This week's games

Virginia Tech-Georgia Tech
6:30 p.m., Thu., ESPN
Line: Georgia Tech by 2

Cincinnati-South Florida
2:30 p.m., Sat., ABC/ESPN
Line: South Florida by 4

LSU-Alabama
4 p.m., Sat., CBS
Line: LSU by 7
* Underdog worth three points in this game

Arizona State-Oregon
5:45 p.m., Sat., ESPN
Line: Oregon by 7
* Underdog worth three points in this game

Florida State-Boston College
7 p.m., Sat., ABC
Line: Boston College by 6
* Underdog worth three points in this game

Good luck.
****#****

Texas A&M is interested in Tuberville

The Aggies want a name, possibly Tuberville.
I got a call from someone very close to the Texas A&M situation. Here's the deal: The Aggies want a big name and are willing to plop down $3-4 million per year to get their man.
The top two targets: Auburn's Tommy Tuberville and North Carolina's Butch Davis. The talk of Tubs to A&M has percolated for weeks. And, I'm telling you, people: It's legit. Yeah, it's time to panic, Auburn Nation. Yeah, if Tubs leaves the Plains, there will be a huge buyout ($6 million). But, a wad of cash never has stood between a major program and something it wanted.
Davis' name hadn't been connected to A&M until my source revealed that nugget to me. UNC confirms that Davis has no "outs" in his contract to coach anywhere without paying a buyout. That buyout is at $2 million right now. Peanuts.
A fall-back target, I'm told, is South Florida's Jim Leavitt, a rising star who figures to get lots of play on the market this offseason. No doubt, USF will have to pony up big-time cash to keep Leavitt. The Bulls are a rising power for one reason: Leavitt, who works too cheaply and whose staff is among the lowest paid in the BCS ranks. It's time for Leavitt to cash in.
Watching the Auburn dominoe fall.
If Tuberville leaves for Texas A&M, don't be shocked if Auburn makes a run at Florida State offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher. He hasn't been able to work miracles in Tallahassee, but he didn't inherit much to work with. Fisher is smart and savvy. Plus, he knows the Auburn job, having worked there from 1993-98 as quarterbacks coach.
There is a murmur about Atlanta Falcons coach Bobby Petrino being wooed, as the situation he inherited has changed markedly with the Michael Vick saga. Who can forget Auburn's clandestine courtship in 2003 with Petrino, who was then coach of Louisville? I'm sure Tuberville hasn't forgotten. Still, Petrino-to-Auburn may be a long shot.
The best in-house option looks like defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, a rising star.
Syracuse eyes Illini offensive guru
Talk is strong that Illinois offensive coordinator Mike Locksley could emerge as the No. 1 target at Syracuse. He has earned plaudits for giving life to the Illini's offense and developing its young stars. And Locksley is flat-out one of the top recruiters in the nation. He turned down the Central Michigan job last year. It's just a matter of time before Locksley lands a BCS gig. And this looks like a nice fit.
Arizona scouts its options
With change apparently looming at Arizona, word is the Wildcats would love to pursue USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian. But would Sark bolt? He may be in line to be the Trojans' next head coach if Pete Carroll goes to the NFL and USC can't land Jeff Fisher or Jack Del Rio.
Another guy who may get a look is UTEP's Mike Price. Word is, A.D. Jim Livingood wanted to hire Price before Mike Stoops was tabbed, but the Arizona president was against it.
Tom Dienhart is a staff writer for Sporting News.

Mr. Ultra-Conservative Football Coach

All the things Hog fans love about Houston Nutt.

Song parody and haiku

An Auburn fan previously stated that LSU fans smell like corndogs.
Have you smelled yourself lately? I came up with a song parody for
you Auburn fans. It is a parody of Baby Got Back, this one is called
Auburn Got Gas, here are parts of the song:
" I like corndogs and I cannot lie......... let it, let it, let that smelly fart,
Auburn Got Gas." Sung by none other than Auburn fans.
I bet the Auburn van smells rather rank after a game. It makes me
think of a line from Ace Ventura Pet Detective; "shew, don't go in
there."
Auburn fans could also be the stars of a new Pepto Bismol commercial.
The commercial goes heartburn, indigestion,upset stomach,diarrhea.
The worst case of diarrhea Auburn fans have is diarrhea of the mouth.

This weeks haiku:
Look whos talking
You smell like corndogs
Auburn got gas

This week's games

Interesting games this week with lines featuring no bonus points for the first time, no SEC games for the first time, and the Thursday-night jinx continuing for some.

Boston College-Virginia Tech
6:45 p.m., Thu., ESPN
Line: Virginia Tech by 3

USC-Oregon
2 p.m., Sat., Fox Sports Net
Line: Oregon by 3

South Florida-Connecticut
2:30 p.m., Sat., ABC
Line: South Florida by 4

Ohio State-Penn State
7 p.m., Sat., ABC
Line: Ohio State by 3

California-Arizona State
9 p.m., Sat., Fox Sports Net
Line: Arizona State by 3

Good luck.
****#****

A vast range of goodness

Since everyone is ringing in on Nutt, I'll take the contrarian stand...
1) He's a good coach at a sh***y program with sh***y fans
2) Those same sh***y fans have turned on every good coach that didn't suit them. For an example, see Ken Hatfield
3) The SEC is a thousand times better than the SWC and expecting an SWC-style record in the SEC isn't realistic
4) Arkansas has still been to more bowl games than any other SEC school in the last nine years.
5) Most college coaches have said that Nutt does more with less than any other college coach and all fear what he could do at a name-brand program.
6) No matter who Arkansas hires, if Nutt does leave, will be a long-term coach. The only coach who would satisfy the Malzahn cultists is Malzahn, and offensive genius my ass, way to win with Barry Lunney's offense. So the program or Program as Scotty Faldon prefers, will be left in absolute shambles if a coaching change happens this year. It could be a Mississppi State-style disaster, a hole the 'Dogs still haven't escaped.


And as noted by someone else, this weekend looks like some fun. This all begs the question as to what games Master Dishongh picks for the pool...

Some fun games this week:
Thursday
No. 2 Boston College at No. 8 Virginia Tech

Saturday
No. 6 West Virginia at No. 25 Rutgers
Mississippi State at No. 14 Kentucky
No. 9 (tie) USC at No. 5 Oregon
No. 11 South Florida at Connecticut
No. 9 (tie) Florida vs. No. 20 Georgia
Ole Miss at No. 23 Auburn
No. 15 South Carolina at Tennessee
No. 1 Ohio State at No. 24 Penn State
No. 18 Cal at No. 7 Arizona State

Also, is this a bad sign for Boston College as it prepares for Virginia Tech?

BROOKLINE, Mass. — On a recent afternoon, Kettly Jean-Felix parked her car on Beacon Street in Brookline, fed the parking meter, wheeled around to go to the optician and came face to face with a wild turkey.
The turkey eyed Jean-Felix. Jean-Felix eyed the turkey. It gobbled. She gasped. Then the turkey proceeded to follow the Dorchester woman over the Green Line train tracks, across the street, through traffic, and all the way down the block, pecking at her backside as she went.
"This is so scary," Jean-Felix said, finally taking refuge inside Cambridge Eye Doctors in Brookline's bustling Washington Square. "I cannot explain it."
Notify the neighbors: The turkeys are spreading through suburbia. Wild turkeys, once eliminated in Massachusetts, are flourishing from Plymouth to Concord and — to the surprise of some wildlife officials — making forays into densely populated suburban and urban areas, including parts of Boston, Cambridge and, most recently, Brookline.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/10/23/turkeys_take_to_cities_towns/

Say what?

Is Auburn fan seriously complaining that the refs cheated them out of a victory at LSU? Give me break. If there was ever a game that was won on the field, it was that one.

Rutgahz!

What a great game Thursday night. Two fake punts? Rutgers is exciting to watch because they play to win rather than not to lose. The Beraneks should be ashamed for going against the R. (Take heed, Jeff Kendall, regarding your pick in the Auburn-LSU game.) I had to love the famous alumni ESPN gave for South Florida -- Tony LaRussa and Gallagher. And what university wouldn't be proud to claim Gallagher?

Yes it's True... LSU Fans Smell Like Corn Dogs

Posted Sep 11th 2006 9:30PM by Jay Coulter

In what has become an Auburn tradition, it's time to tell the story of how LSU fans became corn dogs. For years, fans around the SEC have commented on the aroma of our friends in Bayou country. They smell different from any other school in the conference. It's a unique stench that well, can only be described as the smell of a corn dog.

Be careful when broaching the subject with LSU people. They are very conscious of their smell and become easily offended at the mention of it. A few years ago during Tiger Walk, Auburn fans broke out into a chant of Corn Dogs! Corn Dogs! Corn Dogs! as some LSU fans walked by. Needless to say the Cajuns became angry and wanted to fight. But the Auburn people just laughed, knowing that the LSU faithful couldn't help it.

A few years ago, an unknown Auburn person penned the very essence of the LSU Corn Dog. It was posted by a fan that goes by DeepBlue and appeared on the Autigers.com web site. No one knows his true identity. But he is a modern day Hemingway. Like the annual telling of The Night Before Christmas, I give to you, The Making of the LSU Corn Dog. Enjoy...

LSU fans smell just like corn dogs.

Yes, it is often said, but so, so true.

LSU fans do smell like corn dogs.

I would never tell them that to their face though. This is something
better said at internet distances. Even now, I am afraid.

I am afraid that they'll know I said it. I'll walk past an LSU fan
someday, and he'll see that look in my eye that gives it away.
That look that says, "gee, what is that smell? Is it corn dogs?"
The next thing you know, I'll have flat tires on my car.

If you only learn one thing from me today, remember not to tell LSU
fans how they smell - you know, like corn dogs.

LSU fans seem, somehow, sensitive to that whole corn dog issue.

I think this may be why a lot of fans get beaten up by LSU fans. If you
attend a game in Baton Rouge, try to avoid telling them that they smell
like corn dogs. Say something else instead. Like, "Wow, LSU sure does
have a great team this year. This is going to be a great SEC game."

It's hard. I know. It's like when you're having sex and you try to
think about baseball. That corn dog smell is just so overwhelming.
It makes it hard for you to think about football or baseball or
whatever else. Your brain wanders into corn dog topics like: "Gee, I
wonder if I took a bite of your finger, if you would taste just like
a corn dog?"; or "Is this a real person or is it a giant corn dog trying
to make me think it is a real person?" or "What did that giant corn dog
just say?" or "Excuse me, Mister, why is it that you smell just exactly
like corn dogs smell?" or, of course, after a silencer:
"Madam, did you just let the corn dogs out?"

Heck, after what I've heard about LSU fans, I think it may be better
not to smell them at all. Okay, not all of them. Some of them are
nice. Sure. Smell the nice ones. That's okay.

You know what else is a bad thing to do? Holding your nose around them.
They are real sensitive to that, too. Try holding your breath. But
don't be obvious about it. Somehow they know you're trying not to
breathe in the corn dog smell. And that offends them. They'll likely
punch you for that if they catch on to what you're doing.

If you do breathe it in long enough, though, it'll permeate your whole
body, and then you'll smell like a corn dog just like they do. But
don't say, "Dang, now I smell like a corn dog." They take offense to
that. And they will throw things. But not corn dogs. Hard stuff.
Stuff that leaves bruises and makes you bleed. Then you may have to get
stitches or something. Just don't say it. If you do start smelling like
a corn dog, just shut up about it. Okay?

I think kids are acutely aware of corn dog smells too. Counsel your
kids on how to behave around LSU fans. If LSU fans are driving around
town, do not let your kids stick their heads out of your car window and
sniff the air. No. Keep your windows rolled up. An odd change in
their expression - indicating they smell corn dogs - might get a wrench
or pipe or some other object tossed at your windshield. So, that's
dangerous. Let your kids stick their heads out of the car windows as
you drive - on some other weekend

I know you are just as puzzled as I am about some of this corn dog
stuff. What puzzles me most is that I've never actually seen any of
these LSU fans with a corn dog in their hand. Okay, maybe there's no
mystery there - maybe they already ate the corn dogs. Who knows?
Maybe there's a corn dog factory in Baton Rouge and they all work there.
Maybe, there's a corn dog lotion that they wear, or a French perfume.

Maybe their city council puts corn dog juice in the water supply -
kind of like fluoride. The politics there are probably weird.
The big political issue during the city election is whether they should
add more ketchup or more mustard to the water. Don't comment on it
though. It's not politically correct over there. It's like a
malnutrition issue or something. It's like the corn dogs are probably
added to the water to prevent starvation or something.

I know when you go to Baton Rouge, you're thinking: "Ahhhh. Here I am
in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I'll bet the people here smell just like
boiled crawfish or shrimp etoufe' or some fancy Cajun food." But just
stop thinking that. That's just a myth. They smell just like corn dogs.

In fact, please listen to my advice. Leave them alone about the corn
dog odor. And don't try masking the odor with something stronger.
They'll curse at you. They'll say something like: "WTF, how dare you
smoke a cigar in my home," or "WTF!! Are you too good for the smell of
corn dogs?" and they'll cuss out your kids too: "WTF!!! Little Mister
fancy pants over here acts like he doesn't want to smell like corn dogs."

Cajuns are not like us. Don't you see that, yet? They are really
sensitive about being sniffed and about their corn dog aroma. They know
they smell like corn dogs and it is no laughing matter to them at all.
I know, I know. We sniff the bammers and the UGA dawgs and the Ole
messes, and we keep a straight face with each of them, but don't press
your luck with the Cajun tiger fans. Don't refer to Death Valley as corn
dog valley either. I mean that's just wrong. Even if you've been
drinking, they'll beat you up and curse out your kids.

Along these lines, be extra careful when you laugh in their direction -
even if you're laughing about something else. Like baseball or football,
or sex or whatever. If you can't control yourself and you must laugh
though, do not snort. The snorting makes them think that you smell their
corn dog body odor from a distance or that you're choking on it or
something. They'll likely burn your van for that. We lost a campus
building over just one snort.

So, just remember. You can love one another without sniffing each
other. You can enjoy the clash of a couple of good football teams.
You can enjoy the thrill of the rivalry. But after the game, please heed
my words. Please just move along. No sniffing the opposing fans this
Saturday. Okay? Get your corn dog jollies at home.

Enough with this corn dog talk. Let's play ball...

Priceless

Sweet Comeback

I read an article written by an Auburn fan this past week and thought it
was very damn hilairious. You didn't think I was going to let it go at
that did you? You are going to be knocked out with the one,two,three.
I had to laugh because the article was written by someone who was
uneducated at a school where all the professors only have one tooth
in their mouth and live in the trailer park outside campus.
Driving up to games in the Auburn van they always say "Who Farted?"
Then laugh like Beavis and Butthead.
Here is the haiku for this week:
Hey Auburn snobs
Your comebacks are retarted
No touchdowns scored.

Take that and shove it.

Something about Faldon's column

Scott Faldon, currently tied for second in the standings, is the sports editor for the Southwest Times Record in Fort Smith and writes a column for that paper. His latest makes a point I had not considered -- Arkansas had a legitimate shot at a No. 1 ranking in the polls right now had it not bungled three very winnable games.

An excerpt from Faldon's column:

Arkansas was the No. 21-ranked team in The Associated Press preseason poll. Of the 20 teams ranked in front of Arkansas, only Ohio State is still undefeated.

If Arkansas was undefeated right now (and it should be), at the very least Arkansas would be ranked just behind Ohio State and ahead of South Florida and Boston College. Given the peculiarities and foibles of the poll voters, the Razorbacks could easily be ranked No. 1 ahead of the Buckeyes.

As excited as fans were last season with a No. 5-ranking heading into the LSU game, euphoria and optimism would have been at an all-time high with the Razorbacks at 6-0 today and a top spot in the polls. Considering Arkansas’ three losses were all easily winnable, it’s not that difficult to imagine an undefeated Razorback team at this point of the season.

This week's games

Behind Arkansas and possibly Notre Dame, the college with the largest fan following in the pool is Auburn. This week Auburn fan is faced with a dilemma: Do you have enough faith in the team to pick the Tigers, or do you go against your beloved War Eagles and pick favored LSU? The same predicament faces the Jersey contingent in the pool as they decide if they can pick against Rutgers, especially for Scarlet Knights alum Maura Beranek. Note that the South Florida-Rutgers game is on Thursday night, so be sure to send in your picks early.

South Florida-Rutgers
6:45 p.m., Thu., ESPN
Line: South Florida by 2

Florida-Kentucky
2:30 p.m. Sat., CBS
Line: Florida by 6
* Underdog worth three points in this game

California-UCLA
2:30 p.m., Sat., ABC
Line: Off

Texas Tech-Missouri
2:30 p.m., Sat., ABC
Line: Missouri by 3

Auburn-LSU
8 p.m., Sat., ESPN
Line: LSU by 11
* Underdog worth four points in this game

Good luck.
****#****

Real Men of Genius: Houston Nutt Edition

(Begin Bud Light theme music)

Announcer: Bud Light Presents, "Real Men of Genius"
Backup singer: Reaaaaal Men Of Genius

Announcer: Today we salute you, Mr. Over-conservative, Egotistical Football Coach.
Backup singer: Mr. Over-conservative, Egotistical Football
Cooooooooach!

Announcer: Game after game you find your team ahead in the final minutes but somehow seem to lose.
Backup singer: Ooohhh...we almost had it!

Announcer: As the game gets more and more intense, your plays get more and more sophomoric.
Backup singer: Run it up the middle!

Announcer: The fourth quarter is always reserved as time for you to bite your fingernails and say a prayer that the other team's kicker will choke.
Backup singer: Where's Tiffin when you need him?

Announcer: You will point out that you have several injured players, blame your QB, and pass the buck to anyone but yourself in a feeble attempt to feed your pathetic ego.
Backup singer: Look at this Western Division Championship ring!

Announcer: Go on, ignore that you have only won half of your conference games and have tried to bolt for jobs at several other colleges.
Backup singer: I still love the helmet!

Announcer: So crack open an ice cold Bud Light, oh Master of Mediocrity, and take solace in knowing that your National Championship remains under construction.
Backup singer: Mr. Over-conservative Egotistical Football Coooach.

Anarchy reigns

By Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports
October 13, 2007

When it comes to the Bowl Championship Series (or at least the inevitable death of the stupid thing) I, like any right-thinking person without a direct rooting interest, have become a situational anarchist.

The more profoundly screwed up, controversial and embarrassing the college football championship system gets, the better.

Only something completely ridiculous can spur a storming of the castle, a rebellion by the television folks or the SEC deciding to stand up for its self-interests. The BCS does a terrible job of determining a champion. It's designed not to serve the players, coaches or fans, just the corporate coffers favored by the commissioner of the Big Ten.

But while the BCS shares many similarities with the cockroach, it can be killed. A nuclear winter would do it, and after Kentucky beat Louisiana State in triple overtime and Oregon State stunned Cal, well, let's just say the missiles are in the air.

Boston College vs. South Florida in the BCS title game, anyone? How about either of them against an Ohio State team with exactly zero quality wins?

Think that might do it?

There isn't frost on the pumpkin yet, and the college football season is a befuddled mess that won't get any clearer when the first BCS standings get released on Sunday (4 p.m. ET).

Ohio State (7-0) might wind up No. 1, but the Buckeyes have beaten exactly no good teams. And due to their cupcake nonconference slate and the horrific state of the Big Ten, they won't have to beat anyone really good to waltz into the BCS title game with an unblemished record.

The Bucks' toughest game the rest of the way? Try Michigan. (Don't laugh).

Of course, do you like BC (7-0), which played an equally weak nonleague slate and comes from the Atlantic Coast Conference, aka SEC Lite?

How about South Florida (7-0), which has the best resume (victories over West Virginia and Auburn) but has been playing football for all of 11 years and feels more like a mid-major in the Sweet Sixteen than a bona fide, believable title team.

Of course, that's just perception. And in this season we again have learned perception means nothing.

The problem is that perception, in the form of two popularity polls, still plays a critical role in determining how college football sets up its championship game matchup.

If there ever were a year crying for a playoff, this is it, when just about everyone already has lost and the gap between teams playing strong schedules and weak ones is so pronounced.

Consider Ohio State, which considered this a rebuilding year. Its nonconference schedule consisted of Youngstown State, Akron, last-place Washington and Kent State. Not surprisingly, the Buckeyes won them all.

It's not Ohio State's fault that everyone else lost and the Buckeyes now are the likely No. 1. But it doesn't change the fact that perhaps no team ever has reached the top of the polls this late in the season with a less impressive body of work.

It also isn't Ohio State's fault that the rest of its league has tanked the last few years – it's possible there won't be one other ranked Big Ten team this week.

But suddenly the Buckeyes are in the driver's seat and have a dream slate lined up in front of it.

But that's just the kind of schedule the BCS rewards. Play no one but win, and you've got a heck of a shot of making the title game as the rest of the country beats one another's brains in. The best route to the title game is to play in a mediocre to moderate league with no more than one or two other good teams.

That's the Big Ten, ACC and, to maybe a slightly lesser extent, the Big East.

None of which means that an unbeaten champion of those leagues are better than a one- or even two-loss team from the SEC, Pac-10 or perhaps even Big 12.

If Michigan is Ohio State's big challenge, what of the Wolverines' 32-point loss to Oregon (not to mention Appalachian State)? And if Virginia Tech is what passes for serious competition for BC in the ACC, how do you explain the Hokies' 41-point pasting at the hands of LSU?

But LSU now is playing catchup thanks to a wild loss in Lexington. This was surprising in the specific but not the general – the chance of the Tigers surviving the SEC meat grinder was unlikely.

For the second consecutive week, the SEC should have seven ranked teams. Seven! The Pac-10, meanwhile, had four of the top 14 teams last week.

This is your BCS, though. It punishes good leagues and rewards bad ones.

Former SEC commissioner Roy Kramer might have designed the original BCS, but in its current form, in this current landscape, it is killing his old conference. In a sport with such a disparity in schedule strength, a playoff is most needed, not least. Let 16 teams play it out, and you might wind up with all-SEC title games or three of the final four.

Every week isn't a playoff, as the apologists like to claim, when not everyone is playing playoff competition.

But until the SEC's current commissioner Mike Slive decides to stand up and fight for his teams, rather than following the Big Ten's lead in protecting a system perfect for the Big Ten, nothing is going to change.

One loss, to a ranked team, on the road, in triple overtime will send you reeling behind someone with no losses, but no challenges either. It's quite a system. It needs to go.

Let anarchy reign.

Dan Wetzel is Yahoo! Sports' national columnist. Send Dan a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.

Geez, what about home field advantage?

Should have been kept over the visiting teams bench...

Overhead Cam Falls Onto Field in Seattle

SEATTLE (AP) - An overhead NBC television camera mounted on wires collapsed onto the turf during a timeout in Sunday night's game between the New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks, causing a 10-minute delay.
The Saints had just called timeout with 11:24 remaining in the first quarter when the camera slumped and then fell a few yards from where the Seahawks were huddling. After the camera was righted somewhat off the ground, it fell again—and nearly hit Bobby Engram as the Seattle receiver was walking to the sideline.

Game officials then cleared both teams from the middle of the field while the network got the camera back up to normal height. As the camera moved up and down the field for testing, Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren looked up at its every move with his mouth agape. When the camera moved to the sideline, Seattle's players all cleared out from beneath it.

After a 10-minute delay, the game resumed with the camera parked above the Seahawks bench area—with players and coaches making sure they did not stand under it.

Just before the game resumed, referee Jeff Triplette announced: "If any live ball were to touch the wires overhead, there will be a replay of the down, by rule."

Vdog eats turdburger... breath improves

If you would stop wearing your a$$ as a hat, you would smell something other than your own crap. Doug, you said something about a western division team not winning a SEC Conference game this season. Which team was that again? You also said something about an 1 and 11 Auburn team this season... how's that working out for ya? Maybe you should join Peppas and cheer for South Florida.

Zero and three, Dog!
Don't hate the Tigers. At least
there's Midnight Madness.

I love Joe Pa

JoePa resents road rage rumor after testy traffic incident
Oct. 11, 2007
CBSSports.com wire reports

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- An exchange of words with another motorist on a campus road was blown out of proportion by Internet-fueled rumors and media speculation, Penn State coach Joe Paterno said Thursday night.

The motorist complained to university police about Paterno's conduct after the Oct. 5 incident. No charges were filed.

Paterno, on his weekly radio show Thursday night, said the incident happened after he noticed a car had driven through a stop sign.

Later, when the person stopped, "I blew my horn at the person. ... Then I pulled up beside her because there was nothing coming the other way," Paterno told listeners. "I pointed my finger at her ... and I said, 'Boy, you went through that sign."'

Paterno said he told the driver "'Don't do that again, because I took your license number.' And I really hadn't taken her license number.

"All of a sudden, somebody knocks on my window. I put the window down, and he says, 'That's my wife.' Paterno said he responded to the driver's husband, "Boy, that's your problem," -- though he later regretted saying that.

Paterno said he addresses safety issues with students when he sees a concern on campus. "I must do that 10 times a year, because I think students have a disregard for safety," he said.

He said he was angered by rumors -- which first surfaced on Internet message boards -- calling the incident "road rage" or saying that he used profanity.

"I really resent the whole thing. I don't even know the names of the people who accused me of it," Paterno said on the radio show.

He also said he was angry with some recent print and broadcast media reports about the incident. "Very, very resentful of the media who are out in left field, because it's not fair," he said.

"I'm not the greatest guy in the world. I make a lot of mistakes, and they want to second-guess my coaching. But gee, when I was doing what I thought was helpful. ... Now it's a national event."

According to a police log reviewed by the Associated Press, a staff member reported just after noon Oct. 5 that "a male driver committed a traffic violation and acted in a disorderly manner." University police do not release names in cases in which no charges are filed.

Penn State vice president Bill Mahon told the AP earlier this week that the chief of police, Steve Shelow, had told him that the case was closed and that no citations were issued.

"We talked to both drivers. We weren't able to see anything that met a traffic citation or criminal citation," assistant police chief Tyrone Parham said Thursday, without confirming the identity of the driver who was the target of the complaint.

During a news conference earlier this week, Paterno grew agitated with questions about off-the-field problems surrounding his team. A reporter asked Paterno to comment on speculation the coach himself "might have been involved in something," to which Paterno replied, "Come on, let's go."

The traffic incident occurred the same day that Paterno suspended tailback Austin Scott for violating an undisclosed team rule.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Tuberville exit theories not worth any worry

The Birmingham News
Friday, October 12, 2007

Slow down. Buckle your seat belt. Pay attention to that blinking yellow light. It could be a bumpy ride.
We're approaching the intersection of Tommy Tuberville and Houston Nutt. Through the years, it's been the scene of one fascinating collision after another.
Road signs indicate this could be the last time Tuberville and Nutt cross paths at an Auburn-Arkansas football game.
Arkansas fans continued to turn on their coach last weekend in Little Rock when they hired a plane to circle the stadium carrying a banner that read, ``There's Nuttin' Like Being 0-2 in the SEC."
Texas A&M officials just turned in their coach, Dennis Franchione, for selling secrets to friends of the program in a $1,200-a-pop newsletter.
What does this have to do with Auburn? Don't you read the Internet?
It means Arkansas and Texas A&M will fire their coaches and stage an auction - harking back to Southwest Conference days - with Tuberville going to the highest bidder.
There's always a chance Tuberville could take the high road out of Auburn, but there are several problems with the unattributed, unsubstantiated theories that have people talking.
At Arkansas, hard as it is to believe, the retiring Frank Broyles may be out of the decision-making loop, which makes pinning down Nutt's future more of a challenge than bringing down Darren McFadden.
New AD Jeff Long takes over for Broyles in January. Long comes from Pitt, where he hired Dave Wannstedt.
Long and Wannstedt are friends. Wannstedt and Nutt are friends. Wannstedt has told Long that Nutt is a good football coach.
Wannstedt's not the only one who believes in Nutt. Nick Saban has said for years that no other coach in the SEC gets more out of his talent. When Saban left LSU, he recommended Nutt to LSU officials as his successor.
None of this may help Nutt if he continues his struggles against Tuberville, who's prevailed in five of their last six head-to-head matchups. Tuberville's won three of the last four games between them, plus the last two recruits in Kodi Burns and Lee Ziemba.
If Auburn keeps winning, Tuberville's stature as one of the better coaches in the business keeps growing. So does the conjecture that, given a chance, he'll beat the inner circle to the first jet out of town.
But those dots don't quite connect.
Auburn clearly is a better job than Arkansas. Auburn arguably is a better job than Texas A&M. And then there's a little true fact the coach's critics and opponents don't get.
Tuberville and his family like living in Auburn. He wouldn't have agreed to that post-Jetgate contract with the huge two-way buyout if they didn't.
The coach's eyes lit up two weeks ago when he told me about watching in person the day before as his older son, Tucker, threw the winning TD pass in the final two minutes of a junior-high game.
One of Tuberville's closest confidantes told me this week that he's not going anywhere unless Auburn wants him to go somewhere.
Everything can change in 60 minutes in this business, but right now, the people that matter the most at Auburn want their coach to go to Arkansas.
They want him to go today.
They want him to win Saturday.
Then they want him to come home where he belongs.

Kevin Scarbinsky's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Write him at kscarbinsky@bhamnews.com.
© 2007 The Birmingham News
© 2007 al.com All Rights Reserved.

In this decade...

Arkansas has a 28-30 record in SEC games, which is seventh among the 12 teams. Auburn and LSU are tied for first at 44-15. Florida is next at 43-17. Georgia is fourth at 41-19, Tennessee is 39-19 and South Carolina is 30-30. Behind Arkansas, Alabama is eighth at 28-31 and is followed by Ole Miss at 24-35, Kentucky at 13-45, Mississippi State at 12-47 and Vandy brings up the rear at 8-51.

SEC Mileage

According to the quickest drive on mapquest.com, here are the average distances between each city that each SEC school has to travel.

1. Alabama - 318.4 miles
2. Auburn - 337.3
3. Miss. State - 353.7
4. Vanderbilt - 363.4
5. Georgia - 371.8
6. Ole Miss - 379.5
7. Tennessee - 388.2
8. South Carolina - 465.8
9. Kentucky - 491.3
10. LSU - 542
11. Florida - 553.3
12. Arkansas - 661.2

Here are the five shortest and five longest, again according to mapquest directions.

Shortest:
1. Alabama and Miss. State - 83 miles
2. Ole Miss and Miss. State - 116 miles
3. Alabama and Auburn - 160 miles
4. Kentucky and Tennessee - 172 miles
5. Alabama and Ole Miss - 179 miles

Longest:
1. Arkansas and Florida - 980 miles
2. Arkansas and South Carolina - 919 miles
3. Kentucky at LSU - 801 miles
4. Arkansas and Georgia - 779 miles
5. South Carolina and LSU - 734 miles

Haiku and parody song

This weekend the Auburn Tigers are coming to Fayetteville and I will
give you a brief verse of a parody song. It is from the song Physical:
I need to squeeze one , squeeze one, squeeze one, I need to squeeze one,
let me hear your potty talk. All Auburn fans will be listening to that
all the way up.
I also thought up a song parody from Disco Duck called Disco Nutt.
Heres the haiku:
Planes fly overhead
Septic tanks fill up
Auburn is coming.

DJ Dailey Announces White Smile Challenge

It's time to launch the Dr. Dailey white smile challenge!

To all the pool competitors: I, Dr. Dailey, choose UConn to win the game against Virginia solely based on the fact that the UConn quarterback (left photo) has whiter teeth than the Virginia QB (right photo). The challenge is that anyone who chooses Virginia is eligible for one hour Zoom dental whitening in my office for $175 off the usual $575 fee. Get your teeth white!

This week's games

You may be laughing at Connecticut-Virginia, or crying at the prospect of having to pick one of these teams, but UConn is a surprising 5-0 and is challenging for the Big East title, while Virginia is 5-1 after squeaking out a victory against Middle Tennessee last week. With Missouri traveling to Oklahoma, it will be interesting to see if the Tigers' spread offense can work the same way against the Sooners as it did putting the hurt on Nebraska (sorry, Ryan Harris). And then there is Auburn-Arkansas, which will determine how much trash talking the Davis family will have to endure, or give, for the next 12 months. Scott Pacheco says if he goes 5-0 this week, it will represent a flipping off of the rest of the participants in the pool as he makes his way to pick up the Ramon Escobar Trophy.

Connecticut-Virginia
2:30 p.m., Sat., ESPNU
Line: Virginia by 3

Wisconsin-Penn State
2:30 p.m., Sat., ABC
Line: Penn State by 6
* Underdog worth three points in this game

Missouri-Oklahoma
5:30 p.m., Sat., Fox Sports Net
Line: Oklahoma by 10
* Underdog worth four points in this game

Auburn-Arkansas
6:45 p.m., Sat., ESPN
Line: Arkansas by 3

Colorado-Kansas State
8:15 p.m., Sat., ESPN2
Line: Kansas State by 5
* Underdog worth three points in this game

Good luck.
****#****

War Memorial Forum Results

I attended the public forum of the redevelopment of War Memorial Park
Tuesday evening, and here are the results from the forum.
The redevelopment project was done in three phases: Repair, Rehab,and
Revision.
Repair is everything currently in the park stays the same with a few
modifications. Most everyone in the meeting was for this plan, the
people I was in the group with agreed this redevelopment. We suggested
moving all the holes on the golf course on one side.
Rehab is the plan which takes the golf course down to nine holes and
tears down Ray Winder Field and the zoo expands in that area. Also
tearing down the Walker Tennis Center and putting in soccer fields.
Also a library is projected to go in also.
Revision completely changes everything in War Memorial Park.
No one in our group wanted this or very many people who attended
the meeting. Revision completely takes out the golf course and put in
a lake with a dock to rent boats. This plan will shut down the current
exits to Fair Park from I-630. Exits will be moved and a pedestrian
bridge included as well. More soccer fields are included as well as an
ampitheater.
My position is to keep everything the way it is. Voice your
opinion on this blog.

Red Raider barking up wrong tree

Texas Tech has banned the sale of a T-shirt bearing the likeness of Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick hanging the dog mascot of rival Texas A&M.

The red and black shirts, with text that says “VICK ‘EM” on the front in an apparent reference to the Aggies’ slogan “Gig ‘em,” was created by a Texas Tech student who was trying to sell them before Saturday’s game in Lubbock, Texas.

The back of the shirt shows a football player wearing the No. 7 Vick jersey holding a rope with an image of the mascot Reveille at the end of a noose. Vick, who pleaded guilty to federal dogfighting charges, is suspended indefinitely by the NFL.

Texas Tech officials late Tuesday announced the fraternity that sold the shirts was suspended temporarily and will face judicial review for allegedly violating the solicitation section of the students’ code of conduct.

The creator of the shirt, Geoffrey Candia, told The Battalion, Texas A&M’s newspaper, for Tuesday’s editions that the university prohibited sale of the shirts on campus through his fraternity. He said he originally had wanted to give 50 percent of the proceeds to an animal defense league in Lubbock “because we knew there would be a controversy about the shirts, you know, animal rights, stuff like that.”

This from an irate UF fan

This was emailed to me today... (I love the elf comment)

by WildAndBlue , 9/30/07 10:02 ET

on another forum. Must read.

"As I sit here in my darkened house, too despondent to open the shades, too ashamed to venture outside, I decided to reevaluate the teams I hate more than Lucifer himself. And I've made a change in my top 3. Auburn has replaced Tennessee at #2, a position the Fallentears held since Johnny Minors whimpering days of 1984. All these years I've considered Auburn that little pest we have to play before Georgia. The little runt who wants you to play w/ him before you go outside & play w/ your friends. The little pain in the a-- that your mother makes you play with. But no more.

Admittedly, since 1990 we've won more than we've lost to Auburn. But it seems that the losses we've had have been so devastating. To wit:

1993 - #3 Florida is double digits favorites over Auburn at Jordan Hare. We have a 27-13 halftime lead. But Auburn decides to ignore the rules of respect & come back & win that game. Of course a late hit penalty by then freshman Lawrence Wright didn't help matters.

1994 - #1 Gators are 17 point favorites over Auburn. We're gonna get revenge for last year's debacle & teach those bastar-s the true meaning of respect for one's superiors. Except Terry Dean decides to play Santa Clause & give away our season to that little friggin' elf Bowden.

2001 - Again we're #3, again double digit favorites. And STILL Auburn refuses to show us the respect we deserve. So some lil' punk field goal kicker whose name escapes me but if I ever meet him I'd shoot his dog in front of him kicks a ball that starts out headed for Houston, somehow takes a right turn at the 20 & splits the uprights to damage a once promising season.

And we know what happened the last 2 years.

So in light of these events, Auburn is my 2nd most hated team. At least Tennessee has been showing us the proper respect in recent years. They take their a-- kicking like they're supposed to. But Auburn insists on coming into our yard & turning over our garbage cans.

So Auburn, I hate you. I hate you w/ the white hot intensity of a thousand suns. I hope your football field get chinch bugs & you lose all the grass. I hope a Wal-Mart opens in whatever sorry a--ed town you reside in & drives every other business out & the town becomes a ghost town. I hope a student falls & sprains his ankle & a thousand personal injury attorneys descend upon your h-ll hole w/ litigious intentions.

Just so you understand - I HATE YOU, AUBURN!!!!!!!

But cheer up, at least you're not my most hated team. Florida State is firmly entrenched in that position."

Funny because it is true

Some may have already seen this e-mail, but I'll share for those who haven't.
From my experience, best fans — Tennessee. Cordial, pleasant, travel very well, the only downside is Rocky Top. Worst fans — Arkansas. Arrogant, classless, almost no redeeming qualities. Ole Miss fans come a close a second. Two teams and schools that have done almost nothing noteworthy in football since the 60s.


In General
The following may be applied to the fans of every SEC school with the exception of Vanderbilt:
• Classless
• Rednecks
• Drunk and Obnoxious
• Foul mouthed
• Destructive
• Uneducated
• Delusional Homers
The use of any of the above will result in arguments of the "pot calling the kettle black" variety. It is then incumbant upon both smacktalking posters to provide sufficient anecdotal evidence to prove his/her position.
The following are the more effective school specific acceptable stereotypes.

Tennessee-Moonshine making, stupid hillbillies.
They really ask for this one. Their fight song is about living in the hills and making 'shine. I'm guessing it is the only fight song in the nation to make a reference to a revenuer. Their mascot is an old hound dog.
Also, delusional Homers-although this one can apply to pretty much the entire SEC, Tennessee earns a special mention. Listening to UT fans talk is like the old SNL "Da Bears" skit. "Well, we have a losing record this year and we're playing a team that hasn't lost in five years. It's gonna be a tough one. I think we'll only win by 17."

Vanderbilt-Wine swilling, cheese tasting people that are used to losing (sort of like the French).

Vanderbilt is definitely an SEC exception as the general stereotypes do not apply. However, the opposites do. While it is unacceptable to call Vandy fans uneducated, it is acceptable to call them nerds. I have a special fondness for Vandy fans due to their friendliness to opponents. After the UGA game last year conversations were like, "Thanks for coming out to our school." "How did you like our campus?" "Sorry we scored those points against you" Basically, they take to a conquering force much like the French welcomed the Axis with open arms.

Florida - Sort of like Tennessee fans if you take them off the mountain and put them in a more urban setting.

They keep the mullets, but now dress for hot weather with their jean shorts and mesh Gator jerseys. They move out of the shack in the woods to an overly crowded trailer park on the edge of town. Think about domestic disturbances that you have seen on COPS as a general guideline when mocking Florida fans.

South Carolina - Eternal optimists, Good 'ol boys.

South Carolina has had little success on the field, but the new coach is always their savior. They always showed improvement and "By Gawd! Just wait till next year." Their fan base has proven their loyalty (or their stupidity) by never losing faith in this perenially bad to mediocre team. They feel about South Carolina football the way I do about my golf game. It's bad enough to piss me off with just enough promise to make want to keep playing.

Georgia - Two classes of Stereotypes:

1. Red polyester pants wearing old guys that eat fried chicken before every game and listen to Munson's Herschel calls over and over again. Living in the past (see Alabama below). These guys think Dooley is the greatest football coach that ever lived. They tend to forget that he only managed ONE national championship in like 35 years of coaching and got the team in a lot of hot water with the NCAA. They still hate Jan Kemp.

2. Overly arrogant modern fans. View Georgia as a national championship contender every year (although haven't actually played for one in 25 years). Simply cannot understand how anybody could dislike Georgia. Think that every official's call against Georgia is a bad one, every call against the opponent is golden. If the preseason rankings have Georgia rated lower that top three, then they are getting "disrespected." If Georgia takes a crap, it should be shoveled up and put in a museum.

Kentucky - Basketball fans

On gameday Saturdays, Kentucky fans wake up and see a large crowd heading to a big building. They figure it must be some kind of preseason basketball game, so they join the crowd. After taking their seats are confused by the shape of the ball and all of the fouls that are not being called.

LSU - Insane cajuns

Can't understand what they say because they are very drunk and speak some kind of English hybrid language. Typically overweight and smell like corndogs. If you say something positive about their opponent, you may be killed by them.

Alabama - Living in the very distant past.

We all know about their worship of the Bear and their 176 National Championships. Something about being an Alabama fan makes one become an elderly person. That is the only way to explain 20 something year olds fondly reminiscing about the glory days that occurred about 30 years ago.

Auburn - Big complex about getting no respect and a weird fondness for a coach that pretty much ruined their program.

Auburn has had two undefeated seasons in the last 15 years and no national championships. The first occurred under probation (so no national title). The second occurred when they were the odd third undefeated team left out. Despite their recent dominance over Alabama, they will always be "that other school in Alabama" to the rest of the country. They know this and hate it. They worship former coach Pat Dye although his cheating is basically what cost them the National Championship since it resulted in the probation. They hate Terry Bowden although it was his coaching that got them close in spite of Pat Dye.

Arkansas - "We're in the SEC too. Really, we are."

They just don't fit in for some reason. They joined us late. They are west of the Mississippi River. They haven't really excelled. Their home town isn't really worth travelling to. No matter how good they are they will be picked to finish near the bottom in SEC West. All this places a big chip on the fan's shoulders. They seem to hate every other SEC school and are always pissed off at the "media". I've heard Arkansas fans bitch about East Coast bias. What they don't realize is that the reputation of their team comes largely from them not being very good.

Mississippi - Old Rednecks

While the uneducated redneck label can be applied to most any SEC school's fans, it is especially apt for the Mississippi schools. Ole Miss rednecks are of the more genteel, mint julep sipping type. They wave the rebel flag and give the rebel yell, but they are also about debutantes coming out and sitting in the shade under an old magnolia. Mississippi as whole has the worst educational system in the country and really doesn't seem to care very much. For this reason, they can never trump the "stupid" state arguments. The fans also have a little bit of South Carolina-like expectations. After their run of success with Eli Manning, they got greedy. They have trouble accepting that they will never be very good.

Mississippi State - Rednecks. Drop the genteel southern charm and add a huge dose of white trash.

Their town has NOTHING in it. They ring freaking COW BELLS during games. Jackie Sherrill left the entire school and fan base with a long lasting legacy of being cheating, conniving losers. He was kind of like a corrupt southern sheriff running a small town, very Boss Hogg-like.

College football soup: coaching rumors du jour

By Tom Dienhart, Sporting News
Posted October 2, 2007

There are several interesting names not coaching this season -- Gary Barnett, Gerry DiNardo, Larry Coker. But the pick of the litter is former Minnesota coach Glen Mason.


Mark my words: some BCS program will hire him.

The guy flat-out is a great coach. He has won at three coach-killer jobs: Kent State, Kansas and Minnesota. And ... get this: Mason runs a clean program.

His firing in the Twin Cities eerily reminded me of Indiana's rueful decision to dump Bill Mallory after the 1996 season because -- like Mason -- Mallory couldn't take Indiana to the next level after generating six bowls. Since Mallory left, IU hasn't been to a bowl.

Be careful what you wish for, athletic directors and boosters.

Mason took Minnesota to seven bowls from 1999-2006, beating the likes of Alabama, Arkansas and Oregon. He guided moribund Kansas to two bowls, and Mason notched a 10-win season at both schools.

Augmenting Mason's cause is Minnesota's current struggles, which make him look even better.

When Mason lands on his feet, no doubt he'll take long-time assistant Mitch Browning with him. Browning is one of the best in the business, helping coordinate a punishing Golden Gopher offense that pounded foes with a fist-to-the-face ground attack that was the trademark of the school.

Just imagine what Mason -- who turned down the Michigan State, Georgia and LSU jobs in the past for various reasons -- could do running one of the nation's "it" programs. Yeah, it's an exciting thought. Even if he doesn't land a plum job, Mason will make whomever he coaches a winner.

TEXAS A&M

If Dennis Franchione is found to have breached his contract's ethics clause with the secret info he was selling through a website, expect him to be gone.

Who would take over? Cal's Jeff Tedford and Rutgers' Greg Schiano could emerge as strong contenders. Another guy who should get a look is Houston coach Art Briles, a fantastic strategist who is well connected in Texas high schools. Auburn's Tommy Tuberville is another possibility. He was A&M's defensive coordinator in 1994.

Money won't be an issue, as A&M could be willing to pay as much as $4 million per year to get its man.

INDIANA

While the Hoosiers have played well under coach Bill Lynch and may reach a bowl for the first time since 1993, I don't think he's the long-term answer. Expect a coach search.

As I stated earlier, I think Purdue assistant head coach Mark Hagen should get a look. He's a bright, young mind, great recruiter, an Indiana native and a former star defender for the Hoosiers. Hagen is ready for a shot. If Hagen doesn't land the IU gig, I think he would be a good fit at Northern Illinois, where talk is Joe Novak may retire. Hagen cut his teeth as an assistant at NIU.

Another guy who may get a look is Auburn offensive coordinator Al Borges, if his offense continues to improve. Borges is a former Hoosier offensive coordinator. He's a sage offensive mind who has paid his dues.

A wild, wild, wild card in the mix is Rick Neuheisel. He is the offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens. But Neuheisel is more famous for his meteoric rise up the college coaching ranks at Colorado (1995-98) and Washington (1999-2002).

He left U-Dub on bad terms amid hubbub he took part in an NCAA tourney pool. Neuheisel eventually lost his job over the incident. In the end, he was cleared of any wrong-doing.

The IU job would be a perfect place for Neuheisel to convalesce his image. And his high profile would boost an Indiana program that has some momentum. The two seem made for each other.

And think of this: If IU stuck its neck out for Kelvin Sampson (and his baggage) to run its glorious hoops program, why wouldn't the school take a chance on Neuheisel, who may come fairly cheap?

MICHIGAN

People tell me Lloyd Carr will make the call on when he leaves Michigan. I don't dispute that. But I still think this is his final run.

Everyone assumes LSU's Les Miles would be the frontrunner. But don't be shocked if the Wolverines make a run at Cal's Jeff Tedford if the job goes outside the Michigan family. And Kansas State's Ron Prince could be a name to watch if he has a very good season.

The best and brightest on the U-M staff is quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler, but the Michigan grad is too young (32) for the job. He'll be a head coach some day. Not long ago, New England quarterback Tom Brady tried to get him to join the Patriots staff. Yeah, Brady thinks that much of Loeffler.

ARKANSAS

The handwriting appears to be on the wall for Houston Nutt. A name to remember: Will Muschamp. He's a rising star who runs the defense at Auburn. Did you see what his defense did to Florida?

Muschamp has it all: The Georgia grad is young (36), has NFL experience and big-time college experience under Nick Saban, who I know will go to bat for Muschamp.

And there is a connection between Muschamp and new Arkansas A.D. Jeff Long, as each worked together at Eastern Kentucky in 1999. But can a new A.D. afford to take a chance on a promising-but-unproven commodity?

I still think a guy like Tulsa's Todd Graham should be considered. And Auburn's Tommy Tuberville would be a good hire. He's an established coach who has succeeded at a high level. Plus, he's an Arkansas native.

UCLA

I hear Karl Dorrell will be watched closely and needs to win pretty big down the stretch. He has picked up the pace recently and looks safe. Still ...

Should a change be made in Westwood, I'm told the Bruins want to hire a big, splashy name.

Look for Boise State's Chris Petersen to figure in. UCLA would love to steal USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian. And a familiar name already being batted about is Norm Chow, the Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator and former USC coordinator.

I also have to think UCLA would look at Montana coach Bobby Hauck, a top-notch commodity who almost got the Stanford job last year. Hauck is an untapped gem. Maybe he'll be a guy Washington State looks at if it makes a change.

SCUTTLEBUTT


Early word on who Auburn would chase if Tommy Tuberville bolts: Bobby Petrino. Auburn almost had Petrino a few years ago. He may listen again, given how the Atlanta Falcons job has changed (Michael Vick mess) since he took over. Whomever Auburn would get has to have a big, big name to do battle with Nick Saban.

I have heard Syracuse may not have the money to buy out Greg Robinson. But if a change is made, UConn's Randy Edsall could be a top target. He's an SU alum. The Orange was interested in Edsall before Greg Robinson got the job.

Word is Duke would go after Navy coach Paul Johnson if Ted Roof is ousted. Johnson was in the mix for the N.C. State job last year.

Ohio coach Frank Solich supposedly has interest in the Colorado State job if Sonny Lubick retires.

Don't forget about Dan McCarney. The former Iowa State coach is working as an assistant head coach at South Florida, where he only is augmenting his image with a rising program. Mac did a great job at Iowa State, one of the toughest jobs in America. Look for him to get looks for some non-BCS jobs, including Colorado State.

If he isn't brought down by the struggles of Notre Dame's offense, coordinator Mike Haywood looks like a great fit at SMU. Haywood is a 1986 ND grad. SMU A.D. Steve Orsini also is an Irish alum. And Haywood is a Texas native with extensive recruiting ties to the state. Plus, he also was an assistant at Texas and LSU. Haywood, in his third year running Charlie Weis' attack, interviewed with a few schools last year and got a long look from Minnesota.

Speaking of SMU, don't discount someone like Terry Bowden getting a long look in Highland Park.

New York Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride could emerge as a head coaching candidate. Few know how to develop quarterbacks and offenses better. And Gilbride is an experienced coach who has worked in the NFL the last 19 seasons and was head coach of the San Diego Chargers (1997-98). He was in the mix at Boston College, Arizona State and Idaho last year. Gilbride last coached in college from 1987-88 at East Carolina.

I hear Gary Barnett is ready and willing to coach again. There is no denying Barnett is a fantastic coach. I also know Gerry DiNardo is interested in testing the coaching waters if the right situation presents itself.

Keep your eye on Purdue's Joe Tiller. If he enjoys a big season, I think he may retire abruptly. If not after 2007, then I think Tiller will hang it up after 2008 with quarterback Curtis Painter gone. Whenever Tiller rides off into the Wyoming sunset, look for standout defensive coordinator Brock Spack to take over. Spack is an ex-Boiler who has been on Tiller's staff all 11 years. He is married to a West Lafayette native and turned down the chance to be Bret Bielema's defensive coordinator in 2006 at Wisconsin. What's the point? The guy loves Purdue. And, Spack would come cheap -- which the Purdue brass loves.

By Tom Dienhart, Sporting News
Posted October 2, 2007

Probabilities of Auburn win

The Auburn Tighers Beat the Florida Gators in the swamp last Saturday.
Here are the two probabilities on how they pulled out the win. First,
is the gas finally kicked in late in the game from all the corndogs and
pork & beans they ate all day. Second, if Auburn lost the game, the
whole team would have to report to the team meeting room and watch
the entire first season of Diff'rent Strokes.
This is the leadoff to another great haiku:
Top teams crumble
What you Talkin' about Willis?
Gas kicks in

Arnold Jackson