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COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Big Ten in the driver's seat of expansion talk
MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
Delany's message to them:
Don't hold your breath.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Some of Jim Delany's fellow conference commissioners joked about attending his Wednesday briefing with reporters. They're eager to find out how the Big Ten's plans for expansion will affect the landscape of college football.
The Big Ten commissioner, taking a break from his self-imposed "silent phase," said expansion remains on the deliberate path the conference laid out in December.
"Whether it takes six months, 12 months or 18 months, hopefully we'll do it in a way that feels comfortable," Delany said. "You're not trying to find somebody you want to spend a year with. You're trying to find out who you are going to be (with) for the next 25-50 years."
Some officials here at the Bowl Championship Series meetings remain skeptical of the process taking that long to complete.
Asked about being stuck in a holding pattern for the next six months, Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson replied: "The timeline has to be a little quicker than that because everybody has exit and entrance requirements and penalties and whatnot. It's not going to be the middle of football season, I
wouldn't suspect, unless you're willing to wait till the (2011-12) season to make the changes."
A Big East school such as Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Syracuse or Connecticut would have to give 27 months' notice before leaving. The Big 12 also would impose the big financial penalties
in a senior such as Missouri or Nebraska bolted for the Big Ten. "It would be negligent not to be concerned." Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe said. After, Burke
After Beebejoked Tuesday
that he would put Delany in a headlock to pry loose some answers, Delany responded: "I'm going to keep him in front of me and rely on my quickness."
But very few answers.
"It would be negligent not to be concerned."
"The presidents have been clear," he said. "This may not happen."
Delany agreed that the prevailing sentiment among Big Ten football coaches is to expand because the majority want to extend the season by creating a conference championship game. But he left open the possibility that the league might remain at 11.
And Delany would not say whether it would be advantageous to add one, three or five teams.
"Too early," he replied.
DAN BEEBE Big 12 Commissioner
Delany also claimed that an analysis prepared for the league
by the Chicagobased investment firm William Blair & Company did not conclude that any of the five schools analyzed, Missouri, Notre Dame, Pittsburg, Syracuse, and
Rutgers _ would add value to the league, as the Tribune reported last month.
Delay said that the firm "created some evaluative tools" to help the Big Ten understand the value of its television packages and revenue streams.
Those revenue streams are the envy of college football, with the exception of the Southeastern Conference.
Even Notre Dame could boost its financial fortunes by joining the Big Ten, though Irish athletic director Jack Swarbrick reiterated Wednesday that remaining independent is the school's first priority.
MLB
Nationals benefit from another strong start, defeat Rockies 6-4
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Wil Nieves drove in the go-ahead run with a double, Ivan Rodriguez added a sacrifice fly and the Washington Nationals came back to beat Colorado 6-4 Wednesday night, staying undefeated when their starting pitcher goes at least five innings.
Washington's John Lannan allowed four runs in six innings, enough to keep the team in the game. The Nationals are 8-0 when their starter goes at least five, 0-7 when he doesn't.
Reliever Tyler Clippard (3-0) struck out three in two scoreless innings, and closer Matt Capps worked a shaky ninth before earning his seventh save in seven chances.
The game was tied entering the eighth, when Rockies reliever Rafael Betancourt (0-1) allowed a leadoff single to Josh Willingham. After an intentional walk, Nieves lined a double to left-center.
Rodriguez then came up as a pinch-hitter and padded the lead before an announced crowd of 11,191, the tiniest in three seasons at Nationals Park. It was a
tad smaller than the record low
11.623 who showed up Monday
One bit of bad news for Washington: All-Star third baseman Ryan Zimmerman left in the seventh inning after appearing to throw.
hurt his right hamstring while running out a double.
The Rockies
- wearing black patches on their sleeves in memory of team president Keli McGregor, who died this week at age 48 - built a 3-0 lead, thanks in part to Brad Hawpe's third homer of the season.
Hawpe's solo shot over the wall in center made it a three-run lead in the third.
Carlos Gonzalez tied a career high with four hits — all singles — including one leading off the game. Dexter Fowler followed with a double, and both eventually scored to make it 2.0. The Rockies then loaded the bases with two singles — one by Hawpe that clanged off Lannan's left leg — and a walk, but Clint Barnes fled out to center to end the inning. Lannan also took a shot off his right leg in the sixth.
But the Nationals came right back to take the lead with four runs in the bottom half, thanks
John Lannan allowed four runs in six innings for the Nationals. Washington is 8-0 when its starter goes at least five innings, 0-7 when he doesn't
in large part to Adam Dunn's two-run double past sprawling first baseman Jason吉 a i m b i, Willingham's RBI single, and a fielding error on Barmes at second
base that allowed Willingham to score.
Colorado tied it at 4-all on Gonzalez's run-scoring single in the fourth.
Capps had three strikeouts in the ninth, but he also made it a bit of an adventure, putting two men on base with two outs. But he caught pinch-hitter Ian Stewart looking at a final strike to end the game.
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Rockies starter Jason Hammel was far more effective than in his previous start, when he lasted only 1.2-3 innings and allowed seven runs against Atlanta. This time, he went seven innings, giving up four runs and eight hits.
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"To me, the room should be like a sideline on game day," said Rick Spielman, who has eight picks as the Vikings' vice president of player personnel. "You've done your planning. You've had all your discussions. You want there to be as little distraction as possible when you get to game day."
Months of preparation have gone into creating orderly draft rooms that hopefully can minimize mistakes, deftly maneuver the new three-day format and maximize picks as few as four (Redskins) and as many as 12 (Patriots).
Not counting what Spielman calls "the worker bees," the Vikings will have 16 people in their draft room. That includes owners Zygi and Mark Wilf, coach Brad Childress, coordinators Darrell Bevell and Leslie Frazier, seven from the scouting department including director Scott Studwell, a team doctor, vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski, director of player personnel George Paton and Spielman.
Tiny Gallon to declare for NBA draft
Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen could join Bradford as the second quarterback in the top 10, but multiple variables that include team needs, their current levels of investment in the quarterback position and questions about Clausen's ability to lead could cause him to tumble through the first round entirely.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
COLLEGE NEWS NETWORK
"War rooms" from Seattle to Miami and in between will lock down for business at 6:30 p.m. Thursday when a sputtering Rams franchise that is 6-42 in its past 48 games kicks off the 75th annual NFL draft.
The OU men's basketball team has lost yet another player, as freshman forward Keith "Tiny" Gallon announced this week that he was making himself eligible for the NBA Draft.
St. Louis probably will select Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford in hopes of landing the next Troy Aikman and not the next Tim Couch. It will be the first of 255 selections, many of which could begin shaping the NFLs Team of the 2010s or the laughingstock of the league's ninth decade.
"I had a long conversation with my mom and then with [head coach jeff] Capel, and I decided that this is the best thing for me at this time," Gallon said in a press release. "I've had a great experience
at OU, but at the same time I'm excited about my possible future in the NBA."
Gallon's departure is just the latest in a series of changes to the OU roster. Fellow freshman guard Tommy Mason-Griffin declared for the draft as well, along with sophomore guard Willie Warren.
MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
After Bradford, look for defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska and Gerald McCoy of Oklahoma to go second and third to Detroit and Tampa Bay, respectively. Then there could be a run of offensive tackles that sees Russell Okung of Oklahoma State, Bryan Bulaga of Iowa, Trent Williams of Oklahoma and Anthony Davis of Rutgers fly off the board before the 10th pick.
Gallon, a former McDonalds All-American in high school, averaged 10.3 points and 7.9 rebounds in 24 minutes per game for OU this season.
Sophomore guard Ray Willis announced his decision to transfer after the season ended.
Rams start off tonight's draft, Bradford likely pick
"I'm happy for Tiny and wish him nothing but success and luck."
Capel said in the press release. "This is something Tiny wants to do and, as I've said before, I'm not one to stand in the way of a career choice that one of my players thinks is in his best interest."
NFL
The Oklahoma Daily
Some draft rooms will be buster
than others. Some teams stock-
piled extra picks in hopes of building a powerhouse or extending one. Others already spent some of their picks heartily.
The Seahawks and 49ers each have two first-round picks, while the Bears don't pick until the third round (No. 75). The Panthers don't have a first-round pick either, but they do have a second-rounder (No. 48).
The Patriots, for example, have four of the top 53 picks, including three in the second round, while the Redskins pick fourth overall Thursday and not again until the fourth round on Saturday.
The long-suffering Browns have 10 picks, six from trades, three in the third round and a proven franchise builder in new president Mike Holmgren. The Ravens and Jets only have five picks apiece, none in the third round.
The Eagles have 10 picks, none of which will be scrutinized more closely than the second-rounder (No. 37) they received from the rival Redskins for quarterback Donovan McNabb. Six picks later, Denver gets to use the second-rounder it received from Miami in the Brandon Marshall trade.
The Buccaneers have 11 picks and multiple needs that were obvious last season. The Steelers,
meanwhile,
have 11 picks
and an dilemma unforeseen
not long ago.
Do they use this draft to replace two-time super Bowling-winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger?
He's only 28.
It takes in some cases years to determine the success or failure of a draft pick. Teams that succeed enough times in late April usually end up standing in confetti showers in early February.
The Rams have 10 picks, including the first in each round. And the defending Super Bowl champion Saints have only six picks, with no fifth-rounder and no pick higher than 31st in any round.
"When I look at Sam Bradford, I see a guy like Troy Aikman."
Jaworski likes Bradford's size and, more importantly, his willingness to deliver the ball with velocity and accuracy while knowing he's going to take a hard hit. He likens Bradford's toughness to that of Aikman, the No. 1 overall pick in 1989 who went on to win three Super Bowls and tarn a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
One thing appears certain; Bradford, a quarterback with prototypical NFL size and arm strength, will be the No. 1 pick despite coming off a shoulder injury.
"When I look at Sam Bradford, I see a guy like Troy Aikman," Jaworski said. "He's a big, statuesque quarterback in that pocket that can throw the football."
"Quality big people that can play on every down are hard to find," Gruden said. "(Suh) reminds me a little of Richard Seymour from when he was with the Patriots," Gruden said. "He's more of a two-gap player on the line of scrimmage. McCoy is more of a classic one-gap defensive tackle, a lot like (Chicago)'s Tommy Harris.
While Jaworski and other experts believe Bradford will take time to develop, the consensus is Suh and McCoy will hit the NFI ready to contribute on every down. Jon Gruden, former Super Bowl-winning coach and current FSPN analyst, said he wouldn't shy away from taking a defensive tackle in the top two or three spots in the draft.
"That's the one big question mark," said former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski. "But if you can say, 'OK, he's healthy, he's fine,' then he's your No. 1 overall pick."
but he's also troubled, on the trading block and, as of Wednesday, suspended for six games for violating the league's personal conduct policy.
RON JAWORSKI
Former NFL quarterback
and current ESPN NFL analyst
"People accuse me of like all the quarterbacks and being Johnny Positive," Gruden said. "But if you don't like Colt McCoy then you probably didn't like Drew Brees coming out of Purdue either."
who came out of Oklahoma a few years earlier."
Al though most of the predraft attention is on the first round, the draft traditionally produces hidden gems throughout the
later rounds that are revealed over time (see Tom Brady, 199th pick in 2000). Some experts are thinking Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, a far more successful college player than Brady, could be a steal when the second and third rounds begin Friday night.
"That's the one thing that drives me through this," Spielman said. "I want to have a ring on my finger."
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MLB
NEW YORK — Carlos Silva added six crisp innings to his surprising comeback, Alfonso Soriano hit a two-run homer and the Chicago Cubs beat the New York Mets 9-3 on Wednesday night to snap a four-game skid.
Cubs end four-game skid with win in NY
Silva (2-0) used his heavy sinker to put together his third straight quality start, yielding one run and two hits. He has allowed two earned runs in 19 innings for a microscopic 0.95 ERA in his first year with Chicago after two rocky seasons in Seattle.
Associated Press