College Football - Football Betting

2005-10-30T14:32:00.000-08:00

Perspective Piece
Michigan vs. Northwestern, Oct. 29
---College Football---
By Matthew Zemek---College Football---

It is not yet known whether the White Sox will host Game Six of the World Series on the night of Saturday, Oct. 29, in the Windy City. But if Chicago sports fans want to avoid having a major conflict of interest, they must hope their team can win the world title in Houston—no later than Thursday.---College Football---

Why? Northwestern’s home game against tradition-soaked Michigan, a prime time national TV showcase this Saturday, is the biggest game for the Wildcats since 1996. Ten seasons after the Purple marched to Pasadena as Big Ten champions, and nine campaigns after making yet another New Year’s Day bowl game (the Citrus Bowl against Tennessee), this academic powerhouse has yet another chance to make an improbable march to glory.
---College Football---
No way, you say? Well, the cards are still stacked against this upstart from Evanston. Michigan—as proven by its ballsy wins against Penn State and Iowa the past two weeks—knows how to win spotlight games. After all, a team with the reputation, status and cachet of the Maize and Blue finds itself in a highly-anticipated contest just about every week.---College Football---
---College Football---
And yes, even if Michigan is defeated, Iowa and Ohio State still lurk on the schedule. Northwestern’s chances of going 10-1 this season are small, and it would take more than a little guts to even predict a 9-2 campaign (likely good enough for an Outback Bowl invite and a January game day) for the Cats.---College Football---

But if you’re downplaying Northwestern’s chances of winning the Big Ten or even making a January bowl, you’re missing the point. The mere fact that the Purple People have just one conference loss as of October 29, good enough to put them at the forefront of the Big Ten race, is enough of an achievement in its own right. And now that Penn State sits atop the conference—in a tie with Northwestern and also Wisconsin and Ohio State—the Wildcats’ 34-29 loss to the Nittany Lions looks that much more impressive. Even more particularly, the performance of Brett Basanez, Tyrell Sutton, and the rest of NU’s offense against Paul Posluszny and Co. becomes that much more tremendous when one considers how good Penn State’s defense has been this year.---College Football---
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With each week, then, you can make one simple conclusion: Northwestern, though not dominant, has legitimately earned its current place in the upper echelon of a wide-open and balanced Big Ten. Wins haven’t come cheaply for Northwestern—a stellar offense and a defense good enough to make a few timely plays have lifted the Cats to a series of wins that, in one way or another, have left the college football community marveling at the quality of Randy Walker’s handiwork.---College Football---
---College Football---
Against Wisconsin, the Basanez-Sutton combo was awesome. At Purdue, the Cats’ late-game resilience was tested and ultimately affirmed. Last week at Michigan State, the defense forced turnovers while the Purple People showed enormous mental toughness by putting down the hammer against a wobbling Spartan team. In close games and blowouts, at home and on the road, Northwestern has shown different elements of an increasingly layered and flexible football personality. With each passing Saturday (and with Basanez under center, gamedays usually are passing Saturdays for Northwestern), Walker’s team has increasingly earned the respect of football fans nationwide, not just its Big Ten brethren. Saturday night is so special for the Wildcat program because the glare of the prime-time spotlight offers NU a chance to compete against one of the sport’s signature programs with a lot more eyeballs watching. A win against Michigan would affirm everything the Cats have done so far in the month of October.
---College Football---
And oh, yeah, almost forgot: there is this team called the Michigan Wolverines. They will show up as well on Saturday, despite the newfound buzz surrounding Northwestern. Just in case you haven’t noticed, Michigan still has just two losses in conference play, and with a tiebreaker against Penn State already in Lloyd Carr’s column, there’s also the realization that Ohio State must come to the Big House at the end of the season. If Michigan wins this game against Northwestern, a team once 3-3 and staring 3-4 in the face could a-Maize-ingly find itself playing for a third straight conference crown when the Bucks come a knockin’ on the door in Ann Arbor on Nov. 19.---College Football---
---College Football---
Michigan and Northwestern. It’s a game worthy of prime time because both teams, not just the heavies with the classic helmets and “Hail to the Victors,” have done special things over the past few weeks. Chicago sports fans—if their Sox play that same night—will have some channel changing to do. That in itself speaks to the enormity of what’s transpiring in Evanston... and what will unfold under the lights this Saturday at venerable Dyche Stadium.
---College Football---

2005-10-26T19:01:00.000-07:00

Hollenbach Sits Out, Statham Prepares

By Dan Steinberg

Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 26, 2005; Page E02

Maryland starting quarterback Sam Hollenbach, still nursing his injured non-throwing shoulder, did not practice yesterday and his availability for Saturday's game at No. 10 Florida State could be determined at today's practice.---college football---

Hollenbach was hurt during a first-quarter option run against Virginia Tech on Thursday night, and although he did not miss a snap, he has yet to practice this week. Yesterday, the ACC's fourth-ranked passer attended practice wearing jeans, a heavy coat and a ski cap while starter-turned-backup-turned-possible-starter Joel Statham went through drills with the first-team offense.---college football---

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They're trying to just let the shoulder quiet down, and we'll know more" today, Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen said. "I think if he can play we will play him. We'll just have to see how well he does and whether he can learn the game plan by Saturday."---college football---

If not, Statham would get a chance to revisit the brightest moment of his career, a 20-17 upset of Florida State last year in which he threw for 333 yards and one touchdown and ran for another score. The victory was Maryland's first over the Seminoles, and it was the high-water mark for Statham, who was eventually supplanted by Hollenbach in the season finale.

"Isn't he the guy that killed us last year?" responded Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden when asked about Statham. "I'm talking about he beat us to death last year, you know? . . . They look like they're in pretty good shape at quarterback, no matter what."---college football---

Friedgen's vote of confidence was less emphatic. He said third-stringer Jordan Steffy, who is hoping to redshirt this year as he recovers from offseason knee and elbow procedures, would be used if needed, and that both reserve quarterbacks performed well in Monday night's soggy practice. Still, Friedgen's clear preference would be Hollenbach, who had his worst game of the season against Virginia Tech.---college football---

If "Joel's our quarterback, we'll see how he does, and I plan on him doing well," Friedgen said. "I think he should have a lot of confidence. He's been in the fire before. I'm prepared to go with him if that's what we've got to do. You know, I want to have Sam. If Sam can go, he'll go. If he can't go, then we've got to go to the next guy."---college football---

Statham said he was eager to play and any problems with nerves were in the past. "I've already got all that stuff out of my system now," he said. "I'm still making mistakes out there, but I'm trying to minimize those. And hopefully, if I get out there I won't make any and we'll be able to come out with a win."---college football---

By winning its final four games, Maryland (4-3, 2-2) would win the ACC's Atlantic Division and play in the conference title game, a goal Friedgen mentioned several times yesterday. If the Terps lose on Saturday, they would be eliminated from the ACC race and would need to win two of their final three games to be eligible for a postseason bowl.---college football---

Kicking Confidence---college football---

Place kicker Dan Ennis made 1 of 3 field goal attempts against the Hokies and has missed four of his past five. But Obi Egekeze is not yet 100 percent after injuring his right quadriceps in preseason, and Friedgen said he remained confident in Ennis.---college football---

Holder Adam Podlesh, a former place kicker, said he has been counseling Ennis on putting the misses behind him and that the junior walk-on, who made his first 11 attempts this year, seemed to be in good spirits. "He really hasn't been playing a whole lot of head games with himself," Podlesh said. "He's usually a pretty levelheaded kid; he's not going to go out there and go crazy over a few kicks." . . .---college football---

Running back Keon Lattimore wore a non-contact jersey yesterday because of a partial dislocation of a shoulder joint, Friedgen said. He is questionable for Saturday's game. . . . Former fullback Ricardo Dickerson, who played defense in past seasons, is now working at the team's hybrid linebacker-defensive end position.---college football---

2005-10-11T10:19:00.000-07:00

Wallace calls it quits at Temple

Bobby Wallace is leaving Temple in the same shape he found it -- as one of the worst college football teams in the country. - College Football -

After eight seasons of never winning more than four games, Wallace said Monday he will leave when his contract expires at the end of the season.

''What we've been through, the transition we've been through, has taken a toll on me and my family,'' said Wallace, who is 19-66 since taking over the program in 1998. ''It hasn't been easy.''

The Owls have been outscored 297-63 this season and have lost five of their six games by at least 25 points. - College Football -

Wallace led Temple through one of the worst eras in an already historically woeful program. Since he took over, the Owls were booted out of the Big East, switched home stadiums and are playing their first season as an independent before joining the Mid-American Conference in 2007.

The one constant has been the losing. The Owls' last winning season was 1990, and they haven't played a bowl game since 1979. - College Football -

''Losing will wear on you, and we've lost a lot of games,'' Wallace said.

Wallace said he met with Temple athletic director Bill Bradshaw last week to talk about his future. Wallace said he made the decision now to give the Owls a jump on finding a new coach.

TEXAS' CHARLES OK: Texas freshman tailback Jamaal Charles should be ready to play Saturday when the No. 2 Longhorns face No. 24 Colorado, coach Mack Brown said.

Charles ran for 116 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown, in Texas' 45-12 victory Saturday against Oklahoma before leaving with an ankle injury in the third quarter. He leads the team with 563 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. - College Football -

''We think he's fine,'' Brown said. ''We don't know what his pain threshold is yet, so that's another thing we'll learn about Jamaal this week.''

VIRGINIA SUSPENDS PLAYER: Virginia offensive tackle Brad Butler was suspended for one game by the school for throwing a chop-block against Boston College defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka on Saturday. He will sit out the Cavaliers' game Saturday against No. 4 Florida State, the university said in a statement. - College Football -

Sun-Times wires

2005-09-24T10:44:00.000-07:00

Bills might not see a healthy Vick

By Sports Network

Publicly, you're not going to hear head coach Mike Mularkey or any member of his Buffalo Bills admit that they hope Atlanta Falcons' quarterback Michael Vick is at less than 100 percent when the teams take the field at Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday. - NFL Football -

Privately, you have to believe the Bills wouldn't mind if that was the case.

Vick injured his hamstring toward the tail end of Atlanta's 21-18 loss to Seattle last Sunday, and it is unknown whether Vick will be able to unleash his inhuman mobility and rushing acumen in Buffalo. Without him, the Falcons would be minus one-third of the heralded "DVD" trio that helped the team finish first in the NFL in rushing during the 2005 season. Jim Mora's club will be going up against a Bills defense that was regarded as one of the league's best run-stopping units last season, when it finished seventh in NFL rushing defense.

Like the Falcons, Buffalo enters this week's contest at 1-1. Mularkey and company were 19-3 losers in Tampa Bay last Sunday, seven days after opening their season with a 22-7 victory over the Houston Texans. Atlanta's only 2005 victory to date was a 14-10 Monday night victory against the Eagles in Week 1. - NFL Football -

SERIES HISTORY

The Falcons and Bills have split eight meetings all-time, with Atlanta scoring a 33-30 home victory in the last such matchup, in 2001. The Bills were a 23-17 winner when the clubs last met in Buffalo, in 1995, and are 3-1 all-time against the Falcons within their friendly confines. Atlanta's only win in Buffalo took place in the 1980 season.

Atlanta's Jim Mora and Buffalo's Mike Mularkey will be facing one another for the first time, and both will be meeting their counterpart's respective franchise for the first time as well.

FALCONS OFFENSE vs. BILLS DEFENSE

Vick has already displayed his running prowess in 2005, having bolted for 68 yards and a touchdown in the Week 1 win over Philadelphia before rushing for 43 yards on eight carries in the Seattle loss. Vick, who set an NFL record by rushing for 902 yards and three touchdowns last season, pulled up lame on his longest rush of the day, a 32-yarder in the fourth quarter. If Vick is limited, the running game will be thrust upon the capable shoulders of tailbacks Warrick Dunn (37 carries, 171 yards on the year) and T.J. Duckett (12 carries, 33 yards), who combined for 72 yards on 20 totes in the Seattle loss. Duckett scored his second touchdown of the season on a one-yard rush in the fourth, which pulled the Falcons to within three points. Atlanta is averaging 157.5 ground yards in its first two contests. - NFL Football -

The normally-stout Bills run defense struggled mightily last week, allowing the Buccaneers to pile up 191 yards on the ground. Part of the problem was the extended absence of middle linebacker London Fletcher (15 tackles on the year), who exited the game in the second quarter with a hamstring injury. Angelo Crowell (6 tackles last week) struggled in relief of Fletcher, who is expected to play this week. Outside linebackers Takeo Spikes (15 tackles on the year) and Jeff Posey (6 tackles on the year) will also have to be stronger this week. Up front, the team seemed to miss departed defensive tackle Pat Williams for the first time last week. Veteran Sam Adams (1 tackle) was not effective in part-time duty, and Ron Edwards (3 tackles) and Tim Anderson (2 tackles) could not turn the tide either.

Vick (279 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) comes into Sunday's contest with an unimpressive passer rating of 73.4, and has already been sacked seven times on the season. Frankly, Vick has not looked much better in the team's west coast- style offensive scheme than he did last season, when he tossed just 14 touchdown passes and threw 12 interceptions. The Virginia Tech product's prime targets will be wideouts Michael Jenkins (4 receptions, 102 yards) and Brian Finneran (7 receptions, 47 yards, 1 TD) along with tight end Alge Crumpler (7 receptions, 107 yards). That trio has 18 of Vick's 23 completions thus far in 2005. Finneran was the recipient of Vick's first touchdown strike of the year, from five yards out, last week. Starting receiver Dez White (hamstring) could be out this week, meaning 2005 first-round draft choice Roddy White (UAB) could see his first extended action at receiver. - NFL Football -

The Bills secondary and pass rush, which harassed Houston's David Carr into a rash of mistakes in Week 1, could not do the same to Tampa Bay's Brian Griese. Buffalo had just one sack against Griese, that by strong safety Lawyer Milloy (14 tackles, 1 INT on the year), and did not record an interception after coaxing three from Carr. Free safety Troy Vincent (5 tackles on the year) will try to replicate his two-pick performance of Week 1, and cornerbacks Nate Clements (14 tackles) and Terrence McGee (12 tackles) will also be in search of big plays. Milloy and McGee each had 10 stops against the Bills. Ends Aaron Schobel (7 tackles, 2 sacks) and Chris Kelsay (8 tackles, 1 sack), who combined for three tackles in Week 1, will attempt to harness Vick.

BILLS OFFENSE vs. FALCONS DEFENSE

Bills starting quarterback J.P. Losman took some lumps in his second career start last week, completing just 12-of-28 passes for 113 yards in the loss to Tampa Bay. Losman (283 passing yards, 1 TD, 0 INT on the year) completed just five tosses after the team's first drive of the day, in which he was 7-of-10. The Tulane product was sacked twice, and also gave the Bucs their first points of the afternoon when he stepped out of the back of the end zone for a safety. Losman's poor outing also meant minimal production for wideouts Eric Moulds (1 reception, 8 yards last week) and Lee Evans (2 receptions, 12 yards), in addition to tight end Mark Campbell (1 reception, 0 yards). Losman's top target was No. 3 receiver Josh Reed, who had six catches for 71 yards in the loss. Moulds and Evans each have five receptions thus far in 2005, but neither has found the end zone. Losman was sacked twice by Tampa, and will likely fare better if right tackle Mike Williams (ankle), who left last week's game, can return healthy in Week 3.

Losman will have an easier time if the Falcons are without two of their main pass defenders on Sunday, namely end Brady Smith (2 tackles on the year) and defensive back Allen Rossum (2 tackles). Smith (quadriceps) did not play last week, and was replaced in the lineup by Chauncey Davis (3 tackles). Rossum, who was expected to fill the nickel back role vacated when Kevin Mathis (knee) was lost for the year, was also unavailable against the Seahawks due to a hamstring injury. Without that duo, the Falcons allowed Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to pass for 281 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Cornerbacks Jason Webster (8 tackles last week) and DeAngelo Hall (6 tackles) were both picked on in the loss, though Webster had a positive moment when he forced a fumble by the Seahawks' Bobby Engram. Atlanta had two sacks of Hasselbeck, including the first of the year for both linebacker Keith Brooking and tackle Chad Lavalais. If Smith is not in the lineup this week, the onus will be on top pass-rushers Patrick Kerney (6 tackles, 1 sack on the year) and Rod Coleman (4 tackles, 1 sack) to apply pressure to Losman. - NFL Football -

Attempting to take the pressure off of Losman will be running back Willis McGahee (35 carries, 151 rushing yards), who is seeking his second 100-yard outing of '05. McGahee rushed 13 times for just 34 yards against the Bucs, and was benched temporarily in favor of backup Shaud Williams (3 receptions, 22 yards) during the fourth quarter. Also a threat to run is Losman himself, who has 44 rushing yards in 2005 to date.

The Falcons were uncharacteristically soft against the run last Sunday, when they allowed the Seahawks' Shaun Alexander to rush for 144 yards on 28 carries. Mora and company will require a stronger effort this week, particularly out of middle linebacker Edgerton Hartwell (8 tackles last week) and tackles Coleman (1 tackle) and Lavalais (6 tackles). Outside linebackers Brooking (12 tackles on the year) and Demorrio Williams (18 tackles) combined for 20 stops a week ago. Through two games, Atlanta is giving up 107 rushing yards per contest.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

Mora said on Monday that his gut feeling was that Vick would play, which is a good sign for an Atlanta team that desperately needs his mobility. The Bills, who struggled to slow the Tampa Bay run game for long stretches last week, could also be worn down by the Falcons' multi-faceted rushing attack. On the other side of the ball, Losman and the offensive line are going to have their hands full with Kerney, Coleman, and a playmaking Falcons secondary. Look for the young QB to make one too many mistakes late, and to experience the first home loss of his career as an NFL starter. - NFL Football -

2005-09-07T08:50:00.000-07:00

Tide ready to play Homewood's Schatz:

College Football Beat

TUSCALOOSA - Senior punter Jeremy Schatz from Homewood has been cleared to play for Alabama in Saturday's game against Southern Mississippi after undergoing medical tests for a heart arrhythmia.

And special teams coach Dave Ungerer plans to play him.

"I'd like to get Jeremy in the game," Ungerer said, "and give him a chance to show a little bit. I told both (Schatz and Jeff Aul) near the end of training camp that I'd probably play both of them early." - College Football -

Both players have been competing to replace last year's starting punter, Bo Freeland.

Aul will start again, Ungerer said. Aul had three punts for a 36-yard average and a long of 44 in the Crimson Tide's 26-7 opening win over Middle Tennessee last weekend. The Daleville junior's first start at the position produced mixed results.

The good: He pinned Middle Tennessee on its own 9-yard-line in the first quarter with the 44-yard punt, leading to a safety. - College Football -

The bad: He bobbled one snap. "That was disappointing," Tide head coach Mike Shula said.

Jamie Christensen has a chance to claim Alabama's No. 1 place-kicking job now that he's back from a one-game suspension, Ungerer said.

Christensen, a sophomore, was ahead of senior Ryan Saxby in field-goal kicking and kickoffs at the end of fall camp. - College Football -

Ungerer said he'd monitor this week's performances by Christensen and Saxby, who was 1-of-2 on field goals and 3-of-3 on extra points against Middle Tennessee.

"Ryan's really helped himself by the way he kicked off and his field goals," Ungerer said. "I think that's a positive for our football team. We'll have a good combination and see what happens."

Shula said it could be as late as Saturday before he announces the starter.

"One guy might be kicking off and one guy might be the field-goal kicker," Shula said.

Senior guard Mark Sanders is questionable for Saturday's game with Southern Miss with a knee sprain. Meanwhile, strongside linebacker Terrence Jones' injured ankle and middle linebacker Freddie Roach's injured right elbow make both questionable, as well. - College Football -

As a result, Matt Collins of Clay-Chalkville practiced at No. 1 middle linebacker Tuesday.

Defensive end Wallace Gilberry missed Tuesday's practice with a sprained ankle, but he is not expected to miss Saturday's game.

Steve Kirk

2005-08-31T07:42:00.000-07:00

Dede gets start ahead of Sears

AUBURN - Karibi Dede has a surprise for Auburn football fans.

He's a first-team linebacker, having jumped Kevin Sears on the depth chart to join Travis Williams and Antarrious Williams as starters for Saturday's opener against Georgia Tech.

The first depth chart of the fall Monday had few other surprises, although it confirmed how the coaches have seen two other heavily contested positions. Joe Cope is listed ahead of Steven Ross at center and Patrick Lee is listed ahead of Montae Pitts for one of the cornerback spots.

Dede's entry in the linebacker picture shakes up, at least temporarily, the notion that Auburn would start last year's returning linebacker corps. Travis Williams led Auburn last year with 80 tackles. Antarrious Williams, who missed the final three games with a hand injury, had 44 tackles. Sears, who has had to wear a cast on his hand this preseason following minor surgery, and Dede each had 29 tackles. - College Football -

True freshman Tray Blackmon is listed as a second-team linebacker behind Antarrious Williams.

The defensive front will be flanked by ends Stanley McClover and Marquies Gunn. Tommy Jackson is the noseguard and Wayne Dickens is the tackle.

The offensive front will be manned by, left to right, Marcus McNeill, Ben Grubbs, Cope, Tim Duckworth and Troy Reddick. - College Football -

Wide receiver Devin Aromashodu is the No. 1 kickoff return specialist. He's followed by Patrick Lee and Courtney Taylor. Tre Smith will return punts. Robert Dunn and Anthony Campbell will be the top reserves.

Offensive line coach Hugh Nall says while only one can start, both Cope and Ross will play Saturday.

"I've been working Steven and Joe half and half, so if we have eight plays first team, they'll go four and four," Nall said. "That will be my game plan. Steven will get in after the first two series depending on how things are going." - College Football -

Tre Smith is listed as the first-team tailback. He's followed by Carl Stewart and Kenny Irons. But that's a bit misleading because Auburn figures to play two tailbacks at once, at least occasionally, as it did last year with Ronnie Brown and Carnell Williams.

Offensive coordinator Al Borges said Smith, Stewart and Irons all will play.

"If we're not using them, we're not smart," Borges said.

Charles Goldberg --

2005-08-25T09:14:00.000-07:00

HDTV-buying season kicks off with football
With NFL and college game broadcasts increasingly offered in high definition, autumn is 2nd only to Christmas in sets sold

As summer nears an end, there are a few things you can count on: Schools will reopen, temperatures will fall, and America's love with the NFL will resume.

And that last one usually means more TV sales.

Outside of the holiday shopping season, fall has become the favorite time of year for consumers to fork over thousands of dollars for a new high-definition television. And one key reason is that the networks, particularly those that broadcast college and professional football games, are increasingly offering more programming in high definition.

"Last year was the first we rolled out six NFL games a week in high def," said Dan Bell, vice president of communications for Fox Sports. "We do more pro football games each Sunday than anyone else and feel we offer the best visual and audio experience."

Fox plans to broadcast the same number of football games in high definition this year, along with coverage of the baseball playoffs and World Series. Besides sports, Bell said Fox also will offer "all regular series programming, other than animation and select reality shows," in high definition.

Plans at CBS are similar, where the network has announced more than 30 hours of programming a week to be broadcast in high definition.

Carol Stream's Jeff Schroeder, who recently purchased a 70-inch Hitachi high-definition TV, is ready for fall to arrive.

"I had another set that kept breaking, and I didn't want to put more money into it," Schroeder said. "I'm a big fan of the NFL, and as a White Sox fan I'm looking forward to the playoffs and, hopefully, the World Series. And with a lot of the networks broadcasting now in HD, and friends talking about how great it was, I decided to get into it."

Retailers and manufacturers couldn't be happier with the plans by the major networks to increase programming.

The biggest advance in the promotion of high-definition TV sets "goes to the content side of the house," said Greg Gudorf, vice president of television marketing for Sony Electronics.

Paula Baldwin, a spokeswoman for Best Buy, said there is definitely a noticeable "uptick in TV sales during the fall."

"There seem to be two categories where we see a growth in sales--home appliances and television," Baldwin said. "It's almost like folks get their kids back to school or off to college, and then they look at improving their quality of life in the area of maybe cooking or home entertainment."

Manufacturers are learning to take advantage of the fall programming schedule.

"We introduce products in July and August to make sure they get in the pipeline," Sony's Gudorf said. "There's always the tech question of people waiting for the next thing, but today the cost curve is as attractive as you could possibly want.

"The cost and performance value is there, and if you don't own a high-def set, you miss out on all the programming in the coming months."

Consumers are not missing out, apparently.

Sales figures compiled by the Consumer Electronics Association show the purchases of high-definition televisions continue to increase.

Shipments of all types of high-definition sets are up 45 percent through June over the same time last year, according to the association. Meanwhile, on a dollar basis, sales are up 23 percent, indicating that demand is leading to lower prices.

While it may be hard to determine an increase in sales over the next four to six weeks, due to current shipping data, the rise in programming "sharpens the hook that lures consumers to look at high-definition television," said Steve Koenig, senior manager of industry analysis for the trade group. "Sports are a large draw for HD adoption."

For shoppers looking to buy their first high-definition set to prepare for football season, there is a mixed bag in terms of prices and the latest technology.

David Sharos
The Tribune

2005-08-16T07:17:00.000-07:00

Will C.F. Hall remain in South Bend?

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- When people think of South Bend, they often think of college football -- as in Knute Rockne, Frank Leahy, the Gipper and other greats at Notre Dame.
The College Football Hall of Fame moved to the city in 1995 for that very reason, hoping to take advantage of its proximity to the Golden Dome. - College Football -
A decade later, the crowds haven't materialized as expected, and with the hall's contract set to expire at the end of the year, some question whether the hall should remain.
Critics contend the hall has drained city coffers with no sign of a turnaround. They say the Morristown, N.J.-based National Football Foundation, which took over the hall's operations five years ago, needs to contribute more under a new five-year contract being negotiated.
When the hall opened, proponents predicted it would attract more than 150,000 visitors a year. Instead, just over 60,000 are showing up each year, and last year's deficit was more than $64,000 -- very different from about a $400,000 annual profit predicted a decade ago.
"They have steadfastly refused to enter into the realm of fund-raising on their own behalf," city Councilman David Varner said. "They simply demand that we fund them as if they were this 200,000-visitors-a-year attraction for the city of South Bend." - College Football -
NFF officials say they've already done more than required -- the foundation has contributed $1.9 million toward the hall's operation, even though its original contract did not require contributions. And supporters say the facility, which will enshrine 20 former football greats this weekend, adds luster to the city, much as art museums do.
"South Bend is where it belongs," said former Gov. Joe Kernan, who was instrumental in bringing the hall to the city as mayor. - College Football -
Karen Bednarski, executive director of the International Association of Sports Museums and Halls of Fame, said the hall's problems are typical.
Bednarski said organizers of such museums often think location will draw in visitors, only to be disappointed. That was the case, she said, when she was director of the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Fla., during 1996-2001.
The Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., saw attendance fall more than 40,000 from 1995 to 1999. Attendance at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., dropped by nearly 130,000 after the 1994-95 major league strike. - College Football -
"I think a lot of halls of fame ended up with studies that said X number of people would come, and then it just doesn't happen," she said. "I think there is so much competition for recreation dollars today that you can't just assume because there is a lot of drive-by traffic that people will stop."
The football hall struggled even before it moved to South Bend. Low attendance and financial problems marked its 1978-92 run next to the Kings Island amusement park in suburban Cincinnati. - College Football -
South Bend leaders believed the hall's location -- two miles from the Notre Dame campus -- would prove so popular that they agreed to pay for the building and let the hall use it rent- and tax-free. They believed corporate sponsorships would help repay the borrowed funds and claimed no taxpayer money would be needed.
Those sponsorships never came about, and the city is paying $1.4 million a year through 2017 on the bonds for the building. City spending on the hall's operating costs has climbed in recent years. Last year, it gave the hall $831,000 for exhibits and marketing.
Football foundation chairman Jon F. Hanson said the group was trying to turn the hall around.
But he believes the city has problems of its own, including the negative attitude some officials have toward the hall. That doesn't stop Councilman Derek Dieter, who thinks the hall should accept an offer by the mayor of Arlington, Texas, to move there.
"I wish it would move to Texas today," he said. - College Football -
This year, the city cut funding to the hall for the first time, dropping it to $625,000. Varner plans to recommend another reduction this year.
South Bend Mayor Steve Luecke, a hall supporter, said he believes the hall will stay put and that the NFF will take on a bigger role in creating revenue.
"I think you'll see more special-event types of things that also will look to generate some additional revenues for the hall," he said. - College Football -

Associated Press.

2005-08-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

WEIR: WHY SMART PEOPLE DO STUPID THINGS

For football fans across the land summer is the season of predictions. The scrutiny of college scouting, the NFL Draft, and free agency dim memories, now is the time to really get into some hard-core analysis. Checking out the daily reports from camp, fretting over injuries and threatened retirements, and speculating about who will and will not make the team help pass the time until opening day. - College Football -
Anyone running out of things to bet on might consider engaging in one of my favorite pre-season diversion – prophesying who will be the first to say something stupid. Fortunately for media junkies and celebrity-watchers stupidity has no off season. - College Football -
I think most people, even those with only a casual interest in football, can agree that NFL players are not stupid. The “dumb jock” stereotype has, happily, all but disappeared from our vernacular, and fans comprehend the complexity of the sport that quickly weeds out the truly unintelligent. There is a lot to grasp in an NFL playbook, and the ones who can’t learn it don’t last. - College Football -
Not surprisingly the academic world has oft asked the question of why seemingly intelligent people do and say stupid things, it and devotes millions of dollars a year to the study and research of intelligence, and the lack thereof. In the attempt to understand why smart people do dumb things, psychologists generally agree that intelligence and stupidity aren’t mutually exclusive. Unlike absolutes like hot and cold in which one can be defined as the absence of the other, the irony of human nature is that we can be both smart and stupid.
Research goes further into identifying particular qualities of the human mind or stimuli that cause people to act foolishly. - College Football -
Examples abound in our culture of acts that range from jaw-dropping inappropriate to just plain dumb. When it comes to acts of blunder, the NFL certainly can’t claim sole custody of those tried, convicted, and sentenced by the court of public opinion.
The biggest culprit in “what-were-you-thinking” behavior is a lack of impulse control, called by academics “deficiency of the will.” Like Bill Clinton. President Clinton has also been personified by some observers as suffering from a god complex, and inflated self-image and sense of infallibility that psychologists also identify as contributing to recklessness. By his own admission the former president concedes that he had extra-martial affairs for the worst possible reason: because he could. The phenomenon of indulgence, or allowing oneself to fall into excess, is frequently coupled with a delusion of not getting caught which is a dangerous combination for regrettable behavior. - College Football -
Man and womankind are predisposed to capitulate to our own flawed characters, creating moments of insensitivity we’d rather forget. Neglect, or ignoring something important, is a key to thoughtless remarks, as in the case of Martha Stewart who upon her release from prison announced to the media that what she had most missed during her sentence was lemons. And after a much-too-long pause, remembered to mention her family. - College Football -
A base instinct towards avoidance and procrastination, putting off an inevitable negative result, matched with the power of denial is a meaningful psychological survival technique but can net shattering results. Rafael Palmerio continues to capture the national headlines as the media and the public struggle to reconcile the results of a failed drug test with the All-Star’s testimony just six months ago stating, “I have never used steroid. Period.” Suspicion suggests he may have lied to Congress. Not smart. - College Football -
Some experts make a distinction between “blind folly” and “plain folly.” Blind folly is the inability to perceive the possible consequences of our words and actions. Who can forget Steve Bono’s unintentionally insulting remark that the best restaurant in Kansas City was worse than the worst restaurant in San Francisco? The town never forgave him.
Certain sports fans may think Ricky Williams engaged in plain folly. This overt disregard for a clear outcome recognizes risks but proceeds nonetheless. Williams’ 2003 retirement cost him millions of dollars, a wholesale lost of respect from teammates, and a “quitter” label, yet he persisted. At least temporarily. - College Football -
Of course, the sports and entertainment world is laden with outrageous characters that make a career of being scandalous and controversial. Take Terrell Owens’ recent comment that he would play in Philadelphia but he wouldn’t be happy. Any self-respecting working stiff should respond to a rich, spoiled celebrity’s claim of hardship with, “Then go drive a bus, you idiot.” It’s ludicrous for millionaires to complain to fans about happiness.
Studies reveal that often an overestimation of skills leads to ill-advised remarks and misstatements. Maybe this explains President Bush’s painful and near-constant botching of his native tongue, which makes his intellect a target for criticism. - College Football -
With the beginning of the Chiefs regular season quickly approaching, increased attention will surely be paid to the athletes who populate NFL rosters and their on-field and off-field blunders. Pursued by hungry media types hunting for scoops to fill wall-to-wall television broadcasts and round-the-clock Web sites and assisted by the public’s insatiable thirst for information, celebrities of all sorts are at risk for saying or doing something stupid. How we love to see the mighty fall and carry on about the stupidity in our heroes or, better yet, our villains. And some make it so very easy. - College Football -

Eileen Weir

2005-07-27T07:18:00.000-07:00

Valparaiso Football Coach Resigns

VALPARAISO, Ind. - Tom Horne, who coached Valparaiso to two Pioneer Football League championships, has resigned after 16 seasons, saying he wanted to spend more time with his wife. - College Football -
Horne had compiled a 67-101-1 record since 1989, making him the second-winningest coach in the Crusaders' 85-year history. Emory Bauer was 70-51-5 from 1946-67.
He also guided the Crusaders to league championships in 2000 and 2003 and was the 1999 PFL Coach of the Year. - College Football -
"My wife is home alone for six months, between the season and recruiting," Horne said after the announcement Monday. "All she's got is the TV."
He and his wife of 27 years, Sandy, have three grown children.
"My family sacrificed quite a bit over the years so I could make a difference in young people's lives." - College Football -
The Crusaders open training camp on Aug. 10, leaving the program just over two weeks to find a replacement before freshmen report. Andy Horne, a graduate assistant and linebackers coach, said his father resigned late in the summer to make sure a VU assistant coach replaced him.
Director of athletics Mark LaBarbera said he was aware of Horne's intentions last week, and that an assistant would get the job. - College Football -
Crusaders offensive coordinator Stacy Adams confirmed he was one of the finalists, as did defensive coordinator Stan Rettew.
"This just shows that coach Horne was taking care of his people," Rettew said. "A new coach might bring in a new staff and might eliminate all of this staff."
Horne came to VU in 1989 from Joliet Junior College, where he coached three seasons. He also coached at Iowa Wesleyan College from 1982-84. - College Football -

Associated Press

2005-07-19T08:52:00.000-07:00

Football camp boasts lessons from pros

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Sunday, July 17, 2005
A free, one-day football clinic coached by professional and college stars, including some who started playing in Palm Beach County, is scheduled for Saturday.
The Pop Warner Riviera Beach Sharks will host the first Barrett Green Football Fundamentals Camp from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Suncoast High School. Green, a linebacker for the Giants, is a Suncoast graduate. - College Football -
The Sharks are expecting 400 participants at the clinic, which is open to any player ages 8 to 18.
"We're hoping high school players will come to our camp because of the college players helping the pros," said John "Milkman" Russ, Riviera Beach Sharks commissioner. "That's why we're raising the age to 18 for Saturday's camp. - College Football -
"Barrett's doing this to put back in the community because this is something he didn't have available when he was growing up here. He wants to make this an annual event, and he hopes it gets bigger and bigger." - College Football -
Reuben Droughns (Browns), Jevon Kearse (Eagles) and Willis McGahee (Bills) are among the NFL stars scheduled to participate. Other professionals include Cardinal Newman grad Abram Elam (Dolphins) and John Carroll grad Cedrick Williams (Titans). Suncoast grads Devin Hester (Miami) and DaJuan Morgan (North Carolina State) along with Dwyer grad Jermaine Moreira (Kansas State) also will attend.
Last season, 300 players ages 5 to 15 made up the Sharks' 12 travel teams. Sign-ups for the league's third season are scheduled for July 20-21 and 27-28 at Suncoast's cafeteria.

PAUL LOMARTIRE

2005-07-12T08:28:00.000-07:00

New changes to BCS are dollar-driven
Expansion of bowls, regular season by one game adds to college football's confusion.

It's easier, perhaps, to put it in football terms: Almost without fail, when faced with third-and-long, the NCAA's board of directors runs a draw play.
And that's what college football fans saw again this week as the powers-that-be punted another golden opportunity. - College Football -
They could have passed on the easy money while restoring some of the credibility of the institutions they serve. Instead, they simply gave us more of the same.
Among the rulings handed down this week, effective fall 2006, are the following:
• An expansion of the Bowl Championship Series by one game, but no playoff-style format.
• The addition of a 12th regular-season game for Division I-A schools.
• And an allowance for Division I-A teams to count one victory over a Division I-AA school toward bowl eligibility each season.
The result is merely a concession to the money pit that college athletics has become, complete with window dressing designed to appease, if not altogether please.
To the conference commissioners who were complaining about a lack of access to the BCS and about loopholes that could cost major conferences millions of dollars? Well, now there are two more invitations to the party, though no one's sure yet who will be mailing those invitations.
To the college coaches who were outspoken in their opposition to adding a 12th game, citing fatigue and injuries with fewer scholarship players? Well, now that the rules regarding I-AA competition have changed, you can rest easy -- and rest your starters -- as most schools will choose an extra scrimmage rather than add a bona fide opponent.
To the lonely voices shouting for academic reform? (And, yes, the Knight Commission still exists.) Well, NCAA president Myles Brand, who used to think and act like a university president, insists the extra game won't hurt the athletes as students because the actual regular-season calendar isn't being lengthened. In fact, Brand suggested, the student-athletes might even perform better in the classroom, basing that ridiculous notion on recent NCAA graduation rates, a non sequitur if there ever was one. - College Football -
And to the two constituencies that should matter most: the players who play and the fans who cheer? Well, at least they'll still have something to complain about.
Here's my biggest complaint, though: Can't they at least be honest about it?
When asked this week to explain what compelled the NCAA to add a 12th game, ignoring the pleas of the American Football Coaches Association and the Knight Commission -- strange bedfellows, indeed -- Kansas chancellor Bob Hemenway, who is chairman of the NCAA board of directors, said, "It was not just about money." - College Football -
Of course, that's exactly what it was about. An extra home game means $3 million-$4 million in additional revenue for major Division I-A schools such as Michigan and Tennessee and Oklahoma, and perhaps as much as $500,000 for some of the smaller mid-major opponents who will gladly travel to take their lump-sum payments. Athletic directors will rejoice, even as season-ticket holders grumble at the prospect of another $50-plus home date against Northeast (fill-in-the-blank) State.
As for the BCS, that might be the only common ground here, because everyone agrees it's not the right system. Only problem is, no one can agree what to do about it, including the BCS conference commissioners themselves. This week's BCS expansion wasn't the switch to a "plus-one" playoff model that some had anticipated. There was no overhaul of the controversial BCS formula, either, even after The Associated Press pulled out. Instead, there's talk of adding a new "expert" poll to the decimal soup, and a plan to add a game to the rotation. And still no assurance of an undisputed champion. - College Football -
"Well, college football in general is a little bit confusing right now," Texas coach Mack Brown said last week.
Some things, it seems, never change.
Notable
Still to be determined is whether teams will be bowl-eligible with a 6-6 record when the 12-game schedule is allowed starting in 2006. The NCAA board is recommending that teams be required to finish with a winning record to qualify. - College Football -
... Notre Dame's clout takes a hit in the new BCS deal beginning next season. The Irish no longer will received a full conference payout -- roughly $15 million-$16 million -- whenever they qualify for a BCS bowl. Instead, they'll get the equivalent of a conference at-large share, or about $4.5 million. In the years they don't qualify for a BCS game, they'll get a $1 million BCS payout. They are guaranteed a spot if they finish in the top eight of the BCS standings and must finish in the top 12 to be considered for an at-large spot.
... Another rule change from the NCAA this week dealt with attendance. A rule that required schools to average crowds of 15,000 to remain in Division I-A has been modified to allow teams to average that figure either in actual or paid attendance. That means mid-major schools, most notably Eastern and Central Michigan locally, can buy their own tickets when necessary to reach that paid-attendance threshold. - College Football -
... Sure, San Diego beats, say, Detroit as a winter holiday destination. But it's hard to imagine a stampede at the box office in December when the fans of two college teams learn they've been invited to play in the new Poinsettia Bowl. Actually, it's officially the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. And, no, this is no joke. The newest addition to the bowl season is a Dec. 22 game at Qualcomm Stadium that will feature a Mountain West Conference team against an at-large opponent. - College Football -
... And finally, some hope for the rest of college football. Southern Cal might be unbeatable, but now Pete Carroll's players are beating up each other. An altercation between receiver Steve Smith and tight end Dominique Byrd -- over a video game, no less -- left Byrd with a fractured jaw this month. The two quickly patched things up, however, and neither was disciplined. So, Fight On for ol' SC.

John Niyo / The Detroit News

2005-07-06T11:18:00.000-07:00

DB will play for UH, just like dad

When your father is a former University of Hawai'i football player and future owner of an L&L Drive-Inn franchise, and your living room resembles a RainBowTique, is there any doubt about your choice of college?
"I'm going to be a Warrior," said defensive back Devion Volta-Johnson, the son of ex-UH receiver/returner Marco Johnson. "It's always been a lifelong dream to follow in the footsteps of my dad." - College Football -
Volta-Johnson, who is 5 feet 10 and 180 pounds, is participating in unsupervised workouts on the Manoa campus this summer. He recently graduated from Quartz Hill High (Antelope Valley, Calif.), and is enrolled at UH for the fall semester.
"Ever since he was a little kid, that was the only school he wanted to go," Johnson said. "He was recruited by other schools on the Mainland, but he only wanted to attend UH."
Raised in Antelope Valley, 90 miles north of Los Angeles, Volta-Johnson's destiny was in Hawai'i. - College Football -
From his numerous visits, he said, "I have so much memorabilia from Hawai'i. On some of our vacations, I used to sit around and watch the (UH) team practice."
Volta-Johnson also attended many of the Warriors' games in California.
UH athletics are "all that's been around him while he was growing up," Johnson said. "UH is in my blood, and it will always be there. UH is in his blood, too. We make it to Hawai'i two, three times a year just to visit and to slow down a little and get the aloha spirit back in our blood. UH is still a big part of our lives."
Johnson is the football ancestor of diminutive UH punt returners Chad Owens and Jeff Sydner. At 5 feet 9 and 165 pounds, Johnson relied on quickness and spine-twisting elusiveness. He led UH in punt returns in 1983, 1985, 1986 and 1987. - College Football -
After his playing career ended, Johnson became a firefighter and paramedic in Antelope Valley. In 1997, he began teaching medical training classes. Soon after, Johnson and his wife, Sandra, founded Antelope Valley Medical College, a nationally accredited vocational institution offering 11 different programs in nursing and paramedics.
The school, which now has a staff of 60, earned $7.5 million last year. Johnson, who is planning to retire as a firefighter this year, was featured in Entrepreneur magazine's profile on "young millionaires." - College Football -
During a visit to Hawai'i, Johnson met UH alumnus Eddie Flores, president of L&L Drive-Inn. Johnson inquired about buying a franchise, to which Flores countered with a pop quiz.
"He had to make sure I still had the aloha spirit, and that I knew what the food was all about," Johnson recalled.
Johnson's request was accepted, and he will join former UH wideout Ashley Lelie as a franchise owner. Lelie's restaurant is in Denver.
"We'll add some more salads to the menu," said Johnson, whose restaurant opens this fall, "but the main staples will be the same. ... My favorite is the loco moco. It's bad for you, but it tastes so good." - College Football -
Defensive tackle Wilson cleared to play
Defensive lineman Lawrence Wilson said he has met the academic requirements to play for the Warriors this coming season.
Wilson, who is 6 feet 1 and 300 pounds, will have two years to play two seasons.
The 2002 Farrington High graduate played two seasons at Dixie State College in St. George, Utah.
He signed with UH in February 2004, but did not earn enough transferrable credits to play for the Warriors last season.
He earned those credits at Honolulu Community College. Wilson said he was told yesterday he met the NCAA requirements.
"I'm qualified," he said. "I'm excited. It's a dream to play for the Warriors. I'm looking forward to the season." - College Football -
Wilson is one of the strongest Warriors. Last Thursday, with defensive tackle Billy Tafea as spotter, Wilson bench pressed 500 pounds.
"It was a lot of hard work," Wilson said. "Working with (strength) coach Mel (deLaura) really helped a lot."

Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

2005-06-29T07:25:00.000-07:00

FSU's Rouse makes grade

TALLAHASSEE - When his academic eligibility status was less certain in February, acclaimed prep football star Fred Rouse guaranteed he would qualify to play at Florida State.
"You will see me out on that field Sept. 5 when (Seminoles) play Miami," he said, moments after the All-America receiver from Tallahassee Lincoln announced his college choice on national signing day.
Rouse apparently has backed up his bravado.
Barring any complication, Rouse, rated among the nation's top prospects by a consensus of recruiting analysts, will be eligible. He learned Monday he received a necessary test score, sufficient that it won't be flagged by the NCAA academic clearinghouse.
"That was my motivation," said Rouse, referring to his prediction. "I wanted to let those guys (teammates) know that all the stereotypes and all that negative talk (about him). . .that was motivation."
Rouse joins 16 other members of the Seminoles' 2005 recruiting class. The newcomers include Palm Bay's Neefy Moffett, projected as a defensive end; Graham Gano, the USA TODAY first-team national placekicker from Tate (near Pensacola), and safety Clarence Ward (Pensacola High).
The freshmen have joined the returning Seminoles' voluntary workouts following a semester break last week between summer-school sessions.
FSU had fears about Rouse's eligibility after learning he had to make up academic ground during the final semester of his senior year.
"I had to hump it, and life is a lot of trials and tribulations, but how you respond to adversity is what really makes you a man," Rouse said. "That's behind me now, so let's move forward."
Rouse's test score still must be certified, but it appears he's in the clear. Given the need for playmakers at receiver, Rouse could make an immediate impact this season.
Other FSU recruits won't be as fortunate. Up to five of the 22 signees could be ineligible. All five players in question did not attend Monday's workout.
BY BILL VILONA FLORIDA TODAY

College Football Scoreboard

2005-06-22T11:59:00.000-07:00

College Football Scoreboard