The Labor Day weekend is upon us and for those of us here in Destin, it means one last weekend before Summer and the tourists it brings is officially over for the year.

Quick update on my picks for the week, I went 9-for-11 last night with Ball State and Iowa State being my only two losses. Ball State lost to Miami of Ohio in the last seconds of that game in Muncie and Iowa State just didn’t show up to play at home against Kent State. Can’t win ‘em all.

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No, seriously…

We’re going to need a bigger fly swatter: 200-yard spider web found in Texas.

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The NFL has revamped its logo.

ACC must prove it is power conference again.

Virginia Tech lunch pail gets in on remembrance of shooting victims.

AJ Feeley breaks hand in preseason game. Inquirer/Daily News

Wisconsin running back P.J. Hill changes his style to prolong his career.

Buffalo Bills rookie quarterback Trent Edwards impresses in Bills’ preseason wins.

The play of Brodie Croyle in the preseason solidifies the reasons to start Damon Huard at QB for Chiefs.

Hoosiers head to the Bahamas.

Vols will need to run ball effectively to repeat ‘06 result against Cal.

Georgia Tech hasn’t won at South Bend since the ’50s.

Urban Meyer not concerned about ego of USC transfer.

Is Oregon State running back Yvenson Bernard a Heisman dark horse?

Beckham out for six weeks with knee injury.

LSU not impressive in season opener, says Baton Rouge Advocate columnist.

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Well-rounded news… 

Premiere has a list of the 20 greatest plot twists.

NBC will not renew its contract with iTunes.

Is LSU overrated? That was a question posed to the ESPN talking heads prior to kickoff in last night’s game between the Bayou Bengals and the fighting Crooms of Mississippi State in Starkville. And after last night’s game, one would have to say that based solely on last night and nothing else, the answer to that question is yes. Forget the score. Everything you need to know about LSU and how good they may or may not be can be found in the first quarter and a half of that game. You know, the part where, despite Michael Henig’s two bonehead turnovers, the Tigers managed to muster only a field goal. I heard some talk in postgame that maybe offensive coordinator Gary Crowton was trying not to tip his hand, trying not to give Virginia Tech too much to look at leading up to the season’s best nonconference game next weekend in Baton Rouge. But come on. You mean to tell me in the first half, the Tigers barely managed to score 17 points off four Henig interceptions on purpose? No way. Defensively, LSU is an absolute nightmare. Glenn Dorsey is every bit as good as advertised and Tyson Jackson looks better because he plays with Dorsey, who is hands-down the best defensive lineman in America. Jonathan Zenon and Chevis Jackson may be the best pair of corners in college football and Craig Steltz looked like a dominant safety last night but offensively, there are big question marks starting with the unit’s ability to sustain a drive and score in the red zone. You have to be concerned about that if you’re Les Miles given that this team has to find a way to score points against Virginia Tech next week and Virginia Tech’s defense is a lot tougher than Mississippi State’s. LSU really leaned on the defense for most of the first half but against a better opponent, they may not be able to lean that long. One thing became unmistakably clear last night: LSU isn’t ready for USC. They may not even be ready for Alabama.

This is Slyvester Croom’s last year in Starkville and last night solidified that. What I don’t understand about Mississippi State’s gameplan last night is why they abandoned the run. The most effective and sustained drives of last night’s game for MSU came when they handed sophomore Tony Dixon the ball and let him break tackles and make plays. Given two quick, stupid interceptions, why in the world would you trust Michael Henig to continue throwing the ball? Especially in the rain?!? It defies logic. You have to wonder if the Mississippi State coaching staff looked up at the scoreboard at the end of the first quarter, saw the score and panicked. But make no mistake, Henig is the reason Mississippi State lost that ballgame last night. You cannot throw four interceptions in the first half against any college football team, let alone the second best team in the country, and expect to win or even compete in games. It was always a bad situation in Starkville for Slyvester Croom but Michael Henig really sealed his coach’s fate last night. Getting shutout at home on national television is never good for job security.

So can we stop talking about Major League Soccer now? Is it officially alright to bury soccer’s hope for pop culture and mainstream sports acceptance once and for all? It looks like David Beckham won’t play this season for the Los Angeles Galaxy and somehow life goes on in American sports. The reality is that Beckham did more for soccer in America off the pitch than anything he did on it. Dancing with the Stars has a better chance of getting on Sportscenter than the MLS does during the NFL and college football seasons and with or without Beckham, I’m not sure the MLS ever really had a chance. Americans sports fans have figured out what they like and what they don’t like and professional soccer has made a home in that latter category.

American basketball is back. If you hadn’t heard the U.S. basketball team has been getting medieval on the competition at the FIBA Americas tournament in Las Vegas. The team is trying to secure its bid for the ‘08 summer games in Beijing and if last night’s game was any indication, they’re a lock. The Americans throttled defending gold medalists Argentina last night and has put the rest of the world on notice. With a starting five that consists of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd and Dwight Howard, you have to feel pretty good about your chances of a return to the glory days of The Dream Team. The truth is that this team hasn’t even been threatened in this tournament and you have to wonder if maybe Coach K wasn’t onto something when he made the players sign on for a multi-year commitment to the team and to U.S.A. basketball. The chemistry on the team is great and relatively ego-free (these are NBA players we’re talking about — let’s keep a little perspective) and you have to wonder if there’s a team in the world that can play with Team U.S.A. the way they’re playing now. We could see a return to gold in 2008.

A rare sight in these parts: a baseball post. It takes stones for a rookie in pinstripes to throw at a Red Sox (upon review, it wasn’t really all that ballsy, the game was at Yankee Stadium after all). But I think Joba Chamberlain’s missiles over the head of Kevin Youkilis really speak to a larger problem in baseball. Throwing at people and bean ball needs to become a thing of the past in the game before someone gets killed. I know there are codes of etiquette and unwritten rules and all of that but isn’t that why baseball is becoming an afterthought once football season starts? All the nonsense rules and strategy that make the game drag on for mind-numbing hours is lost on modern America. Me, I prefer for my rules to be written and all of the nonsense machismo of pitchers that never have to go to the plate putting one between someone’s shoulder blades is fit for the squared circle and not for the diamond. Chamberlain’s tough guy act in the Bronx yesterday didn’t threaten anyone, they didn’t come close to making contact with Youkilis’ skull but is that what it’s going to take for Major League Baseball to wake up and knock off the goonery? I guess I shouldn’t be all that surprised. As a nation and as a culture, we are way more reactive than proactive and what’s going on at Virginia Tech is a perfect example of that. Maybe Major League Baseball could be ahead of the curve for once but given its track record for nipping problems in the Bud (pun intended), I wouldn’t bet on it.

ESPN talking head Kirk Herbstreit has released his 2007 Herbies and there’s always some interesting stuff on this list, which makes its appearance for 7th year, and very few things that I think anyone can quibble with.

When you do what Herbstreit does, which is traveling from campus to campus for months during college football season, it allows him to gain a perspective that few others have. Every college town in America thinks they have the best greasy spoon, on-campus dive so to argue with Herbstreit on what college town has the best food is really an exercise in futility. It’s a matter of taste but it’s also a matter of experience, which Herbstreit has in spades. Ditto for best band, best Gameday locations, best students sections and prettiest coeds. When you travel around the country for two or three months, you get a pretty good feel for the best of the best in college football and perhaps more importantly, the culture of college football, which is what a show like Gameday is really all about. It’s the ultimate tailgate.

I take a little bit of offense to some of his picks as far as players and coaches are concerned. First there is the best running back, new wave, category where Herbstreit has Ohio State sophomore Beanie Wells listed number 1 in front of Oklahoma’s DeMarco Murray and USC freshman Joe McKnight, who has drawn comparisons across the board to Reggie Bush. Now I don’t often accuse Herbstreit, who is an Ohio State alum and co-hosts a sports talk radio show in Columbus on 1460 AM when not on assignment for the Worldwide Leader, of being a homer as I think he consciously goes out of his way to avoid those accusations. But come on. Yes, Wells looked good against Michigan last year but does he really have the potential to be better, which is what he’s done by ranking him higher than the others, than Noel Devine of West Virginia, Murray, McKnight? Flatly, is he a better running back than those three guys? No. He just isn’t.

Here’s something I just feel the need to say for the record. I’m not a believer in Anthony Morelli, Penn State’s senior quarterback who everyone, including our buddy Herbie, is expecting to have a breakout year in ‘07. Last year, the only year he has put up stats of any import, the kid threw 11 TDs and 8 INTs while completing less than 55 percent of his passes. Those aren’t good numbers. Heck, those aren’t even decent numbers. In games against the Big Ten’s three best teams last year (Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin), Morelli threw a grand total of ZERO touchdowns and four interceptions. All of last season, he never had a game where he threw for more than 300 yards. My guess is that the Penn State staff isn’t as sold on Anthony Morelli as sportswriters in the country appear to be. And looking at his stats, I can’t say that I blame him. If Penn State fails to knock off Ohio State, Wisconsin or Michigan, Morelli will be a big part of the reason why. Count on it.

Since I’m sure you’re dying to know. Herbie picked Florida to win the East, LSU to win the west and the Bayou Bengals to take the conference championship.

Here’s the link.

Well Madden 08 comes out today and I’m still at work so I guess that means I’m a grown-up now. Excited to play the game, read some reviews and I’m pretty ready to see what it’s like. May hold off for a week or so before picking it up due to a possibly large purchase by yours truly later this week. More details to come on that.

I am definitely keeping an eye on this tropical storm that is headed this way. I have lived in Destin for a little over a year now and the closest I’ve ever come to experiencing a hurricane was Tropical Storm Alberto that steered clear of here but still kicked up some waves and some wind. Not real interested in experiencing a major hurricane. Fingers crossed.

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A really interesting article in the Rocky Mountain News on Javon Walker and how he is dealing, or not dealing, with the shooting death of teammate Darrent Williams.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune ponders what a LSU/USC BCS title game would be like. One word: delicious. 

Arkansas suffers a tough loss on offense.

Washington Post columnist Norman Chad on how sports journalists have infilitrated radio and TV, for better or worse.

An early Fanhouse review of Madden 08.

Philadelphia sports writers react to last night’s preseason thumping.

• Les Bowen: Nearly pointless
• Phil Sheridan: Kolb’s debut not fantastic, not terrible
• Dana Pennett O’Neil: Rookie tight end impressive in opener.
• John Smallwood: Kolb’s schooling just beginning.

The Washington Post’s Michael Wilbon on the mess at Ball State.

A nice Indy Star piece on Marvin Harrison.

Is The Big Ten college football’s most overrated conference?

South Carolina looking desperately for an offensive line.

Vince Young apologizes for one-game suspension.

Michael Vick’s attorneys are working on a plea deal.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wish tight end Alex Smith was as good at real football as he is at Madden.

Broncos cornerback Dominique Foxworth frustrated with lack of playing time.  Foxworth is a good young corner and everyone had to have seen this coming when the Broncos acquired Dre Bly in the off-season. My guess is that Foxworth will become such a headache that the Broncos will end up shopping him around next off season barring an injury to Dre Bly or Champ Bailey.

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Well-rounded news… 

Apple to pit iPhone against Nintendo DS.

Kevin Smith to cast Jason Bateman as male lead in upcoming romantic comedy?

Title of new Punisher flick ensure it’s going to be terrible.

The Bostonist chats it up with Bottom Line fav. Matt Nathanson, whose new album Some Mad Hope comes out today.

Much of the focus in 2007 with be on the SEC’s offenses which feature marquee names like Doucet, Tebow, Woodson, McFadden, Jones and Stafford but the league also features some of the nation’s best defensive players. With any further adieu, the top five defensive players in the SEC.

1. Glenn Dorsey - DT - LSU

This is a no-brainer. There isn’t a defensive tackle,  or a defensive lineman, in the SEC or in the nation right now than Glenn Dorsey. Had he left last year, the 299-pound senior would have been a late first-round, early second round pick in May’s NFL draft and decided to stick around, a decision that could make Dorsey a very wealthy man in 2008. Dorsey will be featured in a rotation of interior lineman that is arguably the best in the SEC. Dorsey will likely be double teamed every down, which will generate opportunities for his teammates to step up and make plays. Dorsey’s presence in the middle makes LSU a very difficult team to run against and control the line of scrimmage.

2. Jasper Brinkley - MLB - South Carolina

There isn’t a better linebacker in the SEC than Jasper Brinkley. A pre-season All-SEC selection, expect to see Brinkley follow up on an ‘06 campaign where he finished 4th in the conference in solo tackles and 9th in tackles for loss. A quick, instinctive linebacker with good size and speed, Brinkley could find himself on the Butkus finalist list at season’s end and will certainly have a place on the All-SEC first team for the second consecutive year.

3. Quentin Groves - DE/OLB - Auburn

After deciding to stick around for his senior campaign, Quentin Groves will have to prove in ‘07 that he can do more than rush the quarterback. He will certainly get that opportunity to show off his versatility as he lines up as defensive end in Auburn’s 4-3 packages but will also play standup end/outside linebacker when the defensive coordinator Will Muschamp lines up in the 3-4. Fast off the edge, Groves is most dangerous as a pass rusher and will need to develop into an outside linebacker that is function in pass coverage to improve his draft stock. Still, opposing coordinators will always have to know where Groves is on the field at any one time. He’s very, very dangerous off the edge and shows great closing speed when rushing the passer, having finished last year with 13 sacks, good for 2nd best in the conference.

4. Jerod Mayo - OLB - Tennessee

I don’t know if I saw a more exciting defensive player last season than Tennessee outside linebacker Jerod Mayo. The big question this year for Mayo is whether or not he can stay healthy as he was hobbled by injuries towards the end of last season and into the spring this year. If he can stay healthy, he’s as good of an open-field tackler as any in the conference. Having finished 2006 with 83 tackles, 12.5 for loss, Mayo was dubbed 2nd team All-America by rivals and a strong year in ‘07 could put him on the first team. Still the junior linebacker is the anchor of the entire Tennessee defense and as the cornerstone of that unit, he needs to stay on the field and off the injury report.

5. Simeon Castille - CB - Alabama

SEC quarterbacks would be wise not to throw in Simeon Castille’s direction. The ball-hawking cornerback out of Birmingham proved to be one of the most dangerous defensive backs in coverage last season, racking up 6 picks (tops among returning SEC) and will look to do the same in ‘07. With Lionel Mitchell lining up on the other side, Castille gives Alabama the best pair of corners in the conference. Look for Castille on the list of finalists for the Thorpe award. Even if quarterbacks don’t throw in his direction, Castille will find a way to get to the ball and at 6′1″ has the size to match-up against any receiver in the conference.

With the start of college football season less than two weeks away, I’ve decided to take a look at who I think are the best players in the conference at their respective positions. Today, it’s the SEC’s signal-callers.

1. Andre Woodson - Kentucky

Woodson’s play last season was really the catalyst of the Wildcats’ Cinderella 8-4 season. It seems like every college football writer in America has drank the Kool-Aid on Woodson and it might be possible to say that the senior quarterback is overrated by no fault of his own. Simply put, there wasn’t a better quarterback in the country, perhaps in the nation, last year than Andre Woodson. The numbers really speak for themselves — 31 TDs, 7 INTs, a 63 percent completion percentage and more than 3,500 yards passing. There’s a reason everyone is drinking the Kool-Aid — Woodson’s the real deal.

2. Erik Ainge - Tennessee

What a difference a year makes. After deciding it might be wise to listen to much-heralded quarterback guru David Cutcliffe, Ainge exploded in ‘06 with 2,989 yards, 19 TDs to 9 INTs and a 67 completion percentage. Ainge will have to rely on his relatively inexperienced receivers to step up and become go-to options given the departure of Jayson Swain and Robert Meachem. I think given the system he plays in, Ainge will emerge as one of the most consistent and accurate, though unspectacular, passers in the conference.

3. Matt Flynn - LSU

Some would claim Flynn’s appearance at the 3 spot is a little high for a quarterback that didn’t play a whole lot in 2006. It’s important to remember that going into 2006, there was a quarterback competition in Baton Rouge between Flynn and Jamarcus Russell highlighted after the way Flynn lit up Miami in the ‘05 Peach Bowl en route to becoming the game’s offensive MVP. LSU is now Matt Flynn’s team and he has to find a way to step out of Russell’s shadow. And he will. While Flynn may not have the cannon arm and effortless throwing motion that the big fella from Mobile had, he does have a mobility and a presense in the pocket that will give the Tigers the ability to run packages and plays that they were not able to given Russell’s limited mobility. When you factor in the weapons LSU has on offense (especially Early Doucet), you have to figure Flynn is poised for a breakout year.

4. Brandon Cox - Auburn

When it’s all said and done, the senior from Trussville, Ala. might be the most underrated passer in the SEC. This year, all eyes are on Cox and the Tigers offense is only going to go as far as their quarterback can take them. However, Cox’s health will be a big piece in that puzzle. Having been sacked 34 times last year, the Tigers’ offensive line will have to do a better job of protecting their quarterback and Cox will have to learn to be a more accurate and efficient passer coming off a season where he completed just 60 percent of his passes. I put Cox in the same category as Ainge: consistent but unspectacular.

5. Matthew Stafford - Georgia

The first true freshman to start at Georgia since Eric Zeier certainly took him lumps last year. Having played in all 13 games in ‘06, Stafford comes into ‘07 with a tremendous upside that has Bulldog fans eying a return to glory (and hopefully a win against those pesky Gators). One thing Stafford must improve is letting the game come to him and not forcing the ball into tight spaces. Too many times last season, the true freshman forced a pass that led to a turnover though those instances became fewer as the season wore on. Still Stafford must improve from an ‘06 season in which he threw 13 interceptions and just 7 touchdowns and completed only 52 percent of his passes. There’s a lot riding on Matthew Stafford this season, I just wonder if he’s ready.

6.Tim Tebow - Florida

With Chris Leak gone, Tim Tebow will have to prove that he’s an actual quarterback in 2007 and not a weird H-back/quarterback hybrid. Tebow appears this low on the list because I don’t feel like anyone saw enough of him as a true quarterback to make an accurate assessment of his ability to consistently run an offense every down and he may not do it this year either. Meyer said he would like to have an offense that features two quarterbacks as he did last year (which I think is insane). Still, all Tebow needs to do is get the ball in the hands of Percy Harvin and let him “do what he do.” Tebow could very well appear at the top of this list next year but first he must prove that he is a quarterback and not a novelty.

7. John Parker Wilson - Alabama

The measure of a good quarterback is how he performs under pressure. John Parker Wilson wasn’t very good under pressure last season. Wilson didn’t show up in the big games and played like a middle-of-the-pack quarterback in ‘06, throwing 17 TDs on way to 10 INTs. Frankly, I’m not expecting much more in ‘07. Though he spent much of last season running for his life, Wilson did show that though he wasn’t great with the game on the line, he did hold up to punishment and was an effective scrambler. Returning all five starters from last year’s line, he may have to do the same this year. Parker must improve and quickly or I believe Nick Saban will begin looking around his sideline for a replacement.

8. Chris Nickson - Vanderbilt

Whether or not this is the year that Vanderbilt breaks its bowl-less drought will rest heavily on the shoulders of junior quarterback Chris Nickson.  Nickson had a little bit of a breakout year in his first year as a starter, throwing for more than 2,000 yards but his accuracy was spotty (52 percent completion percentage) and he struggled to hit open receivers. Still Nickson is an exciting quarterback to watch, very elusive, a threat to run every time he drops back (accounted for 694 rushing yards last season) and he’s got one of the SEC’s best receivers in Earl Bennett lining up wide. Nickson could, and needs, to take a big step forward this year.

9. Blake Mitchell - South Carolina

I’ve gotta be honest. It’s really difficult for me to get over the fact that Blake Mitchell wears that goofy facemask and has a tribal armband tattoo but that not withstanding he’s a decent enough quarterback. Last year, he had a lot of ups and downs. Played very well at times, played horribly at times. Got arrested at times. You know, the usual. Still one can’t help but wonder if Mitchell is just keeping the seat warm for true freshman Stephen Garcia, if he can stay out of handcuffs long enough to buckle his chinstrap. For the time being though, it appears the job is Mitchell’s to lose. He will have to improve his decision making and accuracy and will have to do so behind a relatively inexperience offensive line that is struggling to find cohesion.

10. Casey Dick - Arkansas

Arkansas fans should get very used to this image. With the best pair of running backs, arguably, in the country lining up behind him, Arkansas QB Casey Dick will be handing the ball off — a lot. Consider this, Dick threw the ball just 132 times despite the fact that he played in all but 4 of the Razorbacks’ games last season. Dick will be the Arkansas version of Trent Dilfer, if and when he is asked to throw the ball, he needs to make the most of his opportunities and be an efficient and accurate passer. No one is asking  him to be Vince Young and win games on his own. Thankfully.
11. Seth Adams - Ole Miss

I firmly believe that Adams, a former walkon, will beat out last year’s starter Brent Schaeffer for the starting job at some point in this season. Though not as athletic as his counterpart Schaeffer, Adams has exponentially better decision making and accuracy. The Rebels offense will miss Schaeffer’s athleticism but not his erratic play in the pocket. Adams will not be asked to do much, mostly hand the ball to BenJarvus Green-Ellis but must show that he does not have the penchant for throwing poor interceptions that Schaeffer has.

12. Michael Henig - Miss. State

Given that he had the build of a place kicker, it’s not surprising that Mississippi State quarterback Michael Henig missed time in 2006 after breaking his collarbone. Well Henig has beefed up some and is ready for his junior year. Henig will need to become a little better at eluding the run and not taking rushers head on. In other words, get down. Accuracy is, of course, a concern for any quarterback but especially for a quarterback who completed just 43 percent of his passes last year (as Henig did). Let’s be honest though, this team is going to be putrid and will be lucky to win one conference game.

Slow weekend filled with episodes of Degrassi and watching The Number 23, which was pretty unspectacular. I believe in Jim Carrey’s ability as an effective dramatic actor but this movie just missed the mark. The twist at the end is pretty decent but for a 98 minute movie, the flick does drag on a little. Still a decent watch if you’re bored enough.

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No, seriously…

Cops in Bangkok love Hello Kitty…

A man in Denver tries to rob a library.

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The Indiana Daily Student says tight end Blake Powers’ arrest for accidentally throwing a water balloon at an off-duty cop is indicative of a large problem. I think it’s a slow summer and they’re over-reacting.

Steve Spurrier is really not that stoked about South Carolina’s admission process.

Jamarcus Russell’s holdout to go into September? It’s hard not to be reminded of what happened with Philip Rivers in. He held out, missed a bunch of camp and Drew Brees came in and revamped his career. Could the same thing happen with Daunte Culpepper?

Sports Illustrated’s Peter King checks in from training camp.

Jermaine O’Neal wants to be dealt to the Lakers. As a Pacer fan, I think J.O. is a complete malcontent and hasn’t shown up to play for the Pacers in at least two seasons. If the Pacers can get value for him (which I don’t think they can — Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom is not going to cut it) then they should deal him.

The Fanhouse has begun its SEC preview. Good stuff.

• The underdogs.
• The toughest schedules.
• The conference’s most overrated players.
• Coaches on the hot seat.
• Biggest shoes to fill.
• Position battles.
• Five impact freshmen.

Slate magazine wonders what it would be like if all the major sports allowed doping.

New York’s ten best interviews in sports.

The Indianapolis Star’s Terry Hutchens on the Hoosiers first day of football practice.

The Detroit Free Press on what to watch this year from Michigan/Michigan State.

Matt Flynn is ready to go as LSU quarterback.

Will highly touted Tennessee freshmen cornerback Eric Berry also see time at QB?

There is no question that Georgia will only go as far as Matthew Stafford can take them.

Freshmen looking to make a difference for Gators.

Texas rookie Amobi Okoye on his childhood in Nigeria.

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Well rounded news….

New York Magazine on being a Bravo reality star.

Some really amazing fan-made posters for the new J.J. Abrams project, whatever the name of that is.

Steve Jobs IMs the Times?

The San Fransisco Chronicle’s Mick LaSalle asks who is the greatest living director?

Tom Hanks to star in Farenheit 451?

The Philadelphia Inquirer’s 2007 songs of summer.

This morning marks the release of the year’s first USAToday Coaches Poll. The choice for no. 1 is no surprise with USC with LSU, Florida, Texas and Michigan rounding out the top five. Nothing groundbreaking here. I do think Florida at number 3 might be a bit high given all that they lost from last season especially on defense, ditto for no. 10 Ohio State but on the other side of the ball. I’m a little surprised that Michigan comes in at five given all that they are returning on offense (Henne, Hart, Manningham).

Yesterday was kind of a busy day here in Destin, ran around and had a bunch of interviews for Saturday’s paper so I didn’t get a chance to post a Line or an SEC preview. Today’s Line will be stories from yesterday as well as stories from today.

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No, seriously…

Pittsburgh hospital takes a stand against crocs.

AMC doesn’t carry nickels?

Apparently life is tough when you share a name with a boy wizard.

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Is this the last year for D-Nabb in Philly?

McNabb appears to be showing promise early in training camp.

The Ocho Cinco has some money set aside for fines.

More of the Fanhouses Big Ten preview:

• Most overrated players
• Coaches on the hot seat
• Key position battles
• The five best players
• The underdogs
• Toughest schedules

Penn State QB Anthony Morelli is confident but is he overconfident?

Virginia Tech hopes football season will mark a return to normalcy.

Joe Theismann says he urged Tony Kornheiser to stick with Monday Night Football.

Eagles fans crash Cowboys training camp.

The Colts are parting ways with defensive tackle Corey Simon.

Pro d-backs put Indiana wideout James Hardy through his paces.

‘Browns insider’ says Brady Quinn’s agent is the reason rookie QB isn’t in camp yet.

Wolverine players tell Jim Harbaugh where to go over academic criticisms.

SI’s Peter King says Brady Quinn is a fool for not being in camp.

What a dope Michael Strahan is.

Joe Paterno considers staying in the press box. Consider this — retire.

Wilbon on the death of Bill Walsh.

IU to pay tribute to Coach Hep on uniforms, helmets.

Big Ten commish Jim Delaney proving once more that he really is a complete idiot.

UCF is loving their new digs.

Baton Rouge Advocate talks some LSU football.

Vince Young proves that his low Wunderlich score wasn’t a fluke; punches teammate’s helmet with throwing hand.  The Tennessean.

Tech group files complaints against sports leagues over fair use.

Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio expects the Spartans to be bowl bound in ‘07.

A nice story on the rise of Michigan true quarterback Ryan Mallett. Expect to see Mallett some playing time this season in mop-up duty. In time, I firmly believe Mallett will prove to be a much better quarterback than his rival Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen. 

The State (Columbia, S.C.) ranks the SEC quarterbacks.

The AJC’s Tony Barnhart ranks the SEC best running backs.

The NFL to produce a Vince Lombardi biopic.
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Well-rounded news…

The University of Iowa could become the first university to name one of its colleges after a corporation following a $15 million gift from Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

Disney has pulled the plug on its plans for a ‘Ratatouille’ wine.

Two-a-days are becoming a thing of the past in the NFL.

Even investment bankers love them some Facebook.

Blogger thinks new Bourne film is an attack on the Bush administration.

Wyclef says Lauryn Hill is the reason there hasn’t been a Fugees reunion.

Halo 3 to feature online multi-player co-op.

Tech blog Valleywag urges Facebook to stop counting its money and fix the site.

First season of Heroes to come out on DVD later this month. YES!

John Mayer, Dave Matthews and Nas set to play gig at Virginia Tech in September.

Cinematical reviews The Bourne Ultimatum, which I am excited beyond words to see tomorrow night.  Another review from Time Magazine.

Robert Downey, Jr. talks about playing Iron Man.

Rumors swirl over the title of J.J. Abrams’ new project. Some production stills from the set.

The Detroit Free Press interview Cold War Kids frontman Nathan Willett.

Not everyone was a fan of Rocco Dispirito’s cameo on Top Chef last night.

Entertainment Weekly wants to know who you like more: Bond or Bourne?

American Airlines will test in-flight broadband next year.

One of the things that I hate the most when reading blogs is those that are not updated frequently. And alas, I’ve become one of them. So I returned to my news reader to find more San Diego Comic-Con stories than you can shake a stick at and more Michael Vick news. Fun.

If you get bored, I’d highly recommend Kevin Smith’s Smodcast that he does with longtime friend and producer Scott Mosier. Really funny, insightful stuff on a variety of topics, the least of which appear to be movies. Here’s the link if you’re interested.

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No, seriously…

Who knew an exclamation point could be so expensive.

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Will the NHL return to ESPN next season? And by next season, we mean 2008-2009.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are suing Ticketmaster, claiming the ticket broker of being a *gasp* monopoly?!?! I hate buying anything through Ticketmaster. I think if I had all of my “convenience charges” back, I could finance an Web 2.0 start-up.

You know you’re in trouble when Michael Irvin comes to your defense.

The Titans are shutting down Pacman Jones’ dreams of becoming the next Superfly Jimmy Snuka.

Freddy Adu signs with Portuguese football club Benfica. Wanna know why the MLS is never going to be a successful and respected soccer league? Because it can’t hold onto talent like Adu.

T.J. “Who’s your momma?” thinks NFL commish Roger Goodell is being “mean” to Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman.

Fanhouse’s Big Ten preview.

• Most underrated players
• Impact freshmen
• Players with big shoes to fill

A rare Navy football story.

Eric Wright and Joe Thomas have agreed to contracts with the Browns. Brady Quinn continues to act like a moron.

Wisconsin AD, and former football coach, Barry Alvarez is in favor of a Big Ten championship game if the league expands to 12 teams.

Chicago Tribune columnist says Big 10 commish has some ‘splaining to do.

Kansas City Star columnist Jason Whitlock calls out Priest Holmes.

LSU head coach Les Miles tries to downplay all of the stupid things he’s said this off-season.

Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge is in search of a go-to receiver. Erik, his name is Robert Meachem, he’s in New Orleans. Just thought I could help.

L.A. Times’ columnist T.J. Simers proves can make you an elitist jerk.

Mark Richt says his Georgia Bulldogs are not “too far away” from being a title contender. Check his office for a gas leak.

The AJC’s Tony Barnhart on the early Heisman race and the five things to expect in the SEC this year.

The AJC’s Jeff Schultz says Georgia is flying under the radar and could surprise some people this year.

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Well-rounded news…

The Consumerist is reporting that Best Buy has fired some Geek Squad personnel following newspaper articles about “agents” taking files from customer’s computer.

Select Best Buy stores open mini-Apple stores.

NBC wants the sometimes-funny Jimmy Fallon to replace Conan O’Brian as late night host.

Premiere’s 20 fresh faces of comedy.

A major investment group has called for the resignation of Whole Foods CEO John Mackey after it was discovered he was posting to a Yahoo! stock forum anonymously.

The Federal Trade Commission may block Whole Foods’ acquisition of rival Wild Oats. Seriously, consumers need two places where they can buy overpriced health food. Good lookin’ out, FTC.

The New York Times and NBC News will collaborate on their coverage of the 2008 Presidential Campaign.

A first look at the Lost videogame. Warning: You should secure your brain before you watch this! I almost lost mine. No pun intended.

A teaser trailer for the Dark Knight. Oh man. I don’t usually get excited about trailers, especially one that is 45 seconds long. But I’m a dork and I like Batman so this made me excited. 

New Cold War Kids video for “Hospital Beds”.

Kathy Griffin on her date with Andrew W.K.

Kevin Smith to write and direct episode of Heroes spin-off.

Some Lost news from Comic-Con.