A quick peek (with one eyelid still shut) at the day-after coverage:

--- Bud Withers covered the proceedings for our staff and filed this look-around-the-league that included a somewhat ominous note about Husky linebacker E.J. Savannah. Withers quotes Willingham as saying that "there are more things at play there than just the injury'' when it comes to any timetable for Savannah's return. I won't speculate on what that means since I don't know for sure, but worth noting that Savannah was suspended for the beginning of camp last year for academic-related issues, and for the beginning of spring practice for failure to live up to certain team responsibilities, which Savannah said involved off-season workouts. Last fall, he was reinstated in more than enough time to get ready for the season, but this year he obviously has the complication of the injury, as well.

--- Withers also has this column on former UW coach Rick Neuheisel, now at UCLA in case you haven't heard. Sounds as if Neuheisel's ready to move on and isn't looking back in anger anymore. I agree with Withers that this stop figures to ultimately define Neuheisel's legacy --- he has no reason for wanderlust (which I think impacted his recruiting more than people think the last year or two at UW) and he arrives with the full support of the fan base (I think he spent a lot of time trying to win people over during his early days at Colorado at UW). What can't be argued is that the UW-UCLA games will be more interesting than ever as long as he's around. (By the way, thanks for the questions on why I wasn't at media day --- I'll show the boss that I do have a fan or two. The main reason I wasn't there was financial --- our paper always sends Withers, who has been doing this a lot longer, and better, than I have, and since he is the college football reporter, it makes sense that he go since this is the only place to get access to all 10 Pac-10 coaches. I have gone in past years, but the economy being what it is, this year just didn't happen. For those questioning whether this is Times anti-Husky bias, I could point out that another Seattle paper didn't send any of its own reporters, a decision I'm sure was also financial).
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--- ESPN's Ted Miller has this good wrapup of day-after stories from around the league, saving me from having to do it myself (Ted was never quite that thoughtful when we were on the UW beat together).

--- For the reader questioning Withers' assertion that Stanford over USC was the biggest upset in college football history --- the reader said how about Appalachian State over Michigan? --- I would point out that Withers is technically correct. There was no official spread on the App. State game since that school is lower-division. Stanford was the largest underdog in D-I history to win a game. Interesting question which one is bigger, however. Appalachian State is a pretty talented team and Michigan wasn't as good as USC last year. And what the game cost USC --- a possible shot at the national title --- was unquestionably greater.

--- And for the readers who asked about hydros (due to a reference I made on the basketball board) I am indeed headed to the Tri-Cities at some point this weekend to cover the races down there. Seafair is next weekend (Aug. 1-3), though Husky football commitments may relieve me of those duties.

All for now.