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.
Husker Locker: In defense of coaches deciding to make their poll voting secret.
Dawg Sports: Speaking of keeping things a secret, do bloggers lose credibility by posting under a pseudonym? Thanks to Get The Picture.
Heisman Pundit: The top 10 over-rated coaches.
Bryan Strickland, Durham Herald-Sun: Former Duke starting quarterback Zack Asack has been dismissed from the team.
Bill Koch, Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati is still waiting for a decision from the NCAA on whether Vidal Hazelton, the receiver who transferred from USC, will be eligible to play this fall.
Steve Politi, Newark Star-Ledger: Minnesota's Tim Brewster said if the Big Ten were to expand, Rutgers would be a team to target. "I am definitely for the addition of another team, and it would be great to bring in a team from the Eastern market. I certainly believe Rutgers is a tremendous candidate, one that obviously makes sense."
Lya Wodraska, Salt Lake Tribune: Utah is hoping to benefit if the Pacific 10 goes forward and decides to drop its round-robin conference schedule.
Brett McMurphy, Tampa Tribune: The St. Petersburg Bowl has moved up a notch on the Conference USA pecking order.
Ben Prather, FanBlogs: Could a team from Conference USA break into the Bowl Championship Series party?
Jeff Call, Deseret News: Brigham Young has installed a new drainage system and turf imported from California at Lavell Edwards Stadium.
Dirk Facer, Deseret News: Utah is installing a new FieldTurf surface at Rice Eccles Stadium.
Tony Barnhart, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: A twist in the BCS-ESPN contract could make it easier for teams like Boise State to play in the Rose Bowl (second item).
Andrew Dunn, Charlotte Observer: North Carolina Charlotte's scaled-back plan to launch a football program is increasingly looking like it will be delayed.
The Quad: Paul Myerberg's countdown continues with No. 95 Alabama Birmingham.
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The last sentence of the NY Times story on student fees makes no sense. Wright Waters, the commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference, said of athletic departments feeling financial pressure: “They’re like a guy sitting at the blackjack table all night who hasn’t seen a face card yet. How many more cards can they be dealt?”
If you've been playing blackjack for a while and haven't seen a face card yet, the odds have shifted hugely in the players' favor. Perhaps he meant to use a poker analogy?
Posted by: Penn State Clips | May 30, 2009 at 05:16 PM