BOB MARCUM was back in Huntington Sunday afternoon, instead ofbouncing around Nashville, Tenn., at the NCAA convention.
As he put it, there wasn't much going on. If there was, nobody wastelling him.
That's not a death knell for those wanting a speeded-up conferencerealignment, but it is not a good sign.
Nor is a Saturday report in the Dallas Morning News in whichConference USA commissioner Britton Banowsky said the issue isunresolved and won't be discussed further at the convention, whichends today.
That's tough to buy. Banowsky, Big East commissioner MikeTranghese and a few other commissioners probably have each other highon their speed dials. I don't think communication is a problem.
But here is the biggie: C-USA reportedly is wanting about $10million in compensation for projected losses it would suffer if thisgame of musical chairs takes place this summer. If Louisville,Cincinnati, Marquette, etc., jump ship a year early, C-USA couldsuffer a substantial hit in television and NCAA basketball tournamentrevenue.
'The philosophy out there is that if we can pull it off, thatwould be great for everyone to go to their new league,' Banowsky toldESPN.com. 'We all want to go about our business. Philosophically it'sworth discussing, but there are financial issues that aresignificant.'
Also, we're still waiting on the fine folks at Texas ChristianUniversity. According to some speculation, TCU's departure to theMountain West would derail fast-track realignment completely. UnlessC-USA had the successor secretly approved and ready to go, I tend toagree.
At least two commissioners, Tranghese and Karl Benson of theWestern Athletic Conference, have expressed great pessimism for theshuffle playing out before 2005-06.
Of the C-USA compensation proposal, Tranghese told The WashingtonPost, 'Honestly, I think the roadblock is too significant.' Bensonhas told ESPN.com that the chances for quick realignment are 'veryslim, if not impossible.'
Realistically, all schools and conferences - remember, this rangesfrom the Atlantic Coast Conference to the Sun Belt - must reach asatisfactory agreement by the end of this month, or shortlythereafter. That's a lot of spoons stirring this particular pot.
Probably too many.
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SOME MORE bad injury luck for Darius Watts, the Mid-AmericanConference's all-time leading receiver and Marshall's leader inreceptions.
In practice for the East-West Shrine Game, he emerged as afavorite target for the East and quarterback Casey Clausen.
But Watts suffered a heel injury and missed Saturday's game at SanFrancisco's Pac Bell Park.
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Ah, it must be winter in Kanawha County.
Charleston gets its glorified coating of snow overnight. KanawhaCounty administrators put schools on two-hour delay, then freak outand close schools altogether.
Later in the day, as you drive along clear roads and wonder whyschools were closed in the first place, the county's vapid no-school, no-play policy tortures players, coaches and parents inseveral sports.
After Friday's meteorological catastrophe, a slew of basketballgames and a major wrestling meet were postponed.
Everybody loses, pretty much. Parents everywhere areinconvenienced by their kids being out of school needlessly, draggingdown productivity in the workplace. Postponed games pile up later inthe season, disrupting academics a bit further.
Kudos to Putnam County for not adopting such a policy (and in thiscase, keeping schools open Friday).
To contact staff writer Doug Smock, send e-mail todougsmock@wvgazette.com or call 348-5130.
