keep your friends close

-- Dick Jerardi of the Philadelphia Daily News issues a mea culpa about the Duke Blue Devils, learns Kansas has lost by 30 points or more at least seven times in the school's history, wonders how the struggling Pittsburgh Panthers went from among the ten worst three-point shooting teams in 2003-2004 to one of the ten best in 2004-2005 and commends Ike Diogu for scoring double figures in 78 consecutive games.

-- Following Dick Bennett's inflammatory gesture, Pac-10 conference athletic directors will consider a proposal that forbids schools from seating students directly behind an opposing team's bench. Oregon's Ernie Kent is a proponent of the proposed reform, suggesting the practice is "an embarrassment for the Pac-10 waiting to happen." Another melee in Motown, here we come?

-- Neither the Sporting News' Mike DeCourcy nor ESPN's Andy Katz is up with their respective "Daily Dishes." Game ball therefore goes to CBS SportsLine's Gregg Doyel, who in this morning's "Daily Dribbles" takes Bob Knight to task for scolding Texas' Rick Barnes. Why? Because Texas fans within earshot of the General were verbally abusive during last night's game. Maybe ol' Ernie Kent was onto something...

-- Former Iona assistant coach Craig Holcomb has sued the college, alleging he was fired in May because the school felt his interracial marriage hurt fund-raising. All press is not good press. Serious charges, if they stick.