SECRET AGENT MEN
Back to Columbia
NCAA investigators are going back to South Carolina, making it at least the second school they've visited twice, which makes it sound a lot like they're putting the finishing touches on the inquiry (or at least the campus-based segment of it).
Meanwhile, Steve Spurrier is not at all surprised to hear former Oklahoma head coach and current UNC assistant John Blake's name has been on the Interwebs.
"When you’ve been in coaching as long as I have, we know the reputation of almost all the coaches out there that have been around a long time. So I guess what I would say is that article’s not very surprising," Spurrier said.
"That’s about the least I should say about it. We all have a reputation, especially guys who’ve coached 20 years or so. It’s hard to hide whatever your reputation is."
So, what are you trying to say, coach?
What, you thought Nick Saban was BS-ing?
Coachbot makes good on his threat to keep the NFL scouts off campus ... sort of.
"Alabama is keeping guys out for the time being, but, as I understand it, that will be lifted at a certain point," said the scout, who asked not to be identified, and who said he had confirmed the lockout with multiple other scouts. "It also looks like Florida is doing the same thing."
Consider this a warning shot, likely to try to get the NFL and the NFLPA to take things seriously if and when an NCAA report on Agentgate is issued. Get rid of the agents, or don't bother taking your annual trip to Tuscaloosa ... and maybe Gainesville.
Lou Holtz talks to SB Nation
And he's doing pretty good on Agentgate, telling college players not to deal with them, before he swerves off into Lou-Lou Land.
If you want to get a deal, negotiate with the teams yourself. Say, "I want this much, and no less, but I'll show up to camp on time." It doesn't seem that hard to me.
Which makes you wonder if Lou Holtz has ever seen an NFL contract -- though it would be hard to think that he hasn't, given that he (briefly) coached the Jets. Lou, there's a reason most agents are lawyers. Well, aside from the utility of being able to find every loophole in the NCAA rule book ...
(Holtz also picks Florida to defeat Alabama in September, which is making me reconsider my selection. Why Florida? Holtz never coached at Florida.)
OTHER NEWS
Even if you think Florida will be better off without Tim Tebow ...
... and I'm not sure they will be, there's someone out there who doesn't think its post-Tebow future is as bright as its Tebow past: CBS. Sports VP of programming Mike Aresco on defeating ABC -- i.e., all the other conferences combined -- in ratings this past season:
Some of the numbers Tebow was responsible for. You can't underestimate star power in television. Even if we do well in ratings, maybe they'll be slightly lower.
A few other notes: LSU-Arkansas could be back to the Friday after Thanksgiving game in 2011 (It won't be the Iron Bowl) and CBS doesn't necessarily want a megaconference. So much for that being a good idea for TV.
Georgia game time at Colorado moved to 7 p.m. ET
Apparently, they're not going to make Texans and Oklahomans watch the Red River Shootout at an hour when only Southerners can actually be drunk, so this game will be a night game again.
Maybe he has changed some
Urban Meyer ordered his staff to get physicals. No word on whether they're joining his morning yoga sessions.
Um, this probably should have happened a while ago
Tennessee his hired a new public relations director because the job was open.
You know, I'm generally supportive of the NCAA rules on college football practices
But this is really splitting some pretty fine hairs here:
West Virginia is investigating whether some football players wore more than just helmets during the first two days of practice, which would be a violation of NCAA rules.
They might have worn -- gasp -- VESTS! Oh, the humanity!