#10: The start of the Cal vs USC football game was delayed slightly last Saturday because of protestors on the Memorial Stadium field. They were taken off the field in handcuffs and onto jail, according to campus police. (link)
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#9: In a 90-minute call with Big Ten football coaches and league commissioner Tony Petitti, a “vast majority” of the coaches “expressed their frustrations with the ongoing signal-stealing investigation at Michigan,” according to ESPN. Wolverines HC Jim Harbaugh was on the call for the 60-minute, regularly scheduled portion, but exited before the 30 minute discussion of the NCAA’s investigation into UM. One source to ESPN: “Collectively, the coaches want the Big Ten to act -- right now. What are we waiting on? We know what happened.” (link)
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#8: Clemson Football HC Dabo Swinney didn’t hold back in his response to a caller who asked about Swinney’s $11.5M salary amid a 4-4 season. Swinney pointed out the Tigers experienced 12 consecutive seasons of 10+ wins and won two national titles in seven years after a 35-year drought. “This a bad year, and it's my responsibility. I take 100% responsibility for it, but all this bullcrap you're thinking, all these narratives you read – listen, man, you can have your opinion all you want and you can apply for the job and good luck to you. But to answer your question, we're second in draft picks, we've graduated 98% of our guys. … What’s happened at Clemson is we’ve won so much that it used to be the fun’s in the winning. Now even when you win people like you complain and criticize the coaches and question everything. It’s people like you. … I'm sure you've never made any bad decisions. I'm sure you've lived a perfect life. I'm sure you've you've led a bunch of people…so to answer your question I started as the lowest paid coach in this freaking business, and I'm where I am because I've worked my ass off every single day, and I ain't going to let some smart-ass kid get on this phone and create this stuff. So, if you’ve got a problem with it, I don't care. I work for the board of trustees, the president and the AD, and if they're tired of me leading this program, all they got to do is let me know. I'll go somewhere else where there is an appreciation.” Full response. (link)
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#7: The parents of late Northwestern State Football student-athlete Ronald Caldwell Jr. indicate they may file lawsuits against the university, former HC Brad Laird & the apartment complex where Caldwell Jr. was shot. A member of the Caldwell family’s legal team: “I’ve never seen a school cancel a season and a coach resign because of something like this. This is a strange situation. There are a lot of unanswered questions, so we want to get to the bottom of this.” More on the events that led to Caldwell Jr.’s passing. (link)
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#6: MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher: “I am surprised and disappointed in the action announced today by the NIT Board of Managers. To make such a substantive change to the NIT Structure without providing a satisfactory explanation or building the foundations of such a change is troubling and leaves student-athletes, coaches and fans in a state of uncertainty.” (link)
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#5: Clemson tops USA Today columnist Dan Wolken’s Week 9 Misery Index after the Tigers’ football loss to NC State on Saturday. Wolken: “Clemson’s issues are pretty simple: They aren’t that talented. … Is that a result of NIL making it easier for non-traditional schools to compete for talent? Is it Swinney’s reluctance to fill roster holes by using the transfer portal? Did Clemson’s knack for finding hidden gems in recruiting just dry up overnight? It’s probably all of that, along with some arrogance and a failure to recognize how quickly the sport was changing around them. But there’s no mistaking it now: After a couple seasons where they were still good but clearly trending in the wrong direction, the Clemson program Swinney built is really broken.” Also in the index: Maryland, Pittsburgh, Houston and Baylor.(link)
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#4: LSU Assoc. AD of NIL & Strategic Initiatives Taylor Jacobs in remarks to the Baton Rouge Press Club predicted there is a “90% chance” that House v. NCAA will be adjudicated in the plaintiffs’ favor and worries that a revenue-sharing model could result in staff reductions across college sports. “As a former women’s tennis player, it hurts my heart a little bit because I feel like we are going to see the loss of sports. You’re going to see smaller colleges not be able to sustain that model.” LSU, Jacobs says, is currently discussing how and where costs will have to be cut in the case of that eventuality. “Does it come from salaries of the employees? Are we going to create much smaller staffs within the athletic department? Where are we going to cut back on what we’re providing for student athletes? … Obviously, coach’s contracts come into play when you’re having that conversation.” (link)
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#3: Have a look at LSU’s brand new women’s basketball locker room/players’ lounge. (link) |
#2: Add to BYU AD Tom Holmoe’s impressive list of Halloween costumes one Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, complete with Elder Wand. (link) |
#1: San Diego AD Bill McGillis has resigned after six-plus years leading the Toreros, per Action Network's Brett McMurphy. (link) |
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