Gigantic center screen attracts fans' gaze more than what's happening on the field.

ARLINGTON, TEXAS --- The fellow sitting next to me was one of a plane-load of Michigan fans, routed from Detroit through Minneapolis in Delta’s full-flight strategy, and as the plane touched down last Friday afternoon, I offered my summation of the Michigan-Alabama football game coming up the next day.
   The game was the Cowboys Classic, kicking off the college football season by bringing together Alabama, last year’s national champion, and Michigan, a Big Ten contender hoping to rise to that level of prominence, in Cowboys Stadium, the palatial home of the Dallas Cowboys. Two  NCAA powerhouses, the controlling television powerhouse of ESPN, and the impact of promoting the Heisman Trophy at the end of the season to this season’s best player, all were converging in Cowboys Stadium.
   Nissan is a big sponsor of the Heisman thing with ESPN, and I was there as part of a group of auto journalists invited to see the new Sentra compact, with the chance to attend the big game as well.
   As we were walking off the plane, I said, “The big question is whether Alabama’s great defense can contain Denard Robinson. If he can get free and somehow Michigan can win the game, it will be good for all of college football, just to prevent the Southeast Conference from believing it deserves both teams in the national championship game.”

A fan that was either impartial or confused escaped the 105-degree heat.

   At that moment, a voice behind us said, “Six straight, baby.” True enough, an Alabama fan who had infiltrated the Wolverine boosters and overheard our conversation, had to point out that SEC teams had won six consecutive NCAA championships. There wasn’t time to explain that the voters make it a self-fullfilling prophecy, by ranking an SEC team into that final game every season, and last year giving Alabama -- which had lost 9-6 to Louisiana State during the season -- a second chance in the BCS final against LSU in an ill-conceived, all-SEC final. I don’t disagree that the SEC might be the best college football conference in the country, but I also believe that if you put a Pac-12, or ACC, or Big 8 (or whatever it is now) or even a Big Ten team in the championship game each of the last six years, chances are it would have won some of them.

Michael Williams opened the scoring with a Tide pass from A.J. McCarron.

   One of my big motivations for seeing the game was to examine Cowboys Stadium, the gem located just across the parking lot from the Arlington Stadium baseball park -- both comparatively out in the middle of nowhere. But unlike those many pro football and baseball franchises who blackmail their city and their legislatures into building them a new stadium, the Cowboys got their beautiful stadium from the pockets of Jerry Jones, their owner, president, and general manager. Critics say he is too involved in the franchise, but with those titles, how could he NOT be?
   The stadium is fabulous, although it took us a while to find out. We were invited out to the stadium for a massive barbecue, which would be held just outside the stadium and near the ESPN and Heisman facilities. We went out there about 1 p.m., and we tried to find shade from the blistering sun. It was comparatively futile; the temperature was about 105 degrees right there, and while the socializing was excellent, the ribs were better than that. An area joint had whupped up an enormous, never-ending supply of -- get this -- pineapple, blackberry, jalopeno barbecued ribs. They were charred just right, and the flavor was out of this world.
   The only drawback was that they weren’t going to open the stadium until 6 p.m. for the 7 p.m. game. Fans got along just fine in their bright red for Alabama or navy blue or maize gold of Michigan, as they jointly tried to find relief from the oppressive heat, huddling under the few trees in the courtyard, or dipping their feet into the little decorative pools. Saying “it’s a dry heat” at 105 is like offering you the choice of being fried or broiled. Some form of Texas mercy took over, and they opened the gates at 4 p.m., immediately cramming everyone into a half-dozen lanes to go through security checkpoints.

When Alabama's Jalston Fowler didn't have a hole, he created one himself.

   Cowboys Stadium itself looks like a giant steel and glass space ship that settled on the Texas plains. The completely domed roof has a very impressive sliding roof panel that opens to leave the playing field open under the sky. We were among the first to enter, and we were greatly pleased to see the roof closed. We also thought we were hallucinating when we saw the gigantic screen hanging from the rafters over the middle of the field. It stretches from 20-yard line to 20-yard line, and it’s so tall that the term “Jumbotron” seems wholly inadequate.
   The teams came out to warm up, with both sides cheering wildely. Their bands took the field and did a great job. Michigan’s band plays “Hail to the Victors” about every three minutes, and it’s a wonderful, inspiring fight song. Alabama’s Million Dollar Band was very good too, and it had, by far, the edge in scantily-clad cheerleader/danceline/escorts.
   My own personal pregame analysis of whether Alabama could contain Denard Robinson was answered in the first quarter. The answer was, it didn’t have to. Denard Robinson contained himself. Or, at least Michigan’s game-plan contained him. It almost looked as though some NFL scouts had gotten to Michigan coach Brady Hoke and convinced him that while the entire country was waiting to see Robinson scramble and dash to glory, he should instead try to prove that he can be an NFL-style, drop-back pocket passer.
   Well, he can’t. He proved it with a totally inept first half, just as surely as he proved that the Heisman committee is free to look elsewhere for this year’s winner. To say that Alabama coach Nick Saban outcoached Hoke is unfair, perhaps. It’s also an enormous understatement. Alabama’s defense was very good, as advertised, but the Crimson Tide offense was far more creative, executed better, and could have scored 60.
   Alabama waited a little while, then scored three touchdowns to take a 21-0 stranglehold on the game -- in the first quarter. Saban sent out T.J Yeldon or Dee Hart, a pair of lean, quick and wiry freshman running backs, and then he sent out junior Eddie Lacy and Jalston Fowler, a pair of big and rugged pile-drivers. The Woverines had a tough time coping with Yeldon and Hart, and an impossible time trying to knock Lacy and Fowler off their forceful feet -- two guys who could slither through any crack but were also tough, and two other guys who could blast their own holes and then crash through those holes.

T.J. Yeldon proved elusive to the Michigan defense.

   Michigan, on the other hand, had the most dangerous and elusive runner on the field but had him not run, and instead dropping back and flinging passes into area codes quite different from the ones his receivers were located.
   The band kept playing, courageously, and the auto journalist sitting next to me in the Nissan suite was still wearing his Wolverine colors and only half-heartedly cheering. I couldn’t resist saying, “It’s funny how ‘Hail to the Victors’ doesn’t sound anywhere near as inspiring when you’re behind 21-0 in the first quarter.” He agreed.
   If you wanted passing, the Crimson Tide had A.J. McCarron, a 6-foot-4 junior, who hit Michael Williams for a 10-yard touchdown for a 7-0 lead. Moments later, McCarron hit DeAndrew White for a 52-yard touchdown in full view -- but not reach -- of the Wolverine defenders. Lacy powered in from the 9 to make it 21-0. In the second quarter, Jeremy Shelley connected on a 22-yard field goal to make it 24-0. By then, Denard Robinson had to feel like a caged Wolverine, and he had every reason to be impatient. On Michigan’s next possession, Robinson fired a pass that went right to junior C.J. Mosley, who happens to be a Crimson Tide defensive back. Mosley jogged into the end zone and it was 31-0.
    Robinson finally did run, scoring a 6-yard touchdown before halftime, and he heaved a long bomb in the third quarter that was caught by Devon Gardner and taken in for a 44-yard touchdown. But the rout was long since done by then, and Yeldon added later points to make it 41-14.
   We have no idea if Alabama is a candidate for the position of No. 1 in the country -- again. We are pretty sure that Michigan might be tough in the watered-down Big Ten, where Wisconsin and Michigan State should rule, but the Wolverines were sadly overrated to be in the top 10. The fellow doing the rating are easily led by the ESPN guys, who continue to promote the SEC and to promote their upcoming broadcasting schedule, both of which often coincide. But Southern California, and my old favorite Oregon will have something to say about the title. If they get a chance to play in the big game.

BIG FOOTBALL
WEEKEND

    There are some excellent and interesting high school football games in the area this weekend, with one of the more interesting ones coming when St. Michael-Albertville -- which should use the nickname  “Outlets” -- comes to Duluth East for a 6 p.m. test Friday. East beat Grand Rapids 27-7 last week, and might be the top northern hope among large schools. There are several other good high school games, but Saturday belongs to the colleges.
   UMD, which sputtered for a while before getting a handle on its opener at Southwest State last weekend, has its home opener at 6 p.m. against Winona State, a team that used to be the Bulldogs top conference rival. The Bulldogs have a great schedule this season, alternating every week between home and road games. We can already look ahead to late-season times when the wind is whistling and the turf is frozen and fans will be wearing parkas against the chill. So now is the time to enjoy what should be another of Bob Nielson’s championship-challenging Bulldog teams against a tough opponent in comparatively warm weather.
   By playing at 6 p.m., the Bulldogs are leaving the afternoon open for St. Scholastica, which will play Eureka at Public Schools Stadium at 1 p.m. The Saints got stung in their opener, and will try to rebound against an explosive Eureka passing attack.
   The Gopher football team was lucky to be allowed back into the state after “overwhelming” Nevada-Las Vegas 30-27 on a field goal in the third overtime. We knew that UNLV had a great basketball program until it went afoul of the NCAA rule-checkers, but if you took a vote, maybe half of Minnesota was unaware that UNLV also had a football program. And half of those who did know are probably unaware that UNLV is ranked last in whatever conference they’re in.
    Meanwhile, the Vikings open the NFL real season against Jacksonville with more questions than answers. Will Adrian Peterson play? Is his knee ready? Can his surgically-repaired knee be worth the risk if he was unable to play at all in the exhibitions? Will Christian Ponder take charge and prove he is a strong quarterback? Since Ponder missed the start of last season’s training camp because of the lockout situation, did it make sense to not play him, the way other teams hold out their veterans, in most of the exhibitions? Isn’t he like a rookie all over again?
   A victory could set everything in order in Vikings-land, but if Peterson can’t go 100 percent, and if Ponder sputters with his point-making, Vikings fans could face another long fall of watching the neighboring Packers fight off the Lions and Bears for division honors while purple-clad folks mutter things like “Wait till next year.” Again.


VOLLEYBALL
TOURNAMENT

    UMD’s volleyball team had a spectacular season a year ago, faltering only in an extremely competitive playoff circumstance. The Bulldogs roared off to a strong start this season, too, following up victory in the Truman State Bulldog Invitational by beating an undefeated Northern Michigan outfit Tuesday night -- 25-21, 25-14, 25-21. Junior Kate Lange, with 13 kills, and senior Kalli Lochner, with 10, led the UMD attack.
    But the Bulldogs don’t have much time to rest. The Holiday Inn UMD Classic tournament will be held at UMD, starting Friday when the Bulldogs face Erskine at 11 a.m., then take on Shippensburg at 7 p.m. On Saturday, UMD plays Ferris State at 11 a.m. and Minnesota-Crookston at 7 p.m.