Pam Reed, training for her 300-mile world-record run in 2005, says, "It would be cool if ultramarathoning became an Olympic sport," but she's cool if it doesn't.

David Sanders / Arizona Daily Star 2005

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In 2006, failing to finish the 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon — done in by dehydration and lingering affects of her 300-mile world-record run near Picacho Peak a year earlier — Tucsonan Pam Reed insisted she would not make the mid-summer run through Death Valley again.

Besides, Reed turned 47 this year and who at that age can run for 25 or 30 hours through 120 degree heat without sleep or a meal?

"But a few months ago I really started feeling good,'' said Reed. She paid her $500 entry fee and two weeks ago drove to Death Valley, Calif. Remarkably, she broke her own female record for the 135-mile course (27 hours 42 minutes) by 14 minutes and finished fifth of all runners.

"I just ran so well,'' she said. "Everything went perfect. I felt strong at the end. I feel like I'll do it again next year.''

Typically, the director of the Tucson Marathon is not sitting back and relaxing. She will run in the Teton 100, a mountain-trail race next week near Jackson, Wyo.

It is almost a shame that the Beijing Olympics do not have an ultramarathon event. Reed would surely make the U.S. team and add that honor to her distinguished running career.

"I think I'm getting better as I get older because you learn more about your body and its limits,'' said Reed. "You know what to eat and drink and how to prepare. It would be cool if ultramarathoning became an Olympic sport, but that's fine. I'm enjoying my career the way it is.''

Somewhat quietly over the summer, Mike Stoops acquired a hot shot quarterback who spent his freshman season at Michigan State. This is so unlike Arizona, which for 30 years has been known as No Quarterback U.

Nick Foles, a Texan who initially committed to ex-ASU coach Dirk Koetter in the fall of 2006, and who chose MSU over Texas A&M and Texas Tech, is expected to be on the field when Arizona opens its training camp Monday. He will redshirt this season and be eligible in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

"I hated to hear that we lost him,'' said Bill Dawson, a retired Tucson educator who played football at Michigan State from 1967 to 1970 and spends the summer and football season in East Lansing, Mich. "He's a big-time guy with great size (6-5, 235 pounds). Maybe Arizona finally has its quarterback of the future. The people I talk to at Michigan State say he's going to be a good one.''

Foles left MSU last month when hometown hero Keith Nichol returned to East Lansing after spending a season with the Oklahoma Sooners, thereby overloading the QB situation at Michigan State.

The Arizona QB situation is as potentially strong as it has been for more than three decades: Incoming freshman Matt Scott and redshirt freshman Bryson Beirne next season will join Foles after the Willie Tuitama years.

Sahuaro High School grad Rich Barcelo appeared to be the likely choice for one of the two sponsor's exemptions for the ongoing PGA Tour Reno-Tahoe Open. Barcelo played college golf at Nevada and last year, as a tour regular, had his career week in Reno, finishing fourth overall and earning $132,000. Alas, the Reno-Tahoe committee gave Barcelo's expected spot to Michelle Wie, who missed the cut by shooting an 80 on Friday. … Former Tucsonan Kerri Strug is to be inducted into the USOC Hall of Fame today in Colorado Springs, Colo. NBC will televise the ceremony from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Tucson time. The Green Fields Country Day School grad, hero of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics gymnastics gold medal, turns 31 in November. She works at the Justice Department in Washington. … UA senior Josh Arreguin, the Arizona boys 4A swimmer of the year in 2004 for Catalina Foothills High School, had a breakout meet at the U.S. Open last week in Minneapolis. Arreguin established personal bests in the 100 and 200 breast stroke events, finishing No. 7 in the country in the 100 and No. 9 in the 200. Arreguin figures to be a key part in Arizona's bid to win another NCAA title next spring.

Idle for two months with a pulled muscle in his lower back, former UA reliever Daniel Schlereth is expected to make his professional debut today for the Rookie League Missoula Osprey. After signing a $1.35 million bonus as the Diamondbacks No. 1 draft pick in June, Schlereth was cleared Friday to begin pitching. … Former UA and Marana High right-hander Ryan Perry has begun his pro career. He pitched two games for the Detroit Tigers in the Gulf Coast Rookie League and last week was advanced to Class A Lakeland of the Florida State League. In four relief appearances, Perry has struck out four and not allowed a run. The first-round draft pick signed a $1.48 million contract a month ago. … Jordan Brown, a key part to Arizona's 2004 College World Series team, was back in Tucson last week for the birth of his first child, Damon Jamison Brown. Jordan was given a week off by the Class AAA Buffalo Bisons, where he is the starting first baseman, batting .271. Two of Brown's '04 UA teammates, pitcher John Meloan and outfielder Trevor Crowe, are also Buffalo Bisons. How are they doing? They were 18 games out of first place through Friday. Brown was MVP of the Class AA Eastern League in 2007. … Look for UA baseball coach Andy Lopez to lose, gulp, his fourth high school pitching prospect to the pros this week. Flagstaff lefthander Kyle Lobstein, selected with the first pick of the second round, No. 47 overall, is likely to sign a $850,000 to $1 million bonus with the Tampa Bay Rays. Ten days ago, UA pitching recruit Brad Dydalewicz, an eighth-round pick of the Astros, signed for $435,000. Lopez earlier lost Anthony Gose, a second-round pick of the Phillies for $450,000, and third-round pick Ed Olmos to the Marlins for $478,000. And you think Lute Olson has it tough.

Former UA All-American Kim Glass won't be the only ex-Wildcat in the USA women's Olympic volleyball entourage in China. Joan McCormick Powell was Arizona's starting setter from 1970 to 1973 and later a coach at Salpointe Catholic. Powell is essentially the general manager of the U.S. Olympic team, similar to the job being performed on the men's track and field team by UA cross country coach James Li. After Powell left Tucson, she settled in Colorado Springs and became a Hall of Fame high school coach (three state titles) and an NCAA volleyball official who has refereed four national championship matches. … Although Miles Simon was unsuccessful in landing a coaching job at Stanford, the 1997 Final Four MVP is back in the business. He is coaching the AAU giant Pump N' Run Elite squad during the summer recruiting season. Two of the men who coached Pump N' Run Elite last year have since been hired in college hoops: Mike Burns is now on staff at San Diego State, and Gabe Carter is at LMU. If Simon has bitterness toward Arizona, it didn't limit the Wildcats from getting a verbal commitment from Top 100 prospect Solomon Hill last week. Simon has been coaching Hill, a small forward from L.A.'s Fairfax High School, this summer. … Not sure how good Hill is; his scholarship offers came from Oregon State, San Diego State, Kansas State, Utah and UNLV.

All Tucson athletes and coaches involved in the Beijing Olympics, from Abdi Abdirahman to Lacey Nymeyer and Mike Candrea, were part of a complimentary shopping spree before flying to China.

After the U.S. Olympic Committee processed athletes and coaches at a facility near San Jose State University in July, the Olympians were allowed to shop (at no cost) for hats, jackets, shirts, shoes, shorts, cell phones, luggage, commemorative rings and other official Olympic gear. Estimated cost per person: $3,000.

Each Olympian was also specially fitted for team blazers and clothing for the opening and closing ceremonies in Beijing.

And that's not all. Tucson-affiliated softball players and swimmers such as Tairia Flowers and Amanda Beard received similar wardrobe assistance from Nike and Speedo specific to their sport. In total, most Olympians and coaches were presented with about $4,000 of gear before leaving the United States.

Here's the irony: Former Arizona NCAA champion swimmers Roland Schoeman and Ryk Neethling, gold medalists for South Africa in the 2004 Athens Olympics, will have to pay $500 of their own money if they choose to wear the dynamic Speedo LZR swim suits.

South Africa's swimming organization is sponsored by Arena swim gear; Neethling and Schoeman have been the faces of Arena's marketing campaign. The South African committee last week, in agreement with Arena, announced that its swimmers, including ex-UA stars Darian Townsend, Jean Basson and Lyndon Ferns, could use Speedo's LZR suits if they choose.

But they'll have to pay for them out of their own pockets.

Conspicuous by its placement on the spine of ASU's football media guide is a Nike swoosh.

Not even the Nike-blessed Oregon Ducks thought of that one yet.

The time will surely come, perhaps by 2015 or 2025, that a Pac-10 team puts a giant swoosh at the 50 yard line of its football stadium, or at center court of its basketball arena.

Everything is for sale in college sports. Even the once-homely media guides.