Breaking: ESPN.com Commenter Adds Valuable Perspective

Appended to the ESPN.com story about Weepin' Rich Rodriguez's press conference was an intriguing comment from one utah_utes_33. "I play for a D-I football program," utah_utes_33 begins.

He goes on:

And I can assure you that each week we go FAR above the 20 hour limit, but when we sign the sheet saying we abided by the rule the NCAA set.. we have no choice but to sign it, or else we get cut from the team entirely. Sometimes we have put in 30 hours per week, including meetings and practice.

Sharp-eyed reader Bob alerted us to utah_utes_33's comment, which you can find here and which I hasten to add was not the work of the Utah Utes' No. 33, Justin Taplin-Ross. (Utah_utes_33 later clarifies: "And I do not live in Utah, that is just my username. I do not play for the Utes, but was merely a fan after the Sugar Bowl.") This is actually valuable context — if unsurprising — and may represent the first time in recorded history that an ESPN.com commenter has offered the world a glimpse into something other than the cymbal-banging monkey toy of his mind. Congrats, utah_utes_33, whoever you are.

Michigan coach denies wrongdoing [ESPN]