Another blonde love interest for Romo?

Type "Tony Romo" into the Google search engine and click on the top story. What do you get? It's not a story about how the Dallas Cowboys will fare this season. Instead, you can read about his latest supposed love interest. And yes, she's a (somewhat) famous blonde.

Candice Crawford, 22, is the 2008 Miss Missouri winner and a local sports television reporter in Dallas. You can learn more about her at her personal Web site.

Many of you Cowboys fans might wish he made the news only for winning Super Bowl trophies -- or even winning a playoff game. My take: If you're the starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, why not date all the beautiful women you can? At least he keeps it to one woman per season.

Link: Are you a famous blonde woman? Tony Romo may be interested
Link: Candice-Crawford.com

What's on Sean Weatherspoon's mind? Check it out

Ever wonder what's on Sean Weatherspoon's mind? Check out his Twitter.com page. In case you don't know, Weatherspoon is a former Jasper football star and is now a linebacker at the University of Missouri. He'll a likely be a first-round NFL draft pick in the spring.

Lower expectations should help McCoy in Heisman chase

A co-worker asked today if Colt McCoy would win the Heisman Trophy this season.

My answer: Only if UT beats Oklahoma.

Once reminded that UT beat OU last season and Colt still failed to win the Heisman, I changed my answer to: Only if UT beats Oklahoma and everyone else.

With all things equal, here's guessing the Heisman voters will be more impressed by a standout season from McCoy than by Tebow, who already is a god in Florida and television broadcasters (especially Thom Brennaman).

In other words, voters will be less impressed by a player who already has such high expectations placed on him than they would from someone who has yet to reach the lofty status that is to be a Tebow.

Link: Tim Tebow Is Like The Son (Of God) Thom Brennaman Never Had

Beaumont's Collins to keep starting spot with Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals right tackle Anthony Collins will keep his starting position for at least a little while longer. A foot injury to first-round draft pick Andre Smith will keep Collins, a former Central standout, in the starting lineup for the Bengals season opener and a little beyond.

Collins is a second-year professional out of the University of Kansas. He had worked his way into the starting lineup while Smith held out while he and the team negotiated a contract. Smith settled on a four-year deal that included a guaranteed $21 million on Sunday and suffered a small fracture in his left foot Tuesday.

Smith will be out "a few weeks," estimated Bengals coach Marvin Lewis.

Link: Bengals' Andre Smith out 'a few weeks' after breaking foot

What will it take to draw fans to LU football games?

Folks around Lamar University are wondering just that. The money to bring back football has been granted and basically spent. Players have arrived on campus; 34 on scholarship, 30 as walk-ons.

Facilities are being constructed partly with money students voted to give in fees.

The university has built it, but will they come?

As a football fan out there what's it going to take to get you through the gates? Winning games helps, obviously. But the first season LU will play as an independent and is not eligible for Southland Conference wins until 2011.

Will it be the novelty of it all that brings in fans? That new-team smell? Will it take a Britney Spears halftime show? LSU-quality tailgating?

What do the fans want to see that will keep them coming back and prove that college football can survive -- dare I say thrive? -- in Beaumont? Feel free to sound off and maybe the administration will use your idea of half-price chili dogs as the first promotion.

Bruce to begin rehab, plans to play in Dominican winter league

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce took batting practice swings Tuesday and will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville this weekend. Bruce, a former West Brook baseball star, has been out with a broken wrist since July 11. Bruce fractured his wrist while he tried to make a sliding catch against the New York Mets.

Bruce has struggled this season. He batted .207 with 18 home runs and 41 RBIs in 83 games before the injury. To help make up for time lost to the injury, Burce will spend part of the off-season playing in the Dominican Republic, where he will spend about a month with the Aguilas club.

Link: Bruce takes swings on field (mlb.com)
Link: Bruce hopes to move on in rehab (mlb.com)

Nederland should still contend without Bellow under center

Although Nederland quarterback Kirby Bellow is out for the season with a knee injury, there's little reason to think the Bulldogs will fall from contention in the District 20-4A race. Many fans remember how well Bellow performed in his first season as a varsity starter, when he replaced Ryan Sampere after he suffered a season-ending injury in the 2007 season opener.

How well Bellow's backup, Tyler Smith, handles the pressure that comes with being a varsity starting quarterback will go a long way in determining Nederland's chances for a district title.

If there is one silver lining to losing Bellow for the season, it is that his injury occurred not only early in the season -- which gives Smith ample time to grow into the role before district play -- but that it came in the game before Nederland's bye. With no game Friday, Smith has two weeks to prepare for Nederland's next game, Sept. 11 against Waller. That can only help.

Beaumont's Rideau hopes for Bears roster spot

NFL preseason position battles are boring. But here's one to keep an eye on.

Former Ozen standout Brandon Rideau hopes to make the Chicago Bears' regular season roster as a wide receiver. The Bears' final preseason game is Thursday, and Rideau will find out Saturday if he'll be on the field when Chicago opens the regular season against against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football at Lambeau Field.

Rideau has just three catches for 25 yards in three preseason games, but Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler has spoken favorably about Rideau during the preseason, according to the Chicago Tribune.

From the Trib's Web site:

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler endorsed both [Devin] Aromashodu and Rideau throughout the preseason. It's no secret Cutler likes big targets after his years with 6-foot-4-inch Pro Bowler Brandon Marshall in Denver. Both Rideau (6-3) and Aromashodu (6-2) have size but lack experience, appearing in a combined eight games with one start (Aromashodu with the Colts).

"Not only big. They have to be able to move," Cutler said, speaking about liking big receivers. "I was fortunate to have Brandon. He could go. If you get a big receiver who can't run, he becomes more of a possession guy over the middle. But if you can get a guy outside to match up -- a big guy -- it's a problem for defensive backs."

For now, Rideau -- who has been cut four times in his career -- said he gets encouragement from his father, Alfred.

"He likes to talk to make me feel comfortable," Rideau said of his father. "He makes me focus on what's ahead of me, not what's behind."

Link: Chicago Bears receivers on bubble await their fates
Photo credit: The Associated Press/Charles Rex Arbogast

Sports Illustrated's King: Texans to make playoffs

The Houston Texans will not only make the playoffs this season, but they'll win the AFC South over the Indianapolis Colts, according to preseason predictions made by Sports Illustrated's Peter King.

King, SI's lead National Football League reporter, said the Texans and Colts will finish with 10-6 records, but Houston will win the division tie-breaker. Houston, however, will lose a home playoff game to the Colts in the opening round, according to King.

The Texans, who have never qualified for the playoffs in their first six seasons of existence, will need to stay healthy to reach King's prediction. Injuries to quarterback Matt Schaub and receiver Andre Johnson have slowed what could be a high-powered offense in recent seasons. Should they stay healthy and if running back Steve Slaton matches the potential he showed as a rookie last season, then King's prediction shouldn't seem too far-fetched.

As for the Dallas Cowboys, don't look for them to make the playoffs. King says Southeast Texas native Wade Phillips will coach the Cowboys to a 10-6 record, but that won't be good enough to make the playoffs. King has the Giants winning the NFC East with a 12-4 record, and the Cowboys losing tie-breakers to the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers for the last two playoff berths.

We all know King's love for Brett Favre, so his pick for the Vikings to make the playoffs should be no surprise. Keep in mind, however, that Minnesota also has perhaps the most dynamic running back in the NFL, Adrian Peterson. You Texans fans saw Peterson break free for a long run in the third preseason game Monday night.

In the end, King says the New England Patriots will beat the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl.