* According to the NCAA, there are 338 Division I member schools. And 23 of them–all in the Football Bowl Subdivision–that made money on athletics in 2012.
* For a University of Florida fan, there was absolutely nothing to like about watching that embarrassing Sugar Bowl loss to Louisville. But the woeful experience transcended football. That was evident, sadly enough, with the coin toss–where each team was accorded two honorary representatives.
The Gators selected former greats Danny Wuerffel and Emmitt Smith, fair enough. Louisville more problematically chose alum/broadcaster Tom Jackson and Louisville native Muhammad Ali. Nobody looked comfortable, most notably the Parkinson’s-ravaged Ali, during the brief ceremony. It’s never a good sign when you have to avert your eyes at the coin toss.
Some things–such as a well-intentioned honorary gesture–work much better in the abstract. The inclusion of Ali wasn’t fair to the occasion. More importantly, it wasn’t fair to Ali, regardless of who gave permission.
*Evan Longoria seems to be, like so many Tampa Bay Rays players, a well-grounded, classy guy. Sort of surprising to see that he was a Los Angeles Playboy Mansion guest at the New Year’s party of the newly-married Hugh Hefner, 86, and his bride Crystal Harris, 26.