Columbia is just 235 miles from Iowa City

Don’t the Dodgers have enough of those types already The other player the Dodgers picked up was Jon Link, a closer with AAA Charlotte in 2009 who suffered from a severe case of the “Law of Diminishing Returns” after his promotion to the highest minor league level. After a stellar year at AA in 2008 (highlighted by 35 saves), he struggled to only 13 saves with a 3.99 ERA, 1.456 WHIP, 8.8 hits per nine innings, and 4.3 walks per nine. The kid is 25 years old, so his upside is limited, to say the least. Those numbers scream “minor league filler” to me. Here’s hoping that the rumors are false, and the players to be named turn out to be a pair of different players. With the preeminent available hurlers off the market, the Dodgers are said to be interested in Aaron Harang. He clearly has not been the same since the 50-game suspension, and he hits like a 37-year-old man whose bat speed is diminishing, not a $20,000,000 centerpiece for the offense. With Jason Bay and Matt Holliday on the free agent market, the name “Los Angeles Dodgers” is being uttered way too infrequently for my taste. Signing Jamey Carroll, a free agent infielder, away from the Cleveland Indians was so-so, given the uncertainty at second base this offseason. It certainly wasn’t the kind of move to point to with pride and say, “That was the best move the team made after the playoffs.” In fact, it’s downright scary to have to say that. The team’s young core Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw, James Loney, and closer Jonathan Broxton, along with a host of arms in the bullpen can only be expected to improve so much. Ethier (sixth) and Kemp (10th) were both legitimate MVP candidates in 2009, Broxton was one of the game’s steadiest closers, and Loney was a monster away from home. Not much room left for significant growth there. I was hoping that Ned Colletti would make a big stir at the winter meetings Perhaps he wasn’t allowed to. The Dodgers did commit to paying some of Pierre’s contract; still, moving him cleared up some $9 million in salary per season for two years. The Dodgers, though, aren’t exactly cash poor with or without Juan Pierre.

Colletti has been told that there are no plans to slash the budget, despite rumors to the contrary. The team is young, talented, but obviously flawed. What Joe Torre needs an ace and a big bat is in short supply. It’s not often that an organization coming off consecutive trips to the National League Championship Series should feel a sense of urgency, perhaps even panic, but forgive Dodger fans for believing that this is one of those times.. Looking selfishly at the issue of Big Ten expansion strictly from an Iowa standpoint, there is one clear choice for Iowa if the league is going to add a 12th member. This particular option is head and shoulders above all of the numerous others that have been mentioned. That school is the University of Missouri, hands down.I know there might be a few Iowa State Cyclones out there that may think differently. However, I dont think Im going too far out on a limb here by stating that Iowa State just doesnt bring enough to the party to make it worth the Big Tens while. The fact is Iowa is the Hawkeye state in more than just name only. A key requirement for the new league school is going to be opening up new markets and the Big Ten already is entrenched in most of the state of Iowa. Iowa is the least populous Big Ten state and it doesnt make sense to have two teams from the least populous state in the league. The other schools mentioned as possible expansion targets have far more to offer.Speculation has centered mostly on schools in the eastern portion of the conference Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Syracuse. The obvious reason for this is the increased population base and hence, television viewership in the east.But, more importantly, although Kirk Ferentz does still have close ties to Pennsylvania, I think that the addition of one of these eastern schools benefits the recruiting of the other eastern Big Ten schools more than Iowasimply because they are closer geographically. Im talking Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan. These power programs already get their share of blue chip recruits and they dont need any further competitive advantages.So, what does Iowa have to gain with the addition of Missouri To start with, Missouri would provide another natural border rival, ala Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Columbia is just 235 miles from Iowa City. Compare that to 330 miles to Minneapolis, 180 miles to Madison, and 260 miles to Champaign.It is unbelievable to me that natural border rivals Iowa and Missouri have not met on the football field since 1910nearly 100 years ago! In fact, the two schools were once both members of the Missouri Valley Conference until Iowa left in 1911 for the Big Ten. This is a rivalry that makes too much sense to put off any longer.It was reported several years ago that Missouri backed out of a commitment to open the 2005 football season at Kinnick Stadium. It seems that that resurgence of the Iowa program under Kirk Ferentz made Missouri a bit nervous. Iowa wasnt the same team it was in the early 2000s when the game was scheduled.It is a shame that these two border rivals have been unable to strike any type of deal since. Missouri already plays Illinois every year and the rivalry with Iowa would likely be just as intense.The addition of Missouri creates an easy subdivision between east and west. I see a Big Ten west division made up of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, Northwestern, and Illinois. I would like Iowas chances of ending up in a Big Ten championship game year in year out competing against this group. That leaves Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, and Purdue in the east. Not a bad deal for Iowa to have traditional powers Ohio St., Penn St. and Michigan in the opposite division.If an eastern school is added, the subdivisions get much more difficult. Obviously, the new team, Penn State, Michigan, Ohio State, and Michigan State go to an east division. But six would be needed in the east. Indiana and Purdue are the next two schools to consider geographically, but how can you split up these long-time in-state rivalsMoving farther west, you have Illinois and Northwestern. But, I dont think you can split up these in-state rivals either.The second and perhaps more important reason for adding Missouri relates to recruiting. Whereas now, because UM is a Big 12 school, most of the in-state talent aspires to play at a Big 12 school. There certainly are exceptions to this general rule, as current Iowa stars Adrian Clayborn and Marvin McNutt are both from the St. Louis. The rest of the Big Ten is likely to see some recruiting boost as well. This would be especially true of fellow border state Illinois.It seems as though there could be mutual interest between the Big Ten and Missouri. It is particularly encouraging to me that Missouri found the need to issue a statement this week indicating that should there be an official inquiry or invitation, we would evaluate it based upon what would be in the best interest of MU athletically and academically. Clearly, any one school will have limited impact on the expansion evaluation. In the end, the Big Ten will or will not expand based on what is best for the conference as a whole. However, each school certainly will have a voice and Iowas voice should be squarely behind adding the University of Missouri.. NBC’s Sunday Night Football package gives it flexible scheduling.

For the last seven weeks of the season, the games are determined on 12-day notice, six-day notice for Week 17.The first year, no game was listed in the Sunday night slot, only a notation that one game could move there. Now, NBC lists the game it “tentatively” schedules for each night. However, the NFL is in charge of moving games to prime time.Here are the rules from the NFL web site (note that this was written with the 2007 season in mind):Begins Sunday of Week 11In effect during Weeks 11-17Only Sunday afternoon games are subject to being moved into the Sunday night window.The game that has been tentatively scheduled for Sunday night during flex weeks will be listed at 8:20 PM ET.The majority of games on Sundays will be listed at 1:00 PM ET during flex weeks except for games played in Pacific or Mountain Time zones which will be listed at 4:05 or 4:15 PM ET.No impact on Thursday, Saturday, or Monday night games.The NFL will decide (after consultation with CBS, FOX, NBC) and announce as early as possible the game being played at 8:20 PM ET. The announcement will come no later than 12 days prior to the game. The NFL may also announce games moving to 4:05 PM ET and 4:15 PM ET.Week 17 start time changes could be decided on six days notice to ensure a game with playoff implications.The NBC Sunday night time slot in “flex” weeks will list the game that has been tentatively scheduled for Sunday night.Fans and ticket holders must be aware that NFL games in flex weeks are subject to change 12 days in advance (six days in Week 17) and should plan accordingly.NFL schedules all games.Teams will be informed as soon as they are no longer under consideration or eligible for a move to Sunday night.Rules NOT listed on NFL web site but pertinent to flex schedule selection: CBS and Fox each protect games in five out of six weeks, and could not protect any games Week 17 in 2007. Unless I find out otherwise, I’m assuming that’s still the case this year, especially with no tentative game listed Week 17.

When looking up info on what the protected games might be, I found out that games were protected after Week FIVE this year, and presumably in some of the previous years. Previously all I knew was that games were protected after Week 4 the first year of flexible scheduling.Three teams can appear a maximum of six games in primetime on NBC, ESPN or NFL Network (everyone else gets five) and no team may appear more than four times on NBC. A list of all teams’ number of appearances is in my Week Five post.A rule that may have come to light late last year but that, given its restrictiveness and lateness in coming to light, I’m having trouble accepting, is that the balance of primetime games taken from FOX and CBS can’t go beyond 22-20 one way or the other The current tally is FOX 20, CBS 21.Week 17 (Jan. 3 Playoff Positioning Watch):AFC East: Patriots lead, Dolphins and Jets a game back, Bills hanging on a tiebreaker (I’m too lazy to look up common games). The Bengals play the Jets, while the Ravens play the Raiders.AFC South: Colts clinched.AFC West: Chargers lead, Broncos two back, Chiefs and Raiders out. The Broncos play the Chiefs while the Chargers play the Redskins.AFC Wild Card: If the season ended today, the Broncos and one of the Dolphins, Jets, Ravens, and Jaguars (who play the Browns – written from a perspective before Thursday night) would get the nod, with the Steelers, Titans (who play the Seahawks), and Texans a game back The Bills are waiting in the wings and play the Colts. Bengals-Jets and Texans-Patriots the main AFC contenders, though Dolphins-Steelers is appealing as well.NFC East: Eagles lead, Cowboys a game back, Giants two back, Redskins out.