Mammoth Blog

Just saying the names out loud -- Amp, Monster, Rock Star, Red Bull, Vault, Jolt, Full Throttle -- is enough to get you wired.

These are some of the energy drinks popular with college and high school students trying to make it through the day or night. The drinks are loaded with sugar, caffeine and calories.

Energy drinks are readily available at local grocers or convenience stores. They are marketed toward athletes and the public as a way to improve performance or stay awake.

"College kids are tired. They stay up late. [Energy drinks] give them an instant jolt that keeps them up, and it works," said Katie Thompson, registered dietician at the University of Richmond.

The side effects from consuming energy drinks, especially excessively, can be nasty: jitters, heart palpitations, irritated digestive systems.

"I wouldn't recommend making them part of a daily diet," Thompson said.

Energy drinks differ from sports drinks such as Gatorade or Powerade. Sports drinks are designed to help rehydration after physical activity. Sports drinks include electrolytes such as sodium and potassium and little sugar. They are much easier on the digestive system.

The bottom line is that sports drinks are for hydration and rehydration; energy drinks are not.

Even though some energy drinks contain beneficial ingredients such as vitamins and proteins, coaches and trainers are telling their athletes to stay clear of energy drinks.

"I've heard some people say you can take a sip right before you start and just go," said Clarissa Schick, a standout distance runner at Maggie Walker Governor's School. "Coach [Jim] Holdren says no. He tells us not to drink them."

Some athletes, such as Atlee golfer Tanner Foutz, know energy drinks don't necessarily enhance performance.

"If I drank an energy drink, I couldn't putt. I'd be shaking," he said. Then he added, "If I played football, I might."

Caffeine can be addictive, and as with any addiction, sufferers have major highs and major lows.

Athletes aren't looking for that.

"We don't do it. I drink water, Gatorade, Powerade, a vitamin water once in a while," said Marquis Wallace, a 6-4, 290-pound All-Metro offensive lineman at Varina who has committed to West Virginia University. "[Coach Stu Brown] doesn't even talk about Gatorade. It's water, water, water with him."

Varina doesn't specifically address energy drinks, according to trainer Jessica Meade.

"We do talk about water, and we do talk about eating right and we do talk about the things you should do," she said. "I don't know that we necessarily address the fact that energy drinks aren't so good. I think we're more proactive as far as what you should do as opposed to this is what you shouldn't do."

Among the things discouraged by the Virginia High School League are supplements and steroids. However, the VHSL handbook contains only a policy dedicated to steroids. The policy says that a student-athlete found using steroids by his or her school will be suspended from athletic activity for two years.

Tom Zimorski, deputy director of the VHSL, says energy drinks haven't come up in any of his discussions with principals, activities directors and coaches.

"It's kind of been a non-issue," he said. source>>>

The re-sale market for sports tickets has become more sophisticated and yet easier in recent years thanks in large part to the Internet. If you really want to see an in-demand game and are willing to pay the price, you don't have to stand on a street corner before the game. You can go online and generally find what you are looking for.

With that model fairly well perfected, a new company has developed the next generation: buying an option to later buy tickets to a game.

OptionIT is the company, and they are banking on a few factors that seem to work in their favor. According to Michael Proman, OptionIT's vice president of marketing, partnerships and development strategy:

*There is never an obligation to buy (the ticket).

*Fans purchasing an option and then buying the face-value ticket will pay roughly 30% below reputable secondary sites like StubHub.

*Moreover, all inventory is backed by official partnerships with teams, Leagues and other rights-holders so we're not a 'ticket broker,' but rather an options provider.

Those points came in an initial e-mail contact with Proman. A follow-up e-mail was an attempt to clear up how exactly such a thing would work -- who gets the money, what if an option to buy is traded more than once, etc. He responded with a pretty thorough breakdown (all dollar figures are hypothetical and to be used for illustrative purposes only):

1) Fan purchases a $10 option to buy a face-value ticket -- effectively, reserving exclusive access to the ticket now and deciding later if they want to buy. This $10 (we don't charge transaction fees on initial purchases) is split between OptionIt and the team/rights-holder that backs the inventory (for sake of discussion, let's assume a 50-50 rev-split so the team sees $5 and OptionIt sees $5)

2) Fan elects to sell his/her option and find a buyer for $20. We have a very traditional model for secondary transactions that matches sites like StubHub (seller pays 10% of the transaction price and buyer pays 7% of the transaction price); in this case, this 17% equates to $3.40, which is once again (for discussion purposes) split 50-50 so OptionIt sees $1.70 and the team sees $1.70

3) Per your thoughts, let's assume there are two more secondary transactions on this option (one happening at $25 and the other at $30). Based on the 17% transaction fee model, $4.25 is generated on the first transaction (OptionIt sees $2.12 and the team sees $2.13) and $5.10 is generated on the second transaction (OptionIt sees $2.55 and the team sees $2.55)

4) The final holder of the option 'exercises' it and pays face-value ($60) for the ticket... this purchase follows traditional purchasing procedures (e.g., team's primary ticketing provider). Please note that the team has held the physical ticket the entire time; therefore, if the person elected not to exercise the option, the team has the ability to re-sell the ticket just as they would have before the game takes place ... all 'exercise windows' conclude roughly 5-7 days out from the game to give the team enough time to do this).

The net-net based on the above is as follows:

Team - Face-value Ticket Revenue (what they would have received irrespective of OptionIt): $60 - Rev-share on Initial Option: $5 - Rev-share on three secondary transactions (total): $6.38 ------ TOTAL: $71.38

OptionIt - Rev-share on Initial Option: $5 - Rev-share on three secondary transactions (total): $6.38 ------ TOTAL: $11.38

In sum, the team makes an additional 19% on the ticket by providing the fan added convenience and flexibility. Arguably, the best part of the options model is that we don't touch or rely on physical tickets; therefore, assuming we know something is taking place (e.g., Vikings-Packers game in the 2014 season), we could sell an option today that could trade hands an infinite number of times... meanwhile, the team in monetizing something today that isn't taking place for years - something we feel is a pretty compelling proposition.

Indeed, we think it's a pretty interesting idea. It clearly works better when games become "in-demand," such as a Vikings-Packers game this year after Brett Favre signed with the Vikings. OptionIT works with specific teams and leagues, and gets limited quantities of tickets for each game. They have partnerships right now with the Baltimore Ravens and St. Louis Rams -- two teams Proman notes play the Vikings in back-to-back weeks in October (the 11th in St. Louis and the 18th in Minnesota). Options are available for both games, Proman said.

It's hard to say whether this will catch on, but it does seem to have some legs. If it can provide ticket flexibility while also potentially offering a lower price for in-demand games than re-sale sites (as Proman suggests) while bringing additional revenue to the teams themselves, it could be win-win (though not win-win-win if you are a ticket broker).

Does it seem overly complex, or do you think it is right up the alley of sports fans used to dealing in numbers (both in the statistical and ticket-buying realms)? Is there enough revenue generated to carry it? Would you imagine it being used more by fans looking for flexibility or invisible brokers looking to turn a profit? Would you use it? source>>>

If you can believe the UK's notoriously gossipy Sun newspaper, UFC light heavyweight attraction Quinton Jackson has just been cast in the "A-Team" reboot from director Joe Carnahan ("Smokin' Aces") and writer Michael Brandt ("Wanted"). As of this writing, Stephen J. Cannell Productions, a participating producer on the film, could not confirm the news to ESPN.com.

If true, this puts Jackson in the rarified air of Mr. T, who essayed the role of B.A. Baracus in the original 1980s television series, who was conceived as a supporting character but managed to out-press most of the cast. (Jackson may find duplicating that task daunting; co-star Liam Neeson ranks a notch above George Peppard on the celebrity scale.)

This is great news for Jackson, a legitimately charismatic fighter with a strong personality who was earmarked for stardom in the States while still a fixture on Japan's Pride circuit. It's less exciting for fans who may now begin fretting that Jackson will favor slipping fake punches for more money than he gets eating real ones. It also seemingly complicates the fight with Rashad Evans, which was slated for Dec. 12 in Memphis. Shooting on the movie is scheduled to begin in September, and that would chew up just about all of Jackson's available training time in the fall.

If he decides to postpone the bout, we're looking at 12 weeks of hype on "The Ultimate Fighter" -- where Jackson and Evans appear as sniping coaches -- with no immediate payoff. source>>>

Brazilian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Thiago Alves plans to engage Keith "The Dean of Mean" Jardine into a stand up action when they meet inside the Octagon in UFC 102: Couture vs Nogueira.

The Jardine-Alves light heavyweight match up is one of the co-featured fights of UFC 102 on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

"He knows that I'm very aggressive with my stand up. If he goes to stand up with me that will be fine," said the 26-year-old Alves.

Both fighters are looking for a rebound after absorbing separate losses to tough opponents.

Alves was knocked out by now current light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida in UFC 94.

Jardine, on the other hand, lost via unanimous decision to former light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in UFC 96.

"I pretty much understand that he's a different fighter," Alves said referring to "the Dean of Mean". "But I'm the kind of fighter that's sturdy."

Jardine, meanwhile, sees a great match up with Alves.

"The match up's great for me, he's a guy who like to brawl, likes to stand up," said the 33-year-old Albuquerque native.

He said his fight with Alves will be an opportunity for him to show off the improvements in his game.

"I'm improving my wrestling, my jiu-jitsu and my boxing, so it's stepping up to the next level. I'm excited to go and show off a little bit," said Jardine.

Jardine has an MMA record of 14-6 with one draw while Alves sports a 13-1 win-loss slate.

For more UFC action, watch SkyCable's Balls TV Channel source>>>

Roy Jones Jr. is the new Johnny come lately to the grace of the martial arts world with his presence. The eight-time world boxing champion and square ring promotions will be "March evil" mixed boxing / MMA card March 21st, 2009, at the Civic Center Pensacola, Florida. A boxing match between Jones light heavyweight (52-5) and Omar Sheika (27-7) will be the main event, Mr. Jones said in a press conference Wednesday at the place where the show will be broadcast pay-per-view. The evil of Mars "movie will have three fights in MMA: (10-4-0 Seth Petruzelli) against former light heavyweight champion Doug Marshall WEC (9-3-0) in a light heavyweight fight, Roy Nelson (13-3 - 0) vs. Jeff Monson (27-8-0) in a battle of heavyweights and former collegiate / WWE wrestler Bobby Lashley against an opponent yet to Benamer. Petruzelli fight will be the first since his dramatic 14th TKO Kevin Ferguson aka Kimbo Slice at Elite XC "Heat" last October 4. So what Jones brings to MMA? The same that led to Oscar De La Hoya, Donald Trump, Black Entertainment Television (BET), and many others who have tried and failed ... MONEY. Any company with a pulse of this burgeoning industry sees as a golden opportunity in CA $ H have delusions of how easy it is to MMA fans and build your appetite for blood and guts. What I do not know is that the MMA fan is one of the most educated and knowledgeable sports fans, because Mixed Martial Arts is a sport that, unlike his counterpart in boxing. Most of us have a low tolerance to the fight against evil, referring to the poor and mediocre performance, not to mention corruption, money-grubbing suits who try to exploit us. Although it appears the UFC has a monopoly on the sport of MMA is not exactly the case. Yes, they are the Gorilla than two thousand pounds, but still can and a strong need for some support chimpanzees. With the start of the Japanese organization of oldest and most successful MMA, Pride Fighting Championship and the recent collapse of EliteXC, MMA needs more credible performances, where the combatants may come to "cut their teeth". As we have seen with recent upstart Affliction MMA, money if you have a home far enough to attract good fighters of the largest business organizations operating and wise enough to put a good show, they have a chance. Whether or not affliction has what it takes to stay, still do, but they have certainly done better than most. Should we then hardcore MMA fans to boycott the rookie on the basis of their motivation sick? I think not, but at the same time, we will use some discretion and only pay our hard earned money to deserving organizations. Those who are truly in it for a better competition, the experience of the sport better and better for us fans. http://mmadogma. com source>>>

Regardless of who wins this weekend's UFC 102 main event between Randy Couture and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, not much will change for either of the two living legends.

That's not a great way to sell a fight, is it?

Take your pick between the featured bout's decided lack of sizzle, the event's out-of-the-way location or just a prolonged UFC 100 hangover, but some sort of dark forces are conspiring to keep UFC 102 underneath the radar. Aside from the normal fan sites and blogs, there has been precious little media attention paid to this weekend's melee, despite a respectable card featuring two of the all-time greats.

Recent reports suggest the UFC is having trouble selling out Portland, Oregon's Rose Garden area, even though the funky northwest city best known for hippies and hipsters has as strong a local MMA fan base as you'll find anywhere. So, what's the deal?

Well, start with the fact Oregon can boast some of the highest unemployment in the nation and add the fact that the UFC is still trying to hock floor seats for $600 a pop and you get some idea why there might be a lot of empty seats come Saturday. It begs the question: If the world's largest MMA promoter holds a pay-per-view and nobody shows up to see it, does it make a sound?

Clearly, if UFC 102 doesn't break any gate receipt records, you can't blame Couture or Nogueira. It's not their fault this fight didn't happen eight years ago. Couture is a local favorite and both guys are icons who - while clearly the downside of storied careers - are still capable of turning in three-round performances worth the hefty price of admission.

Sure, neither guy can really gain a lot from winning this fight. So what? The loser is still going to have to take a long look in the mirror and consider his future as a professional athlete.

The stakes are probably highest for Nogueira, who looked absolutely terrible last December en route to a second-round TKO loss to Frank Mir. Big Nog's camp has since claimed he was suffering the ill effects of a staph infection when he entered the cage against Mir, but Nogueira will have to rebound in a big way against Couture to prove he still has any business climbing into the cage at all.

Fresh off losing his heavyweight title to Brock Lesnar at UFC 91, Couture is also out to prove he's got enough gas left in the tank to make one more run at the gold. But whether that gold should be in the heavyweight or light heavyweight division is very much up for debate.

Recent training footage showed Couture weighing in just a hair over 220 pounds a couple of weeks out from fight night. Memories of the Washington-native getting out-sized and outmuscled by Lesnar are still fresh in everyone's mind and there would be more popular interest in seeing Couture fight 205-pound champ Lyoto Machida than a rematch with "The Next Big Thing."

Couture initially bailed on light heavyweight after a pair of disastrous knockouts by Chuck Liddell and flatly admitted it was because the competition looked easier in the heavier weight class. With Liddell's recent quasi-retirement and Lesnar's emergence at heavyweight, neither of those facts is true today.

So why stick it out at heavyweight? For now, Couture's not saying, preferring to think only about Saturday night's clash with Nogeuira.

"It would be stupid to overlook this fight," Couture said recently. "That's a surefire way to get your ass handed to you, frankly."

At one time this fight would've been a dream match-up between two of the world's most dominant heavyweights. Too bad that time was 2001. Now this fight will simply be an entertaining match-up of styles pitting Couture's wrestling and scrappy stand-up against Nogueira's submission skills and once-feared boxing.

It'll also be a nice trip down memory lane for fans who remember MMA before the sport got its big break. source>>>

This time last year, Matt Ryan was a wide-eyed rookie with a limited understanding on the NFL.

Not anymore.

The Atlanta Falcons' quarterback is comfortable and confident after surpassing expectations as the No. 3 overall draft pick.

Ryan took each of Atlanta's offensive snaps -- 1,011, to be exact -- while winning 11 of 16 starts. He helped the Falcons earn a wild-card playoff spot and was named NFL offensive rookie of the year.

"We accomplished some of our goals last season, but there's a lot of work to be done," Ryan said. "I know I'm not satisfied, and I know nobody else on this team was satisfied to end the season the way we did."

Coach Mike Smith indicated Wednesday that the Falcons (1-1 preseason) will likely have Ryan play the entire first half when San Diego (1-1) visits the Georgia Dome on Saturday night.

NFL teams routinely prepare regular season-like game plans for next-to-last exhibition, so Ryan is looking forward to the first substantial challenge of 2009.

"Coach Smith has made mention of that," Ryan said. "It's good for us to go play against one of the best football teams in the league. That's what you're going to get in San Diego. It's a team that's been to the playoffs a number of times and they have some really, really good football players."

Atlanta isn't exactly hurting on offense. Running back Michael Turner and receiver Roddy White were first-team Pro Bowl picks last
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year, and the Falcons acquired all-everything tight end Tony Gonzalez in a trade with Kansas City four months ago.

After watching Ryan, Gonzalez decided the time was right to play for Atlanta.

"Everyone knows it's uncommon to see that kind of performance from a rookie quarterback," Gonzalez said. "He's got the maturity of an older guy, and what I'm enjoying so much on the field is how precisely he throws to spots. Puts the ball right in your hands on your route. We have a chance to have a great year if we just take care of our own business."

Part of Ryan's job description last year was to give the Falcons a new start after quarterback Michael Vick, the face of the franchise, landed in federal prison for his role in a dogfighting ring.

Atlanta was also reeling from coach Bobby Petrino's resignation after 13 games in 2007, and the team's scouting department took a hit in late December that year when owner Arthur Blank removed Falcons president Rich McKay from his control of personnel.

Ryan knows Blank is grateful to have general manager Thomas Dimitroff and Smith visibly atop the organization.

"One of the first things I learned from Mr. Blank was his desire to find the best people for the job and his desire to win," Ryan said. "He does everything he can to give you the resources to succeed. It's a pleasure working for him and this team."

The only NFL rookie quarterback ever to win four of his first six starts, Ryan flashed a glimpse of potential when his first passing attempt was a 62-yard touchdown to receiver Michael Jenkins.

His first 300-yard passing game was a last-second victory over Chicago. A 26-yard sideline completion to Jenkins with one tick left on the clock ended with Jason Elam's field goal.

"No question that Matt's a special player," said Turner, who finished second in NFL rushing last year. "He took immediate command of the huddle the first time we practiced together. He's got real leadership ability." source>>>

Members of the NFL's competition committee discussed the issue Tuesday of punts hitting off the video boards that hang 90 feet above the field at the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium.

According to the Dallas Morning News, the competition committee forwarded recommendations to the league about how to address the issue.

It's not clear what the recommendations are.

A Tennessee Titans' punt struck one of the video boards during a preseason game, causing the punt play to have to be re-done. Titans punters said they repeatedly hit punts off the video boards during pregame warmups.

Titans Coach Jeff Fisher, a co-chairman of the competition committee, said after the game that the issue needed to be addressed.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said there's no problem and nothing needs to be done.

Jones repeated that during a radio interview Tuesday, saying the video boards present an element with which punters must deal just as they must deal with wind, rain or other weather conditions. source>>>

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Peyton Manning is still in his prime, as is Reggie Wayne, and Dallas Clark remains one of the most underrated and Active Imageathletic pass-catching tight ends in the game. Anthony Gonzalez must step up his play in his junior year; maybe he'll relax with Marvin Harrison no longer breathing down his neck. Bet NFL Odds with justbet Deposit $100 and receive $100 to start the NFL betting season off.

NFL Predictions, NFL Picks Passing weapons still intact. Running game must bounce back after atrocious 2008 season. Defense was underrated last year. The Colts' year-to-year NFL lines go something like this: see sun rise, see Peyton Manning throw 25-plus touchdown passes, see Indianapolis win 10 or more games. This year, NFL betting fans should expect much of the same, though a couple of key factors could swig Indy's momentum one way or another: head coach Tony Dungy's retirement, and the drafting of running back Donald Brown in the first round. NFL Preseason Odds and Preseason Promotion.

Sports Betting Promotions provides live NFL Odds Free NFL Picks, NFL Predictions, NFL scores and much more this NFL football season. Check out the handicappers at the site for NFL Picks and NFL Predictions. Don't miss this 2009 NFL Football season and start winning with our handicappers NFL Picks and NFL predictions. Don't forget to join us this fall for top handicappers NFL Picks and NFL Predictions. Check the site daily for updated NFL Odds and NFL Football Betting Odds. 2009 Indianapolis Colts NFL Predictions, Picks & NFL Football Odds source>>>

As usual, Mark Sanchez was upbeat and excited when he met the media Wednesday.

He had good reason to be smiling; he was informed in the morning by coach Rex Ryan that he had beaten out fourth-year veteran Kellen Clemens for the starting quarterback job. Sanchez will be the Jets' first rookie opening day QB since 1960, the franchise's first year of existence.

"With this opportunity," Sanchez said, "comes a ton of responsibility for the team, the organization and the community. ... As happy as I am, I know this is just the beginning."

At least Sanchez knows what he's getting into. It won't be easy stepping into the starting role from Day 1, considering he made just 16 starts at Southern Cal. But Clemens made the decision easy for the Jets with a mistake-prone training camp, and Ryan made it clear he believes Sanchez gives the Jets a better chance to win than Clemens would.

Sanchez showed Monday against Baltimore that he needs to improve in some areas, including clock management (he had two delay-of-game penalties). Ryan also made it clear he wants to copy the Baltimore blueprint--play tough defense and run the ball effectively so that Sanchez won't have to shoulder too much of a load.

Saturday's exhibition game against the Giants will be important as Sanchez and the first-team offense try to build chemistry source>>>

Come out, come out, wherever you are.

College football coaches, those sneaky rascals who next season won't even have the guts to make public their final votes in the USA Today coaches' poll, are being dragged into the sunlight like so many Draculas.

That brings us to enterprising SI.com writer Andy Staples, a former Tampa Tribune employee and one of the great bulldogs in our business. We're all proud of Andrew here at the home office for his skill and honesty, as well as his innate ability to know the best barbecue joints within 123 miles of wherever he happens to be standing.

Anyway, Staples decided that seeing as most of the 59 coaches who vote in the poll work for public institutions, their votes should be public record under various state statutes that serve the Freedom of Information Act. Staples made open-records requests to public universities for coaches' ballots. South Florida was the first school to respond. Bully for them. Shine a light.

So now you can go on the USF athletics Web site and see how Bulls coach Jim Leavitt voted in his preseason Top 25. OK, it's not the CIA torture files, but anything that cracks this secret society is a good thing.

Jungle Jim had the Bulls No. 18, a tad high if you ask me. I'm sure Leavitt would have tried to put season-opening opponent Wofford in his Top 25, but they're I-AA.

The point is that anything that brings ballots into focus is good for college football.

The American Football Coaches Association has never really seen it that way. Never mind that the coaches' poll goes one-third of the way toward determining who plays for the BCS national championship and in BCS bowls, with millions on the line.

It took California getting left out of the 2005 Rose Bowl because it mysteriously dropped in the final coaches' poll (Texas went instead) for the AFCA to grudgingly make final poll results public. But now the plan is for the ballots to again run silent, run deep beginning in 2010. Coaches will go back to being cowards.

Or maybe they won't.

If the coaches' poll is to have any integrity, it has to be made public to prove there are no travesties. It's amazing how sunshine makes honesty grow.

I bet most college coaches try and do a good job. But how would we know if they didn't?

Many coaches think their ballots should be private, Florida State's Bobby Bowden among them, though Bobby would probably skywrite his ballot if it meant getting those 14 wins back.

Then there's Steve Spurrier, who has warned that that secret ballots offer a chance at "some real hanky-panky." At SEC media days last month, Spurrier repeated that he wants the ballots public: "Pretty much whatever you do, whatever it is, you know, put your name on it."

Wednesday, Leavitt said, "I don't mind doing it if it's public ... Will we make it public in the future? We may or may not. We may do it by smoke signals."

So if you see smoke coming from the football offices, either the poll is done or they're burning the Sun Bowl game tape.

Openness is the only way to assure accountability in this absurd system. Another way would be to prohibit coaches from voting for their own team. Still another way would be: playoffs. Yeah, there's that.

By the way, Leavitt said his players were upset with him. They thought they should have been ranked higher. Let's hope there's never a players' poll.

We're talking big business here. We're talking about coaches enriched at every turn. Most of the enriching comes from money spent by fans. We have a right to know and coaches have an obligation to let us know or the BCS becomes even more of a joke, if such a thing is possible.

Come out, come out, wherever you are. source>>>

College football in 2009 is still in the middle of its golden era. It is more popular than it has ever been, the competition among its ranks is intense, and the money involved continues to rise despite the economy.

As a result, you may know someone who is interested in the game but who has not followed it closely during the off season. They will probably need to get up to speed to get ready for the season, but it's tough to find everything the casual fan needs to know in one place.

That's why this exists. It's a primer to the season that covers the most important things about each conference and highlights some of the most notable people.

Star-divide

THE BCS CONFERENCES

The Atlantic Coast Conference raided the Big East to get some extra teams and become one of the best conferences, but the decline of traditional powers Florida State and Miami have left it well below its potential. Right now Virginia Tech rules the roost, but below them, no other BCS conference has as much parity. Years after the expansion, no one can remember who is in which division (since they're not geographically based), so don't bother trying to remember it yourself.

Notable Teams

The Virginia Tech Hokies are expected to win the conference and be a player in the national title race. They get by largely on good defense and special teams, with "adequate" being the best adjective for the offense. Head Coach Frank Beamer may be boring, but he gets the job done.

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are a trendy pick in the conference, thanks to its throwback offense. The official title for it is the "flexbone," but most folks just call it the triple option. Head Coach Paul Johnson is a believer in the scheme, having used it at every other place he's coached.

The Florida State Seminoles were college football royalty from the late '80s until about 2001, but it's been a rough decade since. Still, they're the favorite in their division even if they're not the favorite in the league. Head Coach Bobby Bowden is a legend, but his effectiveness has waned as he nears retirement.

The Big 12 is the wild west of college football, and not just because it starts down in Texas and extends northwards through the Great Plains. It has emerged as one of the top two conferences thanks to loads of offense and great quarterbacking play through much of the league. If it has any weaknesses, it's the poor national rankings of its defenses and the fact that the South division is much stronger than its North division.

Notable Teams

The Oklahoma Sooners are one of two programs that rule the conference, and it has won the Big 12 title six of the last nine years. Despite its high level of success, its national reputation is not great as it has lost its last five BCS bowls. Head Coach Bob Stoops has been the architect of OU's renaissance, and he's not afraid to run up the score.251_medium

The Texas Longhorns are the other ruling program, even though they've won the conference just once in this decade. They're always good, and after losing the South division to Oklahoma on a controversial tiebreaker last season, Texas is the favorite this year. Head Coach Mack Brown is one of the nice guys in college football, and his teams rarely disappoint.

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are a trendy team in the conference this year thanks to them fielding perhaps the most dangerous of the high octane Big 12 offenses. The question, as it always seems to be with them, is whether the defense can keep up and make this team a real contender. Head Coach Mike Gundy is more known for a famous rant than his coaching, but that could change this year.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers were once one of the most consistent winners, having a 30-year run of success culminate in three national titles in the mid '90s. The program fell on hard times, but it appears to be on its way back and is the favorite in the weaker North division. Head Coach Bo Pelini has successfully melded old Nebraska tradition with modern football.

The Big East has largely done a good job of holding its own after the ACC's raid earlier this decade, but a combination of losing great coaches and great players has taken its toll. The Big East is now the least powerful of the BCS conferences, and none of its teams made either of the major preseason polls. At least right now, it looks like anarchy as five of its eight teams have been picked to win the conference by various experts.

Notable Teams

The West Virginia Mountaineers were the flagship program of the Big East through its hard times, but it lost its coach last year and its best player this year. The team probably has enough talent to continue its run of success for now though. Head Coach Bill Stewart is like a folksy old grandfather in a movie, something that causes many to wonder how successful he'll be in the cutthroat business of college football coaching

The Pittsburgh Panthers are a model of mild success over the past few years. They've been good, but not that good. Head Coach Dave Wannstedt has continued his tradition of underachieving expectations, something that started in his NFL career before he made the move to college.

The Cincinnati Bearcats have won 10 games two years in a row for the first time in their history, and they were the surprise champions of the league in 2008. They lost a lot of personnel off of that championship team, but some think they'll be in the thick of the conference race again since last year's effort was largely MacGuyver'd anyway. Head Coach Brian Kelly is a rising star in the coaching ranks.

The Big Ten is known for being the home of tough, physical, and old school football, although that's not as accurate as it once was. Its national reputation has fallen on hard times lately thanks to high profile losses in BCS games and a terrible year for one of its flagship programs, Michigan, last year.

Notable Teams

The Ohio State Buckeyes have ruled the Big Ten this decade, but their bad losses in the 2006 and 2007 national title games are a leading cause for the league's plunging reputation. OSU's game against Pac-10 juggernaut USC is the Big Ten's best, and perhaps only, chance to reverse its image before bowl season. Head Coach Jim Tressel is known for playing a conservative brand of football, but he loosens up the offense when the right players are in place.

The Penn State Nittany Lions won the Big Ten in 2008, a bit of a surprise since Ohio State was the heavy favorite. At the moment they sport perhaps the conference's most exciting offense, and they have a great defense to go with it. Head Coach Joe Paterno is in his 80s and has coached here since 1950, but he shows no signs of slowing down.

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The Michigan Wolverines are not expected to challenge for a conference title after having gone 3-9 in 2008, but you can't talk about the Big Ten without mentioning Michigan. They are in a state of transition from a traditional offense to a run-heavy spread offense (see below for more), and the first year was really rough. Head Coach Rich Rodriguez has succeeded with his offense everywhere he's been, so improvement is very likely.

The Pac-10 is searching for an identity right now. It was once the domain of wide open offenses, but it ceded that mantle to the Big 12 when its defenses caught up some. USC has won the conference every year since 2002, and it's the favorite this year as well. The league is trying to fight off a "Pac-1" reputation while developing challengers to USC's hegemony, but consistency among the other conference powers has proven elusive.

Notable Teams

The USC Trojans have been the one of the premier programs in not just the Pac-10 but the entire nation throughout this decade. They send lots of players to the NFL and win all the big games, though mid-level conference opponents have given them some trouble as of late. Head Coach Pete Carroll likes to give off a carefree vibe, but he's tireless and intense in running his program.

The Cal Golden Bears (you might know them as UC-Berkeley) have been one of the primary challengers to USC over the past few years, and they're expected to be again. Head Coach Jeff Tedford is known as a quarterbacking guru, although not many of his guys have done particularly well in the pros.

The Oregon Ducks have one of the most dynamic offenses in college football. They lost quite a bit from last year's team, but they are expected to be in the thick of the Pac-10 race anyway. Head Coach Chip Kelly is in his first year, taking over for retired school legend Mike Bellotti, and it's his schemes that took Oregon up from having a good offense to having a great one.

Not much about the Oregon State Beavers is flashy, but they have the distinction of being the only team to beat USC twice in the last three years. Both wins came at home though, and OSU travels to Los Angeles this year. Head Coach Mike Riley has made this team into a more consistent winner than most would have thought possible.

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The Southeastern Conference is the king of college football right now, as it is almost universally considered to be the best of all leagues and a member school has won each of the last three national titles. Some cracks began to appear in its armor last season though as its reputation for being a tough defensive conference began to shift towards being a bad offensive conference. Though 2008 was a bit of a down year, it looks poised to be back to previous heights in 2009.

Notable Teams

The Florida Gators are the heaviest favorites ever in the AP Poll, and it's not hard to see why. They won the national title last year and return everyone from the defense and nearly everyone from the offense. Head Coach Urban Meyer has built a juggernaut in Gainesville, and just about no one believes that someone other than UF will win the conference's East division.

The Alabama Crimson Tide has the richest history of any program in the conference, and it had flashbacks to its glory days with a 12-2 campaign last year. They won with tough defense and a physical running game, but since the losses were in their final two games, the Tide feel like they have something to prove. Head Coach Nick Saban is one of the most intense people in the sport, and though he's popular among his fans, he's known for being surly with just about everyone else.

The Ole Miss Rebels (a.k.a. University of Mississippi) were big stuff back in the 1950s and '60s, but they haven't done a whole lot since. The program had a breakthrough nine-win season in 2008 though, leading the Rebels and their large set of returning starters to be a trendy pick in the conference's West division. Head Coach Houston Nutt is known for acting a little crazy, but he's a good coach.

The LSU Tigers are looking to recapture the success they had from 2005-07, when they won at least 11 games a year, after a disappointing 2008. The defense was quite young last year, and the players weren't helped a whole lot by a disastrous co-defensive coordinator experiment that has been corrected for 2009. Head Coach Les Miles is known for being bold and a bit rough around the edges, but he wins games.

The Georgia Bulldogs were last year's preseason favorites according to a lot of folks, but they didn't quite fulfill expectations with their 10-3 record. This is one of the most misunderstood programs in the country since, despite going through perhaps its most prosperous era ever right now, a lot folks focus more on what it hasn't done-win a national title or beat rival Florida on a regular basis. Head Coach Mark Richt is one of the good guys of the sport and can be counted on to turn in a great record just about every year.

THE OTHERS

The Mountain West Conference has become the premier conference among those that don't get automatic berths in BCS games every year. That fact has a lot to do with Utah, who went undefeated in 2008, beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, and finished second in the AP Poll. After mounting a futile but loud campaign to overthrow the BCS this off season, the pressure is on for it to continue its success or else be labeled a one-year wonder.

Notable Teams

The TCU Horned Frogs are the preseason favorite in the MWC, and they have been one of the most consistent winners of the decade. They win with defense mostly, and that's because they're always very good on that side of the ball. Head Coach Gary Patterson is has been named as a candidate for higher profile jobs, but he chooses to stay put and continue his success here.

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The Utah Utes are the only team from outside a BCS conference to attend (and win) two BCS games, with last year's triumph the more notable of the two. They lost a lot from that team however, and it will be tough for them to make it to a third BCS game this year. Head Coach Kyle Wittingham has also spurned advances to make him coach elsewhere, preferring to remain at Utah.

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The BYU Cougars are perhaps the best known team of the conference thanks to it winning a national title in 1984. Unlike those high-flying days of prolific offenses, the Cougars of today win with a good offense but a tough defense. Head Coach Bronco Mendenhall, aside from being a great coach, has one of the best football names in the country.

THE REST

None of the other non-BCS conferences are at the level of notoriety of the MWC, so it's not vital for the casual fan to know about them all. A couple of independent teams remain, but only one is worth mentioning here.

Notable Teams

The Boise State Broncos are best known for having a blue home field and winning the 2006 Fiesta Bowl with some wild trick plays. Beyond those postcard highlights though lies one of the best non-BCS programs and the winningest team of the decade. They are held back, however, by the weakness of its conference, the WAC. Head Coach Chris Petersen is a bright young guy who, like the MWC coaches mentioned, has rejected offers from bigger schools to stay put.

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It would have been blasphemy once to ever mention the Notre Dame Fighting Irish after Boise State, but this program hasn't truly been elite for a decade and a half. They're still the most visible and talked about team, and they should be pretty good this year. Head Coach Charlie Weis had better turn in a good record, because his status is in jeopardy after winning just ten games total over the last two seasons.

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THE HEISMAN TROPHY

The Heisman Trophy is essentially the MVP award of college football, although an increasingly vocal crowd considers its value to be well overrated. Nonetheless, it's the most prestigious award in the sport, so it's worth looking at the top candidates.

Tim Tebow, QB, Florida

Tebow is the face of college football, having won this award in 2007 and the national title in 2008. As long as Florida lives up to its lofty expectations, he will be a leading candidate for the award.

Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

Bradford won the Heisman last season after leading the highest scoring offense in the game's history. He's a top candidate, but losing four of the five offensive linemen who protected him in 2008 hurts his chances.

Colt McCoy, QB, Texas

McCoy was last year's runner up, and along with Tebow and Bradford, he's one of the three leading candidates by a wide margin. If he has another superlative season like he did last year, he could be tough to beat since there is a sentiment out there that the other two have had their turn with the award.

Jahvid Best, RB, Cal

Best is, for the most part, considered to be the leading candidate after the Big Three. An electrifying runner, he could have a chance to win the Heisman if he racks up lots of yards and his Golden Bears unseat USC in the Pac-10.

Other Notable Players

College football has 120 teams in its top division, so there are lots of great players spread throughout the country. It would take far too long to write a blurb about them all, so for you the casual fan, just keep these names in the back of your head. If you hear that a highlight of them is coming up, pay attention.

Eric Berry, S, Tennessee

Daryll Clark, QB, Penn State

Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia

Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Georgia Tech

Sergio Kindle, LB, Texas

Taylor Mays, S, USC

DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma

Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State

Zac Robinson (QB), Kendall Hunter (RB), Dez Bryant (WR), Oklahoma State

Jevan Snead, QB, Ole Miss

Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida

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THE SPREAD OFFENSE

You'll probably hear a lot about "the spread offense" since it is a popular thing nowadays. A lot of what you'll hear is either wrong or only half correct, so here's what you really need to know.

The phrase "the spread offense" or "the spread" is highly misleading because there is no one single spread offense. All that term really means is that the offense likes to line up with players taking up most of the horizontal space on the field. In other words, they're spread out from sideline to sideline instead of being bunched up together.

Some spread offenses are very run-heavy, like Michigan's, others are pass-heavy, like Texas Tech's, and others are a balance between the two like Florida's or Texas's. There is a lot of diversity among the various flavors, so just about anything that anyone says definitively about "the spread offense" can be proven wrong by pointing to one program or another.

A spread offense lines up with guys spread out all across the field. That's really it. source>>>

Jack Ingram successfully tackled 215 radio interviews in 24 hours and set a new world record. On Tuesday (Aug. 25), the native Texan released a new album, Big Dreams & High Hopes, which features his new single, "Barefoot and Crazy." Ingram will play at Adair's Saloon in Dallas on Wednesday (Aug. 26) to celebrate the new release. He'll also sign autographs and perform at Waterloo Records in Austin, Texas, on Thursday (Aug. 27). In addition, he'll open concerts for Toby Keith in Las Vegas on Saturday (Aug. 29) and in Stateline, Nev., on Sunday (Aug. 30). View interview photos. source>>>

Faith Hill's "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night" will return as the theme song for NBC's Sunday Night Football for the third season. It will make its first appearance this season on Sept. 13, in a matchup between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, and will continue to be heard throughout the NFL season. The anthem is set to the original Joan Jett song, "I Hate Myself for Loving You." Hill recorded the track in Nashville and filmed the video at Universal Studios Orlando. source>>>

Having made his first music video only four years ago, Jason Aldean is still an infant in this medium. Even so, he has already established a strong and consistent presence as a thoughtful, intense, sometimes brooding troubadour whose songs -- whatever their subject matter -- are to be taken seriously. He's not trying to come across as one of the boys or to make you laugh. He wants your full attention. In other words, he's more rock regal than country chummy.

Contributing to this more somber tone is the fact that the first six of Aldean's seven videos are mixtures of black and white and muted colors, which, depending on the scene, can impart either a dreamy or nightmarish quality. Whatever the background, though, Aldean's tall, rangy frame, assertive poses and middle-distance gaze make him a compelling figure to watch.

Here's his portfolio.

"Hicktown" (2005) -- A tour bus rolls up in the middle of nowhere, stagehands get to work and suddenly you've got a show. This clip surrenders to all the usual down-home clichés -- guys in monster trucks and astride ATVs, exquisitely sculpted girls clad in denim miniskirts and baring their navels, mud everywhere. But with his wide stance and imperious glare, Aldean seems to rise above all the predictables, even as he urges the action along.

"Amarillo Sky" (2006) -- The video opens with a series of young farmers speaking into the camera and telling how dear farming is to their hearts and how perilous the profession has become. As tractors roll, crop dusters fly and combines rumble across the fields, Aldean and his band become the Greek chorus that comments on this noble struggle to survive.

"Johnny Cash" (2007) -- Here, Aldean not only name-checks the Man in Black, he seems to be channeling him, as well, right down to the snarls and hand gesture. Standing in a neon netherworld, he sings of the need to flee a dead-end town and never come back. This isn't the light-hearted escapism of "Heads Carolina, Tails California." This is a dark, desperate flight. Just look at the vacant face of the girl who agrees to go along on this aimless journey.

"Laughed Until We Cried" (2007) -- Looking convincingly pensive, Aldean strolls along a beach as phantom figures from his youth cavort in the sand. Then he's on to the beachside amusement park, still deep in thought, until his little girl runs into his arms and brings his bittersweet reveries back to real life. This is the only video to date in which Aldean isn't shown singing.

"Relentless" (2008) -- Life on the road can be a real drag when you're separated from the one you love, says this video. Deep in thought, Aldean sprawls in a motel room, looking at a phone that doesn't ring. Then he goes for a solitary walk. But nothing dispels the loneliness. On another level, this video serves to "brand" and position Aldean as a headliner via its concert setup scenes and prominent JA signage.

"She's Country" (2008) -- Unlike the show-in-a-pasture of "Hicktown," here Aldean and company set up for a big arena show. The payoff: adoring chicks crowding up to the edge of the stage (all presumably of rural origin or aspiration).

"Big Green Tractor" (2009) -- This live clip, which shows Aldean and his band performing against a huge backdrop, is in rich rather than muted colors. Lots of flashing lights and waves of applause. Most of the close-ups, though, are of Aldean and his lead guitar player. JA has arrived. source>>>