Scott Coker talks the Zuffa purchase, Barnett, TV and more

CHICAGO -- During a short trip through Chicago, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker energetically promoted the upcoming bout with Fedor Emelianenko and Dan Henderson. Much has changed for Coker since Zuffa, the UFC's holding company, purchased Strikeforce, but not the pride he shows in his fighters.

He said that the transition since the Zuffa purchase has been smooth, and that Zuffa's resources have been a huge help moving forward.

"We were running a national fight company with 12 people on staff, and a lot of contractors. With the Zuffa operation, they have 150 people in the Vegas office, and 50 worldwide. They have 200 personnel that you have access to, and are very good at what they do."

But he can't help but reflect upon what he and a small band of Strikeforce staff built over the years, and be proud.

"We're proud of that. For the team that we had, to put on the fights that we did. It was pretty impressive. It was a testament to the people who worked for us. It was a lot of stress and 16-hour days. It's bittersweet. It's like, your baby. You founded it when it was kickboxing league on ESPN in '92. It will be a great thing for the fighters because I think eventually they'll all be able to fight each other. At the end of the day, I know it's in good hands, and I feel a little relief in that."

Coker is excited about the match-up between UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and Strikeforce welterweight champ Nick Diaz, and made it clear that he was cheering on Diaz. He wants to see more Strikeforce champ vs. UFC champ match-ups.

"It's a good possibility that those will happen eventually. As a fan, I would like them to happen. These are fights that could be big pay-per-views. In my opinion, Gilbert's the no. 1 lightweight in the world. Gil vs. Frankie Edgar? What a great fight!"

Television, Barnett and Carano

One of the defining marks of Strikeforce is their presence on Showtime and CBS, which is a relationship that can continue on for much longer if both Zuffa and Showtime agree.

"The Showtime relationship is healthy. It's going to be a ratings and subscriber-based decision. Are we still going to drive the subscriptions to Showtime? And I think we have. We've helped them build their younger demographic and we've had great ratings and great fights. That's what the network will base it off of."

The last time Strikeforce appeared on CBS, Jason "Mayhem" Miller jumped into the cage and touched off a melee with Jake Shields' corner that gave the sport a black eye. Coker hasn't given up hope on a return to network television.

"CBS is still out there. It's going to be the matter of getting the right card to them. The Mayhem Miller thing didn't help. It's a much bigger issue than you might have imagined. It was definitely an issue. It took months to get resolved."

But for the next planned events, it's Showtime. Josh Barnett, a fighter who has had licensing issues in the past, will fight at Strikeforce's June 18 card in Dallas. Though he was not licensed at the time of Coker's interview, Coker doesn't anticipate a problem.

"He has to get licensed with the state, and he's getting his bloodwork in, his testing in, his paperwork done. You can only get the bloodwork done within 30 days of the fight. That's how the process works. We had a conversation with Josh a few weeks ago, saying what needs to be done, and he's been doing it. He has to clear his medicals, but we're not foreseeing any issues."

Another Strikeforce star, Gina Carano, had to pull off that card because of medical issues. Coker said he would open to having her on the July 30 card, but doesn't know what her timetable is.

"I know she was scheduled to do more testing. I heard her doctor wouldn't clear her to fight. it's the same doctor who cleared her two weeks ago."

The future for Henderson and more

One of Coker's best-known achievements was signing Dan Henderson away from the UFC. Hendo's bout with Emelianenko on July 30 is the last bout on that contract, but both Coker and Henderson expect for him to stay put.

"Are you going to show me the money?" Henderson said with a smile.

"Dan's a legend in the sport. He's paid his dues. The last deal, I think it was a fair deal," Coker said.

"I wasn't complaining. It pulled me away from the UFC, which was kind of a security blanket at the time, and I've been happy," Henderson said.

"How often does a free-agent like Dan or Fedor come along?" Coker added.

Coker expects that the Zuffa purchase of Strikeforce means that the promotions will both generate more money, and that means better paydays for all fighters, not just the big names at the top of the card.

"When there's more revenue, there's more revenue to share. Even though the sale happened, athletes will still make more than the year before. And they have no problem asking for it," Coker said.

Henderson wasn't so easily convinced that the purchase is good for fighters.

"It does make me nervous, because I don't know yet. Originally, I didn't feel like it was the best thing for a lot of the up and comer things. They don't have any drawing power to bargain with," Henderson said.

"I agree with Dan that the perception could be that, but Challengers is still going to be there. The Ultimate Fight Nights, Ultimate Fighter finales will still be there. Strikeforce and UFC combined are probably doing about 55, 60 shows a year. It's creating a lot of jobs for a lot of fighters," Coker said.

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Bisping interview: The Brit is glad to be back, but far from thrilled with Miller choice

It's been a while since we've seen Michael Bisping. For many, the last memory is him spitting at a cornerman following his destruction of Jorge Rivera at UFC 127.

Bisping has returned to the UFC and was given a plum spot on Season 14 of "The Ultimate Fighter." As taping for TUF 14 began last week in Las Vegas, Spike allowed media members to speak with Bisping (video-NSFW).

The Brit traveled a rocky road after UFC 127. Many around the sport wanted the Brit to suffer a steep penalty for his actions. When pressed about his critics, Bisping was predictably outspoken.

"Those guys need to get a [expletive] grip on themselves, I apologized to Jorge Rivera and his camp for spitting on the floor because that's not the way I should've been acting," Bisping said. "I'm yet to hear an apology from him for insinuating that my girlfriend has chlamydia and all the other [expletive] he talked about. I was man enough to do that, he wasn't. Next question!"

Bisping defended his actions towards Rivera cornerman Matt Phinney.

"It wasn't a spitting incident. I spat on the floor because the guy was talking about my family and if i talked [expletive] about your family, I'd expect you to spit on the floor and show contempt for me as well," Bisping said. "The guy's an absolute piece of [expletive]� and that's what I think and that's what I showed him."

Bisping is ready to move on against another antagonist in Jason Miller. Miller is a pretty accomplished middleweight and recently crossed over as a television star with his show "Bully Beatdown" on MTV. That said, a lot of MMA fans aren't familiar with Miller because he was fighting outside the UFC and that concerns Bisping.

"I can understand it, he got a bit of a crossover but I wasn't overly thrilled that he's going to be my next fight," Bisping, who was hoping for Chael Sonnen or another well known 185-pound contender in the UFC.

Bisping also knows Miller is a rough fight.

"I'm not underestimating him. I'm not saying he's a lesser fighter than me, but in term of world rankings and getting a title shot, I don't think he's going to progress me in my career," Bisping said. "He's a very tough fight and in some ways a bad matchup because I'm going to be expected to beat him. He's obviously looking to make a name on my back."

Miller and Bisping will meet on Spike at the TUF 14 Finale in December. Miller has won seven of his last 10 fights. The only blips on his resume are a disqualification against Ronaldo Souza and a decision losses to Souza and Jake Shields. That's two of the top submission artists in all of mixed martial arts.

Samaire Armstrong Selita Ebanks Michael Michele Marisa Tomei Shannyn Sossamon

Overeem a huge favorite this week, Couture is picking Werdum

With 10-of-12 favorites winning, UFC 131 was a great night for chalk bettors. Off-shore sportsbook Bodog released the news that two of its players cashed big plays.

One bettor nailed a $200 12-fight parlay, good for $51,547. Another bettor cashed a 10-teamer for $32,000. That's a helluva job, but it took a little luck. Darren Elkins, who many people thought got a gift decision against Michihiro Omigawa, was part of the 12-teamer.

Will the squares cash in again this Saturday at the Strikeforce event? The Strikeforce heavyweight Grand Prix clashes are very one-sided on the betting boards. Alistair Overeen is a massive minus-300 favorite over Fabricio Werdum while Josh Barnett is minus-350 to beat Brett Rogers.

Former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champ Randy Couture likes Werdum.

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Mr. Westwood: good news and bad news. Good: you’re -5 after Saturday at the U.S. Open. Bad …

If you'd told Lee Westwood any time before this weekend that he'd be -5 heading into Sunday at the U.S. Open, he'd have been giddy beyond measure. If you'd told him he'd be in second place, he'd probably still be OK with that. After all, this is the U.S. Open; how far ahead could somebody else be? I mean, it's not like somebody would be in double figures below par on Saturday, right? Right ... ?

You've got to feel for Westwood; the guy slaves for years to play at the elite level, and then when he gets there, he can't quite close the deal. He was the last man out in two of the most famous two-man golf battles in the recent past: the Tiger Woods/Rocco Mediate U.S. Open battle at Torrey Pines in 2008 and the Tom Watson/Stewart Cink showdown at the British Open in 2009. He finished second to Phil Mickelson last year in the Masters, and he's had the "anti-closer" label around his neck like an anchor for years now.

He's never played a round of golf in the U.S. Open better than he did on Saturday, ever. So naturally, on the weekend he shoots some of the best major-championship golf of his life, Rory McIlroy happens to shoot some of the best major-championship golf in history. Typical Westy.

Still, Westwood has nothing to hang his head over. He shot 65, including a 30 on the back nine that included an astonishing birdie-birdie-birdie-eagle from 13 to 16. And he put himself in position to hold onto "a glimmer of hope," as he put it.

"Big leads are sometimes difficult to play with," he said after his round completed. "I have to play my own game when I'm chasing."

Still, he conceded the enormity of the challenge before him. "When you're 12 behind somebody, you can play as well as you want, but there's still an element of the other player coming back to you."

This weekend, planning on McIlroy coming back to the field is like planning on the sun coming up blue. So it's unlikely Westwood will catch McIlroy barring a historic collapse. But at least Westwood can take heart that McIlroy can't do this every major ... can he?

Kate Hudson Adriana Lima Brittany Daniel Kate Moss Zhang Ziyi

NFL player who claimed ‘tainted supplement’ was telling the truth

Rams linebacker David Vobora was suspended in 2009 for a violation of the league's substance-abuse policy. He argued all along that he was the victim of a contaminated supplement.

If you thought about Vobora's suspension at all, you may have thought something like, "Sure, likely story, pal." As it turns out, Vobora was telling the truth. A federal judge backed him up today, awarding Vobora $5.4 million in his lawsuit against the firm that manufactured the supplement.

"It is a landmark decision, not only in the industry but in the ongoing controversy that has dominated sports for the past 10 years with athletes testing positive for steroids," said R. Daniel Fleck, a Spence attorney. "So many of the athletes are claiming that they haven't cheated and the supplements have been tainted. And it's true. They are getting caught in the middle."

I have to admit to finding the story eye-opening. If an athlete tested positive for a performance enhancer and blamed a tainted supplement, I was likely to scoff. Perhaps now I won't be so quick to reach for the skepticism.

Vobora tested positive for methyltestosterone after using a spray manufactured by a company called "S.W.A.T.S." or "Sports With Alternatives to Steroids." The spray was not on the list of NFL-approved supplements, but after studying the list of ingredients and calling the NFL supplement hotline, he believed the product to be safe.

It wasn't. Today, the courts agreed that the product contained something it shouldn't have.

The same company was in the news in January of this year when Oakland Raiders head coach Hue Jackson cut his ties with the company after it was learned that they sold a product containing IGF-1, a substance banned by the NFL. The company's owner claims that the product was distributed to various NFL players. You can read a lot more information on the company, the product, and the players who allegedly used it here.

It's not the first time Vobora's beaten the odds. He was drafted in 2008 as Mr. Irrelevant, the last player taken in the draft. He's one of the few that's actually gone on to make the team, and had assumed the starting job in his sophomore season.

Today, he beat a steroid rap. Remind me in the future not to bet against David Vobora.

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Strikeforce undercard: Cavalcante-Wilcox ends on eye poke

Justin Wilcox was potentially on the way to the biggest win of his career against Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante when a freak poke to the eye ended that hope. The former college wrestler got drilled in his right eye and immediately hit the deck, writhing in pain. The ringside physician came in and tested Wilcox's vision. Seconds later, she recommended a stoppage to the fight. The bout was halted just 31 seconds into the second and called a no decision.

"I wanted to put more pressure on him in the second. He came forward with the head and I poked him in the eye. It happens. That's MMA," Cavalcante told HDNet. "I did not think I was winning [in the first]. I was patient, trying to see what his gameplan was. In the second, I was getting more comfortable."

Cavalante (15-4-1) considered by many a top 10 lightweight back in 2008 really needed the win as well. The Brazilian came in a loser of three of four against top notch competition.

Things didn't go too well in that opening round. He was far from blown out, but Wilcox (11-3) had a higher strike attempt output and scored often with straight rights and crosses.

Wilcox, a campmate of college teammate Josh Koscheck at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Ca., has added to his game with each fight. He's turned himself from one-dimensional wrestler to a well-rounded fighter in just three years. Cavalcante was going to have a tough time taking him out.

Heun slips by Almeida in excellent grappling battle

Conor Heun has been involved in some absolute wars with Strikeforce. Tonight, he got a chance to show off his grappling, submission defense and toughness. In what was a dead even fight against Magno Almeida, Heun turned it on in the final 90 seconds to walk away with a unanimous decision victory, 29-28 on all cards.

Facing a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Heun (9-4) got stuck in several predicaments including some nasty armbars. The worst came toward the end of the second. He had his arm twisted and turned for over 55 seconds. Heun survived, but at the end of the fight his right arm looked deformed.

Even with the jacked up right arm, Heun probably sealed the victory by pounding away at Almeida (9-2) in the final round. With 1:45 left, Almeida got Heun in a d'arce choke. The American survived, escaped and transitioned to top control. Sitting in Almeida's full guard, Heun worked to the body and head. He got off a bunch of vicious hammer fists and even some double hammer shots.

Heun won the first round in unconventional fashion from the bottom. Almeida got top control and was in Heun's full guard, but couldn't get anything off. Heun used a brilliant rubber guard to control Almeida and got off a bunch of solid elbows to score with the judges.

Strikeforce - Dallas undercard:

Isaac Vallie-Flagg def. Brian Melancon via unanimous decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Nah-Shon Burrell def. Joe Ray via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Veronica Kay Mýa Natalie Imbruglia Patricia Velásquez Jennifer Morrison

05/31 (Tressel Quits) Quickie

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Richard Childress faces discipline after punching Kyle Busch

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — NASCAR will wait until after Sunday's�STP 400 to determine what, if any, action it will�take against car owner Richard Childresss for his altercation with Kyle Busch following Saturday's Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway. No action will be taken against Busch after NASCAR determined Childress instigated the incident.

Childress was involved in a post-race incident with Busch after Busch door-slammed Joey Coulter on the cool-down lap in Saturday's O'Reilly Auto Parts 250. Coulter, driving for Richard Childress Racing,�got by Busch on the final turn of the final lap after the two bumped, prompting the contact from Busch after the checkered flag. According to reports, the 65-year-old Childress approached the 26-year-old Busch in the garage area after the race, took off his watch, punched�Busch in the face�and then put him in a headlock.

NASCAR president Mike Helton said that Childress has not been ejected from Kansas Speedway and that he will still serve in his role as owner for his four Cup cars. However, there will be restrictions.

"We do have that ability, in incidents even beyond fighting," Helton said. "If we felt like we needed to do that we would. And that was considered in this case. And what will happen today is that Richard will operate as the owner of Richard Childress Racing with restrictions attached to it.

"We decided to let Richard stay because there does need to be leadership of the organization represented. … We decided that it'd be better if there was an authority from the team here and there's not a second-level authority present this weekend."

Do those restrictions extend to pit road? When asked about that while exiting his press conference, Helton responded, "That's probably one area that'd be pretty clear."

Busch was asked by SPEED in the motorcoach lot before Sunday's race about the incident. While Busch had sunglasses on during the interview, he does not have a black eye.

"There was an incident yesterday in the Truck Series garage as I was leaving my hauler on the way out to the motorhome lot and unfortunately it was an altercation between myself and Richard," Busch said.

"NASCAR is looking into it to decipher all of the facts of what happened and everything and make a decision based on that."

Busch is already on probation for an incident on May�8 at Darlington Raceway�with Childress driver Kevin Harvick. When asked if Saturday's altercation violated that probation, Helton said it did not.

"We concluded that the driver of the 18 truck, Kyle Busch, did nothing to provoke or to cause the reactions, that in our opinion, would violate the probation," Helton said. "He did nothing that warranted the actions of Richard Childress."

NASCAR spokesperson Kerry Tharp said that the earliest any action would be taken against Childress would be on Monday. NASCAR could fine Childress and possibly suspend him from attending a future race or races.

Busch also said on SPEED that he couldn't answer if it was an incident that had stemmed from more than one event.

"That's not something I can answer," Busch said.� "I wasn't the aggressor or the instigator here. All I can say is I was trying to head back to my hauler and handle my own business."

Busch, his car owner Joe Gibbs and Childress were seen entering the NASCAR hauler Sunday morning. Busch exited the hauler with no comment just a few minutes after entering, while�Childress left the trailer through a side door and walked between the team haulers parked nearby. After the meeting, Gibbs said that the team would comment later.

Here is�NASCAR's statement on the incident�in its entirety:

"NASCAR has reviewed the incident involving Richard Childress and Kyle Busch after the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race Saturday at Kansas Speedway. We have met with all parties involved and have determined what happened yesterday is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by NASCAR.

"Richard Childress's actions were not appropriate and fell far short of the standard we expect of owners in this sport. We have met with Childress this morning and made our position very clear to him. Further, we expect he will make it clear to all in his organization to ensure this situation does not escalate any further. We will announce our actions regarding this incident Monday.

"Kyle Busch remains on probation with NASCAR and we continue to watch his actions carefully. However, we have determined that Kyle's involvement in this incident does not violate his probation and no further action is required."

Eva Green Lauren Conrad Arielle Kebbel Jessica Paré Leelee Sobieski

Kansas Speedway isn’t Auto Club Speedway

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., received its second Sprint Cup Series race date in 2004 ? eight years after opening. In Auto Club's first seven years of existence,�sizable crowds were the norm, so a second date was totally feasible, right?

Fast forward to 2011. As we all know, Auto Club saw attendance fall after that second race was introduced, so much so that it's back to hosting one race a season.

Taking the date, unofficially, is Kansas Speedway, a track that's drawn well for the first 10 years of its life with one Sprint Cup race each season, run annually during the Chase. �Sunday's STP 400 marks the inaugural running of a "second" Cup race.

Because the tracks are similar ? both are intermediate tri-ovals and owned by International Speedway Corporation ? it's worth asking the question: Will Kansas also see attendance dwindle with the addition of a second Cup date?

Here's what Kansas Speedway president Pat Warren had to say when asked that exact question: "What I can tell you is we've got a strong track record, no pun intended, of selling lots of tickets for not only the Sprint Cup, but Nationwide, the Truck Series and even the IndyCar Series for the 10 years they ran here even in times when the sport was not as healthy everywhere else.

"That's sort of the first thing I point to is that we've had a full grandstands ? we haven't had sellouts, we've been very very close the last two years ? when other people have had lots and lots of empy seats. And I'm not talking about any particular track; I'm talking generally."

While Kansas City may be a much smaller market than the greater Los Angeles area, it doesn't have the competition that Auto Club Speedway�has in nearby�Las Vegas Motor Speedway (224 miles from Auto Club) and Phoenix International Raceway (311 miles). You have to drive almost 500 miles from Kansas Speedway to get to the next two closest Cup tracks in Chicagoland and Texas Motor Speedway.

"We draw from a good distance," Warren said. "We do very well going north. We sort of split with Texas going south. You get down to about Oklahoma City and that's sort of where it starts to thin out a bit. And that makes sense; travel time and other things and Texas has been open a little longer than we have."

Kansas's second Cup date hinged upon the state's approval of construction of a casino just outside Turn 2. The casino is currently under construction and scheduled to open next year. Livestrong Sporting Park, the home of the MLS team Sporting Kansas City, is just a block away from Turn 3 and opens June 9th. A minor league baseball stadium and retail giants are just a few blocks away.

Fifteen�years ago, the land just south of I-70, where the track is located some 20 minutes from downtown Kansas City, Mo.,�was, well, empty. Today, it's a booming shopping and entertainment district.

Auto Club Speedway,�about an hour drive�from downtown Los Angeles,�also grew a reputation for, ahem, unexciting racing. While at first glance Kansas has some of the same characteristics as Auto Club, it's produced some racing like Carl Edwards' banzai attempted pass of Jimmie Johnson in 2008, Ron Hornaday and Johnny Sauter's duel in 2010 and an IndyCar race with a three-wide finish and a .005 margin of victory in 2004.

What's helped produce that racing? Kansas's pavement.

The track surface is as old as the track, and while 11 years may not seem like much, Kansas City weather changes often. Frequent weather changes wreak havoc with asphalt, thus the distinctive tar seams all around the track.

However, the threat of repaving looms, eliminating the need for the seams, which Kurt Busch once called the "tar of death."

"The reality is that we're 11 years old and probably in the worst NASCAR market for freeze-thaw damage," Warren said, explaining�that tar seams are necessary to keep water from weeping onto the track. "In Kansas City in the winter, it can be 20 degrees or 10 degrees one day and 60 degrees the next, so that water freezes and thaws."

Now that Kansas has a race in June and October and with the climate, the window to repave isn't very big. And any potential resurfacing could impact the quality of racing.

"It's the nature of the beast," Warren said. "We're looking at those things and we're looking at the schedule. It could be something you see in the next few years."

Over the next few years, a lot of eyes will be on Kansas Speedway�to see which way the track goes. Will it continue to�boom like Texas Motor Speeway�has since recieving its second date or will it�bust like Auto Club?

Only time will tell.

Selita Ebanks Michael Michele Marisa Tomei Shannyn Sossamon Rachael Leigh Cook

Video: Kids, don’t try to jump over moving race cars

There are certain things you really shouldn't have to tell people over the age of five, and you'd think "don't try to jump over a moving race car" fits into that category. Clearly, however, this particular fan needed a reminder ... and boy, did he get one.

The details: the driver is Sebastien Buemi, the locale is Japan for a Red Bull F1 exhibition. The idiot jumper is ... well, nobody knows who he is. Fortunately, he survived; the car was only going about 30 mph.

Buemi had no comment on the matter. For this jumper, or anyone else still thinking this is a good idea, may we direct you to this video of Jeff Burton absolutely vaporizing birds that couldn't get out of the way in time? Yeah, don't try this.

Lisa Snowdon Mariah Carey Taylor Swift Milla Jovovich Maggie Grace

Yes, Andrew Luck is your Heisman frontrunner. But does he pass the stiffarm acid test?

The summer in college football means the onset of preview season, and previews mean an endless stream of lists beginning to trickle in. This year, any and all Heisman hype lists mean Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck at the top, in deference to both his status as reigning runner-up for the trophy last year and the the unanimous hosannas of NFL scouts who only seem to want him more now that he's turned them down.

Of course, no race in sports is official until you can bet on it. So as of today, courtesy of Bodog.com, you can bet on it. The site's early Heisman list includes 38 names, headlined by the usual suspects:

Odds to win the 2011 Heisman Trophy (Bodog.com)
1. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford (9/2)
2. Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma (13/2)
3. Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina (7/1)
4. Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan (15/2)
4. LaMichael James, RB, Oregon (15/2)
6. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama (12/1)
7. Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State (15/1)
7. Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State (15/1)
7. Knile Davis, RB, Arkansas (15/1)
7. Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma (15/1)

As a public service to gamblers everywhere, I now advise you to excise half that list from the area of your beleaguered brain that stores "potential Heisman candidates." I'm not an oddsmaker or a scout (or a Heisman Trophy voter, for that matter), but I do know something about who wins the Heisman Trophy, and it's not just anyone who might happen to be the "most outstanding player": It's the outstanding offensive star�of one of the two teams playing for the BCS championship. If you want to get even more specific, it's the quarterback of one of the two teams playing for the BCS championship.

Since 2000, nine of eleven Heisman winners have been scheduled to play in the title the following January. (The two exceptions: USC's Carson Palmer in 2002 and Florida's Tim Tebow in 2007, for a team that had won the BCS title the previous season and would win it again the following season.) Seven of those nine winners were quarterbacks. (The two exceptions: USC running back/return man Reggie Bush in 2005 and Alabama running back Mark Ingram in 2009, both of whom led top-ranked teams in the championship game.) In eight of those eleven seasons, the championship game featured both the Heisman winner and another finalist on the opposite sideline who finished second or third.

The last three seasons have all ended with a blockbuster Heisman showdown, between Oklahoma's Sam Bradford (winner) and Florida's Tim Tebow (3rd place) in 2008, Alabama's Mark Ingram (winner) and Texas' Colt McCoy (3rd place) in 2009 and Auburn's Cam Newton (winner) and Oregon's LaMichael James (3rd place) in 2010. In 2004, USC and Oklahoma contributed four of the top five Heisman finishers ahead of their championship clash in the Orange Bowl, including winner Matt Leinart; a year later, USC and Texas supplied the top three finishers before their epic shootout in the Rose Bowl. The last winner to play for a team ranked outside of the top 10 at the end of the regular season was Texas running back Ricky Williams in 1998, who was coming off a year in which he set the Division I career rushing record with 2,327 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground alone. The only other winner in the BCS era whose team wasn't slated for a BCS bowl game was Tebow in '07, which had at least something to do with the fact that there were no championship-caliber teams that season.

What you're saying when you list a player as a Heisman candidate on the kind of hype list that might actually make someone some money, then, is not just that a player is good. Dozens of first-rate stars whose talents are widely appreciated will always be widely ignored by the Heisman. What you're saying, beyond the requisite individual success, is one of two things: a) This guy is a high-profile star for a team with a serious chance to play for the BCS championship, or b) This guy is on the verge of a season of such outrageous proportions that it is essentially unpredictable.

Given that b) is kind of hard to pin down before anyone has taken a snap, the first criteria leaves us with a handful of legitimate frontrunners going into the year:

? 1. Landry Jones. Now that he's fully emerged from his , Jones comes with the right numbers and right hype, and more importantly, with the right team: Oklahoma is the best bet to open the season at No. 1 in the preseason polls, and Jones is a sure thing to put up even more absurd numbers as a third-year starter as long as he's healthy. With virtually Oklahoma's entire offense back, Jones' situation in 2011 looks a lot like the one that helped propel Sam Bradford to the Heisman in 2008 at the head of the highest-scoring offense in NCAA history. No other quarterback is more likely to land in the championship game with anything approaching those kind of numbers.

? 2. Andrew Luck. Terrelle Pryor's early exit from Ohio State removed any conceivable competition Luck may have had this fall as the most recognizable player in college football, thanks largely to his default status as runner-up and the most coveted player by the next level. Luck's All-America persona ?�soft-spoken, clean-cut quarterback passes up big bucks in the draft to finish his degree ? will never go out of style with Heisman voters, either. As long as he leads Stanford past Oregon in its only really big game of the season on Nov. 12 to punch the Cardinal's ticket to the BCS Championship or Rose Bowl, no one has a wider margin error.

? 3. Trent Richardson. Richardson doesn't have superstar numbers to date, but finds himself in the same sweet spot that departed teammate Mark Ingram exploited en route to the trophy in 2009: He'll be the feature tailback for a national frontrunner, running behind a veteran offensive line and a new quarterback who won't tempt coaches to throw too much ? all opposite a rocking defense that will make the forward pass a luxury in low-scoring slugfests. The main caveat to Richardson's candidacy is whether incoming backs Dee Hart and/or Brent Calloway will siphon off too many carries for his numbers to enter the stratosphere.

? 4. LaMichael James. Increased competition for touches could also slow down James' assault on the box score, which earned him a third-place finish in last year's voting as the national leader in yards from scrimmage and touchdowns. James was also near the top of the list with just shy of 26 touches per game, a number that could come down with Oregon's bounty of blazing young backs in the wings and plenty of opportunities waiting in Chip Kelly's merciless, star-making spread scheme; quarterback Darron Thomas and multipurpose cornerback/kick returner Cliff Harris also have a chance to steal a little spotlight.

But James a known quantity and the go-to star for a high-profile team that will give him a great stage as the early favorite to three-peat as conference champion.

? 5. Brandon Weeden. All-everything receiver Justin Blackmon picked up more accolades last year in Oklahoma State's high-flying offense, and more interest from the pro scouts. But historically, prolific receivers who don't return kicks are inevitably overshadowed by the quarterback who's racking up big numbers throwing not only to them but to every other receiver. Few QBs put up bigger numbers last year than Weeden, who flew under the radar but should have more than enough profile to emerge as the face of an Oklahoma State title run.

And that's pretty much it. Kellen Moore? Unless he turns in a ridiculous effort against Georgia to start the season and Boise State's playing in the BCS title game to finish it, no. Marcus Lattimore? Unless he approaches 2,000-plus total yards for the surprise SEC champion, no. Denard Robinson? In a new, far less stat-friendly system, on a rebuilding team that lacks serious BCS ambitions? No. Baylor quarterback Ryan Griffin? On a team that's going to struggle again to break even with a bowl bid? No. Justin Blackmon? Unless his quota of eye-popping, acrobatic catches climbs into Larry Fitzgerald territory (and/or he adds big plays as a runner or return man), no. Ryan Broyles? Alshon Jeffery? Ditto.

All are good candidates to make it to New York as finalists, and the emergence of a darkhorse or two on a surprise contender (see: Mark Ingram and Cam Newton the last two years) is always a given. But the winner will almost certainly come from a contender, and if you're putting down money today, in mid-June, the disconnect between what the award says it is and what it actually is renders most of the hype wishful thinking before a ball is even snapped.

- - -
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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Kenjon Barner uses Twitter to stick up for suspended Oregon teammate

Cliff Harris may be facing a lot of public backlash for his NASCAR-like racing down Interstate 5 this past weekend and the subsequent brakes Oregon had to put on the star cornerback, but Harris does have at least one person that willing to go to bat for him -- Oregon running back Kenjon Barner.

Barner took to the world's favorite soapbox, Twitter, late Wednesday night and lashed out at those "#fareweatherfans" who were bashing Harris.

In one tweet, Barner wrote that he thought Harris was being held to too high of a standard.

"A lot of ppl hold us on such high pedestal tht u forget we r human we make mistakes he didn't murder,rob,or anything like tht get over it."

In a total of seven tweets, Barner supported Harris and even responded to those who questioned his thinking. By the morning, Barner backed off his rant and left the defense to the university.

"No other coach in America has handled off the field issues better than coach K. I will leave to him and so should u!!! God bless."

Whether you agree with Barner or not, there's something to be said about teammates sticking up for each other. I agree that Harris' offenses are a little soft compared to some of the other things we've seen go on in the past year. Yes, he was reckless and irresponsible, but theoretically it wasn't conduct detrimental to the team. He wasn't drinking and he wasn't doing drugs. He was joyriding and apparently doesn't know how to pay his tickets. There might be other issues involved, but that's what we know.

So, it's good to see a teammate stick up for another. It's the antithesis of what we saw when the Ohio State stuff started coming to a head.

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The Shutdown Corner Podcast: Steve Breaston

If you haven't yet seen the poem written and recited by Arizona Cardinals receiver Steve Breaston … well, where have you been? The poem, entitled "A League Deferred," went viral on YouTube and brought Breaston all kinds of national media spots, including this one. If you haven't seen it, here it is:

We talked with Steve on Monday about the inspiration for the poem (which really talks about how fans are being affected by the lockout more than anything else), how the lockout is affecting his offseason, whether he's more optimistic about an end to the�labor dispute�with all the rumors about the owners and players finding common ground, and many more things. It's well worth a listen!

Left-click to listen to the audio file, or right-click to save to your hard drive:

The Shutdown Corner Podcast: Steve Breaston

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Missouri football tackles cleanup in tornado-stricken Joplin

Two weeks ago, the Missouri football team held a drive at a local Columbia, Mo., restaurant to help aid the victims of the devastating tornadoes in Joplin, Mo.

This past weekend, several players and coaches hopped into a bus and took the supplies to Joplin and got their first look at the destruction nearly 240 miles from their campus.

The group cleared debris, delivered goods and shook hands with the local fans. Even former quarterback Chase Daniel, who left the school two years ago and now plays for the New Orleans Saints, lent a helping hand.

It's rare to profile feel-good stories like this one, and after the past couple weeks, I think we could all use a positive football story.

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After stardom in Japan, Cavalcante looks for career re-birth in U.S.

Gesias Cavalcante is only 27, but his relatively new gig with Zuffa and Strikeforce has to feel like a new life.

A megastar in Japan, inactivity and some tough losses have pushed way down the ladder in the lightweight ranks. He's set to begin the climb back up this weekend at Strikeforce in Dallas against Justin Wilcox.

"JZ" will be part of the televised undercard on HDNet. That's a strange spot for a guy, who a little over four years ago was headlining big cards in Japan with DREAM and K-1.

"The crowd [in Japan] is great. The way they treat fighters is amazing. No matter if you win or lose, if you're a champ or not, people respect you like you're above human beings," Cavalcante told Cagewriter.

Cavalcante recalled a fan encounter at the prefight press conference before DREAM 9.

"I saw a woman freaking out, screaming 'Jz! Jz!' I couldn't� understand her at all because she was speaking Japanese. She grabbed my hand and starts rubbing her belly," Cavalcante said. "I was like 'whoa, what's going on?' A guy translated for me that she was pregnant. 'She likes you so much, she has respect for you, so she wants her son to be like you.' What a compliment!"

The adulation and fame was great, but the inconsistent scheduling stalled his career.

"That's how injuries happen, You're training so hard. I was always pushing. I'm a gym rat, but those are the times bad things happen," said Cavalcante.

He's only fought five times in the last 45 months. Cavalcante (15-4) went just 1-3 with a no contest in those fights against Josh Thomson (Strikeforce), Katusnori Kikuno, Tatusuya Kawajiri, and twice versus Shinya Aoki.

The Brazilian, fighting out of south Florida, saw immediate dividends when Zuffa purchased Strikeforce. Just weeks before that he was in limbo. Within 10 days of the sale, the promotion told him about his fight against Wilcox.

The timing of the Strikeforce ownership switch came at a good time since Cavalcante recently changed training camps and management. Now managed by Authentic Sports Management, Cavalcante and several other prominent fighters (Danillo Villefort, Yuri Villefort, Jorge Santiago, Edson Barboza and Luiz Cane) from American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Fl. moved a few miles to the north and joined Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton.

"It's a fresh start for me in every aspect," said Cavalcante, who's working with former UFC fighter Mike Van Arsdale and striking coach Mohamed Ouali. "I feel like I'm the son who grew up and wants to walk on his own."

This Saturday we get our first glimpse of the new Cavalcante. He's excited for the fight because he knows that he'll be able to find Wilcox. There won't be any running or lay and pray from "The Silverback."

"The last two fights, he stayed with the striking. He didn't shoot once. It's a good fight, an exciting fight. He always comes forward. He tries to come and put the pressure on and that's what I love," Cavalcante said. "We'll meet in the center of the ring and bang."

Wilcox (11-3) has improved immensely over the last two years. A former college wrestler at Edinboro, he works out of American Kickboxing Academy on San Jose, Ca. He's won six straight. Wilcox's striking is now a dangerous element in his game and he's a vicious finisher.

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05/26 (Win or Bust) Quickie

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Bisping interview: The Brit is glad to be back, but far from thrilled with Miller choice

It's been a while since we've seen Michael Bisping. For many, the last memory is him spitting at a cornerman following his destruction of Jorge Rivera at UFC 127.

Bisping has returned to the UFC and was given a plum spot on Season 14 of "The Ultimate Fighter." As taping for TUF 14 began last week in Las Vegas, Spike allowed media members to speak with Bisping (video-NSFW).

The Brit traveled a rocky road after UFC 127. Many around the sport wanted the Brit to suffer a steep penalty for his actions. When pressed about his critics, Bisping was predictably outspoken.

"Those guys need to get a [expletive] grip on themselves, I apologized to Jorge Rivera and his camp for spitting on the floor because that's not the way I should've been acting," Bisping said. "I'm yet to hear an apology from him for insinuating that my girlfriend has chlamydia and all the other [expletive] he talked about. I was man enough to do that, he wasn't. Next question!"

Bisping defended his actions towards Rivera cornerman Matt Phinney.

"It wasn't a spitting incident. I spat on the floor because the guy was talking about my family and if i talked [expletive] about your family, I'd expect you to spit on the floor and show contempt for me as well," Bisping said. "The guy's an absolute piece of [expletive]� and that's what I think and that's what I showed him."

Bisping is ready to move on against another antagonist in Jason Miller. Miller is a pretty accomplished middleweight and recently crossed over as a television star with his show "Bully Beatdown" on MTV. That said, a lot of MMA fans aren't familiar with Miller because he was fighting outside the UFC and that concerns Bisping.

"I can understand it, he got a bit of a crossover but I wasn't overly thrilled that he's going to be my next fight," Bisping, who was hoping for Chael Sonnen or another well known 185-pound contender in the UFC.

Bisping also knows Miller is a rough fight.

"I'm not underestimating him. I'm not saying he's a lesser fighter than me, but in term of world rankings and getting a title shot, I don't think he's going to progress me in my career," Bisping said. "He's a very tough fight and in some ways a bad matchup because I'm going to be expected to beat him. He's obviously looking to make a name on my back."

Miller and Bisping will meet on Spike at the TUF 14 Finale in December. Miller has won seven of his last 10 fights. The only blips on his resume are a disqualification against Ronaldo Souza and a decision losses to Souza and Jake Shields. That's two of the top submission artists in all of mixed martial arts.

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Congressional’s par-3 10th makes for an interesting opening hole

Congressional Country Club poses an incredibly difficult test for every golfer in the field this week, but aside from the thick rough and fast-as-ice greens, players will have to deal with one other factor. As USA Today's Steve DiMeglio noted, that factor is teeing off on a par-3 to start the round.

With 156 players in the field, the USGA decided to send players off 1 and 10 on Thursday and Friday, meaning every player in the field will have to, at one point or another, contend with the 220-yard 10th to start the day.

Normally, this wouldn't be a major problem, but when you're talking about the first hole at a major compared to an average tour event, the stakes are sure to make the narrow green seem even smaller.

"Starting a round on 10, I can't see too many tougher holes to start on, especially off that back tee," Ernie Els said in his Tuesday press conference. "You might have to come off the range, hit your putts and then go to your first hole of the day, which could be a 4-iron over water and a bunker at the back. Incredibly difficult start."

The former 18th hole at the 1997 U.S. Open, the 10th is now playing in the opposite direction from the last time Congressional hosted the tournament. While the hole is downhill, it usually plays into the wind, and has a back bunker that should definitely be in play to gobble up shots that go long.

All in all, the 10th will make for an intriguing opening hole.�And that's before you realize the par-4 11th, considered by many players to be one of the toughest hole on the course, lurks in the distance.�But with a tough opener, players won't be able to think ahead to the next tee shot.

The hole is just another reason why the U.S. Open is the most mentally taxing tournament in golf.

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Bubba Watson’s camo pants lead the U.S. Open fashion parade

Fairly quiet so far on the U.S. Open fashion cavalcade parade, but Bubba Watson's camo pants have to lead the field by a wide margin. Also in the mix: Ryo Ishikawa's cotton candy attire and Fredrik Jacobson's sky-blue joy to the world.

Good, but we're not talking John Daly-level pants parades here. Yet.

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Video: Wizards’ John Wall throws first pitch like Mariah Carey

Remember the ceremonial first pitch that pop diva Mariah Carey reluctantly threw at a Japanese game back in 2008? It landed hilariously short of the target and we all laughed and laughed. (Nice outfit, though.)

Well, young Washington Wizards star John Wall must have been studying the Mariah footage, because he unleashed a first pitch Friday night before the Washington Nationals game that looked remarkably similar.

In a pre-pitch interview, Wall admitted he was nervous, not wanting to embarrass himself like onetime Wizards player Caron Butler apparently had in a similar situation:

"Yes, there are a lot of nerves to throw it in the dirt. That's something I don't want to do. They've been joking on me about when Caron came here and he had to come back and redeem himself the next year. I'm gonna try to get it [home] on the first try."

And then, with video courtesy CSN Washington, this happened:

There's no dribbling in baseball!

Because he is an NBA player ? and thank God for that ? Wall's throw is worse than Carey's in context. It might not be as bad as the one uncorked by Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory in 2007, though. Still, as with a pop singer, a mayor does not necessarily an athlete make.

Check out Wall's pitch from other angles, courtesy Nats Enquirer. Thank goodness designated guinea pig Drew Storen saved one of those kids behind home plate from permanent damage. That's what a good stopper does.

Wall is obviously going to have to keep working on his fastball and try again next season. If he dares.

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Bruton Smith, SMI file suit against city, county over track debt

Bruton Smith is no stranger to gamesmanship, and now he's stepped up an ongoing battle with the city of Concord and Cabarrus County over money owed to Charlotte Motor Speedway.

In October 2007, the governments pledged to pay $80 million toward upgrades and other incentives. At the time, Smith had threatened to leave if he couldn't develop what became the zMax Dragway. The negotiations resulted in the counties developing a plan of road improvements and other assistances.

However, the problem was that there was no formal agreement in place. Smith apparently believed that the majority of the money, $60 million, would be paid within three years, and the rest within six years, but government officials countered that they had expected the money would be paid out over up to 40 years.

Smith had originally filed suit to receive the money in September 2009, but dropped the suit last June as negotiations continued. SMI is now seeking a judgment requiring the governments to formalize their agreement, as well as pay damages for breaching the initial agreement.

Charlotte Motor Speedway refiles lawsuit against Concord [WBTV.com]

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Pat White is going to give the UFL a go

In 2009, Pat White was drafted in the second round to play quarterback for the Miami Dolphins. In 2010, the Dolphins released him outright and he walked away from football. Then he signed a minor league contract with Major League Baseball's Kansas City Royals. Then he retired.

Now, he's set to give football another try with the UFL's Virginia Destroyers. The Destroyers tweeted that a deal could be signed in the next few days, but they already list him on their roster.

Competing with White for the quarterback spot will be Dennis Brown, Derek Devine and Arena Lleague stud Chris Greisen. Other familiar names on the Destroyers roster include Hank Baskett, Dexter Jackson, Willie Parker and the other Adrian Peterson. Coaching the Destroyers will be Marty Schottenheimer, so they're a good bet to go 8-0 and then get crushed in the UFL Championship.

It's nice to see White get back in the game, though. To say things didn't go well with the Dolphins is a little like saying that the NBA Finals didn't go smoothly for LeBron James. After a brilliant college career, the Fish spent a second-rounder on White, in the hopes that he could add a few new dimensions to their Wildcat game.

As it turned out, White couldn't throw the ball well enough to even get on the field with any consistency. He even forced Bill Parcells to admit to making a mistake.

Maybe Marty Schottenheimer can work some magic with him. The Destroyers open the UFL season on August 13.

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Devil Ball’s Day 1 U.S. Open Live Chat/Twitter Feed

Welcome to Day 1 of the U.S. Open! If you're trapped at work and can't follow the Open, we've got you covered. We'll be running live Twitter feed updates from Congressional throughout the day, and we'll be stopping in for live chatting throughout the afternoon. Post your questions, quips, queries and the like. See you here!

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Kyle Busch was in a no-win situation, but not a no-blame one

Admit it. You got a little grin on your face this weekend when you heard the news. Kyle Busch fought with Richard Childress? Really? NASCAR's reigning enfant terrible squaring off against one of the oldest of old-school bulldogs? Could this be the greatest off-track story of the decade?

Once the facts came out, the story shifted a bit. Turns out Busch didn't actually do any fighting; "stopping fists with one's face" doesn't really count as combat. And while Kyle reportedly got knocked to the ground, by all accounts he didn't fight back at all. Which, in the sense of the greater good, is definitely for the best; Busch already has enough trouble with his reputation without adding "assault on a grandfather" to the list.

NASCAR sided with Busch, determining that he was free from blame in the incident while slapping (lightly) Childress with a $150,000 fine and probation. Here's the thing, though: while Childress deserved what he got (and more), he doesn't make a habit of taking swings at drivers he doesn't like.

Before we go any farther: Childress was in the wrong here. This was a premeditated attack, one that deserved a lot more severe punishment than the massage he got. But viewing any incident in the garage without considering context is short-sighted, so we're broadening the field of view a bit here to consider motivation as well as action.

Kyle Busch neither started the fight nor kept it going. But can he really be free from at least some measure of the blame for it happening at all?

Yes, this is a bit of "blame the victim" mentality. But calling Kyle Busch a "victim" in this story is stretching the definition of the word to its breaking point; this isn't the same thing as blaming a woman for getting assaulted because she was dressed provocatively. Busch may not have expected to be attacked, but he surely can't have been surprised.

Busch, of course, has a long history of disputes with other drivers, from Carl Edwards to Brad Keselowski to Dale Earnhardt Jr. to Denny Hamlin. And that's not even taking into account the drivers in the Childress camp, most notably Kevin Harvick, with whom Busch had a memorable sort-of throwdown in Darlington.

Saturday, the precipitating incident was a final-lap battle with RCR driver Joey Coulter during the trucks race. Coulter and Busch battled for the fifth position, and Coulter seized it on the final lap. After the race, Busch gave Coulter what's euphemistically referred to as a "love tap" — a thump in the door.

That's what set Childress off, and it warrants the question of why the hell Busch is throwing a bump to a 20-year-old kid in a developmental series. Seriously? Does Busch need to fight that hard for a fifth-place position in a series he could win going in reverse? What's he trying to prove here?

"I don't know that I did anything out of the ordinary that would provoke something of Mr. Childress," Busch said on Sunday. That may be the problem; banging and beating like that may not be "out of the ordinary" for Busch, but at some point, enough is enough. Throwing down like that in the Sprint Cup Series, where the sport's biggest prize is at stake? Sure, go for it. (Sometimes, though, the big guys fight back.) But throwing down like that in a developmental series is like bulldozing your elementary-school cousins during the Thanksgiving Day backyard football game.

Busch, of course, always has a "take what's mine, and take some of yours too" mentality, one that serves him well on the track. You can't argue with results; the guy is one of the most successful drivers in the sport and on a path to be one of the all-time greats. But at some point, he'll have to realize that, to paraphrase an old legal saying, his rights end where another driver's fender begins. If he's going to shove people out of the way on his way to the top, he can't be surprised if a few of them decide to shove back.

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McDowell concerned about Woods’ long-term future in golf

We all used to think Tiger Woods was invincible. While nobody in the sports world is perfect, Woods was, for the most part, about as perfect as they came on the golf course, winning what seemed like every major championship over roughly an eight-year period.

But things have changed over the last couple of years, as Woods has not only struggled to find some peace off the golf course, but on it as well. Things got even worse on Tuesday, as Woods announced he�would miss this year's U.S. Open at Congressional, due to left knee and leg issues, ending a stretch of 16 consecutive years playing in the National Open.

A lot has been been made about Woods' recurring injuries that have put his long-term golf future in doubt. Members of the media aren't the only ones talking about it. As�the Irish Golf Desk pointed out, Graeme McDowell spoke with Sky Sports recently about defending his championship and, of course, Tiger Woods.

While McDowell didn't say Woods' reign at the top is over, he said what the rest of us have been thinking for a while: Will Tiger ever be back to his old self?

"Will he be back? Nobody knows at the minute — there's obviously a lot going on," McDowell told Sky Sports News. "His mental health is one question and his physical health is now another.

"Golf needs him. He has been golf for the last 15 years."

McDowell couldn't have said it any better. Woods fully recovering from his injuries stands to be the biggest factor between him ever returning to his old form, but mentally, this has to be wearing on him as well. This is a guy that single-handedly walked a U.S. Open on one leg and won the thing.

To now have to deal with the continual injuries and know you can't just go out there and gut it out -- you'd assume that's taking a toll. Whether Tiger wants to admit it or not, his body is�beyond fragile, and it makes you wonder not just if Woods will ever be able to tee it up and contend in a major this year, but if he'll be able to contend on a consistent basis ever again.

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Marv Albert will return to the NFL broadcasting booth

Marv Albert, the best play-by-play guy in the NBA and perhaps all of sports, will be doing NFL games again in 2011, should they exist. CBS announced Monday that Marv will be joining its NFL commentary crew.

You may not have heard Marv's voice around football in a while, but don't worry about rust. From 2002 through 2009, he anchored Westwood One's radio broadcasts of "Monday Night Football," and he was top notch. Before that, he called NFL games on NBC from 1977 through 1997, spending much of that time on their No. 2 broadcast pairing.

Where he'll fit in at CBS, it's hard to say. If I had my way, he'd replace Jim Nantz immediately as the No. 1 guy. Behind Nantz is Greg Gumbel, then Ian Eagle, Kevin Harlan and Gus Johnson.

Welcome back, Marv.

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Richmond paint schemes will honor 9/11 heroes

Here's a story guaranteed to get you thinking about more important issues than driver-owner fights and fuel-mileage gambles.

During the September race weekend in Richmond, which takes place ten years to the day after the September 11 attacks, several drivers will run the paint scheme at right commemorating the "Honoring Our Heroes" program and the Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation. Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Danica Patrick, Jamie McMurray and David Gilliland will all run some version of the paint scheme in the Sprint and Nationwide series races.

Stephen Siller was a New York City firefighter who was on his way to play golf when the attacks happened. Unable to get into the city by vehicle, he ran through a tunnel carrying 75 pounds of gear, joined in the rescue efforts, but ultimately lost his life in the towers' collapse. For more info on the foundation in his honor, including the race that retraces his steps, visit TunneltoTowersRun.org.

Lionel will be producing a special die-cast version of the cars, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Foundation. The Foundation has already earmarked those funds to help build "smart homes" for the only three surviving quadruple amputees of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Great cause, and we look forward to seeing these cars in action in Richmond.

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Pete Carroll chastises NCAA for penalizing current USC players

Members of USC's 2004 and '05 teams haven't had a lot to say about the NCAA sanctions that were levied and later upheld against the program, but this last weekend, former coach Pete Carroll decided to break radio silence and give his two cents.

"Just watch the comments of the players," Carroll said in an interview with Mark Willard of 710 ESPN in Los Angeles. "They know who won, who didn't. [Matt] Leinart and Lofa Tatupu and those guys, they all know. The whole thing is so unfortunate."

Yes, USC defeated Oklahoma 55-19 in the Orange Bowl en route to a national title, but the BCS doesn't care. The BCS stripped the Trojans of the 2004 title after the NCAA upheld a ruling that stemmed from major infractions committed by former running back Reggie Bush. The BCS title has been vacated for that year.

The NCAA issued a two-year postseason ban on USC (one year has already been served) and it will be ineligible for the first Pac-12 title game. The Trojans also lost a total of 30 scholarships during the next three years, which means that they can only sign 15 scholarship players per season. Most teams -- unless they're in the SEC -- sign 25.

Carroll voiced his displeasure over the NCAA penalizing players who had nothing to do with the program when the violations were committed.

"[The NCAA has] to do what they do. They figure out how the thing is supposed to work," Carroll said in the interview. "I don't agree with much of any of it. It's unfortunate that kids, years and years after, are punished for what the NCAA is dealing with from years and years before. That's the most unfortunate thing ... kids that were in junior high at the time, or in grade school, are paying the price for it."

Of course, Carroll, now the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, saw the writing on the wall and high-tailed it out of town before any of his teams faced the repercussions of a scandal that was created under his watch. So, it's pretty hard to empathize with his concern for USC's current players or staff.

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Ow ow ow: Magician’s trick misfires at Atlanta Motor Speedway

The scene: Atlanta Motor Speedway's Thursday Thunder drag races. The story: Moodini the Magician, who can escape from chains linked to the bumper of a speeding car before the chain pulls taut. Or so you'd hope:

Ow. The wreck left Moodini with a broken ankle, wrist and clavicle. The problem, Moodini's manager said, was that there's supposed to be enough slack in the chain for 8 to 10 seconds' worth of escape time; as you can see, our pal gets only an eyeblink.

Best wishes to Moodini for a speedy recovery ... and hopefully a desk job in the near future.

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Best realignment possibility? Astros and Rangers sharing a division

ESPN's Buster Olney stirred things up a bit over the weekend, reporting that Major League Baseball is considering a realignment that would leave each league with an even 15 teams and completely wipe out the divisions. The top five teams would make the postseason and, with an odd number of teams in each league, interleague play would be a constant on the schedule. The Houston Astros would be the one team calling the figurative moving vans as it's presumed they'd be plucked from the six-team NL Central and placed into the now-skimpy AL West (which currently only hosts four teams).

Buster's source puts the chances of this plan becoming a reality at "50-50," so there's obviously a lot more that needs to happen. But until we see which way Bud Selig and his committee pals go, there's going to be a lot of speculation and debate over the idea.

Initial positive reaction: Evening out the leagues is a great and necessary idea, though MLB's schedule-makers are probably already waking up in a cold sweat over the mere thought of reconfiguring the standard road trip. And as FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi writes, the Astros are the only logical candidate to switch stripes, even if their fans and players say they prefer to stay in the NL. (The one point where I sympathize with their gripe is the time zone conundrum: Those games in Oakland, Anaheim and Seattle will start awful late, though fans of the Texas Rangers have been doing it for years.)

Initial negative reaction: Hate, hate, HATE the idea of nuking the divisions. While Rob Neyer thinks we'll soldier on just fine with a "first division" of five teams, I will submit that there's nothing quite like saying you're on your way to watch a first-place team. Why would baseball eliminate six races for first and opt for two races for fifth instead? No matter what you think about the value of a division title, we can all agree that no one is going to raise a flag saying they finished fifth one year.

At any rate, combine both of those takes above and we're left with my ideal situation and a very underrated dynamic that would be created by placing both Texas teams in the AL West.

Think about this for a second: By pairing the Astros and Rangers, baseball will finally create a great regional rivalry in that gaping hole between St. Louis and the West Coast. The two teams are located about 250 miles apart from each other and handcuffing them together would give the Lone Star State ? long considered an outpost by the rest of the league ? an increased relevance and focus.

Dedicated baseball fans in Texas often don't get enough credit, but a close race between the teams would give them a bigger spotlight, plus an opportunity to needle opposing fans in the flesh. That's just something that doesn't happen right now with both teams being the geographical anomaly in their current divisions.

What do you think of baseball's rumored realignment?

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