• The pitchforks show they care. Dismayed SEC fans are circulating at least two open letters in the wake of more sketchy officiating in Saturday's Auburn-Arkansas game, one of which implored conference officials, media and the governor of Mississippi to open "a full scale investigation" employing "local law enforcement, state law enforcement, federal law enforcement, or government leaders at all levels" if necessary to fix the crisis. (Note to Democrats: You want to improve your standing in the red states over the next two weeks? Here is your issue.) Thankfully, a Fayetteville optometrist had a lighter touch: Any on-field or replay booth official who worked the Razorbacks' 65-43 loss on the Plains is hereby welcome to free laser vision surgery, courtesy of McDonald Eye Associates. [Clarion-Ledger, Arkansas Democrat Gazette]
(For the record, the conference says the refs got the calls right.) [Birmingham News]
• I keed, I keed. BYU receiver O'Neill Chambers told the student paper Tuesday his season-long suspension is the result of a "prank" he pulled on the Cougars' true freshman quarterback in September, when Chambers said he "jokingly packed up items from Jake Heaps' locker and delivered them to coaches and told the coaches that Heaps 'wasn't putting the team first because he [Jake] wasn't thinking of the team first.'" Hilarious. He also took the opportunity with the campus press to accuse coaches of "hindering Jake's progress" during the team's 2-5 start, which nobody got. It's like his sense of humor is way up here, and all these squares are just plodding around on a lower level, you know?
Shockingly, Chambers has put in for a transfer, preferably to a school that will appreciate a more cultivated wit. For his part, coach Bronco Mendenhall chalked up the suspension to "repeated mistakes," which somehow sounds ... plausible. [BYU Daily Universe, Salt Lake Tribune]
• Sorry, Beano, this is real life. The Rose Bowl has picked up a new sponsor for the next four years: Vizio Inc., the Irvine, Calif.-based HDTV and consumer electronics company, which partnered with ESPN to "present" the Granddaddy through 2014, when it will also put on the Pasadena leg of the BCS Championship Game. Judging from those endless Vizio commercials, the halftime show will consist of a quick-cutting medley featuring Beyonce, the Numa Numa guy, ninjas, David After Dentist and of course, the Doobie Brothers. [Associated Press]
• Do not adjust ... you know, actually, you might want to adjust your set. Oregon is lobbying fans to wear bright yellow for Thursday night's visit from UCLA, a nationally televised game that will also be broadcast in 3D by ESPN. The school feels that "yellow will best represent our football program and fan base to the rest of the country," presumably by blinding it – just like the Duck offense does to opposing defenses. [OregonGridiron.com]
On the field, the Oregon defense may come in shorthanded, with three regular starters – defensive tackle Zac Clark (groin), defensive end Terrell Turner (toe) and cornerback Anthony Gildon (ankle) – looking doubtful to play. [The Oregonian]
• Not-so-happy trails. Hyped Miami safety Latwan Anderson, one of an elite handful of five-star recruits in this year's freshman class, has apparently left the team over a lack of playing time, though he remains on the Hurricane track team, where he's on scholarship. A source told the Miami Herald that "Anderson is frustrated but should have known he likely would redshirt this season." [Miami Herald]
Quickly... Mike Leach is willing to listen if Minnesota calls. ... Some relief is on the way for Penn State's banged up defense. ... Oregon assistant Scott Frost likes the cut of the Ducks' jib. ... Bret Bielema says Wisconsin runs "American Football." ... Bo Pelini rips Nebraska's tackling against Texas. ... San Jose State police close the book on the Case of the Colliding Flag Corps. ... When Nick Saban was a player, he walked 50 miles uphill in the snow every day, and he was grateful. ... And Jim Harbaugh really likes his starting quarterback. Like, like likes.
- - -
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
Christian Beggi Mike Bell John van den Berk Marnicq Bervoets Fritz Betzlbacher
No comments:
Post a Comment