SEC Tournament tickets among hottest in town

Most SEC schools sold all of their 2010 tournament tickets before the first tip-off.But there are a few choice seats available — for a few thousand dollars.

As Thursday's games approach, fans who missed their chance to buy last year are at the mercy of private dealers working through Web sites. A book for the entire four-day tournament went on sale July 1 as low as $275. On Wednesday, a single upper-level seat for one game was going for $125 online.

Tennessean.com
3/10/10

Michael Vick 'confident' he could be a 'difference maker' on St. Louis Rams

Said Vick, via ESPN:

"I'm not saying it out of arrogance but out of confidence. I think I can be the difference maker on any team, especially a team like the St. Louis Rams, who need a lot of help and will get it based on their ownership and the general manager (Billy Devaney) they have who is a great guy and I know from Atlanta. I just think bringing the right pieces in, putting the right players in the proper positions and giving them the opportunity to win, I think premier players could turn any team around. Yeah, I'm confident I could do that."

USAToday.com
3/10/10

http://www.neworleans.com/sports/lsu/348841-dean-landry-lead-no-1-lsu-past-ulm-18-7.html



BATON ROUGE, La. – A four-RBI performance by first baseman Blake Dean, along with 10 extra-base hits by the LSU offense, lifted the top-ranked Tigers to an 18-7 victory over UL-Monroe Tuesday night in Alex Box Stadium.

The Tigers (12-0) are off to their best start since 1997 when that team started the season 19-0. The win was also LSU’s 18th-straight home victory dating back to last season. ULM dropped to 5-5 with the loss.

LSU’s offense was led Tuesday night by Dean, who finished 3-for-4 with a homer, a double and four RBI, along with center fielder Leon Landry, who finished 3-for-3 with a triple, a double and three RBI. Landry also has six consecutive hits, including three triples, dating back to Sunday’s 9-2 win over Brown.


neworleans.com
3/9/10

http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2010/mar/07/beating-lsu-wont-benefit-uts-position/



Ready for some March Madness mathematics?

Consider Tennessee's scenario where the NCAA men's basketball tournament seedings are concerned.

UT sits No. 13 in the most recent RealTimeRpi.com ratings, theoretically on the brink of a No. 3 seed in one of the four NCAA regionals.

But the way the SEC tournament sets up, the Vols (23-7, 11-5) find themselves at a disadvantage opening with LSU (11-19, 2-14) at 3:15 p.m. Thursday in Nashville.

Even if Tennessee wins, it ultimately loses ground in the all-important RPI rankings by playing the Tigers.

LSU has an RPI of 222 - which damages the Vols' strength of schedule portion of the RPI formula, which ranks 20th.

A win over the Tigers would put the Vols into a second-round game (3:15 p.m., Friday) against the hottest team in the SEC, Ole Miss.

The Rebels (21-9, 9-7) remain on the bubble, listed Sunday night among ESPN bracketology's "first four" teams out of the field despite their four-game win streak.

But Ole Miss, by virtue of being the No. 2 team in the West Division, gets a bye before playing the UT/LSU winner.



GoVols
3/8/10

Salaries spike for college football assistants, successful coaches

The trend of rapidly accelerating pay for major-college head football coaches is being replicated — and then some — for their top assistants.
With many contracts being negotiated or finalized, nearly a dozen schools in the NCAA's 120-school Football Bowl Subdivision have made deals under which they will be spending at least 38% more on their offensive or defensive coordinator in 2010 than they did in 2009.

usatoday.com
3/9/10

Rebels Pound Out 16 Hits In 14-4 Win Over Austin Peay

OXFORD, Miss. - Rory McKean turned in a solid performance on the mound, while the Rebels pounded out 16 hits to lead No. 17 Ole Miss (10-2) to a 14-4 win over Austin Peay (8-4) on Tuesday night at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.

The game was the first of a two-game set in the mid-week for the Rebels against the Governors. Wednesday's game has been moved to a 3 p.m. start time due to the expectation of inclement weather.

Tim Ferguson and Kevin Mort paced a torrid Rebel offense right out of the gates. Ferguson hit a home run in the Rebels' first at bat and went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and an RBI, while Mort went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Six Rebels tallied multiple hits on the night in the win, including left-handed pitcher Matt Tracy, who served as designated hitter. Tracy was 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored.

OleMissSports.com
3/10/10

SEC title not Cats' No. 1 goal

Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari would be happy to celebrate a Southeastern Conference tournament title Sunday afternoon in Nashville, but he admits his mind wouldn't be on the trophy.

Not with the NCAA tournament selection show just a couple of hours away.

"We're playing for a seed. That's what we're playing for," Calipari said. "Now, we'd like to win this tournament, but it's not the end-all for us. Our whole goal is that seed, and if we lose our first game, we're not going to be a No. 1 seed. If we win the first and lose the second, then I think we've done enough to get that 1 seed."

TimesFreePress.com
3/10/10

Polynice back on Rebs' squad

Eniel Polynice is back on the basketball team after being suspended for Saturday's game against Arkansas for "conduct detrimental to the team," but Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said he hasn't decided if the junior guard will play on Friday in the Southeastern Conference Tournament.

He did not make the trip to the team's regular-season finale at Arkansas, which the Rebels won 68-66 to clinch a share of the SEC Western Division and earn a bye to the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament.

Ole Miss will play the winner of Thursday's LSU/Tennessee game at 2:15 p.m. on Friday at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

ClarionLedger.com
3/10/10

Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Willie Colon saw nothing while with teammate Ben Roethlisberger

Steelers right tackle Willie Colon, who is from the Bronx and played at Hofstra, was visiting Ben Roethlisberger for his birthday at his vacation home in Georgia last week and was at the club the night Roethlisberger was accused of sexually assaulting a 20-year old college student. But Colon didn't see anything and has nothing to add to the investigation, his agent told the Daily News Tuesday.

It is believed Colon is the only Steeler who was with Roethlisberger last Thursday night when they stopped by several spots in Milledgeville, Ga., including Capital City, a popular club for college students and where the assault is alleged to have taken place.

NYDailyNews.com
3/10/10

Evans leads St. John’s over UConn, 73-51

NEW YORK (AP)—For the fifth straight year, Connecticut left the Big East tournament without winning a game. And for the second time in the run, there won’t be an NCAA tournament bid to offset the hurt.

St. John’s ran away from the Huskies 73-51 on Tuesday, extending their Big East tournament losing streak to six games and beating them for the first time since February 2002, a stretch of nine games.

Connecticut’s fourth straight loss overall was a lifeless performance that turned into the Huskies’ worst beating of the season.

Rivals.com
3/10/10

Daily NCAA Tournament Tracker

GAME OF THE DAY
Notre Dame vs. Seton Hall, 7 p.m., ESPN: This is a Big East tourney second-round game. Notre Dame has won four in a row and looks to have played itself into the NCAA tourney. Seton Hall has won four of its past five and is firmly on the bubble. A win in this one, though, and Seton Hall is looking good for a bid and Notre Dame would be sweating; in that scenario, each team would have three RPI top-50 wins, but Seton Hall would own a better RPI, have a better league record and be 2-0 against the Irish.

Rivals.com
3/10/10

Notre Dame Was Feeling Left Out Of All The Expansion Talk, And Set About Fixing This

So what's the other scenario that forces ND into a conference? The BCS could yank Notre Dame's special privilege to BCS bowls, but they can't take away the school's ability to get in altogether without facing a lawsuit they will lose like whoah. And given the way the BCS has fallen all over itself to take plainly undeserving ND teams whenever qualified, taking away that bonus access is a threat without teeth. I don't see the scenario out there without something truly epic going down.

Swarbrick, then, thinks something epic could go down:

"I think seismic is a possibility," he said. "I don't know where the spectrum falls out. You have such an interesting media environment here. It's having such an impact on people. You have two conferences who have separated themselves economically. And you have all the other conferences lined up in successive years for broadcast negotiations. That's a tough situation for everyone in that position. The bar has been set so high, and the media market is so tepid, that it creates tension."

He added: "I've been in and around this business for 29 years now. This is as unstable as I've seen it."

SportingNews.com
3/10/10

Vick Lobbies For Trade To Rams As Eagles Pick Up His Option

Unsatisfied with trade offers for third-string quarterback Michael Vick, the Eagles paid out his $1.5 million roster bonus Tuesday.

Vick, meanwhile, wants to start in 2010 and went on a St. Louis radio station Tuesday to proclaim his desire to be traded to the Rams.

"I'm not saying it out of arrogance but out of confidence," Vick told WXOS-FM. "I think I can be the difference-maker on any team, especially a team like the St. Louis Rams, who need a lot of help and will get it based on their ownership and the general manager (Billy Devaney) they have who is a great guy and I know from Atlanta.

SportingNews.com
3/10/10

Tomlinson visiting Vikes on Thurs.

Running back LaDainian Tomlinson will visit with the Vikings on Thursday, a league source said.
Minnesota is seeking to replace Chester Taylor, an eight-year veteran who signed a free-agent deal with the Bears on Friday. The Vikings have Pro Bowl starting running back Adrian Peterson, but are looking for a capable complement, particularly in passing situations.

SI.com
3/10/10

Soldier Field target venue for Notre Dame in 2012

The moving parts involved in nailing down a site, date and opponent can be dizzying, which means that an Irish game at Soldier Field is no rock-solid guarantee.

But Washington and Chicago have been Swarbrick's targets for off-site home games in 2011 and 2012 for some time — and the Irish announced earlier Monday that they will face Maryland at FedEx Field in the '11 season, meaning that there was a will and a way in that scenario.

There has been little scuttle, though, about a potential opponent for a Soldier Field game.

Geographical proximity has driven the last two off-site deals to be secured. This fall, Army will face the Irish at Yankee Stadium, roughly an hour away from the West Point campus. And Maryland is less than 10 miles away from FedEx Field.

ChicagoTribune.com
3/10/10

The Global Warming of College Football

As a Nebraska fan this is a familiar and potentially frightening theory, but is it true? I finally heard it one too many times the other day to simply take at face value so I decided to at least take a cursory look.

The idea was simple: 1) Take all the NCAA recognized national champions since 1940 (AP Poll started in '36) from this list, 2) Look up the average yearly temperature for the school's respective cities using Weatherbase, and 3) Average the "temperature of champions" by decade to see if it was trending one way or the other.

BigRedNetwork.com
3/9/10

Vikings have plan to get Favre to return

My opinion is that the quarterback will be back after again missing offseason workouts and training camp. Rest assured the Vikings, the Wilf family that owns the team, coach Brad Childress and others in the organization have a plan they will follow to try to get Brett Favre to return for a second season of his contract, one that will pay the 40-year-old quarterback about $13 million in 2010.

No doubt one of the first moves in the plan was Childress' visit to Favre's home in Hattiesburg, Miss., where the coach spent all day Wednesday.

StarTribune.com
3/9/10

Notre Dame could play role of spoiler

Notre Dame. Is there a word beyond hot? Molten, maybe? That's Notre Dame right now. The Irish won four consecutive games to close the season, all against RPI top 60 opponents and two (at Georgetown, at Marquette) on the road. Funny thing is, that's pretty much what the Irish needed to accomplish to have a good shot at an NCAA bid. They face the winner between Seton Hall and Providence in the second round Wednesday; it wouldn't hurt to win that one, as well.

SportingNews.com
3/9/10

Tim Tebow to the Pittsburgh Steelers? They could use image-conscious QB after Ben Roethlisberger troubles

Reports surfaced over the weekend that Tim Tebow would work outt for the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills, both teams without a long-term solution at quarterback.

But the Pittsburgh Steelers might be a great fit for Tim Tebow, which Bleacher Report has pointed out.

Consider the environment Tebow would enter if the Steelers used their 18th selection in April’s NFL draft on Tebow:

*For all of Ben Roethlisberger’s on-field success, a second sexual assault allegation in as many years unveils a troubling pattern in Roethlisberger’s life, innocent or not. Guy’s just not being smart about his career and the positions in which he places himself. Why not draft an image-conscious quarterback such as Tim Tebow who, if anything else, could provide guidance to the two-time Super Bowl winner. It also shows the organization has not taken the Roethlisberger’s situation lightly.

OrlandSentinel.com
3/9/10

Sidney suspended, MSU to appeal

After nearly one year of waiting, Mississippi State University freshman basketball player Renardo Sidney finally received a decision from the NCAA on his eligibility status.

The NCAA academic and membership affairs staff has suspended Sidney for the remainder of this season as punishment for unethical conduct, and 30 percent of the 2010-11 season for accepting illegal benefits, which equates to nine games, not including preseason games. The NCAA is also requiring Sidney to repay $11,800 of impermissible benefits received during his recruitment.

MSU announced in a news release Friday it will appeal the decision, but Sidney said he is just glad to finally have a decision made.

The Reflector
3/9/10

Florida State QB Ponder poised to become household name

If it weren't for the five losses last year, or the same injury that ended Sam Bradford's season, or the same off-field nonsense that has clouded his every season at Florida State, it might not seem so improbable.
It might not sound so odd to hear Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher matter-of-factly point out that Christian Ponder, with a career record of 13-9 as a starter, is the best quarterback he has ever coached.
How good?
"The NFL scouts," Fisher said, "know all about him."
Soon enough, everyone else will, too.
When it all started to unfold last year, when the unseemly end to Bobby Bowden's legendary era at Florida State began, I was speaking with Bowden about a completely different subject—about, of all things, Tim Tebow.
"You know what?" Bowden said. "We may have a (Tebow) of our own. But it's one of those, what do you call it? Can't see the forest for the trees."

SportingNews.com
3/9/10

Sporting News' College Basketball All-America Team

G James Anderson, junior, Oklahoma State. As he fought off an early shooting slump, Anderson became a more varied scorer. Again making jumpers, he's putting up cartoonish numbers.
G Scottie Reynolds, senior, Villanova. Once mostly a hot-or-not scorer, Reynolds mastered the pick-and-roll and became the driving force of a consistently overwhelming offensive machine.
G Evan Turner, junior, Ohio State. He missed six games because of a broken back, but his contributions as a scorer, rebounder and playmaker outweighed his absence.
G Greivis Vasquez, senior, Maryland. After finding his way back from a dreadful start, Vasquez dominated opponents with his scoring, passing and will to win.
G John Wall, freshman, Kentucky. Though he could have excelled relying just on his extreme physical advantages, he showed leadership and maturity in reviving Kentucky.

SportingNews.com
3/9/10

Yes, Maryland can win the ACC tournament

You come here today looking for hope.

You come here asking: Can Maryland win the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament for the first time since 2004?

Don't lie to me, you say. Don't toy with my emotions.

Fine, I'll give it to you straight: Yes, the Terps have a great chance to win it all in Greensboro, N.C., this weekend.

And we'll get into exactly why in a moment.

But whatever you do, don't read too much into their sloppy 74-68 win over Virginia on Saturday.

The Terps were playing on fumes for that one after an absolutely exhausting stretch of games.

There was the big, emotional win over Duke on "Senior Night" three days earlier.

BaltimoreSun.com
3/9/10

OU's Stoops optimistic

Oklahoma State and Oklahoma were both scheduled to begin spring practice today, but storms in the area have forced Oklahoma State to postpone its start until Tuesday.

Oklahoma will move inside for its afternoon practice today, but Sooners coach Bob Stoops spoke with the media on Monday afternoon to kick off the 2010 spring session.

Stoops said he was happy with how the winter had gone for his team, but as always, was amazed by how soon spring practices arrived.

"When you get into the bowl season and all those practices, and then recruiting, you're kind of going a million miles an hour, and before you know it, you're back into spring practice leading into the next season," Stoops said. "But it's an exciting time. Us coaches always love this time of year, working with all the young players and developing them."

ESPN.com
3/9/10

In Big East, a tight field

Villanova will be sitting out the first two days of the Big East Conference championship because it earned one of the double byes that advanced the Wildcats and three other teams into the quarterfinals.
But there will be plenty happening at New York's Madison Square Garden beginning today, with nine games before the 10th-ranked Wildcats take to the court for the first time at 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

Here is a look at the top 10 topics to consider over the next five days...

Philly.com
3/9/10

College Football Untouchables: Top 10 Coaches Who Have Carte Blanche

Meyer quit his job one day and came back the next with the full support of his boss. Not only was he allowed to come back he was given a three month sabbatical to boot.

Not many college programs in the country would afford any coach that luxury.

Obviously winning two national titles in the span of three years while spending a lot of those three years as the No. 1 team in the nation has its advantages.

Of course, at Florida it had been done before. Basketball coach Billy Donavan left the Gators for the NBA’s Orlando Magic after his second consecutive national title only to change his mind and get his old job back from that same boss, Florida AD Jeremy Foley, the very next day.

BleacherReport.com
3/9/10

The 10 Sexiest Potential Coaching Match-ups in the 2010 NCAA Tournament

If this game happens, one has to hope there aren't many children in the seats near Calipari. He brought some magic to the court at Memphis—before leaving with them facing NCAA issues.

Calipari spent nine years at Memphis before leaving for his "dream job" up the road at Kentucky. If these two weren't rivals before the coaching change, they certainly are now. And the language might be as blue as the uniforms.

BleacherReport.com
3/9/10

Which 'supporting' player will become a star?

Alabama running back Trent Richardson played behind Mark Ingram last season.
My first thought was to select someone from Army, Navy or Air Force. That way, they could thank the Academy. But I really couldn't identify one that I felt strongly about. So, I opted for Missouri WR Jerrell Jackson, who was the Tigers' No. 3 receiver last season and should be QB Blaine Gabbert's top target in 2010. In each of the past four seasons, the Tigers' leading receiver has had at least 58 catches. In each of the past three seasons, the top receiver has had more than 1,000 yards. Jackson will make a strong bid to keep both of those trends intact.

Rivals.com
3/9/10

The not-so-Elite Eight

Let's take a break from all this talk about conference tournaments and bubble teams. Instead, let's focus on teams that haven't lived up to expectations this season.

We picked eight teams -- a not-so-Elite Eight, as it were. While it's true that seven of these teams can salvage their seasons with nice performances in their league tournaments (one's conference tourney already is over), there's really nothing we've seen that suggests these folks are going to get things on track any time soon.

Rivals.com
3/9/10

As NCAA Tournament has gotten bigger, it got better

IN THE MIDST of my 22nd year in this business, I can say that I'm no longer much of a purist about most things in sports.
I've accepted change as inevitable.
That's why I can't get all worked up over the fact that there again is serious debate about expanding the men's NCAA Tournament from 65 to 96 teams.
I couldn't care less, one way or the other.
If I were in charge, I'd leave the field as it is.
I think an uneven number is silly for the start of an elimination tournament, but since organizers never will eliminate one at-large bid for the sake of letting another "minnow conference" champion in, I'm fine with the play-in game.

philly.com
3/9/10

Mike Tyson vs. Holyfield? Again? Really?

Just to keep you up to date on all things bizarre and improbable, we'll pass along the story from Ring Side Report.com that Mike Tyson may be headed back into the ring.

The website says Don King has a tentative deal for Tyson to return to boxing late this year, and the ultimate goal is to arrange a third fight against the opponent Tyson tried to make look like Vincent Van Gogh -- Evander Holyfield.

USAToday.com
3/9/10

http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.ssf/2010/03/lsu_baseball_pitcher_anthony_r.html



LSU All-American right-hander Anthony Ranaudo will be out another week with a sore pitching elbow, LSU Coach Paul Mainieri said Monday.

Ranaudo, who suffered a stress reaction in the team's first game against Centenary Feb. 19, has not pitched since when he went five innings. Mainieri said the hope was that Ranaudo could pitch against Kansas this weekend but ruled that out after testing the elbow by throwing on Monday for the first time in two weeks.


2theadvocate.com
3/9/10

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/359389-college-football-untouchables-top-ten-coaches-who-have-carte-blanche


Things were much simpler when the Bear was around.

Loyalty meant everything and turnover was something that occurred on the field a lot more than off of it.

Fast forward to today. Job security in most of the public sector is virtually non-existent.

That could not be more true where college football coaches are concerned.

In the past half-decade we've seen the No. 2 winningest coach of all time run out of town mercilessly. We watched a 16-year head coach who had 100 more wins than losses thrown out with nothing but his $6-million buyout to land on.

But there are a handful of coaches in big-time college football who have a never-ending supply capital to spend for their respective programs.

Out of 120 FBS programs there are about 15 coaches who are safe no matter what.

bleacherreport.com
3/9/10

Saban proves it's better to be insulted than just ignored

Was it an insult?

Or did Nick Saban make an honest mistake?
During halftime of Saturday's Alabama-Auburn basketball game, while accepting the Foy-ODK Sportsmanship Trophy that goes to the winner of the Iron Bowl, Saban mentioned the "tremendous" respect he has for "the University of Auburn."
Not getting the name of your biggest rival correct is hardly what you'd call tremendous respect.

al.com
3/8/10

How Fisher ended up at Florida State

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — The roads in this shrinking West Virginia town lead to old coal mines, abandoned glass factories and a downtown that's disappearing, but they don't lead too far away for most people born here.

Bryan Fisher is driving around the hilly countryside in a big red pickup, talking about his older brother, Jimbo. It's a story about how the oldest son of a third-generation coal miner grew up to become the head football coach at Florida State.
The man who last month succeeded Bobby Bowden to become the Seminoles' second head coach in 35 years has roots that grasp onto nearly every sports field, court and sandlot here.

orlandosentinel.com
3/7/10

The cap comes off - and a chill is felt

Patriots owner Robert Kraft has plenty to be proud of when discussing the last decade of pro football.

He was one of the leading men in a league that entered an era of prosperity unprecedented for any sports operation on this continent, if not this planet. And in that time frame, his franchise won more games and more championships in that league than anyone else.

But if you ask him how the NFL got to the point it finds itself at this morning - where so much of the aforementioned could be undone by serious labor acrimony - he is contrite.

Boston.com
3/8/10

The Top 15 College Football Programs with the Most To Prove in 2010

It's not that 2009 doesn't mean anything. Believe me—it does. It's just that in the landscape of college football, the only thing that REALLY matters is 'what have you done for me lately'? It's about the "now".

There are a lot of teams in the FBS who are looking to make a statement in 2010. Some will be trying to take it to the next level, like Navy. While others will simply be looking to find legitimacy again, like Louisville.

This is about the teams who find their position somewhere between No.'s 1-25 in the preseason polls. The teams who have, perennially, found their programs at the center of great expectations.

BleacherReport.com
3/8/10

Movement afoot toward a bigger dance

Have you heard of those rare cases where a patient goes in for knee surgery and the doctor accidentally operates on the wrong knee?
In the world of big-time college athletics, most fans would love to see a playoff system implemented for football while enjoying the basketball tournament that has come to be known as March Madness.
But it's the 65-team tournament that might be operated on by college sports' power brokers, with an expansion to 96 teams being strongly considered.

Chron.com
3/8/10

Better to be insulted than just ignored

During halftime of Saturday's Alabama-Auburn basketball game, while accepting the Foy-ODK Sportsmanship Trophy that goes to the winner of the Iron Bowl, Saban mentioned the "tremendous" respect he has for "the University of Auburn."
Not getting the name of your biggest rival correct is hardly what you'd call tremendous respect.
On the other hand, at least Saban said "Auburn." One former Alabama coach thought it was cute never to mention the name, and instead referred to Auburn as "that school down the road."
And another even more famous former Tide coach referred to Auburn as the "cow college."
So in the big scheme of Auburn slights, this wasn't much. But was it an honest mistake? As careful as Saban has always been with his words, could this really have been accidental?

AL.com
3/8/10

College basketball winners and losers

Winners:
Ole Miss – The Rebels kept their NCAA hopes alive by rallying from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat Arkansas 68-66 on the road. Chris Warren had 31 points in the victory. Ole Miss ended the season with four straight wins.

Losers:
Rick Stansbury – Bulldogs fans can’t be happy with their coach following a 75-59 loss to Tennessee. In a game that meant everything to its NCAA tournament hopes, Mississippi State clearly wasn’t ready to play. The Bulldogs fell behind 17-0 to start the game and never recovered. And it’s not like this was a road game. It was in Starkville. Stansbury’s team looked lifeless.

Rivals.com
3/8/10

Early NCAA knockouts

We’re less than week from NCAA tournament Selection Sunday, and the buzz is all about bubble teams, brackets and the potential seeding impact of this week’s conference tournaments.

The regular season has been unpredictable with many of the teams expected to waltz into the Big Dance instead tripping, some repeatedly. Take Texas, once ranked No. 1, which has lost eight of its last 14 games to fall out of the national rankings. The Longhorns will back into the tournament with no momentum and little regard. You can almost hear the OVER-RATED chant.

Rivals.com
3/8/10

Tressel doesn’t duck issue of gays in sports

Jim Tressel is as conservative as his sweater vest. He’s a devout Christian who wrote a book about faith and leadership. He boasts a personality that, at least publicly, is more gray than scarlet; a multimillionaire who still mows his own lawn.

The buttoned-down Ohio State coach just took part in what is apparently a major college football first. He exchanged emails last month with Outlook Columbus magazine, the initial interview a big-time coach has done with a publication that serves the gay community.

Rivals.com
3/8/10

Tommy Tuberville: Karlos Dansby ‘as good a LB as I’ve coached’

Karlos Dansby is “about as good a linebacker as any I’ve coached,” Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville said Saturday. And Tuberville, who was head coach at Auburn during Dansby’s time there from 2000-03, has coached some good ones - particularly during his time as an assistant at the University of Miami from 1986-93.

Tuberville ticked off the names of some of the top Hurricanes’ linebackers during that era — Ray Lewis, Micheal Barrow, Darren Smith and Jessie Armstead — and then zeroed in on Lewis, to whom he compared Dansby time and again.


“He’s a lot like Ray in that he’s got a lot of instinct and tremendous hand/eye coordination,” he said. “He made a play for us in a bowl game that turned out to be ESPN’s Play of the Year where he intercepted a pass while going out of bounds and threw it back in (to a teammate) before he hit the ground. He’s just got all kinds of athletic ability.”

PalmBeachPost.com
3/8/10

What the Top 22 Bubble Teams Need To Do To Make the NCAA Tournament

Ole Miss is another bubble team that is at least winning down the stretch, albeit over mediocre competition.

The Rebels won four in a row to finish the SEC regular season at 9-7. They have a stellar out-of-conference neutral-court win over Kansas State, as well as a 10-point home victory over UTEP, but they failed to win any games against the three best teams in the league.

Mississippi will have to do just that in a potential quarterfinal meeting with Tennessee to have any shot at a bid.

BleacherReport.com
3/8/10

SEC basketball fans head for Nashville

Downtown streets, hotels and restaurants soon will be inundated with thousands of sports fans wearing college logos on their chests and title hopes on their sleeves.

The Southeastern Conference men's basketball tournament is Thursday through Sunday at the newly named Bridgestone Arena, bringing 12 teams and their passionate followers to Nashville for the first time since 2006.

Tickets sold out soon after they went on sale.

The champion of this tourney gets an invitation to the NCAA Tournament, which begins March 18.

Tennessean.com
3/8/10

Nicklaus expects Woods to play Masters

Golf's record major winner Jack Nicklaus expects his nearest challenger, Tiger Woods, to return from his self-imposed lay-off in time for next month's US Masters.
Woods has been absent from the game since a minor car crash in November lifted the lid on a string of infidelities and a public apology last month failed to shed any light on a prospective return date, but March 25's Arnold Palmer Invitational has been speculated about as a possible first tournament back.
The 71-year-old, quoted in the Mail on Sunday, said of Woods' return date: "I've been very non-committal because it's none of my business. But my guess as a golfer is he's going to try to play the Masters. It would surprise me if he didn't. I suspect he will play something before Augusta too."

The Press Association
3/8/10

Tim Tebow impresses at combine amid debate on his future

INDIANAPOLIS — At the conclusion of his Feb. 26 NFL scouting combine news conference at Lucas Oil Stadium, Tim Tebow told an estimated 100 news media members, easily the largest gathering attracted by any of the 300-plus players, "Thank you all, God bless."
Then, the former Florida star gathered the digital recorders stacked atop his podium riser and handed them back to reporters one by one.

The 15-minute session came full circle from the beginning when a reporter playfully asked if Tebow would mind taking his notes.

USAToday.com
3/8/10

Roethlisberger hires lawyer who defended Ray Lewis

More than a decade ago, Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis was accused or murder in Georgia. He hired Ed Garland to handle the case. Eventually, the worst of the charges against Lewis were dropped, and he pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice.

Now, Garland will be asked to help another high-profile NFL player.

Per a league source, Garland has been hired to represent the interests of Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the sexual assault investigation that is still unfolding in Milledgeville, Georgia. Roethlisberger has not yet been charged.

Roethlisberger was interviewed at the scene by authorities, and he was then told that he was free to leave. He returned to Pittsburgh on Friday. Authorities have said that he could be interviewed again.

ProFootballTalk.com
3/8/10

No. 1 ranking a hot potato as teams shuffle in and out of top spot

Any college basketball team would rather be No. 1 at the end of the NCAA tournament than in the weeks before it starts, so that might be why the top ranking in the USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches' Poll keeps being passed around as if nobody wants it.

The stage is set for another switch today after No. 1 Syracuse spent five days at the top before losing Saturday at Louisville in the Cardinals' final scheduled game at Freedom Hall.

Syracuse (28-3), which had not been ranked No. 1 in the regular season in 20 years, has lost twice in three weeks to Louisville.

Saturday's setback opens the door for No. 2 Kansas (29-2) to reclaim the top spot after beating rival Missouri on Saturday.

USAToday.com
3/8/10

March Madness: 10 Conference Tournaments You Don't Want to Miss

The SEC Tournament
Nashville, TN, Mar. 11-14

Anytime you can watch John Wall play, it’s worth tuning in. Here the young Wildcats will get to test their mettle in an tournament setting.

In addition to serving as an NCAA tuneup for an inexperienced Kentucky squad, a lot will be on the line in Nashville.

Vanderbilt and Tennessee will also be looking to build big dance momentum. Bubble residents Florida, Mississippi State, and Mississippi will be trying to punctuate their resumes appropriately.

Great teams, desperate teams, dangerous sleepers (Arkansas, South Carolina); the SEC tournament has all the bases covered.

BleacherReport.com
3/8/10

Woods Turns Down Paddy Power Sponsorship Offer

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Tiger Woods has turned down a $75 million (49.9 million pounds) sponsorship offer from Paddy Power, the Irish bookmaker said on Friday, adding it would make an improved offer to the golfer.

The 14-times major champion winner was dumped by sports drink brand Gatorade last week, the third major corporate sponsor to abandon the American since details of his adulterous affairs surfaced late last year.

The Dublin-based company said its initial offer to Woods, who was estimated to have earned $100 million annually in endorsement deals before taking an indefinite break from golf in December, covered a five-year period.

NYTimes.com
3/8/10

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/2010-03-07-lsu-players-arrested_N.htm



LSU wide receiver Terrance Toliver was arrested early Sunday morning by Baton Rouge Police on charges of interfering with a police officer, disturbing the peace and public intoxication after getting into a fight outside Fred's bar near the LSU campus.
Toliver, a junior from Hempstead, Texas, who is expected to be the Tigers' feature receiver next season, was subdued by police after they shocked him with a Taser gun when he did not cooperate with officers. A police spokesman said Toliver was involved in a fight with Timothy Moran outside of Fred's. Moran was also arrested for public intoxication and disturbing the peace.

Also arrested on a charge of interfering with a police officer at the scene was Dennis Harris, a freshman on the LSU basketball team from Jonesboro, Ga. The incident happened as Fred's was closing at about 2 a.m. Sunday. Each of the three were issued citations and not booked into jail.

"We are in the process of gathering information on this incident," LSU coach Les Miles said Sunday night in a release through LSU's sports information department. "We are going to investigate it thoroughly to find out the facts and then act accordingly."

usatoday.com
3/7/10

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703936804575107701152194716.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_6



Hold on: March Madness is this March?

We'd like to file an extension, s'il vous plaît. We're still clammy with Winter Olympics fever—we spent all of Saturday teaching our cat the Nordic combined; he's an expert at the jumping, not so deft at the skiing—and now college basketball's 65-team OCD avalanche, which starts March 16, is running straight at us like Dick Vitale after 14 espressos.

This weekend, we found ourselves bombarded by end-of-regular-season posturing for position. Louisville dropped No. 1 Syracuse, 78-68, in a farewell to Freedom Hall. No. 10 West Virginia edged No. 9 Villanova, 68-66, and Iowa State shocked No. 5 Kansas State, 85-82. Down in Durham, the No. 4 Duke Blue Devils humiliatingly crushed an expansion team called the University of North Carolina, 82-50.

These games were entertaining, but they left us feeling deathly unprepared. It's sophomore-year literature all over again—we're barely 20 pages into Faulkner's "Light in August," and the quiz is tomorrow. There's only so much Red Bull we can drink. Can't CBS just tape the men's NCAA tournament and show it in May? C'mon—NBC would.


wsj.com
3/8/10

Steelers Quarterback Roethlisberger Accused of Sexual Assault

The reputation of one of the National Football League's leading personalities took another hit Friday, with revelations that police in Georgia were investigating Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in connection with an alleged sexual assault.
Police held a news conference Friday and didn't name Mr. Roethlisberger but delivered a physical description of him. They said they were investigating a sexual assault complaint filed by a woman the quarterback and his friends were socializing with Thursday night at the Capitol City Club in Milledgeville. The woman was treated and released from Oconee Regional Medical Center.

wsj.com
3/6/10

NFL's success using Wonderlic Test subject to interpretation

At the NFL Scouting Combine, no stone in a player's background is left unturned.
In addition to the ad hoc character analysis, teams also try to test the intelligence of the prospects.
“One guy did ask me, which one would I take: a pillow or a blanket?," Georgia defensive tackle Jeff Owens said. "I said, 'A blanket because with a blanket, if I get cold I can cover up and I can also use it as a pillow.' "

ajc.com
3/6/10

The Favre circus continues

After Brett Favre's first public appearance since the NFC championship game on the 'Tonight Show' with Jay Leno last week, it's still unknown whether the future Hall of Fame quarterback will return to the Vikings next season.
The drama now appears to be a six-week waiting game.
There are several angles to this year's Favre circus. If he truly planned to retire, it would seem he already would have announced it, as future hall of famer Kurt Warner did after his season ended last year with the Arizona Cardinals.
So Favre's game plan now could be that he and agent Bus Cook are waiting for Vikings owner Zygi Wilf to improve the $13 million contract he already has for the coming season.

twincities.com
3/6/10

2010 NFL Mock Draft 3.0

It's overreaction time in mock-dom, because after hearing from everyone in the NFL that the league's scouting combine is just a small piece of the scouting-season puzzle, all it takes is one disappointing 40-yard dash timing -- hello, Joe Haden -- to send the stock of some first-round prospect plummeting. Just remember: Knee-jerk reactions are usually wrong. Fresh off the trip to Indy, here's our latest reading of how we see the first round playing out in the primetime hours of April 22:

SI.com
3/5/10

Reid, Eagles divided on McNabb

Will he stay or will he be sent away? The Philadelphia Eagles are divided on a Donovan McNabb trade, with one very powerful Eagle blocking a potential deal. The NFL free agency period has officially begun and, as teams make offers and deals, reports say McNabb could be traded soon. There are many interested teams out there, but right now the Eagles are not accepting any offers yet. Sources tell Fox 29's sports department that the St. Louis Rams are not one of those teams, contrary to some reports. But we're also being told that trading McNabb is not going to be easy because internally the Eagles' brass wants to move him but Andy Reid does not.

SI.com
3/5/10

Faceoff: Should college coaches prepare their players for the NFL?

Gators coach Urban Meyer has taken heat for not properly preparing Tim Tebow to play QB in the NFL. My colleague Iliana Limon and I debated this point. I say no (and so does South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier): Meyer’s job is to win college football games, not develop pro players.

Iliana says yes: If Urban Meyer really had no obligation to prepare Tim Tebow for the NFL, then he and every other coach in the country defending him should no longer be able to even mention professional football while recruiting high school players.

Gators beat writer Jeremy Fowler had a good story today on the subject as well, listing several of the top coaches in the country and the dud NFL QBs they have coached:

Ohio State’s Jim Tressel? Nope, Craig Krenzel and Troy Smith never flourished.

Alabama’s Nick Saban? He looks for a college game manager, not an NFL star.

Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops might change his luck in this year’s draft with Sam Bradford, but so far, quarterback success in his program doesn’t translate to the pros.

OrlandoSentinel.com
3/5/10

Mascotless Ole Miss to vote on Col Reb successor

The University of Mississippi dumped the mascot -- a caricature of a white plantation owner -- in a 2003 effort to distance the school from Old South stereotypes. It's been without a mascot ever since. A vote Tuesday could change that.

Students will have only two choices in the online referendum: yes, replace the colonel with something else -- perhaps a riverboat gambler or a colonial soldier -- or no, remain the only school in the Southeastern Conference without a mascot.

In a world where football is akin to religion, and sports symbolism carries the power of a totem, this is no small matter. Stories about the upcoming vote have run prominently in the campus newspaper for weeks, along with "Save Colonel Reb" advertisements.

Boston.com
3/5/10

Even Monte Kiffin wants to know Bo’s secrets

LINCOLN — Monte Kiffin came to help his son but found time to do some football work as well.
Kiffin visited with Nebraska coach Bo Pelini and some of his staff Thursday at the Osborne Complex. The Southern Cal defensive coordinator was accompanied by two of his Trojan assistant coaches.
“Just exchanging ideas. It’s pretty commonplace,’’ said NU defensive coordinator Carl Pelini. “Sometimes guys come and spend three or four days and pick your brain.’’

It’s a bigger deal when it’s Kiffin, though, because of both his Husker heritage and his reputation. Kiffin, 70, is a Lexington native who played and coached at NU, and later became one of the most respected defensive coordinators in the NFL.

Omaha.com
3/5/10

Woods, Daly have something in common

Not quite 4 1/2 years ago, they traded sky-scraping drives right here in San Francisco. Tiger Woods and John Daly staged an epic duel on that unforgettable day at Harding Park, even if it ended with a whimper when Daly's measly 3-foot putt veered wide.
They were mostly golfers then, larger-than-life figures as they marched around our municipal course.

sfgate.com
3/4/10

March Is Upon Us; Why 2010 NCAA Tournament Will Be Best Ever

In just about nine days from now college basketball fans will be filling out their brackets, hopeful of winning their office pool, or maybe picking a correct final four. Then, just a matter of days after that those same fans will get out their red markers and start cross off all those wrong picks.

That is because the 2010 NCAA tournament is basically up in the air. Unlike many years there is no truly dominant team. Syracuse makes a bid for it, but we have seen they are capable of losing. In fact, a lot of the better teams on the college basketball landscape are mid-major schools, New Mexico, Butler, Northern Iowa, and Cornell just to name a few.

BleacherReport.com
3/5/10

The Big Ten Has To Expand Now

Put bluntly, the Big 10 needs to take advantage of its current position and expand.

Not three-to-five years from now, not sometime this decade, not after someone else expands.

Now.

The expansion talk started when Wisconsin’s athletic director Barry Alvarez mentioned the idea of expansion to his university’s athletic board. Since then, scenario after scenario has developed.

BleacherReport.com
3/5/10

Grooming Tim Tebow for the NFL was not Florida coach Urban Meyer’s job

GAINESVILLE — The ability to groom star NFL quarterbacks is one of the least valuable criteria for the success of a college coach, right there with fashion sense and leave of absences.

Just look at the track records of the country's most successful coaches. You'll find more Jesse Palmers than Carson Palmers.
Florida's Urban Meyer took heat last week in light of Tim Tebow's tweaking of his throwing mechanics. Tebow told ESPN that he's "never been asked to shorten or quicken my release and not have a loop in it." Analysts jumped on the trend and held Meyer responsible for Tebow's development.

orlandosentinel.com
3/3/10

Horns confident in Gilbert's ability

AUSTIN, Texas -- So Texas sophomore quarterback Garrett Gilbert believes that one of his goals for this spring is "to earn the trust and the respect of my teammates."

What's the matter with those guys? Is Gilbert playing with a locker room full of Simon Cowells? After Gilbert's performance as Colt McCoy's stand-in during the BCS National Championship Game, what else do the Longhorns need to see?

Gilbert made believers of Texas fans and the rest of the nation in the Longhorns' 37-21 loss to Alabama. Going into the BCS National Championship Game, Gilbert had played only in mop-up time. But on the Longhorns' fifth offensive play, McCoy suffered a nerve injury in his throwing shoulder that knocked him out of the game.

ESPN.com
3/5/10

Georgia opens QB auditions

Georgia's search for a new starting quarterback is the competition to watch as it opened spring practice on Thursday. Two redshirt freshmen -- Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger -- and junior Logan Gray are the top candidates to replace 2009 senior Joe Cox. New defensive coordinator Todd Grantham also will begin installing his 3-4 scheme. …

Nursing a hamstring injury from the NFL combine, Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham sat out Thursday's on-campus Pro Day. The plan now is for Graham to work out on April 8. Before his injury, Graham, MVP of the Senior Bowl, ran a 4.72 in the 40-yard dash. …

SportingNews.com
3/5/10

Favre says he hasn't decided about playing again

MINNEAPOLIS -- Brett Favre said Thursday he still hasn't decided whether he'll play again next season - and doesn't expect to make an announcement anytime soon.

Appearing on NBC's "The Tonight Show" on Thursday night, the Minnesota Vikings quarterback politely demurred when host Jay Leno asked for his thoughts on returning for 2010.
"Well Jay, it's only been a month, and I know now that I'm just not going to say anything anytime soon, just going to kind of sit back, relax, enjoy the offseason," Favre said in his first public comments since Minnesota's bitter overtime loss in the NFC championship at New Orleans on Jan. 24.
Favre is the NFL's career leader in nearly every major passing category and a three-time league MVP. The former Green Bay Packer had one of his best seasons ever after doing what was once unfathomable: deciding to play for his former bitter rival in Minnesota. The Vikings were rewarded with 33 touchdowns and the lowest interception rate of Favre's career.

SportingNews.com
3/5/10

Can Buckeyes bounce back in 2011?

Ohio State ended the 2010 recruiting year with a bit of a thud, finishing outside the national top 25 and striking out late on five-star prospects such as Seantrel Henderson, Sharrif Floyd and Jordan Hicks.

Granted, Henderson hasn't signed with USC yet, but it doesn't look like the Buckeyes will land the talented lineman.

Additionally, Ohio State signed only two of the top 10 players in Ohio in the 2010 class.

But as the 2011 recruiting cycle quickly heats up, it looks as if it could be a banner year for the Buckeyes. A return to the top 25 team recruiting rankings seems likely.

Rivals.com
3/5/10

Get Stock Tips From...Lenny Dykstra?

Former Phillies star Lenny Dykstra—who last year filed for bankruptcy, saw his home (bought from Wayne Gretzky) foreclosed on, and auctioned off his 1986 World Series ring—is back in the stock-picking game. He's selling a year's worth of investment advice—including three weekly forecasts, a monthly conference call and a signed baseball—for $999. "Although Dykstra is NOT a registered financial adviser, stock broker or the like, his proven track record has caught the attention of many," according to the biography on his new Web site.

WSJ.com
3/5/10

Which Players Ruled the NFL Combine?

And the winner of the NFL Combine workouts is…Arkansas offensive lineman Mitch Petrus?

The Combine is an annual showcase for NFL draft prospects to strut their stuff in various running, jumping and weight-lifting drills. To figure out which player stood out the most within his position group at each of the various skill tests, we compared the results with the number of standard deviations from the mean. This is basically a statistical way of leveling the playing field among the different sizes and speeds of players.

WSJ.com
3/5/10

Several coaches will feel the heat in 2010

As spring drills begin to heat up this month, Alabama's Nick Saban, Ohio State's Jim Tressel, Boise State's Chris Petersen, Oregon's Chip Kelly and Texas' Mack Brown, among others, are thinking national championship.

But other coaches are thinking of survival.

Following is a look at coaches who will be feeling the heat -- at varying temperatures -- going into the season.

collegefootball.rivals.com
3/3/10

March Madness is coming....

College Football's 15 Most Rabid Fan Bases

What makes college football so exciting and full of energy?

In a word—fans.

It's all about the fans when it comes to college football.

Stadiums fill up to 100,000-plus with crazed fans locked shoulder-to-shoulder to go wild for their team every Saturday.

There are certain fan bases, though, that gain a reputation as a nasty group allowing no mercy for visiting opponents.

Sometimes it's all about one small chant; other times it's simply everything about these fans that strikes fear in their opponents' hearts.

Here is a look at the 15 most ravenous and boisterous fan bases in college football.

BleacherReport.com
3/4/10

2010 Look Ahead: SEC West

It’s no secret in college football today: make it through the SEC season with a single loss (maybe two), and you’re going to a BCS bowl. Make it through the SEC season with a single loss (or better) and win the SEC Championship and you’ll be playing for the BCS crown. Win in the SEC and you’re going to a BCS Bowl; it’s not just a trend or coincidence, it’s because you’ve beaten the “best." I, being the stat guy and sports historian, took a deeper look at this, however, and found another interesting trend rears its head when we look at the coaches of these BCS invitees from the SEC; particularly those in their “sophomore” coaching season.

CollegeFantasyFootballInsider.com
3/4/10

Tiger won't break Jack's Masters record

A year ago, golf fans believed Tiger Woods was a lock to break Jack Nicklaus' record of six victories at the Masters. Now they seriously doubt that will happen.

That's one of the findings in the latest online survey by Golf Digest.

In 2009, 86% of fans said Tiger would get the three victories he needed to pass Nicklaus. Now only 23% say he'll do it. Some other interesting findings in the survey:

Tom Watson had a stirring British Open last year, but fans still think Gary Player should be the next golfer to join Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer as ceremonial starters at the Masters. Player got 48% of the vote, Watson 16% and no one else had more than 2%.

Despite the lore of Augusta, 52% said they don't own anything with a Masters logo because it's "overexposed."

USAToday.com
3/4/10

Is Erin Andrews dancing off the sideline?

Erin Andrews is joining Dancing With The Stars, meaning she's entering an area she shouldn't if she wants to be viewed as a (oxymoron alert) serious sideline reporter. So, more likely, this is her first step off the football sideline to the E! channel or some mainstream entertainment channel. And good for her, if that's the case.

Andrews evidently wants to stretch her fame off the sideline in a similar way Jason Taylor did (and still might). The issue becomes whether she has the on-air charisma (and looks) to carry it off. Or, as TheBigLead.com asked: Is she just "sideline hot" or can she compete in beauty show of mainstream TV?

Sun-Sentinel.com
3/4/10

The new starting QB's...and what they need to do this spring

Which new starting QB needs to have the best spring to instill confidence in his teammates

Kevin Newsome, or whoever wins the job, at Penn State. In retrospect, Daryll Clark never reached Heisman Trophy candidate status and never strung together an All-American season. Yet he served as the Nittany Lions' undisputed leader on offense the past two years and helped keep the team near the top of the Big Ten. His consistency is gone, leaving a significant unknown at the center of the program.
The Nits don't need a superstar behind center. They do need reliability, a guy who'll allow RB Evan Royster and the defense to win a series of 17-10 games. If the run-first Newsome can't impress coaches during the spring, the staff throws open the job again in August.

SportingNews.com
3/4/10

The Big 10: Is Bigger Better

Twelve would seem to make the most financial sense for all parties. Really, though, it depends on the teams. If the conference can score one or more of the sport's megapowers—Texas and Notre Dame come to mind—then blasting past the 12-team ceiling looks appropriate. Even 16 teams wouldn't be out of the question.
If the pool consists of schools such as Missouri, Rutgers, Syracuse and Pittsburgh, then one is plenty. No package of those schools would generate enough revenue to keep the existing schools happy with their revenues. The team in the middle is Nebraska, which could open the way for bigger expansion but isn't the top-level brand name to make a 14-team or 16-team league likely.

SportingNews.com
3/4/10

College Football's Dark Horses for 2010: Who Will Surprise the Experts?

Every year, there seem to be a few college football teams that surprise us all—including those in the media—by overachieving and giving hope to the BCS haters.

These teams make a big splash on the national scene, and they even threaten to rock the BCS boat—causing the yearly debate on the need for a playoff system in Division I college football.

Here are my picks for those overlooked teams and why I chose them.

Let me be perfectly clear: The teams on my "College Football's 12 Conferences' Dark Horses for 2010 List" are just that—teams that might just surprise college football fans across America.

BleacherReport.com
3/4/10

Shift to 3-D TV broadcasts will begin with college football fans

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- When South Florida's Maikon Bonani booted a 43-yard field goal to beat Kansas on a Friday night in 2008, I watched from my press box seat on the 48-yard line. Even though I saw the kick go through the uprights with my own eyes, I looked up at the HDTV monitors overhead to check the replay so I could include precise details in my column.
Despite all that, I never truly saw the kick until I watched it in a hotel conference room in Newport Beach, Calif., in January.

SI.com
3/4/10

Tiger's comeback tougher than Ali's

Now here's why I rarely do chats anymore: Under speed chess conditions, it becomes exceedingly possible that either (A) I might say something inappropriate, (B) I might infuriate my bosses in some way or (C) I might argue a point incorrectly without realizing it until later. On Friday, I made a mistake comparing the 2010 Tiger Woods to the 1970 Muhammad Ali, saying Tiger's comeback would be much tougher because "everyone under 35 was rooting for Ali." Total hyperbole that never would have happened had I spent more time thinking about it. More importantly, I botched a quality point that could have made for an interesting column.

Let's return to my admittedly rushed thesis …

When Tiger Woods returns to golf, he will face a level of pressure that well surpasses anything any other transcendent athlete has faced in my lifetime.

Yeah. Absolutely. Let's hop on the course and play nine holes (in the form of points) to bang home the point that, yes, Tiger's presumed return to golf in 2010 will be significantly more difficult than Ali's return to boxing in 1970.

ESPN.com
3/4/10

5 Things to Watch in SEC basketball

1. NCAA Tournament bubble watch. Anywhere from three to five SEC teams could be in the field. Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Tennes see are locks. Missis sippi State and Florida, which lost to Vanderbilt on Tuesday, are square on the bubble. Mississippi State can't af ford to lose to Auburn or Tennessee this week. Florida closes at Kentucky on Sunday, increasing the significance of Tuesday's loss.

2. SEC Tournament seeding. Arkansas and Ole Miss are competing for one bye in the West, which ought to donate its byes to the East this season.

AL.com
3/3/10

Auburn closes Beard-Eaves with big win over Mississippi State

AUBURN -- Auburn ended a 42-year run at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum with a victory, topping Mississippi State 89-80 Wednesday night.

Three seniors had big games for the Tigers. Tay Waller had 22, Brendon Knox had 21 and DeWayne Reed scored 19 for the Tigers. MSU's Dee Bost, who torched Auburn in the first meeting in Starkville, was scoreless at halftime, but scored a team-high 25 in the second half.

Auburn (15-15, 6-9 SEC) led for most of the game until the Bulldogs tied it up 65 with about nine minutes left. But the Tigers answered back, building a 10-point lead with 3:29 to play and holding on through MSU's last push.

AL.com
3/3/10

Showman Pearl shines in shadow of football

Sonny Smith, native of Roan Mountain, Tenn., and lifelong basketball aficionado, always figured there was a ripe opportunity for the right man back home.

The opportunity: The University of Tennessee men's basketball program.

The man: Bruce Pearl.

"I always thought the potential for the second-best job in the SEC is at Tennessee," said Smith, arguably the most successful coach in Auburn hoops history. "Bruce Pearl is the total package right now. He can coach them up, he can recruit them, and he can promote himself."

blog.al.com
3/3/10

March Madness: 10 Conference Tournaments You Don't Want to Miss

March Madness has arrived, and already I feel like I am taking crazy pills. Conference tournaments are getting underway all over the country. Invites to the big dance hang in the balance.

With so much meaningful basketball being played, it becomes difficult to prioritize.

This should help.

It’s virtually impossible to catch all the games, so it’s important to plan.

First, I’ll apologize to some of the smaller conferences. One bid leagues provide great drama and intrigue. The passion and intensity in these tournaments is unrivaled.

However, I consider myself unqualified to break down such events, so I left them out.

They are still wildly entertaining and certainly worth checking out.

I’ll instead stay with in my comfort zone, and rank the most intriguing, and potentially entertaining conference tournaments from among the bigger, more talent-rich leagues.

These rankings are based mainly on quality of games, teams, and match-ups and above all else, NCAA tournament implications.

BleacherReport.com
3/3/10

Jevan Snead at the 2010 NFL Combine: What Did We Learn?

Unlike last year, when the Rebels had two first round prospects in Michael Oher and Peria Jerry, only one of this year’s participants—Dexter McCluster—entered the combine ranked by analysts among the top five at their position.

Both Jevan Snead and Greg Hardy entered the 2009 season with the fanfare and expectations associated with projected first round picks. CBSSports.com’s Pete Prisco even projected Snead as the No. 1 overall pick for this year’s draft.

BleacherReport.com
3/3/10

MSU moves on without Sidney in its plans

STARKVILLE — While Mississippi State men’s basketball fans wonder what’s up with freshman forward Renardo Sidney, head coach Rick Stansbury isn’t worrying about his gem recruit helping the team this season.

It makes sense, seeing as the Bulldogs (21-8, 9-5 Southeastern Conference) have clinched the SEC West and are on the bubble to make the NCAA tournament, according to NCAA bracket experts.

Sidney wasn’t on the bench for the team’s game against Alabama, but the yet-to-be-reinstated player’s attorney, Don Jackson, said he was sick and did not attend.

Currently, Sidney, Jackson and MSU are awaiting the NCAA’s decision on possible punishment and possible restitution for what the NCAA called “false” answers given by Sidney regarding a trip he and his father took to California when he was a high school freshman.

CDispatch.com
3/3/10

Several coaches will feel the heat in 2010

As spring drills begin to heat up this month, Alabama's Nick Saban, Ohio State's Jim Tressel, Boise State's Chris Petersen, Oregon's Chip Kelly and Texas' Mack Brown, among others, are thinking national championship.

But other coaches are thinking of survival.

Following is a look at coaches who will be feeling the heat -- at varying temperatures -- going into the season.

See the list

Rivals.com
3/3/10

Back In My Day, Top 25 Teams Used To Play Each Other

Remember when things like Miami-Notre Dame used to happen? If you're 35 or older, the answer is probably "yes." If you're younger, those days are increasingly fuzzy. You know in your heart that the amount of football top teams play against each other has declined dramatically. Hell, as recently as 1997 Michigan's non-conference schedule was Colorado, Notre Dame, and Baylor. Baylor is just Baylor, but that's three BCS opponents. The only team doing that sort of scheduling anymore is USC, and that's largely because fickle Los Angeles fans aren't going to shell out for the San Jose States of the world.

SportingNews.com
3/3/10

Kiffin says he could have won SEC with Vols

Rarely has one coach created such a significant buzz in such a short time in college football. And that's just the way Lane Kiffin likes it. It's all part of the process: Create attention, recruit your tail off, and watch it all play out on the field. USC beings spring practice March 30, and we recently spoke with Kiffin about his transition at USC, leaving Tennessee — and winning the SEC had he stayed in Knoxville.

SportingNews.com
3/3/10

If John Daly were a black NBA player instead of a white golfer would he still be beloved?

In an unprecedented acquisition for a media outlet, Garry Smits, the golf writer at the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville, acquired a copy of John Daly’s expansive PGA Tour personnel and disciplinary file.

Which leads me to the age-old question I’ve been asking about Daly for years: Why does this guy remain so popular among American sports fans?

According to the recent Times-Union story, “The PGA Tour ordered John Daly to undergo counseling or enter alcohol rehabilitation centers seven times, once disciplined him for hitting golf shots off the top of a beer can during a pro-am and cited him 21 times for ‘failure to give best efforts,’ during Tour events.

“Daly has also been accused of nearly hitting an Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agent after failing to stop his car at a security checkpoint at the 2005 U.S. Open in Pinehurst, N.C., and of launching golf balls over the heads of spectators who were sitting in the bleachers during a 1993 golf clinic, according to the PGA Tour’s confidential personnel file on Daly.

OrlandoSentinal.com
3/3/10

Paul Mainieri on The Out of Bounds Show today

The head baseball coach from the defending national champion LSU
Tigers will join us today @ 7:25am.

Neal McReady with Rebelsports.net @ 805am.
Erik Galko w/Nflhouse.com @ 825.
Mike Griffith w/ Govolsxtra.com @ 905.

Is Tiger coming back sooner than later?
New Orleans hosting NCAA tourney rounds 1 & 2.
John Daly is a thug.
MState v. Auburn tonight.

From The Sports Think Tank,
Bo Bounds
Host, The Out of Bounds Show
ESPN 105.9 The Zone
Jackson, MS

Who would Michael Vick like to play for? 'Probably be the Carolina Panthers'

Eagles QB Michael Vick seems to be becoming increasingly vocal about his desire to play elsewhere even though Philadelphia seems inclined to bring him back for the second year of his two-year contract in 2010.

Responding to a question over the weekend on the Atlanta radio program "Gangsta Grillz," Vick revealed where he'd most like to play in the NFL: "If I could play for any team in the league, it would probably be two teams, but if I had to pick one, it would probably be the Carolina Panthers."

And here's why: "It's close to home. I like the uniforms. You get to play against Atlanta twice a year," said Vick. "Ain't nothing better than playing against your former team, right? So, yeah, that would be a good look."

USAToday.com
3/3/10

Rumors heard 'round the NFL Combine

Among whispers heard at the Combine, Taylor Mays may need to give up on playing free safety.

Does anyone like Mike?

On the flip side, the Michael Vick trade discussions won't include the Rams. If the Rams were really interested in Vick, they would have signed him last year when they really needed a backup to injury-prone Marc Bulger. All Vick proved last season is that he could keep his nose clean. Besides, now that he's being totally honest and telling everyone that he didn't work as hard as he could have with the Falcons, why does it mean that he deserves a fat new deal and a starting gig? The Eagles may be stuck with Vick until a team loses a starter in training camp.

FoxNews.com
3/3/10

Rams having 'intense internal conversations' about Donovan McNabb

Rams GM Billy Devaney said at the scouting combine that the franchise is currently focusing on DTs Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy and QBs Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen with the 2010 draft's No. 1 overall pick.

Devaney also swore that St. Louis hasn't talked to the Eagles about any of their players, though he was answering a question about the possibility of prying QB Michael Vick -- the guy who wants to play for the Panthers -- away.

But is Vick the Eagles QB Devaney really covets?

USAToday.com
3/3/10

To expand or not to expand: That's the multibillion-dollar question

The calendar turned to March this week, which means one of our nation's most celebrated sporting events is just around the corner. Two Sundays from now, CBS studio host Greg Gumbel will read off the names of 65 college basketball teams. Millions of fans around the country will race to fill out their brackets. Many will find excuses to skip work or take long lunch breaks the following Thursday and Friday, as another NCAA tournament tips off.
But behind the scenes, executives in charge of this multibillion-dollar event are holding discussions that could drastically alter the future of March Madness. On the eve of potential network television renegotiations, committees and panels representing the NCAA and its members must soon decide whether to implement the first major expansion of the tourney's field in 25 years.

SI.com
3/2/10

Billy Donovan: Players and coaches deserve a bigger NCAA tournament

I've always liked the idea of an expanded NCAA tournament. A lot of coaches feel that way. Why? Most importantly, it should expand for the players.
I think it's difficult for a player to go through college and never get a chance to play in an NCAA tournament. I went through four years at Providence and only got to experience one my senior year. We went to the Final Four, and what an unbelievable experience it was. These kids work so hard. If it's supposed to be about these kids, and you're saying that the NCAA tournament is the biggest sporting event in our country, why would you not want to have more kids participate?
It also should expand because everyone is being evaluated on what happens in March. Coaches are judged on whether their team makes the tournament and what their team does in the tournament, even though tournament performance can sometimes be misleading. But that's when everyone is watching.

SI.com
3/2/10

Report: Tiger out of therapy

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Tiger Woods is back at home after a week of family counseling in Arizona and is trying to get back into a routine that includes golf and fitness, according to a person with knowledge of his schedule.

Woods returned to his home near Orlando on Saturday and has been hitting balls on the range at Isleworth, not far from where he ran his SUV into a tree in a middle-of-the-night accident on Nov. 27 that set off revelations of extramarital affairs.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because only Woods is authorized to release information about his schedule, said there is still no timetable for golf's No. 1 player to return to competition.

Scouting the QBs at the NFL Combine

Jevan Snead/Mississippi/6030/219: If there was one quarterback at the workout who needed to make a positive impression in front of scouts, it was Snead. He is coming off a poor final season at Mississippi, so this could be his last chance to impress the important decision-makers in the NFL in an organized setting.

Snead didn't disappoint and showed what his 2008 tape showed: He has a world of talent. Snead did something consistently that other quarterbacks didn't show much of during their workouts -- a sense of timing. Snead did a very nice job of getting the ball out his hands quickly. He also tended to put his passes to an area where only his receiver could get the ball. You can tell he has been coached well for his throwing session.

FoxNews.com
3/2/10