As George Vecsey of the NY Times points out, it’s about more than just skirting academic eligibility requirements. We have a full-blown epidemic on our hands.

King Football is not about just academic scandals and recruiting scandals and now the growing shadow of concussion scandals. (What, you thought aging players now coming down with dementia arrived in the N.F.L. with their brain pans totally intact?)

Just the other day, Jeré Longman wrote in The New York Times about his beloved home state, where L.S.U. has downsized its foreign language program with minimal public reaction, but managed to maintain an undefeated football program.

Lots of Happy Valleys out there. Occasionally a critic like Taylor Branch or a panel calls for reform. At Penn State, it was even worse than prostituting education for the sake of a football powerhouse. The entire old-boy system in that university managed to overlook the possibility that children’s lives were being ruined, within the dangerous cocoon of King Football. We need to look beyond the alleged abuses. We need to look at the system that encouraged people to look the other way.

Really, we need to do something about big-time college sports.

We really do.

Just expand the damn Big 11 already.

A few weeks back, Joe Paterno got cranky, just like old men typically do, and challenged the Big 10 leadership to correct a perceived deficiency in his coaching ability. Paterno, sick of constantly being physically manhandled in the Rose Bowl, requested that his minor conference expand to include a twelfth member. Paterno’s excuse for consistent bowl loses is simply put, the additional two week lay off from the end of the Big XI season to bowl season leaves the B11 rusty and therefore unable to compete with the likes of any other BCS conference.

For those that don’t know, the NCAA requires any conference seeking to add a championship game to have at least 12 members. The purpose of the championship game has little to do with competing to find the best team in a conference and more to do with lucrative TV contracts and ticket sales (assuming you host the CG in your geographic base…ACC). Case in point, F$U won the ACC in 2005 after limping into the conference championship game after a winless November…Hardly a method of choosing the best team over a 15 week season.

JoePa has USC in his sights, but it's from a long-range sniper rifle

Paterno’s flawed concept is that the big 11 can’t compete without a CCG. Last I saw, the 38-24 drubbing (which was worse than the score indicates) was to a team that does not play a conference championship game either. Perhaps someone should inform JoePa that USC is just plain better than PSU year in year out. While State Penn has been much improved since Michael Robinson’s miracle season in 2005, they have still been an afterthought in the national conscious for much of the last decade while the Trojans have been hyped as a professional caliber team.

Furthermore, if the concern is that the little 10 needs to extend their season to keep their focus, they could just as easily look at the Big East’s scheduling practices. The Big East solves this “issue” by continuing to play their conference games into the championship week of the season. As a matter of fact, I would argue more national attention is on the Big East’s final week of competition as its games are often the only thing on TV. I would have never watched a matchup between Hawaii and the ‘Nati Bearcats had it not been the only game on after the other conference championships were decided. And who can forget the final week classic upset in the Backyard Brawl two seasons back as Patricia White’s Mountaineers fell to Pitt?

The true problem with State Penn football is the same as the rest of their conference, they just aren’t that good. Big 10 football is the antithesis of speed. Remember just how pathetic OSU looked against LSU and Florida the previous two Mythical National Championship Games? I won’t buy any argument that it’s just because the SEC is that good (although they are). I’m pretty confident any conference champion from the past two seasons could have defeated tOSU in the last two MNCs. For example, had the Mountaineers advanced over Pitt two years ago, imagine tOSU dealing with the best dual threat QB since Michael Vick along with a future rookie pro bowl pitchman? I haven’t even mentioned the 4′-10” Noel Devine. The speed in WVU’s backfield would have slaughtered tOSU.

Ignorance is bliss for JoePa

It appears that someone has taught JoePa arithmetic in the past few weeks because he has now reversed course. My main issue with CCGs is that it forces the best teams in the SEC, ACC, and Big XII to beat one additional top 10 opponent to reach the MNCG than the other three conferences. With the BCS’s system of dropping teams that lose regardless of actual ability, this creates a major disadvantage for those conferences. All of the sudden, either your best team has to defeat an extra top 10 team compared to the other three conferences or your supposed 2nd best team has a loss in the final week of the season, vacating an at-large bid to an idle PSU (who would likely lose to tOSU in a CCG).

Joe Paterno looking spryer than ever

That being said, I believe if we are going to allow CCGs to decide conference champions, all BCS conferences should expand and include a CCG to level the playing field. The B11 should add a 12th member and become the B12 #2. Some universities that have been named as possibilities for expansion include: wvu (not classy or intelligent enough), Pitt/Syracuse (too good in basketball to leave the Big East), and Nebraska (yea right!). Alternately, Rutgers, Missouri or Iowa State would make sense. My dream scenario would involve Notre Dame joining and being forced to actually win a conference to make a BCS game as opposed to beating 8 service academies prior to losing to 4 teams with a pulse. Neuter Lame’s location, rivalries and tradition make it the perfect match for McChicken and tOSU.

So I repeat again, just expand the damn Big 11 already.

Brett Farve makes Sean Glennon (and his girl) want to vomit

As if Tarvaris Jackson wasn’t bad enough.

Undrafted free agent rookie quarterback Sean Glennon recently entered the Viking’s spring rookie camp looking for a charitable roster spot donation by his former Virginia Tech college quarterbacks coach, current Viking assistant Kevin Rodgers. Rodgers was last seen around perennial backup Glennon in 2005 when he abruptly left Blacksburg, VA immediately after his star quarterback stomped Elvis Dummervil’s leg into submission and ended his college statutory rape, drug arrest, dogfighting, playing career. Upon realizing Sean Glennon would be his starter the following season, Rodgers bolted for anything paying.

Marcus' new dance, the Hokie Stomp

For those that do not know Sean, his trademark play, the “Sean Glennon Special,” involves standing like a statue in the pocket for 10 seconds locked onto a single receiver lined up in the flat, holding onto the ball while 3rd round draft pick Michael Johnson from the University of Georgia (Tech) blasts his blind side and returns the inevitable fumble for a touchdown. Glennon’s pocket awareness was so poor as a junior that he could not guide an offense with 3 senior future NFL wide receivers to an offensive ranking higher than 100. And wonder why you hadn’t heard Eddie Royal’s name before his breakout rookie season with Denver? It’s because Sean Glennon had been his quarterback for the previous 7 seasons (including high school).

The most ineffective tandem in NCAA football

Don’t believe for a second that playing for a team that’s never won a Super Bowl was the top of Sean Glennon’s list, I’m sure Sean’s wondering why the New England Patriots didn’t give him a look. After all, they love guys that weren’t good enough to start their senior season.

In his junior season, Glennon was unseated by true freshman Tyrod Taylor after a stunningly bad 48-7 loss at LSU. Glennon’s successor was such a raw QB that he finished the 2008 season with a 2:5 TD/INT ratio and Glennon still rode the pine for the entire season. And if losing your job to a kid that doesn’t understand the concept of a progression isn’t bad enough, Glennon will likely lose his chance at a practice squad spot to the NFL’s all-time leader in INTs (310), one Brett Fav-rah.

Why is Brett still crying, everyone stopped crying for him after the first six times he retired

The less talented Michael Jordan of the NFL, Brett Farve’s story has more twists than an episode of 24. Just when you thought that John Madden would retire, unable to talk about Bretty for 4 preseason, 17 regular season games, and 4 weeks of payoffs, Farve-rah decides he would really like to prove once again that that a 40 year old quarterback can’t win a Super Bowl and Madden returns with the Outback tour bus. I really believe he only retires to receive attention crying in front of the camera. Listening to a Brett Farve interview is akin to hearing an upper middle class suburbanite emo kid sing about the horrors of having everything handed to him.

And come on Brett, wasn’t the 3 INT playoff missing failure against the Dolphins to end the season enough? Do we really have to sit through another 80 QB rating season by a former MVP?

And if either of these two options don’t work, perhaps someone could inform Brad Childress that Percy Harvin had a 76 THP QB Rating in NCAA 09 on 360? Gimmicky college formations were all the rage last year, and I’m sure Harvin and Purple Jesus could run a little Gator Heavy read option. It could be the fall’s new fashion!

"Brett Farve + John Madden = Sexy Time!"

The Minnesota Vikings have assured themselves 8 in the box on every play this fall by looking at washed up and untalented quarterbacks. There’s no denying Glennon got his chance through connections (note: Graham Harrell is still available). Farve is only in the picture so that the Vikings can try to embarrass their conference rivals with their own Hall of Famer. He’ll be around for one mediocre season max and then it’s back to having no one that can carry the title “QB of the Future.” Adrian Peterson will once again have to carry the Vikings on his shoulders this season (and for the foreseeable future). Their only hope can be to keep QB play poor and pray that Purp. He-Zeus doesn’t lead the Vikes right out of the Sam Bradford lottery and into the Ryan Leaf Tim Tebow sweepstakes.

1. On the Clock since sometime in February, the Detroit Lions select – Matt Stafford - QB – Georgia.  This leaves the 0-16 Lions no better than where they were the previous year.  I am not a real big fan on this year’s QB class, and would wait it out till next year’s stellar class.  I would have gone with sure thing, LB Aaron Curry.

2. The St. Louis Rams select – Jason Smith - T – Baylor.  The Big fella will help the Rams sure up their swiss cheese line so their QB’s don’t turn into Trent Green.

3. The Kansas City Chiefs select – Aaron Curry - LB – Wake Forest.  The best player and the most sure thing in the draft, easy pick.  (Why don’t teams take sure things in drafts? In the NBA Brandon Roy and Danny Granger were sure things, but passed for players with higher potential.  It may not initially bring the fans to the stadium, with a lack of name recognition but after they shine, things change.)

4. The Seattle Seahawks select -Mark Sanchez - QB – USC.  They really need a QB, and after seeing a kid with a great system, more offensive weapons than any other school in the country, of course he looks good.  But will he be Carson Palmer or Matt Leinert? I think the latter.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the Redskins traded away all their picks to get this spot and grab Sanchez.

5. The Cleveland Browns select -Brian Orakpo - DE – Texas.  Outside of drafting a set of hands for Braylon Edwards, i think this is the best pick for a team always in need of defense.

6. The Cincinnati Bengals select -Eugene Monroe - OT – Virginia.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bengals either traded this pick or took Michael Crabtree to replace TJ WhoseYourMama.  Lord only knows what Marvin and Co. are thinking.

7. The Oakland Raiders select -Michael Crabtree - WR – Texas Tech.  Personally, the Raiders should draft an OT like Andre Smith, but Al has been burned by O-lineman in the past, and will stick with the more popular name, so he can continue to build an offense around a line that cannot protect, or block.

8. The Jacksonville Jaguars select – B.J. Raji – DT – Boston College.  Good Defensive Tackles are hard to come by in the NFL, and the Jags like to build around defense.  I also would not be shocked if they choose WR Jeremy Maclin here.

9. The Green Bay Packers select – Aaron Maybin - DE – Penn St.  The Pack take the very talented defensive end to help a defense that could not slow down a flag football team.

10. The San Francisco 49ers select – Andre Smith - OT – Alabama.  This ‘bama came all sorts of out of shape to the combine which killed his stock, but i hear he has a good upbringing which should endear him to Coach Singletary’s crazy family oriented football team.

11. The Buffalo Bills select – Jeremy Maclin - WR – Missouri.  This is a steal at this pick, and Maclin will replace T.O. about 10 games into the season when the bills are 3-7 and T.O. is throwing his QB under the bus for not helping his stats so he can cash in big during the upcoming Free Agency period.

12. The Denver Broncos select – Tyson Jackson - DE – LSU.  The Broncos made the Packers defense look like the Steel Curtain.  This is a no brainer and must pick at defensive end.

13. The Washington Redskins select – Michael Oher - OT – Ole Miss.  The subject of the book “The Blind Side” is the perfect fit to help a struggling and overrated offensive line.  I do think the Skins will trade this pick to try and get Sanchez.

14. The New Orleans Saints select – Robert Ayers - DE – Tennessee.  Nothing improves a defensive backfield more than a good pass rush.

15. The Houston Texans select – Malcolm Jenkins - CB – OSU.  The Texans need help at both CB and Safety, and if Jenkins is not fast enough for CB, a natural change would work well.

16. The San Diego Chargers select – Brian Cushing - LB – USC.  The Chargers can use some depth at the LB position, and Cushing helps them right away.

17. The New York Jets select – Rey Maualuga - LB – USC.  Rex Ryan is defense-minded, and this is the best defender on the board.  The Jets should take a RB like Wells or Moreno to replace 31 year old Thomas Jones.

18. The Denver Broncos (from Chicago) select – Knowshon Moreno - RB – Georgia.  We saw what happened to the Denver backfield last year, and while they added much needed defensive help with their first pick, this should help fill the RB chart for the Broncos.  This is also a prime spot for a trade as a team in the upper half may want to get back into the 1st round, or a team may want to move up.  Paying 2 1st round players is a huge hit on a team’s salary cap.

19. The Tampa Bay Bucs select – Josh Freeman - QB – Kansas St.  If the Bucs can’t trade up to take one of the top 2 QBs, they will settle for Freeman.  New coach plus a poo-poo platter of QB’s on the depth chart means its time for a new face of the franchise.

20. The Detroit Lions (from Dallas) select – Brandon Pettigrew - TE – Oklahoma St.  Now that the Lions (stupidly) picked their franchise QB, its time to add weapons around him to compliment Calvin Johnson.

21. The Philadelphia Eagles select – Chris Wells - RB – TOSU. Beanie Wells from THE Ohio State University will add much needed depth behind the inevitable injury to Brian Westbrook.

22. The Minnesota Vikings select – Percy Harvin - WR – Florida.  This isn’t the first time the Vikings have drafted a WR who likes to smoke the ganja.

23. The New England Patriots select – Everette Brown - DE – Florida St.  I think Brown can transition to OLB for the Pats which will help them get more depth at that position.  I think the Patriots should draft Louis Delmas from Western Michigan to fulfill their Safety needs.

24. The Atlanta Falcons select – Peria Jerry - DT – Ole Miss.  Running the 4-3, Atlanta needs some help to stop the run, and Jerry is a large, large dude.

25. The Miami Dolphins select – Darrius Haywood-Bey - WR – Maryland.  Adding more options to a creative offensive attack, the Dolphins badly need some play makers to allow them to compete on the offensive side of the ball athletically.

26. The Baltimore Ravens select – Vontae Davis - CB – Illinois.  With the loss of a few CB’s to age and free agency, the Ravens need to stock up on Defensive backs.  I could also see them drafting LB Clay Mathews at this point as well.

27. The Indianapolis Colts select – Louis Delmas - S – Western Michigan.  This guy is a hard hitter, and with Bob Sanders’s over/under on games to be played this year at 9, the Colts could use some DB help.

28. The Buffalo Bills (From Carolina via Phili) select – Ebden Britton - OL – Arizona.  The Bills have lost 2 O-linemen this year and need to address that in the draft.

29. The New York Giants select – Ronald Brown - RB – UConn.  While i think this pick will be traded to the Cleveland Browns for Braylon Scissorhands- Edwards, i think either team can use a backup RB to help their teams.

30. The Tennessee Titans select – Hakeen Nicks - WR – NC St.  The Titans, as we saw last year, struggled when teams stopped the run.  Hopefully Hicks can help a sub-par receiving corp.

31. The Arizona Cardinals select – Clay Matthews - LB – USC.  The Cards, so close to SB victory, still need help on their defense.  Mathews should help add depth to a shaky group.

32. The Pittsburgh Steelers select – Alex Mack - C – Cal.  The reigning SB champs need to protect their QB better, or he will be not-remembering games with Troy Aikman in a few years.

There it is.  You don’t even have to watch all 4 hours of the Draft just pring this out and mark it done.  Sit back and watch the Red Sox vs the Yankees, the Cards vs the Cubs or the Spurs vs the Mavs.

The Combine is the single most important day for a college football player.  It can make or break you in the draft.  Especially with the current rookie salary structure, a poor workout can cost you millions of guaranteed dollars, and conversely a great workout can shoot you up the draft charts.  Every part of the workouts are televised on TV from the 225lb bench press (where K David Buehler showed off his guns) to multiple flexibility drills, to the favorite and overrated 40yd dash (do we really need to see Micheal Oher run?).

The only part of the combine that is not televised is the personal interview teams have with the prospects.  If i were a scout or coach, this is where i would get the most out of the players, screw the Wonderlic i have foolproof tests.  Let me give you some examples:

• Andre Smith, OT from Alabama.  This kid is a beast of a tackle, but he has some weight and maturity issues.  I would set up an early morning meeting with Andre, have a room where we would discuss certain football questions.  Now, outside of the room would be a buffet set up with all sorts of pastries, doughnuts, juice etc.  I would have whoever is escorting Andre in, mention that Andre can help himself to breakfast.  The test? come to the meeting early, and not maul the junk food set out.
• Mark Sanchez, QB from USC.  There are some questions on Mark only having 1 year worth of film on him at USC.  We have had 2 kinds of USC quarterbacks, the Carson Palmer and Matt Cassel type (aka those that can play in the NFL and are dedicated) and then there is Matt Leinert (a backup).  I would give the “What would you do..?” line of questioning to Mark.  It would go something like this – you just signed a big rookie contract from an NFL team, what of the three would you do1) celebrate with some friends? 2) buy a nice ride or 3) buy a new big house?  Now there is no right answer given so i am looking for something along the lines – “honestly i am not really sure at this time, i am just excited to start practicing and learning the playbook”.  If he doesnt’ realize a coach isn’t small talking with him, but wants to know his dedicated then he fails the interview.
• Bernard Scott, RB from Abilene Christian.  This is a kid who went to 4 different colleges, and has been arrested 5 different times.  To say he has some Red Flags is an understatement.  I would ask Bernard what game would he rather play: the board game Sorry!,  Clue, or a card game like poker.  We all know Sorry! is a game of revenge and  Clue is a game of getting away with murder.  Poker is not any better as it can lead you into desperate situations where you lose large sums of money.  Let’s hope Bernard answers, “I am not here to play games, i am here to win a championship”.

I feel that throwing off the wall questions and situations to a college kid whom you are about to give a guaranteed multimillion dollar deal to is not only important but necessary.  He will represent your franchise, be the face of your organization good or bad.  Just ask the Titans if they could do it again how would they handle drafting Adam Jones.

Barton, a representative from Texas and the ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee has put me in a tough spot, because I also hate the BCS. He has introduced a bill, which is co-sponsored by another Texas Republican and an Illinois Democrat, doesn’t seek to kill the BCS and force a playoff (which is what I’d ultimately like to see as the conclusion of the college football season) but instead, prohibit the BCS to market their final game as a “national championship.” Barton has cited the numerous years that the championship winner was not completely settled an the numerous failed attempts to improve the system as the reason for introducing this legislation.

The BCS method of determining who is No. 1 consistently misfires. Simply exposing the flaws and subjecting them to discussion … hasn’t led to improvement by those who run the system.

Something has to be done about the BCS. Every single year it takes way too much attention away from the teams, coaches, players and schools that really matter. There are only a handful of people that will seriously argue that the BCS is perfect or even a good thing. Most everyone falls into the categories of “this has got to go” or “this is the best we’ve got.” 

So while I don’t like the politicians forcing the hand of the sports world, because Barton isn’t forcing the BCS to do anything, he’s merely protecting the consumer from the BCS’s false claims, I suppose I can overlook Congress’ proposed involvement in this issue.

Update: Rep. Barton compares the BCS to communism in congressional hearings.

Carroll was appalled that his USC team was demoted from No.5 in the rankings to No.7. It was shocking to him that the flawed system of the BCS took into account the Trojans loss to an unranked Oregon State team. The teams ahead of USC have/had perfect records or losses to teams that are much, much better than the Oregon State squad. I have to agree with other critics that believe Carroll needs to shut up, or put up.

When you’ve got arguably one of the most talented teams in the country you can’t make excuses or complain about the system that everyone has to deal with.

Compare Carroll’s rant to that of one Mr. Joseph Vincent Paterno. Paterno, 81, humorously denounced his appreciation for the BCS by questioning whether or not it was actually termed the “BSC.” Either Paterno is starting to lose it, or he’s got a great sense of humor for an old dude. JoePa has been around a very long time, and realizes the only thing he can worry about is getting his team ready to perform each week.

His legend is sound and he’s proven that he can win. Paterno is not going to get caught up, bitch and moan about the system cheating his team. After Penn State’s most recent loss to Iowa, Paterno reacted as he should, and the way I wish Carroll would react. Penn State was beaten. He acknowledged that the Nittany Lions played poorly in the second half and he congratulated Iowa for a good game. Paterno spoke as if he recognized the magnitude of the loss, but still is content and pleased with his teams effort and the possibility of playing in a big bowl game.

The new BCS rankings are out and I have yet to witness a Paterno press conference where PSU’s coach is complaining about being dropped from No.3 to No.8. That’s not his style. Joe’s old school, very much like Mike Ditka. One of my favorite quotes from Ditka is simple. It applies to all those overblown egos that feel they are entitled to certain treatment. It’s short and sweet. “Shut up, and play football!”

I for one am not a fan of the BCS and can understand Carroll’s overall dissatisfaction with it. However, the system hasn’t all of a sudden become flawed. It’s been flawed. Every contender knows each season if you want a chance for a title, you’re most likely going to have to run the table. That’s where the system in my opinion falls short of crowning a true champion. If there are more than two teams with undefeated records it’s unfair to the team(s) left out of the BCS Championship game. College I-A football needs to do the right thing and dump the BCS and adopt a playoff system.

I don’t know what Paterno was thinking when he referred to the BCS as the BSC, but I am going to attempt to read his mind here. The BSC stands for a Bull Shit Championship. Most champions are crowned after they’ve taking on, and beaten, the best of the best. The Football Bowl Subdivision needs to quickly move to the system the Football Championship Subdivision (I-AA) plays with. Get rid of a BS title and let the best teams play each other over the course of a few weeks to determine the champion. A tournament won’t be a perfect solution, as Carroll highlighted in his press conference the other week, but it does get closer to determining the best team.

For the time being, Carroll, and the rest of college football have to sweat out what the computers will produce each week. Go out and win the games you are supposed to win (e.g. USC 21, Oregon State 27). Until the current system changes, Carroll needs to turn it down in front of the mics and get his players to turn it up on the field.

Here at The Drubbing, we heard something different.  In our minds this is how it played out:

After the LSU, South Carolina game this past Saturday, there was one thing on everyone’s mind, what was up with that hit on USC QB Stephen Garcia?  While the Gamecocks eventually scored on the drive, this could have changed the outcome of the game.   In case you missed the game, QB Stephen Garcia, while scrabbling, was trying to cut through the defense of the Tigers once again when LSU’s 12th man, Referee Wilbur Hackett Jr. gave Garcia a forearm shiver that would have made Rick Flare jealous.  Wilbur, a former Kentucky University Linebacker has some football background and displayed it Saturday.

We caught up with Hackett after the game to talk to him about his hit.  This is what he said, “Yeah I hit him. and I laid him out real good too. He’d been running all over LSU and they weren’t doing a damn thing about it. So I took matters into my own hands.”  Upon asking him why he needed to take ‘matters into his own hands’, Hackett responded, “Call it karma for the Ole Ball coach running up the score all the time at Florida.”

It is hard to argue with that, so we solute you Wilbur Hackett, karma is a bia and Steve Spurrior defintely had it coming to him.