gangrene

No, just this one. I think the story is the trainer or the owner stayed in that suite when Smarty Jones was racing at Oaklawn. The room is decorated with Smarty Jones stuff. Below are a few pictures I took when I stayed there a couple of years ago. There's also a nice, rooftop patio that I didn't get photo of that. In addition to Smarty Jones, they have an Al Capone suite - historians say he'd rent out the entire the floor.

Karl Benson talks Sun Belt expansion Well, that didn't take long...

I recommend the Smarty Jones suite in the Arlington. It's an older hotel with a great history and is (reportedly) haunted. The Smarty Jones suite was huge and fairly nice for an older hotel.

I was just about to say something similar. Wrinkled $100...nah, it's more like a wrinkled $20.

Ok, let me clarify my previous statement. I'm not opposed to joining a MWC/CUSA merger, I'm just not as thrilled about the idea as I once was. The many defections suffered by both the MWC and CUSA have resulted in a much weaker group of programs. It's, arguably, still a better place than the current SBC.

While this is encouraging news, I can't say I'm as excited about joining the MWC, CUSA or MWUSAC as I once was...not even close.

Four TCU football players arrested Let's say that guess is high and only 40 people are "screwed," I seriously doubt TCU will suspend half their team, even for one game.

Did I miss an announcement? I see comments similar to this on here all the time. I'm not sure I agree. That theory doesn't seem to hold true for our basketball recruits. I also think it's going to vary tremendously from one player to the next. Not every 17-18 year old is a rebellious little heathen that just wants to get as far away from mom and dad as he can. For some of these kids, the idea of playing close enough to home where relatives and friends can attend every home game is an appealing one.

I'd heard these rumblings too. I'd feel a little better about this possibility if we had a baseball team.

I love readng about kids being excited and wanting to play for North Texas versus settling for UNT because they didn't have any "better" offers. Welcome to Denton, Dutton!

I agree 100%. And I'll add that not every 4 and 5 star recruit is a guaranteed star.

...in the Sun Belt Conference! 2012 Rivals Sun Belt Conference recruiting rankings (last updated on 2/1 at 4:00 PM ET) But who really cares about ratings? Not a single school signed a 4 or 5 star Rivals-rated recruit (excluding Ark St's transfers, which I don't count) but four have 10+ 3-star commits.

A little insight on the thought process involving Chase's decision... Lake Highlands offensive lineman Chase Walling switches commitment from North Texas to SMU It doesn't appear he took the decision lightly although he seems to contradict himself in this article. Did he switch because he had a "better feel of the coaching staff" or because of his interest in SMU's Cox (school of business)? While it's frustrating to lose a commit we've been working on for 1 1/2 years, it's somewhat comforting to know it was a difficult decision to make.

Little early to be drinking, don't you think?

Personally, I'd prefer we sign 2-3 QBs each and every season. Why? Because you can never have too many QBs on your roster (as experience has taught us) but, and more importantly, because HS QBs are generally pretty good overall athletes and can easily adapt to another position. This is especially true with the the 2* and 3* QB we're able to recruit but it's a common occurrence at Top 25 BCS programs too. What's the worst that can happen if you have too many QBs on the roster? An experienced, returning starter can suddenly give up football altogether or transfer to an FCS school? Check and check.

Chase Walling

This... with this. Sorry, but I find the idea of Dodge sending recruits to North Texas simply laughable...and not because of the possibility he has any ill will to UNT. Dodge coached several legitimate FBS players at Southlake and, of those, how many did he successfully recruit to UNT? The best possible scenario for UNT recruiting is winning, frequently and consistently.

Jones is en fuego!

Worst TV announcers...ever.

Is UTSA any closer to C-USA? I'm posting this story purely for the comedic value and the reference to the demise of the Sun Belt, although that mention is entirely too confusing to comprehend exactly to what the writer may be alluding. I also came across a Pizza Hut/UTSA ticket giveaway offer - buy a pizza, get two free tickets to the game...I'm sure that's not hurting their attendance figures much. I started to post the full-size screen grab, but decided against posting a UTSA logo on GMG. Still, if you'd like to view it you can download the attachment.

NCAA pushes $2K increase for athletes This doesn't come close to helping eliminate the payments by boosters, but I guess it's a start. If nothing else, it's a tell-tale sign that the NCAA does realize a change is necessary.

Maybe they had SMU's ticket counter? Seriously, if their actual attendance was anything close to 17K they must have all been sitting directly behind the main camera. I vaguely recall some of that success you mentioned...probably much like the Tulane faithful could vaguely recall the Mean Green success we had several years ago.

I haven't read the article you referenced, but I agree with the opinion. DeLoss Dodds, and to a lesser extent, Mack Brown and Bob Stoops have grown tired of the conference championship game and the impact a loss there has on their chances at a BCS game. Dodds has been quoted as saying something similar to that many times. But, then again, Dodds was quoted as saying he'd never accept TCU into the Big XII too - I guess we know how that turned out?

I'm glad you brought up Tulane. I can't figure out exactly what it is Tulane has to offer. Their awful in every sport and no one in New Orleans, much less Louisiana, is interested in watching them play in person or on TV. I caught the first part of their blowout 44-7 loss to a horrible 3-3 UTEP team on CBSSN last Saturday. The Superdome was almost completely empty and eerily silent. I've seen more people at a DART bus stop. And now their coach has resigned: Bob Toledo resigns at Tulane

Not ideal, but this is one scenario in which I wouldn't be opposed to being in the same conference with UTSA....as long as too many CUSA/MWC teams aren't lost to other conferences.