Tilting at Random Windmills

Here, in no particular order, are a few of the things that I'm thinking about today:

1. The Balkanization of college football.

Today brings news that Notre Dame is considering joining the ACC in all sports. Why doesn't the NCAA just get it over with and form a 60 team superconference to suck up all available free cash? The genie's out of the bottle on money in intercollegiate athletics, so let's end the charade. Pay the players, remove restrictions on boosters, consolidate the power programs, and form NFL II. At least it'd be honest, which can't be said for the current system which treats "student-athletes" (and think of those quotation marks as me holding my fingers in the air and winking) as indentured servants while coaches and athletic directors (read: mostly older white guys) get rich.

2. The Milwaukee Brewers are cutting payroll.

From $50m in 2002, to $40m in 2003, to a reported $30m in 2004. But thanks for building us this pretty new stadium with taxpayer dollars. Exhibit XXY in the case for corruption, arrogance, and mismanagement in Major League Baseball.

3. Is there an NBA player uglier than Cherokee Parks? Has there ever been?

4. Tim Kurkjian: Elf or just really weird-looking human? And speaking of Elf - does the sight of Will Ferrell in green tights jumping on a Christmas tree inspire anyone else to uncontrollable giggling?

More to come.