What has happened to the Big Ten?
Two weeks into the college football season, the once mighty football conference is struggling. Michigan State and Ohio State were supposed to be the conference's flag bearers this season, but after the Spartans lost at Oregon and Ohio State suffered a 35-21 loss to Virginia Tech at home, the Big Ten's best may be mediocre at best.
"The only good news about the embarrassments suffered by the Spartans and Buckeyes is that perhaps people didn't notice just how bad the rest of the conference looked on Saturday, " wrote John Feinstein in The Washington Post.
"Michigan still hasn't scored in South Bend, losing the last game it will play against Notre Dame for the foreseeable future, 31-0. That's not a typo: 31-0 and it was Michigan getting run off the field.
"Wait, there's more. The Big Ten went 2-2 against the MAC and was lucky to do so. Central Michigan crushed Purdue, 38-17. It is entirely possible the Boilermakers, who were 1-11 a year ago, might not win again this season. The best thing that can happen to them next week would be to have the bus break down en route to Indianapolis for what promises to be a humiliating loss to Notre Dame. One thing about Irish Coach Brian Kelly: He won't hesitate to run up the score against a hapless opponent.
"Meanwhile, maybe Northwestern should unionize after being soundly beaten by Northern Illinois. At least that way the Wildcats could demand an easier schedule from management."
Add Big Ten
Wrote Reggie Hayes of The News-Sentinel of Fort Wayne, Ind.: "A petition is circulating to change the Big Ten's name to the Bloated and Sluggish Ten."
Bad News Barnes
Former NBA and ABA player Marvin "Bad News" Barnes died earlier this week at age 62.
Barnes, a 6-9 forward, played for the ABA's Spirits of St. Louis and four NBA teams and often lived up to his nickname.
When Barnes was sentenced in 1990 for stealing videotapes from a San Diego adult bookstore, his former lawyer said the basketball star had been in five different drug treatment programs. He also had been arrested for trespassing, being under the influence of narcotics and burglary of a locked vehicle.
Before he left his job as New Jersey Nets president and general manager, Rod Thorn joked about his short head coaching days with the Spirits and his relationship with Barnes. Barnes had his own set of rules and Thorn frequently fined him, saying the figure reached about $30,000.
In an effort to change their relationship, Thorn waited for Barnes to have a good game and the two spoke for nearly two hours about the need for Barnes to be a leader on the team.
The next morning, Barnes missed the team plane.
Sports quiz
Marvin Barnes was the second overall draft pick in 1974 NBA draft. Who was the first overall pick in that year?
Sports answer
Bill Walton.
Sports on 09/10/2014