Hump Day Headlines

This is the debut of Hump Day Headlines which will appear every Wednesday.  Like the Monday Morning Longsnapper this weekly post will be done in bullet point form.

• Did anyone see that the Arena Football League "suspended" its 2009 season?  Suspended.  HA!  Actually, it has basically folded citing the bad economy as one of the reasons for its demise.  Said Jon Bon Jovi, owner of the Philadelphia Soul on the AFL's website, "We, the owners of the Arena Football League, realize we have the most fan-friendly, affordable and accessible sport anywhere."  (Uh, no John.  If that were the case, people would be attending and you wouldn't be folding!)  He goes on to say, "These are trying economic times.  The revamping will ensure that the AFL continues to provide value to its fans and not only survives but thrives in years to come."  Good luck with that.  The league hopes to come back in 2010, but would anyone really care if they were gone forever?  I guess ESPN screwed up in purchasing part of the league and airing all of its games last season.  Whoops!
• White Sox fans rejoiced when they found out Darrin Jackson would not be back in the TV booth for next season with play by play man and resident entertainer Ken "Hawk" Harrelson.  Steve Stone has taken Jackson's place there.  But little did they know DJ would return to the team as Ed Farmer's partner on radio.  Things I'd rather do than listen to Farmio and DJ on the radio:  1.  listen to Christian Rock radio for the three hours the White Sox are on, 2.  clean every toilet at Wrigley Field following a game on a 95 degree day in August, 3. be the trailing janitor that follows the horses in the parades at Disney World that scoops up manure.  I could go on, but you get the point.  With the lack of energy those two will bring to the air, I suspect coffee sales will skyrocket in the Chicagoland area for White Sox fans trying to stay awake while in the car during games.  Oh, and if you haven't had a good laugh today yet, click here and you will.  You can thank me later.
• If you haven't seen this yet, take the time now to watch it.  (The Shot is :52 into the clip)
• Seen it now?  It's so typical that Syracuse could lose a game like that.  It's was an amazing shot hit by Cleveland State's Cedric Jackson.  But if you're Syracuse, how do you put yourself in a position to lose on a last second shot to Cleveland State at home?  If you're really the eleventh best team in the country you shouldn't have so much trouble beating a team that came in 6-4 from the Horizon League.  And if it wasn't enough of an embarrassment for Jim Boeheim's club, he then had to take it out on the microphone in the press conference after the game.
• Penn State and head football coach Joe Paterno agreed to a contract extension yesterday that will have leading the Nittany Lions until 2011.   JoePa will be 85 when the contract expires.  85 years old!  After an 11-1 season and a trip to the Rose Bowl, I suppose the man deserves it.  But at this point everyone knows the man's just a figurehead and doesn't do much coaching these days.  He was the only head coach I saw all season that spent the game in the press box, instead of on the field with his team.  You can't argue with his success, or all that he's done for PSU, but come on.  At some point, just reach a deal with the guy to retire and let his assistants finally get the credit they deserve for Penn State's recent success.
• Begin the countdown now.  We're just three days away from the Bowl Season, beginning with the Eagle Bank Bowl, the New Mexico Bowl, the magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl and the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl.  Woohoo!  There's nothing that excites me more as a college football fan than watching mediocre six win teams duke it out in a completely meaningless football game on a cold December weekend!  Honestly, there's nothing worse in college football than naming rights for bowl games.  It might even be worse than the BCS.  Would you be excited to play in the Champs Sports Bowl, the Meineke Car Care Bowl, or the Papajohns.com Bowl?  Maybe it's the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl that tickles your fancy.  As big a sports fan as any of you claim to be, find something else to do during the Chick-fil-A bowl.  Please.  I could never watch something with a name that dumb.