As you may have heard, Texas Tech football coach Mike Leach [was fined $10,000][1] by the Big 12 office Tuesday for remarks he made about officiating after Texas Tech lost to Texas last Saturday.Remarks similar, if not quite as blunt, as KU coach Mark Mangino’s [outburst toward officiating][2] in 2004. Both men, in fact, accused the league of biased officiating in favor of Texas, the darling of the Big 12.Mangino was only fined $5,000. Leach was docked twice that.So what’s the difference? A statement that was sent out via mass e-mail at about 7 p.m. the night of Oct. 13, 2004, where Mangino apologized for losing his cool. Leach, without repeating his stance, stood by it Monday during a teleconference with reporters.I always wondered how the Big 12 office would’ve handled Mangino’s comments had he not apologized. I guess we now know.Now, elsewhere in the Big 12:**Andy Hamilton, Iowa City Press-Citizen:** Check that, this is actually Big Ten, but of interest for local fans anyway. Iowa defensive end Christian Ballard, a Free State High graduate and former KU commit, [is making an impact][3] for the Hawkeyes as a true freshman (this article is a week old). I always viewed Ballard as a project with freak athleticism, so to see him catching on right away is a great sign. Best of luck to him.**Jim Sullivan, The Courier:** Iowa State linebacker Jesse Smith [sees no reason][4] to fear Kansas, saying the Jayhawks are beatable “like any other team.”**Graham Watson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch:** Not enough Heisman talk around here, so how about another one. Chase Daniel is [honored that the Heisman Trust][5] considers him a top candidate for the award. Also, an update on Jeremy Maclin’s injury.**Steven M. Sipple, Lincoln Journal Star:** A decision on Nebraska coach Bill Callahan’s fate [could be made][6] as soon as Nov. 23, after the Huskers’ last regular-season game against Colorado. Nebraska would be bowl eligible with a victory.**Mark Janssen, Manhattan Mercury:** Kansas State [is dumbfounded][7] at how the season has fallen apart. What’s going on in Manhattan? [1]: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/colleges/topstories/stories/111407dnspotechleach.191bb57.html [2]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuCqE8tMfEs [3]: http://www.hawkcentral.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071106/HAWKS0104/711060345/1053/HAWKS [4]: http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2007/11/12/sports/local/doc47388a196480d972574867.txt [5]: http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/mizzou/story/6A76850EC081A6538625739300155969?OpenDocument [6]: http://www.journalstar.com/huskerextra/football/doc4739f8cb591ce572778562.txt [7]: http://www.themercury.com/k-statesports/article.aspx?articleId=602c6f0d95f140908a1a515f9dddf67a