Name	Position	ESPN	Rivals	Scout	Under-Amour	Army	Early Enroll
Isiah Bell	S	81	3*	3*	X
William Campbell	DL	79	5*	5*		X	X
Vladimir Emilien	S	80	4*	3*			X
Tate Forcier	QB	81	4*	4*			X
Jeremy Gallon	WR	77	4*	3*		X
Brendan Gibbons	K	77	2*	3*		X
Cameron Gordan	WR	78	4*	3*
Thomas Gordan	S	77	3*	2*
Brandin Hawthorne	LB	78	3*	3*			X
Mike Jones	S	77	3*	3*			X
Teric Jones	RB	78	3*	3*
Anthony LaLota	DE	80	4*	4*		X	X
Talor Lewan	OL	80	4*	4*	X
Denard Robinson	ATH	81	4*	4*
Craig Roh	DE	83	4*	4*	X
Michael Schofield	OL	77	4*	4*
Vincent Smith	RB	77	3*	3*			X
Je'Ron Stokes	WR	82	4*	4*		X
Fitzgerald Toussaint	RB	79	4*	3*
J.T. Turner	DB	80	4*	5*		X
Quinton Washington	OL	82	4*	3*	X
Adrian Witty	DB	40	2*	2*

For RichRod’s first class in which he had more than two months of recruiting players, you have to be impressed. There is obviously great disparity in how these kids are ranked, probably more so than in year’s past: ESPN ranks Michigan’s class #14, while Rivals has them at #7 and Scout at #11. Those of you that think U-M was being out recruited by the Spartys, you are sorely mistaken. Chris Norman is the only kid that RichRod went hard after, and, quite frankly, the kid was born and raised a Spartan. U-M also got the best player in the state, Big Will Campbell. Trust me, there isn’t even a close second. This is big seeing as in the past two years USC has came in and snagged the best in the state see: Ronald Johnson and Nick Perry. RichRod also went down and pulled 8 recruits out of the state of Florida which should bring speed and athleticism to the program. These are skills that are certainly needed to run RichRod’s system, and were lacking as you can see by last year’s game play. Unfortunately, the Wolverines lost two solid DT recruit in Pearly Graves and DeQuinta Jones that were committed until signing day. The loss of these two players will certainly be felt as the program will be lacking depth at DL next year and LB in the near future. Despite those losses, U-M bounced back with two huge commits in QB Denard Robinson and WR Je’Ron Stokes that solidified other positions of need. Brian has keep you up to date on the past de-commits and recruits so I won’t dwell on losing recruits to Tulsa (yup you read that right, It says Tulsa. You know the Golden Hurricane? Yes, they have a football team). U-M did a great job of getting kids at the positions where they lost recruits to decommits. In most cases they actually got better players to replace them (see Bryce McNeal-Je’Ron Stokes). I’ll give you a quick summary of this year’s class from a little different perspective.

Isaiah Bell 6-2/205: He impressed at the Under-Amour game playing mostly LB. He played a lot of safety in high school, but I fully expect him to grow into a LB that fits into the 3-3-5, if Greg Robinson decides to run that. He would bring some quickness to the LB corps that they have been lacking, and brings good coverage skills for a LB. Some questioned his coverage skills as a safety and U-M has had problem in the past, see: every safety U-M’s had since 2000. Bell might see playing time as a true frosh on special teams.

Next Year Prediction: Redshirt

Career Prediction: Potential 2-year starter at LB. All-Big Ten.

William Campbell 6-5/315: A flat-out stud. Check out his film if you get the chance. He is a real man-child with potential to be a Top 10 NFL draft pick. He is able to play both ways, but I expect to see him on the DT, because it’s his best position and U-M needs him there. He must keep his weight down and not fall into the trap of laziness as some past U-M DT, and also needs to focus on his fundamentals, instead of relaying on his strength. He could be special, especially when paired next to Mike Martin. Expect immediate playing time, especially if we stick with the four man front.

Next Year: Significant PT, potential starter

Career: Potential All-American

Vlad Emilien 6-1/190: Probably the only player in this class who is a true safety. His commitment sort of came out of now where and he was injured for most of his senior year. I would expect him to redshirt, but given U-M’s past struggles at safety, early playing time is there for the taking. Hopefully, he won’t see the field this year and he gets the chance to develop, but I think he has great upside.

Next Year: Redshirt or back-up special teams depending on health

Career: 2 or 3–year starter at safety

Tate Forcier 6-0.5/183: The name should sound familiar as his brother Jason transfered out when Ryan Mallet rolling into town. It’s too bad because he would have been the starter last season. Tate graduated early and had a personal QB coach so he should be further along than most freshman. The kid has a good arm, accurate both in the pocket and on the run with decent speed. His skill-set fits RichRod’s system well and will battle Threet for early PT. I expect him to be starting by the time Big Ten games roll around if not sooner. Don’t expect too much, but he will be an upgrade over last year.

Next Year: Starter by default

Career: Depends on future QB recruiting

Jeremy Gallon 5-9/175: He turned heads at the Army All-American game practices. He played mostly QB out of the Wildcat formation in high school, which means it will take some time to get used to the slot. He is the perfect slot for the spread. The talent is there and he seems to just have that “IT” factor when the ball is in his hand. His PT next season will depend on Terrence Robinson’s health, but a red shirt is unlikely. He will bring added excitement on the return teams.

Next Year: PT at the slot, KR, PR

Career: Future starter in the slot, All-Big Ten potential

Brendan Gibbons 6-0/210: U-M offered after Anthony Fera decommitted. He was an Army All-American. I like his attitude and he has potential to punt as well.

Next Year: Starter for FG and KO

Career: Add punter that list. Possible All-Big Ten

Cameron Gordon 6-3/210: Gordon is a heck of an athlete, perhaps the best in the state of Michigan. He is from Inkster, which is also home to top 10’ QB Devin Gardner. Plays both outside WR and LB. U-M offered pretty late as there seems to some controversy as to where he will play. His upside seems to be at LB, but as of now he’s a wide out.

Next Year: Redshirt

Career: Back WR, Possible starter at LB

Thomas Gordon 5-11/205: Teammate of Big Will and Teric Jones at Detroit Cass Tech where he played QB and S. He is known in the internet community as “Prison Abs,” because he is a work out fiend. He is fairly raw at this point and I would expect a redshirt, but should make an impact on ST with a decent upside at S.

Next Year: Redshirt

Career: Back-up S, special teams contributor

Brandin Hawthorne 6-0/197: He is a teammate of Vincent Smith out of Pahokee, FL. Brian seems to really like this kid, and I can’t argue that he has potential. He seems a little skinny at this point and could use a year or two in Barwis’ program. He seems like a good fit at outside LB in RichRod’s system, but needs some more development. He is a hard worker, and I expect him to reach his potential whatever it may be.

Next Year: Redshirt

Career: 1 or 2-year starter at outside LB

Mike Jones 6-2.5/200: He is another kid out of FL, who enrolled early. Played safety in high school, but I expect a move to LB soon. Although he might play the tweaner, a chance is there is a move to the 3-3-5, similar to the rover used by John L. Smith a couple of year’s ago. He is obviously tall and skinny, and it’s a good thing he is there early to start his Barwisizing.

Next Year: Redshirt

Career: 2-year starter at rover

Teric Jones 5-10/194: He is really fast and has allegedly run a sub 4.4 forty. He is listed at RB, but has excellent pass catching abilities. Don’t be surprised if he moves to the slot. He is a workout buddy of Thomas Gordon, and I think he will make a good third-down back as well.

Next Year: Redshirt (but will contend for PT)

Career: Never a starter but a solid contributor at several spots

Anthony LaLota 6-5/260: He was originally listed as a five start recruit on some sites, which is surprising considering he has only played football for two plus years. He focused on hoops early on, and he is a heck of an athlete. He seems to have a really good head on his shoulders, and being at U-M early will certainly help him. He is listed as a DE, but I would suspect a move to DT with the lack of depth there. His best position is probably somewhere on the O-Line, but he seems adamant on playing defensive.

Next Year: Redshirt

Career: One year starter at DT

Taylor Lewan 6-6.5/270: He has great upside although he might need a couple of years to develop. He is tall, quick, and fits into the system extremely well. He should be an anchor on the O-Line for years to come, probably at LT. I highly doubt he plays next year, as the depth seems to be pretty good there.

Next Year: Redshirt

Career: 3 or 4-year starter. All-Big Ten potential.

Denard Robinson 6-0/185: He and teammate Adrian Witty committed on signing day, although he was once thought to be a FL lock. He is fast, real fast. He really wants to play QB, and will get his shot. This kid isn’t Justin Feagin; he has much better potential. I think it will be hard for him to beat Forcier or Threet out this season, but I suspect that he will get playing time in certain packages. His future will be dependent on future QB recruiting as U-M will certainly get one and possibly two more in the 10’ class. A move to CB is certainly possible, and he projects well there too.

Next Year: PT at QB in some packages

Career: Pending, but will contribute

Craig Roh 6-5/225: He is a teammate of Taylor Lewan, and has family ties to the state. His stock rose after a strong Under-Amour week, where he was constantly around the ball because of his tremendous motor and quickness. I really wish they could find a way to redshirt him, but I am not sure if they will be able to keep him off the field. DE depth is solid but not great behind Graham. He will need to shore up his run stopping ability, but can get to the QB.

Next Year: PT especially in passing situations

Career: 3-year starter. All-Big Ten

Michael Schofield 6-6/270: He is another impressive physical talent. He played in the Hawaiian All-American game, where he was fairly impressive. He will need a year or too, and won’t be rushed into playing early because of the depth they have there. He will most likely be a tackle, but that situation is certainly fluid.

Next Year: Redshirt

Career: 2-year starter

Vincent Smith 5-8/165: He is a small guy, but a very hard worker. He is in tremendous shape. I wasn’t so sure about his game when he first committed as U-M has been recruiting a plethora of slots and scat backs. He’s been growing on me, and I could see him playing some this year. He will probably end up as a RB and a return man.

Next Year: Special teams demon and return guy

Career: He’ll get carries, but probably never be a starter

Je’Ron Stokes 6-0.5/178: He is a great late pickup and a perfect example of RichRod’s recruiting skills. Stokes games fits either the outside spot or the slot, which gives him ample opportunity for early PT. He has very good speed, which along with his versatility creates matchup problems that RichRod will certainly exploit. He younger brother is a junior dual-threat QB with U-M interest so keep an eye on him.

Next Year: PT at both WR spots

Career: I expect him start somewhere for 2-years. Potential All-Big Ten

Fitzgerald Toussaint 5-10/185: Besides having the coolest name in this class, he also has the best film. He is a pleasure to watch and has some crazy moves. I actually like his film better than McGuffie’s last year. He just doesn’t jump over people! He will play next year in my opinion, and could return kicks as well. I think he is underrated and will surprise some people.

Next Year: This year’s version of Shaw in terms of PT

Career: I don’t think he is the starter type but will get a lot of carries

J.T. Turner 6-2/185: Early commit out of Ohio (that isn’t easy by the way), whose stock rose over the year. He was debatable the top DB at the Army game. He can play either safety or corner. It will depend on the development of others, as I expect Warren and Cissoko to be the starters. He could be starting at one of the safety spots, and possibly slide to corner on passing downs with him on the outside and Cissoko covering the slot. Either way, he will see the field early and often and might be our best recruit.

Next Year: Starter or a lot of PT at DB

Career: 3-year starter. All-American

Quinton Washington 6-4/322: I think he has the most potential in this class behind Campbell and Turner. I would call him a sleeper as a 3* on Scout, but ESPN has him as U-M’s top recruit making for an unfair assessment. He has a chance to be in the two deep this year, but like the other O-Linemen a redshirt would be ideal. He is the most physically ready of the three to play early, expect a major impact.

Next Year: Backup and will see some time

Career: 3-year starter if he doesn’t redshirt. All-Big Ten and possibly All-American potential

Adrian Witty 6-1/185: I can’t really give a fair analysis of him. U-M didn’t just offer him because of his connection with Denard Robinson though. They would have taken him even without a Robinson commit. He is fairly athletic and can play receiver as well. My guess is they will try him in at DB, as it is a more pressing need.

Next Year: Redshirt

Career: Special Teamer, depth

Overall, this class is a definite top ten with top stud recruits in Campbell and Turner and two QB’s, which was the programs biggest need. U-M also has several players on the O-Line that could become multiple year starters. They also brought in several players that are much better fits on offense for what RichRod is trying to do, as well as some great athletes on the defensive side of the ball. U-M’s class varies in ranking by the services quite a bit (although MSU has about 20 spots difference depending on where you look). It’s probably not as high as Rivals ranks them and not as low as Scout does. These recruiting services have there own agendas in mind when ranking these kids and classes (I will post on that some day). What is important is that you fill your team’s need with quality players. Even if the class is lower ranked, filling needs makes the class more valuable to the school. I am extremely happy with this class especially considering the 3-9 season and the negative recruiting surrounding the RichRod and the program. For those that took shots at the program last year, you might be eating your words in the very near future (paging Mark Dantonio…..)

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Today’s post is brought to you by my neighbors “broken” washing machine. Seriously the trap is just clogged and a wire hanger coupled with some Drano will do the trick. No need to call the land lord, or use my washing machine for a month…

Well another year of recruiting has came and passed as of yesterday. Rich Rodriguez has his first year of recruiting under his belt and everyone in the 2009 class was recruited by him. In this post I will outline every position and what recruits Michigan got at those respective positions. Also, I know not everyone who reads this blog is a Michigan fan, so I will briefly outline recruiting classes for Michigan State as well as Notre Dame.

But…first things first! Michigan’s 2009 recruiting class by position accompanied with horribly optimistic comparisons.

At QB Michigan landed 4 star recruit Tate Forcier (enrolled in January) as well as 4 star ATH Denard Robinson. A good comparison to Forcier is Colt McCoy. Both are a little undersized and both don’t have the strongest arm. On the other hand both are quite quick and are deadly accurate throwing the ball. Denard Robinson is not listed as a QB to Rivals, but has played QB his whole life. He too is a little undersized, but runs a sub 4.4 40 yard dash. Direct comparisons to Pat White are inevitable. Overall Michigan got 2 QB’s which they desperately needed and both of them fit Rich Rodriguez’s system very well.

At RB Michigan received commitments from 4 star recruit Fitzgerald Toussaint and 3 star recruits Teric Jones and Vincent Smith. With current depth at the RB position this was not a pressing need in this class yet Michigan still landed a pretty good change of pace back with Fitz Toussaint. A good comparison to all of these RB’s would be a person like Steve Slaton or CJ Spiller. All three are small, quick types that do best running outside the tackles.

At WR Michigan landed 4 star recruits Je’Ron Stokes, Cameron Gordon, and Jeremy Gallon. All of them are in the Rivals top 250 and Stokes is close to the top 100. Stokes and Gordon are more of an outside WR type to compliment Greg Matthews who is better suited as a #2 WR. Stokes is a game changer and I think compares well to Derek Williams out of Penn State. Both can stretch the field vertically and both are very reliable catching the ball as well as being reliable running routes. Gordon is more of a bigger possession type receiver who compares well with Jason Avant. Jeremy Gallon will play slot WR and (hopefully?) can return some kicks. Gallon is lightning quick and really can make plays out of nothing. Unfortunately, Gallon was a QB in high school so he will have to learn the WR position a little more. Depth at every WR position was an issue and is no longer an issue. Great group coming in and also two great WR’s coming in 2010 (Ricardo Miller and Jeremy Jackson.)

Michigan recruited no TE in this class because there are many on the current roster and Rich Rodriguez doesn’t really utilize the TE position very much anyway.

At OL Michigan landed 4 star tackles in Michael Schofield and Taylor Lewan. Lewan was kind of a late bloomer and is said to have a massive up side. Schofield has been a top 250 recruit all along. Michigan also got 4 star guard Quinton Washington, another top 250 recruit. Because OL are very hard to project I am going to spare you all the uselessness. On the other hand, all three are rated very well after a year where Michigan took six OL so we now have depth on the OL that won’t make you want to vomit (2008.)

At DB Michigan landed 4 star recruits Justin Turner (borderline 5 star) and Vladimir Emilien, 3 star recruits Thomas Gordon and Mike Jones and 2 star recruit Adrian Witty. Turner is a stud who locked down top rated receiver Reuben Randle in the Army All American Game. He will be looked on to help almost immediately by playing slot DB or possibly safety, but ultimately his future is certainly at CB. Direct comparisons to any tall lockdown CB are in order so why not just say Charles Woodson. Emilien is a big safety who was hampered by an injury his senior year. Everything I have heard about him recently is very good as well, and he has enrolled early. Early playing time could also be in order for him with a comparison to one of my favorite Wolverines, Marcus Ray. Thomas Gordon, Mike Jones and Adrian Witty are all depth type of players. Unless something miraculous happens I don’t really see them becoming starters, rather being involved in nickel coverage and special teams. A position switch for Mike Jones is also possible to LB. Although we added 5 recruits at this position, I really would have liked one more quality guy here. Jayron Hosley was our closest bet and sadly he chose Virginia Tech. Quality is not an issue in 2009, but talented depth could be.

At LB Michigan received commitments from 3 star recruits Isaiah Bell and Brandin Hawthorne. Bell (borderline 4 star) played very well at the Under Armor All America Game, but at safety. His future is somewhat of a question mark. I personally believe he will end up at LB at Michigan with a little help from Mike Barwis to add a few pounds. Brandin Hawthorne is a recruit that I outlined in my first recruiting post. I really like this kid. Although he is somewhat undersized (possibly knocking him down to a 3 star) he hits very hard and seems to have a knack for finding the football. Both of these recuits are hard to project because they play a LB/S hybrid type of position which hasn’t really been seen at Michigan before. I guess the best example would be Cato June (played S while at Mich.)

At DE Michigan was somehow able to keep Brandon Graham away from the NFL for one more year, thus making the position a little less of a pressing need, but still a big need none the less. 4 star recruits Craig Roh and Anthony LaLota were both top 250 guys and both played in All America games. During those games, Roh saw his stock drastically rise (borderline top 100) and LaLota’s fell a bit. Roh is a speed rusher who is very polished and could have an impact as soon as this year. LaLota on the other hand is a strong side rusher who only has one year of football under his belt. Because of a lack of experience LaLota will most likely have to red shirt. I really think Roh will end up being a VERY good player and I think comparing him to Jason Taylor is very reasonable.

At DT Michigan landed 5 star recruit William Campbell (Thor) and that’s it. Although Big Will is an awesome recruit, depth at DT was a necessity and Michigan suffered decommitments from DeQuinta Jones and Pearlie Graves. This sucks. Because of a lack of depth at the position (Taylor and Johnson graduated) Big Will is penciled in as a starter along side of Mike Martin. After those two there is a severe lack of depth. Graves and Jones were both 4 star recruits and it would have been nice to be able to keep at least one. It is possible to add a DT who has struggled with grades or a 2 star that still is yet to sign. Hopefully that happens…

Michigan also received a commitment from 2 star kicker Brendan Gibbons (kickers don’t really get rated above a 3 star.) Apparently Gibbons was hitting 60 yard field goals in practice, so he has a good leg. He will be playing right away.

Rich Rodriguez talking about his 2009 class...

All in all this class is very good I think. After having forgettable season last year Michigan finished with the #7 overall class for 2009 according to Rivals (I personally dislike Scout so I go strictly by Rivals results.) QB needs were addressed as well as needs at DE and WR. Man would I have liked another DB and DT though. I guess you can’t get everything you want can you?

Michigan State finished the year with the #16 overall class for 2009 finishing third in the Big Ten behind only Ohio State and Michigan. State even beat out Penn State for the number three spot. State cleaned up in the state of Michigan picking up 12 commitments there. Headliners for the class include RB Edwin Baker (top 100), OL David Barnett (top 100), QB Andrew Maxwell (top 250) and LB Chris Norman (top 250.) Michigan State has a VERY balanced group of kids coming in and all in all seemed to do extremely well. This is a great class for Mark Dantonio and could set up well for him in the future.

Notre Dame finished the year with the #21 overall class for 2009. This was somewhat of a down year for ND recruiting. A mixture of recent success recruiting and lack of production on the field could be a factor here as well as the uncertainty of Charlie Weis’ future. Highlights from this year’s class include LB Manti Te’o (#12 overall recruit), WR Shaquelle Evans (top 250), OL Chris Watt (top 100), LB Zeke Motta (top 100), and RB Cierre Wood (top 250.) Obviously Manti Te’o is a huge recruit being ranked as highly as he is and him paired with Zeke Motta will do wonders for their LB corps. This class also included two kickers, a long snapper, and Mike Golic’s son Jake Golic who is a 2 star recruit probably strictly because of his last name. Overall this class has to be disappointing to ND fans.

If you made it this far maybe you to are as obsessed with recruiting as I am, or maybe you are just a State or ND fan and had to scroll all the way to the bottom. Needless to say, a lot happened yesterday on National Signing Day.

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I have to say, I am disgusted with the NFL officiating this year. The entire year has been about as bad as before they implemented Instant Replay. And to cap things off, the ending of the Super Bowl was probably the most controversial play of all. Not to mention, all fans of the NFL were deprived of seeing the most exciting play in football, the Hail Mary, to end the Super Bowl!!!!

Just how bad was the officiating this year? Well, an NFL official has publicly apologized for making the wrong call twice. Once was the infamous Jay Cutler “incomplete pass,” which I blogged about earlier in the year. The other, while not being as controversial, was the Tomlinson “forward pass” that happened at the end of that fantastic Chargers-Steelers game, and resulted in a devastating loss for my fantasy team. There was also the Santonio Holmes catch against Baltimore, which I am still skeptical as to if the ball actually crossed the plane. Lastly, a little closer to home, there was the Leigh Bodden “pass interference” call against the Minnesota Vikings, which cost the Lions their only win of the season.

And now, to cap off a year of lackluster and potentially game changing officiating, the refs blew two calls in the last minute of the Super Bowl. The first was the Santonio Holmes ball prop celebration, and the far more egregious “fumble” call.

While we could go back and forth all day about that particular call, I will begin by simply displaying the video.



Due to the piss poor camera angle, the best way to analyze is to look at Warner’s body movement before Woodley hits him. As you can see his hips and shoulders are moving forward before Woodley hits him. However, this is one of the closest fumble/incomplete pass plays I have ever seen. So, this play is one of the closest plays ever, in one of the best games of all time, and the replay official isn’t even going to take more than one look? Not even going to get another set of eyes on it? **COUGH** STEELERS FAN **COUGH COUGH**

No matter how you look at the Warner play, you have to admit it was handled poorly. Decisions like these are the difference between wins and losses, between champions and losers. After such blunders as those listed above, there has to be a change. Lucky for you, I have the solution: technology.

If football is a game of inches, technology could make it a game of nanometers.

If you know anything about microeconomics, you know that incentive will encourage innovation. The NFL has a huge incentive to fix this problem because replay isn’t enough, and they also have very deep pockets.

So, what am I proposing exactly? Just a complete revolution! The NFL already relies on computers and technology with video replay, using more technology and more advanced technology is just the next logical step towards the goal of a perfectly officiated game.

Any change in the review system has to be a balance of four things: (1) increase objectivity, (2) maintaining quick game pace, (3) decrease mistakes, and (4) maintain the tradition and sanctity of the game.

My first suggestion is to have a goal line invisible fence. Such a fence would probably use similar laser technology to those already widely implemented in golf simulators. Basically, the function of this fence would be to tell if the ball crossed the plane, but at a higher level it could also make the determination of if a player was down before the ball crossed the plane. If the invisible fence were to have a timer on it, the fence machine could measure the exact time the ball crossed the plane. By syncing the game clock with the invisible fence and the TV broadcast, a review official could fast forward the review to the exact millisecond when the ball crossed the plane and simply look at a freeze frame to determine if the player was down or not. Video review of that play would be a snap shot rather than a moving picture guess.

Together with the above stated technology, you could immediately improve a vast number of things. Simply by inserting sensors in the ball itself, measuring in correlation to the invisible fence, a computer could easily tell what direction the ball was moving, as well as how far away from the goal line the ball is. These two relatively wide spread pieces of electronics would vastly improve ball spot accuracy and eliminate the fumble/incomplete pass dilemma. If this technology is employed, the NFL could also simply add sensors to the first down chains or another invisible fence type gadget to quickly determine first downs or not.

Lastly, if feasible, include a touch sensor on the ball, somehow measuring ball control and possession. This last part is more than likely science fiction with today’s present technology, but if the easily implemented NFL officiating technology is successful and profitable, innovators and companies a huge incentive to create.

Each of these pieces of technology accomplishes three out of my four goals. Objectivity and accuracy are obviously accomplished, while the game pace would certainly improve because most of these additions would actually speed up video reviews or provide instant feedback.

But in order to maintain the sanctity of the game, I am not proposing firing all officials. Instead maintain the replay rules. Each team gets 2 challenges, but a technology challenge would be part of it. Instead of simply correcting an eye level human call with a technology result, a red flag would have to be thrown to see the result of the NFL officiating technology.

The NFL could team up with television companies like ESPN, FOX, CBS, and NBC. The technology the NFL implements could be synced and shown to all the people at home in unique and aesthetically pleasing ways, enhancing thee viewer’s experience Of course there would probably have to be some rule delaying broadcasters from showing the technology results until after the coach has a chance to challenge. The red flag challenge would be decided not by coaching intuition, but simply because someone associated with the team was watching NBC.

The NFL needs to change something so winners and losers are not determined on close (non-reviewed) plays. Technology such as what I have suggested is the next logical step. The NFL should entice innovators with large contracts to create the technology to solve their officiating predicament.

NOTE: If you have lots of capital and happen to be an entrepreneur and would like to start a business with me and my ideas, please email me at Dashiz008@gmail.com. I do have an electrical engineering degree...☺

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I hope that everyone enjoyed superbowl XLIII as much as I did. I must say going into this game I was a little nervous about the Cardinals hot streak continuing but Big Ben and the Super Steelers were able to pull out an EPIC win.

Now some may ask - "why do you care about the Steelers, I thought you were a Lions fan?" - so let me give a little context as to my Pittsburgh allegiance before I talk a bit about the game. Growing up, my best friend was from Pittsburgh. I spent many a hours watching Steelers, Pirates, Penguins, Panthers, you name it games. I have grown to love the city for its sports and it doesn't hurt that Ben Roethlisberger is a stunning replica of myself at about 6-5, 245. What a stud.

Back to the game. The first half could have provided a little more excitement - who has ever heard of Gary Russel or Ben Patrick? The highlight of the first 30 minutes was the doritos crystal ball - until James Harrison made the longest play in superbowl history. His pick 6 (Good call Bishop!) was a game changer and really looked like it would deflate the Cardinals' hopes and dreams. What a play and what an amazing athlete. Bill Cowher is a great coach but how did he not see the potential that this guy had? He cut him 3 times! Another reason Mike Tomlin should be coach of the decade but we can save that for another day...

Halftime: Bruce Springstein = Legendary. Not gonna lie I was a little distracted and didn't catch the whole thing but that guy still knows how to rock...

Needless to say it was nothing but excitement heading into the second half for the 2% of us in the world actually rooting for the Steelers instead of the underdog Cardinals. Harrison's play was a game changer and looked to set the tone for a blowout. However all that excitement would quickly turn. 

Larry Fitzgerald has proven himself to be one of the greatest recievers to ever play the game and he showcased his superiority over every other reciever in the league in this one. Look at his versatility - scoring a 1 yard touchdown where he simply outjumped and outplayed the defender and a 64 yarder where he outran everyone including the defensive player of the year in the regular season - Harrison - and arguably the best defensive player in the postseason - Polamalu. These catches will get the highlights but he made a few others for first downs that kept the Cards in the game and gave them the ability to make their comeback. This kid is sick. I think I will take him in the first round of every fantasy draft I ever take part in for the rest of his career. 

While Larry got all of the props this postseason for recievers (deservedly so...), the catch that Santonio Holmes made to win the game was incredible. Though I was getting nervous toward the end because of all the bad Lions karma Terp tried to rub on me with his #20 Lions jersey (as beautiful as it was...), Santonio saved the day. He showed up HUGE tonight (wish he woulda done that in the regular season - the super bowl MVP and my 5th round pick did a lot of good for me this year) and made arguably one of the best catches in Superbowl history. Though Big Ben with always be my MVP, Holmes deserved the spotlight and recognition he got because he won the game for the Steel Curtain with that catch. Not only was this Superbowl better than last years but that catch was more impressive than David Tyree's. What a way to cap off the game.

Congrats to both the Steelers and Cards on an amazing and entertaining game - the best football game I have watched in years.

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Last night, I was privileged enough to attend the first major NBA contest that I have been since the Pistons vs. Lakers in Kobe’s rookie year and Shaq’s first year with the Laker show, 1996-1997. The Pistons weren’t every good, but were led by GHill, who was probably my favorite player at the time - so in my opinion it was a big deal. I am planning on doing this blog in bullet form and hope to make each one a sentence or two, but you're not allowed to hold me to that. The strategy here is to give you insight as to the actual event rather than a play-by-play synopsis of the game.

• I’m really not one to complain about drivers, but I am extremely thankful that I live in a community that at least respects other people on the road. I’ll leave that one at that.
• For those of you that are unaware, the Palace is celebrating its 20^th year of existence. The Palace remains an excellent venue and still one of the nicest in the NBA even though it is 20 years old. That’s pretty amazing and certainly a venue that was far ahead of its time 20 years ago.
• Rip hits a banker at the end of the first to give the Pistons a whooping 16 pts... to finish the quarter. Good start guys!
• Side Note: Those Rip It energy drinks, the cheap ones with way too much sugar, are all over the place on the east side of the state with two different lines of drinks. Well, they still taste like crap. Anyone see a connection….
• Stuckey’s dunk over KG was absolutely filthy. It was one of those plays where I just thought he’d go for the lay-in or a one-hander, but he thru it down with two hands and hard. More on this guy later.
• My name is KIIIIIIIIIIIIIID. Kid Rock! Detroit’s own K-I-D was honored with a banner at the Palace during the first half in recognition of his 18 sellouts. That’s pretty dang impressive considering Devil Without a Cause came out in 1998. That’s a lot of concerts - let alone sellouts. The Kid goes up to the rafters next to the likes of Bon Jovi, Alan Jackson, and well this guy. The Kid was there, didn’t leave until there was under a minute left. (more than I can say for most of the crowd), and walked around without security, but with some guy on crutches. Kid Rock is a really cross over star, who seems to be able to chill with anybody at any level, and the fact that he rocks tight white-tees in public is pretty legit. The guy however looks like he is permanently hung over. Congrats Kid!
• Sheed really likes Sam Cassell. They talked the whole time during second half shoot around. Several joined in on the convo as well. Seems like Sam was a pretty cool guy, who was rocking a sweet green cord suit coat.
• It was also a real treat to watch Ray Allen shoot around. The man’s stroke is so pure. I can certainly see why the players voted him as the best pure shooter they have ever seen in SI recently. Textbook. Especially when shooting next to Tony Allen.
• Curry really shortened the bench in the second half only playing 7 guys by my count. He wanted this one in the worse way.
• The fireworks and the game was really decided on Kendrick (I’m always just woke up from a nap or am stoned) Perkins close-lined slash head-locked Jason Maxiell. Max was promptly teed-up for the push, but the refs had to go to the monitor to check and see if that was a flagrant. Max missed both throws, but Ray Allen hit his. First of all, the officiating in the NBA is piss poor. You could see this developing as the Celts where getting away with some hard fouls. They would wrap guys up on the way to the hoop instead of actually trying to play D. It reminded me of watching old guys in rec league foul every time they get beat off the dribble. The refs let this happen and you get fouls like this as a result. Second, why would you have to look at the monitor to tell that it was a flagrant? I was twenty five feet away and it was obvious beyond a shadow of a doubt and thus, in my opinion, justifying Max’s reaction.
• KG promptly plays thug and acting like a you know what. I was hoping that Max was going to take his head off, because after reading this article, I think many around the league would want him too and the crowd certainly did. Sorry, you need insider to read it, but it’s in the Mag as well.
• The crowd was another story. The guys behind me kept saying things such as, “do you know where you are?” or “This isn’t Boston boys!” This could have easily escalated into a Malice Part Deux if the refs didn’t get in between the fight immediately, and the cops were at full alert. It was a perfect storm of atmosphere in the building. Arrogant champions vs. under achieving team that is frustrated with each other. The city of Detroit has a little built up frustration too from what I have heard.
• Paul Pierce and some fan from the “Haymaker” section were really going at it. The guy looked surprising like this guy. It went right through a time out and the free throws. I would say it took two or three minutes. The kid was relentless on Pierce and was seemingly pretty inappropriate. It was way too loud in there to see what he was saying, but Pierce seemed to be playing along with it. Security eventually went over and talked to the kid for a couple of minutes and Pierce went on to talk trash with some other guys a little closer to him. The kid was arguing with security like Pierce had started it, but he eventually went back to his seat.
• I was watching a Mavs game this past week and Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy, the guy who did this, had a pretty good conversation going about 6^th man. Then Jackson says something about the Pistons should bring Stuckey off the bench and Van Gundy agrees, because AI and Rip have to adjust. Hello? Have you watched Stuckey play this year? Yup, the Pistons traded Billups, because Stuckey was ready, remember? And by ready that means to start and play major minutes, not come off the bench. They were in attendance last night and I hope they changed their tune.
• Stuckey is our best player. This is his team and Curry needs to coach like it. Stuckey scores four consecutive points in the third and then gets pulled for Rip. Stuckey doesn’t get another shot until there’s under a minute left. That can’t happen. Curry needs to call plays for him.
• I think the Pistons didn’t hit a shot from outside the paint in the second half until there was about two minutes left and they were still in the game against the best team in the East. Don’t tell me they can’t contend this year. That’s an excuse.
• Rip is being babied. Big time. Two things that related to this. Curry runs a play for him almost every other time down if not more. I don’t know if he’s trying to make him happy since he’s coming off the bench, after he said he wouldn’t remember, or he thinks he’s that good. This is causes AI and Stuckey to get fewer shots, which is not a good thing. Does anyone notice that we were playing better when Rip was out? It isn’t because Rip is bad; it’s that he takes shots away from our two best players. Rip isn’t what he used to be. The guy is slightly above average for an NBA shooting guard with limited range. He isn’t a strong defender or passer and isn’t a threat to take it to the hoop. Maybe the groin is still bugging him, but he is a completely one dimensional mid-range shooter. I think Curry needs to stop trying to make friends and just coach. That’s the whole reason he didn’t move Rip to the bench in the first place. Ps Bill Laimbeer would have been a much better coach for this team.
• We can’t play Rip, AI, and Stuckey together against a team like Boston when Pierce is in. Rip cannot guard a player as strong a Pierce.
• We really need an identity and determine how we want to play. I don’t understand why they run a small line-up with three guards and don’t push the ball. Stuckey and AI are at their best in the open court and it seems like we try and slow the pace down to play half-court ball. You’re basically taking away the strength of playing three small quick players without making the other team do anything. This is coaching and isn’t smart. I also don’t understand why you would try to play half court ball against one of the best defensives in the NBA.
• Max and McDyess rebounded like beasts, but Sheed seems to kill us on the boards late in games. He needs to put his butt on somebody. We gave up two killer offensive boards in the last two or three minutes again.
• Prince was really out of it last night - had zero intensity and probably one of the reasons we played the three guards so much. We really need Tay seeing that he really has no backup, and we have no one else that can guard Pierce.
• Overall, I wasn’t impressed with Boston either. They act as if they are entitled to win. They will need to turn it up to beat the Cavs this year.
• I’m sick of hearing about the AI trade and that this is a rebuilding year. This is a good team and should contend for an Eastern Conference Finals appearance. I really think it's Curry that is holding them back. He appears to be in over his head. He was out coached pretty badly by freaking Doc Rivers last night. Maybe Joe should just coach the team, because I just don’t see this Curry thing working out.

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If this is what happens when I don’t post for a month, maybe I should consider doing it (or lack of doing it) more often! Seeing that the cool thing to do, is dedicate oneself to posting one day a week, maybe I should do the same. If my calculations are correct, that would give the masses what they have been clamoring for, and provide a little help to make it through your work week (aka a post a day).

We have a new look! You got to love Nate’s dedication to making constant improvements to this site. It seems as if the site's appearance is changing faster than Ashlee Simpson’s. The masses must also be McLovin the new URL, as well. For those of us that don't bookmark this site and for some reason still enter the URL manually, you were treated to this fantastically awesome blog when we forgot to double the S (ie Sport Spice not SportS Spice). I was not sure how to take this news when I came upon it. But soon it became obvious that Nate has a fascination with this young lady, who is a member of this group of fine young ladies. Hence the dedication of his blog to Sporty Spice, aka Mel C. Now if your wondering how I knew this Spice Girls information let alone their Spice names, it took awhile to piece this thesis together, but my love for the Herb Ladies is also becoming extremely evident, so I’ll move on to my actual topic.

I’m going with the obvious one here: The Super Bowl. I tossed around a blog idea on my love for Australian Open tennis, but trying to stay awake and watch the 3:30 matches has really gone to my head and thus affected my creativity with the subject matter. I really can’t bring myself to talk baseball until I at least see the sun for over 5% of the day (no offense to those that can). And quite frankly, no one wants to hear my rumblings on the Pistons , not yet anyway. So I decided to mail it in, paging newspapers writers that ask themselves questions and then promptly answer them in their own articles; you know who you are Brian VanOchten.

So here we are less than less than 72 hours (and ticking) away from the biggest advertising day of the year and biggest one day gamble-a-thon known to man. Where the over one billion people of all races, creeds, and colors will be subject to blatant commercialism, while placing a bet on what color boxers Ben Roethlisberger is wearing, and love it! I know I do. I’m hoping for a commercial involving Chuck Norris, a Clydesdale, and the girls from a Double Shot of Love. I have the copyright to that idea too; you know who you are Dane Cook. There is an actual game to be played involved with the whole trying to sell of us stuff process, and for Lions fans another reason to wallow in our self-pity. The FREAKING ARIZONA CARDINALS are in the SUPER BOWL! Note the caps. That might be the dumbest thing I have ever heard. A team, that moved from Chicago and St. Louis, two of the best sports cities in the U.S., to a state that doesn’t actually have anyone born there, is in the Super Bowl. A team, that is owned by someone less competent than William Clay Ford, is in the Super Bowl. A team, that abides by Matt Millan’s draft guide, is in the Super Bowl. A team, that has a quarterback who should be the Lion’s quarterback in Mike Martz had his way, is in the Super Bowl. A team, that had been without a title game appearance longer than the Lions, is in the Super Bowl. A team, that plays in the worst division in football, is in the Super Bowl, A team, that fail to live up to expectations, is in the Super Bowl. Not only are the Cardinals in the Super Bowl, but that have a chance to beat what is possible the most dominant franchise in NFL history, on their way to redemption. The table is set for one team’s Cinderella story and the Lion’s Nightmare of Elm Street.

The actual game is the typical match-up involving a high octane offense vs. the unbreakable defense. I actually like both of these teams, which make the game a little less fun because I have no one to root against (see Duke, New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Lakers, etc.). While I have no rooting interest in the game itself, the half-time show is another story. I’ll be a happy man if Brue Springsteen can save us from spewing his typical political jargon.

The Cards D is the real reason for their turn around and the fact that I can no longer benefit from Larry Fitzgerald’s fantasy points (see Bill Simmons fantasy league). I would win that thing in a landslide, by the way. The Steelers are a Dennis Green to a T. Oh, the irony.

I’m not one to pick games, because A) I suck at it and B) If I got good, I would end up losing money on it. The Cards are the obvious underdog, but yet the trendy pick, especially with the points. The only way I see them winning this game is if they get up by two scores early and hang on for dear life. If it’s a close game all the way through, I just don’t think any team is capable of beating the Steelers at their own game (except that team that has the one guy that shot himself on it). The Cards won’t be able to run the ball without the lead. The story will really be if the Steelers can stop Fitzy early on, and if they do I think they win the game.

After all that, I’ll go against my prediction and say the Cards go up early leading 14-3 at the end of one and 17-10 at half. Roethlisberger then leads the Steelers to two 3^rd Quarter touchdowns and the lead 24-20 at the end of three. Parker gets a big TD run in the fourth essentially ending the game, before a late score by Steve Breaston on a slant followed by a failed onside kick attempt. Put It in Stone Final Score: 31-27 Steelers with the win and the Cards with the cover. This result will cause Lions fans around the world to breathe a little bit easier for at least the next six months.

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Today’s post is brought to you by “Tell it like it is Guy.” You know when you are at a party or social gathering and there is always this slightly intoxicated tough guy who makes it his own personal agenda to tell everyone the “cold, hard facts?” Well, here’s to you buddy, you are finally getting your just due. Everyone loves you for saying it and we all really appreciate it. If only I could type sarcasm…

The only sport played on a professional level that is completely “self policed” is golf. What I mean by that is that there are no referees or umpires or line judges to tell you when you are breaking rules or cheating. Golf has a book of rules that is updated and printed on a yearly basis and is put out in mass distribution by the USGA. All golfers are expected to follow those rules every time they walk out onto the course.

Laced with pride and tradition, golfers adhere to these rules to keep the game that they know and love the same as it has been for centuries. This means no moving your ball in the rough while no one is looking because there is a tuft of grass in your way that could impose ill will on your shot. It also goes as far as the equipment a golfer uses. Playing with USGA approved balls and clubs throughout the entire tournament as to avoid disqualification. Both of these things are illegal and both of them are very easy to “get away with” when playing in a tournament. Professional golfers don’t do things like that in order to protect the sanctity and tradition of the game.

Although there are referees in hockey, both golf and hockey are “self policed.” Hockey doesn’t exactly have a rule book for its policing, but it does have fists. Yes, fighting is what hockey players use to keep the game in line. There are referees to make sure that things don’t get out of line, but if there is some sort of misunderstanding between two players, fighting is there to solve their problems. Because of hockey’s fast paced nature and physicality, things can get touchy and fighting solves this issue. Without fighting as a way to “solve” ones anger a hockey player can turn to cheap shots to impose his revenge on another player. A great example of this would be what happened to Stephen Kampfer against Michigan State (my last post.) Sadly, due to liability issues, fighting is not allowed in collegiate hockey and has been strictly banned by the NCAA. But, fighting is legal in every level of professional hockey.

All hockey players, like golfers, greatly respect their game. Fighting has been a part of hockey since the first puck was dropped in 1875 in Montreal and it is a part of the game to this day. Two men get into a fight over a big hit earlier in the game or about whose girlfriend is hotter and they settle it between themselves. Four fists and a temporary break in the flow of the game. After all is said and done the two players skate away from each other and the game continues. That exact process is what keeps the game in line and keeps Happy Gilmore from taking off his skate and trying to stab someone with it. All hockey players respect this and all hockey players know that if they get out of line, a fight is more than likely headed their direction.

Exciting and entertaining for the fans, fighting will always be a part of hockey. Because of many “made” careers in the NHL, fighting is not as prevalent at that level as it is in lower professional levels (Grand Rapids Griffins.) But fighting will always be there and will always be hockey player’s way of keeping order out on the ice.

People who disagree with the allowance of fighting within professional ranks will argue its true meaning to the game itself. I would respond by asking what the true meaning of the BCS is to college football. Both might not have direct influences on the game, but both are serving a purpose and both aren’t going away for a long, long time.

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That title was plastered all over every newspaper, magazine, talking heads show, and www.insertsportswebsitehere.com before the team hit the field for Opening Day last year. This team was going to score 1,000 runs, blow away the Yanks and the Sox, and send their entire starting roster to the All-Star game. Tigerfest and Lakeland were Mardi Gras central with booze, beads, beer bongs and braziers strewn about as the Fall Classic Champions had already begun their Parade down Woodward Ave. A huge offseason of aquisitions by the "Big Dombrowski" led all fans to drink entirely too much of the rum spiked Kool-Aid like a freshman girl at a frat party, and then proceed down the walk of shame in the morning mired in a six month hangover the likes of which John Daly would've been proud to call his own.

Fans were spoiled. Much too spoiled. They believed they were guaranteed something because of offseason moves. Kenny Rogers didn't come out of the dugout and sing "you never count your money while you're sittin' at the table," like he should have. Instead he asked "who's your new overpaid Tiger?" The pun here is almost as sickening as the final win-loss columns. And yet it seems the fan base and the Michigan Media want the club to make the same mistakes as they did last year. They want K-Rod, K-Wood, and K-$$$. They wanted the Tiggies to trade the rest of their young talent for JJ Putz. What Michiganders should want, however, is a geography lesson. The Tigers do not reside in one of the burroughs of Long Island. Sorry.

The point is the Tigers are having one of the most unheralded offseasons to speak of, and all of this after arguably having the biggest offseason in the MLB over the past decade in '07. Yet in reality, the team has done more to guarantee wins this offseason than what they brought in last year. While '07 brought the pomp and circumstance, this year has us being served meat and potatoes. Donovan McNabb's mother would be proud. How the rest of us aren't is beyond understanding and leads one to believe that most casual observers don't comprehend how a winning team is put together. So listen, everyone can put away the Tylenol, the hangover is subsiding. The Tigers filled the holes in their roster very quietly and actually brought in what they really needed in the first place, pitching and defense.

Yet people continue to talk about how terrible the Tigers starting pitching and bullpen are. Part of this is because people think Dontrelle Willis, Nate Robertson, Justin Verlander, and Jeremy Bonderman are washed up. They all had probably their worst years last year ever in their Major League Baseball careers. And in all actuality, that may be one of the biggest hopes for the upcoming season. Are each of those players as good as they pitched in 2006 (minus D-Will) when they went to the World Series? Probably not. Are they all as terrible as they were last year? Definitely not. By the law of career averages, if the club had made zero changes this offseason, the starting pitching probably would have improved.

Then you add this to the fact that the Tigers went out and got one of the best pitching coaches in the Majors by inking Rick Knapp from the Minnesota Twins and canning our previous dugout disaster who had about as much baseball pedigree as a room full of 5 year olds eating pizza, fondly known here as Chucky "Cheese" Hernandez. Knapp took Kevin Slowey, Nick Blackburn, and Scott Baker, among others, and made them into household names that took the White Sox to the brink for a playoff seed. The Twins starting rotation was a huge question mark at the beginning of last year, and they were one win away from the playoffs when it was all said and done. Knapp is known for getting pitchers to throw strikes, and that's exactly what this ballclub needs.

The addition of Edwin Jackson is also an underrated signing that didn't catch a lot of attention. He hits upper 90's like Ron Jeremy hits anything with two legs. Hard and often. Not to mention the fact that he pitched out of the bullpen for the 'Rays in the World Series last year. He has experience in the starting role, and also has the flexibility to go to the 'Pen if necessary. But by far the most exciting addition for Tigs fans everywhere should be the signing of Brandon Lyon. He's not as sexy as Kerry Wood, Francisco Rodriguez, JJ Putz, or Jessica Alba thats for sure. However, if it is thought through this is the perfect signing for an ailing bullpen.

First of all, he is compared to Todd Jones. Most would cringe and cower at that name being uttered, but most people have an IQ around room temperature. Jones is the all time saves leader for the Detroit Tigers and was 18/21 in save opportunities last year before going down with an injury. Funny how the bullpen actually held together while Jonesy was still suiting up. . . Lyon is also younger, has a wider array of pitches that he throws for strikes, challenges hitters, is paid quite cheaply, and has a bulldog attitude. Just by reading his comments after signing with Detroit, you can tell he has the mentality of a closer. He spurned less money for a shot to come to D-Town to earn the closer's role and turn that into a big payday for next year. He wants the ball and he knows what's at stake, which is a classic closer mindset. Just signing a player and having them be in a contract year immediately is a beautiful thing, especially when that player is going to be the closer for a team that desperately needed one. And he will be the closer, mind you.

Dombrowski also went out and got Gerald Laird and Adam Everett this winter. Again, not glitzy or glamorous, and yet it was exactly what was needed. They are both defense first players who, along with Inge and Santiago, will give the Tigers one of the Top 5 defensive infields in the game. What they give up in hitting will more than be offset by fielding church softball grounders that Renteria couldn't corral and turn into outs. With a predominantly groundball pitching staff, this is key. Three out innings turned into four or five out innings because Renteria couldn't make a routine play, which put more undue stress on an already depleted pitching staff. Add in the fact that Laird is well known for handling a pitching staff, and won't call fastballs with a man on 1st just so his pick-off stats wouldn't suffer as he got older. Hmm . . . sound familiar? Kind of sounds like a guy who lost 50 lbs. when the steroid scandal exploded doesn't it, making his nickname obsolete. Another post for another day. . .

Bottom line is this. Davey Boy went out and got what the team lacked that caused the Motown Letdown, pitching and defense. The offense sputtered at times with Grandie and Sheff hurt, Miggy and Guillen on the position merry-go-round, and the feces sandwich that was left field. But those dilemmas are now extinct, and truly wasn't the main source of losses for this team. Will Lyon, Jackson, Laird, and Everett along with the new pitching coach solve every problem this team has? No. Every team has question marks going into the season, the Tigers simply have less of them than a year ago. Few enough, in fact, that the Tigers will win their Division, and we all know what that means.

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If you would have asked me a year ago whether team chemistry was an important factor in winning, I would have laughed at you and given you a lecture on the importance of talent. After suffering through a summer of lackluster Tiger baseball and even worse Michigan football, I think I might have to change my tune.

On January 17th, after a Pistons loss to the pathetic Oklahoma City Thunder, Allen Iverson attributed the Pistons lack of success to a lack of team chemistry. Earlier this year, I questioned the timing of the move to get Allen Iverson by Joe Dumars. Although my reasoning behind my apprehension mostly involved familiarity with each player's game, as well as a full knowledge of the playbook and defensive schemes, perhaps chemistry could be an equally important, or at least enough of a factor to start a conversation.

Team chemistry, or camaraderie, synergy, or however you want to call it, is not something you can force, but it is something a coach could facilitate. Much like a plant, chemistry needs the right environment to grow and blossom. While each team requires a different set of circumstances and characteristics to create this "right environment," a good coach should be able to adapt and put players in the right situations to succeed. It is the lack of a good environment due to the failure to facilitate by Michael Curry, and, probably indirectly, Joe Dumars.

Sunday night I saw video evidence of the Pistons chemistry problem; I even took a picture of my screen to prove it too you (seen above). Here is a little context. Allen Iverson played very little in the 4th quarter, a move made by coach Curry because Rip Hamilton had the hot hand. Iverson was on the bench, doing his best to play cheerleader for those Pistons on the floor. The Pistons had just called time out, and this is a picture of Rip and McDyess walking off the court to the bench. As you can see, Iverson is reaching out trying to give them high fives as encouragement. However, neither Rip nor McDyess returned the gesture, nor even looked at Allen.

Now what does this picture suggest to you? To me, it is quite obvious. At least two members of the Pistons, and likely more, straight up don't like Allen Iverson. Admittedly these two players were probably the closest teammates to Chauncey Billups, but even several months after his departure they still don't like the Answer.

While I realize that these players are professional and getting paid a lot of dollars to play a game, regardless of with whom, the level of effort a player exerts has a lot to do with those personalities around. Right now, there is a fracture within the Pistons team, involving at least Rip Hamilton, Antonio McDyess, and Allen Iverson, that is creating a bad environment and leading to unacceptable losses.

McDyess was interviewed about the lack of Chemistry and said "You can see it from the outside", and "I don't know what it is going to take." Well Antonio, it might take a bit of effort on your part to, maybe, meet Allen half way. Seems like he is the one trying, and you and Rip are the one keeping him out.

Rip can be angry that Allen took his starting role, and McDyess can be upset for having to miss a month of the season, but I thought winning was the ultimate goal. Rip even said so when he was benched, "“The bottom line is you want to win games. If this is the best way we can win a championship, then I am all for it. The thing is, we have two great scorers, me and A.I. We have to figure out how both of us can be our best.” Sounds like lip service after looking at the picture above.

That picture proves the lack of chemistry, and suggests mistrust and that bad environment I earlier suggested. Iverson called it out, and it looks like he is doing his best to try and build bridges instead of burn them. Hopefully, guys like Rip and Antonio aren't as petty as this picture makes them seem.

Ultimately, I think it is the job of coach Curry and Joe Dumars to settle this and find the winning combination. My solution would be a tall task for any coach, and especially tall for a first year, rookie coach. Unfortunately, I do not think that Coach Curry is the facilitator this team needs, and I do not think the Pistons can find a championship mold before the playoffs.

Perhaps it is better now to just blow this team up... (to be continued)

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First on the docket is a general announcement from yours truly. With the growth of this blog and my personal desire to participate with its expansion, it is my goal to post every Thursday. This policy will start with this week Thursday so look forward to something creative and inspiring or...curt and opinionated (haven't quite settled on a topic yet!). Hope you all enjoy!

Today’s post is brought to you by Wendy’s 3conomics. Seriously those three value menu sandwiches are totally awesome. I strongly suggest a Double Stack, Junior Bacon Cheeseburger or a Crispy Chicken Sandwich from there anytime you are hungry and short on cash.

So, Michigan played Michigan State last weekend in hockey. I personally have been to Yost Arena two times, and let me tell you, it is absolutely CRAZY there. The game atmosphere and the crowd are extremely intense. If you are a hockey fan, or a Michigan fan, you should seriously consider going to a game or two; you won’t be disappointed.

Michigan finished off a season sweep of the Spartans on Saturday to end up 5-0 against MSU this year. Michigan is currently rated the number eight team in the nation and could be in line for a number one seed heading into the tournament this year. Michigan is currently 18-8 and atop the CCHA standings. Michigan State, however, is a direct antithesis to our boys in blue and are sitting at 7-15-3 and in the leagues basement.

Rivalry games are always hard fought, tough victories. Saturday’s game however, was a bit more than a rough victory for the Wolverines.

Ridiculous Michigan State Frustration

Above is a video link to the hit during the game I am referring to.

After watching this in total disgust there are a few things you should know. First, fighting is NOT allowed in collegiate hockey. Second, Stephen Kampfer is actually alive and conscious. And third, Kampfer’s Dad has been speculated to have gone into the Spartan locker room and had a bit of a “tussle” with Corey Tropp (the second MSU player in on the action.)

The two Spartan players involved are Corey Tropp (mentioned earlier) and Andrew Conboy. After the game MSU’s coach said that Tropp would likely get a two game suspension and Conboy would “likely stay home” next weekend when State goes to Lake Superior State University.

Folks, that is NOT a punishment; it isn’t even a slap on the wrist. These kids are getting out of a few games each amidst a dismal season at best as a result of violent and malicious behavior out on the ice. Kampfer put a good legal hit on Tropp and the two retaliated and put Kampfer in the hospital and their punishment is a two game suspension? Ridiculous! These kids should be kicked off the team for good. There is absolutely no place for that kind of action on any playing field much less in a college atmosphere where fighting isn’t even legal. The NHL would have came down on them WAY harder and at the professional level of hockey, where fighting isn’t even banned.

The punishment administered by the CCHA is supposed to be released on Friday, but anything short of a complete dismissal isn’t enough. If Tropp and Conboy did this exact same action out on the street they would be charged for assault and battery and would be staring jail time right in the face. Also, anything short of a complete dismissal will more than likely lead to complete Armageddon on ice next year between the two schools.

So please CCHA; “for your Mother’s sake and for your Daughter’s sake,” kick them out of your league.

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Today’s post is brought to you by Circuit City. Thanks for tanking like crazy and folding like a little girl playing dodgeball to Best Buy. If it wasn’t for you I would have had to pay like twenty dollars more for another Playstation 3 controller. Friendly suggestion, go there, stuff is crazy cheap.

This post should be brought to you by John Elway because he is a lot of the reason why Michigan’s new defensive coordinator Greg Robinson has the pedigree he does.

Anyway, Greg Robinson is the new DC at Michigan and as I am sure most of you have heard, he just got fired from Syracuse; the same Syracuse who doesn’t have Donovan McNabb, Dwight Freeney, or Marvin Harrison anymore. That’s important because it was also the last time Syracuse had major recruits enrolling in their athletics department. Greg Robinson inherited a terrible situation at ‘Cuse and, for lack of a better explanation, didn’t make it better. Syracuse was his only real experience as a head coach and in this time he lost a recruit to Central Michigan and also made the best out of a defense which was astonishingly deprived of talent.

Other notes of accomplishment of Greg Robinson are that he was the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos for six years and won 2 Super Bowls with them. His defenses finished at or near the top ten in four of those years. After his tenure with Denver he took a job at Kansas City which I am sure he would like to forget. His defense at Kansas City finished near the basement of the NFL for all three years in which he was DC. It is my personal opinion that his performance there was not his fault at all. Kansas City put little to no money into their defense during the time he was there and they expected great things to happen. Sound familiar Lions fans? After being let go by the Chiefs he took a job being a DC for Mack Brown in Texas. That year the Longhorns finished with the best defense in the Big-12 and ended up beating Michigan in the Rose Bowl. Mack Brown loved him and so did his players. After a stellar year with Texas he took the Syracuse head coaching job which I know he regrets.

So now that Robinson’s background is out of the way, here is my opinion.

At first thought I hated the hire because he has a terrible track record as a recruiter and to me, recruiting is one of the most important aspects of college football. Upon further review I am talking myself into liking it more. Rich Rodriguez loves recruiting and so does most of his staff. Jay Hopson (Linebackers Coach) is a big time recruiter on the defensive side of the ball as well. Having Greg Robinson on staff who holds two Super Bowl rings brings instant credibility to the staff and Rich Rodriguez and his recruiting staff could really exploit that. Greg Robinson himself? Not so much. I like his credentials and I am assuming that he is good schematically (Rich Rod took a long time trying to find the best available person for the job) so I am hoping for good things for next year. But, its not like he is replacing greatness either. Scott Shafer didn’t exactly light the world on fire with his “worst defense at Michigan in forty years.”

All in all I seem to like him a lot when he has talent to work with and only has to worry about setting up a defensive scheme. If he has increased responsibility from that I will be legitimately worried, even more so if he actually has to hit the recruiting trail. That being said, walking into a family’s living room with the winged helmet in hand is vastly different from doing the same with a Syracuse helmet.

Always remember...“Those who stay WILL be champions!”

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I have been hearing the word hope being thrown about frequently when referring to the Lions. Perhaps those very fans throwing around that 4 letter word, so haphazardly, are the very reason "Hope Springs Eternal" is now a cliché. Perhaps...

But, perhaps it is that hope that is keeping a football franchise in Michigan...

There is always hope for a different result when you change the inputs in any system, and the Lions have certainly changed the inputs. They have "changed" management by firing Matt Millen and promoting Martin Mayhew. They fired Rod Marinelli, who (miraculously?) coached a team with Paris Lenon as a starting linebacker to 7 wins, and hired Jim Schwartz as their new coach. They have picks galore, money to spend, awful middle linebackers leaving, etc., etc.

The inputs are changing, and so are the external factors. Now, Lions fans' newest source of hope is the Arizona Cardinals recent success. As if shouting, altogether now,: "If they can do it, so can we!"

But with all this "hope," I stand pessimistic. Arizona's success hasn't created hope, it is just another scoop of dirt piling on the Lions' grave.

Instead of seeing the Arizona victory as the ignorantly hopeful Lions fan, the NFL might see it quite differently. Instead of a mantra shouted by a throng of Lions fans, Roger Goodell might actually shout: "If they can do it, WHY HAVEN'T YOU?!?!"

Detroit has a sports franchise representing all 4 of the major American Sports, something only 12 other cities can claim. They are also one of only 2 of those 13 cities that has a unique stadium for each of those teams (Phoenix being the other). As a result, all Detroit teams have high operating costs associated with them, and those same teams are surrounded by a dying economy. Consequently, as good friend of the blog Ryan Terpstra said it, Detroit will, more likely than not, lose a sports team in the next decade.

So why do I think it is the Lions? TV blackouts ring a bell? 0-16..? 50 years of losing? Plus there is that enormous NFL market named Los Angeles, just dying to steal a team.

But, would William Clay Ford, Sr. and his strong Detroit ties really move the team? No, but whoever he potentially sells the team to probably wouldn't hesitate.

So, while some Lions fans are hoping that the playoffs are just 2 years away, I am just hoping that in two years the Lions are still the Detroit Lions.


P.S. Hopefully, you all noticed and appreciated the blog redesign. It is still a work in progress, but hopefully everything works as desired.

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The NFL draft is still a long way away but yesterday has set in place a foundation for how the draft will likely flow as we now know who will be available. Based on the players who decided to stay in college or turn pro, we have a better idea of depth and availability at all positions.

Though the Lions need a LOT of help, there seem to be two obvious glaring needs to address in the first round (Thanks Jerry Jones for another high pick!) - Linebacker and Left Tackle. It seemed to be a fairly deep draft at both positions, but now I am not so sure. With Brandon Spikes staying in school another year, the now only 4 game changing linebackers available are strongly projected to be gone by the time our second pick rolls around at #20.

So, what to do with the #1 pick? Assuming that we cannot trade the pick, what direction do the Lions want to go with this franchise in a year of change and rebuilding? I have said for a while now that Aaron Curry would be the most logical choice with the first pick and I feel even more strongly about this now. Defense wins championships - how did the Steelers, Ravens, Cardinals and Eagles get to their conference championships games? - so why not take a guy who has the ability to be Merriman like and change the culture of your defense?

New head coach Jim Schwartz is a defensive minded coach so lets start rebuilding this defense with the best player available. Look at some of the best linebackers who were steals in the last few drafts and only fell based on the position they play - Patrick Willis, Jon Beason, Jerod Mayo, David Harris just to name a few. Linebackers are the leaders on defense and are essential to building a strong defense. Some say it's not smart to take a linebacker with the first pick and I must ask why? Up until a few years ago nobody would draft a lineman that high either, now look at how the last few draft have played out...Aaron Curry is a game changer and would instantly make the defense exponentially better.

Yes, the Lions have 268 other need on their team, but you have to start somewhere. Luckily we do have 3 of the top 32 picks with which we can address a few of these needs. So lets suck it up and take the best available player in whom we can build our defense around for the next 10-15 years. Seems logical, which is probably why it won't happen.

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Today’s post is brought to you by expired college ID’s. Seriously my Calvin College ID has saved me a few hundred dollars over the years past its expiration. Doesn’t really compare to the thousands I gave that place while I was there I guess.

I want to reach out a bit and write about a person in college sports that I really admire. Someone who puts a face to a college program and actually gives it a good name. Not a person like Colt McCoy who is the face of the Texas Longhorns and has been arrested for drunk driving, or a person like Michael Vick who loved killing man’s best friend. No. I want to take a stance and say that I truly admire Tim Tebow.

Coming out of high school as somewhat of an uber-recruit, Tim Tebow’s name was scattered all across the college football landscape as the kid that everyone wanted. Before every college football head coach in the nation was calling his house, sending him letters and e-mails, Tim Tebow was living in the Philippines with his parents doing missionary work for his church. Spreading the word of God to countless people overseas that need it and are persecuted for it. After an entire childhood in the Philippines Tim headed back to the states so he could play football for a high school. Tim starred as a dual threat quarterback on the field; and off the field, every summer; Tim went back to the Philippines to help his dad with the mission work and his family’s orphanage.

After accepting a full scholarship to play at the University of Florida, Tim played a major role as a freshmen QB splitting time with the nominal starter Chris Leak. The two QB’s ended up leading Florida to a national championship over Ohio State. The next year Tim took over the reigns as starting QB since Chris Leak had graduated. Tim went on to become the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy and he led his team into the Capitol One bowl against Michigan. Healthy for the first time really that year, Michigan went on to win that game and send off Lloyd Carr as a champion. This was somewhat ironic because Michigan was in on the recruitment of Tim Tebow almost until the bitter end (he ended up choosing Florida over Alabama.) Heading into the offseason many people said that in 2008, Florida, with Tebow at the helm, was going to be the team to beat. That again proved to be true as Tim Tebow led Florida to its second National Championship during his tenure there.

Because Tim Tebow plays QB differently than a prototypical NFL QB does, his draft status isn’t exactly the same as someone like Sam Bradford or Matthew Stafford. Understanding that leaving early for the NFL draft probably is not a good idea, Tim decided a few days ago to stay at Florida for his senior year. Florida again will be the cream of the college football crop with Tebow back for his last year, but that’s not all Tim plans on doing next year. He will also graduate with a degree in Family, Youth and Community Sciences. Even though Tim would not be a first round selection in the NFL draft, he very easily could ditch out on his senior year and take the money provided to him by some NFL team. Instead he plans to stay in college, graduate, and try to leave his mark of college football as one of its all time greatest players. This such honor would place him along sides of people like: Reggie Bush, Vince Young, Archie Griffin, or even Tom Harmon (Michigan’s “everything” HB from 1939-40.) But in my eye Tim is already a step ahead of all of these people. What Tim does in the Philippines with his family is unmatched by any one of the so-called College Football Greats.

I am sure that if any one reading this actually watched this years BCS National Championship you probably heard countless times about all the great things Tim has done. But seriously, they are all said for a very good reason. I am not trying to say that if you spend 5 minutes with Tim Tebow your life is suddenly better; rather I am saying to admire him for what he has done on and off the gridiron. Tim Tebow truly is a man among boys.

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Before the season began, I jovially folded my all-in bet with the Detroit Lions. Instead, the Chargers started getting a little more of my fan power. What perhaps started as an act of protest against all the evil that is the Detroit Lions, left me completely invested in what outcome resulted from the 4:30 Sunday afternoon game. I truly felt like more than just a bandwagon fan, I felt like a Chargers fan. While I am sure you all care very little about which team I give more attention to, I can promise that this post contains the same attention to detail and passion that any other of my posts relating to a more local team would. So, let's begin!

This post, is not an excuse; it is not a justification for a heart breaking loss. Instead, it is an observation. The Chargers missed Shawne Merriman, and probably could have won the game had he been a part of the game.

Forget the injury, forget the steroids. Remember that Shawne Merriman is one of the most dynamic pass rushers in the game. His impact, even his presence, could have changed the game completely.

While it may be naive to claim that one player could change the entire course and result of one game, I hope to prove that it is not folly. I hope to additionally prove that one player on defense, not offense, is more important to the repercussions of that player's impact.

So much of what happens on the field any given Sunday is because of the way a team game plans. While simple notions such as run-pass balance or the amount of times a defense blitzes are influential, nothing is nearly as significant as game planning for super stars. When Calvin Johnson or Adrian Peterson steps on that field, 22 eyes are watching him. Safeties move over towards that player, Linebackers freeze in position anticipating what those type of players will do. But, the truth is, offenses game plan for defensive super stars just as much, if not more. Just knowing that Asante Samuel is matched up against the X receiver, or seeing Bob Sanders creeping up into the box affects everyone's thoughts: from the offensive line to the quarterback.

Shawne Merriman has the same effect because he is such a dynamic pass rusher. If he was there and 100% healthy, it would be ignorant not to believe that everyone on the offensive line would watch which side he lined up on, and would be careful to notice whether he blitzed or not before making a decision. His presence alone might have taken a double team off of Jamal Williams and given Shaun Phillips a clearer path to the quarterback thereby creating pressure on the quarterback; something completely lacking in the second half of that game.

One player's presence does have an effect on the defense as a whole. It affects their whole mentality, not just stats. Just compare the 2006 Super Bowl Champion Colts when Bob Sanders was hurt and when he was healthy. A team that struggled mightily against the run, suddenly because a brick wall when Sanders was healthy. His presence made offenses over think, not to mention all the tackles he got from being in the right place at the right time. Another example would be Ed Reed. Where would the Ravens be without him? My guess is at home, and Miami might be still alive.

Shawne Merriman is also a game changer, just like Sanders or Reed or James Harrison, because offenses fear him and think first and foremost about how to stop him.

Look at the 3rd quarter of the game. The first drive lasted over 7 minutes because Pittsburgh converted at least 4 Third down and longs. Third and long is an obvious passing situation. Pittsburgh ran the bunch formation most of the time in this situation. San Diego's defense played a poor zone and Ben Roethlesburger had all the time in the world to find Heinz Ward or Nate Washington for big gains each time. Had an effective pass rush disrupted Ben, the Steelers would have been forced to punt to the impressive Darren Sproles. My theory is, a Shawne Merriman rush would have drawn the attention of at least two players, most likely a tackle and the running back. That would have left probably Jamal Williams alone on the center; a matchup certainly favoring San Diego. Even the threat of a blitz by Merriman would probably be enough to confuse the offensive line and again give San Diego a good match up.

The Chargers offense played well enough to win. The defense (and two unfortunate and no-fault turnovers didn't help either) is what ultimately lost the game.

So, while Pittsburgh won, and I am sad, the result more than likely would have been different with the presence and threat of Shawne Merriman

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Welcome readers, today’s post is brought to you by the ineptitude of Davenports WiFi network. Seriously guys, wireless networks aren’t that hard to control.

In any event today’s post is going to be about one of my favorite topics, Michigan Football recruiting. Most people don’t get caught up in recruiting until signing day but I guess I am not most people. Keep in mind that everything I say is NOT set in stone in any way.

So…Shavodrick Beaver decommited and then switched schools to Tulsa. Yeah, uh, maybe he really does want to be the next Shaun King? Different school, pretty much the same scenario. Folks, this actually is kind of a big deal. Right now Tate Forcier is the only scholarship QB Michigan has on its list of recruits for next year. Right now Michigan is targeting Denard Robinson from Florida. He is listed as an athlete on rivals and is a 4 star recruit who actually is rated slightly about the Beaver. If he came to Michigan he would have a chance at QB but most likely would end up at receiver or CB (based mostly on need) after a red shirt year. He is a possibility but he isn’t exactly the answer I think we were all looking for. Michigan is putting a lot of eggs in Tate’s basket but frankly I can think of worse baskets to be in.

Other less likely options for QB in this class include Tajh Boyd and Eugene Smith. Tyrik Rollison (Rivals #2 dual threat QB) most likely wont qualify academically so is not being recruited for that reason. Tajh Boyd has been committed to West Virginia and Tennessee but as of right now isn’t committed anywhere. Michigan is not realy recruiting him to hard which is somewhat strange because he is very talented, but they may be sold on the fact that he truly is either committing to Oregon of Ohio State. Eugene Smith is a current West Virginia commit and Rivals #5 dual threat QB. Smith maintained interest in Michigan for roughly a month with Beaver and Forcier still committed at the time. He is most certainly an option still for this year, but given his current commitment to WVU it may be hard to persuade him to come to Michigan where there will be more competition.

On a brighter side, if my idea for the starting QB spot is actually correct (Tate Forcier to end up being the starter by the end of the year and possibly earlier,) then any other QB who would have signed with this class would more than likely be red shirted. That being the case, maybe saving a scholarship for the likes of Devin Gardner (2010 QB from Inkster, MI) isn’t a half bad idea. He is a teammate of current 2009 commit Cameron Gordon and is projected as a top 50 ish player for 2010. I am not trying to say that losing the Beaver was in any way a good thing, but it may have a silver lining with Gardner. Aside from Gardner, AJ Westendorp is also an option to be a preferred walk-on to Michigan for 2009. He is from Holland Christian and has picked up quite a bit of a buzz around West Michigan. Currently he holds an offer from GVSU but that’s it. I don’t think he will ever get an offer from Michigan, but he is a smart kid and could get academic scholarships from UM. Maybe scholarships mixed in with an opportunity to play QB at Michigan will be enough to sway him our way.

As for Michigan recruiting for positions other than QB, we landed Will Campbell (again) to no ones particular surprise. Rich Rod needed a big year recruiting the defensive line and he got it. Will Campbell, Craig Roh and Anthony LaLota are all in the Rivals 250 and big Will is Rivals #25. Michigan also currently has Pearlie Graves and DeQuinta Jones who are both 4 star recruits. A decommitment from one of the two is possible but in my opinion, not probable. This years defensive line recruits, if all stay committed, could be really special and could make us forget quickly about the loss of Terrance Taylor, Will Johnson, and Tim Jaimison.

To be honest the only positions we really need to add more depth to are: QB (as stated earlier), CB, OL, and WR. Michigan just lost the commitment of Dewayne Peace, a 3 star WR who was a camp offer in the summer. Losing Peace, this leaves Cameron Gordon as our only true outside WR in this class. Adding Je’Ron Stokes is a definite possibility though as he is visiting Ann Arbor this month. CB on the other hand is a bit more of a reach. A few high profile guys have us on their list like Dre Kirkpatrick, but I would say we have about as good of a chance at getting him as we did getting Ted Ginn Jr. a few years back. The most likely CB prospect currently for Michigan is Jayron Hosely out of Florida. He is a 4 star recruit and you can expect Michigan to push hard for him. After that it gets a little dicey. Michigan may have to add a few “shots in the dark” type of recruits to get the number of needed CB’s for this year. Michigan currently has 2 pretty good OL recruits in Taylor Lewan and Michael Scholfield. Adding Quinton Washington (4 star) is possible and at this point probable. After that I might expect maybe one more OL to be added.

Please let this not discount from that fact that I really really want Jelani Jenkins. He would be an immediate starter at linebacker and he is arguably the best recruit in all the land. Also remember it is severely doubtful he actually does go to Michigan, my guess is a Florida lead for him.

It is conceivable that Michigan could end up with a couple more 5 star recruits and a few more 4 star recruits. It is also possible that they add a few more mediocre players and are done for the year. As always I am hoping for the best of the best, but the exciting part about tracking recruiting the way I do is the fact that recruits constantly change their mind. You never know what kind of “snake oil” could be in Michigan’s future.

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There have been a lot of haters out there who think the Pistons have regressed, they are too old, Curry is an inexperienced, in-over-his-head coach, and that trading Chauncey was about as stupid of a move as drafting Darko "I coulda had Melo, Bosh, or Wade!' Milicic. I'm here to tell you that I am more excited about this team than I ever have been since they traded for Rasheed in the "thank you Danny Ainge!" trade of the century and went on to win the NBA finals in a 5 game sweep.

Seriously, I really am. The Stones are flying under the radar right now because they hit multiple speed bumps with integrating a "superstar" into their lineup after the season had already started. Every other NBA team had gone through a training camp with their respective rosters and had a game plan, a rotation, and a general knowledge of what was expected of them rolling into the season. The Pistons did too, until Joey pulled "the trade" and moved Chaunce "I have a Finals MVP trophy" Buh Buh Buh Buh Billups. Basically, the team was thrown back into training camp mode as they muddled through the next few dozen games and tried to define roles and playing time. Having two All-Star caliber shooting guards who can't really play other positions can do that to ya. . .

But Michael Curry tinkered with his lineups and went small, he went big, and he went young to try to figure out what the best combination of his young players and his veterans were. I really happen to enjoy Mr. Curry and how he's divvied out PT so far this season. Yes, you have interesting lineups and sometimes either AI or Hamilton have been on the bench during crunch time, but I don't mind. Curry has something that Rick Carlisle, Larry Brown, and Flip Saunders never had, the juevos to play the young guys and whoever is playing the best. And you can't say he's going strictly young, because my favorite Piston Jason Maxiell has seen his playing time dwindle during the first half of the season.

The Pistons surge as of late, in my mind, has come from the fact that Rip has been on the sidelines the last few weeks. Is this because he isn't a good player or our shooting guard of the future? Absolutely not. In fact he is our future banner carrier at the position, but the fact that we only have one bonafide two guard right now has solidified the team. Which is why I am so excited about the future of the Stones. When AI comes off the books next year (and he WILL come off, he will not be resigned even if they win a Title), our young starting backcourt will be of Rodney Stuckey and Richard Hamilton.

Having Stuckey and Hamilton in our backcourt and knowing Joe has the cash to redeem himself from the Darko Disaster by signing one of the players he should have drafted all those devastating years ago. . . 2003? Really? It was only that long ago Dumars went Tanya Harding on our Dynasty hopes? Anyway, knowing what this team can do with a set in stone starting backcourt, along with not having to play Tayshaun at the four spot and alot of cash in the biggest free agent sweepstakes pool in decades, makes me giddier than a 16 year old in a porn shop.

Let's put aside the amazing amount of cash that we have to go after the likes of Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, and *gasp* LeBron James. The biggest gamble of the deal was not whether or not we can sign one of these players, but whether or not Rodney Stuckey could truly fill the shoes of the venerable Finals MVP. He has passed this test with flying colors. He was named Eastern Conference player of the week while averaging 20 pts, 5 boards, 5 dimes, and 2 steals during that stretch. He dropped 40 on the Bulls, and is 13-3 overall during the course of the season when he has started the game. Rodney will be a staple in the All-Star game and the catalyst of the Detroit Pistons for the next 10 years.

And let's be completely honest with ourselves. Detroit was not going to the Finals with Billups in the backcourt. The definition of crazy is "doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." We have run into a brick wall in the ECF for the past four years with our current roster, and as Dick Clark said, "we aren't getting younger." Has he said that? Or does he just really look old to me? . . . At least with the Iverson trade we have a unique piece of the puzzle, that if used correctly, could be harnessed into a possible Finals bid. And we all know a possible Finals bid is a better chance than we had with Buh Buh Buh Buh Old Guy.

I love Chaunce, I really do. He has given me one of the greatest sports memories I will ever have and I shall take it to my grave. I wish him nothing but the very best in Denver and I hope he has alot of success. But, on the other hand, we now have a younger, more dynamic point who will lead this team, and has his own NBA Finals MVP in his future. Put it in stone.

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John Beilein is a great coach.

Not good, great.

He is such a great coach that he turned around a horrible Michigan basketball program in 1 year. Beyond the results from half of this season, John Beilein is a great coach because (1) he knows how to coach in all game time situations, (2) he is a great teacher, and (3) he wins young basketball player's respect.

In game time situations, I have been so impressed by John Beilein's ability to control the game. He seems to know exactly when to put players in, when to switch up his defenses, and when to call the right offenses. Any student of the game of basketball loves to watch when coaches throw different looks at opposing teams through different defensive schemes. The most recent game against Illinois is a great example. Beilein mainly stuck with the man to man defense, but whenever things got tight in that second half, he would switch quickly to the 1-3-1 zone. Illinois was caught off guard after getting a steady dose of man-to-man and took bad shots. In additon, his coaching control extends to the offensive side as well. The UCLA game is a great example. Beilein knew that UCLA was afraid of the 3 point shot because Michigan had lived by it through the entire game. So as a result he spreads out all his shooters along the perimeter and calls for a backdoor cut by DeShawn Sims for an easy dunk. Michigan may lack talent, but you can never say that Beilein got out coached.

Beilein can accomplish these strategic and often complex offensive and defensive sets because he is a great teacher. He has clearly taught each and every player on that team what to expect in just about every situation and what each of their roles is. Player know their roles, they fit those roles, and they carry out their given tasks on the floor. The Michigan players have bought into the Beilein system and they are carrying it out.

As stated above, the play and success of the basketball team so far is attributable to players buying in and understanding the system, which is a direct reflection on the respect that Beilein has earned. To garner the respect and faith of all of these players is absolutely impressive. Keep in mind the varying personalities on this team. There is the superstar mentality of Manny Harris that he has over come. As a result Manny is a total team player: happy to score 25 or get 12 assists based on what the team needs him to do. Or you have the personality of entitlement that DeShawn Sims displayed early in the year. Beilein combated that by benching Sims early in the season; a bold move, and one that has paid off. Lastly, you have the group of young kids who were not highly touted. Beilein has instilled a sense of confidence in all of them by giving everyone on the team the go ahead to shoot all the time. Nobody hesitates, and everybody can shoot from all over. Players like Gibson, Novak and Douglass all seem to have ice running through their veins even though they are young or lack the talent. That is a true reflection of a good coach. Beilein is sucking these players for everything they got by putting them in the right situations and teaching them his vision.

However, the aspect of Beilein's coaching I respect the most is his ability to make a player better. Tommy Amaker was a pretty good recruiter, especially given Michigan's turmoil involving Chris Webber and the booster Ed Martin. But, Amaker was a terrible coach. Player's like Daniel Horton and Lester Abrams were exactly the same players they were as freshmen when they were seniors. They displayed no improvement whatsoever. The same cannot be said about John Beilein. Everyone on that team who played last year is better than the year before. The best example may be Kelvin Grady. He was a turnover waiting to happen last year and was down right afraid to shoot. This year he is dynamic handling the basketball and has become a legitimate downtown threat. It may just be players gaining experience, but I think the tenure of Tommy Amaker proves otherwise.

So, while Beilein may not be the best recruiter in the world, he gets wins with fantastic coaching. And that great coaching has turned around the Michigan program and made it relevant again.

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