Erin Andrews: Dancing and Gator Chomping

I'm not a big reality TV person, but waiting for Lost to come on last night I caught the tail end of Dancing With the Stars. Just then I remembered that Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco and ESPN starlet Erin Andrews were contestants. So I paused for a moment as they were preparing to toss a "star" from the show.

When they announced Andrews would be staying she greeted us all with a proper, but unnecessary Gator Chomp in celebration. I'm a big Andrews fan and believe she's an outstanding sideline reporter. But just save us all some time and get hitched to Tim Tebow and produce more Gator offspring.

Save yourself some time and move to the 5:20 mark on the video (unless you want to watch more of Brooke Burke.

Stewart sings 'Country Roads'

Does anyone think Bob Huggins would act like this if West Virginia's football team was playing for a BCS Championship?

Fortunately for Huggy Bear his singing voice is safe as long as Bill Stewart is the head man at WVU. I know fans adore him for his down-home appeal and his unfettered love of the state. But was it necessary to head downtown and sing John Denver's "Country Roads?"

Stewart was performing mainly for locals as most of the students were off campus for spring break (HT: ESDSBS). That was good news for the Morgantown Fire Department as couch burning was kept to a minimum.

But is this really what the second highest paid person at WVU should be doing on a Saturday night. Guess I'd like him to concentrate on WVU's special teams a little more?

This Duck is good

Finally, an Oregon Duck football player who isn't getting arrested or dragged of to jail. Oregon defensive end Terrell Turner is being called an "angel" for being a good samaritan.

What happened to a stress-free spring?

Isn't Urban Meyer supposed to be relaxing?

Now we can see why Cyborg Meyer makes monthly trips to the ER for chest pains and 911 is on the speed dial. In the video you'll see Meyer criticizing Orlando Sentinel reporter Jeremy Fowler for quoting Gator receiver Deonte Thompson. It seems Thompson believes new UF quarterback John Brantley is more a QB than Tim Tebow because he's spreading the ball around.

Even die-hard Gator fans have to admit Meyer was way out of line, especially when he threatens Fowler. Real classy Urban.

Not so fast Pac-10

So all that expansion talk by the Pac-10 may be losing some steam. According to a recent article by Dennis Dodd at CBSsports.com, Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott says they may petition the NCAA to change the conference championship rule from 12 to 10 teams.

If this happens the Pac-10 wouldn't need to expand, nor share money with two other institutions. While a Pac-10 championship game means more money it's appeal is limited at best. Still, if this happens it would open the door for the Big Ten and Big East to have a conference championship without adding teams. This could also save the current conference alignments.

Scott also tells Dodd he has spoken with Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany and Big East commish John Marinatto about holding championship games without expanding to 12 or more.

This would definitely be of interest to the Big East and its eight football members, and possible to an extent the Big Ten and its 11 members. If Delany can't land, say, Notre Dame or Texas, maybe passing on expansion is a possibility.

However, the Big Ten's expansion is more about growing its TV network through large markets and cashing in on all of those homes paying a $1 or more to have the Big Ten Network, so Big Ten expansion is going to happen. It's also interesting to see the Pac-10 is still discussing a similar TV network with the ACC and Big 12.

This story is far from over. Too bad Marinatto remains (OK, he spoke with the Pac-10 from his luxury office in Providence, R.I.) on the sidelines as his conference is in a death roll.

Podcast: Episode 62

After back-to-back, jam-packed podcasts we have to admit that this one is a little lighter. Maybe it's March Madness or the lack of real football or a couple months. Oh well. Here's what we have this week.

When you consider the NCAA is looking to ruin the basketball tournament and expand to 96 teams because of greed, how much do you think it will screw up a football tournament if we let them have it? That's right, plenty. Money always wins.

We also take an early look at the coaches on the hot seat and who has the best chance of saving their job and who should be sending out resumes. Coaches aren't the only ones on the hot seat. How would you like to be replacing Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy or Sam Bradford? Think there's a little pressure on John Brantley, Garrett Gilbert and Landry Jones? We also try to explain what Oregon's Mike Bellotti is doing by going to ESPN. Enjoy another show.

Michigan: "Oooh, look at the pretty lights!"

Michigan has finally relented, announcing today it will play its first night game in history at "The Big House" in 2011 against Notre Dame.

This is big. I'm sure Les Miles will have his troops fired up to beat the Irish.

Tressel's contract extended. Shocker.

In news as unexciting as his demeanor, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel's contract was extended Wednesday. Apparently Tressel turned down a raise on the new contract which will run until 2015.

In coaching contract extensions are pretty much worthless and amount to legalese translation of "here's what we're going to pay you when we fire your ass." But in this case, the extension is probably more about recruiting as the Tressel retirement rumors will likely begin to start in a couple years.

But the interesting part, according to a tweet from OSU beat writer Ken Gordon of the Columbus Dispatch, is that this new contract contains a provision that if Tressel doesn't finish this entire extension, he gets a job as an assistant athletic director.

That's interesting on two fronts: A) Tressel was the AD at Youngstown State and reportedly loved the work and B) his previous contract guaranteed Tressel a spot on the faculty.

Seems to indicate the Senator is thinking about retirement. Maybe not next year, but coming sooner than most Buckeye fans are prepared for.

BCS Tournament Bracket

The folks at Playoff PAC don't need a crystal ball to see into the future. In the spirit of March Madness and bracketology, they have created the 2011 BCS Tournament Bracket. Not bad and probably accurate.

Way to bury the lead

Anyone who has ever watched WTAP-TV, a small NBC affiliate in Parkersburg, W.Va., understands that the reporters are green, overworked and underpaid. But if you get an exclusive interview with the head football coach from the state's flagship university do us all a favor -- don't bury the lead.

In a more than 11-minute interview with WVU's Bill Stewart, the TV head waits until the 7:13 mark to ask the big question -- his thoughts on Big Ten expansion. Stewart's response is somewhat surprising. He thinks the Big East is kaput. Here's what he said:

“It’s exciting, it’s disheartening as well. Exciting because the ACC, the SEC, the Big Ten and the Big 12 and Pac-10 — the ones out West won’t impact us but the Big Ten could. They’ll pick a couple of our teams. The SEC and ACC will also do the same. I don’t know where we’re going to land. We could land maybe in three conferences, in the ACC, SEC maybe Big Ten. But right now we’re still Big East and we need to keep that focus. That’s the disheartening thing because when you break up the Big East contingency like we have, we have a lot of fun, a lot of rivals. I hate to see that end, but there is exciting times on the horizon with those new conferences. We’ll be in one of them — which one I don’t know. But that’s down the road a couple years I believe.”

What?

Look I've been saying all along that the super conference model is coming, but Stewart is talking crazy again.

If the Big Ten decides to stop at one school, let's say Notre Dame, then the Big East goes unscathed and commissioner John Marinatto can finally man up and start talking about BE growth.

Now I don't want to totally discount Stewart here. He may just know more than anyone else is letting on and he's just being honest. There are reports the Big Ten presidents and ADs are meeting to discuss growing by three to five. If that happens it will transform the college football landscape and make Stewart look a bit prophetic.

But where WVU lands, if this happens, will be interesting. The ACC is the better geographic fit, but the Mountaineers aren't a good academic fit. West Virginia is actually a great fit for the SEC. That would be interesting.

Hopefully the next time WTAP gets a scoop it should lead with it.

Podcast: Episode 61

Can anyone talk about college football today and not mention expansion? We couldn't. We actually spend a great deal of time discussing the hot topic, especially the revelation that Notre Dame may actually be ready to end its independent status. This puts the Big Ten in a power position, especially if the conference can reel in the Fighting Irish and even go bigger with Missouri and Nebraska.

As for the Pac-10, expansion seems to be pretty clear-cut ... go with Colorado and Utah and be happy. But what does this all mean for the Big 12? It may not hurt that much, especially if the conference gets TCU, SMU and pulls Arkansas from the SEC. Oh how the dominoes may fall.

We also look at how some of our favorite college players fared in the NFL Combine and the future of Rich Rodriguez at Michigan, especially following the public support from new AD David Brandon. Enjoy another show from Phil and Tom.

You're welcome

Pac-10 expansion comes into focus

Thank you Jon Wilner.

While we have spent a great deal of time and space dissecting the potential and pitfuls of Big Ten expansion, 'Eye and 'Eer have shied away from much discussion about the Pac-10's big expansion plans. Mainly because we aren't in touch with it quite like those on the west coast.

But thanks to the San Jose Mercury News columnist, we now have an excellent view of how and why expansion is inevitable in the Pac-10. It's clear from his piece the Pac-10 is willing to abandon its academic high ground for the all important cash. Here is a quote from the story:

“Everything is for sale,” one source told me. “They’ll do anything necessary to make money.’

With state funding becoming more scarce and athletic budgets skyrocketing into hundreds of millions it's easy to see why Pac-10 leaders are jealous of the $200-plus million made by the Big Ten and SEC.

So stay tuned as it is very clear now the Pac-10 will not sit by idly and will look to probably add Colorado, Utah or BYU.

So, once again, what is Big East commish John Marinatto have planned to secure the future of his conference? We're still waiting Big John.

First Amendment and football coaches

Like the newspaper industry doesn't have enough problems when along comes Guy Morriss and the Texas A&M-Commerce football team.

It seems Morriss believes collaborating on theft and censorship count as a team-building exercise. Someone may also want to tell the lunatic coach this it may also be considered illegal.

As if Morriss coaching career hadn't reach a low point already (remember those ill-fated runs at Kentucky and Baylor) it is now officially unraveling. Clearly, the A&M-Commerce brass can't retain a guy who supports his players lifting all of the East Texan newspapers from the on-campus racks so anyone interested couldn't read about the arrest of two football players.

Morriss is quoted as sayings, "I'm proud of my players for doing that. This was the best team building exercise we have ever done."

Good move coach. So instead of this being a non-story for the rest of the college football world your big team-building exercise backfired a bit. Now we all care (a little).

God told Jim Delaney to expand the Big 10

Or it came to him in his own thoughts. Same diff in Delaney's world.



The Chicago Tribune reported today that the search firm hired by the Big Ten to explore expansion gave the league the thumbs-up on adding a school.

The basic premise? More teams be more better.

It doesn't hurt to know your audience either. This search firm probably did more research on Jim Delaney than Missouri.

Two sources told the Tribune that they believe the Big Ten will expand largely because Commissioner Jim Delany, who in 2008 signed a five-year contract extension, wants to add another accomplishment to his legacy.

Since taking the helm in 1989, Delany has added Penn State, helped form the highly profitable Big Ten Network and grown revenue from about $20 million a year to $220 million.

"What gets Jim going," said a source with ties to Delany, "is doing something bold."


Great, expansion for expansion's sake and to satisfy Delaney's massive ego.

So, get ready Jersey, nobody can wait for that first Indiana-Rutgers match up. It will have the New York TVs buzzing, I'm sure.

Color me jaded or a traditionalist. As far as I'm concerned the Big Ten can boot PSU and Northwestern and bring back the Maroons of U. of Chicago.

Rare sight: Something good at Penn State

Both of your authors at An 'Eye and an 'Eer despise Penn State. But there are a number of things the students do well at PSU and this is one of them—THON, a student-run charity that raises money for childhood cancer research at Penn State. This is not small potatoes as THON raised almost $8 million.

This group of Nittany Lions players showed some skills and even included a white boy who rivals the 'Eer's dancing skills. And if you want to see another great video from the event check out Tucker doing Boom Boom Pow.

(HT: Black Shoe Diaries).