UPDATE (M): Daily News' Jon Gold is reporting on their UCLA blog, as of 11:34 a.m, that "it's only a matter of money":
* This is still only a matter of money. You throw enough money at a guy, he at least has to consider it. If Yahoo offered my $200 grand, you better believe I'd consider it, even though I love the Daily News.
* At this point, if the numbers are true - anywhere from a million to a million-five - UCLA can't and downright shouldn't match the offer. $1.5 million for a college offensive coordinator, whose two UCLA offenses have finished 111th and 88th in the country? Come on.
* Here's my deal: Chow has a year left on his contract. A guy in Chow's shoes deserves more job security. Chris Peterson's name gets brought up at SC? More job security. Del Rio? More job security. Harbaugh? More job security. If this all ends up with Chow getting a raise and some more security, I think he stays.
More as we get it, folks...
ORIGINAL (M): This is about 3 hours old, but still worth mentioning. ESPN reported at 9:07 a.m. (PT) that Chow's agent, Don Yee, told ESPN the following (emphasis added):
Meanwhile, sources close to the school told ESPN's Shelley Smith on Tuesday night that a deal is being worked on in hopes of bringing longtime offensive coordinator Norm Chow back to USC in the same capacity.
"Last night's reports are false. There are no negotiations that are occurring. And, as of this morning [Wednesday], we have not received any contact from USC regarding any offers for coach Chow to leave UCLA," Yee told ESPN, adding that no media contacted him about the initial circulation of Chow reports.
The rest of the Chow section went like this emphasis added):
Chow had not been directly contacted by USC, either, Yee said. If the Trojans do pursue his client in the immediate future, Yee did not reject the possibility of a deal.
"As his representative, I'd have an obligation to present any proposal to coach Chow but I have nothing to present to him," Yee told ESPN.
Looks like the WWL may have to keep backpedaling, but only time will tell. Again, this is 3 hours old, but thought everyone should know.
Have faith, everybody.
M