Georgia gets tough. I have to tip my cap to Georgia director of athletics Damon Evans, who has recently instituted an attendance policy for the school???s student-athletes. Evans??? policy will hold student-athletes accountable for their actions and should create an environment that embraces an academics-first philosophy. Georgia will fine student-athletes $10 for each unexcused absence from a tutor session and three skipped classes will result in suspension from 10 percent of competition. Beginning August 1, each SEC athletics department will be mandated to institute some type of attendance policy for student-athletes. The schools can decide their own policies, but suspension from competition must be part of the penalty structure. The rule was created by SEC faculty athletics representatives ??? faculty members from each school who work closely with the athletics departments to help ensure the proper emphasis on academics.

340 minutes of bliss. I was a couple of minutes late to work this morning, but I have a great excuse: the highlights from yesterday???s baseball game between UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton were on ESPN and there was no possible way to leave my house. The longest, and one of the greatest, College World Series games was played Monday, as the two California schools battled for a record five hours and 40 minutes. Eight batters were hit by pitches during the game and in the 13th inning, Fullerton coach George Horton was ejected after arguing that UC Irvine???s Taylor Holiday, who was beaned three times during the game, was leaning into pitches to get hit intentionally. Moments later, Fullerton left fielder Josh Fellhauer threw a seed from the outfield to catcher John Curtis, cutting down Holiday at the plate and prolonging the game. Fellhauer couldn???t save the Titans for long, however, as Bryan Petersen ripped a single to center in the bottom of the 13th to give upstart UC Irvine the 5-4 victory. Fullerton was knocked out with losses in its first two games while UC Irvine will play against Arizona State tonight in another elimination game.

Repeat champs? Oregon State and Arizona State had to wait an awful long time to take the field last night, but when they finally began playing, it was all Beavers. Oregon State pounded 18 hits and scored in each of the first six innings to cruise to a 12-6 victory. The Beavers are hoping to become the first repeat champions since LSU in 1996-97.