6:10 p.m.: Eight teams down, four more to go at Big 12 Media Days in Dallas. So what's on my mind?
1. It sure looks like Texas did it again. During Monday's opening interviews in Dallas (which included Nebraska), Longhorn football coach Mack Brown was at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn., appearing on every blessed broadcast platform that network offers throughout the day.
Nice timing.
Did Texas tell the Big 12 it was doing that? If so, did anyone at the Big 12 try to talk Texas out of it, or move it to a different date? Did ESPN, a media partner of the Big 12, tell anyone about the calendar conflict?
Even if this was total coincidence, it's poor form all the way around.
2. Big 12 football teams were asked to bring their head football coach and three players to Dallas for interviews. That's what every school indicated it would do except Texas, which plans to bring four players Wednesday.
So we got a late notice that Oklahoma, which also appears Wednesday, will bring four players now, too.
These are the things Nebraska won't miss about changing leagues. As a sportswriter, I love the tit for tat. But NU doesn't want to mess with it anymore.
3. Player I wish most would come to Lincoln every Tuesday for inseason press conferences: Texas Tech quarterback Steven Sheffield.
The senior is as plain-spoken as he is engaging. I socked away an interview I'll write soon in which Sheffield shows he didn't mind former Tech coach Mike Leach getting the heave-ho in Lubbock last December.
4. Missouri broke the NCAA record for most cliches and non-answered questions Tuesday during its appearance. First, the Tigers showed up 20 minutes late. Coach Gary Pinkel was as subdued as I've ever seen. And I'm not sure quarterback Blaine Gabbert would say spit if he had a mouthful of it.
Next time someone asks me about my job, I'll just tell them I type them one paragraph at a time and let it go at that.
5. Commissioner Dan Beebe and supervisor of officials Walt Anderson spoke Tuesday, but broke little, if any, new ground.
Beebe repeated that the new Big 12 doesn't want a football championship game the ultimate irony now that Nebraska, which didn't like the game, is leaving the league and that the league has no interest in expanding. Anderson had few rules changes to discuss since the NCAA now is on a two-year cycle for officiating football differently.
6. Clever move from Nebraska sports information with its football media guide. The cover picture shows a large jersey No. 10. Of course, it's the 2010 season. But more on the sneaky side, it's a signal of NU's move next season to the Big Ten.
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