I guess the Memphis Flyer doesn't think I am a nice guy. Their best of Memphis edition is out & my old talk show "SportsCall" ranked third (tied with Chris Vernon) by the readers, although the show has been gone from the air for almost nine months. The Flyer writes, "National asshole Jim Rome edged out local nice guys Dave Woloshin, formerly of SportsCall, and Chris Vernon for second."

I co-hosted the show from September 2001 until its final airing on Dec. 29, 2005. As a matter of fact I did most of that final program solo.

Add "Try becoming a nice guy so I will get my name in a weekly newspaper" to my list of things to do in 2007.

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Congrats to my current station NewsRadio 600 WREC for no. 1 as best AM station & co-worker Mike Fleming for best local radio talk show.

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Two days from now the Tigers host UT. The weather will be perfect & the 11 a.m. start means less complications when dealing with Mid-South Fair traffic. The pregame show starts on WREC at 9 a.m.

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On a trip to Memphis yesterday Gov. Phil Bredesen was asked about his reelection campaign for governor, crime, jobs... all the typical questions. I ended the short get-together by asking him a question he didn't expect. I asked Bredesen who he was pulling for in Saturday's football game between the Tigers & Vols... his media relations person quickly intervened with a nervous laugh telling him to be careful.

Bredesen gave the politically correct answer I expected, stating "He hopes it will be a good football game." I wonder if he'll take my suggestion of wearing a blue hat & orange shirt, just so fans of either school don't get mad?

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UT atheltic director Mike Hamilton wants to limit the number of times Memphis & Tennessee play football in the future. A story in the Tennessean states Hamilton prefers two games over a 10-15 year period, not the current 10 games over 20 years.

Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson joined us on Memphis Morning News today on WREC. He said he was disappointed to hear that & will work to keep the series alive in both football & basketball.

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Terrell Owens says it's a big misunderstanding... he would never try to take his on life. His publicist smugly claims there's 25-million reasons for him to stay alive, in reference to his big-time contract with the Dallas Cowboys.

Jack Linstrom KZPS radio says the story is overblown as everybody tried to scoop everybody else. By Parcells press conference Wednesday, he calls it the biggest media circus he's seen since Jerry Jones bought the team and fired Tom Landry.

I believe this story is much ado about nothing. Someone, somewhere got his wires crossed. Owens is all about Owens. He's not going to stop that train from rolling.

BREAKING NEWS:

8:15 a.m. - Fox News reports that KDFW-TV in Dallas says a police reports claims Terrell Owens told police he was trying to harm himself by taking prescription drugs. Owens is currently out with a broken finger. It was originally reported that Owens had an allergic reaction to pain killers he was taking for his injury.

Update 8:25 a.m. - Dallas police expected to hold a press conference; last official report says Owens still in the hospital recovering from "allergic reaction" to painkillers.

Update 8:34 a.m. - Star-Telegram.com reports: T.O. tried suicide

Update 9:30 a.m. - Dallas coach Bill Parcells to hold press conference today at 1 p.m.

Update 10:15 a.m. - Dallas police are doing damage control, stating there is no criminal investigation into this matter. According to the AP, Police Lt. Rick Watson said during a brief news conference that he could only confirm that paramedics called police to say they were taking Owens to the hospital. He said no more details would come from the police because no laws were broken.

Even though I don't get a chance to update the blog as much as I would like, I do keep an eye on the site statistics. Dozens of searches for Mississippi football coach "Ed Orgeron" have led folks to stop by for a click or two.

Of course curiousity got the best of me wondering why the sudden interest in Orgeron. It seems there is an internet rumor stating the coach had a run-in with a neighbor. A quick search found the following:

Loser With Socks: Update on the Coach O rumor...

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The changes made to the Memphis defense by Tommy West are intriguing. Will it mean a drastic turn-around for that side of the ball this weekend against UT? Probably not, but who knows. That's why you play the game, right? West reminded us on his radio show last night that he did not remove Joe Lee Dunn as defensive coordinator just because of the ECU loss... so add to it he did not remove JLD just because Tennessee was next on the schedule.

Our broadcast for Memphis vs UT starts Saturday morning at 9 a.m. on NewsRadio 600 WREC.

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What they are writing:

Orlando Sentinel, on mid-week CUSA games: While Memphis Coach Tommy West bemoans the academic effect of traveling to and from mid-week games, he said he likes the games from a football perspective.

"We've played on every day of the week except Wednesday since I've been coaching," he said. "I don't really care what day we play on as long as we have ample time in-between to prepare and recover from the previous week. Academically it can be an issue at times, but I don't see a real effect from a football standpoint."

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Vols coach Phillip Fulmer will be a guest Friday morning on Memphis Morning News on NewsRadio 600 WREC. I'll pass along a time later.

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The rumor mill is churning out fears in Alabama that IF there is a change at the University of Miami this season, the 'Canes will come calling for Auburn's Tommy Tuberville.

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Uh-oh: Conference USA announced Monday that the instant-replay official who handled Saturday's game between the University of Houston and Oklahoma State has been suspended for overturning a call that was not reviewable under the rules.

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I love days like this. It feels like fall outside. It's going to get warmer by the weekend, but today's temp gives me a taste of what's to come. Cooler temps & Tiger football... it's no wonder I love this time of year.

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Speaking of the Tigers, they are on the road this Saturday vs. ECU. I still shake my head over the news from Monday that quarterback Will Hudgens broke his leg again. He's a tough kid & he'll bounce back.

There's no TV so you'll have to enjoy the game the ol' fashioned way: radio. C'mon, give us a listen. The pregame show starts at 4 p.m. on NewsRadio 600 WREC.

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It seems everywhere I go I am asked when kickoff time for Memphis vs. Tennessee will be set. I'll tell you what the media was told Monday: expect it to be announced 12 days out. My calendar tells me that would be this Monday. If it happens at the press luncheon make sure to listen WREC news at 12:30 p.m. & 1 p.m. If they announce it, we'll have it.

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I typically enjoy football bye weeks later in the season. When Memphis rests on Sept. 23 we will only be three games deep into the season. It comes at a good time considering they have the Vols the next weekend. I fully plan on being on a lake fishing with my camper nearby.

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I'm disappointed in myself. I let football season slip up with little or nothing on the blog. Could things be any crazier for me right now? Family, job(s), life...

Look, it's better than the alternative. I went through that earlier this year where I was begging to work. The unfortunate part is things I like to do take a backseat, like the blog.

Coaches teach discipline to players. Maybe I need to take a page out of that playbook.

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One of the things I wanted to post last week were my predictions specifically for Memphis, CUSA & the SEC. Well, with week one in the books maybe it is too late now. And considering I had the Tigers beating Mississippi 24-21, maybe I should get out of the prognosticating game altogether.

Instead what I will do is try to give some weekly picks. It's all just for fun.

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I have also compiled my list of hotseat coaches. I put it together before last weekend & nothing has really changed.

Air Force - Fisher DeBerry: He's made contraversial statements in recent years; add to it 4-7 last year & there could a change; retirement is a possibility, as he's 67 years old.
Arkansas - Houston Nutt: Many more nights like last Saturday's loss to USC & the Butch Davis rumors will start again; it seems all went downhill for Nutt after turning down the Nebraska job. I thought ESPN did do a nice job of sucking up to the Hawg fans during their telecast, as the announcers kept reminding us that the Razorbacks would be ok in SEC play... huh?
Georgia Tech - Chan Gailey: It's his fifth year & his team hung with Notre Dame Saturday; the question is can seven wins a season keep your job with the Yellow Jackets in a tough ACC? If the answer is no, say goodbye to Chan
Kentucky - Rich Brooks: Wasn't he fired last year?
Miami - Larry Coker: He sure didn't help his case losing to FSU last night. "He's a victim of freakin' talk shows," said Howard Schnellenberger, now at Florida Atlantic. "And what's that other thing? Glops or gloops or whatever it is." Ummm, blogs, maybe?
Michigan State - John L. Smith: His Spartans were 29 1/2 point favorites last weekend to Idaho; they won 27-17. Fans are quite grumpy after no bowls the past two years.
Michigan - Lloyd Carr: Fans think his offense is bland. Another 7-5 season, coupled with a loss to Ohio State, would be frowned upon.
Mississippi State - Sylvester Croom: I hear www.firesylvestercroom.com can be bought for $250. No word yet if they are passing the hat in Starkville.
Missouri - Gary Pinkel: A website asking for his termination is also $250. Geez, I am in the wrong business.
Texas A&M - Dennis Franchione: 16-19 in three seasons at College Station. He probably wishes he had left Tuscaloosa in a friendlier manner.
Tulane - Chris Scelfo: Hurricane Katrina gave Scelfo a reprieve in 2005, but he won't be so lucky this year. The problem for Tulane is if they send Scelfo packing, will anyone (worth a dime) take the job? It wasn't that long ago Tulane publicly flirted with dropping football. There's a huge vote-of-confidence for recruiting!
UAB - Watson Brown: It's life after Darrell Hackney.

In the larger scheme of things, this list means nothing. It's for entertainment purposes only, so don't email me in a hissy fit because your coach is on the list. There are so many things that determine whether a coach stays or goes, is fired or given a contract extension. Fan blogs, the media & message boards have little or no influence.