4 million dollars and stabbed us in the back? Pay us our money and live up to your contract with YOU signed. He’s a weasel and he’s trying to get out of paying what’s rightly ours. Let me guess, if it was the other way around you’d be screaming the WVU owes him. – SL

You obviously don't know West Virginia and what it means to be a West Virginian. The way Rich left was horrible. He lied to all of us. He called Terrell Pryor and told him he was going to Michigan before he told his own players, his boss and the West Virginia fans. Many of us got together and scraped up a lot of money to keep him here and he said he was here for a long time. He signed a contract. He crapped on us. He turned his back on his own state. He could have been up front with everything. No. He decided to be a lying snake, secure another job, tell recruits and attempt to get them headed to Michigan on WVU's time, before he tells a soul here in West Virginia. The same West Virginia who ponied up and met his demands just a year prior. He cries about the buyout? If he had stayed, the buyout was scheduled to drop to 2 million in August of this year. Well, if he would just pay WVU what it is owed, then that would give me some personal satisfaction, knowing how bad that hurts him to part with that kind of cash. Let him feel that pain. If or when he does, he can multiply that by 10 and then he will know how this state felt when he did what he did to this state, our school, our players and the fans. - CC

You don’t get West Virginia and you obviously never will. It takes something special to live here. It’s a special place. We don't have much here, so the football program means everything. Of course, you’d never get that. You probably wouldn’t understand a tough life. Your a joke and so is your anti-Mountaineer bias. – FK

You outsiders should just keep your thoughts about West Virginia to yourself. This is a hard place and our football program is our identity and our passion. We don’t have the lifestyle here other places have. So you better show West Virginia some respect or I wouldn’t show my face around here if I were you. And if you do, you’d better look both ways before crossing the street. - Anonymous

You have no idea of the pride of West Virginians and what it means to live in West Virginia. But that isn't what this is about. Unless you're a West Virginian, or you've lived here, you'll never get it anyway. - KG

First of all, did I say anything about the state of West Virginia? Analyzing the football program and saying something about the place are two completely different things (yes, they are), even though fans like to tie the two together.

Second, don’t give me this line about it being West Virginia and somehow West Virginians have some sort of toughness and honor that no outsider could comprehend. Everyone from every state thinks that way. You’re proud of where you’re from. So are Iowans and New Yorkers and Hawaiians and Californians. The excitement is fine, but you can’t thump your chest with this “you wouldn’t understand it” state pride and then keep complaining that it’s a rough place to live. You can’t have it both ways.

And finally, I’m not saying whether or not Rich Rodriguez is right or wrong or whether he’s a good guy or bad. I’m not defending him and I’m not taking his side. He’s a terrific football coach. Period. That’s all he is. Everything else is just corporate legal BS and it really doesn’t matter in your world, even if you think it does.

This has nothing to do with the money. You can use that as something tangible for your anger, but that’s not why you’re having problems with this.

Rodriguez doesn’t owe you. It’s not your money, and spare me the self-righteous garbage about being a tax payer blah, blah, blah. You’d be dead from a stroke if you really cared this much about every bad government or university contract that eats away at your tax dollars. Even if Rodriguez paid back every cent with a smile, you’d still be upset that one of your own rejected you. If you’re angry at the snipping, that’s another story.

Here was a coach who took what Don Nehlen had started and made it better. I know, Mountaineer football had its moments under Nehlen and had chances to win national titles in 1988 and 1993, but that ’88 team beat one team with a pulse (Syracuse) before losing to Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, and the ’93 team barely got by its four good games before getting blasted by Florida in the Sugar Bowl. No one actually respected West Virginia football since it got rocked every time the bowls kicked in.

Rodriguez changed that.

With the 2006 Sugar Bowl win over Georgia, in Atlanta no less, the Mountaineers joined the world of the truly big-time programs. That wasn’t just any team WVU beat; that was the SEC champ in its own house. Now the program really was a national title contender and wasn’t just in the hunt based on a fat record against mediocre competition. The entire state had something to get really fired up about, and its fan base, who’s not used to the scrutiny that comes with the spotlight (ask me sometime about the time spent trying to keep Marshall fans in check when they thought their team was of national title stock) went crazy at anyone who dared speak in anything other than glowing terms when it came to their pride and joy.

Then Rodriguez, who had the program on the cusp of playing for the national championship before blowing it against Pitt, leaves for Michigan. It’s not like he pulled a Dennis Franchione and left Alabama for Texas A&M, at best a lateral move. Whether or not you believe it, the Michigan job is one of the biggest in all of sports and one of the crown jewels among coaches.

WVU fans, you have to understand that no coach ever, EVER leaves gracefully, and no coach ever, EVER knows how to handle it right. Sure, it would’ve been nice if Rodriguez was up front and honest about everything, but coaches can’t be … to a point. They can’t talk about another job and then be all smiles and happiness when it doesn’t work out (cough, Glen Mason at Minnesota when he wanted the Ohio State job, cough). That kills recruiting and becomes a mega-distraction and a ridiculous circus (cough, Les Miles, cough).

Had LSU not played for the national title, Miles would’ve ended up being the Michigan head football coach, Rodriguez would’ve stayed at West Virginia, and none of this would’ve happened. But it did, you have a new head man, and while the program might not be as good over the long haul, it’ll be fine for now.

Fine, so you wish Rodriguez handled everything better and showed more respect to the University and to West Virginia. Now be the better man, or fans, and take the high road. Instead of getting all hot and bothered, you should be happy Rodriguez made your program matter. You should be happy that West Virginia football is such a big deal. You should be happy at all the fun memories you had when he was the head man. You should realize that this is big business and that your company lost its CEO and replaced him with another good one who should be able to keep the train rolling. You should wish Rodriguez well at Michigan, because for better or worse, he still represents you. You should let it all go and enjoy what should be a fantastic 2008 season.

Feel better? No? Fine, you may now commence with your usual barrage of grouchy and misguided “CFN hates West Virginia” e-mails.

More Football Mandatorization.

Lawmakers are continuing to press College Football by bringing up more legal issue.

A couple of months ago we reported Georgia getting butthurt about getting left out of the MNC game.


I said something about if a whole group of schools get screwed over the course of a couple of years, government could do something about this. Well, they sped up the process (Thanks SI.com.

The three congressmen involved in the aforementioned SI.com article are Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, Lynn Westmoreland, R-Ga., and Mike Simpson, R-Idaho.

Of course somebody from Hawaii, Georgia, and Idaho have no vested interest in seeing that changed whatsoever.

Westmoreland:

"We shouldn't have to argue about who the champion is," Westmoreland said, citing the excitement and unpredictability of the NCAA college basketball tournament. "That should be decided on the field."

Never mind that Georgia didn't win their conference, nonetheless their division. Give us our shot dangit! Wait... What we did during the season wasn't good enough?

These threats have been going on for a while now and someday they may stick, but till then, Myles Brand, don't worry too much.

Stuff.

In today's latest edition of stuff people like:

Stuff Green and Gold People Like


Loafers - Baylor kids like wearing shorts and (but never jorts as Baptist kids are above that) moccasins or loafers without socks. Waco is like one large house where the kids never actually leave their own home. The same loafer wearers also had trouble putting their collars down on their Izod polos. Seeing as how I was in their house, I refrained from letting them know of their slight error in attire.


Not smoking - Green and Gold people don't smoke either it turns out. Baby Jesus doesn't like it. If you ever just want to waste a few hundred square feet, build a smoking area in a restaurant in Waco, TX. For what it's worth. I did see a college-age pipe smoker.

And that's cool.

Jewish and Smoker?
Waco's not for you my friend

Being Skinny - Another thing Green and Gold people don't like is to eat. Despite having more than a few decent restaurants, I felt like my 200 lb frame raised the average of the town by about 5%. Every person in the place walked around with celery and cottage cheese.


Throwing stuff- Things aren't going your way at a Baylor game? Screw sportsmanship. We're going to heaven and you're going to hell. Suck on our Dr. Pepper bottles of wrath, fellow Big XII fans.

Dr. Pepper - speaking of cola, Baylor Fans love Dr. Pepper. The good stuff ( and by that I mean good if you're into cough syrup) is made and brewed an hour away in Dublin, TX. The Dr. Pepper museum is in Waco, TX. As is the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame. And the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. How did Waco get those?

Track - In a school that isn't held down by those goofy "state school regulations." Baylor has had some good track teams. That Michael Johnson kid was half decent. Why they can't find real success in anything but Women's Hoops, I dunno. But Bayfordukeandywestern wouldn't be Bayfordukeandywestern without Baylor. It'd be Fordukeandywestern. Which just doesn't sound nearly as good.

Baby-doll dresses - Green and Gold chicks like Baby-doll dresses. With everything. Going to the club? Hey I should wear a baby doll dress and a(n optional) skirt. Class? Baby-doll dress and jeans. Big game? Baby-doll dress and shorts.

Texas Longhorns and Texas Tech Red Raiders - Why do Baylor fans like two in-state rivals, because it's the closest they can get to beating their true hated rival, the Texas A&M Aggies. Why beat them when you can have others do it for you?

We're back

And we're sleepy.

Waco does not suck as much as most people make it out to.

We'll be coming out with a new version "stuff _____ people like" based on our trip.

For now, real world time.

We're out

For the next three days to the mighty Waco, TX. Home of the Baylor Bears. and Crickets.

How in the heck the town housing the worlds largest Baptist University has a place that has over a 100 beers on tap, we don't know.... but we ain't complaining.

Enjoy the end of the week and the weekend. The two are not the same.

Admitted Homernesss

I'm just going on record, saying I like Tim Tebow. A good bit.


Basketball Player (look at that jump shot)




Missionary


Surgeon


Philander


I mean Philanthropist

You are one step closer to becoming America's Next Top Model

Suck it Ozark boy. Cali Holla!

You guys should shoot me that I know that and never read this blog again.

Not really.

But somebody has been deemed as the next top model at USC.

Mark Sanchez has won the starting position for the Trojans.

The QB position at USC is pretty much guaranteed a contract with a modeling company, friendship with Nick Lachey, and four girls (two per arm.)

In unrelated news Mitch Mustain is suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the foot.

Mailbag Alert

It's been a while since there has been a good mailbagging, but Fiu provided some good fodder this week.

Personally I really wish these people would just publish the ones that don't make sense... but I don't get paid for this stuff.


why does every national media personality be them writers or tv commentators, talk radio hosts and non-Georgia fans alike, their memories all begin in 1990? Every single stat that gets mentioned nationally regardless of year only references what has happened since 1990. Not 1989, ’88, 87 etc, you get the point. Just who anointed history to be written from there? – HW


I didn't see a complete sentence in there.... but you know... word.


PLEASE SETTLE AN OUTGOING DEBATE BETWEEN MY FRIEND AND I. WE BOTH LOVE OHIO STATE AND WERE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE LAST 2 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES. MY FRIEND SAYS THE BIG TEN SUCKS THE LAST 2 YEARS AND WAS THE WORST B.C.S. LEAGUE OUT OF THE 6. HE'S SAYS #5 (ABOVE THE ACC IF HE'S NICE). I SAY THE MEDIA (NOT C.F.N.) HAVE BEEN VERY UNFAIR TO COMPLETELY BASH THE BIG TEN EVEN THOUGH I ADMIT IT HAS BEEN DISAPPOINTING AT TIMES. WOULD YOU PLEASE GIVE US YOUR RANKINGS OF THE 6 B.C.S LEAGUES FOR THE 2006 AND 2007 SEASONS SO WE CAN MAYBE END OUR ONGOING DEBATE? – JB


All caps definitely makes a better point than the whole logical statement idea. The grammar is better, but when you shout, who needs proper grammar? Seriously.

Gimpshop

From Texags.com


Interchange your teams here and laugh accordingly

A Tale of Two Programs

We're trying to cover quite a few of the spring games this year as there's always some good storylines and interesting tidbits of info.

Two stood out this morning.

One was a overview of Kansas spring game

Another was an article discussing the upcoming Nebraska spring game

The Kansas article was nothing to special. Todd Reesing struggled a bit in the spring game and quite a few of their starters are gone. Nothing special. One thing stood out though

7,500.

That's how many people attended the spring game for the Jayhawks football team. The team that is 4 months removed from the greatest season in school history.

On the flipside, Nebraska is coming off one of the worst, most embarrassing seasons in school history. Across the board, it was just a disappointing year, pesonified by the complete and utter schalacking at the hand of the aforementioned Jayhawks (73-31... and we ain't talking B-Ball)

How many tickets did Nebraska sell? All of 'em. 65,000 seats were sold by April 9th.

Is it the whole football school/basketball school thing?

Even if that's the case, you have to imagine that more than 7,500 people care enough to come to the games. It's a great time to be a Jayhawks fan. Your football team just had the best year ever. Your hoops team just won the National Championship!

Why is a school that didn't get a bowl bid or a tournament invite is beating your attendance by almost 10x ?

Culture, my friends. Culture.


Case in point:

Texas and Texas A&M have just come into having legitimate hoops teams this last decade. Before Rick Barnes and Billy Gillespie showed up in Texas, attendance was low and people didn't care. Barnes started winning and the people started coming. Gillespie started winning in College Station and people started coming. Building a culture for a sport takes time. What makes it harder is when people come along and steal your coaches (thanks Kentucky) and don't really let a program get going. Both Texas teams were well into their 3rd years of success before near sellouts were regular.

Mark Mangino seems like he wants to stay. Here's hoping he does, and that the preseason game can start being an exciting event in Lawrence, Kansas.

Quarterback Smuarterback in Ann Arbor

RichRod says that Defense was the better unit in Michigan's spring game.

"We realize we've got to have a great summer. We've got to be faster. We still have a ways to go." Not a coaching cliche at all. None there.

You'd think with having two QB's WITH NO PASSING EXPERIENCE IN THE COLLEGIATE GAME WHATSOEVER, that the offense would be a the next '05 USC Trojans.

So as long as the Wolverines can avoid facing black, dual threat QBs (Read: Armanti Edwards, and Dennis Dixon) or a defense that has graduated from High School, they stand a real chance this year.

Not really. They should be good still.... RichRod doesn't put out bad teams and it's Michigan. But you know the guys at MGoBlog are slightly crapping their pants, even if they won't admit it.

Ouch

Don't scroll down if you don't want to be slightly grossed/creeped out.
































David Holbert of Tennessee suffered a horrible injury at Tennessee practice. An injury like that is most likely career ending. Horrible to hear and see. We wish the best to him and a speedy recovery.

Bama is now Hawaii East

Alabama showed their fancy new passing scheme this weekend at the spring game. (Thanks SI)

Over 70k people showed up which is well short of the near 100k that showed up last year, but still pretty good.

JPW passed for a salty 265 yards and 2 TD's. The rest of the offense played pretty well garnering some good yardage.

Friday's Friggin' Awesome Film

Upset city...


Forgive the Chipmunks

Ess-Eee-See Speeeeeeeeeed

According to SI.com, Urban Meyer continues to be pretty cool.

Urban is offering a scholarship to anybody who can outrun his fastest football players. While it's pretty unlikely that they'll be able to beat the Gators speedsters, it's a pretty cool thing to do.

They're also raffling off a chance to catch a pass from Tim Tebow, catch a punt, and kick a field goal.

Florida's spring game will be on ESPN tomorrow.

Watch it even if you hate the Gators... because it's FOOTBALL! ON TV. IN APRIL. AND IT'S 140 DAYS TILL REAL GAMEDAY!!!

Coaching cliches

The game speed lacked intensity. We really wanted to get people in leadership positions, but we beat ourselves out there today. We've got to quit making mental mistakes and begin playing as one team.

Coaches say the darndest things... no really, they do. Coachspeak has been around as long as we can remember and it is about as productive and informative as an ESPN blip.

Detroit News did their take... here's ours

1. "The offense is ahead of the defense right now (or vice-versa)."

As opposed to, "We're pretty well deadlocked. The offense can't score on the defense and the defense can't stop the offense."

2. "(Insert name here) has really bought into our off-season conditioning program."

As opposed to all those players who don't want playing time.

3. "We're trying to bring in a new attitude," or, "We're all business this spring."

I want to hear a coach say, "Well... we pretty much ruled everybody last year... and we really want to do that again this year.... So we're keeping the same ole' attitude. If it ain't broke don't fix it."

4. "There is no depth chart; every position is open."

Says the same guy that wiled a recruit in by promising him a starting position his true freshman year. Word.

5. "The intensity level of practices will increase as we try to get our players adjusted to game speed."

Game Speed. Intensity. Two of my favorite phrases. Game speed basically mean that you get run full speed like you would hope in a game and intensity just means you hit hard. So basically we want people to hit hard and run fast as we practice more. Got it. Thanks coach.

6. We beat ourselves out there today.

I screwed the pooch. I should have gone for it on 4th down The kids missed their blocks and dropped the balls. We're screw ups.

7. We didn't have an answer for (insert play/player) here

Somehow, despite video and a weeks worth of practice we still let them run the same play repetitively and they continued to get away with it. My bad.

7. We know that they're having a down year but they're still dangerous

I want a coach to walk out and say, "Man we just really plan on reaming them left and right. I mean a good ole fashion butt kicking." Screw the whole respect thing. Tell your team that you plan on beating them by 50 and taking them out for pizza and snow cones afterwards.

Schedule Smedule

The whole schedule thing took way too much time and while it'll be something nice for the future.... I'm glad that crap is done.

As the spring schedule concludes, the only real exciting thing coming up is the draft. And then the long and dreary cold summer of football silence. Our only hope for entertainment is the Fulmer Cup, which has been fairly quiet. We can only hope that people do lots of illegal stuff.

Players We're Friggin' Excited About

Dan LeFevour

The Central Michigan QB has been lighting up the scoreboard for two years now and he has two more to go. He's thrown for more that 6000 yards and ran for 1600 more in 2 seasons. He's just the second player to do the 3k/1k combo in a year. He's also led the Chippewas to two consecutive MAC Titles. Seeing as how he's not your mainstream player it was tough to get some video on him but it is out there!

Pac 10 Schedule Sexiness

Finally, the last dang one. We'll compile the lists into your top games for each week sometime later, but w/out further adieu, the Pac-10:

Week 1
Michigan State at California - California drops the opening week toughie with Tennessee and picks up a decent foe from the Big Ten. Should be a good matchup, unless California returns to early season form from last year.
Washington at Oregon - Starting off the conference early, Washington has to start winning and winning now. In three years they've slipped to the bottom of the rung in the conference. Like... below Stamford.
USC at Virginia - USC has not shied away from a strong OOC schedule and this year is no different. While Virginia isn't a juggernaut they aren't a team to be taken lightly.
Oklahoma State vs. Washington State (Seattle) - Oklahoma State isn't a great team by any stretch, but their offense is just explosive enough to give the Cougs some fits. It probably won't be pretty for Wassu.
Tennessee at UCLA - Tennessee moves south in their opener this year. A good game to finish off Memorial Day weekend.

Week 2
Oregon Sate at Penn State - The Beavers head to Beaver Stadium to have a good test against the Nittany Lions. OSU hasn't been overly impressive the last few years and this is a good chance to start getting there quickly.
BYU at Washington - The Mormons continue their quest for perfection. No not that one. The perfect season one. BYU has racked up 22 wins in two years and this year they are looking for that BCS bid.

Week 3 - (Great week in the Pac-10, you can't go wrong watching any game!)
California at Maryland - Maryland will be a nice test for the Golden Bears. A team with a bit of history, but not a monster.
Oregon at Purdue - Purdue's offense has been high flying as of late. It will be a good test for the Oregon D before conference play gets too hot and heavy.
Hawaii at Oregon State - Hawaii begins the June Jonesless era. Can the offense keep up with a mid-level team like Oregon State now?
Stanford at TCU - You have to think that Stanford took some steps forward last year, but is it enough to start beating some decent teams like TCU
BYU at UCLA - UCLA comes back for more of BYU after splitting their regular and a bowl games last year. More of a statement game for BYU than the Washington.
Ohio State at USC - Probably the season's best OOC game. Neither will be knocked out of the MNC picture because of this one, but it will cause some separation.
Oklahoma at Washington - The Huskies probably won't take out the Sooners, but Locker just might be able to cause some problems to the defense
Washington State at Baylor - Two struggling teams with new coaches can use a boost by winning here.

Week 4
Georgia at Arizona State - Dennis Erickson pulled on through an easy schedule last year. They didn't win against Oregon, USC, or Texas all top 50 teams. The question is whether or or not it was flash in a pan, or real talent.
Boise State at Oregon - Boise State had a good season last year, but took a tumble from where they want to be. Oregon should win this one based on talent alone, but don't expect an easy game.

Week 5
USC at Oregon State - Oregon State has won 19 games in two years and that's pretty dang impressive. They pulled off the upset here two years ago. They need to start moving up the pack if they want to start challenging for the conference title.
Stanford at Washington - Two teams that have been down recently need to start improving. Willingham can't afford a bowless season again.
Fresno State at UCLA - Fresno continues to show no fear in its scheduling practices. Wisconsin, Rutgers, and UCLA is a pretty rough schedule for a mid-major and Pat Hill will have that schedule every year. Kudos to them.
Week 6
Oregon State at Utah - The Utes haven't maintained the glory of their BCS season but they haven't faded into oblivion either. Expect Oregon State to have to fight for this one.
California at Arizona State - ASU showed some spunk last year when Cal started to falter. Second place in the conference is up for grabs and these two teams with Oregon can all challenge for the title.
Oregon at USC - A rematch of last year's game should be good. Likely a conference championship game.

Week 7
Arizona State at USC - Arizona State got exposed when they played Oregon and USC last season. Are they better?
UCLA at Oregon - UCLA took advantage of an ailing Duck quad last season. Dixon is gone.
Washington State at Oregon State - Washington State fired Bill Doba to start winning these games.

Week 8
Oregon State at Washington - Washington needs to start beating the middle of the pack teams if they want to get there themselves.
Stanford at UCLA - The two Cali teams are each looking to get over their current humps. Stanford doesn't have to win all of the games like this but they need to get some wind under them by staying in them.

Week 9
Oregon at Arizona State - The winner of this one last year should have been playing for the championship had Oregon not lost Dixon. Will both teams be as good this year?
UCLA at California - Both teams want to usurp USC as the top of the conference. The coaching is there. The talent is lacking. Both teams will probably be in the picture this late in the season.
Notre Dame at Washington - I personally pray to all that is Holy that Washington will wipe the floor with the Irish. Just for racisms sake. ( I got your back, Mark May. I got you.)

Week 10
Oregon at California - This game was huge last year. Cali won due to a last second Oregon gaffe on the goal line... and then proceeded to tank like the Poseidon.
Washington at USC - The Huskies have kept this close for the last two years, closer than USC should have let it. Can this be the year they finally knock them off?

Week 11
Arizona State at Washington - ASU got their fancy smancy new coach and got a Holiday Bowl in one year. Washington still hasn't been to a bowl since before Willingham got there.
California at USC - Cal hasn't been able to get past USC since they beat them in 2003. They've played it close, but just haven't gotten that W.

Week 12
Arizona at Oregon - When Dixon went down last year you knew things were going to get bad for the Ducks. Losing to Arizona was the low point of the season for them.
USC at Stanford - I'm not saying... but I'm just saying. Again... think A&M/OU 2002.

Week 13
Stanford at California - Stanford finally won this one last year after Cal took a serious downturn midseason. Don't expect for Tedford's teams to let it happen again.
Washington at Washington State - The battle for the Apple Cup.

Week 14
UCLA at Arizona State - Two teams who should be challenging USC this year finish up before they take on their in-state rivals
Oregon at Oregon State - Ditto
Notre Dame at USC - Notre Dame has made one game of this since Crew Cut showed up in South Bend. Other than that it hasn't been much of a contest.
Washington State at Hawaii - Wassu takes on what should still be a good Hawaii team.

Week 15
Arizona State at Arizona - Having a decent season is a must for Stoops. Beating ASU will help ease some of the bad years.
USC at UCLA - USC took care of business last year after the 2006 debacle. Slick Rick will bring some new fire to this rivalry.



Your Pac 10 Champ...

USC

I know it's easy to pick them... but let's be honest. Pete Carroll continues to pull in top classes. Kids will travel across the country to play for USC and be on the third string where they would be starting anywhere else. USC can lose two games and still be the conference champ every year.

Big Ten Schedule Sexiness

Week 1
Illinois vs. Missouri (St. Louis) - The Illini kept it close last year in a game that meant a lot more at the time than any of us knew. Both will start the year ranked and this game will be a big boost to the winner.
Utah at Michigan - Michigan steps down a bit in this years opener from last year. Utah is not team to turn your nose at though. The Utes have remained competitive since their BCS bowl and should be a good test.
Michigan State at California - One of the better opening day games. Both of these teams are tired of looking up at another in-state school. Both have underachieved expectations the last few years. If either wants to turn it around, here you go.

Week 2
Northwestern at Duke - Last years game was interesting in that Northwestern snapped Duke's bit for longest losing streak (a dubious record which Northwestern holds) Both teams should be better this year
Oregon State at Penn State - The Beavers are traveling cross country to play in Beaver Stadium. Oregon State has maintained some decent teams the last few year. JoePa is showing no signs of letting up in Happy Valley. Good game for both teams.

Week 3
Iowa State at Iowa - One of the less watched (and maybe known) in-state rivalries that cross
Michigan at Notre Dame - Since this rivalry has been renewed to be played till Armageddon, expect more and more each year out this one. There is a lot of new blood this time around
Ohio State at USC - Probably the top non-conference game this year in all of College Football. Both are top-notch teams year-in and year-out. Both could be in the MNC and nobody would complain much. Both only have one MNC in the 2000's. (You heard me right Trojan fans)
Penn State at Syracuse - Syracuse needs to find a groove and find it quick. The middle of the pack is rising in the Big East and leaving Syracuse and Robinson behind. Oregon at Purdue - Nice game for the Boilermakers. Getting the ducks at home
Wisconsin at Fresno State - Fresno State is no team to take lightly. They have taken several BCS schools to the max in the last few years, and they want nothing to do with Pat Hill and his Bulldogs. Wisconsin is taking on a good little battle here.

Week 4
Iowa at Pitt - Both teams need this win right here. Conference play is about to get hot and heavy for both teams and both coaches need to have winning seasons this year.
Notre Dame at Michigan State - Michigan State has made a good rivalry of this as of late.
Troy at Ohio State - Troy has the perfect little speedy offense to give the Buckeyes all sorts of fits.
Central Michigan at Purdue - CM has become a mainstay at the top of the MAC. Purdue barely pulled this one out in the Music City Bowl last year in a shoot-out that went for 99 points. If nothing else just watch for Dan Lefevour.

Week 5
Illinois at Penn State - Illinois was the surprise of the conference last year. Ron Zook finally has the team ready to go. The loss of last years RB will hurt. PSU is a great test to see if this team can keep last years magic alive.
Michigan State at Indiana - Two middle of the pack teams who got to bowls last year.
Wisconsin at Michigan - Wisconsin won last year in convincing fashion. Michigan will have a few tests before now, but to find out if RichRod's offense can compete in the Big Ten
Purdue at Notre Dame - Tiller's last shot at the Irish.

Week 6
Illinois at Michigan - Michigan won last year, but Illinois got the last laugh, going to BCS bowl and taking out OSU, something Michigan hasn't done in a while.
Ohio State at Wisconsin - My personal pick for the conference championship game. Wisconsin has shown themselves to continuously be one of the better teams in the Big Ten. If they want to be the best they need to get over the whole OSU thing

Week 7
Penn State at Wisconsin - Penn State always has the talent and coaching to compete, but just hasn't been the top of the class lately. Beating Wisconsin is the first step.

Week 8
Indiana at Illinois - The two middle of the packers have finally stepped up to the plate and are playing some good ball. Now can Indiana take Illinois as the better of the two?
Michigan at Penn State - Penn State has had trouble getting over the Michigan thing, even in their best recent year of 2005. Usually a good match up.
Ohio State at Michigan State - Michigan State kept it close last year but couldn't get it done.

Week 9
Illinois at Wisconsin - Illinois probably won't have as special as a season as last year, but coming in and knocking off the current #2 team will prove that they are a true contender in the league.
Michigan State at Michigan - Sparty's best chance at taking this one will be this year while the spread is still being installed in Ann Arbor.
Penn State at Ohio State - Penn State is probably perturbed about Pryor's final decision. Not that that's any more reason for them to get up for this game, but you can bet the Nittany Lions want this one.

Week 10
Wisconsin at Michigan State - Sparty and Wiscy should have a good little game here.
Northwestern at Minnesota - Northwestern stepped out of the bottom of the barrel last year and put the Gophers there in their stead. If the Wildcats want to keep them there, a win here will help (even if it is late in the season)

Week 11
Michigan at Minnesota - The battle for the Little Brown Jug is one of the lesser known trophies, but definitely one of the better one.
Purdue at Michigan State - Two more teams aching to matter in top of the conference picture, but just haven't in a while.

Week 12
Ohio State at Illinois - Revenge, redemption, or revelation? Will OSU get some payback for last year or will the Illini pull off another stunner?
Minnesota at Wisconsin - Another of my favorite rivalries. It hasn't been as competitive as some years as the Gophers have struggled. Brewster's pulled in a great class and his team won't be down that long.

Week 13
Michigan at Ohio State - Arguably the biggest rivalry in the game. We finally see if RichRod is going to have some staying power with his new spread offense against a team that has historically struggled against it. Michigan State at Penn State - Battle of the States. PSU and MSU have had a decent little rivalry as OSU and Mich. tend to look to each other instead of to other conference rivals.




Big Televen Champ

OSU Buckeyes

And your 2008 NCAA Tournament Champs are

the Memphis Tigers.... since I'm awesome and can pick games like Marty McFly... that means the Jayhawks.

No matter what, a good season to all.

Big XII Schedule Sexiness

Week 1
Wake Forest at Baylor - Battle of the baptists. Wake Forrest has finally found it's way out of the cellar. Can Baylor?
Colorado vs. Colorado State - The first game in years without Sonny Lubick. Colorado should finally pull away from CSU this year and stay there.
Illinois vs. Mizzou - Who the heck knew this was as big a game as it was last year? Or would be this year?
Oklahoma State vs. Washington State (Seattle) - WSU should be improved under Wulff. The Cowboys are going to have to get better unless they want to challenge Baylor for the bottom of the barrel.

Week 2
Cinci at Oklahoma - Cinci has finally risen out of the mediocrity of the Big East and become a competitive team. Oklahoma is thinking MNC early this year and this will be a great test to see if they're able.
Houston at Oklahoma State - Kevin Sumlin hopes to continue to frustrate the Cowboys

Week 3
Kansas at South Florida - Two teams that had better years than could have been expected by anybody last year meet up.
Iowa State at Iowa - ISU stole this one last year. If Kirk Ferentz wants to keep his job, he needs to not lose this one and start at least competing for the middle of the Big Ten. Chizick has to get ISU out of the cellar
Oklahoma at Washington - Washington has to improve or this will be it for Willingham. Expect Jake Locker to give the Sooners some fits. But not too many.
Arkansas at Texas - The old SWC rivalry renews. This will be Bobby Petrino's first big game at the helm.
SMU at Texas Tech - Time to see if the SMU offense brings the same firepower we saw at Hawaii. The talent level isn't equal, but if you want to see a game with matching offenses slinging the ball for probably over a 1000 yards in a game, you got it.


Week 4
Kansas State at Louisville - Two teams that had very disappointing finishes last year that are looking for big rebounds before going into conference.
Baylor at Connecticut - Baylor faces another team that has recently shown improvement while they've still floundered.
West Virginia at Colorado - Colorado continues to take on some impressive OOC games. WVU should be an early indicator of the rest of their season.
Miami at Texas A&M - In a game that should have been a big one for the winner, Miami rocked the Aggies last year. Neither went on to do just a whole ton afterwards. Hopefully for both teams that won't be true again..

Week 5
Colorado vs. Florida State (Jacksonville) - Dan Hawkins keeps the big boys coming back for more. The Buffs are ready for the big time this year with WVU and FSU early.
TCU at Oklahoma - Nobody expected TCU to pull this one off three years ago but they did it. OU is going to have one of the best teams in some time this year you can expect payback.
Virginia Tech at Nebraska - Nebraska pulls away from the USC game to another heavyweight in Va. Tech. Expect a defensive game here as neither has a lot of firepower on offense.
Troy at Oklahoma State - An expected easy game for oSU turned into a blowout... that oSU was on the wrong end of. The cowboys should be a little more prepared this year.

Week 6
Texas at Colorado - Texas has some questions... especially at RB. Colorado has one that Texas is just a bit jealous of. Colorado was embarrassed 2x in 2005 and they haven't forgotten it.
Mizzou at Nebraska - Chance for Nebraska to stake a claim at the top of the division again
Texas Tech at Kansas State - If nothing else just to post this and hope it happens again.:

Week 7
Iowa State at Baylor - I have no idea what to expect from this game. Baylor can only go up and Iowa State started to show a little life in 2007 (even if it didn't translate to W's) Should be a bottom dweller game but we'll see
Oklahoma State at Missouri - Two high powered offenses with mobile QB's
Nebraska at Texas Tech - This game ended in a crazy fashion as Tech fumbled inside the Nebraska 20, only to recover a fumble on the same play and scored to win. Both teams are probably hungry to revisit this one
Oklahoma at Texas - This is normally the battle for the south. It's been a good game for 2 years now, but is Texas good enough to keep it that way?

Week 8
Kansas at Oklahoma - A game we would have like to have seen last year. Kansas really was that good. Mizzou just got the nod after a close game.
Missouri at Texas - Another one we'd like to have seen last year.
Texas Tech at Texas A&M - Another heated rivalry that's been a little one-sided lately. No matter what the Aggies do, the Raiders just seem to have their number

Week 9
Texas A&M at Iowa State - Iowa State beat A&M for the first time ever in College Station last time they met. Todd Blythe and Brett Meyer exposed the A&M secondary as one of the worst in the nation. The Ags have improved, but so has ISU.
Texas Tech at Kansas - Kansas thrived on good defense last year. Tech is starting to show some life on that side of the ball. Both should be playing to get a spot towards the top of their divisions.
Oklahoma State at Texas - oSU continues to get thisclose to frustrating and beating Texas to no avail.

Week 10
Kansas State at Kansas - This game was the beginning of the end for KState last year and showed us that Kansas was for real
Nebraska at Oklahoma - The Big Eight rivalry only comes around every two years. Pelini has a chance to shine and shine quickly by getting the Huskers biggest rival in his first season.
Texas at Texas Tech - This game seems to take a backseat to Tech-A&M and Texas-A&M, but these two have played some close games recently. This is in the middle of a tough stretch with Kansas, Texas A&M, Texas, Oklahoma State, and Oklahoma

Week 11
Oklahoma at Texas A&M - This game has been a humdinger ever since A&M upset #1 OU in 2002. The next year was a blowout, followed by three very close games and another blowout last year. If A&M wants to get in the South fight, taking out Oklahoma is key
Oklahoma State at Texas Tech - Another non-rivalry that is turning into one quickly. The two high-octane offenses keep putting on a show. They've split this series as of late, with the home team winning the last 6 years.

Week 12
Texas A&M at Baylor - Battle of the Brazos. Baylor fans seem particularly hostile towards the Aggies over the other in-state rivals. Baylor won this one 4 years ago, and are expecting another upset with new man Briles
Oklahoma State - at Colorado
Texas at Kansas - Mark Mangino remembers the last two games against Texas for different reasons. One a cheat-job (according to him) and a blowout. Now that the Jayhawks are more competitive, expect some animosity.

Week 13
Texas Tech at Oklahoma - This game has been pretty epic over the years. Mike Leach continues to be a thorn in the side of his former boss, Bob Stoops. The raiders cost the Sooners a shot at the MNC last year and you can expect the Sooners to remember that.

Week 14
Colorado at Nebraska - One of the top North Rivalries, just not recently. It hasn't been a relevant game for a few years now. With the "arrival" (Gosh I hate cliche terms like that but I couldn't find something better) of Kansas and Mizzou, can these two challenge again?
Texas A&M at Texas - The aggies have grabbed this one the last two years by running all over the horns in 2006 and passing in 2007. It's one of the better in-state rivalries
Kansas vs. Mizzou - The Border War. This game meant something nationally for the first time in history last year. It probably won't mean as much, but should hold some weight in deciding the North.
Oklahoma at Oklahoma State - Bedlam. oSU hasn't been able to take this one in a while. It's been competitive, but if Gundy wants to keep his job, a win here can go a long long long way with T. Boone Pickens the fanbase.

Big 12 Championship Game

Oklahoma vs. Mizzou.... again.