Oh yeah lot’s of squawking and a talking this week.  Media Days are here and the Big 12’s focus this year is the Longhorns Network, not the impending doom of the conference.  Although some would say that the network is the started of a long doom for the conference.  This week’s Crib Sheet delves into that as well as the usual news items that comes across my desk.  So let’s dig in:

• James Franklin looks to be the guy at Missouri now.  The Tigers have plenty of returning people and I think they have a shot to go far in this smaller league this year.
• Kansas State wants to be a brand.  Um, so no they won’t be forming their own television network anytime soon but I can appreciate their gumption.  Most people these days think Northwestern when they think purple and Wildcats.  The Manhattan version needs all the bumps it can get.
• The Ivy league will limit full contact practices to two a week this year.  I think it will have a major effect on all of the hard hitting action that comes from there year in an year out.  Dare I say it might make the Ivy League look weak in competition.
• There was a big hoopla last week when Oklahoma and Texas A&M rattled some swords over high school games being playing on the Longhorns Network.  Texas said it wasn’t a big deal and they should just chill but it took the Big 12 and Dan Beebe to come out and say all that junk was on hold.  Now the NCAA wants a pow wow with everyone to figure out the logistics.
• SEC commissioner Mike Slive came out of the gates for the SEC’s media days by proposing a ton of changes on the academics side for the NCAA.  No, not dumbing down the scale, but making it tougher.  Plus giving a longer window for players to get their degree with the scholarship.  It’s not as good as paying the players, but this is a step in the right direction.
• A friend of mine turned me on to Greg Hall recently.  He runs a blog in Kansas City that covers sports, but he also digs deep in the local sports radio shenanigans.  Being away from town now I do miss some of the sports radio sparring and Greg Hall kept me up to date swimmingly.  He’s also kinda snarky for all things local to KC so check him out.
• The Big 12 media picked Oklahoma to win it all this year.  That falls in line with some other national mags picking the Sooners to go all the way.  Really, they are picking Oklahoma because Texas is expected to be off this year.  I hate saying it but it’s true.  It’s the media here.
• Texas A&M extended Mike Sherman’s contract.  They should, he’s slowly turning around that team.
• Hot shot Kansas recruit Brock Berglund pleaded not guilty in an assault case against him in his home state of Colorado.  Apparently it’s not going to affect his training camp.
• It looks like LSU bought a crappy video of recruits from Willie Lyles, the same dude who did some nasty stuff for Oregon.  LSU got a year probation but I’m not sure if they aren’t getting more after this.
• I just wrote about Chief Illiniwek and we still have the same kind of saga going on with North Dakota.  Again, it’s the state legislators trying to fend of the NCAA and its funky policies.  My guess is that they’ll back down eventually because they don’t have the kind of clout that a big time school like Florida State has.
• Gary Pinkel doesn’t back down from most emotions.  He let it rip over the high school television issue with the Longhorns Network.  Hey he recruits down here in Texas, he should let it be known he doesn’t like it.
• Kansas State fans can calm down now.  Tate Forcier picked San Jose State to transfer to.  It makes sense, the Aztecs had former Michigan coach Brady Hoke and he turned around the team.  There’s a new tradition of transfers there now.
• The NFL lockout is over and the rookie pay scale is going through some changes.  The scale will be lopped by more than 50 percent.  Why does that matter to college football?  Matt Hayes tells you why.  We might have some stronger players in college football now.  Will it be as competitive?