College Football - Week 1 (Sept. 4th)

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Oh, how I love seeing the college football threads again.

[dew1679666265]

Tennessee's had two starting defensive linemen (Marlon Walls and Ben Martin) go down for the season with achillees tendon injuries. We were going to suck anyway, but crap.

[dew1679666265]

Oh, how I love seeing the college football threads again.

 

It's a beautiful sight.

[Flames24Rulz]

Best time of the year.

[Jon]

NU starts practice today. I'm giddy. And the new uniforms should be unveiled sometime this week, I believe. See you in hell, USC stripes.

 

I'm rather sad about this year's short road trip potential in Northwestern's schedule. Trips to Illinois and Purdue (a regular trip I'd lose with geographically split divisions) were great last year. This year, only Bloomington is semi-reasonable before the season finale at Madison. And Madison will be a tough trip. Plus, you can't fly down the interstate when going up to Madison like you can to Champaign or West Lafayette. Just 5 games in Evanston will kind of suck, but I think playing at Wrigley will more than make up for that.

 

Also, the first half of a home and home with Rice is in Houston this year without the game being on TV (webcast only). Not to mention that the opener at Vandy is ESPN3/ESPN GamePlan only. I can't wait until I no longer have to worry about TV coverage of an OOC game. @Army might be an issue next year, but with home and homes coming up in the next few years against BC, Syracuse (again), Vandy (again), Stanford, and Cal, it shouldn't be an issue for long.

 

Hopefully the divisions and future schedules will be released at some point this month. That would eat up my attention for a day pretty easily, making the wait for September 4th more tolerable.

[EhDubya]

NU starts practice today. I'm giddy. And the new uniforms should be unveiled sometime this week, I believe. See you in hell, USC stripes.

 

I'm rather sad about this year's short road trip potential in Northwestern's schedule. Trips to Illinois and Purdue (a regular trip I'd lose with geographically split divisions) were great last year. This year, only Bloomington is semi-reasonable before the season finale at Madison. And Madison will be a tough trip. Plus, you can't fly down the interstate when going up to Madison like you can to Champaign or West Lafayette. Just 5 games in Evanston will kind of suck, but I think playing at Wrigley will more than make up for that.

 

Also, the first half of a home and home with Rice is in Houston this year without the game being on TV (webcast only). Not to mention that the opener at Vandy is ESPN3/ESPN GamePlan only. I can't wait until I no longer have to worry about TV coverage of an OOC game. @Army might be an issue next year, but with home and homes coming up in the next few years against BC, Syracuse (again), Vandy (again), Stanford, and Cal, it shouldn't be an issue for long.

 

Hopefully the divisions and future schedules will be released at some point this month. That would eat up my attention for a day pretty easily, making the wait for September 4th more tolerable.

 

"Boo-freakin-Hoo", says this PSU fan, who has to fly to everywhere, except Columbus.

[Jon]

"Boo-freakin-Hoo", says this PSU fan, who has to fly to everywhere, except Columbus.

The price we pay is having to drive through corn. Besides, you get an easy drive to Maryland coming up to see Penn State on the road "at Indiana."

 

Speaking of home and homes, has anyone mentioned the Michigan vs. Alabama game at Cowboy Stadium in 2012? It apparently could be announced as early as today. It appears they weren't able to work out a home and home but will both get a ton of money this way.

[EhDubya]

JoePa up for Medal of Freedom. This is a slam dunk (extra point?).

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5449949

[Jon]

Even more heat on UNC:

 

Yahoo[/url]"]Three sources close to an NCAA probe into the University of North Carolina football program told Yahoo! Sports that investigators are focusing on ties between assistant coach John Blake and prominent NFL agent Gary Wichard.

 

The sources said the NCAA’s inquiry into Blake has focused on his one-time position as vice president of football operations for Pro Tect Management – an agency founded and run by Wichard since 1979. Blake is now a defensive line coach for the Tar Heels, and oversees All-ACC tackle Marvin Austin, who is also facing NCAA scrutiny.

 

The sources said the NCAA is investigating trips Austin took to Florida, as well as his travel and training in California in the summer of 2009, when he worked out at Proactive Sports Performance with former Tar Heel and current Wichard client Kentwan Balmer.

............

Since releasing its findings in the USC investigation on June 10, the NCAA has visited North Carolina, South Carolina, East Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Clemson while conducting various inquiries. Some, like the one involving Blake and North Carolina, have expanded into significant probes. Others – such as a visit to Clemson to inquire about football players’ Facebook pages – have been minor in stature.

 

I'm not sure why the NCAA hasn't just set up a permanent location in the SE yet.

[shnsajax]

Even more heat on UNC:

 

Yahoo[/url]"]Three sources close to an NCAA probe into the University of North Carolina football program told Yahoo! Sports that investigators are focusing on ties between assistant coach John Blake and prominent NFL agent Gary Wichard.

 

The sources said the NCAA’s inquiry into Blake has focused on his one-time position as vice president of football operations for Pro Tect Management – an agency founded and run by Wichard since 1979. Blake is now a defensive line coach for the Tar Heels, and oversees All-ACC tackle Marvin Austin, who is also facing NCAA scrutiny.

 

The sources said the NCAA is investigating trips Austin took to Florida, as well as his travel and training in California in the summer of 2009, when he worked out at Proactive Sports Performance with former Tar Heel and current Wichard client Kentwan Balmer.

............

Since releasing its findings in the USC investigation on June 10, the NCAA has visited North Carolina, South Carolina, East Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Clemson while conducting various inquiries. Some, like the one involving Blake and North Carolina, have expanded into significant probes. Others – such as a visit to Clemson to inquire about football players’ Facebook pages – have been minor in stature.

 

I'm not sure why the NCAA hasn't just set up a permanent location in the SE yet.

 

Still debating the location of that, so many to choose from.

[CubInOK]

Even more heat on UNC:

 

Yahoo[/url]"]Three sources close to an NCAA probe into the University of North Carolina football program told Yahoo! Sports that investigators are focusing on ties between assistant coach John Blake and prominent NFL agent Gary Wichard.

 

The sources said the NCAA’s inquiry into Blake has focused on his one-time position as vice president of football operations for Pro Tect Management – an agency founded and run by Wichard since 1979. Blake is now a defensive line coach for the Tar Heels, and oversees All-ACC tackle Marvin Austin, who is also facing NCAA scrutiny.

 

The sources said the NCAA is investigating trips Austin took to Florida, as well as his travel and training in California in the summer of 2009, when he worked out at Proactive Sports Performance with former Tar Heel and current Wichard client Kentwan Balmer.

............

Since releasing its findings in the USC investigation on June 10, the NCAA has visited North Carolina, South Carolina, East Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Clemson while conducting various inquiries. Some, like the one involving Blake and North Carolina, have expanded into significant probes. Others – such as a visit to Clemson to inquire about football players’ Facebook pages – have been minor in stature.

 

I'm not sure why the NCAA hasn't just set up a permanent location in the SE yet.

Heh, it feels good to me seeing John Blake get bad ink.

[snoodmonger]

Even more heat on UNC:

 

Yahoo[/url]"]Three sources close to an NCAA probe into the University of North Carolina football program told Yahoo! Sports that investigators are focusing on ties between assistant coach John Blake and prominent NFL agent Gary Wichard.

 

The sources said the NCAA’s inquiry into Blake has focused on his one-time position as vice president of football operations for Pro Tect Management – an agency founded and run by Wichard since 1979. Blake is now a defensive line coach for the Tar Heels, and oversees All-ACC tackle Marvin Austin, who is also facing NCAA scrutiny.

 

The sources said the NCAA is investigating trips Austin took to Florida, as well as his travel and training in California in the summer of 2009, when he worked out at Proactive Sports Performance with former Tar Heel and current Wichard client Kentwan Balmer.

............

Since releasing its findings in the USC investigation on June 10, the NCAA has visited North Carolina, South Carolina, East Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Clemson while conducting various inquiries. Some, like the one involving Blake and North Carolina, have expanded into significant probes. Others – such as a visit to Clemson to inquire about football players’ Facebook pages – have been minor in stature.

 

I'm not sure why the NCAA hasn't just set up a permanent location in the SE yet.

Heh, it feels good to me seeing John Blake get bad ink.

 

Ah, John Blake. The only reason I got to see KU have a 3 game winning streak over OU in football.

[imb]

why run 1 offensive style when you can run four in the same game?????

[CubInOK]

why run 1 offensive style when you can run four on the same drive?????

Fixed.

 

OU games during his era should have had Benny Hill music on the loudspeakers the entire game. Gotta love getting a penalty for 14 men on the field.

[hawkeyecub]

why run 1 offensive style when you can run four on the same drive?????

Fixed.

 

OU games during his era should have had Benny Hill music on the loudspeakers the entire game. Gotta love getting a penalty for 14 men on the field.

 

Apparently I should have paid more attention to OU during his tenure.

[Jon]

Fun:

 

NewsObserver.com[/url]"]Former North Carolina football player Kentwan Balmer paid for his college teammates, Marvin Austin and Cam Thomas, to travel to California in the summer of 2009, Thomas said Tuesday.

 

Thomas, a rookie defensive tackle for the San Diego Chargers, did not provide financial details, or the dates, but said he and Austin worked out at the Proactive Sports Performance in Westlake Village, Calif. in the summer before the 2009 season.

........

Balmer, Thomas and Austin were teammates at UNC for the 2007 season and each played defensive tackle. Their position coach was John Blake, UNC's recruiting coordinator and associate head coach. Austin and Blake's relationship with California-based agent Gary Wichard has become a part of the NCAA investigation into the UNC football program, Wichard said last Thursday.

 

The NCAA returned to Chapel Hill on Aug. 4 after making initial visits on July 12 and July 13 to interview an undisclosed number of players, including Austin, about receiving improper benefits from an agent.

 

Under NCAA bylaw 12.1.2.1.6, or more commonly referred to as the "preferential treatment" bylaw, athletes can't receive "preferential treatment, benefits or services because of the individual's athletics reputation or skill or pay-back potential as a professional athlete, unless such treatment, benefits or services are specifically permitted under NCAA legislation."

..........

Herman said there are no set NCAA punishments for violating the preferential treatment bylaw.

 

"[The punishment] would be interpretative," Herman said, "based on the facts of the specific case."

 

Potential punishments include vacating the games Austin and Thomas participated in 2009, which would be the entire season. UNC went 8-5 last year.

[Jon]

For those interested in Big Ten revenue sharing:

 

GazetteOnline.com[/url]"]IOWA CITY — Iowa’s football program lost more than $765,000 in Big Ten gate revenue sharing for the 2009 season.

 

Big Ten schools share 35 percent of all gate revenue from league games up to a $1 million ceiling and a $300,000 floor. Iowa paid the league $3.715 million in revenue sharing for its four home games and received $2.95 million in return. Iowa ranked fourth among Big Ten schools losing money because of football revenue sharing.

 

Penn State, Michigan and Ohio State contributed the $4 million maximum in revenue sharing, as it does every year. Wisconsin ($657,341) and Michigan State ($656,075) also lost money in revenue sharing. Those seven schools always lose money in Big Ten revenue sharing because of their football stadium size and attendance.

 

It’s likely Nebraska, with its capacity exceeding 81,000 and weekly home sellouts, will infuse between another $3.5 million to $4 million into the revenue-sharing pot when it joins the league next year.

 

Schools receiving more in revenue sharing than paid include: Northwestern ($1.71 million), Indiana (nearly $1.3 million), Minnesota ($896,704), Purdue ($785,650) and Illinois ($539,539).

.........

For the third straight year Iowa men’s basketball received a paycheck from the Big Ten based on its revenue-sharing policy. Men’s basketball programs send 25 percent of home gate revenue from league games with a $67,000 per-game ceiling and a $29,000 per-game floor.

 

Iowa was one of only three schools receiving more in revenue sharing than paying. Iowa took in $158,992, behind Northwestern ($214,647) and Penn State ($248,162). Losing the maximum of $86,597 were Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin.

[Butterscup1679666578]

DOESNT INTEREST ME AT ALL

[SouthSideRyan]

DOESNT INTEREST ME AT ALL

 

How much do you think you'll be paying Ball State in revenue sharing in a few years?

[Butterscup1679666578]

hey shut up

[Guest]

What's that, like the 6th time you've used Ball State as an example? I need something fresh if you're gonna smack talk, especially since you've got a 3 week window until beatdown #4.

[SouthSideRyan]

What's that, like the 6th time you've used Ball State as an example? I need something fresh if you're gonna smack talk, especially since you've got a 3 week window until beatdown #4.

 

The image of you funding the Bum's education is too sweet to pass up.

[OleMissCub]

http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_ncaaf_experts__38/ept_sports_ncaaf_experts-248799191-1281640128.jpg?ymArdmDDFK5okXIr

 

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Terrell-Brown-may-be-the-largest-football-player;_ylt=At68nzfdKXQahgF7Mjm2QyjynYl4?urn=ncaaf-262065

 

Terrell Brown may be the largest football player you've ever seen.

 

Since I went out of my way to highlight the relative shrimpiness of Brett Favre's nephew, Mississippi State freshman Dylan Favre, earlier this week, it's only fitting I return to the Magnolia State to bring you the first look at the largest player in the country. Meet Ole Miss walk-on Terrell Brown, who at 6-foot-11 and 390 pounds, is, according to The Clarion-Ledger, "almost too huge to play football." I was going to make a joke about the guy straining to water Mssr. Brown being the tallest guy in his high school or something, but that's probably too close to the truth to be funny.

 

Ridiculous.

[woodchip2153]

I haven't seen this posted

 

Alabama can't spell Mississippi

[SouthSideRyan]

I haven't seen this posted

 

Alabama can't spell Mississippi

 

Neither can Mississippi