On a weekend filled with British sporting civility and Wimbledon formality, the United States brings you the Nathan's hot dog eating contest. USA! USA!

For a trip down memory lane, check out this slideshow from the Huffington Post.

Clay Travis has a really interesting blog on Fanhouse, asking if it's time universities ban their student-athletes from using Facebook. He makes a lot of great points including:

I'm waiting for something that I know is coming, when a rival student holds incriminating information on an athlete and waits to unleash that information on the blogosphere in the week leading up to a big game. Can you imagine the ethical issues raised? What if a Michael Phelps-esque bong photo finds its way onto Facebook featuring a star quarterback? It rapidly disappears, but a rival fan has saved it. For a couple of months all is silent, and then that fan heads out to Las Vegas and drops a good amount of money on the line. Then he or she releases the photo online and waits for the inevitable suspension to ensue. Bang, he pockets the difference on the line, his team wins, and he walks away with a killing.

I guarantee you that a story line similar to this will happen in the next three years. Guarantee it. Just wait.

What do you think? Should universities consider banning their student-athletes from using Facebook?

After a year as a football-only member in the country's oldest historically black athletic league, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), Chowan University announced it would become a full member of the conference beginning in August.

Chowan, located in northeast North Carolina, is the first non-HBCU in the Division II conference's 97-year history. The university will have 10 of its 12 athletic programs competing during the 2009-10 academic year and will hope to expand additional sports in the future.

What do you think of Chowan's decision to enter the league? Do you think this is a positive move for the CIAA? Do you think it is a positive move for Chowan?

USA Today reports that overuse of energy drinks by college and high school athletes is a growing concern among health professionals. At the SUNY Youth Sports Institute's first national symposium on energy drinks, experts concluded that the drinks could lead to dehydration, tremors, heat stroke and heart attacks.

"There's a tremendous amount of caffeine in these drinks," Jeanna Marraffa, a clinical toxicologist at the Upstate New York Poison Center told the paper. "I would say: know what's in these products, have a sense of how much you're consuming and realize they are not safe. Certainly you can have toxic effects from them."

Do you believe student-athletes are abusing energy drinks?

What should be done to ensure safety?

As if Wimbledon hasn't been attracting enough negative media attention this year--see Marta's post yesterday--St Mary's Church in Wimbledon Village has formally apologized for charging spectators £20 and allowing them to park on top of graves in its cemetery.

The BBC is reporting that in years past St Mary's has allowed visitors to park on "graves of people whose descendants cannot be traced" and have donated the money to three designated charities.

A spokesman for St Mary's Wimbledon told the BBC, "Sadly, this year, some cars were parked in inappropriate places. St Mary's is investigating to see how this happened and no further car parking will be allowed in the churchyard.

"The vicar of St Mary's is sorry for any offence that has been caused."

Will Mike Krzyzewski bolt the Blue Devils for the NBA? The latest rumor had Coach K heading to the Lakers to replace Phil Jackson. That's not going to happen.

And, if you believe Krzyzewski (and you should) he's not going anywhere, ever.

He told reporters: "I'm not going to the Lakers. They have one of the great coaches in the game. I don't know where that rumor started, but there has been nothing done like that, and I'm not leaving Duke. Whatever you hear about anything like that, I will never leave Duke until I leave coaching."

Former NCAA champion and Washington student-athlete Ryan Brown is headed to the 2009 World Track and Field Championships in August. Brown finished third in the 800-meters on the final day of the U.S. Track & Field Championships at Oregon's Hayward Field.

According to a press release, Huskie athletes racked up seven Top-10 finishes: Brad Walker (1st, men's pole vault), Aretha Thurmond (2nd, women's discus), Brown (3rd, men's 800m), Mel Lawrence (5th, women's steeplechase), Scott Roth (tie-8th, men's pole vault), Norris Frederick (9th, men's long jump).

Brown is the first Huskie to earn his way onto Team USA since Jim Seymour ran the hurdles in the 1972 Olympics.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith has been appointed chairman of the Division I Men's Basketball Committee for 2010-11.

Smith will succeed UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero, who will be chair for the upcoming school year. Smith has been at Ohio State since 2005 and is in his second year as associate vice president.

"Being a member of the men's basketball committee is a prestigious honor that comes with incredible responsibility to our membership," Smith said. "I have the highest possible respect for the colleagues with whom I serve. There is a high level of admiration for the way past chairs have handled keeping with the mission of this committee, and I look forward to the opportunity to continue the important work of this group."

Princeton announced yesterday that Chris Bates will become head coach of its men's lacrosse program and replace Hall of Fame coach Bill Tierney who surprised the lacrosse world by accepting a job as head coach at Denver earlier this month.

Bates, a Dartmouth graduate*, coached against Tierney during his 10 year position as head coach at Drexel.

Check out the interview I had with Coach Tierney about his decision to head to Denver and what it meant for the national growth of lacrosse.

*Originally misreported

At this year's National Association of College and University Business officers (NACUBO) annual meeting the economy was a hot topic. But even in this period of downturn, not all conversation was negative.

Public schools are finding higher enrollment rates, including an increase in out of state students with elevated tuition, as students are looking for a more affordable solution to education.

The Chronicle of Higher Education even pointed to the rare blessings found in rising costs. In the case of Hardin-Simmons University in Texas, the increase in oil prices is beneficial because they have oil interests and investments.

"It's a good time for doing construction," Glenn Carter, associate vice president for financial administration at Walla Walla University, told the Chronicle of Higher Education. "Contractors are hungry."

Schools that had budgeted for construction projects may be receiving more competitive rates in light of the decrease in demand.

With all the bad news surrounding our economy NACUBO managed to provide a bit of a silver lining.

We're a little late to this party, but the Web site Causecast has a really cool video of the Florida Gator's visit to the White House where the President praised them for their community involvement and services. The team shares their philosophy about the importance of getting involved:

Check out Causecast if you get a chance. From their Web site:

Causecast is a platform where media, philanthropy, social networking, entertainment and education converge to serve a greater purpose.

People want to do good, want to be inspired, and want to inspire others to join them in giving back. Causecast makes this easy by providing users with means to CONNECT with people, leaders, charities, nonprofit organizations, and brands that inspire them.

NCAA President Myles Brand accepted the 2009 Pathfinder Award on Sunday. It was one of his most public appearances since being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer earlier this year.

"It's been my great pleasure to help lead the work of the NCAA these past seven years," he said. "I believe it's a great mission, and we are now harvesting the benefits of our hard work."

Pathfinder awards have been given out since 1988 by the Indiana Sports Corporation and Indiana Black Expo to recognized individuals who have demonstrated a dedicated commitment to improving the lives of America's youth. Jack and Barbara Nicklaus and WNBA star Tamika Catchings were also honored.

You might have seen the recent video on Yahoo.com of AAA outfielder Josh Womack showing off his crazy bat skills. Well, another video of Womack's bat tricks is making the rounds, and it should end any debate about whether or not his tricks are real.

Womack said he has been doing these sorts of bat tricks since high school, and always boggles the minds of teammates, opponents and onlookers with his skills.

Last night Tiger Woods appeared on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" to square off with the host in three holes of golf--virtual golf that is.

Fallon challenged Woods in the Wii version of the video game Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 and defeated his guest handedly.

When I read this, I immediately thought of a recent article the New York Times did on cost saving measures colleges are implementing. Apparently, Dickinson College held a "virtual swim meet" with Bryn Mawr College, about 112 miles away, where both schools competed at their home pools and compared event times to determine the winner.

As ludicrous as this concept sounds, Dickinson's president estimated the school saved $900 on bus travel.

While it is common practice for school's to self report violations to the NCAA, I have never heard of an institution enforcing its own punishment like Australian rugby coach Brad Fittler announced Wednesday.

In a press conference Fittler apologized for forcing entrance to a hotel room that he mistook as his own after a night of drinking.

"I brought embarrassment to the club, myself and my family," Fittler said. "I'd also like to take this opportunity to apologize to the occupants of the room concerned. As a result I've fined myself $10,000 and that donation will be going to a suitable charity."

As we celebrated the anniversary of a law granting American women equality in education and athletics, women around the world struggled for the same liberties.

In response to an 8-year-old girl asking why she was not allowed to play sports in school, Saudi Arabia's Prince Khaled al-Faisal responded the he hoped government schools for girls would allow playing fields.

As governor of the holy city of Mecca and one of the most senior second-generation members of the royal family, al-Faisal's statement is the strongest thus far endorsing women's sports.

As it currently stands, physical education classes are banned from state-run female schools in Saudi Arabia and female athletes are not allowed to participate in the Olympics.

While some Saudi women have quietly been forming female teams throughout the kingdom, the debate over government organized athletic opportunities for young women has heated up in Saudi newspapers recently and the prince's comments could mean reform is on the way.

Women also face social restrictions throughout the kingdom including a ban on driving and voting. Creating female athletics could be a vital stepping stone towards larger gender equity reforms.

President Obama announced yesterday that he will streamline the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application process by reducing its 153 questions by 20 percent.

Previously the form proved too confusing for many families. A study by the American Council on Education found that 1.5 million students eligible for Pell grants did not fill out an application.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan said at a White House briefing Wednesday, "The form itself was a huge barrier. It was literally keeping tens of thousands - even hundreds of thousands of students - from going to college because they couldn't negotiate this form."

Duncan went on to add that the improvements "are designed to help increase college enrollment among low-income and middle-income students by making it easier to apply for financial aid."

The changes will take effect in January 2010 and hope to make higher education attainable for families in the struggling economy.

Oklahoma Regents approved a revised contract for football coach Bob Stoops.

According to the Tulsa World, the reworked deal, which was extended two years through Dec. 31, 2015, will pay Stoops $30.125 million.

Also, Duke's most recent IRS documents were obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press. They show that Duke paid basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski more than $3.6 million during the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2008.

Krzyzewski's salary is about 3½ times that of Duke's next highest-paid employee. Chancellor emeritus Dr. Ralph Snyderman made about $983,000.

The BCS has rejected a proposal by Mountain West Conference to create an eight team playoff. The move was designed to allow greater access to the championship game by conferences outside the big six.

ESPN Reports:

"There was no overall support for the proposal, although some conferences were interested in considering certain elements of it in the future -- particularly those related to revenue, access and governance of the BCS arrangement," said University of Oregon president David Frohnmayer, the outgoing committee chairman, in a statement.

Frohnmayer added that all 10 conferences and Notre Dame generated reports that backed the same conclusion: They want to retain the current postseason format and comply with the current television contract.

Vice President (and 1968 Syracuse University College of Law graduate) Joe Biden met with the NCAA champion Syracuse lacrosse team Wednesday to celebrate the school's NCAA-record 11th national championship.

The team had dinner at the Vice President's residence last night, and took a tour of the White House this morning.

Follow the trip on Syracuse's official blog.

The College of William & Mary in Virginia is seeking recommendations on its new mascot. While the athletic teams are referred to as "The Tribe," the college is open to ideas that may or may not resemble the nickname.

Over 400 nominations have been submitted and reportedly range from a feathered horse to an asparagus stalk. The nominator of the asparagus has argued that when served with cheese, the stalk represents the school's colors.

Do you have any ideas for a potential mascot? What are your favorite college mascots?

William & Mary people talk about their favorite mascot ideas. Produced by Spencer Milne, Director of Ticket Operations, W&M Athletics

Michael Jordan's son, Jeff Jordan, will not be playing basketball at Illinois next year.The second-year player who walked on with the Illini said Wednesday he plans to focus on his studies. He says he's ready for "life after basketball."

"I loved playing for the Fighting Illini and appreciate the support I was given by my teammates, coaches and the great fans here," Jordan said. "But I have come to the point where I'm ready to focus on life after basketball. I will concentrate on earning my degree from the University of Illinois and the opportunities that await upon graduating."

You know the saying: "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes and it'll change!" Well, the same can be said about Oregon's football uniforms.

Nike has been providing Oregon with new game-day apparel on a regular basis since the 1996 Cotton Bowl. On Tuesday, fans got a sneak peek at the newest uniforms.

Oregon will again have green, yellow, black and white as jersey options, but adds a second white top to the mix featuring different accent colors. For pants, the Ducks will choose from green, black, white or steel, which replaces yellow for this uniform cycle. And helmet options now come in green, black, white and carbon. The black and white paint schemes are new for 2009, while the carbon helmet replaces Oregon's yellow helmet.

Oregon will have 80 different combinations (jersey/pant/helmet) to choose from.

Check out the photo gallery of the new threads.

I'm still not sure how I feel about the wing design on the shoulders.

Texas plated all five of its runs in the first three innings of last night's College World Series Game 2, earning the 5-1 win over LSU and forcing a winner-takes-all Game 3 tonight.

Long Horn freshman Taylor Jungmann threw his first collegiate complete game, surrendering just five hits to an offense-driven Tiger squad.

The loss snapped a 14-game win streak and squashed hopes for a historic 10-0 title run for LSU, who had been averaging 9.5 runs in the first four games of the CWS.
Tonight, Texas' Cole Green (5-3, 3.07 ERA) will take the mound against Anthony Ranaudo (11-3, 2.87) of LSU at 7 pm ET.

ESPN reports that "New Jersey governor Jon Corzine is ready to file a brief in support of an existing lawsuit claiming the 1992 federal sports betting ban is unconstitutional."

According to ESPN, Corzine's actions are important because the governor appears to be reacting to Delaware's recent approval of sports wagering in their state under the guise that it will help offset a growing state deficit. It may also bring the federal ban on sports wagering one step closer to being overturned.

Georgia gymnast Courtney Kupets was awarded the Honda-Broderick Cup, given to the nation's top female college athlete. Kupets battled two torn achillies tendons through her collegiate and Olympic career, which includes silver and bronze medals and amassing a record nine individual titles in just three seasons.

"Tearing your Achilles used to be something that you didn't return [from]," Kupets told ESPN. "They have medical advances now to help you get through and get you back in shape in six months.

"Tearing it again, I think it might have been harder. I knew what I had to go through. I had to be patient again, and that wasn't fun."

There are some cool trick shots out there, but we challenge anyone to take on this kid in a game of H.O.R.S.E. Check out this amazing video:

USA Today teamed with The Princeton Review to create a list of "100 Best Value Colleges for 2009." The list aims to help students and families "make every education dollar count" in the recent economy by highlighting schools that provide high-quality academics at a reasonable price.

According to the article, the list considers, "academics, costs and financial aid, using the most recently reported data from each institution for its 2008-09 academic year. Additionally, 160,000 to 175,000 student surveys provided input for the academic ratings."

Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania earned the No. 1 sport among private schools while University of Virginia in Charlottesville topped the field of public institutions.

Check out the article to see the rest of the list.

Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA), the world governing body of swimming, announced today that there will be virtually no restrictions on swim suits at this summer's world championships, contrary to the announcement they made last month.

Over 100 world records have been broken in the last 18 months and many point to the new technological advances in suits, including the ability to reduce friction and increase buoyancy by trapping air, as unfair advantages that are drastically altering the sport.

More than 300 suits from over two dozen manufacturers have been given FINA's stamp of approval for the summer championship on July 25-August 2nd.

FINA plans to set stricter guidelines beginning next year, but felt that there was not enough time before the championship to "create and implement comprehensive control mechanisms and test methods" to determine which suits enhanced performance and which did not.

It wasn't 25, but 11 innings isn't exactly a walk in the park. LSU beat Texas in the first game of the men's College World Series, 7-6. "I'm so proud of these kids," Tigers coach Paul Mainieri told ESPN. "To have their backs against the wall on that kind of stage and to come up with that kind of effort, it's one for the ages."

Watch the recap on ESPN.

Hundreds attended a memorial for former University of Kansas athletics director Robert Frederick who died suddenly after a biking accident. Frederick's former pastor, Peter Luckey, remembered him as a good story teller with a love of competition.

A student-athlete, Katie Martincich, told the campus newspaper, "There was no greater class time than Dr. Bob's story time. The lessons from his experience were more valuable than any textbook material," she said. "There was no way you could leave his class each day without a smile on your face."

The College World Series finals begin tonight, pitting top-ranked LSU against a Texas team that made it to the finals thanks to some timely homeruns against Arizona State. For viewers' sake we hope the games will be a bit shorter than Texas 25-inning, 3-2 win over Boston College at the Austin Regional.

Texas faces tough competition from an LSU team headed by coach Paul Mainieri. Mainieri and the Tigers will be cheered on by three generations of Mainieri men, including the patriarch Demie--a national champion junior college coach.

"When I was coaching," Demie Mainieri told the New York Times, "I was also the athletic director, so nobody was going to fire me. We had expectations, but nothing like this. They get 10,000 people a game."

The Wall Street Journal, in light of recent baseball prodigy Bryce Harper, ran an interesting article highlighting high school student athletes that have been featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

It's an interesting look at how the careers and lives of these young people developed. There are a few that boast remarkable collegiate careers.

The NFL made official this week its decision to expand the Rooney Rule to include front-office workers.

"The discussion at the league meeting identified the strong reasons for taking this step, which in large part simply confirms a recommended practice that clubs have voluntarily embraced," Goodell said in a written statement released by the NFL. "The recommendation also recognizes that this process has worked well in the context of head coaches, and that clubs have deservedly received considerable positive recognition for their efforts in this respect."

While the Rooney Rule has worked to help diversify the NFL coaching ranks, NCAA President Myles Brand and Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Charlotte Westerhaus maintain a similar rule for college athletics won't work.

"The 'Rooney Rule' is an interviewing rule," writes Westerhaus in a recent blog post. "More candidates than ever before were interviewed last fall without an interview mandate similar to the 'Rooney Rule' and without the possibility of sanctions for noncompliance. What was the end result? Only four African Americans were hired as head football coaches of color in Division I FBS. This simply is not good enough.

"The NCAA is not opposed to equal opportunity within the interview process. But what is needed now is an end to side-stepping the crux of the hiring dilemma. Interviewing is not hiring. What is needed is more hires of head football coaches of color, not mandated interviews and the continued perpetuation of false hope."

What's the solution to the minority hiring dilemma?

North Carolina eliminated Southern Mississippi from the College World Series yesterday in an 11-4 victory, sending Golden Eagle head coach Corky Palmer into retirement.

The Tar Heels entered their names into the CWS record books with an impressive 23 hits, tying the most by a team in CWS single game history. More impressively, however, was the performance by senior Dustin Ackley.

Ackley went 5-for-6 at the plate and recorded his 27th career CWS hit in 14 games, the most in NCAA Championship history. The lefty, who was chosen second overall in this year's MLB draft, has played at the CWS in each of his seasons with UNC but has yet to leave with a national title.

"To have the most hits in the College World Series is something that is special to me, and I think it will be even more special as time goes on," Ackley told USA Today. "But right now it's kind of hard to think about that, because we're still playing and we still have a chance to win a national championship.

"That would mean even more to me. I'm just trying to focus on that."

One year after floods devastated portions of the region, the University of Iowa's track and field and softball teams are still recovering. According to The Daily Iowan, "university workers had to put in new dirt, lay new grass, rip out all existing carpet, and rebuild lockers" at the softball complex.

"It was quite a challenge ... with Pearl, we redid the entire complex, including the three recreational fields," Associate Athletics Director Jane Meyer told the university paper. "We redid the locker rooms, to the restrooms, to the concession areas, and re-sodded the field."

Damage to the track, which was undergoing improvements when the floods hit, meant the university was unable to host the Big Ten championships. The university will host the championships in 2011.

Have you read about the cool new technology the NBA is using to quantify the play of its athletes? According to the New York Times, the NBA tested a high-tech tracking system, comprised of six high-definition cameras that track and document the movement of players. The cameras pull information into a database, which then assesses the movements on the court.

During the finals, writes the Times, "The cross-angle cameras confirmed that a goaltending call on Orlando's Dwight Howard was accurate. When Howard blocked the shot by Andrew Bynum, the ball had already descended about 3 inches, according to the computers."

How cool is that!?!

The MAC has announced plans to trim more than $100,000 from the conference budget. Cutbacks include abolishing printed media guides, discontinuing media days for men's and women's basketball and eliminating gifts athletes receive during MAC championships.

An umpire at a high school game in West Burlington, Iowa ejected a crowd of more than 100 after several members yelled comments following a controversial call. The umpire eventually allowed the crowd to return, but only after asking police to observe. The superintendent for the school said he believes the umpire overreacted. There's no question that umpires at all levels occasionally deal with abusive crowds, but did this high school ump make the right call?

ESPN will televise the Rose Bowl Game starting in January 2011, it was announced today by John Wildhack, ESPN executive vice president, programming and acquisitions.

Beginning in January 2011, the Fiesta, Orange and Sugar Bowls, as well as the BCS National Championship game, will be on ESPN in a contract that runs through 2014.

Acoording to an article in USA Today, officials in the New York City parks department and the Los Angeles schools have decided to forgo crumb rubber in artificial turf. The two cities will use alternative materials, such as coated grains of sand, as the cushion layer beneath the synthetic grass.

Some studies have linked crumb rubber elevated lead levels.

Auburn men's and women's swimming and diving coach Richard Quick died Wednesday from cancer. Quick was a six-time United States Olympic coach and won 13 NCAA titles.

He served as Tiger's head coach from 1978-82, coming back to the school in 2007. In December 2008 Quick was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.

"We are tremendously saddened by the passing of Richard Quick, who is one of the finest individuals that I've ever known," Auburn Athletics Director Jay Jacobs said in a statement on the Auburn Web site. "While he lost a valiant battle against a cruel disease, Richard was an inspiration to countless people who were touched by his steadfast faith and amazing courage in the face of tremendous adversity. Richard will be remembered as one of the greatest coaches in the history of swimming, but more importantly, he will be remembered as a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather and teacher."

According to the New York Times, "candy before exercise can enhance performance, but only to a point."

I've heard stories of swimmers eating Jello powder and honey before a swim. There's even a rumor that frozen York peppermint patties can give you a better boost than any other candy.

Still, sugar from candy is probably just as effective as sugar from an apple. At least with the apple you get some added nutrients (but, I guess it's probably not as tasty as the York).

What's more exciting to a high school student athlete than winning the state championship two years in a row? Doing it all by yourself.

That's exactly what Bonnie Richardson from Rochelle, Texas did as the only member of the women's Track & Field team at Rochelle High School. Richardson earned first in the long jump and high jump events, second in the discus, third in the 200-yard dash and fourth in the 100-yard dash for a grand total of 38 points. Her total placed her two points ahead of second-place Cayuga and made her the first athlete to ever accomplish such a feat.

Check out Stuart Kantor's coverage of Richardson's amazing accomplishment on Rivals High.

Villanova's star point guard Scottie Reynolds has decided to remain a Wildcat for his senior season, removing his name from the NBA draft pool on Tuesday. Ironically, Reynolds' decision came on the morning of the MLB draft in which three College World Series participants and nine high school students were drafted in the Top 20.

It's refreshing to see that education is still a priority for such a high profile player, especially after his game winning heroics in post season play last year. Are you excited to watch another year of March Madness with Reynolds on the floor?

The NCAA and NBA announced yesterday the launch of iHoops, a Web site designed for the youth basketball community in the United States and Canada. The site will feature skill-training curriculum, certification programs for coaches and officials, and the opportunity to register for events, tournaments and programs. It also will feature instructional videos, player profiles and highlights from tournaments.

iHoops CEO Kevin Weiberg called the Web site, "a solid foundation for achieving our goal to improve the environment in youth basketball for boys and girls, parents, coaches and officials."

That depends. How much do you know about college athletics? According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, knowledge of athletics is a key differentiator for those seeking the top spot. Do you think an understanding of intercollegiate athletics is more important for a Division I, II or III president?

In a move aimed to curb contact under the basket, the Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved a rule, requiring that a secondary defender must establish position outside the area from the front of the rim to the front of the backboard to draw a charge/player-control foul.

The panel also approved a change that impacts few-throws by injured players. According to the full report in the NCAA News, "If a player is fouled (without the foul being flagrant or intentional) and unable to attempt the free throws, the opposing coach will choose from among the four remaining players on the court to attempt the free throws. The change is for men's basketball only (the women's basketball rules committee did not forward a similar proposal)."

Lastly, the panel also approved a rule that allows officials to use television monitors to determine if a flagrant foul occurred.

What do you think of these rules changes?

Tonight, Texas, the national top seed, and No. 10 TCU will square off in game three to decide who will earn the one remaining tournament berth to the College World Series in Omaha. After falling to Texas, 10-4, in the series opener, the Horned Frogs earned three tallies off of two homeruns to top Texas, 3-2, and force game three. Tonight's matchup marks the first Super Regional Championship game appearance by TCU in school history.

Tonight's winner will join Arizona State, North Carolina, Southern Miss., Cal State Fullerton, Arkansas, Virginia and LSU In Omaha, where first round play kicks off Saturday, June 13th. Match-Ups for the tournament will be announced this evening at 10 p.m. (ET) on NCAA.com

Did you read Harold O. Levy's op-ed in yesterday's New York Times? In it Levy, the former New York City schools chancellor, makes some pretty innovative suggestions for saving education in America.

His ideas include mandatory schooling until the age of 19, including one year of post-secondary education. He also suggests that college accreditation reports be unsealed so that the Department of Education can accurately rank schools, rather than consumers relying on rankings from outside groups such as U.S. News and World Report.

What do you think of Levy's suggestions?

High school students in urban areas across the country have come to appreciate squash. Yes, squash.

According to the New York Times, after-school programs that combine squash and academics are popping up around the country. There's even the National Urban Squash and Education Association, which has organized these local groups for tournaments and other outreach programs.

"Squash is the vehicle," George Polsky, executive director of StreetSquash, told the Times. According to the paper, Plosky's program requires a four-day-a-week commitment that includes two days of homework and squash and one day of SAT prep (for high school students) or literacy education (for sixth to eighth graders). "It means more to me to help them figure out a math problem than how to hit a serve," he said.

The University of Utah is selling pieces of the old turf from Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Beginning July 1, 350 pieces of turf (about 13 inches long and about 10 inches wide ) will be sold at the campus bookstore for $99. The old turf is being replaced by a new version of the FieldTurf.

The Washington Huskies have had a good week. Not only did they win the softball national championship, they also got word that their team's boosters had shelled out $400,000 to install lights in their home stadium.

The lights have been a significant issue in the Huskies' post-season play. Even though they were the highest seed in the regional and super regionals, they weren't allowed to host because EPSN wanted the option to telecast West Coast games at night and temporary lights were not an option.

Rather than hosting, the team was forced to play tough road games in Amherst, Massachusetts and Atlanta before flying to Oklahoma City for the World Series.

"It was tough being on the other team's home field where they have the home crowd and they have the momentum, especially when you deserve to be at home," Coach Heather Tarr told USA Today. "On the other side I think playing on the road helped us win a championship, because we had to gut out those close games on our way there. If we didn't get that experience I don't know if we would've won."

The lights will be dedicated to star pitcher Danielle Lawrie and the 2009 team.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has jumped on the World Cup bandwagon, formally endorsing the United State's bid for the 2018 or 2022 games.

"Soccer is the world's most popular sport and California has been home to some of its most exciting games, and I am proud to be a part of bringing the World Cup back to the United States," Schwarzenegger said. "The millions of fans from around the globe that will travel to the United States to cheer their teams will prove a great benefit for our state, our nation and the world of soccer."

Do you think soccer will become more popular in the United States if we're selected to host the Cup?

A special thanks to USA Today columnist Michael Hiestand for illustrating why we love (and sometimes hate) Twitter. In his recent column, Hiestand takes a look at sportscasters and their sometimes surprising tweets.

Take Warren Sapp's less than 140 character: "Spa Day!!!!" How about CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell's: "I had a dream I was wearing a nadal headband. Now I want to buy one."

If there was ever a reason to follow Big Ten Network's Mike Hall it's to reply to this tweet: "Looking for ridiculous catch phrase. Whichever reply is best I'll use on air this weekend!"

Seriously, you need to check out this column. Hilarious.

What interesting sportscasters or athletes do you follow?

The PAC -10 has won 22 of 28 Division I women's softball championships. The only non-conference teams to win were Texas A&M (1983, 1987), Cal State Fullerton (1986), Fresno State (1998), Oklahoma (2000) and Michigan (2005). There has been at least one PAC-10 school in the finals 26 out of 28 championships. Can you think of a conference in any other sport or division that so regularly dominates the field? What's the reason for the PAC-10 success?

The best seat in the house is on the press box roof behind home plate. I climbed up a ladder (not made for a guy who's 6'6) behind the concession stands and found myself looking out over the entire stadium. It was a spectacular view.

The only things up there were the ESPN camera operator and a bunch of foul balls.

Check out the view:

It's sitting right next to me! We'll see if it comes out of the box tonight.

Game 1 photos

All Photos by Shane Bevel/NCAA Photos

Read all about game one

Check out the behind the scenes coverage from the week.

Follow along with all the action online:

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Simon Fraser became the first Canadian school to apply for Division II membership on Monday. The school was one of 15 schools applying for admittance to Division II.

According to the NCAA News, "The Division II Membership Committee will review applications during its July 7-9 meeting in Indianapolis. Successful applicants will enter a two-year candidacy period and must complete at least one provisional year before achieving active status."

Attendance at women's basketball games reached an all-time high for the 2009 season, increasing attendance from 11,114,054 in 2008 to 11,160,293. It was the third time the sport reached the 11 million mark.

Division II represented the largest growth with an additional 124,000 fans attending games.

What do you think accounts for the increase in attendance despite the tough economy?

After Washington defeated Florida in game 1 of the Women's College World Series both teams talked to the media.

Washington ace Danielle Lawrie talks about her pitching performance after Game 1 of the Women's College World Series.

University of Florida Head Coach Tim Walton talks about bouncing back after losing Game 1 of the Women's College World Series.

There have been 13 games played on the WCWS field in four days, and it's still in great shape.

I had chance to catch up with Rick Newville, the ASA's Sports Turf Superintendent. This is his fifth Women's College World Series. He's responsible for maintaining all four fields at the Amateur Softball Association's Hall of Fame Stadium.

How many people are on your staff?

When we have a fast turnaround (for the WCWS games) we have between 10-12 guys working on the field.

What's the trick to keeping the field in such good shape?

Being consistent with our maintenance practices. The weather in Oklahoma City varies so much it's tough on the grass, but the Bermuda grass seems to be doing really well.

Tell me about a typical day at the WCWS?

Depends on the weather. If not rain in the forecast we'll arrive at 8 a.m. (for a noon ball game). We do a little work on the practice fields, getting them ready for the teams, and then move over to the main field. When we get to the main field, the first thing we do is rebuild the pitching and hitting areas. We completely pull all the amendment (a material mixed into soil to improve growing conditions) off the pitching and hitting areas and put new amendment down. We take a box blade to the pitching and hitting dirt after each game to level out the areas.

Why do you water down the dirt before the game?

It's done to maximize the playing field. Any good turf manager will tell you the ideal infield should be like a springboard. You want a cleat to go in and come back out with very minimal disruption. The water helps bond all the particles and create the ideal infield.

How does the weather compare to past WCWS?

The weather has been really good this week because it's been consistent. Two years ago we got an immense amount of rain and had to bring a tarp from the practice field to cover the outfield because there was so much rain.

What are you guys doing between game?

Hang out in the air conditioned office and watching the games on TV.

The Youth Education through Sports (YES) Clinics, the NCAA's premier outreach to youth across the country, are designed to teach girls and boys the "fun" in fundamentals of sports and life.

The program providea kids, ages 10-16, with a unique opportunity to interact with student-athletes and college coaches, participate in drills, receive conditioning tips, and learn life skills and sportsmanship.

Parents also attend a seminar and are able to ask questions about NCAA academics and athletics requirements, injury prevention and sportsmanship.

More than 200 girls participated in the first day of the program, hosted at Putnam City Optimist Complex. 20 student-athletes and 10 coaches, including Wright State softball coach Mike Larabee and Tennessee State's Joyce Maudie, provided instruction to the students.

YES Clinics Director Tim Clark talks about the program:

Wright State softball coach Mike Larabee leads a session:

Listen to Reese Jacobs talks about bringing his daughter and her best friend to the YES Clinic and the Women's College World Series.

Click here for a recap of Thursday and Friday's action at the WCWS.

Another record attendance! 8,475 - for tonight's session!

Elimination games

Alabama 6, Arizona State 2

Georgia 7, Michigan 5: Georgia's Taylor Schlopy homered twice to become only the fourth player in World Series history to homer twice in one game, and the Bulldogs set a Series record with four home runs in a game.

Early games:

Alabama 14, Arizona 0: Alabama scored eight runs in the second inning and set records for the most runs scored in a World Series game and the most lopsided victory in the event's 27-year history in its win over Arizona.

Georgia 5, Missouri 2: Georgia knocked Missouri out of the Women's College World Series with a 5-2 win in today's first game.

Today's photo galleries

It's a hot day in Oklahoma City. Fans are doing what they can to stay cool!

I think Missouri might be at a disadvantage wearing the dark uniforms in this heat - almost 90 degrees, and no doubt hotter on the field.

Watch a couple of fans try to run the bases after spinning around 10 times.

It's a hot day in Oklahoma City. Fans are doing what they can to stay cool!

During every WCWS game fans get a chance to participate in on-field games.

Watch a couple of fans try to run the bases after spinning around 10 times.

Fans who want to grab something to eat won't miss any of the action. Concession stands behind home plate are showing the ESPN broadcast.

Tomorrow I'll be sampling the ballpark food. I've already spotted a BBQ stand with sandwiches as big as your head. Awesome.

A record crowd of 8,323 fans were on hand for today's session. The old record was 8,230 (Session 3, 2008 Texas A&M def. La.-Louisiana, 2-1; Arizona State def. UCLA, 4-0).

I'd expect this record-breaking turnout will continue through the weekend.

A look at the stadium before the game's today:

Washington's Morgan Stuart singled home the winning run to lead the Huskies past defending champion Arizona State 1-0 in eight innings.

Listen to the crowd erupt after her game-winning hit.

It's a hot day in Oklahoma City. Sunscreen is a must and floppy hats are the accessories of choice for fans. At 7:30 p.m. (local time) it's still 81 degrees ... but much cooler in the shade.

Can you feel the heat?

Fans on the first base line:

Fans on the third base line:

In a cost-cutting move, Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin announced they will stop printing sport's media guides immediately. The information will be available on the Internet.

Michigan and Ohio State issued a joint statement that said the schools estimate that together they will save more than $250,000 per year.

In a separate announcement, Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez said that the move will save his department up to $200,000.

The Delaware Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the sports betting law signed this month by governor Jack Markell complies with the state's constitution.

Attorneys for the NFL argued to have the law ruled unconstitutional. But all five justices on the state's highest court saw otherwise.

The NCAA opposes all forms of legal and illegal sports wagering, which has the potential to undermine the integrity of sports contests and jeopardizes the welfare of student-athletes and the intercollegiate athletics community. This section contains links to resources on the history and pervasiveness of wagering in intercollegiate athletics, as well as resources to help administrators and student-athletes keep their programs and teams clear of gambling-related problems.

Check out the NCAA's "Don't Bet On It" Web Site - An interactive resource for sports wagering education.

After each of the opening round games the teams sign autographs and take pictures with the fans before leaving the stadium. After every game there are tons of kids and adults lined up with posters in hand.

It was cool to see the student-athletes take time (even when the lost the game) to talk with the fans and thank them for coming out.

Watch Michigan meet their fans:

I had a chance to speak with softball player Kelly Kretschman while she signed autographs at Fan Fest.

Kretschman is an Olympic gold medalist and former student-athlete. At Alabama, she was a Four-time NFCA All-American, member of the All-Women's College World Series Team (2000). During her freshman season she led the NCAA in homeruns (25) and slugging percentage. She graduated in 2001.

Watch the interview: