Let’s start with a little college football playoff talk. I did a little digging last night and found this article:

Arguments against a post-season college football playoff on grounds that it would hurt traditional bowl games and force athletes to miss too much school are not valid, according to a former Notre Dame coach (I’ll reveal his identity at the bottom).

Writing in TV Guide, the coach predicted a playoff capped by a college “Super Bowl” by the end of the decade.

The coach proposed a single, post-bowl title game between the top two teams as chosen by a consensus of polls, conferences and coaches. The playoff format could be gradually expanded to four, eight, and eventually 16 teams, with bowls used as elimination games. The championship game would be played the week after New Year’s Day.

He said such a format would extend the season by just one week, noting that most schools do not begin the spring semester until the second week of January. Some playoff money could go for tutoring players, he proposed.

The coach said a playoff format incorporating current bowls would add “luster” to those games because they would be guaranteed the top teams in the country.

In the four-team format, the top four teams would play in the major bowls, alternating Rose and Orange one year, Sugar and Cotton the next. The winners would face off in the title game the next week, he said.

The coach? Ara Parseghian. The year: 1984.

It is ridiculous we STILL don’t have a playoff in 2012. And hilarious that the proposal for 2014 will likely reflect Parseghian’s model.

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>> According to ESPN, “Kansas coach Bill Self said the Jayhawks are desperate for a quality home-and-home series, starting in Lawrence next season. KU originally talked to Indiana but that deal fell through. The Jayhawks are in the CBE Classic with Saint Louis as the other high-profile team. The Jayhawks also have the Champions Classic game against Michigan State in Atlanta, return a game at Ohio State and get Temple at home. That’s still a very strong slate. But Self said the Jayhawks are looking for a new series at home and are struggling to find one.”

Make the call, Greg McDermott. Please pick up the phone and make a sales pitch.

Self might say yes to McDermott, his friend, not only because of Creighton’s talent level but its proximity. KU would like the chance to play in Omaha again, I think. And if Self doesn’t want to come north, maybe he would play the second year in Kansas City or Lincoln (new arena).

It would be a thrill to see Creighton play at Allen Fieldhouse. But the game would be attractive for another reason. Creighton is good enough to win. By the way, McDermott told me last week the Jays have one opening left on their schedule.

>> Butler is leaving the Horizon League for the Atlantic 10. A great move for Barry Collier and Brad Stevens. The only downside for the Bulldogs is they’re joining a league with too many (14) teams. I realize I’ve beaten this drum too often on this blog. But are you happy in the Valley, Creighton fans? And if the Jays go on a run the next two years, would the A-10 (or some other league) come calling?

>> Four former Saints have been suspended by the NFL for their role in Bounty-gate. Scott Shanle, a veteran linebacker, isn’t one of them. I was afraid he would be.

>> I’m working on a Nebraska football project this month. I won’t reveal too many details, but I want to know your 3 favorite/proudest traditions — or things that define Husker football. You can say, for example, “Blackshirts” or “Hail Varsity.” You can be more specific and say, for example, “Osborne going for 2 in the Orange Bowl” or “Black 41 Flash Reverse.” Drop me a comment or send me an email.

>> A guy in Vegas bet $75 on the Clippers when they were down by 27! He won $40,000.

>> The WAC, a charming old football league, is on its death bed.

>> Albert Pujols is a fantastic baseball player. But he’s always been petty. And this is petty.

>> A St. John’s basketball player also makes a $1 million to play baseball.

>> The U.S. Justice Department is investigating sexual assault allegations within the Montana athletic department. This is ugly.

>> I linked Austin Hatch’s story last fall. Here’s an update on the Michigan recruit. If you missed it, you won’t believe what he’s been through.

>> Author Malcolm Gladwell will argue next week that college football should be banned. Something tells me he won’t be successful.

>> I can’t stand the Lakers. That’s all.