Laura Billings, columnist
St. Paul Pioneer Press

"What motivates these rioters, say the sports psychologists who've studied this phenomenon, is an 'over-identification' with the team. It's the same impulse that prompts people to paint their faces and chant 'We're Number One!' to television cameras. (When, in fact, 'we' are really a bunch of poor slobs sitting in the nosebleed section.)

"No doubt, much of the stupidity is fueled by alcohol. But how much of it is fueled by something else -- anger, depression, frustration and lives so meaninglessly dumb that setting fire to a mattress seems like really living?

"Yes, we love the game, and we love it when our team wins. There's no shame in that. But when one of these 'celebratory riots' break out, as they continue to, it also reminds us of the uncomfortable fact that for some fans, an obsessive over-identification with the team fills an arena-sized emptiness in their lives. Is it really enthusiasm for one's team that inspires a person to loot a liquor store or set fire to a TV truck? Or could it also be a barely revealed rage that so many of the laurels in this society go to star athletes and not to regular Joes?

"It's been a long time since I took Psych 101, so I don't know the answers. But as (these incidents) are beginning to make clear, 'celebratory riots' aren't really about the celebrating."

Transfer rules

Jim Livengood, athletics director
University of Arizona
USA Today

Discussing the predicament recruited prospects face when a coaching change occurs before the season:

"We're kidding ourselves if we think kids are just signing with an institution. Coaches play a huge role in the decision. I have mixed feelings, but if I could cast a vote just for me, I would probably vote for some sort of timeline where kids have time to reconsider. There probably needs to be a period of two weeks, three weeks, whatever, a time where kids can see who the new coach is going to be. It might turn out to be a better situation than before. But to be fair to our kids, we at least need to have that option out there."

Football health and safety

Jim Gagliardi, offensive coordinator
St. John's University (Minnesota)
St. Cloud (Minnesota) Times

Discussing a proposed out-of-season conditioning model in Division III football that would cut the number of practice opportunities available to a team before its first game from 27 to 25:

"You're cutting down preparation time and that puts kids in danger. There just isn't enough practice time there for everyone to be ready for the first game. We don't have spring football (in Division III), and we don't even have spring workouts in our conference. This just cuts down on the time we have to get kids ready. ...

"Why isn't it safer to practice twice a day for an hour-and-a-half at a time, or for that matter, to practice three times for one hour each? Now, more and more teams are going to go once for three hours straight. It would make more sense to say you have three hours per day and you can use it however you want to.

"Sure, they're going to cut down the number of practice injuries because they are literally cutting practices. If we didn't play any games, no one would get hurt, either. But if you're not ready when you get to that first game, it makes it more likely someone will get hurt."