kramer

Bowl Games In BCS, deserve’s got nothing to do with it DON RUIZ; THE NEWS TRIBUNE Published: December 9th, 2005 02:30 AM I’ve come to believe that most of life can be explained through Clint Eastwood’s classic Western “Unforgiven.” Today, the film offers something for Oregon fans complaining that their Ducks deserved an invitation to the Fiesta Bowl. There is a scene late in “Unforgiven” in which sadistic sheriff Little Bill Daggett is sprawled on his back and about to die. He looks up at the man who will kill him, gunslinger William Munny, and says, “I don’t deserve this.” Munny looks down with his pitiless blue eyes and speaks the last words Daggett will hear – and the words Oregon fans need to hear now: “Deserve’s got nothing to do with it.” Maybe it would be a better world if it did. There’s some appeal to a utopia where every team begins every season with an even chance of ending it in a Bowl Championship Series game. In that world, the Ducks would be flying south to the Fiesta Bowl instead of the decidedly more second-tier Holiday Bowl. In this world, the BCS has two primary functions: matching the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in a national title game, and funneling obscene amounts of money into a handful of favored pockets. In that quest, the BCS sometimes favors TV-friendly bowl matchups over “deserving” teams. That is good or bad depending on your point of view. Oregon sees it as bad because surely most of us can agree that a 10-1 Pacific-10 Conference team whose only loss came to the unbeaten defending national champion is at least as “deserving” of a high-profile bowl as 10-1 Penn State, 9-2 Ohio State or 10-2 Georgia, and more so than 9-2 Notre Dame, 10-1 West Virginia and 8-4 Florida State. But deserve’s got nothing to do with the BCS. While Oregon fans might prefer watching the Ducks play the Buckeyes in the Fiesta Bowl, everyone else seems pretty content with Ohio State-Notre Dame. Jerry Seinfeld – almost the equal of “Unforgiven” as a life compass – has rightly observed that fans root for laundry. And the fact is, most fans like the idea of those Notre Dame uniforms, and all the history they represent, lining up against Ohio State uniforms, and all the history they represent. Most fans probably like it even if they concede that the players in those Oregon uniforms might beat the players in those Notre Dame or Ohio State uniforms. If talent were all that mattered, any NFL game would be “better” than any college game, and any college game would be “better” than any high school game. Fans apply other tests. “Deserve” isn’t the highest one. By most fans’ standards, the BCS system – for all its flaws – has served its purpose this season. In the Orange Bowl, any weaknesses in the on-field pairing of Penn State and Florida State is overcome by the compelling sideline match of coaches Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden. In the Sugar Bowl, West Virginia and Georgia offer a combined 20-3 record. In the Rose Bowl, the BCS offers its greatest gift: allowing an undisputed No. 1 and No. 2 – undefeated Southern California and Texas – to settle the national championship. And while that will be a much-anticipated climax, the lead-up of non-BCS bowls offers some pretty good pairings. Some highlights, and one lowlight: • Peach Bowl (Dec. 30): Louisiana State (9-2) and Miami (9-2) are proud programs that began the season as national contenders. • Holiday Bowl (Dec 29): Even if it’s a disappointing consolation prize for the Ducks, Oregon (10-1) and Oklahoma (7-4) offer a look at one team trying to join the national elite against a traditional elite that has slipped. • Alamo Bowl (Dec. 28): Not the best Michigan and Nebraska teams (both 7-4), but again, there’s a lot of tradition in that laundry. • MPC Computers Bowl (Dec. 28): Boise State (9-3) vs. Boston College (8-3) is just the kind of fascinating intersectional matchup that gives even meaningless minor bowls a reason for existing. • New Orleans Bowl (Dec. 20): I attended Southern Mississippi, so I say this as a loving family member: Arkansas State (6-5) vs. Southern Miss (6-5) is a matchup so bad that it almost takes on moral implications. When departed viewers reach those pearly gates, Saint Peter might reasonably ask how, in our limited time on this imperfect Earth, we could possibly justify devoting three hours of our lives to such a game. Don Ruiz: 253-597-8808 don.ruiz@thenewstribune.com

Not sure what award it was, but they did a great video tribute to the man. I think the award was best contributor to football or something. It was all on ESPN awards show.

Then why aren't we getting the best recruits.....they don;t care nearly as much as they say. The parents tdon't care much either. For fans it's a formality. They really don't care either as long as NU wins.

Niles will be in Green Bay this summer working out with his relative Ahman Green. He's gonna hopefully be a Husker.

North Stadium expansion Hope we can fill'em all Steve O....

2005 CFN Sophomore All-America Teams First Team Offense QB Jeff Brohm, Louisville – Taking over for Stefan LeFors, Brohm threw for 19 touchdowns and 2,883 yards, and displayed uncommon poise and maturity for a true sophomore. The Big East Offensive Player of the Year was the No. 2 passer in the country, but had his campaign marred by a late-season ACL tear that’s going to take six to nine months to rehab. RB Albert Young, Iowa – Finally healthy for an entire season, Young gave the Hawkeyes a consistent threat out of the backfield that they sorely lacked a season ago. He broke the century mark in each of the last seven games, and finished ninth in the country with 118 rushing yards a game. RB Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma – Peterson was banged up during the first half of the year, but he still finished with 1,024 yards and 14 touchdowns highlighted by a brilliant four game stretch to close out the year rushing for two scores in each game. When 100%, he's still among the best players in the game. Offensive Sophomore of the Year WR Dwayne Jarrett, USC – Jarrett is a physically imposing receiver in the mold of former Trojan standout Mike Williams. He can run past, out muscle or leap over most of the game’s defensive backs at this level, and used that menagerie of attributes to pace USC with 81 catches for 1,153 yards and 15 touchdowns. WR Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech – Johnson is an acrobatic, who catches anything that’s remotely close to his long arms, and would be utterly unstoppable if he played with a more consistent passer. His 52 catches for 869 yards and six touchdowns do not do justice to just how dominant this young receiver has become in two seasons. TE Jonny Harline, BYU – A former junior college transfer, Harline blossomed into BYU’s top pass catcher this fall, earning a position on the All-Mountain West first team. He topped the nation’s sophomore tight ends with 56 catches for 780 yards and four touchdowns. OT Sam Baker, USC – On a Trojan offense that’s as prolific as any in the nation, Baker has been the unit’s best lineman two years running. A first team All-Pac 10 selection, he’s extremely physical, has above average footwork and still has room to add muscle to his 6-5 frame. OG Jordan Grimes, Purdue – Buried beneath a season of disappointments was Grimes, one of the few bright spots for the Boilermakers in 2005. A bona fide mauler, who’s only going to get better with experience, he was cited by Big Ten coaches for the all-league second team. C Adam Spieker, Missouri – A rising star at the pivot, Spieker is the quarterback of the Mizzou line and already has 22 starts on his resume. He’s 6-3 and 310 pounds, and behind Tony Palmer, has been the Tigers’ most consistent blocker over the last two seasons. OG Will Arnold, LSU – A second team All-SEC selection, Arnold figures to assume the role of line leader in Baton Rouge next season. He’s big and powerful, and particularly effective when the Tigers are wearing out a defense on the ground. OT Tony Brinkhaus, Minnesota – With Greg Eslinger and Mark Setterstrom out of eligibility, Brinkhaus is poised to become the next pillar of the prolific Gopher running attack. He was a standout in his first season as a starter and an honorable mention choice on the All-Big Ten team. Defense Defensive Sophomore of the Year DE Lawrence Jackson, USC – Jackson is evidence that all of USC’s stars don’t reside on the offensive side of the ball. The Pac-10 first-teamer is a well-sized prodigy, who tied for second best in the conference with 10 sacks. DT Sedrick Ellis, USC – Ellis is emerging as a star at the nose for the Trojans. He’s a nimble athlete for a 285-pounder and plays with an incredible amount of passion and intensity. Ellis has All-America potential now that he has a full season of reps in the vault. DT Frank Okam, Texas – Once he’s able to step outside Rod Wright’s long shadow, folks are going to realize Okam is one of the fastest rising run stoppers in college football. He’s a powerful and explosive interior lineman, who was named to the All-Big 12 second team. DE Stanley McClover, Auburn – For the second straight year, McClover continued his assault on SEC quarterbacks, bagging 12½ tackles for loss and a Tiger-best seven sacks. He spent much of the season nursing an ankle and hamstring injury, which hampered his production. LB Vince Hall, Virginia Tech – On a defense loaded with stars, Hall distinguished himself as one of the Hokies most valuable players. His 103 tackles led the team, and his 7½ tackles for loss and nine passes defended were a testament to his ability to make plays all over the field. LB Brandon Siler, Florida – Gainesville is a stepping stone to the NFL for Siler, a youngster in a man’s body. He defends the run and pass exceptionally well and is one of the nation’s best defenders at separating a player from the ball. Siler’s seven fumble recoveries led the country in 2005. LB Corey McKeon, Nebraska – McKeon came virtually out of nowhere to have a blockbuster season for the Huskers. Leaving on superior athleticism and instincts, he stepped in for the departed Barrett Ruud and collected 87 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, seven sacks, three picks and seven passes defended. CB Darrelle Revis, Pittsburgh – Revis is a ball hawk, who’s well on his way to becoming one of the best cornerbacks in America. This past fall, he parlayed a team-leading four picks and nine passes broken up into the All-Big East first unit. S Ko Simpson, South Carolina – Simpson is one of the premier safeties in the country, regardless of class. He led South Carolina with 94 tackles, and nine passes broken up, and is already advanced enough to strongly consider a jump to the NFL following next year’s junior season. S Tom Zbikowski, Notre Dame – A physical playmaker from his safety spot, Zbikowski scored four times this year, two on his five interceptions and two on punt returns. He’s one of the inspirational leaders of the Irish D and the kind of player that just seems to make positive things happen for his side. CB Antoine Cason, Arizona – A starter as a true freshman, Cason is maturing into one of the top young cover corners in the country. No one in the Pac-10 wants to throw his way, which keeps his numbers down, but can’t keep NFL scouts from projecting him as a future first-day draft choice. Special Teams P Jimmie Kaylor, Colorado State – Kaylor turned out to be a most valuable weapon for the Ram defense, averaging nearly 46 yards a boot and regularly pinning opposing offenses near their own end zone. He boomed punts of 60 yards three times and rose to No. 4 nationally in punting. K Brandon Coutu, Georgia – Coutu’s three field goals of more than 50 yards are evidence he has a powerful leg, but he was also pretty doggone accurate in 2005. He connected on 23-of-29 attempts, and is No. 5 among the nation’s kickers in scoring. KR Ted Ginn, Ohio State – It took a while before Ginn reached top gear this fall, but he was still able to average almost 30 yards a return and finish No. 3 in the country. If more opponents dared to punt the ball to him, he’d take back at least three every year. PR Terrence Nunn, Nebraska – In his second year in Lincoln, Nunn blossomed into a steady wide receiver and an explosive punt returner. His average of more than 19 yards a return was good for No.3 in the country. Sophomore All-America 2005 Second Team | 2004 CFN Sophomore All-America Team

And to tell you the truth, he isn't ready for next year. Zac will get the majority of the plays, unless there blowouts.

In the end, does anyone really care about Academic All Americans, would you prefer 222 (something) Academic All Americans or winning a national championship? Does the average Nebraska fan care about this???????? The rest of the country obviously doesn't care. And they win. Such a prestigious University as USC doesn't come close.

From another board Big 12 Teams Ranked by Avg. Home Attendance as Percentage of State's Population Attendance figures from NCAA Accumulated Attendance Report and State population according to 50states.com) In other words, what percent of the home state's population is at a home football game? 12. Baylor: 0.19% (Avg. Att: 38899, State pop. 20,851,820) 11. Texas Tech: 0.24% (Avg att: 50972, State pop 20,851,820) 10. Texas A&M: 0.38% (Avg. Att. 79732, State pop 20,851,820) 9. Texas: 0.40% (Avg att. 83333, state pop 20,851,820) 8. Missouri: 0.95% (Avg att. 53364, state pop 5,595,211) 7. Colorado: 1.17% (avg. att. 50409, state pop 4,301,261) 6. Ok. State: 1.30% (avg Att 44861, state pop 3,450,654) 5. Iowa State: 1.60% (Avg att. 46705, state pop 2,926,324) 4. Kansas: 1.62% (avg. att. 43675, state pop 2,688,418) 3. Kansas St.: 1.70% (avg att. 45961, state pop 2,688,418) 2. Oklahoma: 2.44% (avg att 84311, state pop 3,450,654) 1. Nebraska: 4.53% (avg att 77485, state pop 1,711,263) On a football Saturday, one out of every 22 people in the state of Nebraska are sitting in Memorial Stadium.

It was said on KFAB this AM that there would be an announcement by Steve P. this afternoon what the process was going to be for getting tickets in the new area of Memorial Stadium. Any speculation on what that process will be or what the donor level requirements will be? I have heard speculations all the way from a reseating of the entire stadium to there will be a portion of the tickets made available with no donation required and limited to those who have not been season ticket holders in the past.

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Anyone noticing VandenBosch ripping it up this year? DE turning opportunity into big payday By Len Pasquarelli ESPN.com Archive Despite the commonly held perception that the NFL free agency process is a run-amok system shy on fiscal responsibility and rife with overpaid underachievers, in 13 years of player movement there nonetheless have been a number of veterans who have paid big dividends on modest contracts. Few of those players, however, have ever outplayed their free agency deals to the extent that Tennessee Titans defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch has this season. In a season in which about three dozen unrestricted free agents relocated for just league minimum base salaries, and then won starting jobs with their new franchises, Vanden Bosch appears to be the biggest winner of all. The five-year veteran, whose once-promising NFL career was nearly ruined by a pair of catastrophic knee injuries while playing with the Arizona Cardinals, is certainly making good on his second chance. And making Tennessee officials, who plucked him off the unrestricted free-agent scrap heap this spring, look very good, indeed. For an investment of just $540,000, the league minimum base salary for a player with four seasons of accrued tenure, the Titans are getting maximum return on the dollar, and then some. All because they were willing to give Vanden Bosch, a player who collected nearly as many surgical scars as sacks in his first four seasons, a chance to get his career back on track. Doug Pensinger/Getty Images Vanden Bosch has recorded multiple sacks in four games this season. "After being in the league for a few years," Vanden Bosch said, "you see guys you think can still play or still help a team, and they just get phased out, because they don't get a second chance. I could have been one of those guys. When free agency started slowly, with only about three or four teams [indicating an interest], I kind of panicked. I just wanted to land in a situation where I could get a chance again. But I mean, realistically, I didn't think it would be like this." Here is what this has become for Vanden Bosch, the Cardinals' second-round pick in the 2001 draft, who logged only 35 appearances and 20 starts in his four previous seasons: He has started in all 12 games and has 10½ sacks, just a half-sack behind the co-league leaders, fellow ends Osi Umenyiora of the New York Giants and Derrick Burgess of Oakland. Had his two sacks of Peyton Manning in last week's loss at Indianapolis not be negated by penalties, Vanden Bosch would stand alone at the summit of the quarterback takedown mountain. The 10½ sacks are not just a career high, and the most by a Titans defender since Jevon Kearse posted 11½ sacks in 2000, but are more than double the four sacks Vanden Bosch had with the Cardinals. Vanden Bosch, who tends to get sacks in bunches, has at least one in six contests. And he has four multiple-sack games. He is second among AFC defensive ends, trailing only Indianapolis' Dwight Freeney, in the fan voting for the Pro Bowl game. And Vanden Bosch has to be on the short list of candidates for comeback player of the year honors. Not bad for a guy written off by most clubs, even those desperate for a No. 3 or No. 4 end to audition in training camp. This has been, in Vanden Bosch's words, "a dream season." And he hopes that no one pinches him and wakes him up for at least another month. If it has all been a little dizzying for Vanden Bosch, he certainly hasn't lost his equilibrium. Or his sense of loyalty. Vanden Bosch, 27, is likely to collect some awards for his play this season, and could be in for some financial rewards next spring, whether it's from the Titans or from some team that pursues him in free agency. Because he signed just a one-year contract, Vanden Bosch will be eligible to test the market again in March, provided he doesn't sign an extension with Tennessee before then. Titans general manager Floyd Reese has made it no secret that he wants to keep Vanden Bosch beyond this season, but with Tennessee typically cap-strapped at present, it will be virtually impossible to re-up the resurgent defensive end before the campaign concludes. For his part, Vanden Bosch reiterated this week his preference for staying in Tennessee, but there is little doubt he will be popular with other teams if he gets on the open market. While he probably would not command a blockbuster contract, Vanden Bosch, assuming he remains healthy for the final month of the year, would likely be offered deals more commensurate to those of midlevel starters. Of the other veteran players currently eligible for unrestricted free agency in March, only five -- Marco Coleman (Denver), Darren Howard (New Orleans), John Abraham (New York Jets), Lance Johnstone (Minnesota) and Marcellus Wiley (Jacksonville) -- have registered double-digit sack seasons. Coleman, Wiley and Johnstone are all on the wrong side of 30 and considered well into their NFL dotage. Howard and Abraham, both of whom are currently playing under the one-year qualifying offer for a "franchise" end, could be tagged again next spring. And if they aren't, it will take a boatload of money to sign them. Although he will still be viewed through the prism of skepticism by some franchises that might consider his 2005 performance an aberration, Vanden Bosch would be a solid addition, and one who wouldn't sink any team's salary cap. Suffice it to say, if Vanden Bosch makes it to free agency, his phone, and that of agent Toy Agnone won't be nearly as mute as it was at times last spring. "Trust me," one veteran AFC pro personnel director said, "there are a lot of teams hoping [the Titans] can't afford him. He might not break the bank, but he'll bust his ass for you. I mean, you know what you're getting with him, and you can't say that about a lot of the guys you bring in as free agents. He's got a big motor and a huge heart. His skills are good enough. He plays the run well enough and he'll get you 8-10 sacks, it looks like. He's been hurt a lot, and absolutely, that's a factor you have to consider. But you also take into account what he's been through and how he's salvaged his career. And he's not an old guy, so he's got good years still in front of him." Not surprisingly, Vanden Bosch eschews nearly all discussion of his future, and that is understandable, since he's only recently been able to relegate most of the first four years of his professional career to life's rearview mirror. Chosen out of Nebraska by Arizona with the third pick in the second round of the 2001 draft, Vanden Bosch was projected as a solid, two-way defender and earned a starting spot in his first training camp. But after the first three games of his debut season, Vanden Bosch suffered an ankle injury that sidelined him two weeks. Upon his return to practice, he tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments of his right knee when a teammate rolled up the back of his leg, and the subsequent surgery ended his season. He returned in 2002 and started all 16 games, but in the 2003 preseason, Vanden Bosch tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and sat out the entire campaign. In '04, he appeared in all 16 games, with just one start, and registered a modest 15 tackles and no sacks. His four-year total in Arizona: Nearly as many games missed (29) as appearances (35), just 93 tackles, four sacks and two fumble recoveries. Oh, yeah, and a huge question mark hanging over his career. One that not even he was fully confident he could expunge. "Even last year, when I was able to play all 16 games, I wasn't right," Vanden Bosch said. "I had tendinitis in my knees and it got to the point where I was simply trying to survive. I mean, the Cardinals, give them credit, they put me in position to make some plays. But I couldn't make them. It was frustrating. You watch the tape and see a pretty good opportunity for a play, and you know you didn't make it because your body just wouldn't allow you to get to it, and that's bad. Plus, I played tentatively, you know? I'd see myself on tape looking around to make sure no one rolled up on me. I was way too conscious of where people were around me, and you can't play like that. "But as bad as it was, I just couldn't quit, because that's not my nature. I wasn't going to be one of those guys who regrets not giving it everything he's got, giving it another shot. I just wanted to get to the offseason and get myself healthy again, get someplace where I might be able to re-establish myself, and prove that I still belonged in the league." “ If someone told you that they knew this would happen for Kyle, I mean, they'd have to be [lying to] you. Or they'd have to own a crystal ball or something.” —Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz Fortunately for Vanden Bosch, coach Jeff Fisher and Reese were seeking a reasonably priced veteran who could come in and, in part, serve as a mentor to a young defensive end depth chart that does not include a single player with more than two seasons of NFL seniority. And fortunately for the Titans, linebackers coach Dave McGinnis was the head coach at Arizona when Vanden Bosch was chosen there in 2001, and was adept at the hard sell in recruiting him. There is no animosity toward the Arizona organization because Vanden Bosch, a pretty pragmatic guy, understands that the Cardinals could not reconcile keeping him, given his bulging medical dossier. It is ironic, though, that the Cardinals signed former Seattle and San Francisco defensive end Chike Okeafor as an unrestricted free agent in the spring, and gave him a five-year, $25 million contract, and that he's got only 4½ sacks. But as Cardinals coach Dennis Green emphasized, sometimes players don't succeed in the NFL until they get to the right place. When it came to resuscitating his career, Nashville, Tenn., has proven to be precisely the right place for Kyle Vanden Bosch. Truth be told, though, the Titans got even more than they bargained for in their bargain-basement acquisition. In addition to his obvious leadership -- "He sets the tone for all of us," starting defensive end Antwan Odom said -- the hard-working Vanden Bosch has been even better than advertised on the field. He is more stout against the run than the Titans were led to believe, and his pass-rush skills have improved significantly under Jim Washburn, one of the NFL's best defensive line coaches. Like most pass rushers, Vanden Bosch concedes that sacks are a function of many things, including good fortune. "Sacks are funny things," he said. "Just because I wasn't getting them before, it wasn't for a lack of effort. But coming here, it was like a light went on. Now there aren't many plays where I'm not getting chipped or double-teamed. But I'm still getting [sacks]." Vanden Bosch is quick to credit Washburn with upgrading some small but key elements of his game, and it's obvious there is a mutual respect between the two. "With the way he grew up, the way he was raised, he just has something special inside of him that is really unique," Washburn, an old-school coach with old-fashioned values and an absence of hyperbole, told the Nashville Tennessean earlier this season. "As far as guys who work hard all the time, he's the No. 1 guy I've ever had in my life." There was a time this summer, about halfway through training camp, Tennessee coaches claim (and Vanden Bosch mildly disputes), when the defensive end seemed to hit the wall physically. But the Titans coaches and team officials hung with him because they believed, thanks in part to McGinnis' endorsement, that Vanden Bosch's motor would start revving again once he acclimated to an increased workload. That his motor is never really idling is a product of Vanden Bosch's upbringing, the classic Midwest rearing that demands all-out effort at all times. Vanden Bosch began working in his father's business, D&L Masonry in Larchwood, Iowa, at age 12. While other kids were sleeping in on Saturday mornings, Vanden Bosch was carrying bricks, sweeping floors, shoveling sand, pushing wheelbarrows filled with cement, and toting 40-pound concrete blocks. Both Vanden Bosch and his father, Doug, agree that football seemed a lot more fun after working at masonry, and that hauling cement blocks provided a solid foundation for the youngster. "My dad, he wanted his kids to work hard and to understand what hard work is really all about," Vanden Bosch said. "Looking back, it was a good lesson." Certainly there will be new lessons to be learned -- as was the case Sunday, when Washburn and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz moved Vanden Bosch into a nine-technique stance, very wide and off the ball, to keep him out of traffic as he attacked the supposedly impenetrable Indianapolis pass protection scheme. Vanden Bosch isn't sure yet what those lessons will entail, but given that he has rediscovered his self-confidence this year and rebuilt his career, he seems ready for just about anything. Whether it's in Tennessee or elsewhere, and their preferences are clear, the Tennessee coaches feel like Vanden Bosch will continue to get better. "Let's be honest," said Schwartz, one of the NFL's brightest defensive minds, runner-up to Mike Nolan for the San Francisco head coach job this offseason, and destined to soon be running a program of his own. "If someone told you that they knew this would happen for Kyle, I mean, they'd have to be [lying to] you. Or they'd have to own a crystal ball or something. But it did happen and it's a testament to him. All he really asked for was for someone to give him another shot, and he'd take it from there. "He's been worth every cent and then some. And you can't say that about very many free agents, can you?" Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com. To check out Len's chat archive, click here .

2005 All-America Special Teams Terrence Nunn was named an Honorable Mention All-American Punt Returner by FOXSports.com Also, Sam Koch received HM AA status for punting. Hopeully NUnn came finaly become a complete WR. Needs to make good plays all the time.

Barnett steps down, gets $3M settlement BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - Gary Barnett stepped down as football coach of Colorado on Thursday, accepting a $3 million settlement and ending a tenure that was riddled by off-the-field problems but ultimately done in by recent bad results on the field. FOX Bite Videos Barnett bows out After a Colorado career saturated with controversy and a thrashing at the hands of Texas in the BIG 12 title game, Buffaloes head coach Gary Barnett humbly steps down. Barnett's attorney, John Rodman, told The Associated Press that "CU made the decision to go a different direction and Gary has made the decision to step down as football coach." A news conference to be attended by Barnett and athletic director Mike Bohn was scheduled for later Thursday evening. The Buffs (7-5) enter the Champs Sports Bowl, Dec. 27 against Clemson, having lost three straight games by a combined score of 130-22. There was no immediate word on whether Barnett, 49-38 over seven seasons, would coach the team in that game. "I think we're sad to leave the university but he is willing and is accepting the decision by the university, to the extent that he has a voice in that issue, and they were good enough to come to us and talk to us about it," Rodman said. Thus marked a fairly rapid - though not all that stunning - reversal for Colorado, which appeared ready to offer Barnett a contract extension as recently as a month ago. The coach said he pretty much thought the extension was a done deal when the Buffs began the season 7-2 and appeared to be rolling toward their fourth Big 12 North title in five years. Many figured it was only a matter of a state audit of Barnett's football camps, due out next Monday, that was holding things up. Things changed, though, as Colorado ended up winning the division title, but backed into it without winning another game. After a humiliating 70-3 loss to Texas in the Big 12 title game last Saturday, Barnett conceded he didn't know why his team had been unable to recover from a loss to Iowa State, three weeks earlier, that started the losing streak and said "We all know this is a pretty fragile existence." Nobody was more in touch with that than Barnett, an assistant at CU for Bill McCartney during the heyday of the 1990s, who went onto Northwestern and turned that lagging program around. He was brought to Colorado, ironically, to help spruce up the image of a program that had earned something of a renegade status under Rick Neuheisel. At first, Barnett was successful. By the end, though, he found himself in the center of a sordid recruiting scandal, which resulted in an investigation that concluded drugs, alcohol and sex were used to entice recruits to the Boulder campus, though none of practices were sanctioned by university officials. No charges were filed, but Barnett got into further trouble when he used derogatory terms in talking about kicker Katie Hnida, who came out with allegations that she was raped by a teammate in 2000. Barnett was suspended by the school in the spring of 2004 and had restrictions placed on his recruiting, which have since been eased. When Barnett returned from his suspension, he still had his job, but the president, chancellor and athletic director were all soon gone. Still, his future looked secure with the strong start to this season and an apparently good relationship with Bohn, who was hired last spring to replace Dick Tharp. But the inability to get the contract extension done - Barnett changed agents just a few weeks ago - left both parties in an awkward situation. Barnett couldn't legitimately recruit with only a year left on his deal; no players want to play for a lame-duck coach. CU, on the other hand, couldn't really afford to pay Barnett what it would cost to buy him out, then fork out more to hire a new coach. But apparently, the idea of handing over a new contract to a coach whose teams had been outscored 130-22 over the last three games simply didn't seem plausible for Bohn. Barnett would have been owed about $1.8 million if he had been fired, $1.6 as part of a backloaded performance clause in his contract and about $200,000 for next year's salary. He wound up with an extra $1 million as a result of this week's negotiations - meaning the cash-strapped school has to scrape up the dough to get rid of the coach who, in the oddest twist of all, found it was the performance between the lines, not outside of them, that proved his undoing. --- Associated Press writer P. Soloman Banda in Denver contributed to this report.

WIll he play OG or DL???

This has got to be encouraging. We have had very little written about him and then bam!!!!! We get a visit. Can he commit on this trip??

Well hell lets throw it out there. NU would have been anywhere from a 7-10 point favorite. NU throughly destroyed #3 Tenneesse, with Peyton Manning, while Michigan squeaked out a 22-16, that came down to the last play, win over #9 Wash. with draft bust Ryan Leaf. Final score NU 31 UM 21

Bo Pelini's name is being thrown in for the CU job. If and when it becomes available.

The only tix still available are way up in the corner. I wont pay that and sit way up there. We just got ours today (12-7) and we are not way up in the corner... My wife went through the Qwest and we are only 3 rows into the upper bowl, not in the corner. The only thing is, we are at the end of the court ("endzone" seats )... but only 3 rows deep... $ 30 for all sessions.... not bad, to see Florida-Louisville and NU - UCLA and then Sat. night final... Aren't those first come, first serve.seat...general admission

From Thursday morning's Rocky Mountain News: University of Colorado president Hank Brown has asked attorneys to investigate a series of allegations about the school's football program and its embattled coach, Gary Barnett, raised in an unsigned letter, the Rocky Mountain News has learned. Steven Snyder, a private investigator hired in 2004 to look into CU's recruiting practices, said he believes the letter was written by "a former employee of the athletic department." Snyder forwarded the letter and accompanying documents to Brown's office after he received them in October. The letter includes assertions Barnett attempted to influence the sworn testimony of subordinates and charges of NCAA violations and financial improprieties. Among the alleged NCAA violations is an assertion football players were tipped off well in advance of what were supposed to be random drug tests... In addition, the charges were provided to the state auditor's office, which is wrapping up a monthslong review of spending in the CU athletic department and in summer football camps conducted by Barnett.... The new allegations about conduct in the football program first came to light in October, when they were forwarded to Snyder, an investigator retained in 2004 by the Independent Investigative Commission, which had been created by the regents to examine CU's recruiting practices.... He said it included a typed 1 1/2- page letter and copies of a number of documents, some of which appeared to include Barnett's handwriting.... Snyder and the second source detailed a series of allegations and concerns raised in the letter: • That Barnett attempted to influence the testimony of others who gave depositions in the civil lawsuits and before the state grand jury. • That Barnett failed to take any action against some football players suspected of inappropriate behavior, including an instance in which he failed to discipline a player who was the subject of a criminal sexual-assault investigation. • That Barnett told others that every effort was to be made to protect one of the players who was accused of being involved in the Dec. 7, 2001, party that spawned the scandal and federal lawsuits. • That NCAA violations occurred during Barnett's tenure at CU, running the gamut from a charge that the Buffaloes sometimes used 10 coaches on the sideline instead of the nine that are allowed to assertions players were tipped off, well in advance, of the days when they would be subjected to what were supposed to be random drug tests. The letter also accused Barnett's recruiting program of hosting extravagant meals and taking prospects and players to clubs that served alcohol. • That numerous questions existed about the use of money, particularly in the summer football camps that are now the subject of the looming state audit report. For example, the letter alleged extraordinary amounts of money were provided to a student staff member in the athletic department who also was involved in the ambassador program, which pairs recruits with hosts while they are visiting the Boulder campus in an effort to help orient the prospects to CU and the football program. • The letter was accompanied by copies of documents, including some that described "undisclosed supplemental income" apparently paid to assistant coaches. Snyder said the notes included handwriting that appeared to be Barnett's. "He signed it 'Gary,' and then it had a 'Colorado football' stamp underneath it," Snyder said. The source familiar with the letter's contents said it included extensive details, including locations where incidents occurred and the names of people involved. There's more. The link: http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/n...4298911,00.html

Brandon Johnson visited UW this week. Doesn't this mean he loses his scholarship from Nebraska now???

Was Carr there in '97, who was there before him? What happen to him?

Rivals.com Nebraska fans should be honored to play us... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- if you beat us in a bowl game, it jump starts your run to the national championship game the next year... just ask USC or Texas. And Michigan fans should be happy because there is a very good chance that for the first time in a long time, Lloyd has a good chance to outcoach his opponent, Callahan.