Relics 'R' Us
From the program that brought you "Quest for Perfection" comes this: a national championship celebration of sorts.
An e-mail from the Texas-Fort Worth Dallas BYU Alumni Association notes that a rally will be held prior to this year's BYU-Oklahoma football game on Sept. 5. Among the highlights, the memo says, will be "pictures with the national championship trophy."
That would be the Cougars' 1984 national championship trophy.
Other artifacts expected to be on hand are Brigham Young's walking cane and a first-edition copy of the Book of Mormon.
Irish eyes
It's not exactly a monster schedule, but it's what Notre Dame can handle.
The Irish, who have played the nation's toughest schedule five times, instead have Nevada, Washington, Washington State and Connecticut on their slate for 2009.
Stories speculate the Irish are scaling back their schedule to accommodate a shot at a national title — something they haven't won in 21 years.
With Utah set to play at South Bend next season, you have to ask: Has Notre Dame been paying attention, or didn't those two BCS bowl wins impress as many people as the Utes thought?
Hot shots
There hasn't been this much publicity over a Tasering since those Ute fans got subdued at the Fiesta Bowl.
Utah Flash president Joe Brown was zapped last week in Utah County. He did it as a publicity stunt on KUTV's 2News in the Morning program.
Brown, who was assisted by Utah County sheriff's deputies, called the sensation "incredible."
Maybe not as incredible as the night Morris Almond went for 53 points against Bakersfield, but shocking nonetheless.
The unproven
Ex-Ute Paul Kruger took a shot from New York Jets coach Rex Ryan last week, when the former Ravens' defensive coordinator said he was "disappointed that they gave (Michael McCrary's No. 99) jersey to some rookie has who hasn't proven" he belongs in the league.
Kruger's response: "In my opinion, it's kind of childish. He doesn't know me. He doesn't understand what I do. He's never seen me. So I think it's a little unprofessional."
Considering Ryan is a rookie head coach, and himself played at Southwestern Oklahoma State, it's not entirely clear how much he has proved, either.
Sketchy details
Ongoing reports say Raiders coach Tom Cable not only broke the jaw of assistant coach Randy Hanson, but choked him and threatened to kill him.
I'm not sure I'm buying the story, though.
If someone with the Raiders was going to get throttled, wouldn't it be Al Davis?
e-mail: rock@desnews.com