Dan Wetzel and Josh Peter, Yahoo! Sports: Representative Joe Barton (R-Texas) is at it again. He plans to investigate testimony from Alamo Bowl executive director Derrick Fox at the Bowl Championship Series subcommittee hearing earlier this month after learning that Fox might have exaggerated by millions of dollars the amount bowl games donate to local charities.
Andy Staples, SI.com: South Carolina's Steve Spurrier stole the show on the first day of the Southeastern Conference meetings, telling Tennessee's Lane Kiffin that "I didn't accuse you of cheating."
Paul Finebaum, Mobile Press-Register: Although Spurrier's four years at South Carolina have been a disappointment, he still has game.
Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia's Mark Richt wants the SEC to change a rule that restricts assistant coaches from attending coaching clinics in their home states unless the coach is a speaker. Georgia Tech isn't prohibited from attending such clinics because the Atlantic Coast Conference doesn't have a similar rule.
John Lombardo and Michael Smith, SportsBusiness Journal: Georgia Tech is outsourcing its athletic ticket operations. It is believed to be the first team to do so and it could start a trend.
Brian Christopherson, Lincoln Journal Star: As humiliating losses go for Nebraska, a 1955 home game against Hawaii arguably tops the list.
Jon Wilner, College Sports Hotline: He's not convinced there is enough interest to create a Pac-10 network.
Penn State Clips: Is the fix in for Florida State and Bobby Bowden, who is trying to hold on to his "fake" wins?
Dan Hinxman, Reno Journal-Gazette: Texas Tech's Mike Leach will be the speaker at the 40th annual Governor’s Dinner on July 17 at the Governor’s Mansion in Carson City, the Nevada athletic department announced.
John Hunt, Oregonian: Chris Harper, a receiver and backup quarterback at Oregon, will transfer. He could be headed to Kansas State. Plus, quarterback Justin Roper talks about his decision to leave the Ducks.
Todd Harmonson, Orange County Register: Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor has ruled on several cases involving sports, including rulings against former USC receiver Mike Williams and former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett.
Jon Solomon, Birmingham News: Auburn's Gene Chizik talks limos, quarterbacks and UCLA.
Bob Heist, Monroe News-Star: Peyton Manning on Kiffin: "It’s been a difficult transition for me, like a lot of Tennessee folks. I'm a Phillip Fulmer guy, he recruited me and coached me."
Tom Oates, Badger Beat: Are Wisconsin fans losing faith in Bret Bielema, or it is the economy? Almost 3,300 Badger football fans failed to renew their season tickets. Men's basketball fans had a 100% renewal rate.
Jeff Potrykus, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez said he's in talks with Notre Dame for a home-and-home series against the Badgers beginning in 2012.
Mike Herndon, Mobile Press-Register: Former Cleveland Browns general manager Phil Savage hopes to hear sometime this week whether he will replace Ken Stabler as analyst on Alabama radio broadcasts.
Simon on Sports: Very cool spreadsheet of the 2009 schedule, done in retro helmets.
Seth Emerson, Columbia State: South Carolina assistant strength coach Joe Connolly had three flat-screen televisions, a computer and a dog stolen during a break-in last week. The dog has since been found.
Jim Lamar, Tallahassee Democrat: Florida State receiver Richard Goodman was arrested on a charge of aggravated battery causing bodily harm or disability.
Heisman Pundit: It's never too early to look ahead to the 2010 Heisman race.
Tallahassee Democrat: A.J. Graham, touted as one of the jewels in Marshall's 2009 signing class, has been arrested on a charge of robbery with a firearm in his hometown of Tallahassee.
Joseph Person, Columbia State: South Carolina cornerback C.C. Whitlock has been suspended after a weekend arrest for trespassing.
Rick O'Brien, Philadelphia Inquirer: One of the coaches who has reached out to Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich, who is battling cancer, is Notre Dame's Charlie Weis.
Mitch Vingle: Charleston Gazette: West Virginia has scheduled a 2010 game against Nevada Las Vegas.
Mason Levinson, Bloomberg: A study — funded by the NFL — found that league players are no more likely to develop risk factors for heart disease than the general population. Again, that study was funded by the NFL. ...
The Quad: Paul Myerberg's countdown continues with No. 101 Miami (Ohio), No. 100 Marshall, No. 99 Washington and No. 98 Central Florida.
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34 bowl games get tax exempt status partly on the basis of a paltry COMBINED $3.2 million given to charity and Joe Barton is the one who is 'at it again'? I think this story shows the system for what is. I'd rather see Congress dealing with this issue than spending their time and our money bailing out GM some more.
Posted by: Sam | May 27, 2009 at 07:08 AM
I agree with Sam. While Joe Barton isn't exactly a paragon of virtue by any stretch of the imagination, we can't be completely consumed by the economy, war, et al or we will micromanage them to death.
The BCS is a problem that requires examination, as does the NCAA which has done a very poor job of enforcing regulations and discouraging cheating amongst the programs.
Posted by: Matt | May 27, 2009 at 07:24 AM
If you're going to do "reporters' notebooks," then shouldn't you leave it to actual reporters, instead of throwing in a link to an absurdly conspiratorial blog post that other reporters have foolishly cited to (often without reporting the fact, as the blog did not, that the guy recused himself and has no role in the appeal - btw, if this is a problem, then our entire justice system is ruined, because if recusal doesn't mean anything when judges are still on the court despite recusing themselves, then could we even have judges)?
Posted by: Chris | May 28, 2009 at 08:16 PM