Ellen DeGeneres Speaks at 2009 Tulane Commencement

Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres returned to her hometown of New Orleans to deliver the commencement speech to the Class of 2009, the "Katrina Class" — students displaced by Hurricane Katrina nearly four years ago. Tulane President Scott Cowen presented DeGeneres with the Tulane University President's Medal for her work to raise money and awareness for New Orleans after Katrina. DeGeneres made a surprise appearance in 2006 during the commencement address by George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. To watch her funny, poignant, insightful (and more funny) speech, click here.

Former ECU LB Jeff Kerr Earns NASCAR Honors

A former linebacker at East Carolina, Jeff Kerr was known for his tenacity and his ability to read opposing offenses. Now, instead of maneuvering around receivers, he is jacking up race cars on NASCAR’s pit row. Kerr, jackman for the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing No. 1 team with driver Martin Truex Jr., won his second individual skills title May 14 during the NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge with a time of 5.666 seconds. Kerr also won the individual title in 2006. For more on Kerr in NASCAR, click here.

C-USA at the Movies

Currently filming in Atlanta and scheduled for a November 2009 release, The Blind Side, is a movie about a wealthy couple, Sean and Leigh Anne Touhy, who take in a homeless African-American teenager and mentor him. It is based on the best-selling book, The Blind Side: Evolution Of The Game, written by Michael Lewis and based on the real-life story of Michael Oher. Oher, who inspired the book, was selected in the first round of this year's NFL draft. Set to play the role of Leigh Anne Touhy is Sandra Bullock, one of Hollywood's most popular actresses and former student at East Carolina University. Kathy Bates, an SMU alum, will star alongside Bullock, as a no-nonsense tutor hired by Bullock to knock the teen into shape.

SMU Alum and former First Lady Laura Bush on Life in Dallas

SMU alum and former First Lady Laura Bush recently sat down for her first local televsion interview since she and husband, former President George Bush, moved back to Texas. The couple now reside in Dallas and Mrs. Bush, one of the most popular first ladies, talked about life after the White House. One of her current projects is working on plans for the Bush presidential library. She will also deliver the address at SMU’s 94th Commencement ceremony on May 16. For the complete story and interview, click here.

Follow the C-USA Softball Championship Game on Twitter

On Saturday, May 9 at 2:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. CT, CBS College Sports Network will broadcast the Conference USA Softball Championship from Helen of Troy Softball Complex in El Paso, Texas. Play-by-play announcer Carter Blackburn teams with analyst Tammy Blackburn to call the action. As a special in-game feature, fans are invited to follow along and interact with Carter and Tammy on Twitter. Both announcers will be “Tweeting” on-site, providing insights and observations about the game. Fans can follow them via their Twitter feeds, CarterBlackburn and TBlackburn25.

For more on the C-USA Softball Championship, click here.

Fire Up The Grill

It's grillin' season and if you live in a C-USA city, chances are you are grilling all year long. Barbecue is a popular topic around the league and one of the experts is Houston women's basketball coach Joe Curl. The passion that Curl has for the game of basketball is evident for anyone who has the chance to see him in action on the floor, but the UH court-general has has also drawn praise from Cougar fans for his work not only as a coach but as a grill master.When named Associated Press Coach of the Year in 2004, Curl joked to USA Today that he is a better cook than coach. Cougar fans, as well as friends and family, have enjoyed the benefit of his skills on the grill. In addition to family gatherings, Curl is known to fire up his massive, mobile grill, which is pulled by his pick-up truck, on Saturday’s for tailgating Cougar football fans, as well as after practices and meetings with his team. Curl shared one of his recipes with C-USA Odds&Ends.

Grilled Onions from Joe Curl
-Chop up several onions
-Place chopped onions in a tin pan
-Add light olive oil, stir thoroughly
-Cover onions with paprika, stir again thoroughly
-Add salt and pepper to taste
-Cook hard for 60-90 minutes or until onions are nice and soft

Diary of an NFL Draftee

The Houston Texans selected tight end Rice TE James Casey in the fifth round (152nd overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft on Sunday. Casey joins the Texans after shattering the Owls’ single-season mark for receiving yards with 1,329 as a sophomore in 2008. He also set a Conference USA single-season record for catches with 111, registered 13 touchdown receptions and six rushing touchdowns, and threw two touchdown passes. A versatile athlete, the 24-year-old spent four years as a minor league baseball player in the Chicago White Sox organization before joining the Owls’ football program.

Watch Casey's introductory press conference with the Texans, click here.

Casey has been chronicling his path to the NFL Draft since January in a blog on NFLPlayers.com. Check out his final entry and earlier posts as he begins his professional football career three miles down the road from where he starred in college.