Bad Week for Blogging

I've been sick and busy for most of this week (a bad combination, let me tell you), and I'm heading out of town today, so what you see is what you get for the rest of this week.

I think the Tigers made a bold move in trading for Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera, but it makes me wonder, what becomes of poor Brandon Inge?

The Dodgers were smart to sign Andruw Jones to a two-year deal, which is a long shot from the six or seven Jones' agent Scott Boras insisted he would get at the start of this offseason. Even so, $18 million for a guy coming off a .222 season? Maybe Boras hasn't lost all his magic just yet.

And the Celtics remain on fire at 15-2, on pace for 72.35 wins. If the Big Three can stay healthy and the supporting cast continues to support, an NBA record 73 wins is definitely in reach.

And with that, folks, I'm out. See you Monday.

Count 'em on one hand: Dorrell firing leaves 5 black head coaches in NCAA D-I football

UCLA fired Karl Dorrell Monday in a move that many saw coming.

The Bruins compiled a 35-27 record and reached a bowl in every season under Dorrell's leadership, but above average simply isn't good enough in the Pac-10.

What's troubling about this news is the fact that there are now only five black coaches remaining in NCAA Division I football: Turner Gill (Buffalo), Tyrone Willingham (Washington), Randy Shannon (Miami), Ron Prince (Kansas State), and Sylvester Croom (Mississippi State).

Out of 119 jobs, five represents barely four percent. When stacked up against the demographic of players participating in NCAA football -- about 50%, according to a recent SI article -- that's a paltry number.

Let me be clear what I'm not suggesting: I would never say that a black coach should be given more leniency simply because he's a black coach. Dorrell didn't meet the expectations established for the program, and he lost his job. It's harsh, but that's part of the business. If Willingham's Huskies don't put together a better season in 2008, he may be looking for a job as well.

What I am suggesting is that more black coaches deserve a fighting shot at the jobs that are available. While the NFL has mandated a policy requiring teams to interview at least one minority candidate when a vacancy arises -- the so-called "Rooney Rule" -- NCAA football has no such stipulation.

As if there was ever a legitimate question, Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith proved in last year's Super Bowl that skin color is irrelevant when it comes to success in coaching football. The NFL has finally come to understand this, and it's time for the NCAA to take the cue.

For more on minority coaches in football...
Dorrell fired after mostly mediocre run (AP, via Yahoo! sports)
Just looking for a chance (Sports Illustrated)
The big game in sports management and higher education (Black Coaches and Administrators)
The Rooney Rule (Wikipedia)

The computers have spoken: Making sense of the BCS

In a bizarre way, what the BCS computers spewed out Sunday made sense.

It's not that anyone really saw it coming, but you get the feeling if you had tried a little harder, you might have. It's LSU vs. Ohio State on January 7, 2008, for the BCS Championship.

In the preseason polls and Weeks 1-4, LSU was ranked #2 in the nation. After USC's sloppy win over Washington, LSU leapfrogged the Trojans and spent Weeks 5 and 6 at the top. The loss to Kentucky sent the Tigers down a few notches, but LSU returned to #2 in Week 10.

People will say that Ohio State backed into the BCS Championship, and in a season like this, who is anyone else to argue? But in Weeks 7-10, the top spot was theirs alone. That's right, in Week 10, Ohio State were #1 and #2 in the polls.

Should have seen it coming, right?

The college football rankings have resembled a seismograph this season -- 11 top-two losses (including four in the past two weeks) and a Top 25 that barely resembles the preseason poll. LSU and Ohio State have been a part of that, living on the receiving end of three of those top-two losses.

But nevertheless, they have been hovering all season, playing good football and scratching toward the top, even after losses set them back. Should LSU have lost to Arkansas at home? Absolutely not. Did Illinois have any business knocking off Ohio State? Probably not, but that's why they call it an upset.

David has slain Goliath all season, and Goliath no longer looks unbeatable. But in a crazy season like this one, it seems fitting that the two Goliaths -- the two biggest and most consistent presences all season -- should square off for the championship.