The College Football thread

“boy...that for sure is the reason Cousins shouldn't date.”

“The mother, stepfather and brother of former USC tailback Reggie Bush lived last year in a new $750,000 home owned by a man who hoped to represent their soon-to-be-professional son … ."

“Adrian Peterson, the Oklahoma running back and runner-up for the 2004 Heisman Trophy, secured a financing agreement and drove a luxury car for several weeks last winter but then returned it … ."

“Former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett told ESPN The Magazine that coach Jim Tressel, his staff and school boosters arranged for him to get passing grades, money for bogus summer jobs, thousands of dollars in cash and loaner cars … ."

“Kentucky basketball star Randolph Morris received more than $7,000 from nine NBA teams for expenses related to tryouts. NCAA legislation states that summer tryouts are permitted, but that student-athletes may not receive expenses or other payment from NBA teams … ."

At some point, it all runs together in a sort of white noise. Stories of this sort pop up fairly regularly and are debated in a sort of cursory fashion by television’s talking heads, in between their interminable debates over what the NFL should do about Terrell Owens or how, precisely, Barry Bonds’ head got to be so big. No one pays much attention to the college stories, since everyone knows that things will get resolved and the star players in college will keep playing, or they will move on with no significant penalty to their school. So no one listens intently to such reports any more.

No one except people in Alabama, that is.

One clarification is in order here. When the media talks about “Alabama fans," there is a tendency to speak as if all Alabama fans hold the same opinions, or share a common position on issues like the recent NCAA infractions case. That tendency was illustrated in the Logan Young post-mortem, with certain viewpoints characterized as “what Alabama fans think." The fact is, I wrote one column about Young, and it attracted responses that ranged from “the best article I ever read" to one thoughtful treatise on moral relativism to a couple that characterized it (in the words of one e-mail) as “ridiculous sentimental tripe." All that broad range of opinion came from people who, I presume, are Alabama fans.

So with that said, when I say people are perplexed about what’s going on in the above cases, I don’t mean the hard-core, Alabama-didn’t-do-anything NCAA haters. Those people are out there, but issues like the Bush/Peterson/Clarett/Morris cases don’t confuse them.

They simply see it all as added confirmation of their belief that the NCAA hates Alabama and acts only in whatever way will cause maximum consternation for the Crimson Tide.

That’s not the group of fans I’m talking about right now. I’m talking about a group that, by and large, doesn’t want to eternally relive the past. This group accepts that Alabama athletics, for better or worse, must exist in an NCAA-governed universe, and they just want to understand how best to get along under those circumstances. But these people look at Adrian Peterson and want to know how his situation -- getting a luxury car from a booster, driving it around for a while and then returning it -- constitutes “no violation" (at least in Oklahoma’s self-report) when Travis Carroll getting an easy-credit deal on a junker is somehow a “major violation." They want to know how Antonio Langham signing a cocktail napkin somehow results in 11 forfeited games, while Reggie Bush’s parents getting use of a house turns out to be no big deal.

To be fair, the final NCAA word on Bush and Peterson hasn’t come out yet, though it’s pretty easy to predict what the harvest will be. There was never really a ruling on Clarett -- after all, the guy didn’t return his cell-phone messages. And the NCAA made a bold statement on Morris, suspended him for a year and then, predictably, backed off in time to let him participate for the full SEC season.

That’s just great for the student-athletes and the schools involved. Personally, I don’t want to see Randolph Morris or Adrian Peterson banned from college sports or see Ohio State or USC hammered with crippling sanctions.

On the other hand, I do wish I had answers to some legitimate questions. Why are these issues handled the way they are? Specifically, where are the two-year investigations, the secret witnesses, the hyper-aggressive stance that turned Carroll’s clunking car into a violation? Where has all of Tom Yeager’s bellicose rhetoric gone?

Unfortunately, no ready answer is available. About all that can be said is that NCAA “rules" aren’t really “rules," more like “suggestions" that are imposed arbitrarily, if at all, and with no regard whatsoever for the concept of “precedent." That’s not a very reassuring answer for people who honestly want to make order out of the chaos of college athletics, but it’s the only one that suggests itself. The wise course of action seems to be to lie low, play the political game vigorously, deny everything and, if pushed by the media into a corner where denial no longer works, respond with a wide-eyed impression of Claude Rains in Casablanca.

“I am shocked … shocked … that agents exist in college sports! I am shocked that boosters might bend the rules! Shocked!"

It sounds silly, but it seems to work pretty effectively. As for the hard questions that arise, the best answer, sadly, seems to be “don’t ask."

Cecil Hurt is Sports Editor of The Tuscaloosa News. Reach him at cecil.hurt@tuscaloosanews.com or at (205) 722-0225”

“ROLL TIDE........DIE HARD BAMA FAN”

“I just received my season ticket seat assignment for the upcoming Stanford season in the new stadium (under construction - see stanfordstadium.com for some great webcam shots of the construction). They're shrinking the size from 85,000 (was the largest privately-owned stadium in the country, I think) down to about 50,000. As a small university, and one that does not threaten to win any national championships, the 50,000 capacity is more reasonable. I had concerns that I might not get good seats, but did indeed end up with pretty good ones. I'll be on about the 35 yard line about 2/3 of the way up the 2nd level. The seats in the new stadium will be actual seats instead of the benches that were in the old stadium. Should be a fun season this fall....”

“I'm glad you're excited about college football season Bowlder.

I've never heard of shrinking a stadium. Heck, we turn out 50,000 fans for our spring practice game.

That renovation sounds interesting. I'll bet they make it much nicer for the folks who really want to be there. Seats!!! And you've got great seats!!! They pack us in like sardines. But, no matter how you watch, it’s all about enjoying the game.

GET PSYCHED!!!”

“Hi arc! Yeah, stadium shrinkage, hmmmm.

When you only have about 7,000 undergrads, most of whom scatter across the country for jobs and grad school, there's a pretty small fan base to begin with (not too many alums live here). Contrast that with our arch-rival (and, technically, also an alma mater of mine) Cal, which has around 25,000 undergrads, most of whom are from California and stay in California after graduating, well, you can see why they're not shrinking their stadium for their renovation.

Actually, both universities' programs also suffer from being located in an area where there are two pro football teams and countless other sports and other things to do. College football is fun to go to as an activity (I've had season tickets continuously since my freshman year almost 30 years ago), but doesn't rate very high on most Bay Area residents' priority lists, even for people who went to either place....”

“At Tennessee, we have 50,000 standing in the street that can't get tickets into the 105,000 capacity stadium.”

“Yeah well Tennessee has a real football team”

“Actually last time Auburn was at Neylan there were about 80 thousand empty seats half way through the 3rd quarter. I never knew 100 thousand people could be so quiet as they were that game.”

“Bowlder, Stanford's sports program has been incredible for years. They won the All-Sports Trophy again this year, huh? It may not be big, but it has pretty good quality across the board.

They've kicked us in women's tennis a few times.


I love to dis' stuff as the obnoxious sports fan but one thing I truly love is when fans remain loyal to a program that usually finishes in the middle of the pack. THAT'S what college tradition is all about.

We waited a long time for that basketball championship this year. UCLA...Florida...UCLA...Florida...winning tradition...a history of mediocrity.

GO GATORS!




And then there's Rutgers. You've really got to have a strong stomach to be a Rutgers fan.”

“Yeah... it takes a strong stomach to root for the team that brought us college football.

Our stadium currently holds 42,000 but they are studying expanding it with the recent success of the team. It is very scenic with one open end overlooking the Raritan River.

I can't even imagine a 105,000 seat stadium. It must be awesome.

It will be so sweet to beat the Gators. With the current trend lines, that day shouldn't be long from now. I promise to be completely unbearable when that happens.”

“The latest word on the former "Sears Cup" (now called something else) is that UCLA and Texas have a shot at dethroning Stanford. A big plus for SU is that the baseball team made it into the tourney, so we won't get shut out there.

I like Stanford football because, despite their perennial mediocrity, they seem to be able to pull some big upset almost every year - makes it fun....”

“Our stadium expansion should be finished in a month or so putting our cap at around 92K”

““Yeah well Tennessee has a real football team”


Let's just let that puppy hang there for future reference. Everybody bookmark this date.




I love what Schiano has done, and is doing, at Rutgers. And Brian Leonard is a complete classs act. People like that should provide great leadership to build from. Rutgers history, it really doesn't get any better...

UNLESS YOU ENJOY WINNING!




Those upsets are fun, Bowlder. The Pac has had lots of potential for upsets lately, except for USC. It makes for some interesting games.




Too bad you won't get to sit in that stadium when Bama plays Florida this year, Day.”

“Well, it serves coach Shula and Bama right! Tyrone Prothro will sit out 2006 after suffering a season ending injury against Florida, in the fourth quarter, last year.

What was Shula thinking keeping Prothro in the game in the fourth quarter? I’ll tell you what… HE WAS RUNNING UP THE SCORE!

EVERYONE knows that you never keep playing your starters during the fourth quarter of a game that is well in hand.

This is disgusting behavior, and all emotionally uncontrollable sports fans should rightly get their panties in a wad over this classless lack of sportsmanship.




WHAT? There’s no quarterback controversy? It seems that many teams in the SEC are undecided about their quarterback but somehow it’s not a huge controversy this year. Have the sports writers all lost their collective backbone?






Hey, if only someone would give me the job, I could create as much stupid controversy as any sports writer in the country. Only I’d spread my emotional bile evenly over all coaches and programs…

…there’s obviously a market for it.”

“I love this time of the year. My Wolfpack has just as good a claim on the NC as the Gators or Texas or anyone else. Then the season starts and well, there goes that theory.”

“LOL....I remember in the 1980's when SMU got the death penalty (um Texas did the exact same thing and got 26 scholarships taken) the next year they put out a shirt that on the front said "SMU FOOTBALL" and had a shilouette of a horse HOOVES up the back said "UNDEFEATED"”

“Notice how Dayhiker, knowing he doesn’t have a moral leg to stand on, won’t even comment on Shula’s and Bama’s evil intentions.




LOL, Hyway. Yeah the preseason hype is pretty much just that. But it's fun to hear the pundits pontificate.

It’s still not fair to talk until we get a playoff. We’ll still find something to argue over, even if we do get a playoff, but it’ll be closer to a real test.


Florida plays EIGHT bowl teams this year. Oh yeah, PLUS Tennessee which didn’t go to a bowl last year for the first time in forever. If it’s not the toughest schedule in the nation (and it’s rated that way by some), it’s tougher than almost everyone else’s.

Florida will be lucky to survive Alabama, LSU, and Auburn in three consecutive weeks. I don’t see us going undefeated through that. That’s a huge intensity level to continually maintain.




The NC is a pipe dream unless you’ve got a pansy schedule like USC or Notre Dame.”

“I am torn on the issue of a playoff system. There is no question that until we have one that naming any team the National Champion is arbitrary, but what will a playoff system do to the NCAA. Unless you go to a 16 team playoff system you are still allowing the polls and the computers to have a too heavily weighted impact on who goes and who stays. And what about the chance that a conference champion might be out while the 2nd place team in that conference is in. And then there is the loss of bowl games for the also ran teams that are a staple of college football now. I know that perennial top 10 don't care about the minor bowls or non top 20 teams, but I assure you the rest of the NCAA does.

What I see happening if a playoff system is established is a new league forming, and I don't mean a junior league in the NCAA. The NCAA will be left with the elite of the football world and nothing else. A snob league, as it were.”

“It's apparent that any playoff system would still have a subjective component.




There are always flaws involved. But a playoff would still be better than what exists now. You’ll never be able to make it perfect, but why should that stop us from making it better? Status-quo inaction is not the answer.

I can see an obvious, and probably unavoidable, flaw: Take USC and their schedule. They can afford to rest their starters after they have a comfortable lead on some of those cream-puff teams. A team like Florida will be lucky to avoid major injuries during a two-week stretch that includes Bama, LSU, and Auburn. The intensity level required to maintain that two-week stretch is high (to say the least). The physical and mental fatigue factors alone make injury more likely.

So a team like USC has a better chance of arriving in the playoffs with more experienced backups and fewer injuries.

That’s only one flaw. But this subjective voting is absurd. Ohio St. can win every game it plays, lose to Michigan by one point, and lose out on a major bowl. That’s highly unlikely, but still possible under this current system. Every year it stinks. Every year there are complaints. And every year we are paralyzed into inaction.

It is the ONLY sport without a playoff…NUFF SAID!

...remember George Mason!”

“Somehow, in Tennessee, a college football playoff is about the last thing on our mind this year.

Anything short of 9 and 3 and Phil might need some moving help.....of course with his $4.5M buyout, I guess he could keep the house here and still get another on the beach somewhere.”

“I'm in the wrong business. I wonder if there is a school that would let me be their football coach? Hey, here we go!



Think of it! A virtual football team. All the fat kids could play, no overheating at practices and you can eat while you play!”

“*Sigh*

My poor poor DAWGS........

I hope we can win maybe 2 or 3 games this year.

I've given up on Croon.”

““Yeah well Tennessee has a real football team”

XL400236
6:47:44 PM
5/30/06




Chili, it would appear that somebody has more confidence than you. Remember, I bookmarked that puppy.

It may have been a mistake on my part. I see where the Sporting News picks the GATORS to loose that game.

Don't you love the pundits?”

“New stadium is coming right along - looks like it will be ready for the 9/16 game vs. Navy:

http://stanfordstadium.com/webcam/webcam1/

My seats (in this view) are in the 5th full height sideline section from the left, right about at the level of the upper tunnel accesses. I think I'll be between the 30 & 35 yard line....”

“Very nice, Bolwder. It looks very intimate.

Kentucky's stadium doesn't hold a lot of people but it's got a great feel and good views...

...and you don't need supplimental oxygen to reach your seats.”

“Carter Finley, home of the Wolfpack, has had extensive renovations in the last few years. Its looking top notch and now we have the whole thing bowled in”

“Real football teams don't wear flourescent orange uniforms.

Real football teams wear

”

“pot stickers on their helmets?”

“


last edited: 8/02/06 9:15:15 AM”

“Q: What's the difference between a Michigan fan and a carp?
A: One is a bottom-feeding, scum sucker, and the other is a fish.

Q: Why don't Michigan fans let their kids play in sand boxes?
A: Because cats keep covering them up.

Q: Why do Michigan fans keep their diplomas on their dashboards?
A: So they can park in handicap spaces.

Q: What do you call a good looking girl on the University of Michigan campus?
A: A visitor.

Q: What should you do if you find three Michigan fans buried up to their neck in cement?
A: Get more cement.

Q: What do you get when you cross a Michigan fan and a pig?
A: Nothing. There's some things that a pig will not do.

Q: Did you hear about the University of Michigan fan who locked his keys in his car?
A: He couldn't get his family out.

Q: Did you hear about the fire in University of Michigan's football dorm that destroyed 20 books?
A: The real tragedy was that 15 hadn't been colored yet.

Q: How many University of Michigan freshmen does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None, it's a sophomore course.

Q. How do you get a Michigan grad off your doorstep?
A. Pay for the pizza.


last edited: 8/02/06 9:19:46 AM”

“ SRC="”

“the kid deserved it... lol”

“BB must have went to Ohio State School of HTML. A Wolverine would have been able to get it right. Hell, grade school kids in Michigan could of gotten it right.























btw- visors are gay.”

“I've been trying to find a video link to the clip of Bama's player tackling a Rice player on his way to a TD in the 195x Cotton Bowl. The Bama player was on the sideline and just clotheslined the Rice player.”

“Rice in the Cottonbowl. Things must have been a lot different back then.”

“maybe somebody was getting married chili?”

“Ohio St. fight song:

"If you're goin' to San...Fran...Sisco. Make sure to wear some flowers in your hair."




Talk about a gay thing to do to a uniform. And it's ugly too. Ohio St. is a close second to Bama for ugly uniforms.”

“But, like, pot leafs on your helmet is, like, so kewl man.”

“U of Florida got thier color palette from a trailer home interior designs, congrats.”

“And enough people like trailer park chic, that they used the same color scheme. Take, for example the Super Bowl champion, Denver Broncos. Or the World Series champion Miracle Mets.



Meanwhile, nobody has imitated Ohio St. because it reminds everyone of prison uniforms; prison uniforms designed by burned out hippies.

And isn’t prison what Ohio St. is all about? Did Ohio St. get enough donations from its work release employed boosters to provide enough bail to field a team this year?”

“The NCS Wolfpack will have 2 exceptional runners this fall.

A playoff of 64 teams would be great starting about Thanksgiving and wrapping up just after New Years.
last edited: 8/03/06 6:40:11 AM”

“arc - I think you're confusing the inmate team ref with UT.”

“ls, we had the same great runners last year but our qb play was so iffy that our high flying offense that Philip Rivers ran so well struggled bad in the 1st half of the season. With a 2-4 record we changed qb's went to a straight up running game and went 4-1 for the rest of the season to finish 7-5 (counting the bowl win). That a sucky record, but after the 2-4 start it felt like a super bowl victory :)”

“What type of people are Ohio State fans? Just watch this news report and see if you can spot the buckeye? (Hint 1:40) It's also a great example of the liberal Cleveland are residence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOc-N6475mY&search=masturbating%20library”

“LOL, he did look like he had buck eyes while in the act”

“I'm not sure, dayhiker, but I think Tennessee is all about jail and Ohio St. is all about prison. I may have that backwards though.”

“dayhiker... we went to the university of alabama under the hill gang atlanta association tonight. it was a football kick off party.”

“We, as in Opie went? Was he wearing orange? I'll bet it was fun.

Shula is supposed to speak to our Red Elephant Booster Club this season. I don't have a date though, but that will be a good one.”