The Solid Verbal: Living College Football » cincinnati

Click Chorus: Sept 26, 2011

Dan — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:22:26 +0000

Today’s Chorus is brought to you by NYU graduate and Parks and Rec person Aubrey Plaza. So very glad to have her back on my Thursdays.

*****

• The Arizona Republic is following BCS money. This could get derrrrrty.

• CBS’s Bruce Feldman has deserved praise for LSU CB Tyrann Mathieu, who’s now officially “The Honey Badger.”

• Toledo wants its (SHADY) loss to Syracuse reversed. Seems futile.

• Texas A&M has officially joined the SEC.

• Minnesota coach Jerry Kill suffered another seizure and readmitted himself to the hospital. Time will be taken to hopefully get all straightened out.

• Florida State CB Greg Reid was arrested on misdemeanor obstruction of justice and perjury charges. And it involved a scooter. This is all starting to feel very meltdown-y.

• So that’s that for New Mexico coach Mike Locksley after a recruit got a DWI driving a car registered to Locksley. Feels like a no-no.

• ESPN‘s bloggers have conference power rankings and, screw it, power bowl projections. You can’t even begin to contain the power.

• They also learned things. Good for them.

• SB Nation’s Bill Connelly is up in the weekend’s numbers. I think they got to second base.

• I thought I told you that SI.com’s Stewart Mandel didn’t stop.

• The Wiz has your week four screengrabs. Cincy girl wins the week.

*****

Today’s Video of the Day is Beats by Dry Cleaner.

Enjoy your Monday.

***Follow me on Twitter.***

Click Chorus: Aug 12, 2011

Dan — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:58:40 +0000

Today’s Chorus is brought to you by Freaks and Geeks AND Loyola Marymount alum Linda Cardellini. I think I like the Lindsay Weir version better.

*****

• Arkansas RB Knile Davis is out for the season after breaking his ankle during a scrimmage. Awful news.

• Texas A&M to the SEC isn’t nearly as true as the consistently reliable Texas A&M Rivals site would have you believe.

• Could Florida State go to the SEC? Probabmaybwhoknows.

• We like Indiana coach Kevin Wilson a lot more after his radio appearance yesterday.

• 2011 will be Howard Schnellenberger’s last year coaching Florida Atlantic. Here’s to his pants being suspended in a professional, respectable way.

• A nice point/counterpoint between Florida H-back Trey Burton and an interviewer. Her point is calling him hot, his counterpoint is looking at her chest. It balances out.

• ESPN figures out which teams are just big ol’ teases.

• Jim Tressel and Ohio State are testifying today before the NCAA. Perfect way to start the weekend, right?

• Fox Sports’s Thayer Evans profiles West Virginia menace DE Bruce Irvin.

• SI.com’s Andy Staples has an ACC preview, but fails to talk about Maryland scooters. This is why we win.

• SEC Week is real and it’s spectacular.

• Cal lost presumed starting FB Eric Stevens to a torn ACL.

• Rivals has a Florida State preview. Conclusion: It’s Bjoern Time.

• Cincinnati‘s going black on matte black with alternate helmets.

*****

Today’s Video of the Day is the Warcraft kid freaking out over a tattoo. This is video birth control.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtkuvF7VbSQ

Enjoy your Friday. Keep warm.

***Follow me on Twitter.***

Click Chorus: Aug 11, 2011

Dan — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:17:22 +0000

Today’s Chorus is brought to you by SUNY-Buffalo graduate and film mogul Harvey Weinstein. A little birdie told me that The Weinstein Company is interested in optioning The Solid Verbal story. That little birdie? Me.

*****

• The NCAA isn’t done with Ohio State. Or are they? No, they’re not.

• Your monthly Texas A&M-to-the-SEC rumor (this time with a double shot of Governor Rick Perry) is now ready for you. Careful, it’s hot.

• Boise State AD Gene Bleymaier is no more in the Treasure Valley. Ok, he’ll still probably be in the area, but somebody new will be occupying his office.

• Missouri DT Sheldon Richardson has finally been cleared to practice for the Tigers, though he may still go to USC. Or not. Or so.

• Cincinnati AD Mike Thomas will accept the same position at Illinois. Things just got a whole lot more orange.

• SB Nation’s Spencer Hall previewed every SEC game, I’m assuming because he hates sanity.

• ESPN’s Andrea Adelson has Big East practice reports. Most importantly, cursing and Tweeting is out at Pitt.

• ESPN checks in with second-year coaches.

• Penn State coach Joe Paterno returned to practice with his arm in a sling and his body in a golf cart.

• SB Nation’s Bill Connelly previews Boise State. Spoiler: The numbers love ‘em.

• South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier doesn’t want his players swearing. He’s the only one allowed.

• Is Cal‘s offense too hard for young players? Sure, that must be it, you all are just too dumb to understand.

• SI.com’s Stewart Mandel has a mailbag AND a Dodge Stratus.

• College football and MS Paint (penises) will never, ever get old.

• Dr Saturday‘s SEC Week keeps on keeping on.

• Georgia Tech OT Phil Smith has been suspended for two games for rule breakage.

• Former Nebraska RB Ahman Green will be roaming sidelines for the Big Ten Network this fall. My only connection to this is that I once accidentally walked in on two people (neither of which were Ahman Green) attempting to make babies in the basement of a building he lived in in Omaha. This has nothing to do with anything.

• 2012 Auburn QB commit Zeke Pike is already thrilled to prod Alabama fans on Twitter. This will only end in mutual respect and peaceful thoughts.

• Rivals previews Nebraska, without any of the Ahman Green insight I provided above. Lame.

*****

Today’s Video of the Day is Paul Rudd’s marketing genius.

Enjoy your Thursday. Enjoy your style.

***Follow me on Twitter.***

Bachelor Poddy (8/4)

Ty Hildenbrandt — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 02:46:21 +0000

Ty and Dan talk with Mark Ennis from BigEastCoastBias.com about expectations at West Virginia, the Tino Sunseri Experiment in Pitt’s new offense, USF’s progression as a major football program, UConn’s mantra for 2011, and prop bets for his own wedding.

Click Chorus: July 26, 2011

Dan — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:50:01 +0000

Today’s Chorus is brought to you by Missouri State (then SW Missouri St) attendee, just-announced Community actor, and all-around good thespian John Goodman.

*****

• Big 12 Media Day was full of Longhorn Network fun.

• Former Alabama WR Julio Jones was a man of many suits, just like we all were in college. No big deal.

• South Carolina QB coach G.A. Mangus really had to go. Like REALLY.

• CBS’s Brett McMurphy looks ahead to September 17, the ACC‘s day of reckoning. Dun dun DUN.

• The SJ Mercury News’s Jon Wilner updates the Pac-12′s search for a network partner. Let’s assume for now that The Solid Verbal is out of the running.

• The NCAA will hold a summit to talk about proprietary TV networks. Probably a good idea.

• CBS Sports has a new feature called Rapid Reports with quick breaking news for the bigger CFB programs. And Maryland. (press cmnd-D shortly)

• To those that said ESPN being involved in the Longhorn Network would affect their own Texas coverage… you have a point (via EDSBS).

• Missouri coach Gary Pinkel isn’t a fan of the Longhorn Network.

• Take a look at Texas DC Manny Diaz’s defense. He’s crafty.

• Texas coach Mack Brown talks about protecting QBs. He ends up saying very little.

• ESPN has choice Big 12 Media Day quotes and storylines. Also, OSU coach Mike Gundy‘s hair looks darker.

• ESPN’s Heather Dinich has a Day 2 ACC media day notebook. Punting is somehow involved.

• Boston College coach Frank Spaziani talks the ‘stache. He’s the best.

• Unofficial preseason B1G polls are out. Gobble ‘em up!

• ESPNU’s Tom Luginbill has recruit summaries from something called “Gridiron Kings.”

• Is Clemson coach Dabo Swinney already running out of time? Perhaps, says Fox Sports South’s Andrew Jones.

• SB Nation’s Bill Connelly doesn’t have a preview today. But if he did, it’d be South Carolina. I’m such a prankster.

• Paralyzed Rutgers DT Eric LeGrand is awesome.

• It’s B1G Week for Yahoo!!!!!!’s Dr. Saturday. Go get yourself some learnin’.

• Michigan’s too good for non-Notre Dame non-conference road trips. Not everyone can be men.

• Former top Miami S recruit Latwan Anderson will be making his way to Cincinnati.

• Rivals previews BYU. Fact: If you read all of the previews Rivals and Dr. Saturday do, you’re somewhere between 10-15x more informed than almost everyone on TV. Do it!

*****

Today’s Video of the Day is my favorite scene from The Big Lebowski (N-S-F-W). Sometimes, I just need it. Happy Birthday, Keeerrrttt1!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPo9OBrIOi4

Enjoy your Tuesday. Get flossy.

***Follow me on Twitter.***

Click Chorus: July 12, 2011

Dan — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 16:06:24 +0000

Today’s Chorus is brought to you by Lindsay Sloane, college career unknown. I do know that she went to the same high school as Matt Cassell, she’s briefly in Horrible Bosses and will be in something called “A Good Old Fashioned Orgy.” I enjoy Lindsay Sloane.

*****

• ESPN‘s suing Ohio State for the most valuable commodity of all — INFORMATION.

• Eleven Warriors has the requests from various CFB media for Ohio State documents. My brain is imploding.

• Excerpts from Mike Leach‘s new book, Swing your Sword can be found on Yahoo’s The PostGame (red period).

• Georgia OL Brent Benedict is transferring to Virginia Tech. Once those cows greet you as you drive into Blacksburg, IT’S OVER.

• SB Nation’s Bill Connelly tries to understand Cincinnati.

• The day has finally come — ESPN RANKS B1G SECONDARIES!!!!!!

• ESPN is previewing impact games well ahead of kickoff and about three weeks ahead of fall camp. And I’m reading them.

• The toxicology reports from the death of Oklahoma LB Austin Box have been released.

• Fox Sports Detroit previews B1G QBs. If you get distracted, there are photographs of random attractive Detroit citizens to take your mind off of football.

• Things were even fishier than we probably even thought with the way ESPN’s Craig James handled the whole “I’m gonna get a coach fired” situation.

• Arizona State doesn’t stop working at 5:00. They try to sell season ticket packages to see a team in an outdated, half-empty stadium at all hours of the night. (via Dr Sat)

• I didn’t even know this existed, but SI.com has recruiting rundowns by 24/7′s Barton Simmons. Start reading ‘em, especially when they’re about Oregon not hurting in the short term on the recruiting trail.

• The Wiz has Army’s 2011 poster schedule. Not pictured: Patti LaBelle.

• Oregon CB Cliff Harris, after being absent from some summer workouts (presumably to work on not driving 118 mph) is back working out with the team voluntarily.

• Kansas City Royals OF Bubba Starling is in Lincoln, NE.

• Washington will play San Diego State and LSU next year. Husky games just got way more attractive (physically).

• Oh don’t pretend like you didn’t see a Randy Edsall-inspired ice cream flavor coming.

*****

Today’s Video of the Day is part one of a documentary about the recent Tuscaloosa tornado. A giant basketball player is prominently involved.

Click Chorus: July 6, 2011

Dan — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:45:49 +0000

Today’s Chorus is brought to you by Regis Philbin, who apparently attended and graduated from Notre Dame. Who knew?

*****

• If you’re the last person who hasn’t read it, here’s Yahoo!’s Will Lyles/Oregon story.

• CBS’s Bryan Fischer ponders independence and major football programs.

• The body of Purdue RB Sean Matti was found in a Lake in Indiana. Unspeakably tragic.

• Former UNC DE Mike McAdoo is suing UNC and the NCAA for reinstatement. Nancy Grace is outraged.

• Illinois DL Chris Jones was charged with battery. At least he didn’t have cocaine on him like the last time he was arrested, right?

• Alabama QB A.J. McCarron has a sizable sternum tat. Reason for concern?

• SI.com’s Andy Staples brings the noise with his Cheating for Dummies column.

• SB Nation’s Bill Connelly includes Yo La Tengo in his USF preview. Also, Bill Connelly never stops.

• Neither does Rivals’s's’s's’s UCF preview, apparently.

• South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney is officially a South Carolina DE. Must’ve been waiting for all of the AP results to come back.

• Want Rich Rodriguez’s Michigan house? Sure you do! (via Dr Sat)

• Auburn needs a QB. Soon.

• The Big East has defensive lines, so ESPN feels compelled to rank them.

• ESPN’s Brian Bennett echoes what we talked about last week — new Wisconsin QB Russell Wilson is good, but the greatness talk needs to be scaled back.

• The B1G has LBs. But you knew that already.

• A giant combine/tournament is going on on the Nike campus in Portland. ESPN has first-day stories.

• Cincinnati QB Chazz Anderson (DOUBLE Z!) has transferred to Buffalo. RIP multiple Chaz(z)es in the Big East.

• Georgia assistant recruiting coordinator Charles Canton got the hell out of Athens. Peculiar?

• SI.com’s Stewart Mandel looks at the B1G challenges ahead for Nebraska.

• Vanderbilt decided to pull a Stanford and recruit smart kids that can also play football.

• Maryland OL Justin Lewis is now persona non grata in College Park, MD.

• Top incoming Texas DT Quincy Russell failed to qualify for the Longhorns.

• Incoming Alabama RB Dee Hart may have torn an ACL. Or maybe not.

• Rivals profiles new Texas Tech DC Chad Glasgow, who promises to be better than the last guy, Chad Edinburgh.

• The Longhorn Network is getting two 2011 Texas games. Hurray!

*****

Today’s Video of the Day is mustachio’d monkeys being fascinated by an iPod touch. Of course.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nP73LFhcKY

Enjoy your Wednesday. Buy clothing!

***Follow me on Twitter.***

The Big East (5/3)

Ty Hildenbrandt — Wed, 04 May 2011 01:29:05 +0000

Ty and Dan talk with Brian Bennett from ESPN.com about Charlie Strong’s impact at Louisville, Greg Schiano’s stock at Rutgers, Dana Holgorsen’s arrival at West Virginia, and overall parity in the Big East.

Click Chorus: Mar. 28, 2011

Dan — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:12:57 +0000

Today’s Chorus is brought to you by Don Draper, since we won’t be seeing him for at least another year, damnit.

*****

• SI.com’s Andy Staples says Ohio State coach Jim Tressel is leaving his school few options in regards to his future. School president Gordon Gee might have to fire himself to avoid this.

• South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier was fake arrested last week at practice to prove a point. Wonderful.

• This is Alabama‘s newest defensive tackle. Man, I remember when I looked like that. Glad that’s all behind me.

• Texas Tech had a spring game. It looks like their #1 QB going into summer workouts is somebody named “Seth Doege,” which I will probably pronounce “dough-gee” until mid-October.

• The scuttlebutt is that ESPN’s Ted Miller picked the three best offensive and defensive players from each Pac-12 team and then listed them. The debates will never end from this one!

• ESPN’s Brian Bennett had a conversation with Cincinnati coach Butch Jones. The key word here is “toughness,” which means not a lot of preparation went into this interview.

• It’s Alabama RB Trent Richardson’s time. Some say he’s better than their last running back who won a Heisman trophy and was consistently much more productive. Some say.

• Fox Sports West tries to look at the new position battles at USC, but the words “Kiffin” and “Barkley” appear more than anything else. Oh well, they tried.

• Miami OT Seantrel Henderson showed up last year weighing 385 lbs. The word “hero” is thrown around a lot these days, so I’ll just stick with “huge guy who seemed to care very little about his conditioning until now.”

• Central Michigan took a few steps back in 2010. Since I’m still almost positive some disgruntled former Chippewa wrestlers stole my wireless microphone receiver in 2008, this doesn’t completely ruin my day. And yes, it IS all about me.

• Rivals’s Olin Buchanan previews Oregon’s spring. Apparently, they’re aiiiiiiigggggghhhhhttt.

• My boy Olin does the same for Washington and then two other Rivals writers look at Cincinnati and Maryland.

• USC coach Lane Kiffin and perennially injured RB Marc Tyler bickered back and forth about the cause of Tyler’s hamstring injury through an Orange County Register blog. Charming.

*****

Today’s Video of the Day is the easiest way to calm down a screaming baby … Norwegian Black Metal, duh.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=x01j3M3PrGk

Enjoy your Monday.

Follow me on Twitter.

Click Chorus: Mar. 8, 2011

Dan — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:53:11 +0000

Today’s Chorus is brought to you by Cambridge alum Vin Diesel, who to his credit, has been in roughly 17 different-same movies, with another coming out next month.

*****

• Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, you just got outed as allegedly having knowledge of your players selling memorabilia and misleading the NCAA, what are you going to do next? Hello? Jim?

Summary from The Columbus Dispatch’s Ken Gordon and Tim May.

SI.com’s Stewart Mandel reacts and predicts much more to come. And yes I know that sentence sounds.

• In the wake of a video intern’s death last season, Notre Dame has banned all hydraulic lifts from the football program.

• Stanford QB Andrew Luck declared for the NFL draft after all.

• SI.com’s Stewart Mandel addresses pressing B1G Ten questions. Also featured on the page — Stewart and Andy Staples on video discussing the conference with music that can best be described as the soundtrack to a CSI autopsy. Yes!

• CBS’s Dennis Dodd finishes a story about 7on7 tournaments with the term “flesh-peddling.” This is probably all you need to know.

• Is Craig James as popular as he says he is in West Texas? EDSBS’s Spencer Hall says, “Eh, not so much.”

• ESPN’s Brian Bennett speaks with Syracuse coach Doug Marrone about, among other things, the perils of winning. This tells me Marrone is a good college football coach.

• ASU RB Deantre Lewis is expected to participate in spring practice after being shot in the arse a month ago. I think I’d still be in a fetal position if I were him.

• Rivals’s Olin Buchanon looks at key position situations for Oklahoma this spring. Olin up!

• Cincinnati coaches want to get their players in better shape to run a fast-paced offense. They then put (yep!) ESPN’s Brian Bennett through the rigors.

• Oklahoma State kicked off spring practice and new OC Todd Monken is all about learning. Good on him.

*****

Today’s Video of the Day is former senator Alan Simpson proving that he is the oldest person alive. Not in age, just in being old.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZstxpTBqL0

Enjoy your Tuesday.

Follow me on Twitter.

Click Chorus: Feb. 16, 2011

Dan — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:58:57 +0000

Today’s Chorus is brought to you by SI Swimsuit model, Mrs. Dan Rubenstein. Or Kate Upton. I um, er, uh, I just, I. Oh bother. Let’s just assume she’s interested in college football, ok?

*****

• UCLA hired a defensive coordinator. It’s former USF and Cincinnati DC Joe Tresey, who just happened to be coaching defensive backs for the UFL’s Omaha Nighthawks. Can somebody say “coaching pipeline?”

• EDSBS has a list of the 35 coaches Maryland REALLY wanted ahead of Randy Edsall. WARNING: Ruffin McNeill‘s Ass-Belly Sweat is a mental image that won’t soon leave you.

• USF coach Skip Holtz sat down with ESPN’s Brian Bennett for an extensive interview. I didn’t read it in its entirety, but to be safe, just assume that there are hidden messages in Holtz’s answers leading to buried treasure.

• ESPN’s Heather Dinich previews the spring for ACC teams in BOTH the Coastal and Atlantic divisions. Mid-February knowledge bombs aplenty.

• ESPN’s David Ubben does the same for the Big 12. With no byline, though, I can only presume… unless, oh no, WHERE’S HEATHER DINICH?!?!

• Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer hired son Shane Beamer to coach running backs. Here’s to hoping giant headphones get grandfathered in.

• Fox Sports’s Thayer Evans has a behind-the-scenes look at Jadeveon Clowney’s recruitment. I’ll save you some time, it’s mostly about Clowney’s nonstop drive to perform well on his AP tests.

• Randy Shannon politely declined an offer to become Maryland‘s defensive coordinator. Oh, and you WOULD pay $1.5 million for the right to call plays for the Terps?

• There’s a possibility that the 13 hospitalized Iowa players could transfer and play immediately in 2011. I’m sure if it comes to pass, coach Kirk Ferentz will try to convince them to stay … six days after they decide to leave.

• Auburn players offer only the most competitive rates for paper-writing. Good for them.

• Rivals’s Tom Dienhart lists the ten programs he’s most excited to see this spring. Rivals also has primers for each conference.

• Kegs ‘n Eggs has the spring schedules for everyone.

*****

Today’s Video of the Day is, at its essence, pure swagg.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4T__lCzZgk

Enjoy your Wednesday.

Click Chorus: Nov. 9, 2010

Dan — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 16:52:01 +0000

Today’s Chorus is brought to you by Robert Redford, former Colorado student and bartender at The Sink in Boulder. He’s also ready for new football leadership for the Buffs and I just made that up.

*****

• Florida coach Urban Meyer Fox Sports’s Thayer Evans is reporting that Auburn QB Cam Newton had “three different instances of academic cheating” during his time at Florida. I put quotes around Evans’s words, because I didn’t write them. That would be cheating. Ahem.

It’s ok, though, Auburn fans have Newton’s back. And Mark Schlabach‘s front. And Pedro Gomez‘s brief torso. They’re angry.

• After officially being told of the school’s coaching change, Colorado coach Dan Hawkins is now private citizen Dan Hawkins. Though the story is in Boulder, Kansas is THE current team that’s so mind-blowingly bad that a coach can be fired for losing to you. Rock Chalk, indeed.

Oh, and Dan Hawkins was all like “Peace out, MF’ers!”

• Nebraska QB Taylor Martinez is expected to start against Kansas this weekend. His ankle is improved and he should have a very productive quarter.

Also, Nebraska‘s using the same sandwich board technique Oregon and Oklahoma State use to send in plays.

• Cincinnati QB Zach Collaros is also expected to start at West Virginia. Good news for Bearcats fans, bad news for Big East Chas/Chazz-out fans.

• Wisconsin RB John Clay is questionable against Indiana due to a knee injury. Damn, looks like some other big dude will have to carry the ball 27 times for 141 yards. Gosh.

• Texas coach Mack Brown is not ready to give up on QB Garrett Gilbert. Cute.

• EDSBS has this week’s “Best in Class.” Just once I’d like this to be about Donald Trump ranking college football stories in terms of classiness. “Colorado blowing that lead? That’s definitely not claaaaaaaaaaaassssy.”

• ESPN’s CFB Bloggers rewind and fast forward, and then accidentally DVR a rerun of The Gilmore Girls, watch anyway, and come to realize it’s not that bad at all.

• Washington AD Scott Woodward “clarifies” his “remarks” about Oregon and issues a non-apology. Seems like he did a lot of soul-searching and a fair amount of pants-pooping before deciding to come forward with an “I’m sorry you were offended”-type statement.

• I enjoy first-time LSU visitor stories. SB Nation’s Andrew Sharp did a much better job with his than I did with mine.

• SI.com’s Cory McCartney with this week’s Heisman Watch. What do you guys think of him having LSU’s Drake Nevis at #1? Just kidding it’s the standard QB/RB/WR, the only players that REALLY matter.

• SB Nation’s Brian Cook (SVBFF) lurves him some Texas in the newest “This Week in Schadenfraude.” It features crying and swearing, etc. Good times.

• Noted Mexican cuisine expert Rick Bayless offers up his recipe for bacon guacamole. This has nothing to do with college football, but this week’s games seem mostly anti-climactic and guacamole is, as always, climactic.

*****

Today’s Video of the Day is of newly-minted TBS host Conan O’Brien. In India.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIZCtDJtFPw

Enjoy your Tuesday.

Click Chorus: Oct. 27, 2010

Dan — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 16:48:55 +0000

Today’s Chorus is brought to you by USC alum Joe Francis. Yep, he went to USC. The University of Southern California. In Los Angeles. The Trojans. USC. Fight on.

*****

• Boise State beat up on Louisiana Tech last night, or as SEC fans recall, “Boise State pathetically scraped by Louisiana Tech.”

• Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon was arrested on a DUI complaint in Texas while driving home from Monday night’s Dallas Cowboys game, marking the first time Blackmon’s been caught from behind this season.

• Wounded: Wisconsin RT Josh Oglesby is out for the year after undergoing knee surgery, Penn State QB Robert Bolden is not expected to suit up against Michigan after he failed a concussion test, and because of a sore knee, Cincinnati QB Zach Collaros‘s status is still uncertain vs Syracuse.

• A convicted killer chose “Boomer Sooner” as his last words before his execution. While unusual, it was even more rare for the warden to respond with “Statue of Liberty!!”

• USC WR Markeith Ambles has been suspended indefinitely for repeated tardiness.

• Nebraska coach Bo Pelini is looking to shake up the team’s pregame routine. And thus, we bid farewell to Nebraska receivers dipping their hands in construction-grade cement an hour before kickoff.

• The EagleBank Bowl will now be known as The Military Bowl. I apologize for throwing a wrench into what you thought would be a normal Wednesday.

• SI.com‘s Andy Staples issues power rankings. And firmly believes his presence affects the outcome of games. Looks like all the Solid Verbal appearances may finally be going to his head.

• Oregon will probably be wearing silver cleats at USC on Saturday. And for those keeping score, I’ll be the one in the Coliseum crowd secretly and inexplicably gushing over them. I’m weird.

• A Notre Dame student wants the student body to storm the field after the Irish lose to Utah to celebrate the worst senior class in the school’s history. This is even bumming me out. Ok, but not totally.

• Yahoo!!!!!!!!!’s Dan Wetzel is noticing that top high school football players are going to a wider variety of schools. Death to traditional powers! Death to exclamation points.

• Deadspin got ahold of the secret instructions Washington State fans pass around when sending each other the giant Cougar flag that’s waved in every Gameday long shot. NERDS!!

*****

Today’s Video of the Day is people doing awesome things. Because people are awesome. I know because the title says so.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo0Cazxj_yc

Enjoy your Wednesday.

Week Four Picks (9/23)

Ty Hildenbrandt — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 03:26:01 +0000

Ty and Dan make their picks for all the Week Four action and discuss Vegas as a possible location for a Pac-12 title game, suspicious BCS finances, and a host of Verballer messages.

Click Chorus: Sept. 17, 2010

Dan — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 17:31:12 +0000

Today’s Chorus is brought to you by Chris Pine, the star of Star Trek and a graduate of Cal, who takes on a lightning fast Nevada team tonight. Chris Pine’s co-star Zoe Saldana looks much better atop today’s links, so that’s what you get. Youuuuu like it.

*****

• Florida players have been arrested many times since Urban Meyer arrived in Gainesville. I’m not smart enough to tell you why that is and I’m not morally pure enough to tell anyone what to do with their lives, but as long as Florida wins games, this story probably doesn’t matter all that much.

• Kansas coach Turner Gill spoke to his team before their game against Georgia Tech. Apparently restrained is the new loud. (via Dr. Saturday)

• Speaking of which, Texas Tech students want the stadium to fall silent when Texas enters the field tomorrow to “intimidate” the Longhorns. And neither will happen.

• Eastern Washington‘s red field is now in place. My first stab at a nickname: The Artery.

• Nevada hosts Cal tonight in Reno. I like watching Nevada’s offense. In general, I have very little faith in Cal turning things around after a string of disappointing years. Cal is going to slaughter Nevada.

• Florida Atlantic is getting a stadium for $70 million on their Boca Raton campus next season. The locals seem to be particularly excited about the numerous proposed hard candy concessions. Because old people live there.

• Cincinnati isn’t very good. But they’re terrific with once-in-a-lifetime f umble situations.

• SBNation has a College Football Buffet. It’s delicious.

Today’s Video of the Day is Judge Judy at half-speed. Really, that’s everything you need to know.

Enjoy your Friday/CFB Saturday.

Spring Forward: Big East (5/25)

Ty Hildenbrandt — Wed, 26 May 2010 02:42:06 +0000

Ty and Dan discuss Cincy’s chances of repeating, Pitt’s monster receiver, West Virginia’s matchup with LSU, and the right way to say “Louisville.”

Bowled Over (1/5)

Ty Hildenbrandt — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:07:27 +0000

Ty and Dan review the bowl action (and their lackluster picks) since their last podcast, read some listener messages, and wonder what’s going on with Boise State cheerleaders.