LSU is looking to play a big-name opponent at a neutral site in 2011. With a hole in their 2011 non-conference schedule and no true A in their typical A-B-C non-conference schedule, could this matchup be especially enticing for Cal?
Ausberry said last week that LSU is in final-stage negotiations with a handful of potential foes for the 2011 season opener on Sept. 3 and said it’s possible the Tigers could wind up in another high-profile intersectional neutral-site game.
LSU opens the 2010 campaign at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta against North Carolina in the Chick-Fill-A Kickoff.
"Those are the kind of games that bring a lot of positive national attention to your program," Ausberry said, comparing the neutral-site openers with NASCAR’s opening race, the Daytona 500.
"It’s one of the first big TV games of the year, and for us, it’s in a region where we’re trying to expand our brand name as both a football program and a great university."
Under third-year Athletic Director Joe Alleva and Ausberry, there has been a shift toward such games.
Ausberry said the philosophy is to play a big-name opponent in an NFL stadium to give both teams a chance to generate revenue similar to what they would make on the home game they are giving up.
...That leaves two leading candidates and both are enticing: Oregon and California.
The Ducks need to replace a game because right now their 2011 schedule includes a road game at Utah, which will now be a league game.
Oregon is scheduled to begin the 2011 season with a home game against Kansas State, but Wildcats coach Bill Snyder said this week he would like to adjust his program’s schedule to include mostly non-conference home games.
Likewise, Cal has to plug a non-league hole created because the Bears are scheduled to play at Colorado.
After the jump Jerome Randle gets off to a respectable start in the NBA summer league, recent QB commit Kyle Boehm impresses in Hawaii, and Cal places admirably in Phil Steele's Pac-10 decade in review.
Football
- Cal commit Kyle Boehm had some impressive throws at the first day of the Maui Super Seven. ESPN says he has a great set of tools and plenty of upside.
- Phil Steele looks at the decade in review for the Pac-10. Despite two years of the Holmoecaust, Cal still managed to finish fourth overall behind USC, Oregon, and Oregon St.
Basketball
- The NBA Summer League tipped off yesterday and Jerome Randle saw plenty of playing time as his Orlando Magic came up short against the Indiana Pacers. Randle logged the second-most minutes on the team and posted a well rounded stat line. He didn't show up much in the highlights (he's wearing #1), but he had a solid first game with 8 points, 6, rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and only one turnover. He scored 8 points in his second game earlier this morning as Orlando lost again 73-78 to the Utah Jazz. He had three assists, one steal, and one rebound. He continues to take care of the ball, as he had only one TO. Surprisingly, he has yet to hit a three (0-5). Overall, he's shooting only 5-17. Regardless, he continues to start which is a positive.