Rating the Sun Bowl: Throw out the records for a high-noon border war

Bowls: There are a lot of them. As a public service, the Doc is here to rank each game according to five crucial criteria, with help from the patron saint of the game in question. Today: The Sun Bowl!

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly is … el jefe!

Teams. Miami Hurricanes (7-5) vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-5).
Particulars. Today, 2 p.m. ET on CBS.
Favorite: Miami (–3)
Patron Saint: Glendale, Ariz., native Marty Robbins, whose 1959 smash "El Paso" is so evocative of the city that UTEP made it the official school fight song. Later, Robbins became a super fan and part-time driver on the up-and-coming NASCAR circuit, once declining the 1973 Rookie of the Race award at Talladega because he'd intentionally knocked the mandatory restrictors out of his carburetor before the race: "I just wanted to see what it was like to run up front for once."

    More 2010 Bowl Ratings
  • Dec. 17: New Mexico Bowl
  • Dec. 18: Humanitarian Bowl
  • Dec. 18: New Orleans Bowl
  • Dec. 21: Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl
  • Dec. 22: Maaco Bowl Las Vegas
  • Dec. 23: Poinsettia Bowl
  • Dec. 24: Hawaii Bowl
  • Dec. 26: Little Caesars Bowl
  • Dec. 27: Independence Bowl
  • Dec. 28: Champs Sports Bowl
  • Dec. 29: Texas Bowl
  • Dec. 29: Alamo Bowl
  • Dec. 30: Pinstripe Bowl
  • Dec. 30: Music City Bowl
  • Dec. 30: Holiday Bowl

• Locale. Now that the short-lived International Bowl is no more, the 51,000-seat Sun Bowl once again holds the distinction of being the closest bowl venue to an international border, sitting just across the interstate from Juarez, Mexico, the tragic "Murder Capital of the World." Meanwhile, El Paso itself improbably remains one of the safest large cities in America.

• Tradition. Finally, a game your grandparents actually recognize: The Sun Bowl began in 1935, the same year as the Orange Bowl, making it the second-oldest existing bowl game behind the Rose. It remained a New Year's Day affair until 1958, and has been broadcast by CBS every year since 1968 – one of only two non-SEC games (along with Army-Navy) on the network each year, and one of only two bowl games this season (along with the Cotton Bowl) not broadcast by ESPN. As always, it will kick off at "High Noon" in the Mountain time zone.

Alas, it is sponsored for the first time this year by a company based in South Korea.

• Swag. The Sun Bowl is one of the few games that spreads the wealth across every major category of bowl swag: Electronics (a "gift suite"), Watches (Timely Watch Co.), Clothing and Apparel (Majestic fleece pullover, Top of the World cap), Luggage (a backpack) and most importantly, "Other" – in this case, a hair dryer made by El Paso-based beauty giant Helen of Troy, a longtime sponsor. You laugh, but I promise you now, Jacory Harris is going to love that hair dryer when his beautiful afro butterfly emerges from its cocoon.

• Sponsors, trophies and other ambiance. While Notre Dame was enjoying a respite from the brutal winter fronts that assaulted the Northeast earlier this week by soaking up a little local color, some Miami players were encountering snow for the first time – though some of them have also been preparing for a cold-weather game back home, apparently: "I always watched [snow] on TV,'' Jacory Harris told the Miami Herald. "When I go to sleep at night I turn the air conditioner down to 40 so I can wake up in the cold and see how it is. I sleep like that all the time.''

Do you hear that, 25-degree wind chill? Jacory Harris literally yawns in your face on a nightly basis. He's ready for your tricks.

• This year's match-up. Notre Dame! Miami! Catholics! Convicts! Unranked, 7-5 mediocrities separated from their glory years by entire recruiting cycles! Cue excited Rocket Ismail, brah!

Actually, for a matchup of two disappointing 7-5 mediocrities, the Irish do have more reason to be excited to be here: While Miami was limping to the finish line with its starting quarterback on the sideline and its coach's head eventually on the chopping block, Notre Dame was rebounding from back-to-back humiliations at the hands of Navy and Tulsa and a season-ending injury to its starting quarterback by winning three straight under true freshman Tommy Rees, including a 28-3 wipeout over Utah and a rain-soaked fourth quarter comeback in the Los Angeles Coliseum to end an eight-game losing streak against USC. Just as the Brian Kelly era is beginning to show some promise in South Bend, the 'Canes have barely had time to meet the new boss.

• Star power. Today's game could be the last for spectacular ND receiver Michael Floyd, a freakish talent who finally managed to play in 11 of 12 games this season – he lost substantial portions of his freshman and sophomore campaigns to injury – and has a good chance to go out with a 1,000-yard season with a big day. But Floyd will be matched up against another future first-rounder, All-ACC cornerback Brandon Harris, who may be taking it to the league his own self after headlining a secondary that finished second nationally against the pass in terms of both yards and efficiency.

Final rating: out of five.
Some match-ups, you can't in good conscience miss as a football fan. Notre Dame-Miami in 35-degree weather in the middle of a desert is one of them, regardless of the records.

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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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One Last Blind Stab In The Dark

Let's make a deal.

Saturday Michigan takes on Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl and Sunday something may or may not happen involving the throttling of an infant Denard Robinson in his cradle and the tears and lamentation that may or may not result. That would hypothetically also mean the reign of terror Greg Robinson's hair and the zombie minion that goes by the name of Greg Robinson would be over. The city of Ann Arbor emerging from its cocoon of upper middle class ennui to shoot AK47s in the air would at least partially offset the tragic, still hypothetical loss of baby Denard. I have taken too long on this bit.

Two days later Jim Harbaugh and his Stanford Cardinal take on Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. After he may or may not be destined for Michigan or the 49ers or the moon. The latest from Harbaugh is reminiscent of one Brian Kelly last year:

"I only talk about the job I have now," Harbaugh said when asked if he or his representatives had spoken to the 49ers about their coaching vacancy.

He acknowledged having a "dual focus"?

WHHHAAAA?

--on his team, which will play Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl on Monday, and on his daughter, Katherine, who was born just before Christmas.

Aw, come on, Harbaugh.

So what's going to happen? I still don't know. No one does. Last time on this show I said I didn't have anything solid and probably wouldn't because of the nature of the "search" but that the mystical aura wasn't looking so hot:

I'm not inclined to put much in the widespread chatter that had RR out the door after the OSU game and seems to be continuing since its sourcing seems to be pissed-off-you-guys folk clearly unhappy with the state of the program taking small interactions and interpreting them as they desire. However, the vibe I'm getting from other people who seem to be on the fence about what to do?or at least close to it?also makes it seem unlikely Rodriguez is back. Emphasis on all the qualifying words in the previous sentence, please. I've got nothing solid because no one does.

I also said that Brady Hoke would be named Michigan's coach over my dead body and the last semblance of sanity in the universe but that wasn't based on inside information. It was more a "has everybody gone CRAZY!?!" moment, and if the threat of Hoke didn't linger in the air I'd apologize for it. As it is I'm on the battlements with an axe* waiting to behead anyone who pops up and says "my name is Buh?." Bill Parcells is duly warned.

With less that a week left before the month of limbo is over, I haven't received anything that pushes my opinion much one way or the other. To reiterate, that's:

1. There is a nonzero chance Rodriguez is fired, otherwise there would have been an announcement.
2. Schools do not start coaching searches on January 2nd.
3. There's only one guy out there that could plausibly be socked away or all but in time for Michigan to have a reasonable finish in recruiting and could justify yet more chaos in a program that is pointed in the right direction, even if vaguely.

So it's Rodriguez or Harbaugh and we'll probably know the day after the Orange Bowl. With all due respect to people who would argue otherwise, it makes no sense to fire Rodriguez in January if you do not have a coach lined up immediately. Since the list of people other than Harbaugh who Michigan could install within a week reads "Buh?[blood theatrically spraying from neck]" your alternatives are between rushing someone through without pause for consideration?which worked out so well last time?or dragging the search almost up to Signing Day, leaving your recruiting class a smoking crater and possibly dooming the next guy, who will forever be Not Jim Harbaugh, to repeat the cycle.

I have heard some things that push me more towards Harbaugh:

• Some connected guys at Cal email that Tedford is aiming to poach Harbaugh's OL coach since he has "agreed to go elsewhere already" as of the 17th of December. Caveat: the Cal rumor mill bears no animus towards Rodriguez but would love to see Harbaugh anywhere but Stanford, so as things get passed down the chain they get more certain.
• A player who split his career between RR/Carr years tells an emailer that Harbaugh will be installed on the fifth. Caveat: why the hell would some former player know?
• An emailer who reports things second hand but has been reliable in the past suggests that Mary Sue Coleman isn't a big fan of Rodriguez, which isn't much of anything to go on but just adds to the pile.
• Media people I talk to generally say the best thing is probably to give him one more year but that they don't expect he'll get it. Also not much of anything but vibe.

The only thing pointing the other way is the generally sunny disposition coming from within Schembechler Hall, but with recruits the coaches are saying they've got no idea what's going on but if they're still around after the bowl they'll still be around forever, or something to that effect. That's a hard sale right there.

If I was 55-45 Harbaugh a month ago I'm 65-35 Harbaugh now. I wish I could be more certain and wouldn't make the decision I think is likely if I was king of the world, but that's life. We'll know soon enough.

AWFUL BONUS: If there is a change you can go start the Denard transfer watch at DEFCON 2, since Robinson knows what he is?the Big Ten offensive player of the year as a sophomore at quarterback?and where he fits. How screwed up is a program that manages to get both Ryan Mallett and Denard Robinson to transfer away from certain starting QB jobs in the course of three years?

This hasn't happened yet. Breathe. I am talking to myself mostly.

*(To avoid a Tucker Carlson moment let me clarify: I am not going to cut Brady Hoke or anyone's head off with an axe.)

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How much would you pay to Skype with Kansas coach Bill Self?

If there's a Kansas basketball fan on your last-minute Christmas shopping list and you have a few hundred dollars to burn, here's a gift you can be sure won't wind up being returned on the 26th.

Bill Self's charitable foundation is auctioning off a 15-minute Skype video call with the Jayhawks coach on Christmas Eve.

Although the starting price of the eBay auction was $100 when it was posted Tuesday, it has already reached $317.66 in less than 24 hours of bidding. The auction closes Sunday evening and all proceeds will support Self's Assists Foundation, which serves a variety of youth initiatives in the community.

"I saw on Twitter that Sarah Silverman was doing the same thing, and I thought that would be a cool thing for us to do if coach would agree to do it," said Erin Zimney, director of the Assists Foundation. "Not only would it raise money, it also connects him to some of the KU fans that may not live around here and have a chance to interact with him."

If it seems mind-boggling that Kansas fans are willing to shell out hundreds of dollars for 15 minutes of 1-on-1 Skype time with Self, consider how much more others have paid in the past to take celebrities out to dinner. Lexington businessman Paul Orberson, president and CEO of Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing, paid $98,000 in a charity auction earlier this year to have dinner with Kentucky coach John Calipari, his family and actress Ashley Judd.

It wasn't a difficult sell for Zimney to convince Self to sacrifice 15 minutes of his Christmas Eve for a good cause, but the Kansas coach did have one significant concern about the idea.

"He wasn't quite sure what Skype was," Zimney said. "He was like, 'Do I know how to do that?' I told him, I'd get his son involved. I'll make sure he has his computer handy."

Hopefully someone can help Self out with the technological aspect because it would be a shame if a Kansas fan shelled out hundreds of dollars but wasn't able to connect with the Jayhawks coach.

Said Zimney, "I'll be nervous until it goes off without a hitch."

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Dolphins vs. Patriots Preview, Score and More

Filed under: Dolphins, Patriots, AFC East

After last week's devastating 34-27 loss to the Detroit Lions at Sun Life Stadium dropped the Miami Dolphins' home record to 1-7 for the season, this game has taken on a whole new meaning for the team. Dolphins' Head Coach Tony Sparano could be playing for his job with one year remaining on his four-year contract, as could starting quarterback Chad Henne, so expect the players to come out fired-up.

Over on the other sideline, the Patriots wrapped up the AFC East and home field advantage as the conference's No. 1 seed by routing the Buffalo Bills, 34-3, so they are planning ahead for a first-round bye and taking a step closer to returning to the Super Bowl. Patriots' Head Coach Bill Belichick has not tipped his hand as to whether or not he plans to rest his starters, only to say he will do whatever is in the best interest of his team. Players like nose tackle Vince Wilfork have been vocal about wanting to play.

 

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Headlinin': Let the annual Jim Harbaugh-to-NFL derby begin

Making the morning rounds.

• He's still here. To no one's surprise, the San Francisco 49ers ditched coach Mike Singletary after Sunday's loss to the St. Louis Rams, immediately reviving the perpetual Jim Harbaugh-to-the-NFL rumors overnight. Harbaugh, closing out his fourth season of miracle work at Stanford next week in the Orange Bowl, has been considered a likely 49er target for most of this season, after last year's rumor mill linked him to Oakland. (If you'll recall, he also spent a few hours as a done deal at Kansas.)

The Niners' timing makes more sense: Harbaugh said last week he and Stanford "haven't even discussed" a contract extension that athletic director Bob Bowlsby seemed to think was close to being finished. Of course, they'd still have to beat Michigan to the punch. [San Francisco Chronicle, Chris Mortensen, Niners Nation]

• We're sorry. Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor and five other soon-to-be-suspended Buckeyes apologized to teammates Sunday night during the team banquet for selling upwards of $7,000 in memorabilia and receiving discounted tattoos last year, landing them on ice for the first five games of 2011. The banquet was closed to media but reportedly also included a discussion of whether to allow the implicated players to play in the Sugar Bowl, despite the NCAA's decision – at Ohio State's behest – to defer the suspensions to next season. They may not start, but there's no suggestion at this point that anyone involved isn't going to play on Jan. 4. [Cleveland Plain-Dealer]

• Sitting Dawgs (and Jackets). Academics have sidelined three Georgia players – running back Caleb King, backup cornerback Derek Owens and offensive lineman A.J. Harmon – for Friday's Liberty Bowl match with Central Florida. It will be the fifth game this season King has missed, on the heels of an ankle injury and a two-game suspension for failing to appear in court on a speeding ticket. [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

The worst part: Georgia Tech fans don't even get to enjoy the schadenfreude, with three Yellow Jackets – starting linebacker Anthony Egbuniwe and backup defensive backs Michael Peterson and Louis Young – tabbed for first half suspensions in tonight's Independence Bowl for missing curfew last Friday. The Jackets will also be without starters Mario Edwards and Stephen Hill and two more reserves on defense for academic reasons. [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

• Off on the wrong foot. Alabama signee Aaron Douglas, a former starter at Tennessee, was charged with DUI on Thursday night after allegedly running a stop sign and driving erratically. Frankly, 'Bama coach Nick Saban – busy with Christmas and bowl festivities in Orlando ahead of Saturday's Capital One Bowl date with Michigan State – doesn't have time for this: "First of all I don't know a whole lot about it being over the holidays and this and that," Saban said. "The guy's not even here yet in our program. It's certainly not something that we want to be representative of our program. We'll deal with it when he gets here." [Tuscaloosa News, Birmingham News]

• Wait, is this swag waterproof? Wisconsin and TCU are in Southern California for Rose Bowl week, and quarterbacks Scott Tolzien (left) and Andy Dalton weren't exactly the coolest customers on Splash Mountain:

For his part, Horned Frog coach Gary Patterson is fine with yukking it up on the Tea Cups, as long as the recruits are paying attention. [Associated Press, Dallas Morning News]

Quickly… Defensive coordinator James Willis is leaving Texas Tech, possibly bound for Florida. … Rich Rodriguez won't lobby for his job. … Mississippi State practices in a hotel ballroom, and Michigan feels a little too at home on its first day in Jacksonville. … This morning's Times Square kickoff for the Pinstripe Bowl has been cancelled due to heavy snow in New York. … SMU isn't exactly thrilled to be home for Christmas. … Oregon tries to figure out how to simulate Cam Newton in practice. … Auburn assistant Trooper Taylor settles a racial discrimination suit against the local school district. … Derek Dooley enters a wormhole in the space-time continuum. … And don't expect coaches to stop icing the kicker anytime soon.

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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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How much would you pay to Skype with Kansas coach Bill Self?

If there's a Kansas basketball fan on your last-minute Christmas shopping list and you have a few hundred dollars to burn, here's a gift you can be sure won't wind up being returned on the 26th.

Bill Self's charitable foundation is auctioning off a 15-minute Skype video call with the Jayhawks coach on Christmas Eve.

Although the starting price of the eBay auction was $100 when it was posted Tuesday, it has already reached $317.66 in less than 24 hours of bidding. The auction closes Sunday evening and all proceeds will support Self's Assists Foundation, which serves a variety of youth initiatives in the community.

"I saw on Twitter that Sarah Silverman was doing the same thing, and I thought that would be a cool thing for us to do if coach would agree to do it," said Erin Zimney, director of the Assists Foundation. "Not only would it raise money, it also connects him to some of the KU fans that may not live around here and have a chance to interact with him."

If it seems mind-boggling that Kansas fans are willing to shell out hundreds of dollars for 15 minutes of 1-on-1 Skype time with Self, consider how much more others have paid in the past to take celebrities out to dinner. Lexington businessman Paul Orberson, president and CEO of Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing, paid $98,000 in a charity auction earlier this year to have dinner with Kentucky coach John Calipari, his family and actress Ashley Judd.

It wasn't a difficult sell for Zimney to convince Self to sacrifice 15 minutes of his Christmas Eve for a good cause, but the Kansas coach did have one significant concern about the idea.

"He wasn't quite sure what Skype was," Zimney said. "He was like, 'Do I know how to do that?' I told him, I'd get his son involved. I'll make sure he has his computer handy."

Hopefully someone can help Self out with the technological aspect because it would be a shame if a Kansas fan shelled out hundreds of dollars but wasn't able to connect with the Jayhawks coach.

Said Zimney, "I'll be nervous until it goes off without a hitch."

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The story behind 10 of college basketball's most outlandish names

Like court-storming students, crumpled brackets and cut-down nets, unusual names are one of the staples of every college basketball season.

From Providence's God Shammgod to Seattle University's Austen Powers to Alabama State's Chief Kickingstallionsims, college basketball has featured dozens of players with memorable names in recent years. 

The graduation of Siena guard Just-in'love Smith has deprived the sport of one of its best-ever names, but there are still plenty of other good ones. Here's a look at 10 of this college basketball season's most outlandish names and the stories behind how each of those were chosen: 

Orion Outerbridge, F, Rhode Island

Meaning: In Greek mythology, Orion was a formidable hunter who was turned into a constellation. The Orion constellation consists of three of the most conspicuous stars in the night sky.

Orion Outerbridge's name was the ultimate last-minute decision.

As the Rhode Island forward's mother Lorna lay in a hospital bed preparing to give birth, his father and uncle were skimming through a book of baby names trying desperately to find one they all could accept.

"At first my mother didn't like Orion because she thought it was spelled the Irish way [O'Ryan]," Outerbridge said. "When they told her it was spelled O-R-I-O-N, she fell in love with the name and decided that's what she wanted to name me."

Outerbridge's friends often call him "Big O," but the 6-foot-9 junior has loved his given name since childhood. Not only does he regularly look up to find the Orion constellation when he's outside at night, he also believes he shares some personality traits with his Greek god namesake.

"He was the hunter and he was fearless," Outerbridge said. "Sometimes I feel like that's who I am when I step out on the court. I try to bring that same mentality."

Dundrecous Nelson, G, Ole Miss

Meaning: none

Dundrecous Nelson's first name has been mispronounced so many different ways over the years that the Mississippi freshman has lost count.

"Dun-DEE-kus, Dun-DRAY-kus, DUN-dre-kus," Nelson said, chuckling. "Every time somebody says my name, they don't say it right. Maybe one time they got it right the first time, but everybody else messes it up."

For the record, Nelson said his first name is pronounced Dun-DREE-kus. The name has no special meaning that he's aware of, but his mother chose it because she simply liked how it sounded.

Although it got irritating as a kid always having teachers and classmates mispronounce his first name, Nelson said having a unique name has grown on him. And considering the 3-point shooting Nelson has provided off the bench in recent weeks, it may not be long before Dundrecous becomes such a household name in Oxford that he won't have to keep correcting everyone.

Jimmer Fredette, G, BYU

Meaning: Short form of James, which is derived from the Hebrew name Jacob meaning, "he who supplants."

Had BYU guard Jimmer Fredette's older sister had her way, Al and Kay Fredette would have chosen a more conventional first name for their second son.

"My daughter was nine when Jimmer was born and she didn't like the name at all," Al Fredette recalled. "She said, ‘That's a crazy name. I'm not going to call him Jimmer.' We won her over after a while. Everyone kept calling him Jimmer."

Fredette's true first name is actually James after his mother's brother, but his family has called the preseason all-American guard Jimmer since the day he was born. His mother liked that name since high school when a younger brother of one of her close friends went by Jimmer.

Kay Fredette went to extraordinary lengths when Jimmer was young to make sure everyone used his nickname.

"She went to school and she said, ‘I'd really prefer you call him Jimmer, not Jimmy or Jim or James. I want him to be called Jimmer,'" Al Fredette said. "It's stuck ever since. Everybody knows him as Jimmer."

Onochie Ochie, G/F, Southeastern Louisiana

Meaning: In Nigeria's Ibo tribe, Onochie means "to replace"

Southeastern Louisiana freshman Onochie Ochie's name may have sounded exotic to his childhood friends in Georgia, but the meaning is probably simpler than they imagined.

In Nigeria's Ibo tribe, the name Onochie is the equivalent to the name Junior in the United States. According to Ochie's father, the basic English translation of Onochie is "to replace."

"It's a name that's very popular in our tribe," Dr. Charles Ochie said. "Onochie means 'to replace' and he will be taking my place. It was very, very important for us to give him that name."

Having an uncommon name forced Ochie to correct some mispronunciations growing up, most notably one well-meaning acquaintance who initially referred to him as "Okie Dokie." Ochie initially disliked his given name and wanted to go by his middle name of Charles, but he came to appreciate it by age 13 or 14.

"Initially he was kind of reluctant because his friends thought it was strange," Charles Ochie said. "We kept telling him to keep his name, keep his name, keep his name and after a while he got to like it."

Stargell Love, G, Baylor

Meaning: Taken from Pittsburgh Pirates star Willie Stargell

Although Stargell Love's mother was a passionate sports fan born and raised in North Carolina, she didn't name her son after Michael Jordan, Dean Smith or any other legends of the Tar Heel state.

Instead, the Baylor freshman's first name comes from Willie Stargell, the slugging first baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates of the 1960s and '70s.

"I don't know what it was about Willie Stargell," Love said. "She just really loved sports and she liked his name, so she named me after him."

Love often introduces himself to strangers by his middle name of Alonzo because he knows it's easier to pronounce, but he said he has liked his name since childhood. He's read all about Willie Stargell and how he led the Pirates to two World Series titles in 1971 and 1979.

It would have been fitting had Love grown up to be a baseball player, but basketball was always his passion.

"I played baseball when I was younger but I never followed through with it," Love said. "I always liked basketball more."

Jabs Newby, G, Eastern Kentucky

Meaning: Jabs is short for Jabulani, which means "to bring happiness."

It didn't take long for Jabulani Newby's family to realize he needed a nickname because others were having trouble pronouncing his first name.

His older sister started calling him "Jabs" when he was 4 years old. Within months, everyone else followed suit.

"I like my nickname a lot because it's short and sweet," the Eastern Kentucky guard said. "I'm one of the few basketball players with a name like that. My name is memorable and nobody's going to forget about it."

Newby's family must have been able to see into the future because both his given name and nickname suit him perfectly.

Jabulani means "to bring happiness" and Newby said he's always smiling. And while Newby has never set foot in a boxing ring, the nickname "Jabs" fits his basketball game well.

"It goes along with my quick jab step on the court," he said.

Beloved Rogers, G, Prairie View A&M

Meaning: Dear to the heart

In the two decades since Robin Carter chose the name "Beloved" for her youngest son, his eighth-grade football coach is the only person she recalls having a problem with her unusual selection.

"The coach called him ‘B,'" Carter said. "He said, ‘I cannot call him Beloved and tell him to go hit someone hard.'"

Carter chose the name "Beloved" for her son when someone told her that's what the name David meant. Rather than choosing the common name for the future Prairie View A&M guard, she opted for the more original one instead.

Despite the football coach's objection, Carter said both she and Beloved are happy with his name.

"His personality and character just fit his name," Carter said. "He's just a caring kid."

Alibaba Odd, G, Delaware State

Meaning: Ali Baba is the protagonist in the story Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves. The name also means "the greatest father" in Swahili.

Alibaba Odd's Delaware State bio says his first name means "the greatest father" in Swahili, but the sophomore guard's mother insists that's not how she chose it.

"It's because of the story," Tanza Odd said. "I thought of the name from that and I just liked the sound of it."

The story, of course, is Ali Baba and the 40 thieves, a fictional tale from medieval Arabic literature. Ali Baba is an honest man who finds the location of the thieves' treasure and eventually is able to profit because of the discovery

Alibaba Odd goes by lots of nicknames, from Bobby to Ali to just "B." Nonetheless, his mother said he doesn't mind his name.

"People would tease him about it but it is what is," Tanza Odd said. "It's not changing. It's his name."

Cashmere Wright, G, Cincinnati

Meaning: fine wool from the undercoat of the cashmere goat

Cashmere Wright's friends and family knew him by his middle name of Akeem for the first 13 years of his life until one of his AAU coaches discovered his unique first name.

"The coach told him there were lots of Akeems out there," the Cincinnati guard's mother, Patricia Wright, said. "Then he asked, 'Why don't you go by Cashmere?'"

Wright was lukewarm about the transition for a while, but he warmed to the idea when he discovered girls liked the name Cashmere better than Akeem.

"The girls thought it was cute and they thought it was unique," Patricia Wright said. "That's when he became Cash."

Patricia Wright came up with the name Cashmere for her son when she was pregnant and heard someone on a TV show mention the word. Ironically, however, she's now one of the few people in Wright's life who still know him as Akeem.

"His family and friends all call him Cashmere, but it's still hard for me," Patricia Wright said. "Every time I call him Akeem, he just looks at me and laughs."

LaceDarius Dunn, G, Baylor

Meaning: None

LaceDarius Dunn has one of the most original names in college basketball, but it may not even be the most memorable in the preseason All-American guard's own family.

His mother's name is Roena. His older sister's name is Roniquia. And his brother's name is DaVarious.

Roena Lee has no regrets about giving her kids such eccentric names. She loves that nobody else has her kids' names and she loves that she receives so much attention because of them.

"I get excited and everybody's like, 'Where you get that from?'" she told the Washington Post earlier this year.

Part of Dunn's first name came from his father, Lacey, but Lee doesn't know how she came up with the rest. It doesn't matter to Dunn, who likes his name even though he admits he often has to correct people on how to say it or spell it.

"I've had it for 23 years. I can't change it," he told the Post. "I turned it into a popular name that people come to know through the things I do. I'm enjoying it."

Honorable Mention: Bak Bak, F, California; Picasso Simmons, G, Murray State; Robo Kreps, G, Illinois-Chicago; Anthony "Humpty" Hitchens, G, James Madison; Blondy Baruti, F, Tulsa; Biko Paris, G, Boston College; 

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Oakland's Larry Wright leveled by the screen of the year

Oakland's Keith Benson showcased solid footwork in the post and deft touch from the perimeter on Tuesday night against Tennessee, but there's at least one area where the 6-foot-11 NBA prospect still needs to improve.

For heaven's sake man, don't forget to call out a screen!

The victim of Benson's inattentiveness was guard Larry Wright, who applied full-court pressure against Tennessee guard Trae Golden and got waylaid near mid-court by a Brian Williams screen he never saw coming. A woozy Wright crumpled to the floor, attempted to get back into the play and then hunched over at the waist and fell again in a daze after the whistle.

Amazingly enough, Wright collected himself enough to stay in the game and help Benson lead Oakland to a memorable come-from-behind 89-82 upset victory over the seventh-ranked Vols.

Wright cannot have endured a more crushing screen than this in his college career, but the joy of Oakland's most significant win of the season probably eased any lingering pain.

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Next Play: Mike Krzyzewski Continues Quiet Climb Up Wins List

Filed under: Duke

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- After 35 years and 880 wins, Mike Krzyzewski tinkered with the buttons on the front of his suit jacket, then clapped and waved politely at the throng of Duke fans that remained at the Greensboro Coliseum long after the outcome of the Blue Devils' 108-62 win had been decided, a sort of reserved celebration that might seem at home in the clubhouse at Augusta or before the Royal Box at Wimbledon.

The victory put Krzyzewski ahead of former North Carolina coach Dean Smith, a man with whom his professional rivalry was so well known that images of Smith dotted the Coliseum, some 13 years after the North Carolina coach retired.

Yet, you see more of a reaction when a defensive lineman stops a play for a 2-yard gain.

Heck, you might see more of a reaction filling in a crossword clue.

On the night of a coaching lifetime, Krzyzewski's celebration was simple, reserved and authentic.

Then it was on to the next game.

Next play.

Just as the coach would've wanted it.

"I don't want to make it sound less than what it is, but number of wins, you have to be healthy, you have to have really good players, you have to have commitment from your school,'' Krzyzewski said. "So, I don't know if that's as much an achievement as much as the result of having all those things. And so I'm not going to look at this as an achievement. When you win a championship ... those are achievements. The number of wins, you have to win a certain number of games -- especially the last one -- to get an achievement.''

 

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Fantasy Football Week 17 QB Stat Projections: Peyton Manning Ends Up on Top

Fantasy football is full of tiny weekly battles that need to be won to help you win the season-long war.

The following is here to help you win those battles.

QB | RB | WR | TE

These numbers are based on a number of factors, each of which is inspected before any projection is made.

The most common usage for these projections is in deciding whom to start and whom to sit from week to week. They can also be used if you're in need of a bye-week replacement or a spot-starter in a given week.

These projections do not take into account the future beyond this season, so they should not be used for dynasty leagues.

The scoring system for these projections may vary from your league's, so please inspect not only the "points" category, but also how the points are accumulated and how the scoring may vary from yours.

The scoring system for these projections is:

• One point per 25 yards passing.
• Four points per passing touchdown.
• Minus-two points per passing interception.
• One point per 10 yards rushing.
• Six points per rushing touchdown.
• Half-point per reception.
• One point per 10 yards receiving.
• Six points per receiving touchdown.

	Player Name	Team	Opp.	Pass Yd	Pass TD	Pass INT	Rush Yd	Rush TD	Points
1	Peyton Manning	IND	TEN	315	3	0	0	0	24.6
2	Aaron Rodgers	GB	CHI	285	3	1	15	0	22.9
3	Eli Manning	NYG	at WAS	285	3	1	0	0	21.4
4	Tim Tebow	DEN	SD	250	1	1	25	1	20.5
5	Sam Bradford	STL	at SEA	280	2	0	0	0	19.2
6	Tom Brady	NE	MIA	250	2	0	0	0	18
7	Philip Rivers	SD	at DEN	250	2	0	0	0	18
8	Drew Brees	NO	TB	290	2	1	0	0	17.6
9	Joe Webb	MIN	at DET	150	1	1	30	1	17
10	Joe Flacco	BAL	CIN	210	2	0	5	0	16.9
11	Matt Schaub	HOU	JAC	270	2	1	0	0	16.8
12	Ben Roethlisberger	PIT	at CLE	230	2	1	15	0	16.7
13	Kevin Kolb	PHI	DAL	265	2	1	0	0	16.6
14	Shaun Hill	DET	MIN	240	2	1	5	0	16.1
15	Matt Cassel	KC	OAK	190	2	0	5	0	16.1
16	Josh Freeman	TB	at NO	185	1	0	30	0	14.4
17	Matt Ryan	ATL	CAR	190	2	1	5	0	14.1
18	Jason Campbell	OAK	at KC	215	1	0	10	0	13.6
19	Rex Grossman	WAS	NYG	230	2	2	0	0	13.2
20	John Skelton	ARI	at SF	215	1	0	0	0	12.6
21	Colt McCoy	CLE	PIT	230	1	1	10	0	12.2
22	Jay Cutler	CHI	at GB	190	2	2	5	0	12.1
23	Chad Henne	MIA	at NE	250	1	1	0	0	12
24	Stephen McGee	DAL	at PHI	205	1	1	15	0	11.7
25	Trent Edwards	JAC	at HOU	240	1	1	0	0	11.6
26	Ryan Fitzpatrick	BUF	at NYJ	190	1	1	15	0	11.1
27	Kerry Collins	TEN	at IND	205	1	1	0	0	10.2
28	Alex Smith	SF	ARI	180	1	1	0	0	9.2
29	Mark Brunnell	NYJ	BUF	135	1	1	0	0	7.4
30	Carson Palmer	CIN	at BAL	180	1	2	0	0	7.2
31	Charlie Whitehurst	SEA	STL	145	1	2	0	0	5.8
32	Jimmy Clausen	CAR	at ATL	140	1	2	0	0	5.6
33	Mark Sanchez	NYJ	BUF	60	0	0	0	0	2.4

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MAD WAGERIN': BOWL SEASON EDITION (VOL. 2)

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Superlatives: The best breakout players of 2010

Revisiting the best (and worst) of the season. Today: First-year freshmen and transfers who hit into the ground at full speed.

6a. Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU.
Technically, Mathieu only started one game, against Louisiana-Monroe, but he was a fixture on one of the top defenses in the country from opening night, when he blindsided UNC quarterback T.J. Yates on a late corner blitz that (temporarily) sealed an LSU win. For the year, Mathieu was fifth on the team and tops in the secondary in tackles, tied for the team lead in passes broken up and was surprisingly active in opposing backfields, with 7.5 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles.

6b. Ricardo Allen, CB, Purdue.
The Boilermaker D left a lot to be desired, especially over the course of a six-game Big Ten losing to close the year. But Allen started every game, finished third on the team in tackles and sealed his rising-star status with pick-sixes in back-to-back weeks against Michigan and Michigan State in November, earning him a second-team all-conference nod from Big Ten media.

5a. Michael Dyer, RB, Auburn.
Incoming hype notwithstanding, Dyer was largely overshadowed by the Tigers' supernova quarterback – and, to a far lesser extent, by the more explosive Onterio McCalebb – and didn't rack up some of the eye-popping numbers he might have in a less crowded backfield. Still, when you get a bear hug from Bo Jackson for breaking his freshman rushing record with three games to go in the regular season, you're off to a pretty good start.

5b. Ronnie Hillman, RB, San Diego State.
Hillman rejoined the Aztecs in the spring after leaving the team at the start of the '09 season, and finished as the leading rusher both among Mountain West backs and all freshman backs nationally. Along the way, he did this en route to 228 yards and two touchdowns in a near-upset at Missouri:

That is all.

4. Robert Woods, WR/KR, USC.
Of all the star power the Trojans imported in the nation's No. 1 recruiting class – especially at wide receiver, where Woods was joined by fellow five-star specimens Kyle Prater and Markeith Ambles – Woods was the only member of the haul who clearly lived up to the hype, finishing his first season as the team's leading receiver and return man and as one of only 16 players in the entire country with 1,800 all-purpose yards.

More 2010 Superlatives
• Dec. 8: Best Upsets
• Dec. 11: Most Overachieving Teams
• Dec. 13: Most Overachieving Players
• Dec. 15: Most Underachieving Players
• Dec. 16: Sharpest Turning Points
• Dec. 20: Most Underrated Players

Meanwhile, only one other member of the class (cornerback Nickell Robey) emerged as a regular starter, and the Trojans' other five-star signees either transferred (Seantrel Henderson), redshirted (Prater), dropped off the face of the earth (Ambles) or spent the year in and out of the lineup and/or Lane Kiffin's doghouse (Dillon Baxter). Woods came correct.

3. Roosevelt Nix, DL, Kent State.
No big schools were particularly interested in a 5-10, 237-pound defensive line recruit, but Nix was an instant hit in the MAC, racking up 20 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and the conference's Defensive Player of the Year award as a true freshman. Not coincidentally, the Golden Flashes suddenly led the league in rushing and total D after years of languishing in the middle of the pack, at best.

For the record, Nix is still only listed at 240, which may be pretty generous.

2. Lavonte David, LB, Nebraska.
Three years ago, David was an overlooked member of the stacked Northwestern (Fla.) class that won the mythical high school national championship in 2007 and subsequently migrated en masse to nearby Miami in 2008, where headliners Marcus Fortson, Jacory Harris and Sean Spence helped make the Hurricanes' '08 recruiting haul one of the most hyped crops in the nation.

David wasn't among the group bound for The U (he originally signed with Middle Tennessee State before taking a detour to Fort Scott Community College in Kansas), but he's well on his way to winning the reunion: In his first year out of the JUCO ranks, he led the Big 12 and finished fourth nationally in total tackles, racked up 11.5 tackles for loss, broke up eight passes, was tabbed by Big 12 coaches as a first-team all-conference pick and landed on a couple of All-America teams as the best player on a defense that finished in the top 10 nationally in yards and points allowed.

1. Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina.
Lattimore didn't exactly catch anyone by surprise – along with Dyer, he was unanimously considered the No. 1 running back in the incoming class – but even the rivals who tried to recruit him couldn't have imagined the force (literally) he proved to be out of the gate. In his first SEC game, Lattimore ran 37 times for 182 yards, scored twice, and broke 29 tackles in a Gamecock win over Georgia. Against top-ranked Alabama, he came as close as any back in three years to cracking the century mark against the Tide with 93 yards on 23 carries, and also caught a touchdown pass in arguably the biggest win in South Carolina history. With the SEC East crown on the line at Florida, where Carolina had never won, he ran 40 times for 212 yards and three scores in a rout that sent the 'Cocks on to Atlanta for the first time.

Those were South Carolina's three biggest games at the kickoff, and Lattimore played a central, occasionally dominant role in all three, for a team that had consistently struggled to assert itself physically in the SEC. Not coincidentally, Carolina found itself playing for its first conference championship in 50 years. He doesn't have the jaw-dropping numbers at the top of the national leaderboards, and he was MIA in the loss to Arkansas (because of injury) and both losses to Auburn. But outside of Newton, almost no one else in any class had the same immediate impact on his team's fate.

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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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