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Spanning the College World: We make you think...at least a little

So many things to cover, so little space. What will make readers salivate? What will make them react? Yes, I've got it! Click bait. No, not us! The world of college sports -- and Big Ten weekly honors - awaits your thirsting eyes.

By rvc73
Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

Okay, a little teaser with things to chortle over

We are not alone

Illinois fired head football coach Tim Beckman just before the season started.  But that wasn't the only issue/scandal that Illinois athletics was facing.

In the aftermath of a racial discrimination and abuse investigation, the university will be paying out a ton of money to the law firm that did the investigation.  In a 226-page report dated July 31, Pugh, Jones and Johnson - the legal firm - cleared WBB coach Matt Bollant and the UI of wrongdoing after conducting 33 interviews and reviewing 18,000-plus documents.

Aside from the negative publicity and the angst all of this creates for the parties involved as well as the fans, that money - as the article states - was more than what the UI spent on athletic student aid ($625,919) or team travel ($563,169).  No one wins.

Quiz time

I did pretty well on this....in my head.  When I took the quiz - which is surprisingly easy - I froze.  Have some fun....you're welcome.

Hoosiers love their helmets

Indiana broke out another helmet for their last game.  And I'm not crazy about most of them.  Whatcha think?

And speaking of helmets.....

What the.....?   I've said that Adidas is trying too hard.  But then there's Under Armour and the Twerps.  Can we just stop?  Please?

It's like they do this to give the video guys something to do.

It's hockey time in America!

Rutgers opened its (club) season last week with a road win over Navy.

And in the Big Ten, Michigan was tabbed the favorite in the 2015-16 Big Ten hockey preseason coaches' poll, the conference announced on Monday. The coaches also selected a 12-member Preseason Players to Watch list, including four unanimous honorees.

2015-16 BIG TEN PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
1.  Michigan
2.  Minnesota
3.  Michigan State
4.  Penn State
5.  Ohio State
6.  Wisconsin

Scandals, scandals, and some resolution....maybe

In the wake of the Sandusky issue at Penn State, the NCAA mandated that the University implement an integrity monitor.  The monitor, Charles Scheeler, recommended that his overseeing of the program cease at the end of this calendar year.  Interestingly, especially to those of us who regularly read this blog, was a comment in the monitor's report of "evidence of increased tension, and a mutual lack of trust, between the head football coach and University athletics compliance staff."  Hmmm, guess it happens in a lot of places.

Who is watching what?

TV ratings are not great...for anything.  Fox's MLB coverage hit a low last week.  And with more things to do, more things to watch, it may not get much better.

There was some good news, with Fox getting a boost from the Ducks getting their feathers handed to them on the little screen.  Which generated an interesting tweet from noted sports analyst Samuel L. Jackson:

Ratings for games of Sept. 26

3.16 rating CBS 3:30 pm Tennessee at Florida

2.76 rating ABC 3:30 pm Western Michigan at #1-Ohio State or Virginia Tech at East Carolina

2.53 rating ABC 12:00 pm #22-BYU at Michigan

2.18 rating ABC 8:00 pm #9-UCLA at #16-Arizona

2.07 rating FOX 8:30 pm #18-Utah at #13-Oregon

1.87 rating FOX 4:45 pm #3-TCU at Texas Tech
1.85 rating ESPN 7:00 pm #14-Texas A&M at Arkansas

1.76 rating ESPN 3:30 pm #24-Oklahoma State at Texas

1.74 rating ESPN 10:30 pm #19-USC at Arizona State

1.45 rating NBC 3:30 pm Massachusetts at #6-Notre Dame

Games on BTN and other regional or local networks are not included in the numbers reported.

Some people get it

College sports - yes, even football - is not life.  It is still a game.  But it is part of college life, and the police at Florida and Ol' Miss understand that.  And they also understand you must protect your house.  So this was worth a view:

Big Ten Weekly Football Honors

And, yes, one of them is from New Jersey....playing somewhere else.

Co-Offensive Players of the Week
Jordan Howard, Indiana, Jr., RB

Tommy Armstrong Jr., Nebraska, Jr., QB

Co-Defensive Players of the Week
Shilique Calhoun, Michigan State, Sr., DE, Middletown, N.J./Middletown North

Anthony Zettel, Penn State, Sr., DT

Special Teams Player of the Week
Cameron Johnston, Ohio State, Jr., P

Freshman of the Week
Taiwan Deal, Wisconsin, RB

Big Ten Weekly Men's Soccer Honors

Yeah, another New Jersey kid

Defensive Player of the Week

Evan Louro, Michigan, GK - So. - South River, N.J. - St. John Vianney

And finally, our moment of Zen

Clearly he played too many downs without his helmet