Category Archives: Big 12

Crib Sheet: The Flood Gates Have Opened

flood_gates_football

Media days are over and the flood gates have opened up for college football news.  Practices start this week and the preview magazines are all over the place.  We are so close and the Crib Sheet has made it so far.  We’re not sure yet if we’ll continue this in the regular season or not, but for the next couple of weeks prepare to get bombarded with news from all sides.  Bring a snorkle, here is this week’s Crib Sheet:

  • Wrapping up Big 12 Media we have K-State and Bill Snyder still angry about the audits after Jon Wefald left.  Bill, it happens after every school president leaves.  Relax.  The sad thing is people are talking about that and not his return at the media days.  Maybe he is spending too much time keeping up with technology.
  • Colorado coach Dan Hawkins backtracked from the 10 win guarantee and stated that it was a challenge to his team to win 10 games.  There is no way he is going to achieve that goal.  The way the North is looking in the Big 12 and the toughness blowing up from South, it would be hard pressed for this Buffalo team to compete.
  • Sergio Kindle from Texas made a surprise appearance at the media days.  Awhile ago he crashed a car into an apartment complex apparently while texting.  We think he was drunk.  He got away and Mack Brown will make sure he leaves the phone at home from now on.
  • Big 10 media days happened as well.  The big surprise is they might adjust the schedule to pad some games at the end of the season.  They need that to actually compete in the big bowls that happen around the start of the year.  The not so big surprise is that Joe Pa is not going to retire soon.
  • Steven Sipple seems to be the only one crying about the new Cowboys Stadium in Texas.  He makes a good point but the massive complex might help draw more money for the league.  Yes, it would continue the South slant perception in the Big 12, but that’s  a perception and not a reality.
  • Hawaii coach Greg McMakin apologized about a remark he made at the WAC media days when the Rainbow Warriors played The Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Hawaii Bowl.  He essentially said the Fighting Irish danced like they were little things that the British call cigarettes.  Yeah, he probably shouldn’t have said it in a press conference.  But it’s a little ridiculous that he is now suspended for 30 days with no pay.
  • Looks like Jake Trotter polled 29 of the 38 football players at the Big 12 media days and found that Ralphie is the most favorite mascot, followed by this week’s Mascot Monday entrant Bevo.  We here at the KCCGD think that maybe the football players polled should take a better look at some of the local talent (Willie the Wildcat, Truman, Big Jay, and Baby Jay) before they plunk down their choice.
  • When Lee Corso suffered a stroke in May, everyone thought his career would be over.  Well, not so fast my friends.  The former coach and now goofy commentator is hitting the weights hard to get ready for his return to College GameDay on ESPN.  Good luck, Lee.
  • Looks like Oklahoma will be playing Army for a 2 game series in 2018.  No, they won’t be playing at Yankee Stadium, it will be at each team’s home field.  We’re gonna go out on a limb and say that Army will be competitive by then, either from the Black Knights rising or the Sooners dropping.  Hopefully they’ll keep those cool camo uniforms for the game.

Mascot Monday: Bevo (and Hook ‘Em, et al)

bevo2

The eyes of the college football season are upon us and we are beginning to wipe the eye boogers away to gaze into the crystal ball and see who will come out on top.  Last year, there was a three way tussle in the Big 12 South that left the Texas Longhorns out of the Big 12 title game and out of the National Championship race.  This year they are back with their Heisman runner up in Colt McCoy and are one of the sexy picks for a national title run.  We thought it would be fitting in the last couple of weeks of this year’s Mascot Monday to take a look at the final Mascot we’ll do from the Big 12 from the school that has the best title shot.  So we present to you the famed Bevo and a couple of other mascots that barely have any press or history.

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Crib Sheet: Step Up to the Mic

microphones

This week finds us smack dab in the middle of Big 12 Media days.  This is the week of the year where all of the schools congregate and spit words into a hungry set of microphones in preparation of a new college football season.  Next week camp starts and before you know it, it’s football time!  But to sum up this week so far, Kansas was media voted #2 in the north and they have a chip on their shoulder,  Missouri is regrouping, Nebraska doesn’t feel like number 1, the South teams are the bomb, and nobody is really interested in the new head coach for Iowa State (Paul Rhodes).   We’ll talk a little about the teams left next week.  For now,  hold on tight because we just exited the gate and are starting to build steam to a new season.  Here’s this week’s Crib Sheet:

  • Pittsburgh State football player Joe Windscheffel is out for the season with an arm injury due to a Zebra charge.  He needed to paint a fence and had to move some zebras.  The male zebra charged and he’s out for the season.  Be careful childrens, animals are wild.
  • If you are tired of SEC talk, then cover your eyes for this one.   The SEC is striking deals with regional television stations to broadcast games, most notably in regions that cater to the Big 12 and the Big 10.   The hype machine is in full swing and they have the national titles to back them up.  I guess we’re gonna see more and more of the SEC until some other conference pins them down.
  • So last week, we talked about Army playing Yankee Stadium in 2010.   Welp a couple of days after news of that came out, they announced that they will be playing there for the next 4 out of 5 years.  Great stuff.   They used to play there every year and now they are bringing back the tradition.  Let’s hope they keep the new tradition of camouflage gear.
  • Our favorite analyst Kirk Herbstreit is suing the IRS for taxing Herbsreit on a burnt down house.  So Kirky wanted to build a new house on his current and caught wind of the local fire department needing some training.  He ‘donated’ the house to the fire department and they promptly torched it.  Now he thinks he should get the tax credit for the donation but the IRS is saying no way.   What a dumbass.  Quoting Kritter, “He should fire his accountant.”
  • Looks like some team from the Mountain West Conference manned up and is scheduling some big time schools.  Boise State will play Virginia Tech next year.  Welp if the Broncos go undefeated next and beat Va-Tech, then they should have a shot at the title game.
  • Lou Holtz and his Notre Dame alumni beat up on Japan this year in the Notre Dame Japan Bowl.  It’s nice to see some aged alumni hit the field and play again for the Irish.   We wonder if the folks over in the land of the rising sun though Lou was drunk the whole time he was there.  Don’t worry guys, he sounds that way all of the time.
  • The Rose Bowl tweaked some rules with the current BCS contract to allow non BCS schools to play in to the bowl.   If one of the automatic qualifiers for the Rose Bowl goes to the national title game, then the slot is open to anybody.  That’s a break from how things were done in the past.  It used to be only Big 10 and Pac 10 teams.   This is a good first step and this should help to even things out just a little bit more.
  • Meanwhile, Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe spent most of his time this week drumming up support for more TV exposure for the conference.  Part of which includes tossing around the idea of making the new Cowboys Stadium the permanent home for the Big 12 title game.  Beebe needs to hurry up because the other big television friendly conferences are pushing out further and further.

Crib Sheet: Keep on Chooglin’

Creedence-chooglin-peru

Independence Day came and went and we escaped with a couple of scratches, bruises, and about six pounds of weight.  While we are recovering, we are reminded that we are inching ever closer to start of the new college football season.  Sooner or later, I have to get started on some site improvements and my previews.  Until then, we keep on chooglin’ to another Crib Sheet:

  • Former Hawaii, and record breaking, quarterback Timmy Chang was arrested for robbery.  I completely forgot the guy.  When that happens, one can guess that crime is heading their way.  Especially since he fizzled out like he did.  It’s pretty terrible that a record holding qb gets released from a Canadian football team.
  • The New York Times is now profiling the case that Sam Keller filed against Electronic Arts and the NCAA.  He makes a good point about players being used to take in bucket loads of cash for EA Sports and the NCAA.  If he wins, it may open the door to some other types of compensation for the players.
  • ESPN’s Tim Griffin points us to a company that sifted through the stats to produce the five common traits BCS Championship teams and which teams fall under that for this year.  Texas is in the mix but so is Iowa, surprisingly.  Florida’s there too, however.  The safe bet I guess is Texas vs Florida this year.
  • So another hearing on Capitol Hill took place the pitted Senator Orin Hatch from Utah against the BCS.  It stunk very much of grandstanding, and nothing came of the hearing.  Many columnists gave their reaction, so I will give mine.  This will continue on until the start of the college football season and then it will go away.  Hatch is rattling swords for his state and really thinking so much of the other smaller schools.  The best part, that Tim Griffin pointed out, was when Hatched asked Nebraska  chancellor Harvey Perlman what more could Utah do and Perlman suggested that Utah play a tougher schedule.  Utah president Michael Young responded that the school wishes Nebraska would play them.   Tim Griffin points out that Utah backed out of a chance to play Texas last year.   End of story.  Case closed.  The roar of the crowds on opening day will overcome the whimpers and cries coming from the state of Utah.

Mascot Monday: Big Jay and Baby Jay

Big Jay and Baby Jay

It’s the after 4th of July recovery and we’re inching ever so close to the start of the 2009 college football season.  Since we are getting close and Mascot Monday is reserved for the off season, we are going to profile the mascots of the Big 12 teams favored to win their division, starting with the Kansas Jayhawks very own Big Jay and Baby Jay, with the other Big 12 team coming next month.  A Jayhawk has no known animal classification, but stands for something that happened before the Civil War.  We’ll figure out what they were thinking way back when and lay a couple of eggs on the way.  Get ready, Kansas City, here’s Big Jay and Baby Jay.

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Crib Sheet: Fathers and Football

dad-football

Father’s Day is this weekend and we’d like to take a minute to thank all of the dads out there for being dads.  One of the best father/son experiences you can have is watching your favorite college team take on a rival on a fall Saturday.  Whether it’s running to fridge to get your dad a beer or arguing at each other who was a better college player over nachos, the experience helps cement the relationship so critical to a young boy’s (and girl’s) development.  Here’s this week’s Crib Sheet:

  • Tom Osborne will be the Athletic Director for Nebraska indefinately.  He took over after the last guy got fired 2007 and was responsible for bringing in gum chewing Bo Pelini as head coach.  Considering the slow turnaround they are experiencing, chances are Tom will stick around until a Big 12 title game and/or championship.
  • Two long time administrators were suspended from the Kansas State athletic department Wednesday with no reason given.  The speculation machine fired up and is pointing at the secret deal that former AD Bob Krause had with former coach Ron Prince.  That’s probably why but it really does not matter now.  What we’re wondering is if Ron Prince intentionally tanked the football season so he could get the long term pay out.
  • News came out that now again Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder had a chance to run for office in Kansas in 2005.  It seems Kathleen Sebileius tapped him for a lieutenant governer position and Bill considered it.  Too bad, because he would’ve crucified Ron Prince and Bob Krause for the terrible job they did and for screwing over the Wildcats.
  • Bob Frederick, former Kansas Athletic Director, died from complications due to a bike accident last week.  It’s a shame he had to go that way.  This is probably why Mark Mangino never took up bike riding, beside the obvious reasons.
  • Somebody’s impersonating coaches up in Nebraska.  Tim Griffin of ESPN reports that someone is hitting up a Kansas high school coach asking for recruiting information by stating they are offensive coordinator Shawn Watson.  The coach was suspicious and phoned the proper authorities.  It’s easy to fake identity online so it’s a good thing that the coach made the phone call.  Remember, if the email is something like ‘[email protected]’ watch out.
  • Chris Harper is transferring to Kansas State in the hopes of become the starting quarterback.   He left Oregon due to the position being locked up there, and brings a couple of rushing and catching touchdowns with him.  It should be an interesting camp when he vies for the position between Carson Kauffman, former South Florida quarterback Grant Gregory, and JuCo transfer Daniel Thomas.
  • Charlie Weiss Twittered that he can’t use Twitter recruit.  It’s a good thing he’s getting healthy use of the service.  If they don’t make a bowl, heck a BCS bowl, this year he may need to use it  to recruit himself for a new head coaching position.

Mascot Monday: Sooner Schooner (with Boomer and Sooner)

boomer schooner

Summer’s about here and it’s under 3 months before the kickoff of the 2009 football season so we’re gonna hit the mascots hard into the big time and the Oklahoma Sooner’s Sooner Schooner.  Sure there are two horses named Boomer and Sooner, but the rickety ole wagon still carries the tradition that we see while we hear the same song over and over again.   Last year the Sooners were 2nd in the nation as they were booted by the Florida Gators in the BCS National Championship Game.  This year, they hope to do better (and they have a good shot, too) and they’ll be riding the Sooner Schooner the whole way.

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The Crib Sheet:

allergies

The heavy loaded week of allergies couldn’t stop the KCCGD crew from sneezing and coughing their way through another week of news.  We’re loaded up on all sorts of over the counter goodies to help bring you the latest in the greatest sport ever, college football.  Bring some kleenex, because either the fantastic writing or huge pollen count will bring tears to your eyes.  We hope its the former.  Here’s this week Crib Sheet:

  • Ron Prince, former Kansas State head coach, must be laughing pretty heartily right now.  Kansas State made known the details of a ‘secret agreement’ that would dump an extra $3.5 million on a company that Prince created in the case that he would be fired without cause.  This was signed with his contract extension last year by former athletic director, Bob Krause.   Krause resigned because of the situation.  Prince’s lawyer says the lawsuit is without merit, and Prince couldn’t be contacted for comment.  Because you can’t really talk while gut-laughing to the point of puking.   This whole situation makes me want to puke.  Wefald’s legacy is tarnished and K-State as he gave his ‘old friend’ the job in the first place.  What ‘old friend’ keeps this part of the deal secret?  I talked about how much of a dunderhead Krause was when they fired Prince and know we’re seeing just how far and deep his ineptness set the program back.  The Kansas City Star also has filings.  It’s  sad day to be a Wildcat fan.
  • The Big 12 athletic directors (the real ones) met last week and decided to punt the 3 way tiebreaker rule that the coaches passed to them on.  So it seems the rule is here to say, while they open up for more discussion and waffling on the issue.  The chance is so small anyway that once the season starts and ends, people will forget about the unique rule.
  • Meanwhile, the SEC coaches are bickering down in Florida for their annual meeting.   The main mouth work comes from Tennessee’s Lane Kiffin and South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier.   Yes the New Ball Coach versus the Ole Ball Coach.  They are still duking it out over the cheating question Spurrier asked.  The other coaches ducked and it seemed like they were heading to the bars to scope out the chicks or something.  Very strange comradery indeed.  Time to circle the matchup on the schedule.
  • Looks like the Big 12 won’t sit down the officials if they perform poorly.  That’s a shame really because after the last couple of years of bad calls, the Big 12 could use some consequence over there.
  • The Big 12, however, will pay out a record $130 million earned last year in athletic payouts.  It seems being the 2nd best conference in football and having a national champion in basketball helped.  Let’s hope they use that money to make them number 1 in football.
  • The final USA Today coaches poll next year will be anonymous.  Typically that final vote helps to decide who will play in the national title game.  Chances are that’s a good thing for the coaches.  It will help avoid any death threats for deciding votes.

The Crib Sheet: Making Sense of Commencements

Not much happening this week in the ways of college football.  The kids are graduating and commencement speeches are happening all over.   That just means we are a few more months away from some serious college football.  Speaking of the football side of college, some players have left and more of the bigger named ones are coming back.  What does that mean?  A potential repeat of last year’s championship game.   Or Texas might slip in and take on Florida again.  Who knows?  We’ll have our predictions coming up later.  For now, congrats to the graduates as you take a new step into the real world and out of the 4 year party that is college.  The hangover will be real short, trust me.  Here’s this week’s news:

  • Greg Paulus made up his mind and he’s heading to Syracuse to be an Orangemen.  The rumor, along with other rumors and visits,  started when the hype around this guy did.  I’m sure he’ll be happy for a year out in the Big East.  And no, Syracuse doesn’t matter anymore.  He might show some flashes but he’s really just Syracuse’s main recruiting tool now.
  • The guff Big 12 officiating has gotten in the last couple of years may have an old solution, thanks to Nebraska athletic director Tom Osburne.  He wants to introduce and old Big 8 rule to bench officials that are performing poorly.  If the stripes know they could get benched and docked a week’s worth of pay that may help them pay just a little more attention to the action on the field.
  • John Currie is your new Kansas State athletic director.  Straight out of Tennessee, Currie brings some youth and vigor to the position that was briefly held by an internal, pencil pushing, bumbling amateur in Bob Krause.  Hopefully Currie will make his mark when he helps choose Bill Snyder’s successor in a couple of years.
  • The old ball coach in Steve Spurrier is jabbing a spur in the saddle of both his former employer’s coach Urban Meyer and current Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weiss.  Surrier went on radio and seeded the rumor that if Meyer has another big year, he may take over as the head coach in domerland.  We already laid down the ultimatum on Weiss and this little double jab only deepens the severity of Weiss’s challange this year, lest he be heckled by President Obama or they erase his history.  Now whether Meyer will actually do it is another thing because he turned down the offer before.  But if Tim Tebow reigns in another title there may be nowhere else to go for glory.

The Crib Sheet: Black Hole Sun News

Black Hole

So some news outlets are saying that May is the black hole of news for college football.  We here at the KCCGD are diligent in digging up interesting news and actually found enough to fill a column this week.  We’ll weather this storm together and hopefully ride out into June when practices start.   For now let’s do our best to ignore all of this lame-o baseball, weak basketball and hockey playoffs, and a post NFL draft hangover.  Here’s this week’s ration:

  • Holey Toledo!  Some football players including some basketball players from the University of Toledo were indicted on point shaving charges.  Nobody likes to see players go at it light.  Especially if they are getting paid for it.  Okay, I give in.  I just wanted to say Holey Toledo!
  • The Big 12 coaches decided to keep the tie breaking rule.  Huh?  Bo Pelini goes on the comment about how no matter what the 3rd team left out will get the shaft.  Okay, that’s understandable.  Is there a better way to break the tie?  We say rock, paper, scissors.
  • It looks like the Utah Attorney General is trying to push for a Senate run with his latest comments about the BCS.  Let’s look at it from a point of view perspective.  An undefeated team in football and no national title.  They have the right to be upset.  The way they are going about it?  Mmmm not so much.  A more clever way would be to rally support from all the non BCS conferences and begin to push as a whole on the BCS conferences.  If you really wanted to shake their boots, don’t schedule games with them.  Play outside of the BCS.  The BCS conferences would then freak becauces of the lack of weak team warm ups at the beginning of the season.
  • Sam Keller, a football alum from Nebraska, is suing EA Sports and the NCAA for using the likeness of athelets to make money off the games.  This is a hard one to call.  More and more the argument is growing for student-atheletes to be paid for promoting the school through sports.  While there is a pandora’s box of enabling that, surely the least they can do is up the stipend in terms of the scholarship and toss in a couple of Xboxes to boot.
  • ESPN blogger Tim Griffin takes us on a trip to the past and review a lesson taught to us by Mark Mangino of Kansas.  The old quote talks about how Mangino wanted to keep the spirit of the rivalry in tact.  Now that the tables are turned it seems that maybe this rivalry will be alive an well in Manhattan this year.  Snyder and Mangino go at it again.  I was at the game last year and as a Wildcat fan it stung hard.  Now there’s a fresh start and we hope that at the very least it is competitive because Kansas is the definite favorite.
  • So someone is selling a 2005 Rose Bowl ring belonging to former Texas Longhorn lineman Austin Sendlein on eBay, including his 2004 ring.  It looks as though he left it in the hotel room he was staying at in Columbus, Ohio to watch his brother play.  Seems that Buckeye fans don’t take to kindly to Longhorn folk.  Although he did goof and leave it in the hotel room.  Linemen are supposed to be smart.

Mascot Monday: Herbie Husker and Lil Red

Herbie Husker and Lil Red

The whole family’s here this week as we dive deep into the rich lineage of the Nebraska Cornhusker’s mascots. From the various large headed and skinny legged characters to the current duo, we can see that in the state where college football is a professional and state wide spectacle, the spirit that drives the spectacle shows up in the form of some tacky looking mascots.  There is some redemption involved toward the end of this ride, but we still ask, “Do they allow art in Nebraska?”   Let’s take a long hard look at Herbie Husker and Lil Red.

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The Crib Sheet: Oral Fixation

pig_mask__code-1

For some reason this week people are scared of the swine er h2n1 flu.  It’s a flu, usually if you are really young or super old it will hurt you bad.  The oncoming pandemic only points out that yes, the United States is a clean nation.  Thanks to all of the pump bottles of disinfectant gels pushing out the very lifeblood of our safety, we can be fully prepared for a Real American Flu.  Not some cheap Mexican knock off.  So I say, lick and finger everything is sight!  It’s okay!  And while you’re at it, suck on this week’s Crib Sheet:

The Crib Sheet: Does Someone Feel A Draft In Here?

nfl-draft_helmet

It’s a draft frenzy this week for the Crib Sheet.  Weeks after signing day, college football rosters and chopped down when the big ole NFL axe comes to cut away talent for the next level.  Not many surprises in this year’s draft.  We didn’t get caught up in the fanfare this year and all we really did was thumb through the pick run down.  Maybe next year something crazy will happen but for now we’re happy that it’s one more milestone away from the holiest of holy seasons that is college football.  Here’s this week’s news:

  • Looks like Greg Paulus will land in Syracuse next year.  It seems the hometown team exhibited more interest than the Michigan Wolverines did.  So when he lines up for the Orangemen next fall and then fall flat on his face, remember that we called it here.  He should have a shot in NBA when he’s through. But wait!  There’s more!  Lincoln Journal Star reporter Brian Christopherson says Paulus might drop by this week to talk to Huskers.
  • The Topeka local tv station put a post previewing the Kansas State Football season.  The run down pretty much talks about Josh Freeman leaving and some movement of positions for some players.   They have a long way to go and we won’t see them bowl bound for a good 4 years.
  • Colorado QB Tyler Hansen broke his throwing hand thumb at the Buffalo spring game.  He traded snaps with the coach’s kid Cody Hawkins last year.  Whether or not it will affect him later this year we don’t know.  What we do know is that it will affect a Colorado turn around next year.
  • The swell is starting to bubble over on the “Will Bill Snyder turn it around, again?”  question in the sports media.  They’ll review is mutant work ability and then wonder aloud what kind of clean up they have to do after Ron Prince.  Already, the scheduling knock is coming with rumor of Kansas State wanting to bail on their home game against UCLA in 2010.  So for the story to happen again, they need a weak schedule and that’s getting lined up.  But they also need another 6 years from Snyder and he does not have that in him.
  • The NFL Draft was last weekend and ESPN’s Tim Griffin has a nice run down on his Big 12 blog.  The big news around the area is that Mizzou had a record number of players to go, Josh Freeman from Kansas State was nabbed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Kansas was skunked.  Out of all who got drafted, I think Jeremy Maclin will do the best.
  • Are we feeling teh Twitter storm yet?  Apparently big time college football coaches are.  It seems the likes of Ron Zook and Pete Carroll have signed up on the new online trend and are looking to nab some college ball players the ole internet fashion way.  T-minus 1 year before they ban this as well.  If you want to know what the hub bub is follow us at twitter.com/kccgd.
  • Cody Glenn just admitted the suspension he got last year at Nebraska was not for selling tickets.  He won’t give it up but he must’ve done something naughty to keep it quiet between him and Bo Pelini.  We’re not sure if the Washington Redskins care so much after they just drafted him.

The Crib Sheet: The Boys Of Summer Will Soon Be Gone

baseketball

In case you didn’t notice, the professional baseball season is under way.  Isn’t that great!  Just like what Beano Cook says, it just means that the football season is getting closer!  We here at the KCCGD do not cover college baseball but we’re sure it’s really exciting.  If the major leagues didn’t draft all of the real talent first, we’re sure it would be better.  This is the same problem basketball suffers from.  Which we don’t cover too (yet).  At some point, once the staff gets filled out, we’ll cover the more important college sports for the Kansas City area.  Until then, here’s this week’s college football news:

  • The vaunted, Charlie Weiss led, Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football Head Coach, er, Charlie Weiss confirmed that we was thinking about leaving the program.  He asked his family about after weighing options and a major lumping from USC to close out last season.   Last year, they were 7-6.  If they can bump that up a win or two and win the bowl, he should be safe.  If he dips, he’s a goner.
  • Michigan was offering Greg Paulus a chance to vie for quarterback this year.  Paulus, who didn’t even toss a ball around when he was visiting the campus, now has the option to join the graduate program and the football team.  This is turning into a crazy situation.  Is Rich Rodriguez desperate?  Or does he see a golden opportunity.  This story wasn’t done, however.  Paulus skipped the Wolverines and now is visiting both Nebraska and Syracuse.  Good luck to whoever wastes their time on the guy.
  • The Big 12 comes in at number 3 in terms of attendance broken out by conference last year.  It’s a 3% jump whereas number 1 SEC grew by about 2% and number 2 Big 10 dropped by about 1%.  It looks like that trend may continue next year, which will keep this writer happy and bring hope to eventually passing the Big 10 in attendance.
  • Oklahoma can’t surf the internet as much, due to NCAA voliations and a new policy from the administration.  If you are an Oklahoma Sooner, athlete or alumni, this site is safe to use.  Tell your friends and family.  We are So0ner friendly.  Kinda.
  • Colby Whitlock from Texas Tech gives major props to wrestling, as Tim Griffin writes.  As a former high school football player/wrestler I can attest to how much more an athlete can gain by participating a wrestling.  Balance, speed, and endurance will raise up, which is important for the the fat middle guys like myself.  The actual wrestling part I didn’t like, but the condition part was great.
  • The Mountain West Commissioner did a song and dance to argue for the proposed playoff structure for the BCS.  It seems Utah won’t let this go.  Hopefully a nice little press release will send this one away.  Methinks it won’t go, but one can hope.

The Crib Sheet: Easter Football Egg Hunt

easter_football

We were starting to get worried here at the Crib Sheet that this week’s news would be weak.  Wednesday rolled around and we were totally saved.  Perhaps Easter had something to do with the slow news over the weekend.  This week we sift through some practices and look at some red tape a danglin’ around.  Here we go:

  • Bo Pelini is spitting out chewing gum again in Lincoln.  He’s fired up after a bad practice and is telling everyone on the block about it.  It seems to work fine up there as Nebraska is turning the corner and it’s nice to see some passion from a coach when you’re living with the Pinkel/Mangino/Snyder non speak on a daily basis.
  • Mike Leach is a definite oddball and his practice tactics are proving it.  Making players study on the field in the snow and some high balancing is unique enough.  Still I’m not sure if it will work this year after losing Michael Crabtree.
  • Glen Winston is going to jail for 6 months for kicking the tar out of fellow Michigan State athlete A. J. Sturges.  I thought hockey players were supposed to be tough?  I guess not.  Then again, he was up against Winston and Michael White from the football team.  Two football players > one hockey player.
  • Texas is trying to lure the College Football Hall of Fame away from South Bend, Indiana.  Both Dallas and Arlington have put together proposals to build a hall as well as convention center in support of the move.  Traditionally Notre Dame is king for football but recent years have shown the Fighting Irish’s prominence waning.  Now is a good time to snatch the hall, especially in a state where people eat, sleep, and crap football.
  • Other universities are interested in Kansas Atheltic Director Lou Perkins and the Jayhawks are willing to pay up to keep him.   That makes sense.  The guy produced a national champion basketball team and built and honest to goodness football team down there in Lawrence.  So another $750,000 goes to Lou.  I’m sure it will eat into Mark Mangino’s Ho Ho fund.
  • Bill Snyder still has no clue who’s gonna quarterback the Kansas State Wildcats.  It’s a tough job to replace the overrated Josh Freeman.  Chances are we’ll see all three start next season and the one who does a better job with the option will get the nod.
  • Legal documents stuffed in the AP’s pocket show that the Missouri Tigers officials and staff failed to follow proper steps to keep Aaron O’Neil from collapsing and eventually dieing back in 2005.  The director of sports medicine for the athletic department apparently even rejected suggestions from concerned players to check up on O’Neil.  Yet another example of the Tigers dropping the ball, off the field even.
  • Former Duke basketballer Greg Paulus, after trying out for the Green Bay Packers, sat down with Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez to explore the possibility of using his one year of eligibility to play college football.  So the Rich must be feeling the heat already because even the Duke football doesn’t want him.  Both Paulus and Rodriguez are starting to look a little silly here.