The Barbarian Report : CBSSports.com Blogs

The Return of the Barbarians

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:41:38 EST

Well, it's been over six months this blog has been active. It started as a way of reporting on the have-nots of college football, the non-automatic qualifier BCS schools, the barbarians so to speak. From that it morphed into a platform exposing the lies of the New Jersey media and their attempt to bring down the Rutgers' football program. And finally, we got involved in the great Big Ten expansion debate.

The circle has turned and it's time to get back to the roots. The support of a national collegiate football championship that doesn't exclude Division I teams merely because of the conference they're in, still seems a worthy cause. Two things have brought this to the fore again: the book Death to the BCS, and Mark Cuban. If you haven't read the book, buy it. If you think you understand how and why the BCS works (it doesn't by the way) you don't. The book explains it all.

How the Big East Survives

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 16:47:21 EDT

As a Big East fan, I hate this idea. Unfortunately, I don't see any other way out for the BE other than merging with another league. Beware Big East fans, this is not for the faint of heart.

By Selling It's Soul to Notre Dame

Big Ten Expansion: The Three Likely Winners

Tue, 25 May 2010 23:05:17 EDT

What the hell, time to stick your neck out. No, I have no inside information other than what I read from readily available news sources. And no, I have no connections with CBS so don't link to this and say "CBS reporting that . . " Just good old reading newspapers and reading between the lines. With that the winners are:

Nebraska, Missouri and Rutgers

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5409936/the_most_likely_big_ten_expansion_nebraska.html?cat=14

Big Ten Expansion: Rounding the Clubhouse Turn

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 22:36:09 EDT

Well that's what Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune thinks anyway. With more Big Ten meetings this week, expansion will definitely be on a "front burner." My picks for the expansion? The Big Ten takes the big plunge and goes to 16. Here are the teams:

RutgersMissouriSyracuseUConn

and at long last, Notre Dame finally climbs on board as #16.

Here's the reasoning:

Confused Fan's Guide to Big Ten Expansion

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 20:59:23 EDT

For some reason, I thought it would be worthwhile to summarize what's happened on the Big Ten expansion front since they opened this can of worms back in December. Included are quotes from the Big Ten AD's and commissioners that people seem to forget with time.

Guide to B10 Expansion

Big Ten Expansion Choices: 11, 12 or 16???

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:18:56 EDT

Yes according to Tony Barnhardt. It still all revolves around Notre Dame.

Is the Big Ten Expansion Expanding?

A Salute to Mountaineers and Old School Offense

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 0:10:20 EDT

Hail Moutaineers on your run to the NCAA Final Four. It didn't work out the way you wanted but, it sure as hell was fun watching you play.

West Virginia Plays Old School Offense

Origins of Today's Major League Teams

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 22:54:41 EDT

THe Boston What? Orgins of Today's Major League Teams

Expansion-Pac 10 Wondering If It Needs It

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:35:14 EDT

CBS' Dennis Dodd reported today that the commissioner of the Pac-10 has had conversations with the Big 10 and Big East about holding a championshp game with less than the NCAA-mandated twelve teams.

www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/13102294/pac10-looking-at-title-game-possibilities-without-expansion

The article notes that there's not a lot of value for the Pac-10 adding teams. Unlike the Big Ten, it does not have a cable network that is driving the expansion issue. (Although, there reportedly have been talks about the Pac-10 and/or Big 12 joining forces to form one.)

Dodd's article leaves the impression though that the Pac-10 might be interested in staying at ten teams but having a championship game. What stands in the way are NCAA bylaws that require a conference to have 12 teams to hold a conference championship.

Big Ten Expansion Rumour Du Jour -ND, Rutgers, BC

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 20:47:45 EDT

Just when Big Ten expansion rumours were starting to quiet down, whistling in from the heartland of the nation comes this gem:

Radio host Steve Daece in Des Moines, Iowa quotes "sources in the Michigan athletic department" believing that Notre Dame, Rutgers, and Boston College are likely to be announced as winners of the Big Ten Beauty Pageant in 2-3 months. Posters in Iowa have on the one hand alleged that Daece's source is the guy who drives the Little Debby Snacks truck to cafeteria and on the other hand lauded Daece as an accurate prognosticator. So anyone's guess on the validity of this one is, well, valid.

So let's look at this premise. 1. Notre Dame. Duh! Yes the Big Ten will be happy to open its doors to the Golden Domers despite being spurned in the past. Rumours from the Big Ten indicate that ND will have to do the courting this time. This is like that hot chick that shot you down has to give you a sign that she's interested now. So if ND looks coyly at the Big Ten and smiles, they're in.

Expansion - Time for the ACC to Enter the Fray?

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:21:00 EDT

And the plot thickens even further. So is the Big Ten plan to cherry pick one or more Big East teams if Notre Dame doesn't come around? Well don't wait to long Jim Delany. You may have competition soon. It's called the Atlantic Coast Conference. Hold it, the ACC already has 12 teams. Expansion for the ACC has been a money-maker by some reports, but hasn't put the ACC in a position to challenge the SEC. Miami is still trying to return to a dominant team. Virginia Tech and Boston College have both made the ACC championship the past few years. With embarrassing results attendance wise. So you'd think the ACC would have had enough expansion for a while.

Well think again. According to an article in Sports Business Journal, the ACC's television negotiations with ESPN aren't really going that well. Seems the ACC thinks they should get a 60 to 70% increase. ESPN apparently has told them, "Sorry, you're not the Big Ten or SEC." The reason? According to unnamed media executives, the "weakness of the ACC's football teams."

Abandon Ship? Is WV heading for the lifeboats?

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:51:23 EST

How can you not like Bill Stewart? He comes across a genuine, straight-shooter. And crazy like a fox. Stewart in his folksy way today basically said that he sees a future without the Big East. He's not worried, because West Virginia will probably land in the SEC or the ACC. Yep, he said it. Here it is.

http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/WVUSports/201003120713

So kindly, straight-talking Bill Stewart just served notice: If the Big Ten is going to start poaching Big East teams, don't expect West Virginia to hang around. The purpose of this announcement? Dunno. Maybe to shock the Big East leadership into some kind of action? Maybe to assure 'Eer fans that the Old Gold and Blue isn't going to be left out in the cold? Could be either, or, both or more that we can't even fathom at this point.

Say It's Notre Dame. What Now Big East?

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:56:53 EST

I'm very happy today to have a whole new avenue of speculation. Notre Dame says yes, and the Big Ten tells everyone else, "Thank you for playing. We have the lovely home version of Big Ten Football you can watch on your own TV." After all, Notre Dame is who the Big Ten wanted all along right? No calculations of TV market, or arguing with cable providers about cable tiers, that's it.

Much of the college football world could breathe a sigh of relief. Not the Big East. With Notre Dame's departure, the balance of power in the BE is once again askew. Eight football teams, Seven basketball only teams. The carefully crafted 16 team behemoth was made solely to keep the basketball only schools from getting outvoted. Well ND, a basketball only school (funny to think of them that way) leaves. Who replaces them? Or does the fight over the answer to this question blow up the Big East?

The Gorilla Speaks-ND Starting to Look Interested

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:54:14 EST

Well that didn't take long. Sunday I wrote that despite the recent rumblings about Rutgers being the front runner in the Big Ten sweepstakes, no one should forget Notre Dame who could decide to make a late entry at any time. Well today Jack Swarbrick definitely left that possibility open.

"Our preference is clear," Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said Tuesday. "I believe we're at a point right now where changes could be relatively small or they could be seismic."Swarbrick said it will be up to him and university president Rev. John Jenkins to "evaluate the landscape" if realignment happens."You can each come up with a scenario that would force our hand," he told a small group of reporters at a Manhattan restaurant.

Big Ten Expansion - Notre Dame Is Still A Player

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:41:55 EST

Yeah I know, I know. The Chicago Tribune says Rutgers is the leader. Big Ten fans that think their conference should expand only for a storied program are unhappy. Pitt fans that feel their history and location count for everything are livid. Rutgers fans who would love to see Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State in Piscataway are optimistic.

Well just wait a minute. As much as I hate to throw cold water on fellow Rutgers fans, there's still a thousand pound gorilla in the room. Yes, he says he's independent. That may not continue though.

Now even Notre Dame fans will be angry. How dare I question the Irish' desire for continued football autonomy? Well think about this. ND's AD has repeatedly said ND wants to stay independent. People overlook another part of what he has said. That was that ND would continue to monitor the situation as to how it could affect Notre Dame.

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg Should Pay Frank the Tank

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 2:05:40 EST

Just surfing around the net today, and I wound up on ESPN's Big Ten blog written by Adam Rittenberg. My position is that Adam should start sending part of his paycheck to blogger Frank the Tank. Here we have the self-styled leader in sports programming, assigning writers (I use that term losely) to write blogs on the BCS football conferences. Sounds like a good idea. So we'd expect some reporting that you wouldn't otherwise get in the papers or on SportsCenter right? So what did Adam the wordsmith have today about Big Ten expansion? Two links to fan blogs. Now how's that for insightful journalisim?

One of the blogs linked was that of "Frank the Tank" a Big Ten blogger who recently has gained some press (thanks in part to lazy reporters like Rittenberg) due to his early suggestion that the Big Ten should get Texas to hop on board. Well, when the Texas/Big Ten rumours surfaced a few weeks ago, Frank looked rather prescient. That is until the recent recent statements by the Wisconsin AD and an article by the Chicago Tribune that Texas wasn't on a list of first fifteen and later five schools that were being considered. Frank's latest blog takes issue with this and I'll address that further in a moment.

Phil Mushnick and Rutgers' Recruiting

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 2:20:57 EST

Came across an interesting quip by Phil Mushnick of the New York Post today. Phil apparently is upset with Rutgers University. He doesn't like the fact that Rutgers offered nine scholarships to football recruits from Florida. Now if Phil has anything against Florida, I don't know. But he certainly seems upset with Rutgers. Well let's look at exactly what Phil said:

"Rutgers' recruiting a-tax the senses Your tax dollars at work: Only nine of the 25 recruits who last week signed to play football at Rutgers, a New Jersey state college, are from Jersey. The same number, nine, were recruited from Florida. . . ."

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/more_sports/louder_team_super_flop_eiguKnzMx0CDTSxVehWQTM/1#ixzz0ezXmOu0A

Bob Davie - BCS Apologist

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:07:11 EDT

I wanted Oregon to win. Big. Usually I have a soft spot for non-BCS teams. But lately with the Mountain West thinking they can take the place of my Big East, I've gotten a little testy. So I wanted Boise State put down. End this BCS buster nonsense now so we don't have to hear about it all season.

Well Boise State, as usual, didn't cooperate. They beat Oregon like a drum. Oregon's defense looked like a sixth grade homeroom trying to find their seats on the first day of school. The Broncos beat them passing, running, scoring two point conversions, on defense, and in every way imaginable.

Uh apparently not according to Bob Davie. You see even though Boise dominated Oregon, this isn't enough. Because according to Bob Davie, Boise couldn't compete if they were in a BCS conference. His thinking is the Broncs can get psyched up and beat a BCS team once or twice a year, like they've been doing regularly, but they wouldn't survive in a BCS conference. So sorry Bronco fans even though your team routinely makes BCS schools look silly, you're not worthy according to Davie to be in a BCS conference.

Check For Flying Pigs and the Temperature in Hell

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 0:11:14 EDT

Bob Mulcahy and the Star Ledger. Write down on paper your first thought when you read this next sentence. Star Ledger writer Mark DiIonno (yes, the same guy who gave Rutgers the black eye over the Navy game) will write a lengthy article praising Bob Mulcahy, extolling his virtues and favorably reviewing his career. My thoughts ran to flying pigs and hell freezing over.

Well it's happened. Mulcahy was honored by a council of the Boy Scouts of America with their award for "Distinguished Citizen of 2009" at the Baltusrol County Club. In attendance? Former Governors Tom Kean, Brendan Byrne, Senator Dick Codey, Greg Schiano, Vivian Stringer and many more. Was this banquet surprising? Not if you knew Bob Mulcahy and what he's done for New Jersey, the Meadowlands, and Rutgers University.

Scholar/Athletes

Wed, 06 May 2009 19:47:45 EDT

So I read with pride today that the Rutgers' football team has the third highest APR of a Division 1 football school. First was Stanford(984), who just nosed out Air Force (983), with Rutgers claiming the bronze at 980 (tied with Duke). Rice finished out of the medals with 979. In doing so the Scarlet Knights completed an interesting daily double. For the past two years, it is the only school to have won a bowl game while finishing in the top 5 in APR. So congrats, to the players for hitting the books, to Coach Schiano, his staff and the teachers who made this possible.

This reminded me of something I saw after the PapaJohns.com Bowl in Birmingham this December. My son and I were at the team's hotel waiting to give the players a rousing welcome. The players filed off their bus in small groups and were greeted by applause from the assembled faithful. No surprise there. But as these players came through the lobby, almost all of them saw a woman standing in the corner of the room joining in the cheers. To a man, each of the players went over and gave this woman a big hug and said "Thank you." As I was standing nearby, I was trying to figure out who this woman was. Before the players arrived, Rutgers' AD Bob Mulcahy had done the same thing, giving her a big hug.

Motivaton

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 22:18:23 EDT

Well I'm motivated to write this because I finally got off the football season ticket waiting list. I am now a paid up member of the Rutgers 56,000. (Take that Prof. Dowling). Came across an interview of Greg Schiano with the Sporting News today. You gotta love this guy. Outdoing Broadway Joe Namath, Schiano predicted not one, but multiple national championships for Rutgers. (Now Joe's prediction actually came with a date so it may be a tie.)

This is not new. When Schiano took over in 2000, he said his goal was to win a national championship at Rutgers. People laughed. They stopped in 2006 when Rutgers shocked the world and was ranked as high as #6 after a thrilling come from behind victory over Louisville. Apparently Greg misses the sound of laughter because he's upped this to multiple NC's. Here's the quote:

A Scintillating Rebuttal

Sun, 08 Mar 2009 0:59:08 EST

Well for those of you who have been waiting here's Phil Mushnick's rebuttal. Rutgers' fan Karen sent a copy of this blog to the eloquent Mr. Mushnick. Here's his response:

Phil.Mushnick to me

show details 8:33 AM (14 hours ago) Reply

"Karen - why not remove the false pretense and admit the obvious? You're an RU football fan (so am I), but you're the kind one who doesn't care how they do it as long as they win. I took a shot at RU and that's your ONLY gripe with me. Rah, rah, rah! If I'd written similarly about other schools - which I have, and for 30-plus years - you'd have had no gripe. Rah. - mushnick"

Hypocrite Thy Name is Phil Mushnick

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:51:20 EST

Taken out behind the woodshed today? Phil Mushnick of the New York Post. Our man Phil has been writing a column for the New York Post since the flood. He supposedly prides himself on accuracy and often in his column takes sportscasters to task who are inaccurate . Take for example Hall of Famer Joe Morgan. A few years ago Joe was telling a story during a baseball broadcast about the Philadelphia Phillies late season collapse in 1964. Joe, who never will be confused with Vin Scully or Bob Murphy, got a few things mixed up. Morgan's mistake? He said that 1964 was his rookie year and he had an RBI single which extended the Phils losing streak to nine. Joe was wrong, as our buddy Phil gleefully pointed out. Joe was a rookie in 1963. Furthermore his then team, the Houston Astros didn't play the Phillies during their famous losing streak in 1964. Phil took Joe to task for this inaccuracy. Ok, fair enough, if you're putting yourself forward as an expert on baseball on a national broadcast you should have your facts right. So Phil's crusade for accuracy in the media is a good thing.

Still Angry About that 1891 Beatdown Huh?

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:02:14 EST

An interesting article in the Buffalo News was referred to me by Matei of the State of Rutgers Board the other day. The purpose of the article was to push the author's proposal for having all collegiate sports privatized and paying collegiate athletes. Not exactly new territory. But what caught my eye was some rather derogatory language about Rutgers and its football program. Here it is:

Of interest to Buffalo area readers is a comparison of the University at Buffalo to Rutgers. Both schools have committed to upgrading athletics to big-time status, but there are vast differences in approaches. Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, may well be the poster child for university problems with big-time athletics. The school committed to a top 20 football program for the 21st century. But in the rush to athletic glory, many irregularities and problems arose: a questionable stadium expansion may need new taxpayer funds to complete; there were “secret” compensation packages for the coach, which caused a furor when revealed; and to save money, six Olympic sports were eliminated. UB has taken a more cautious and orderly approach. Athletic administrators have committed to bringing high-quality athletics and academic contributors to campus. According to UB’s Stephen Marth, sports editor of the student newspaper, student interest is very high and the campus has been energized by recent athletic successes.

A Tale of Two Cities

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:37:01 EST

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," according to Charles Dickens. And the New Jersey media. Today's literary exercise is to compare two columns, in the same state, discussing the same event, namely the hiring of Tim Pernetti as Rutgers' AD. Our candidates for best and worst? Harvey Yavener of the Trenton Times and Fran Wood of Newark Star Ledger. First let's look at each writer's professional experience. Yavener's been writing about Rutgers football since at least 1993 and discusses speaking to Pernetti when he was a player. Wood's familiarity with Rutgers sports? More of a generalist I suppose. Exhibit A? Her column prior to this one was entitled, "Chimp Attack: Was help delayed by 911 operator?"

A Call to Arms

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:18:48 EST

Now they've gone too far. As the eloquent Popeye the Sailor once said, "That's all I can stands, I can't stands no more!" Not content to deprive Rutgers of its best athletic director in history, Dick McCormick (which means only Dick up front but George Xanadu in back pulling the strings) have botched the search for a new AD. Now don't get me wrong. I like Tim Pernetti, Kelly Mehrtens and Mack Rhoades, and think they would all make good AD's. My point is how they were selected. The answer? Via the same smarmy, cesspool like machinations that got Bob Mulcahy fired.

Aditi Kinkhabwala of the Bergen Record blew the whistle on it in her blog today. In Aditi's words:

The sort-of search for an AD

I learned some interesting and I learned some stupefying things about Rutgers' AD search yesterday. Then again, after the way the firing of the last AD was engineered, perhaps I shouldn't be surprised.

So What Are We Looking For In A New AD?

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:22:55 EST

Having been encouraged to put finger to keyboard again by friends (who were encouraged by alcoholic beverages to make this recommendation) I offer this update of The Barbarian Report. Although the Star Ledger hasn't given me much material lately (apparently they're too worried about survival as evidenced by the merging of their Trenton bureau with the Record), journalistic integrity or lack thereof continues to abound in other places as well. Is Kenny Britt a prima donna? I don't know, I've never spoken with Kenny. Aditi Kinkhabwala, who has, doesn't think so. All I can say is I've never seen this kid preen, gloat or do anything to embarass his team or an opposing player during a game. Could Schiano be entitled to more credit for this than Kenny? Maybe because no RU player engages in these antics. As for the latest journalistic falsity, Aditi notes a blog that claims that Kenny was suspended this year for insurbordination. The blog is WRONG. Sources close to the team indicate that the suspension had nothing to do with insurbordination or anything remotely prima donna like. Amazing how all these people who are seeing Britt for the first time are parroting this prima donna line when the reporters who covered him for three years never mentioned this problem.

I Have A Dream

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:24:29 EST

Don't get excited. It's nothing as lofty as Dr. King's hope for an end to segregation. My goals are much more modest. My dream is a newspaper that's neutral about Rutgers football. They don't have to pro-Scarlet Knights. Just neutral. You know, reporting facts correctly, not having political vendettas, not being a mouthpiece for a disgruntled, out of state Bob Mulcahy wannabee. That's all.

Sigh. What has triggered this longing for a newspaper instead of scandal sheet? Come on, you already know by now. So let's get into it. What's the latest piece of pure unadulterated sewage published by the Star Ledger? Not content on depriving Rutgers University of the best athletic director in its history, the SL has now weighed in on what qualities the new AD should have. No they didn't come right out and say his initials should be GZ. But they did pick up two of Georgie's pet peeves and espoused them as their own. What a surprise.

So Sometimes College Football Isn't All Money

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 22:14:08 EST

Yes, many Rutgers fans are still angry about the firing of AD Bob Mulcahy. And at the repeated stupidity and falsity of newspaper articles that still contend that Mulcahy did something wrong or unethical, despite the fact that an internal investigation exonerated him but found the people that fired him, (Pres. Dick McCormick and the Rutgers Board of Governors) guilty of negligent oversight.

But I digress. For me one of the greatest advertisements for Rutgers football are the young men (so named because they are much more than the common "football players" one encounters on most college gridirons today) that Greg Schiano recruits, teaches and sends out into the world. Next time you see a Rutgers football game, see if you can find one, just one, instance of a player mugging for the camera or engaging in some selfish self-promoting antics that are common today. You won't see it. Jeremy Ito came the closest after kicking the most important field goal in Rutgers' history, which beat then #6 Louisville, and put Rutgers football on the map. What did Ito do? When the ESPN "eye in the sky" camera went wizzing by on its overhead cables, Ito had the unmitigated audacity to point at it. Asked after the game if Schiano had anything to say about it, Ito indicated that the head coach made him understand that he was not pleased. Why you may ask? Because in the Schiano/Rutgers' world it's about the team, not individuals. But make no mistake, these teams are made up of some very impressive individuals. Compare these to some other teams, whose lineups include more convicts than offensive linemen.

What the Hell is This? An Olive Branch?

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:57:30 EST

Alright, so I didn't exactly spring from my bed this morning. And thanks to the Internet we don't have to tear open the shutters and throw up the sash to find out what's going on. So what to my wondering eyes did appear?

A miniature sled with eight reindeer?

My best friend on the lawn with a case of beer?

No, it was the Star Ledger offering Rutgers Christmas cheer.