2010 College Football Preview: Pac-10

Out of all the conferences, the Pac-10 is the conference with the most questions heading into the 2010 season.

The Pac-10 attempted to add half the Big XII to their conference, swung and missed, and instead added Utah and Colorado. If that craziness wasn't enough, two of the top Pac-10 programs were either hit by NCAA sanctions or lost key players to suspension or kicked off the team.

Oregon first suspended All-American quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and then eventually kicked Masoli off the team after another arrest. Masoli of course eventually transferred to Ole Miss. While Oregon are still the favorites to win their conference, they lost a lot in Masoli. Masoli's athleticism was the perfect fit for that Oregon Spread-Option offense. Their offense no matter how talent it is will take a hit without Masoli.

Chip Kelly will announce between Nate Costa and Darron Thomas who will be the starting quarterback on Saturday. No matter who the quarterback is for Oregon, they still have an loaded offense. LaMichael James returns after an outstanding Freshman season and he gets to run the ball behind an offensive line that returns every starter from last season's Rose Bowl team. The defense returns eight starters all of them with great speed. Despite the loss of Masoli, Oregon is still a very talented team just not a National Championship caliber of a team.

The Links

Nelly Furtado to start off the week...... USA! USA! USA!...... Martin Brodeur is taking the brunt of the blame for Canada's loss...... Who knew Brian Rafalski was a scoring machine?...... Canadians are not too happy this mourning...... I'm proud to be an arrogant American today...... What went wrong Democrats?...... Bode Miller finally won a Gold medal...... Canada is also doing poorly in the medal count...... I didn't like 'Shutter Island' but it made a lot of money this weekend

Day 11 Olympic schedule (SB Nation)

How has "own the podium" worked for Canada? (CNBC)

Ryan Miller was quite impressive last night in goal (Seattle Times)

Chip Kelly has lost control of Oregon (The Oregonian)

Tebow won't throw at the Combine (Fanhouse)

The Arena Football League is back! (Kegeratornation)

Steve Lavin knows: Blogs are watching (Larry Brown Sports)

A 7-way tie for the Pac-10 title is still possible (Jake's Take on Sports)

A fan died after being hit by debris at a NHRA race (USA Today)

Interesting read on how Obama is losing the people who voted for him (Althouse)

On the 30th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice, I present to you a little kid who memorized Herb Brooks' speech before the USA-Soviet game

The Links

Emmy Rossum to start the mourning...... Nice win by Vanderbilt over Tennessee...... All charges dropped against Rams running back Steven Jackson...... The Astros jinxed themselves by signing so many former Phillies...... Colin Cowherd is now pissing off Denver Bronco fans...... Ellen made her debut last night on 'American Idol'...... Are you ready for 'Mission Impossible: 4'?....... Suck it Grant Napear...... A TV show got freaky in Australia..... This will certainly help Illinois' chances of making the tournament

Hal McRae, Racism, and the disputed 1976 batting title (Royals Review)

A case for Sam Bradford going first overall in the NFL draft (Mocking the Draft)

Story behind NCAA violations in Arizona basketball program (SI)

Tim Tebow: A Indianapolis Colt? (CBS Sports)

ABC affiliates not happy with ESPN taking all the good sports (Sporting Blog)

Kevin Durant sure is a nice guy (True Hoop)

Fans find religion on Bourbon Street (Miami Herald)

Pac-10 considers becoming Pac-12 (SF Chronicle)

Do not try this at home! (With Leather)

The Links

Brooklyn Decker on Location..... A look at the history of the K-1 kickboxing league..... A look at a possible NBA lockout...... How awesome would it be if Lebron was on your team?....... A look at how the Phillies could be even better this year..... Would Torry Holt fit in well with the Bears?...... Omri Casspi to compete in the H.O.R.S.E. competition during All-Star weekend..... The number 1 college football recruit is still on the market...... Charlie Sheen charge with assaulting his wife..... I will now stop drinking soda's

Because it's never too early to start projecting the upcoming baseball season (MLB Daily Dish)

What would be your at-bat music? (Babes Love Baseball)

Bud Selig to be honored with a statue at Miller Park. Seagulls immediately start dive bombing (Fanhouse)

What a wild decade for the Super Bowl (Sportz Assassin)

The Pac-10 Network on it's way? (The Wiz of Odds)

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue came out today. Brooklyn Decker is on the cover and Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn is in the issue (SI)

Tim Lincecum has the right attitude on dealing with arbitration. He smokes a lot of pot.....(SF Chronicle)

An awesome interview with the authors of the book, Black Ice: The Lost History of the Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes, 1895-1925.(The Copper & Blue)

The Flyers Jeff Carter laid this brutal hit on Anssi Salmela of the Devils. It was a clean hit but a little late (SB Nation)

Conference Tournament Open Thread

I will be in and out today so I am posting an open thread for today.

The main games being played today are:

ACC Quarterfinals

Big Ten Quarterfinals

Big East Semifinals

Pac-10 Semifinals

Patriot League Championship

Please leave your comments on today's action.

Updated, 11:08: North Carolina has just snuck by Virginia Tech with the help of the refs. The ACC refs just flat out stink. This loss though will knock Tech into the NIT.

Updated, 11:12: Michigan St. has gotten by Michigan. The most shocking thing of this game is a Big Ten team reached the 60 point plateau.

Updated, 11:29: A shocker! Jeanine Edwards is at the ACC tournament and not at the SEC tournament making Billy Gillispie mad. ESPN might have finally learned.

Updated, 1:42: Florida St. needed every second to beat Georgia Tech. And the good news for them. They play North Carolina tomorrow, should be fun for them.

Updated, 1:46: Ohio St. escapes with a win against Wisconsin. They play Michigan St. next. The most shocking part of the game, Brent Musberger saying the Big Ten could have eight teams in the tourney. Yes! Eight teams! I don't know if Brent was drinking already, but that would be crazy if the Big Ten gets eight teams in the tourney. I could make a case for Michigan St. Illinois, Purdue, and Penn St. but no one else. Brent needs to lay off the Johnnie Walker so early in the day.

Pac-10 Tournament Open Thread

Here is an open thread for the Quarterfinals of the Pac-10 tournament.

The games today are on FSN. Here's the schedule.

Game 3
No. 4 Arizona State vs. No. 5 Arizona
12 p.m.
Box Score -->

Game 4
No. 1 Washington vs. No. 9 Stanford
2:30 p.m.
Box Score -->

Game 5
No. 3 California vs. No. 6 USC
6 p.m.
Box Score -->

Game 6
No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 7 Washington St.
8:30 p.m.

The Washington-Stanford game should be interesting. Also there is an live blog of the Big East quarterfinals here.

Should be a fun day. Please leave comments.

Pac-10 Tournament Open Thread

Because the Pac-10 has no respect for themselves, their tournament is on a channel that most people can't find or it's not on in their area. If the WCC can have their tournament on ESPN, why can't the Pac-10? Oh, that's right their commissioner Tom Hansen is horrible.

Let me cool off for a second. This issue is a touchy one for me.

Anyways if you can find the channel or live in the area to watch the Pac-10 tournament, here is an open thread for you.

Tonight's games are:

Oregon St. vs. Stanford @ 9pm est., 6pm wst.

Oregon vs. Washington St. @ 11:30pm est., 8:30 wst.

They are on Fox Sports Net or Comcast Sports Net or any other remote channel out there.

The winners of these games face off against either Washington or UCLA tomorrow.

If you feel like watching them, here is an open thread.

Links

T.O. has been released by the Cowboys... Manny is selling his condo in Boston... Mike Anderson has done a great job at Missouri.... GM might have to file for Chapter 11 just to survive.... When the economy is down, shop Wal-Mart.... Michael Jackson to make a comeback?.... Chimp attack victim could get a face transplant.... China lost to Japan to start the WBC... Alyssa Milano is a good way to start the mourning

- Michael Strahan is a little paranoid (Awful Announcing)

- Goodyear vs. NASCAR drivers (AL.com)

- Redskins are not interested in T.O. (PFT)

- NCAA teams whose tourney bubbles have bursted (Fanhouse)

- Shaq blasted Van Gundy, video at the bottom (Arizona Republic)

- A-Rod out until May (Deadspin)

- Sports by Brooks asks you to help a girl with "aggressive" leukemia

- The Pac-10, Big Ten, and Rose Bowl holding up college football from ever getting a playoff (CBSsports.com)

- The Dodgers may have Manny, but they don't have pitching (LA Times)

- The Honda Classic brings a smile to Ernie Els (Miami Hearald)

- Chris Brown is due in court today (MTVnews.com)

- The Beatles: Rock Band will be coming out soon (USA Today)

Here is a mock video of Shaq responding to Stan Van Gundy

Condi Rice The New Pac-10 Commissioner?

Condoleezza Rice could be the next Pac-10 commissioner? No I am serious.

The former Secretary of State has thrown her name in the pool to replace outgoing commissioner Tom Hansen.

She has returned to Stanford as a political science professor.

Condi would be a great replacement for Hansen. The Pac-10 is stuck in very old ways. They play most of their games on Fox Sports West and the rest of the nation has a hard time seeing the games. This is one reason why USC didn't play in the national championship game this year. Also she could provide us something we all want. A college football playoff.

Hansen and the Pac-10 have been holding the rest of the nation hostage to the BCS for years now. Hansen has been afraid that with a playoff, a Pac-10 team wouldn't be represented in the Rose Bowl.

This could be change we all want.

Arizona Not In the NCAA Tournament?

So can you guess what college basketball team that has the longest NCAA tournament streak. No its not North Carolina, or Duke, or UCLA, no it's Arizona. And their streak of 24 straight tournament appearances could come to an end after this year.

Arizona's season actually ended last season. Last year, legendary coach Lute Olson took the season off to deal with some personal issues. Kevin O'Neil took over the program and led them to the NCAA tournament. O'Neil was promised the job after Olson decided to call it quits for good. Olson came back and promptly told O'Neil to take a hike. Then before this season started Olson unexpectedly retried and Arizona had to name Russ Pennell the interim coach. Since then Arizona lost all their future recruits and they look like they won't make the tournament this season.

Anthony Gimino of the Tuscon Citizen, breaks down how Arizona will miss the post season.

Gimino writes: "Arizona made the NCAAs last season with an 8-10 Pac-10 record, saved by a strength of schedule that was nearly the toughest in the country. UA's middling schedule strength won't come to the rescue this season. UA, at minimum, has to be 10-8 in the conference."

He adds: "Do the math: From here, the Wildcats have to dispatch Houston on Saturday in their final non conference game and then go 8-3 in the conference the rest of the way."

Gimino goes on to say that Arizona's toughest road schedule is out of the way, but they would need a miracle to get in the tournament.

Arizona has a lot of rebuilding to do. They need a coach to replace Olson and start bringing in the type of talent Olson would bring in. I don't expect Arizona in the tournament for a while but they can recover.

"But 19 games into the season, UA can't keep merely talking about reaching for the sky, about getting better. If it hasn't happened yet, it's probably too late."