Bud Withers of the Seattle Times did a pretty thorough story on this a couple years ago and his research determined that Pac-10 officials do call a substantially higher number of penalties compared to other conferences, especially holding and pass interference.

The Pac-10 tried to spin it and say that's because the Pac-10 has so many wide-open offenses, but we all know that's crap.

His research also showed that Pac-10 officials call more penalties in bowl games as well. So you can believe your lying eyes and Bud's research, or the Pac-10.

Of course, SEC officials are regularly accused of protecting the league's top teams to enhance their BCS bowl chances, too, and some of the things I've seen inthat league make me believe that claim has merit, too,

I think the opposite is true. Having been a former minor-league player, he knows just how hard it is to make the majors, and that in the long run virtually everyone who has the choice between signing at 18 or signing at 21 is far, far better off signing at 21 after three years of college.

I have very little contact with the FB program anymore, only went to part of one practice this year so anything I'd contribute wouldn't be informed opinion.

However, the best indicator of future performance is past performance, and MR has proven to be an outstanding coach at OSU.

Some of those bleachers were purchased by Crescent Valley and used for its new grandstand.

I think the problem was the footprint at Paul Lorenz Field was too small to erect those old end-zone bleachers, as was originally planned. At some point, there will be a new soccer stadium. I think there will have to be a dedicated donation to start this process, however.

They've drawn very well all season. Generally the grandstands are pretty full and there are lots of people lining the sideline. Corvallis is an excellent soccer city, and having a good team and free admission certainly helps.

A more permanent brick and steel stadium would be a big asset, but until someone steps forward with a dedicated donation of a million or so, it's probably not happening.

I have heard nothing about Cal baseball, which is still dead and expected to remain so.

Both looked fine.

Casey/Yeskie are very high on the young arms. But they are young. Buck, Nickerson and Gunderson struggled as freshmen so these new guys should be no different. As Nate said, trial by fire early.

Way to early for a prediction.

That's where the Pac-10 network comes in, to televise the No. 4 or No. 5 priority game each weekend.

Well, let's talk in five years. Knee-jerk reactions (one way or the other) are usually inaccurate, and that's probably the case here.

You will play every team in your division every year, and four of the six teams in the other division on a two-year rotating basis, so you always play the team from the orther division home and away.

You can still plan a 13th game if you play at Hawaii but that pretty much eliminates the bye week, as the championship game will most likely be the first weekend in December, the week the Pac-10 regular season ends at the current time.