You may have been interested in Marcum telling me about how Kansas State clears its stadium lot of tailgaters who don’t have tickets.

Or … do they?

The story drew this e-mail from a K-State fan. I have copied all but his name, etc., but I will assure you this was not anonymous. He signed his name, place of employment, address and phone number. It follows:

*** begin e-mail ****

Doug,

I am a 33 year Kansas State season ticket holder. I ran across your Q & A article while looking for articles on Kansas State and was surprised to see this quote.

MARCUM: But you know what? They’re still out there. And you go to a place like Kansas State, 10 minutes before kickoff their [patrol] trucks come up through the parking lot; tailgating’s over. OK? But then after the ballgame, there’s a half hour and then another two-hour period, so it’s 21/2 hours, before the trucks show up again. Doing it before the game lets people know that if you don’t have a ticket to the game, you aren’t hanging out in the parking lot.

SMOCK: So they actually clear those people out of the parking lot.

MARCUM: Yeah. When the word finally gets around, you’d better have a ticket if you want in the parking lot.

I don’t know much about Bob Marcum except for that he is the current Marshall AD and was the AD at the University of Kansas from 1978 to 1982. I suppose it is possible that what he said was true at some point, although I doubt it as very few people came to K-State games at that time.

I cannot say with certainty that there is not a policy regarding people being required to have tickets to remain in the parking lot, but I just do not believe that to be true. I The reality is that in order to get a parking spot (at least on the side that I park) you have have season tickets and make a donation at a specific level. Certainly that donor could bring fans who do not have tickets but want to enjoy the atmosphere but just hanging around the parking lot, but am not at all aware of a patrol truck requiring people to show a ticket or even limiting the time for tailgating after the game.

You may want to confirm that through the the K-State ticket office, but I honestly do not think that is accurate at all. (I should expect that from a former KU AD! ;-))

FYI, I went to the K-State-Marshall game in Huntington a few years ago and, hands down, from my experience, the Marshall fans are tied with the aTm fans as the most cordial hosts of a football game.

***** end e-mail.

This could well end up in my Monday column, the

I’ve been off today, but heard about the appointment of David Steele as interim AD. He’s plenty capable of keeping the operation rolling until the new guy comes in, that’s for certain.

The question is: What about Jeff O’Malley? From what I can gather, Dr. Kopp wasn’t knocking Marcum’s chief of staff, and he may be a candidate for the permanent job.

But, boyyyyyyyy, the late timing — 4:30 p.m. today — is interesting, indeed. I am not sure this has happened before at MU, save for the naming of the interim AD in 1970. A very different circumstance, for certain.

Up in Canton: Aaron Dobson had two catches for 38 yards, including a 27-yard TD strike in the USA’s 55-0 evisceration of Mexico. Next up is the gold medal game against Canada, 1 p.m. Sunday.

1 catch for 35 yards… he might not be used again as the U.S. is steamrolling France 50-0. The German army was kinder, back in the day…

Coming for Saturday’s paper (posted later Friday night EDT), I finally caught up to Aaron Dobson. He will be starting flanker for Team USA in the Junior World Championships in Canton, Ohio.

The trial of once-upon-a-time Marshall signee A.J. Graham has been set for Oct. 19, the paper in Tallahassee reports today.

That would effectively shoot down his fall semester, which is not surprising. Defense attorney Tim Jansen (whom I am awaiting comment from this afternoon) says he is going to college (didn’t specify where) and planning to play football next year. As you may recall, Jansen says the Tallahassee cops botched the investigation and Graham is a victim of mistaken identity.

If you ever look at the end of the Tallahassee stories, you’ll see their comments are worse than the ones at the end of our stories. By a large margin. (Thank God.)

Here are the schedules for Marshall’s 2009 opponents, excepting West Virginia (nothing personal, just waiting for Dave Hickman to type those in when we run these things in the Gazette a little later this summer). Last year’s results are included.

Southern Illinois
Sept. 5 at Marshall DNP
Sept. 19 Southwest Baptist DNP
Sept. 26 North Dakota State* L, 27-35
Oct. 3 at Western Illinois* W, 24-14
Oct. 10 Illinois State* W, 17-10 (OT)
Oct. 17 at Northern Iowa* W, 27-24
Oct. 24 Youngstown State* W, 33-0
Oct. 31 at Indiana State* W, 60-7
Nov. 7 at South Dakota State* W, 38-35
Nov. 14 Missouri State* W, 23-17
Nov. 21 at SE Missouri State DNP
*–Missouri Valley Football Conference games
2008 record: 9-3, 7-1 Missouri Valley, shared conference title. Postseason: lost to New Hampshire in first round of Division I playoffs, 20-29.
Dropped: Hampton (W, 37-31), Northwestern (L, 7-33), North Dakota (W, 40-21).

Virginia Tech
Sept. 5 Alabama (at Atlanta) DNP
Sept. 12 Marshall DNP
Sept. 19 Nebraska W, 35-30
Sept. 26 Miami* L, 14-16
Oct. 3 at Duke* W, 14-3
Oct. 10 Boston College* L, 23-28
Oct. 17 at Georgia Tech* W, 20-17
Oct. 29 (Thur.) North Carolina* W, 20-17
Nov. 5 (Thur.) at East Carolina L, 22-27
Nov. 14 at Maryland* W, 23-13
Nov. 21 North Carolina State* DNP
Nov. 28 at Virginia W, 17-14
*–Atlantic Coast Conference games
2008 record: 10-4, 5-3 ACC (shared Coastal Division title, defeated Boston College 30-12 for ACC championship). Postseason: Orange Bowl vs. Cincinnati, W, 20-7.
Dropped: Furman (W, 24-7), Western Kentucky (W, 27-13), Florida State (L, 20-30)

Bowling Green
Sept. 3 (Thur.) Troy DNP
Sept. 12 at Missouri DNP
Sept. 19 at Marshall DNP
Sept. 26 Boise State L, 7-20
Oct. 3 Ohio* W, 28-3
Oct. 10 at Kent State* W, 45-30
Oct. 17 at Ball State* DNP
Oct. 24 Central Michigan* DNP
Nov. 3 (Tue.) at Buffalo* L, 34-40, 2OT
Nov. 12 (Thur.) at Miami, Ohio* L, 20-27
Nov. 20 (Fri.) Akron* W, 37-33
Nov. 27 (Fri.) Toledo* W, 38-10
2008 record: 6-6, 4-4 MAC (tied for second, East Division).
Dropped: Pittsburgh (W, 27-17), Minnesota (L, 17-42), Wyoming (W, 45-16), Eastern Michigan (L, 21-24), Northern Illinois (L, 13-16).

Memphis
Sept. 6 (Sun.) Mississippi L, 24-41
Sept. 12 at Middle Tennessee DNP
Sept. 19 Tennessee-Martin DNP
Sept. 26 Marshall* L, 16-17
Oct. 3 at Central Florida* L, 21-28
Oct. 10 Texas-El Paso* DNP
Oct. 17 at Southern Miss* W, 36-30
Oct. 27 (Tue.) East Carolina* L, 10-30
Nov. 7 at Tennessee DNP
Nov. 14 UAB* W, 33-30
Nov. 21 at Houston* DNP
Nov. 27 (Fri.) at Tulsa* DNP
*–Conference USA games
2008 record: 6-7, 4-4 C-USA (tied for second, East Division). Postseason: St. Petersburg Bowl vs. South Florida (L, 14-41).
Dropped: Rice (L, 35-42), Nicholls State (W, 31-10), Arkansas State (W, 29-17), Louisville (L, 28-35), SMU (W, 31-26), Tulane (W 45-6).

East Carolina
Sept. 5 Appalachian State DNP
Sept. 12 at West Virginia W, 24-3
Sept. 19 at North Carolina DNP
Sept. 26 Central Florida* W, 13-10, OT
Oct. 3 at Marshall* W, 19-16, OT
Oct. 10 at SMU* DNP
Oct. 17 Rice* DNP
Oct. 27 (Tue.) at Memphis* W, 30-10
Nov. 5 (Thur.) Virginia Tech W, 27-22
Nov. 15 (Sun.) at Tulsa* DNP
Nov. 21 UAB* W, 17-13
Nov. 28 Southern Miss* L, 3-21
*–Conference USA games
2008 record: 9-5, 6-2 C-USA (Won East Division, defeated Tulsa 27-24 for C-USA championship). Postseason: Liberty Bowl vs. Kentucky (L, 19-25).
Dropped: Tulane (W, 28-24), North Carolina State (L, 24-30), Houston (L, 24-41), Virginia (L, 20-35), Texas-El Paso (W, 53-21).

Tulane
Sept. 4 (Fri.) Tulsa* L, 7-56
Sept. 12 Brigham Young DNP
Sept. 26 McNeese State DNP
Oct. 3 at Army L, 13-44
Oct. 10 Marshall* DNP
Oct. 17 Houston* L, 14-42
Oct. 24 at Southern Miss* DNP
Oct. 31 at LSU L, 10-35
Nov. 7 Texas-El Paso* L, 21-24
Nov. 14 at Rice* L, 17-42
Nov. 21 at Central Florida* DNP
Nov. 28 at SMU* W, 34-27
*–Conference USA games
2008 record: 2-10, 1-7 C-USA (fifth West Division).
Dropped: Alabama (L, 6-20), East Carolina (L, 24-28), Louisiana-Monroe (W, 24-10), UAB (L, 24-41), Memphis (L, 6-45).

Alabama-Birmingham
Sept. 5 Rice* DNP
Sept. 12 SMU* DNP
Sept. 19 at Troy DNP
Sept. 26 at Texas A&M DNP
Oct. 1 (Thur.) Southern Miss* L, 14-70
Oct. 17 at Mississippi DNP
Oct. 24 at Marshall* W, 23-21
Oct. 31 at UTEP* DNP
Nov. 7 Florida Atlantic L, 34-49
Nov. 14 at Memphis* L, 30-33
Nov. 21 at East Carolina* L, 13-17
Nov. 28 Central Florida* W, 15-0
*–Conference USA games
2008 record: 4-8, 3-5 C-USA (tied fourth East Division).
Dropped: Tulsa (L, 22-45), Tennessee (L, 3-35), Alabama State (W, 45-10), South Carolina (L, 13-26), Houston (L, 20-45), Tulane (W, 41-24).

Central Florida
Sept. 5 Samford DNP
Sept. 12 at Southern Miss* L, 6-17
Sept. 19 Buffalo DNP
Sept. 26 at East Carolina* L, 10-13, OT
Oct. 3 Memphis W, 28-21
Oct. 17 Miami L, 14-20
Oct. 24 at Rice DNP
Nov. 1 (Sun.) Marshall W, 30-14
Nov. 7 at Texas DNP
Nov. 14 Houston* DNP
Nov. 21 Tulane* DNP
Nov. 28 at UAB* L, 0-15
*–Conference USA games
2008 record: 4-8, 3-5 C-USA (tied fourth, East Division).
Dropped: South Carolina State (W, 17-0), South Florida (L, 24-31, OT), Boston College (L, 7-34), UTEP (L, 13-58), SMU (W, 31-17), Tulsa (L, 19-49).

Southern Mississippi
Sept. 5 Alcorn State DNP
Sept. 12 Central Florida* W, 17-6
Sept. 19 Virginia DNP
Sept. 26 at Kansas DNP
Oct. 1 (Thur.) at UAB* W, 70-14
Oct. 10 at Louisville DNP
Oct. 17 Memphis* L, 30-36
Oct. 24 Tulane* DNP
Oct. 31 at Houston* DNP
Nov. 14 at Marshall* L, 27-34
Nov. 21 Tulsa* DNP
Nov. 28 at East Carolina* W, 21-3
*–Conference USA games
2008 record: 7-6, 4-4 C-USA (tied second, East Division). Postseason: New Orleans Bowl vs. Troy (W, 30-27, OT).
Dropped: Louisiana-Lafayette (W, 51-21), Auburn (L, 13-27), Arkansas State (W, 27-24), UTEP (L, 37-40, 2OT), Boise State (L, 7-24), Rice (L, 40-45), SMU (W, 28-12).

Southern Methodist
Sept. 5 Stephen F. Austin DNP
Sept. 12 at UAB* DNP
Sept. 19 at Washington State DNP
Oct. 3 at TCU L, 7-48
Oct. 10 East Carolina* DNP
Oct. 17 Navy L, 7-34
Oct. 24 at Houston* L, 38-44
Oct. 31 at Tulsa* L, 31-37
Nov. 7 Rice* L, 27-56
Nov. 14 Texas-El Paso* L, 10-36
Nov. 21 at Marshall* DNP
Nov. 28 Tulane L, 27-34
*–Conference USA games
2008 record: 1-11, 0-8 C-USA (sixth, West Division).
Dropped: Texas State (W, 47-36), Texas Tech (L, 7-43), Central Florida (L, 17-31), Memphis (L, 26-31), Southern Miss (L, 12-28).

Texas-El Paso
Sept. 5 Buffalo L, 17-42
Sept. 12 Kansas DNP
Sept. 19 at New Mexico State L, 33-34
Sept. 26 at Texas L, 13-42
Oct. 3 Houston* L, 37-42
Oct. 10 at Memphis* DNP
Oct. 21 (Wed.) Tulsa* L, 35-77
Oct. 31 UAB* DNP
Nov. 7 at Tulane* W, 24-21
Nov. 14 at SMU* W, 36-10
Nov. 21 at Rice* L, 44-49
Nov. 28 Marshall* DNP
*–Conference USA games
2008 record: 5-7, 4-4 C-USA (fourth, West Division).
Dropped: Central Florida (W, 58-13), Southern Miss (W, 40-37, 2OT), Louisiana-Lafayette (W, 37-24), East Carolina (L, 21-53).

Here’s something a little worse than what has happened recently to (current) MU players:

Two Miners arrested in robbery

Good Fulmer Cup points there. And speaking of that, here is the latest in that prestigious contest.

Dan Wolken, the Commercial Appeal’s basketball beat writer, weighs in with a 1-to-12 Conference USA ranking for next winter. He has his cynical streak, so Herd fans should be encouraged that he picked Marshall at No. 5.

His ranking.

Some other comments:
– Derrick Caracter at UTEP? Boy, that’s interesting!
– SMU at No. 6? I’ll believe it when I see it, though Paul McCoy’s a stud.
– UCF at No. 8? I’ll pick higher, for reasons Wolken outlines, namely that Kirk Speraw can really, really coach.
– UAB at No. 9? Shoot, I’ll buy it. Why did they hire Mike Davis?
– ECU at No. 12? Somebody has to go there. Poor Mack McCarthy.

He committed tonight (Thursday) … and if you went to the Big Green function at Sleepy Hollow, that was the call coach Snyder was hoping to receive, and he did.

For Wednesday’s Gazette, I’ll have a story about Graham getting freed on bail, and some extensive quotes from defense attorney Tim Jansen. From what I gather, Jansen may be top-notch among defense attorneys in Tallahassee, and not the random court-appoint attorney an 18-year-old defendant might otherwise get.

If you read this in our early edition, you’ll see where we contacted Jansen to no avail. He returned my call a little past 9 p.m., so we have him in our final edition and on the Internet. Regardless of the merits of the case and the ultimate outcome, it was good to even things up … as you may know, defendants really take it on the chin when they get arrested.

If you’re debating whether Snyder should have pulled Graham’s scholarship … there’s no debate, really. He had to. But know this: I don’t think Marshall coaches have turned their back on Graham. Jansen tells me he is in constant contact with OC/QB coach John Shannon on the case’s particulars. Clearing Graham *and* getting him back in a Marshall scholarship are the defense’s goals.