Tar Heels Tutor Quits Over P.J. Hairston

After the troubles of the football program a few years ago, and the revelation that learning specialist Mary Willingham was being punished for speaking out about the academic side of sports at Chapel Hill, you'd think North Carolina would try to avoid controversy.
But this is college sports. So guess what?
Basketball star P.J. Hairston was allowed back on the team this season, after a reckless driving charge (oh, and separate charges for possession of marijuana and driving without a license in a 2013 Yukon owned by a convicted felon with a gun found inside). Well, tutor Jack Halperin had enough, and handed in his resignation to The Daily Tar Heel:

Roy, after 23 years as an academic tutor, and after going through the devastating football scandal, I am resigning in protest of your disgraceful decision to allow P.J. Hairston to remain on the team.
If I were arrested driving with no license, illegal drugs and a gun in a felon’s car, my employment at this University would end immediately.
Hairston’s DTH headline quote was, “I will play this season.” Since when does the criminal decide his fate?
Jack Halperin Athletic academic tutor

So maybe that's the reason we don't pay student athletes?
Read more at College Football Talk and the Daily Tar Heel.

Massive Flip In American Le Mans Race In Virginia

With an hour to go in the Oak Tree Grand Prix at Virginia International Raceway, GTC Porsche driver Eduardo Cisneros was slammed into by a GT Porsche and sent into a tire barrier. His car was damaged not from hitting a concrete wall, but flipping on top of it, before comming to rest on top of a set of tires.
Cisneros is reportedly unhurt. The race can be seen Sunday evening on ESPN2.
Read more at Motorsports Talk.

GEICO Banner Plane Crashes Outside Arkansas-Florida Game

A banner plane carrying a GEICO banner crashed into a pickup outside Florida's Flavet Field on Saturday afternoon, hours before the Gators were to host the Razorbacks Saturday night. Both pilots were reported "safe", although the Ford pickup appears to be totaled.
Reports are no one on the ground was injured, and no reports of Arkansas boasting they wouldn't let a plane land on their field.
Read more at WUFT.

It's Happening: The First EPL/MLS Doubleheader on NBC

October 19th's Seattle Sounders/FC Dallas tilt was originally scheduled for 4:00pm ET on NBCSN. It will now start after 2:30pm ET on NBC, following the West Ham/Man City match at 12:30. One may ask why they didn't schedule it this way originally, but that was before Clint Dempsey became a Sounder.
Read more at Awful Announcing.

ESPN and Turner Will Not Be Allowed To Go Home Early

After initial talks of ESPN and Turner handing over their final 2014 NASCAR season rights to NBC and Fox in August, the two tried again last week to dump off their unwanted coverage early. Which NASCAR again said no to.

“While we were humbled by the desire of NBC and FOX to start 12 months early, we now consider this matter closed and look forward to finishing our current agreement in 2014 with our great partners at FOX, Turner and ESPN.”

So, no, you will have to stay till the end of business like everyone else in the office.
Read more at Sports Business Daily.

Jerry Kill Has Fifth Seizure, Does Not Coach Saturday

Golden Gophers coach Jerry Kill suffered a seizure Saturday morning at his home. Kill did not feel well Friday night, and stayed home with the intention of traveling to Ann Arbor Saturday to coach Minnesota against Michigan. Minnesota wound up losing to the Wolverines 42-13 under defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys. It was Kill's fifth game-day seizure, although the first that resulted in missing an entire game. The last was against New Mexico State a month ago, where Kill had to miss the second half after a seizure at halftime.
Read more at CBS Sports.

Your College Football-Free Viewing Guide for 5 October 2013

Tired of watching cupcakes get boat-raced by 50 points? Don't see how a bunch of football players can't be furloughed? Can't see the logic in Notre Dame playing in Dallas? Well, here's your College Football-Free Viewing guide for October 5th.
Best Bets: American League playoff action on TBS, as Tampa Bay's David Price tries to replicate his dominant play-off performance in Boston.
- A rugby championship is on the line as Warrington takes on Wigan for the Super League title on Fox Soccer Plus.
- This Old House takes on the Jersey Shore rebuild. When the show visited New Orleans for a post-Katrina Victorian shotgun project, stories of the local area and the efforts to rebuild were featured.

All times Eastern. Check local listings for local channels.

Baseball
ALDS Game 2: Rays at Red Sox - 5:30pm, TBS
ALDS Game 2: Tigers at A's - 9:00pm, TBS

Golf
President's Cup - 8:30am, NBC

Motorsports
IndyCar Grand Prix of Houston: Race 1 - 3:00pm, NBCSN
NASCAR Nationwide Series at Kansas Speedway - 3:30pm, ESPN
FIA European Rally: Latvia - 2:00, MavTV

Hockey
NHL: Red Wings at Bruins - 7:00pm, NHLN

Basketball 
NBA Preseason: OKC Thunder vs Fenerbahce Ulker in Turkey - 4:00pm (Tape delay), NBATV

Soccer
EPL: Sunderland vs Manchester United - 12:30pm, NBCSN
Spanish Primera: Levante UD vs Real Madrid - 1:55pm, BeIn
College: UCLA vs San Diego State - 3:00, Pac12 Network
Spanish Primera: FC Barcelona vs Real Valladolid - 3:55, BeIn
Serie A: Inter Milan vs AS Roma - 6:00pm, BeIn
MLS: Colorado Rapids vs Seattle Sounders FC - 10:00pm, NBCSN

Rugby
Super League Grand Final: Warrington Wolves vs Wigan Warriors - 12:30pm, Fox Soccer Plus
Premiership Rugby: Leicester vs Northampton - 3:00pm, Fox Soccer Plus

Water Polo
Pacific at Cal - 1:30pm, Pac12 Network

Other Programing
This Old House: Three Jersey Shore homes are rebuilt after Hurricane Sandy - Check local listings, PBS

Images courtesy Weeghman to Wrigley, GolfWeek, and This Old House.