Kate Walsh Autumn Reeser Camilla Belle Blu Cantrell Jaime King
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Lockout update: The real story behind $320 million in lost 2010 benefits
As we detailed Sunday, one of the final outstanding issues between the owners and players in the ongoing work stoppage everyone hopes will end this week is the $320 million in lost benefits that weren't paid out in the uncapped year of 2010. We've had several questions from readers regarding how those benefits were lost ? after all, it's tough to lose that much money under a seat cushion on the couch ? and Yahoo! Sports has learned that the source of the requested restitution of benefits is less about pure cash and more about actual unfunded benefits.
There were specific benefits in capped years that owners were beholden to pay to players in capped seasons, per the old collective bargaining agreement. When the league turned to an uncapped year in 2010, and revisions to the overall compensation structure were made, benefits lapsed in several different sectors. For coaches, this meant that their 401(k) plans would no longer be funded ? and that move was made by an owner vote in May of 2009. For players, 401(k) funding as well as other similar benefits ? tuition reimbursement, supplemental health plans, and other obligations that would have been set in a capped season ? were off the table for 2010.��
In addition, the loss of performance-based pay as a benefit was huge for both sides ? it prevented many players with low base salaries from earning bonuses based on participation as they had in previous years, and it allowed the owners to pocket at least an additional $100 million dollars in 2010. In 2009, total performance-based pay totaled over $109 million, according to Football Outsiders salary cap expert Brian McIntyre.
Many of the league's best young players received extra benefits based on performance over base salary ? $282,000 to Atlanta Falcons cornerback Brent Grimes, $294,000 to Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Geno Hayes, $301,000 to Green Bay Packers guard Josh Sitton, $304,000 to San Francisco 49ers safety Dashon Goldson, $306,000 to Seattle Seahawks linebacker David Hawthorne, and $317,000 to New Orleans Saints guard Carl Nicks. Losing those kinds of incentives for 2010 was bad news for players like Houston Texans running back Arian Foster, who's set to make $480,000 base salary in 2011 despite leading the NFL in rushing last season.
In the new proposed salary cap structure, it's estimated that there will be approximately $20 million in benefits per team above the $120 million cap, and that's been standard operating procedure in previous capped seasons ? player costs actually consist of cap spending as well as benefits and other ancillary expenditures. As the NFLPA goes through that series of line items, and both sides wish to move forward with the idea that everyone's able to proceed as if this little work stoppage never happened, reconciling those lost benefits would seem to be a wise move.
It's also been our speculation in the recent past that with Judge David Doty set to rule on damages in the lockout insurance case, the owners might be happy to pay those lost benefits as part of a global settlement that would cause Doty's ruling to be far less a factor. The owners were caught trying to strong-arm television networks into giving them guaranteed broadcast and digital rights fees ? all the better to fund an extended work stoppage ? and Doty held the approximately $4 billion received in escrow while he considered damages.
The judge who has generally ruled in favor of the players over the last 20 years has been quiet while negotiations continue, but he could drop a nine-figure hammer at any time that could further complicate the process, and benefit payments could be the one thing that could ease that transition.
Shiri Appleby Kelly Hu Michelle Rodriguez Mena Suvari Georgina Grenville
Monday, July 18, 2011
Amazon offers up to 80% off digital textbook rentals
Amazon has gone and done all the college students out there a solid with a new savings program for textbooks. Amazon is offering students 80% off the price of any print textbook as a digital rental on the Kindle. That means you can get your books in digital format, save a ton of loot, and [...]
Malin Akerman Melissa Joan Hart Bianca Kajlich Giulianna Ramirez Ashley Greene
Standing room only tickets for Oregon-LSU cost more than for a Cowboys game
Tickets for the "Cowboys Stadium Classic" between LSU and Oregon are sold out, but Friday, the Cowboys plan to release standing room only seats.
If you're willing to pay nearly double what you would for a Cowboys standing room only ticket.
That's right, the Cowboys are taking advantage of the demand and charging $50 for a "spirit pass," which is a fancy name for a ticket that gets you in the door and access to the six decks located in the end zones of the stadium. Of course, it's first come, first served, so there's no telling whether you'll actually see the game on the field or be stuck watching the contest on the giant scoreboard, but hey, it's the experience, right?
To be fair, $50 spirit passes were also sold for last year's Cotton Bowl between LSU and Texas A&M.
A quick call to the Cowboys ticket office confirmed that a standing room only ticket for a regular-season Cowboys game for the upcoming season (if a season exists) would be about $29, though the price hasn't been set.
"If it's not $29, it should be around that for this season," Chase, the ticket salesman, said.
Tickets for the Cowboys Stadium Classic were originally sold for $50 for students all the way up to $250 for club seats and access to the field level club.
While this is one of the best games on college football's early slate, not sure it's worth $50 to cram yourself into a small, crowded area, watch the scoreboard and here the roar of the crowd. You could get the same experience at a sports bar and the beers are probably cheaper.
Ali Larter Angelina Jolie Erica Leerhsen Angela Marcello Paz Vega
Motorola Triumph Hands-On
I received a little surprise yesterday from FedEx and it just so happened to be the Motorola Triumph that is headed to Virgin Mobile. The Triumph was first announced back in June, we were live in NYC for some hands-on time. For a little recap this is the Motorola Triumph and it’s headed to Virgin [...]
Cheryl Burke Olivia Wilde Paulina Rubio Kirsten Dunst Vanessa Minnillo
Case Keenum will get his stats. But what about Houston?s other unfinished business?
Part of Mid-Major Week.
Far be it from the NCAA, in all its dispassionate wisdom, to play favorites with the fate of its own record book at stake. But when it decided in January to grant Houston quarterback Case Keenum's request for a medical hardship, the announcement might as well have come with condolence notes to Timmy Chang and Graham Harrell and a gallon of whiteout for the publishing department: With a sixth year of eligibility, Keenum is a mere 3,486 yards and 27 touchdowns shy of the career records currently owned by Chang and Harrell, after posting totals in 2008 and 2009 that make that gap look like a short hop over a puddle. If his reconstructed knee holds up, both records will be his long before Thanksgiving.
In other words, Keenum has managed to hit the cosmic "Reset" button, picking up the game almost exactly where he left off last summer, before he was felled by a season-ending knee injury in the Cougars' third game. Then, as now, he was expected to smash every record in sight by force of sheer volume. Then, as now, he was widely expected to lead Houston back to the Conference USA title game in December. Then, as now, he faced the doubts about whether he deserves to be considered anything more than another "system" quarterback lucky enough to play in an offense that keeps the pedal to the floor against inferior defenses.
And then, as now, he can only answer the skeptics with the championship that's eluded him to date.
In the first place, Keenum puts it in the air a lot ?�he averaged more than 45 passes per game in 2008 and more than 50 in 2009 ?�and a disproportionate number of those throws are of the "long handoff" variety: Short, high-percentage bubble screens, swing passes, slants and quick hitches designed to move the chains with run-after-catch yards, a system tailor-made for a smart guy with a less-than-spectacular arm. Keenum's average completion in '09 covered 11.2 yards, which might qualify as "average" if you're being generous. In the second place, his outrageous numbers came largely under the watch of ex-offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, a former Mike Leach prot�g� who proved last year at Oklahoma State ?�and hopes to prove again as the new head coach at West Virginia ?�that there isn't a Division I quarterback he can't turn into a star.
Outside of the system, Keenum has been made to look like a mere mortal in each of his last four appearances against teams that aren't Texas State. Coming off the regular season from hell in 2009, he subsequently served up three picks to underdog East Carolina in a 38-32 loss in the Conference USA Championship Game, followed by a six-interception effort against Air Force in a straight-up meltdown in the Armed Forces Bowl. Before his injury last year, he failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time in 31 games in a blowout win over UTEP and was hounded into two more picks in the first half of an eventual loss at UCLA. Altogether, Keenum tossed twice as many interceptions in those four games (12) as touchdowns (6), and has dropped his last four starts outside of Robertson Stadium.
Not that any of those points will keep him from his records, or from lifting Houston back into the black against a shootout-friendly schedule that fails to include a single team ? not one ?�that finished in the top 40 nationally last year in total or scoring defense. (Outside of reigning West Division champ SMU, no other D on the upcoming slate even finished among the top 60 by either measure.) After an opening-day visit from UCLA, the next nine weeks should be like shooting fish in a barrel, and the only reason to stop there is the shaky assumption that a veteran SMU outfit will bring some semblance of D to Space City on Nov. 19.
If not, Keenum may not face a respectable defense until the C-USA title game, or even the bowl game. Conceivably, he could go the entire season without coming across a single opponent that rises to the level of "competent" against the pass. That's very, very good news for the box score, and for Houston's championship ambitions�if its own defense holds up in the face of a few equally smoldering attacks from the likes of East Carolina, SMU and Tulsa. (See: Brennan, Colt, circa 2007.)
It also means there are no excuses for the kind of struggles that derailed a banner season two years ago. If the Cougars aren't playing for some hardware on the first weekend in December, the red carpet into the record books is going to come with one very bitter pill at the end.
- - -
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
Diora Baird Laura Prepon Ashley Scott Michelle Behennah Julie Benz
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Verizon pairs Cisco Cius business tablet with 4G LTE
Cisco’s Cius Android tablet still hasn’t actually made it to market – last we heard, July 31 was the big day – but already the enterprise-friendly company is talking about alternative versions. Latest to get the nod is a Verizon 4G model that will use the carrier’s LTE network, though bizarrely it won’t do so [...]
Whitney Port Minka Kelly Carol Grow Erika Christensen Emilie de Ravin
Mike Leach memoir: ?My biggest regret was not cutting Adam James?
Mike Leach, love him or hate him, has never been afraid to say what's on his mind.
That's why his new book, "Swing Your Sword: Leading the charge in football and life" is one of the most anticipated sports genre releases this year.
And Leach, the former coach of Texas Tech, doesn't disappoint.
He gave Sports Illustrated a taste of the book to whet the whistle of those who want to know what really went down with receiver Adam James, who was responsible for getting Leach fired from Tech and basically blacklisted from the college football head coaching ranks.
Leach talked about James' recruitment and how several assistant coaches disagreed with offering him a scholarship. He talked about how James, who is still at Tech, rode the coattails of his father's influence and thought that was enough to get him playing time.
"My biggest regret was not cutting Adam James," Leach wrote. "I kept hoping he'd develop a work ethic."
James didn't get along with two position coaches -- Dana Holgorsen and Lincoln Riley -- and often would lollygag through practice and laughed at punishments.
But it was James' final punishment that ended up costing Leach his job. In initial reports, James said Leach locked him in an electrical closet as punishment for coming to practice in street clothes. James complained of a concussion and wore sunglasses because he said he was sensitive to light. Leach told team trainer Steve Pincock to place him somewhere dark.
Three days later, on December 17, Adam James again displayed his contempt for team rules and the coaching staff. He arrived at practice twenty minutes late, in street clothes, wearing sunglasses. He said he had a concussion. The team physician acknowledged that James had a mild concussion and limited him from physical activity until he was symptom free. The team policy dictated that all players, including injured players, attend practice in practice attire and participate in the manner permissible given the nature of their injury.
According to Steve Pincock, the team trainer, James was "walking the field" in an indifferent way. James was wearing street clothes and had a baseball cap on backwards, which, injured or not, he knew was against team rules. I asked Pincock why Adam wasn't dressed appropriately for practice. Pincock said he didn't know. This was the first he'd seen him because Adam was late. I asked him why Adam was wearing sunglasses. Pincock said Adam's eyes were sensitive to light because he had a concussion. I told Pincock to remove James from the field since he wasn't dressed properly, was late, and had a bad attitude while the rest of the team was practicing hard. I told Pincock to put him somewhere dark and have him do something.
At no point did I say to lock him in a room. I never told Pincock what he should do with Adam beyond getting him off the field and putting him somewhere dark since his eyes were sensitive to light.
Months later, when Adam James was deposed under oath, he said he found the incident "funny" and that he did not believe that I should have been fired. In fact, he texted his father about the incident while in the equipment garage because he thought he would "like" it, since they both have the same sense of humor.
Leach goes on to explain that James' father, Craig James, an ESPN analyst, called multiple people on the Texas Tech food chain claiming that his son had been locked in the electrical closet for three hours. He demanded Leach be fired.
According to Pincock's statement, he specifically told James not to go into the electrical closet by the media room. James admitted under oath that he ignored Pincock's instructions. He admitted that he let himself into that closet and that he shot a video -- a video that would start a firestorm of allegations -- because he thought it was funny.
Leach said he refused to sign a letter admitting wrongdoing and was ultimately fired despite assurances that that would not be the case.
While the Adam James section is one of the more compelling parts of the book, it isn't the entire book. The story chronicles Leach's path to coaching through law school, his unorthodox coaching traits and a look at his Texas Tech career outside of the scandal that ended it.
Since the Adam James incident, Leach has had little luck securing another head coaching position. Maryland interviewed him, but former Connecticut coach Randy Edsall got the job. Leach is living in Key West waiting for that next head coaching position.
Kelly Rowland Danica Patrick Josie Maran Leighton Meester Dominique Swain
iUsers lets jailbroken iPads have multiple user accounts
There are a lot of things that many iPad users wish their iPad could do that Apple doesn’t allow. Some of the things are very basic like user accounts. My kids like to use my iPad more than I do and each time I give it to my son for instance, he ends up asking [...]
The Shutdown Corner Interview: Steve Smith, Pt. 2
Steve Smith has been one of the best receivers of his generation, and he's done that with perhaps the least amount of help any elite receiver has had in the last decade. Among the quarterbacks who have thrown to him, there's been just one Pro Bowl season (Jake Delhomme, 2005), and never a complementary receiver of note since Mushin Muhammad went to Chicago after the 2004 season. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers just in time for their 1-15 season in 2001, and he was the team's offensive catalyst in the following half-decade, when the franchise almost won one Super Bowl and came up a game short of going to another.
In recent years, Smith's challenges have been different, but similar in some ways ? after a number of personnel misfires from the Panthers' front office, the team finished 2-14 in 2010 and John Fox, the most successful coach in team history, left for the Denver Broncos. If he stays with the Panthers in 2011, Smith will be in line to catch passes from three different primary quarterbacks in three seasons ? from Delhomme, to Jimmy Clausen, to first overall pick Cam Newton. Smith still has it on the field, but the stats don't always tell the story because the guys throwing to him have been a mixed bag in recent years.
But when we recently talked to Smith about his offseason and a host of other things, the main focus was about the off-field challenges he's been facing. In the first part of this two-part conversation, we started out by talking about his recent work with Powerade, and then, things got deep. In part 1 of our talk, Steve talked about his wife's recent health scare and the transitional nature of the Panthers' recent moves. In the conclusion, Steve discusses his former head coach, talks more about the Panthers, and reflects on regrets and legacies.
Shutdown Corner: Are you a mentor to those young receivers on your team? Because you've got some guys on that team with some talent to climb up the depth chart in the right kind of system. Is that a role you take on?
Steve Smith: People have said that 'Steve's not the type of player you want mentoring young guys,' but I mentor guys. I try to be a good influence. I give them my input when they ask, and sometimes, I give them my input when they don't ask. Sometimes, I just sit on the side and watch. I think that a lot of times, people judge a mentor by how well that person [he's mentoring] does.
They say, 'Look how he handled this guy or that guy,' but the one thing I do know in Carolina is that there are two receivers linked to me who mentored me. The first was Ricky Proehl, a good friend who's now on the Panthers' coaching staff. And then, Mushin Muhammad. The reason Mushin Muhammad is considered a great mentor is why? You look at his understudy -- his apprentice, which was me. I'm not considered a good leader because, who are my understudies?
SC: That's true to a point, but you can only meet someone halfway.
SS: I think I meet people a little more than halfway. But I guess that because of production, or lack of production for a couple years prior to this year, I get that. And I take that ? whether I'm a mentor by people's perceptions or not, there are still a lot of guys on the team and in the league that I talk to and answer their questions. But I don't really worry about what people say about me being a mentor because of somebody's production. If that's all you're going to use to value somebody as a mentor, I think that's very shallow. I think people should talk to the people I try to help if I'm a good mentor or not.
SC: You were there from the end of the George Seifert era in 2001, when the team went 1-15, and through the beginning of the John Fox era, where the Panthers made the Super Bowl just two years later. What was it about that team that allowed such a turnaround, and are those aspects present in the current Carolina team looking to rebound from 2010's 2-14 season?
SS: I mean, that's a hard question, because there are a lot of things that went into those couple of years that we haven't been able to do right now [because of the lockout] ? just to see where everyone is. It's one thing to go and run routes against air; that's great. But you see how a guy really responds when you've got Charles Johnson banging heads with you. To see how a guy responds in the heat of battle. Nobody's gotten the opportunity, so it's unfair to compare an era where we went to the Super Bowl, and the playoffs a few times, some Pro Bowls and all that stuff. Just a different ? it's an unfair scale.
SC: If Brandon Lloyd were to call you up, or another Denver Broncos player were to call you up, and ask you what to expect from John Fox as his head coach, what would you tell him?
SS: My thing with Coach Fox is that I respect him as a man ? I respect him as a coach, but I have greater respect for him as a man. The last couple of years, what he's been through as a coach, he's done nothing but address these players as men. In my opinion, this last year was probably his most vulnerable time. And the last time I remembered, coaches aren't generally that vulnerable. I think he learned a lot last year, and the John Fox that Denver's getting in 2011 ? it's probably a little bit unfair, because of the process and all the adversity, and all he's had to coach through ? I think they got a better John Fox. You put anybody through adversity; you get a better perspective when you have a new identity.
SC: Have you been able to talk to (new Panthers head coach) Ron Rivera at all?
SS: I've talked with him a little bit, and after that, it's just been about hanging out with my wife.
SC: You'd obviously still want a Super Bowl ring, but that aside, what else do you want to accomplish in football that you haven't?
SS: One of the things I would like to accomplish is that for the last 10 years, I really haven't talked to a lot of rookies through training camp. It's really hard, because a lot of those guys get cut. I can remember that almost all of the wide receivers we drafted or were undrafted ? there was a guy named Kevin Coffey from Virginia, and after he got cut, it was very difficult, because we hung out for so long.
So, I didn't talk with a lot of the rookies and free agents until after final cuts, because I just didn't want to get emotionally attached. That's one thing I lost out on ? there's probably about 10 or 12 guys over the last 10 years, but I've missed out on [developing relationships with] a lot of those rookies. I missed out on maybe 100 relationships, and you never know how that would have turned out. That's one of the things I want to accomplish in the next few years. It's not so much that I can teach those young guys something; I think maybe they can teach me something.
Life is a process ? you always learn something. Ricky Proehl told me that the first year he got here in 2003. He told me that playing football's like being a computer ? you always have to upgrade your software. And if you don't, they will replace you. That's how I look at the young guys now ? like they could come in and show me something different. What I'm trying to do now in camp is to try and be a light in a dark tunnel. That's high on my priority list now ? to not miss out on those relationships.
SC: Correspondingly, what would you like to accomplish in life ? either now or after football?
SS: I would measure success off the field by ? when I pass on, that my children would say, 'He's the best dad, and he taught me all I know.' I think that's the most important thing ? how I've impacted my children in a good way. Because then, it starts to have a generational success, and I'm not talking about success jobwise. I'm talking about a happy home.
Laura Harring Naomi Watts Leonor Varela Joanne Montanez Michelle Obama
Atlanta Braves take aim at 10,000th win in franchise history
One hundred and thirty-five years after their franchise was conceived in Boston, the Atlanta Braves are on the brink of becoming the third team to win 10,000 games in the major leagues.
Their first shot at five digits comes Friday night at Turner Field as the Washington Nationals come to town for a three-game series. Win and the Braves will join the San Francisco Giants (10,489) and Chicago Cubs (10,277) as the only teams to cross the 10K threshold.
A few other notes about the impending achievement:
? The path to 10,000 took the Braves through three different cities, and the team won a World Series championship at each stop (the only franchise to do so). In Boston, the team won 5,118 games from 1876-1952 as the Red Stockings, Beaneaters, Doves, Rustlers, the Braves, the Bees and then finally the Braves again. It won 1,146 games in Milwaukee after relocating for the 1953 season and then 3,735 games in Atlanta (and counting) after moving south in 1966.
? Depending on your methods of counting victories, the Braves could also be considered the fifth team to reach 10,000. The Los Angeles Dodgers (10,176) and St. Louis Cardinals (10,154) have both passed the number, but those totals include victories that came in the American Association, before each team joined the National League. (The Cincinnati Reds are also at 9,940 overall wins, but the 549 wins they compiled in the American Association from 1882-1889 sets the clock back a bit for 10,000 major league wins.)
? Once the Braves reach 10,000 wins, former manager Bobby Cox and his 2,149 victories will account for 21.49 percent of all Braves victories. (Wow, that math was easy.) Hall of Famer Frank Selee�is next on the list with the 1,004 victories he compiled while winning five National League pennants with the Boston Beaneaters in the 1890s.
? Not that anyone's expecting this, but an extended losing streak out of the All-Star break could actually see the Braves first join the Philadelphia Phillies as the only team to lose more than 10,000 games. The Braves have 9,992 total losses heading into this first attempt at 10,000 wins.
? The Braves have a number of special activities planned for the milestone, including donating 10,000 Braves tickets to local charities, unfurling a special "10,000" flag at Turner Field and, most importantly, handing out 10,000 coupons for free Chick-fil-A.
? Finally, some of you might be wondering where your team ranks on the all-time wins list and how much further they have to go. Baseball-Reference makes it easy on this page. Of note, the New York Yankees have 9,723 victories and are the closest of any team in the American League, which started up in 1901. The team with the fewest total wins? That'd be the Tampa Bay Rays, who sport only 971 victories since their inception in 1998.
Leelee Sobieski Teri Hatcher Lauren Bush Natalie Zea Brody Dalle
Puck Headlines: Miller defends Connolly; best Jack Edwards rants
Here are your Puck Headlines: a glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.
? Here's Tim Thomas backstage at Wednesday night's ESPY Awards likely after pumping the tires of Jay Leno because really, who laughs at a Leno joke? [Getty]
BREAKING: The Chicago Blackhawks have announced that Patrick Kane will have surgery on his left wrist and will miss the next 6-8 weeks. He's expected to be fully healthy by training camp.
? After Tim Connolly was�slagged in the Toronto Sun earlier this week, former teammates including Ryan Miller came to his aid telling James Mirtle, "I think some people in the media [in Buffalo] felt like he owed them explanations beyond what he cared to share, and it just became a little bit of a vendetta."�[Globe & Mail]
? Big media news yesterday as it was announced that Pierre LeBrun would be taking his talents to TSN, while keeping his writing gig with ESPN.com. LeBrun will appear on TSN's various hockey programs and game broadcasts. This means CBC will need to fill a slot on the "Hot Stove" panel on�Hockey Night in Canada. May we suggest our pal Elliotte Friedman on a full-time basis to bring a little sanity next to Eric Francis and Mike Milbury? [TSN]
? Lenders have given St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts an extension on a $120 million loan as he continues the search for a buyer. According to the extension, Checketts now has more than 60 days to finalize a sale, otherwise the team will go into default. [NY Post]
? The New Jersey Devils traded away Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond yesterday and filled that tough guy void by bringing Cam Janssen back to town. Janssen was originally drafted by New Jersey in 2002. [NJ.com]
? Lou Lamoriello announced during a conference call this morning that the team has signed 2011 first rounder Adam Larsson to a three-year contract for the rookie maximum of $925,000 a season. Per Tom Gulitti, the contract does not include performance bonuses. [Fire & Ice]
? Kings GM Dean Lombardi is still not happy about the fallout from the Ryan Smyth-to-Edmonton trade and is still talking about it: "This is twice. There comes a point where you say, `This is wrong.' I think it's a fairly easy thing to work through. ? We want to save the spirit of the trade, although I did have a team call me today, saying that if it's not going through, they would take (Smyth), but that's not the purpose. It's, let's try to work this out the way we understood it at the time we did it."�[LA Kings Insider]
? After some unflattering Tweets about his new team during the playoffs were publicized, newest Vancouver Canucks forward Mike Duco has deleted his Twitter account. That didn't sit too well with Anthony Stewart of the Carolina Hurricanes who's been running an "I'd rather...#PassItToBulis" campaign on�his own feed today blaming the Pass It To Bulis Boys for running Duco offline. Hey, he and Dan Ellis should team up! [PITB]
? The Hockey News ranks the top five teams that haven't done much to improve themselves this summer. [THN]
? Your top 10 Jack Edwards rants of all-time. Picking our favorite Edwards moment is like choosing our favorite child, there's so many. [Stanley Cup of Chowder]
? The Florida Panthers have finally come to terms with their 2010 first round pick Erik Gudbranson on a three-year deal. [Panthers]
? Frank Rekas on why Gudbranson's signing should have Panthers fans jumping for joy. [The Rat Trick]
? Michael Frolik and Sami Lepisto are off the market as the pair have signed separate deals with the Chicago Blackhawks. Frolik will make $7 million over the next three seasons, while Lepisto inked a one-year deal. So bye bye Chris Campoli then? [ESPN Chicago]
? Brian Boyle will go from making $524,000 last season in New York to now $1.7 million for the next three seasons after re-signing with the New York Rangers yesterday. Next up for Glen Sather: Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan. [Rangers]
? Chris Osgood's future in Detroit will be determined sometime next week according to Red Wings GM Ken Holland. Ozzie's health will play a big role if he's brought back or someone like Ty Conklin, whom Holland has spoken with, will be signed as Jimmy Howard's backup. [MLive]
? Good stuff from Red Wings assistant GM Jim Nill on the team's development camp this week, up-and-coming players and the new additions to the roster. [The Malik Report]
? The last two winners of the�Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year --�Dan Bylsma of the�Pittsburgh Penguins and�Dave Tippett of the�Phoenix Coyotes -- will be in charge when the 2011 NHL Research Development and Orientation Camp is held Aug. 17-18 at the MasterCard Centre for Hockey Excellence, in Etobicoke, Ont. [NHL]
? JJ with a plea to Tampa Bay Lightning fans to calm down about the on-going Steven Stamkos talks. [Beasts of the Southeast]
? With plenty of money left to spend including Shea Weber's new deal, are the Nashville Predators primed to make a big move? [Smashville 24/7]
? Remember when the Sprint Center in Kansas City was looking for a full-time tenant? Five years after opening, they're still looking. [PHT]
? Finally, via our pal Sean Hartnett comes the trailer for what appears to be the Punjabi version of The Mighty Ducks featuring Ryan Miller's fiancee Noureen DeWulf and the immortal Chris Traeger, or Rob Lowe as you might know him:
Michelle Rodriguez Mena Suvari Georgina Grenville Michelle Trachtenberg Amanda Bynes
Muslera stonewalls Tevez, seals ?a national failure?
The utterly unpredictable Copa America continued with the start of the quarterfinals on Saturday. After Peru scored twice in extra time to upset Colombia, Uruguay stomped out whatever sliver of hope host nation Argentina had following a troubled group stage by eliminating them in a penalty shootout.
Though Uruguay's Diego Perez scored in just the sixth minute, Argentina's fortune seemed to change when Lionel Messi set up Higuain for an equalizer in the 17th minute and Perez was sent off in the 38th minute. The score held at 1-1, even after Argentina captain Javier Mascherano was booked for a second time and sent off over a surprisingly harmless bit of contact in the 86th minute.
No one could score in extra time, so it went to penalties -- an area in which Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera proved his mettle during last summer's World Cup and did again here. With the shootout level at 2-2, Carlos Tevez attempted to blasted a fireball to Muslera's right and the keeper blocked it as if he had a premonition the night before. That would be the only miss in the shootout and prove to be the difference between Uruguay advancing to the semis and Argentina going home. Er, staying home.
If you believe in some kind of karma or cosmic justice, then you might argue that Tevez suffered a bit of it after forcing moves away from so many clubs on hostile terms. If not, you'll probably just sit in awe of Muslera's complete domination of Tevez's shot.
According to the AP, "The website of the Argentine sports daily "Ole" immediatley called the loss 'a national failure. Good-bye to the dream of winning the Copa at home. Not even Messi can save us.'"
The Avatars of Second Life Daniella Alonso Gina Gershon Ehrinn Cummings Sienna Miller
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Mayor of Fabregas? hometown says Arsenal ?kidnapped? him
Cesc Fabregas has been kidnapped!!!
OK, not really. But the mayor of his hometown is now seriously claiming that Arsenal have snatched him. Even though Cesc willingly signed a contract with them and they're not keeping him in a basement with his hands tied to a radiator. And they're paying him very well. But none of that matters to the mayor of a small town whose opinion is totally irrelevant to this tedious matter!
From the Guardian:
"We want him to come right away, he is experiencing a kidnapping," Estanislau Fors i Garcia, the mayor of the Catalan town Arenys de Mar where F�bregas grew up, was quoted as saying in the Barcelona-based daily newspaper Sport.
"If the English are so honourable they should behave properly," he added. "He [the Arsenal coach Ars�ne Wenger] has to stop clowning around because it's disorienting for all of us."
The only thing disorienting here is how ridiculous these statements are. How can a man who has nothing to do with any of this accuse others of not behaving properly when he's making accusations of kidnapping?
After seeing those pictures of Arsene Wenger going down the boat slide, I think this guy does have a point about the Arsenal manager's "clowning around," though. Actually, that was pretty disorienting for all of us, too.
Photo: Getty
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NYC Police get Volt patrol cars
Green is a big deal in cities and states all around the country with the need to not only reduce the oil we import but to reduce pollution as well. One of the most interesting green vehicles is the Chevy Volt. The cool thing about the Volt is that it uses batteries to propel the [...]
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Blue Chip Down: Dee Hart?s torn ACL leaves loaded ?Bama backfield with one less bullet
Yes, Alabama fans were bracing for this after rumors began to fly on Tuesday night. And yes, regardless of the intense hype that accompanied his arrival on campus in January, we are talking about a true freshman likely to begin the season as a third-stringer. It still doesn't make this afternoon's confirmation that five-star tailback Dee Hart is likely out for the entire 2011 season any easier to swallow:
TUSCALOOSA | Talented freshman running back Dee Hart sustained a knee injury Tuesday, a source close to Hart told TideSports.com.
The injury was also confirmed by Hart's former position coach at Orlando Dr. Phillips High School, Riki Smith, who said the freshman tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
"He's good, you know Dee," Smith told the Orlando Sentinel. "If that had to happen to any of our kids, that's who I'd rather it happened to because he has the right mindset. The trainer told him 'ok, you have surgery on Thursday and can start rehab next week' and Dee said 'what about Friday?'"
Hart is slated for surgery on Thursday morning; as his old coach suggests, he'll start rehab on Friday if all goes according to plan. But he won't see the field this fall, which was certainly part of the plan after his spectacular prep career and solid debut in spring practice.
Obviously, Alabama is not hurting for running backs. Even with Mark Ingram gone to the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the draft, 'Bama brings back another massively hyped Florida product, Trent Richardson, who's being floated as a Heisman frontrunner in his own right with two years in the system and a full-time workload for the first time. His backup, Eddie Lacy, averaged 7.3 yards per carry with six touchdowns in the third-string role as a redshirt freshman, including a 62-yard sprint to finish off what was left of Michigan State in the bowl game. Another coveted member of the incoming signing class, Brent Calloway, joins the fray next month.
Still, on a depth chart full of between-the-tackles thumpers ?�Richardson, Lacy and Calloway are all in the 220-pound range, and sophomore Jalston Fowler is even bigger ? the shifty, 5-foot-9, 187-pound Hart figured to bring an entirely different element as a both a receiver out of the backfield (he added over 1,000 yards receiving to his prolific rushing stats as a high school senior) and a kick returner. Not that Trent Richardson can't do all of that, too; he has 39 catches over two years and took a kickoff to the house last year as the primary kick returner. But if Richardson is set for the Mark Ingram role in the ambitious re-staging of the Tide's 2009 national championship run, Hart's absence also means there's one less candidate for the essential supporting role Richardson played that year on his way up.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
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Verizon 4G LTE Devices Not Compatible with AT&T?s 4G LTE Network
Now that AT&T is finally ramping up it 4G LTE network to catch up with Verizon, you might think that you’ll soon have more carrier options or roaming freedom if you pick up a 4G LTE handset. This, however, is not true. Verizon recently confirmed that its LTE phones will not be compatible on other [...]
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Marvin Austin threatens to ?spill the beans? on UNC after McAdoo petition denied
When news can out that Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson denied the petition of former North Carolina defensive end Michael McAdoo to be reinstated at North Carolina, former teammate Marvin Austin did what any upset athlete would do -- he took to Twitter to vent his frustration.
McAdoo initially had been ruled permanently ineligible and had his appeal denied by the NCAA. Wednesday's hearing was his last chance to be a Tar Heel again.
When that didn't work out, Austin went on a 10-tweet rant noting he was frustrated with the ruling and even threatening to "spill the beans" but didn't elaborate as to what he was referring.
Here are the rest of his tweets in chronological order (spelling and punctuation remain unchanged):
This is so frustrating right now..I can't rap my head around it..I wish I could understand but maybe its not logical enough to understand
Twitter I'm not bitter I just don't like the way my friend, teammate, brother was mislead, misused, and ostracized from the program for the
Same reasons that others got suspended and are able to play for because I know exactly the details in each case and its noway that this young
Man should have his dram snatched from him like the #ncaa has done. I can tell you so many stories that would be mind boggling in comparison
I swear it is simply disheartning that the people our parents put there trust in to protect us really only care there gain solely
Trust me I know?I love my school..I chose to come here when nobody thought it was smart to do..but I just wish the administration stood
And stop the cowardly acts when the are in front of the ncaa and just tell them what you told us?don't turn and twist your story to look
Appealing to the Ncaa and pressure the 21 year old athlete to say and do things that aren't in there best interest?its so much that's not
Said it stings when I think about it Unc true fans understand how we as players love this place it tatted in blood for most guys on the team.
Austin taking his rant to Twitter is a little amusing considering it was his Twitter account that is credited with piquing NCAA curiosity into UNC in the first place. Before Austin briefly shut down his Twitter account, he posted pictures of himself at the gun range and bragged about spending $143 at the Cheesecake Factory. He also bragged about his trip to his hometown of Washington, D.C. and shopping sprees. Austin was dismissed from the North Carolina football team after it was discovered that he received improper benefits.
He was selected 52nd overall by the New York Giants in this past year's draft.
McAdoo was suspended the first three games of the 2010 season after it was determined he also had taken illegal benefits. On Nov. 12, the NCAA made him permanently ineligible. North Carolina appealed the decision, but it was upheld.
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Michigan State?s Keith Appling prepares for more responsibility
In Michigan State guard Keith Appling's brief video interview about his experience playing for the U.S. U-19 team in Latvia this month, the response from the sophomore that stood out most was the one in which he revealed his mindset.
"I really didn't look to score as much as I did last year," Appling told Michigan State's official athletics site. "I wanted to get some of my teammates involved and then score when I can, play defense and do all the little stuff that matters."
It's significant that Appling would take a pass-first approach because the high-scoring combo guard likely will become Michigan State's primary ball handler and distributor next season as a result of the graduation of Kalin Lucas. Freshman Travis Trice also surely will play some minutes at point guard, but it appears likely that Appling will play on the ball more than he has previously.
If the U-19 World Championships were an audition for Appling, he definitely strengthened the notion that he's growing more comfortable at point guard and is ready to take over the position for the Spartans.
Appling came off the bench for the U.S. team, but he often looked more capable of setting up an offense and finding his teammates than starter Joe Jackson did. In just 10.2 minutes per game, Appling averaged 4.1 points and 1.2 assists, finishing with a flourish by scoring six crucial points in the final minutes of the U.S. team's one-point victory over Australia in Sunday's fifth-place game.
What makes Appling's steady play more impressive was that he overcame a sprained ankle two days before leaving for the tournament and swelling in his tonsils during it. The tonsils had to be drained, limiting his playing time to just two minutes against Lithuania and seven minutes against Croatia.
"There was a lot of blood everywhere, but I was able to suck it up and continue to play," Appling said. "I think I got better because there was a lot of adversity I had to deal with, but I was able to fight through it and help the team win some games."
Apparent prank sends Arizona State fans to nudist website
Arizona State fans searching for information about Sun Devils athletics may be in for an unwelcome surprise.
Oh sure, typing theSunDevils.com into a web browser still delivers fans to Arizona State's official athletics site as always. Shortening the URL to SunDevils.com, however, sends fans to the adults-only website of a nudist's group.
Arizona State filed a trademark claim over the SunDevils.com domain name on June 27 after the owner of that URL recently started redirecting traffic to the homepage of the Diablo Sun Devils, a naturist club promoting nude recreation. That site features NSFW content including a photo of a nude woman posing on the beach on its homepage.
Diablo Sun Devils co-founder Rod Marshall told the Arizona State student paper this week that he had no idea how that happened and he intentionally didn't take that domain name on purpose to avoid confusion with Arizona State.
"It's nothing that I ever intended to happen," Marshall said. "I wasn't going to do that from day one."
It's hard to feel sympathy for Arizona State because the university should have learned its lesson from a clever prank presumably conducted by an Arizona Wildcats fan last summer. In August 2010, Arizona State had to threaten legal action when the SunDevils.com domain name redirected fans to the official Arizona athletics site.
Arizona State initially wanted SunDevils.com for its official athletics website in 1996, but it was already taken so they settled for a backup choice.
At this point, the school probably should purchase any other obvious URLs like ArizonaState.com and ArizonaStateSunDevils.com. It can't be too much longer before fans from a rival Pac-12 school concoct a clever idea for those too.
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The Dreadful Dozen: Counting down the doormats of 2011
Projecting the nation's worst teams. Part of Mid-Major Week.
12. San Jose State (1-12 in 2010)
If you sat down to write a literal recipe for disaster in college football, the 2010 Spartans would be your model. Take a perennial bottom-dweller, add a first-year head coach, flash-fry it in a killer schedule that includes five ranked opponents in the first seven games, stir in the most injury-riddled lineup in the nation, and voila: Out comes a team that barely survived a 16-11 struggle against Southern Utah for its only win.
San Jose's 10-game losing streak is the longest in the nation going into the season, and it may well be battling those demons with a freshman quarterback. But four of the final five defeats in that streak came by a touchdown or less, and every starter is back from a defense that can't possibly be worse. The Spartans' luck can't be any worse, either, which ought to be enough to lift the win total into the "multiple" range by itself.
11. Wyoming (3-9 in 2010)
Exhibit A: The Cowboys lost back-to-back games last November against Mountain West rivals New Mexico and UNLV, teams that combined to go 0-20 against the rest of college football. (See below.) Exhibit B: Two scholarship quarterbacks have fled Laramie with eligibility remaining since the end of last season, leaving two true freshmen as the only remaining options for an offense that already ranked among the worst in the nation. Exhibit C: The first two games on the schedule are against I-AA/FCS gimmes Weber State and Texas State, and neither looks like an actual gimme.
Verdict: After the cushy start, don't be surprised if Wyoming doesn't win again.
10. Western Kentucky (2-10 in 2010)
The newest addition to the I-A/FBS ranks managed to snap a 26-game skid with not one but two wins in the span of a few weeks last November, and could have had more if not for blown fourth-quarter leads against Sun Belt rivals Florida Atlantic, Louisiana-Monroe and Middle Tennessee ?�the latter two both double-digit collapses. Still, a last-place finish in the Sun Belt with a 33-6 loss to North Texas is a last-place finish in the Sun Belt with a 33-6 loss to North Texas, glaring evidence that the Hilltoppers aren't ready to claw their way out of the dregs of the nation's dreggiest conference yet.
9. Louisiana-Lafayette (3-9 in 2010)
There's much respect and maybe even some semblance of excitement in L'Acadiane for new coach Mark Hudspeth, a big winner in his previous stop at Division II North Alabama. Maybe someday. For now, Hudspeth inherits a team that was two points away from closing 2010 on a double-digit losing streak and has to replace virtually its entire offensive line.
8. New Mexico State (2-10 in 2010)
The Aggies finished 1-7 in the WAC, failed to top 30 points in any game for the second consecutive season, lost by an average margin of three touchdowns and only managed to win at all courtesy of a) A late field goal against New Mexico and b) A touchdown at the gun against San Jose State, two teams that combined to go 2-23 themselves. (See above and below.) You know coach DeWayne Walker was telling the truth about his chances of landing the Texas defensive coordinator job, because if it was anything more than a rumor, he may have resigned on the spot.
The good news for Year Three of the Walker era is that he gets back the most experienced lineup in the WAC, including all three quarterbacks. The bad news: That trio combined to lead the worst attack in the conference in terms of passing, pass efficiency, total and scoring offense, a year after a completely different rotation of QBs landed at the bottom of the same well in 2009.
7. Florida Atlantic (4-8 in 2010)
The up-and-coming optimism that followed back-to-back winning seasons in 2007-08 came crashing down in a hurry with back-to-back losing seasons the last two years, and 2010 was dangerously close to rock bottom: Three of the Owls' four wins came by one point, two of them (over Western Kentucky and UL-Lafayette) against outfits that also appear on this list. The long-awaited on-campus stadium finally opens this year, but with the greenest lineup in the Sun Belt, five straight road trips to open the season and Howard Schnellenberger likely on his farewell tour, the happy days are still well into the future.
6. UTEP (6-7 in 2010)
Yes, the Miners were in a bowl game last year. And yes, their head coach is fond of carrying around a pickaxe, even in the presence of small children. But even before they were blown out of the New Mexico Bowl by BYU, they'd dropped five of the last six in the regular season en route to their fifth straight losing record. Now, they've lost the leading passer in school history, three of the top four receivers, the entire offensive line and the faith of the prognostoscenti, which almost unanimously peg the Miners to finish last in Conference USA's West Division.
5. Eastern Michigan (2-10 in 2010)
Per capita, the Eagles were arguably one of the most improved teams in the country last year, rebounding from an 0-12 catastrophe in coach Ron English's debut with a pair of skin-of-the-teeth triumphs over Ball State and Buffalo in Year Two. But that still wasn't good enough to get them out of the MAC West cellar, mostly thanks to a defense that came in 119th out of 120 teams in rushing, pass efficiency and scoring D, allowing upwards of 40 points in seven different games.
You know the drill here: Regardless of the specifics, EMU still hasn't won more than four games in a season since 1995 and has given no indication of escaping the cellar in about as long.
4. Akron (1-11 in 2010)
You have to credit the Zips for persistence: After dropping eight of their first nine games by double digits ?�and four of the first five in the MAC by at least 30 ? they fought back with legitimate chances to beat Ball State and eventual conference champ Miami (Ohio) late before breaking through against Buffalo in the finale to avoid the nation's only winless season. Unfortunately, persistence doesn't erase an average margin of defeat of 30 points for the year, or provide ready replacements for four outgoing seniors who accounted for 80 percent of the MAC's most anemic offense.
3. New Mexico (1-11 in 2010)
At least coach Mike Locksley managed to avoid punching an assistant coach in his second season, but if not for the $1.5 million the state would have been forced to pony up to buy out the rest of Locksley's contract, he may have been the one getting KO'd. The Lobos came in among the bottom 20 nationally in every major category on both sides of the ball en route to their second straight 1-11 finish, including rock-bottom finishes in total offense, rushing defense and scoring defense. Eight of their 11 losses came by at least 25 points, and only one ?�a 16-14 flop against fellow Enchantment State bottom dweller New Mexico State ?�was within single digits.
The only reason New Mexico isn't at the top of the list is its relative experience ? three veteran quarterbacks are on hand along with all of the most productive skill players and virtually the entire defense, inept as they all were. Locksley is also plugging in transfers from Ohio State (receiver Lamaar Thomas), Illinois (defensive tackle Reggie Ellis), Maryland (linebacker Javarie Johnson) and West Virginia (receiver Deon Long). As embarrassing as the Lobos have been over Locksley's first two seasons, though, even dramatic improvement leaves them well behind the pack.
2. UNLV (2-10 in 2010)
The Rebels matched a school record for losses in 2010, and they did it with gusto: All 11 defeats were by at least 15 points, six of them by at least 30. That was mitigated somewhat by the brutal schedule, but only somewhat. Vegas also came in for beatings from the likes of Idaho (30-7) and Colorado State (43-10). Now it loses its starting quarterback, most of its offensive and most of the defense, and I can't help but imagine second-year coach Bobby Hauck still dreaming of somehow getting his old job back.
1. Memphis (1-11 in 2010)
On his way out in 2009, freshly fired coach Tommy West angrily warned his former employer to be careful what it wished for in its quest for wins on the cheap. A year later, Larry Porter's initial effort drove home West's point in graphic detail: The Tigers didn't win a game in Conference USA, and after a narrow, 16-13 call against UTEP in September, didn't come close. Their other seven conference losses all came by at least 15 points, plunging the team increasing hopelessness over the course of a nine-game losing streak to close the season.
Worse, Porter's second team will be one of the greenest in the country. The offense is breaking in a brand new quarterback and four new offensive linemen in a revamped, spread-friendly scheme, opposite five new starters in the back seven on defense, which finished 2010 as the worst pass efficiency defense in the country. If the Tigers can't beat Austin Peay on Sept. 17, the lonely '1' in the win column may give way to a fat zero.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
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Headlinin?: Ohio State sends response, reforms to NCAA judges
Making the morning rounds.
? Reform, Terrelle. Reform. Today is the day Ohio State files its official response to accusations of major NCAA violations, the second formal bureaucratic exchange before OSU's all-important appearance before the Committee on Infractions later this year. Among the mountain of paper en route to Indianapolis is a five-step to improve the Buckeye compliance department, including:
? Better documentation of car purchases from both dealers and players to ensure that athletes aren't getting inappropriate deals;
?�A time limit on "loaner cars," also know as the Terrelle Pryor Rule;
? More frequent "audits" of vehicles to ensure the rides athletes are actually driving are the ones they registered with the university;
? More thorough checks on everyone who receives games passes from football or men's basketball players. (Currently, OSU conducts random checks.)
?�Examination of player budgets, by way of a new software program that purports to boost both education and enforcement.
OSU's appearance before the infractions committee is still set for Aug. 12, likely resulting in a verdict ?�along with accompanying sanctions ?�at some point during the regular season. [Associated Press, Columbus Dispatch]
? The boys are back in town. In more optimistic Ohio State news, the simmering "Mike Vrabel" buzz in Columbus intensified Thursday with multiple reports that the ex-Buckeye All-American and longtime New England Patriot is set to return to his alma mater as linebackers coach as soon as next week. Officially, Vrabel is still waiting out the lockout to return to the Kansas City Chiefs for his 15th NFL season, and has never coached any position on any level. But he also played alongside new Ohio State head coach Luke Fickell on some hellacious Buckeye defenses in the mid-nineties, and already has three Super Bowl rings to flash for those recruits who have been abandoning OSU in droves. [Eleven Warriors, College Football Talk, @davebiddle]
? He's got high hopes. Former Nebraska quarterback Cody Green plans to visit USC next week, the "pie in the sky" option in a transfer derby that also includes a pair of more realistic destinations, Baylor and Tulsa. The Trojans may be willing to take a chance on the 6-foot-4, 235-pound Green under normal circumstances, but with dramatically reduced scholarships and at least three young, blue-chip quarterbacks already in the fold for 2012 ?�not including Matt Barkley, who could still return for his senior season if he doesn't opt for the NFL ?�there's not a whole lot of room right now. [Lincoln Journal Star]
In other free-agent quarterback news, former Michigan starter Tate Forcier ?�having already extricated himself this offseason from both Miami and a second-story window in Grand Rapids ?�will be visiting Hawaii next week with an eye toward becoming a Warrior. "Hawaii will be my first official visit. It might be my last," Forcier told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, adding he was also interested in WAC rivals Nevada and San Jose State. "I have to go with how things go. If it feels right, I'm going to make my decision." [Honolulu Star-Advertiser]
? Man, nobody gets here in August anymore. Alabama's top-ranked freshman class is all present and accounted for, save for two members: Touted in-state running back Brent Calloway, object of a down-to-the-wire battle with Auburn, and somewhat less touted La Mirada, Calif., lineman Isaac Luatua, both of whom plan to enroll in August. "There was a bunch of mix-ups at my school," Calloway told TideSports.com. "Somehow, somebody messed up something, and I'm the one who has to pay the consequences for it. I'm very excited (to get to UA), but every time I get ready to get down there and I think I'm good, something always comes up." [al.com, TideSports.com]
? Get well soon. Florida linebacker Neiron Ball is expected to miss the entire 2011 season as he continues to recover from an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) found in his brain in February. According to the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, AVM is a congenital condition that results in "snarled tangles of arteries and veins" before or shortly after birth. [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Quickly? Indiana adds a three-star juco running back to its incoming recruiting class. ? A top defensive tackle prospect opts for Iowa. ? Miami lands a much-needed quarterback commitment from Texas. ? Notre Dame's quarterback prospects for the 2012 class are beginning to look a little thin. ? Tennessee still hasn't interviewed anyone for its vacant AD job. ? The trial for Auburn's alleged armed robbers is being pushed back to Halloween, at the earliest. ? Georgia fans may be surprised to learn that they have "a tested backup" behind Aaron Murray. ? The face of the Longhorn Network will be improbably young. ? Andrew Luck is fully bearded. ? And I'm sorry to report that your girlfriend has just left you for this picture of the 1974 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
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