Friday's news that the Big Ten and Pac-12 would be abandoning their planned scheduling partnership was a bitter pill to swallow. Here we were, ramping up for the start of an annual series that would feature 12 interesting football matchups per season — not to mention the enormous ramifications for the two leagues' non-revenue sports — and the deal is already dead thanks to four (as of yet, unnamed) Pac-12 schools that did not want to go along with the new scheduling constraints.
The Big Ten won't admit it publicly, but they're clearly frustrated by the lack of action on the Pac-12's side that led to this deal falling apart.
The Pac-12 already plays a nine-game conference schedule, and that made things tricky, but this was by no means an impossible puzzle to solve. The Big Ten had committed to a nine-game conference schedule by 2017, itself, so we may still see that happen. Ultimately, that won't be a bad thing, but it's nowhere near as exciting as the possibility of Ohio State-USC, Ohio State-Stanford or Ohio State-Oregon on an annual basis.
As for the Buckeyes, if I'm Gene Smith, I placed a call to Georgia AD Greg McGarity over the weekend to see if the Ohio State-Georgia home-and-home series that was set to begin in 2020 until the Big Ten's scheduling partnership with the Pac-12 nixed negotiations could be given new life. While I'm at it, I would also see if the canceled series with Tennessee was still an option.
Fans deserve at least one solid BCS conference opponent each season and if it's an SEC school, all the better.
SULLY GETS A REST. After an impressive debut in which he scored 20 points and grabbed six rebounds in just 24 minutes of action, Jared Sullinger helped lead the Celtics to two more wins on the way to a 3-0. While he's had a couple of rough outings from the floor, going 3-12 in his second game and 2-9 in his fourth, the big is averaging 13.8 points and 8.3 rebounds, more than justifying his first round selection (he made up for his 3-12 outing by hauling in 12 rebounds against Brooklyn).
Sullinger was given Saturday off, but will be back in action today as the league moves to Las Vegas and the Celtics take on the Atlanta Hawks.
YOUR DAILY UNHAPPY VALLEY UPDATE. The Penn State Board of Trustees, disregarding Bobby Bowden's opinion on the matter, has voted to leave the statue of Joe Paterno in place, but Paul Myerberg has a solid solution to the problem this presents. Now would also be a great time to remind you that nobody from the Board has stepped down, nor agreed to do so.
Meanwhile, Penn State may not be the only conference school facing potential issues with the Clery Act, which requires university officials to publish information about crimes people report to them. Stay compliant, Ann Arbor.
In the midst of the firestorm, a man that knew more than hepretended to know didn't understand the fuss.
MEDIA DAZE. One of the things I've learned to do to help pass the dog days of summer is to set up mile markers of sorts. You can see them approaching and once passed, you know you're one step closer to kickoff. We're through the arrest stage [furiously knocks on wood], the EA Sports NCAA release blitz arrived last week and the National Football Foundation's annual College Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival will be held Saturday in South Bend (ED-DIE!! ED-DIE!!).
We'll pass another big one this week when the Sun Belt gets conference media days season going today at the Canal Street Marriott in New Orleans. While the Sun Belt won't generate a lot of headlines, the SEC's three-day extravaganza begins tomorrow in Hoover, Alabama and from that point on, we'll be saturated with responses to awkward questions, quotes, stories and perhaps a bit of trash talk for the next two weeks until the Big East wraps things up in the college football hotbed of Newport, Rhode Island.
The full schedule of FBS conference media days:
- Sun Belt: July 16, Marriott Canal Street (New Orleans, LA)
- SEC: July 17-19, Wynfrey Hotel (Birmingham, AL)
- ACC: July 22-23, Grandover Resort (Greensboro, NC)
- Big 12: July 23-24, Westin Galleria (Dallas, TX)
- MAC: July 24, Ford Field (Detroit, MI)
- Pac-12: July 24, Gibson Amphitheatre (Burbank, CA)
- C-USA: July 24-25, DFW Marriott (Irving, TX)
- MWC: July 24-25, The Cosmopolitan (Las Vegas, NV)
- WAC: July 25-26, Orleans Hotel & Arena (Las Vegas, NV)
- Big Ten: July 26-27, Hyatt Regency McCormick Place (Chicago, IL)
- Big East: July 30-31, Hotel Viking (Newport, RI)
A couple of quick observations: The Pac-12's Larry Scott is showing his stones going up against the hot, hot heat of MACtion, life's good if you're a staffer for a MWC or WAC school and you are okay with not sleeping for a few days, and the WAC is your TripAdvisor champion with the Orleans Hotel earning 4.5 stars and checking in as Vegas' 20th-ranked hotel. That's a VHT hotel in Phil Steele parlance.
As for the Big Ten's event next week, we'll have Kyle and Chad on location, so be sure to get your F5-on right here next Thursday and Friday. Also, there may or may not be another Buckeye beat karaoke summit Thursday night, so if you live in Chicago and enjoy singing while drunk...
ERMAGAWD, KIFFIN! According to Rivals (generally considered to be the best at prep talent evaluation), Ohio State's 14-man class for 2013 carries the second-highest average rating of any class with 3.92 average stars. For context, Michigan's class, currently the nation's top-ranked group, averages 3.55 stars across 22 commitments, LSU averages 3.70 stars and the Alabama class of 2013 averages 3.53 stars.
And then there's USC.
On the strength of a class that features the nation's #1 quarterback, #1 and #3 running backs, #2 offensive tackle, #2 center, #2 and #3 defensive tackles, and #2 safety, the 14 commitments that have pledged to become part of USC's class of 2013 averages an astounding 4.21 stars. The group features six five-star recruits (across various services) and Lane Kiffin and company are still in the running for the nation's #1 cornerback.
Hate you, Kiffin.
THINGS STILL LOOKING GREAT FOR MITCHELL. Rivals caught up with combine king Mike Mitchell and the Meyer Effect is strong:
If that didn't excite you, here's Bruce Feldman saying he expects Meyer to "snatch away a long-time commitment or two from someone else in late January."
FEED US (WITH YOUR INSIGHT). If you haven't filled out our 2012 Reader Survey, what are you waiting on? One participant, chosen at random, will receive three (3) t-shirts of their choice from 11W Dry Goods, while two other participants will win one (1) t-shirt of their choice.
ETC. Michigan hat is confused... Among new rule changes, Big Ten onside kick receivers will be protected until the ball bounces twice... Paul Warfield, Ohioan... MGoBlog previews the Buckeyes... Highlights from the famous 10-10 tie game from 1973... The 50-most watched sporting events of 2012 (football owns America)... The NCAA is making international moves... USA!! USA!!... Not your typical panhandler.
