1. why no preseason? Many major colleges begin their football season Saturday with what amounts to glorified scrimmages against overmatched opponents. but for coaches such as Oregon State's Mike Riley, whose 24th-ranked Beavers will open against No. 6 Texas Christian, a preseason game or scrimmage would be welcomed. "it would be a chance to see some new stuff and have your players have to adjust," Riley told the Associated Press. under NCAA rules, a preseason scrimmage would count as one of the 12 games teams are allowed to play.

2. Tar Heel troubles North Carolina starts what should have been a promising season with two investigations hanging over its football program. since early July, the NCAA has been examining whether Tar Heel players had improper contact with agents. Then last week, the university began an investigation of whether a tutor gave improper academic help to football players. The 18th-ranked Tar Heels have ruled six players ineligible for Saturday night's opener in Atlanta against No. 21 LSU, while six others are being withheld from the game and the eligibility of three more is being evaluated.

3. No. 1 down two Top-ranked Alabama is short two important players for Saturday night's kickoff against San Jose State, and coach Nick Saban is concerned whether either will be back for next week's showdown with Penn State. Running back Mark Ingram, last year's Heisman Trophy winner, underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday, while defensive end Marcell Dareus was suspended two games by the NCAA for accepting nearly $1,800 in improper benefits during two trips to Miami that may have involved improper contact with agents. Saban is appealing the Dareus decision, saying the player was "shanghaied a little into this . . . by some other players."

4. The 'Quizz Show you could say Jacquizz Rodgers isn't lacking for confidence as he returns to his home state of Texas with Oregon State. The 5-foot-7 running back says he's aiming to score "25-plus" touchdowns this season and run for at least 1,500 yards. And why not? His 2009 figures were 1,440 rushing yards, 21 touchdowns, 78 receptions and one touchdown pass out of the team's "Wild Beaver" formation. The Lamar, Texas, native is looking forward to going against TCU. "it would be a good thing to go home on a big stage and have a great game," he said.

5. Tied up until 2020 Well, you can strike Kirk Ferentz from the list of candidates to succeed Joe Paterno at Penn State. Ferentz, a Western Pennsylvania native entering his 12th season as Iowa's head coach, agreed to a contract extension that runs through the 2020 season and makes him the Big Ten's highest-paid coach. The ninth-ranked Hawkeyes, who open against Eastern Illinois, boast a terrific defense, an experienced quarterback in Ricky Stanzi and the benefit of home games against Ohio State and Wisconsin, and will challenge for the conference title.

6. have those chips ready Don't expect the commercials to drag on Saturday when you're watching Brian Kelly make his head coaching debut for Notre Dame against Purdue. Kelly and athletic director Jack Swarbrick have chatted with NBC to make sure the Fighting Irish's new up-tempo spread offense is not slowed by lengthy commercial breaks. The offense, which will be run by new quarterback Dayne Crist, is the same one that helped Kelly lead Cincinnati to a 12-0 record last year, and will be closely watched by Irish followers.

7. The other QB Purdue quarterback Robert Marve, who will be playing for the first time since transferring from Miami after the 2008 season, is no stranger to big games. His first collegiate start came at Florida, in the Swamp, so Notre Dame Stadium shouldn't be too intimidating to the junior. "We'll go as our quarterback goes," Boilermakers coach Danny Hope said. "The opponent is in the same boat. There's a lot of these first-game blunders. we have to get Robert in position to be successful."

8. Succeeding Colt Garrett Gilbert got thrown into the deep end of the pool one night last January, throwing four interceptions for Texas in the national championship game against Alabama after coming in for the injured Colt McCoy. Now he's the guy replacing McCoy, who won an NCAA-record 45 games as a starter, as quarterback for the fifth-ranked Longhorns. Gilbert, a sophomore who is the son of former NFL quarterback Gale Gilbert, did not have much more than token competition for the job but fans expect him to show the same form in leading his high school to two Texas state titles.

9. a sobering season Football success usually comes easy at Oklahoma, but that didn't happen last season. Injuries to quarterback Sam Bradford and tight end Jermaine Gresham contributed to an 8-5 record and nowhere near the usual goal of a BCS championship. but those returning this season, including Landry Jones, Bradford's successor, say they learned valuable lessons through the adversity. "we kind of lost where we came from in hard work and preparation," Jones said. "it opened our eyes a little bit." The seventh-ranked Sooners open against Utah State.

10. a poor start The only upset on Thursday night's schedule came at Salt Lake City, where No. 15 Pittsburgh fell in overtime to Utah. The Panthers had three takeaways and a blocked punt but were assessed 12 penalties, and quarterback Tino Sunseri threw an interception on the first play of overtime. The game came close to becoming a farce when Utah coach Kyle Whittingham called a time-out just before each of the first two field-goal attempts by Pitt's Dan Hutchins (he made the first, missed the second). Hutchins drilled his 30-yarder on the legit try.

Contact staff writer Joe Juliano at 215-854-4494 or jjuliano@phillynews.com.

Top Ten college football topics

,  Celebrity Justice : Adderall may Have Unhinged Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan ’s Adderall dependence — the result of a medical misdiagnosis — may have been the reason she went off the rails.

As we first reported, the docs at the UCLA rehab facility believe Lindsay was misdiagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder … and was prescribed Adderall to treat the phantom affliction.

Dr. Joe Haraszti — a prominent L.A. addiction specialist — tells TMZ … people who take Adderall when they don’t need it can experience similar effects as people who use cocaine or methamphetamine.

Dr. Haraszti tells us … people who unnecessarily take Adderall can display manic symptoms … and often do things like “driving around until all hours of the morning … smoking heavily … tweeting … and texting all night long.” the doc adds, “they can become very impulsive.”

The doc also notes that people in that situation “might then complain of insomnia and then take Ambien or other sleep aids to help fall asleep … it’s a vicious cycle”

Dr. Marc Kern — another addiction expert — tells us alcohol abuse is also very common among patients who take Adderall.

Dr. Kern tells us, “the Adderall counteracts the sedative side effects of alcohol use … making these people often drink more than someone who does not take the drug.”

Bottom line — a bad medical diagnosis may have set the ball rolling that unhinged Lindsay’s life.

This story is bs…people abuse adderall the same way they abuse coke. She concocted an adhd diagnosis so she could abuse adderall…and now, her people are going to blame her craziness on a “misdiagnosis” so YET AGAIN she doesnt have to take responsibility for her behavior.

She’s an entitled narcissist that will do anything but take responsibilty for her behavior.

People with ADHD usually have bigger probability of being addicts so it is not rare to link Adderall to substance abuse.

Lindsay’s problems come from her childhood filled with violence and unstability, agravated later when she went to Hollywood too young.

How many of the kids in High School on ADHD medication does have the illness?

Maybe 10% of those who gets the prescription!

In most western countries the number of kids on ADHD medication is only 10 percent of the number on medication in the U.S. I don’t believe that the kids in the U.S. High School system are so much weaker than the average high school kid abroad, so 90% of the kids must be misdiagnosed.

It is not Lindsay’s fault that she is on this medical. It is her parents fault. She has been on them as long as she can remember. Try to count how many of the member of Mickey Mouse club actors and actresses who have forced on to medication by their parents so they can provide an income for their family.

Lindsay’s story is about the ambitions of her parents. the same goes for kids on the school system who are so-called unruly and can not get the grades their parents believe is possible. It is an ordinary story about an ordinary girl. We only learn of this because Lindsay is in the media, but you can go down to the nearest high school and get the same story from there.

Parents must let their children underperform if their children is not emotionally ready to do their best. the alternative is to create new Lindsay-copies!!

So, this “misdiagnosis” caused Lindsay to get coked up, steal an SUV, run over a guy’s foot, and then blame it all on “the black guy”? Ahh, that completely makes sense!

I think she should sue the quack doctor who obviously is responsible for every single bad thing Lindsay has done for the last few years. She’s the real victim here! She deserves several million dollars worth compensation!!

This chick is a mess, no doubt about it but I seriously doubt any doctor from UCLA is talking to TMZ or any other tabloids.

Thanks to her lawyer insisting on her being sent to the right, qualified facility, the could be taken off all the drugs, and alcohol – and she experienced NO withdrawal OR symptoms of ADHD. She is not an addict and she does not suffer from ADHD.

This is great news! She can now get the right counseling for the right things, and you haters and mongers of homemeade theories of a person you never met, can go away and gossip about someone else.

Now let’s leave Lindsay Lohan alone. I want to see her only as an actress, with a private life that stays private.

Quit trying to place blame elsewhere! It begins with YOUR actions Ms. Lohan! It cannot be everyone else’s fault for the stupid ways in which you handle yourself. when is Lindsay, the adult, going to take responsibility for her actions instead of playing the spoiled brat? Probably about the same time her parents come out of denial and admit their errors~ especially mom, Dina. You cannot be a good parent AND an enabler.I really had an admiration for the young Lindsay as an actress, but she has steadily and continuously lost points over the years. I would like to see these celebs ~who are famous for nothing but the trouble they can get into~ holding down down real jobs, of any kind, and having real responsibilities, of any kind. they can’t even be successful in the fantasy world of Hollywierdos!

This behavior isn’t tolerated in the real world, and most bratty children have to grow up before they reach elementary school! Apparently celeb brats are the exception!

Yeah. Adderall has completely changed my life. It’s chemical drive. I started taking it at 25 and I’ve gone from a slothful, lazy t.v.-watcher, to a driven, industrious, book reader and do***entary junkie.

I think it’s obvious that Lindsay has major ADHD. She constantly needs attention – THIS IS INDICATIVE OF ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER.

And what about people like Lindsay who take Adderall AND do cocaine?

I’m sorry, MISDIAGNOSED?

She is riddled with ADHD. She is the dictionary definition of ADHD.

She constantly needs attention and is constantly hyperactive!!

or maybe it is what it is and she is a dope addict

guess it party time for her & her mom, i am shocked

As a former mental health professional I can almost guarantee that Lindsay Lohan was misdiagnosed just like 99.9 percent of the other people that are diagnosed with this “disorder”.

Psychiatrist’s frequently make this diagnosis because they can prescribe medication. If they can prescribe medication they can continue to see the “patient” continue to prescribe medications they don’t need, and continue to BILL the insurance company or the patient.

What they should be doing is sending the child for a second and third opinion before being put on stimulants. they should then send the family to family counseling as in the 15 years I worked in the field (with adolescents) I have NEVER seen this diagnosis made on a person with an intact stable family life.

Sorry Jennifer Aniston but that’s an undisputed fact no matter how much we want to dance around the issue.

Can’t you people read? If you DO NOT have ADHD, but still take medication, it will give you ADHD symptoms. This seems to be what happened to Lindsay, according to the doctors. when she’s on the med, she behaves like a maniac, but when she’s off them, she’s normal. OK?

IMHO,LL is the poster girl for Antisocial Personality Disorder. She is also suffering from serious long term alcoholism and is cross addicted to both prescription and illegal, recreational and street drugs. I hope she can be saved from herself and will not be found dead of an overdose of alcohol and drugs.

Lindsay Lohan
@ The infection

The North Platte Telegraph

Dan Hill of Grand Island announced his candidacy as an independent candidate for Congress last month. Hill resigned his position as an active duty instruction pilot with the Army National Guard to devote his time to defeating incumbent Adrian Smith in November.

"Adrian Smith is the default candidate in a district that is heavily Republican," Hill said. "He is not highly qualified or impressive."

Smith is a wallflower in Washington, Hill said.

"I don't admire career politicians," he said. "I don't think having a permanent political class has been good for our nation."

Hill is on the road gathering signatures on a petition that will place his name on the November ballot. He spoke in North Platte on Tuesday evening and will be in McCook at the City Auditorium tonight a 7 p.m.

"I gave up my dream job to address the issues that Democrats seem intent on making worse and Republicans are too timid and incumbent to address," Hill said.

Hill says he is accustomed to making sacrifices for the greater good. A graduate of ROTC at Michigan State University as an undergraduate, Hill completed Ranger School before going active after graduation and being assigned to the Army's Aviation branch. He was among the members of the platoon selected for the first combat duty in Iraq and was decorated for valor. while stationed in Germany, Hill earned a master's degree in business.

"My first wife left me in 1993," Hill said. "As a single parent to two young girls, I felt I couldn't be a good Army officer and a good dad, so I left the service."

Hill remarried in 2008. His oldest daughter is a surgical nurse in Lincoln. The younger daughter is currently studying nursing.

Hill worked in the steel and investment industries before returning to active duty in 2004. in 2006, he participated in Operation Jump Start, a task force supporting the Border Patrol.

asked why he decided to challenge Smith, Hill said the idea began as a semi-joke while talking politics with friends.

"I thought 'I am as smart or smarter than those people in Washington, and I'm honest too,'" he said. "In four months I'll either be in or I'll be looking for a job."

A lifelong conservative, Hill says the country is heading for government bankruptcy.

"Things are a whole lot worse than we imagined," he said.

The road we are on now is unsustainable, he said, due mostly to the costs associated with the retiring baby boomer generation.

"Why this isn't the biggest issue in the country right now reflects on the partisanship and pettiness at the national level," he said.

Hill is the author of two books, one on education standards on early American history and another on investing. He has also written a third book for his Congressional campaign, "Vote for Dan," that is available for free from Hill's campaign or website www.votedanhill.com

Click on this story at nptelegraph.com to post your comments, or e-mail diane. wetzel@nptelegraph.com.

North Platte Telegraph > News