How long has the Arena Football League had a minor league system?

I mean, I admit to not really following the AFL, and it’s easy to miss teams placed in Macon, Shreveport, Louisville, Quad City and so on. But I’m still a little surprised I missed the whole creation of a set of minor league franchises. You like to think that sort of thing wouldn’t slip right past you.

I only bring this up because I came across an article mentioning that William “Tu Tu” Ferguson is now a part of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers (who even have their own cheerleaders). Apparently he was playing for the Manchester Wolves last year.

I hate to think what those guys are making in the AFL’s minor league.

Disney/ABC/ESPN has its college football announcing and studio line-ups set. Prepare to weep.

No, not that Mark May is still in studio for the weekends. (I realize he’s not particularly well liked in the CFB blogosphere, but you aren’t going to get negative commentary about the Pitt great and CFB HoFer here. I like him, even if it is at least partially driven by bias for a Pitt guy.) It’s that Lou Holtz remains.

Potentially truly disturbing is that the studio group of Rece Davis, May and Holtz will be put out in the field for some ESPN and ESPN2 mid-week games. I’m just not highly enthused by that group doing play calling and color. John Saunders and Craig James will be the other ESPN/2 midweek game crew.

The hideous Friday crew of Dave Pasch with Rod Gilmore and Trevor Matich returns to inflict incredible amounts of frustration on viewers. The decent eye-candy that is Alex Flanagan will be on the sidelines. It won’t be enough.

Here’s where it gets bad. ESPN Sunday Night NFL Football refugee Paul Maguire returns to college football for the first time in 20 years to call Saturday afternoon ABC CFB games with Brad Nessler and Bob Griese. That will not be good.

With Aaron Taylor going to do charity work, the man who literally spoke out of one side of his face is gone from the ABC studio show. Joining John Saunders and Craig James this year will be Doug Flutie. This could be somewhat entertaining if they do shots from behind to show how much they had to raise Flutie’s seat compared to the others to make it look like they are all at the same size.

Now in other media news that ties into the WWLS.

I’ve written from time to time with some interest in what the Mountain West Conference is doing to improve itself with regards to TV exposure and control over itself. From moving to CSTV to starting its own regional network. In college sports, they have become one of the more forward thinking conferences.

The Big 11 is starting to figure things out. Realizing its power in college football tv markets and desire of the WWLS to retain them, they appear on the verge of making an aggressive move with the help of ESPN.

The concept has worked in other sports for 20 years. The Yankees, Braves, Cubs, Red Sox and Indians all have their own networks in baseball. But in college sports, leaving the Mother Ship is seen in the industry as suicide.

Maybe, except that now the Big Ten is headed in that direction, too. SportsLine.com has learned that the nation’s biggest conference (in terms of demographic reach) is close to announcing a long-term agreement with ESPN that would include a side deal with DirecTV to broadcast the Big Ten Network.

The league has been silent, but the formation of its own network has been the talk of the industry. The Big Ten is the next major conference whose television deal expires (June 2007). What it does with its content to maximize profits might be a template for other major conferences.

Dropping production costs and the success of other “networks” has led the league to this point.

While ESPN will still get top games, the Big Ten Network most likely will broadcast second-tier football and basketball games as well as minor sports.

“It does make sense. … The Big Ten will sell very well in Chicago, in Detroit, in Cleveland, in Pittsburgh, in Milwaukee, the footprint of the Big Ten,” said a high-placed industry source. “They will have a viewing audience. … You’re going to see more of this moving forward.”

Why is the Big Ten forcing its consumers to the more-expensive satellite TV? Basically, because it can. The league has one of the most loyal — and well-heeled — fan bases.

If this happens, how much longer until the other conferences start looking to go this route in one form or another?

What the hell is going on? Every sports site feels a need to bust out mock drafts no matter how ridiculous it is right now. I know, plenty of interest, condensed news cycles, and of course competition from the fact that one sports site does it so all the rest must do so as well. Still, the draft boards are all over the frickin’ place without any rhyme or reason.

Don’t buy into any of it right now. Definitely not until after more workouts and the Orlando camp. Whatever. I aggregate, you decide.

SI.com’s mock draft has Aaron Gray completely missing from the list because as they say at the introduction:

And don’t forget that early entry candidates have until June 18 to withdraw their names from consideration from the draft. Determining who will withdraw is an educated guess as well. For now, we expect the majority of international early entry candidates to withdraw, as well as prospects like Aaron Gray, Arron Afflalo, Nick Fazekas, Daniel Gibson and Richard Roby. Culling information from NBA insiders, this mock draft reflects those assumptions.

I want to believe.

Typing of which, I believe Greg Doyel at CBS Sportsline purposefully did his mock draft with the emphasis on mock.

Most mock drafts, they’re going to tell you how the 2006 NBA Draft might go. Me? I’ll tell you how it should go.
…
13. Philadelphia 76ers

Aaron Gray, C, Pittsburgh: Patrick O’Bryant ate him up in the NCAA Tournament, an outcome that still shocks me. Was that a fluke? Not sure, but I’m going out on a limb and saying Gray will be a better pro. But neither will be all that good.

He has O’Bryant going at #19

Tony Mejia, who covers the NBA for CBS Sportsline is more traditional and puts Gray at #22 to the Nets like so many others.

A little less than 5 weeks until the actual draft. About 3 1/2 until the deadline to withdraw.

Greg Doyel’s Tuesday list concerns assistant coaching issues in this offseason. Pitt, with all of its upheaval, makes the list.

8. Pitt’s exodus: Jamie Dixon stayed, but he’s about the only one. After flirting with Arizona State and Missouri, Dixon signed a long-term extension with Pittsburgh but will start the next phase of his career without the bulk of his previous staff. Ace recruiter Barry Rohrssen is the new head coach at Manhattan. Bench coach Joe Lombardi is the new coach at Division II Indiana (Pa.). Third assistant Pat Sandle was rumored to be a candidate for an assistant’s position at N.C. State, but that didn’t happen. Best of luck to Dixon, whose younger sister died this spring.

Of course we know Orlando Antigua looks to be filling one of the assistant coaching spots.

Big East Blog provides a rundown on the eligible transfers on BE teams for the upcoming season. Mike Cook for Pitt looks to be the headliner, but DePaul, WVU, Georgetown and especially USF will all have some impact transfers. Georgetown’s transfer, by the way, is Patrick Ewing, Jr. Think there won’t be much discussion of that when Georgetown shows up on national games this coming season?