The Big Ten to become the Big Twelve???

Featured Story: DeCourcy's latest blog talks about the possibility of the Big Eleven (Big 10) adding a 12th team. The fire was started by a comment made by Big 10 commissioner to a fish-wrap. DeCourcy thinks the creation of the Big Ten Network (which goes live on August 30, 2007) will be a major factor in facilitating expansion. So now the TV business is dictating conference (re)alignment? Even more shocking perhaps (at least to me) is the list of schools DeCourcy thinks could join the Big Ten: Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, and Notre Dame (again?). He even considers (but quickly dismisses) the possibility of three Big East teams... DeCourcy has been a guy not afraid to give us a reality check, so I would think he is not bs-ing around. But still it is surprising to me... The original story that started it all... On the TV front, the creation of the BTN network will drastically decrease ESPN Full Court subscriptions in Big 10 cities and states as Big 10 games will not be shown on ESPN's Full Court pay per view package. [updated since the original post].

Catch up with the latest recruiting news at Recruiting Wars

Goodman's latest blog post profiles Michael Beasley, touts Tom Moore's new arena at Q, talks about UT-Arlington and ...a Police concert.

CHN's top 144 previews continue with Wake Forest (still can't believe Skip Prosser is no longer with us), Belmont and Kent State

John Clay's Sidelines Report has a two-part series on Kentucky's new soft schedule. As you may recall, when Billy Gillispie took over Texas A&M he had more cupcakes on his schedule than Hostess in their warehouse. But that was warranted for the first two years: He took over a program that went 0-16 in the Big 12 the year before, and had a culture of not-winning.

The CAA Hoops blog is ...pressing on at their new blog site at ...Wordpress. Regular readers of the blog should know by now that I never met a pun I didn't like :) Their latest post looks at Hofstra's 2007-08 schedule. One of Hofstra's games (conference opener vs Georgia State) was featured on last Sunday's mid-major repeat-athon marathon at Fox College Sports.

Staying in the CAA, the George Mason basketball blog has an update on the BB&T Classic which is continuing to experiment with a three-game non-regional-matchups format.

Skwara and friends debate who is the best penetrator of 2007-2008

Returning statistical leaders for the 2007-2008 season, by Rivals: Scorers, rebounders, assists, blocks, steals, and 3-pointers.

Donnie Jones is collecting transfers almost as fast as Reggie Theus was collecting transfers when he took over New Mexico State. And that's a good sign given how things have turned out for Reggie Theus! Skwara lists the four high-profile players, P-Mac (of the Zags), shooter Lutz of Purdue, and Final Four bench warmers Brendan Powell (Florida) and Octavius Spann (Georgetown). But that's not all. He added two JuCos as well. Read the Rivals story for all the details. And check the CSTV schedule for Marshall games in 2008-2009 when the four transfers become eligible to play

Skwara also reads and answers questions from his mailbag on Arizona, Cincy and Tennessee. Orange coat not included!

Today's update is brought to you by 2007 NCAA College Basketball Tournament games on DVD!