HEY LOOK, IT'S SATURDAY!!

As Homer says: Woo-hoo!

Saturday, Oct 25th

BOSTON COLLEGE @ NORTH CAROLINA (-3), 12:00 PM, Chapel Hill, N.C., TV: RAYCOM (XM190/Sirius211) UNC fullback Anthony Elzy the latest under the M.A.S.H. tent with a broken leg.

WAKE FOREST @ MIAMI (-2.5), 12:00 PM, Miami Gardens, Fla., TV: ESPNU (XM191/Sirius212). Kicker Swank stretching and running so Deacons may actually score again.

DUKE @ Vanderbilt (-10.5) (Commodores, 11,847 students, Nashville, TN), 3:00 PM, Nashville, Tenn. (XM192/Sirius213). Battle of the Nerds. Unfortunately for Duke, Vandy has gotten good.

VIRGINIA @ GEORGIA TECH (-12), 3:30 PM, Atlanta, Ga., TV: ESPNU (XM191/Sirius212) If the Wahoos are looking to prove something big, here’s the perfect opportunity.

NC STATE @ MARYLAND (-10.5), 3:30 PM, College Park, Md., TV: ESPN360 (XM190/Sirius211). N.C. State linebacker Nate Irving won’t play Saturday at Maryland after reinjuring his ankle. Maryland CB Kevin Barnes is also out.

VIRGINIA TECH @ FLORIDA STATE (-5), 3:30 PM, Tallahassee, Fla., TV: ABC/ESPN2 (XM193/Sirius214). Don’t be shocked if the ACC world order reverses and the Noles beat up on the Hokies. And, knowing Beamer, don't be shocked if the Hokies get it together and find a way to win...

(AP Photo)

HOOP SEASON FAST APPROACHING

Here’s a little item we stumbled across regarding the bad old days when UCLA ruled college hoops.

From blogger Dave Sez: After seeing the ACC recruiting coups in bringing in David Thompson and Tom McMillen and noting Maryland and State's success in 1973, Sports Illustrated realized that true competitiveness was in the air in college basketball for the first time in years.

The magazine highlighted this new state of basketball competitiveness, by putting UCLA's mascot on the cover of its glossy 1974 basketball preview issue, showing what appeared to be an uncertain Bruin cornered on one side by an angry Wolf, and on the other by a hopeful-looking Turtle. No Blue Devils or Rams were anywhere in sight, as Sports Illustrated had pegged the year quite accurately.

Like UCLA, NC State had been undefeated in 1973, but had been placed on probation for recruiting violations, and so did not get a shot at UCLA that year. Maryland, which had finished third in the ACC regular season got the sole automatic bid for finishing second in the conference tournament to NC State, and like UCLA and State, had most of its key players back.

Editor’s Note: Of course, this is the year the Terps and Wolfpack played what many say [including TAH] was the greatest ACC basketball game ever played – if not the greatest game played, period.

How good was it? NC State won 103 to 100 in overtime. For the first 40 minutes of regulation, there were no turnovers. The losing team, Maryland, shot 62% for the game.

According to John Feinstein: The Greensboro Coliseum fans gave both teams a standing ovation as they left the court. "We played UCLA two overtimes in the national semifinals, but the Maryland game was tougher," (State coach Norm) Sloan said. "It was as draining and exhilarating an experience as I've ever had. I still remember turning around on the bench at one point and just saying out loud, "My goodness, this is a hell of a game."

"There's no frame of reference for people today," Maryland center turned T.V. commentator Len Elmore said.

It was before Bird-Magic, before Jordan-Ewing. NCAA rules didn't permit dunking or provide 3-pointers, so there was nothing for ESPN. Just as well, since there wasn't ESPN.

"You can't explain the absurdity of only one of us going to the NCAA Tournament," Elmore said, "Or how we put up 203 points without a 3-pointer, without a dunk, with no shot clock. How do you explain this game?"

This was the last year the NCAA only allowed conference winners into the very small field…this was pre-32, or -64 or -65, so each team had to win to go to the Big Dance. Oh yeah, it wasn’t the Big Dance yet either.

The Wolfpack had lost only one game in two years, to UCLA early in the 1973-74 season. In 1973, after going 27-0, the Pack had gone home because they were on NCAA probation. They entered the conference championship game 26-1.

"We had lost one game in two seasons, we had won 32 straight ACC games in a row and yet one loss would mean we would never play in an NCAA tournament game," said point guard Monte Towe. "That's pressure."

The Wolfpack did not back down. They beat the Terps, and went on to lawn mow Providence and Pittsburgh before defeating the Bruins in the NCAA semis 80-77. They clobbered Al McGuire’s Marquette squad to capture the National Championship game 76-64. The game wasn’t as close as the score indicates.

(Photos by Lane Stewart/Sports Illustrated)

TIME LAPSE OF DONOR CENTER AT DONOR FIELD AT DONOR STADIUM

This is cool...

A record 64,947 filled Scott Stadium in Charlottesville see Virginia open its 2008 college football season against the USC Trojans. USC beat Virginia 52-7. And, yes, TAH was there. If you watch carefully you will see us running out of the stadium at halftime and never returning. And, yes again, the tailgate was MUCH better than the game.



(Photos and production by Jared Soares/Roanoke.com)

PICTURE(S) OF THE DAY

ZENYATTA MONDATTA…Just like the Police album. Jockey Mike Smith atop Zenyatta pose with owners and trainers in the winner's circle after winning the $2 million Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic during the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park October 24, 2008 in Arcadia, California.

Zenyatta is nine-for-nine this year. She is owned by record company executive Jerry Moss who is obviously a fan of Sting and the boys.

Below, the girls come out of the gates to start the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Jose Lezcano and Maram (grey horse, second from right) won the race.


(Photos by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

JUST A FRIENDLY REMINDER…of how much UNC’s loss to Kansas SUCKED. The Heels are the preseason #1 and are, no doubt, out to avenge one of their ugliest losses ever.

Kansas fans were rightfully excited for this year's Late Night at Phog as the night included the raising of the national championship banner. Late Night also gave fans a chance to see the new faces who will be defending the title -- the Jayhawks return only two players who saw significant playing time on last year's squad.

(AP Photo)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

TOM IZZO IS NOT SCARED…Tom Izzo went retro for Michigan State's Friday Night Flashback -- the Spartans celebrated the 30th anniversary of their first Final Four appearance.

(AP Photo)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 4

BETER LATE…than never. This was a nice ceremony honoring Hokie All-American Angela Tincher at a recent Tech home football game.

Tincher is a graduate of James River High School, a 2008 graduate of Virginia Tech, and has been admitted to the Pamplin College of Business graduate program to pursue a Master's degree. She was also drafted by the NPF Akron Racers.

Tincher is famous for a number of things including pitching a no-hitter against the U.S. Olympic squad last spring. She ended the Olympians 185 exhibition game winning streak that dated back to 1996. Once she struck out 19 Tar Heels in seven innings. Tincher also set an NCAA record when she whiffed 19 Gators in a CWS game.

(Photo by Justin Cook/Roanoke Times)

A RARE VIDEO OF FUTURE GREATNESS

Look, it’s not easy being legendary two-sport future superstar Toly Hansbrough© (seen here with his buddy B. “Snaggle Tooth” Pieja). The kid is under constant pressure, and his parents (future agents and dependents) are also under constant stress.

If it’s not media outlets like ESPN, Sports Illustrated or Nickelodeon Sports, its football and basketball coaches from across the country constantly writing, calling, emailing or sending gifts.

Here are the recent outgoing memos:

BUTCH DAVIS: Don’t worry, he isn’t going to Miami. Call our house one more time and he’s Roy’s and Roy’s exclusively. (Hey look, Roy sends his mom flowers once a week, and has been doing so since 2004. That’s hard to compete with).

COACH FRIDGE: Enough already with the pizza, cupcakes and fried turkeys. We don’t have the time, room or money to build another garage.

COACH AL “MUST GO” GROH: Thanks for the 36 grey UVA sweatshirts. Q: How many grey UVA sweatshirts is too many? A: All of them.

COACH T. BOWDEN: It’s OK coach you can stop calling, writing and emailing. You’re not the coach anymore. Give it a rest. He was never going to college in the “other” Carolina anyway.

COACH B. BOWDEN: I know you don’t recruit outside of Florida, but the Tolenator has a weak arm and he can’t catch worth a damn. In addition, he is occasionally a little loose with the facts with regard to his personal behavior and school work. Like Charlie Ward, he’s probably better at hoop than at football. So, he’s perfect, yes?

COACH CUTCLIFFE: Congrats on being improved, but the T-man isn’t going to Duke. No way, no how. The exact quote from his mother goes like this “Over my dead body...Duke $%&s!...Coach K is an #$% $*&%...etc., etc. You get the point.

COACH BEAMER: Yep, he’s your type. Tough as nails. But you have already sent him enough VA Tech lunch pails to last a lifetime, and his mom won’t let him wear maroon and orange at the same time. Come to think of it, she won’t let him wear maroon at all. Sorry.

Here is some rare secret footage captured via spy cam at a recent FYF Colts' practice. Toly is in a plain white jersey and blue pants behind the soccer net -he's behind the kid in the purple jersey.

Go ahead, forward this to Georgia Tech, N.C. State and Wake Forest, it won’t matter.

(Be sure to turn up the sound, the final unidentified comment is priceless.)

KRZXCBFYT$JKS4SKI ENDORISNG OBAMA?

By Luciana Chavez, Raleigh News & Observer:

Disclaimer: This is NOT a presidential candidate endorsement.

Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski simply acknowledged Friday he'd received congratulatory notes from Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and Obama aide Reggie Love, a former Duke basketball and football player, after coaching the U.S. men's basketball team to the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics.

So, did Republican presidential candidate John McCain send one?

"I don't want to say that," Krzyzewski said. "I'm OK with anyone voting for whoever ... they want to vote for. And I'm not ever going to, while I'm coaching, throw my hat ... while it might help nationally, it would not help locally.

"If I say I was for somebody, locally, that guy or that woman would lose. No question about it. I'm cool with that. I like that, as a matter of fact."

Krzyzewski was tiptoeing carefully around that Duke-North Carolina rivalry pothole.
Remember, his Chapel Hill neighbor/nemesis Roy Williams took all kinds of grief for clearing the way for his players to practice with Obama at UNC several months ago.

Krzyzewski also got slammed when he hosted a fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, a Republican, at the Washington Duke Inn years ago.

"But Dean's out of it," Krzyzewski said, referring to former UNC coach Dean Smith. "I mean, not out of it. ... How can I say something different after that? I love Dean. I'm checking to see if I'm wearing my 'I love Dean' shirt today. ... No, you can't do that while you're coaching. I don't think it's a cool thing to do."

(K: Photo by Chuck Liddy, News&Observer, Roy: AP Photo by Jae C. Hong)

SPINAL SURGERY SIDELINES GEORGIA TECH HOOP’S CAPTAIN

According to AP, Georgia Tech senior guard and team captain D'Andre Bell will have season-ending surgery to correct a spinal condition, but he said Wednesday he still hopes to complete his college career in the 2009-10 season.

Bell, who started 22 games last season, was diagnosed with a congenital condition known as spinal stenosis.

Bell felt numbness in his extremities after he hit his head on a teammate's leg while diving for a ball during a workout on Oct. 10. The stenosis, a narrowing and compression of the spinal cord, is located in the cervical portion of Bell's spine.

Bell said he was told he has a chance to play next season, and he'll be able to begin his rehab program six to eight weeks after the surgery.

The 6-foot-6 Bell, who averaged 6.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game last season, was recently touted by Hewitt as one of the team's leaders and is regarded as the team's top defensive player.

I HATE VIRGINIA

Here’s a nice little comment from a reader (ElwoodGT) of ACC NOW:

I hate the stinkin' Hoos. Every year they do this - lose to some crappy out-of-conference team (Wyoming? HELLO!?), then just about the time you think they're finally going to truly stink up the place, they pull a win out of nowhere and ruin a decent team's season in conference.

They've done it to my Yellow Jackets more times than I care to remember - we haven't won in C-ville since 1990.

Seriously, they are a net loss on the conference. Terrible losses out of conference, big upset wins in conference. Never do they reverse it, say, by actually beating USC or Auburn or whoever. No, they have to get destroyed by UConn, then beat Maryland and UNC.

Jerks.

(Editor’s Note: We didn’t really think this was worthy of publication until we got to the last line. The “Jerks.” put it over the top!)

(Photo by Robert Willett/Raleigh News & Observer)

AN ODE TO MIKE CURTIS or KEEP YOUR DRUNK A%# OFF THE FIELD

Remember when Baltimore Colts’ linebacker Mike Curtis decked the fan on the field way back in the 1970’s? Well, for a while it served as a good reminder of exactly why running onto the field during a pro football game was a bad idea. Of course, combine the bone jarring hit with being arrested and you have yourself a nice “Stay In Your Damn Seat Exacta.”



During last weekend’s Skins v. Brownies game, some drunk knucklehead decided to join the fun. Redskins’ Antwaan Randle El and Santana Moss did the initial tackle, and then it took 5 stadium cops to remove the idiot.

Santana Moss: I was just really trying to make sure he got down, I wasn't really trying to do nothing too wild, too crazy, I was just trying to make sure he didn't continue on running around and making himself look like a fool.

Antwaan Randle El: I just kind of whacked him. I didn't really hit him, I just kind of grabbed him by the little hoodie that he had.

PICTURE(S) OF THE DAY

ALL EVEN...Carlos Ruiz #51 of the Philadelphia Phillies gets forced out at second base by Jason Bartlett #8 of the Tampa Bay Rays during game two of the 2008 MLB World Series on October 23, 2008 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Ryan Howard #6 of the Philadelphia Phillies can't make a play on a throw as Carlos Pena #23 the Tampa Bay Rays dives back into first base during the bottom of the fifth inning of game 2.

Pedro Feliz #7 of the Philadelphia Phillies fails to make a play in the bottom of the second.

The Rays evened the series 1-1 with a 4-2 win.

(Photos by Jamie Squire/Getty Images and Ron Vesely/MLB via Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

CARROT TOP’S BROTHER…? And he’s one of those crazy motorcycle people…

Gilera's Spanish 250cc rider Marco Simoncelli waits in the boxes during a practice session at the Moto Grandprix of Cheste on October 24, 2008 in Valencia, Spain.

(Photo by Diego Tuson/AFP/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

NICE MAP…China's Feng Shanshan, right, wears a shirt featuring a map of China (or was she just stabbed in the chest prior to the round?), as she chats with Sweden's Annika Sorenstam at the Grand China Air golf tournament in Haikou, on China's southern Hainan Island, Friday Oct. 24, 2008.

The tournament is the first LPGA event to be held in China.


(AP Photo)

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

UNC will need all of the offensive production it can get, as head coach Butch Davis said Boston College's front seven "look like the Chicago Bears."

(Photo by Getty Images)

NOT A MISPRINT: 91-0.

From the Naples Daily News (Edited by TAH):

The Estero High football staff gathered in head coach Rich Dombroski's office late Friday, almost in stunned silence.

Earlier that night, Estero lost to Naples High by 13.

Not by 13 points. By 13 touchdowns. That's right: Naples 91, Estero 0.

"Hey," offered Estero defensive line coach Pat Hayes after the one-sided affair, "I didn't even know 91 was a multiple of seven."

With that, the coaches all got a much-needed laugh.

A half-hour away in Naples, Eagles coach Bill Kramer—the man on the winning end—could use one of those.

He looked at the scoreboard late in the game, saw 91-0, and said he felt sick to his stomach. Kramer's team ran only 31 plays and he kept most of his best players on the sideline—for the entire game in some cases. But still Kramer knew what was coming.

Soon after the game ended, his inbox began filling with angry e-mails, some from Estero parents wondering why so many points were necessary, some from Naples parents wondering why their kids didn't play more in an effort to pad their stats.

"There's only one way to describe it," Kramer said. "Just bizarre."

The schools aren't far off in size: Estero has about 1,400 high schoolers, Naples roughly 1,700.

But the pedigree of the football programs couldn't be more different.

Estero is rebuilding from the lowest level, with Dombroski in his first year at the school and having inherited a program that had simply crumbled. Naples is the reigning state Class 3A champion, and a contender to win the title again. Naples has players committed to Division I schools like Ohio State already and a roster filled with talent at every position. Estero has no college prospects and only about 25 healthy or so players remaining on its roster.

Naples led 70-0 at the half; only four of the 1,420 games reported by member schools to the Florida High School Athletic Association this season have seen teams score more than 70 points.

The national record books are incomplete, but a score like 91-0 won't register a blip on the list of all-time defeats. It wasn't even the most lopsided score in the country this weekend—in Ohio, Beechcroft beat Centennial 96-0, taking knees on plays in the fourth quarter to avoid triple figures.

"Naples did absolutely nothing wrong," Dombroski said. "We just didn't do anything right."

THE RIDDLE WATCH

(For those of you new to TAH, Scott Riddle is the neighbor of a TAH cousin down in Ramseur, NC. The TAH editor played some hoop with him as a kid, and Mrs. TAH (Young A.T.) knows the family well. It wasn’t unusual to drive by the Riddle’s house and hear a baseball bat crack or a ball bouncing at any hour of the day or night. TAH has been covering Riddle’s collegiate career since his freshman debut vs. USF on national TV.)

Scott Riddle connected on 13 of his 20 passes with an interception for 162 yards and three touchdowns in #3 Elon’s 42-7 win over Chattanooga last Saturday (Oct 18).

Riddle is the all-time Elon and SoCon leader in passes attempted in a season (508 last year), passes completed in a game (41 at Wofford last year), passes completed in a season (346 last year), passing yards in a game (534 at Furman last year), passing yards in a season (3,817 total and 347.0 per game last year – also NCAA freshman records), touchdown passes in a season (31 last year – also an NCAA freshman record), touchdowns responsible for in a season (40 last year) and total offensive plays in a season (622 last year).

Riddle is the all-time Elon leader in passes completed in a career (515), passing yards in a career (5,815), touchdown passes in a career (49), total offense in a game (516 at Furman last year), total offense in a season (3,738 net yards and 339.8 per game last year – also NCAA freshman records) and total offensive plays in a game (67 versus Georgia Southern last year).

Riddle is also the all-time SoCon leader in pass completion percentage in a season (68.1 last year), overall games and consecutive games passing for at least 200 yards in a season (11 last year), overall games and consecutive games passing for at least 300 yards in a season (nine last year), touchdown passes in a quarter (three versus Chattanooga last year), consecutive games throwing a touchdown pass in a season (11 last year) and consecutive games throwing a touchdown pass in a career (19).

Other than that, he’s not all that good...

SEMINOLE SUSPENDED FOR MEANINGFUL GAME

Civilized world shocked, JoePa amused…

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

Florida State receiver Bert Reed is suspended for Saturday's game against Virginia Tech, coach Bobby Bowden said Wednesday.

Bowden declined to say why Reed was suspended, but said it was only for one game.

A source within the program said that Reed was suspended because he missed class and violated the school's new academic policy.

"He's out," Bowden said. "I wanted to keep it a secret ... that's something you really wouldn't like the opponent to know that."

Reed, a freshman, has caught 12 passes for 208 yards and has developed into a versatile playmaker for the Seminoles.

He is used as a receiver (17.3 yards per catch), running back (11 yards per carry), and on kickoff returns (22 yards per return ). He is averaging 67.83 all-purpose yards per game but hasn't played more than five plays in the past four games.

(Photo by Getty Images)

DEAN SMITH HONORED

Pat Summitt, Lou Carnesecca and Dean Smith will receive the inaugural Joe Lapchick Character Award next month at Madison Square Garden, it was announced Tuesday.

The award, conceived by former St. John’s player and longtime high school coach Gus Alfieri, was established to recognize basketball coaches who have shown the character and coaching ability of Hall of Famer Lapchick, who coached St. John’s and the New York Knicks.

“There could not be a better time to focus attention on character in sports but the present and Joe Lapchick is the model for the person we should look to,” said Alfieri, who was on Lapchick’s 1959 NIT championship team.

Lapchick, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1959 as a member of the original Celtics, coached at St. John’s from 1936-47 and again from 1956-1965. He compiled a 334-130 record and won four NIT championships. He spent nine seasons coaching with New York in the fledgling NBA and was credited as one of the leaders in integrating the league. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a coach in 1966. Lapchick died in 1970.

Summitt is the winningest coach in women’s college basketball history with a 983-182 record in 34 seasons at Tennessee. She has led the Lady Vols to eight national titles, and 100 percent of the players who have completed their eligibility under her have graduated.

Smith led North Carolina to 11 Final Fours and two national championships in his 36 seasons there, compiling an 879-254 record. When he retired, he had the most wins in Division I history, a mark since eclipsed by Bob Knight. Ninety-six percent of the lettermen who played under him graduated.

Carnesecca was an assistant to Lapchick for nine years and succeeded him following the 1964-65 season. He coached at his alma mater for 24 seasons, each ending with a postseason appearance, including the 1985 Final Four. Carnesecca, who coached in the ABA for three seasons, finished with a record of 526-200 at St. John’s and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 1992.

Carnesecca was also famous for his sweaters.

(Lapchick (c) and Carnesecca photo (that's Lou on the far right) courtesy of New York Times, Dean Smith photo with Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins and Matt Doherty, AP photo by Robert Willett / October 14, 1982, Carnesecca photo courtesy of RedStormSports.com)

PICTURE(S) OF THE DAY

THE BREEDERS CUP...with over $25 million in purses will be run Friday and Saturday at Santa Anita in Arcadia, California.

Here, Riders take horses out during the morning workout session

$10 million earner Curlin is the favorite for the feature race, the $5 million Breeders Cup Classic G1.

(Photos by Harry How/Getty Images)

PICTURE(S) OF THE DAY 2

NO, YOU WERE’NT SEEING THINGS…If you thought your view of your T.V. was being obstructed at a number of key moments during the Skins v. Browns game last Sunday, it wasn’t your imagination. But it wasn’t somebody in the sports bar or your house blocking your view, it was somebody in the stadium blocking the camera. Not once, mind you, but FOUR TIMES…including the most exciting play of the game – Santana Moss’ touchdown grab.

Thanks to Dan Steinberg’s D.C. Sports Blog for the photos.

Nice, CBS, NICE!

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

UNC MEDIA DAY...North Carolina's Ty Lawson, back left, and Deon Thompson, back right, make faces during a portrait with head coach Roy Williams, center, and teammates Marc Campbell (2) and Wayne Ellington (22) during NCAA college basketball media day in Chapel Hill, N.C., Friday, Oct. 17, 2008.

(AP Photo)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 4

RAYHAWK…That’s what this “do” is called. The surprise success of the Tampa Bay Rays has caught the imagination and the follicles of fans.

(Photo by Kim Klement/US Presswire)

VICK TO PLEAD GUILTY IN VIRGINIA

According to the AP, Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick plans to plead guilty to state dogfighting charges, a step that could allow him to qualify for an early release from federal prison and into a halfway house.

In court papers filed in Surry County Circuit Court, Vick's attorneys are seeking to have Vick enter his plea by video teleconference.

The papers also note that the guilty plea would save the government the considerable expense of transporting Vick to Surry, and satisfy the county's need to hold him accountable for the crimes he bankrolled and participated in at a rural house he owned there.

Under federal rules, Vick would not be eligible for programs such as release to a halfway house if he has pending charges.

"I'm not trying to make him suffer," Commonwealth's Attorney Gerald Poindexter said in a telephone interview. "I'm just trying to make him account for what he's done."

Surry County Circuit Court administrator Sally Neblett said a hearing has been scheduled for Oct. 30 to permit him to enter his plea via video conference from the federal prison in Leavenworth, Kan., where he is serving a 23-month term.

Vick will have three years of federal probation upon his release from prison, and the deal offered by Poindexter would tack on an additional year of probation in the county, he said.

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO…

Hmmm…

Last weekend after home wins against the Tar Heels and the Hokies, the UVA and BC faithful (read that students) felt compelled to run onto the field at game’s end.

Really now?

Mind you, the Eagles overcame 5 turnovers to vanquish the offensively hapless Hokies, but it was still just a run-of-the-mill regular season ACC win. Important, but hardly worthy of the post game on-field dash. You guys even felt the need to pull down the goal post...Not cool in the current economy. (Parent/administrator to child: What? You think goal posts are FREE?)

And, you Wahoos…what were you thinking? UNC hasn’t beaten your squad in Charlottesville since the Crimean War, so what’s all the excitement about? While we appreciate the fact that it may not be a pigskin savvy crowd, surely you don’t think you get extra credit for winning in overtime?

Don’t tell me everybody was just looking to get on Sports Center…

Reserve your field charging for when your team a) upsets a top-five Goliathian opponent, b) has just ended some horrific losing streak or c) secures a championship of some sort. Otherwise, turnaround and run the other way – not onto the field, but back to the frat house/dorm/apartment – and get the all important post-game party underway.

Priorities, people!

ACC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

OFFENSIVE BACK—Chris Turner, Maryland, Quarterback, 6-4, 210, Jr., Simi Valley, Calif. Turner completed a career-high 28 of 41 passes (68.3 percent) for a season-high 321 yards, including one TD with no interceptions. He cut through a Demon Deacon defense that entered Saturday’s game leading the nation in defensive pass efficiency.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN—Bruce Campbell, Maryland, Tackle, 6-7, 285, So., Hamden, Conn. In his second career start, Campbell graded out as Maryland’s top offensive lineman in the upset over No. 21 Wake Forest. The Terps rushed for 140 yards and the offensive line did not allow a sack in 41 pass attempts, enabling Chris Turner to throw 321 yards against the No. 1 pass defense in the nation.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN—Jon Copper, Virginia, ILB, 6-0, 230, Sr., Roanoke, Va.
Copper had one of the best performances of his career and led the Cavaliers with a career-high 16 tackles on Saturday in UVa’s 16-13 overtime win over North Carolina.

DEFENSIVE BACK—Mark Herzlich, Boston College, OLB, 6-4, 238, Wayne, Pa.
Herzlich led all defenders with 13 tackles (8 solo, 5 assist) and had two tackles for loss as Boston College defeated No. 17 Virginia Tech. The Eagles held the Hokies to 240 total offensive yards, 150 on the ground and 90 through the air.

SPECIALIST— Graham Gano, Florida State, PK/P, 6-1, 197, Sr., Pensacola, FL
Gano accounted for 14 of the Seminoles’ 26 points in a 26-17 win over the NC State. The senior raised his field goal streak to 10 in a row with a perfect 4-for-4 night versus the Wolfpack.

ROOKIE— Jacory Harris, Miami, Quarterback, 6-4, 185, Fr., Miami, Fla. Harris threw a career-high four touchdown passes and ran for another touchdown in helping Miami to a 49-31 road win at Duke. He completed 18-of-28 passes for 185 yards and rushed 10 times for 53 yards.

(Copper: Kyle Green/Roanoke Times) (Campbell and Turner: Greg Fiume/UMTerps.com) (Herzlich: Getty Images) (Gano: FSU Sports)

FIRST BCS RANKINGS OUT…

…and the ACC isn’t looking so good. What they look like is Parity Central.

When the Orange Bowl rolls around, if somebody doesn’t rise to the top and look dominant, non-BCS schools will be whining about a weak member in the ACC (and perhaps one in the Big East as well as #16 South Florida is the highest ranked team) getting a spot at the Big Bowl Extravaganza.

Right now, it would be hard to argue the point. Having said that, there is plenty of football left to play, and this weekend features some big games – BC at UNC, VT at FSU and UVA at Georgia Tech.

No. 18 Georgia Tech and No. 25 Florida State are the ACC's lone representatives in the first BCS Standings released Monday, after a weekend that saw Va Tech, Wake and UNC lose and fall from the polls.

Georgia Tech has moved to the front, and FSU has played well now that it matters including three straight wins since their crapfest vs. Wake Forest.

SPEAKING OF (NOT) SOUTH FLORIDA…

Somebody down there is mad…really, really mad. Not to mention, a little bitter about something.

Who cares if the University of South Florida is really in central Florida?

Evidenlty, somebody does and they have come up with a web site called: USF SCANDAL.

http://usfscandal.com/ - "Exposing the cheaters at the school for the geographically challenged."

Well, it is in Tampa and the last time we looked that was west-central Florida.

It chronicles all sorts of malfeasance on the part of all things USF Bull. And we gotta tell you, those young bulls have been busy!

Check it out. We particularly liked this part on the right margin:

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OTHER VICK CONVICTED OF BEING A MORON

Just kidding…It was DUI.

AP - Former Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick has pleaded guilty to drunken driving and other charges.

Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney spokeswoman Amanda Howie says Vick also was convicted Monday of eluding police and driving on the wrong side of the road.

The 24-year-old brother of former
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was arrested in June after fleeing from a bicycle patrol officer who saw him and a woman involved in a dispute. Vick was stopped minutes later.

A judge suspended a 12-month jail sentence on the DUI charge, but Vick must pay $530 in fines and lose his license for a year.

Vick was dropped from the Virginia Tech team in 2006 after a series of problems. The
Miami Dolphins released him a year later.