CFW Preseason 2023 – A Review of the Past Seven Months
Coach Prime in springtime,
the offseason was more than pleasin’
The calendar said it was April, but the weather was cold and snowy for Colorado’s spring football game in Boulder. The chilly weather didn’t bother the fans. They turned out – all 47,000 plus of them. After all, it was a chance to see Coach Prime in springtime.
The offseason was pleasin’ for some, unpleasant for others. For the Pac-12 Conference and some of its members, it was miserable. It was disappointing. It was downright sad. More on that later.
Just two days after Georgia beat TCU in the national championship game in January, Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren was named the new President and CEO of the Chicago Bears. Warren became the Big Ten commissioner on January 1, 2020. He was the first African American to become a commissioner of a Power Five conference. During his tenure, Warren expanded the Big Ten with the future additions of USC and UCLA.
On the same day, two days after the title game, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney fired his offensive coordinator Brandon Sweeter. Sweeter served Sweeney as Clemson’s OC for only one season. Dabo then turned around and hired TCU offensive coordinator Garrett Riley to replace Sweeter.
And so, the offseason was underway. There is never a dull moment in college football, even when the games aren’t being played.
As was expected, Alabama announced that Pete Golding was no longer the Tide’s defensive coordinator. He spent five years on the Alabama staff. Golding wasn’t a favorite among Tide fans in 2022. He was often the target of ridicule. Golding, however, was a survivor. He was named the new defensive coordinator at Ole Miss. Sounds like Nick Saban made a deal with Lane Kiffin.
In mid-January, Michigan and Jim Harbaugh jointly announced that Harbaugh would return for his ninth season in Ann Arbor, coaching the Wolverines in 2023. Harbaugh must feel that national championship in his belly. The NFL can wait another year.
Sadly, we lost a lovely lady in January. Gina Lollobrigida, a film star of the 1950s and 1960s, died on January 16. My all-time favorite Lollobrigida movies are “Trapeze” (1955) and “Come September” (1961). After she retired from the movies, Lollobrigida became a photojournalist and a politician. Gina Lollobrigida was 95.
Florida received a jolt in January as quarterback recruit and commitment Jaden Rashada asked to be released from his signed letter of intent. Rashada claimed his $13 million NIL deal with Florida fell through. He said the Gators reneged on their promise. Interestingly, this was the second time in a few months that Rashada backed out of a commitment. Last summer, Rashada committed to Miami (Florida). In November 2022, he decommitted from Miami and flipped to Florida. Rashada claimed his NIL deal with Miami had fallen through. But a Miami official said that Rashada left good money on the table. After flipping from Miami to Florida, he signed a letter of intent contract with the Gators during December’s early signing period. Rashada was a highly-touted, five-star quarterback from Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, California. Not wanting to have an unhappy camper on its roster, Florida granted Rashada his wishes and released him from his contract.
Coordinator movement remained active in January, as TCU hired Kendall Briles as its new offensive coordinator, replacing Garrett Riley. Briles joined TCU from Arkansas where he had been the Razorbacks’ offensive coordinator. Now Sam Pittman can start looking for a new OC.
“Almost cut my hair. It happened just the other day….” He was a founding member of the Byrds and a founding member of Crosby, Stills and Nash (CSN). Musician and singer-songwriter David Crosby died in January. The Byrds formed in 1964 and scored two No. 1 hits in 1965 with “Mr. Tambourine Man” and “Turn! Turn! Turn!.” Crosby left The Byrds in 1968 to form CSN, which morphed into Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (CSNY) . His combined work with the Byrds, CSN and CSNY sold more than 35 million albums. Crosby also appeared frequently on recordings of other artists, including Joni Mitchell, Jefferson Airplane, Jackson Browne and James Taylor, among others. David Van Cortlandt Crosby, a native of Los Angeles, was 81. “….And I’ll find a place to laugh. Separate the wheat from the chaff.”
Swamp Mama and I were antsy to get away for a few days. January 22 was our 46th wedding anniversary. I booked a hotel in Fernandina Beach and the two of us headed north to Amelia Island. At dinner the first night, we feasted on a dozen raw oysters – 12 for Swamp Mama and 12 for me. We feasted on a few other things too.
The next day, we were in a shop called The Tea and Spice Exchange. It’s located on Centre Street in Fernandina Beach. While there, we sampled some shrimp that had been sauteed in one of their spices. Wow! It was really good. So good, I bought a bottle of the spice – Amelia Island Lemon Garlic Pesto spice. The proprietor gave me a recipe for sauteing the shrimp with the spice. To start, thoroughly coat freshly peeled and deveined shrimp with the spice. Then sauté the spice-coated shrimp in olive oil. Sprinkle in some grated Parmesan/Romano cheese, and some more of the spice. Remove the pan from the heat and squeeze fresh lemon juice on the shrimp. Finish off by sprinkling fresh, chopped, flat-leaf parsley over the shrimp. As a dinner, the shrimp can be served over jasmine rice or angel hair pasta. Or as an appetizer, cut the shrimp in half and serve it on toasted or grilled bread rounds like a crostini. The folks at The Tea and Spice Exchange also brewed me a great cup of tea while we were in the shop.
Eating the shrimp fired up our taste buds. We headed to The Tavern by AIBC (Amelia Island Brewing Company) for lunch. It was practically next door. The brews were good and so was the food. I particularly liked their crispy Brussels sprouts served with pork belly, sweet chili glaze and pickled onion.
After lunch, Swamp Mama fell in love with a shop called Twisted Sisters. Her pocketbook fell in love with it too. Twisted Sisters is one of those shops that has a little bit of everything. For me, the best part of Twisted Sisters was their Husband Day Care – a few comfortable lounge chairs, all facing a wall-mounted television. I was set.
We planned to have dinner that evening at the Salty Pelican Bar and Grill. It’s one of our favorite spots on Amelia Island. But we got lazy and decided to eat somewhere closer to our hotel. We chose Sliders Seaside Grill. Right away, I went for a bowl of their Loaded Seafood Chowder. Sliders’ menu said it was made with a boat load of seafood. Their menu wasn’t lying. I had a bowl full of seafood.
I’m not really a fried pickle kind of guy. Maybe once a year, at the most, I get a hankering for them. It’s a good thing I had a hankering because we got a boat load of fried pickles. Let’s just say, the portions are big at Sliders. After eating as many as I could, I thought I was going to turn into a fried pickle.
The next day, Swamp Mama and I said farewell to Amelia Island and headed south to our barrier island.
On January 24, and as expected, the coordinator departures at Alabama became complete. Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien announced he was leaving Tuscaloosa to become the OC for the New England Patriots. O’Brien is returning to the Patriots where he was an assistant coach from 2007 to 2011 – the OC in 2011. Like Pete Golding’s departure for Southern Miss, this announcement made Tide fans happy too. Like Golding, O’Brien wasn’t a favorite of the fans in Tuscaloosa. He had been on Nick Saban’s staff for two seasons. Now Saban is looking for two coordinators – offensive and defensive.
During the ensuing days, we learned that Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb emerged as Nick Saban’s top target to become the OC at Alabama. Saban was doing everything under his power to convince Grubb to join his staff. Washington led the nation in passing yards in 2022 and was 7th in scoring offense – 39.7 points a game. After a meeting with Saban, Grubb announced he was staying at Washington. Saban doesn’t always get everything he wants.
Sadly, on January 30, we learned that television and movie actress Cindy Williams died. Williams was known for her role as Shirley Feeney on the television sitcoms Happy Days (1975-1979) and Laverne & Shirley (1976-1982). My favorite Cindy Williams role was her appearance in the iconic movie “American Graffiti” (1973). Cynthia Jane Williams, a native of Van Nuys, California, was 75.
As February began, Mr. NIL – Jaden Rashada – was back in the news. Rashada signed a letter of intent with Arizona State. His NIL agreement was reported to be $423,000.
Nick Saban’s fishing expedition came to an end in early February. The Alabama coach caught his offensive and defensive coordinators. Notre Dame OC Tommy Rees was named the new offensive coordinator. The announcement made Irish fans happy and Tide fans sad. Notre Dame fans were cheering Rees’ departure from South Bend. Alabama fans were booing Rees arrival in Tuscaloosa.
Two days later, Miami (Florida) DC Kevin Steele was named the Tide’s defensive coordinator. This will be Steele’s third stint under Saban at Alabama. He was Saban’s first DC back in 2007 for one year. Then, following a six-year absence, Steele returned to Alabama as the linebackers coach in 2013 and 2014. During the years, Steele, 64, has been a defensive coordinator at Miami, Auburn, LSU and Clemson. He has coached under such greats as Johnny Majors, Tom Osborne, Bobby Bowden, Nick Saban and Dabo Swinney. Steele has been on the staffs of 11 different schools, but never fully a head coach. He was briefly an interim head coach twice – once at Auburn and once at Tennessee.
Veteran coach Charlie Strong, who was Miami’s linebackers coach in 2022 announced he would not return to the Canes in 2023. Strong was passed over for the defensive coordinator job at Miami. When the Canes’ DC Kevin Steele left to take the defensive coordinator job at Alabama, Strong hoped to be named Steele’s replacement. But Miami coach Mario Cristobal, passed over Strong and brought in Tulane DC Lance Guidry to lead the Canes’ defense. Guidry had only been at Tulane for three weeks. Last year, he was the defensive coordinator at Marshall.
“I’ll never forget the moment we kissed, the night of the hayride….” From “Magic Moments” by Perry Como in 1957 to “On My Own” by Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald in 1986, he wrote some amazing songs. Burt Bacharach died on February 9. In collaboration with Hal David (Bacharach wrote the music and David wrote the lyrics), Bacharach composed the music for hundreds of pop songs from the late 1950s to the late 1980s. He was a six-time Grammy Award winner and a three-time Academy Award winner. Bacharach composed 73 songs that made Billboard’s Top 40. Five of his songs made it to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 – “This Guy’s In Love with You” (1968), “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” (1969), “(They Long To Be) Close To You” (1970), “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do” (1981), and “That’s What Friends Are For” (1986). Singers who had hits with Bacharach’s songs include Dionne Warwick, Marty Robbins, Perry Como, Gene McDaniels, Jerry Butler, Gene Pitney, Cilla Black, Dusty Springfield, Jackie DeShannon, Bobbie Gentry, Tom Jones, Herb Alpert, B.J. Thomas and The Carpenters. A native of Kansas City, Missouri, Burt Freeman Bacharach was 94.“….I wish we could do it all again. On my own. I never dreamed I’d spend one night alone.”
The Big 12 announced that Oklahoma and Texas will leave the conference one year early to join the SEC. The two schools will officially become members of the SEC on July 1, 2024. That means one more year in the Big 12. OU and Texas were originally scheduled to join the SEC on July 1, 2025. The two schools gave the Big 12 $50 million each to leave the conference a year early. That made for a nice $10 million bonus for the other Big 12 schools.
Meanwhile, sports media services reported that SMU and San Diego State would most likely join the Pac-12 in 2024, replacing UCLA and USC. Stay tuned!
In mid-February, some of my Navy buddies from the Edzell, Scotland, days came down for a visit. The group included Joe and Lynne Gannon from Cheshire, Connecticut, Randy and Sonja Rollman from Shoemakersville, Pennsylvania and John Ross from Willowick, Ohio. Super Bowl Sunday, Swamp Mama and I hosted everyone for a Super Bowl Party. Randy and Sonja were particularly interested in the game as Sonja’s nephew – Chad Henne – was the backup quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. Another one of our Navy group, Pat Bianco and his wife Ginny, happened to be staying at a timeshare in Orlando. They drove over and joined us for the game. Pat and Ginny are from Hudson, Ohio.
Wednesday morning of that week, Joe, Randy and I went bass fishing on Headwaters Lake west of Fellsmere, Florida. Fortunately for us, the fish were biting. Our guide was Captain Dan Hand. Dan was recommended to me by Eric Griggs, a former co-worker of mine. Eric gave us a good recommendation. Dan was an excellent fishing guide. Fortunately, we booked him back in the fall, as Dan stays busy.
That evening, we all got together for dinner at Café Coconut Cove (https://cafecoconutcove.com) on the banks of the Indian River Intracoastal Waterway. Another one of our Navy buddies – Ron Hoke – joined us. Ron lives in Lakeland, Florida. We began the evening with cocktails at sunset on the deck overlooking the river. Following the drinks, we went inside for some good food.
Joe, Randy, I and our wives concluded the week on Friday over lunch at where else but Long Doggers. Everyone who comes for a visit has to join the Long Doggers club. It was the perfect place to end the week. We’ll next see each other in late September at our group reunion – this year in Rapid City, South Dakota.
“I wanna jump but I’m afraid I’ll fall. I wanna holler but the joint’s too small….” You may not remember Huey “Piano” Smith, but I bet you remember “Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu,” “Don’t You Just Know It” and “Sea Cruise.” Huey Smith died on February 13. Smith wrote those songs. He and his group The Clowns recorded “Rockin Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu” and “Don’t You Just Know It.” The latter of those two songs reached No. 9 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in the spring and early summer of 1958. Smith’s record company, Ace Records, released “Sea Cruise” as recorded by Frankie Ford and not Smith. That move by Ace Records is considered by music historians to be an example of racial injustice in the 1950s pop-music industry. Shortly afterward, Smith left Ace Records for Imperial Records. Through the years, Smith played the piano and recorded with Little Richard, Lloyd Price, Dr. John, Aaron Neville, Fats Domino and others. Huey Pierce Smith, a native of New Orleans, was 89. “….I got the rockin’ pneumonia and the boogie woogie flu.”
Valentine’s Day turned out to be offensive coordinator day. First, Miami (Florida) hired Shannon Dawson. Dawson was the OC for the Houston Cougars last season. Then, and as expected, Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken left the Dawgs to become the OC for the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL. And finally, Utah offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig, who was the prime target of Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame, announced he was staying with the Utes.
Tim McCarver, a catcher in major league baseball and a television sports commentator, died on February 16. McCarver played major league baseball for 22 seasons, covering four decades – 1959-1980. He spent most of his playing years with the St. Louis Cardinals and the Philadelphia Phillies. McCarver’s television career included stints at ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox Sports. He called 23 World Series and 20 All-Star Games. James Timothy McCarver, a native of Memphis, Tennessee, was 81.
In late February, we learned that the college football rules committee was considering some major changes to the game for the 2023 season – all intended to reduce the time of the game. The potential changes included: (1) Prohibiting consecutive timeouts by the same team. (2) No longer extending the first or third quarter for another down if the quarter ends on a defensive penalty. (3) The clock will continue to run after a first down, except in the final two minutes of a half. (4) The clock will continue to run after the ball is spotted for play, following an incomplete pass. In the 2022 season, the college football game averaged 3 hours and 22 minutes. A fourth of the games lasted 3 and a half hours or longer. The games in 2022 averaged 180 plays per game. All 10 of the FBS conference commissioners are in favor of the first three of the above proposed changes.
It didn’t take Florida coach Billy Napier long to replace his defensive coordinator. Within 24 hours of Patrick Toney’s departure to the Miami Dolphins, Napier hired Alabama linebackers coach Austin Armstrong to be the Gators new defensive coordinator. Last season, Armstrong was the DC at Southern Miss. Nick Saban had just hired Armstrong to be the linebackers coach at Alabama a few weeks earlier. Napier was immediately trashed by both fans and the media for not hiring a higher profile defensive coordinator such as former Wisconsin DC Jim Leonhard.
Sadly, we lost two beauties in February, both in their 80s. Raquel Welch (82) and Stella Stevens (84) died.
Dick Fosbury, an American high jumper, died on March 12. Fosbury is considered to be one of the most influential athletes in the history of track and field. He won a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics. Fosbury revolutionized the high jump event with a back-first technique which became known as the “Fosbury Flop.” He leaped backwards over the bar which gave him a lower center of mass. The approach has seen nearly universal adoption of the technique since Fosbury’s performance in Mexico City in 1968. He graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in civil engineering. A native of Portland, Oregon, Richard Douglas Fosbury was 76.
A look into the future. Florida State and Georgia Tech will open the 2024 season in Dublin, Ireland. The game will be played on August 24, 2024. The following week, on September 1, 2024, LSU will meet USC in Las Vegas.
If it’s March, then it has to be March Madness. And the Madness began early. In first round games, Furman upset Virginia, Princeton knocked off Arizona and, in the biggest surprise of all, Fairleigh Dickinson shocked Purdue. The Boilermakers were a No. 1 seed.
In round two of the Madness, Furman’s and Fairleigh Dickinson’s luck ran out. Their bubbles burst. The Purple Paladins fell to San Diego State, while FD lost to Florida Atlantic. But Princeton’s Cinderella run continued. The Ivy League Tigers upset the Missouri Tigers. Kansas became the second No. 1 seed to lose. The Jay Hawks fell to Arkansas.
Meanwhile, speaking of basketball, Mr. New York Knick, Willis Reed, died on March 21. Reed was an NBA player, coach and general manager. He played all 10 of his NBA years (1964-1974) as a center for the New York Knicks, where he played on two NBA championship teams – 1970 and 1973. Reed later coached the Knicks (1977-78). He also coached the New Jersey Nets (1988-89). Then Reed became the general manager of the Nets (1989-1996). In between, he was the coach at Creighton University (1981-85). A native of Hico, Louisiana, Willis Reed Jr. was 80.
Back at the Madness, it was Sweet 16 time. FAU’s run continued, as the Owls knocked off Tennessee. Gonzaga downed UCLA in a thriller. The Bulldogs beat the Bruins by three, on a three-point basket, with three seconds on the clock. In shockers, the last two remaining No. 1 seeds fell. Alabama lost to San Diego State and Houston lost to Miami (Florida). But Princeton’s luck ran out. The Tigers lost to Creighton.
In the Elite 8, FAU knocked off Kansas State, while Gonzaga was blown off the court by UConn. San Diego State and Miami (Florida) were the other two winners.
Meantime, Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy came up with a good solution for the transfer portal – contractual scholarships. A recruit can sign either a one, two, three or four year scholarship contract. If the recruit signs for one year, then he/she is free to enter the transfer portal after one year. However, if a recruit signs a two-year scholarship contract, then he/she is committed for two years before entering the transfer portal. A four-year contract and the recruit is committed for four years. Likewise, the school, as well, can make decisions when the contract ends. After a one-year contract, the school can choose not to renew the scholarship. In which case, the player has to enter the transfer portal. Similarly, if the recruit signs a three-year contract, the school is contractually committed to honor the scholarship for three years. But after three years, the school can optionally choose not to renew the scholarship for the fourth year. With this approach, the player has options, and the school has options, but both have to honor the terms of the signed contract. Sounds like a winner to me.
On April Fool’s Day, it was Final Four time. Three of the four teams – FAU, San Diego State and Miami (Florida) were in the Final Four for the first time. UConn was the only veteran in the Final Four. And for the first time in history, there were no Number 1 seeds in the Final Four. The Final Four consisted of a 9 seed (FAU), two 5 seeds (Miami and San Diego State) and a 4 seed (UConn).
Two days later, UConn won the NCAA basketball championship, beating San Diego State. The Huskies went through the entire tournament (six games) winning all of its games by double figures. They never had a close game. It was UConn’s fifth national championship in men’s basketball – all five in the last 24 years.
He’s back! Former Texas Tech and Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury is back on the college scene – this time in the Pac-12 (soon to be in the Big Ten). USC coach Lincoln Riley named Kingsbury his quarterbacks coach. Looks like Riley is following Nick Saban’s example of hiring former and fallen big time coaches. Hopefully, Kingsbury will hang around USC a little longer this time. In December 2018, Trojans’ coach Clay Helton hired Kingsbury to be his offensive coordinator. But just 30 days later, in January 2019, Kingsbury left USC to become the Arizona Cardinals head coach. Needless to say, Swamp Mama is a happy camper. She’ll be staying up late, watching a lot of USC games this fall.
In mid-April, the Big Ten named Tony Petitti as the conference’s new commissioner. Petitti is a former COO of Major League Baseball. He has media experience working for ABC Sports, CBS Sports and the MLB Network.
On April 14, UCF quarterback John Rhys Plumlee was a true dual-action player for the Knights. In the afternoon, Plumlee played in the outfield for the UCF baseball team in the Knights’ game against Memphis. He went 2-for-3 at the plate, with a triple and two RBIs. UCF won 12-3. Then Plumlee rushed over to the football stadium where he played that night in UCF’s spring game. Plumlee passed for 236 yards and two touchdowns. If that’s not dual action, I don’t know what is.
Meanwhile, in the quarterback battle at Texas between returning starter sophomore Quinn Ewers and celebrated first-year freshman Arch Manning, Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian announced Ewers would be the starting quarterback at Texas come fall.
“When the deep purple falls over sleepy garden walls. And the stars begin to twinkle in the night….” Caroline Vincinette LoTempio died on April 17. Who? You ask. We knew her as April Stevens. And we knew the song she sang with her younger brother Nino Tempo. The song was “Deep Purple” by Nino Tempo and April Stevens. “Deep Purple” went to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in November 1963. It was on the chart for 15 weeks in the late summer and fall of 1963. Stevens’ most popular solo recording was “I’m In Love Again,” which reached No. 6 in 1951. That same year, she had two other hits. Stevens didn’t return to the charts again until 1959 with “Teach Me Tiger.” Tempo and Stevens followed up “Deep Purple” with the hit “Whispering” in 1964. It went to No. 11. Their last hit was “All Strung Out” in 1966. By the way, Nino was short for Antonino. A native of Niagara Falls, New York, April Stevens was 93. “….And as long as my heart will beat, sweet lover, we’ll always meet. Here in my deep purple dreams.”
It was labeled The “Deion effect.” Colorado announced it had sold all its season tickets for the 2023 football season. It’s only the ninth time in school history Colorado has sold out of season tickets – the first time since 1996. It’s also the earliest point prior to the start of a season that the tickets have sold out.
Then there was the “impact of Deion.” Attendance at Colorado’s spring game was 47,000-plus. It was sold out. The previous high at a Colorado spring game was 17,800. That was in 2008. Last year the Buffaloes drew 1,950 for the game. And Colorado’s spring game was the only spring game broadcast by ESPN.
Between April 15 (a week before Colorado’s spring game) and April 24 (two days after Colorado’s spring game), 31 Colorado players entered the transfer portal. Eighteen of those 31 players entered the portal on April 24. Ultimately, more than 60 Colorado players ended up on the transfer portal. That’s the Deion effect too.
Talking about Deion Sanders on Sirius XM’s “Full Ride,” college football analysts Chris Childers, Rick Neuheisel and Mike Farrell collectively speculated that Sanders would coach Colorado to a 5-7 record in 2023 and a 7-5 record in 2024. Then after two seasons in Boulder, they predicted Sanders would leave Colorado to take the head coaching position at an SEC school, or possibly an ACC school. Stay tuned!
“Daylight come and we want to go home….” Singer, activist and actor Harry Belafonte died on April 25. In a nine-month span from October 1956 to June 1957, Belafonte placed nine songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart – six of which made the Top 30. His biggest hit was “Banana Boat (Day-O)” which rode the chart for 20 weeks in the winter and spring of 1957. It peaked at No. 5. His other hits were “Jamaica Farewell,” “Mary’s Boy Child,” “Mama Look At Bubu” “Coconut Woman” and “Island In The Sun.” Born in Manhattan, New York, Harry Belafonte was 96. “….Come mister tallyman, tally me banana.”
The schedule for the first two years of the expanded 12-team college football playoff was announced, beginning with the 2024 season. In 2024, the four first-round games will be played the weekend of December 20-21 – one game on Friday and three games on Saturday. The first-round games will be played on the campus of the higher-ranked team. The four quarterfinal games will be played on December 31 and January 1 – one game on New Year’s Eve and three games on New Year’s Day. The quarterfinal games will be played in the Fiesta, Peach, Rose and Sugar Bowls. The semifinals will be played on January 9 and 10, 2025, in the Orange and Cotton Bowls. The national championship game will be played on January 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. On the two days of the triple header games (December 21 and January 1), the first game will begin around 12 noon, the second game around 4 p.m. and the third game around 8 p.m.
The second season of the playoff will follow the same format as the first season, with the bowls rotating. The four first-round games will be played the weekend of December 19-20, 2025. The quarterfinals will be played December 31 and January 1 in the Cotton, Orange, Rose and Sugar Bowls. The semifinals will be played January 8 and 9, 2026, in the Fiesta and Peach Bowls. The national championship game will be played on January 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Make your plans now.
“If you could read my mind, love. What a tale my thoughts could tell….” Guitarist and singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot died on May 1. Lightfoot’s biggest hit was “Sundown” (spring and summer of 1974), which went to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. But his signature song has to be his first release – “If You Could Read My Mind” (winter and spring of 1971), which reached No. 5 on the charts. Other Lightfoot hits included “Carefree Highway,” “Rainy Day People” and “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” He is referred to as Canada’s greatest songwriter. Bob Dylan said of Lightfoot, “I can’t think of any Gordon Lightfoot song I don’t like. Every time I hear a song of his, it’s like I wish it would last forever.” A native of Orillia, Ontario in Canada, Gordon Meredith Lightfoot was 84. “….Just like a paperback novel. The kind the drugstore sells….”
He was an integral member of the Oakland Athletics dynasty that won three consecutive World Series from 1972 to 1974. Vida Blue died on May 6. Blue was a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1969 to 1986 – nine of those years (1969 to 1977) with the Athletics. He won the American League Cy Young Award in 1971. A native of Mansfield, Louisiana, Vida Rochelle Blue was 73.
Two very interesting and curious reports surfaced around the same time in early May – one involving the Big Ten, the other involving Urban Myer. First, college sportswriter and analyst Brett McMurphy reported that both Oregon and Washington have been fully vetted and cleared to join the Big Ten Conference. This means, according to McMurphy, that the admission of Oregon and Washington into the Big Ten may come sooner than expected. However, McMurphy added that the Big Ten does not want to be known as the conference that broke up the Pac-12. As a result, he said the Big Ten may hold out adding Oregon and Washington until Arizona and/or Colorado leave the Pac-12 for the Big 12. Either move will cause the Pac-12 to dissolve.
The Arizona and Colorado decisions are waiting on the Pac-12’s new TV deal. That announcement is expected at any time. Three of the Power Five conferences recently secured new TV deals which will commence in the summer of 2024. With the new contracts, plus additional postseason (CFP and bowl) money Big Ten schools will get $80-100 million a year each. The SEC schools will get $65-70 million a year each and the Big 12 schools will get $45-50 million a year each. ACC schools, at $30-35 million each, are locked into their contract for another 13 years until the summer of 2036. Speculation has the new Pac-12 TV deal at around $20-23 million. If it is around that amount, then odds are Arizona and Colorado will leave for the Big 12. Arizona State and Utah could follow. Then the Big Ten can grab Oregon and Washington without being blamed for breaking up the Pac-12. Stay tuned!
Second, around the same time that McMurphy reported on the potential move of Oregon and Washington, several writers and analysts commented on a potential future move by Urban Meyer. The belief being that Meyer has his eyes on the Texas job. This despite the fact that Meyer recently said he is all done with coaching and will stick to TV commentary. But apparently Meyer covets the money, grandeur and power of Texas. If the Longhorns have no better than an average record in 2023, then Sarkisian (13-12), in his third-year coaching at Texas, stands to get fired. Recently, Meyer said that Texas has the best roster in the country. Many took that as Meyer setting up Sarkisian to be fired, if 2023 turns out to be a bummer. Stay tuned!
Trouble in paradise? On the eve of the ACC’s spring meeting on Amelia Island, Florida, several member schools were clamoring for a weighted distribution of the conference’s TV, CFP, bowl and tournament money. Now, some of the schools, e.g., Florida State and Clemson, believe they should be getting more money than the other member schools. FSU and Clemson claim they are the “brand names” of the conference.
Remember, the current ACC TV contract is in place until 2036. Under current arrangements, FSU and Clemson are locked in for 13 more years. This smacks FSU in the face with Florida (SEC) getting $65-plus million a year and UCF (Big 12) getting $45-plus million a year. In short, FSU and Clemson want out. But they can’t without paying a $120-$150 million penalty and losing TV rights for 13 more years. It’s called the grant of rights. Supposedly, lawyers from FSU, Clemson and other ACC schools have examined the conference’s grant of rights contract with a fine-tooth comb, looking for loopholes. But apparently, they have determined it is airtight.
However, there is one way around the problem. If eight or more, but at least eight, ACC schools leave the conference at the same time, then the penalty fee goes away and the grant of rights becomes null and void as the conference would dissolve. It is now reported that seven ACC schools have agreed to do this – leave the conference. They are referred to as the “Group of Seven” and the “Magnificent Seven.” The schools are Clemson, Florida State, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Virginia and Virginia Tech. Those seven schools believe if they were to leave the ACC, they would be picked up by either the Big Ten, the Big 12 or the SEC. They need one more school to join the group. And obviously, they need a commitment from one of the other three conferences before they would bail out. Stay tuned!
We lost two well-known figures from the sports world in May – Joe Kapp and Denny Crum. Former California and Minnesota Vikings quarterback Joe Kapp died on May 8. He led California to the Pacific Coast Conference championship in 1958 and the Rose Bowl. He also quarterbacked the Vikings to the Super Bowl in 1970. Joe Kapp, a native of Santa Fe, New Mexico, was 85. Former Louisville basketball coach Denny Crum died on May 9. He coached the Cardinals to two NCAA championships – 1980 and 1986. Denny Crum, a native of San Fernando, California, was 86.
In mid-May, Swamp Mama and I met up with Princess Gator, Gator Gabe and Gator Babe in Gainesville to celebrate Mother’s Day weekend and attend a Vanderbilt-Florida baseball game. Driving up to Gainesville on Friday, Swamp Mam and I stopped for lunch at Drifters Riverfront Bar and Grill in Astor, Florida (https://driftersriverfront.com). We’ve driven by it many times, but this was the first time we stopped. I’m glad we did. It’s not only a beautiful setting on the St. Johns River, but the food is good too.
On to Gainesville, we met up at the hotel Friday afternoon. That evening, the five of us had dinner at The Patio: Pizza and Provisions in downtown Gainesville. Good pizza!
Saturday morning, we hit Celebration Pointe for some shopping at Bass Pro Shops and Palmetto Moon. Staying in Celebration Pointe, we had lunch at Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille. Saturday lunch at Spurrier’s is an all you can eat buffet brunch. It was quite a brunch with lots of good food to choose from.
Following brunch, a nap was in store for most of us.
Later Saturday afternoon, we drove around the Florida campus, stopping at various points for photo ops. Then it was off to the Vanderbilt-Florida baseball game – the No. 5 Commodores against the No. 7 Gators. I like Florida’s new baseball stadium – Condron Family Ballpark. It opened at the start of the 2021 season. This is Florida’s third season in the ballpark.
The Gators beat Vanderbilt, 6-2. In fact, Florida swept the series, downing Vandy, 10-0, on Friday night, and completed the three-game sweep with a 6-2 win over the Commodores on Sunday.
Monday morning, Florida (40-12) was 4th in the baseball poll, Vanderbilt (35-16) fell to 12. Of course, I had to let Swamp Mama, Princess Gator, Gator Gabe and Gator Babe know who was 6th. West Virginia (39-13) was No. 6.
Sure enough, the “Magnificent Seven” became the “Great Eight.” An eighth ACC school came aboard, saying it will leave the conference. That school is Louisville. Now Florida State and Clemson have the power they need to force change. Either the ACC will give those eight schools more money than the other six schools or the ACC will dissolve. Boston College, Duke, Georgia Tech, Pitt, Syracuse and Wake Forest have to be shaking in their boots. It’s turning out that Maryland made a good decision to leave the ACC for the Big Ten a few years ago.
It didn’t take long for the ACC to start making concessions. The schools in the conference coalesced around a plan that will give a larger share, if not all, of the postseason revenue to the schools who participate in the playoff, a bowl game and/or March Madness. Currently, money from postseason activity is distributed equally among all members. Under the new plan, if you don’t participate in a postseason event, you get little to no money. This should appease the Florida State’s and Clemson’s of the ACC – for a while at least. And meanwhile, Louisville got cold feet and chickened-out. The “Great Eight” went back to being the “Magnificent Seven.”
Glenn “Shemy” Schembechler, the son of legendary Michigan coach Bo Schembechler, joined the Michigan staff as the team’s assistant director of football recruiting. Schembechler has been a longtime NFL scout, most recently with the Las Vegas Raiders. Bo Schembechler coached Michigan from 1969 to 1990, winning 13 Big Ten titles. Current Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh starred at quarterback under Schembechler in the mid-1980s.
After all the brouhaha from some of the member schools, the ACC spring meeting apparently had a copacetic ending, with the athletic directors saying, “We’re all in this together.” Well, with the ACC resorting to a weighted distribution of money, then the schools aren’t “all in this” equally together.
ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy said, “You want me to make my opinion right now? I think within the next three years every single one of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ schools will be out of the ACC.” Stay tuned!
Legendary running back Jim Brown died on May 19. Brown played nine seasons in the NFL (1957-1965), all with the Cleveland Browns. He led the NFL in rushing eight of his nine seasons in the league. The Browns won the NFL championship in 1964. Brown played college football at Syracuse, where he also played on the basketball, lacrosse and track teams. A native of St. Symons Island, Georgia, James Nathaniel Brown was 87.
Three days after Glenn Schembechler joined the Michigan football staff, he resigned. It seems that racist and offensive messaging was found on his Twitter account. Schembechler apologized for his insensitive posts.
“You must understand how the touch of your hand makes my pulse react….” Legendary singer Tina Turner, the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” died on May 23. During her 1988 world tour, Turner set a then-record for the largest paying audience (180,000) for a solo performer. During her career, she sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling recording artists of all time. Anna Mae Bullock, a native of Brownsville, Tennessee, was 83. Tina Turner was simply the best. Better than all the rest. “….Oh oh, what’s love got to do, got to do with it?”
The “Deion effect” continued. In late May, on the first day that single-game tickets went on sale, Colorado sold 11,273 tickets, the largest one-day total for individual games in team history. Colorado already sold out of its season ticket allotment. And Colorado announced it made $347,000 on its spring game. What school makes that kind of money on its spring game? Meanwhile, ESPN predicted the Buffaloes would win at least three but not more than four games this season.
Those of you who remember the TV show “Route 66” will remember the actor George Maharis. Maharis died in May. A native of Astoria, New York, George Maharis was 94.
As June began, the SEC was having its annual Spring Meeting at the Hilton Sandestin Golf Resort and Spa in Miramar Beach, Florida. The major topic at the meeting was eight games or nine games. Currently, the 14 members of the SEC play eight conference games in football. When Oklahoma and Texas join the conference next July, there will be 16 members. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey wanted the conference to start playing nine games. A change would require eight schools – a majority – to vote in favor of nine games.
Coming into the meeting, most seemed to think the change would take place with a close vote – 8 in favor, 6 against. But during the week, the feeling changed. Literally, the Tide changed. Alabama coach Nick Saban, who was originally in favor of playing a nine-game conference schedule, panicked under pressure. The thought of playing nine SEC teams was more than Saban could handle. Alabama and eight other SEC schools voted against playing nine games. Only five schools voted in favor of the change. It appears that Coach Saban has more power than Commissioner Sankey in the SEC.
Starting next year, with Oklahoma and Texas playing in the SEC, each SEC school will play an eight-game conference schedule in 2024 – one permanent team and seven rotating teams. The seven rotating teams will be played twice every four years. But stay tuned! Some think it will change to nine games in 2025.
Ready for this? The Cheez-It Bowl changed its name. The Orlando-based bowl game will now be known as the Pop-Tarts Bowl. I kid you not.
“Tall and tan and young and lovely….” Remember Astrud Gilberto? Remember “The Girl from Ipanema?” Gilberto’s recording of the song “The Girl from Ipanema” reached No. 5 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in the summer of 1964. It won the Grammy for Record of the Year. She was nominated for Best Vocal Performance by a female. The song established Gilberto as a Bossa Nova singer. A native of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, she immigrated to the United States. Singer, songwriter and artist Astrud Gilberto died June 5. She was 83. “….When she walks, she’s like a samba….”
In June, ESPN said don’t be surprised if Alabama’s Nick Saban, North Carolina’s Mack Brown, Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz and Utah’s Kyle Whittingham retire after this season. Saban turns 72 in October. Brown turns 72 in two weeks. Ferentz is 67 and Whittingham turns 64 in November. ESPN said it’s not so much their age. All four still love and want to coach. But, at their age, NIL and the transfer portal are getting to them. They are tired of having to deal with it.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and ESPN reported that the Georgia football program has fallen into a reckless and out of control off the field culture. Georgia football players have been involved in at least 10 serious driving related incidents and violations in Athens and Clarke County since January 15. That’s when a player and a team staff member were killed in a reckless driving incident. Players have also been involved in at least 60 serious driving related incidents and violations in Athens and Clarke County since September 2021. About 30 of those incidents have occurred in the last 12 months. Some of the incidents have involved street racing.
Georgia players have been charged with 300 driving offenses since Kirby Smart became head coach in 2016. The AJC and ESPN reported their analysis shows a pattern of dangerous driving that has continued since the deaths on January 15. Other driving incidents involving Georgia players since the January crash include reckless driving, speeding, driving on bicycle and pedestrian paths, driving 81 mph in a 45-mph zone, running red lights, driving under the influence and crashing into the back of another vehicle as a result of following too closely.
In back-to-back order, the Big Ten followed by the SEC released their long-awaited conference game schedules for the 2024 season. Both conferences are expanding from 14 to 16 teams in 2024. Both conferences are doing away with divisions in 2024. Reaction to the schedules was mixed – some schools were happy; others weren’t so happy.
Neither conference had a particular pattern to their scheduling, other than every team will play one another at least twice in a four-year period. The Big Ten, which plays nine conference games, locked in some rivalry games – Michigan-Ohio State, Iowa-Nebraska, etc. Some teams have more locked-in games than others. Penn State has none.
The SEC, which chose to remain at eight conference games for 2024, hopes to move to nine games in 2025. Under the eight-game format, each SEC team will have one locked-in opponent and will play the other 14 opponents at least twice every four years. Under a nine-game format, each SEC team would have three locked-in opponents and play the other 12 teams twice every four years. Either way, some annual rivalries are going to go away.
In mid-June, the University of South Florida board of trustees approved $340 million for the construction of a 35,000-seat, on-campus football stadium. USF currently plays its home games at Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
She achieved the Triple Crown of Acting, having won the Oscar (two), the Emmy (three) and a Tony (one). Actress and politician Glenda Jackson died on June 15. “A Touch of Class” (1973) is one of my all-time favorite movies. Glenda May Jackson, a native of Birkenhead, England, was 87.
Every June, there is one thing you can be assured of – the college baseball world series in Omaha, Nebraska. The NCAA baseball tournament begins with 16 regionals consisting of four teams each – 64 teams in all. The 16 regional winners move on to the super regionals – eight super regionals consisting of two teams each.
The eight survivors move on to the College World Series, held annually at the 25,000-seat Charles Schwab Field in Omaha. This year’s world series consisted of three teams from the SEC (Florida, LSU and Tennessee), two teams from the ACC (Virginia and Wake Forest), one team from the Big 12 (TCU), one team from the Pac-12 (Stanford) and one team from the Summit Conference (Oral Roberts).
After all was played and done, it came down to Florida and LSU in the finals – best two out of three games. The first game was tight, with LSU winning in the 11th inning, 4-3. The second game was a surprise. Not because Florida won, but because of the score. The Gators beat LSU, 24-4. The third and deciding game was a surprise too. Not because LSU won, but again because of the score. The Tigers beat Florida, 18-4. LSU won their 7th national baseball title.
And then it happened. He was the biggest and loudest voice on the radio. Dick Biondi died on June 26. Biondi was a DJ on Top 40 and Oldies radio shows, whose career spanned seven decades – 1950s to 2017. He joined WLS Chicago in 1960. WLS could be heard all over the USA, east of the Continental Divide. The first record he played on WLS was “Teddy Bear” by Elvis Presley. Along with Cousin Brucie (WABC New York and other stations), Biondi was the most popular nighttime DJ in the country. He left WLS in 1963 over a dispute and went to KRLA in Los Angeles. In 1972 Biondi went to WBZ Boston and from there to WNMB North Myrtle Beach in 1976. In 2006, he returned to WLS where he remained until 2017.
While broadcasting on WLS one night, Biondi asked for listeners to make collect phone calls to the station. Calls came in from all over the U.S., as well as ships at sea. He was the first U.S. DJ to play the Beatles, with the song “Please Please Me.” A native of Endicott, New York, Richard Orlando Biondi was 90. Forever ’til the end of time. “God bless, bye, bye, Duke. Thanks a million for dialing our way.” (Note: During my junior high and high school years in West Virginia, I often listened to Biondi at nighttime on WLS. Then, after I got out of the Navy in 1973, I resumed my listening relationship with Biondi for three years when he was at WBZ Boston. I was living in southern New Hampshire.)
Tennessee State University announced it will become the first HBCU (Historically Black College or University) to offer a collegiate ice hockey program. The Nashville Predators of the NHL will partner with Tennessee State to help the school successfully launch its program. Tennessee State will play its home matches at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
Among his many movies, “The Russians Are Coming, The Russian Are Coming” and “Wait Until Dark” were my two favorites. The actor Alan Arkin died on June 30. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Alan Wolf Arkin was 89.
After flirting with the Big 12 and the Pac-12 Conferences in hopes of getting an invite, San Diego State announced on June 30 that it will remain and move forward as a solid member of the Mountain West Conference.
David Pollack, however, will not remain and move forward as a solid member of ESPN’s “College GameDay” crew. The sports network announced that Pollack, a “College GameDay” analyst, had been fired. He was one of several ESPN personalities who were fired at the end of June as a part of cost-cutting measures.
Word of Pollack’s firing generated a massive reaction from his fans on social media. All agreed that if anyone was going to be fired from the “College GameDay” crew, it should have been Lee Corso or Desmond Howard. I have to agree. Pollack was a good analyst who provided worthwhile commentary. He could talk about college football with the best of them. Corso and Howard are mere clowns who contribute nothing to the show.
Pollack had been a member of the “College GameDay” crew since 2011. ESPN also fired NFL commentator Suzy Kolber. Joe Namath must have filed a complaint with ESPN over Suzy’s firing.
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s investigation into the Georgia football program continued and its more than just driving and traffic violations. The sexual assault, violence and abuse stories coming out of Athens are troubling. It’s reminiscent of Baylor 10-12 years ago. Shades of Baylor and shades of Art Briles?
In the Big Ten, Pat Fitzgerald was going to enter the season on the hot seat, in fact the hottest seat in the conference. But now the Northwestern coach won’t even get to begin the season. Fitzgerald was fired on July 10.
The Fitzgerald story began back in November 2022 when allegations and rumors of locker-room hazing surfaced. In January, Northwestern commenced an investigation into the school’s football program. The results of the investigation were released in early July. Hazing activity was confirmed but knowledge of the hazing by Fitzgerald apparently was not confirmed. Fitzgerald, in fact, denied knowledge of the hazing. However, Northwestern president Michael Schill announced that Fitzgerald would be suspended without pay for two weeks, saying Fitzgerald should have at least been aware of the hazing.
The very next day, after the results of the investigation were released, a former Northwestern player told The Daily Northwestern, the school’s student newspaper, that Fitzgerald knew about the hazing. The former player not only said that Fitzgerald was aware of the hazing but also described the hazing as sexual in nature – coerced sexual acts. He said a player would be restrained by his teammates while another player committed a sexual act on the restrained player. He said players would also urinate on restrained players.
As a result of the former player’s allegations, Northwestern not only reopened the just concluded investigation but also said it would reassess the penalty against Fitzgerald. Just one day after the investigation was reopened, Northwestern president Schill fired Fitzgerald. Schill said, “Fitzgerald was responsible for the culture of his team. The hazing was widespread and clearly not a secret within the program.” Fitzgerald continued to deny knowledge of the hazing. Most of the current Northwestern players threw their support behind Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald, 48, had coached Northwestern for 17 seasons – second longest in the Big Ten. He had a winning record of 110-101. But recent years have ranged anywhere from fair to midland at best to downright dismal. Fitzgerald had his best seasons during his early years in Evanston. Those seasons are all but fading memories. Fitzgerald also played football for the Wildcats.
No sooner had Fitzgerald been fired when the names of Alabama offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline surfaced as potential replacements to Fitzgerald at Northwestern. Rees just became the Tide’s offensive coordinator a few months ago, when Nick Saban hired him away from Notre Dame. Hartline became the OC at Ohio State during the offseason when Kevin Wilson left the Buckeyes to become the coach at Tulsa. Stay tuned!
Meantime, Northwestern defensive coordinator David Braun was named the Wildcats’ interim coach for the 2023 season. Braun joined the Northwestern staff during the offseason. He was the DC at North Dakota State last year. Northwestern announced all of the assistant coaches and support staff would be retained for the 2023 season. But no guarantees after 2023.
Don’t be surprised if Pat Fitzgerald lawyers up, pulls a Bobby Huggins and tries to get his job back. Or least a chunk of money. Unlike Huggins, Fitzgerald appears to have a valid argument. One could say the rug was pulled out from under his feet overnight. But maybe it will turn out that Fitzgerald never had a leg to stand on.
And if the Huggins-West Virginia and Fitzgerald-Northwestern feuds weren’t enough, the Georgia Athletic Association initiated a feud with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Georgia issued a nine-page letter addressed to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, demanding the newspaper write a retraction to the investigative articles the AJC has been publishing about the lack of discipline in the Georgia football program. What’s next? You can’t beat offseason angst.
Meanwhile, just three days after Northwestern fired Pat Fitzgerald, the school fired its baseball coach Jim Foster. Foster was fired for allegations of bullying and a toxic environment within the program. If I was a coach at Northwestern, I think I would be keeping a low profile these days.
It used to be bigger than Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey. It was the biggest circus, carnival and sideshow combined. Today, it will put you to sleep faster than Ambien. The four-day SEC Media Days began July 17 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Nashville.
Back in the days of Steve Spurrier, Mike DuBose, Phil Fulmer, Les Miles, Pat Dye, Ray Golf, Jim Donnan, Bobby Petrino, Hal Mumme, Jackie Sherrill, Lou Holtz, Ed Orgeron, Houston Nutt, Tommy Tuberville and Woody Widenhofer there was never a dull moment. The one-liners were classic. Watching the Media Days on TV, you were either on the edge of your seat or falling off of it. Those were the days.
And while we are on the SEC, the University of Georgia Athletic Association got a response to the letter it sent to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. You’ll recall that Georgia sent a nine-page letter to the AJC demanding a retraction to the investigative stories published by the newspaper. The stories dealt with a lack of discipline in the Georgia football program.
The AJC responded to Georgia saying there were some mistakes in the stories. The paper printed corrections to the mistakes. The AJC also fired Alan Judd, the author of the investigative articles. However, the AJC did not issue a retraction and said there were no instances of fabrications in the stories.
The AJC’s editor-in-chief said, “After receiving Georgia’s letter, we assigned our team of editors and lawyers to carefully review each claim in Georgia’s nine-page document, along with some additional source material that supported the original story. We identified errors and we corrected them.”
Lady Gaga lost a soulmate. The country lost an icon. Tony Bennett died on July 21. Among his accolades, he won 20 Grammy Awards and sold more than 50 million records worldwide. During World War II, Bennett was a U.S. Army infantryman in the European Theater. His singing career spanned 70 years – 1951 to 2021. Bennett’s final performance was on August 5, 2021, at Radio City Music Hall. A native of New York City, Anthony Dominick Benedetto was 96. He died two weeks before his 97th birthday. Bob Hope gave him the name Tony Bennett.
ESPN announced that the location of College GameDay’s first show of the 2023 season will be Charlotte, North Carolina, at the South Carolina-North Carolina game on September 1.
Former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Lujack died on July 25. Lujack was a quarterback at Notre Dame – 1942-1943 and 1946 and 1947. His playing time with the Irish was interrupted for two years by World War II, during which he served in the U.S. Navy. He won the Heisman in 1947. After Notre Dame, Lujack played quarterback for the Chicago Bears (1948-1951). He made $17,000 his first season with the Bears and $20,000 his fourth and final season with the Bears. A native of Connellsville, Pennsylvania, John Christopher Lujack was 98.
The third week in July, Swamp Mama and I hit the road for an overnighter in Punta Gorda, Florida. We attended Swamp Mama’s high school class reunion. Charlotte High School – the Fighting Tarpons.
The following week we headed down to south Florida again for an overnighter in the Sebring/Lake Placid area. We went to the annual Caladium Festival. Swamp Mama loves her Caladiums.
It's a Big Ten thing and it appears to be contagious. Add Minnesota to an expanding list of Big Ten schools embroiled in controversy. Iowa had its racial discrimination and gambling issues, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is facing a four-game suspension and Northwestern is dealing with the hazing fallout. Now former Minnesota players are saying that P.J. Fleck’s program is a “cult, fraught with intimidation and toxicity.” What’s next?
She was a one hit wonder, but what a hell of a hit she had. “Nothing Compares 2 U” spent 21 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart, peaking at No. 1 in the late spring of 1990. Sinead O’Connor died in July. A native of Dublin, Ireland, O’Connor was 56.
It was rumored for a year and in late July it finally happened. Colorado announced it is leaving the Pac-12 for the Big 12. The Buffaloes will join the Big 12 in the summer of 2024. That’s three Pac-12 schools – UCLA, USC and Colorado – leaving for greener pastures in 2024. What will the remaining schools do?
“So put me on a highway. Show me a sign….” Along with Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Bernie Leadon, he was one of the founding members of the Eagles. Randy Meisner died on July 26. He co-wrote and sang the leading vocals on “Take It To The Limit,” the band’s first million-selling single. Meisner was with the Eagles from their start up in 1971 to his departure from the band in 1977. A native of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, Randall Herman Meisner was 77. “….Take it to the limit one more time.”
As July came to an end, the Northwestern hazing situation wasn’t getting any better – in fact, it was getting worse. The hazing had expanded into more former players coming forward, more suits being filed, other sports in addition to football, women’s sports and coaches not only involved in the hazing, but getting hazed themselves.
Meanwhile, Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said the attacks on him are “baseless.”
August began with Iowa State quarterback Hunter Deckers being accused of betting on sporting events, including a 2021 Iowa State football game. Deckers, along with three other current or former Iowa State athletes, is also charged with tampering with records related to an ongoing investigation. It looks like the Cyclones may be starting the season with a backup quarterback.
After waiting all year, Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff finally revealed the west-coast conference’s new TV deal. That is, he revealed it to the conference’s presidents and chancellors in a closed-door, tight-lipped, confidential meeting. But it didn’t take long for terms of the agreement to leak out to the media. There is no ESPN, FOX, CBS, NBC or ABC coverage of Pac-12 games in the deal. Instead, it is a subscription-based Apple streaming deal. If you want to watch a Pac-12 game, you have to subscribe to Apple+ and stream the games. The deal supposedly secures about $19-21 million annually for each Pac-12 school – considerably less than the payout the Big Ten, SEC and Big 12 schools will be getting. The meeting ended without approval of the deal by the Pac-12 schools. Stay tuned!
Is the Seminole Nation about to go on the warpath? Following a board of trustees meeting in Tallahassee on August 2, Florida State president Richard McCullough said, “Florida State at some point will consider leaving the ACC, barring radical change in revenue distribution.” To add fuel to the fire, FSU trustee Drew Weatherford added, “It’s not a matter of if we leave the ACC, but how and when we leave.” And FSU trustee Justin Roth called for the exit from the ACC to occur within the next 12 months. The Pac-12 appears to be falling apart. Is the ACC next? Stay tuned!
Speaking of the Pac-12, the potential departures of Arizona, Arizona State and Utah to the Big 12 has spurred the Big Ten into taking a look at further expansion from 16 to 20 teams. Big Ten members met to discuss the possible addition of Pac-12 schools Oregon, Washington, Stanford and California. According to the Big Ten, these additions are not imminent. However, should Arizona, Arizona State and Utah announce their departure from the Pac-12 for the Big 12, then the Big Ten could act sooner rather than later.
Speaking of expanding, in Iowa the gambling situation, involving Iowa State quarterback Hunter Deckers has grown. Now seven current and former athletes, including three football players, at both Iowa State and Iowa have been charged with betting on games – some involving Iowa and Iowa State games. In addition to football players, the other athletes include participants in basketball, baseball and wrestling at the two schools. Sounds like Iowa State and Iowa need to caucus.
Now, if this isn’t appropriate, I don’t know what is. Former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel is opening a bar and nightclub next to the Texas A&M campus. Are you ready for this? The establishment will be called Johnny Manziel’s Money Bar. It is supposed to open on September 1.
On August 3, the Big 12 announced that Arizona would be joining the conference in the summer of 2024. The Pac-12 was down to eight teams.
On the very next day, the final nail was driven into the Pac-12’s coffin. Singing bye-bye Miss Pacific-12 Pie, the Big Ten poached Oregon and Washington, while the Big 12 poached Arizona State and Utah. August 4, 2023, the day the Pac-12 died. The four remnants of the conference – California, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington State were left drinkin’ whiskey in rye, singing “This will be the day that we die. This will be the day that we die.”
One can only imagine what will happen to Cal, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington State. They can’t afford to exist as Independents. The general feeling seems to be that Oregon State and Washington State will join the Mountain West Conference. That makes sense. But the two schools would lose their Power Five status. Cal and Stanford don’t really fit the MWC mold, and they definitely want to remain Power Five teams. Some think the Big Ten will ultimately bail out those two schools. But if so, when? Stay tuned!
Now, will the Big Ten, SEC and Big 12 sit back and wait for the ACC to implode? It could be a long wait with the ACC television grant-of-rights agreement in effect until the summer of 2036. However, the ACC’s defensive wall could begin to crumble sooner. Cracks are starting to appear. It may be only a matter of time before the Big Ten, SEC and Big 12 take their pickings from the ACC. Already it’s rumored that the Big Ten has its sights on North Carolina and Virginia. I’m sure the SEC and Big 12 are focusing on others. And like the Pac-12, some ACC schools won’t get picked. The landscape of college football is changing. Whether it is for the good or for the bad – it’s sad.
As it stands right now, come July 1, 2024, the Big Ten will have 18 members, while the Big 12 and SEC will have 16 members each. The ACC remains at 14 members. Notre Dame remains an Independent. And California, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington Stte could fall from the Power Five to the Group of Five. Again, it’s sad.
Swamp Mama and I had not been to a movie since sometime before COVID. I’d say it had been three and a half to four years. On August 5, we went to see “Oppenheimer.” What a hell of a movie. It knocked our socks off. The cast, the acting, the cinematography, the script, the story – it was all terrific. Sensational.
The ACC to the rescue? Last week, a new possibility on the potential outcome of California and Stanford surfaced. The ACC announced it was investigating the positives and negatives of adding Cal and Stanford to the conference. Notre Dame, a member of the ACC in all sports but football and ice hockey, was encouraging the conference to add Cal and Stanford. Along with the two California schools, this investigation by the ACC also included the potential addition of SMU.
Meanwhile, out west, there was talk of seven of the 12 Mountain West Conference schools (San Diego State, Fresno State, Boise State, UNLV, Colorado State, Air Force and one other) leaving the MWC to hook up with Oregon State and Washington State and three AAC schools to form a new conference. Apparently, if seven MWC schools leave the conference at the same time, they don’t have to pay an exit fee. The three ACC schools mentioned were SMU, Tulane and Memphis.
“I pulled into Nazareth, was feeling ’bout half past dead. I just need someplace, where I can lay my head…..” Robbie Robertson, the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for the Band, died on August 9. Prior to the Band, Robertson and ultimately Levon Helm were part of a band called the Hawks. The Hawks were often the backup band for Bob Dylan in the early and mid-1960s. The Hawks, including Robertson and Helm, morphed into the Band in the late 1960s and remained together until 1976. With the Band, Robertson wrote the songs “The Weight,” “Up On Cripple Creek” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” among others. “The Weight” became the Band’s best-known and signature song. It was recorded by many other artists, including Jackie DeShannon, Aretha Franklin, the Supremes, and the Temptations. It was part of the soundtrack in the movie “Easy Rider.” The Band’s farewell concert, “The Last Waltz,” took place on Thanksgiving Day in November 1976. A recording of “The Last Waltz” was made into a movie by director Martin Scorsese. The movie and album were released in 1978. A native of Toronto, Ontario, Jaime Royal Robertson was 80. “….Take a load off, Fanny. Take a load for free. Take a load off, Fanny. And, and, and….”
A new place to retire? Alabama coach Nick Saban purchased a $17.5 million, 6,200 square-foot house on Florida’s Jupiter Island. His neighbors include Texas Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer and golfers Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler and Brooks Koepka. Jupiter Island is on the east coast of Florida, near Stuart. Saban decided to purchase this house after his other Florida home on Boca Grande was in the path of Hurricane Ian last year. Boca Grande is on the west coast of Florida, near Punta Gorda.
The gambling problem among athletes at Iowa and Iowa State continues to grow. Seven more football players – four from Iowa State and three from Iowa – have been charged in the investigation. All tolled now, 15 current and former athletes from the two schools have been charged – many betting on games they participated in. You have to wonder is this a nationwide problem or is it unique to Iowa.
One vote short. That’s the word on California and Stanford. The two schools are one vote shy of being admitted into the ACC. Admission requires a “yes” vote from 12 of the 15 ACC schools. But four schools are against accepting Cal and Stanford. Actually, a formal vote was never taken. However, each of the 15 member schools were unofficially polled by ACC commissioner Jim Phillips. Eleven were in favor and four were against. The four schools against admitting Cal and Stanford are Clemson, Florida State, North Carolina and NC State.
The fate of California, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington State remains in doubt.
Wouldn’t you know it? Apparently, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh won’t have to serve his four-game suspension as punishment for various recruiting violations. The NCAA infractions committee which had agreed to the four-game suspension never has approved it. The case remains an open issue. Harbaugh always comes out smelling like a rose.
So I got a text message the other night from Rockledge Gator. There was no text, just a graphic promoting “The Simon & Garfunkel Story.” It’s a concert-style theater show that chronicles the journey and music of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, using huge projection photos, original film and music, featuring a live band and singers. The show is coming to our performing arts center.
I texted back, “You and Bootsie want to go?”
He said, “Yes.”
Swamp Mama was game. So, I said, “We’ll order tickets.”
Then I got to thinking. The start of football season is just around the corner. Normally, this time of the year, Rockledge Gator has nothing but football on his mind. Why is he so engaged in Simon and Garfunkel? Like a bolt of lightning, it hit me. With everyone predicting a dismal season for Florida, Rockledge Gator needs a Bridge Over Troubled Water.
That’s a wrap on the offseason. You’re all caught up on the past seven months – the highs and lows, the good and bad and everything in between. Now it’s time to play some football. The 2023 season is here.
Next week, I’ll talk some more and share my thoughts on all of this realignment mess. Meantime, get to know the new head coaches – all 24 of them. Tomorrow morning, I’ll introduce you to them in CFW – The New Head Coach Hires.
Touchdown Tom
August 14, 2023
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com
Quotes of the Offseason
“I love the relationship that I have at Michigan. My heart is at the University of Michigan,” Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh, announcing in January his plans to remain at Michigan and not go to the NFL.
“Everybody talks about culture. Culture is a bunch of bull shit. Just win. People are not that patient anymore. You can’t build a program anymore. You have to build a team. That’s just the way it is with NIL and the transfer portal,” former LSU basketball coach Will Wade, on college sports today.
“Hope is in the house. Hope is in the air. Hope is in the city. Hope is in the community,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders, on the 2023 season at Colorado.
“I’m a need-to-be-needed type person. If you show me a need, then I’m there. But if there’s no need, I don’t really have a place. That’s what I do. That’s what I’ve done. I’ve always been that type of guy,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders.
“People, they need stories and it’s a story if Clemson went to six playoffs in a row and then didn’t make it. What’s wrong with them? There’s nothing wrong with Clemson. There’s nothing wrong with our program. In fact, I would argue, honestly, our program has never been better,” Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney.
“The book is closed. It’s going to be TV and grandfather,” former Florida and Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, saying his career on the sidelines is over.
“I think that ultimately, whether it’s in the next three years or the next five years or next two years, there’s going to be some form of a revenue sharing or collective bargaining agreement with the players. That’s going to happen. I think that’s inevitable. And I think most people would prefer that than the current NIL model,” Penn State coach James Franklin.
“There’s no way I can put new furniture in this beautiful home if we don’t clean out the old furniture,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders, on sending players to the transfer portal.
“Mowing the lawn is one of the great feelings I have in life,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh.
“They stayed healthy. They had a lot of experience and they got to where they had to go. And then when they got to the SEC, it changed, didn’t it?,” Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher on TCU’s 2022 season.
“That’s not the way it’s meant to be. That’s not what the transfer portal rule intended to be. It was not to overhaul your roster. We’ll see how it works out but that, to me, looks bad on college football coaches across the country. The reflection is on one guy right now but when you look at it overall – those kids that have moms and dads and brothers and sisters and goals in life – I don’t know how many of those 70 that left really wanted to leave or they were kicked in the butt to get out,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi blasting Colorado coach Deion Sanders’ transfer portal tactics.
“I don’t know who he is. If he walked in here right now, I wouldn’t know him,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders, responding – talking about Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi.
“It’s something to say about the brand that we have, an iconic brand – the Crimson Tide. You get ‘Roll Tide’ in Venice, Florence, Rome and the Amalfi Coast. It was everywhere I went. It says something about the brand. I don’t know what it says about me,” Alabama coach Nick Saban, on being recognized all over Italy, during his recent vacation.
“I don’t even know if Neal Brown is on the hot seat. He’s just waiting to get fired,” Barstool Sports Neal Walker.
“West Virginia is not a team with expectations. It’s a team that made a mistake. This team last year should have fired their coach. And they didn’t. And they decided to run through it one more time. And they are going to be God-awful this year,” Barstool Sports Neal Walker.
“The West Virginia Mountaineers should have fired Neal Brown last year. The second he went out like a coward against Pitt when he punted on 4th-and-1, and basically gave up,” Barstool Sports Neal Walker.
“The need for action is urgent. College athletics is at a crossroads if this doesn’t get fixed. We need to do something. Where’s Title IX in all this? Where’s Division II sports? Where’s Division III sports? If every state is tailoring bills to their own self-interest, rather than the health of college athletics as a whole, then it’s not going to work. College sports is in jeopardy. It’s not just football,” LSU football coach Bryan Kelly, on the danger of unregulated NIL compensation for college athletes.
“They would rather get beat by Alabama than Kansas State,” Big 12 deputy commissioner Tim Weiser, on why Texas and Oklahoma are leaving the Big 12.
“There is an urgent need for Congress to enact a national standard for name, image and likeness. The reality is, only Congress can only address the challenges facing college athletics. Only Congress can adequately resolve these issues,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.
“All of us were placed into a culture where sexual assault was rampant as a hazing practice. We had no references point to know if this was a college football thing or a uniquely Northwestern thing,” former Northwestern running back Warren Miles-Long, on the hazing in the Northwestern locker room.
“NIL is legalized cheating,” Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin.
“I loved it in Morgantown. The people there were freaking awesome. I absolutely loved the college town experience. I just loved my time at West Virginia. The surrounding area treats the program like an NFL team. They literally do. It’s insane. And the college town experience was what really stuck out to me the most,” former USC, Georgia and West Virginia quarterback, and current Rice quarterback J.T. Daniels, reflecting on his year at West Virginia.
“Somebody needs to shovel dirt on this league and end this charade. It’s over for the Pac-12,” Paul Finebaum.
“They have a pulse. They have a heartbeat and they have momentum. Auburn’s momentum is arguably its biggest storyline as it prepares for year one under Hugh Freeze. He inherited a pretty bad mess. What Hugh Freeze has done is create momentum and that’s the most important thing,” Paul Finebaum.
“USC is the west coast version of Texas. More brand than brawn,” college football analyst Tim Brando.
Touchdown Tom
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com
P.S.
Not exactly college football related, but as summer was winding down and college football fans were anticipating the start of another season, the number one song in the country…
…80 years ago, this week in 1943, was “You’ll Never Know” by Dick Haymes
…75 years ago, this week in 1948, was “You Call Everybody Darlin’” by Al Trace and His Orchestra
…70 years ago, this week in 1953, was “Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You)” by Les Paul and Mary Ford, and “No Other Love” by Perry Como.
…65 years ago, this week in 1958, was “Poor Little Fool” by Ricky Nelson
…60 years ago, this week in 1963, was “Fingertips” by Little Stevie Wonder
…55 years ago, this week in 1968, was “Hello, I Love You” by The Doors, and “People Got To Be Free” by The Rascals
…50 years ago, this week in 1973, was “The Morning After” by Maureen McGovern
…45 years ago, this week in 1978, was “Three Times A Lady” by The Commodores
…40 years ago, this week in 1983, was “Every Breath You Take” by The Police
…35 years ago, this week in 1988, was “Roll With It” by Steve Winwood
…30 years ago, this week in 1993, was “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by UB40
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