The Wiz of Odds

Reporters Notebooks

Dave Hooker, Knoxville News-Sentinel: Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton said he received "a couple" of death threats last fall when the Volunteers were struggling.

Paul Pringle and Kurt Streeter, Los Angeles Times: USC has maintained a stance of silence surrounding the NCAA investigation into the athletic program. The silence is deafening. Plus, a look at the cast of characters.

Tom Dienhart, Rivals.com: Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich talks about his fight against cancer. His hopes of returning to football appear unlikely.

Associated Press: Pacific 10 commissioner Tom Hansen talks about stepping down after 26 years on the job.

Bryan App, Florence Times Daily: Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome on possibly returning to Alabama: "I am coming back. I am coming back at some point. I have a lot of work to do in Baltimore, but I am coming back."

Rich Cimini, New York Daily News: Greg Paulus discusses his decision to transfer to Syracuse in hopes of becoming the team's starting quarterback.

Kyle Ringo, Boulder Daily Camera: Colorado receiver Josh Smith and tight end Ryan Wallace are transferring from Dan Hawkins’ program. Smith could be headed to Arizona State or USC.

Reporters Notebooks

Jon Solomon, Birmingham News: As expected, the Southeastern Conference agreed to cap signing classes at 28 players. The NCAA allows 25 players to enroll annually, but in the last three years more than half of the SEC teams have oversigned. Mississippi signed 37 last year. The change will start immediately in the SEC, which also will sponsor NCAA legislation to make 28 the limit across the country. The league also distributed $132.5 million to its 12 schools, a 4% increase from last year.

Kyle Veazey, Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State's share of money from the SEC — $11.1 million — is projected to be 31.7% of the Bulldogs' athletic budget.

Tim Tucker, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: The SEC's new television contracts with ESPN and CBS, which take effect this fall, will produce an additional $5.5 million per team for fiscal 2010, according to Georgia athletics director Damon Evans.

Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: If Texas congressman Joe Barton wants to investigate Alamo Bowl executive director Derrick Fox, who is going to investigate Barton?

Joe Person, Columbia State: For the first time in a decade, South Carolina will not sell out of season tickets. Officials are blaming the implementation of a personal seat license plan.

Jere Longman, New York Times: Students are increasingly voting against increases in fees to help pay for varsity sports. Thanks to Greg.

Associated Press: New Mexico coach Mike Locksley, on the job less than six months after coming from Illinois, has been accused of sexual harassment by a former administrative assistant.

Michael Rothstein, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Why it makes no sense for Notre Dame to join the Big Ten or any other conference.

John Hunt, Oregonian: Oregon's Mike Bellotti will be leaving behind more than $1 million in salary in moving from the football office to the athletic director's chair.

Bill Schackner, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Penn State's Joe Paterno topped $1 million in salary last year, making him the highest-salaried employee at the university. University president Graham Spanier earned about half the salary of Paterno — $590,004.

Delaware Sports Gambling Is Ruled Constitutional

The Delaware Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the sports betting law signed this month by governor Jack Markell complies with the state's constitution, clearing the way for wagers on NFL and college games this fall.

Attorneys argued before the court last week on behalf of the NFL, which tried to have the law ruled unconstitutional. But the state's highest court saw otherwise, with all five justices concluding the law was legal.

Table games are also part of the law, and Markell is counting on successful implementation of the law to raise upward of $50 million and help fill a projected $800 million hole in the state’s fiscal year 2010 budget.

The New Thug U? It's Florida

Miami long ago earned a reputation as Thug U, a tag the Hurricanes might never shake. But Sun Sentinel columnist Dave Hyde says Urban Meyer's Florida Gators are the real outlaw team in the Sunshine State these days.

In the past two seasons since Randy Shannon has become coach, only one Hurricane player has been arrested. That was freshman Robert Marve for breaking a car mirror. Amd Marve is no longer with the team, having transferred to Purdue.

Florida's arrest total is 15. Hyde writes: "Florida players have punched women, stolen property and been involved with guns and drugs. Yet nobody on ESPN is so much as reporting this. Nobody at Sports Illustrated is saying the Florida team picture should be taken from the front and the side.

Reporters Notebooks

Austin Meek, Topeka Capital-Journal: Brian Butler, the controversial "adviser" to running back Bryce Brown, says he has been in contact with former Oregon quarterback/receiver Chris Harper and former Minnesota receiver Brodrick Smith. The players have expressed an interest in transferring to Kansas State. Thanks to College Football Talk.

Charles Goldberg, Birmingham News: Powerful Auburn trustee Bobby Lowder is leaving his day job. Colonial BancGroup announced that Lowder is retiring from the bank he founded. Lowder, 67, has been a major contributor to his school. He will remain an Auburn trustee.

Conquest Chronicles: Yahoo! Sports reporters Jason Cole and Charles Robinson, who have been chronicling the NCAA's investigation of USC, refuse a request for an interview.

Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: Department of Arrogant: American Football Coaches Association director Grant Teaff, after being told by a reporter that making the coaches poll secret might be a mistake. "That's your opinion." Told to expect a lot of blowback, Teaff responded "let 'er rip."

Associated Press: Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin announced they will stop printing media guides immediately. The information will be available on the Internet.

Ann Arbor News: Michigan continued to beef up its nonconference schedule, adding games against Massachusetts and Bowling Green in 2010.

Ted Miller, ESPN.com: Pacific 10 coaches voted 6-4 against round-robin scheduling, possibly clearing the way for the addition of another nonconference (cupcake?) game.

ESPN's Corso Suffers Minor Stroke

Here's wishing ESPN's Lee Corso a full and speedy recovery from what is being called a minor stroke.

"This is just a small bump in the road, " Corso said in a statement issued by ESPN. "A 'not so fast, my friend' in my game of life. I look forward to making a full recovery and returning to ESPN for my 23rd season analyzing the greatest sport in the world — college football."

Corso, 73, joined ESPN in 1987. He played collegiately at Florida State was coach at Louisville, Indiana (pictured above) and Northern Illinois. He also coached the Orlando Renegades of the USFL.