Off-Field Issues, Week 9

After a week off, off-field issues returns with a look at things making news off the field that affect the on field product.

Pac-12 Divisions announced – The Pac-12 got everything right with its divisional alignment. The California schools aren't in one division meaning they don't get to hoard all the talent like what happens in the Big 12 with the south schools in Texas (Colorado really wouldn't be better off in a Pac-12 North). Also, the far flung nature of many of the schools makes a pre-determined neutral site title game a dicey affair just as it is in the ACC (who made things worse by going away from the conference base in North Carolina for the first few iteration of their game). The only neutral site that made any sense at all was Las Vegas and there are both gambling and stadium issues with that location (the stadium issue being far more pressing) as all of the other places were dependant on having one of the nearby teams, USC, or Oregon in the title game. Just imagine a Utah vs Stanford game being played in Seattle or Los Angeles or anywhere with the type of stadium needed other than the Bay Area. Crickets would be chirping. With all that said, home field in the title game, while novel for a BCS league, is the right decision as it rewards teams for strong play during the season. Just don't ask me what happenes when you get two 12-0 teams in the game (not that that's a likely thing considering the SEC just managed it for the first time last year).

Justin Blackmon arrested for DUI, Chris Rainey to play this week – More judicial issues and more uneven punishment. The NCAA really should make a uniform system for dealing with arrests since coaches and athletic directors who are making the decisions now on which in trouble players play and which ones don't have obvious conflicts of interest. There should be a set of minimum penalties for arrests and convictions and if schools want to go beyond those they can. As for on the field, Blackmon will be missed this week while Rainey may not matter all that much to a Florida offense in disarray.

Fresno St. and Nevada to remain in the WAC for 2011 season – Consider this the move of bitterness from WAC commish Karl Benson. There really is no reason to keep these two schools in the league for another year when they don't want to be there other than to piss off the Mountain West. Considering the Mountain West has some clout now above the other non-BCS leagues, that might not be a very good idea. Also, Mr Benson, you have now trusted BYU twice and gotten killed both times in the process. You won't get a third chance no matter how hard you try.