Things don’t look like they’ll be any different this year as reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Sam Bradford, returns to Norman for another title run and Colt McCoy, who finished second, is back in Austin with the same goal. It’s bad enough that there is no chance that these two will play for the national title but even more disappointing that there is only one spot open to them in the conference championship tilt. Such is the way of the Big XII, the strongest league in the country, despite what SEC fans might say.

For capsule reviews of each team as well as insight and analysis on all of the other BCS conferences, visit collegesportsview.com

I’ve heard the argument many times that golf is a game and not a sport. That, while there are athletes that play, athleticism is not required. There are points on both sides with which I agree. But, if anyone tries to tell me that what we all watched on Sunday morning wasn’t sport, I’ll have to check them for a pulse. Tom Watson, an unfailing gentleman and one of the most popular players in the history of the game, gave us a glimpse of the determination and heart of a champion. That, while age may compromise ability and endurance, it can never douse the competitive fire that burns within a great player. That, some times, when things are right, true champions have the ability to reach back and remind us what made them so special. At the British Open, this was the second time in a row where such magic was witnessed. Last year, Greg Norman was on the leader board through Sunday, only to fade on the back nine. Watson, however, just kept coming, unfazed by the attention and seemingly savoring what had to be a completely unexpected result. Until the ending went bad on eighteen.

In 1975, after the Reds and Red Sox had done battle in what may have been the greatest World Series ever, a Boston writer said that the Sox had won the series “three games to four.” Anyone who had witnessed the Game Six heroics of Bernie Carbo and Carlton Fisk knew exactly what he meant. I thought of that Sunday, as I watched Watson struggle to find his ball in whatever they call that high stuff that passes for rough on the other side of the pond. In my heart, Tom Watson won the Open Championship. Stewart Cink won the trophy.

For Eddie’s insight on Michael Vick, NBA Free Agency and the Roy Halladay trade situation, visit The View from the Cheap Seats @ collegesportsview.com

Stephenson’s prep career was bumpy from the start, as he transferred out of Bishop Loughlin High School after just three days. He was suspended from school for an altercation with a teammate that reportedly involved his throwing the teammate through a glass table. His on court behavior of showing up teammates and railing at referees became commonplace over the course of four years and seemed to be tolerated because of his incredible skills. Until he met Bob McKillop. The Davidson University coach cut Stephenson from the U.S. national under 18 team last summer mainly due to his inability to work with his teammates. “Lance is a tremendous basketball player,” McKillop told reporters. “The question is what was happening with those other four guys on the court, when Lance is on the court? Five percent of the game is played with the ball in your hands. The other ninety five percent is played without the ball in your hands. Lance had to work on that. We try to implement the team concept of passing more than dribbling. That was something other players got better and better at.” From that point, it became a long year for Stephenson.

In October, he was arrested for allegedly groping a female student inside the school. That case is set to go to trial on July 15th. His recruiting visit to Maryland sparked a furor after he went on a tour of the facilities of athletic outfitter Under Armour, whose founder is a Maryland alum deemed by the NCAA as a booster; someone prohibited from contacting a recruit. Maryland subsequently dropped out of the process, as did Arizona, Memphis, Kansas and St. John’s. Ironically, Cincinnati, a school that fired its coach just two years ago over the issue of the questionable character of some of its recruits, was the last school standing and became Lance’s safety net. Maybe, just maybe, the circumstances by which Stephenson’s star was dimmed will serve as a wake up call to some of the young AAU superstars who are pandered to by parents, coaches and sneaker companies. No matter the level of talent, nothing trumps love of the game, dedication to teammates or the drive to be part of something bigger than yourself.

Steve Oliver is not one of the most talented high school players in the nation. He owns none of the career scoring records at his alma mater, Xavier High School, attended instructional camps that his parents paid for and has some of his games recorded on home video. A hard working athlete with the dream of playing college basketball, he chose the College of Mount Saint Vincent for its academics, financial aid package and the opportunity to play Division III hoops.

Oliver also experienced fits and starts throughout his career. Taller than his elementary school teammates, he spent much of his time playing center but, at six feet tall, was forced to remake himself into a guard in high school. After spending countless hours working on his shooting and ballhandling, he was told that his quickness was an issue, prompting hundreds of sessions jumping rope. When upper body strength became a problem he headed to the weight room. Along the way he battled things like fatigue, second guessing and time management, all in pursuit of the chance to play at the next level.

Off the court, Oliver integrated himself into the school’s community; serving as a mentor to younger teammates and traveling to Mexico and Tennessee to build homes for impoverished people. His rewards came not in the form of scholarship offers but in the respect of faculty and coaches. He received the Coach’s award for his leadership on the basketball team and was presented with the Alumni award at graduation for his outstanding character and devotion to the school.

When he shows up at his first collegiate practice in October, he’ll be facing many of the same obstacles that he overcame at Xavier. He’ll be fighting for playing time and the coach’s confidence while gearing up to play in front of sparse crowds on winter weeknights when most of the basketball world is home watching the big boys on ESPN.

One of those big boys will be Lance Stephenson, someone seemingly more interested in what the game can do for him rather than the other way around. So shoot me an email and let me know how Cincinnati is doing. I’ll be sitting in the bleachers watching Steve Oliver show me how much he loves the game.

For starters, it was strange to see Pitt’s DeJuan Blair, the best player on one of the top teams in the country’s most elite conference, have to wait until the 37th pick to hear his name called. Now, I realize that professional scouts are concerned by the fact that Blair stands just 6′6″. I’ll also give them a pass on their reservations about his jump shot. However, one look at the second pick reveals their contradiction of their own opinions. UConn’s Hasheem Thabeet, dubbed the best big man in this year’s lottery, was completely and thorughly dominated by the smaller Blair in both of their head to head meetings during the ‘08-’09 Big east campaign. Any questions about whether Blair will be able to succeed on the next level should have been answered right then and there.

USC basketball alum Taj Gibson, despite averaging 14 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks per game, fell to pick 26 of the first round; three picks later than Omri Casspi, a 6′8″ small forward from Tel Aviv, Israel. One scouting report on Gibson says that he may lack the size strength and athleticism you’d expect from a power forward, an assessment that seems ridiculous given his college production. Even sillier, while hundreds of Pac Ten players have starred in the NBA, no Israeli player has ever played in the league. Once again, potential wins out over an established resume.

What really gets me, however, is how many of these “potential” picks, wash out. History, it seems, is disregarded on an annual basis. Where would the Celtics have been last year when, after losing Kevin Garnett to injury, if they didn’t have Glenn Davis to turn to. Davis, despite carrying LSU to the Final Four, fell to the second round because of perceived deficiencies in the very repertoire he displayed in college. Big Baby was able to lead the Celtics through the first round using the skills that were doubted as he entered the league. We’re not trying to solve the problem of global warming here. It’d be nice, though, if NBA scouts gave a little more credibility to a college career. Check back sometime in January to see how DeJuan Blair and Taj Gibson are doing. I wouldn’t be surprised to see both performing at a higher level than many selected before them.

USC basketball coach, Tim Floyd, resigned last week amid allegations of alleged recruiting violations that included, but were not limited to, handing cash to a handler of O. J. Mayo to influence the then high school star to choose the USC basketball program, resulting in an NCAA investigation. As a result of the probe, several key recruits either decommitted or chose different universities.  Lucky for them, as the players currently on the Trojans’ roster, young men that committed to Floyd and thought he had committed to them, must now remain with a fractured program or sacrifice a year if they decide to transfer.  Floyd, however, is free to seek the employment of another school with no strings attached.

John Calipari, late of the University of Memphis basketball program, recently agreed to an eight year deal with Kentucky estimated to be in the range of $5 million per year.  After leading Memphis to the NCAA title game in 2008, Calipari guided the Tigers into the Sweet Sixteen last year despite a completely new starting lineup.  Armed with a bevy of recruits expected to follow the coach to his new address in the Bluegrass State, Calipari was the most attractive candidate on the market and was irresisitible to Kentucky officials.

Many reports erroneously noted Calipari’s two trips to the Final Four; one in 1996 with the University of Massachusetts in addition to his ‘08 appearance.  However, a quick check of NCAA record books reveals no mention of the UMass appearance as it was vacated due to Marcus Camby’s association with an agent.  Coach Cal was nowhere to be found when the sentence came down, though, having skipped to the NBA.  Calipari may soon be a coach with no National Semi-Final appearances on his resume as the second Final Four is now in danger because of an allegation of “knowing fraudulence or misconduct” on an SAT exam by a player who competed on that team.  Be careful what you wish for, Kentucky.

Last year, the storied basketball program at the University of Indiana suffered through the worst season in its history; posting a 6-25 record that included just one Big Ten conference win.  New coach Tom Crean made do with a limited roster that included just a handful of scholarship athletes as many of those recruited by his predecessor, Kelvin Sampson, either left or were dismissed.

Sampson left the University of Oklahoma to take the Indiana job just after the OU hierarchy froze bonuses and contract negotiations for a two year period while it conducted its own investigation into illegal phone calls to recruits.  Turns out Sampson and his staff made close to six hundred such calls.  Then, a little more than a year into his tenure with the Hoosiers, IU officials discovered that Sampson had made many of the same calls while in their employ and terminated his contract.

In each of these cases, the coach left for another job while the institution and the players were left to pay the price for the violations.  As for the school. itself, there has to be a level of accountability.  But for the athletes, their only indiscretion was to commit to a dishonorable coach. Faced with the choice of sitting out a year as a result of a transfer or play for a coach that didn’t recruit them in a system for which they may not be suited.  The guiltiest party in the whole scenario, however, is free to pick up and move to the highest bidder.  Not exactly an equitable situation.

While the NCAA has never been known for the logical disposition of transgressions, this one seems easy.  Whatever sanctions are handed down to the university in question follow the coach to his new job. Simple stuff.  Let’s see how quick Kentucky is to reach for its checkbook when faced with a possible ban from the NCAA tourney.  Want some accountability from these coaches?  Hit ‘em in their wallets and see how fast they fall in line.