NIGHTSHIFT POWER 16...plus KC kicking woes, Horns tough test

Unlike the college coaches and the Associated Press football writers, Danny & I do not need to impress you with our ability to blindly throw darts on the college football landscape before any teams have even played a game. Predictions are fine and we are happy to deliver those, but preseason polls are not necessary. So now - AFTER WEEK ONE - it's time to offer up the first NIGHTSHIFT POWER 16 of 2007....to be updated weekly every Monday night. And of course the poll is always accompanied by some of the nation's most exuberant college football fans.
1. LSU
2. USC
3. West Virginia
4. Florida
5. Louisville
6. Oklahoma
7. California
8. Virginia Tech
9. Wisconsin
10. Penn St.
11. Georgia
12. UCLA
13. Rutgers
14. Auburn
15. Ohio State
16. Arkansas
Best of the Rest...Texas, Georgia Tech, Nebraska, TCU, Boston College, Boise State
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- As if the Kansas City Chiefs didn't have enough problems, they were hard at work yesterday trying to find a kicker. Yes, after 6 weeks of practice, now 6 days before the season opener, the Chiefs aren't set on who'll handle their kicking duties. Also, Damion McIntosh may be ready to poorly protect their ancient QB.
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- The Texas Longhorns dropped 3 spots in the AP poll after their lackluster 21-13 win over Arkansas State in Austin on Saturday. TCU up 3 spots after their 27-0 win over Baylor and that came without All-America candidate Tommy Blake. He has practiced this week, but still no word on if he'll play. Maybe more importantly the Frogs top offensive player could miss the game.
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Thankfully the Astros minor league season has ended. So now that all of their outfits miserable seasons are in the rearview - 6 new players are coming aboard. OF Jason Lane (#16) and RHP Juan Gutierrez (#71) from Round Rock and RHP Felipe Paulino (#52) from Corpus Christi were recalled. Along with IF Cody Ransom (#10), C Humberto Quintero (#55), and C J.R. Towles (#46) from Round Rock, who had their contracts purchased from Round Rock. Ransom is Astros organizational home run leader with 28. Lance Berkman has 28 taters, too. He's a middle infielder, but before you get fired up he's 31 and his number this year at AAA aren't much different than the ones he posted in AAA for the Giants in 2001 - 6 years ago!!

- Juan Gutierrez is one to watch, he had a brief stint in August and he hopefully can get some meaningful work this final month because the odds are very good he will be on the '08 pitching staff.
- Felipe Paulino has a great arm and should enter next year as the best prospect not already with the big club. J.R.Towles is the Astros catcher of the future, but the future is problem not the beginning of next season. He may be with the team to start next year and probably should, but he's not ready to be the everyday guy just yet. You must check out Towles' page on baseballcube.com - you'll be amazed at how phenomenal he was at a VERY young age.
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- BDA President Bill Duffy, Vice President of Marketing Bill Sanders, Team Yao leader Erik Zhang, and many others have cleared all of the necessary hurdles to create something special.
And here's what it is: On September 14, in Beijing, Steve Nash, Carmelo Anthony, Greg Oden, Bonzi Wells, Derek Fisher, Baron Davis, Chuck Hayes, and Leandro Barbosa (all BDA clients, except Davis and Fisher) will play in a charity game against Yao Ming and the Chinese National team.
It will be televised on China's CCTV, and the stadium is expected to be sold out. The hope is to raise in the neighborhood of a million dollars to be distributed to the charities of choice: Chi Heng, a privately funded non-profit that works with children with AIDS; the Special Olympics (with World Summer Games next month in Shanghai); and the China Youth Development Foundation. (from True Hoop)
-----more coming throughout the day ---- WEX

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