Will Luke Fickel become the next Bill Lynch in the Big Ten Conference?

The circumstances are completely different. The Ohio State University is in trouble with the NCAA and many have said that Jim Tressel had to go in Columbus.

News in: Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel resigns

Yes, it's Memorial Day, but in Columbus, it's the day that Tressel said "goodbye" to one of the prime jobs in all of College Football.

So, will Luke Fickel be the next Bill Lynch and take the interim tag to head coach, as Lynch did at Indiana, after the death of former IU coach Terry Hoeppner? Lynch replaced Hoeppner in 2007, leading IU to a 7-6 season. Lynch was dismissed, after the 2010 season though, when IU lost for the third straight year.

Some call for the Death Penalty for Ohio State. However, that would be terrible for College Football, especially the Big Ten Conference. How did the Southwest Conference fare the demise of SMU? Ohio State's ills are not good for the conference, but OSU is not SMU either, and the conference's most consistent program just took a hit.

Luke Fickel will likely wear the interim tag for the 2011 season. The 2011 Big Ten conference race just opened up even more, with the six-time defending champions of the conference joining the ranks of Michigan, Indiana and Minnesota welcoming a new coach for the 2011 season.

The 2011 Big Ten season will certainly be an interesting one.

• Nebraska joins Big Ten and conference will host first ever Big Ten title game


• Legends and Leaders


• Michigan hires Brady Hoke to replace


• Indiana hires Kevin Wilson, most recently OC at Oklahoma


• Minnesota hires Jerry Kill, most recently NIU's head coach


• Luke Fickel moves from five game interim coach to 2011 interim coach, upon news of Tressel's resignation in Columbus for Ohio State

It's Memorial Day ... the 2011 Big Ten season just got a little more interesting!

peace

The American Youth are failing to garner the fundamentals of once American dominating sport: Basketball

The Wall Street Journal featured an article on June 27, 2009 titled American Kids Flunk Basketball 101 As AAU Leagues Dominate, Basic Skills Decline; Mr. Beasley Decides to Speak Out ...

The article points out Michael Beasley of the Miami Heat. The NBA player finally conceded a fundamental flaw: No one, at any level in his basketball career, had asked him to play defense. And especially not in AAU.

“If you’re playing defense in AAU, you don’t need to be playing,” he says. “I’ve
honestly never seen anyone play defense in AAU.” - Michael Beasley

The NBA is seeing the fundamental game decline. Throw in the fact there is no real minor league and athletes don't want to spend developmental time in the college ranks... the game is on the decline in many respects.

peace

Jeff Sagarin NCAA football ratings says: OU vs. Ohio State

Who are the right final two teams for this year's BCS Championship Game?

I think the time is right for a Plus One format to be introduced, but who should be in this year's BCS Title Game?

It's likely Ohio State, but who should they play?

Jeff Sagarin says OU is #1, with the Buckeyes #2.

Oklahoma Sooners 11-2 (7-2) vs. Ohio State Buckeyes 11-1 (7-1) would be an entertaining match up.

OU Coach Bob Stoops played his college football in the Big Ten (Iowa) and is a native and high school product of the State of Ohio.

peace

Rose Bowl should always be for Champions

The 2007 College Football season has shown the BCS needs to be changed, once again.

USC and Ohio State should be facing one another in the 2008 Rose Bowl. Champions of the conferences should face one another each.

Ohio State will go to the BCS Championship, most likely, after Black Saturday for teams like West Virginia, Missouri and others throughout the season.

The BCS should be about #1 vs. #2 only. We need to get back the traditional bowl system, with a plus one game, with the final #1 vs. #2 in that one final game. The BCS Championship Game shouldn't eliminate the Big Ten or Pac Ten champion playing in the Rose Bowl in any year.

The Rose Bowl should be for the Champions of the Big Ten and Pac Ten. The Fiesta would likely have the Big 12 Champion, the Sugar would have the SEC and so forth.

A plus one system would eliminate a team coming off a loss from playing in the BCS Championship. It would allow everyone to play a bowl game, win in that bowl game, and than the final #1 vs. #2 always being two teams that are coming off a win.

It won't happen this year, but the '08 season should get back to traditional champions and a Plus One System. Make it happen BCS!

peace

USC clearly is #1 entering the Preseason

USC is the consensus #1 pick entering the NCAA Football season in 2007.

Beyond USC, I don't see a consensus for #2 through #5. Has there been a weaker group of 2, 3, 4, and 5 ever in College Football?

After watching Texas in 2006, it's hard to see LSU a clear candidate, with JaMarcus Russell gone and with the Oakland Raiders in the NFL? Will this really be LSU Coach Les Miles' year?

West Virginia has a very solid coach in Rich Rodriquez. They are clearly rejoicing that he turned down the Bama job. WVU is close to being a consensus pick for #1 in the Big East in 2007? With Phil Steele's 45th rated difficult schedule, maybe the Mountaineers are worthy, but I have a hard time putting them too high.

What about Michigan from the Big Ten? Can they beat Ohio State, despite the losses the Buckeyes will have to overcome in '07? Defense wins championships and the Wolverine defense have some players to replace, from a team that still seems to underachieve at times under Coach Lloyd Carr. Michigan last won a share of the MNC ten years ago in 1997. The fans in Ann Arbor are likely a little restless.

Texas has a nice young QB in Colt McCoy, but which Longhorn team will we see in 2007? The team that beat OU 28-10 or the team that lost at K-State 42-45 and at home vs. A&M 7-12? Nebraska narrowly missed upsetting the Longhorns too 22-20 in Lincoln and Iowa gave the Longhorns a scare in the Alamo Bowl 26-24 to close out 2006.

Where do the defending national champs figure in 2007? The Florida Gators were impressive in last year's BCS Championship vs. Ohio State 41-14. Coach Urban Meyer and the Gators will have to replace 5 starters on offense and 9 on defense and there #1 PK and Punter. Not an automatic resume for the Top 5 again.

No one currently see Virginia Tech in the Top 5, but the Hokies appear to be a Top 10 team and the best team likely in the ACC this fall.

Some like Wisconsin coming out of the Big Ten. The Badgers under second year coach Bret Bielema haven't visited a BCS bowl, since 1999, so are they ready for there first BCS coming out party this decade?

Louisville appears to be the highest rated team with a new head coach, with Steve Kragthorpe moving over from the University of Tulsa. They clearly are not a Top 5 candidate at this point, but return a talented QB in senior Brian Brohm.

Oklahoma and head coach Bob Stoops are always a popular choice for the Top 5. They will have to find a new QB again. They didn't finish '06 on top, with a surprise upset by mid-major Boise State in an exciting finish in the BCS Fiesta Bowl 42-43.

Tennessee and TCU are getting some props as a possible Top 10 team, but a Top 5 candidate clearly not.

It seems ever so clear, that beyond USC, there is no clear cut team. Parity appears par for the course in 2007 again.

It should be interesting 2007 NCAA Football campaign this season, after USC. Of course, when it comes to college football, clearly expect the unexpected. The conference races should be outstanding with many clearly a toss up this fall. We all remember that Ohio State vs. USC appeared to be on the horizon for the 2007 BCS Championship Game, then defeat was sprung on the Trojans and it turned out to be a different championship game.

More in 2007... we will see later on!

peace