Four Tiny Tidbits On: The Mid-American Conference

We must confess that we can't wait each year for the crunch of shoulder pads; for cleats churning up chunks of turf, and red-faced coaches screaming from the sidelines. But enough about lacrosse. College football season is upon us, and to celebrate, we're going to get back into tiny tidbit mode and present four things you didn't know about each major conference. If you have a little-known fact about your team or conference, strap it to a freshman, point him in our direction and whack him on the ass. Or, mail to [email protected]. Today: The MAC.

• 1. Oh My! The MAC has a very high concentration of sportswriters and broadcasters that claim a MAC school as an alma mater. A sampling: Dick Enberg (CMU), John Saunders (Western Michigan), Thom Brennaman, Peter King, Jay Mariotti (Ohio), Jay Crawford of "Cold Pizza," Mike Emrick (Bowling Green), Steve Stone (Kent State), Chris Rose (Miami) and Jason Whitlock (Ball State), just to name a few. (Thanks to Brandon Veale).

• 2. What's That Spell? GHB! They take their drinking seriously in the MAC, where even the coaches are known to party hardy. Actually it's no laughing matter that Ohio coach Frank Solich was convicted of DUI in November and pleaded no contest to the charge of DUI in Athens, Ohio in January. From AP: "Solich, 61, appeared to be passed out when police found him Saturday night in the vehicle, which was facing the wrong direction on a one-way street and in drive, according to a police report. The report said Solich had trouble figuring out to how to roll down the window, had difficulty understanding simple questions and was unsteady on his feet. He refused to take a breath test." Solich has asked that the conviction be overturned, perhaps on the premise that the car wasn't moving ... much like his offense. But you knew this already.

• 3. Mongo Like Sheriff ... . The above had a positive effect on Ohio senior Cory Logan, who was arrested for punching a police horse in late April. Well, after all, Ohio was voted No. 7 in Playboy's 2006 list of top party schools.

• 4. The Long And Winding Road. Among those who have attended Eastern Michigan have been Charile Batch, Earl Boykins, George Gervin, Bob Welch and an anonymous EMU student who is generally credited with starting the "Paul is Dead" Beatles hoax, when he called WKNR-FM radio on Oct. 12, 1969, with a series of clues that seemed to point to the pop singer's demise.