Pouring miracle-grow on the poison ivy

that is big-time college football. As BCS Chair UO’s Dave Frohnmayer was a passionate defender of the college bowls, which spent the money they got from UO on illegal campaign contributions and strippers. But now history has moved on. The conferences and their athletic directors have figured out how to cut the bowls and the NCAA out of the profits and keep the cash for themselves. PAC-12 residual claimant Larry Scott cannot believe it has taken them this long to get with the program. The university presidents could still try to get some tiny amount of money for academics, but that would take some balls on their part, so it’s a non-starter. The players will still get nothing except chance to buy their sweaty, bloodstained bowl jerseys on ebay. The NYT has the beginnings of the story.  4/27/2012