Frost / Nixon it was not. And nor could it ever have been. Last night, George W Bush emerged from his self-imposed isolation and silence to begin his publicity tour for his book, Decision Points. But this most war-happy of presidents has, as usual, avoided being in the line of fire himself by carefully designing a tour that is guaranteed to cause him as little personal discomfort as possible. This week he will be interviewed by the right wing ranter, radio host Rush Limbaugh, Limbaugh's TV equivalents, all three prime time hosts on Fox News, and play verbal softball with Oprah Winfrey. Last night was his first interview, given to Matt Lauer, the host of NBC's cosy and cheerful breakfast TV show, 'Today.'

Lauer - who US viewers had watched that morning interview Lindsay Lohan's mother, Dina, on 'Today', asking questions as "So is shopping part of Lindsay's therapy?" - sat opposite Bush at a dimly lit wooden table, like a policeman interrogating suspect, but this was not an inquisition. All the big subjects were hit upon but Bush would wiggle crossly away, still wearing his criticism-repelling cloak of self-righteousness.

"Was there ever any consideration of apologising to the American people for taking them to war?" Lauer asked.

"Apologies would basically be saying it was the wrong decision, and I don't believe it was the wrong decision," he replied. He was, he admitted, "deeply disappointed" to have found neither Osama Bin Laden nor weapons of mass destruction. But no, il ne regrette rien.

There were flashes of sentimentality – almost entirely for his father – but, more frequently, there were sharp flares of the brattish bully boy one could easily imagine him having been as a teenager, and beyond. When he could tell that Lauer was about to ask a question he didn't like – why didn't he replace Rumsfeld after the Abu Ghraib scandal, what did he think when even Republicans were criticising the surge in 2006, didn't he only get the legal advice that said what he wanted it to – Bush's response, every time, was a self-defensive smile (which looked particularly weird when Lauer was reeling off details of waterboarding), followed by overly expansive hand gestures and, finally, sharp aggression shutting the question down. Only occasionally was there any sign of self-recrimination, albeit just with his eyes, not his words:

"4000 people lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan –", began Lauer.

"Yes," replied Bush, smile fading and his eyes sliding downwards.

Yet in his opinion, the worst moment of his presidency, according to Bush, and his suddenly hyper active body language testified to the truth of his belief in this statement, was not any losses of life in Iraq, Afghanistan, New York or New Orleans – it was being criticised by Kanye West on TV who claimed that the president's slow reaction to the victims of Katrina proved he "doesn't care about black people":

"I didn't appreciate it then, and I don't appreciate it now," he said stoutly, as though the consistency of his reaction somehow gave it more credibility, drumming his fingers manically.

"I wonder if some people are going to read this and they might give you some heat for it," said Lauer.

"Don't care," barked Bush, like a spoilt toddler.

"You're not saying the worst moment of your presidency was watching the misery in Louisiana, you're saying it's because somebody insulted you because of it," continued Lauer.

Bush made an irritated exhalation: "I also make it clear that the misery in Louisiana affected me deeply as well."

But not as much as a diss by Kanye, mind.

But if Bush's body language was weird, than his answers at times were paradoxical to a point they could have been crafted by Lewis Carroll.

"Let's talk about waterboarding!" said Bush, with an eager, come-and-get-me arm gesture.

"Why is waterboarding legal?" asked Lauer.

"Because the lawyer said it's legal," Bush retorted.

"Would it be OK for a foreign country to waterboard an American?"

"All I ask is that people read the book," he replied, suggesting that maybe some kind of secret get out clause is hidden within its pages.

President Obama is often criticised for superciliousness and arrogance. But these qualities in Bush were all too apparent in last night's interview, particularly in the way he would dance away from any acknowledgement of culpability by saying that he could "understand why people feel that way", whether it be about what he euphemistically called a "lack of a crisp response" to Hurricaine Katrina, or anger at the bank bailouts. Saying he understands why people feel a certain way is an infuriating way of avoiding responsibility and ultimately puts the blame on them for being so silly as to not to see things properly.

There were two things he regretted, though: standing beneath the Mission Accomplished banner on May 2003, and being photographed looking at the effects of Hurricaine Katrina from the safety of Air Force 1. "It's always my fault," he said humbly. But only in matters regarding his own PR. When it came to what was best for the American people he was, he said, "a success."

Frost / Nixon it was not. And nor could it ever have been. Last night, George W Bush emerged from his self-imposed isolation and silence to begin his publicity tour for his book, Decision Points. But this most war-happy of presidents has, as usual, avoided being in the line of fire himself by carefully designing a tour that is guaranteed to cause him as little personal discomfort as possible. This week he will be interviewed by the right wing ranter, radio host Rush Limbaugh, Limbaugh's TV equivalents, all three prime time hosts on Fox News, and play verbal softball with Oprah Winfrey. Last night was his first interview, given to Matt Lauer, the host of NBC's cosy and cheerful breakfast TV show, 'Today.'

Lauer - who US viewers had watched that morning interview Lindsay Lohan's mother, Dina, on 'Today', asking questions as "So is shopping part of Lindsay's therapy?" - sat opposite Bush at a dimly lit wooden table, like a policeman interrogating suspect, but this was not an inquisition. All the big subjects were hit upon but Bush would wiggle crossly away, still wearing his criticism-repelling cloak of self-righteousness.

"Was there ever any consideration of apologising to the American people for taking them to war?" Lauer asked.

"Apologies would basically be saying it was the wrong decision, and I don't believe it was the wrong decision," he replied. He was, he admitted, "deeply disappointed" to have found neither Osama Bin Laden nor weapons of mass destruction. But no, il ne regrette rien.

There were flashes of sentimentality – almost entirely for his father – but, more frequently, there were sharp flares of the brattish bully boy one could easily imagine him having been as a teenager, and beyond. When he could tell that Lauer was about to ask a question he didn't like – why didn't he replace Rumsfeld after the Abu Ghraib scandal, what did he think when even Republicans were criticising the surge in 2006, didn't he only get the legal advice that said what he wanted it to – Bush's response, every time, was a self-defensive smile (which looked particularly weird when Lauer was reeling off details of waterboarding), followed by overly expansive hand gestures and, finally, sharp aggression shutting the question down. Only occasionally was there any sign of self-recrimination, albeit just with his eyes, not his words:

"4000 people lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan –", began Lauer.

"Yes," replied Bush, smile fading and his eyes sliding downwards.

Yet in his opinion, the worst moment of his presidency, according to Bush, and his suddenly hyper active body language testified to the truth of his belief in this statement, was not any losses of life in Iraq, Afghanistan, New York or New Orleans – it was being criticised by Kanye West on TV who claimed that the president's slow reaction to the victims of Katrina proved he "doesn't care about black people":

"I didn't appreciate it then, and I don't appreciate it now," he said stoutly, as though the consistency of his reaction somehow gave it more credibility, drumming his fingers manically.

"I wonder if some people are going to read this and they might give you some heat for it," said Lauer.

"Don't care," barked Bush, like a spoilt toddler.

"You're not saying the worst moment of your presidency was watching the misery in Louisiana, you're saying it's because somebody insulted you because of it," continued Lauer.

Bush made an irritated exhalation: "I also make it clear that the misery in Louisiana affected me deeply as well."

But not as much as a diss by Kanye, mind.

But if Bush's body language was weird, than his answers at times were paradoxical to a point they could have been crafted by Lewis Carroll.

"Let's talk about waterboarding!" said Bush, with an eager, come-and-get-me arm gesture.

"Why is waterboarding legal?" asked Lauer.

"Because the lawyer said it's legal," Bush retorted.

"Would it be OK for a foreign country to waterboard an American?"

"All I ask is that people read the book," he replied, suggesting that maybe some kind of secret get out clause is hidden within its pages.

President Obama is often criticised for superciliousness and arrogance. But these qualities in Bush were all too apparent in last night's interview, particularly in the way he would dance away from any acknowledgement of culpability by saying that he could "understand why people feel that way", whether it be about what he euphemistically called a "lack of a crisp response" to Hurricaine Katrina, or anger at the bank bailouts. Saying he understands why people feel a certain way is an infuriating way of avoiding responsibility and ultimately puts the blame on them for being so silly as to not to see things properly.

There were two things he regretted, though: standing beneath the Mission Accomplished banner on May 2003, and being photographed looking at the effects of Hurricaine Katrina from the safety of Air Force 1. "It's always my fault," he said humbly. But only in matters regarding his own PR. When it came to what was best for the American people he was, he said, "a success."

Matt Hamill pulled out a big win with a unanimous decision over former UFC champ Tito Ortiz. Hamill won 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27 on the judges' cards at UFC 121 in Anaheim on Saturday.
In the first round, Hamill was able to take Ortiz down briefly, but could not do anything on the ground. The stand-up part of the round was filled with high leg kicks from both fighters and Ortiz moving forward throughout the round. Though the stand-up battle was close, Ortiz suffered more damage, sustaining a large cut on the side of his head and a mouse underneath his eye.
Hamill was able to inflict more damage in the second round. After getting a takedown, Hamill punished Ortiz with elbows from the top. Ortiz tried to answer with a submission attempts, but Hamill just took advantage of him and threw more short elbows.
After slow stand-up in the third and final round, Hamill tried to return to the takedown, but Ortiz stuffed it the first time, but easily took Ortiz to the ground on the second attempt. Hamill used side control to wear down Ortiz and land big hammer fists on Ortiz's hard-to-miss head.
Hamill was emotional after the fight, thanking his old coach and saying that he was honored to even fight Ortiz. Ortiz was Hamill's coach on "The Ultimate Fighter," and Hamill used Ortiz's style to beat his old mentor. The ground and pound strategy worked well for Hamill, who has now won five fights in a row.
Ortiz's next steps are not clear, as he has not won a fight since he beat Ken Shamrock in 2006. The one-time dominant champ is on a bad losing streak, and missed his chance to right the ship with this bout.

Matt Hamill pulled out a big win with a unanimous decision over former UFC champ Tito Ortiz. Hamill won 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27 on the judges' cards at UFC 121 in Anaheim on Saturday.
In the first round, Hamill was able to take Ortiz down briefly, but could not do anything on the ground. The stand-up part of the round was filled with high leg kicks from both fighters and Ortiz moving forward throughout the round. Though the stand-up battle was close, Ortiz suffered more damage, sustaining a large cut on the side of his head and a mouse underneath his eye.
Hamill was able to inflict more damage in the second round. After getting a takedown, Hamill punished Ortiz with elbows from the top. Ortiz tried to answer with a submission attempts, but Hamill just took advantage of him and threw more short elbows.
After slow stand-up in the third and final round, Hamill tried to return to the takedown, but Ortiz stuffed it the first time, but easily took Ortiz to the ground on the second attempt. Hamill used side control to wear down Ortiz and land big hammer fists on Ortiz's hard-to-miss head.
Hamill was emotional after the fight, thanking his old coach and saying that he was honored to even fight Ortiz. Ortiz was Hamill's coach on "The Ultimate Fighter," and Hamill used Ortiz's style to beat his old mentor. The ground and pound strategy worked well for Hamill, who has now won five fights in a row.
Ortiz's next steps are not clear, as he has not won a fight since he beat Ken Shamrock in 2006. The one-time dominant champ is on a bad losing streak, and missed his chance to right the ship with this bout.

Matt Simms has one game and one victory under his belt at Tennessee.
He finished 14-of-24 for 181 yards and a score as the Vols crushed Tennessee-Martin, 50-0, Saturday in Knoxville.

Tauren Poole had touchdown runs of 24 yards and 14 yards in Derek Dooley's first victory as the Vols' coach.

It was Tennessee's first shutout since a 48-0 win over Vanderbilt in 2003 and first time facing an FCS opponent since 1983.

Denarius Moore ran 58 yards for a TD and caught a 42-yard scoring pass from Simms.

No. 1 ALABAMA 48, SAN JOSE ST. 3 (at Tuscaloosa, Ala.) — Trent Richardson ran for two TDs and Greg McElroy passed for 218 yards to propel the reigning national champion Crimson Tide (1-0).

No. 4 FLORIDA 34, MIAMI (Ohio) 12 — Jeff Demps had a 72-yard scoring run, John Brantley added a fluky TD pass late and the Gators overcame an error-filled day.

The Gators (1-0) used four interceptions, several red-zone stops and two late TDs to avoid a meltdown.

Brantley completed 17 of 25 passes for 113 yards and two TDs. His 25-yard TD pass to Chris Rainey with 1:21 remaining bounced off a teammate.

No. 5 TEXAS 34, RICE 17 (at Houston) — Tre' Newton ran for three TDs, while quarterback Garrett Gilbert was up and down in his first college start for the Longhorns.

Texas (1-0) was stopped on fourth down at the 1 on its first drive and settled for a 51-yard field goal on the second.

No. 6 TCU 30, No. 24 OREGON ST. 21 (at Arlington Texas) — Andy Dalton ran for two TDs and threw for a score to make up for his two INTs as the Horned Frogs escaped.

No. 7 OKLAHOMA 31, UTAH ST. 24 (at Norman, Okla.) — DeMarco Murray ran for 218 yards and two TDs and the Sooners became the seventh Division I school to reach 800 victories.

No. 8 NEBRASKA 49, WESTERN KENTUCKY 10 (at Lincoln, Neb.) — Freshman Taylor Martinez ran for 127 yards and three TDs and passed for 136 yards for the Cornhuskers.

No. 9 IOWA 37, EASTERN ILLINOIS 7 (at Iowa City, Iowa) — Adam Robinson ran for 109 yards and three TDs in the first half for the Hawkeyes. Senior Ricky Stanzi threw for 229 yards and a TD.

No. 20 FLORIDA ST. 59, SAMFORD 6 (at Tallahassee, Fla.) — Christian Ponder threw four first-half TD passes and Greg Reid returned a punt 74 yards for another score as the Seminoles celebrated Jimbo Fisher's coaching debut.

No. 21 LSU 30, No. 18 NORTH CAROLINA 24 (at Atlanta, Ga.) — Patrick Peterson's 87-yard punt return for a score highlighted the Tigers' 23-point surge that gave them a 30-10 halftime lead.

NOTRE DAME 23, PURDUE 12 (at South Bend, Ind.) — Dayne Crist threw for 205 yards and a TD in his first start, Armando Allen ran for a score and coach Brian Kelly earned a victory in his Fighting Irish debut.

Matt Simms has one game and one victory under his belt at Tennessee.
He finished 14-of-24 for 181 yards and a score as the Vols crushed Tennessee-Martin, 50-0, Saturday in Knoxville.

Tauren Poole had touchdown runs of 24 yards and 14 yards in Derek Dooley's first victory as the Vols' coach.

It was Tennessee's first shutout since a 48-0 win over Vanderbilt in 2003 and first time facing an FCS opponent since 1983.

Denarius Moore ran 58 yards for a TD and caught a 42-yard scoring pass from Simms.

No. 1 ALABAMA 48, SAN JOSE ST. 3 (at Tuscaloosa, Ala.) — Trent Richardson ran for two TDs and Greg McElroy passed for 218 yards to propel the reigning national champion Crimson Tide (1-0).

No. 4 FLORIDA 34, MIAMI (Ohio) 12 — Jeff Demps had a 72-yard scoring run, John Brantley added a fluky TD pass late and the Gators overcame an error-filled day.

The Gators (1-0) used four interceptions, several red-zone stops and two late TDs to avoid a meltdown.

Brantley completed 17 of 25 passes for 113 yards and two TDs. His 25-yard TD pass to Chris Rainey with 1:21 remaining bounced off a teammate.

No. 5 TEXAS 34, RICE 17 (at Houston) — Tre' Newton ran for three TDs, while quarterback Garrett Gilbert was up and down in his first college start for the Longhorns.

Texas (1-0) was stopped on fourth down at the 1 on its first drive and settled for a 51-yard field goal on the second.

No. 6 TCU 30, No. 24 OREGON ST. 21 (at Arlington Texas) — Andy Dalton ran for two TDs and threw for a score to make up for his two INTs as the Horned Frogs escaped.

No. 7 OKLAHOMA 31, UTAH ST. 24 (at Norman, Okla.) — DeMarco Murray ran for 218 yards and two TDs and the Sooners became the seventh Division I school to reach 800 victories.

No. 8 NEBRASKA 49, WESTERN KENTUCKY 10 (at Lincoln, Neb.) — Freshman Taylor Martinez ran for 127 yards and three TDs and passed for 136 yards for the Cornhuskers.

No. 9 IOWA 37, EASTERN ILLINOIS 7 (at Iowa City, Iowa) — Adam Robinson ran for 109 yards and three TDs in the first half for the Hawkeyes. Senior Ricky Stanzi threw for 229 yards and a TD.

No. 20 FLORIDA ST. 59, SAMFORD 6 (at Tallahassee, Fla.) — Christian Ponder threw four first-half TD passes and Greg Reid returned a punt 74 yards for another score as the Seminoles celebrated Jimbo Fisher's coaching debut.

No. 21 LSU 30, No. 18 NORTH CAROLINA 24 (at Atlanta, Ga.) — Patrick Peterson's 87-yard punt return for a score highlighted the Tigers' 23-point surge that gave them a 30-10 halftime lead.

NOTRE DAME 23, PURDUE 12 (at South Bend, Ind.) — Dayne Crist threw for 205 yards and a TD in his first start, Armando Allen ran for a score and coach Brian Kelly earned a victory in his Fighting Irish debut.

Matt Simms made a critical mistake when he flung one up under pressure that Oregon's Cliff Harris returned 76 yards to put the Ducks up two scores. Simms again looked like he was staring down his intended targets.

RUNNING BACKS A-

Tauren Poole gashed the Ducks' defense for 141 yards on 15 first-half carries, but he struggled to find running room in second half. David Oku wasn't near as effective.

RECEIVERS B

Freshman Justin Hunter made an acrobatic grab on a 31-yard reception that set up Poole's 1-yard touchdown. Zach Rogers also had a couple of nice catches stepping in for injured Gerald Jones.

OFFENSIVE LINE B

The Vols opened up some holes in the first half, which led to runs of 31, 21, 39, 23 and 17 yards. Those holes closed up in the second half, as UT had to abandon the run game after falling behind. In protection, Simms wasn't running for his life all night.

SPECIAL TEAMS C -

Chad Cunningham's 27-yard punt gave Oregon a short field for the game-tying drive just before half, and Kenjon Barner took a punt back 80 yards for a touchdown. Art Evans forced a fumble in kickoff coverage that led to Daniel Lincoln's second of two field goals.

DEFENSIVE LINE B

Defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox didn't hesitate to rotate his linemen or play them all over the field, lining up Chris Walker off the line, sending the end into coverage and using his front to try to confuse the Ducks. Montori Hughes seemed to respond to the challenge for the second week in a row and was a handful in the middle.

LINEBACKERS C

The Vols often wound up with linebackers needing to cover the Ducks downfield, and the results were mixed. They held their own in the first half until Darron Thomas picked on Savion Frazier over the middle for Oregon's first touchdown. Nick Reveiz was officially back as a sideline-to-sideline tackler, but even his team-leading performance wasn't enough to offset some issues elsewhere.

SECONDARY C+

The secondary handed out some punishment, but with a chance to keep things close it slipped away from them - including an interception Art Evans just missed in the fourth quarter. Eric Gordon's personal foul on a ball that was being juggled in the first half led to a score that helped change the game. Prentiss Waggner was again a playmaker all over the field for the Vols and a steady complement for Janzen Jackson at safety.

COACHING B-

The Vols had a plan in place to spring an upset and shoot down the Ducks, but there was no predicting everything on a wild night at Neyland when the weather didn't cooperate. Dooley showed some confidence in his offense early, rolling the dice on fourth down instead of taking a shot at a field goal that could have given the Vols a nine-point lead. It might not have made a difference later.

OVERALL C+

There was no shame in UT's game during Dooley's second try at the helm, though the score got away from him late. In terms of talent, the Vols were outmatched by the Ducks, but they came out swinging instead of just trying to keep the game close.

Matt Simms made a critical mistake when he flung one up under pressure that Oregon's Cliff Harris returned 76 yards to put the Ducks up two scores. Simms again looked like he was staring down his intended targets.

RUNNING BACKS A-

Tauren Poole gashed the Ducks' defense for 141 yards on 15 first-half carries, but he struggled to find running room in second half. David Oku wasn't near as effective.

RECEIVERS B

Freshman Justin Hunter made an acrobatic grab on a 31-yard reception that set up Poole's 1-yard touchdown. Zach Rogers also had a couple of nice catches stepping in for injured Gerald Jones.

OFFENSIVE LINE B

The Vols opened up some holes in the first half, which led to runs of 31, 21, 39, 23 and 17 yards. Those holes closed up in the second half, as UT had to abandon the run game after falling behind. In protection, Simms wasn't running for his life all night.

SPECIAL TEAMS C -

Chad Cunningham's 27-yard punt gave Oregon a short field for the game-tying drive just before half, and Kenjon Barner took a punt back 80 yards for a touchdown. Art Evans forced a fumble in kickoff coverage that led to Daniel Lincoln's second of two field goals.

DEFENSIVE LINE B

Defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox didn't hesitate to rotate his linemen or play them all over the field, lining up Chris Walker off the line, sending the end into coverage and using his front to try to confuse the Ducks. Montori Hughes seemed to respond to the challenge for the second week in a row and was a handful in the middle.

LINEBACKERS C

The Vols often wound up with linebackers needing to cover the Ducks downfield, and the results were mixed. They held their own in the first half until Darron Thomas picked on Savion Frazier over the middle for Oregon's first touchdown. Nick Reveiz was officially back as a sideline-to-sideline tackler, but even his team-leading performance wasn't enough to offset some issues elsewhere.

SECONDARY C+

The secondary handed out some punishment, but with a chance to keep things close it slipped away from them - including an interception Art Evans just missed in the fourth quarter. Eric Gordon's personal foul on a ball that was being juggled in the first half led to a score that helped change the game. Prentiss Waggner was again a playmaker all over the field for the Vols and a steady complement for Janzen Jackson at safety.

COACHING B-

The Vols had a plan in place to spring an upset and shoot down the Ducks, but there was no predicting everything on a wild night at Neyland when the weather didn't cooperate. Dooley showed some confidence in his offense early, rolling the dice on fourth down instead of taking a shot at a field goal that could have given the Vols a nine-point lead. It might not have made a difference later.

OVERALL C+

There was no shame in UT's game during Dooley's second try at the helm, though the score got away from him late. In terms of talent, the Vols were outmatched by the Ducks, but they came out swinging instead of just trying to keep the game close.

Fans of the hit reality TV show starring Matt and Amy Roloff, Little People, Big World, have been searching the net for answers to what happened when Matt was lying on the ground at the end of the last episode. Worried that Roloff may have suffered a heart attack and possibly died, Internet bloggers hit cyberspace to speculate and spread rumors that Roloff was dead.
Roloff and his wife dispelled the rumors by posting a recent photo of Matt on his official Facebook page with a photo from his recent trip to New York City. In the photo, Roloff looks healthy and happy, discrediting rumors that he’s suffering in the hospital, or possibly even dead.
I’ve said before I have an obvious problem with reality television.

Fans of the hit reality TV show starring Matt and Amy Roloff, Little People, Big World, have been searching the net for answers to what happened when Matt was lying on the ground at the end of the last episode. Worried that Roloff may have suffered a heart attack and possibly died, Internet bloggers hit cyberspace to speculate and spread rumors that Roloff was dead.
Roloff and his wife dispelled the rumors by posting a recent photo of Matt on his official Facebook page with a photo from his recent trip to New York City. In the photo, Roloff looks healthy and happy, discrediting rumors that he’s suffering in the hospital, or possibly even dead.
I’ve said before I have an obvious problem with reality television.