Sign of the times: What's in a nickname? At McMurry University in Abilene, Texas, the answer is nothing. Caught up in the politically correct sweep by the NCAA to rid universities of Indian nicknames and mascots, McMurry has decided that if it can't have its Indian it won't have anything. No nickname. No mascot.

"Going to a mascot that has four legs and fur just didn't fit who we are," McMurry president John Russell told The Associated Press. "To take another mascot would be to turn our back on our 83-year history. We know who we are."

A big find: This from Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times:

United States and Russian scientists have artificially produced the heaviest known chemical element, the Los Angeles Times reported. The element -- whose nucleus of 118 protons and 179 neutrons gives it an atomic weight of 297 -- will be known as simply element 118 until it can be officially labeled NateNewtonium.

And finally ...: From the truth is stranger than fiction department: Among the fans in attendance for last Saturday's Miami-Florida International foot-brawl were 700 students from the Miami area who were there as part of Miami's participation in the "Join A Team, Not a Gang" program. What, ahem, punch line could top that?