Totally Random

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In the state of Texas, where lawmakers are drawing up a bill pushing to end the BCS, it’s difficult to find someone in favor of the current college football postseason format. But not impossible.

Sam Harrell, father of Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell (seen at left), told the New York Times that he would rather college football avoid any form of playoff.

‘Now I know people say how much it works for basketball, but I think football is different,’ the elder Harrell said. ‘Is it really better for kids to have a playoff ,or go to a bowl game and say, ‘We won the Gator Bowl, the Cotton Bowl, whatever bowl’? You have USC and Penn State going to the Rose Bowl, whoever wins that game -- that’s something those kids can talk about the rest of their lives. They finished by winning something with a name, a tradition. They got to play in the Rose Bowl, not just the quarterfinals.

‘People would have you believe, oh, the playoff would be perfect, ideal, but I think in about six years, people would say, ‘Oh my God, what have we done? We’ve ruined a perfectly good season’s ending for a whole lot of teams for the benefit of one.’ Is that really better for the kids?’

Trivia time

When did Texas Tech play in its first Cotton Bowl?

Fists fly

And now, for what the New York Mets’ acquisition of former Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez really means: Who has the best fist-pump in the Big Apple -- Rodriguez or New York Yankees’ pitcher Joba Chamberlain?

As a headline in Wednesday’s New York Post put it: ‘Rodriguez, Joba Create Great Gesticulate Debate.’ The Post also informed Mets fans of one change to expect when attending home games in 2009: ‘Say bye-bye to ‘Enter Sandman’ playing in the ninth inning, and get used to K-Rod’s entrance music, ‘Sandungueoso,’ by Tego Calderon.’

And, this would be another change for the Mets and their fans: Maybe Rodriguez records some saves down the stretch. The Mets are spending $37 million with that hope in mind.

A winning list

Among the top 10 highlights of Ball State’s 12-1 football season, as read by coach Brady Hoke (seen at right) on alumnus David Letterman’s show:

• ‘When O.J. Simpson and some goons showed up and tried to steal our equipment.’
• ‘Defeating the Detroit Lions.’
• ‘None of our players shot themselves in the leg.’
• ‘The drunk 3 a.m. coaching tips from Letterman.’

Trivia answer

Texas Tech played in the third Cotton Bowl, on Jan. 2, 1939, and lost to St. Mary’s, 20-13.

And finally ...

Elliott Harris of the Chicago Sun-Times on this year’s Alamo Bowl pairing: ‘A Northwestern-Missouri matchup would seem better suited for a battle of journalism schools than of football teams.’

-- Mike Penner

Top photo: Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell during a game last month. Credit: LM Otero / Associated Press

Lower photo: Ball State Coach Brady Hoke. Credit: Andy Lyons / Getty Images