Bears With No Claws

There are those schools that are constant homecoming opponents in the conference. They are always the punching bags that have very little chance of a winning season much less a league championship. Duke comes to mind in the ACC, Vanderbilt in the SEC and Northwestern in the Big 10.

Then you have the Baylor Bears. Baylor has been the league patsy since joining the Big 12 conference in 1996. The Bears have won 11 Big 12 games. It’s been a struggle for B.U. but there appears to be hope in Waco. Art Briles takes over as the new head football coach at Baylor and aims to restore the roar in Waco. Briles has a reputation of a program changer. He took over a University of Houston program that was flat lined and brought the Cougars back to life. Briles is hoping to do just that at Baylor.

It can be done. When Grant Teaff was head coach in the 1970’s and 1980’s, Baylor was very competitive winning the Southwest Conference title in 1974 and 1980. That 1980 team featured a great linebacker Mike Singletary. Baylor’s last conference championship was an SWC title in 1994.

Art Briles intends to bring back the excitement to Floyd Casey Stadium. You can read more from Saturday’s Tulsa World from Jimmie Tramel’s column

--John Wilkerson

The College Football Pre-Season Hype Begins

Let’s Kick College Football Off!

College Football season begins this weekend for me. Sunday the ACC Football Kickoff begins and the College Football pre-season hype goes full speed. I am heading over to Reynolds Plantation in Georgia, which is hosting the ACC media event to get my share of coach speak and over used clichés. I’m sure they all going to play as a team and take it one game at a time, blah, blah, blah. Same ole’ well, you know what I mean.

This is an interesting year for the ACC because 5 years after expanding the league really hasn’t made an impression on the national scene. The ACC finds itself 5th or 6th when the BCS leagues are ranked. I don’t think I have all the answers but here are a few issues the ACC has.

Weak Group of Field Generals

One is that the ACC doesn’t have a headliner in football’s glamour position, quarterback this year since Matt Ryan has moved on to the Atlanta Falcons. Name one returning starter at quarterback that gets you going……. Yeah, took me a while to. Riley Skinner of Wake Forest comes to mind. Skinner won an ACC Championship two years ago plus he is a great leader and proven winner but Skinner doesn’t have the NFL scouts salivating. Virginia Tech’s Sean Glennon was up and down last year. Yes Glennon was the MVP in the ACC Championship Game leading the Hokies to the title, then went in the tank in the Orange Bowl vs Kansas.

Sunshine State Slump

Second is the Florida schools have not lived up to the billing. Since the ACC became a dozen teams, Florida State and Miami have become at best mediocre. The Seminoles and Hurricanes were supposed to carry on with their elite status and carry the flag for the ACC in the BCS Bowl games including the title game. What’s happened is a sunshine state slump. FSU has been trying to figure out a succession plan when Bobby Bowden retires, and they finally have that figured out. Miami has just become a mess toward the end of the Larry Coker era and now appeared to have righted the ship with the Sheriff, Randy Shannon, in control.

Where’s The Carolina Teams

3rd, the Carolina schools need to step up. Clemson looks to do that this year so now North Carolina and NC State need to follow suit. The Tar Heels and the Wolfpack are the cornerstone schools of the ACC and for the league to move up the BCS food chain, they need to win consistently. They have the coaching. You won’t find head coaches with better track records than Butch Davis and Tom O’Brien. They also have booster money, great facilities and renovated stadiums. There doesn’t seem to be any excuses anymore for the Heels and the Pack to not start winning games.

Check out onlinesportsguys.blogspot.com as we begin our college football coverage. I will post reports throughout the week from the ACC Football Kickoff.

That’s it, I’m spent.

College Football: Tigers & Sooners Picked To Win The 12

I love it, time to start ramping up the college football talk. The Big 12 Conference released it's media poll and the results are predictable. Missouri is picked to win the Big 12 North, Oklahoma is picked to win the Big 12 South.
I have followed Mizzou all my life and I stand shoulder to shoulder with Tiger fans. During the 1980's I witnessed a few Tiger beat downs at Farout Field so I'm enjoying the rise of Mizzou football. Gary Pinkel has a special team in Columbia.
No shocker that Oklahoma is the top choice in the South though that division will be very tough. Texas is well.... Texas and Texas Tech will have it's best team perhaps ever.
Here's the breakdown of the Big 12 Media Poll:

Big 12 media poll
(first place votes) total points

NORTH
1. Missouri, (51) 306
2. Kansas, 234
3. Nebraska, 183
4. Colorado, 181
5. Kansas State, 108
6. Iowa State, 59

SOUTH
1.Oklahoma, (49) 304
2. Texas, (2) 230
3. Texas Tech, 227
4. Oklahoma State, 140
5. Texas A&M, 118
6. Baylor, 52

Tearing Down Tiger Stadium

As Yankee Stadium begins its final months of use, including hosting its final All Star game, there will be a lot of reflection of the great moments not just in baseball, but in sports that have taken place in one of sports’ greatest stages. From Don Larsen’s perfect game to the 1958 NFL Championship dubbed the greatest game ever when the Baltimore Colts defeated the N.Y. Giants in overtime to all the great title fights staged there. While Yankee Stadium’s death is iminant, in Detroit, Tiger Stadium’s death has begun.

This week construction workers began the demolition of this great ballpark on Michigan and Trumbull. Now Tiger Stadium’s guts are exposed and many Tiger fans are no doubt shedding a tear as this great ballpark comes down. Tiger Stadium has meant so much to those from Detroit and all over Michigan. A current co-worker of mine who grew up in the Detroit area shared with me memories of watching Al Kaline, Denny McLain, Willie Horton and all the great Tigers play in that ballpark. To him there was nothing like spending a summer afternoon or evening watching the Tigers at Tiger Stadium, a feeling shared by many Tiger fans from all over Michigan.

No matter what the sport, ballparks have a romantic connection that is easily shared. My best memories in my youth is watching the Arkansas Razorbacks with my dad at Razorback Stadium, a structure that looks nothing like it did when my dad and I went to games but thank god is not coming down anytime soon. I can talk all day about watching Steve Little kick a 67 yard field goal against Texas, still an NCAA record or watching great players like Earl Campbell before they were big time. In fact my first Hog game my dad and I went to was in 1975 against Tulsa, who had a receiver named Steve Largent. He went on to become a Hall of Famer. These are memories that I treasure just like Tiger fans who feel that same way about Tiger Stadium, only that structure will be gone living only in their mind.

I unfortunately never saw a game there but I have been to Tiger Stadium. 4 years ago while producing a motorsports event in Detroit, I checkout out Tiger Stadium on a free afternoon. I was hoping one of the gates would be open so I could see inside since the ballpark is totally enclosed. The huge padlocks on every possible opening prevented that. I just saw the outside structure and the huge light towers on the roof. I wanted to go inside and picture some of the great moments in that ballpark. The best I could do from outside was trying to find the light tower Reggie Jackson hit with his massive home run in the 1971 All Star Game.

I’m glad I was able to pay a visit to Tiger Stadium before she came down. Goodbye Tiger Stadium, at 96 you live a long life.

--John Wilkerson

Tiger Stadium: 1912 - 2008

Throwing Stuff Out There

I’m usually not a stat nerd but every now and then I’ll look at the standings in baseball. Here it is the halfway point of the season and the Tampa Bay Rays have the best winning percentage in baseball at .605. Yes, the Rays are in first place in the American League East. I watched a few games and this is an exciting team to watch. They remind me of the St. Louis Cardinals during the Whitey Herzog era of the 80’s, always a threat to steal and just enough power for the big inning. Case in point, B.J. Upton, Carl Crawford and Jason Bartlett are in the Top 10 in the American League in stolen bases and the power seams to come from Evan Longoria ((pictured right- Thanks, Getty Images)) with some help from Eric Hinske. Another reason is like the Redbirds of the 80’s, the Rays have good enough starting pitching to keep them in games but have a closer to nail down the win. The 80’s Cardinals had Bruce Sutter and then Todd Worrell. The Rays have Troy Percival.

Yet the Rays are still an afterthought in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area. Attendance is barely above last years pace. Come on Rays fans (if there are any). Jump on the bandwagon. This looks like a team that is in it for the long haul.

The Jolly Roger Rookie Rant

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell would like the way my career path started. I think I made $15,000 a year my first job out of college, the very bottom of the pay scale. Now the Jolly Roger feels that unproven rookies who are drafted in the NFL should start at the bottom of the salary food chain and have the option to renegotiate. What a novel idea. The owners would love it, get the NFL Players Association to sign off and what a breakthrough, now the owners can protect themselves.

Commissioner Goodell may have power and influence with player conduct matters but this is biting off more than he can chew. The NFLPA and the NFL are already on a collision course for football suicide with the opting out of the Collective Bargaining Agreement that threatens the 2011 season. Now this, a rookie salary scale and the Jolly Roger wants this addressed during contract talks. It’s like taxing the wealthy, it sounds good but not practical. The precedent has already been set, (See Jake Long and Matt Ryan.) Oh sure Ricky Williams signed a low ball contract with the New Orleans Saints after they drafted him way back when and he found out he could not afford the good stuff, if you know what I mean, on his salary. Which leads me to this……

Paging Dr. Feelgood!!

Ricky Williams wants to become a doctor. That’s right, the running back who left the Miami Dolphins to find himself and smoke marijuana, would like to prescribe drugs rather than use them. He told Yahoo Sports the following: After football, Williams wants to return to Texas to finish his degree in education. He has a long way to go and needs about 70 credit hours. After graduating, he wants to go to medical school to be an osteopathic physician so he can offer patients a holistic approach to healing.

“When I retired and I had a chance to be by myself outside of being a football player, I found I enjoy helping people and I had a gift for making people feel better,” he said.

Williams said he reads a lot of self-help books, often with metaphysical subjects. But nothing too wild, he said.

“I’m not a UFO guy,” he said.

Let’s see if Ricky Williams still has the gift of running away from defenders. If not don’t expect Bill Parcells to show a good bedside manner and Williams’ football career will be up in smoke.

That’s it, I’m spent

--John Wilkerson

((Thanks for the photo, Getty Images. That's Ricky on the right, #34, from 2006))

Tiger on the Prowl

To me its official, Tiger Woods is the greatest golfer I’ve ever seen. He can hit the ball out of sight. Can you recall the last time Tiger missed a clutch putt, especially in a major championship? What has put Tiger Woods as THE gold standard in professional golf was his performance last week at the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. Tiger proved that he is the greatest golfer ON ONE LEG. Tiger Woods won the 2008 U.S. Open with a torn ACL in his left knee and a broken leg. He did it by playing 4 rounds plus an 18 hole playoff on Monday that ended with an extra “sudden death” hole to win it. And he walked the whole way.

Are you kidding me?

That’s like Jimmie Johnson winning the Daytona 500 with 2 flat tires throughout the race. Like Kirk Gibson, who had 2 bad legs at the time, hitting his walk off home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series with one arm. (And after looking at the video, I think he practically did.) Like Ron Jeremy pleasuring more than one woman during one night with one testicle.

Jack Nicklaus always said the U.S. Open is the hardest and most complete test in golf. He should know, he won 4 of them. Even the great Nicklaus had to tip his hat to Tiger. Nicklaus said, “In light of this week's revelation about Tiger's health, it makes his performance in the U.S. Open that much more phenomenal, I have always said that the U.S. Open is the most difficult and complete examination of a golfer, and for him to persevere with a damaged knee and stress fracture is a testament not only to his ability but his tremendously high level of competitiveness."

Nicklaus issued that statement after being buried by requests for a comment of this Tiger tale.

Of course the PGA Tour and the rest of the major championships, the British Open and the PGA Championship, just lost its top draw. Not to mention weakening the U.S. Ryder Cup team. U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Paul Azinger probably liked his chances this year at Valhalla with the #1 ranked golfer in the world on his side.

Sorry golf fans, after Tiger Woods' performance at Torrey Pines, there won’t be a curtain call. Take that in for the next time Tiger will tee off is 2009 at a site yet to be determined. But look on the bright side, that gives the rest of the field a fighting chance for the rest of the majors. But nothing can top Tiger Woods' performance at the U.S. Open.

--John Wilkerson

Owning the Diamond

When the Atlantic Coast Conference expanded to 12 schools a few years ago it was done so to upgrade football in the league. The first year of expansion everything worked out great but the last few years, the ACC has been at the bottom of the BCS leagues. The jury is still out for Men’s Basketball judging that only 4 ACC teams got in the NCAA Tournament last spring. One sport that has truly benefitted with the league expansion has been baseball.

This year, the ACC has the top conference in college baseball with Miami, North Carolina and Florida State consistently ranked in the Top 5 in the various national polls. Not surprisingly it’s that ACC trio that has made the trip to Omaha, Nebraska to play in the College World Series.

UnACCeptable Results

While Omaha is a nice, friendly Mid-American city but it’s not been a pleasant destination for ACC teams over the years. North Carolina advanced to the Championship Series the last 2 years only to lose to Oregon State each year. Miami does have 4 College World Series championships, one as recently as 2001 however, that was before the Hurricanes stormed into the Atlantic Coast Conference.

It’s been 53 years since an ACC team won the College World Series and that was Wake Forest back in 1955. That year the Omaha World Herald referred to the Demon Deacons as “the small Baptist school in North Carolina.” Lefty Davis was the Deacs ace on the mound but he didn’t make the trip so Head Coach Taylor Sanford used 3 pitchers in the Championship Game, not common practice back then. It took an RBI single in the 8th by Linwood Holt to put Deacs over the top. Wake Forest defeated Western Michigan 7-6 to claim the ACC’s first and to this point, only College World Series title.

You have to think the odds are in the ACC’s favor to break that streak.

3 Of A Kind

Florida State, North Carolina & Miami give the ACC a great shot to win the league’s 1st national championship in 53 years. Florida State has Collegiate Baseball’s National Player of the Year Buster Posey, who played all 9 positions in a 7 inning game a month ago. Posey is the real deal leading the nation in batting and slugging percentage. North Carolina has the best pitching staff in college baseball leading the nation in Strikeouts per 9 innings and Earned Run Average. It was pitching that carried the Tar Heels to the championship series the last 2 years. Miami appears to be the strongest. There are no easy outs in the Hurricanes line up 1 through 9. Junior 1st Baseman Yonder Alonso has been swinging some heavy metal during the post season. Alonso launched bombs out of Mark Light Field last weekend to power the ‘Canes past Arizona in the Super Regionals. Miami’s pitching has been fantastic as well. Freshman left hander Chris Hernandez has yet to lose a game in college, 11-0 and earned National Freshman of the Year honors. The ‘Canes could do it but it’s time for the ACC to end 53 years of frustration in Omaha and bring home a College World Series title.

--John Wilkerson

Celtics/Lakers Rivalry Renewed

All is right now in the NBA. The league’s two cornerstone franchises, the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers are facing each other in the NBA Finals. The old-timers will recall the battles between Bob Cousy and Elgin Baylor then later Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlin. Those from my generation remember the great rivalry in the 80’s with Larry Bird and Magic Johnson continuing a battle that began in college.

While it’s great to see Celtics and the Lakers back on the big stage playing in prime time for the NBA Championship but to me it’s just not the same.The 2 teams back in the 80’s were polar opposites.Boston was blue collar, tough and physical.The L.A. Lakers were flash and style, it was Showtime.The Celtics played in the Boston Garden. Built in the 1920’s it was small, uncomfortable and unaccommodating for the opposition.The Lakers played at The Forum, The Fabulous Forum with the courtside seats aligned with Hollywood Stars.Each building, like their teams, was unique.

Today the Celtics play in the T.D. Bankworth Garden and the Lakers play in the Staples Center. If it weren’t for the floor with the teams colors you could not tell the buildings apart. They are cookie cutters.

Those games in the 1980’s were a turf war. Remember when Ray Williams threw down Kurt Rambis after a hard foul or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Larry Bird shouting out each other. The Lakers wanted to out run the Celtics while Boston wanted to play a physical half court game to slow down Showtime. I don’t see Paul Pierce and Lamar Odom shoving each other on the floor or Pau Gasol and Kevin Garnett wrestling after the play is over. That’s not today’s NBA.

There are some things similar to the ‘80’s first and foremost is star power.Back then it was Bird and Magic.Now it’s Kobe and Garnett.Second Boston again has the Big 3.Then it was Bird, Parrish and McHale, now it’s Garnett, Allen and Pierce.Third the Celtics still were green and the Lakers still were purple and gold.

I’m sure the NBA is thrilled for this match up. It might bring the older fans back to the league who remember the hey day of the NBA in the 80’s to rediscover and reinvest in the league. I will be watching because it is Lakers vs Celtics and they are the best teams in the league and the NBA’s gold standard franchises. Still, it’s just not the same.

--John Wilkerson

Thanks, Coach Mc...

John McDonnell is entering the bell lap of his remarkable career as Head Coach of the Arkansas Razorback Track and Field team. McDonnell was Frank Broyles first hire we he became Athletic Director at Arkansas. Broyles told me a month ago how he hired John McDonnell as Head Track and Field Coach at Arkansas. In the mid 1970’s while still coaching the football team, Broyles saw a young coach leading the cross country team on a run. An hour later, McDonnell was still leading the team and right then Broyles decided to hire him to coach the track team. And as they say, the rest is history.

All he has accomplished in 36 years in Fayetteville is win 42 National Championships which includes 11 NCAA cross country titles, 19 NCAA Indoor Track and Field and 12 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. By far more McDonnell has won more national championships than any other coach in the history of college athletics. He also lead the Hogs to 5 national triple crowns which is winning NCAA titles in cross country, indoor and outdoor track in the same academic year.

I remember a story former Arkansas head basketball coach Nolan Richardson shared 10 years ago talking about McDonnell. You see Richardson and McDonnell were neighbors in Bud Walton Arena; there offices were next to each other. Richardson told the story of how he returned from Charlotte, N.C. after winning the NCAA Championship feeling pretty good about what he accomplished until he walked by McDonnell’s office and saw all the national championship trophies he had collected and at that time in was in the 30’s. Suddenly, he didn’t feel so good because Richardson knew he could never catch up.

You want some more mind boggling numbers. John McDonnell has won 84 conference championships but here’s an accomplishment that to me is off the charts. The last time Arkansas did not win a conference championship in cross country was 1972. McDonnell won 17 Southwest Conference and 17 Southeastern Conference championships in cross country. That’s 34 in a row during his long tenure coaching the Hogs.

While McDonnell’s teams have routinely outrun their opponents, McDonnell knows he can’t outrun father time. He will turn 70 in July and knew it was time to move on. He made his decision this past winter and made it official in April. McDonnell still has work to do. Arkansas should compete for a NCAA in outdoor track & field this June in Eugene, Oregon. Should the Hogs stand on top of the podium it will be McDonnell’s 43rd National Championship. After that McDonnell will hang up the whistle and trade his track shoes for a pair of boots. McDonnell’s days will be spent on his 2,500 cattle ranch in Eastern Oklahoma.

John Wooden and Paul “Bear” Bryant dominated their high profile sports of men’s basketball and football. There are others who are above their peers; Pat Summitt and Anson Dorrance come to mind. Who’s the greatest coach ever in college athletics? I believe John McDonnell’s body of work at Arkansas gives him that distention. Enjoy your retirement Coach Mc. There will never be another one like you.

That's it, I'm spent.

--John Wilkerson

Just Plain Weird...

I have been to many big events with huge crowds but what I witnessed Sunday during the final of the SEC Tournament was bizarre. I was one of 1,500 invited guests at Alexander Memorial Coliseum on the Georgia Tech campus that witnessed Georgia’s most improbable run to a SEC Championship. It was more of a State High School Tournament atmosphere complete with the old school buzzer in the arena. All that was missing was the Booster Club selling bad hot dogs and microwave pizzas at the concession stand.

The 2008 SEC Tournament was just plain weird. First, what are the odds of a F2 Tornado ripping through downtown Atlanta and damaging the Georgia Dome while the game is still going on!!! I’m glad I left the building a hour and a half before all hell broke loose. That the Georgia Bulldogs had to play and also win 2 games on Saturday with the Dogs first game vs Kentucky going overtime, then win the SEC title on Sunday on sheer guts and lastly, cutting the nets in the building of it’s bitter in-state rival, Georgia Tech.

Looking back on the series of events this weekend at the SEC Tournament, it’s easy to be tougue and cheek over this but in all seriousness, the Southeastern Conference had a herculean task ahead of them. Executive Associate Commissioner Mark Womack and his entire staff made the best of an extreme situation and pulled it off. Think about all the logistics that had to be worked out. Finding a venue, getting cooperation from the athletic directors of the remaining schools playing and the television partners to re-schedule the games and what to do with the fans who travelled with their teams, these were all challenges for the SEC. I asked Womack Sunday how much sleep he’s gotten and Mark just smiled and said "Not very much."

Next year, the ACC Tournament takes place at the Georgia Dome and yes, they do have a plan in case all hell breaks loose again in downtown Atlanta. But if I reveal it, they would have to kill me.

That’s it, I’m spent.

--John Wilkerson

Jumping Through Hoops...

Gators Aren’t Dead

For those who thought the Florida Gators would have a down year after the departures of Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer, Al Horford, Taurean Green and Lee Humphery seriously underestimated this team. Granted, all the five-some did was win back to back national championships but Billy Donovan has reloaded with a new team that I don’t think you want to play during February and March. Check the SEC standings. Florida is leading the SEC East by a half game over Tennessee. The Gators meet the Vols on February 5th in Knoxville. You get the feeling in the SEC that the Billy Donovan/Bruce Pearl rivalry might turn into on the Phil Fulmer & Steve Spurrier had in football with both schools?

The Gators are extremely young but very talented. The veterans on the Gator team are Junior Walter Hodge and Sophomores Marreese Speights and Dan Werner. But its been the 2 freshman Jai Lucas and Nick Calathes who have shined, especially Calathes whose 117 assists tops the SEC by a significant margin. Calathes also leads the team in scoring averaging 16 points per game.

Will the Gators make in a three peat? I don’t think so. Final Four, well that wouldn’t surprise me. Florida just might make a run come tournament time.

Who’s The Worst In College Hoops?

Funny you should ask. It’s New Jersey Institute of Technology. The Highlanders are 0-21 this season and have only lost in single digits once, by 9 to Stony Brook on December 10th and Stony Brook has one won only 4 games. I’m sure the atmosphere is electric of N.J.I.T. games are the brand new Prudential Center, the same building the New Jersey Devils call home. Here’s hoping the Highlanders have one highlight this year.

Al Davis Is Senile

Al Davis has lost his mind. Someone needs to tell him it’s not 1968 and Darryl Lamonica is bird hunting somewhere in Northern California, not getting ready for mini-camp. That Cliff Branch now runs a 6.4 40 at age 50 something. That Lester Haynes hands have fallen off from years of stickum abuse.

By now you have heard the Al the terrible has sent a letter to Lane Kiffin requesting his resignation as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders. Kiffin is not budging. I’m having Mike Shanahan flashbacks for 20 years ago when Al Davis fired him and refused to honor the rest of the contract. That will happen to Kiffin or Al Davis’ boys will take Lane Kiffin for a ride and he will never be heard from again.

Al Davis Starter Kit

Finally, Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder is messing with his fantasy team. His head coach, Joe Gibbs, got the hell out. So what does Snyder do? Instead of hiring Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams, he fires him and to be fair, cans Offensive Coordinator Al Saunders. Now Snyder is hiring assistant coaches before he hires a head coach. I think Snyder wants a puppet on the sidelines, so Kermit the Frog is probably the favorite. For me I don’t care. I’m a Dallas Cowboys fan and love to see the hated Redskins in disarray.

Seriously though, Jim Fassel is reportedly the front runner for the job. My guess is that Mr. Snyder will through most of his Millions at Steve Mariucci. Just a hunch.

That’s it, I’m spent.

--John Wilkerson

Petrino Makes Perfect Sense

Knowing incoming Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long’s track record of hiring head football coaches, I figured the Long would hire a washed up former NFL head coach to lead the Razorbacks. This is the same guy who hired the Wanstache while AD at Pittsburgh. I had prepared myself for Norv Turner, Cam Cameron and when current Oakland Raiders Head Coach Lane Kiffen was on the initial list, I wasn’t shocked. It made perfect sense. There was the flirtation with Tommy Bowden and Jim Grobe but they like life in the ACC. Then Bobby Petrino emerged and Tuesday night said the hell with the Atlanta Falcons and came to the Ozarks as the new Head Football Coach at Arkansas.

If you are going to hire a washed up NFL head coach this is the guy. Petrino took Louisville to unprecedented heights, 2 conference titles and a BCS Bowl. However, Petrino doesn’t like to stay bogged down at one place. What are the odds Petrino remains at Arkansas for the 5 years of his contract?

By the way, I know Arthur Blank is worth billions of dollars but after the year he has had as owner of the Atlanta Falcons, I wouldn’t blame Blank for going on an all night drinking binge in fact, I would buy the first round. But king Arthur would probably want the $500 bottle of single malt scotch and that is a little out of my price range.

Back to Petrino, at Louisville he worked with Chris Redman and Brian Brohm on the college level at quarterback. Who does he inherit at Arkansas? Casey Dick. If Petrino can turn Dick into Clint Stoerner or even Barry Lunney, Jr. he’s earned his 7-figure income.

Darren McFadden will go pro. Petrino now must convince Felix Jones to return for his senior year. That will be like selling ice to the Eskimos. Without Jones, who are your offensive weapons?

I sound like a grumpy Razorback fan. I, as someone who bleeds Razorback Red, like the hire. I just hope he doesn’t have U-Haul on his Fav-5 list.

That's it, I'm spent.

--John Wilkerson

Playoffs?!?! Playoffs?!?!

Back on October 16, 2006 I wrote the following:

If momentum ever builds for a college football playoff in Division 1-A, don’t be surprised if that comes from the SEC Offices in Birmingham. The SEC has so much talent spread across the league that every game is a war and teams end up beating the you-know-what out of each other. The way the BCS sets up it really benefits the conferences that are not as balanced. Even if an SEC team goes unbeaten, it doesn’t guarantee a BCS Title game berth. Remember Auburn ran the table 3 years ago and was the odd team out as Oklahoma and USC battled for the National Title. The SEC is the most powerful conference in college football. Should this trend keep up don’t be surprised if the league says enough is enough and uses its clout to make some changes in the way a National Champion is crowned.

Well …a college football playoff is on the table this week at the annual SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, Florida.

University of Florida President Bernie Machen has asked for time to speak in front of league officials about supporting a college football playoff system. Machen’s believes that a playoff system would likely generate in excess of $100 million. That kind of sick money might sway some college presidents and conferences but getting all 12 SEC member institutions to write off on a playoff proposal and be united will be a tough sell. Don’t expect a definitive plan to come of this year’s meetings but a first step has been taken on this subject.

Of course that might change again when another great SEC team is left out of the BCS Championship Game.

--John Wilkerson

Bark Like an Egyptian...Dog!

Right now, NCAA Bracket pools are being filled out by friends and co-workers alike. Many sheets of paper are wasted printing out brackets and carefully studying which teams will make the Final Four and most importantly, who will be this year’s George Mason. If you know that, it could score major bucks for you in your office pool.

The sexy picks to play Cinderella are Davidson, Winthrop and perhaps George Mason’s Colonial Athletic Association rival Virginia Commonwealth. Good solid picks and all low seed from Mid-Majors. My mid-major pick to go to the Elite Eight and perhaps pull a George Mason is the Salukis of Southern Illinois.

Yes, I know the Egyptian Dogs have been nationally ranked and are a 4 seed out of the West Region. Technically they don’t qualify for Cinderella status but the Salukis have a legitimate shot in not only reaching the Elite Eight, but going to Atlanta and the Final Four. SIU doesn’t score a lot however, their defense is stifling only allowing 56 points per game that’s good for 3rd in the nation. Another thing the Salukis have going for them is their top players are upperclassman. Senior Jamaal Tatum leads the team in scoring with 15 points per game, good for 5th in the Missouri Valley Conference. Junior Randal Falker averages double figures in points (12.5) and 3rd in the MVC in rebounding grabbing 7 boards per game. SIU has talent and experience which might be the way to San Jose for the West Regionals and possibly carry the Salukis to Atlanta.

OTHER NCAA TOURNAMENT NOTES:

My Arkansas Razorbacks was one of the last to get in the NCAA Tournament and I like their draw. The Hogs are a hot team and can get by Southern California and could reach the sweet 16 though getting by Texas with all-world Kevin Durant would be a tall order. One things is certain, getting the in the Big Dance saved Stan Heath’s job.

Winthrop will beat Notre Dame and head coach Gregg Marshall will parlay that win into a job in a major conference. Perhaps one in South Carolina if it opens up.

The other budding head coaching star to come out of this tournament is Oral Roberts’ Scott Sutton. He has the bloodlines, his dad is Eddie Sutton and his brother is Sean Sutton. Scott’s turn at a major school is coming soon plus ORU should win a game or 2 at the NCAA’s.

The East sets up great for Georgetown to reach the Final Four. If Ohio State’s talented freshman withstand the pressure of March Madness their in. Florida is on a mission to repeat and to me they are the best “TEAM” in the NCAA Tournament. I would like to see Ohio State and Florida (Just like the BCS Title Game in Football) to meet for the title at the Georgia Dome. Unfortunately Buckeye fans, the might Gators will win this, too.

That's it...I'm spent.

--John Wilkerson

Parental Disillusionment

Anyone who coaches youth sports as I have in the past will always come across those over-zealous parents whose illusions of their child’s athletic ability is totally unrealistic. It’s created such a mess that there are rules on parent behavior during little league games. Perhaps the NCAA should look into that as well because Arkansas Head Football Coach Houston Nutt is involved in his own version of Little League Parents Gone Bad.

You see Arkansas heralded recruits from Springdale, Mitch Mustain, Ben Cleveland and Damian Williams, were not happy with the way the offense has been run this season. Never mind their head coach from High School, Gus Malzahn, is the offensive coordinator. And forget the fact that the trio started as true freshman and contributed to a team that finished 10 and 3, won the SEC West and went to the SEC Championship Game. So the parents of the Springdale trio met with The Grand Pooh–Bah, Arkansas’ 81-year-old Athletic Director Frank Broyles complaining that the pass happy spread offense wasn’t implemented this year and will it be in the future. Broyles told the “concerned” parents the Nutt was in charge and the matter should be taken up with the head coach. That obviously didn’t satisfy Damian Williams, who asked and received his release and is transferring to another school.

The bottom line in all this is jealousy. Darren McFadden is arguably the best player in college football and is the Heisman front-runner for 2007. Felix Jones is probably the second best running back in the SEC behind D–Mac and right now Casey Dick is a better quarterback that Mitch Mustain. When you have that kind of talent you don’t ignore it. But the Springdale Kids thought after winning the 5A State Title in Arkansas last year that they would next conquer the SEC. The Hogs almost did but not they way they expected so they went to mommy and daddy to make it better.

QB Mitch Mustain (courtesy Sporting News)

The one player that has been humbled in this is Mitch Mustain. A book will be released authored by a long time prep writer in Springdale chronicling the Bulldogs’ 2005 season. In that book Mustain is quoted about his dislike of the Hogs offense and Coach Nutt. This lead to a players-only meeting in which Sam Olajubutu, Arkansas’s tough as nails linebacker, confronted Mustain over his comments. Reportedly, Mustain took it and apologized to Coach Nutt as well.

Even Gus Malzahn recognized when you have McFadden and Jones you don’t throw the ball all the time.

I just hope the Hogs kiss and make up and take care of Wisconsin New Years Day.

That’s It, I’m Spent.

--John Wilkerson