Florida president Bernie Machen has figured out what all the little guys in college football have been complaining about for years.

Machen was stunned the Gators had won the SEC championship, but he was worried they would be shut out of the national championship game. Florida won the national title but Machen hasn't forgotten the experience and is campaigning for a playoff system during the SEC football meetings being held this week in Florida.

Some might think this is no big deal, given how many people complain about the Bowl Championship Series system every year, but Machen's support definitely matters. The only way the BCS will change and little guys like Boise State and New Mexico ever will have a chance to compete for a national championship is if members of the BCS push for change. Even powerful BYU, the school that wields the most clout in the Mountain West Conference, would be hard-pressed to make it to a national championship game.

If Machen gets support from the rest of the SEC, that would be a huge step forward in changing the system. Of course there are a lot of other conferences that would have to jump on board, but I'm curious to see how much support Machen can get this week.

I should tack on a friendly disclaimer that I cast a ballot in the Harris poll, one of three factors used to determine the BCS standings. I choose to participate because I would rather turn in what I believe to be a fair ballot than just sit on the sidelines and complain about the broken system.

Posted by ilimon at 04:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I filled in for Trib reporter Jeremy Fowler today during the UNM men's basketball team's final open practice for hitting the road for the lovely Bahamas. Must be nice. Here's what I learned:

-- Coach Steve Alford had to return home to Iowa to deal with a family emergency (a relative's health problems), so he missed practice and will be meeting the team in the Bahamas. His immediate family also will be accompanying him, as will the wives of all the coaches.

-- Blake Harden missed Thursday night's practice, but he had a previous conflict and his absence was approved by the coaches.

-- Assistant coach Craig Neal wanted to emphasize that the coaching staff is not punishing J.R. Giddens by deciding not to take him along on the trip. Giddens is enrolled in an intercession class that does not end until Thursday (one week from tonight's practice) and attendance is mandatory.

-- Neal continued the new coaching staff's praise of Giddens, saying he has done everything the coaches have asked and has behaved perfectly. Apparently Giddens has not reacted poorly to missing out on the Bahamas trip.

-- The practice was fairly intense, with guys clearly competing for Neal's attention. They were pretty aggressive during drills and the handful of scrimmage situations. It will be a lot easier on the team when they get at least 12 players on the roster so they can scrimmage five-on-five and give a few guys a breather. Alford and Neal apparently run pretty grueling practices, so subs are a precious commodity. Everyone seemed to put in a good effort and Neal said as much after practice.

-- Darren Prentice had his hair in three little puffs that could pass for three mini ponytails. He grimaced at having to do TV interviews after practice with the less-than-cool do. Turns out he was having his hair braided before the trip and ran out of time to get it finished before practice, so he just came with it tied up and out of his face. The plan backfired when TV cameras showed up. Its a nice look. Too bad I didn't have a camera so everyone reading this blog could see it for themselves.

That's all for now. Check out Friday's Trib for more UNM men's basketball news.

Posted by ilimon at 09:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I'm working on some non-UNM football and women's basketball news this week because this is the down time for the Lobos.

A lot of coaches are taking advantage of the tiny window between graduation and the start of summer school next week and taking a break. So not much to report on hoops and football, other than both programs are gearing up for the big summer camps on the horizon next month.

I'm excited about the NBA playoffs because I'm a huge Spurs fan. Love the Spurs, love Tim Duncan, love Manu Ginobili, love Tony Parker, love Bruce Bowen and love all the rest of the Spurs. The series with the Suns was great, and I suspect the rest of the playoffs won't have quite the same drama. But my co-worker and the Trib's sports copy chief Phil Parker is a die-hard Utah Jazz fan who firmly believes I am wrong. He's going to be disappointed ... again. Such is the life of a Jazz fan.

I know you are addicted to all things Lobos, and I will be doing my best in the next few months to feed that addiction. But, I'm curious what sports you follow during the off-season. Is this the time you get off the couch and get into recreational sports? Do follow MLB or the Isotopes? Are you plotting your fantasy football draft? Or do you just pout until I write more stories about the Lobos? I'm curious because it can help me decide what stories to chase this summer.

Posted by ilimon at 11:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

OK sports fans, I have been asked to point out a poll running on CBS Sportsline to name the Most Dominant College Mascot on Earth. The Web site is doing the showdowns NCAA tourney style with seedings brackets. The No. 7 New Mexico Lobos have rolled to the regional finals but are losing a grudge match against No. 8 BYU Cougars.

How can you, as New Mexicans who naturally loathe all things BYU, correct this problem? Vote for the Lobos at this Web site. You UTEP fans who read my blog, because you know me, feel free to vote as well. Aggies feel free to join in as well. You know you don't like Lobos or Cougars, but you truly hate Cougars a lot more than anyone else out there.

The deadline is Friday, so get to work. There isn't much time to catch and pass pesky BYU.

And to any BYU fans who read this blog, ummm ... sorry. I grew up in El Paso and attended UNM. Just chalk it up to a friendly rivalry and know I have nothing respect for your teams during the football and women's basketball seasons.

Posted by ilimon at 02:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

It's been interesting watching the debate on the last blog entry, but it's well past time for me to change the subject.

As of late today, the UNM women's basketball program was not expecting to receive a letter of intent to fill the void left by center Morgan Saso, who would have been a junior next season. UNM coach Don Flanagan said the Lobos were targeting one player but it was pretty late in the process to go back and offer a scholarship to the player. Aztec guard Patricia Malouff, who was rumored to be a walk-on candidate, signed a letter of intent to play for Eastern New Mexico. Her high school coach told me nothing has changed and Malouff has not made any moves to get out of her letter of intent with Eastern to join the Lobos.

So the game plan appears to hang on to that scholarship and have three available to replace a very small but potent senior class -- Brandi Kimble and Dionne Marsh. That's gotta be a fun recruiting assignment. Go find two replacements for Kimble and Marsh. If the coaches are courting explosive scorers and trying to step up a level in terms of recruiting stars, it should be no surprise the Lobos don't have any early commitments yet.

Posted by ilimon at 03:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

As Andrew Leo Lopez so kindly pointed out, I did miss breaking the story on Morgan Saso's departure from the Lobos. I tip my hat to the Journal for catching it. Here is a link to follow-up story I wrote for today's Trib.

I have to say that Saso's departure didn't exactly come as a surprise. I think she was a very strong high school player, but a ton of time with Aaron Day didn't help her develop the kind of speed she needs to compete at UNM. I know Lobos fans love every player who joins the team, but you also pine for big wins in March. Saso's departure makes room someone who can step up the talent level and help make that happen. In exchange, she gets a chance to play in her hometown on a team that will showcase her skills.

Saso once told me she spoke to her parents and brothers easily three times a day. That's three calls to each person, illustrating just how close they are to each other. She took her redshirt year very well, but the fact that she had mastered the physical skills in the offense but still was being passed up by younger players obviously was taking its toll. University of California-Bakersfield, her new school, is an independent school transitioning to Division I basketball. The team will play its first all-Division I schedule next season. The UNM coaches helped her find a good school and arrange the transfer. It seems like a really good fit for her, and I know we all wish her the best.

Now, how are the Lobos going to use that nice extra scholarship?

UNM coach Don Flanagan said he has his eyes on one high school player who could step up and make an immediate impact. He sounds almost as confident in her skills as he did in Amy Beggin, but I'm only getting tiny hints because NCAA rules preclude him talking about a specific recruit and definitely bans naming names. He also said he is more than comfortable just using the scholarship next year. We won't have to wait very long to figure out who he is looking at because signing day is next week.

In other news, Flanagan said he's excited to see all of next year's players in summer school come June. The current Lobos are heading home or are already there enjoying a brief post-finals break. The school year runs a little later for Washington recruits Amanda Best and Nikki Nelson, overlapping with the start of UNM summer school. Flanagan said they are making arrangements to leave high school early and jump right into the college ranks.

That's all for now. Post any thoughts about Saso's transfer or questions in the comments section.

Posted by ilimon at 08:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (13)

I have been remiss in not sharing all the details I know about former Lobo Brian Urlacher's decision during Super Bowl XLI media day that earned him an infamous $100,000 fine from the NFL. I stuck to Urlacher like glue during his entire one-hour media day public appearance, and here's what I saw:

The star players, including Urlacher, sat at their own dais constructed out of wood. They were surrounded by mobs of reporters and cameras ready to fire questions for 60 minutes. The Bears went first and were in uniform for the event. Urlacher's teammates who chose to wear hats during the event all were wearing Chicago Bears caps, usually with some variation of the Super Bowl XLI logo.

Urlacher's agent and long-time friend Bryce Karger and brother Casey Urlacher milled around waiting for him to enter the media area along the sidelines of Dolphin Stadium. They huddled briefly with Urlacher and handed him a brand new Vitamin Water hat and bottle of Vitamin Water at the last second before he took his seat.

Urlacher fielded questions for about 10 to 15 minutes when a group of NFL representatives huddled nearby. One stepped up and whispered to Urlacher that he had to remove the hat. Urlacher grimmaced, then handed it back to Karger and his brother. One of the reporters asked Urlacher if he endorsed Vitamin Water, and Urlacher proudly said he had a deal with the company.

A few minutes later, the NFL representative returned to tell Urlacher he could not have his Vitamin Water on the dais either. Urlacher reluctantly handed the water off to Karger and his brother. When the same NFL staff member offered Urlacher a bottled water, he slapped it off the dais with the back of his hand and said something like "I don't drink that."

Urlacher told the Dan Patrick Show when he returned to his locker, there was a notice he would be fined for violating NFL rules. Players were instructed about they were allowed to wear and what products were allowed before all Super Bowl events. Vitamin Water, a competitor of big-time NFL sponsor Gatorade, certainly wasn't allowed.

Vitamin Water offered to pay the fine, but Urlacher refused and said he would rather pay it himself since he knew the rules and violated them anyway. The company matched te fine with a $100,000 donation to the United Way, hoping to smooth relations with the NFL by giving to its top chariity. Urlacher also has been active with the United Way throughout his career.

Despite the heat and glare from cameras, Urlacher never put on another hat or drank anything during the final 35 minutes of his mandatory media day interviews.

Contrary to what he has said, I think displaying the Vitamin Water items was a calculated move by Urlacher to make a splash for a company that has enjoyed attention money can't really buy since the fine was imposed. Perhaps it's Urlacher's charm or the massive excess of corporate sponsorship during the Super Bowl, but I don't think Urlacher made an especially sinister move. I think it is kind of admirable that he is fiercely loyal to the companies who have supported him, granted he does get paid well for such loyalty. Those same companies have provided a lot of donations to New Mexico and helped make Urlacher a lovable, friendly household name. Vitamin Water has used an array of humorous commercials to show his softer side.

Posted by ilimon at 09:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

You'll get a lot more details in Wednesday's Tribune and in future blog entries, but here are a few of my quick thoughts on the spring game.

The game was delayed quite a bit due to rain, but a surprising number of fans braved the bad weather and cheered on the team anyway.

The new scoring system was great, but the scoreboard operator or someone in the press box wanted the offense to win. It seemed like Adam Miller hit a game-winning field goal for the offense, but the official tally UNM coach Rocky Long took gave the defense a 38-35 win, And the defense definitely deserved it. Glover Quin, Frankie Solomon, Major Mosley and Cody Kase had especially good games. You can visit this link to a page on golobos.com to get final game stats.

It was a much better game for the offense, although it's clear the team could still use some work getting the hang of offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin's attack. When I asked Donovan Porterie a sort of fun question about what he looked forward to doing this summer during the short break between finals next and the start of summer school and summer workouts, he said football. He's taking the playbook home and using every second he can to learn the offense. Baldwin said he wanted Porterie to learn more so that he can be a more commanding leader of the offense, and Porterie said he very much wants the same thing.

Marcus Smith had a good night, catching six passes for 170 yards and a touchdown, although he had one turnover after a catch and long run He broke away for what should have been a touchdown but didn't keep the ball tucked in and was surprised when the Major Mosley caught up with him and stripped the ball. It was a great play for Mosley, who you would not guess had the speed to catch Smith.

"I thought it was a really good spring," Long said. "I like going straight through (having 15 practices in 17 days). I liked working in the mornings. We didn't have too many serious injuries."

Long added, "I think we're going to be a pretty good football team and we're going to be one from the start."

That's all for now. Good night.

Posted by ilimon at 10:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Today's practice was interrupted for about 25 minutes by lightening. Insert your complaints that the indoor practice facility is not ready yet here.

There was no major injury news today, which is always good news.

This wasn't a full-contact workout because of the big scrimmage. The guys seem pretty excited about it. This year's game pits the offense against the defense in an approach used by other schools, including Oklahoma. The defensive players were lobbying UNM coach Rocky Long for a scoring system that would be fair to them. They're definitely competitive.

The offense continues to be erratic, and I think some fans may panic if it isn't perfect during the scrimmage. The guys have made progress, but it takes time to adjust to a new offensive coordinator and offense. They are going against a veteran, aggressive defense with a simpler scheme. It also hurts being short so many starting offensive linemen due to injuries. Those linemen will be back by the summer and fall. I know a lot of people will say didn't we hear this last year and then fall flat on our face against Portland State? Yes, but this year's offensive lineup has more experience, better leadership as a result of that experience and knows how hard they have to work to adapt to a new offense after being pretty humiliated last season.

Here's some details about how the scrimmage will run Wednesday afternoon:

The scrimmage will run for four 15-minute quarters. The clock will start and stop as it would during a normal game in the first and fourth quarters, but will run continuously during the second and third quarters. There only will be live kickoffs at the start of first and third quarters. The practice begins at 6 p.m., but the team will need to warm up and the actual scrimmage isn't slated to begin until 6:30 p.m. It ought to be done somewhere around 7:45 p.m., then players will be available for autographs. The latest weather forecast I saw calls for rain in the morning, but a clear Wednesday evening.

Here's how points will be awarded:
Offense
First Down - 1 point
Extra Point - 1 point
Play Over 30 Yards - 2 points
Field Goal - 3 points
Touchdown - 6 points

Defense
Three-and-out on first offensive possession of each drive - 2 points
Any Defensive Stop - 1 point
Fourth Down Stop - 2 points
Turnover Forced - 3 points
Turnover Returned For Touchdown - 9 points

Alfredo Moreno in UNM's media relations office put together a pretty extensive overview of the spring workouts that you can find at golobos.com.

If you can't make it to the scrimmage, audio and video will be streamed live online at golobos.com Mike Roberts will do the play-by-play and former Lobo and current media relations intern D.J. Renteria will do color commentary. Long also will tape a postgame recap of spring football that eventually will be broadcast on The Mountain.

That's all for today. Check out Wednesday's Tribune for my Cherry-Silver scrimmage preview.

Posted by ilimon at 06:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)