ESPN

Pat Forde

  (1:00 PM)

Welcome to the slowest sports day of the year. Let's liven it up with a little college football/basketball talk. Roll 'em!

Joey (Chicago)

Pat, Can you think of one major university whose altheltic department does everything right? Little corruption in recruiting or fund raising, fairness to the non-revenue sports, treats althetes strictly when there is misconduct, etc. A few schools pop up in my head, and I hear of schools moving in the right direction, but I want to hear from an expert. Who's the best?

Pat Forde

  (1:02 PM)

Joey: Wow, that's a hard question to answer. I by no means have encyclopedic knowledge of all programs. One that comes to mind immediately is Stanford, which is fabulously successful across a broad array of sports while maintaining sky-high academic standards. But even Stanford is cutting funding in a major way right now.

Jonathan (Westerville, Ohio)

I know that some athletic departments need to offer their head coaches huge contracts to keep them from going to the NFL, but would you ever anticipate coaches ever taking pay cuts to better the overall health of departments?

Pat Forde

  (1:05 PM)

Jonathan: Maybe I'm too cynical, but I have a hard time foreseeing that. I know Southern Miss hoops coach Larry Eustachy turned down a bonus recently, which was laudable. However, he's also in such a tenuous position in terms of continued employment that he needs all the brownie points he can get. I don't see a lot of revenue-sport coaches willing to forego salary in an effort to shore up the non-revenue folks. Many of them think they already do enough (or too much) of that in terms of overall athletic budget.

B (kentucky)

What's your opinion on the state having to help the university of Kentucky to help pay Billy Gillispie?

Pat Forde

  (1:06 PM)

B: I think it's a wildly bad idea, though technically I believe the state would be helping pay legal expenses to FIGHT paying Gillispie. However, the bottom line is that UK made a very expensive mistake in hiring Gillispie and to transfer paying for that mistake to the taxpayers, in any capacity, is awful.

Justin (Boston)

Notre Dame finishes in the Top 15?

Pat Forde

  (1:07 PM)

Justin: Notre Dame REACHES the Top 15 at some point. Then falls out of it after being crushed in a BCS bowl game that it qualified for after going through a very easy schedule.

hawk (ATLANTA)

off the top of your head, who are the best true freshmen QBs in college football history? dont count the rest of their careers, just their performance in that season

Pat Forde

  (1:08 PM)

The top of my head is cluttered with so many things that giving you a good answer to that question will be difficult. However, I'll throw out Eric Zeier as someone who had a memorably productive true freshman season.

Sylvain (Calgary)

Hey Pat, Do you think the NCAA or at least the BCS conferences set up a Cap on how much each can spend on their coaches? So that scholarship players meals and travel expenses are all the same. Why not level it off so that schools have more money to pay for other sports and avoid laying off professors!

Pat Forde

  (1:11 PM)

Sylvain: No, I don't see a coaching salary cap ever flying. That would seem to restrain free trade or capitolism. Also: most of the money to pay the humongous coaching salaries comes from outside the university proper, which shouldn't (in theory) affect professors' jobs. Though it would probably be nice if rich boosters actually gave more to the chemistry dept. than the athletic dept. I have certainly taken that approach with my own modest donations to my alma mater's journalism school vs. athletics.

MJ (Cville)

But UK is a public school, so how do the taxpayers not lose either way?

Pat Forde

  (1:12 PM)

MJ: Yes it is a public school, but the state government itself looks like it will be on the hook for legal representation for the school in Texas vs. Gillispie in the contract dispute.

Tom (CT)

will the economy create a bigger gap between the majors and mid-majors?

Pat Forde

  (1:14 PM)

Tom: I'd say it's entirely possible. Most of the budget horror stories you hear about right now are at programs that are outside the Power Elite in college football.

Mike A (Altoona, Pa)

What do you make of the 2010 Penn State recruiting class? I mean, JoePa and Co. haven't recruited like this in ages. Do you think it's fair to assume Joe is making sure the stables will be loaded when he retires? I believe he's retiring sooner than we think.

Pat Forde

  (1:15 PM)

Mike: I think I'l start to form some judgements about Penn State's 2010 recruiting class when they put on Penn State uniforms. In 2010.

Pat Forde

  (1:15 PM)

Mike: I think I'l start to form some judgements about Penn State's 2010 recruiting class when they put on Penn State uniforms. In 2010.

Nathan (Mountain View)

University athletic departments continue to build new, better facilities in order to recruit high-profile athletes for the revenue sports. Even though they may use state money, would you ever see colleges curbing spending on facilities due to the bottom line? And would you be mad if food wasn't provided to covering journalists for football or basketball?

Pat Forde

  (1:18 PM)

Nathan: You're already seeing some curbing of facility building. I've heard about several schools that are leaving plans on the drawing board right now for things that were supposed to be built as we speak. As for food being provided: No, I would not be mad. And I would pay for the food if asked to. The one thing most folks don't take into account is that a game day is generally an eight-hour work day (at least) for us, so getting a meal at the stadium is generally essential. But I don't mind paying for it if asked.

Will J (Portland, OR)

Pat, are recruiting class rankings overrated? How accurate do you think they are?

Pat Forde

  (1:19 PM)

Will: I don't recall Florida's 2004 basketball recruiting class being ranked No. 1 in the nation, yet somehow those guys won back-to-back national titles. How high was George Mason's class ranked back in 2002? What about Utah football's recent classes? But no, I don't think recruiting rankings are overrated at all. What would ever give you that idea?

Pat Forde

  (1:19 PM)

Or, put another way: I hate recruiting rankings.

Dennis (Airville, PA)

Pat: Isn't it true that some coaches, even though they won't take reductions in salary, make large donations to the university? I've read stories about Bryant, Osborne, Wilkinson, Paterno, etc., making very large donations. Giving money in this way preserves their pay

Pat Forde

  (1:21 PM)

Dennis: Yes, it's absolutely true. And I applaud those coaches who have done that. For the most part it's done by extremely successful, very entrenched and very wealthy coaches.

Matt (Minneapolis)

Pat, can the Gophers pick up 8 wins this year?

Pat Forde

  (1:23 PM)

Matt: Eight seems like a stretch. I'd say the opening stretch -- at Cuse, home against Air Force and Cal -- will tell a lot. Gotta be 2-1 after that at least.

Vince (Austin)

Are big-revenue football programs such as Alabama and USC more/less untouchable in terms of major penalties for NCAA violations (regardless if those violations are large or small)?

Pat Forde

  (1:24 PM)

Vince: Judging from the huge sanctions slapped on the Tide earlier this decade, I'd say no. And I expect USC to be facing some serious allegations in the semi-near future.

Andrew (Berkeley CA)

Are the bears overhyped this year? How far can they go and how do you expect the pac 10 to shake out?

Pat Forde

  (1:26 PM)

Andrew: I'm about 60 percent buying the hype right now. I expect Cal to be quite good, and USC comes to the Bay Area. But it's time to beat the Trojans for the first time in six years, and maybe beat the Beavers for the first time in three. We'll see.

Mike (Chicago)

If Notre Dame has an "easy" schedule, how do you feel about Penn States? Or Ohio States? Heck I'll even throw in Florida's?

Pat Forde

  (1:29 PM)

Mike: Penn State has an easy schedule, too. Florida? I don't see Notre Dame doing anything as difficult on the road as playing at LSU. Georgia at a neutral site and Florida State in Gainesville are a cut above anything other than USC on the ND sked.

RAY GORDON REID ( BILOXI MS 395O3)

PAT FORDE AT 1.40PM OK COLLEGE FOOTBALL. PAT WHICH NCAA GAME ARE YOU GONNA BE AT SEPT 5 BYU SOONERS OR TIDE HOKIES

Pat Forde

  (1:30 PM)

Ray: That hasn't been decided yet. But I'd take either one and be pretty happy.

Craig G. (Fairfield, California)

Hey Pat, I enjoy your writing versatility and great insight! I loved the Tom Crean hire at Indiana and feel he'll eventually get them back to the upper tier. How much better do you think they'll be this season?

Pat Forde

  (1:31 PM)

Craig: Tom Crean is a great hire who will return Indiana to prominence ... eventually. The Hoosiers will be better this upcoming season, but so will the rest of the Big Ten. If they can get near .500 I'd consider it a very successful season.

JL (Warrenton, VA)

The allegations you expect for USC in the near future: are they in regard to to age-old Reggie Bush situation? If not, what?

Pat Forde

  (1:32 PM)

JL: Reggie Bush and, more recently, the OJ Mayo fiasco in basketball. The NCAA has combined the two investigations into one.

Mike (New York)

Pat,What do you think of the big east this coming season? Do you think this is the year USF can do it ?

Pat Forde

  (1:33 PM)

Mike: I think the Big East will be down this year. I have no idea who will win it -- too many question marks all over the place. USF has as good a chance as anyone, but it's about time the Bulls play well when the expectations and rankings are high.

Nathan (S)

Don't forget that Sept 5 showdown in Stillwater

Pat Forde

  (1:34 PM)

Nathan: Definitely. Georgia-OK State might be the best of the entire first weekend, either that or Tide-Hokies.

Will J (Portland, OR)

Pat, we always hear about these "Storied Programs", how many college football schools would you say can be labeled "storied"?

Pat Forde

  (1:36 PM)

Will: Good question. This is straight from the elbows, not a lot of thought put into it: Notre Dame, Oklahoma, USC, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Alabama, Texas. That's the long-term "storied." To modernize it, I'd add Florida, Florida State, Miami and LSU. OK, fire away: who did I leave out?

Chad (Las Vegas)

Fact or Fiction: The SEC West is the best division in football and any of the top 3 (LSU, Ole Miss, and Bama) would compete for championships in ANY conference if it wasn't for UF being in the East.

Pat Forde

  (1:38 PM)

Chad: I'm going with fiction, based on the belief that all three of those teams (while very good) would finish third in the Big 12 South behind Texas and Oklahoma this year.

Aron (Dallas)

Pat, you'll agree the best college football game played this season will be played in Dallas? Also who is your "under the radar" team this season?

Pat Forde

  (1:40 PM)

Aron: Yes, that's my GOY on paper. We'll see if it still is on Oct. 17. As for under the radar: I really haven't studied up enough to answer that question well, but I'll take an early flyer on Georgia Tech and, ohhh, UCLA.

Jon (California)

Pat,I grew up in Big Ten country, and the 3 yards and a cloud of dust mentality will always have my heart. I must concede however, that the Big 12, and moreso the SEC are athletically superior, and the gap is widening. Do you think the Big Ten will ever close the gap and be a dominant conference again? I can't see it, sadly.

Pat Forde

  (1:42 PM)

Jon: Among the most cherished of my childhood TV football memories was watching Michigan and Ohio State maul each other on frozen artificial turf in the 1970s, neither team throwing it more than 10 times in a game, Woody and Bo blowing steam on the sidelines. However, yeah, I hear your concern. I think the Big Ten can still produce teams capable of competing for a national title, but warm-weather schools seem to be the place for top players right now. Doesn't mean it will stay that way forever, though. These things tend to be cyclical.

Andy (Tallahasse)

Nebraska...thats all I can think you missed Pat

Pat Forde

  (1:42 PM)

Yep.

John (memphis)

You left out Tennessee.

Pat Forde

  (1:43 PM)

Can't quite get there with the Vols, I don't think. Great, great program, but something short of storied in my book.

drew (md)

If Kansas wins the national title again this year, will Bill Self be catapulted to the likes of Coach K, Jim Calhoun, Roy Williams, etc. Or is he already there?

Pat Forde

  (1:44 PM)

Drew: Self is not there yet, not with just one career Final Four. But if he wins a second title, yep, that changes his place in the discussion.

Tyler (Salt Lake City)

What about TCU, they are good as any this year!

Pat Forde

  (1:44 PM)

Tyler: As good as any what? As any team from a non-big six conference? That may be so. We'll see.

Patrick (Cheyenne WY)

Hey Pat just curious what you think but it seems the NCAA punishes schools and players much more for taking money from agents, friends of the program, etc but do not come down on players or schools when they break the law. They are both wrong but I would think breaking the law is much worse then some player excepting money when it is given to him

Pat Forde

  (1:45 PM)

Patrick: Generally speaking, legal problems are the province of the schools to deal with. Not the NCAA. There is nothing in the NCAA rulebook saying a player should not, say, engage in armed robbery -- because there doesn't need to be. That's why we have courts and cops.

Drew ((Gainesville, FL))

You left out Army

Pat Forde

  (1:46 PM)

Drew: Sure did. And I don't feel bad about it.

Mike (Denver)

Pat, what do you expect out of Boulder this season? Will Hawkins survive past this season? Thanks.

Pat Forde

  (1:48 PM)

Mike: I expect CU to take a significant step forward. There is room for it in the North with Missouri losing a lot and Nebraska still not back to kingpin status. And I do expect Hawkins to survive this season, yes.

JOEY (RUTLAND (VT))

pat will the md major schools ever get a chance to play for a bcs championship (utah for example)

Pat Forde

  (1:49 PM)

Joey: I'd say only in extraordinary circumstances. Utah's SOS was 56 last year, which is low enough to preclude even an unbeaten team.

Cosmo (Anytown, USA)

From your side of the chat wall, which team has the most annoying fans?

Pat Forde

  (1:51 PM)

Cosmo: Not touching that. I think all fans are absolutely delightful.

JOEY (RUTLAND (VT))

if Notre dame is no longer the preeminet program who has replaced them??

Pat Forde

  (1:51 PM)

Joey: USC is the glam national program right now, though Florida has perhaps superceded it during the Tebow Era.

Ben (Lincoln, NE)

Pat, have you ever been to a game in Blacksburg? Is it worth it for me to make the trip out there to watch my Huskers?

Pat Forde

  (1:53 PM)

Ben: I have been there (for a Thursday night game) and the atmosphere was terrific. Pretty area as well, even if it is remote -- but remote shouldn't bother Nebraskans. (Kidding! Kind of.) I'd book the trip.

Chris (Phoenix)

Thank you so much for talking some College Football. The high in PHX is about 109 today, but I can feel the crisp fall air and I can hear the crack of pads banging together. College Football.....awesome!!

Pat Forde

  (1:53 PM)

Chris: Glad we could send a cool breeze your way. Air conditioning is your friend.

Dave (denver)

do you think Bobby Bowden should be stripped of wins?

Pat Forde

  (1:53 PM)

Dave: Absolutely.

Chris (Phoenix)

Okay, if you answer Cosmo's question, then you have to answer this one. Which is the the conference with the most obnoxious fans?.....SEC, right? By like 90 miles.

Pat Forde

  (1:54 PM)

Chris: Most obnoxious and the best, at the same time. But don't underestimate the obnoxity of fans in the Big Ten and Big 12.

Tomwit NJ [via mobile]

You should feel bad about. Excepting ND, Army has a more storied past than any team on your list. But you know that.

Pat Forde

  (1:56 PM)

Tomwit: I do know that. And I know that Army has been nothing short of horrific for years, if not decades, and has done nothing of significance since the first half of the 20th century.

Tim (NC)

Pat, what stadiums have you been to that have the best big game atmosphere? To me, the SEC games seem to be on a whole other level.

Pat Forde

  (1:58 PM)

Tim: In the SEC: Night games at LSU. Georgia. Florida. Alabama. Tennessee. In the Big Ten: Beaver Stadium, the Horseshoe, the Big House. In the Big 12: Oklahoma's stadium. (Disappointed in Texas' vibe; not great atmosphere around the stadium.) Pac-10: LA Coliseum.

Corey (Chicago)

Pat, have you ever spoken to Mark Dantonio at Michigan State? Does he have that football coach "presence" that everyone is talking about in East Lansing, and what do you think of the progression MSU is making the past couple seasons and going forward?

Pat Forde

  (1:59 PM)

Corey: I have spoken with him on a couple of occasions. I think what he lacks in sizzle he makes up for in coaching substance. Not the most dazzling personality out there, but I think he's fine with that.

Barry (Vegas)

How could ypu leave out Autzen?

Pat Forde

  (2:01 PM)

Barry: I have been to Autzen and enjoyed it. Very cool atmosphere. But after hearing everyone proclaim it the loudest stadium on earth, I have to say: go South, young men.

Nathan (Santa Cruz CA)

Have you attended a Red River Rivalry? If so, it must have given you a case of amnesia because there is no bigger gameday in the country (in my humble opinion). State Fair, throngs of fans who don't like each other much, 90K , Big Tex, come on....

Pat Forde

  (2:02 PM)

Nathan: I have attended it and the atmosphere is big-time. I was simply thinking of on-campus games, and that's not the case with the Red River game.

Pat Forde

  (2:02 PM)

OK folks, we've done a solid hour, and that's not bad for July. Enjoy the rest of the summer and we'll talk soon!