Terrelle Pryor played Michigan and Penn State better than Charlie Daniels plays a fiddle...he stated that he did not make up his mind until that morning...who the fuck is he kidding!!!!...he knew he was going to Ohio State from day one...this was just a game to him and his co-horts and fellow incoming freshmen at Ohio State Michael Brewster and J.B. Shugarts...Shugarts and Brewster have already been popping off even though have yet to play a game for Ohio State...
Pryor announced in February that he wanted to still take his official visit to Penn State and Oregon -- that never happened...just three weeks ago he said that he wanted to visit Michigan once again during Easter break -- that never happened...Pryor is trying to play the innocent role, but he is not fooling anyone...
Speaking of Penn State, all reports indicate there will be a showdown between the university president and Joe Paterno regarding if Paterno will remain the head coach after this season...JoePa's contract ends after the 2008 season...
Stephen Curry of Davidson is the real deal...he put on a show in leading Davidson back against Gonzaga...Curry finished with 40 points, 30 in the second half...
Those were some great upsets with the games played at Tampa...every lowered seeded team won - #12 Villanova, #12 Western Kentucky, #13 San Diego, and #13 Siena...
Thoughts on today's games:
2:10 - Duke -4.5 vs. West Virginia - take the Hillbillies...Duke will win the game, but not by the spot....
4:20 - Wisconsin -4.5 vs. Kansas State - Michael Beasley cannot get into foul trouble early like he did against USC...Wisconsin will probably have their defensive wiz, Flowers, covering the Beaze...upset here - Kansas State wins...
4:40 - Xavier -3 vs. Purdue - this will be a rugged physical game that will go back-and-forth...X wins and covers....
6:40 - Washington State -2.5 vs. Notre Dame - the Irish were impressive in dismantling George Mason...I like Wazzou to win and cover...
6:45 - Stanford -4.5 vs. Marquette - Stanford has impressed me of late...I see the Cardinal winning here...take the chalk...
6:50 - Kansas -13.5 vs. UNLV - UPSET ALERT!!!...I'm going to go out on a limb and say UNLV pulls the upset and beats Kansas straight up....Wink Adams baby!!!...
9:10 - Pitt -4 vs. Michigan State - Sparty is getting four points???....this will be the best game of the day...Pitt wins, but take Sparty with the points...
9:11 - UCLA -10 vs. Texas A&M - Bruins roll....take the chalk....
Today's NFL Draft Spotlight is on Maryland's Dre Moore and Erin Henderson....Moore is listed as one of the top 5 defensive tackles...at 6'4", 311 lbs., he recorded six sacks last season.....Henderson, who is 6'3", 236 lbs, is a top 10 linebacker...Matt Bracken of The Baltimore Sun took the time to respond about both players...I want to thank him for his time....
Q1. In most publications, Dre Moore (photo) is listed as one of the top defensive tackl
es in this year's draft. What are his strengths and weaknesses?
A. Physically, Moore's got all the tools you'd want in a defensive tackle, and more importantly, those tools actually translate into productivity. He's not just a combine specimen. Moore's production increased every year at Maryland, culminating with a senior year in which he had 63 tackles. 8.5 tackles for loss, and 6 sacks - the most any Terp has recorded since Shawne Merriman in '04. Like many defensive tackles, Moore's been known to take a play or two off here and there, so that's probably his most notable weakness. But regardless of that, Moore looks like a solid second-round choice.
Q2. Another Maryland product is linebacker Erin Henderson. What are your thoughts about Henderson? Is he better suited as an inside or outside linebacker?
A. Having rebounded from an ACL tear as a redshirt freshman, and then playing through back spasms, more knee troubles, and a variety of other minor injuries (eye, shoulder, you name it) during this past year, it's safe to say that Henderson is a tough player. Granted, those are more ailments than you'd like to see, but he was really a warrior on the field all year long to play through that pain.
Henderson is just a playmaker, and truly a well-spoken, natural leader. He's a guy that others follow, and certainly someone you'd want on your team. He played the WILL linebacker for Maryland, so putting Henderson inside in a 3-4 defense could be the best fit for him in the NFL. But he's a versatile guy that just makes plays.
Q3. One of the sleepers in the draft could be tight end Joey Haynos. He is listed at 6'8" and is listed as a hard worker. What are your thoughts about Haynos? Can he stick in the NFL?
A. You mentioned Haynos' two best attributes - size and work ethic. Haynos came to Maryland five years ago as a preferred walk-on, choosing the Terps over a basketball scholarship from Campbell (N.C.) University. He added about 40 pounds to his frame over his four and a half years in College Park, and developed into a reliable pass-catching tight end along the way. So work ethic is not a concern with Haynos - he'll do whatever is asked of him. Speed's a bit of a concern with Haynos, having run in the high 4.8s at the combine. But he's a solid blocker with very good hands. It sounds like Haynos will fall in that round 5-7 range. He's got a good shot at sticking with a team as a backup tight end.
If I may shamelessly plug something here, we've been doing an occasional series at BaltimoreSun.com on Haynos leading up to the draft. Haynos
Q4. Who are some other sleeper picks on the Maryland team that we should pay attention to on draft day?
A. This might be a loose interpretation of the word "sleeper," but thanks to offensive guard Andrew Crummey breaking his left fibula twice in the last six months, he fits the bill. Crummey first broke the bone against Georgia Tech in October. He battled back to appear in the Terps' last two regular season games and the Emerald Bowl, but broke the bone again in the East-West Shrine Game in January. When he was healthy near the beginning of the year, there was talk that he'd be a mid-round selection. Now, it's tough to say. Any team that drafts him will probably have to do so with the knowledge that his rookie year will be a wash between rehabbing and learning a system. But he's a solid long-term investment - he's got the tools to be a starting OG in the league a few years down the road.
Other potential Terps sleepers include cornerback Isaiah Gardner, who tested very well at Maryland's Pro Day last week, safety J.J. Justice, who's got great size and really finished his senior season strong, and running back Keon Lattimore, Ray Lewis' younger brother and a powerful inside runner. I'm not sure any of those three will hear their names called on Day 2 of the draft, but they're all worthy of camp invites.
Q5. Who are some of the future NFL prospects that we should pay attention to on the 2008 Maryland team?
A. Darrius Heyward-Bey, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound wide receiver, is already appearing on a selection of NFL Draft sites' 2009 first-round mock drafts. DHB will just be a junior, and his sophomore season was a bit of a disappointment statistically thanks to an initially shaky quarterback situation, but it's tough to ignore his 4.3ish speed. He's the one to watch from an early entry standpoint.
Cornerback Kevin Barnes is a guy I think could develop into a potential round 2-4 selection. He's got excellent cover skills, ideal size, and 4.5 speed. Others to watch include Jaime Thomas, who should be one of the ACC's better offensive guards next year, Dave Philistin, who was very productive in his first year as a starting linebacker last season, Trey Covington, a linebacker/defensive end type that has great strength, overachieving defensive end Jeremy Navarre and reliable wide receiver Isaiah Williams.
Once again, I want to thank Matt for his time....
It's Thursday so that means it is another feature in the series "Beers with Bloggers....today's feature is with Brian from One More Dying Quail....Brian was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and lived in Rye for most of my life...he and his wife now live in Nashua, NH, on the Massachusetts border.....he is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a degree in history....currently he is working as a high school paraeducator and a home care provider in southern New Hampshire....
I want to thank Brian for his time....it is much appreciated...
Q1. First off, how did you come up with the name One More Dying Quail?
A. When I started the blog a couple of years ago, it was actually my second foray into the medium - about a month earlier, around June 2006, I created a Fox Sports blog called All The Good Names Are Taken, which was my way of noting that there were seemingly a million blogs out there with GREAT names, which made it hard to come up with something original and meaningful (I think I have since been proven wrong in this belief).
So when I decided to start a Blogger blog (which in my mind was somehow more credible than one at Fox Sports), I decided to try and come up with something more interesting and personal. As you may know, two of my great loves are baseball and movies, so I started looking at some quotes from my favorite films, to see if anything stuck. For awhile, "A Sky So Blue" (from Field of Dreams, if memory serves) seemed like a good idea - until I decided that it was a little TOO sentimental-sounding for my liking. Then, my thoughts turned to Bull Durham and Kevin Costner's great speech near the end, and I almost went with "25 Hits A Year", but it wasn't quite what I wanted.
In the end, I stuck with that speech, in which Costner talks about how small the difference is between hitting .250 and .300, between the minors and the majors - one of the phrases he uses to describe a lucky hit is a "dying quail". The exact wording is, "you get a dying quail, just one more dying quail a week... and you're in Yankee Stadium." To me, that line drove home the point that you can be really, really good at something, but there's still an element of luck in everything that we do. I guess I planned on writing some less than good posts, and hoped one or two of those dying quails would land on the outfield grass.
Q2. You have to be the envy of every blogger in the country. You landed an interview with ESPN's Erin Andrews. Tell us how you did it. Was it a phone interview?
A. I don't know if I'm the envy of every blogger in the country, because it's been five months and I think that interview has sort of faded from people's minds at this point. There's a lot of new Erin Andrews content out there now that sort of overshadows stuff that happened back in October.
Of course, that doesn't mean I don't enjoy telling the story of how I landed it, if only because five years from now it will probably still be the greatest thing that ever happened to my blog. Put it this way: in one day, that interview and the links from it brought me over 37,000 hits; the following three MONTHS netted about 36,000.
Anyway, here's how it happened. Last spring, I wrote a post about Andrews and Tina Cervasio, the Red Sox sideline reporter for NESN the past two seasons. It got linked by Deadspin and The Big Lead, among others, and gave me the most traffic I'd ever had to that point. In September, I decided to see if I could capitalize on that, looked around the Internet, and found Tina's contact information on her Web site. We did an interview in September via email, during which I jokingly suggested that she could introduce me to Erin Andrews. She told me that if I was interested, I should just go ahead and contact her myself, tell her what I was looking for, and hope for the best.
So I found a general PR email for ESPN and did just that. They got back to me within a few days, I sent some questions, and didn't hear from them for a week or two. I emailed back, said I really, really wanted to interview her and would do so via whichever method they wanted. The PR guy emailed me back and said, "She can call you on Tuesday or Thursday - which do you prefer?" I picked Thursday.
She called on Thursday, the day Boston College played Virginia Tech, and absolutely couldn't have been nicer. I think she knew that I wasn't a professional and was very nervous, and took that into account throughout the interview. I've been afraid to pursue anyone else for that reason - I'm not a good interviewer, and there is NO WAY that anyone else could be as nice and understanding as she was.
Q3. How would you describe your blog?
A. A commenter at Awful Announcing once referred to my writing there as "esoteric bullshit." That probably sums up the content of One More Dying Quail as much as anything. I have a great time writing it, but most of my work doesn't exactly appeal to the masses - it just happens to be stuff that interests me personally or catches my attention for whatever reason.
Q4. With the Rockets on an incredible hot streak, Tracy McGrady has moved into the NBA MVP race. Who is your vote for MVP - McGrady, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, or Kevin Garnett? Why?
A. My heart says Garnett - the difference in the Celtics between last year and this year is unbelievable, and I think his attitude is largely to thank - but I'm not sure that any player in the NBA is as vital to his team's success as LeBron is.
Q5. Real quick - who would you rather have announce a college basketball game - Billy Packer or Dick Vitale? Why?
A. I don't watch much college basketball - less this year than ever, in fact - but I have to go with Vitale. He may be loud and obnoxious, but at least he seems to genuinely care about basketball, which is more than can be said for a lot of announcers these days, in any sport.
Q6. When reading your blog, it seems like you have a great knowledge of baseball. If you had to win one baseball game, who would you put on the mound as the starting pitcher and who would you want to manage that game? Here's the catch - the player & manager have to be from the last 15 years. (You can list out some of the pitchers/managers you would consider.)
A. Last fifteen years, huh? I guess that rules out Koufax...
Okay, my pitcher would be the 1997-2003 version of Pedro Martinez (well, except for 2001). He's always been a great competitor, which could very well carry him for another few seasons, but those were the years in which he was virtually unhittable every time he took the mound. His stuff was just incredible.
The manager would be Grady Little...just kidding (I can't believe I even attempted that joke).
Really, the manager would be Terry Francona, partly because his record as a postseason manager is excellent (if that even means anything) and partly because I think he would have the brains to pull Martinez if things got tough.
Q7. If you had a vote for the Baseball Hall of Fame, would you vote in Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, and/or Sammy Sosa? Your thoughts.
A. I think so. We mythologize the Hall of Fame and treat it as this sacred shrine, which is nice and all, but the truth is that the guys and gal who are enshrined there are just as human as the rest of us. I would probably take that into account when casting my vote.
Still, I'm not sure we can expect any of the three to make it on the first couple of ballots. As I've argued in the case of Mark McGwire, the fifteen year limit was practically created for issues like this. Look at it this way: we have five years to think about those three guys you named (assuming none of them play in 2008), then fifteen years after THAT to consider their cases. It really allows us the opportunity to let history judge a player.
Q8. I have to ask a non-sports question - Obama, Clinton, or McCain? Why?
A. Obama. I like the idea of having a president who isn't your typical Washington lifer. True, he lacks experience, but that can be somewhat remedied by surrounding himself with more experienced voices who can play an important role in the decision-making process.
My second choice at this point would probably be McCain. Regardless of who gets the Democratic nomination, however, plan on revisiting my position again this summer, just to make sure I'm making the most informed choice.
Q9. Who are the five hottest women in sports and/or broadcasting?
A. Erin Andrews. Maria Sharapova. Kerri Walsh. Serena Williams. Jeannette Lee.
Q10. Last question, this segment is called "Beers with Bloggers." So what are some of your favorite brews? What are some beers that you like that may not be well known nationally?
A. My tastes are pretty standard - Bud Light or Coors Light, if anything.
Thanks again to Brian...and I encourage everyone to bookmark his blog...it is worth it!!!...
I have done my studying, my analyzing, and my reviewing....and I say. "Screw Off Joe Lunardi, my bracket is just as good as yours, Mr. Bracketology!!!!"....here we go...
East Region
First/Second Round Thoughts - Watch Indiana...the talent is there for them to beat Arkansas and North Carolina...but will the players finally get over Kelvin Sampson?...St. Joe's over Oklahoma in the first round...
Sweet 16 Games
North Carolina over Washington State - UNC has an easy win here...
Tennessee over Louisville - this will be the best game of the entire tournament...
Elite Eight
Tennessee over North Carolina - Carolina will be a fierce team to beat...Hansbrough will play possessed, but the Vols have speed...
Midwest Region
First/Second Round Thoughts - Remember the name Wink Adams from UNLV...I watched him torch BYU in the Mountain West title game...Davidson should beat Gonzaga...then I see Davidson having Georgetown beat in the second round, only to choke at the end and lose by 1-3 points...
Sweet 16 Games
Kansas over Clemson - Clemson is a rugged bunch, but they are awful at the free throw line...
Georgetown over Wisconsin - Wisconsin plays solid basketball but Georgetown has more speed...
Elite Eight
Georgetown over Kansas - Bill Self will not be able to get the monkey off his back of getting the Jayhawks to the Final Four...
South Region
First/Second Round Thoughts - there is the dreaded 5-12 matchup...I see Temple dumping Michigan State...the Spartans have not impressed me this year...I also have St. Mary's over The U...
Sweet 16 Games
Memphis over Pitt - I love Pitt, but I feel Memphis is destined for San Antonio...
Stanford over Texas - the Lopez twins are too much to handle...
Elite Eight
Memphis over Stanford - Memphis is destined to make the Final Four...
West Region
First/Second Round Thoughts - I see Drake having a difficult time with Western Kentucky but then beating U.Conn easily in round two...Georgia was a nice story last week, but Xavier ends that lovefest...
Sweet 16 Games
UCLA over Drake - Drake will give the Bruins a good game, but UCLA is too powerful...
Xavier over Duke - Duke is over-rated!!!...Xavier controls the game and wins...
Elite Eight
UCLA over Xavier - Xavier is a veteran club who will make a good run...but I love Love and Collison...
Final Four
Tennessee over Georgetown - Hibbard flops again in the Final Four...
UCLA over Memphis - the poor free throw shooting finally catches up with the Tigers...
NCAA Title Game
Tennessee over UCLA - honestly, I do like UCLA to win it all, but I said back in November that Tennessee was going to win the title....so I am not going to back off that prediction....
Today's NFL Draft Spotlight is on Penn State's Dan Connor and Justin King....Connor is a 6'3", 233 lb. linebacker while King is a 6'0", 186 lb. corner.....Jeff Rice of the State College Centre Daily took the time to respond about Connor and King....his time is greatly appreciated...
Q1. Dan Connor is Penn State's latest linebacking stud. How does he compare to last year's stud in Paul Posluszny? 
Who was better prepared for the NFL - Connor or Pos?
A. Connor (photo) and Posluszny were very similar players in college — both have great instincts, take good angles to the ball and finish off plays. Connor might be a little faster and thus a bit better in pass coverage, but both were as prepared for the NFL as you’ll find in a college player.
Q2. What areas must Connor improve upon in order to be a force in the NFL?
A. Even though Connor will probably play outside, I think he needs to add a little weight — he was listed at 235 pounds going into his senior season but probably finished the year around 230, which isn’t huge for a guy who is a legit 6-foot-2. He worked a lot on his pass rushing last season but probably needs a few more techniques to get past NFL tight ends, fullbacks and tackles, since he’s not going to do it with explosion.
Q3. Cornerback Justin King left a year early. What are your thoughts about that? Should King have stayed another year at Penn State or is he ready for the NFL?
A. I think King is as ready for the NFL now as he will ever be. He played significant minutes since his freshman season, he has good technique and great speed. He needs to add strength and size and improve his tackling, but it’s probably easier for him to bulk up as a pro anyway.
Q4. King has had some off-the-field issues. What are your thoughts about King and his maturity level?
A. King’s off-field issues were overblown — he’s not a troublemaker. He was mature enough to enroll early as a freshman and earn his degree in just three years. He’s always handled himself pretty well with the press, and his coaches liked his attitude and approach.
Q5. Who are some future NFL prospects that we should pay attention to on the 2008 Penn State team?
A. Sean Lee will be another Connor/Posluszny. Derrick Williams could wind up as a return specialist or third receiver for someone, and offensive linemen A.Q. Shipley and Rich Ohrnberger could be second-day picks or free agent signees.
Once again, I want to thank Jeff for his time...
Today's NFL Draft Spotlight is on Indiana wide receiver James Hardy....he is listed at 6'7", 220 lbs....last season, Hardy caught 79 passes for 1,125 yards and 16 touchdowns....he scored 36 touchdowns in his 3 years at IU....
Terry Hutchens of the Indianapolis Star was kind enough to take some time from his busy schedule of covering the Big Ten basketball tournament to respond...it is appreciated...
Q1. In most publications, James Hardy is listed as one of the top 10 receivers in this year's NFL draft. Many novice fans were not aware of Hardy's talents until now. Why was he so overlooked during the football season?
A. Bottom line is that Hardy played at Indiana, and with relatively few national television opportunties, a player can easily get lost at a school like Indiana. Hardy put up big numbers at Indiana. I think the biggest is that he had 36 touchdown catches in 32 regular season games. That's pretty impressive. He also averaged more than 60 catches a season for his three years of college football and nearly 900 yards per season. But when you're playing in a conference like the Big Ten, you just know that the guys at Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State and places like that are going to get a lot more notoriety that a player who plays at IU. It's just the way it is.
Q2. What type of person is James Hardy off the field?
A. I think coming into college, Hardy had some character issues and he had one off-the-field incident involving his girlfriend in May of 2006 as well. But with the help of late IU football coach Terry Hoeppner, who was clearly a father figure to Hardy, this young man just really grew up in front of people's eyes. To see his maturity level and to hear him speak throughout his senior season, he just seemed like a different kid. I think in a few years time, Hardy went from a questionable character kid to a high character individual.
Q3. What current NFL player is Hardy comparable to?
A. People mention Plaxico Burress but it's hard to compare him. He has great size and that will always be the thing that stands out about Hardy.
Q4. What are Hardy's strengths and weaknesses?
A. Hardy has excellent hands and is capable of making the acrobatic play. His size (he's 6-7) also is a strength and he knows how to use his body to his advantage. He doesn't have burner speed and that may cause him to slip a little bit on a few NFL draft boards. But I think there's a lot of potential upside with Hardy.
This is a kid who came to Indiana on a football scholarship but was second in the voting from Mr. Basketball in the state of Indiana and came to IU with the intention of playing both. But basketball was always his primary love and most thought he would play football a year or two and then just concentrate on hoops. But he had some good early football success and then everything changed. But he really has only been playing organized football for less than five years and a lot of people see him as just coming into his own in terms of the things he can do on the football field.
Q5. Who are some of the future NFL prospects that we should pay attention to on the 2008 IU team?
A. Kellen Lewis, a dual threat quarterback, is someone to keep an eye on. He's a redshirt junior but people have made comparisons to Antwaan Randle El in terms of Lewis's game. Marcus Thigpen is a tailback with 4.29 speed. He could play at the next level as a kick returner possibly. Greg Middleton is a junior who had 16 quarterback sacks as a sophomore and is clearly someone to keep an eye on.
Once again, I would like to thank Terry for his time...
Today may be Selection Sunday for the NCAA, but the biggest basketball game of the day takes place in Houston as the Rockets put their 21 game win streak on the line against the Los Angeles Lakers
Houston ChronicleLos Angeles Times NBA beat writer Mark Heisler writes the Houston Rockets may be the most modest 21 game win streak team ever... "The mere number 21 doesn't begin to capture what the Rockets have done. After winning 13 in a row, their world seemed to end Feb. 25 when they lost Yao Ming for the season -- after which they went out and tacked on another eight wins. They're now second only to the 1971-72 Lakers, who had a 33-game streak, which is expected to stand forever -- assuming this isn't a mass hallucination and it falls next." ... Mark HeislerCharlotte Observer sports columnist Tom Sorensen writes how UNC's Tyler Hansborough may not be the most talented player in college basketball, but he may be the hardest worker... "We also won't see another player who reminds us of North Carolina junior Tyler Hansbrough. Unlike the others, he has yet to put on a dazzling move. But he works. He works harder than any player I have ever seen at any level of the sport." ... Tom SorensenChicago Sun-Times sports columnist writes tha Illinois' run in the Big 10 tourney is not that big of a deal... "No, Illinois should not be glorifying its mediocre march through Midwestern mush as some sort of historic rally. This is about a struggling, 10th-seeded flop becoming a decent team in a tourney panned nationwide as an aesthetic crash." ... Jay MariottiBoston Globe sports columnist writes about his scouting trek with former Boston Celtic Dave Cowens... "The year was 1979 and the coach was Dave Cowens. The big difference between that trip and the one that Riley is scheduled to take was that Cowens only arranged to miss practices, not games. But it was an honest-to-God scouting jaunt, all right." ... Bob RyanNew York Daily News sports columnist Mike Lupica "shoots from the lip" about the new Yankees... "For better or worse - and only the season will give us the answer to that one - the Yankees are Joe Girardi's now." ... Mike LupicaNew York Times sports columnist George Vecsey writes about Roger Clemens and his link with a 9/11 family... "The family also found a photograph of Kevin with Clemens, two sturdy guys, smiling for the camera. Kevin ran into Clemens at a barbecue place in Manhattan in 1999, and they chatted for 15 minutes." ... George VecseyDallas Morning News sports reporter Brad Townsend writes how Jason Kidd has returned to the Mavs as a wiser player... "Many athletes would regard three hours of videotaping, still photos and interviews as drudgery. But even during off-camera moments, Kidd was engaging, patient. Since his return to the franchise that drafted him in 1994 and traded him three years later, there has been an air of contentment about him." ... Brad Townsend
Houston Chronicle sports columnist Richard Justice writes that T.Mac may now be in the lead for the NBA MVP after the Rockets won their 21st straight game... "They are a team in every sense of the word, a really good team, a smart, resourceful and gritty team. Don't lose sight of the bottom line with these Rockets. There's one other thing to know about them. They've got the NBA's Most Valuable Player. Care to argue? Don't. You don't have the facts on your side. Tracy McGrady defines greatness almost any way you want to define it." ... Richard JusticeChicago Sun-Times sports columnist Jay Mariotti writes about Minnesota's Laettner-like shot to dump Indiana in the Big 10 tournament.... "From this point on, a sporting miracle will be known in American life as a ``Hoffarber.'' An athlete does not follow one otherworldly shot with another and not gain some sort of transcedent acknowledgement. What we saw on a memorable Friday night, I'd like to think we'll never see again in our lifetime." ... Jay MariottiESPN.com's Ivan Maisel writes about the changes taking place in Ann Arbor with the Michigan football program... "He knew the discomfort they would feel at the hands of their new director of strength and conditioning, Mike Barwis, and the staff he brought with him from West Virginia." ... Ivan MaiselPittsburgh Post-Gazette sports columnist Ron Cook writes how West Virginia could not stop Georgetown's Roy Hibbert.... "If Hibbert comes inspired to play and stays out of foul trouble -- as he did last night-- don't be surprised if the Hoyas win the national championship." ... Ron CookWashington Post sports reporter Mike Wise writes about American University's first trip to the Big Dance... "Needing badly to make a free throw, or any shot for that matter, Derrick Mercer stared more at history than at the rim with 19 seconds left. Listed generously at 5 feet 9, American University's pint-size guard had struggled to find his shooting range and his confidence for 40 minutes -- much like the Eagles struggled to find their path to the NCAA Division I basketball tournament for 41 years." ... Mike WiseColumbus Dispatch sports columnist Bob Hunter says Ohio State deserves to make the NCAA tournament... "If the Buckeyes had gotten a little better a little sooner, maybe if they had simply avoided a drubbing at Minnesota two weeks ago, they could have shrugged and walked away from Conseco Fieldhouse with a smug "just wait until next week." ... Bob Hunter
This week's Beers with Bloggers feature is with Derek of Insomniac's Lounge....Derek is a graduate of U.C.L.A. with a degree in biology....he lives in a suburb of Los Angeles and is currently on sabbatical to spend more time with his five-year-old son...when he is not busy with his son, Derek does a solid job writing for his blog...here is our interview with him...
Q1. Why do you blog? How long have you been doing Insomniac's Lounge?
A. Back in October of 2005, I was trying to remember some of the outrageous things that Freddie Mitchell had said during his press conferences. So I did a Google search, and one of the first things that popped up was an article over at themightymjd. That was my first exposure to blogs, and I was hooked immediately.
I used to write quite a bit before I went the science route, and I was missing it. I've found that blogs provide a great outlet to write what you want, when you want, and occasionally, even have a reader or two. Also, it gives me an excuse to surf the net for pics of college-aged girls in various states of undress. Can't ask for more than that.
Q2. What are your strengths at blogging? Why is Insomniac's Lounge a good blog?
A. Some people might argue with the premise of that question. When I first started my blog, like many others, I had zero readers. So I only wrote with the goal of entertaining myself. I still write with basically that same approach, which I think minimizes the amount of "filler" you'll find on my site.
If someone stumbles upon my site, I want them to crack a smile- either because I provided a slightly different spin on the day's story, a picture that they particularly enjoyed, or rarely, some insightful commentary. I don't want people to feel like they wasted their time when they clicked over to my site(assuming I actually had a new post that day). My feeling is that it's a personal blog, so give it some personality. Although Michael David Smith has been rather successful in the blogosphere and his writing has the personality of a vegan's stool, so what the hell do I know?
Q2a. I have to ask, do you suffer from insomnia?
A. Nothing that's been clinically diagnosed, but the only way I can fall asleep is essentially by collapsing from exhaustion. Generally that means going to sleep anywhere between 3 am and 6 am.
Q3. The NCAA Tournament is fast approaching. Who are your picks to make the Final Four and why?A. I just know that I'm going to end up picking some teams that end up in the same region. Also, I should mention that I never pick UCLA because of superstition. I'll go with:
- North Carolina: Playing in Raleigh and Charlotte is one hell of an edge. Being the best team in the country doesn't hurt either.
- Texas: Point guard play is always a factor in the tournament, and DJ Augustin is as good as they come on the college level.
- Kansas: Did I really just pick a Bill Self coached team to go to the Final Four? That pretty much undermines my credibility.
- Wisconsin: They'll be my UCLA surrogate pick. A defensive-minded, grind-it-out team that will always have a chance to win in the last five minutes of the game.
Q4. Real quick - who is the MVP in the NBA this year - LeBron or Kobe? Why?
A. Ya know, if Chris Paul were white and Canadian, he'd be the winner in a landslide. But since he isn't a choice, I'll go with Kobe because he's going against much tougher competition in the Western Conference.
Q5. Brett Favre just retired. Who are your all-time Top 10 quarterbacks of the last 30 years?
A. I'm going to exclude Staubach from my list since he was at the tail end of his career 30 yrs ago, but still include Bradshaw since he won 2 Super Bowls within that time frame:
1. Joe Montana
2. John Elway
3. Troy Aikman
4. Tom Brady
5. Peyton Manning
6. Dan Marino
7. Steve Young
8. Dan Fouts
9. Terry Bradshaw
10. Brett Favre
Q6. Hypothetical Question - You are in charge of the Miami Dolphins. What do you do with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft - keep it or trade it? If you keep it, who is your pick; if you trade it, what do you realistically want in return?
A. The Dolphins haven't had a QB that was the face of the franchise since the days when they had the sixth best QB of the last 30 years. For that reason, it's very tempting to go with Matt Ryan and build around him. But the Dolphins need so many pieces that trading down makes sense too. If it were up to me, I'd start a public love affair with Ryan and hope that the Falcons became jealous and offered up some nice picks to move up. If so, then I'd move down and snag Chris Long at #3. If the offer doesn't come and I was left with the #1 pick, I'd take Ryan. How's that for hedging an answer?
Q7. Joe Torre is now managing the Dodgers and Joe Girardi is with the Yankees. What are your thoughts about how each will do this season?
A. Well, when those dry Santa Anas come blowing into LA, it's really going to make Torre's boogers crusty. He may end up with a few extra bloody noses from scratching until he gets used to the new climate. I really don't see Joe Girardi and Alex Rodriguez as a very good match. I think at some point in the season, Girardi might make ARod cry.
Q8. I have to ask a non-sports question - Obama, Clinton, or McCain? Why?
A. Obama, because he believes we can, and I believe we can. And if we can't, we can pay some people in India 10 cents on the dollar to do it for us.
Q9. Who are the five hottest women in sports and/or broadcasting?
A. Tanith Belbin, Valeria Ochoa, Heather Mitts, Ana Ivanovic, and of course, the UCLA Dance Team.
Q10. Last question, this segment is called "Beers with Bloggers." So what are some of your favorite brews? What are some beers that you like that may not be well known nationally?
A. Negra Modelo is one that you can usually find in my fridge. Karl Strauss Red Trolley Ale is a San Diego beer that I really like, but it might just be because it reminds me of hanging out at Pacific Beach. Up here, I've discovered that they have it on tap at the Burbank Hooters, so that gives me another reason to visit that fine establishment. Abita has quite a few good brews; and it's based just outside of New Orleans, so you're helping rebuild the economy with each buzz.
Thanks for the questions. Go Blue! (For some reason, many UCLA fans have a kinship with Michigan. I think it's because we both keep getting our butts kicked by SC in football.)
Once again, I want to thank Derek for his time....and BTW - I love that UCLA Dance Team too!!!...
These are photos of the woman allegedly to be involved with soon-to-be former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer...
Today's spotlight is on defensive end Chris Long of the Virginia Cavaliers...in 2007 he registered 14 sacks....Long is 6'4", 277 lbs and is rated as the top defensive end....he is the son of Hall of Famer Howie Long....Jerry Ratcliffe of the The Daily Progress of Charlottesville, Va was kind enough to respond to my questions about Long...it is much appreciated...
Q1. Chris Long is being touted as one of the top 5 players in this year's draft. How would you rate him among the various other college football players (Virginia and their opponents) you have covered over the years?
A. First, you must understand that I have been covering sports for more than three decades, so that's a lot of players. While I have covered a lot of players that have been first round draft choices, I must say that none of them were quite like Chris Long. You hear people say "his motor never stops," which is a somewhat over-used phrase these days.
However, with Chris, this is truly the case. He admits that he's wound too tight, but he is one of the most motivated individuals I have ever known. He actually made himself into what he is today with hard work and incredible drive. He really was a borderline Division I-A prospect until his junior year of high school, when he made some significant strides, strides that have never stopped. He works so hard in the weightroom and the practice field. He is truly a self-made success. For him to accomplish what he did his senior season against double teams and even triple teams, was remarkable.
Also consider that he was held so many times in games, that if refs had called all those holds, Virginia would have probably not given up many points on defense because teams would be facing long yardage all day. Playing the two-gap at his size was incredible because he was pit against 310 to 330 pounders and still managed to excel.
Chris is truly one of a kind. What an NFL team will get when they draft him is more than they might expect. He's not only a great athlete, he's a great leader, the kind of kid that's going to unite a team, inspire a team. He is a great spokesperson. He's a high-character guy, a great teammate and a great representative of an organization.
Q2. What type of person is Chris Long? Did he have an attitude because he is Howie Long's son?
A. Here is where Chris separates himself from some of the great athletes I have seen over the years. Some are great athletes but not great people. Chris is both a great athlete as witnessed in his NFL Combine performance, and a great person. I have gotten to know him better than many athletes in Virginia's program because he's a hometown kid. I've seen him around for years prior to his college career. As far as him having an attitude because of being Howie's son, well, quite the contrary.
While growing up with a famous father has its advantages, Chris also had to carry the burden of having a dad in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A lot of people looked at him in high school and thought that he was getting a scholarship because of who his dad was, not because of Chris' talent. They soon found out that wasn't the case.
He is proud of being Howie's son, but to show the kind of kid he is, he would never single out just his dad. He also credited his mom, Diane, who is a very special lady, with making him who he is, just as much as he credited Howie. He also shared all glory with his two younger brothers, Kyle, who may be a first-round baseball draft choice right out of high school, and little Howie, who will play lacrosse for Virginia.
Chris received an award in our state recently that honored the top college player who was from the state of Virginia. Chris asked his high school coach to be his presenter in order to give that coach credit for helping him reach his goals. He is a very thoughtful kid. He was one of UVa's best recruiters during his four years here because all the prospects coming in really liked him.
Q3. Did Howie ever interfere or give advice to Virginia head coach Al Groh on how to coach Chris?
A. Howie couldn't have been better in the way he has handled Chris' career at Virginia. He always preferred to stay in the background and wanted Chris to be known for what Chris accomplished and not for being Howie's son. I remember one game at Georgia Tech, where Howie was in a skybox watching Chris play and the TV cameras kept flashing to Howie over and over again. Howie was disturbed by it all because he wanted all the attention to focus on Chris and his teammates and not himself. From that point on, Howie would watch the game in a TV truck or try to hide somewhere the cameras couldn't find him.
No, Howie never interfered with how Al Groh coached Chris. As Al proudly points out, there were several times when Howie would come by to pay a cordial visit to pay respect to Al, and sometimes they would get into football conversations, and even the two of them get down in stances in Al's office because Al would be curious about picking Howie's brain on some things. But never at Howie's suggestion. Howie was very good about that. He would only help if asked, but never interjected himself into the equation otherwise.
Same with the way he handled Chris. If Chris came to him and asked him for help on a technique or philosophy or any type of tips, Howie would do anything to assist his son, but only if Chris asked for help.
Q4. Are there any other Virginia players that we should keep an eye on for this year's draft?
A. Yes, offensive guard Branden Albert. He might be the best offensive line prospect in the draft. He was first-team All-ACC as a junior this past season and decided to come out. He is huge, strong and is incredible on the move. He would fit in well with a team that likes to pull its guards to lead plays out on the edge. He was a player that Groh plucked out of suburban Baltimore late in the signing process. No one else wanted this kid, but Groh offered him a scholarship, Albert went to prep school for a year, then came in and started as a true freshman and started ever since.
Q5. Who are some of the future NFL prospects that we should pay attention to on the 2008 Virginia team?
A. I would think that rising senior left offensive tackle Eugene Monroe (6-6, 310) will be someone to keep an eye on. He was the No. 1 ranked offensive line prospect in the nation coming out of high school and should be a first-team All-ACC selection his final year.
Outside linebacker Clint Sintim, rising senior, should be someone worth watching. While it's early in his career, sophomore quarterback Peter Lalich, has a chance to make a big splash this coming season. He played some last year as a true freshman and the job should be his. Great arm. Reminds a lot of folks of Matt Schaub.
Two running backs bear watching: rising senior Cedric Peerman (led the ACC in rushing until injuring his foot midway through last season and didn't return), and the guy who replaced him, rising junior Mikell Simpson, who had the longest run by a running back in college football bowl history this past season against Texas Tech in the Gator Bowl.
Once again I want to thank Jerry for his time...
The NFL Draft is fast approaching and once again Stiles Points will be putting the spotlight on various players and NFL teams leading up to the Draft...the first feature is on running back Kevin Smith from Central Florida...last season, as a junior, Smith carried the ball 450 times for 2,567 yards and 29 touchdowns....Smith is listed as 6'1", 211 lbs....
Kyle Hightower of the Orlando Sentinel was kind enough to respond with some thoughts about Smith...I want to thank Kyle for taking the time...
Q1. Kevin Smith is rated as one of the top 12 running backs in this year's NFL Draft. What type of running back is he? What other running back in the NFL reminds you of Kevin Smith?
A. Kevin definitely falls into that "gliding style" running back category. He won't wow you with how he hits the hole with his speed, but he's very smart in how he follows his blocks/waits for them to develop. Then once he hits the open field, he kind of glides away. That said, having seen all of his 80-plus yard runs his junior year at UCF, I never recall him getting caught from behind. If I had to pick an NFL back to compare him to, it would probably be current De'Angelo Williams and past O.J. Simpson.
Q2. What type of person is Kevin Smith off the field?
A. Off the field Kevin is that guy that everybody wants to be around. Always joking, always interacting and the center of attention without trying to be. I always loved watching him driving around with teammates in his neon purple Chevy Caprice Classic, gold toothed in the sun. He was always having a blast, no matter what he was doing. And extremely personable. Probably a product of being underestimated by people coming out of high school, but he never turned down an interview request or failed to answer his cell when I needed to get him, even when the spotlight started increasing on him last year.
Q3. I watched Smith in this year's bowl game and I remember the announcers saying that Smith was going to come back for his senior year. What happened that made Smith change his mind?
A. We've talked several times about it and he assures me that there wasn't some big thing to it. Seems that once the spotlight of the season was gone and he really had a chance to sit quietly and think about it, he reassesed what he was passing on. Helping out his mom and brother was a factor, but I think in the end he just decided it was time. I know it was hard because he truly loves UCF and had connected with the city. He could have easily waited, but the guy is fearless and isn't worried about the deep draft pool or anything. He wears his heart on the outside of his chest and speaks and makes decisions from it. So I'm inclined to take him at his word.
Q4. Smith had a heavy workload last year with 450 carries. Do you see that as a positive or negative as he heads into the NFL?
A. I think it's actuallly a positive because he has already shown himself to be durable. I think it would be a bigger issue if he'd stayed and did it again as a senior. He won't get 450 in the NFL anytime soon, so in a way he saved some wear and tear already in my opinion.
Q5. Who are some of the future NFL prospects that we should pay attention to on the 2008 UCF team?
A. It has to start with senior-to-be and CB Joe Burnett. He had a breakout freshmen year with lots of INTs and a few punt returns on special teams. He had some injuries that slowed him down as a sophomore, but he broke back out as junior and led C-USA and ranked high nationally in INTs and got back on track as a punt returner as well. Also an entire core of sophomore-to-be receivers led by A.J. Guyton, Kamar Aiken and Brian Watters.
Once again I want to thank Kyle for his time...
The Big East is one of the best conference tournaments...from the days of Patrick Ewing and Pearl Washington to the recent amazing performance of Gerry McNamara...this week's tournament starts Wednesday at Madison Square Garden with these match-ups...
Afternoon sessions
Noon - #8 Villanova (19-11) vs. #9 Syracuse (19-12)
The winner will probably make the tournament...the loser will have to hope and pray, but will more than likely be NIT bound...
2:00 - #5 West Virginia (22-9) vs. #12 Providence (15-15)
The Friars need to win just to make the NIT...won't happen...
Evening sessions
7:00 - #7 Pitt (22-9) vs. #10 Cincinnati (13-17)
This should be an easy one for the Panthers
9:00 - #6 Marquette (22-8) vs. # 11 Seton Hall (17-14)
Marquette did not look good on Saturday at Syracuse...Seton Hall must make it to the conference title game if they even want to consider the Big Dance...
Thursday
Afternoon Sessions
Noon - #1 Georgetown (25-4) vs. winner of Villanova-Syracuse
2:00 - #4 Connecticut (24-7) vs. winner of West Virginia-Providence
Evening sessions
7:00 - #2 Louisville (24-7) vs. winner of Pitt-Cincinnati
9:00 - #3 Notre Dame (24-6) vs. winner of Marquette-Seton Hall
Friday
7:00 - Georgetown winner vs. Connecticut winner
9:00 - Louisville winner vs. Notre Dame winner
Saturday
9:00 - Championship Game - ESPN
New York Times sports reporter Tyler Kepner wrties about Mariano Rivera and how he dealt with the death of a mentor... "When Rivera speaks of Heron, he mentions his willingness to give advice to anybody who asked. It is trait that has made Rivera as important a leader on the Yankees as Derek Jeter, the team’s designated captain." ... Tyler KepnerCleveland Plain Dealer sports columnist Bill Livingston writes where LeBron james ranks among the greats... "LeBron James is far and away the best player in the NBA, outpointing, outrebounding and outassisting Kobe Bryant, although Bryant might win the Most Valuable Player award as some kind of lifetime achievement." ... Bill LivingstonThe New York Times has Oscar Robertson write about his first games at Madison Square Garden... "In 1958, I was just another unsophisticated 19-year-old college sophomore from the provinces, looking forward to his first visit to the big city. I had not imagined it would be in a Cincinnati uniform." ... Oscar RobertsonDallas Morning News sports columnist Kevin Sherrington writes about the struggle of former Dallas Cowboy Buddy Dial... "Dial's story eventually became a landmark legal case. He was one of the first NFL players to be declared permanently disabled in 1993. His ex-wife eventually sued for half his monthly disability check, lost, then won on appeal." ... Kevin SherringtonHouston Chronicle sports columnist Richard Justice writes about Tracy McGrady and the red-hot Houston Rockets... "If this wasn't a perfect game, it was close. McGrady was on the floor for all 48 minutes, scored 41 points, handed out nine assists and grabbed six rebounds." ... Richard JusticeLos Angeles Times sports columnist T.J. Simers writes that he is not a Kobe-hater... "Everybody thinks I've got it in for the guy, angry people e-mailing all week to point out fans were even chanting for him in Sacramento, so get with it." ... T.J. SimersChicago Sun-Times sports columnist Jay Mariotti writes about the possibility of the Cubs playing their games on the Southside while Wrigley gets a facelift... "And they'll effectively tell Cubdom to go to hell, even if the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority -- which owns and operates The Cell for the people of the state -- rubber-stamps the blasphemous concept of the North Siders playing home games on the South Side while Wrigley Field is reconstructed." ... Jay Mariotti
The New York Times' Ben Shpigel writes about New York Mets Pedro Martinez and his first big workout... "MartÃnez can often get a sense of his pitches from the hitters’ reactions, and he generated only two swings and misses among his 53 pitches. He was not overly concerned, he said, because the batters also looked as if they were still waking up." .... Ben ShpigelThe Washington Post's Michael Wilbon writes how the stress is building for the small and mid-major conference teams... "Selection Sunday is eight days away, but the desperation and anxiety that can only be produced by March is already here. It can be felt this weekend in North Charleston, S.C., where the Southern Conference will determine its champion. It can be felt in Nashville, where the Atlantic Sun will determine its one automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. It can be felt at the Summit League tournament in Tulsa, at the Missouri Valley Conference tournament in St. Louis, at the Metro Atlantic tournament in Albany, N.Y." ... Michael WilbonChicago Sun-Times' Jay Mariotti writes about the maturity of LeBron James and the immaturity of Tyrus Thomas... "In two years, he'll be tempted to opt out of his contract with the middle-market Cleveland Cavaliers and join his ownership buddy, hip-hop mogul Jay-Z, with the relocated Nets franchise in Brooklyn." ... Jay MariottiLos Angeles Times' Bill Plaschke writes how Nomar Garciaparra has a chance to redeem himself after a horrible 2007... "The most enigmatic of Dodgers veterans has suddenly become perhaps the most important, Garciaparra's being pushed into the lineup as the starting third baseman Friday after his young competition, Andy LaRoche, tore up his thumb." ... Bill PlaschkeThe San Francisco Chronicle's Bruce Jenkins writes about a variety of topics - starting with Barry Bonds... "A week in Arizona left the indelible impression that Barry Bonds, lurking about baseball's perimeter, remains a lively topic of conversation." ... Bruce JenkinsMiami Herald's Greg Cote writes about a variety of topics - starting with Pat Riley and the Miami Heat... "The Heat, surfing the sludge of an 11-47 record, will hold a "town hall meeting" tonight at which season-ticket holders may express themselves to coach/prez Pat Riley, owner Micky Arison and a few players." ... Greg Cote
How can Isaiah Thomas keep his job as head coach of the New York Knicks...the Knicks are sitting at 18-43....all I know, this crap would not happen if George Steinbrenner owned the team....
Brett Favre is finally gone...he was a great player and a definite first ballot Hall of Famer...the media was totally in love with the guy...but as great as he was, let's be honest - he made some real dumb ass passes during the course of his career...but somehow the media had a short memory when those bonehead plays occurred...that is why he will never be #1 on my all-time QB list...
Now that God, I mean Favre has retired, all the networks will be battling for his services....that gets me sick when these network studios are all filled with former players who say shit (aka nothing)...I remember when NBC hired Joe Montana - the guy was a freakin stiff...
It's Friday, March 7th - does Terrelle Pryor know where he is signing yet?...why doesn't he just get it over with and sign with Ohio State already...
#1 North Carolina at #5 Duke on Saturday...Dickie V will be in heaven with that match-up...
Whatever happened to former Carolina assistant coach and star player Phil Ford?...
Barack Obama needs to step up and attack Hillary and her sleeze husband if he plans to be President...
During the Duke-Carolina game on Saturday, IBM will reveal who is rated the greatest college basketball player of all time....it will be Lew Alcindor...
Today's Beers with Bloggers feature is with Graig from The Money Shot...he is from Hilliard, Ohio and is a graduate from THE REAL U - Miami (Ohio) with a degree in Sport Organization...Book Mark His Blog...before we begin, I want to thank him for taking the time to respond...
Q1. Why do you blog? How long have you been doing The Money Shot?
A. It's pretty simple really. I blog because I hate my job and it gives me something to look forward to everyday. While that is pretty much true, I just love blogging. Everything about it is great. You can get news anywhere but it takes something special to spin satire into a story.
I've been doing The Money Shot for about 20 months now and we are continually growing when it comes to site traffic. It's really helped that in the past month I've been fortunate enough to receive links from SI's Extra Mustard and Deadspin though. But I don't do it for the links. I blog to express my opinion and I am fortunate enough to have a loyal base of friends/commenters who stop by daily to tell me that I am an idiot.
Q2. What are your strengths at blogging? Why is The Money Shot a good blog?
A. Well, you aren't going to find any breaking stories on my site and you're only getting one post a day. Those are the rules. Since frequency of posts is a weakness, I think that my strengths are loud opinions, tasteless jokes, and the fact that locally (Ohio), there are always a ton of related stories that drive conversation from my readers.
I really do think that I run a good blog. Others likely disagree, but when the traffic continues to grow, the comments pour in, and people come up to me at bars and say that they loved so-and-so topic, it makes me feel like I'm doing something right. I sometimes fall into the trap of talking about things that only I would care about, so I try to stay away from that as much as possible. I mean, how many people want to read about a Miami/Kent State football game? Hell, when my dad tells me that he likes the blog, I have to think that it's good!
Q3. What are your thoughts about two coaching legends. Bobby Knight is supposedly retired. Do you think he will come back and coach again. Then in football, what are your thoughts about Joe Paterno at Penn State?
A. I'm actually quite indifferent about both. They are both legends and they both have tarnished their legacies by staying around way too long. The Texas Tech experience was abysmal for Knight and his eyebrows in HD are scarier than the Hamburgler. If there is one thing that I will always remember about JoePa, it would be the game two years ago in Columbus when he ran off the field to take a dump. That was priceless. Oh, and he used to be a great coach, too. I guess to summarize, both Knight and Paterno were/are doing more damage than they realize and probably need to go enjoy the rest of their lives. Coaching is a young man's game these days anyway.
Q4. The NCAA Tournament is fast approaching. Who are your picks to make the Final Four and why? A. Let me just say that college basketball is a true passion of mine and I could watch any game on TV. I can't do that for any other sport besides the NFL. But college hoops is true pageantry for me. Anyway, before the season began, I predicted at Storming The Floor a Final Four of Memphis, Tennessee, UCLA, and Louisville. I'm sticking with that. I realize that the Tigers and Vols absolutely suck from the free throw line, but whatever. The fact that all 4 of those teams are top 15 teams still amazes me. I'm picking UCLA over Tennessee in the Finals. I love what Ben Howland has done out there and the Bruins have no weaknesses. But since the Bruins are likely to be the chic pick, I'm sure they will lose in round two.
Q5. What are your thoughts about this upcoming baseball season? Every year there is surprise team that makes the playoffs. Who is this year's surprise team?
A. To be honest, I'm really not the biggest baseball fan anymore. Don't get me wrong, I pay attention, but as a Yankees fan, it just isn't as fun as it used to be. It's almost become too business-like in the Bronx and my expectations are so high for them that if they don't win the World Series, it's a disappointment. I mean, it's great to have high goals for yourself, but it sucks to know that every season comes down to winning a ring or complete failure. Whew, enough of that. As far as surprise teams go this year...I really like the Mariners. If King Felix can finally put it all together, he and Bedard make up one hell of a 1-2. The bullpen in Seattle remains strong and they will always score runs with Ichiro at the top. The fact that the Angels are in a decline (and apparently I'm the only who sees this), only makes me feel stronger that the M's win the West.
Q6. Real quick - your thoughts about Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel?
A. I know that you know this, but I HATE anything Ohio State. It isn't easy living in Columbus and putting up with their fan's constant egotistic bullshit. I've had to listen to freaking Terrelle Pryor updates every damn day for the past 2 months. I hate it. But, I do respect Gentleman Jim. He's a great football mind that almost always has his boys up to the task even though they have a bullseye on their chests each and every week. Whether he's a cheater or a liar or not is beside the point. The guy can coach. I just hope that he doesn't waste everyone's time by getting to a BCS Title game again.
Q7. Personally I love following the NFL Draft. People like me have been ripped for "not having a life" by such great American thinkers like Rick Reilly. What are your thoughts about the NFL Draft? Do you follow it, why or why not?
A. First of all, Rick Reilly is the biggest pompous ass in all of sports journalism (narrowly defeating Stephen A.). I, for one, LOVE the NFL Draft. I watch it all. Even Day 2...I love it. This is how NFL teams are built. You don't do it through free agency (I'm looking at you, Phil Savage), you do it through the draft. It's the only time of the year when I can stand Chris Berman. And while many people hate him, I enjoy Mel Kiper, Jr. I think that deep down, we all would love to have his job. And I love that hair...
Q8. I have to ask a non-sports question - Obama, Clinton, or McCain? Why?
A. Personally, I'm in the Obama camp. I do NOT pay close attention to politics though. I'm a democrat at heart as I embrace the ideals and priorities of the party. To me, as a guy who never watches the news, I choose my candidate based on likeability and their message. If someone is running smear ads on TV, I'm done with them. I hate that. Tell me what YOU plan on doing, not what your opponent did 25 years ago when they were in college.
Hillary seems robotic and cold-hearted. John McCain looks more and more like Monty Burns everyday. I like Barack's message of change. No, he isn't the most experienced candidate out there but look where "experience" has gotten us over the past 7 years. Change is good and should not be feared. But I'm leary that Hillary will end up getting the nod due to Obama's bad day yesterday and the "Super delegates"...whatever the hell that means.
Q9. Who are the five hottest women in sports and/or broadcasting?
1. EA - God, I love her
2. Stacey Dales - became a much bigger fan when she dropped the Schumann from her name
3. Pam Oliver - a chick with a nice ass and knowledge of football is always welcomed
4. Jillian Barberie or whatever her name is now - she might just look better standing next to those idiots on FOX though
5. Linda Cohn - what can I say, I have a horse fetish
Q10. Last question, this segment is called "Beers with Bloggers." So what are some of your favorite brews? What are some beers that you like that may not be well known nationally?
A. Ah yes, the grand finale question. Personally, I'm pretty easy to please. As long as it doesn't say Natural Light or Coors Light on the bottle, I'll probably drink it. I'm a Bud guy at heart. I've also dabbled into Heineken recently. A brew that I love that is primarily local to Central Ohio is Gordon Biersch. It is fantastic. I'm assuming that you're picking up the tab?
Once again, thank you Graig for your time....keep up the good work...and by the way, I will pick up the tab...
The blog Busted Coverage released the newest photo of Allison Stokke, who became the love of almost every sports blogger...she is now a pole vaulter at Cal....
Washington Post sports reporter Barry Svrluga writes about Dmitri Young of the Washington Nationals and his battle with diabetes... "Nearly 21 million Americans are afflicted with diabetes, and each must learn to handle it as best they can. Young, who received his diagnosis in late 2006, is still figuring what solutions best suit him. He currently takes insulin injections two, three or even four times a day." ... Barry SvrlugaChicago Sun-Times sports columnist Jay Mariotti writes about the Bears arch-rival - Brett Favre... "We've pegged him as a simple study, a 38-year-old kid running barefoot around the backyard in an enduring Mississippi adolescence. In truth, Brett Favre is a bafflingly complex man, never more so than on the day he left football. His career was a celebration of joy, creativity and survival, making him one of the most popular icons of American life, and yet, in the end, he leaves us shocked, disappointed and befuddled." ... Jay MariottiKansas City Star sports columnist Bryan Burwell gives his list of most entertaining athletes - in which Brett Favre is on that list... "When the great ones like Brett Favre retire, we like to put things in some sort of meaningful historic context. So we like to make lists and rank folks and stir some healthy debate. When it comes to ranking Brett Favre, he belongs on more than one list of all-time greats."
Daniel LeDucLos Angeles Times sports columnist Bill Plaschke gives his thoughts about Brett Favre... "With his beard stubble and fiery eyes and gaping grin, has anybody ever symbolized the game's rough-hewn hope better than Favre? Football has lost its voice." ... Bill Plaschke
Today I am writing about a non-sports topic - voting....it is voting day here in Ohio...after casting my ballot, for Barack Obama, and heading into work, I was thinking about some of the discussion and lack of discussion over the last few weeks heading into today's big day...
Just yesterday, I was sitting with a co-worker when I asked her who she was voting for...she told me that her mother taught her never to discuss politics or religion with anyone...WHAT?!?!?!....
Like I told her, I could care less who she was voting for...I was not going to persuade her to vote for my person...heck, my one good friend is a big-time Hillary supporter...him and I have often exchanged barbs over the last few months...but it was all in good spirit...luckily most are not like my co-worker because it is good to communicate and hear different views...
I will say this though, what does upset me is when people will not vote for a candidate because of their race or gender or name...I have heard people say they will not vote for Obama because he is black.....WHAT??!?!?!....so, the man is black...are white people afraid that Obama will put whites into slavery if he should become president?....
As I stated earlier, I voted for Obama....the reason I did not vote for Hillary had nothing to do with her being a woman...I just felt that I could trust Obama more than I could Hillary...
Another co-worker said she was not voting for Obama because his name sounds Muslim...WHAT!?!?!?!....so I guess that only a white man with a non-ethnic name can become president....
That rules out any Asian-American with the name of Ling, Chow, Ming, Liu, etc...
That rules out any Hispanic-American with the name of Rodriguez, Chavez, Montero, Valentin, etc....
That rules out any Jewish-American with the name of Cooperman, Stein, Lehman, etc...
That rules out any European-American with the name of Pierre, Paterno, Lemieux, Hoffmeister, O'Leary, Georgiopolous, Natyshak, Rossi, Gruber, etc..
Of course, it goes with out saying that it rules out all African-Americans, even if their name is Williams, Smith, Hall, etc., just because they are black....
Often times people blame the politicians for messing up this country....but with some of the public's views and beliefs, they should also share in the burden for holding this country back...
