We all know that the 12th game is about getting schools and conferences more cash. The assumption was that most schools would basically use it to schedule more chumps for home games.

My hope was that with the shortage of guaranteed chumps and more schools demanding at least a 3-for-1 deal, that long-term the Big East schools would start playing more difficult non-con games. The reasoning being that as more teams struggle to find opponents, and face a backlash from fans and media for scheduling Div. 1-AA teams to fill the void (I can dream), that there would be an eventual move by teams to play tougher games. Basically a supply and demand issue.

What would be bad for the Big East football as it is presently configured with only 8 teams would be if the demand to fill the extra game was shrunk by BCS conferences adding another conference game. Essentially meaning teams would get an extra game every 2 years, but not increasing the demand for non-con opponents.

The Big 12 considered this but opted against it — for now. The PAC-10, however, has opted to use the 12th game to play in-conference.

A disturbing trend, and will also hurt the Big East in terms of conference strength of schedule.

The other thing to note is that the Coaches Poll will now only be the USA Today Coaches poll. ESPN is ripping itself away from this poll.

The cable sports network said it no longer wanted its name attached to the rankings unless all ballots were made public, not just the final ones. USA Today will continue running the poll, which helps determine who plays for the national championship.

It means nothing right now, but is merely reflective of the growing desire for transparency.

That seems to be the take of Andy Katz regarding Krauser.

Pittsburgh’s Carl Krauser, who is 24, told ESPN.com that he has family issues that could weigh heavily on whether he stays in the draft or returns for his senior season.

“I’ve got over 90 percent of my degree finished and so I’m just focusing on the basketball aspect of my life, and I have a little son at home, 10 months old, and I’ve got to go out there and take care of my family first,” Krauser said.

Krauser said he’s hoping one team will tell him he has a shot to run a team. He sounds like someone who would take any shot he could get, regardless of the draft spot. Krauser was giddy about being at the NBA draft camp Tuesday, saying he’s “real happy to be here.”

The Panthers’ staff, led by associate head coach Barry Rohrssen, is watching Krauser. Head coach Jamie Dixon is due in later this week. At this juncture, the Panthers aren’t banking on the junior point guard’s returning.

I’ll wish him luck, and hope he makes it.

Still, despite the glowing reviews in the Pittsburgh papers, when ESPN’s Chad Ford commented on the standout players yesterday, Krauser wasn’t on the short list.

The players just went through scrimmages Tuesday evening, but Maryland’s John Gilchrist, Memphis’ Sean Banks, Florida’s David Lee, St. Joseph’s Dwayne Jones, George Washington’s Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Louisville’s Ellis Myles, Poland’s Marcin Gortat, Chicago State’s Deji Akindele, Pepperdine’s Alex Acker and Washington’s Will Conroy caught the eyes of several NBA scouts in attendance.

Just waiting and watching.

Carl Krauser appeared to have a good first day in Chicago:

It only took Pitt junior Carl Krauser a few minutes of the first practice session yesterday to show the NBA general managers and scouts, who packed the Solheim Center at Moody Bible Institute, those intangibles that have made him a successful player.

Krauser was one of about 64 players who were invited to participate in the NBA pre-draft camp which began yesterday and will run through Friday. The players were divided into six teams and will compete in a number of drills and scrimmages throughout the week.

During the first team drills, Krauser showed a little of everything Pitt fans have become accustomed to from him — the good and the bad. He was one of the most intense players, a vocal leader and played great defense, grabbing loose balls and rebounding over bigger guys. He also turned the ball over a few times while attempting no-look passes.

“The thing I love about Carl is he is a leader,” said New York Knicks assistant coach Michael Malone, who is serving as the head coach for Krauser’s team this week. “There aren’t many leaders out there. A lot of guys can play the point, but Carl was the floor leader from the time he stepped on the floor.

“This was the first time out there with guys he never played with before and he is already running the team, he is already telling guys where they need to be. And most of all, he has a great enthusiasm for the game and it rubbed off on the rest of the team — everybody was feeding off of Carl.”

In a true sign of someone having a sense of humor, Krauser’s teammates this week include Kevin Pittsnogle of WVU and Chris Thomas from Notre Dame.

As much as Malone was positive about Krauser, he still pays lip service to going back to school. So did former Pitt great, and tragically the Atlanta Hawks GM, Billy Knight.

“For the record, everybody in our organization believes that players who have eligibility remaining should go back to college,” said Michael Malone, an assistant coach with the New York Knicks.

Predictably, Knight, the former Pitt star and current Atlanta Hawks executive vice president and general manager, didn’t give Krauser the NBA vote of confidence he’d like to hear.

“He should take advantage of his college opportunities. That’s what I suggest,” Knight said.

I just don’t know if he’ll be drafted in the 2nd round.

Meanwhile at Hoopsworld.com, their writers’ latest mock drafts put Taft at #12, #24, and off the board.

Final note, Associate Head Coach Barry Rohrssen was named one of the top 25 college basketball recruiters by Rivals.

Continually plucking players out of New York City for the Pittsburgh program, Rohrssen again landed one of the city’s finest in four-star prospect Levance Fields. Two other four-star players, Sam Young and Tyrell Biggs, are part of Pittsburgh’s five-man class.

Pitt is getting the talent. Now to put it to use.

Let’s get the bad news out of the way. Pitt will be losing some players with academic and medical problems.

Kyle Smith a Redshirt Sophomore Defensive End has sustained too many concussions in the last five years to be permitted to play any longer.

Instead, Smith will begin pursuit of a high school coaching career as a paid assistant at his alma mater, Harborcreek. He plans to enroll at an Erie college in January.

“They told me I couldn’t play anymore,” Smith said. “They allowed me the option to stay, but I decided I’d rather come home and be with my family.”

Smith said he suffered concussions as a high school sophomore and during his redshirt season at Pitt before enduring four last fall.

The first came in a collision with Temple quarterback Walter Washington. That was followed by another on the Pitt sidelines against Boston College. Smith, wearing street clothes, was hit in the face by the helmet of a teammate celebrating the game-ending fumble recovery.

The academic casualties are Junior Defensive End Azzie Beagnyam, Redshirt Freshman Wide Receiver Andre Broussard, and Redshirt Freshman Cornerback Steffan Brinson. All are leaving the team.

Beagnyam had been held out of the spring game for academic reasons. He is going to transfer to Division II Abilene (Texas) Christian so he does not have to sit out a year.

I guess that frees up some more scholarships.

Speaking of which, another hot wide receiver from Florida has Pitt on his short list.

“I’ve gotten a couple more offers, actually a lot more offers,” Preston Parker said. “FSU, South Carolina, Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green, Louisville, North Carolina, NC State, USF, UCF, Akron, Rutgers, Pittsburgh and there’s one more, but I can’t tell you until Monday.”

According to Parker, he’s also getting heavy interest from Arizona State, Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin.

Much has been speculated that the Hurricanes of Miami may be the next school to go ahead and pull the trigger on a scholarship offer, especially with how publicized Parker has been with his love affair with the ‘U’.

“I’m getting heavy interest from Miami (Fla.),” Parker said, “I’m gonna be at their camp on Saturday. If Miami did offer I would still want to wait it out and check out a bunch of schools.”

Among those is Pittsburgh, whom Parker wants to take a strong look at.

“I’ve got a lot of strong feelings for Pitt,” Parker said, “I’d be very happy if I got a chance to play there. I like the coaches and the offense. I’m very happy that they offered me.”

Rivals has him listed as the #31 player in Florida.

On the lighter side, Pitt great Tony Dorsett is in the Pittsburgh area for the annual Tony Dorsett/McGuire Memorial Celebrity Golf Classic. The event raises money for physically and mentally handicapped children and adults cared for at McGuire Memorial Home in Daugherty Township. There were some Pitt greats in attendance

Supporting Dorsett’s cause this year were ex-Pitt stars Mark May, Hugh Green and Bill Maas. Former Pitt coaches Johnny Majors, Jackie Sherrill and Foge Fazio played. So did a pair of former Heisman Trophy running backs – George Rogers and Mike Rozier – as well as former Steelers star Franco Harris.

There were at least 50 other celebs including Ty Law, the Aliquippa native and former New England Patriots cornerback who’s still a free agent.

A couple others in attendance included Matt Cavanaugh and Tyler Palko.

On Monday, the new tutor and his star pupil were able to put football on the backburner for a few hours and enjoy a day at one of the area’s most spectacular golf courses.

“It was kind of neat,” Palko said of the experience. “I really enjoyed it. I hope he says the same.

“Not that we were buddy-buddy or anything but I hope to have a great relationship with him. Hey, he’s the last quarterback to win a national title here (at Pitt). So I’ve got a lot of questions for him.”

He still has a lot of questions for him about that?