Where's the Xbox 360 marketing push? Why, during my recent trip to Japan, did I only see something like five Xbox 360 advertisements my entire time there? And why were the ads that I did see pushed off into the corner of the stores so as not to interfere with the used SNES and Atari Jaguar systems for sale? Why didn't I see any commercials for Madden 06 for 360 on Sunday during a full day of NFL-watching?

　　Okay, scratch that last question--they very well could have shown Madden commercials on Sunday, but that 49ers/Bucs game put me to sleep within 25 seconds of the opening kickoff.

　　I'd like to take this time to remind Microsoft that it is now November; the month in which the Xbox 360 is launching, by the way. If they are going to get off their duffs and create some excitement about the 360 for Mr. and Mrs. Consumer in the U.S. (not to mention Japan), it's time to get it in gear.

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　　I heartily recommend reading Jason Whitlock's column on ESPN's Page 2 today. It's a great piece detailing the way in which the Golden Domers continue to slap Tyrone Willingham across the face after unceremoniously dumping him last year in favor of Charlie Weis--this time by granting Weis a 10-year extension worth somewhere north of $30 million for the former Patriots coordinator. Weis may well turn out to be the greatest thing to hit South Bend since a certain "Knute" but his five wins against sub-par opponents don't even match Tyrone's first year performance, when he won his first eight games against teams, some of whom actually mattered.

　　Should the Irish have fired Willingham? Based on the dwindling performance of his team last year, perhaps so--though the timing could have been better. More obvious is the fact that Notre Dame's security blanket for Weis is more a concilliatory move designed to put the entire Willingham debacle behind the institution as quickly as possible. And if Weis manages to win some games--or even a national championship or two--all the better.

　　Still, it's possible that, in a strange way, Weis and Willingham will be forever linked by a commonality: Neither did enough to deserve their Notre Dame fate.