Teddy Feinberg of the Las Cruces Sun-News reports that Aggie linebacker Nick Paden will sit out the 2009 season due to a knee injury. This is tough news for the Aggies as they lose a preseason All-WAC defensive player (according to a couple preview magazines). This is the second preseason All-WAC player they've lost in the past month and a half with the decision of offensive lineman Chuck Taylor to transfer.
The only other player garnering preseason All-WAC mentions in the preseason magazines is defensive back Davon House.
Teddy Feinberg also discusses the well traveled Jesse Williams, assistant coach for the Aggies.
The New York Times college football blog The Quad shares the 2009 ESPN Thursday night football schedule. Among the must see matchups this year are Clemson at Georgia Tech (Sept. 10), Nebraska at Missouri (Oct. 8), Florida State at North Carolina (Oct. 22), Virginia Tech at East Carolina (Nov. 5th), Texas at Texas A&M (Nov. 26) and of course the Civil War, Oregon State at Oregon (Dec. 3).
ESPN has announced their 2009 broadcast announcing teams.
Our friend Jay (aka The Wiz of Odds) talks about the Mountain West and WAC's decision to go ahead and sign the BCS agreement and legendary columnist and author John Feinstein discusses the BCS and hypocrisy. One this that is a little disconcerting is the lack of respect for the now three year old New Mexico Bowl. Says Feinstein in his article:
You want meaning in a regular season? Give the first four teams in a 12-team playoff a bye. Give the next four a first-round home game. Let the last four scramble to avoid playing in the New Mexico Bowl. Ouch.
While the MWC and WAC's decision to re-sign the BCS agreement was a prudent one (financially), it may have done irreparable damage the cause of the little guys (and particularly in the case of the Mountain West, has caused all their whining and complaining to ring hollow). And it's also important to remember the point that many other journalists have pointed out. The MWC isn't necessarily all that interested in a playoff, they just want to earn an automatic BCS bid for their league.
