Detroit Lions Draft Thoughts...

Not gonna lie, I'm a little perplexed by the Detroit Lions after this weekend.

On one hand, I'm pleased that the franchise had the cajones to select Calvin Johnson, despite the tragic miscues on Chuck and BMW. On the other hand, after multiple trades and 8 picks for a team that has SO MANY NEEDS on each side of the ball, why do I feel like none of them were addressed?!?!?

Overwhelming response On The Bench today was a collective "huh?" from the audience. After CJ and Drew Stanton, no one has heard of the rest of the players the Lions drafted. Either this is a stroke of genius and a humongous coup for the scouting department; or this is the most over-calculated and mishandled draft in the Millen Era (which, I am now convinced, will become a major reference point for a college sports management course in the near future).

So...I've injected myself with a mild sedative normally used on cattle, and that combined with my already fragile sanity has yielded these thoughts on the weekend:

-The Lions didn't trade Calvin Johnson, and that's a good thing. CJ will benefit from playing in the Martz system, and Mike Furrey (who teams basically ignored last year) will have another productive year out of the slot. Detroit held firm in their demands, and took the best player in the draft when they did not receive an equal offer. Kudos for that.

-The Lions mishandled the rest of Day #1. When the Lions traded back in the 2nd round, I thought it was a major mistake giving up the chance to take the likes of David Harris, Lamarr Woodley, Chase Houston, and others. When both those Michigan players were still there after they dropped, they instead took Drew Stanton. I don't buy for a second that David Harris couldn't have immediately stepped in and helped this team. Right after he got drafted by the Jets, it was heralded as a fantastic pick...and the Jets are GOOD!!! You're telling me that we're completely satisfied with one-legged Teddy Lehman and Paris Lennon?!?!? Give me a break. Drew Stanton could have been had with one of those later 2nd round picks, believe me. Every other team had Trent Edwards above Stanton, and he went in the third round.

-The McCown/BMW trade was fantastic. Think about it, what would you rather have...Randy Moss or a combo of Josh McCown and Mike Williams??? Well, apparently each is worth a 4th-round pick. Not bad when you consider McCown didn't play a down last year (at quarterback anyways...) and Mike Williams doesn't want to play football. The kicker...the Lions not even calling BMW or his agent to let him know that he'd been traded. That goodness for that ESPN ticker, or BMW would still be not showing up for the wrong team. Hopefully Al Davis's senility caused him to forget to pay for BMW's plane ticket.

-Picks I liked: Calvin Johnson (duh), Ikaika Alama-Francis (a big athlete who seems coach-able and with a real motor...aka "Marinelli guy"), and Manny Ramierez (Strong guard who has experience in Pass Pro...and should keep us from plucking replacement guys off the buffet line at least until Week 8.)

-Picks I groaned about: Stanton (nice player...too early), Gerald Alexander (didn't we draft a safety in the second round LAST YEAR???), and Johnny Baldwin (is it bad that Stanton is listed as being bigger than the linebacker we drafted?)


So...there's some thoughts. Welcome your comments. I feel this draft will continue to be a great mystery for at least a couple years, when we figure out if these guys can play. I'd like to agree with Tom Kowalski. But I gotta see to believe.

Maybe my buddies and I shouldn't have let a hard night of partying derail our plans to kidnap Matt Millen after all....

NFL Draft: The Circus approaches....

It's coming. There's no getting away.

48 hours of constant coverage, useless interviews, forced laughter, and Mel Kiper's hairspray. Constant comparisons, futile prognostication, tons of backpeddling when a predicted "pick" slides 10 spots. Armani suits, gawdy jewelry (purchased on loan of course), and scripted interviews. Fans packing message boards, executives sitting blank-faced in the war rooms, and the Jets pick getting booed.

All of it is sure to happen. And you know what? I love it.

The NFL draft appeals to me for the same reasons that pro wrestling and The Inferno fill up my TiVo; it's human drama. If I watch it for too long, I'll eventually have to change the channel...but a half hour later I'm right back. There's no denying the allure of the NFL Draft. Even the later rounds. It's the same as if Erin Andrews were to discuss the Pythagorean Theroum...I don't really care, but there's no way I'm not gonna watch.

So enjoy the Draft, kiddies. Nothing like watching an executive who gets paid more money than you'll make in your entire life screw up a draft worse than your half-drunk hillbilly cousin.

The NFL...it's fantastic!!!!

HBO looking for Biggest U of M fan to join their Entourage...

MZone's search for Michigan's biggest fan

Above is a link to the boys at the MZone. Apparently Yost has been contacted by HBO, asking for nominations for the biggest Michigan fans to be filmed for an HBO Sports documentary on the Michigan - OSU rivalry. Think you have a friend who might qualify? Or maybe you're like me, and slept with a Michigan blanket in a room with Michigan wallpaper when you were a kid (And no, that's not creepy!!! My parents raised me right!!!). Check out the link, and take a look at the rest of the site. Those dudes rock.

Killer BaseBrawl

These guys might be minor leaguers, but they still can throw down for sure. Couple of awesome things about this clip:

-Where did the white team get those two huge dudes? First, #23 rushes the mound from the on-deck circle to protect whiny #7, who doesn't even get hit by the pitch. Then out of nowhere, an even BIGGER guys (#48) comes rushing into the melee and starts tossing people. Appartently this team serves as a haven for those who don't wish to be tested for steriods.

-The Latin players from the Orange team swinging their gloves at the onrush of brawlers in a sad and still funny attempt to defend themselves. One guy actually runs away, hoping the PITCHERS running in from the bullpen will save him. High comedy.

-One of the greatest sucker punches caught on tape, followed by one of the greatest reactions. At the 1:20 mark, big #48 tosses some dude off the pile, and that dude in turns throws a haymaker right into #48's grill. Fantastic thing is, the dude takes the punch and IT DOESN'T EVEN EFFECT HIM!!! He proceeds to drag 3-4 guys on his back as hey tries to chase the dude down. Justice is served a few seconds later as Mr. Sucker Punch is closelined from behind.


Enjoy kids, it's baseball season again!!!">

Odds and Ends from Spring Ball

I had a blast at the Spring Game in Ann Arbor this past Saturday, and not just because I got to hang out with Mini-Me.

Yeah, so no player of note except for Chad Henne really played, but we get our first look at super-stud Ryan Mallett, and the big Texan freshman did not disappoint.

So, without further ado, the highlights from Saturday's souped-up practice:

Dressed to Impress: Greg Matthews and Obi Ezeh. Most of the starters didn't dress because of minor injuries, giving the youngsters a chance to show off their skills. Matthews is a big, physical receiver who plays a lot like Adrian Arrington (and might have to play a whole lot like Arrington if Adrian messes up one more time...and is subsequently kicked off the team). Matthews made the first TD grab of the game on a nice deep ball from Chad Henne, and looks to be a nice, big target who should be able to catch some balls over the middle.

Meanwhile, Obi Ezeh, the kid out of Grand Rapids Catholic Central who really didn't participate much at all last year due to a shoulder injury, made some plays from the outside linebacker position; and certainly could contribute down the road. Ezeh looked ripped, the baby fat is gone, and his hard work is starting to pay off. One could easily see him take a similar path to Ottawa Hill's David Harris.

No Shows: As stated earlier, Adrian Arrington is on his last straw. Pretty much any infraction, no matter how minor, will have him tossed off the team. This guy is a charmer and a great player, but just can't seem to get his personal life together. Also, Carlos Brown was moved from tailback to corner; a position that Michigan is painfully thin at, but decided to stop showing up for practice a couple weeks ago. Word is he's back on the team, and looking to move back to running back after the knee injury to Kevin Grady. We'll have to wait and see on that one.

Word has it: During the media interview session, Ron English told me that the biggest obstacle the defense will face this year is consistency. They are young and inexperienced. However, playing the first four games at home should help them gel before that tough road game at Wisconsin.

Chad Henne, Mike Hart, and Jake Long all voiced their desire to win the Big 10 and then compete for further titles. The fact that last year's team didn't win a championship of any kind really was a disappointment. Mike Hart told me that his final game against Ohio State is #1 on his mind. Going 0-3 so far against the Buckeyes has him itching to take one final shot at The Sweater Vest.

Super Fan Spirit Award: Goes to Verne Troyer, the pint-sized actor who played Mini-Me on Austin Powers and had some less than endearing moments on VH1's reality show, The Surreal Life. But Verne is a Michigan fan, and watched from the sidelines; although he did back his scooter up a bit after an errant Ryan Mallett pass decked a photographer nearby. Speaking of which...

Newest Man-Crush Award: Ryan Mallett of course. I love this kid, and you will too...that is if you've got a thing for 6'7 quarterbacks, turbo-charged rocket arm. Apparently Mallett broke some kid's nose with a pass only a week into practice, and after watching him whizz the ball around on Saturday, I assume that whoever he hit in the face is most likely dead. Remember those half-size Nerf footballs that you could chuck at your buddies and feel like a tough guy for throwing the ball so hard??? That's how Ryan Mallett throws a regular football. If Lloyd really wants to punish Adrian Arrington, he'll make him catch balls from Mallett till he either apologizes for his bad behavior, or all his fingers are ripped out of their sockets. I got the over/under on 15 minutes.

Audibles: -Weather may have stunk, but a great day all around, at least for me. Always good to be back in the Big House, and I'm anxious to see how the construction on the north side of the stadium turns out.

-Highlight of the day: Getting hollered at by some cuties in maize and blue scarfs. I can thank my sexy FOX 17 jacket for that one. I'm telling ya, chicks dig three things - Money, Notoriety, and the long ball.

-Alan Brach, David Harris, and others were on hand to watch the game as they prepare for the NFL Draft. I got to sit down with David after the game and do an interview for FOX 17 that will run on the 22nd. He did a great job and you've got to love the fact that he's a self-made man. Good luck to David and the rest of the guys.

-Finally, if you want a player to watch, keep an eye on #3, Stevie Brown. Josh Helmholdt from Thewolverine.com tells me Stevie could turn out be one of the fastest safeties ever to play at Michigan. He shared kick return duties with Brandon Minor, so we might be able to get a glimpse of him early on this coming season.

Guest announcement for On The Bench

I'll start announcing some of our guests of interest on here. For all you True Blue Michigan fans, here's some guests of interest coming on the show today and tomorrow:

Thursday, 10:30am: Chris Balas will join us from thewolverine.com to discuss Manny Harris' re-comittment, and what's up with Alex Legion.

Friday, 11:15am: Offensive Coordinator Mike DeBord will join us to talk about Michigan football, the spring game on Saturday, and if Ryan Mallett has thrown the ball through any brick walls lately.


Listeners in Grand Rapids tune in to 1340AM, or you can listen online at wbbl.com.

The Duke lacrosse players are innocent...now, will anyone notice...?

More than a year has past since that infamous lacrosse party.

More than a year since the accusations, since the trial via the media, since these three players were caught up in a whirlwind of sex, race, and society.

And now, after a year of dealing with the allegations, the harassment, a lost season, and a disgraced coach and university, the three men are innocent of any crime.

I'm not going so far as to say that they are innocent of doing anything wrong. I've been to lacrosse parties before, and none of them included strippers. You're asking for trouble if you invite that kind of entertainment into that kind of social scene. But it happened, and while I'm pretty sure there was some inapropriate conduct, no crime was committed.

But the guys were guilty anyway. They were guilty the very second the national media got ahold of this story. They were guilty for the same reason Kobe was guilty in Colorado. White vs. Black. Men vs. women. Privalege vs. The Mean.

You can thank Mike Nifong, the Durham Distric attorney who rushed to file charges. In the middle of an election year, this case fell into his lap, and he thrust it upon the media, hoping to cater to a voting audience who wanted to see these white boys brought to justice. The social climate in Durham is very fragile, with mostly low-income communities surrounding the white-bread Duke campus.

And the trial by media commenced. Black leaders like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton spoke out. The New Black Panthers protested and rallied outside of Duke's campus. National talk shows, sports radio, and the World Wide leader all hopped along for the ride.

I find it wildly ironic that as these men are being exonerated, the Don Imus circus is in full swing. I'm not equating one act to the other, but the response has been similar. I wonder if Mr. Jackson and Mr. Sharpton will find time to come down from their soap boxes and offer an apology to David, Reade, and Collin. I have my doubts. Meanwhile, I wonder if all the media outlets who spent so much time breaking down this case will committ 1/10th of that same time breaking down why these men were shown to be innocent. Sadly, most organizations will turn this story into just another blot on a rolling ticker, rather than own up to the fact that they treated these players as guilty until proven innocent.

Well, now they are innocent; however their lives are certainly much worse off. If you're one of these three guys, how can you possibly ever shake the persona that you're an accused rapist? Future co-workers will look at you funny. People outside the situation will whisper rumors and make flippant remarks. And speaking from the perspective of a 23 year-old bachelor, how the heck are you supposed to date girls with that kind of rep? "Hi, I'm Collin, you or your friends might recognize me from the national media coverage of my rape trial." I don't care how much game you spit, nothing's going to shake that one.

So I would like to apologize on behalf of our sports radio show, and anything we did to help feed the fire in the Grand Rapids area. And excuse the national media for sheepishly ignoring the fact you guys have been proven innocent. Apparently the remarks of a senile bigot posing as a radio host are ruining more lives than false rape accusations headed by a over-zealous district attorney. I mean, Imus called those poor girls "Ho's". It's outrageous. So you Duke lacrosse players may have been wrongly dragged through a year long process during which you were accused of gang-raping a young woman...get over it. They'll get to you if they have the time.

Full Circle Seizure

I fancy myself a fairly informed TV watcher. I am in tune with some of the best programs, features, and hidden channels in my ridiculously overpriced cable system.

But I had yet to discover the monstrosity that is ESPN Full Circle, that is until I stumbled upon it Tuesday night.

It happened when I accidentally started watching the Women's NCAA Championship game. I say accidentally because I had passed out on the couch in a bout of sickness and an intentional overdose of NyQuil. When I awoke a couple hours later, the poker I had been using to help myself fall asleep on ESPN2 had turned into ESPN Full Circle coverage of the Women's Basketball Championship game.

Now, I don't hate women's sports. I've watched enough of my sister's soccer games and attended enough women's sporting events to have a certain appreciation for them; especially considering I live in the fattest state in the USA...so girls getting out and moving around is certainly not a bad thing.

But as far as my TV watching goes, women's sports is not included in the equation. So you can imagine my dismay when I saw it on the TV when I awoke. At first, I thought it was an NyQuil-induced hallucination. Then I realized it was ESPN Full Circle.

As I said on my Terp's Take today, this has to be the most ridiculous thing ever. There is no possible way that anyone needs this much information pumped at them at once. There's a camera on the field, a slot running replays, two cameras on the coaches, one on the stands, and one on the drunk guy at the beer stand. Yeah, all those things alone are fine; but when they're presented to me all at once, I got so overloaded that I thought I was going to have a seizure.

I see only one way that this thing can become useful. ERIN ANDREWS CAM!!!! I mean, can you see it? Constant observation on Erin Andrews and her ...skillfull...reporting. Who gives a crap about Pat Summit yelling at her players, I want to see Erin softly tossing her hair and coming up with softball questions to lob to Pat at halftime. THOSE ARE THE REAL STORIES THAT NEED TO BE TOLD!!!

I may still be hopped up on NyQuil, but I think this could work. Otherwise can the whole thing. Or hand the keys over to Jack Bauer; he can use the Full Circle coverage of women's sports to torture terrorists.

Tigers Video...Compelling and Rich...

Hey all, I've been sick the last couple days, so no blogging, but I did feel compelled to tell you something....

This is an absolutely...breath-taking...video.


If this video doesn't give you chills, you are most likely a Communist. Or a White Sox fan.