College Confidential

1 p.m.

Just got a secret e-mail from coach Fran ... Texas A&M doesn't have a two-minute drill. But at least the Aggies have a 10-3 halftime lead.

Meanwhile, No. 2 LSU leads unranked Tulane 10-9 at halftime. The Tigers have more penalties than points. LSU plays No. 4 Florida at home next Saturday. Remember the cliche, guys. One game at a time. It appears that LSU forgot that it had to face Tulane between home SEC games with South Carolina and the Gators.

The look-ahead factor might be in play Saturday night when unranked Auburn visits Florida. Oklahoma and Texas also have to avoid anticipating their game in Dallas next Saturday.

The distractions that lead to upsets or closer-than-expected games is what makes college football Saturdays so sizzlin'.

No fault here

On Sept. 13, Mike McKenzie sent an e-mail to the dozen or so subscribers to Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione's VIP Connection. Here's the first paragraph:

Coach Fran asked me to let you know he learned that some members of the media have obtained a copy of one or more of our VIP Connection reports, and some are upset that it exists. Therefore, Coach Fran has decided it is best to shut it down.

McKenzie is a former journalist. Shame on him for using the media as a scapegoat in this situation. "Some are upset that it exists." Huh? I think Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne was the most upset that the newsletter had existed for three years without his knowledge.

Coach Fran has decided it is best to shut it down. Um, I think that Byrne was the one who "strongly suggested" that the newsletter should be shut down.

Fran the sham

Maybe it's time for this guy to post another "leave Fran alone" video. Except it wouldn't seem so funny and ironic.

Dennis Franchione and his Secrets For Sale newsletter didn't make the same kind of national splash as Mike Gundy's post-game rant did last Saturday. For that, Fran can be thank _ and Gundy can curse _ YouTube. There was no juicy video of Fran's insider newsletter.

Jim Reeves' column and my on-line column pretty much sum up the reasons why Franchione's VIP Connection was such a bad idea. But there are a lot of bad ideas. This one was put in action for the last three years. The newsletter brought in about $45,000. According to Coach Fran and his personal assistant/ghost writer Mike McKenzie that money went to maintain www.coachFran.com.

The fact that a coach making $2 million a year felt the need to sell insider information that he kept from the public, Aggie fans and the media ... that smells. It's slimy. It's sleazy.

When Franchione left Alabama _ without personally saying goodbye to his players _ a number of Crimson Tide fans e-mailed me. They believed they had seen the real coach Fran _ a Flim Flam man. Turns out they were right.

Shut UP!!!!!!!!!!

I was looking forward to an evening watching Oklahoma-Tulsa Friday night. Instead I got ESPN2's version of The View. Yak yak yak, blah blah blah.

First they brought Bob Davie into the booth as a guest. Then Lou Holtz joined the crew from the studio in Bristol. With Tulsa cutting the lead to 21-14, all the talk was about Notre Dame's woes.

Apparently the battle for air time at ESPN is better than anything you see in Ultimate Fighting.

Just let me watch the game.

Leave Fran Alone (really)

In light of Texas A&M's melt down in the Orange Bowl Thursday night, this video has particular relevance and hilarity. If you're unaware of the parody origin, there's a YouTube video featuring a Britney Spears fan crying about the criticism directed at the (former) Pop Princess. It's called "Leave Britney Alone." Take a look at it (beware, there is some off-color language) before viewing the Fran video and you'll appreciate both.

Fran no longer the man?

Miami 34, Texas A&M 17. And it was a game that wasn't competitive, a name-your-score deal for the Hurricanes.

Knee-jerk reaction: Wonder where Fran will be coaching next season?

But what do I know?

Another important game for Texas A&M, another questionable job of game planning and play calling by the Aggies.

Jorvorskie Lane doesn't carry the ball until midway through the third quarter? Stephen McGee trying to run the option against Miami's relay team disguised as a defense? Did A&M not see how Oklahoma sliced and diced the Hurricanes' defense? (Of course, OU has receivers who are fast.)

On both sides of the ball, the Aggies looked like they were running in sand.

More embarrassment

The last two ESPN prime-time games featuring Big 12 teams _ Oklahoma State last Friday and Texas A&M Thursday night _ have been channel changers. You know the game is a stinker when early in the second half the network producers start the off-field interviews. During the A&M-Miami game, Erin Andrews was interviewing the pregnant wife of Miami offensive coordinator Patrick Nix.

Technically correct

I was listening to the Iowa-Iowa State game driving to the USC-Nebraska game Saturday afternoon. When the Cyclones won on a game-winning field goal, the radio analyst said, "This is the biggest win in Gene Chizik's history as Iowa State's coach.''

Yeah, that's right. It was also Chizik's first victory.

Bad weekend for Big 12?

Oklahoma State's egg laying in its tepid performance at Troy doesn't bode well for the Big 12.

Iowa State (vs. Iowa), Kansas (Toledo), Nebraska (USC) and Colorado (Florida State) are facing difficult games they could easily lose.

The Big 12 will be grateful that Texas ended the league's 17-game losing streak against ranked teams when it beat TCU last Saturday. That could wind up being the non-conference highlight.