Claiming "no different' is not good enough for FSU woes
The new, indignant Bobby Bowden stepped to the lectern at a media gathering of the state's college football coaches and said, "Our kids are doing no different than other kids." Well, by comparison to the uptick in criminal acts at Florida since Ron Zook took over, Bowden is right. FSU doesn't look so bad when measured by that egregiously low standard. The 'Noles aren't doing much different than the Crocs, er, Gators.
They have been doing different than virtually all other programs, however. Or at least they're getting caught and raked through the judicial process. What coach besides Bowden had to leave his summer vacation to testify at the gambling trial of his (ex-)starting QB?
At an ACC media gathering, Bowden, fresh off a Court TV appearance, said of FSU's problems: "I'm just so glad we don't have the same one that Kobe's got."
No, not the exact same one. But Bowden has a starting defensive lineman, Travis Johnson, going to trial the week of Aug. 11 on a sexual battery charge, a second-degree felony that carries a maximum punishment of 15 years in prison.
Bowden is in the twilight of his outrageously successful career. He wants to go out in style. His defiant denial and/or spinning of the problems surrounding him is not the way to do it.
Big 12's excellence creates even bigger expectations
Which will be the best football league: the new ACC, with Miami and Virginia Tech, or the SEC?
Neither, if the Big 12 keeps this up.
Three of the Top 5 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll (yes, released in July) are from the Big 12, with Oklahoma No. 1.
It's just a preseason poll, but it is a reflection of how strong the league was last season and a good indicator of its quality this season.
The Big 12 has seven of the top 32 teams in the poll. Besides the big three of Oklahoma, No. 4 Texas and No. 5 Kansas State, at least three other league schools have the pedigree to become fixtures in the Top 10 in coming years: Nebraska, Colorado and Texas A&M.
The 'Huskers have slipped from their customary level of excellence but should rebound. At CU, coach Gary Barnett slowly is making gains, and A&M brought in Dennis Franchione, who had 10-win seasons at TCU (2000) and Alabama (2002).
Even Oklahoma State (No. 24) and Missouri (also receiving votes) are on an upswing. Iowa State has had three straight winning seasons. Texas Tech has had 10 straight nonlosing seasons.
Whew, this league is good. Only Baylor and Kansas are in a rut. The SEC, ACC, Big Ten and Pac-10 can play ball, but the Big 12 is king.
