I'm going to be buried today so here's what's going on around the 'sphere:
Rodriguez Saga Hits the Funny Papers
HT: The Wizard of Odds and Tank McNamara by Jeff Millar and Bill Hinds.
Colt McCoy Looks Like Luke Sykwalker
Judge for yourself. Maybe I'm crazy.
Kelvin Sampson and Indiana are in Deep Shit
ESPN is reporting Sampson and two of his assistants are guilt of multiple recruiting refractions which could not only keep the Hoosiers out of the NCAA tournament, but will likely cost Sampson his job. ESPN detailed the accusations by the NCAA:
* Sampson, assistant coach Jeff Meyer and former assistant Rob Senderoff failed to comply with sanctions imposed on Sampson for impermissible recruiting calls he made while he was the head coach at Oklahoma. Sampson was under such sanctions when he was hired to coach the Hoosiers in March 2006.
Sampson and Senderoff, who resigned his position Oct. 30, are alleged to have jointly participated in telephone calls at a time when Sampson was prohibited from being present or taking part when staff members made recruiting calls. Senderoff and Meyer are alleged to have made about 100 calls that exceeded the sanction limits.
- Senderoff and Meyer placed "at least 25 telephone calls" to nine potential recruits that exceeded NCAA limits even if no sanctions had been in place.
- Sampson "acted contrary to the NCAA principles of ethical conduct when he knowingly violated recruiting restrictions imposed by the NCAA Committee on Infractions."
- Sampson and Meyer engaged in an impermissible recruiting contact during a two-day sports camp held at Assembly Hall last June 30 and July 1, and that Meyer provided the potential recruit with an impermissible benefit -- at least one T-shirt and drawstring backpack.
Not good. I know many are happy to jump on this news and gleefully wave their "ITOLDUSO" flag, but this news brings me no joy. Sampson's a pretty good coach and I was legitimately pulling for him to restore his reputation. Hopefully this will all turn out to be a case of over-zealousness on the part of the NCAA. Guys like DJ White deserve to play in the NCAA tournament and not have their careers erased because of the screw-ups of a handful of selfish people. Ask Jalen Rose how he feels about his accomplishments being stripped from the record books because of [SELFISH ASSHOLE]'s actions.
You're still a cocksucker
NCAA Rules Committee Continues Work To Destroy Football As We Know It.
From their secret under ground lair somewhere in the mountains of Montana, the NCAA Rules Committee announced its latest efforts to "speed up the game" and ruin everyone's Saturday. Folding like cheap paper under the money heavy thumb of the networks, the Rules Committee has provided the following idiotic proposal concerning the game clock after a player runs out of bounds. "Under the old rule, the game clock would not start until the ball was snapped on the next play. Under the new rule, once the ball is ruled ready for play, the official will start the game clock. This will will not apply in the last two minutes of each half." (HT: The Wiz, his summary was better than mine)
The Rules Committee's Press Conference
So every time you run out of bounds, except of course in the last two minutes, the clock treats the play as though it was a college first down, as soon as the ball is set, the clock starts. This is utter bullshit. Leave the game clock alone. Don't change the entire game except for the last 2 minutes. I know it seems minor, but any proposal messing with the clock will and does drastically alter the way the game is played. Getting out of bounds during the second and third quarters is especially important because it allows players to cycle in and out of the game, thereby keeping them fresh and improving the quality of play. Once you start shaving seconds and minutes off the clock with this asinine rule all of a sudden they're fewer players in the game and less time to keep the stars fresh. This is only a single, honestly flawed, argument but there are millions others against this rule. I'd love to get your thoughts on it.
Other Rule Changes include:
- The 40/25-second play clock goes into effect. After every play is whistled dead, the 40-second clock will start. When there is a stoppage of play, a 25-second play clock will be used. - Again, not so happy with this.
- A coach gets an one time only extra replay challenge if his first challenge is upheld. - Seems like a good idea, but I don't want this turning into "Well, as long as he's right" and giving the rules committee another reason to "speed up the game."
- The incidental five-yard facemask penalty is gone. It's 15 yards for yankin n twistin on da grill, or nothing at all. - meh
- Horse collar tackles are now illegal and a 15-yard personal foul penalty. - This is a good thing.
- If a kickoff goes out of bounds, the receiving team now has the option of taking the ball on its 40-yard line. - Good
- Sideline or bench infractions are now a penalty. no warnings, Mac Brown. - heh heh...