First the king of pop, now the king of mop

I wouldn't be particularly excited about Rich Brooks running my school's football program, but I like the guy. He's getting out of coaching in the next couple of years and knows he was just about cooked at Kentucky in 2006 before finally making a bowl game. It's the combination of knowing he'll never need a favor from anyone else in the league and a certain cynicism hardened by UK fans wanting him run out of town in 2004 and 05 that makes Brooks entertaining to talk with. It also gives him the ability to call BS on "accidental" secondary violations in football recruiting this year. Good for Brooks, because he's right that this stuff has been no accident in several cases and needs to be brought in line.

Did you know the Big 12 appears ready to surpass the SEC in football? I didn't either, but according to the Dallas Morning News they apparently are. That appears to be based on the fact Todd McShay has a ton of Big 12 guys projected high in his mock draft for ESPN.com and that they are expected to have three top ten teams in the preseason poll. The SEC will also have three top tens (including number one) and beat the Big 12 in their two head to head bowl matchups, but they are helpless against the McShay factor. All hail the new king of college football, the mighty Big 12! Well except for Baylor, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas State and Texas A&M. And any conference team matching up against someone who plays defense. Other than that, the Big 12 rules!

We're in the midst of quite a string of prominent figures dying right now. I'm not sure I remember a time where this many well known folks were lost so close together, several unexpectedly. Billy Mays certainly wasn't in the same category as Carradine, McMahon, Fawcett and Jackson, but he had fashioned a remarkable career for himself. His death may have come as a result of a hard landing at Tampa's airport Saturday causing him to strike his head. It's just another reminder to take absolutely nothing for granted. Also not to fly US Airways if there's any way to avoid it, but you probably already knew that.