Reporters Notebooks
October 30, 2009
Pablo Villa, Turn Up the Orange: About those Bobby Bowden-to-Alabama Birmingham rumors. The Florida State coach never denied it was a possibility, did he?
Jennifer Floyd Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Anybody who does not think Texas Christian can play with the best teams in the country and beat them is not paying attention or has an agenda in ignoring this reality. If the Horned Frogs finish undefeated, they deserve to play for a national championship. Anything less is embarrassing for a system which already has plenty to be embarrassed about.
Jan Hubbard, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: TCU is undefeated and likely headed to a BCS bowl, but the team can't sell out its home games. TCU is averaging fewer than 35,000 fans in its 44,088 stadium. In its last home game against Colorado State, only 31,156 fans were in attendance.
Chelsi Moy, Missoulian: Montana coach Bobby Hauck has ended his boycott against student reporters from the Kaimin. When asked what spurred this change of opinion, Hauck said it was personal and would not elaborate.
National Sports Journalism Center: Sports Illustrated is bracing for layoffs. The moves reportedly will occur before Thanksgiving.
Steve Campbell, Houston Chronicle: A year ago today, Houston receiver Patrick Edwards suffered a gruesome fracture to his right leg in a game against Marshall. Last Saturday against Southern Methodist, he caught nine passes for 122 yards and a touchdown. Video of injury.
Mark Blaudschun, Boston Globe: Boston College receiver Rich Gunnell calls Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen a "phony."
Heisman Pundit: What's this? Heisman candidate Tim Tebow has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in SEC play?
Tom Hoffarth, Farther Off the Wall: Come on, a Bob Griese taco reference gets you suspended by ESPN? Have they also stopped running ads for "black tacos"?
Jack Moran and Ron Bellamy, Eugene Register-Guard: Police in Eugene are bracing for a rowdy Halloween weekend, highlighted by Oregon's game against USC. Plus, the Ducks are expected to welcome back LeGarrette Blount next week.
Pete Carroll, Inside USC: Did anybody bet on PeteCarol in the fourth race Wednesday at Keeneland?
Gentry Estes, Mobile Press-Register: Alabama's Nick Saban defends Southeastern Conference referees: "Our officials do a marvelous job here."
David Ching, Athens Banner-Herald: As a superconference that recently became even more flush with cash, the SEC's officiating remains disturbingly erratic. This should no longer be a part-time hobby for aging white men. Make SEC refereeing a full-time job and offer compensation attractive enough to lure the most capable referees. Institute a review panel that strictly analyzes referees' work and holds them accountable for their job performance and physical fitness.
Matt Galnor, Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville is ready to sweeten the deal to keep the Georgia-Florida game through 2017. Proposed perks in a six-year contract extension could include ,000 for each school for lodging and game-day expenses, a bigger cut of revenue for both universities and direct flights from Athens so the Georgia team can cut its travel time.
Knoxville News-Sentinel: Grammy-award winning rapper Lil Wayne references Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin in his new song "Banned From TV" off the "No Ceiling" release.
Scott Walker, Birmingham News: Check out the trailer for "The Blind Side", which opens in theaters Nov. 20 and features cameos by Phil Fulmer, Lou Holtz, Tommy Tuberville and Nick Saban.
Kyle Veazey, Clarion Ledger: Does instant replay work? Four SEC coaches give their opinions.
Jon Solomon, Birmingham News: The Southeastern Conference's move to add the Gator Bowl to its postseason lineup is creating major headaches for other SEC postseason games in Birmingham, Memphis and Nashville.
Paul Strelow, Columbia State: Clemson tight end Michael Palmer, who suffered a concussion in a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit Saturday night, displayed some bizarre behavior afterward. Video of hit.
Geoff Calkins, Memphis Commercial Appeal: Has there ever been a lower moment in Memphis football? A 38-19 loss to East Carolina became a nationally televised humiliation.
Bryant-Jon Anteola, Fresno Bee: Boise State is in big trouble and might need Utah's help in getting to a Bowl Championship Series game.
Don Kausler Jr. Birmingham News: Move over Tiger Woods. Alabama's Mark Ingram says he once shot a 69 while playing golf as an eighth-grader. He also bowled a 248.
Bill Haisten, Tulsa World: The big-play college career of Dez Bryant, an All-American junior receiver and Oklahoma State's most dazzling player since Barry Sanders, may be finished. The NCAA announced that Bryant's suspension would be extended until September 2010, but Bryant is expected to make himself available for the NFL draft. Wiz take: The smart money is on Eugene Parker becoming Bryant's agent.
Bud Withers, Seattle Times: The lack of exposure for Washington State, which will get a rare TV appearance Saturday against Notre Dame, is putting more of a financial pinch on the program.
Cole Manbeck, Manhattan Mercury: Not even the world's best psychic or clairvoyant could predict the ever-wacky Big 12 North right now.
Tom FitzGerald, San Francisco Chronicle: Stanford's Jim Harbaugh called freshman Andrew Luck "the best quarterback in the country."
Loren Tate, Champaign News-Gazette: An open letter to Illinois coach Ron Zook.
Joshua Kinder, Manhattan Mercury: Several Kansas State players are battling flu.
Lya Wodraska, Salt Lake Tribune: Utah is doing its best to make sure fans don't have to choose between football and ghosts and goblins Saturday. The Utes, who play host to Wyoming, are encouraging fans to wear black and visit a trick-or-treat zone set up in the stadium.
Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News: Gene Chizik vs. Paul Rhoads: Same records, different paths.
Marcus R. Fuller, St. Paul Pioneer Press: Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi said that Tim Brewster's job appears safe, even if the team loses the rest of its games.
Terry Hutchens, Indianapolis Star: Indiana athletic director Fred Glass says Bill Lynch will return as coach next season. "He's in the second year of a four-year contract [that expires after the 2011 season], and like I said last November, contracts need to mean something again at Indiana University."
Tom Kensler, Denver Post: Colorado's Dan Hawkins insisted he is "up to the task" of getting the program turned around and added, "I'm going to be here a long time."
Ryan Finley, Arizona Daily Star: Arizona quarterback Nick Foles is still suffering from flu-like symptoms that dogged him throughout Saturday's victory against UCLA.
Sports Radio Interviews: Florida's Urban Meyer talks about Georgia and comments on people saying Tim Tebow's game won't translate to the NFL.
Brian Murphy, Idaho Statesman: The Humanitarian Bowl is negotiating with the Mid-American Conference to provide a team for the game from 2010 to 2013.
Kate Hairopoulos, Dallas Morning News: Southern Methodist's Bo Levi Mitchell might not be able to play Saturday at Tulsa. Just in case, the Mustangs are preparing freshman Kyle Padron to start.
Mark Snyder, Detroit Free Press: Michigan sophomore cornerback Boubacar Cissoko has been kicked off the team. His high school coach said the player "missed class, missed workouts."
Shannon Shelton, Detroit Free Press: Michigan State backup running backs Andre Anderson and Caulton Ray are no longer on the team’s active roster.
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