News & Notes

The rivalry between Colorado and Colorado State will be played at Denver's Mile High Stadium for two more years. The two in-state rivals, who played their first 69 meetings in either Boulder or Fort Collins, met last season at Mile High Stadium for the first time.

School officials signed a contract to continue the Invesco Rocky Mountain Showdown in the final two years of Mile High Stadium's existence. Mile High will be replaced by a new Broncos stadium in 2001.

Colorado won last season's showdown 42-14 before 76,036 fans, the largest crowd to witness a college sporting event in state history.

CU leads the all-time series 53-15-2.

ESPN, SEC extend TV pact

ESPN and the Southeastern Conference recently agreed on an eight-year contract that will extend coverage of the conference's football and basketball games through 2009.

The deal will take effect after the current pact expires in the fall of 2001. ESPN and ESPN2 will provide coverage of 18 football games per year, as well as 20 men's basketball games and six women's basketball games.

"This is a very significant agreement for ESPN, Inc., as the SEC is our prime-time college football anchor and a star of our NCAA basketball coverage," said ESPN president George Bodenheimer. "This important agreement allows us to continue to grow together for another 10 years."

Aggie QB coach Dorr has Lou Gehrig's disease

Texas A&M quarterbacks coach Ray Dorr has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, head coach R.C. Slocum announced recently.

Dorr learned he had ALS after recent medical tests in Houston. ALS, commonly known as "Lou Gehrig's disease," is a rare and incurable disease named after the New York Yankee first baseman who died of the affliction in 1941.

Dorr has coached at the collegiate level for 32 years ­ including stints at Akron, Kent State, Washington, Southern Illinois, Southern California and Kentucky. He has been at Texas A&M since 1997.

Dorr said he will continue to coach as long as his health permits. "Coaching football is something that I love, and I'm looking forward to this challenge," he said.

Keith Jackson returns to TV booth

It was tough for the best the game has ever known to call it quits. Keith Jackson unexpectedly ended his six-month retirement, deciding to return to ABC's college football telecasts this season.

Jackson, who retired this past season after 32 years with the network, will no longer be the network's top play-by-play man. He will work only West Coast Pac-10 games and the Rose Bowl in January in order to keep travel to a minimum from his Los Angeles home.

"It was a relatively easy decision, and I know it sounds self-serving to retire and resurface," Jackson said. "I guarantee I wouldn't have done it if I couldn't stay in the West."

In January, the 71-year-old Jackson said the Fiesta Bowl was his final game, but ABC Sports president Howard Katz persuaded him to return in a regional role.

Jackson will remain with analyst Bob Griese, his broadcast partner of the past 12 years, for 12 or 13 games in 1999.

Swiss firm tried to buy a 16-team playoff format for 2003 Division I-A season

The Bowl Championship Series said no thanks to a Swiss marketing firm's plan for a 16-team college football playoff to begin in 2003.

According to the Associated Press, Roy Kramer, BCS coordinator and commissioner of the Southeastern Conference said, "I'm not here to say there will never be a college football playoff. But I don't believe it will be run by someone in Switzerland."

The company making the sales pitch, ISL, a Swiss-based marketing and licensing firm, supposedly first introduced its plan to Kramer last December. The firm met with many other conference leaders in hopes of creating support for the $2.4 billion proposal.

The plan called for a 16-team playoff that would have begun in early December, with first-round and quarterfinal games played at the site of the higher-ranked team.

The semifinals and title game would have used three of the four BCS bowls, with the title game set for the weekend before the NFL's Super Bowl.

Kramer set forth a number of reasons why he thinks the plan won't work, starting with the fact that the BCS plan runs three more years, then the Big 10 and Pac-10 have a contract with the Rose Bowl for three years after that.

"That's a six-year window that it can't happen," Kramer told The Birmingham News. "You've got to have Ohio State and Michigan in the mix. You can't go sell it without them."

Ignoring the fact that it happens anyway every weekend during the season, Kramer also said the timing of the proposed playoffs won't work because the first-round games would be played on college campuses during weekends in which the NFL season is still continuing.

"I've done my share of TV negotiating, and we're talking about going head-to-head with (the NFL)?" Kramer said. "That's enormous television dollars. That's a tough nut to crack."

Once again, apparently ignoring the game of football at every level other than Division I-A, Kramer said a playoff system could hurt the integrity of college football's regular season.

"College football is built on the regular season," Kramer said. "Tennessee-Alabama, Georgia Florida, Florida-Florida State, USC-Notre Dame, Michigan-Ohio State ­ that's the guts of college football, the backbone. If you put your eggs in the playoff basket, we deflate this," he said.

Kramer likened it to college basketball's regular season, which he said is second fiddle to the NCAA tournament.

"The NCAA tournament is everything to college basketball," he said. "People don't care about basketball in January and December."

Idaho Vandals forced to make a stadium switch to retain Division I-A status

Martin Stadium, home of the Washington State Cougars football team, is taking on some tenants ­ the Idaho Vandals.

The University of Idaho, based eight miles east of Pullman, Washington in Moscow, will play all its home football games this fall in Wazzou's Martin Stadium, as well as some games in future years so the school can attain full NCAA Division I-A status.

Idaho's home field has been the Kibbie Dome, a covered stadium that seats 16,000.

Since its move to the Division I-A Big West, Idaho has been playing under a waiver of I-A rules requiring a 30,000-seat stadium or average attendance of 17,000. Since the waiver was due to expire this year, Idaho was forced to find a way to boost attendance this season if it hopes to attain full I-A membership rather than remain on provisional status.

Once a school has achieved full I-A status, NCAA rules require only that attendance average at least 20,000 per game over a season.

Idaho likely will play most home games in the Kibbie Dome, beginning with the 2000 season, and move to Martin Stadium for games against marquee opponents that likely will draw more fans.

"It's going to be a lot different, but I'm sure we'll be able to adjust to (Martin Stadium)," Vandals coach Chris Tormey said. "I know our fans will do everything they can to make us comfortable in our new home. It doesn't matter where we play, it's how we play."

Idaho will pay Washington State about $7,500 per game played in Martin Stadium, plus any additional unanticipated expenses, and will retain all ticket revenue from its games.

Shurmur being treated for liver cancer

Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur missed the team's final minicamp because he is being treated for liver cancer.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported Shurmur, 66, has started treatment for liver cancer at a Green Bay hospital. Shurmur was diagnosed with cancer in May. Medical sources indicate the cancer has spread to other parts of his body.

Seattle head coach Holmgren has promoted Shurmur's assistant, linebacker coach, Jim Lind, who received Shurmur's endorsement, to defensive coordinator.

Former Lions coach says sideline injury sidelined his career

Fontes said that his back and neck problems really began when players coming off the field in 1989 hit him.

"The hit on the sideline started my body deteriorating," Fontes said under oath at a trial for his disabilty benefits in Michigan.

During testimony, Fontes said he was hurt in 1989 and again on Nov. 12, 1995. Two of his defensive players hit his shoulders and a third knocked him down as they ran onto the field. Fontes said he was in pain by the time he got home. "The next day, it was worse," he said.

Fontes, who was fired after the 1996 season, said he felt like his coaching ability deteriorated as his back pain persisted.

The former Lions coach filed a claim for disability benefits last year, saying he has been unable to resume coaching. "I felt like I wasn't doing the kind of job that I was paid to do," Fontes, who spent 11 years with the Lions, two as an assistant and nine as coach, taking over in 1988 when Darryl Rogers was fired, said during the trial.

"I like to think I was an energetic coach," he testified. "I like to think that's why I got this job. I ran around a lot."

After the injury, Fontes said he just wasn't the same coach.

"I felt that I was losing touch with my players," he said. "I don't think I was doing as good a job as I could. I delegated more authority to my assistant coaches."

As a coach, Fontes said he liked to demonstrate moves to players and his assistants. "I was a hands-on type guy on the practice field and on game day," he said. "It was my style."

WAC will include Nevada

The Western Athletic Conference will expand to include Nevada as its ninth member, beginning with the 2000-01 season. The Wolf Pack joins existing members Fresno State, Hawaii, Rice, San Jose State, Southern Methodist, Texas Christian, Tulsa and UTEP.

Colorado State, Air Force, Brigham Young, UNLV, New Mexico, San Diego State, Utah and Wyoming formally left the WAC on July 1 to start the Mountain West Conference, citing the loss of traditional rivalries, rising travel costs and insufficient revenue growth as reasons for leaving the country's only 16-school conference.

Slocum gets the big money and a new seven-year deal

R.C. Slocum, the winningest football coach in Texas A&M history, received a new contract package worth $7 million over the next seven years.

The deal, meant to keep pace with the packages given to other top coaches such as Texas head man Mack Brown, gives Slocum an increase of $220,000 per year over his old seven-year rollover contract. Slocum's base salary increased from $185,000 to $300,000 and became effective June 1.

The rest of Slocum's package will come from radio and television money, a housing allowance, cars, a country club membership and a shoe contract.

Texas A&M athletic director Wally Goff said, "I believe this package is comparable to other top football coaches in the country, and R.C. Slocum is among the top coaches in the country. . . . He has gone about his business in a classy manner and has done so with a high regard to compliance with NCAA and Big 12 rules."

Slocum's record of 94-28-2 is fifth-winningest among active Division I head coaches. He led the Aggies to the Big 12 Championship this past season. Under his guidance, the Aggies have won two Big 12 South titles and three Southwest Conference championships.

Washington's self-imposed sanctions accepted by the PAC-10

The Pac-10 Conference has agreed to accept Washington's self-imposed penalties for football recruiting violations since Rick Neuheisel took over as head coach.

Five coaches conducted in-person, off-campus recruiting visits with eight prospective students athletes during a "quiet period" on Jan. 31 when such contacts were barred. The five were withheld from two weeks of off-campus recruiting in May and will be withheld from two weeks of recuiting in the December-January contact period. Neuheisel and the five assistants will receive letters of reprimand.

Also, Neuheisel and two assistant coaches directly contacted two students at their former team at Colorado without permission from Colorado's athletic director.

Neuheisel will be limited to nine evaluation days, rather than the usual 29, during the 1999-2000 spring and fall evaluation periods. Washington will reduce the permissible number of football visits by six next year. No Colorado football player enrolled as of Jan. 11 will be permitted to transfer to Washington and compete on the school football team.

Long-time Nittany Lion LB guru Sandusky to retire after the '99 season

One of the local icons in Happy Valley, defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who helped turn Penn State into "Linebacker U" over 31 seasons, will retire after the 1999 season.

As an assistant to Joe Paterno, Sandusky has coached teams through four unbeaten seasons and two national championships, and has also had nine first-team All-Americans. As one of four assistants who have been at Penn State for more than two decades, he was seen as a candidate to replace the 72-year-old Paterno one day.

Sandusky said he wants to spend more time working with The Second Mile, a charity he founded for kids.

We asked some of the top coaches in the countryto finish this statement. . .

"Football is a good prep for life because . . ."

Tommy Bowden
Clemson
"...it demonstrates the rewards of hard work, commitment, preparation and teamwork These standards are applicable to all aspects of a player's life, from his schoolwork to his personal relationships with family and friends."

Bob Toledo
UCLA
"...it builds character and teaches that you must always give your best effort in victory and defeat."

George O'Leary
Georgia Tech
"...it teaches the skills necessary to succeed in the game of life."

Bob Pruett
Marshall
"...no one wins all of the time. Players learn to bounce back to succeed."

Jim Mora
Indianapolis Colts
"...it teaches you that you get out of something what you put into it, and that it is important to keep getting back up after getting knocked down."

Sonny Lubick
Colorado State
"...it teaches hard work and cooperation."

Bill Snyder
Kansas State
"...of all the intrinsic values which it teaches."

Frank Solich
Nebraska
"...it helps develop many character traits that are necessary to be successful. Football teaches you that in order to compete against the very best, you need to be at your best. As in life, you must have discipline and perseverance, you must be able to work well with others, and you must have the ability to overcome adversity."

The Arena Football League

The unique, in-your-face phenomenon known as Arena Football has caught on, and the AFL currently fields 15 teams. In 2000, the Los Angeles Avengers will join the loop, followed in 2001 with clubs in Chicago and New Orleans The NFL recently acquired an exclusive three-year option to buy a minority (up to 49.9 percent) interest in the league. Here's a little deeper look at the teams of the AFL and the men who lead them:

Albany Firebirds
Albany, NY
Head Coach: Mike Dailey
Offensive Coord.: Ed Hodgkiss
Defensive Coord.: Dennis Fitzgerald
In his third season as Firebirds head coach, Dailey spent the previous six years as an assistant with the team.

Arizona Rattlers
Phoenix, AZ
Head Coach: Danny White
Defensive Coord.: Doug Kay
The Rattlers have known only one head coach and G.M. in their eight-year history ­ White, the former Cowboy QB.

Buffalo Destroyers
Buffalo, NY
Head Coach: Dave Whinham
Leading a team in its first season, Whinham came to Buffalo from Tampa Bay after three years under Tim Marcum.

Florida Bobcats
Plantation, FL
Head Coach: Bruce Hardy
Defensive Coord.: George Brancato
The former Dolphin TE, Hardy took over right before the season began after three seasons as the Arizona Rattlers OC.

Grand Rapids Rampage
Grand Rapids, MI
Head Coach: Michael Trigg
Defensive Coord.: Will McClay
Trigg is one of several coaches in the AFL who received his start in the league as a player (QB, Detroit Drive).

Houston ThunderBears
Houston, TX
Head Coach: Steve Thonn
Defensive Coord.: Durwood Roquemore
One of the league's most prolific offensive teams since the arrival of Thonn, whose entire career has been in the AFL.

Iowa Barnstormers
Des Moines, IA
Head Coach: John Gregory
Defensive Coord: Art Haege
A 37-year coaching veteran (12 years in the CDL), Gregory won a Grey Cup with the CFL's Sawkatchewan Roughriders in 1988, during 12 years in CFL.

Milwaukee Mustangs
Milwaukee, WI
Head Coach: Rick Frazier
Frazier, who also serves as defensive coordinator, coached high school and juco ball in Texas.
Nashville Kats
Nashville, TN
Head Coach: Pat Sperduto
Offensive Coord.: Mike Neu
Sperduto replaced a semi-retired Eddie Khayat as head coach in 1999 after two years as the Kats defensive coordinator.

New England Sea Wolves
Hartford, CT
Head Coach: Mike Hohensee
Defensive Coord.: Dave Ewart
Hohensee, with 11 years in the league, six as a head coach, is another former player (QB, Pittsburgh Gladiators).

New Jersey Red Dogs
Carlstadt, NJ
Head Coach: Frank Mattiace
Offensive Coord.: Frank Haege
After serving as a defensive consultant to the team, Mattiace left his job at Saint Peter's Boys High School to become the Red Dogs' head coach.

Orlando Predators
Orlando, FL
Head Coach: Jay Gruden
Defensive Coord.: Les Moss
At 32, Gruden, the brother of Oakland Raider coach John, is the youngest head coach in the AFL and a former star QB (Tampa Bay).

Portland Forest Dragons
Beaverton, OR
Head Coach: Stan Brock
Offensive Coord.: Bob Cortese
Defensive Coord.: Robert Lyles
A veteran of 16 years in the NFL as an offensive tackle (Chargers, Saints), Brock is in his second season as head coach. He also serves as G.M.

San Jose SaberCats
San Jose, CA
Head Coach: Darren Arbet
Offensive Coord.: Terry Malley
Arbet, in his first season as head coach, also serves as director of player personnel and his own defensive coordinator.

Tampa Bay Storm
Tampa, FL
Head Coach: Tim Marcum
The league's all-time winningest coach, Marcum has won five ArenaBowl titles, including two with his current Storm (1996, '96), and the league's inaugural championship (1987) with the Denver Dynamite.