Great stuff here from USA Today on athletic department spending. And here’s the database. The eyebrow raiser for me on the MSU line? The $3.6 million subsidy from the university.

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The Big Ten athletic directors like the idea of home sites for the semifinals of the playoffs that will start in 2014 — just think, a southern team forced to deal with Columbus in late December — but they like the Rose Bowl a lot more. That’s one of the things that came through loudly after the morning session of their meeting today in Chicago.

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Michael Rosenberg explores the possibility of Tom Izzo, Olympic head coach — and despite Izzo’s doubts, he’d have to be the top or near the top of the list of college candidates.

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South Beach, prepare for the Spartans and their extremely fit press corps. It’ll be MSU at Miami on Nov. 28 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge — with the Big Ten looking for four in a row after dropping the first 10.

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Busy week ahead with the Big Ten athletic directors meeting in Chicago and comparing playoff plans, so let’s catch up real fast.

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MSU baseball. It hadn’t done much for many years before its 2011 Big Ten title but now has the facilities and staff in place to aim higher — and the support and buzz are following. Chris Solari takes an in-depth look.

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…looks like college basketball coaches are trying to close those loopholes. I think many would agree that the rule that allowed Brandon Wood to play at MSU and Russell Wilson to play at Wisconsin, among other examples, is silly. And abused. I don’t like the idea of eliminating the waiver that will allow DeAnthony Arnett to play in 2012, though.

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Fresh comments from MSU:

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Derrick Nix was sentenced today in East Lansing’s 54-B District Court, and he did not receive probation for his conviction on impaired driving. He must pay $853 in fines and costs; attend an 8- to 12-session class on substance abuse with a focus on marijuana; attend a victim impact panel; and complete 24 hours of community service. Case closed.

The NCAA has cleared DeAnthony Arnett to play in 2012.

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We finish with Edwin Baker and this question: Did he make a mistake in leaving MSU a year early?

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Steve Kerr is one of the best basketball analysts on TV, but maybe he should write more. Kerr lays out the need for the NBA to raise its minimum age requirement as well as anyone I can recall. And Michigan State helps him make his point.

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The number is 4.59. I’ll counter it with 459. B.J. Cunningham’s 40 time at the combine in Indy was 4.59, and it’s apparently the main reason he slid to the Miami Dolphins in the sixth round — pick No. 183 overall. I’ll make another one of those face-painting bets right now. If he doesn’t catch at least 459 passes in his NFL career, I’ll apply Dolphins colors and lead with my face — maybe even wear an A.J. Duhe jersey and talk some trash — at Ford Field the next time Miami visits. And you know I’ll do it.

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