I stand corrected

After Tuesday night's thrilling triple overtime Orange Bowl affair, I said there was no way the national championship between USC & Texas could be as good... I was wrong.

Longhorns' QB Vince Young scores two TDs in the 4th quarter, the final coming with just 19 seconds left, propelling Texas to the win, 41-38.

I predicted the Trojans to win... I wanted Texas to win... but either way I expected it to be close for a half with the eventual winner pulling away in the final two quarters.

The BCS lovers are already pointing to this game as an example of how their inadequate system works. Hmmm, which cliche' works best here? The blind squirrel gets the nut?

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I must admit I was delayed watching the end of the game, & when I finally got to it I was distraced. On my way home after hosting the postgame show last night I realized I had lost my check card. The last time I had it was when I ran out to grab a burger at the beginning of the Memphis vs. MTSU game.

I called the fast food joint & they claimed no cards had been turned in. This si nearly four hours after my visit, but the lady at the cash register remembered specifically giving me back my card. She also remembered specifically what I ordered, which I found odd. Why did I stand out in her mind several hours after the fact? Why get so defensive when all I asked was if I left the card there?

So after spending nearly 30 minutes on hold with my bank's customer service hotline, I cancel the card, order a new one & discover my card was used for a $40 just down the street from this fast food joint.

In my almost 20-years of carrying an ATM card, I have never lost one... yes, I am really irritated with myself for being so careless.

Since the crime has been committed by someone using my card, I hope they spent the money on something the need... medicine, diapers, food. But I doubt it.

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Memphis coach Tommy West suggested a couple of years ago that the NCAA should allow five years of eligibility for football players. His reasoning is most players stay in school that long because of redshirts & five years tends to be the amount of time it takes him to earn a degree. It's a great idea & I agree with him.

It appears this could come up at the NCAA convention running the next five days in Indianapolis.

It may be a longshot to ever pass, but opening up dialogue at this convention is a start.

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Conference USA news:

Rice hires five football assistants. Click here to read more.

UAB basketball regroups to continue without Demarrio Eddins.

The misery continues with Southern Miss's basketball team.

UTEP loses by 13 at Syracuse.

Marshall gets revenge on Appalachian State. On a related note, Chuck Landon of the Charleston Daily Mail writes today how being a member of CUSA is helping Marshall from a financial standpoint. While I didn't agree with all of the teams invited into the conference when it reorganized, Marshall will be a good fit in the long run. Just PLEASE hire Bob Huggins as your next basketball coach!

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Today's wakeup call:

Louisville: they start Big East play tonight; they better bring more against no. 3 Villanova than I saw when the lost to Kentucky last month. Otherwise, lil' Ricky won't be smiling much with his re-entry to the BE.

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The recent arrest of former Ohio State standout Maurice Clarett for robbing two guys in an alley is proof that NFL stardom is not guaranteed. It's a sad story for a guy who could have had it all.

- he was part of OSU's 2002 national championship
- he was suspended for 2003 after lying to campus police over the value of items stolen from him
- he failed in a attempt to challenge the NFL's requirement a player wait 3 years after high school before turning pro

I have read a couple of columnists suggesting there needs to be a "backup plan" when something like this happens. After all, chances of making it from college to pro ball is 6,000 to 1, according to NCAA president Myles Brand.

I always thought the backup plan was the education an athlete receives, or is supposed to receive while on campus?

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Music quote of the day:

"So I walk up on high
And I step to the edge
To see my world below.
And I laugh at myself
As the years roll down.
’cause it’s the world I know.
It’s the world I know."

Collective Soul - "The World I Know"