SaturDame: Spring Game 2012

Unlike last year I did not attend. I didn't even watch on my TV, I watched the stream on und.com. But I picked up enough to make some notes.

Dayne Crist and Tommy Rees are not the QB's Brian Kelly is looking for.

Andrew Hendrix and/or Everett Golston are the future of Notre Dame football. But I fear for Everett health if he's going to remain that small.

On punts Notre Dame elected to enforce the John Goodman rule, all fair catches no returns.

Aaron Lynch is either amazing or the ND offensive line needs a lot of work. I hope it's the former.

Cierre Wood with no fumbles is going to be the best RB that shows up in Notre Dame games this year (I mean opponents don't have a better RB (Denard Robinson is a QB, so far)).

John Goodman made a heck of a catch on his touchdown catch, he gave himself a ton of room to land and Golston made a sick throw, as well.

Have I mentioned Aaron Lynch yet?

The kicking game has some competition, even with mulligans on extra points.

I expect Kyle Brindza to be the punter, unless BK is holding him back for a redshirt.

Is there anything better than Brian Kelly yelling at mo-hawked Robby Toma? "You're not fast, you're not tall and that haircut's not very good. So catch the ball."

The offense would be sick if they had a superstar receiver out there...

Lo Wood's future is so bright he's going to need a tinted visor.

Manti T'eo didn't make any tackles. WHATSUPWITHTHAT?

I know, he didn't play on defense.

In summation:
Andrew Hendrix is really good and fits the system.
Everett Golston is tiny but good.
Cierre Wood is awesome. His sideways, backward juke (1:14 in the link) in the Western game is one of my favorite plays of last year.
The defense is going to be awesome next year.
I'm really trying to calm myself down about predictions for the upcoming season (undefeated going into Stanford?).

And a trailer for the upcoming season.

Follow me on twitter.

UFC 114

The new edition of UFC Undisputed marks my anniversary of actually following MMA and I'll go on record with predictions for the first time. Hopefully the online functionality of the video game will be up by the time this card is over...

LHW: B.A. Baracus, I mean Rampage Jackson will beat Sugar Rashad Evans, by KFO

MW: Michael Bisping will lose to Dan Miller by Submission.

HW: Todd Duffee will knock out Mike Russow.

LHW: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira wins by KO over Jason Brillz.

WW: Diego Sanchez will win by decision over John Hathaway.

WW: Amir Sadollah over Dong (really?) Hyun Kim via leg bar.

LW: Efrain Escodero will beat Dan Lauzon by KO.

LW: Melvin Guillaid will outexperience Waylon Lowe and win by KO.

LHW: Diabete over Cane via submission.

LW: Riley over Brammer by KO.

MW: Jensen over Forbes by decision.

KO of the night will go to Todd Duffee.
Sub of the night will go to Jimmy John's Gargantuan, err, Amir Sadollah.
Fight of the Night is Rampage and Sugar.

A DUKE GRAD?

How does JJ Redick make the worst play possible in the final moments of an Eastern Conference Finals game? He went to one of the best schools in America. FOR FOUR YEARS. Coach K is supposedly the best college coach in America, you would think he would be able to explain common sense to his players... Yet, there was JJ dribbling the ball up court and then stopping on the wrong side of half court and finally calling a time out. Is this JJ's fault of Stan Van's fault? It is JJ's fault only because if you're playing in the NBA you have to KNOW THE RULES!!!! Either go hard for a basket or call a time out immediately not a combination of the two. JJ thought he could be a hero and force overtime with a Gordan Heyward like heave, then he remembered that teams play defense in the NBA and he called a time out.

JJ Redick is officially an idiot.

My Trip To Press Row

Will Leitch’s book, Are We Winning, has a chapter about covering games and hanging out in the PRESS BOX which made me think about the game I covered when interning at the original WDFN (a Detroit radio station that went to all national radio shows before rebooting as a local station that I refer to as WDFN2.0) as a 21 year-old.

It was a pre-season NIT game between Michigan State and Oklahoma. Michigan State was coming three straight Final Fours, but this was a rebuilding team (as much as MSU has had rebuilding teams). I drove the 70 plus miles, skipping school at Specs Howard in order to cover this game.

If I remember correctly, I got into Breslin using Matt Dery's press pass, went down some stairs and started wandering. I eventually found the area serving the press dinner, Why. The. Face. I grabbed a couple chicken wings and something to drink and sat down at a table where a couple people were sitting. I finally looked up and noticed BILL RAFTERY (onions) and John Saunders were sitting there, holding court, as people say, with a couple of other people. I didn’t have the balls to say anything to these guys and I just sat there with no idea of what was supposed to happen. If I remember correctly, Bill introduced himself and said hello, I quickly said hello and went back to listening but I was really just in awe. I have no recollection of what was said. Time to figure out where my seat was. Luckily or just effectively, the seating chart was on the back of the door.

I sat down in the best seat I’ve ever had for a sporting event and got set to cover a basketball game. I had no idea what I was supposed to do during the game. My job was to get some sound bytes after the game and upload them for Matt Shepherd to use when he did the news for the morning show featuring Jamie Samuelsen and Greg Brady. I entered the “gym” from behind the basket and stopped in my tracks when I realized where I was. I eventually found my seat and noticed a tv set up for the reporters (and me) every 2 spots. Everyone sitting at press row was given the same paper they handed out to the Izzone which informed them who wore goggles and which player had dissed MSU for Oklahoma when he transferred (Hollis Thomas) among other things which I have forgotten.

Then the game began, oh my were these players fast, watching at home or in the stands were my seats usually were, did not let me know how fast the game actually was. I remember the game as Tim Bograkas’s break out game as he got playing time and played his normal defense that caused steals and allowed MSU some fast break points. This was the team that featured Alan Anderson, Kelvin Torbert and Chris Hill as the new guard freshman. Marcus Taylor was the starting point guard and everyone assumed he would go on to fame and fortune in the NBA.

At halftime I had no idea where to go, so I just stayed in my seat finally calming down. Then someone came from the tunnel and handed me a stat sheet for the first half. Wow, this was freaking awesome, I knew who shot what percentage and how many fouls Aloysius Anogonye had. The game, as you have probably guessed, went by in a flash and I have almost no memory of it other than MSU won. I remember discussing the speed of the game in the bullpen at the radio station the next day and Mike Stone responding with something like, “Yeah, those games go by fast, they’re fun to cover.” Not exactly what I meant, but true none the less.

After the game came the fun part, sitting in the press room and getting to ask the coaches questions. I hooked up my tape recorder to something that allowed all the reporters to get the whole press conference and sat down to enjoy these coaches getting grilled by veteran reporters. Nothing of consequence happened when Izzo was talking so I went to get my tape recorder. Luckily, Kelvin Sampson was quick to the microphone and I didn’t miss anything, as I sat back down a little embarrassed. When Kelvin was done, we got to go into the locker room and talk to the players. I exclusively went into the MSU room because whoever I followed went there first.

I remember groups of people around Marcus Taylor and Kelvin Torbert so I thrust my microphone in their faces and got some quotes, if I remember correctly I asked Marcus something about them getting most of their field goals off assists (it was a ridiculous amount like 85%). Then I moved around the room to the players that didn’t have crowds, like my good friend Aloysius. Someone asked him about moving on to Madison Square Garden and it being the mecca of basketball, which I noted in my head. Then I moved over to Adam Wolfe. BY MYSELF. I asked him somethings about the game, then I dropped the MSG bomb, which I used to discuss going to New York City mere months after 9-11 had happened. He was the last guy I talked to and I eventually made my way out of the Breslin Center.

I never did hear any of my cuts of audio on the radio, but that was easily my favorite thing I did for WDFN. Adam Wolfe broke his leg that year, which I marked up to my jinx and for that Adam I’m sorry. Oklahoma would make it to the final four that year and I rooted for them the whole time because I could tell my story of covering them whenever they showed up on TV. I got to go into the Lions locker room a couple of times for WDFN (once with John Bloom and once with “The Gorilla" Sherilla) but nothing compares to the time I discussed hoops with Raf and Izzo.

My Mock Draft

I'm going to draft based on NFL GM's being idiots, not the fact the Suh is the best player in this draft.

STL- Sam Bradford - at least he isn't injury prone. Bust percentage 65.

DTL- Ndamakuh Suh - A stud. 10 years at least as a dominant player.

TBB - Gerald McCoy- Let's try not to out think ourselves.

WSR - Russell Okung - A left tackle. Big surprise. Lockdown.

KCC - Jimmy Clausen - Weis and Clausen. USC QB Cassell can be seen somewhere else. Contract looked good, but it actually isn't.

STS - Trent Williams - Offensive Tackle. Why not.

CLB - Eric Berry - Best available player and who doesn't need a Safety.

OKR - Bryan Bulaga - If one Iowa tackle doesn't work, try again.

BFB - CJ Spiller - Hi Mr. Playmaker, welcome to Canada.

JVJ - Dez Bryant - They need a WR playmaker, it makes to much sense to actually happen.

DVB - Joe Haden - They need an offensive player but none are there. Trade could happen.

MID - Rolando McClain - Defensive stand-out.

SF9 - Bruce Campbell - Tackle protects QB.

STS - Derrick Morgan - Help both lines with your 2 1st rounders. Done. and. Done.

NYG - Jason Pierre-Paul - Defensive Line? Defensive Line. Always.

TNT - Mike Iupati - Offensive Line is how you protect Vince. Fact.

SF9 - Earl Thomas - Outstanding Safety.

PTS - Brandon Graham - Best available pass rusher. They wish a QB was available.

ATL - Sean Witherspoon - Best player available.

HST - Maurice Pouncey - Offensive Line is sexy.

CNB - Kyle Wilson - A good cornerback, shocking.

NEP - Taylor Mays - They love players.

GBP- Sergio Kindle - Their defense was terrible. This helps.

PHE - Jared Odrick - No question, defense needs to be addressed.

BTR - Golden Tate - He is fucking awesome. Fact.

AZC - Jermaine Gresham - Leonard Pope sucks.

DLC - Jared Odrick - Defensive Line? Sure, why not.

SDC - Jhavid Best - Some Running Back left, they might as well replace him.

NYJ - Dan Williams- Rex like defense!

MNV - Anthony Davis - Protection for some QB no one has ever liked.

IDC - Jerry Hughes - Defensive help.

NOS - Kareem Jackson - More defensive help.

Mostly My Bracket

This is the general consensus of what my bracket consists of, some randomness ensues but this is the majority of my picks (I'm hedging with Baylor and ND in the Final Four, sorry).

Mid-West 1st round upsets:

San Diego State. Stay classy.

East 1st round upsets:

Cornell. Andy Bernard.
Washington. Isaiah Thomas.

East 1st round upsets:

Siena
St. Mary's

West 1st round upsets

UTEP. They have Caracter.
Murray State. Flight of the Conchords pick.

Sweet Sixteen

Zags, Utep, Xavier, KState, Nova, Baylor/ND, aTm, Duke, WVU, New Mexico, Scons, KY, KU, Mary Land, GT, OSU

Elite Eight

KU, OSU, Scons, WVU, Baylor/ND, aTm, Utep, Kstate

Final Four

KU, Kstate, Baylor/ND, WVU

Final

KU over WVU

Why I Still Love MySpace

"Well is there any normal guy that is actually good to the person that they r with? a down to earth person that dont freak out over the little bullshit in life that dont even matter, n dont let it ruin their plans? im tired of the back n forth games guys play n its prolly cuz of the age, but i wish i knew someone who knows what they want instead of someone who ain't sure, so is playing the 'i love u' one day & 'i hate u' the next day game. thats jus bullshit to do that to someone. well gimme sum feedback on this one!"

I'm assuming the chick that wrote this wanted her boyfriend to ignore her kissing other dudes, that ain't cheatin 'less my bra comes off!