Stanford coach and former quarterback Jim Harbaugh isnt afraid to stir things up on the field. He’ll probably go down in history for coaching the team that took down USC in that historic blowout.

But he’s more than just a coach. This summer, he showed the world that he is also a humanitarian. Harbaugh spent a week in Peru helping to buil shelters for the poor. He also helped fellow humanitarians buil a new roof for an orphanage and packed food bags that will be distributed to families who really need them. Each bag should feed a family for a month.

Jim Harbaugh, Image: Newscom

Of course, it wasn’t all hard work. Harbaugh also played football with the locals, and he says that the game turned into what he calls “Peru Ball.” He plans to return next year with the whole family.

You can read more about his trip from Mercury News.

Congress held hearings on the Bowl Championship Series today, and lots of people are talking about it. Essentially, we just saw the same old arguments rehashed again, but who knows - maybe somethng will actually get done. Here are what people are saying.

Image: sxc.hu

• Team Speed Kills: A Recap of the Senate BCS Hearing (including a video link if you want to watch it too)
• The Wall Street Journal: College Football Goes Down the Hatch
• Mr College Football: It’s Time to be Honest about the BCS
• Senatus: Hatch Calls for Justice Department Investigation of BCS
• NCAA Football Fanhouse: BCS Hearing are about the Money
• Betsy’s Page: Keep Congress Out of College Football

Another good website to hit up? We Demand Playoffs, which takes the stance that fans need to be vocal about wanting playoffs for the NCAA to actually create a better system. They cover much of the playoff/BCS-related news, as well has have a healthy dose of opinion.

Got a link you want to add to this list, leave a comment below.

Right now, everyone is talkin about Steve McNair’s death, which appears to be a murder-suicide. Although most people talk about his NFL career, he was also an outstanding player in college.

Steve McNair, Image: Newscom

Here are the highlights from his time playing NCAA Football:

• McNair played for Alcorn State after being recruited from Mount Olive High School in Mississippi.
  
• He was the third pick overall in the 1995 NFL draft.
  
• In 1992, McNair ran the ball in for a game-winning touchdown against Grambling, even though he had a leg injury.
• In his senior season, McNait had around 6,000 yards passing and rushing, as well as 53 touchdowns.
  
• McNair won the Walter Payton Award as the highest-ranked I-AA player in 1994.
  
• He broke more than a dozen records his senior year.
  
• McNair finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1994.
  

He was a great player, and from all accounts I’ve heard, a great father. The circumstances may be a bit hazy right now, but no matter what, my thoughts are with his family. RIP.

Operation Sports recently released their list of the hardest places to play in major college football. Their top five:

1. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium - Florida
2. Beaver Stadium - Penn State
3. Tiger Stadium - LSU
4. Ohio Stadium Stadium - Ohio State
5. Gaylord-Oklahoma Memorial - Oklahoma

You can see the rest of the list here . Of course, I’m happy to see Beaver Stadium on the list. If you’ve ever been there, you understand why it’s #2. The crowd is intense and it is LOUD. I sure as hell wouldn’t want to play there. I’m assuming others on the list are similar.

Image: Newscom

Following the example of former Nebraska/Arizona State quarterback Sam Keller, former Rutgers quarterback Ryan Hart and former California quarterback Troy Taylor have filed suit against video game developer and publish EA Sports, part of Electronic Arts. The players say that EA Sports used their likenesses without permission for the popular NCAA Football game they publish annually.

In the lawsuit, which was filed by attorney Keith McKenna, accuses EA Sports of "unjust enrichment." They say that the use of their names and images without permission in an invasion of privacy for commercial purposes.

A spokesperson for EA Sports has said that the company, NCAA, and Collegiate Licensing Company have all reviewed the case and don’t believe that their claims have merit. The company says it has not violated any NCAA bylaws or athlete rights laws.

Do you think it’s fair for a video game to include a real person without that person’s permission?

Image: Amazon

One of the best parts of a college football game is the “team spirit” atmosphere. Whether your team is good or bad, it’s fun to scream on the top of your lungs with the cheerleaders or sing The Hey Song with the band. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen at Florida International anymore.

Image: sxc.hu

FUI has recently reported that they’d be cutting the band program, and following that announcement, they decided to cut the cheerleading program as well. They have one the the worst historic records in major college football, and have been dealing NCAA penalties and problems stemming from playing ineligible players and brawling with Miami at the 2006 Orange Bowl.They also have very low football game attendance, with only around 14,000 people coming to each game.

By cutting the cheerleaders, FIU reports that they can save around $45,000. Even if they make cuts, it would still take at least $20,000 to keep the program running at all. Combined with cutting the band, the school will save aroud $100,000.

Yes, that’s a lot of money in today’s economy, but here’s the thing that confuses me - the cheerleaders, coached by former  Miami Dolphins cheerleader Maria George, is actually bringing a lot of acclaim to the school. They’re currently ranked fourth in the nation. That’s despite the fact that FIU don’t get full athletic scholarships - just small ones to help pay for textbooks.

And they had just finished tryouts and interviews for next year’s squad. George has offered to work without pay, but the school hasn’t responded. Unless they raise the money for the program through private sources and have commitments for that money for the next several years, the programs is getting the ax.

It’s a poor decision all around. FIU has to make cuts, like almost all schools are doing this year, and I’m certainly not saying that cheerleading comes before academics, but I have a hard time believing that this is the best option.

You and sign the petition to keep the cheerleaders here . Even better, consider donating some money to keep them up and going if you can.

As far as life in the wild goes, I think I’d rather be a Grizzly than a Duck. Seems that some people think similarly about the situation in college football. After being released from the Oregon ducks in May, quarterback Justin Roper has announced that he’ll be a Montana Grizzly next season.

Image: Newscom

It isn’t that Roper isn’t good, according to the Ducks coaching staff. They just have someone better - Jeremiah Masoli. Montana gives him the chance to explore his NFL potential, according to what he told reporters earlier today.

Roper started during three games last year before a knee injury forced him to spend the next four games on the bend . During those three games, plus three others near the end of the season where he played (but didn’t start), Roper completed 48 out of 91 passes. He threw three touchdown passes and ran the ball in himself once.

Montana can have Roper for two years, since he redshirted in 2006. Will he succeed with this program? Maybe. If he does, I hope people will actually take notice. They may not be Florida or USC, but great quarterbacks have come from weirder places.

Every year, Notre Dame’s schedule comes under scrutiny, since they’re an Independent. Their 2009 schedule looks like this:

• 9/5 - Nevada
• 9/12 - Michigan
• 9/19 - Michigan State
• 9/26 - Purdue
• 10/3 - Washington
• 10/17 - USC
• 10/24 - Boston College
• 10/31 - Washington State
• 11/7 - Navy
• 11/14 - Pittsburgh
• 11/21 - Connecticut
• 11/28 - Standford

Granted, this schedule isn’t terrible, but it isn’t a walk in the park either. In fact, I think it’s a pretty solid schedule with some easy teams and some not-so-easy teams. Of course, people are already saying that “this could be Notre Dame’s year.” That happens a lot every summer. It always seems like it’s going to be their year.

Head Coach Charlie Weis certainly hopes people are right, though. He needs this to be their year. In fact, if it isn’t, he could find himself in line at the unemployment office in 2010.

Image: Newscom

Fans have been grumbling under their breathes for awhile about the lackluster record Weis has had at Notre Dame, especially since he has one of the nation’s most highly-recruited quarterbacks at the helm. Granted, Jimmy Clausen was a young player…but he’s an upperclassman now. No more excuses.

So what do you think - is this Notre Dame’s year?

It’s no secret that the Mountain West Conference wants a playoff system. Other conferences may want one as well, but the MWC actually went to the effort to put together a proposal for it, which was rejected by the BCS today. Their plan was an 8-team playoff system that would allow all of the leagues an equal chance to send teams to the National Championship Game.

Image: Newscom

After it was rejected, David Frohnmayer, BCS presidential oversight committee chairman, said:

“There was no overall support for the proposal, although some conferences were interested in considering certain elements of it in the future — particularly those related to revenue, access and governance of the BCS arrangement.”

According to Frohnmayer, all of the conferences and Notre Dame wrote reports in support of keeping the current post-season system. However, a large part of that may be wanting to fulfill televison contracts. Frohnmayer says that the current post-season arrangement is the best that has ever existed.

Right…

Earlier this month, Minnesota announced that may ban alcohol at all college sporting events. I can just guess how well that went over for students, but how do you guys feel about it?

Image: sxc.hu

Some thoughts I have:

• Having alcohol at the games at Penn State isn’t dangerous, so I can’t see how it would be at Minnesota. The people who get so drunk they can’t see are typically students who walk home, and the drivers are responsible most of the time. There will always be incidents, but not enough to ban alcohol.
• The possible ban stems from state alcohol disputes with the school. The liquor licensing control board says that they have to offer alcohol to everyone at the stadium or to no one at all. So instead of making beer available to people in the stands, they’re going to take it away from people in club areas. Yes, that makes tons of sense.
• All this is going to do is make people hide their alcohol or binge drink before getting to the game. Those things are a lot more dangerous.

All in all, its a bad decision to ban alcohol at any college sporting event. Control, yes…but ban? No.

Your thoughts? Leave a comment!