The end of the unintentional sanity break
First of all, apologies to all of you for being incommunicado for the last week or week and a half. It wasn't an intentional break for my sanity, though I was getting dangerously close to burn-out, and now feel much better. Work overwhelmed me for most of the time. I am glad to be back blogging, but glad to have had a while when I didn't. To the news.
ESPN: The World Wide Leader in Conflicts of Interest
Urban Meyer might be able to cover Florida as an analyst for ESPN, despite that whole "ethics" part of being a journalism organizations. Executive Norby Williamson:
"We have this with coach (Lou) Holtz all the time with Notre Dame, but you also have Mark May sitting right next to him and Rece Davis. And there is sort of a balance of perspective," Williamson said. "Just because something happens whether it’s the SEC or at Florida doesn’t recuse him from having his perspective heard on whatever may transpire there."
First of all, this might be the first time anyone has approvingly cited Lou Holtz's commentary as a model for sports broadcasting. Secondly, Holtz is not still gainfully employed by Notre Dame, something that is supposed to be the case for Meyer and Florida. If ESPN can't even see how that might be a conflict of interest, maybe it's time to go with what we've been thinking for years and stop regarding them as a serious news outlet.
The best of luck to Steve Kragthorpe's family
He was out of coaching for a year, we now know, because of his wife's multiple sclerosis. Best to her. There is something in life more challenging and important than fixing the LSU offense, though Kragthorpe is about to find out how difficult the latter is. I have a feeling he'd much rather have the current challenge than the last one. Just a hunch.
Decided schematic advantage, Part II
Alabama is trying to make sure that the Tide has hired the worst former head coach for an assistant job this season.
St. Louis Rams running backs coach Sylvester Croom has interviewed for the opening on the University of Alabama's coaching staff, and remains a candidate for the vacancy, while Louisville quarterbacks coach Mike Groh is also a possibility for the position, sources have told The Tuscaloosa News.
This can only end with LSU hiring Tyrone Willingham. Oh, and that's Mike Groh, not Al. Mike is Al Groh's son. I'm not sure if that's more boring or less, or even if being boring is genetic. But Alabama is not cornering the market on bad head coaches.
Positive injury news for McElroy
It's not clear that Greg McElroy will be selected in the NFL Draft regardless of his hand's status, but it can't hurt his chances at a late pick or a free-agent deal that surgery might not be needed for the hand injury at Saturday's Senior Bowl.
Kentucky down one quarterback
Ryan Mossakowski will no longer play for the Wildcats. Or no longer not play for the Wildcats -- he's transferring.