Another day, another level of apathy (for me at least) as the BCS committee comprised of conference commissioners and for whatever reason, Notre Dame AD Jack Swarbrick, tried to figure out how to fix college football's broken process to crown a national champion.
Yesterday, the committee met to discuss the situation and even though things seemed headed for "seismic change" just a few short months ago, the only thing the group of power brokers did yesterday was pass the buck onto the college presidents, aka the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee. If that doesn't make you nervous, you must be a Navy SEAL.
The transition of responsibility to the BCS POC (was anything ever more deserving of a corporate acronym?) means the Herculean decision now falls on a group that is every bit as fractured as the commissioners. In one corner you have the Big 12 and SEC in favor of a four team playoff, in the other, you have the B1G presidents in favor of leaving the current system in place or even a plus-one ahead of a four team playoff despite the fact their very own commish, Emperor Delaney, recently, albeit reluctantly, came around to a four team playoff. Of course, even if the likely four team playoff becomes the decided answer, a whole new pissing contest begins as the group determines exactly how to identify the playoff squads.
Maybe I'm being overly grumpy about this but seriously, wake me when it's over. Until then, I'll be dreaming of ways Sandusky should be tortured for being the kind of guy that makes Dahmer look gentlemanly by comparison.
2 LIVE COACH. The venerable Andy Staples penned a column about the one and only Luther Campbell that caught my attention. I knew Uncle Luke was involved in coaching football down in Dade County but I had no idea just how entrenched he had become and was even more intrigued to hear he could soon be on the outside looking in, in an area where not too many dudes are going out of their way to try and positively influence kids in that neck of the woods.
The aging author of such majestic joints like "Pop That P***Y", "Me So Horny" and "Splak Shop" has actually coached at the high school level for the last three years, and enters his fourth as the defensive coordinator at Miami Northwestern High School via a temporary certification that expires at the end of the 2012-13 school year.
To continue his duties as a coach in Miami-Dade county beyond this season, Campbell must be granted a permanent certificate by the Florida's Education Practices Commission. As Staples writes, an administrative judge has approved the recommendation but the Florida Department of Education appealed, citing a lack of the required "good moral character".
I get that the man has enough skeletons in his closet to staff a Night of the Living Dead remake but if you read the lengthy piece, it's clear to see the man is dedicated to helping kids avoid the pitfalls of the inner city. He built a youth league that is still going strong after 20 years and spends countless hours stalking college coaches and administrators, trying to get them to give one of his kids a shot at a college education.
I say let the man do his work. He could sit back on his millions but instead he's out trying to make a difference. Whether you are fan of his music or not, his past sins don't seem to be the kind you pay for forever and it's not like there's a long line of guys ready to take his place.
NORTHERN INVASION A SUCCESS. Urban Meyer and a chunk of his staff made their presence known yesterday afternoon at the Sound Mind, Sound Body Academy in Southfield, Michigan.
Upon learning that the Michigan staff was being less than an ideal partner with the camp, Meyer jumped at the opportunity to be the keynote speaker and have his coaches lead some drills. Of course, that got the attention of both staffs in Ann Arbor and East Lansing. Here's camp director Curtis Blackwell's take on the situation:
The last couple of years, Michigan and Michigan State have been coming down here talking at the camp and Michigan was kind of dragging their feet a little bit about doing some instruction. So it was open. The new coaches were saying at Ohio State, ‘Hey, we’ll come up there and do whatever.' "
“In the afternoon session, we had some spots open where the coaches can do some leading in the classroom and on the field, and we said also the keynote on opening day is open, and (Ohio State) said Urban is going to fly up here and the other coaches will spend the first day here helping at the camp. ... So after that, Michigan and Michigan State are running down saying, ‘We’re going to be there.’ We said you have to treat it the same every year. The Ohio State coaches said it’s a priority to be in this area. They said they know the 2013 class is locked up, but for every year moving forward they’re going to be in on it."
Hoke and Dantonio will also get their chance to address the campers but mad props to Urban for tweaking the two while also creating some buzz in Michigan about coming down to play for the Buckeyes.
Meyer definitely has plans to recruit Michigan's top talent:
I was at Bowling Green years ago, so I know this area real well. As for Ohio State ... we have some very good players from this area. If we have not, we will."
As icing on the cake, Urban stole a few of Hoke's babybacks and took a swipe at the NCAA when discussing how surprised he was the rare camp was actually above board with the NCAA because the coaches were allowed to come to players instead of vice versa:
"It's almost anti-student athlete, where they have to come to us to camp, and how many kids can afford to fly or drive that far? It's just so hard for a young person to even come visit the campus, now. ... There has to be easier ways for the student-athlete to do it the right way and go visit the campus, or bring the campus to the student-athlete, like what's happening today."
Consider my mancrush at Defcon 4.
Your coach is complicit. (H/T: Utterben)I GOT MORE STORIES THAN JJ'S GOT SULLINGER. Despite likely costing himself millions of dollars by not turning pro a season ago when he was projected at worst as a top five pick, Jared Sullinger seems comfortable with the choice he made, touting benefits he may not have realized otherwise in a recent interview with Hoops World:
“It helped me out big-time maturity-wise. I’m focused, and there’s certain things that I didn’t do my freshman year that I learned how to do my sophomore year—eating habits, getting my body into shape, a lot of those things. That’s why I was so blessed to come back my sophomore year.”
Only time will tell if the extra year of seasoning will serve him well at the next level but between that and a growing chip on his shoulder thanks to constant questions about how his body and skill-set translate to the next level, Sullinger doesn't talk like a man lacking motivation:
"People said I wasn’t going to be able to play at the college level, and I did. Some people said I wasn’t going to be able to play at the high school level. Some people said I was too overweight to play at the middle school level."
"(People ask) can I play defense? Can I jump? Will I be able to play the four? Am I a five? Can I shoot the basketball?"
In response to the naysayers, Sullinger cites skill-sets that make him unique:
"Ball handling, shooting ability, the ability to take someone off the dribble, actually have the ability to make a post move. I’ve been doubled most of my college career, so I’ve learned how to score with the ball on the block... Elton Brand was 6’8”, and people said he couldn’t jump. People said he wouldn’t be able to adjust to the NBA, and all of a sudden he’s an All-Star getting max contracts. He developed a jumpshot and started putting up 20 and 10 some years.”
I'm far from confident Sullinger will be an impact player at the next level but I'm certain I'll be pulling for him. His inability to harness his frustration from time to time was a handicap for the team but his pros dominated his cons and he continues to be a class act and fantastic ambassador for the university. Good luck to Sully as he enters the professional ranks.
WHAT'S NEXT, NCAA? WORLD PEACE? The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel announced rules changes for the upcoming basketball season and as usual, the release features logic offset by some head scratchers.
The common sense move declares "temporary decals and logos placed on the court must be “of a consistent surface” as the rest of the floor. Makes sense. Why wasn't that already a rule? Or was the rule, "the surface shall be as slippery as a strip of bacon drenched in Banana Boat" and they decided to modify it?
Taking on bigger issues, the committee believes the following should result in technical fouls in an attempt to tighten up decorum:
- Prolonged, negative responses to a call/no-call that are disrespectful or unprofessional, including waving or thrashing the arms in disgust, dramatizing contact by re-enacting the play, or running or jumping “in disbelief” over a call/non-call.
- A negative response to a call/no-call that includes approaching/charging an official in a hostile, aggressive or otherwise threatening manner, emphatically removing one’s coat in response to a call/no-call, or throwing equipment or clothing on to the floor.
Again, makes sense, but how about we get to the root of the problem? Your product is the most poorly officiated legitimate sport in the galaxy.
With said zebras in mind, the committee also approved guidelines to help better officiate the dreaded block/charge call which it noted is often called incorrectly, with officials whistling a charge simply because the defender was in the circle. The guidelines men like Mike Kitts, Mike Sanzere, Rick Hartzell and Ted Valentine will be asked to consider include:
- Before the offensive player (with the ball) becomes airborne, the defender must have two feet on the floor, be facing the opponent and be stationary to draw a charge. Otherwise, it should be a blocking foul.
- Secondary defenders (help defenders) moving forward or to the side are also in violation and those should be blocking fouls.
- Contact that is “through the chest” is not de facto proof of a charge. The rule in its entirety must be considered before determining a foul.
If it wasn't for the fact Steven Tyler and his embarassing mic stand make me itch, I could swear I hear "Dream On" playing in the background.
ONE IN THE LINK, TWO IN THE... Question, can you date a Burger King?.. #MONEYSHOT... Blood on gauze... RIP, Mr. Drucker... The depths of the depth chart revealed... Dustin Fox's camp (PDF) is fast approaching... 1st Annual Wal-Mart Car Show.
