Headlinin’: ‘Panicked’ LaMichael James took his dislocated elbow into his own hands
Making the morning rounds.
• He's OK, folks! In case you went to bed before the end of Oregon's 43-15 rout over California Thursday night, or immediately after, that is indeed Duck running back LaMichael James, describing for reporters how he personally popped his dislocated right arm back into place on the field following a ghastly injury on the second play of the fourth quarter. Defying all immediate, wincing assumptions that he was likely done for the season, James showed up at the postgame press conference sounding more upbeat than anyone whose arm just briefly turned to jelly has any right to be, and pledged to return within a few weeks.
"I'm good. I will be in an Oregon uniform this year," he said, adding that once popped a dislocated arm back in place in high school, too, and played the following week. "You know, it's not a season-ending injury. I'll be fine. I'm tough, I'm a warrior, I'm never going to quit on my team." [Eugene Register-Guard, Associated Press]
•Come together, right now, over cash. On the same day the informally added TCU as a tenth member, Big 12 presidents and chancellors unanimously approved a new revenue-sharing plan that — like the agreements in the Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC — will finally divvy up all television money equally among all members for at least sixth years. The proposal passed unanimously, with one exception: Missouri, which abstained under advice from legal counsel and admirably restrained itself from interrupting the teleconference by randomly chanting "S-E-C!"[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]
The conference also reached a "compromise" with Texas to prohibit all high school-related content on the Longhorn Network, even news-style highlights that had been given the green light by the NCAA. This is a "compromise" in the sense that Texas gave in to the rest of the league's demands, and the rest of the league accepted. [Orangebloods.com]
• Another one bites the dust. Birmingham-based attorney Glennon Threatt filed a motion Thursday requesting a withdrawal as counsel for Harvey Updyke Jr., making him at least the fourth defense attorney to beg off the case since Updyke was charged with two felonies and multiple misdemeanors for allegedly poisoning a pair of venerated oak trees on Auburn's campus last year. Since Threatt took the case in the spring, Updyke has claimed to have been attacked after his preliminary hearing (police turned up no evidence); taken up a bizarre presence on Twitter; and given multiple, lengthy interviews to ESPN and regional radio ringmaster Paul Finebaum, to whom Updyke apologized on the air last week — barely four months after entering a not guilty plea in court. "I just don't feel I am the person anymore," Threatt said. [Opelika-Auburn News] {YSP:MORE}
• Quote of the Day, Part One. Missouri defensive end Jacquies Smith, on dealing with Kansas State's septuagenarian pace on offense under 72-year-old Bill Snyder: "Who even huddles anymore? They play like their coach." [The Missourian]
• Quote of the Day, Part Two. Jeff Driskel's high school coach, on Driskel's baseball prowess while growing up in Japan: "He was called the white Babe Ruth." [Gainesville Sun]
Quickly… Cliff Harris briefly breaks his media silence to apologize to Oregon fans. … Indiana bids adieu to two tailbacks and a defensive tackle, and suspends a backup cornerback for drunk driving and possession of marijuana. … Point: Of course TCU is a great fit in the Big 12. … Counterpoint: TCU should have stuck with the Big East. … Forget the standings: Texas-Oklahoma is a big day for recruiting, too. … And Derek Dooley's mom thinks his orange pants are "awful." I still like them, coach, but then, I'm not going to hijack a radio show on your behalf.
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Matt Hinton is on Facebook and Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
