This item is for discussions of college football.

The discussion will resume in the M-Net sports conference once it is
again available.  Oh, I suppose it can keep going here, too, if there is
interest, but usually M-Net has more active discussions of sports.

9 responses total.

At the start of the day today, Nebraska, Michigan and Michigan State
were tied at the top of the Legends division with 3-1 records.

Today, Michigan State narrowly beat Minnesota, 31-24.
Iowa beat Michigan, 24-16.
Northwestern, unbelievably, beat Nebraska, 28-25.

So, now Michigan State is alone at the top.  Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska
all have 3-2 records.

Today was a terrific day for Michigan State.

In the Leaders divison, Penn State is at the top with a 5-0 record. 
Ohio State and Wisconsin are next at 3-2.

Ranked Big Ten teams (USA Today first, then ESPN, then BCS):

#12 Penn State
#13/13/17 Michigan State
#14/16/18 Wisconsin
#17/19/19 Nebraska
#21/22/24 Michigan

HM: Ohio State, Iowa

2011 in the Big Ten:
 
Ohio State caught bending and breaking NCAA rules about players 
and money.  Coach fired.
 
MSU players act like thugs in the Michigan game.  No significant
penalties beyond one-game suspension.
 
Penn State AD and a University VP arrested on charges that they overlooked
reports of child rape involving a former assistant.  Even after Paterno
pushed the assistant out, the assistant still used Penn State facility
to host football camps for young boys which produced more reports of 
child rape.

Is there a point in the corruption of college football where we 
would just decide to pull the plug on the whole thing?   Right 
now, college football smells so bad that it's making MLB's steroids
era look like an era of upstanding citizenship. 

I think the smell of money overpowers the stench of corruption.

Ohio State broke numerous rules, over years, but they were relatively
minor rules violations.  Their players used their positions on the
football team to earn money, and their coaching staff covered it up and
lied about it.  Corrective actions were taken, and a coach was fired. 
That all seems right to me.

Michigan State had one player who committed unsportsmanlike penalties
and actions which looked like they were intended to hurt other players.
 I don't condone that, but it seems a lot different than the other two
cases.  The player is 19 years old, and what he did was within the game,
at least.  He was disciplined, and it seems to have changed his behavior.

The Penn State situation is horrifying.  I'm leery of even commenting,
because it seems likely we don't know much about what has happened
there.  In a way far different from the other situations, this was vile.
 The thought of *any* responsible person covering it up, or allowing it
to occur, is almost unbelievable.  A few sanctions will not do.  There
ought to be public shootings or hangings.  This wasn't mischief, and it
wasn't football related.  It was *far* more serious.  Honestly, I don't
think it should be discussed in this item.  It deserves it's own item. 
I don't think it would be much of a discussion, though.  We'd all agree
-- wouldn't we?

I'm hearing there are complaints about a bad call on a touchdown play
for the Michigan loss to Iowa.  I guess there were two calls that went
against Michigan, late in the game.  The other was what some thought
should have been a pass interference call.

It reminds me of the first time I ever heard of the Big Ten apologizing
for bad officiating.  That day, Michigan won; they beat Purdue or
Minnesota or someone.  I watched the game that day, and saw two of the
most egregiously favoring calls I've ever seen.  One took a touchdown
away from the other team, keeping the score close for Michigan.  The
other allowed Michigan to score.

There was not the slightest hint of a controversy in the Ann Arbor News,
for several days.  The Big Ten apologized for the errors in officiating,
and the story appeared on about page 5.

The comments from U-M fans on M-Net were, "Well, bad calls happen." 
Some added, "Most of them go against Michigan."  I didn't agree with
that part.

Those were the people who screamed the loudest over "Spartan Bob" and
the 26-24 loss on November 3, 2001.  Jeff Smoker to T. J. Duckett.  I
have a walking stick named Duckett because of that game.  

I didn't see the Michigan-Iowa game over the weekend.  I watched
Michigan State beat Minnesota instead.  I didn't hear about this week's
controversy until yesterday in the papers.  I've never managed to have
much sympathy for Michigan over such things.

I pretty reluctantly started item:60 in the Agora conference to discuss 
the Penn State situation.

I'm sorry if I was dismissive earlier this week.  It doesn't seem to me 
like a football story, but it's certainly an important story.  It's such 
a revolting story, I have a hard time even thinking about it.

Sports is an entertainment for me.  I yell and I jump up and down and I 
work myself into a frenzy for a big game, then when it's over I put it 
aside and do it again for the next game.  It can make or break my 
afternoon.  But that's as far as I go with it.

The Penn State stuff goes way beyond that, obviously.  It's not fun in 
any respect.  I do a lot of stuff with boys, as you all know.  Some are 
the same age as some of the boys attacked by the assistant coach.  

I want this conference to be a place to get away from those kinds of 
horrors.

I hope that's all right with everyone.

I will move any followup discussions I have to Agora.

There are a few interesting Big Ten games this week:

#17 Nebraska at #12 Penn State
This would have been a big game.  Nebraska is trying to hang on to 
contender status in the Legends division after losing it's 2nd game last 
week.  Penn State is 5-0 in the conference.  But now... does anyone care 
about the game?  Paterno has been fired in disgrace, and the crowd is 
going to be expressing anger about that.

My prediction:
Nebraska 28
Penn State 17

#13 Michigan State at HM Iowa
The Spartans have lost 7 straight games at Iowa.  Last year it was their 
only loss until the bowl game.  Iowa is down this year; their record is 
3-2 in the conference.  The Spartans can't score on the road.

My pick:
Michigan State 31
Iowa 10

#21 Michigan at Illinois
Michigan is good as long as Denard Robinson has a good game.  He's 
injury prone, though.  Illinois won their first 6, but since has lost 3.  
They had their bye week last week.

My pick:
Michigan 24
Illinois 17

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