Speaking at Big Ten media days in Chicago, Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh said he did not have a lot of luggage to carry around. "I packed a toothbrush and a good attitude."
Asked if the former Bears quarterback had had any fun during his time in Chicago, Harbaugh replied "No, I'm avoiding all fun stuff.
"We lost three of our last four games last year -- two by one point, one by three points in overtime," he said. "Didn't like that feeling, and that has motivated us to pour more time -- our hearts and souls -- into the football team. Avoid fun stuff."
The Harbaugh revolution has brought Michigan headlines and attention, not to mention two 10-3 seasons. But in terms of what really matters to the fan base, Harbaugh is 0-2 against Ohio State with no appearances in the Big Ten title game.
Now he has to replace 17 starters and have the Wolverines ready to face Florida in the Sept. 2 opener in Arlington, Texas.
"There are a lot of positions where the greaseboard has been wiped completely clean," Harbaugh said, referring to mass departures at spots such as safety and cornerback. "There are so many that have the opportunity."
And because it's Harbaugh: "Let's strap on the iron jock and work like crazy and get the job done. Build the ballteam like that."
Strap on the iron jock. That's a new one.
"Coach Harbaugh thinks differently than a lot of people," defensive tackle Maurice Hurst said. "He's always changing plans, always has a new idea. It keeps us fresh, keeps us on our toes. No day is going to be exactly the same."
Expensive dive
An NFL star's diamond earring valued at more than $100,000 is now presumed lost on the murky bottom of a Georgia lake.
WXIA-TV reported Tuesday that Atlanta Falcons star wide receiver Julio Jones lost it when he hit a boat wake and took a spill while jet skiing in Lake Lanier, about 50 miles outside Atlanta.
He resurfaced but his pricey earring didn't.
Scuba divers have been searching the lake bottom, hoping to capture a flashlight's reflection off the jewelry amid old trees that have been submerged since the man-made lake's creation in the 1950s.
So far, no luck.
The need for speed?
The St. Louis Cardinals and Colorado Rockies tried to speed things up Tuesday night and it was hardly noticed.
Major League Baseball experimented with having the pitch clock between half innings set at 1 minute, 45 seconds. Since 2016, the clock has been set at 2:05 for locally televised games and 2:25 for nationally televised games, down 20 seconds for each from 2015.
"We all knew early in the day," Cardinals Manager Mike Matheny said after the team beat the Rockies 3-2. "Lance [Lynn] was excited about it. He asked, 'Why isn't it always like this?' He feels like he has to wait around for commercials to be finished. To be honest I didn't even notice. I notice the real long breaks because we're just sitting around waiting. So I'm always a fan of keeping the game going."
Tuesday's game took 3:11 to complete, about six minutes longer than the average nine-inning game this season.
"It didn't feel any different," Lynn said. "I didn't even know it happened really."
Sports quiz
Where did Jim Harbaugh coach from 2004 to 2006?
Sports answer
The University of San Diego
Sports on 07/27/2017