Linkbacker-U now has reason to look forward to college football

More Erin Andrews! What can be bad?

Fear no longer sports fans, as the most coveted free agent in the business decided to resign, and not go anywhere else. No, not LeBron James. ESPN's Erin Andrews. And not only will she be a sideline reporter, but she's going to actually be serving a role that us college football fans will actually find useful for something other than her...you know...

"The blond beauty - whose previous contract with ESPN expired July 1 - will join the network's new College GameDay lineup as a part-time host and feature reporter and will continue as a sideline reporter."

That's right Penn State football fans. We actually have something to look forward to this season. An extra hour of College Gameday will air from 9-10 A.M. on ESPNU, with Erin Andrews hosting. Wouldn't count on actually being able to see her in Happy Valley anytime soon, however.

Sharing is Caring for PSU Recruit Shawn Oakman

I never thought I would actually say this, but the Nittany Lion basketball team just caught a break. Shocking, I know. Coach DeChellis, you can thank the football coaching stafff, as the team is allowing recruit Shawn Oakman, a 6'8 250 lb beast, play basketball as well.

"They [the Penn State football coaches] encouraged it. They fully support it," Oakman said in a phone interview from a team camp at Albright College in Reading. "So, that will be good.''

This doesn't come as an unprecedented move for the football squad, as quarterback Paul Cianciolo pitched for the baseball team and wide receiver Jordan Norwood had a short stingt with the basketball squad.

At 6'8 250 pounds, Oakman still doesn't quite violate Ed's "6'8 and under" rule that he seemingly must enforce, but he does provide a potentially legitimate inside presence that the Lions so desperately need.

Oh Where Oh Where will the Big Ten Championship Be?


Surprise! The Big Ten is trying to install a conference championship game. What, you didn't hear? Well a few questions remain before this can be installed. How the divisions line up, when the game will take place, and Adam Rittenberg just threw a new one at us today....WHERE?

Big Ten football is all about "three yards and a cloud of dust, strong defense, and COLD weather (though I don't have to tell you that if you were at the Michigan State game in 2008...brrr)

But does that necessarily mean the Big Ten Championship has to be in a similar cold weather city? Rittenberg brings up a good point, the SEC plays its regular season games in the heat of the south, they decide to play their championship game in the climate-controlled Georgia Dome.

Could the Big Ten follow suit with an indoor facility, perhaps Lucas Oil Stadium (Colts) or Ford field (Lions) as Rittenberg suggests?

You know it's a slow day in college football when Brett Brackett is making national headlines

So as I was scrolling through some sites today trying to dodge stories about LeBron James and Brett Favre, I came across the college football section on Yahoo and low and behold, a Brett Brackett story is among the top headlines.

AP writer Genaro Armas reports that Brackett, now a senior, seems to be primed for a breakout year for Penn State.

With the talent and depth of this year's receiving class and lack of experienced talent or depth at the quarterback position, I'm not too optimistic of his chances to "breakout". Now he did play quarterback in high school...so if he lines up under center than we may have something.

Death of a Legend (Part II)

I've been a Yankee fan since I was seven years old (ironically that also happened to be the 1996 season). And I grew up with George Steinbrenner. Not the Steinbrenner who hired and fired Billy Martin five times (though that would have actually made a good hour long ESPN special) but the Steinbrenner who stuck with Joe Torre for 12 seasons and continued to resign the core players that left their best efforts on the field to help the Yankees to victories and championships. Jeter. Pettitte. Posada. Rivera. If Steinbrenner wasn't willing to invest in his own team, which several other owners fail to do, then perhaps none of these four will be donning the pinstripes today. Say what you want about The Boss, and I can't speak personally having never met him, but his will to win was second to none, and he will be sorely missed.

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