Mark Cuban apparently spoke with Oregon and TCU about holding a plus-one game to determine a national champion and neither school was against the idea:
"The schools, on an off the record basis, were not opposed to it," Cuban wrote. "They didn't come out and agree to it, but they certainly were not opposed to the idea. The problem? It wasn't money. The problem was that when we asked anyone who could know whether or not the NCAA would approve another game , a +plus one playoff game, the response was unanimous, and I'm paraphrasing here "There is no way in hell the NCAA would approve a +1 playoff game between any two teams. There is no way TCU vs anyone could happen."
Cuban added: "We projected that there would be about $50mm available to the schools. But it wasn't a question of money. It was a question of yes or no from the NCAA. We decided it was better not to actually pop the question to the NCAA. We decided to rethink the question of whether or not there should be a BCS playoff."
What a game that would be TCU vs. Auburn, but alas we will never know.
Alabama and Oklahoma are the early favorites to win the BCS title, and here is the top 10 list:
Oklahoma 7/2
Alabama 15/2
Florida State 10/1
Boise State 12/1
LSU 12/1
Oregon 14/1
Florida 15/1
Nebraska 18/1
Penn State 20/1
TCU 20/1
Brady Hoke and his agent haggled over his buyout about his new contract he agreed to on Dec. 6th with San Diego State:
The buyout became an issue after SDSU announced Dec. 6 that it was giving Hoke a new contract with two more years, a bigger salary and a new buyout. The buyout in his current contract decreased from $1.5 million to $1 million on Dec. 15. Sterk said Dec. 6 that Hoke's new contract would keep the buyout at $1.5 million for another year. But because Hoke never signed the new deal, the old contract - and $1 million buyout - remains in effect.
Details on new San Diego State head coach Rocky Long's contract:
Long's salary will be guaranteed at $800,000 per year, plus incentives. His buyout will start at $1.5 million.
Hoke made a guaranteed $675,000 his first two seasons at SDSU and was scheduled to make $700,000 this season.
Long also said this would be his last coaching job and would not mind coaching as long as Penn State's Joe Paterno.
With Duke's loss to Florida State coupled with San Diego State's win over UNLV could push the Aztecs in the top five.
BYU's Jimmer Fredette came third in an AnnArbor.com mid season player of the year vote:
Fredette has eclipsed 25 points in seven of his past nine games culminating in Tuesday night's 47-point explosion in a thrashing of rival Utah. Neither Sullinger nor Smith have been quite that flashy, but the Ohio State freshman has emerged as the nation's top freshman and best back-to-the-basket big man while the Duke senior has thrived as a scoring guard since Kyrie Irving's injury.
Yahoo's Jeff Eisenberg believes Fredette is a legitimate player of the year candidate with his most recent performance:
Fredette deserved an ovation from friend and foe alike Tuesday after a performance worthy of a bonafide national player of the year candidate. He scored a season-high 47 points on efficient 16 of 28 shooting, leading the 10th-ranked Cougars to a 104-79 demolition of their in-state rivals.
Utah has reportedly hired Norm Chow as their offensive coordinator:
On experience and resume alone, Chow brings more clout to the program than any past hire in Utah athletic history. He's won three national titles (two at SC and one at BYU), coached countless successful quarterbacks from Steve Young to Matt Leinart and produced some of the nation's most potent offenses throughout his long and storied offensive career.
Wyoming just lost their defensive line coach to Indiana where he will coach the same position:
Montgomery is expected to coach the Defensive Ends at Indiana and moving up to a Big 10 program brings with it more perks and I'm sure a larger paycheck. Kevin Wilson just took over for the Hoosiers and is building his staff there.
UNLV is trying to offset the $7 million in state funds the school will be losing once the state cuts off most -- if not all -- of their monetary support to the Rebels:
That’s part of the logic behind Director of Athletics Jim Livengood making the details of his $26 to $27 million budget available to the public later this month. A copy of the department’s finances — with everything from gains and losses, salaries and expenses, and fundraising figures — will be posted on the department’s website and mailed to donors. Livengood, who was hired in December 2009, plans on making good on his goal of operating the department without $7 million in state support it receives annually.
Giving the public access to information about where funds are spent is a critical part of the process, he said. While raising at least $7 million more annually is easier said than done -- and something that is years away -- it's an attainable goal, Livengood said. "We set some aggressive goals and we are right on target to meet those goals," Livengood said