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by Dave McNabb

Fri, Oct 19, 2007, 03:07 PM

If the UIL Council sticks to its historic patterns, don't look for a new Class 6A playoffs for football, at least not in 2008 and 2009, and don't look for Class A-3A to add a fourth playoff qualifier.
Don't look for an extension of the Class 5A pre-determined state championship football site either.

Look for tweaking the steroid penalty to base a 30-day suspension on a student athlete's season and close the current loop hole that a baseball player testing positive in November could have his suspension served before the season.

Players suspended for tests will be allowed to practice....Don't look for the Council to jump to a year-long suspension as some have advocated.

UIL athletic director Charles Briethaupt is preparing for Monday's annual UIL Council Meeting and isn't about to predict what will happen.

But according to survey results taken among UIL schools, Breithaupt said it's only running about 50-50 or less in favor of a Class 6A football playoff system that would put larger enrollment schools against each other in district competition and the playoffs.

There also hasn't been a majority of schools in smaller classifications in favor of adding another playoff qualifier.

The UIL Council history is not to go against survey results and to not look at them optimistically or pessimistically. They're analytical like a Bill Parcells, "You are what you are", when it comes to digesting numbers.

There's no Ya-Buts.

No "we lost seven games by 3 points or less" and there is no "if these schools just understood this proposal a little differently."

If you've sat through a couple dozen of these meetings for a couple decades, it becomes apparent these are Education Lifers who tend to be pretty report-based and analytical.

Never seen an emotional plea get very far with this group, who'd sit, blink and listen to Mel Gibson in Braveheart and then vote No Battle.

If the survey says most are for it, then it's considered for the pragmatics of making it work.

If it's 50-50 support, the Council nearly always waits and studies further. They meet twice a year, so what's the hurry? They might pass it along and let the schools officially vote in a referendum but that also means no changes until 2010.

If there's very little support in a survey for a proposal _ no matter how impassioned a Wylie parent or administrator says it's unfair for their kids to compete against the Plano schools _ it doesn't get legs.

With lukewarm survey support, it's very unlikely the Class 6A football district alignment would get Fast Tracked by the Council and be sent to the Board of Education for approval for 2008.

In the past, it has taken overwhelming support in a survey or referendum (or state law) for the Council to Fast Track an item.

The 6A district playoff design could be adopted for 2010, but, typically, it'd be studied again and then re-evaluated with fresh numbers after the 2008-09 and 2009-10 realignment numbers have been set.

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Local boy Hillman to lead KC Royals

by Dave McNabb

Fri, Oct 19, 2007, 11:56 AM

Former Arlington Sam Houston and UTA baseballer Trey Hillman, a candidate for the Rangers job last year, is expected to be named Kansas City Royals manager. Hillman was expected to be back in the mix as a potential replacement for Yankees manager Joe Torre.

Hillman has his Nippon Ham Fighters back in the Japan Series after eliminating a team coached by former Rangers manager Bobby Valentine. Hillman was a fast-rising managing prospect in the Yankees farm system before taking a lucrative position in Japan.

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KOBE TO THE MAVS?

by Mike Fisher	Wed, Oct 17, 2007, 02:01 PM
I’m still convinced that talk of a Kobe Bryant trade – to the Mavs or elsewhere – is more about a juvenile power struggle inside the Lakers hierarchy than it is about anybody in LA actually believing Kobe’s departure would be a good thing for that team. However. … Read More Add Comment (2)

A&M target: Kubiak

by Dave McNabb

Tue, Oct 16, 2007, 04:50 PM

The emotional and financial war chests are being built by Texas A&M to make a huge run to entice former Aggies student Gary Kubiak out of the NFL and take over the A&M program before the Aggies fall too far behind.

Influential A&M movers and shakers said they are willing to take the financial bath to throw out Coach Dennis Franchione, who is not expected to survive another mediocre, unimpressive season and the fallout from his newsletter gaffe in which he gave A&M boosters supposedly inside info for an annual subscription.

Kubiak has been considered a success in his short tenure with the Houston Texans and although Kubiak is a fomer Aggies players and assistant under R.C. Slocum, he's been dedicated to an NFL career path.

An emotional plea to save the program will be made to get Kubiak to take over the Aggies before they fall farther behind Texas Tech.

A&M is expected to be among a slew of coaching changes. An early peek at the front-runners for several positions.

A&M: Gary Kubiak

Nebraska: Turner Gill..was supposed to take over for Solich about now

Baylor: Mike Singletary.. now he's ready

SMU .. Terry Bowden .. campaiging for return to coaching

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DINNER WITH JERRY & MICHAEL & DEION

by Mike Fisher	Tue, Oct 16, 2007, 10:18 AM
Jerry Jones sliced into a birthday cake. Michael Irvin issued a challenge to the devil. Deion Sanders made certain he was near a microphone. A good time was had by all at a private party for charity on Monday night. DallasBlog was there to take some red wine. ... and some notes. Read More Add Comment (0)

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