Second Thoughts: Flyers look fine, but they need Pollard

If you’re looking for something to do Thursday night, consider the “Living Legends” program sponsored by Wright State University. The event annually honors a Dayton Daily News superstar, and this year’s spotlight is on Hal McCoy. I get to introduce the crafty southpaw and promise not to talk too long. The event begins at 7 p.m. at the student union.

Great start for the Dayton Flyers, who thumped Austin Peay on Friday night at a packed UD Arena. Steve McElvene was honored in a touching pregame ceremony, causing tears to flow. They run a first-class operation at the arena. The game proved to be entertaining and the walk-ons even played. But …

Until I see Kendall Pollard at 100 percent, running the court, dunking and using the glass from 15 feet, I’m not buying in. Pollard is as tough as they come, but he had two off-season surgeries and now is slowed by a bum thigh. To me, he’s the key to the Flyers making a deep run in the postseason.

Last week's scolding of the Big Ten for its decision to play football games on Friday nights triggered more reader emails than any topic I've ever addressed. And it was unanimous: None of you like the move. Richard Platt of Fairborn wrote a great letter (he could be a sports columnist). Here's part of what he had to say:

“To hear university chancellors and presidents feed all of us the same pablum about how they care for the players and their education is farcical and beyond hypocritical. It’s about the money, it’s always the money, the rest is just opera. And let’s not forget that these same chancellors and presidents long ago ceded control of football to the TV networks.”

Another reader wrote that "we have to agree with Michigan on this one." UM coach Jim Harbaugh criticized the move and Michigan has said it would rather not play on Fridays. Ohio State? OSU athletic director Gene Smith is pushing idea. Urban Meyer, who has more clout in this state than John Kasich, claimed on the day the deal was announced that he didn't even know about it. Sure.

The Browns blew another halftime lead Thursday night, looking bad in the second half against the Ravens. I was impressed, though, with how Terrelle Pryor and Joe Haden greeted the troops holding the giant American flag before kickoff. Pryor is turning into an impressive grown-up. Cleveland is 0-10, but has four more home games. The Dec. 11 matchup with the Bengals could be the one.

Trending up: Wagner hoops, DeMar DeRozan, Mexico's soccer team. The Wagner Seahawks started the college basketball season with a bang by upsetting UConn on the road, 67-58. The victory effectively eliminated Wagner from the First Four in March. The defending Northeast Conference champions look much better than a No. 16 seed. Their next victim: Massachusetts Lowell.

Trending down: Tommy Tuberville, John Wall, Baylor. The Bearcats have lost five of six and have scored a total of 19 points in the past three weeks. Tuberville, who arrived in Cincinnati as the Southern gentleman with a polished resume, is yelling at fans and looking for answers. It's been rough year for UC, which was snubbed by the Big 12 and now must win two straight to become bowl eligible.


Knucklehead of the Week

Randy Gregory is a gifted football player who was considered a top-five pick coming out of Nebraska. That was before he failed a drug test at the NFL Scouting Combine. He dropped to the 60th pick. Since he joined the Dallas Cowboys it’s been difficult to keep up with Gregory’s suspensions. He began this season serving a four-game suspension. Another failed drug test stretched it to 10 games. Now Gregory has hit the triple crown and is looking at a one-year suspension. Perhaps someone should explain to this young man that he might want to think about what his life will look like in 15 or 20 years.

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