Yeah, he’s gonna have some normal teen years.

The best thing about this article isn’t that Nick Saban’s offered an eighth-grader.

Nor is it that LSU has already offered the kid.

It’s not even that he’s attended LSU’s last five youth camps.

Nah, it’s this comment from his dad:  “I don’t think he feels any need to rush his decision.”

It’s times like this I really, really wish college football would adopt Andy Staples’ proposal.

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Setting up for 2013: SEC East

I’m sort of curious what the group’s impression of which schools have the toughest and easiest rebuilding jobs in the SEC East this season.  That’s not the same thing as assessing which schools will win the most or least games; rather, I’m just looking at last season as a baseline and trying to figure out who’s got the most work cut out for them merely in terms of not falling back.

Edward Aschoff’s spring preview is as good a place to start as any, I figure.  With the losses on defense, I know Georgia’s the popular pick in terms of which program in the division took the biggest hits, but looking at his list, is there any school starting farther behind last year’s eight-ball than Tennessee?  New staff, a completely nuked passing attack and a third defensive scheme in three years suggest that the Vols will have personnel issues all over the field.

On the other side of the coin, dare I say it, Vanderbilt looks like it has the most manageable job of regrouping in the East.  Stacy and Rodgers are gone, but there’s talent at running back and Jordan Matthews’ return should make the next quarterback’s job a little easier.  Aschoff doesn’t mention it, but the ‘Dores only lose five starters on defense.

What do y’all think?

“Effort was not needed.”

Former LSU defensive player Sam Montgomery wins today’s “Damn, son, I don’t think I would’ve said that” award with this rather… well, stupid admission:

“You know, some weeks when we didn’t have to play the harder teams, there were some times when effort was not needed,” Montgomery said when asked about LSU coaches not being happy with his consistency of effort. “But when we had the big boys coming in, the Bamas or the South Carolinas, I grabbed close to those guys (teammates) and went all out.

I guess his next head coach had better hope that money turns out to be a helluva motivating factor.  Because Montgomery doesn’t sound too impressed with his last set.

“Of course, this is a new league, the NFL and there are no small teams, small divisions It is all Alabamas and LSUs every week. It’s definitely something I have to get adjusted to, but I’m sure with the right coaching I will be fine.”  [Emphasis added.]

I bet Miles’ hat looks even smaller on his head after he’s read that.

So, how uneasy lies Emmert’s head?

USA Today suggests that the executive committee’s pronouncement this weekend settles the matter of Mark Emmert’s NCAA presidency being in jeopardy, at least for now.

But even that story goes on to note that some unrest exists.

CBSSports.com reported Friday that a memo had circulated within Mountain West Conference leadership that read, in part, “Is it time for the presidents to seek new NCAA leadership or a new organization?” The memo reportedly was directed toward Fresno State President John Welty, who represents the MWC on the Division I Board of Directors.

Bruce Feldman paints an even bleaker picture for Emmert and his supporters.

So on Saturday, we got that glowing statement about Emmert and the Executive Committee, and it went over with quite a thud. A source at a big BCS school I spoke with Saturday night told me he’s heard Emmert won’t keep his job. And there are too many people coming at the guy now from all sides, and the Executive Committee’s statement only inflamed things around him even more. I don’t know. Maybe that is just wishful thinking. Does that mean Emmert will be forced out in the next year?

I’m not certain anything is as imminent as all that, but I do think Feldman’s spot on about what’s coming down the pike.

I suspect we’re going to get even more lawsuits, which has the potential to uncover more embarrassing information about how the NCAA operates its murky system of “justice” — and I’ve heard there will be more details coming out soon about Emmert that will only fan the flames of his grease fire. One intriguing part of this will be what Miami president Donna Shalala does down the road as the UM case keeps unfolding. No school ever has come out as hard against the NCAA publicly as Miami did earlier this week. Among the haymakers: “…sadly the NCAA has not lived up to their own core principles. The lengthy and already flawed investigation has demonstrated a disappointing pattern of unprofessional and unethical behavior.”

Shalala, keep in mind, has as many big connections in the world of politics as anyone in the NCAA community from her days in D.C., where she served eight years as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. She has clout and isn’t intimidated playing politics. I doubt the NCAA wants this ending up on Capitol Hill.

Those who are invested with Emmert will stay with him as long as it’s convenient, but if a big enough shit storm gets kicked up, especially one that makes it much more difficult for the organization to enforce its rules, they’ll dump him over the side in a heartbeat.  Even more so if a legitimate threat from the political arena surfaces.

One thing about these leaks to consider is that plenty of folks out there are already working on separating Emmert from his position.  You can figure that there are more than a few ambitious ones in their ranks – more than there are on the other side.  And a good offense always beats a mediocre defense.

Mark Richt has not lost control over the next recruiting coordinator.

Georgia’s coach delivers a Sabanesque backhand to Carvell’s latest question.

UGA coach Mark Richt told the AJC that he’s not ready to appoint somebody else to the title formerly held by Garner, the longtime recruiting coordinator for the Bulldogs who was hired away by Auburn in late December.

“Yes, I don’t think we need to do that … at this moment,” Richt said. “I don’t have any plans on naming anybody recruiting coordinator. [The job title] is a matter of semantics, really.”

Translation:  when they need to spend money on giving somebody the title, they’ll think about it.  Until then, nobody’s got time for that shit.

“Keep Calm and Johnny Football.”

I got a couple of e-mails about the NCAA’s blessing of Johnny Manziel’s trademark infringement lawsuit, particularly this:

The lawsuit asks the court to award damages for the unlawful sale of the “Johnny Football” T-shirts. Texas A&M’s compliance office recently received a ruling from the NCAA that a student-athlete can keep financial earnings as a result of a legal action.  [Emphasis added.]

Are we looking at a hole there in the NCAA’s amateurism stance that’s big enough to drive a Mack semi through?  Well, this is the NCAA we’re talking about, so it’s probably wise not to draw any hard and fast conclusions, but John Infante suggests there may not be that much to be concerned about with the NCAA’s ruling.

The buzz is not over Manziel’s suit itself but over the possibility that the NCAA has created a huge loophole. The way the scam would work is that a booster would sell items using the likeness of an athlete without permission. The athlete would then sue. The booster would then settle the lawsuit (although the NCAA said nothing about settlement) or simply not defend the lawsuit and allow a default judgment to be entered against them. The booster then pays the athlete the judgment, which they may even have worked out before.

The one holdup is that the athlete is not the only party involved. The institution still has responsibilities when someone makes unauthorized use of a trademark. The NCAA could change the promotional activity bylaws and/or increase the penalties so that a school could no longer allow this activity to happen and simply send cease and desist letters when it does. Schools could be required to disassociate boosters, face bigger penalties, or even be at risk for major violations if the NCAA stepped up enforcement in this area. Even the act of selling the products could be interpreted as an activity that turns a vendor into a booster, thus bringing more people under the umbrella that the school needs to keep an eye on.

In other words, if a scam is really being worked in such a situation, in effect, it’s not just a two-man deal.  And the school could have more at risk than the player.  Infante also makes a valid point that the courts would look unapprovingly on being used to further such an arrangement.

None of which is to say that somebody as smart as, say, Cecil Newton, might not try to give this a go.  You never know if the powers that be are willing to turn a blind eye to something until you test it.