Note: Posted Wednesday a.m.
1987 Heisman Vote Quiz: Notre Dame wide receiver Tim Brown won in ’87. Name the next four in the voting…initials D.M., G.L., L.W., C.H. Answer below.
College Football
1. USC
2. Alabama
3. LSU
4. Oklahoma
5. Oregon
10. Arkansas
11. West Virginia
USA TODAY Coaches
1. LSU
2. Alabama
3. USC
4. Oklahoma
5. Oregon
10. Arkansas
11. West Virginia
Notre Dame? Not even AP top 25 (No. 26 if you carried out the votes), while it was No. 24 in USA TODAY.
1. Notre Dame .9973 [1]
2. Alabama .9333 [3]
3. Georgia .8763 [6]
4. Florida .8434 [2]
5. Oregon .8318 [7]
6. Kansas State .7692 [4]
7. LSU .7308 [8]
8. Stanford .7077 [5]
9. Texas A&M .6526 [10]
10. Florida State .6363 [17]
11. Clemson .6056 [15]
To say the least, Florida State’s 17 computer ranking is absurd. [Actually, just glanced at their schedule again…outside the win against Clemson, not a lot there.]
19 Michigan at undefeated Ohio State [not BCS eligible but No. 4 AP and this is their last game]
Chris Dufresne / Los Angeles Times
“(It’s funny) that one-loss Alabama has been auto-forwarded to play undefeated Notre Dame just because, well, just because.
“Alabama’s last game against a major-college opponent was a home defeat to two-loss Texas A&M.
“When Kansas State and Oregon lost this weekend, Alabama immediately spiked six spots in Jeff Sagarin’s BCS ratings and rode that general wave to No. 2 in the BCS.
“Alabama moved from No. 5 to No. 3 in the BCS computers with a win over Western Carolina, a Football Championship Subdivision team now 1-10, with its lone win coming against Division II Mars Hill.
“Florida State, with as many losses as Alabama, defeated Maryland on Saturday and still hasn’t cracked the top 25 in Massey’s BCS index.
“The Seminoles are gear-grinding at No. 10 in the BCS and No. 17 in the computer index.
“Don’t try to make any sense of this – just drink it all in and then do a spit take.
“Oregon dropped to No. 5 behind one-loss Alabama, one-loss Georgia and one-loss Florida and presumably is out of the race (for now) because the Ducks lost a close game at home to two-loss Stanford.
“Timing, along with playing in the SEC, is everything in college football.”
Like look at Florida. As Dufresne writes, they needed a blocked punt to stave off Louisiana Lafayette in Gainesville, but they are two results from playing the SEC champion in the BCS championship.
“To reach the national championship game, Notre Dame needs to beat USC (which will be without quarterback Matt Barkley), Alabama needs to beat Auburn and win the SEC championship game, and Georgia needs to beat Georgia Tech and win the SEC title game.
“From there, the possibilities become more complicated. Florida and Florida State need to defeat each other and have Notre Dame lose. Oregon needs to defeat Oregon State, and need UCL.A to defeat Stanford, Florida State to beat Florida, Florida State to lose its conference championship and Notre Dame to fall. Kansas State needs most of that, and for Oregon to lose.
“If those scenarios seem complicated, imagine what next week will be like if the Trojans defeat the Fighting Irish, which would register as an upset, but not a monumental one. That could even lead, gulp, to another all-SEC title game, which again would not be a big upset.”
And then you have the scenario that if Stanford defeats UCLA on Saturday, Stanford will host the Pac-12 title game, in a rematch against the Bruins. If UCLA wins Saturday and Oregon defeats Oregon State, the Ducks will host the Bruins in the title game. And if that happened, and Notre Dame lost – oh, enough already.
On the issue of Maryland and Rutgers joining the Big Ten, more comment.
“Here’s what the Big Ten will offer: First, and foremost, lots more money. The Big Ten TV package is already worth far more than the ACC TV package, and it is going to soar even more in 2017 when its primary rights are up for bid again. The ACC just locked into a long-term deal with ESPN that is lucrative but won’t be up again until 2027. That means the potential growth is far greater in the Big Ten.
“Those who will decry the loss of tradition and longstanding rivalries should look around. One of Maryland’s biggest problems competitively is that it doesn’t have a true arch rival. Have you ever heard a recruit in any sport say, ‘I chose Maryland for the chance to play in the Maryland-Virginia game every year?’
“No. As for Duke and North Carolina being rivals in basketball, there are a couple of issues. To begin with, the two schools look at each other, not at Maryland, as their primary rival. Second, when Gary Williams made Maryland-Duke and Maryland-North Carolina basketball games important, the Terrapins were playing four games annually against the two schools, and frequently five and occasionally six games. Now, in the expanded ACC, one or the other will come to Comcast Center each season. Period. Frequency of competition makes rivalries great in basketball. It can’t happen for Maryland anymore in the John Swofford-redesigned ACC, where Maryland basketball is guaranteed two annual games only with Pittsburgh, which the Terrapins have faced all of seven times.
“The Big Ten can offer Penn State as a football rival. Even after its horrific fall from grace, Penn State is going to be a football power…For years, Maryland played Penn State annually (and lost annually; the Terrapins are 1-35-1 all-time against the Nittany Lions). What’s more, visits by Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin and Michigan State will likely fill a few more seats in Byrd Stadium than games against Virginia, Wake Forest, Duke and North Carolina State.”
“They don’t give out a trophy for this, but there will be a celebration in Piscataway on Tuesday that Rutgers fans will savor for a very long time. Because, at long last, the Scarlet Knights have won a title.
“Think about it: Who out there did better? Not Syracuse and Pittsburgh, which stunned Rutgers officials when they bolted out the Big East’s revolving door for the ACC. Not West Virginia, which bombed its former league with lawsuits as it ran to safety in the Big 12.
“Not Texas A&M and Missouri, the newest members of the powerhouse SEC, and not even the school ushering the Scarlet Knights to their new home. Maryland is so anxious to leave the ACC that it’s willing to pay a $50 million exit fee, but the Terrapins are just moving from one nice neighborhood to a better one.
“Now, instead of facing a future with Temple and UCF on the schedule each year, they’ll be playing for the same league title as Michigan and Ohio State. If that doesn’t seem incredible enough now – and it does – then you need only to think back to Dec. 1, 2000.
“You need only to think of the giggles that day, when a nobody defensive coordinator from Miami was introduced in Piscataway as new head coach and used the words ‘national championship’ and Rutgers in the same sentence.
“Greg Schiano inherited a program with no academic support system and outdated facilities. He took over for a team that couldn’t even get in the conversation with the state’s best recruits.
“Schiano didn’t stay long enough to see this day, heading to the NFL before he could reap the benefits of this move, but he is more responsible than anybody for the news Tuesday.”
Meanwhile, Boise State, San Diego State and BYU are now looking to the Mountain West conference and a possible return to it. After all, with the new BCS arrangement that awards automatic access to the highest-rated champion in the “Group of Five” conferences come 2014, why would they join a Big East that is all but finished with Maryland and Rutgers exiting, and UConn soon to be?
San Diego State said they are committed to the Big East, but that’s nuts. However, I forgot both SDSU and Boise State joined the Big East last December and have exit fees already, even though they don’t begin play until July 2013.
BYU left the Mountain West after the 2010 season to become an independent.
The Mountain West starts next season with 10 football programs: Air Force, Colorado State, Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State and Wyoming. The commissioner said he was holding out hope SDSU and Boise would return.
–In one of their periodic studies of coaching salaries, USA TODAY reports that “Six years ago, 42 major college football coaches made at least $1 million. Today, 42 make at least $2 million.”
“The average annual salary for head coaches at major colleges (not including four schools that moved up to the Football Bowl Subdivision this season) is $1.64 million, up nearly 12% over last season – and more than 70% since 2006, when USA TODAY Sports began tracking coaches’ compensation.”
Consider that between 2007 and 2011, CEO pay rose 23%, while in that same period coaches’ pay rose 44%.
Alabama’s Nick Saban is the highest paid at $5.5 million; one of four SEC coaches in the top eight. Texas’ Mack Brown is second at $5.4 million (for what?).
Clemson’s Dabo Swinney is cited in the USA TODAY story for giving up a lot of personal pay to his assistants, one of whom, offensive coordinator Chad Morris, is the nation’s highest paid at a public school at $1.3 million. Another, defensive coordinator Brent Venables, makes $800,000.
Swinney has shifted $844,000 over three years from his contracts to the compensation pool for his assistants.
—USC quarterback Matt Barkley is sitting out the Notre Dame game with a sprained shoulder, not exactly the way he wanted to end his career (though he might be able to play in a bowl game).
Barkley could have gone out for the NFL draft last spring but opted to return for his senior year and in the process rewrote the Pac-12 record book, becoming the conference career leader in touchdown passes, yards passing, completions and total offense.
But Barkley had the right answer when looking back on his decision.
“It didn’t turn out the way I planned. But I think over these last four years, and especially this year, I’ve learned so much. (I’ve) grown, matured a lot since last year I really think, and that will prepare me for the next level and for later in life. I don’t regret it one bit.”
Barkley deserves a ton of credit. When USC was mired in its two-year bowl ban, he became the spokesman for the team and kept things together, standing up for the school and the program. He’s been a class act.
–Brain cramp…most of you wouldn’t know this but when I wrote of Florida’s pathetic 23-0 defeat of Jacksonville State last week, I was thinking Jacksonville Univ. had undergone a name change, the latter also where friend Steve G. matriculated at the time of Artis Gilmore and Pembrook Burrows III. Jacksonville Univ. is building up its football program and playing the likes of Dayton and Davidson these days.
Jacksonville State is in Jacksonville, Alabama and is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference.
I apologize to alum of both. Florida’s performance, however, remains pathetic.
–One other college football note. On Monday, following the final game of his 60th season at Division III St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn., 86-year-old John Gagliardi retired. All he did was win more games (489) and coach more seasons (64) than anyone in the history of college football. He opted to retire after his Johnnies finished their first non-winning season since 1986 at 5-5. They were 3-5 in their conference, the first losing mark in this respect since 1973.
St. John’s won N.A.I.A. national championships in 1963 and ’65 under Galiardi and NCAA Division III titles in 1976 and 2003.
“Gagliardi was known for unconventional coaching methods that were often called ‘Winning With Nos’ – no tackling in practice, no hitting blocking sleds, no mandatory weigh training and no practices longer than 90 minutes.”
College Basketball
Congratulations to Grinnell College point guard Jack Taylor, who smashed the all-time NCAA scoring record for a single game when he scored 138 points on Tuesday (27 of 71 from downtown), 52 of 108 from the field and 7 of 10 free throws in 36 minutes. Grinnell, Division III, blasted Faith Baptist Bible, 179-104, in Grinnell, Iowa. Back in 2007, I drove through the campus there. Good school academically and pleasant town.
Rio Grande’s Bevo Francis held the record of 113 points against Hillsdale set way back in 1954.
Grinnell has led the nation in scoring for 17 of the past 19 seasons.
Taylor had 58 points at half and then made 32 shots in the second half.
There is a minor bit of controversy concerning the contest, however, as reported by Tommy Birch of USA TODAY Sports.
“Faith Baptist, located in Ankenny, Iowa, is a member of the Midwest Christian College Conference. The schedule on the school website listed the Grinnell game as an ‘exhibition.’ But according to Grinnell sports information director Ted Schultz, the game ‘absolutely’ is official and the record will count. Schultz said because of conference rules on the number of games a team can play, Faith Baptist has to list some as exhibitions. Schultz said Grinnell has encountered this before but did check with its conference, the Midwest, on Tuesday morning to confirm the game counted. ‘It’s an exhibition for them, but not for us,’ he said.”
David Larsen of Faith Baptist actually scored 70, himself, all from inside. Grinnell, with its non-stop pressing defense forced Faith into 49 turnovers.
New AP Poll
1. Indiana
2. Louisville
3. Ohio State
4. Michigan
5. Duke
6. Syracuse
7. Florida
8. Kentucky
9. North Carolina…lost on Tues. to Butler, 82-71, in Maui.
10. Arizona
21. UConn…then lost to New Mexico, 66-60.
23. Colorado…beat Murray State after my remark the other day, 81-74.
25. San Diego State
–Thirty years after pulling off one of the biggest upsets in college basketball history, Division II Chaminade did it again at the Maui Invitational. While defeating Texas 86-73 isn’t the same as Chaminade’s win over then No. 1 Virginia and Ralph Sampson, no one expected Chaminade to handle Texas so easily. De’Andre Haskins had 32 points and nine rebounds for the Silverswords.
The Maui Invitational, of which Chaminade is host, formally began in 1984 and the win over Texas was just their seventh against 76 defeats (make that 77 as they lost on Tuesday to Illinois, 84-61).
Chaminade has 1,200 students. When they upset Virginia in 1982, they were an 800-student NAIA school and didn’t have their own gym so the game was played in Honolulu. Sampson had just 12 points in the 77-72 loss.
—J-E-T-S…Jets Jets Jets!
OK, we’re 4-6 but if we beat the Pats at home on Thanksgiving Night, we’re back in the playoff conversation. And New England is without star tight end Rob Gronkowski, who broke his forearm at the end of Sunday’s game. Of course many a Patriots fan is wondering why Gronkowski was in on an extra-point conversion at the end of a blowout, but the bigger question is why Tom Brady was still in?! Then again, that’s Bill Belichick, “Mr. Run Up the Score.”
–Follow-up to my last BC…Andrew Luck did break the rookie mark for 300-yard passing games with his fifth in the loss to New England.
—Plaxico Burress, 35, has signed a contract to finish out the season with the Steelers, who first drafted him in 2000.
–I only saw a little of Monday night’s 49ers-Bears game, and now everyone is talking about a quarterback controversy in San Francisco following backup Colin Kaepernick’s terrific performance in leading the 49ers to a 32-7 demolition of the Bears. Kaepernick threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns in his first career start in place of injured Alex Smith.
As I go to post there is no word on whether, first, Smith will get clearance to play against New Orleans this weekend following his concussion, or, second, whether coach Jim Harbaugh is going with Kaepernick even if Smith is available.
Ball Bits
Commissioner Bud Selig formally approved the 12-player deal between the Miami Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays where Miami dumped a ton of payroll in exchange for mostly prospects.
“It is my conclusion that this transaction, involving established major leaguers and highly regarded young players and prospects, represents the exercise of plausible baseball judgment on the part of both clubs, does not violate any express rule of Major League Baseball and does not otherwise warrant the exercise of any of my powers to prevent its completion,” read a statement from Selig.
The commissioner acted in the same fashion last August when the Red Sox dumped a bunch of players on the Dodgers.
Selig went on to address the concerns of fans in Miami who are more than a bit distressed, having been sold a bill of goods by owner Jeffrey Loria with the building of the new ballpark, and last winter’s free agent signings, only to see the team finish last and trade away almost all of their stars.
“Baseball is a social institution with important social responsibilities and I fully understand that the Miami community has done its part to put the Marlins into a position to succeed with beautiful new Marlins Park.
“Going forward, I will continue to monitor this situation with the expectation that the Marlins will take into account the sentiments of their fans, who deserve the best efforts and considered judgment of their club.”
–The third round of the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship is Sunday with 16 teams still in it. A few thoughts after looking at the bracket.
Wake Forest lost to Coastal Carolina, 2-1 in overtime. Drat.
Notre Dame and Maryland are the top two seeds (and still in it).
And 9-seed North Carolina plays Fairleigh Dickinson on Sunday after FDU (whose campus is nearby) defeated St. John’s and 8-seed Saint Louis in double OT.
–Time for my periodic look at the difference between the PGA and LPGA tours in terms of the money list. Both just finished their seasons.
No. 30 on the money list…Ben Curtis $2,494,153…Jenny Shin $447,731
No. 60 Michael Thompson $1,408,374…Mariajo Uribe $196,360
No. 100 Davis Love III $989,753…Juli Inkster $48,815
Eleven LPGA players earned $1 million or more. 99 did on the PGA Tour.
Michelle Wie, by the way, finished No. 64 on the money list with $158,546.
So again, parents…steer your girls away from golf if they think they are going to make a comfortable living at it.
—Daniel Craig will be paid $48 million to star in two more Bond flicks; one in 2014 and one in 2016, which will be his fifth. Craig earned $4.7 million for “Casino Royale” and $11 million for “Quantum of Solace.” He gets a reported $17 million for “Skyfall.”
Sean Connery earned about $5 million per Bond film in today’s dollars.
–The following happened in a town near me, Westfield.
“A motor scooter driver who avoided hitting a pair of does was struck by a buck moments later.
“The driver…was airlifted to University Hospital in Newark with serious to life-threatening injuries.”
“There were witnesses to the accident who reported ‘two does running across the roadway, which he avoided and, as he continued to travel northbound, a buck came running out from the side of the road and struck him,” the chief said.
—Danica Patrick is on the market, guys, after announcing she has split from her husband of 7 years. I’d wait until after the holiday season to try contacting her.
Top 3 songs for the week 11/23/74: #1 “I Can Help” (Billy Swan) #2 “Do It (‘Til You’re Satisfied)” (B.T. Express) #3 “My Melody Of Love” (Bobby Vinton)…and…#4 “Tin Man” (America) #5 “Longfellow Serenade” (Neil Diamond) #6 “Everlasting Love” (Carl Carlton) #7 “Kung Fu Fighting” (Carl Douglas) #8 “When Will I See You Again” (The Three Degrees) #9 “Back Home Again” (John Denver) #10 “Cat’s In The Cradle” (Harry Chapin…just a horrendous week)
1987 Heisman Vote Quiz Answer: Five top vote-getters…
Tim Brown, WR, Notre Dame 1442
Don McPherson, QB, Syracuse 831
Gordie Lockbaum, TB-DB, Holy Cross 657
Lorenzo White, RB, Michigan State 632
Craig Heyward, RB, Pitt 170
