Here at DXP, we have been getting through the summer doldrums by watching the World Cup, primarily because it is one of the rare events where it is permissible to begin drinking at 7 am for 30 straight days.  But we have been especially concerned at the breaking story that two innocent Dutch beer girls have been arrested in South Africa.  Please look at these photos and show your support for Bavaria Beer and their talented marketing staff.  In related news, Dr. D will be taking a sabbatical in Amsterdam beginning immediately.

Bavaria beer girls demonstrate why 22 year-old American men flock to Amsterdam each summer

Joe Schad's inside source takes a break from spreading rumors

In one short week Don Beebe went from being the most incompetent commissioner in the history of college football to the savior of the Big XII.  Well, for now anyway.  We'll set the over/under on the existence of the new Big XII at 4.5 years and load up on the under.  It's also been an awful week for 'inside sources'.  Seriously, how many different teams have been called the 'linchpin of the Big XII in the last 7 days by sportswriters?  If Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, and Texas A&M are each the 'linchpin' of the conference, then you know the whole thing is on shaky ground.  And do you really think that Mizzou would turn away the Big Ten if Jim Delany comes knocking?  This brings me to Chip Brown over at Orangebloods.com.  This guy has been dead right about nearly every aspect of conference expansion/contraction over the past two weeks.  We know who we'll be contacting for the initial DXP Lock of the Week come next fall.  He single handedly upstaged Joe Schad and ESPN today who may want to reevaluate the meaning of 'imminent' or look for some new sources.

Jennifer Floyd Engel: reminding men that 'it could be worse' since 1997

Having said that, as Larry David would say, we feel compelled to bring to your attention a column that was published in the Star-Telegram on Saturday.  If you want more of the class that only a fullback masquerading as a female sportswriter can show, then listen to this rant on YouTube.  Kind of makes you appreciate your wife or girlfriend just a little bit more, huh?  But we'll take the high ground here at DXP and not stoop to Jen's level.  After all, we can't even imagine what it must be like for Jen to live in 21st century Texas as a lesbian woman.  However, we will point out a few of the flaws in her Pulitzer deserving column.  Jen articulately points out:

"Ok, Ok, you have more than 14 TVs in the booming metropolis that is Lincoln.  Are you happy? Now, go get your butts handed to you in the Big Ten and shut up."

Never mind that Nebraska has won 12 of the last 13 football games against Big Ten competition, Jen doesn't believe in a little thing journalists with integrity call 'research'.  Let's also clear the air about the matter of television sets in potential conference expansion geographies.  Conference expansion has never been about the TV sets in Denver, St. Louis, or Omaha.  It has been about the TV sets in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia.  Those are the top 4 TV markets in the country and don't kid yourself, the Big Ten Network wants to grow exponentially in each of them.  Texas and their brand name would have accomplished this, save for the small fact that they can't go anywhere without their kid brother, Texas A&M.  So Jim Delany and the Big Ten set their sights on Nebraska, a marquee football name with a national following that simply provides the Big Ten Network a better product, something Apple has shown us in the past decade seems to work (if you like making money that is).

Jennifer Floyd Engel recites her Saturday column before shots of Jagermeister

Jen continues in her infinite wisdom:

"How smart are Nebraskans?  They actually buy this "more aligned with culture and academic mission" nonsense being spewed Friday.  And who hasn't heard Nebraska referred to as Harvard on the Plains?"

Now even though none of the DXP editors have journalism degrees, we do think two Big Ten doctorates and a Pac-10 master's allow us to opine on the economics of higher education.  And let us point this out to the 22% of Texans who don't have a high school diploma (worst state in the country in case you were wondering):  the additional research dollars that come with being in the Big Ten make a $20 million per year revenue share from a television station look like chump change.  It has been reported that about the time Penn State joined the Big Ten, their academic research budget was on par with Texas.  They now have a lead of $200 million per year and growing.  You see, it turns out that research dollars bring in better professors which in turn move universities higher in academic rankings which in turn allow universities to charge more for their education which in turn bring in more research dollars.  It's not just the preseason football rankings that are looking up for Husker fans.  Expect the university academic rankings to improve as well.  But what do I know, I'm just a 'corn shucker' who helped kill the Big XII and only cares about average starting salaries and academic rankings.

Congratulations to the Oklahoma Sooners on advancing to the College World Series this weekend.  We look forward to seeing your fans in Omaha.

There's been a lot of bitterness eminating from the Lone Star State over the past few days, but as John Lennon said, "Instant Karma's gonna knock you right in the head".  Just as TCU fans were pulling for the Huskers in the Big XII championship game last December, more than a few Husker fans were rooting for the Horned Frogs today in their Super Regional rubber match with the Longhorns based on the events that have transpired over the last few days.  In case you didn't see, Texas lost 4-1 and the Horned Frogs advanced to the CWS for the first time in school history.  Texas had by far the best pitching staff in the country this year posting a team ERA that was a full half a run lower than UCLA, which came in at #2, but thankfully there will be no whining by Longhorn fans in Omaha next weekend about the Huskers bolting for the Big Ten as Texas be watching the CWS from Austin.  And if you think the big man upstairs isn't keeping score, just go ask O.J. or that Van Der Douche kid in Peru how things turn out when you get a little too cocky.  Nebraska may not be the "Harvard of the Midwest" as one classy sportswriter from the Star-Telegram wrote yesterday (more on this column tomorrow), but we have a word to describe the performance of the Texas baseball team today:  choke.  Now stop bitching Texas fans and get back to beating your MWC in-state rival.

As you noticed, DXP is off of sabbatical, but we are still checking all local Krogers to see if we can find Sammy's picture on the side of a milk carton.  Like most of Husker Nation, we are overjoyed with the historic announcement of Nebraska joining the Big Ten, but here at DXP, we immediately began a heated debate of what Big Ten college town will offer the best road trip come autumn 2011.  Just like Lori Davis, we are still excited!  There is no question the college towns of the Big Ten will be an immeidate upgrade to the disappointment that was the Big XII North.  No more after-hours at trailer parks in Manhattan.  Tired of armpit hair and weekly showers from the 'progressive' talent in Boulder?  No more waking up next to a girl in a Danny Manning jersey in Lawrence.  And don't even get me started on the 4-to-1 guy-to-girl ratio in Ames.  That's a bigger sausage fest than Johnsonville.  I have nothing bad to say about the girls in Columbia.  One of my best friends married a girl from Mizzou.  Granted, she was a lesbian for 4 years in college, but evidently that's because the "guys there are douchebags" (her words, not mine).

DXP Editors Debate the Alcohol Content on Big Ten Campuses

In honor of the move to the Big Ten, here is the first of a weekly Girls of the Big Ten feature we'll be doing over the summer.  We go straight to the home of the famous Dr. D for the inaugural edition.  If you're hoping that Indiana is on the road schedule come next fall, then you aren't alone.

"The night of the fight you may feel a slight sting.  That's pride fucking with you.                        Fuck pride.  Pride only hurts, it never helps" - Marsellus Wallace circa 1994

If you walked around the office yesterday afternoon with a spring in your step and a smile on your face, you weren't alone.  Nebraska did what was unfathomable just a year ago, and joined the Big Ten as Husker Nation collectively cheered not only the wisdom of the move, but the words that described it.  Tom Osborne and Harvey Perlman came out firing yesterday and by doing so, effectively laid to rest any burden that the University of Nebraska should bear in the rapid disintegration of the Big XII conference.  Longhorn nation may feel differently, but make no mistake, it was the greed of the Texas athletic deparatment that precipitated the demise of the Big XII.  Columnists around the country wrote about the history that Nebraska shared with members of the former Big 8, but how quickly people forget the history of the Big XII and the lifeline that the Big 8 gave to 4 members of the former Southwest Conference.  When the inaugural season of football in the Big XII kicked off, Texas had been to 4 bowl games in the previous 10 years and had not finished a season ranked in the top 10 since 1983.  And the gratitude shown to the former Big 8 for helping to build Texas into the marquee brand and all-around athletic powerhouse they are today?  No sharing of television revenue and the ability to start their own Texas sports network.  So much for that Texas hospitality.  Everything in Texas is bigger, including pride and arrogance.

However, it's no time to blame Texas, Nebraska, Colorado or any other instituion for the break-up of the Big XII under the weak and feeble leadership of Dan Beebe.  It's time to look forward to greener pastures in the Big Ten.  While I'll always miss the Nebraska-Oklahoma games, one of the classiest rivalries in college football, I for one grew tired of the Kansas States, Missouris, and Colorados and their desperation for a 'rivalry game' with Nebraska.  Husker nation and the 85,000+ fans that fill Memorial Stadium on Saturdays in the fall are a much better fit in the Big 10 than the Big XII.  For the many who have been to Folsom Field, Bill Snyder Stadium, or Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, the thought of playing road games in The Big House, The Horeshoe, and Camp Randall must have you salivating.  The Big Ten now has 4 of the top 7 winningest programs in the history college football and could have 5 if Notre Dame makes the leap in the future.  Nebraska can quickly develop rivalry games with Iowa and Wisconsin if the conference divisions are split East-West as expected.  The baseball program should benefit from competing in a weaker baseball conference and Nebraska-Penn State in volleyball could drive the Big Ten Network to expand to televising volleyball matches.  The additional $10 million in expected annual revenue from the BTN can only grow.  According to SNL-Kagan, the Big Ten Network now generates bigger monthly subscriber fees than MTV or The Golf Channel.  Getting a national fanbase such as Nebraska's will only drive more subscribers and therefore give the BTN more leverage to charge cable subscribers a higher monthly fee for access which in turn will drive the estimated $20 million each school makes from the BTN higher.

Chancellor Harvey Perlman gives Big XII commissioner Dan Beebe a forearm in Friday's news conference

Husker fans will look forward to the 2011 season and matchups with Ohio State, Penn State, Iowa, and Wisconsin, but Nebraska alumni will benefit most from the inevitable improvement in the academic programs at the University of Nebraska.  Future Huskers will be Big Ten alumni and associated with such prestigious research universities as Northwestern, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, and Wisconsin.  The average annual research spending at a Big Ten school is over $500 million.  Nebraska's annual research spending is less than half of that.  So that spring in your step today?  That's not just because the Huskers find stability and tradition in the Big 10, that's because your degree and your kid's future degrees became more valuable overnight.  Maybe I'm starting to understand that Texas pride.

Ever wondered how much in NFL riches your favorite Husker has earned?  For many of the players in today's game, it's not about who has the most sacks, the most TD's, or the most interceptions (although it obviously reflects your salary) but rather who has the most money to retire on.  With the average NFL career lasting only 3.3 years, every paycheck counts.

Below is a table of every active former Nebraska football player and what he's earned over his career (through 2009 only) in total base salary, total signing bonuses, total other bonuses, and total earned.  Information taken from USAToday.com.

**Unavailable:  Titus Adams, Cody Glenn, Terrence Nunn, Chris Patrick, Zach Potter, Ty Steinkuhler, Nate Swift

The Pinstripe Bowl

Officially calling it the 'New Era Cap Co. Inc. Pinstripe Bowl,' Yankee Stadium will host the Big 12 No. 6 vs. the Big East No. 3 teams on December 30th in New York.  The New Era Cap Co. signed on for four years as the sponsor and ESPN has agreed to a 6-year contract to televise the game.  However, this won't be the first game at the new Yankee Stadium as that honor belongs to Notre Dame and Army, who will play there on November 20th.  Interestingly, the last college football game to be played at Yankee Stadium was the 1962 Gotham Bowl where Nebraska beat Miami 36-34.  I'm sure the Pinstripe Bowl will sound a helluva lot better than the Texas Bowl to Missouri.

The Big 12 Meeting

When the Big 12 officials meet in Denver during the first week of June, one of the hottest topics will be where the Big 12 football championship will be played beyond the 2010 game at Dallas Cowboys Stadium.  Although Denver's Ford Field, Arrowhead Stadium, Edward Jones Dome (St. Louis), and San Antonio's Alamodome are all candidates, expect there to be lobbying to keep the game permanently in Dallas.  Said Mack Brown before last year's Big 12 Championship in Dallas,  "I would love to see it in (Arlington).  It's centrally located. Obviously, people would think playing it there would be self-serving. But I think an indoor area this time of the year to make sure the weather is not a factor and doesn't change is something that I would be 100 percent for."  As I've said before, Dallas is not centrally located, it is self-serving for Texas, and weather is and has always been a part of the game of football.  Move the game around.  I'm sure Denver will welcome Texas in early December.

Taking Gerald McCoy Out of Context

The normally great website sportsBYbrooks very recently ran with a post titled "Gerald McCoy: Ndamukong Suh 'Not Tough Enough.'"  They were going off an interview on the Dan Patrick Show (audio here) where McCoy said:  "Some people think that he's too nice. He's not tough enough. I turn into a different type of guy when it's football time. As soon as I come out of the tunnel, I change. I don't know what it is... I think my first step is faster. I'm a little more of a speedy guy and pass rusher. I'm a little more of an explosive guy, while he fills holes." If you listen to the audio, you can clearly understand that McCoy was talking about himself and not Suh.  Nonetheless, Suh fans were outraged because they took what the website above claimed - which was completely out of context.  McCoy is arrogant, but he knows better than this.  As he said in the interview, the two are friends.

Cost of Colorado Joining the Pac-10...

....would roughly be $9 million out of their own pockets.

The Boulder Daily Camera states, "Under Big 12 rules, Colorado must give two years notice if it plans to withdraw from the league and would forfeit 50 percent of its conference distribution for both of those years.  CU received $9.7 million from the Big 12 for the 2008-09 school year and is expecting about $9 million this year because the league had only one team in a Bowl Championship Series football game.  Assuming those numbers remain consistent over the next two years, it would cost Colorado roughly $4.5 million per year or $9 million over two years to leave the Big 12. The fall of 2012 is the target date for any possible Pac-10 expansion because that is when its new television agreements will begin."

The Wiz of Odds followed with, "The athletic department has an operating budget of about $45 million, which means a forfeiture of roughly 10%. That's a lot of money for a department that balked at firing Dan Hawkins because a $3 million separation package was viewed as too steep a price.  Nonetheless, the pluses outweigh the minuses. Colorado has 4,523 alumni in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma combined. The largest numbers of alumni in another Big 12 state are the 6,244 in Texas.  By comparison, there are 23,137 alumni in California, 3,755 in Arizona, 2,983 in Oregon and 5,113 in Washington. That's 34,988 alumni in Pac-10 conference territory compared to 10,767 in Big 12 country. Another 1,200 alums live in Utah, which is considered to be the Pac-10's other expansion target.  Colorado generally draws less than 1,000 fans to Big 12 road games. A 2007 game at Arizona State attracted 7,000 supporters."

Newest Offers From Nebraska

QB Brett Hundley (Chandler, AZ).....DT Kevin Williams (Holland, OH).....DT Kris Harley (Indianapolis, IN).....DT Mickey Johnson (Covington, LA).....OLB Lateek Townsend (Bennettsville, SC)

Joining us for a spring practice discussion on all things Nebraska are fellow Big Red blogs Corn Nation, Big Red Network, and Husker Hype.  My answers to this Q&A format are below and make sure to check out what the other fine sites have to say.

1.)  Who do you think will come out of Spring Practice as the Offensive and Defensive MVP?

Defensively, Jared Crick will certainly be on everyone's radar as a possible pre-season All-American candidate.  All he was able to do last season next to Suh was accumulate 73 tackles, 15 tackles for losses, 9.5 sacks, 4 pass break-ups, 16 quarterback hurries, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 blocked kick.  With the departure of Suh, I absolutely expect Crick to become one of the leaders on and off the field for the Blackshirts.  The potential for Crick to have a break-out season in 2010 on the national level is all there and I think that needs to begin with dominating spring ball.

Offensively, I think the two players coming into the spring with the most momentum from last season are Rex Burkhead and Niles Paul.  With the implementation of the Wildcat offense, this gives Burkhead a tremendous opportunity to shine.  His work ethic is second to none and although he was very good at the end of the 2009 season, imagine where he could of been if he wasn't out six weeks with a fractured foot.  2010 could be the year of the Rex.

2.)  Nebraska appears to be switching to a spread-option style offense. How do you think this will affect quarterback and running back rotation and play?

If we do run a spread-option offense, then it won't affect the rotation much, if at all.  This type of offense obviously is going to favor a more mobile quarterback and flat-out speed at the skill positions - if they're on your roster.  Cody Green has every opportunity in the world to shine in this system, but by going off of what I saw in him last season, he still has a long way to go before I feel comfortable with him in any situation. And if Zac Lee stays as the de facto quarterback as he probably will, then I also don't want to see him running the ball nearly as much as he did towards the end of the season.  He's a nice running quarterback for Division 2 football - not the Big 12.  Although Burkhead and Helu will likely be 1 and 1A, I'm really anxious to see what Braylon Heard can bring to the table when he gets to campus.  His film shows that he's made for the spread-option.

3.)  Who do you think the starting QB will be coming out of Spring Practice and do you feel that his spot is safe until Western Kentucky week?

Even though Zac Lee's tendon surgery on his throwing arm will more than likely keep him out of spring practice, I'm sure that he'll be number one on the depth chart heading into fall camp and into week one - unless Cody Green becomes the next Vince Young overnight.  Although I still believe he lacks instinct, isn't athletically gifted enough to play vs. BCS-caliber athletes, and makes terrible decisions, he's the only battle-tested QB we have.  And even though Green was a turnover waiting to happen as he clearly lost confidence as last season wore on, he will enter the spring with an advantage on the rest of this group in Lee's absence.  I don't see Latravis Washington as a threat for any playing time whatsoever, but I am excited to see what Taylor Martinez and a healthy Kody Spano can do.  As I've said here before, I'm sure we are going to hear how whoever starts at QB has 'turned the corner' and looks great against back-ups in practice, but I need to see someone that can move the ball come this fall.  Until then, this position will remain the biggest uncertainty on the team.

4.)  Who will be the #1 Running Back coming out of Spring Practice? Some have questioned Roy Helu, Jr.'s durability and Rex Burkhead busted out on the scene showing he can do impressive amounts of damage himself.

Roy Helu demonstrated last year that he can't be expected to shoulder (no pun intended) the majority of the load at running back and remain healthy for the entire season.  Look for Helu and Rex Burkhead to come out of spring practice as co-number ones and remain that way throughout next fall.  Of course, that can change if one of these two becomes an All-American, but I think we'll see a very similar number in terms of attempts by season's end.

5.)  Which defensive unit will look best coming out of spring ball and why?

Running Bo Pelini's match-up zone pass defense with one of the most athletically gifted secondaries we've had in some time should make this defense one of the best, if not the best defense in college football next season.  Prince Amukamara, Eric Hagg, Alfonzo Dennard, and Dejon Gomes all excelled in the secondary in their first year with Pelini and should improve in the 2010 season as should last season's back-ups in PJ Smith, Lance Thorell, Anthony West, and Anthony Blue.  And to think that we will see Ricky Thenarse in an unexpected return as well as have Andrew Green, Dijon Washington, and Lazarri Middleton all coming off their redshirt seasons.  I wouldn't trade this unit with anyone's right now.

6.)  Ndamukong Suh, Phil Dillard and Larry Asante all are likely to be chosen during the draft. Does Matt O'Hanlon get picked up in one of the later rounds, go undrafted and sign as a free agent or another route not mentioned?

I haven't heard whether or not O'Hanlon has grown several inches and gained 20 lbs. since last season, but if he wants any chance of getting drafted he better be running a sub-4.4 40-yard dash at Nebraska's Pro Day this coming Friday.  In other words, no way he gets drafted.  If O'Hanlon wants to give the NFL a chance, Coach Pelini can probably find a team that will allow him a tryout.  No doubt he'll be considered a long shot to make a roster, but then again, he was a long shot to ever see significant playing time at Nebraska - let alone start for one of the best defenses in college football.

7.)  Now for the obvious question on everyone's mind: What does St. Louis do with the #1 pick?

St. Louis drafts Sam Bradford if they keep the #1 pick.  Detroit drafts Ndamukong Suh with the #2 pick if nobody trades up to #1 to take him.  Suh, Kyle Vanden Bosch, and Dominic Raiola make the Detroit Lions watchable for one state other than Michigan.

Every so often we all need a break from the usual cheerleader drunken debauchery posts.  Therefore, this week I thought I'd throw a little something out there for all of you outdoorsmen. Meet Univeristy of Alabama cheerleader Sidney (2009-10 Crimson Squad).  All that I'm really qualified to tell you about her is that besides looking great in a cheerleading uniform, she loves to hunt.

Plenty more of Sidney and her wild game after the jump.  (HT:  BC)