First downs and second guesses:
Dylan Raiola has been trading texts with his quarterback connection in the NFL.
No, not that quarterback.
We are 10 days from Raiola and his No. 15 jersey (in honor of Tim Tebow) running into Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes. Let the narratives begin.
But: Raiola is a Detroit Lions fan. His longtime friend and mentor in the NFL is Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, an ex-Lion.
AKA, “Uncle Matt,” as Dylan calls him.
Dylan Raiola, born in Ypsilanti (right outside of Ann Arbor), grew up around the Lions while father Dominic played center for Detroit through 2014. As Dominic and Stafford (the No. 1 overall pick by Lions in 2009) became close, Dylan tagged along.
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“I grew up around him,” Dylan said of Stafford. “Every Saturday I watched them, hung around the locker room. It was cool.”
As Raiola's own quarterback career grew, he maintained a close relationship with Stafford, now in his fifth year with the Rams. He regularly texts Stafford, who has become a mentor.
“He plays in one of the most complex offenses in the NFL,” Raiola said. “Anytime I can talk ball with him I just listen. I text him whenever something is going on and I want to ask him something. I’m grateful for that type of relationship I have with him.
“That’s my guy. Both (he and Mahomes) are my guys.”
Tommie Frazier: Today's players lack passion
During my conversation with Tommie Frazier, I asked for his take on NIL and today’s players. And I wasn’t surprised.
“I’m not going to say the players don’t have a love for the game anymore,” Frazier said. “But for the college game, it’s changed the way they look at it.
“It’s become how much money can they make? I’m not saying they don’t love the game like we did, but they don’t have a passion. When adversity hits or they aren’t getting an opportunity, they leave instead of sticking around and competing.”
What would Frazier have made if NIL existed in 1995?
“I don’t even want to think about it,” Frazier said. “Johnny (Rodgers) and I were talking about it and you can imagine how much money we would have made?”
He’s right. He doesn’t want to think about it.
Playoff expansion (again) TV's deal?
The Big Ten reportedly is supporting an expansion of the College Football Playoff to 24 or 28 teams. And people reacted to it. In some cases, overreacted to it.
My take: This idea comes from Fox Sports, the league's TV partner. I don’t think Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti trying to change college football. I think Fox asked Pettiti to float the idea and see how the world reacted.
The reaction was predictably negative. But TV execs are notorious for gauging public reaction before launching new ideas. Maybe 28 isn’t the preferred number, then if you go for 20 down the road, it doesn’t look as drastic.
You know who would benefit from more playoff games? Or a format with four automatic qualifiers and play-in games? TV.
A wise man once told me that the two commissioners of college football are ESPN and Fox. Hard to believe, right?
Worth a wardrobe change
Old man football take: Nebraska will wear alternate black uniforms when it plays Southern California. The Trojans, by the way, only have one uniform.
You got a problem with that? Not me.
I agree with Matt Rhule on this one. It’s OK to wear alternates once a year. If you must do it once a year, the black helmets, with the red N, is the best look.
Would I like to see the two iconic uniforms together? Yes.
But NU has never beaten USC, and wore the classic uniform every time.
Rhule also said there’s a good chance that Nov. 1 game will be a night game. That will have more to do with Nebraska’s chance to win than any uniform.
Omaha lost bright light
RIP Deng Mayar, and all prayers and condolences to the Omaha basketball family.
There was such excitement about Mayar’s presence and role with the Mavericks.
He was a bright light in his short time here. He’ll be missed.
Hall call comes for Bruce Rasmussen
Wasn’t Bruce Rasmussen already in the Creighton Athletics Hall of Fame?
That will be one induction this fall no Bluejay fans will want to miss.
And while CU is at it, put the former athletic director's name on the basketball court at CHI Health Center as he goes into the Hall of Fame.
One more and I’m outta here
I did something different Saturday. You might even call it a little strange.
I went to find Bob Devaney’s grave in Lincoln.
It started a few weeks ago, when I dropped my daughter off at KU in Lawrence and saw a cemetery near campus. It reminded me of the time several years ago, when my friend Blair Kerkhoff at the Kansas City Star showed me where Jayhawk basketball legends James Naismith and Phog Allen were buried near Kansas.
It got me wondering, was Devaney buried in Lincoln? And where?
The Husker legend is buried at Memorial Park, on 14th Street in south Lincoln. After Saturday’s press conference, I drove down to find the grave.
I had this image of a huge monument, with Husker helmets or jerseys or footballs.
It was none of that.
Devaney’s grave site blended in with the others. The stone is in the ground, under a tree with a bench next to it. It reads “Devaney” with the names Robert and Phyllis (Bob’s wife) engraved. There was one small "N" flag ornament behind it.
Now I know.
At Kansas, the grave sites of Naismith (inventor of basketball) and Allen are well known. Fans visit on a regular basis and leave basketballs, KU jerseys, etc. While he was coach there, Roy Williams used to jog to the graves on game days and tap the two headstones for good luck.
According to media reports, Williams thought that brought his team luck 90% of the time.
I’m not suggesting Matt Rhule start the same tradition with Devaney. But you never know.
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