It's Here....

Football season starts this weekend! And while the high schoolers got the ball rolling last week, now college football gets its chance to join the party.

For me, there is no better sport in the entire world than college football. The game, the athletes, the drama, everything about it is 100 times better than the NFL. Maybe it’s my distaste for overpaid, arrogant athletes, or maybe it’s just the fact that as a Lions fan, I’ve never really had a true NFL experience…but I’d rather cram into the bleachers at the Big House than lounge in a box seat at Ford Field.

Before we get the ball rolling this weekend, I have a countdown of the five things that make college football the best game in the land:

-Tailgating. I know there’s tailgating at just about every outdoor sporting event, but nothing compares to an extra 80,000 plus fans overwhelming a college town to take in the game and excessively take in some food and drinks.

-College girls. I know I’m not far removed from that scene, so thankfully I don’t sound creepy saying it, but there’s just something about co-eds painted in school colors and showing plenty of…um…spirit. And you’re not creepy if you agree with me.

-Student sections. Though Lions fans can get quite boistrious in their booing of the team, specific players, management…it’s nothing compared to many college student sections and their coordinated cheers, jeers, and pushups after touchdowns.

-Upsets. When the Lions beat the Cowboys last year, everyone was ticked off because they blew their chance at a good draft pick. When an upset of epic proportions happens in college football, the fans storm the field, rip down the goalposts, and carry them off. Notice a difference in enthusiasm?

And why is there such enthusiasm? Because of our last point: RIVALRIES! Yeah, Bears-Packers is a good NFC rivalry. Giants-Jets can get chippy. Chiefs and Broncos might be worth watching. But they all pale in comparison to Alabama-Auburn, Florida-Florida State, Notre Dame-USC,…and the ultimate: Ohio State vs. Michigan. These rivalries don’t just make opposing fan bases hate eat other, they make entire states…entire pieces of the COUNTRY turn against each other. And when does a single regular season NFL game determine a team’s success for an entire season? Most college football teams have at least two games that can make or break them.

Big ups to college football!

Hank Aaron sneaks one by the American Public

By now you know about Barry Bonds breaking Hank Aaron's home run record. Even my mom knows that he broke the record, and normally that signifies that every other person on the face of the planet who has any access to sports-related content has heard about it.

Well since you heard about it, you probably heard about Hank Aaron's video board message to Barry, congratulating him on his moment. I thought it was a great gesture; something that signified the class and grace of a man like Aaron. But if you check out this link, it looks like Hank snuck one by all those fans caught up in the moment. And since at least 25% of America is retarded, it took a while for someone to figure it out. Big ups to Chicago's own Foul Balls for putting this together.

Hank Aaron chooses his words carefully.

A thousand curses upon Barry Bonds...

I don't hide my disdain for Barry Bonds.

Apparently neither does Jeff Pearlman. The author of the Bonds book, Love Me, Hate Me had some harsh words about Bonds in an interview with Deadspin. Click on the link and get the perspective of a guy who is much closer to the situation than any of us. Sheds some more light on why the media dislikes Bonds so much. Pay special attention to the story Jeff tells about what Bonds said to some guys kid on Family Day. What an ass.

Why Barry Bonds sucks

Quick hits from Lions training camp...

Yours truly was at Day One of Lions training camp, and if you sift through the traditional opening day B.S., here's what I saw:

Matt Millen grew a beard. It's white, patchy, and looks like he grew it while hiding from Lions fans a van down by the river. Maybe he's trying to look older and wiser. Or maybe the contract he gave to Cory Redding leaves the organization with no money left over to buy razors. Regardless, it's no David Stern beard. But still a better effort than my current beard...if you consider three hairs and a spot of dirt to count as facial hair.

Roy Williams is glad someone else is crazy too. He told the media that he's happy about Kitna's prediction, because if he said it, everyone would just brush him off and just assume that "the flamboyant receiver is running his mouth again". I just like that Roy used the term "flamboyant" not once, but three times. Anything else you'd like to disclose to us Roy??? Just kidding, don't hurt me.

The Lions defense is really enthusiastic about sucking. Not really, but Cory Redding and Kalimba Edwards were in unusally high spirits. Probably because their unit is the only one with a shred of talent on it. For all those Kalimba haters out there, he hears you. During our interview he said, "If I don't get 12, 15 sacks this year, I'm gone." First off Kalimba, you have 23 career sacks in your 6 year career. That breaks down to an outstanding 3.8 sacks per year. Quadrupling or quintupling your sack average is probably not gonna happen. I know its the first day in a while that the media actually wants to talk to you, but let's slow it down a little.

And finally, you got to root for Rod Marinelli. Camp is different this year, less yelling, more coaching. Marinelli is settling into the head coaching role. He's fighting for guys, being more vocal in his demands. If this franchise is ever going to pick its head out of its butt, Coach Marinelli has to be heading this charge. Does he have enough talent to do it? No. But he's gonna try his darnedest.

Future surprises in store....

I've been lacking in my blogging responsibilities, but not because I've been doing better stuff. I have a laundry list of lame excuses, but since I hate doing laundry, I'm not going to lay them out.

Here's what I will tell you...

PODCASTING IS ON THE WAY!!! My techi buddies, Dykens and Jay, are helping me coordinate some podcasting for the blog. Soon I'll be able to take interviews from our radio show, upload my daily Terp's Take, and start my own podcast for you to download. Should be VERY NICE!

This is really the only big-time announcement that I have. Carry on.

Curtis Granderson under investigation for theft...

Just because I can't get enough.

The Sox hold the keys...(no...not to the closet...)

This post probably has you asking a few questions before you read it.

Why is Terp marking a post with a picture of two guys kissing? Answer: For Dramatic effect.

Why is Terp writing about the White Sox? Is he high? Answer: At last check, no. But don't rule it out.

Why should I care about this team? Don't they suck? Answer: Yes, they do. But they also hold the keys to the American League Title.

That statement of course raises the question, How can a team that is only a game and a half ahead of the ROYALS in the Central have any bearing on teams that could actually win the AL? *Cough*Detroit*Cough*

It all has to do with history. Which is something Chicago had a bit of up until this year. Remember (if you can...I personally blocked the following memory and had to look it up) that the Sox won the World Series only two years ago. And last year they won over 90 games, though they failed to reach the playoffs because Detroit and Minnesota were so awesome. I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but baseball teams that have consecutive years like that have talent on their team. And this year's team contains most of those players who won it all in 2005.

I have no explanation as to why the Sox suck so majestically. Neither does Ken Williams. The difference between me and Kenny is that I can make fun of the Sox's problems, but he has to fix them. Comes with being the General Manager. And Ken has put an ad in the paper, stuck the sign in the yard, and is advertising that it's time for a yard sale outside of old Comiskey.

Normally a team in full scale sell mode in late June is nothing to be worried about. But for Tigers fans, this particular situation should be the cause for some concern. Because though it may be hard to believe, players like Mark Buehrle, Jon Garland, Jermaine Dye, and others still have some talent; and could prove valuable to the right contending team.

If any of those players are dealt to a team such as the Red Sox, Yankees, Angels, or even within the division to the Indians, that could spell some serious trouble for my beloved Tiggies.

As much fun as this year has been mercilessly heckling transplanted White Sox fans about their disaster of a season, Chicago could still indirectly bring down Detroit. Typical Chicago...always gunning for us.

Let's just hope Ozzie Guillen "loves" his players too much to let them go.

In The Cage with Mean Gene

Ever wonder how the Tigers got so good so fast?

Some would say it was due to the growth of Magglio Ordonez's Sampson-esque locks, which have made him impervious to four seam fastballs and freaky knee injuries. Others contend we owe our success to Jim Leyland, and his superhuman ability to smoke 10,000 cigarettes a day and scare any potential cancer out of his body with a profanity-laced tirade. Or it could be the salesmanship of Dave Dombrowski, who recently was seen outside of Comerica Park selling a ketchup popsicle to a woman in white gloves.

While all these factors have certainly contributed to the Tigers success, their impact is mild when matched up against the ultimate motivator: Gene Lamont.

Why Gene, you ask? I admit, it slipped under my radar for a while too. But late last season, while covering a game for FOX 17 with my buddy Nate, we discovered the reason the Detroit Tigers made such a dramatic turnaround: The Gene Lamont Cage of Fear.

It's been an urban legend for some time now, whispered among media members as they stand in line to enter the clubhouse after the game; articulated in the worried glances of the janitorial staff as they pass the closet marked Team Officials ONLY. I didn't believe it myself, until last season when Nate and I heard the muffled screams of someone being tortured in The Cage. We were hurried out of the clubhouse by Tigers staff, but there was no denying that we had heard something horrible happening.

I sought an explanation from a longtime sports writer who was privy to information regarding team operations. He agreed to divulge the story to me, on the condition that I never reveal his name; which would cause him to be subjected to The Cage for revealing its existence.

As the story goes, shortly after Jim Leyland's hire, he met with Dave Dombrowski to discuss filling out his new staff. He submitted a list of names, one of them being Lamont, a former staff member of Leyland's Pittsburgh Pirates. Dombrowski was hesitant to allow Lamont to join the staff, since he had been exiled to managing in Triple-A for Philadelphia. Word around the league had said Lamont had become so grizzly, so salty, that major league players were too afraid to be around him on a daily basis. In order to satisfy their million-dollar investments, the Phillies sent Lamont to Triple-A to scare the kids (as if the prospect of playing for Philadelphia wasn't scary enough).

But as word has it, Leyland would not budge from his demand for Lamont, assuring Dombrowski that his own saltiness could overcome the grizzliness of Mean Gene. But Dombrowski wanted more. He wanted protection for the assets he had accumulated. And so the Cage of Fear was built; both as a storage facility for Lamont and as a punishment for players who did not perform up to the club's standards.

Locking a player in the Cage with the grizzled Lamont turned out to be such an effective punishment for bad behavior, Leyland began using it as a motivator for better play. After a lackluster home loss early last year, Leyland flipped out in his post game press conference, a proceeded to lock three players in the Cage with Lamont and stored them in the cargo area for the entire flight to Oakland. The team proceeded to win the series with the A's and never again turned in a lackluster performance the rest of the season. Chris Shelton was so terrified, he hit 11 home runs to start the season to avoid being locked in the Cage; until the pressure became so mentally straining that he cracked, and had to be heavily medicated and sent to Toledo, where he is still recovering.

This year, Gary Sheffield was the beneficiary of time spent in the Cage. Sheff struggled mightily for a month as he attempted to adjust to his new DH role. Because of his previous relationship with Gary, Leyland held off on the Cage; until Sheff told the media that if the fans booed him more often, maybe he'd produce better. After reading the comments, Leyland could be heard screaming, "What the hell is wrong with you? **** the fans!!! I'll give you some motivation!!! Get in that ****-ing Cage!!!" And Sheffield has been on a tear ever since.

So Tigers fans, as you head to Comerica this summer to sport your colors, buy some beers, and cheer for the players; give a tip of your hat to Gene Lamont as he growls at third base. For without his help, the Tigers would still be stuck in the cellar.

Who's your Tiger?....Mine is Mean Gene.

Lebron is COOOOOOLLLLLDDDD BLLLLOOOOODDDDEEEEDDDDDD

I've had my heart ripped out plenty of times.

Comes with being a Lions fan.

But it never gets any easier, and last night was no different.

Lebron James IS KILLING ME!!!

Actually he's really killing my colleague Huge, but that's a whole nother story. Lebron's most recent domination has sent his career to a entirely new level. That endless ceiling scouts were talking about? Well, that roof got blown off last night. There's no ceiling, period. The sky's the limit for this kid.

Think about it, one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, who has played this guy multiple times per year for the last couple years, cannot stop him AT ALL down the stretch despite every person in the entire universe knowing that Lebron is going to shoot the ball. The one time the Pistons did double team, Anderson Varejao was so surprised that he dropped the ball and the shot clock expired. The entire Cleveland team, including the 4 other guys on the floor, just sat back and watched Lebron turn in one of the great clutch playoff performances of all time.

Now...what the heck is Detroit supposed to do? If you're feeling a case of deja vu, it's because they were in the same boat last year against this team. But back then the Pistons were playing poorly, and Lebron was still discovering how to win in the playoffs. Well, that stage is now over, and Detroit is going to have to make some serious adjustments if they want to get a win in what will be an absolutely insane atmosphere on Saturday night. Double teams, zone defense, maybe put in a call to Tanya Harding and see if she knows someone who could help. Right now I think Flip is up for suggestions.

I'm saying this now, last night was a shifting point when it comes to the power struggle in the Eastern Conference. Teams have had a couple years, and they've figured Detroit out. Lebron now knows how to win and he certainly has that killer instinct. Cleveland will upgrade King James' supporting cast (there's nowhere to go but up), and Dwayne Wade still is a great player. Success next year is far from certain, even if the Pistons are able to pull these next games out of their hat.

And that is one big IF.

Kobe wets the bed that he made...

Boohoo. Poor Kobe.

It took the Black Mamba three years, but he finally realized what we already knew:

He's retarded.

Seriously, you've won three championships. You have the most dominant center to ever play the game at your side. One of the winning-est coaches in NBA history is manning the ship. You have a chance to win more championships and cement your legacy as one of the greatest players to play the game.

And you throw it all away.

For what? To be, "THE MAN"?!?!?

So....how's that working out...?

Ok, enough with the single-line sentences, but seriously, why should we feel sorry for Kobe? So he's stuck with an inept GM...so is half the league. So he has a weak supporting cast...maybe he and Lebron can commiserate together after the Cavs get ousted from the Junior Varsity Eastern Conference. Big deal. This is what Kobe wanted, right? Well...he wanted to keep winning championships, but only if he could be the star. And now he's the star...just without the substance. Isn't that what LA is all about?

The Lakers cannot trade Kobe, so all you folks out there who believe this is the beginning of his end in Tinseltown need to settle down. Los Angeles cannot justify charging what they do for tickets without one of the NBA's marquee stars in town. If they do trade Kobe, they run the risk of turning into the Golden State Warriors; where the celebrities only show up once you become good again. They have to build around him.

Kobe knows this, and that's why he wants Jerry West back. Say what you want about Jerry, but he was the architect behind those Lakers championship teams, and he was a ping-pong ball shy of nabbing Lebron James and saving Memphis (you can't blame The Icon for the Otis Thorpe trade...whoever did that one was clearly Canadian). So Kobe figures Jerry can work his magic again. But Jerry handpicked Mitch Kupchak to replace him, and I doubt a classy dude like Mr. West will stab his boy in the back. Especially at age 70, and with the Lakers being a couple years away from being contenders even with some changes to their current roster.

So sorry, Kobe, but you had your chance. And you let your ego blow it. Now you're stuck in a stacked conference, facing most of the best players currently in the game, with one of your better supporting cast members being a curly-haired white boy with a Grateful Dead tattoo and a possible STD from being within 100 feet of Britney Spears.

It's too bad, but there are some things that even a $4 million diamond can't fix.

Happy Memorial Day

As we head into the gateway weekend of Summer, just wanted to say a quick stay safe, have fun, and chill out to the various members of our sports fraternity.

A couple things for you to mull over as you bask in this (hopefully) sunny weather:

-The Pistons need to wake up. The Cavs are not built to beat them. They are an inferior team. They have one fantastic player and a bunch of other guys whose talents do not complement him. There is no excuse for falling behind by 12 at half in Game 2. They need to stop fooling around, because the Spurs up next. Time to sharpen up.

-Speaking of that one fantastic player the Cavs have... Apparently one radio host that shares our airwaves seems to think that he is all Nike hype and isn't even a Top 15 player in the NBA. Yeah, I'm not making this up. So of course, Bakita, I, and our 4 listeners had to have a discussion about whether that statement is true. As you might expect, the reaction was highly supportive of Lebron, and highly derogatory towards said host. As A. Sherrod Blakely, Pistons beat writer for Booth Newspapers, said, "You may want to check his meds." I personally checked the alcohol content on the Throat Spray that is sitting around the studio, but everything seems normal. Temporary insanity is still being considered. Anyways, Lebron is a no doubter Top 10 player in the NBA. But apparently, I know nothing, because I don't have TWO Pistons in my Top 10. Memo to the wise: Making a cheap, homeristic appeal to your listening audience does not make you correct. Here are the Top 10 players in the NBA right now, listed in LOOSE order:

1. Kobe Bryant
2. Tim Duncan
3. Dirk Nowitzki
4. Steve Nash
5. Dwayne Wade
6. Kevin Garnett
7. Lebron James
8. Chris Bosh
9. Tracy McGrady
10. Chauncey Billups

Honorables: Gilbert Arenas, Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer, Amare Stoudamire, Allen Iverson, Pau Gasol, and Michael Redd. (I love Rip Hamilton, but let's not get crazy)

So there you go. Oh, and I stole that list. I nabbed it from someone named Common Sense.

-How bout those Tigers? Geez. I don't know what kind of Memorial Day gift Leyland promised those guys, but whatever it is, the guys want it. Big ups to my main man Carlos Guillen for carrying my fantasy team on his stiff lower back.

-Best of wishes to the Red Wings. Remember when everyone was primed for another early playoff exit? Well I guess these guys weren't. They gave it all, fought through a massive amount of injuries at key positions...I mean, by Game 6 in Anaheim, half the team was made up of Grand Rapids Griffins. And they still almost made it to the Cup Final. Good luck to the boys this offseason, and let's come back stronger.

May your Memorial Day shine on you like an Oberon Sun...I'm out.

Seein' Red

Take that St. Louis!

Yeah, so the Cardinals are a shell or their World Series-winning selves. So their pitchers got lit up like beer-league softballers. Please ignore the fact that their hitters couldn't even light up *GASP* Fernando Rodney.

The Tigers still swept them.

I had the privilege of watching the carnage unfold Sunday afternoon, breaking my 0-4 streak that goes back to covering Tigers games last year. I'm not here to argue about the importance of these wins...in May, wins count as wins, and nothing more. But it still feels good. And like Brandon Inge said in the clubhouse after the game, it doesn't make up for last year; but the fact that the Tigers are staying on top and the Cardinals are heading down towards Pittsburgh Pirates-land leaves the team with a satisfying feeling.

So, in my normal ADD style, some short thoughts on the series and more specifically, Sunday's game:

Louisville Slugger must have sponsored this series. Are you kidding me? 14 runs in game #1??? Talk about giving a young pitcher some run support. We saw that kind of hitting in spring training, but certainly not in the month of April. At times those Tigers couldn't have hit a snowball into a snowstorm (which, coincidentally, was the weather they were mostly playing in). But the guys who were leading the non-offensive charge, Gary Sheffield and Brandon Inge, have turned it on as of late. Gary's been on fire, Brandon homered Sunday, and the lineup has never been more potent.

Fear Mike Rabelo. I like this guy. A catcher who switch hits is not a common sight. Plus whenever Verlander pitches, the dude's a hitting machine (that's one of those great baseball stats that looks infinitely more important than it really is). But he filled in admirably for Pudge, and contributed offensively. When the Tigers get production from those 7-9 spots, they're near unbeatable. It's just a matter of consistency.

Jim Leyland is salty as ever. Skip would barely pick his head up during the post game chat, leading to a ratings-boosting shot of his cap and mouth for me to air on FOX 17. Never the less, Jim agreed with the above paragraph regarding the bottom part of the lineup. When I asked him about getting production from those spots, he responded by saying, "That's not a bonus, we expect to get runs from those guys, and that's what makes us good." Of course, he said much more gruffly and intimidating than that, but you get the idea. I feel that if I were to ever get a one-on-one with Jim, he'd scare me into a blubbering mess, and then throw me in the cage with Lamont for wasting his time(more on that in a future column). Either way, Jim scares me. Good thing he's the best manager of all time.

Gary Sheffield isn't as old as you think he is. If you were watching Sunday's game, that blur you saw in right field was Gary Sheffield actually playing defense, and robbing the Cards of about 3 hits. I know it's hard to believe, since Tigers fans are used to seeing the Tortoise with the Hair (Mags) play right field like that token hot chick on your softball team, but Gary still got some skills. The team is letting him warm up before they hit the road for more interleague later on, and the old vet looked good. Couple that with Gary's new routine of always moving around in the dugout on days that he's DH'ing, and it looks like Sheff has left that early season funk behind him.

Andrew Miller = better than sliced bread. Not a bad statement about a kid who looks young enough to still have his mom cut the crusts off his sandwich before he heads to the ballpark. But really, nothing gave Tigers fans more to cheer about than watching the kid carve up the Cards for six innings. Having a 19-year-old lefty who can throw like that is Major League gold. Seriously, if Dave Dombrowski ever gets bored saving baseball franchises, he should open a life-management firm. I'd be first in line. How can you go wrong with Double D making all your important decisions? Now that's a good call. Eat your heart out Miller Lite.

So, in conclusion, the Tigers rock. As if anyone with a semi-functioning brain didn't know that already. Which means someone needs to send the hint to the Fords. That big building next to Comerica Park would be perfect for an NFL team. Just a thought.

Robert Horry eliminates another opponent

One way or another, Robert Horry always gets his man.

The player best known for knocking out opponents with late-game shots delivered yet another important blow last night, but this time in the form of a well-placed hip-check delivered to Phoenix point guard Steve Nash.

I don't think Big Shot Bob is an intentionally dirty player, but he's always been a guy to do the little things, and according to some folks, that would include committing a hard playoff foul. But with the circumstances - the fact the Spurs had blown a large lead, that Nash is the Sun's best player, and the outcome of the game was basically decided - the foul was indeed a cheap play. When I first saw it, I felt it was the manifestation of a veteran team's frustration of allowing their young rival to steal a game they had in hand. It was a game that was to serve as the Sun's stepping stone to alter the series and have the inside track at eliminating the Spurs...that is, until Horry sent Nash flying into the scorer's table.

Now, it's Spurs in six.

Just hours ago, the NBA handed down its suspensions for the incident; two games for Horry, one game apiece for Amare Stoudamire and Boris Diaw, who left the bench to defend Nash. When you break it down, the Spurs lose a complementary player, while the Suns lose their best big man and low post scoring option, plus one of their best perimeter players. That means Game 5, which before this whole mess looked like a chance for Phoenix to seize control of the series, should be an easy win for SanAn, with their opportunity to close it out at home in Game 6.

I pains me to say it, because Phoenix is infinitely more entertaining to watch, and I vastly prefer a Suns-Pistons Finals matchup to the defensive slugfest that would be Detroit-San Antonio. Plus, if we lose to Manu Ginobili's bald spot one more time, I will personally drive down to San Antonio and flop in front of his car in hopes of gaining a substantial monetary settlement. Serves him right.

So, can this young Phoenix team ride the bad back of their floppy-haired point guard to a shorthanded win? As much as I'd like to say yes...no chance. Bill Simmon's newest man crush, Tim Duncan, will just be too much; and the Spurs can smell blood. Expect a raucous crowd, an inspired effort, and a San Antonio win.

All thanks to Cheap Shot Bob.

The Last "Great" Fight

The dust has settled, the talk show lines have quieted, and now's a good time to look back at the fight that was supposed to "save" boxing.

The Floyd Mayweather - Oscar De La Hoya match up was certainly the most anticipated fight in a long time, and it brought together two of the most skilled fighters to strap on the gloves in my generation. De La Hoya was the name, Mayweather was the story. It was the perfect storm...the fight to shove boxing back into the mainstream; the fight to save a struggling sport whose biggest stories right now are a 7-foot freak show and Mike Tyson training in Vegas in front of spectators like a caged bear.

Just one problem: Whoever is supposed to be in charge of saving boxing picked the wrong fight.

On paper it looked great. De La Hoya ranks right up there with Tyson and Holyfield when it comes to fighter notoriety. Mayweather was undefeated, a known commodity among boxing circles but not even close to a household name. Then came the HBO series 24/7, and suddenly America was introduced to the insanity that is Floyd Mayweather's world.

Interest started to grow by leaps and bounds. Mayweather morphed into an egotistical punk right before out eyes. Sympathy and support grew for De La Hoya. In Grand Rapids, Mayweather's home town, sports talk show phone lines burned up with people voicing their desire to see Floyd "get what he deserved" from Oscar. The fight had its hero, and its villain. Everything was falling into place.

Except no one seemed to realize that the fight was fatally flawed to the point that there was no possible way for it to live up to it's billing. No one seemed to want to listen to all the experts and pundits proclaim this would be a tactful, strategic match up that would go the distance. The casual fans (me) who were shelling out their money for the Pay-Per-View (me again) still had memories of Tyson throwing haymakers at every corner; envisioning a veritable slugfest that would leave only one man standing.

No way that was going to happen.

If you've ever seen Floyd Mayweather box, you know he is insanely quick, and has some of the fastest hands boxing has seen. He's impossible to catch in the ring, he easily blocks jabs, and is a superb counter-puncher. He knows how to keep himself just out of arm's reach to keep from getting hurt, and still connect enough to win the round. In a word, watching Mayweather fight is BORING!

And yet, knowing better, I still wanted to believe. I wanted to see if Mayweather, standing on the verge of boxing immortality, would reach back and be able to find the power to lay De La Hoya out. I wanted to see if De La Hoya, on his last boxing legs, could muster some of his old magic and connect with that left hook. Instead, I got exactly what I paid for. 12 rounds of strategic ducking and weaving, jabbing and counter-punching. Exactly how you win a fight without getting hurt.

And with that, the air is being let out of boxing's balloon. The sport has always had competitors, but has been able to hold fan's interest thanks to marquee stars and faulty execution by their rivals. But times and audiences are changing, and boxing is lacking the tools to keep up.

Consider this:

-Boxing's top heavyweights right now are two brothers from Russia. While they love to throw punches, they have vowed never to fight each other. Which eliminates the most intriguing matchup of that weight class. Americans to this day still have a hard time rooting for a Russian anyway, but who cares when their top competition includes a 7-foot giant who's got to the be the 1/2 brother of Lurch.

-The WWE and UFC are growing, both in fan base and exposure. You can see some form of UFC or other mixed martial arts fighting on a dozen different channels nowdays. While boxing is widley available as well, it's so disjointed and disorganized, people have trouble following it. They'd rather be spoon-fed their sports. Which leads to the biggest cause of boxing's decline...

-Lack of action. Wait, lack of action? You're talking about a sport in which people punch each other for 12 rounds, right? Yeah, I am. But for my generation, our 6-second attention spans need to be fed constantly. There's too much strategy and ducking in boxing. Viewers prefer the slugfest that is UFC fighting and professional wrestling. We want ACTION, even if it's fake. And that's another reason why the UFC is growing...that stuff is REAL. It's just a mass of limbs and chokeholds, with the only rule seeming to be just don't kill the guy.


And so boxing shoved its chips in the middle, but in my opinion, they overbet their hand. But hey, it's Vegas, that stuff happens. Now, isn't Mike Tyson supposed to be fighting a cougar somewhere....

View from Detroit Lions Rookie Mini-Camp

I spent, oh, about 20 minutes watching the Detroit Lions rookies work out this past Friday; and then the media was herded up and packed into a 20 x 15 room/cell, where we proceeded to spend the next hour trashing the Lions.

You'd think I was being sarcastic, and I wish I was. Turns out the guys from Flint feel the same way about this draft class as we from Grand Rapids do. It was a veritable who's who of Lions insiders and beat writers, and everyone had a varying opinion on what kind of players this year's crop of Lion's rookies will produce. I heard everything from "well-scouted diamonds in the rough" to "a bunch of no-namers who were drafted because among other things, they lack expectations to fail".

I entered Friday's workout firmly sitting on the fence, and here's what I witnessed during the session the media were allowed to view:

Calvin Johnson = As Advertised. This dude looks to be everything he was billed to be. He was extremely fluid running his routes, has a great stride, and caught everything thrown to him. He stood about 6 in. taller than everybody else the Lions had in catching balls, but in no way looked lumbering. I'm convinced this dude is going to have a great year, and with Roy's help, Kitna will too. It's like when Scott Mitchell was throwing to Herman Moore and Brett Periman...no matter how crappy a quarterback is, having good receivers to go catch his mistakes can help cover for his deficiencies (unless, of course, he's constantly being sacked 2.5 seconds after the snap). But you could see Drew Stanton drooling over the prospect of C.J. going up and grabbing his crappy passes. Speaking of which....

Drew Stanton = Quack Quack. Lock of ducks flying around Allen Park Friday, and most of them came off the arm of Stanton. Drew's never been known for his tight spiral, and you can expect him to struggle early on as Mike Martz completely remakes his delivery. You can look at it two ways: Either the Lions took a player with great intangibles and handed him over the best quarterback crafter of the past 10 years; or they overrated an under-skilled hometown boy and blew yet another chance at drafting an impact player at a different position of need (which is everywhere). There's plenty of people on both sides of this argument, but I'll reserve judgment until Game 3 of the preseason.

Ikaika Alama-Francis = Long name, Good player. I like this kid out of Hawaii, and not just because of his various tribal tattoos. The guy is huge, but as Coach Marinelli pointed out in the interview session after practice, he's very lean for his size, and looked pretty fluid and athletic running through drills. This is a guy who's only been playing football for about 4 years, so he'll take some time to develop, but you can't really put a ceiling on his development. Can't say that about many Lions draft picks, past or present.

So after spending a couple hours in Allen Park...I'm still confused. I've been burned so many times, I'm scared to give myself to this team. But honestly, it's the Lions. I should be numb to this by now. So I'll concentrate on the positives. I liked the energy the coaching staff showed during the practice. I like how Rod Marinelli runs his business. I like that Calvin Johnson should be a superstar, and Alama-Francis could be one. I liked the fact that they wrapped up in time for me to listen to the Smack-Off on the way home. So I'm happy. At least until the full team reports for training camp. Then...who knows.

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.

Goodbye Joe Theisman...don't let Kornheiser kick you on the way out...

Finally ESPN manned up and admitted a mistake.

Joe Theisman, he of the incredibly lame assertions and no sense of humor, was smartly removed from the Monday Night Football booth that will include Mike Tirico, Tony Kornheiser, and now Ron Jaworski. ESPN announced that Theisman left because he had been given a "prominent football analyst" position; which if you break down the PR B.S. means that they bumped him to Monday Night Countdown or something. For those who don't know much about the media business; when you're doing color commentary for ESPN's biggest broadcasts of the year, and then are removed and placed on the same set as Michael Irvin, that's a downgrade.

So why was Joe thrown under the bus? It mostly had to do with Tony Kornheiser and their inability to concoct any chemistry. The stuffy Theiseman was the antithesis of Tony Kornheiser, whose sole purpose was to interject life and little flavor to the Monday Night Football booth.

But Theisman and Kornheiser never clicked, for obvious reasons. Theisman is a arrogant prude, and Kornheiser is a sarcastic needler. It was almost painful listening to them bounce off each other; with Kornheiser constantly trying to bait Theisman, and Joe either brushing him off or completely missing the joke.

So ESPN had to made a call, and for all the pub and love they have spent on Tony's arrival into the booth, he wasn't going to be the one to go. Tony of course is the immensely popular host of Pardon the Interruption, one the Worldwide Leader's most-watched daily shows. While Theisman has plenty of fans, he doesn't have the platform that Tony has, and even though Kornheiser is a balding sportswriter; his snarky sense of humor makes him appealing to a wider, and more importantly, younger, demographic. Kornheiser is an up-and-coming brand that could help generate dollars for ESPN, meanwhile Theisman is more like the Costco of has-been-former-athlete sportscasters.

So I will join The Sports Guy Bill Simmons in pouring out a forty for Theisman's departure. Though his time in ESPN's booth was not long, it was full of stiff, embarrassingly awkward moments done in front of a national audience...well done Joe, you're an inspiration to pompous a-holes everywhere.

Video #1...my seat for Michigan vs. MSU

Go Blue Kids.

Go Blue

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Reactions from the best gambling weekend of the year...

Between sips of Green Beer, I was able to catch some pretty thrilling games this past weekend.

Even more thrilling for me was the fact that I actually killed in my predictions. It's been years since I've had a bracket this intact, and more than likely it'll be more years before it happens again. I've always fancied myself as a pretty good predictor of college sports; but if a cocker spaniel can out-pick an ESPN analyst, then I don't feel so bad about all the times my sister wiped the floor with me.

Now that the dust has settled around my 40-9 record after two rounds, let's take a look back at a weekend that was:

-My Best Picks: UNLV over Wisconsin, Vanderbilt over WA State, and VCU over Duke :).

-My Worst Picks: Albany over Virginia, Notre Dame over Winthrop, and Arkansas over USC.

-This was the first year that I didn't pick Butler to make some noise. And of course, in fitting poetic irony they go ahead and knock off the Terps and charge into the Sweet 16. However, I have to agree with Ray Hollomon, who says Butler's best player has the body of Olive Oil.

-Ron Lewis of Ohio State has to be the most underrated clutch player on any of Terp's Top 8 Teams Left. Can't get enough of a dude who demands the ball in the huddle, then comes looking for it with seconds left and drains a three under pressure. Ron Lewis is "Cold-blooooodddeeeedddd!!!!!"

-For the first year in a long time, no double-digit team sneaks into the Sweet 16. And I'm telling you now...No team lower than a #3 seed will make the Elite Eight.

-"Upset" Special coming up: I have to put it into quotations because I don't see any more major upsets happening. Best I can do for you is put Texas A&M in the Final Four along with Georgetown, Florida, and Kansas. That means the Aggies beat #2 Memphis and #1 OSU thanks to two straight "home" games in San Antonio.

Terp's Top Eight Teams Left:

(8.) -Oregon: I really like to watch this team, but I don't know if they can get the job done against Florida in the Elite Eight. Just not enough defense or inside presence to get to the Final Four

(7.) -Ohio State: They were lackadaisical against Xavier. They deserved to lose. This team lacks focus. Yet, they are supremely talented.

(6.) -Texas A&M: I know they're one of my Final Four teams, but only because they match up very well against OSU. I wasn't planning on having Memphis face off against the Aggies in the Sweet 16, but I still think A&M is battle tested enough to move on.

(5.) -UCLA: Very talented, just not enough to get it done and get by Kansas in the Elite Eight.

(4.) -Florida: Most everyone has them in the Final Four, and that's because there was no one in their region to challenge them. They're still dangerous, but not hungry.

(3.) -UNC: Deep, talented, and almost guaranteed a Final Four spot next year.

(2.) -Georgetown: Big, tough, athletic, and they play defense. Good luck knocking them out if they decide to lock it up.

(1.) -Kansas: My pick to win it all. Multiple scoring options. Depth. Solid leadership and coaching. They can get out in the open floor, and they can run their sets. If they rebound and play "D" they can beat the Hoyas. I think this is shaking down to be one of the most high-scoring Final Fours in recent memory.

Working on some renovations...

Sorry HUGE, but the couch has been tossed out.

The last month has been crazy for me, high school basketball owned my soul, and work in general has kept me from putting forth any kinds of updates. My days of lounging on the couch, searching for something to fill my time is long gone.

Here's what's to come from West Michigan's best/laziest blog:

-I'll get some audio hosting here at some point. MP3's from the show, my personal interviews, that kinda stuff. Just need to bribe my tech guys into doing it for me.

-I'll be updating the blog a couple times a week, I promise. And if I fail, I'll buy you a drink at McFaddens on a Thursday night. Just make sure you submit your drink order via a slender blonde wearing short-cut clothing. Don't want any of my buddies to think I've gone soft.

-I'm going to incorporate a little bit more inside information from the radio show and TV station. I realize that it's kinda fun being in the know...and it's even more fun to blab what you know all over the Internet.

-Ideas, opinions, and slanderous comments are always welcome. My email is available on here. Bad idea? Maybe. But I prefer hate mail to junk mail anyways. I can only read so much about increasing the size of my manhood in four short, impotence-inducing weeks.

So fellow former athletes (or in my case, fellow former pseudo athletes), that's the bottom line, cause Stone Cold called and he said so.

Once an Avalanche, always an Avalanche...

Leave Peter Forsberg in Philly.

Or better yet, let him go back to Colorado.

Either way, I don't care how much Forsberg does or doesn't have left in the tank, let him burn out somewhere other than Detroit.

My interest in the Red Wings lately is mild at best, and then classically picks up during the postseason. Just like with baseball, playoff hockey is about 100 times more entertaining than regular season games, and I don't have to make anything more than about a month-long commitment to paying close attention to what is going on.

As I look back at the pinnacle of my hockey-watching career, the games and the moments that stick out the most all had to do with the Red Wings and Avalanche. No one was a bigger hero to my friends and I than Darren McCarty, the toothless wonder who handed out D-town justice to the ultimate Motown nemesis, Claude Lemuix, for his dirty hit on Kris Draper. There was no better moment than when Vernon and Roy left their creases to throw down in the Battle Royale at the Joe, and then Osgood stepping up to fight Roy later on.

No team was more hated than the Avalanche, and during the height of the rivalry, no game was better played or had more energy. I actually wanted to watch regular season hockey, because any Red Wing-Avalanche game was sure to deliver. Those games mattered, and in my opinion it was the last great rivalry before the NHL started to sputter and finally fell on its face after the lockout.

But while the memories may have faded, they are not forgotten, and neither is the image of Peter Forsberg, who was always the second-most hated member of the Avalanche behind Lemuix. He was always the most talented and feared player on the squad, a deadly offensive threat who couldn't be pushed around and always had that icy Swedish stare that pissed you off and scared the crap outta you at the same time.

The Detroit-Colorado rivalry is the most poignant and vivid of my hockey memories, and Forsberg is partially responsible. Without my hate for him and the other members of that era of Avalanche hockey, the games wouldn't have mattered as much, and my love for the Wings would never have reached its all-time high. So thank you, Peter Forsberg, for it was my hate for you that helped spawn my love for Wings hockey.

So Ken Holland, forget about Forsberg. Forget about all that talent that we used to fear. It has faded. And while you may think that Red Wings fan's scorn for Peter has faded as well, it has not. The mere thought of him soiling the Detroit jersey makes me pissed off all over again. Stupid Peter Forsberg.

Tyrus Thomas makes more than a rookie mistake

I cannot for the life of me figure out what Tyrus Thomas is thinking. After making him the subject for "Terp's Take" on the show today, I thought some more about it afterwards, and the only conclusion I can draw is that he was either drunk, or is a complete idiot.

If it were me, I might lean towards making people believe I was a little sauced, rather than let everyone in the free world know that I may have eaten too many paint chips as a kid.

Consider the facts: When asked by the media about his inclusion in the NBA's All-Star slam dunk contest; Thomas made it clear he was going to put no effort into the event, and even said the only reason he was competing was for the "free money".

How dumb is this guy??? First off, the All-Star game is being held in LAS VEGAS!!! Who in their right mind turns down a free trip to Sin City? Let me tell you, after this year, no way David Stern allows NBA players a weekend in Vegas. I mean, the dude is so concerned about how the players dress and act...how is he going to react after just about everyone in the league spends a few days in Vegas? My guess is that Stephen Jackson won't be allowed within 5,000 miles of NBA All-Star weekend.

Secondly, Tyrus is dissing the money. Fourth place (aka last place) pays $16,000. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the typical Bulls fan would love a guaranteed check of sixteen grand for doing a couple of dunks to entertain millions. But not Tyrus. He's already rich. I mean, is sixteen big ones really worth the time and effort it would take to throw down a couple of dunks? I'm starting to see this guy's side of the argument...

And lastly, I don't care what you think about the contest, Tyrus, but don't open your mouth to the media. Look, I'll admit it, I'm the first one to jump around and cheer when someone says something they shouldn't (thank you Keith Nichol), but it's really just the media's job to take quotes and blow them outta proportion. Not so here. Quit doing our job for us, Ty, don't make it so easy. At least try and mask your disdain for this exhibition of...ummm...skill. Or of just big guys who can jump high.

Ty got fined for his comments, but that fine should and probably will be overturned. If the dude doesn't want to do the Dunk Contest, then he has the right to say so. If he wants to look like a spoiled baby, then go ahead. But what Tyrus doesn't realize is that every fan has a job where they are asked to do things they don't want to do, and there is never a big check at the end of it. And no, those things we are asked to take care of do not include dunking a basketball in Las Vegas. So keep your problems to yourself Ty, some of us have actual life issues to concern ourselves with.

Tell ya what, I'll take $10,000, and spend the other $6,000 on a trampoline and an on-call EMT crew...and I'll guarantee some sick dunks. See ya in Vegas baby, Vegas...I'm so money and I don't even know it...

The RoJo story hits the fan...

OK, so I'm not going to spend too much time on this, as I am crying inside just typing the words.

Looks like Ronald Johnson will not be committing to the University of Michigan.

Why, you ask? So do I. Months ago, it seemed like RoJo was firmly headed to Ann Arbor, despite the fact that he would be entertaining other offers from OSU, Florida, and USC. Conventional wisdom had the kid sticking close to home, due to his close relationship with his family, and going to play with former Muskegon teammate Terrence Taylor.

But due to yesterday's events, it seems that scenario will not come to be. Ronald's mother called Michigan and told them not to bother taking their final visit to his home in Muskegon, yet Florida, USC, Ohio State, and Michigan State were/are all allowed to make their final pitch.

Why is this? Countless rumors are flying, so I guess you can believe what you want. A person close to the situation has told me that there may have been some improprieties in the way RoJo's Michigan recruitment was handled...but I am not saying by who. Thing is, Ronald's mother decided to remove Michigan from the running after discovering this. I can't say I blame her. I do not have personal knowledge of the matter, so I'm not going to speculate what happened. All we know now is that RoJo probably will not be wearing a winged helmet next fall.

So what team now has the inside track on one of the best athletes in the nation? Many believe that it's a dead heat between Florida and USC, both programs of high notoriety who can boast recent national championships. But I caution, do not remove Michigan State from your radar just yet. The Spartans made a shrewd play by offering Ronald's younger brother Corey a scholarship this past fall, despite the fact that he was only 16 years old at the time and not a highly recruited prospect. Some said it was a play to get RoJo, who is very close to his brother.

No matter what it was, MSU has a very viable shot at Ronald Johnson, because they remain the only in-state program in the picture. It doesn't hurt that Ronald's teammate from this year, Ashton Leggett, also committed to the Spartans. In addition, Mark Dantonio has been pushing his religious values on many of his recruiting pitches, and that is something that would matter to Ronald, who has decided to make his official announcement at his church on Super Bowl Sunday.

Regardless of where this kid goes, I wish him the best. In covering him the past couple years for FOX, he's been nothing but a class act, and a great kid to talk to. I am sad because I know he will succeed at whatever school he chooses, even if it's not Michigan.

Getting ready to do the '07 Shuffle

Just got done watching the vintage classic "The Super Bowl Shuffle" on YouTube. I think that when I have a son and he asks me to describe the culture of the 1980's, I'm just going to make him watch that clip. I feel that after watching that abomination he'll no longer have any interest in the decade.

Thing is, this week the media bonanza begins for the Super Bowl, and all of us here in the Midwest will be bombarded by Bears talk, Bears fans, and Bears sketches, both good (The Super Fans) and bad (the aforementioned Shuffle). As a Lions fan forced now to watch a second team from our division compete for a Super Bowl (after the Packers did it in '97 and '98), I'm none too happy about the coverage, because it just reminds us how much our team stinks.

What's lost in all this Bears-hub around here is that the Colts are competing as well. Earlier in the year my roommates and I were discussing which NFL team would be a reasonable choice to switch our loyalties to if we ever chose to go Benedict Arnold on the Lions. We decided the Colts made the most sense because they A.) Play in the AFC, B.) Are the team closest in proximity to us besides Chicago, C.) Have a 6'5 Quarterback with a laser rocket arm, and D.) Win games. Problem is that there are so many Chicago transplants and crazy people who were raised Bears fans that no one seems to give a crap about the Colts, which I guess in the end is OK, because we know who ESPN cares about...and it ain't Sexy Rexy.

So, I'm going to open up this week with my Super Bowl preview, before everyone accuses me of ripping off some of the 253,675 stories that are being written about the different subplots of the game. Before I get started, I have a hard time picking a clear winner from this game, so I might change my pick halfway through this column, but here goes:



Why I Think Da Bears Will Win:

-Defense wins championships. At least that's the cliche we've all bought into. I may be a young gun, but I still remember watching the 2001 Baltimore Ravens ride their defense all the way to a Super Bowl victory over a Giants team that put up 41 points on the Vikings in the NFC playoffs. And if I remember correctly, the big storyline was how bad of a quarterback Trent Dilfer was, and how the Ravens couldn't keep winning games with the offense scoring just 9 points. Sound familiar Rex Grossman? The thing with the Dilfer-Grossman comparison is, Sexy Rexy is a much better quarterback than Dilfer, its just that no one can tell this because of how badly he normally plays. Dilfer won games because he managed the game, didn't turn the ball over (therefore not putting his defense in a bad position), and hit open receivers when defenses stacked against the run. In his two playoffs games so far, Grossman hasn't turned the ball over too much, made a couple decent throws, and handed the ball to Thomas Jones/Cedric Benson. And guess what??? The Bears WON! There may be hope for Sexy Rexy yet...

-The Bears actually have some playmakers on offense. Chicago also mirrors '01 Baltimore in that they have a solid running game (though theirs is by committee, which at this point in the season is a luxury, considering everyone is so banged up), but Chicago actually has a much better passing game. Mushy Muhammed is a big, physical receiver, Berrian is a game breaker that Baltimore is still searching for, and Desmond Clark is a great tight end. Chicago is so well known for its D that the O-fence is overlooked a bit, but there is some talent on that side of the ball.

-Kyle "The Functioning Alcoholic" Orton. How can you bet against a team with a guy who started growing his playoff beard in July?? (mostly b/c he was too hungover to shave) I mean, forget Brian Griese, the Bears won 10 games last year with this kid, and he can't throw the ball farther than 35 yards.

-The Bears are way funnier than the Colts. Thanks mostly to the Super Fans (SNL classic), the Bears have a rich history of winning, and spawning hilarious comedy sketches. Peyton Manning has a rich history of choking, and spawning awkward commercials. Nuf said.



Why I Think The Colts Will Win:

-Peyton Manning is in the Super Bowl??? Wait a minute, what? I had my gushing love letter to Tom Brady written by halftime, and then all of the sudden, Peyton turns into John Elway and throws the monkey off his back with the greatest comeback in NFL playoff history. Now I have no idea what to expect, since that was the first big game Peyton has really won in his career. I mean, the dude is so good, and yet for so long I thought he just didn't have the cajones to win the big game. Now he's in the Super Bowl. I don't know whether to hand him the MVP right now or set the TiVo in anticipation for him to throw 5 interceptions and sit on the bench with the proverbial "Peyton Manning face" after he gets done yelling at his receivers.

-Never bet against a team with a chip on its shoulder. Enter the Colts defense. They sucked all year, and in fact they kinda still suck, but now they're playing with some fire. They got sick of everyone noticing that they sucked, and then pointing it out...and now they've decided to pick it up a bit. Bob Sanders coming back is a big plus, which is weird, b/c I never thought the addition of a 5'8 Free Safety with bigger cornrows that quadriceps would spark a team's run defense, but apparently I've been taking Crazy Pills. Also, never doubt a team that has more than one (Cato June, Marlin Jackson) former U of M player playing a significant role. Think it was just a coincidence that Marlin made the play that sent the Colts to the Super Bowl? Yeah, that's what I thought...

-In the new NFL, Offense wins games, and the Super Bowl is just one game. Since 1992, the team that won the Super Bowl has scored at least 20 points, and only 5 teams stayed in the 20's. Six teams scored in the 30's, two in the 40's, and Dallas put up 52 points in 1993. No one is winning these games 17-14. I mean geez, Baltimore scored 34 points in their 2001 Super Bowl win, which was about half their season total. The Colts don't have to try and figure out how to score points, they know how, and they will. The Bears have to worry about how to get their points on the board. Can they get to 28 (my magic number)? We'll see.


My Final Word:

Bears: 28, Colts: 24

Chicago will have to score on either defense or special teams, but their ground-based offense will give Indy problems. All Sexy Rexy has to do is hit Berrian deep on a couple play-action passes. Peyton is a great quarterback, but the Bears' defense will be able to contain the Colts enough to give their offense the necessary possessions to get some points on the board. First team to 28 wins. And it'll be Chicago.