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UCLA had thought Nico's younger brother Madden was in the fold. In an instant without a single visit or ties to Arkansas Madden signed on with Arkansas. Deal with this family at your own risk. One of the guys guiding the young man is a guy named Lavell Anders. A former Gator staffer who was let go for "reasons". Joel Klatt actually made a really good point in saying this is ultimately the NCAAs fault. For years now we saw coaches salaries going from 2 million a year to now over ten. Coaches have been playing this game for years and gotten away with it. Now that it's the kids it's deemed out of control. Let's be honest about the fact that guys like Mel Tucker, Jimbo Fisher, Willie Taggart, Lane Kiffin and Brian Kelly have been mercenaries that have no loyalty to anything but their bank account. As a fan of the free market I applaud them. You're worth as much as somebody will pay you. But don't act like it's any better for a coach to do this than a player. Contracts are pointless.

I think Dan has a stronger word he'd like to use. I'd like to hear it one day. I also think there was a stronger feeling toward seeing the path Penn State and Texas were given over the only undefeated team in the field. They couldn't have adjusted the seeding so Oregon could've gotten SMU, Clemson, or Indiana? People were saying Tennessee was potentially the second best at large team. So you're giving the only undefeated team and B1G champion the toughest team coming out of the first round guaranteed? Seems kind of dumb to me. We all know college football is now NFL Lite. But that doesn't mean you have to have such an amateur way of seeding the tournament. It was dumb. You all should turn in your cards right now and go work as Minions at Universal. You can't think clearly, you can't put together a competent reason for giving us Oregon vs Ohio State 2 any earlier than the Championship. Go!!! Get out now!!! You are fired!!!!! Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars!! What, I said go now. It's over.

Imagine him having to take a pay cut or thinking a guy like Bill Belichick will treat him with the same kid gloves as Heupel. Tennessee fans are notoriously pretty rough on struggling players. Not Nico though. I feel bad that his mom is sick and he's the provider for his family. But his family couldn't get by off two million a year? Why isn't his father working? Michael Jordan's father worked well after his son became a NBA superstar.

After recent post spring practice, Dan Lanning talked about the upcoming season and reflected upon what was almost a perfect first season in the B1G. Winning the league and making history as the first B1G program to beat Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State in the same season. Yet it wasn't enough. He didn't answer when asked if he was the one who informed Tennessee of their starting QB eyeing a bigger bag. Smart man in both ways. Oregon's Dan Lanning admits waking up every day haunted by embarrassing Rose Bowl blowout WWW.SPORTINGNEWS.COM Dan Lanning and Oregon had high expectations in the playoffs, but just flatlined. Lanning hasn't forgotten...

Didn't LaVar launch a shoe company? Big Balling or something like that I think. I read a review that they really had no arch support and ultimately fell apart under pressure. Phil Knight and Nike have no cause for concern.

They just gave Underwood 10 million guaranteed to spurn LSU. They also brought in a fifth year guy out of Fresno who will likely be in a mentor role. Michigan is projected to be in a build it this year to compete for it all next year mode. Underwood has more gifts than Nico. I can't imagine them wanting to pay ten million this year on three QBs in a rebuilding year. Underwood is the phenom their boosters want to play. I only see one place and that's UCLA, but do they have the money to give a middling QB 4 million a year? Also remember 4 million in California is likely worth only three million. Now if it was Texas Tech or UCF it would be 4 due to no State taxes.

Didn't the father use some expletive towards a onOne writer that reported on this? Nothing like having your father act like a petulant child and say a report is unfounded only to basically confirm the opposite less than 24 hours. That's the kind of thing that ruins kids futures. He's your son, not a lottery ticket sir. Geesh I thought Universities treated these guys like disposable pieces. I can't imagine acting so selfish as to use my own son like this. I can't publicly take the side of Tennessee on anything. But they aren't the bad guys in this story. I hope the fools in Miami don't validate this clown father, but their credo and history never fails to make me laugh. There's no such thing as substance in Coral Gables. It's all about the facade.

You notice that Oregon is always tossed out as a possible suitor? I guess people think they just throw money around like beads on Bourbon Street.

Contracts don't mean anything in college. There is no limit on the amount of times a guy could transfer and he could let it be known at any point that he will be transferring. The players should make money off their likeness. But a guy should honor the agreement he made because that's the only way to do business. Of course both parties can come to the table to renegotiate if one side is outperforming their expected output. But you don't just stop working and demand a raise because somebody on the outside told you they'd give you more. Imagine Charles having an agreement with Jon to write up a team preview in August. Now imagine if Jon told Charles the day before his article was supposed to be written that he requires a press box at Autzen to get the article done. That would damage any future trust and put any future agreements at risk. Jon would never do such a thing because he had an agreement. Charles provides a great website and Jon provides first class articles. Better than Canzano imo. To any Canzano fans I apologize if that offends you, but I find him to be very biased and he pretends to not favor any program in the state. But Beavis is going to Beavis.

I was reading the bio of Tony Bennett the other day for reasons. I found out the retired national championship coach left Washington State because the school cancelled his recruiting visits for budgetary reasons. This was fifteen years ago, not today. How in the world can a P5 program with recent success not have the money for their coach to travel to see recruits? That's just plain embarrassing. Bennett had turned down the Indiana job in 2009. He was about to call Virginia to tell them he would do the same, his wife intervened and asked him if he really wanted to turn that job down.

Thanks Jon!! I hope the Gator football boys take some inspiration from the basketball program. If we could win two out of three vs Tennessee, Georgia, and Texas I would expect a playoff appearance as long as business gets taken care of vs LSU, Miami and South Carolina. As for the Penn State vs Oregon game I think Big Noon is doing a disservice to B1G fans. Oregon is at Penn State for the first time. This is a rematch of an entertaining B1G title game. Both programs should be top 5. How is this not the primetime whiteout game? It's a beautiful sight at night and you know Oregon would probably have Darth Vader type uniforms to offset all that white. Throw Ohio State on Big Noon. Michigan vs USC could be an afternoon game leading up to Oregon at Penn State. What do I know though? I hope you get a chance to go to this game Jon. If not I hope you and all the great Duck fans who can't take Charles up on his invitation get to watch it with friends and family.

Is that Oregon vs Penn State game at night? I heard it was the whiteout game since they aren't hosting Ohio State this year.

To me this was his most impressive. South Carolina has become the new Goliath and Geno just came back after a nine year stretch. Many young ladies were almost too young to remember the UCONN dominance. I'd like to remind people of the late great Pat Summit. She really helped elevate women's basketball back in the day when it wasn't prominent at all. Tennessee vs UCONN helped establish WCBB.

FSU hit the transfer portal hard last off-season and thought they could build a roster instead of of supplement one that way. As far as Alabama goes, if Saban was the guy on the sidelines I wouldn't question the Tide at all. The way a very talented and deep Tide squad lost at Vanderbilt, crapped the bed vs Oklahoma and Michigan has me concerned. Was there a more Jekyll &Hyde QB than Milroe? I haven't seen more people divided on a NFL prospect than that guy. I wouldn't take him before round five, same thing for Dart. But I've seen some mocks that have both guys as first to early second. Probably the Browns and Raiders tbh. But back to Alabama and FSU, I think the game will be closer than most assume. If the line is anything above a four I would be shocked. I'm no gambler but I'd take the under on that. Opening week is tough, actually opening month is. Who would've seen NIU beating Notre Dame a week after the Irish beat Texas A&M? Idaho gave Oregon their third hardest game all year. Many Duck fans and fans nationally thought Gabriel wasn't going to be able to handle B1G defenses after the first two weeks. He did far more than handle them though. I never root for Alabama, except of course if they are playing the chop chop shop boys. I'll root for anybody over them. If Alabama plays up to their talent level I see a beating. I'm just not sold on them being able to do that in week one. I hope they prove me wrong for one week at least. As far as Notre Dame vs Miami? I see a clubbing of the candy canes. Freeman is a far better coach.

Remember that nobody had Florida as a top 25 program. Heck all year Florida never got one first place vote despite blowing out number one Tennessee and Auburn on the road. Florida lost four SEC games against teams that all made the tournament btw and no other losses. They blew out Alabama and Tennessee to win the SEC tournament and barely got the last one seed. Florida isn't even top 20 in the top early rankings next year. The basketball people have Houston number one, Duke number two and Auburn top 5. Look at all the players they're losing and tell me they don't have unknowns. But in the end it doesn't matter. Florida didn't have one top 150 player on it's to roster this year. Guess who has the trophy though? A team that was built through NIL in the portal. Oregon has a pretty good NIL collective I've heard. Remember that Todd Golden had never won a single NCAA tournament game before this year. Oregon doesn't have that issue either. Let the media disrespect the Duck. The B1G hasn't won a title in 25 years, what better way to celebrate your second year in the conference than winning the championship in both basketball and football. A feat that only one program has ever done before. Go prove them wrong. The basketball media is worse than the football if you can believe it.

That Clemson vs LSU game is the 2019 championship rematch. Both teams have Heisman contending QBs coming back. Dabo has gone again nst his nature and hit the transfer portal to plug some holes. Brian Kelly *gave up a million dollars of salary to help the school retain some talent. Is he feeling the heat? Alabama vs FSU is a complete crapshoot. Who's starting at QB for both programs. DeBoer got his offensive coordinator back this year as Grubb spent a year coaching in the NFL with Green Bay. How much impact will that play? Nebraska is playing at Cincy. Will Rhule build off his first bowl win? I think he has to be on the hot seat if they don't win at least 8 games.

I know it's softball and baseball season, but we're only a few months away from week zero in football. The biggest opening week game imo is Texas vs Ohio State. Anybody have any other games they're looking forward to?

Awesome game. Houston is the best defensive team I've seen in my lifetime.

There has been some concern about DJ's shoulder, but I think he'll be fine. Billy needs to contend this year, it's going to be tough with the schedule though. The best beat whoever is there, that's what Oregon did outside of one game against the eventual champion.

Finebaum did say he believed Vanderbilt could beat most B1G teams in a CFP, but I think that was only to try and cover for Alabama losing. He was pretty silent after Oklahoma beat the Tide in October. I think he said Alabama wasn't a CFP team, a statement he later went back on when Indiana and SMU got in over Ole Miss and Alabama. I just accept Paul for what he is. He has called out Florida fans many times for our calls to see Napier get fired. But then he said DeBoer should be on the hot seat after one year where he (Paul) himself said they were playoff worthy in early December. So which is it Paul, is it insane for Gator fans to grow restless after three years of mediocrity but not insane for Alabama fans to be frustrated after one year? I think he forgets the stretch of time that Alabama wasn't the dynasty they became under Saban. A furious Alabama fan delivered an all-time rant about the Vandy loss on Paul Finebaum Show FTW.USATODAY.COM As if it wasn't already obvious, Alabama fans aren't taking kindly to the team's shocking loss at Vanderbilt on...

Well I guess Houston stopped Flagg. Color me shocked. Congrats to Houston.

Paul may have a national show but he has and always will cater to the State of Alabama generally. The SEC as a whole is his secondary base. People need to remember that. He's like a beat writer that got a platform on ESPN.

Paul has had a rough couple years. His claim that the B1G is being propped up by two heavyweights and a bunch of mid teams works to his core audience. The big problem is the SEC has been propped up by two programs and a bunch of fluff as well. LSU is not consistently great, they'll pop up every odd year like 2003, 2007, 2011, and 2019 when the title game is played in the Superdome. But outside of that they aren't better than Penn State. Tennessee was down for a decade, they got ran off the field vs Ohio State in the playoffs. I can't say they're elite yet. Texas is in the same league as Oregon, only less consistent. Texas A&M is like USC in the way they get hyped up and then lose when it matters. Oklahoma has gotten thrashed every single time they have made the playoff. Under Venables they've been a seven win squad per average. Florida? Don't get me started on our issues, hopefully Billy and DJ can put those issues to bed. But until they go it's nothing but hope. So the SEC has had Alabama and Georgia carrying the shield. I'm sorry but that doesn't make me proud or happy. Just like I'm sure Oregon wasn't happy when USC had their run in the 2000's or now with Ohio State and Michigan. Little brothers and never have beens take credit for other's success. Programs like Ole Miss or Oregon State.

Both teams have gotten into a groove. Enjoyable second half, I worry about Houston's depth though.