Yet another entertaining chat by ESPN.com's Ted Miller. With this being a bye week, there is understandably less Arizona content than usual, but a lot of interesting stuff on the conference as a whole. Enjoy the tidbits, then check out the chat in its entirety here.
j_stewart (portland)- Is there any chance arizona can slow down the ducks in autzen next Friday?
TM- always a chance.... Who thought Cal would do what it did. But Ducks offense is tougher at home.... you'll note worst performances this year were on road.
Jordan (Eugene)- Do you believe that the Cal defense figured out a scheme that other teams will use against Oregon, (spying Thomas with a safety, using man coverage etc) or did Oregon just play a poor game offensively?
TM- More the latter... the key to defending Oregon is gap-control and penetration. It's not really rocket science. It's just not easy to do.
Kevin (Houston)- Where would Utah rank in the PAC 10 if they were in it this year
TM- Behind Oregon, Stanford, Arizona and USC... so fifth.
Lincoln (The Issy, Wa)- What is the determining factor for home field in the Pac 10 Championship game if 2 teams have the same record but didn't play each other?
TM- hasn't been decided yet... or at least not announced. My guess is it will be BCS ranking.
Todd (541)- Over the past few years, Oregon and Arizona have played one another very competitively. Do you see that being the case again this year?
TM- Haven't really broken down that game yet... my feeling is Arizona has enough talent -- and speed -- to make that an interesting game. Incredible battle last year in Tucson.
Pac10 (State of Oregon)- How is it that the SEC gets away with playing a weak non conference schedule? Their only excuse is that they play a "tough" conference schedule. Do you think that gives the Pac-10 the right to use the same excuse?
TM- yes.
matthew (nyc)- Why doesn't the Pac-10 just send out a press release re-stating the part in the NCAA book (or whatever it is) about faking injuries being 'indefensible' etc... They don't even have to name names. Arizona and OSU, at least, would probably re-think it with all the scrutiny.
TM- a good idea.
Chris (DC)- The report from the Chicago Tribune is that Fox is paying $140 million for the first 6 Big Ten Conference Championship Games. Should the Pac-12 expect the same kind bid for its conf. champ. games?
TM- Not as much but I'm sure Larry Scott is pumped at the figure. My guess is that's well beyond what he thought the Pac-10 might get. If Scott can at least ballpark that, he'll have scored a financial victory.
Shasta (Kansas City)- 3 new Pac-12 coaches next season??
TM- I think only Colorado will have a new coach.
Lawrence (La Crescenta, CA)- How much more money would have the Texas/Oklahoma schools brought to the Pac-10?
TM- a lot.... Texas, particularly.
Mike (Eugene)- Do you think Oregon and Stanford have shown the rest of the country that the Pac 10 is on a par with the SEC and not just USC and the 9 dwarfs, or are those Southerners and Easterners too set in their ways to see recent trends?
TM- They see it. They just won't admit it. I don't get into rooting for events because that's not what sportswriters do, but I would really, really like to see an LSU-Stanford Sugar Bowl. But that's a longshot that would require the Big Ten to fall apart at the top.
Robert (Eugene)- How likely is it that we will see Mike Bellotti coaching at Colorado
TM- It seems like a solid fit, but I wouldn't rate the odds terribly high at this point.
Rebel Williams (scottsdale, az)- How come you never answer my questions?
TM- because i'm mean.
House (Bloomington)- Any update on a Pac 12 TV network?
TM- there won't be momentum on that until after the first of the year.
Nathan (nor cal)- Will the sec loose credibility when the big 10, the big 12, and the pac 12 all play 9 game conference schedules. Can they really say they play a "tough schedule"?
TM- It will be interesting to see if the ACC and SEC follow that lead... they should.