Fellow SciFi List folks,
Here's a copy of the newsletter I write each month (The College Gridiron=20
Insider). =20
If it's something you guys would be interested in receiving, let me know.
Chuck
Commissioner's Office, The CFFL
_______________________________________
COLLEGE GRIDIRON INSIDER
<A HREF=3D"http://www.cffl.com">Official Newsletter of The CFFL</A>
June/July 1999
The College Fantasy Football League
College Football, Fantasy-Style!
Summer is Here
Summer, that season most people wait all year for. Especially those of us=20
who live in places where the coming of football season means cold and snow! =20
For football fans, though, summer means just one thing... spring practice is=20
over and opening kickoff is just weeks away! Soon, we get to see how the=20
spring worked out for our favorite teams, and how this year's squad will=20
shape up.=20
For news on how teams are dealing with off-season hype, Coaching changes,=20
Injuries to key players, the Criminal system, and other preseason news stop=20
by www.CFFL and review the current articles at the=20
<A HREF=3D"http://www.cffl.com">Newsstand</A>.
New ACC Members
Radios and televisions in North Carolina, Virginia, and throughout the=20
Southeast were abuzz this past week with reports that the Hurricanes of Miam=
i=20
were preparing to accept an offer to join the ranks of the Atlantic Coast=20
Conference. In addition, two as yet unnamed teams (or at least unconfirmed,=20
since Syracuse and West Virginia are being unofficially named by several=20
sources) are reportedly on the table as new signees along with Miami. =20
Reports were that the ACC, during conference meetings this July, will=20
officially announce that the University of Miami will become the ACC's 10th=20
member school, turning in its membership with the Big East.
How do current ACC member teams feel about this move with Miami? FSU fans=20
seem almost unanimous in their pleasure to see Miami join their ranks. The=20
added strength the Hurricanes would give the conference, in particular in=20
football, is a welcome addition for the Seminoles. Comments downplaying=20
Seminoles conference titles, like "They won the conference but it's only the=20
ACC..." will decrease substantially. This will certainly be a welcome chang=
e=20
for FSU faithful. Even if it means they will likely be dethroned once in a=20
while.
=20
Also, the added competition level and media attraction Miami will bring woul=
d=20
result in more coverage of FSU games by television, instead of bypassing=20
Seminoles games in order to cover bigger TV draws such as Big 10 and SEC=20
powers. The new instate conference competition alone should increase the=20
newsworthiness of FSU games. =20
Other member teams such as Maryland and Georgia Tech will likewise benefit=20
from the added coverage, regardless of their likely additional losses to=20
Miami in-conference. The more visible the team, win or lose, the better abl=
e=20
the coaches are to interest prospects in signing on with their school. Some=20
fans of these teams will surely be cold to the prospect of Hurricanes=20
admission, though, simply because of the extra loss that Miami is likely to=20
hand out to their teams at least every other season. Should reports that=20
Syracuse and West Virginia becoming members hold true, these schools have th=
e=20
additional challenge of dealing with better conference recognition through=20
greater power in their opponents. With these three teams added to their=20
season schedule, each ACC team will likely see at least 1 or 2 additional=20
losses per season. This could hurt fan pride, but will certainly do wonders=20
for schools' football programs in general.
One worry expressed by many ACC fans and supporters centers on the effect=20
that adding one or more premier team such as Miami will have on the weaker=20
football program schools, who instead have national prominence for the=20
conference in other sports such as basketball. As they point out, Duke, Wake=20
Forest, and Maryland are looking at likely losses on the gridiron which can=20
negatively impact their programs. If they decide that they are better able=20
to compete in another conference in their football program, and their=20
basketball or other sport recognition will not decrease through the move,=20
these teams may exit the ACC in short time. The ACC would be left with a=20
better football program all around, but a damaged basketball program at the=20
least. =20
If the ACC's decision to add Miami is a unanimous one, these fears will turn=20
out to be unwarranted. If not, the ACC could be adding a prominent football=20
and baseball program and rising basketball program, along with a truck load=20
of bad press and feelings surrounding the poor attitude and behavior publicl=
y=20
displayed by several Hurricanes players and staff over the past few years. =20
And in the process lose national basketball powers like Duke and Wake Forest=
.=20
If this turns out to be the case, the move will be a poor one for the ACC.
Three Games of Note This Fall
FSU vs. Louisiana Tech
Yes, this game was scheduled only after Auburn bought it's way out of this=20
year's game with FSU and the Seminoles had to find an opponent to replace th=
e=20
Tigers. Aside from the grumbling surrounding this, much will be said about=20
the prospect of Tech becoming a power in the South in a few years. Tech has=20
had =91elite' teams like the Seminoles on its schedule for a few years now, =
in=20
an effort to establish themselves as a player in the region. The additional=20
exposure can do nothing but good for the team down the road (even though thi=
s=20
season it will likely mean only additional contusions and humility for the=20
players who get stomped by the bigger and better Seminoles).
Virginia vs. Buffalo
Similar to the task at hand for La. Tech is that facing the Buffalo Bulls. =20
UB is entering its first season in Div IA competition since leaving at the=20
beginning of the 70's, and is going at it aggressively. In addition to=20
facing top MAC talent Miami and Marshall, Buffalo has the Virginia Cavaliers=20
on its 1999 schedule, both to add exposure to the Buffalo program and to giv=
e=20
its young players a taste of the big time competition they will be facing no=
w=20
that they are part of the IA. =20
While almost certainly a mop-up game for the Cavaliers, the game serves two=20
major purposes. First, added recognition in the Western New York and=20
Pennsylvania areas, invaluable come recruiting time. Second, good timing. =20
Since the teams play in mid-November when Virginia will hopefully be priming=20
for a conference run and/or Bowl game, a relatively easy contest should be=20
just what the doctor ordered for the Cavaliers players and coaches.
Wisconsin vs Purdue
This match up could be seen in a few years as a changing of the guard. =20
Wisconsin has established itself as a Big 10 power over the past decade or=20
so, in a slow and grinding climb upward. Purdue is at the point Wisconsin=20
was near the start of their ascension, and the Boilermakers would love to=20
make the Badgers one of their early 1999 victims in their own march on Big 1=
0=20
prominence. =20
A Boilermaker victory would go far beyond that Saturday afternoon, as it wil=
l=20
impact team confidence, reputation, and (perhaps most importantly)=20
recruiting. If Wisconsin easily handles Purdue in this game, it may be a=20
psychological as well as physical blow to the Boilermakers' hopes of=20
conference power. Regardless of the outcome, the result of this game will=20
likely be known only in hindsight a few years from now.
Heisman Update
In classic off-season style, college football was treated to rumors and=20
=91reports' on the possible change of mind by Peter Warrick, Florida State's=20
Heisman-hopeful receiver, during most of June. The stories concerned=20
Warrick's possible reversal of his decision to forego the NFL and remain in=20
college for the 1999 season. =20
Should Warrick remain at FSU for the fall, he has the inside track to the=20
Heisman Trophy, given to the most dominant player in college football the=20
previous season. His main competition this season for the Trophy (including=20
Wisconsin's Ron Dayne and Purdue's Drew Brees) would probably welcome the=20
chance to watch their former competition play on Sundays this fall. They ma=
y=20
get their wish if Warrick takes the opportunity to enter the NFL supplementa=
l=20
Draft, as rumors suggest he will. =20
We see the chances of this happening to be minimal-to-none, though, for=20
several reasons (Warrick's actions and comments in the past few weeks, and=20
reports from NFL team staff regarding the likelihood that Warrick is=20
committed to college this year). Regardless of the likelihood that the rumo=
r=20
mill is full of little fact and plenty of fodder as usual, the interest that=20
has been peaked in the college game is a welcome addition to summer for us=20
and the rest of college fans. So, Rumor On!
In other news, Alabama is making a run at the Heisman. Yes, that is=20
"Alabama," not their RB Shawn Alexander. The University has come out saying=20
they are going to make a run at the coveted Trophy for their leading rusher,=20
including a telephone campaign aimed at Heisman voters. The chance of this=20
happening assumes, of course, that Alexander does his part and puts up the=20
type of numbers it takes to earn a legitimate shot at the award. If the=20
campaign is successful in securing the Heisman for Alexander, Alabama will=20
have opened a new angle to this college institution and opened a new door fo=
r=20
schools that feel their players may not win it on their own merits but can=20
have a shot with the right telemarketing...
For more on the preseason Heisman news stop by the CFFL=20
<A HREF=3D"http://www.cffl.com">Newsstand</A>. =20
Coaching News
This month's big Coaching News has to do with an ex-coach. Terry Bowden,=20
former head man at Auburn, has changed careers and entered the broadcasting=20
arena. He has been hired on with ABC Sports to serve as a broadcast analyst=20
for their college football coverage.=20
In classic coach-speak, Bowden presented his new arrangement in a positive=20
and peppy manner. "I think at this point and time in my life that I could no=
t=20
be more excited about this opportunity and if nothing more, I'm going to giv=
e=20
ABC my best efforts," Bowden said Tuesday.=20
ABC Sports reported that the move was in response to the departure of analys=
t=20
Todd Blackledge, who left for CBS.=20
The news finished off a one-two punch for ABC Sports' college' college=20
football coverage. The Bowden announcement comes alongside the news that=20
Keith Jackson, perennial college football voice and the man most fans=20
associate with the sport and television, would return to ABC to cover some=20
west coast games this season.=20
Bowden said he hopes he can make the transition from coaching to television=20
without much difficulty, admitting, though that the change is considerable.=20
"I won't know how much I'll miss coaching football until I miss the first=20
game," he said. "I've been to a football game every Saturday of my life."=20
While Bowden loses the chance to oversee operations of his coaches and=20
players on the field, he gets the joy of analyzing (and criticizing) the=20
moves made by his father, Bobby Bowden, and brother, Tommy. Dad=92s Florida=20
State Seminoles and brother Tommy=92s Clemson Tigers are on Terry=92s schedu=
le of=20
games this season. And he admits this has its benefits.=20
"I may have more fun critiquing them than making those decisions," he said.=20
Bowden brings to ABC a considerable amount of coaching experience and=20
success. While his stint at Auburn, his most recent position, ended on a sou=
r=20
note -- he reportedly stepped down after being told that a powerful Auburn=20
trustee, Bobby Lowder, was going to remove him at the end of the season --=20
Bowden can refer back to the previous years and point to considerable=20
success. Bowden's won his first 20 games with the Tigers, and also captured=20
an SEC Conference Western Division title in 1997.=20
While the reports of individuals working behind the scenes to ensure Bowden=
=92s=20
departure were denied by all involved, Bowden received a settlement of over=20
$600,000, conditional upon his and his wife's refrain from making 'negative=20
or derogatory' statements about =91Auburn or Auburn officials.=92 It should =
be=20
interesting to see how this clause plays out this season from the broadcast=20
booth. Bowden has a lot to lose if his remarks are ever "negative or=20
derogatory" about the wrong team or person!
Catch the latest coaching news or see a run down of '99's Coaching changes -=
-=20
stop by The CFFL Newsstand's=20
<A HREF=3D"http://www.cffl.com">Coaches in the News</A> page.
Preview =96 "The Making of a College Fantasy Player"
(An excerpt from the first installment of staff writer Johnny Rathman's=20
newest series)
"On our way to building the winning college fantasy football team, we have t=
o=20
begin with a solid knowledge base... And one the most important steps in the=20
development of this player is the selection of the name.=20
We all know that certain names are football names and others are not. For=20
example, Albert Einstein-no; Joe Montana-yes. Judy Garland-no, John=20
Elway-yes. But these are easy. Joe and John were football players, Al and=20
Judy were not.
So we have to develop a sense of football names so that when the occasion=20
arises, we're ready. To do this, I've developed this brief test to show wher=
e=20
you are in terms of football potential..."
Find out if you or your favorite high school players pass the test and are o=
n=20
the road to football fame! To read the remaining portion of the article, jus=
t=20
stop by The CFFL's=20
<A HREF=3D"http://www.cffl.com">Staff Writer's Page</A> on the CFFL Newsstan=
d=20
page.
Who Looks to Be This Year's Best Team?
The polls are out! Like how your favorite teams ranked in Athlon, SI, or th=
e=20
Sporting News? See how the writers at The CFFL thought of your team's=20
chances to make '99 a memorable season. Check out The CFFL Writer's Top 20=20
Preseason Poll -- now on The CFFL=20
<A HREF=3D"http://www.cffl.com">Newsstand</A>.
College Fantasy Football
College football just got a lot more interesting...
Don't miss a moment of the action and challenge of=20
<A HREF=3D"http://www.cffl.com">College Fantasy Football</A>. =20
Draft a team of players from your favorite schools or conferences, and watch=20
how they match up against the best from across the country. Or, Draft a tea=
m=20
of the best the nation has to offer: put FSU's Warrick, Wisconsin's Dayne an=
d=20
=91Bama's Alexander on the same team as Purdue's Brees and finish it of with=20
FSU's defense, and you'd be smiling all the way to the Prize Bank!
Win one of the Grand Prizes for 1999 =96 Tickets to a January NCAA Bowl Game=
! =20
(The competition and fun are serious, so we've made the Prizes serious, too!=
)
Stop by The CFFL today, and check out the latest News on the Newsstand, and=20
sign up for the College Gridiron Insider, the Official Newsletter of the=20
CFFL. =20
Just go to =09<A HREF=3D"http://www.cffl.com">http://www.cffl.com</A>
(Register early, and save! The Early Registration special runs until the en=
d=20
of the month, with a 20% off offer!)
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!=
!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
College Just Got a Lot Easier (and Cheaper!)
You've been going mad trying to decide which school is the best for you, how=20
you're going to afford tuition, fees, rent, and everything else that goes=20
into the=20
college experience. =20
Now, the college experience can become a lot easier. You can get Personal=20
professional assistance with all aspects of the college enrollment process -=
-=20
from applications and test prep to selecting schools and courses, to=20
financial=20
aid, college costs. And extra Tips like How to Save a ton on books, How ren=
t=20
can be a moneymaker for you, and more. Contact staff at JCharles Agency=20
<A HREF=3D"mailto:[log in to unmask]">mailto:[log in to unmask]</A>=20
or stop by the web site (Coming July 15th!)
<A HREF=3D"http://www.collegesuccesstips.com">CollegeSuccessTips.com</A>=20
for more information, or to read up on current news from the College Success=20
Guides at JCharles Agency.
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