Blank comments on investigation of fake crowd noise in Atlanta

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Tuesday he has seen enough of the NFL’s investigation of fake crowd noise at Atlanta’s home games to acknowledge wrongdoing.

The NFL is trying to determine if the Falcons pumped artificial crowd noise into the Georgia Dome for home games the last two years. Apparently, the answer is yes.

Blank had a quick response when asked if there was a fine line for crowd noise not allowed by the league.

"It’s not really a fine line," Blank told The Associated Press. "I think what we’ve done in 2013 and 2014 was wrong. Anything that affects the competitive balance and fairness on the field, we’re opposed to, as a league, as a club and as an owner. It’s obviously embarrassing but beyond embarrassing it doesn’t represent our culture and what we’re about."

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Blank comments on investigation of fake crowd noise in Atlanta

Former NFL exec looks forward to reunion at Super Bowl

TEMPE, Ariz. — The last time the Super Bowl was in Arizona, Ray Anderson was the Executive Vice President of Football Operations for the NFL.

Seven years later, the Super Bowl is heading to Arizona but Anderson won’t have to make the long haul again from NFL headquarters in New York.

Anderson is in his first year as Vice President for University Athletics and Athletic Director at Arizona State University and is relishing the reunion in his new backyard.

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Former NFL exec looks forward to reunion at Super Bowl

Tuesday Tweetbag: Changes for the Big 12, greatest bowl games

College football regular season activity is in the novels, so we chose to fire up the Tweetbag to handle the burning issues in your head this year, from top professional possibilities to the most effective teams in the sport.

don’t hesitate to file your questions to @BryanDFischer on Twitter each Monday or early Tuesday morning to get them replied every week. Without further ado, allow the smorgasbord of questions commence.

@BryanDFischer Playoffs enlarged to 8 teams next year or 6 teams (top 2 getting a Bye)? Or not for at least a couple more years?

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Tuesday Tweetbag: Changes for the Big 12, greatest bowl games

Jameis Winston"s conduct hearing anticipated to finish Wednesday

The very first day of Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston’s code of conduct hearing went "as expected," his advisor told reporters, as well as the hearing is anticipated to close Wednesday.

"We believe this nightmare is going to be over really shortly," David Cornwell, Winston’s advisor, told reporters following the hearing ended Tuesday.

The school’s hearing — that is closed to the people — facilities on sexual assault allegations against Winston from December 2012, and possible punishments vary from probation to expulsion.

Winston did not talk to the media before or after the hearing, but both sides got their points across before the hearing. Cornwell said the accuser and her lawyers were attempting "to do their extortion strategy." And John Clune, the accuser’s lawyer, said in a statement, "it is the day that Mr. Winston has been urgently trying to prevent for two years. … Neither Jameis Winston nor his attorney can quit what’s coming."

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Jameis Winston"s conduct hearing anticipated to finish Wednesday

NFL leading attempts to give to charity on Giving Tuesday

Tis the season to be jolly, and nothing improves morale and makes the holidays exceptional rather like giving.

together with the coming of Giving Tuesday, the NFL is diving headfirst into charity. While the league has been associated with the yearly day of offering for the past couple of years, it is taken another thing in 2014. The NFL has joined a #GivingTuesday effort developed by CrowdRise to improve their attempts, supporting both NFL Play 60 associate St. Jude Children’s Charity, plus the NFL players’ and trainers’ foundations (such as Bill Belichick, J.J. Watt, Torrey Smith and Andy Dalton).

To join the league in the NFL’s not-for-profit efforts, visit CrowdRise’s landing page to give to among the aforementioned organizations, or into a bevy of individual foundations created by present and previous players.

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NFL leading attempts to give to charity on Giving Tuesday

College Football Playoff: Calling the sixth pair of positions

After years in the making, we will see yet another glance of the College Football Playoff choice committee in action Tuesday night, when it releases its sixth set of top 25 positions.

Fresh off a thrilling Week 14, here are some speculations for who’ll make the committee’s top four and who is going to be left wondering what they should do to move up. Remember, it is a review of the playoff image right now and not a projection of triumphs and losses the remainder of the season.

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College Football Playoff: Calling the sixth pair of positions

Dante Fowler tweets he"s leaving Florida with Will Muschamp

For the second year in a row, a Florida Gator has gotten the season of NFL draft entry declarations by underclassmen off to an early start.

Florida defensive end Dante Fowler filed social media notice of his intention to enter the 2015 NFL Draft Tuesday night. The junior noted on Twitter that he entered the Florida program at the same time as outgoing coach Will Muschamp and will fittingly make his exit with the dismissed coach as well.

I came in with champ. I’m leaving with Him.

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Dante Fowler tweets he"s leaving Florida with Will Muschamp

College Football Playoff: Predicting the fourth set of rankings

After years in the making, we’ll see yet another glimpse of the College Football Playoff selection committee in action Tuesday night, when it releases its fourth set of top 25 rankings.

» CFB 24/7 Top 25 Power Rankings: A new No. 1

Fresh off a thrilling Week 12 and a number of upsets, here are a few guesses for who will make the committee’s top four and who will be left wondering what they have to do to move up. Keep in mind, this is a look at the playoff picture right now and not a projection of wins and losses the rest of the season.

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College Football Playoff: Predicting the fourth set of rankings

FSU OL Cameron Erving"s move to center permanent

The experiment of Florida State left tackle Cameron Erving as a center is over.

It’s now permanent.

>> College Football 24/7 Top 25 Power Rankings

The fifth-year senior made his first start at the position Saturday against Miami, though he saw some action there against Virginia the previous week. The result was so much to coach Jimbo Fisher’s liking, the highly regarded NFL prospect will remain there for the rest of the season.

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FSU OL Cameron Erving"s move to center permanent

CFB Social: Week 12 in college football through social media

Week 12 of college football is underway and social media is buzzing with the action. Here are the best tweets, vines, videos and more from across the country.

Sub-freezing temperature? Check. Horizontal snow? Check. Minnesota football staffer eating a Dilly Bar on the sideline? Check.

When attending Minnesota game at this time of year, one typically dresses as a gopher for warmth.

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CFB Social: Week 12 in college football through social media

Big Ten rankings: Ohio State stamps itself as conference elite

Ohio State’s win over Michigan State last week ended any doubt as to who will win the East Division. It seems likely the West Division will be decided his week, when Wisconsin plays host to Nebraska.

Up next: at Minnesota, Saturday, Nov. 15
The skinny: You know what last Saturday’s win at Michigan State really meant? It meant the Buckeyes are set to dominate this league for the next few years.

» Will Buckeyes have QB controversy in 2015?

Up next: at Maryland, Saturday, Nov. 15
The skinny: The Spartans’ defense has played two high-level offenses this season. And both absolutely carved them up.

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Big Ten rankings: Ohio State stamps itself as conference elite

College Football Playoff: Calling the third pair of positions

After years in the making, we will see yet another glance of the College Football Playoff choice committee in action Tuesday night, when it releases its third set of top 25 positions. 

Fresh off a thrilling Week 11 as well as several upsets, here are several speculations as to who’ll get the committee’s top four and who is going to be left wondering what they should do to move up after this season. Remember, it is a review of the playoff picture right now rather than projecting triumphs and losses the remaining season.

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College Football Playoff: Calling the third pair of positions

FSU QB Jameis Winston laments his part in turnovers

There continues to be a zero in the loss column for the Florida State, but the Seminoles’ Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback does not consider he is done his part to keep it.

>> College Football 24/7 Top 25 Power Rankings

In a display of humility that few believed Jameis Winston capable of, the third year sophomore confronted a cool truth following a 34-20 win over Virginia Saturday: He Is just not playing as well as he did a year past, and turnovers are the main reason.

"I am hurting this team, I actually am," Winston said following the match, according to various media outlets.

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FSU QB Jameis Winston laments his part in turnovers

Nick Saban"s house paid for by Alabama booster foundation

It is worth it to be a successful Alabama football coach.

In spades.

Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban will make $6.9 million in base pay this year, the most successful training contract in the school game. But not long after he won his third national tournament for the Crimson Tide in January 2013, the Crimson Tide Foundation bought Saban’s Tuscaloosa house for approximately $3.1 million.

And did not ask for the keys.

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Nick Saban"s house paid for by Alabama booster foundation

Texas ADVERTISING: Longhorns establish to cover stipend of $10,000 per sportsman

Texas football players might soon find themselves with a somewhat thicker wallet.

No, not thanks to Longhorns supporters, but as the school could be establish to supply a significant stipend in addition to what it is that they receive now.

Athletic director Steve Patterson, speaking in a forum in Washington D.C. on faculty sports, said the school is set to spend almost $6 million a year for a cost of attendance stipend for each student athlete and to comply with the recent O’Bannon opinion that’s still making its way through the court system.

That breaks down to about $10,000 per player at the school across all sports, nearly the maximum possible new rules would permit.

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Texas ADVERTISING: Longhorns establish to cover stipend of $10,000 per sportsman

Virginia Tech"s Luther Maddy will sit out rest of season

Virginia Tech’s Luther Maddy, among the best five senior defensive tackles nationwide, will miss the remaining season and is seeking a health redshirt.

Maddy (6-foot-1, 293 pounds) hasn’t played since a Sept. 20 loss to Georgia Tech because of a knee injury; he needs a second operation on the knee, he declared Monday night.

Want another operation so that I will redshirt this season and play another year at technology. You will not find anybody more concentrated! #HokieNation #Blessed

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Virginia Tech"s Luther Maddy will sit out rest of season

Alabama TE Kurt Freitag caught with marijuana

A search conducted by the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force yielded 112 grams of marijuana and $4,661 in cash in the dorm room of Alabama reserve tight end Kurt Freitag, but Freitag apparently was not charged.

A court record filed Monday indicates the task force witnessed Freitag as part of a drug transaction last week, but according to al.com, there is no record of a legal charge against Freitag. The agents approached Freitag and read him his rights, and Freitag consented to a search of his residence at Bryant Hall that turned up the drugs and cash, which were seized. A confidential informant had previously alerted the task force to the drug deal. A spokesperson for the task force declined to comment, and an Alabama spokesperson said the matter is being looked into.

A third-year sophomore, Freitag has seen limited playing time in his career and was passed on the depth chart by a younger tight end last year in O.J. Howard.

Alabama plays host to Texas A&M on Saturday.

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Alabama TE Kurt Freitag caught with marijuana

NFL Week 5 game picks: Bengals stay perfect; Cardinals fall

It’s usually around Week 5 when we identify the quality teams and learn which matchups are most important. My Week 4? Always stinks. Having done the NFL.com picks for the last three years, I can tell you that this week is usually the time of the season when your friendly writer starts to get an idea of what he’s talking about … although, like the picks below, that is up for debate.

Speaking of …

"@HarrisonNFL: So who wins Alex-Kaep I? #KCvsSF" Alex Smith is gonna carve that secondary up!

Wait, you’re a Seahawks fan, but that’s your Twitter avatar? I think it’s time to change your pic, @Lucks_neckbeard, especially now that Kyle Orton is back slingin’. And we shall see on your prediction — Nick Foles couldn’t do it, after all.

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NFL Week 5 game picks: Bengals stay perfect; Cardinals fall

Ohio State student who ran onto field loses scholarship

The image was everywhere. For most, it was all they saw of Ohio State’s home win over Cincinnati.

We’re referring, of course, to the sight of Buckeyes strength coach Anthony Schlegel tackling a fan who ran onto the field at the Horseshoe last Saturday. As it turns out, the viral story was far from over.

21-year-old Anthony J. Wunder was the student who found himself laid out on the turf last week, but he is now finding out the consequences of his actions. According to the Columbus Dispatch, the OSU student pled not guilty to a criminal-trespassing charge on Monday and is set to have a jury trial in the matter.

To make matters even worse, he’s also lost his scholarship.

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Ohio State student who ran onto field loses scholarship

Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield"s NCAA appeal denied

Baker Mayfield will be limited to the scout team at Oklahoma this season and will not suit up for the Sooners in 2014.

The school released a statement on Tuesday that the Texas Tech transfer had his appeal denied by the NCAA after he sought immediate eligiblity this year. In a bit of surprising good news, however, Mayfield was granted a scholarship after the organization allowed Oklahoma to go over the limit of 85 scholarship this school year.

"The University of Oklahoma Athletics Department confirmed on Monday that Baker Mayfield’s appeal to the NCAA for immediate eligibility to compete during the 2014 season has been denied," the statement said. "The NCAA has granted permission to the university to exceed the financial aid limit by one so that Mayfield may be placed on a full athletics grant-in-aid."

The latter move likely means the school will be limited to just 84 football scholarships next year.

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Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield"s NCAA appeal denied