Memphis beat Winthrop yesterday at FedEx Forum, but Winthrop lived up to their billing giving the Tigers a run for the money.

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No surprise: Texas QB Vince Young says he'll go pro.

Saying it's a loss for Texas is an understatement. It's no doubtful they will be preseason top 5... no summer Heisman hype, which Young would have gotten.

Young is projected to go top 3 in the NFL draft later this year. That's a lot of money and a lot of power. I can't blame him for passing it up.

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Conference USA:

New Rice football coach Todd Graham has named Major Applewhite as offensive coordinater & QB coach. Graham is banking on several things: Applewhite's celebrity status can help recruit; Applewhite's celebrity status might draw an extra fan or two; Applewhite's lack of experience, umm, well, not sure what he is thinking here. Applewhite served in 2005 as QB coach of Syracuse. He's the youngest coach so far named to the staff which will have several 20-somethings walking the sidelines.

A Marshall football recruit was killed travelling to Huntington late Saturday night. The automobile accident happened near Atlanta. David Gibson of Tallahassee, Florida, was to start classes today at the university & join the Thundering Herd later this year in spring practice.

UTEP senior Tremaine Fuqua was kicked out of basketball practice Friday, then was a no-show Saturday. The Miners open CUSA action Wednesday night at SMU.

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The search for an offensive coordinator at Mississippi continues. It's been six weeks since they fired Noel Mazzone. Does this remind anyone else of their search for a head coach last year? You remember, the one that got'em Coach "O"?

Insiders are optimistic he'll make a hire this week at the American Football Coaches Association convention in Dallas. Orgeron is set to talk to former Miami offensive coordinator Dan Werner & former 'Canes offensive line coach Art Kehoe.

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NFL Playoffs:

Great headline: "Fox and hounded"

It's accurate, too. Carolina made New York look bad... real bad. No team that makes the playoffs should get shutout at home, but that's what happened to the Giants. The finger-pointing seems to be directed at Eli Manning & the turnovers. Let's not forget Tiki Barber didn't look like Tiki Barber. You can thank the Panthers' defense for that.

Now Carolina must face Chicago. I am not a NFC guy, but I think this game could be fun. Well, only if you like defense.

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ESPN.com says former Jets coach Herman Edwards has a verbal agreement to head to Kansas City.

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Conspiracy theorists seem to follow NASCAR. And who could blame them? The anti-racing crowd loves to buy into the idea that races are fixed to create storylines for fans & television. I guess someone forgot the fix when Dale Earnhardt Jr. & Jeff Gordon BOTH missed NASCAR's chase for the cup last year.

That said, David Poole of the Charlotte Observer documents NASCAR's journey of selecting a city to host it's hall of fame. The poor guy sounds like he's been chasing rumors all over the country. Poole knows NASCAR better than anyone & is also a co-worker of mine on Focus on Racing Radio on Westwood One.

My opinion is the hall should be in Charlotte. The city is still the heartbeat of NASCAR country. It makes the most sense.

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Music quote of the day:

"I never meant to cause you trouble,
And I never meant to do you wrong,
And i, well if I ever caused you trouble,
Oh no, I never meant to do you harm."

Coldplay - "Trouble"

(This song was used in the season 1 finale of "The Shield" on FX. Season 5 of the best cop show TV premieres Tuesday night at 9 pm.)

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See you on the radio Wednesday afternoon at 4:30 pm with the Tiger pregame show.