Outback extends bowl game sponsorship
By KEITH NIEBUHR
Published July 21, 2005
TAMPA - Outback Steakhouse has agreed to renew its title sponsorship of the Outback Bowl through the 2010 game, which will extend its sponsorship to 15 years.
"The Outback Bowl continues to exceed our expectations and we look forward to extending our partnership for an additional four years," said Ben Novello, president of Outback Steakhouse in a release. "We've enjoyed our relationship with the bowl as it has developed into one of the most attractive and desirable bowl games in the country."
Wednesday's announcement came a day after the bowl's affiliation with the Big Ten Conference also was extended through 2010. Outback Bowl officials are still negotiationing with ESPN and the Southeastern Conference in hopes of extending those relationships.
The Big Ten also extended its agreement with the Capital One and Alamo bowls for four more years. It will drop the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, and the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn., after the upcoming season.
MORE FOOTBALL: A&M's Carter optimisticRubin Carter took over a troubled Florida A&M program, agreeing to a five-year deal just 18 days before practice starts.
The former Denver Broncos defensive tackle slipped on a FAMU baseball cap and promised better things for a program staggered by budget cuts and an NCAA investigation as it heads into its 100th season.
"You've got to get the hammer out and you've got to chisel at it, one swing at a time," Carter said of the obstacles he inherits.
The Rattlers struggled to a 3-8 season in 2004, playing as an independent against several Division I-A schools in a schedule retooled late in the spring following its decision to remain in the lower classification. The school will re-enter the I-AA Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference this season.
FAMU was stripped of MEAC championships from 2000 and 2001 after an investigation showed 196 NCAA rules violations throughout its athletics program.
Focus turns to 1 sportFlorida guard/forward Cornelius Ingram decided to focus on football this season and is not expected to play basketball for the Gators this fall.
Ingram, a dual-sport standout from Hawthorne, was recruited as a quarterback and is on a football scholarship, but joined the basketball team as a freshman last season after taking a redshirt year with the fotball team. But with a new coaching staff and sytem to learn, Ingramhas decided it's in his best interest to focus on one sport.
The 6-foot-4 Ingram averaged 5.7 minutes and 1.4 points in 19 regular-season games last year.
OHIO STATE: The school is investigating whether quarterback Troy Smith broke another NCAA rule when he attended a football camp sponsored by Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair this summer. NCAA rules allow players to attend educational or charitable activities as long as they don't miss class and have written permission from the school's athletic director. USF: Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese will be in attendance when USF makes its Big East debut against Louisville at Raymond James Stadium on Sept. 24.
Other sportsBASKETBALL: Former Southern Miss coach James Green was hired as men's coach at Mississippi Valley State.
GOLF: USF's Daniella Ronderos, Fernanda Rivera and Christina Jones were named to the National Golf Coaches Association All-Scholar Team.
Times staff writers Greg Auman and Antonya English contributed to this report, which used information from the Associated Press and other news organizations.