Reporters Notebooks

Chuck Carlton, Dallas Morning News: Commissioner Dan Beebe says Texas A&M has nothing to worry about regarding the guarantee of at least $20 million in Big 12 revenue distribution. "The commitment to Texas A&M was made and it still stands," Beebe said in a statement. "We did not have the luxury of time during the crisis to sort out the details, but that will be addressed in the future."

David Brandt, Clarion Ledger: Jeremiah Masoli has announced on his website that, "It looks like I am going to be a [Mississippi] Rebel."

Lincoln Journal Star: Former Ndamukong Suh has purchased 160 Apple iPads for his former Nebraska teammates. The iPads will be mounted in each player's locker.

David Wharton, Los Angeles Times: Pacific 10 Conference and Rose Bowl officials are considering an annual kickoff game — maybe pitting the Pac-10 against the Big Ten — that would give the West Coast a stronger presence at the start of each season.

Austin Ward, Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee's Derek Dooley will not release running back Bryce Brown from his scholarship. Wiz reaction: Dooley is being a jack-ass and future recruits should take note.

Mike Strange, Knoxville News Sentinel: Dooley also wants to replace the grass field at Neyland Stadium with synthetic turf. His boss, athletic director Mike Hamilton, says no.

Brett Vito, Denton Record-Chronicle: Good work if you can get it: North Texas is paying Chuck Neinas $2,000 a day, plus expenses, to evaluate its overall athletic program. More proof, once again, that the old boys network is alive and well.

Sports Media Watch: Are there changes coming to ESPNews and ESPN Classic?

M Victors: Turns out that former Michigan great Tom Harmon, winner of the Heisman Trophy in 1940, enjoyed smoking.

Darren Rovell, CNBC: IMG's acquisition of ISP, valued between $80 and $100 million, will give IMG’s college division the marketing control of more than 60 schools, including the likes of Duke, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan and Florida.

Isaac Avilucea, Daily Lobo: Former New Mexico receivers coach J.B. Gerald has filed a lawsuit against Mike Locksley in response to a physical altercation that took place with the coach last Sept. 20.

David Jones, Ann Arbor.com: Michigan fans are angry over a new ban on bringing bottled water into Michigan Stadium.

John Crumpacker, San Francisco Chronicle: For the next year or so, California's team will doing its weight training in a tent.

Dick Harmon, Deseret News: Independence could be Brigham Young's best option.

Kevin Gemmell, San Diego Union-Tribune: The push is on to expand the cable reach of The Mtn. in San Diego County.

Mark Snyder, Detroit Free Press: Former Michigan State coach George Perles talks about the back surgery that prevented him from running for governor.

Mike Lucas, Madison.com: A positive spin on sports agents.

Rachel Bachman, Oregonian: A look at Mutt Industries, which designed the new Pac-10 logo.

I.C. Murrell, Stillwater News Press: The indefensible Bowl Championship Series.

Doug Segrest, Birmingham News: Another legal volley in the lawsuit between artist Daniel Moore and Alabama.

Losers With Socks: The Tennessee Volunteer fan site has found more Bammeroid gold.

Scott Carter, Tampa Tribune: Former South Florida academic counselor Myrtice Landers has filed a complaint alleging racial discrimination against the school, claiming she is being terminated because of her race and that the athletic department has covered up NCAA violations.

Tom Brennan, Tampa Tribune: Florida State and the NCAA have agreed to pay $325,000 in legal fees for trying to block the release of documents in an academic cheating scandal involving athletes.

Sewell Chan, New York Times: Congress is rethinking its ban on Internet gambling.

Richard Sandomir, New York Times: Has ESPN lost any hope of regaining journalist integrity? Plus, ESPN writer Arash Markazi will not be suspended for his profile piece of LeBron James.

Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Star-Advertiser: Congratulations to Wiz reader and ABC7 L.A. sports anchor Rob Fukuzaki, who recently got engaged.

Paul Myerberg, Pre-Snap Read: The countdown continues with and No. 36, Brigham Young, No. 35 California, No. 34 Texas A&M and No. 33 Missouri.

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Comments

[Dan Barnes]

Why should Coach Dooley release Bryce Brown? The player committed to playing at the University of Tennessee for 4-5 years for free. He signed that scholarship/contract and should not be released. Other recruits should take notice that when they make a commitment they need to be adult enough to follow through. This is not the NFL where crybabies get their way.

[Greg Kerr]

Good point, because college football is just the place for kids to learn about commitment. Take Lane Kiffin, for instance. And what if UT decides after a couple of seasons that Coach Dooley isn't up to the job?

[yumtoad]

Somebody brought this up on another board

http://www.huskerfanclub.com/bb/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=11877&p=174435#p174435

If Brown isn't in good academic standing, Brown transferring would hurt UTenn APR score and maybe it is at a point where this would cause some loss of scholarships to UTenn. Add on to that that this Brown kid hasn't exactly been The Beaver at UTenn, then I can understand Dooley not being inclined to help this kid at the expense of hurting his program.

Again, dont know if true, but could be a pretty understandable reason for Dooley's actions.