The Los Angeles Times' Chris Dufresne joined the show to discuss the big issues as college football kicks off.

-- Dufresne thinks Texas QB Colt McCoy is the favorite to win the Heisman. He thinks the Longhorns have a chip on their shoulder and McCoy will get a good shot since he hasn't won one yet.

Then again ... "If [Tim] Tebow goes nuts and they run the table, he could win it again," Dufresne said.

-- Dufresne said that Charlie Weis has more pressure on him than Rich Rodriguez. Dufresne said that Rodriguez hasn't had enough time to build that system. It takes time to change a system.

Dufresne said the real crime that Rodiguez committed was finishing 3-9 last year ... not practice violations. That's how college football works. If you win, those stories don't leak out.

-- Dufresne says too often big-name schools get favorable treatment in the polls. "That's the problem in college football. Too much importance is placed on the name on the uniform," Dufresne said.

-- Dufresne said that he gives Nevada a chance against Notre Dame.

The MLB Network's Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams dropped by the show to discuss

-- Williams got into the mindset of a closer and discussed the World Series home run he gave up to Joe Carter.

"People wanted to make it out to be so huge. In my mind, I hated losing any game ... but when it was over, it was over for me," Williams said.

Williams said the home run didn't kill his confidence. It was the Phillies dealing him in the offseason that did it. He loved being there and didn't want to leave.

"The thing that ended my career was being traded," Williams said.  "The home run ... I gave up lots of them."

Williams said he knew Carter liked pitches down and in. "The pitch was supposed to be up and away. I threw it out of a sidestep and jerked it down and in," Williams said.

-- Williams also had interesting comments on Jim Thome. He said that worked so well for the Phillies with Matt Stairs. The Dodgers looked at Philly and said we want that kind of pop coming off our bench.

-- Williams said that he still likes the Phillies in the NL, but St. Louis is "no joke." He loves the Matt Holliday deal. Williams said Holliday wasn't happy in Oakland and is more comfortable now.

But Williams told Dan not to read too much into Cardinals closer Ryan Franklin's regular-season success. Williams said pitching in the postseason is a different ballgame.

"John Smoltz is not going to start for St. Louis in the playoffs," Williams said. "They got him for insurance in the bullpen."

Minnesota Timberwolves president David Kahn joined the show to discuss Ricky Rubio's decision to stay in Spain and not join the T'Wolves yet.

"Anybody who's ever had teenagers, there are twists and turns," Kahn said.

Kahn, however, explained that nothing about the way this played out surprised him. Kahn said at first that he didn't think Rubio would even consider coming over so soon. Kahn knew he'd come over eventually, but he didn't expect him immediately. Kahn said he had heard Rubio would only come over if he was a top-two pick.

"He started to send us some signals during the summer that he was interested in accelerating that path," Kahn said.

The plan is that he will be in Spain for two years and then join the Timberwolves.

Dan asked Kahn if he would do that pick over again. "Absolutely, he's 18," Kahn said. "Two years from now he's 20 and his whole career is still in front of him."

Florida State coach Bobby Bowden joined the show to discuss his upcoming season ...

-- Dan asked Bowden if he ever thought there would be a Tim Tebow. Bowden said yes, because he had a quarterback who was the same ... Charlie Ward. Bowden said Ward could run and throw as well, and he rarely lost. Ward lost two games in two seasons, including "wide right."

-- Bowden said people think he invented "wide right" ... the expression. "If I miss a putt to the right, someone will say 'wide right?'"

-- Bowden says it's not fair that the NCAA is trying to take away 14 games because of an academic cheating scandal. Bowden said the school turned itself in and deserve a break.

"It's tough to coach for 55 years and never have been involved in cheating," Bowden said. "Then all of a sudden 14 of your games are taken away. It doesn't seem right.

Bowden said he is concerned about the all-time win record. Bowden and Joe Paterno are in a tough competition for it. Those 14 games are big. Bowden says he cares a lot more than JoePa because he's from the South. Bowden says the South lost the Civil War and is still looking for prestige. Everyone around him wants him to end up with the all-time win record.

-- Bowden said it's going to be tough to have an undefeated champion. "Florida has a heck of a chance," Bowden said. But Bowden said it will be tough.

-- Bowden said they were pressured to play Miami so easy in the season.