2009 Off-Season Roundup
The News Stories You Need To Know ... April 14
By
Phil Guidry
* One of the most impressive streaks in college
football could be coming to an end. Miami has had at least one
player selected in the first round of the NFL Draft for fourteen
consecutive years, but doesn't have anyone projected in the opening
rounds on most draft boards. Not sure if that registered with you,
so we'll clarify: we're talking about the Miami in Florida, not the
one in Ohio.
* College sports fans who create Facebook groups to woo
prospective recruits to their favorite school could be running afoul
of NCAA rules. The NCAA says such sites are no different than
boosters using their own means to influence potential prospects, and
that these posters should watch themselves. Because if there's one
place where fans should show some semblance of order, respect and
following the rules, it's while posting on the Internet.
* Ole Miss offensive tackle Michael Oher, whose life was
chronicled by Michael Lewis in the book "The Blind Side," says he
has actually never read the book: “(Lewis) talked to me a lot about
the stuff, and went over a lot of things, and I felt I didn’t need
to read it. Hearing what a lot of people say about it, I think it
was fairly accurate.” Unlike some of the stuff fans post on Facebook.
* The NCAA has reportedly merged its Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo
inquiries into one investigation into whether USC lost control over
its athletic program. Allow us to save the NCAA lots of time and
money by rendering a verdict: if you've ever been to any college
campus where the football stadium is the largest edifice there, and
the football and basketball programs both generate and spend far
more money than any other institution on campus, and the football
and basketball coaches earn far more money than anyone involved in
the actual educating of college students... then yes, USC has
absolutely lost control of its athletic program. As has nearly every
other school in America.
* Iowa announcer Ed Podolak will
return to the radio booth this season, despite retiring after some
unflattering photos of him leering at a woman in a hotel bar
surfaced in the offseason. In a related story, every other male in
America will return to their jobs after doing the same thing at some
point in their lives.
* CBS Sports has announced that the
Iron Bowl will be moved to Friday after Thanksgiving for the next
two seasons. Merchants in the state of Alabama should see a dramatic
decrease in 'Black Friday' shoppping, but the deficit will be more
than recovered on Saturday thanks to the winning team's apparel
purchased by giddy fans.
* Several Notre Dame players were
asked who they'd like to trade places with for a day. Robby Parris
was honest when he said "rock star," while Sam Young was... well,
loyal to his university when he said "Jesus."
* In a
completely unrelated story, Tim Tebow is not cool with people
selling his autograph on eBay: "I always take positive in everybody,
that they are really a fan. But the stuff gets on eBay every day...
that's just not good for the Gators." Well, Tim, how else is Thom
Brenneman going to add to his collection?
138 days and
counting...
USC
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/11/sports/11usc.html?_r=1&ref=sports
Ed Podolak
http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090408/SPORTS/704089904/1001/NEWS
Iron Bowl
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/sec/2009-04-10-iron-bowl-date_N.htm
Notre Dame
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20090409/BLOGS02/904099843
Tim Tebow
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college_uf/2009/04/tim-tebow-and-ebay-are-not-friends.html
Miami
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/12/sports/ncaafootball/12miami.html?_r=1&ref=sports
Facebook
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/highschool/04/10/facebook.ap/index.html
Michael Oher
http://www.kansascity.com/nfldraft/story/1138935.html