RANDOM NOTES FOR A TUESDAY
The Big-10, which actually has 11 teams, is talking expansion. They would like to add one team & split into 2 divisions that would allow for a conference championship game. The conference becomes almost irrelevant after mid-November until bowl season. A championship game would keep the conference on a more equal footing with the SEC, Big-12, ACC & Big East, all with conference title games. So who have they considered adding to the club? Notre Dame is first on their list, has been for over a decade. Just don't think it will happen tho, the Irish have their own TV contract with NBC to televise all home games, they schedule whoever they want & most importantly, they keep all bowl money to themselves. That is, if they can ever get to a decent bowl that allows a team to show a profit. The realistic choices include Louisville, Rutgers, Syracuse, Pitt, Cincinnati, West Virginia & Mizzou. Mizzou?????? Yup, there have been stories out of both Columbia & Kansas City that if the Big-10 came calling, the Tigers would listen. A.D. Mike Alden & Gary Pinkel are not happy being cast aside for better bowl games the last 3 years. The Insight Bowl chose Iowa State, a 6-6 team that was beaten by the Tigers, over Mizzou & Alden was really hot about it. The Insight Bowl people said they thought they could get 15-20K Cyclone fans down to Tempe for the game. I'm calling doubters on that one, they only brought 450 people to Columbia, a 300-mile drive, when ISU was battling to become bowl eligible. They returned over 3,000 tickets they couldn't sell for the game. The Border Showdown could still be played between MU & KU, it would just be an out of conference game. Stay tuned.
Speaking of out of conference games with appeal, Oregon State has given the go ahead to ESPN to arrange a matchup in the 'Jones Mahal' aka Cowboy Stadium, with TCU next season. Mike Riley's Beaver squad came within one score of the Rose Bowl this past season & he has 19 starters returning including Texas residents, James & Jacquizz Rogers. The brothers haven't played a game in the Lone Star State since enrolling at Corvallis & since James will be a senior, this will be their last chance. OSU has already agreed to play Boise State next year as well, Riley is rolling the dice his team will be a top-10 squad & with a schedule like this, they could be a BCS contender as well.
Martin Rucker, former Mizzou tight end, has joined an old friend, Jeremy Maclin, on the Eagles active roster. The two played together on the 12-2 2008 Cotton Bowl winning team. Maclin has plantar faciitis, a foot injury & it may keep him out of the lineup again this Sunday. Rucker moves into the backup tight end spot.
Mike Holmgren has spent a second day in Cleveland with owner Randy Lerner trying to decide if they're right for each other. If Holmgren takes the job as 'football czar', coach Eric mangini could find himself out on the street.
Washington quarterback Jake Locker, considered a first round draft pick by most experts has decided to return to school for his senior year. He suffered an assortment of minor injuries that plagued him this year & he feels like he still has much to learn. Smart move by this kid, tho he runs the risk of further injury,ask Sam Bradford, he is likely to be the 1st QB taken in the 2011 draft if he stays in good health.
The Vegas oddsmakers have installed Missouri a 6 1/2 point favorite over Navy in the Texas Bowl.
The Kansas City Chiefs welcomed back WR Dwayne Bowe from a league imposed 4-game suspension for using a diuretic to lose weight in training camp. The anemic Chiefs' offense certainly can use him, their game this Sunday with Cleveland could very well be their last chance for another win in '09. The Chiefs also have the blackout cloud hanging over Arrowhead, they need to sell 5,500 seats before Thursday's deadline. Good luck with that.
Finally, the St. Louis Rams have parted ways with madman Richie Incognito. The offensive guard/center was flagged twice Sunday for head butting Titan players & then got into a verbal confrontation with head coach Steve Spagnuolo on the sideline. Earlier this season Incognito was flagged twice for unsportsmanlike conduct penalties & fined by the league. Last month he was voted as the dirtiest player in the NFL in a poll of over 200 players. The 5-year veteran out of Nebraska is the dirtiest player in the league in my opinion as well, he has anger issues that can sometimes be scary.
Speaking of out of conference games with appeal, Oregon State has given the go ahead to ESPN to arrange a matchup in the 'Jones Mahal' aka Cowboy Stadium, with TCU next season. Mike Riley's Beaver squad came within one score of the Rose Bowl this past season & he has 19 starters returning including Texas residents, James & Jacquizz Rogers. The brothers haven't played a game in the Lone Star State since enrolling at Corvallis & since James will be a senior, this will be their last chance. OSU has already agreed to play Boise State next year as well, Riley is rolling the dice his team will be a top-10 squad & with a schedule like this, they could be a BCS contender as well.
Martin Rucker, former Mizzou tight end, has joined an old friend, Jeremy Maclin, on the Eagles active roster. The two played together on the 12-2 2008 Cotton Bowl winning team. Maclin has plantar faciitis, a foot injury & it may keep him out of the lineup again this Sunday. Rucker moves into the backup tight end spot.
Mike Holmgren has spent a second day in Cleveland with owner Randy Lerner trying to decide if they're right for each other. If Holmgren takes the job as 'football czar', coach Eric mangini could find himself out on the street.
Washington quarterback Jake Locker, considered a first round draft pick by most experts has decided to return to school for his senior year. He suffered an assortment of minor injuries that plagued him this year & he feels like he still has much to learn. Smart move by this kid, tho he runs the risk of further injury,ask Sam Bradford, he is likely to be the 1st QB taken in the 2011 draft if he stays in good health.
The Vegas oddsmakers have installed Missouri a 6 1/2 point favorite over Navy in the Texas Bowl.
The Kansas City Chiefs welcomed back WR Dwayne Bowe from a league imposed 4-game suspension for using a diuretic to lose weight in training camp. The anemic Chiefs' offense certainly can use him, their game this Sunday with Cleveland could very well be their last chance for another win in '09. The Chiefs also have the blackout cloud hanging over Arrowhead, they need to sell 5,500 seats before Thursday's deadline. Good luck with that.
Finally, the St. Louis Rams have parted ways with madman Richie Incognito. The offensive guard/center was flagged twice Sunday for head butting Titan players & then got into a verbal confrontation with head coach Steve Spagnuolo on the sideline. Earlier this season Incognito was flagged twice for unsportsmanlike conduct penalties & fined by the league. Last month he was voted as the dirtiest player in the NFL in a poll of over 200 players. The 5-year veteran out of Nebraska is the dirtiest player in the league in my opinion as well, he has anger issues that can sometimes be scary.
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