Linktastic!

The Bengals' DC, Mike Zimmer, is not afraid to call a spade a spade. Or in ex-Atlanta, current Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino's case, to call a spade a coward and an "MF." Yes, he said "MF."

Remember how hiring Gene Chizik seemed like a really, really dumb thing for Auburn to do, but now Auburn is really good? I'm at least as confused about that as everybody else.

If Oklahoma beats Missouri and Oklahoma State beats Nebraska this weekend (which I'd estimate has about a 24% chance of happening, which isn't terrible), both Oklahoma schools will be 6-0 for the first time in the history of time.

Would Texas Tech be better this year if Mike Leach were still there? Probably. (Almost certainly?)

The Big Ten's new division-tastic conference schedules may leave some schools not playing each other for four or even six years. If that happens, it means the people making the Big Ten's schedules are not good at making schedules.

And finally, I have absolutely no idea how I got to this page or even what about a third of it means (although I'm sure it's related to how Bob Stoops or somebody on his staff just stone cold makes up stuff about opposing teams insulting the Sooners), but it made me laugh.

Mega-Linktastic!

Programming note: I won't be doing a college football wrap-up this week, since I didn't get to see any of the games. If only I didn't have to work for a living!

Programming note II: I have barely begun to comb through the coverage of the Aggies' disastrous game on Saturday. Rest assured, I'm going to write it its own post.

Now on to the links!

Hear ye, hear ye! Colorado's going to the Pac-10 (Pac-12? When do we do the name changeover?) next year after all! (Probably!) I would like to speak for all of us remaining in the Big 12 when I say, "Good riddance!" (And I already re-tweeted this, but I wanted to re-reiterate Stewart Mandel's point that "No one should be more thrilled about the Colorado/2011 news than Washington State." That's as true as it is hilarious!) (And, and, here's an unrelated but delightful quote from the linked article: Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds told Orangebloods.com he'd like to see Notre Dame's sports - other than football - move from the Big East to the Big 12 if the Irish were ever unsatisfied with their current situation. Dodds has said Notre Dame could maintain its independence in football. Sources say that continues to be "a longshot." Gee, "sources," really? Thanks for that inside info.)

Speaking of Stewart Mandel, he does the college football equivalent of Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback on SI.com. I'm elevating it to Required Reading, and giving you the link here.

And to go back to conference news: I've been too busy ragging on the ACC to remember that the Big East is still even lamer than they are. The computers remembered, though! After factoring in both the computer numbers and the poll numbers, ESPN's current conference rankings have (no surprise) the SEC at the top; the Big 12, Pac-10, and Big Ten closely packed at 2, 3, and 4; and the Mountain West and the WAC comfortably ahead of, respectively, the ACC and Big East. It's mostly because the WAC has Boise State and the ACC has . . . . But the point is, don't forget that the Big East has even less.

If you thirst for more mid-major coverage, visit Dr. Saturday's column here. The part I liked best was his "Somewhat Arbitrary Mid-Major Top 10." A teaser: Boise State comes in at #2.

Have I mentioned recently how much I love Robbie Caldwell? Consider that a mention. Also, here's a video of him getting the game ball after Vandy's win over Ole Miss. Go Vandy! I *heart* your coach!

And now for NFL links!

Are the Texans now finally for real? Mike Lombardi thinks so, and I think I believe him. He also points out that Cleveland's upcoming slate of games is a murder schedule. He does not ask how many games Eric Mangini will last, but I'm asking.

If you only read one Brett Favre article this season (and I wouldn't blame you), read this one by Jason Whitlock. It poses the question of whether Favre will even finish out this season, and makes a fairly convincing case for "no." I still think Favre's biggest motivating factor at the moment is his iron man streak, but Whitlock makes some excellent points about the Vikings this season.

Those are my only NFL links. I feel like there should be more, but I get most of my articles through Twitter, and I have a very high college-to-NFL follow ratio. Does anybody have any recommendations for NFL writers I should follow on Twitter? (Note: I've tried Chris Mortenson and Peter King before, but I've found them both to tweet with more quantity than quality.)

Linktastic!

First of all, something that is not annoying: a blog written by Tony Barnhart. You may recognize Barnhart from his role as sometime-studio-analyst/sometime-man-on-the-field reporter from CBS's college football coverage. (He's the white guy with dark hair and a real thick accent.) It turns out he has A) a Twitter account (@MrCFB) B) a weekly TV show on CBS College Sports (which is one of the first shows I've gotten attached to since getting cable last week) and C) a blog on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. I like them all, so I want to link you to today's blog entry. My favorite point is where he gives props to Duke for keeping their game with Alabama at home, instead of going to a "neutral" site, where they'd get more cash but also many more 'Bama fans.

Now for one of this week's most annoying sports stories: not Reggie Bush vacating his Heisman, but the idea that Bush's Heisman to Vince Young. The only reason some sportswriters are yelling for that to happen is because they regret that they voted for Bush in the first place, when Vince Young owned him in the national championship after the award was given. Shut up, sportswriters. You don't get to use this as an excuse for a do-over. These points and many other good ones are made by "Dr. Saturday" in "Vince Young won't get Reggie Bush's Heisman, thank god". One last thing about this issue: it has always driven my dad crazy when sportscasters refer to "former Heisman trophy winners," because anyone who has won the Heisman trophy is still a Heisman trophy winner. But now, at least when people refer to Reggie Bush, "former Heisman trophy winner" will make logical sense. Hooray?

In a tie for this week's most annoying sports story is the thing about how a female TV reporter was (maybe) harrassed (for an unidentified value of harrassed) by Jets players in the Jets' locker room. This has turned into a whole deal about well, did she deserve it because she dresses scantily (it sounds like she was wearing a tight shirt and jeans, which doesn't sound professional, but doesn't sound pole-ready either), or should there even be female reporters in the locker room, and blah blah blah. Since she's not even formally complaining, it's all a mountain being made from a molehill. That's why I liked this article about what reporting from a locker room is actually like. To summarize: not sexy.

Linktastic!

Some random guy is now making a living selling custom cowbells for fans to use at football games. The internet is pretty great sometimes.

Don't forget! This weekend is the breathlessly anticipated debut of Mike Leach, studio analyst! I would put a link here, but the channel on which he is (at least supposedly) appearing, CBS College Sports, has a shockingly lackluster internet presence. (Way worse than that cowbell guy, I'm sure.) I'm not even going to link to their website, as a protest against how bad it is. I have tried to find any trace of promotion, anywhere on the internet, for Mike Leach on their channel, but nada. I wouldn't know about it if not for this tweet from SI's Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples):

Mike Lombardi almost always has interesting things to say, and this column is no exception. There's no particular theme to the article; it's more a string of intriguing tidbits. Plus, it's not every day you get to read "I am excited to see the Lions," unless of course someone is talking about actual lions.

Linktastic!

Is it the world's most incisive NFL pre-season analysis? Perhaps. It's The Onion's NFL Preview, and it's hilarious. I especially recommend the team-by-team guide.

I really wish George Lucas had let Ole Miss use Admiral Ackbar as their new Rebel mascot. That would have been delightful. Also, do you think Ackbar would have let them lose to Jacksonville State? Of course not.

Bromance: The Talk Show is coming soon to a low-rent cable station near you! I just worry that filming a show together will put a strain on their relationship.

Linktastic!

A writer at the Washington Post just rips Albert Haynesworth a new one. Even better, she contrasts Haynesworth's wussy prima-doninity with Mike Shanahan's total awesomeness. Did you know that once, Mike Shanahan was so determined to keep playing a football game that he almost died? Like, was given his last rites almost-died. This article is fantastic.

Tom Brady hates the Jets. I think that's great. Fans hate their rival teams, why shouldn't players? In this day and age, I find it downright heartwarming.

Video: A couple SI writers who are not very comfortable on camera discuss how good Oklahoma will be this year. Uncomfortable guy on the left, Andy Staples, is the only sportswriter I've seen who expresses my opinion: that it doesn't make sense that Oklahoma (or texas, for that matter) is ranked so high in the preseason polls.

Linktastic!

Pat Forde has a good piece on the pros and cons of Les Miles. Maybe it's my anti-Miles bias (he's a terrible coach), but the con side seems stronger.

Mike Leach is back in action! Or will be back in a sort of action, in the broadcast booth for games very few people will watch. I'm still excited, though. Great tidbit: he's not under any obligation to refrain from talking about Texas Tech or his firing. Of course he isn't! The Tech brass are trying to get out of paying him a dime, instead of settling (which would be their only leverage to shut Leach up). Because they're idiots.

Cris Collinsworth shares his thoughts on the 49ers. They're getting a decent amount of hype this offseason (not a Jets amount of hype, more just the "they're going to get to the next level!" kind), and Collinsworth, to my surprise, does nothing to reign it in. I'm excited that he's big on them, because I like Mike Singletary. How can you not?