RichRod Speaks to the Wall Street Journal

Via Adam Rittenberg's Big Ten blog (that thing is really handy, btw) come a link to a Rich Rodriguez interview with today's Wall Street Journal. A few highlights:

WSJ: One comment made this off season that seemed to sting you a lot was Justin Boren's suggestion that your coaching style does not breed "family values." Why did you respond so passionately?

Mr. Rodriguez: I hate to bring it up because it rubbed me in such the wrong way. This is my 15th year as a head coach and anybody who has worked with me or played with me knows that statement is just off base. We think there is no one who is going to have a closer, family-type unit than our football program.

...

WSJ: How are you approaching the Ohio State rivalry? You haven't been overly vocal about it to date, unless I'm completely mistaken.

Mr. Rodriguez: It's not that I'll ever dismiss the rivalry. It's the greatest rivalry in college sports. I hear about it every day and I know they've won a lot of games against us. But Ohio State has won a lot of games in general in the past few years…I don't have the time right here in August to worry about Ohio State. I've got to one, worry about Michigan. And then in a couple weeks worry about Utah.

WSJ: How do you keep the players focused on Utah, and not let their minds wander to Notre Dame, Michigan State, or Ohio State, especially given what happened last year against Appalachian State?

Mr. Rodriguez: We just need to realize we're not good enough to go out there and mess around against anybody. Utah is no exception.

WSJ: How quickly can this team compete for conference and national championships?

Mr. Rodriguez: I don't know. Because we have so many questions to answer, until we play a few games I won't know how some of these guys are going to respond. But I do think if their attitude is right, our goal every year will always be to compete for the Big Ten championship and win a bowl game. And if we get talented enough, and deep enough and lucky enough, and play for it all, then that's the ultimate goal. But right now, our first goal is to compete for the conference championship.

I'm pretty sure that's the first time I've ever seem him referred to as "Mr. Rodriguez", though I guess I shouldn't expect anything else from the WSJ. "Coach Rodriguez" would not have been up to their journalistic standards, I guess.

I like RichRod's attitude about the upcoming season. I know the "one game at a time" attitude is incredibly cliche, but he seems to be taking it very seriously. I expect Michigan to be very prepared for the Utah game, and the players to be fully convinced that while they can beat anybody, they can lose to anybody as well.

Barwis = Barack?

Via MVictors.com comes this quote from Adam Rittenberg's ESPN.com Big Ten Blog:

John from Milwaukee writes: Michigan’s team did lose some talent. But they’ve got 7 returners on defense, and they’ve had Top 10 or Top 12 recruiting classes the last two years. I think the biggest factor, which people are missing, is Mike Barwis, the new trainer.

Adam Rittenberg writes: You’re right about the young talent being there, especially at the skill positions. And I don’t think anyone is overlooking Barwis, who gets as much publicity as Barack Obama.

Barack Obama advertises change. Mike Barwis is already bringing tremendous change to the Michigan program (especially the weightroom and player's guts). Why not take the campaign further?

The world will never be the same.

Michigan Football Roundtable: Team MVP

Another new feature around here in anticipation of the Michigan football season. The Michigan Football Roundtable will feature me and a few friends (including new Ace of Sports bloggers Joe and Webstarr) talking about our expectations for this upcoming season. And yes, I do rock at Photoshop, thank you.

Today's question: Who will be the team's MVP this season?

Joe: I wish I could say the whole defensive line, but that’s a cop-out. The line is the most experienced unit coming back this year, and I think it will be the team’s strong point. I’m going with Tim Jamison. Jamison is a pretty safe pick because he’s experienced (fifth-year senior, played in 38 games) and accomplished (second on the team in tackles for loss last year, third in sacks). Also, Brandon Graham, the other end, is going to be the one getting double-teamed all year. This will leave room for Jamison to get in and do his thing. He is the most experienced player on the best unit on the team. I saved my ballsy pick for last week’s question.

Sam (aka Sweegor the Magnificent): Between the Barwis porn, the highlight videos of 5'7" guys making their high school opponents look silly, and the constant assurances that this team has absolutely, positively, unquestionably, and indubitably THE!!! MOST!!! TALENT!!! of any Rich-Rod assembled team in the history of man, Michigan fans occasionally forget that their team probably isn't going to be any good this year. One quick way to throw cold water on your Barwis-induced tumescence: remind yourself that Morgan Trent is the team's best player.

This is not so horrible of a thing. Trent has good height, quickness, and technique. His speed is so outrageous that when, last week, a newspaper reported that Morgan Trent ran a forty-yard dash in 4.13 seconds, other newspapers repeated the statistic (for a frame of reference, rifle bullets fly the forty in 4.14 seconds, so, yes, the stat is wrong). In one famous instance, he hawked Percy Harvin from behind in last year's Capital One Bowl, saving a touchdown. The Michigan defense subsequently kept the Gators out of the red zone, saving Michigan points and amounting to a huge momentum shift. (And all this despite being from the genetically inferior north. If Trent had gone to an SEC school and gotten some of that Southern Speed Mario Manningham and Charles Woodson so sorely lacked, that 4.13 would have been legit, and on a slow track.)

Trent has earned a lot of ire from the Michigan fan base for his lack of ball skills. Michigan fans don't see the excellent technique and speed he demonstrates during the first three seconds of the play, when the television camera's eye is on the quarterback. Instead, they only see him occasionally ruin his good position by poorly reacting to the ball as it, and the television cameras, arrive. He has improved drastically over the last two years in this area, even if much of Michigan's fan base hasn't noticed. To many, he will always be the sophomore who Anthony Gonzalez and then Dwayne Jarrett destroyed in the last two games of 2006. Well, right now, those two guys are in the NFL and Trent is in Ann Arbor developing into one of the top cornerbacks in the Big Ten.

But:

Morgan Trent is not a great player. There are certain instincts a corner needs to have to dominate a game, and it doesn't seem that Trent has them. He is also mediocre in run coverage, although more out of him being a slim player than any lack of effort. No one else on the roster is a great player either, at least not yet. Perhaps Brandon Graham, Steve Brown, Terrance Taylor or Greg Mathews will be one by the time Michigan steps foot in Columbus this November, but there's no reason to be confident that any one individual will. I could rant for a few more pages about each specific player, and my lack of confidence in him making the leap to superstardom, but I won't. Instead, I'll be grateful for a solid dependable player on a team with far too few of them. Morgan Trent may not be a superstar but he's currently Michigan's best player. Unless someone else develops unexpectedly into an All-American caliber player, he'll be Michigan's best player in January too (although Michigan probably won't be playing in January...close the Barwis video, step away from your computer, and take another look at the roster).

Ace: Even though he wasn't my choice for breakout player (I went with Carson Butler for that one) I actually think Carlos Brown will emerge as the team's MVP. Even though Brandon Minor is being penciled in as the starter in Michigan's crowded backfield (in large part due to Brown being injured during spring practice), I believe Brown will be the one who emerges as the back who gets the most carries this year, and he'll be the sparkplug that ignites a Michigan offense with a lot of inexperience in the passing game.

Brown, who came to Michigan as the #5 running back in his class (according to Rivals), showed flashed of his incredible promise when Mike Hart was injured last season. Over a three game stretch (Purdue, at Illinois, Minnesota) Brown ran for 311 yards on 51 carries (a very impressive 6.1 yards per carry) with four touchdowns.

(Touchdown run vs. Purdue last year. Carlos Brown is fast.)

The fact that Brown has been seeing practice snaps at quarterback during fall practice certainly doesn't hurt his chances of being the team's best player. If Justin Feagin doesn't emerge as a viable option for the designated zone read quarterback, Brown has a very good shot at getting his own package of plays in RichRod's offense. The ability of these plays to keep opposing defenses on their toes despite Michigan's lack of a mobile quarterback is paramount to the Wolverines' success this year.

If Brown can emerge as Michigan's number one back (a big if, but I'm confident it will happen) and provide a new dimension to the offense when he takes snaps at quarterback, I think he will be the team's most valuable player, in the true sense of the term. I fully expect the defense to be very solid this year, but the offense is a complete wild card. Carlos Brown is the wild card within that wild card. If he runs wild, Michigan could become the wild card in the Big Ten. I've completely lost myself, but hopefully you catch my drift.

Pistons' National TV Schedule

Thanks to NBA.com (via the AOL Fanhouse) I've been able to compile the complete schedule of Pistons games that will be nationally televised this year. Detroit will be televised fourteen times nationally, the eighth-most in the league (Phoenix, Cleveland, and Boston lead the way at 25).

The list (all times ET):

Fri, Nov. 14 at Lakers: 10:30 pm on ESPN
Thu, Nov. 20 at Boston: 8:00 pm on TNT
Mon, Jan. 19 at Memphis: 5:30 pm on TNT
Fri, Jan. 23 vs. Dallas: 7:00 pm on ESPN
Sun, Jan. 25 vs. Houston: 6:30 pm on ESPN
Fri, Jan. 30 vs. Boston: 7:00 pm on ESPN
Sun, Feb. 1 vs. Cleveland: 2:30 pm on ABC
Sun, Feb. 8 vs. Phoenix: 8:00 pm on ESPN
Thu, Feb. 19 vs. San Antonio: 8:00 pm on TNT
Sun, Feb. 22 at Cleveland: 8:00 pm on ESPN
Sun, Mar. 1 at Boston: 1:00 pm on ABC
Wed, Mar. 18 at Houston: 9:30 pm on ESPN
Tue, Mar. 24 at Chicago: 8:00 pm on TNT
Sat, Apr. 3 at Philadelphia: 3:00 pm on ESPN

Games on TNT in bold, because TNT is awesome.

Bullet Points Are Handy: Lions Optimism? That's Crazy Talk.

In this set of links, we find optimistic quotes about the Lions (!), a look at the Utah Utes, good Pistons news, and more:

• Pride of Detroit has quotes from Rod Marinelli's pre-preseason press conference. Notice he praises Dan Orlovsky, but says nothing of Drew Stanton. Thanks Millen!
• Epic Carnival has their Detroit Lions version of Manufactured Joy posted. Megatron!
• Maize N Brew has a Q&A with Block U (a Utah Utes blog) posted up. There's a lot of good stuff there if you want to know more about Michigan's first foe.
• Speaking of the Utah game, Awful Announcing has the opening weekend schedule for ESPN. Michigan-Utah will be shown on ABC at 3:30 pm on Saturday, August 30th.
• The Pistons have exercised their options on Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo for the 2009-2010 season. This was a mere formality, but it's always good to know that Joe Dumars has not completely lost his mind.
• Detroit Bad Boys has the money quotes from Kwame Brown's introductory conference call.
  

Tigers Choke in Epic Fashion

Warning: Bad language to follow. Lots.

I have a hard time bringing myself to recap last night's game. I'll say that watching Nick Swisher (I hate, hate, HATE Nick Swisher) round the bases with his stupid fucking bowl cut and his stupid fucking dip lip (don't even get me started on the fact he went to Ohio fucking State) was one of the more painful experiences I've had as a sports fan. It certainly ripped any last shred of optimism about the Tigers' playoff chances from me.

What went wrong last night? Where to start...

• Nate Robertson sucks, and one again Detroit wasn't able to get more than five innings from him, let alone a half-decent start. If he has a rotation spot next year I question Dave Dombrowski's sanity.
• Gary Sheffield was 0-5 with two strikeouts, and there's still no sign of Marcus Thames getting a shot at being the regular left fielder. Matt Joyce was also MIA. I'm quickly losing patience with Jim Leyland.
• Kyle Farnsworth, determined to make me look like an idiot for defending the Pudge trade, gave up another home run, this one to blow a one-run lead in the eighth.
  
• Edgar Renteria completely booted a routine grounder in the 14th that could've put the Tigers one out closer to sealing a much-needed victory. Apparently Edgar decided he wasn't hurting us enough with his bat, and figured he'd let start failing miserably on the defensive end as well.
  
• Joel Zumaya gave up three hits, and the walk-off home run. The search for a closer is nowhere close to settled.
• Fuck Nick Swisher.

Tigers coverage (which has already been lacking, sorry about that) may be pretty sparse unless a lot of things change. As it stands, writing about them is too depressing. At least everyone expects the Lions to suck anyway.

For more on last night's epic fail, click these links (I highly recommend Samara Pearlstein's rant on Swisher, if you haven't had your fill of that sort of thing).

Oh, and fuck Nick Swisher. Smirking Buckeye fuck.

Where You At?: Michael Taylor Edition

Today's edition of Where You At? looks at former Wolverine quarterback Michael Taylor, the last Michigan starter with true dual-threat capability.

Believe it or not, there once was a time (pre-RichRod) when Michigan quarterbacks were not enormous white statues who seemingly all came off the same assembly line equipped with cannon arms and 5.2 speed. To watch a Michigan quarterback of the Moeller/Carr era take off from the pocket was to watch a Wright Brothers creation occupy the same airspace as the Blue Angels. You just prayed the poor pedaling sap got out of the way before he got sucked into a jet engine.

John Navarre (left) looks for an escape from the oncoming defense. I recommend the nearest sideline, pronto.

However, there was a time when Michigan actually utilized the mobile quarterback to great effect. Michael Taylor, who lettered at Michigan from 1987-89, was the last of these quarterbacks, before Michigan ditched Bo Schembechler's triple option attack and put Elvis Grbac under center.

A highly touted recruit out of Cincinnati Princeton High School in 1984 (he was personally recruited by Bo), Taylor entered Michigan at the same time as Demetrious Brown, another dual-threat QB with aspirations of replacing Jim Harbaugh once he departed after the 1986 season. When the 1987 season rolled around, Taylor was locked into an intense competition with Brown for the starting job, which he would lose by the beginning of the season. Relegated to the bench, Taylor jumped at the opportunity to start when Brown was injured in a loss to Indiana. The next game, Taylor rushed for 163 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries in a 31-10 Homecoming victory (passing was a bit of an afterthought, he was 1-5 for 3 yards, but when you run that well, who needs to throw?).

Although Taylor expected that performance to earn him the starting job, he was back on the bench the very next game. He had never had a good relationship with Gary Moeller, who at the time was the offensive coordinator, and this latest benching really did not sit well with him. From Jim Cnockaert's book "Where Have You Gone?":

"The week of the Ohio State game, I did something I had never done before: I didn't care what I did out there in practice," he said. "At some point I had had enough. I thought: 'If they are not going to play me, why should I bust my butt? Why go through the hassle if you're not going to play because someone doesn't like you?' I figured I wasn't going to play, so I threw interceptions on purpose."

Taylor ended up having to relieve an injured Brown in the Ohio State game, which Michigan ended up losing, 23-20. He was back on the bench for Michigan's victory over Alabama in the Hall of Fame Bowl.

Taylor did not see eye-to-eye with Gary Moeller (right)

In 1988, Taylor got his shot at being the starting quarterback after Brown had trouble qualifying academically. He started the first eight games, in which Michigan went 5-2-1 (with losses to Notre Dame and Miami), and amassed over 1000 all-purpose yards. Brown then returned, leading Michigan to three consecutive victories to end the season, putting Michigan in the Rose Bowl against USC. However, Taylor earned the starting job in practice leading up to the Rose Bowl, but a broken collarbone suffered the week before New Year's ended his season prematurely. (Correction from an anonymous commenter: "In 1988, Taylor lost the starting QB job in 1988 when he broke his collarbone in the first series of the Minnesota game. He did not lose the starting job because Brown got healthy, and he did not break his collarbone right before the Rose Bowl." Cnockaert says Brown broke his collarbone the week before the Rose Bowl. I believe the commenter, but haven't found anything to back it up. Anyone know?)

Michael Taylor, front and center in 1989 (#9 in the front row)

Demetrious Brown was ineligible for the 1989 season, opening the door for Taylor to assume the starting role full-time. Although Taylor suffered three cracked vertebrae after taking a hit against Notre Dame, and was forced to earn his job back from Elvis Grbac upon his return five games later, he led Michigan to a 10-2 record and the conference title. Most importantly, he again beat Ohio State (the amazing WolverineHistorian with the video; Taylor is #9, although you probably figured that out when he lined up under center):

A closely-fought 17-10 loss to USC in the 1990 Rose Bowl ended Taylor's up-and-down career at Michigan, and he did not leave the school on particularly good terms. Upset that Michigan would not pay for medical treatment of a recurring arm injury if it was not performed by a University doctor, Taylor cut himself off from the team for years. He didn't even attend games, despite continuing to live in the Ann Arbor area.

Finally, Taylor's wife Tina convinced him to reconcile with the University, and since 2000 he has done radio broadcast work at WTKA, including covering Michigan football postgames and doing the GoBlueWolverine Radio Hour. Taylor also works as a salesman for Detroit Building Supply.

Taylor recently popped up in a surprising role on the radio recently, staunchly defending the Michigan football program he one butted heads with in the wake of the Ann Arbor News' investigation into the program. To hear him defend the program, check out the audio clip over at MVictors.

Where Have You Gone?: Michael Taylor (Google Books)
WTKA hosts react to news article (MVictors)
GBW Hour is Back! With Former UM QB Michael Taylor (Scout)
MGoBlue Statistics Archive
Bentley Historical Library: Football

Bullet Points Are Handy: First Fall Practice Edition

(John T. Greilick / The Detroit News)

A few bits of info to kick off the day, including impressions from Michigan's first fall practice:

• MGoBlog has the full roundup from Michigan's first day of practice. Kevin Grady practiced, scholarship long-snapper (ugh, I know) George Morales finally showed up, and Barwis has turned everyone into cage-fighting wolf owners. But you already knew that.
• Via Michigan Sports Center, Michigan's fan day is scheduled for August 17th. It's free and open to the public. Barwis will take on all challengers in the octagon. At once.
• From the Pride of Detroit, Ernie Sims has returned to practice, and to form:
  

  He popped a couple of people. On one play, he smacked running back Tatum Bell and stopped him cold. The crunch could be heard across the field, to the fans’ delight.

  “I got a little stress out of me,” Sims said.

Um, yes. Just save the maiming and killing for the actual season, Ernie.

• Miguel Cabrera was named the AL Player of the Month for July. Those who doubted his abilities can now bow their heads in shame, while we all continue to ignore the train wreck that is Dontrelle Willis.
• Freddy Garcia, the former Seattle All-Star who has been recovering from a torn labrum, will be auditioning in front of several Major League teams today. The Tigers will likely be looking at him as a guy who can possibly shore up the back end of the rotation. At this point, I'll take anything over Nate Robertson. I'm pretty sure Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube-Man has a better arm than Robertson at this point.
  

Lions Luminaries Sporting the New Foamheads

A request by "anonymous" from the comments of my previous post:

"Can you photoshop that foam head on Matt Millen/W.C. Ford/Brett Favre?"

While I refuse to waste any more ink (or photoshopping time) on Favre, I was happy to fulfill the first two requests, as well as add a special third picture. Enjoy.

Matt Millen:

William Clay Ford:

Wayne Fontes:

Your 2008 Detroit Lions: Toothless Marge Simpsons

From the Shutdown Corner over at Yahoo! comes this piece of comedic gold: the NFL is selling "Foamheads" for all 32 NFL teams. Not only are most of them horrifically ugly, but they also are a guaranteed way to completely piss off whoever is sitting behind you at a game.

Pictured above is the Lions Foamhead. There are two things about it that I find absolutely hilarious:

1. The Lion seems to be missing most of its teeth. There could not be a more perfect representation of how sorry the Detroit Lions franchise is than a Lion in desperate need of dentures.
2. The Lion's "mane" bears a striking resemblance to the hairdo of a young Marge Simpson:

Congratulations to the NFL for creating the headgear that perfectly encapsulates just how much the Lions suck. Also, I'm pretty sure that thing has cauliflower ear. Gross.

Jason Maxiell Dominates Delonte West in Accumulating Floor Burns

Maxiell, eying the ball like a juicy baby (photo, joke from Detroit Bad Boys)

Hoops Addict is currently hosting the Hoops Addict Floor Burn Tournament, which is described thusly:

Each night ESPN, NBA.com and YouTube are flooded with clips of players soaring through the air for rim rocking dunks, buzzer beating three-pointers and blocked shots that make your jaw drop in amazement. While those are all entertaining plays, teams who win championships need players who are willing to get a little dirty and do the little things needed to help their team win. As valuable and crucial as these players are to their respective teams success, these players rarely get the credit or respect that they deserve. With that in mind, the First Annual Hoops Addict Floor Burn Tournament will kick off this week.

Natalie of Need4Sheed nominated Jason Maxiell as the Detroit entrant in the 32-player competition, and he is currently dominating to the point that even Steve Spurrier thinks it's getting a bit excessive. At last check (when I put in my vote) Maxiell was beating Cleveland's Delonte West 108-1. Not surprisingly, that's about what I'd expect the final score of a one-on-one game between West and Mad Max to be (as long as it was half court, the officiating was somewhat lax, and West didn't have the dignity to quit after the seventeenth soul-crushing dunk by Maxiell).

I expect Pistons fans (and fans of good hard-nosed basketball) to vault Maxiell to the title. I can think of no other player who deserves it more. Keep voting, and let's give Baby-Eater the title he has already earned.

Mike Hart Impresses in Colts Debut

Indianapolis and Washington kicked off the NFL season last night in the Hall of Fame Game, with the Redskins defeating the Colts, 30-16. One of the most impressive players on the field last night was Colts running back Mike Hart, who you may remember from such accomplishments as starting four years at Michigan, becoming our all time leading rusher, and being generally beloved by anyone with a pulse and an allegiance to the Wolverines. Hart (#32 above) rushed for 53 yards on four carries, and also amassed 28 yards on three catches. His best highlight came below, when he took a defender head on, lost his helmet, and still fought for the first down. Anyone who watched Hart play for Michigan should not be surprised by the power and determination he showed last night, and it is great to see Hart start to prove the doubters who thought he couldn't play professionally wrong.

(video via The Diag blog)

Update: NFL.com has posted their own video of Mike Hart highlights.

Projecting Michigan's 2008 Recruiting Class

This is part two of my two part look at Michigan football recruiting. Yesterday's post, which will make all of this make a hell of a lot more sense, can be found here (or directly below, if you're on the site's front page).

Based on yesterday's numbers, Michigan's recruiting class of 2008, which has 24 members, will likely break down like so:

• 15 play out eligibility
• 12 start at least 12 career games
• 5.5 (that half-player's fate will be decided later) make at least one All-Big Ten team
• 2 become All-Americans
• 1 gets picked in the first round of the NFL Draft
• 5 total players are drafted

There's about a one-in-two chance of having a player leave early for the NFL Draft, but I don't see anyone from the class of '08 having that kind of superstar impact. Most guys that leave early for the NFL are five-star players, of which there are none in this class.

Note: Before I get into my breakdown of which players I think will fall into which category, I must say this: I will not be projecting which players I think may get hurt or get booted off the team. That kind of thing, as a general rule, is incredibly hard to predict (barring recruiting a Willie Williams-type player), and I don't want to be the guy who thinks Player X will be the next Antonio Bass. There are no winners with those types of guesses.

Now that that's out of the way, let's move on to my predictions:

Play out eligibility, All-American (2):

• OT Dann O'Neill (Rivals 4*, #49 overall): A monster (6'8", 291 lbs.) tackle in the mold of Jake Long, with similar expectations out of high school. I'm not saying he will be the #1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, but I think O'Neill will challenge for a starting role as soon as 2009, and be a 3-4 year starter. Those type of players tend to garner All-America hype when they come from a school as rich in O-Line tradition as Michigan. O'Neill is also my guess for most likely first-round pick out of this class.
  
• RB Sam McGuffie (Rivals 4*, #10 all-purpose back): The man, the myth, the legend. McGuffie comes to Ann Arbor with as much hype as any recruit in recent memory. That's what happens when you spend your high school career creating legendary YouTube video material. He could immediately have an impact as a Noel Devine-type change-of-pace back, and will fit perfectly into Rich Rodriguez's offense after a year or two of waiting in the wings. McGuffie could end up posting some video game numbers before his career is over. Only his size (6'0", 188 lbs.) will keep him from being a first-round back.
  
  
  Sam McGuffie, linebacker-hurdling mythical creature.
  

Play out eligibility, All-Big Ten (4, assuming All-Americans will also make All-Conference, which is not a giant leap of faith by any means):

• CB Boubacar Cissoko (Rivals 4*, #4 corner): Michigan's first commit in the class of '08, and one of the best in the class. He has unbelievable coverage skills, and his only drawback is the fact that he is 5'8". His height is the only reason I don't think he'll be an All-American/1st round pick. As it stands (or he stands, I guess) he'll start next to Donovan Warren by 2009, be an incredibly solid cover corner, and be a mid-level NFL pick.
• WR Darryl Stonum (Rivals 4*, #7 wideout): Early enrollee, and a player who is a good bet to have an immediate impact as a freshman. 6'2", 180 lbs. and runs a 4.4 40-yard dash, Stonum is the prototype outside receiver and should be the Michigan wideout who rises to stardom (a la Edwards, Avant, Walker, etc.) his junior and senior years. Also a guy who I think will be drafted by the NFL.
• LB J.B. Fitzgerald (Rivals 4*, #145 overall): Another freshman who could have immediate impact, Fitzgerald could see the field this fall as Michigan's fourth linebacker. Guesses are that he will push Obi Ezeh out of the MLB spot in 2009 and hold down that position for three years. NFL Draft pick #5 by my count.
• ATH Terrence Robinson (Rivals 4*, #9 all-purpose): Will probably start off the bat at the slot receiver position, and will use his freakish speed and Breaston-esque moves to turn bubble screens into 80-yard catch-and-runs. His size (5'9", 170) will keep him from being a consistent downfield receiving threat and an NFL pick, but he's perfect for this offense.

Darryl Stonum, the next great Michigan receiver?

Play out eligibility, start 12 career games (6):

• DT Mike Martin (Rivals 4*, #16 DT): The type of DT who is going to get into the backfield, at 6'1", with 285 lbs. of pure muscle (he's a state champion powerlifter) and quickness to boot. His height, coupled with the fact that he's already filled out his frame, makes it unlikely that he will turn into a dominant lineman, but he will almost certainly start by 2009 and by a very solid interior player.
• OT Elliot Mealer (Rivals 4*, #24 OT): Although he has had an incredibly rough past year (a car crash killed his father and girlfriend as well as seriously injuring his brother last Christmas eve; now he is recovering from a torn rotator cuff suffered in the accident), I still think Mealer will be the guy to take over at Steve Schilling's vacated tackle position in 2011. He'll certainly take a redshirt this season (as most offensive lineman do, and he's hurt to boot), which would put him in position to start for two years.
• C Ricky Barnum (Rivals 4*, #4 center): Very highly rated interior lineman, whose size (only 6'2") screams center, where undersized guards go to dominate. My guess is he beats out David Molk (another undersized interior lineman) for the starting center spot in 2010 and is a solid three-year starter. Could be an All-Big Ten/All-American type player, since he was the fourth-rated player in the country at his position. I may be putting him low here, but especially with offensive line recruiting, you really never know.
• S Brandon Smith (Rivals 4*, #11 safety): A huge safety (6'2", 210 lbs.) who some think is destined for a move to OLB, but Michigan (read: Barwis) is doing it's best to keep him at safety. He's a bit slow, but could be a guy in the Ernest Shazor/Cato June mold who has a big impact in the run defense, and is adequate at best defending the pass. Probably never a star, but could be a solid starter at strong safety and wreak some havoc in Scott Shafer's blitz-happy defense.
• LB Marcus Witherspoon (Rivals 4*, #20 OLB): Recruited and listed at linebacker, but with Michigan's desparate need for defensive ends, he is a guy likely to move positions. He actually played DE in high school, and was a ferocious pass rusher (27 sacks as a senior). Probably redshirts, bulks up to around 240-250 lbs. (he's listed at 6'2", 210 right now), and starts down the road as a pass-rushing DE.
• OG Kurt Wermers (Rivals 3*, #37 guard): Michigan is not particularly deep on the o-line, after the '06 and '07 classes managed to pull in a meager four lineman combined. Decent chance he'll turn into a solid interior lineman and start at guard for a couple years after redshirting.

Spooooooooooooooooooooon.

Play out eligibility, backup (3):

• LB Taylor Hill (Rivals 4*, #21 OLB): Played DE in high school, but is way too small (6'2", 190 lbs.) to play the position in college. Hill will probably develop into a Crable-like rush linebacker, but I don't know if I see him ever consistently starting after going through a position switch and with the linebacker talent in front of him. Could be a player Michigan brings in on third downs as a pass rusher.
• WR Martavious Odoms (Rivals 3*, #71 WR): This pick could make me look like an idiot, since Odoms has about a 50-50 chance of beating out Terrence Robinson for the slot receiver spot this season. However, I think Robinson has way more upside, and Odoms ends up backing him up for the next four years.
• LB Kenny Demens (Rivals 4*, #23 OLB): Another linebacker, and his upside isn't as high as the other recruits. He's a bit small (generously listed at 6'1", 220 lbs.) and might have a hard time navigating through Big Ten offenses. He seems like a career backup guy who is solid when called upon, but never spectacular.
  

That leaves nine guys who I don't think will play out their careers at Michigan. Here's why:

• RB Michael Shaw (Rivals 4*, #6 running back): Shaw comes in with high ratings, but is stuck between two positions. Most people think he will get moved to slot receiver and get his shot there instead of having to beat out Minor/Brown/Grady/McGuffie at running back. However, I think Robinson and Odoms have a much better shot of playing in the slot, and Michigan has already secured four-star athlete Jeremy Gallon for the 2009 class, who will also fit perfectly at the position. I'm predicting a transfer once Shaw realizes McGuffie has the inside shot at running back.
• TE Brandon Moore (Rivals 4*, #8 tight end): Enormous target with sky-high potential, but also doesn't really fit in to Rodriguez's offense. He also didn't put up tremendous numbers in high school (although, in fairness to him, he played with Shaw and four-star wideout Roy Roundtree) and there are concerns about his work ethic. He could be a huge asset as a guy who can go up and get jump balls (he's 6'6" and athletic), but he could also be a huge bust.
• TE Kevin Koger (Rivals 4*, #4 tight end): Many are projecting a move to DE, a position Koger played in high school, although he's been told he will start out on offense. As a general rule, guys who have to switch positions mid-career are a lot less likely to see the field than someone who spends their whole career at the same spot, especially when the switch takes you to the other side of the ball. Koger is a tremendous talent, and may just decide to transfer somewhere that will utilize his offensive talents if he gets moved.
• WR Roy Roundtree (Rivals 4*, #44 wideout): Not tremendously fast, and is rail-thin (6'2", 156 lbs.). He could develop into a solid #2 receiver, but could also be buried behind Mathews, Hemingway, Clemons, Stonum, and 2009 commit Bryce McNeal, all of whom seem better fit for playing on the outside (or are just more experienced). One of those wideouts who could stick around forever, never see playing time and don't get a fifth year.
• ATH Justin Feagin (Rivals 3*, #41 athlete): Yes, I do believe he will see snaps this year as a quarterback who can actually run. However, with four-star dual-threats Kevin Newsome and Shavodrick Beaver in the fold for next year, it looks like Feagin will be pushed out of the picture by his sophomore season. I doubt he'll stick as a defensive back, and is a pretty good bet to transfer, in my opinion.
• OL Rocko Khoury (Rivals 3*, #47 OT): Not as highly regarded as any of the linemen listed above, I don't see him ever getting major playing time barring a complete lack of line recruits in the next year or two. Probably doesn't see his fifth year, or leaves the team early after he decides being a third-string tackle isn't worth the horror of Barwis' workouts.
• RB Mike Cox (Rivals 3*, not ranked): Was a completely unheralded recruit out of an awful football conference in Avon, Connecticut (think Polo shirts with popped collars, guys named "Osbourne" and "Farnsworth", lacrosse, etc.) who got a surprise offer from the Carr staff at camp. Not recruited for this system, and unlikely to ever contribute. Dreams of a Beaver/Cox backfield can die now
• ATH J.T. Floyd (Rivals 3*, not ranked): A WR/DB who will probably play safety at Michigan. However, he's a step slow and facing a lot of competition. Either transfers or gets the Mundy treatment (hopefully minus all the horror of actually seeing Mundy play).
• OT Patrick Omameh (Rivals 2*, not ranked): Lowest ranked player in the class, and a complete sleeper on the line. In a class this deep, he looks like the least likely player to contribute, although that comes with the caveat that offensive lineman is the hardest position to project by far. My best guess, however, is that he never sees the field after being passed by subsequent (and higher rated) recruits.

That concludes my look at the recruiting class of 2008. In all likelihood, none of this will be remotely relevant or accurate in a couple years, but it's always fun to try to guess how things will turn out. If this page is still accessible in four or five years, it has the potential to provide awesome "I told you so" material. That, or complete embarrassment. I hope for the former. I'm sure many of you completely disagree with several of my predictions, so feel free to leave your thoughts and arguments in the comments.

A Review of Michigan Recruiting: 1993-2003

Marlin Jackson and Braylon Edwards, two recruits who worked out quite well (photo from Michigan Daily).

Many Michigan fans (myself included) spend a tremendous amount of time following the collegiate choices of talented 17- and 18-year old football players, especially when those kids happen to be considering Michigan as a potential destination. I drop $10 a month on my Rivals subscription so I can see the latest recruiting rankings, up-to-the-second rumors on the next Vince Young, and know the instant a player commits to Michigan so I can be the first (well, one of the first) to be excited over his potential All-American career. There are thousands of other Michigan fans out there just like me, and many people out there earn their living tracking the future destinations of high school players.

However, for all the efforts put into rating these players before they ever make it to college, there is not a lot of data out there on what exactly happens to recruits once they step on campus. Many of the casual fans are never aware of the four-star linebacker who never sets foot on the field, or that the All-American wideout was actually only a three-star prospect in high school, or that our all-time leading rusher wasn't even the most highly-touted running back in his own recruiting class.

Mike Hart, class of 2004 three-star running back. Not Pictured: Max Martin, class of 2004 four-star running back.

I won't be talking about whether the star system (which many argue is inherently flawed) is the best way to judge recruits, and if it is at all accurate. First of all, I'm breaking down data from 1993, and Rivals' star system data isn't available until the class of 2002. Second, Sunday Morning Quarterback has already done a very thorough (and brilliant) three-part breakdown showing that a player's star data is a very good indicator of how good the player will be in college as well as determining his likelihood of being drafted.

I will be looking at Michigan's classes as a whole, so every player given a scholarship will be counted. This may be flawed, but it's the data I have to work with. My query is, out of every player Michigan gives a scholarship to, what are the chances the player:

• Plays out his full eligibility
• Sees significant playing time
• Is an All-Big Ten/All-American performer
• Gets drafted
• Leaves early (and why they leave early, when that data is available)

For this, I used Mike DeSimone's incredible database of Michigan recruiting classes, which covers every player in every class from 1993 through 2008, and the Bentley Historical Library for data on starts and All-American and All-Conference performers. I will be looking at the classes from 1993 to 2003 (the last class in which every player has played out his eligibility or left the team). Tomorrow, I will be taking this data and doing my best to guess which players from Michigan's recruiting class of 2008 will fall into which category.

Overall, Michigan handed out 220 scholarships from 1993-2003. Of those players:

• 106 (48%) started at least twelve games for Michigan
• 48 (22%) were taken in the NFL Draft
  
• 10 (4.5%) were taken in the first round of the NFL Draft
• 50 (23%) were selected All-Big Ten at least once
• 19 (9%) made an All-American team
• Charles Woodson (.45%) won a Heisman Trophy

I made sure for the All-Conference and All-American players to not count the same players twice if they made the teams in multiple years. Even though Charles Woodson was All-Big Ten all three years he played at Michigan, he still counts as one.

The .45% of Michigan recruits who win a Heisman Trophy.

As for how many players stuck it out through their four (or five) years:

• 138 (63%) played out their eligibility, meaning 82 (37%) left the team early
  
• 6 players (2.7%) left early for the NFL
• 3 of those players (David Terrell, Charles Woodson, and Tim Biakabutuka) were taken in the Top 8 of the Draft
• The other 3 (Alex Ofili, Ernest Shazor, and Shantee Orr) went undrafted
• 2 players (Clayton Richard and Drew Henson) left school early to play pro baseball (.9%)
  
• 9 players (4%) were kicked off the team for grade or disciplinary issues (I realize this is way low, but many of Michigan's disciplinary casualties simply transferred for undisclosed reasons. Take that number with a huge grain of salt)
• One of those players (Larry Harrison, .45%) decided it was a good idea to show off his naughty unmentionables to Michigan co-eds on Minerva Street
• 24 players (11%) transferred (not including disciplinary casualties)
  
• 12 players (5.5%) were not picked up for their fifth year of eligibility (Ryan "Yards After" Mundy falls in this category, since we weren't going to bring him back before he transferred to West Virginia)
  
• 15 players (7%) had their careers cut short due to injury

Kelly Baraka, a five-star running back who never saw the field at Michigan before being kicked off the team.

What can we take from all of this (besides that I need to get out more)? First of all, recruiting is a very inexact science. What made Shawn Crable (four-star linebacker, class of 2003) into an All-Big Ten player and NFL 3rd-rounder while James Presley (four-star linebacker, class of 2003) bounced between fullback and linebacker before leaving the team after two years of having zero impact? Michigan fans may have seen the Kelly Baraka dismissal coming (he was arrested twice before he ever made it to Michigan), but who could have guessed that Larry Harrison would commit a felony sex crime?

Second, at a school like Michigan, some players are simply going to be crunched out of playing time by better players and decide they want to move on. Matt Gutierrez was a highly touted recruit out of Da La Salle, a football factory in California where he never lost a game, and was primed to replace John Navarre in 2004 before he suffered a shoulder injury. Enter Chad Henne. Exit Matt Gutierrez. Gutierrez still managed to make it to the NFL (after a season at I-AA Idaho State) and stuck with the New England Patriots last season as their third quarterback. Could he have been an impact player at Michigan? We'll never know, but if I had to guess, I would say absolutely. Of the 11% who transferred for non-disciplinary issues, many of them probably would have started (and maybe starred) at lesser schools, but got caught behind guys who had more talent or simply were there first.

Third, football is crazy dangerous. Seven percent of players never see the end of their careers because of injury. Defensive back Daydrion Taylor never played again after this hit against Penn State in 1997:

Again, there is no way to guess that Taylor's career would end due to injury. However, you have to take into account that in a 25 person class, on average 1.75 players is going to suffer a career-ending injury. This is one of the reasons why the NCAA allows you to have 85 scholarship players. Football is very violent, and sometimes people get seriously hurt (both are evidenced above). It's nice to have some extra players around when inevitably a couple guys go down to injury. Since you never know who that will happen to, teams make sure to get a ton of depth at every position possible. Inevitably, some of this depth will never be necessary. This leads to transfers, players quitting, etc.

Fourth, Michigan is an amazing football program. If you had asked me before I started this project what percent of recruits were taken in the NFL Draft, I would've thrown out a number in the 10% area at best. Instead, 22% of Michigan recruits get selected in the draft, and that doesn't include all the players (like Shantee Orr, Pierre Woods, and Ronald Bellamy, among others) who catch on in the NFL as undrafted free agents. If you sign with Michigan, you have a one-in-four chance of making the league (ignoring weighing chances by star rating). That's an incredibly effective pitch to throw at potential recruits. Probably much better than the .45% chance of winning the Heisman. Also, one-in-ten becoming All-Americans is nothing to sneeze at either.

Tomorrow, I'll take these findings and see what I can project about the 2008 class. I will most likely be incredibly wrong with most of my guesses, which will ironically prove my point about how hard it is to project how good recruits will actually be. However fruitless that endeavor will be, it will at least be entertaining to me, and hopefully to you as well.

Martin, Carr, Berenson All Diagnosed With Melanoma

Ugh. This is scary news (found at the Free Press via Michigan Sports Center).

Michigan athletic director Bill Martin, hockey coach Red Berenson and retired football coach Lloyd Carr share another bond beyond the Maize and Blue that runs in their veins. All three have been diagnosed with melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

All three have been diagnosed with melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, the Free Press reporting partners at WDIV-TV Local 4 reported Friday night.

When Martin, whose hobby is sailing, was diagnosed, it occurred to him that if he was at risk because of his outdoors activities, others in the athletic department might be, too.

Martin, who had a spot on his face, asked Dr. Tim Johnson from the University of Michigan’s skin cancer program to have screenings for the entire department.

It was during those screenings that Berenson was found to have melanoma, and Carr's was spotted by his wife a few months prior. I'll be keeping all three in my thoughts and prayers, and I hope you do the same.

Surprise! Michigan Ranked in Top 25 in Coaches' Poll

The USA Today Coaches’ poll was released yesterday, and Michigan caught one helluva break, with the coaches ranking them number 24. The coaches decided that despite the Wolverines’ disappointing season last year, the loss of our starting quarterback, starting running back, two top wideouts, and coach, we still belong in the top 25.

Huh?

I appreciate the love coaches, but I am a little disappointed. I was kind of looking forward to sneaking up on the country this year. Silly me thought that nobody would give us a chance. This would be good for us because then we could have used the “nobody believes in us” card. Despite it being a little overused, it still works as a motivational tool.

I think the main reason Mich is ranked is because of their defense. They return a bunch of very talented players on defense, and despite a new coach, you never forget how to hit, so the defense looks sound.

Other than that, I don’t think the ranking makes sense. We don’t know who our starting quarterback is, one of his best targets is a true freshman, and as of now, we are platooning several running backs, which sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t.

Despite the loss of the “nobody believes in is” card, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about this ranking.

I don’t like to talk about it, but sometimes, actual college football coaches know more about college football than I do. Maybe they know something I don’t. Do they see RichRod’s new system as a seamless fit? Do they see our athletic ability on offense and assume the transition will be relatively easy? Who knows?

Of course, these are not the official rankings for the season, but it is nice to be ranked coming into the season because if you lose, you fall less, and when you win, you move up more. And if you lose and then win, you make up ground twice as fast as a team who worked their way up from unranked.

That being said, this is just a preseason poll, and it doesn’t really matter THAT much. However, whether it makes sense or not, coaches know what they're talking about. Now the AP, they may be less charitable.

Darius Morris is Blue

Via UMHoops, Darius Morris has officially announced his commitment to Michigan. This is a huge boost for a moribund program that hasn't made the tournament since 1998 (and that appearance, according to the NCAA, never actually happened). Morris is the #70 overall prospect according to Rivals, and their #10 point guard.

Gratuitous dunk highlight...

...check. (Yes, that was Morris. Athleticism is definitely one of his plusses).

Much more on Morris' commitment over at UMHoops. Dylan is all over this one. The man spits hot fire.

Who?

Mike Jones.


I know, everyone makes that joke, but it had to be done. Via Rivals ($), Michigan just picked up a commitment from the 3-star Florida safety, making Jones the 14th commit for the 2009 season. Good news for Michigan fans, especially those with a love of sub-par southern rap.

I Am Stupid

I just deleted my earlier post on Darius Morris, since the article I linked to saying he was a commit was actually from June. This is what happens when you read message board posts and then don't double-check anything. Big misunderstanding on my part, and luckily Dylan of UMHoops was able to correct me. The post has been taken down to alleviate confusion, but I still expect Morris to commit to Michigan tonight. His announcement is at 7 pm, and I'll put something up once he makes his choice. For much, much more info (and videos) on Morris, check out UMHoops, where Dylan is doing tremendous work covering the forgotten Michigan sport.

Where You At?: Ali Haji-Sheikh Edition

It's been a little while since I threw one of these together. Without further ado, I present the Where You At? for former Michigan kicker Ali Haji-Sheikh.

Ali Haji-Sheikh certainly has one of the more memorable names in Michigan football history. Born in Ann Arbor, Haji-Sheikh walked on to Michigan after an outstanding high school kicking career in Arlington, Texas (his area has produced eight NFL kickers, which is somewhat remarkable). After handling kickoff duties as a freshman, Haji-Sheikh became Michigan's full time kicker in 1980.

This is where Michigan's online statistical resources fail me, as their kicking statistics only go back to 1984, which happens to be two seasons after the Sheikh graduated. However, I can tell you he made 31 field goals during his career at Michigan, which I believe places him fourth on the school's all-time list. By all accounts, he was a tremendous kicker while at Michigan, and I will have to go by the word of others on that, since I wasn't yet born in 1982 and internet data on his collegiate career is sorely lacking (or at least very well hidden).

Ali Haji-Sheikh, very well hidden (1980 team photo from MGoBlue)

Haji-Sheikh was drafted in the 9th round (which no longer exists) of the 1983 NFL Draft by the New York Giants, and proceeded to set the kicking world on fire. In his rookie season, he set the NFL record for made field goals in a season (35, which still stands as the eighth-best mark of all time), made the Pro Bowl, and was selected first-team All-Pro. He also still holds the Giants records after making a 56-yard kick against the Lions. Life was good.

Haji-Sheikh, admiring how damn good he is (in 1983)

Unfortunately, kicking is somewhat of a cruel art. The all-time makes list is littered with young kickers who had one or two great seasons, only to disappear from the NFL before you can say "Chris Boniol". Haji-Sheikh struggled with a hamstring injury in 1984, went 17-for-33 on his field goals, missed three extra points, and subsequently earned the moniker "Haji-Shank" from the New York media. He was cut by the Giants after going 2-for-5 in the first two games of the season. Cartoon anvils have plummeted with less expediency than Haji-Sheikh's career with the Giants.

The Sheikh, circa 1985

Haji-Sheikh spent two more seasons in the NFL, one with Atlanta and one with Washington. He went 22-for-31 over that span and earned a Super Bowl Ring with the Redskins in 1987, despite missing 2 out of 3 kicks in the NFC Championship Game. He tried to hang on to his career by trying out for Washington again in 1987, but was cut in favor of rookie Chip Lohmiller and never played another NFL game.

Where does an unwanted kicker turn to after his football career is over? Selling cars, apparently. The Sheikh started selling cars at a dealership in New Jersey, and a 1991 New York Times article gave this gem of a quote:

Out of the National Football League since 1988, Haji-Sheikh is busy selling cars at Bergen Passaic Motors in Fair Lawn, N.J. Very busy. He was one of the top 25 sales people in the country for Volkswagen last year, when he sold more than 150 vehicles. "I was in the top five for a while, but I had a slump," said the 30-year-old Haji-Sheik.

Man, that had to feel like deja-vu. Luckily, Haji-Sheikh busted out of his slump, and is now the general manager of an Audi dealership in Birmingham, Michigan. He has settled down, has five kids, and spends a lot of his time coaching soccer and flag football.

Haji-Sheikh, showing off that golden leg while selling you an Audi (AP Photo)

Arlington-ex getting kids off on the right foot as youth coach (Dallas Morning News)
Shifting Gears; Car Salesman Still Looks to NFL (New York Times)
Ali Haji-Sheikh Statistics (Pro-Football-Reference.com)
Single-Season Total Field Goals Made Leaders (Pro-Football-Reference.com)

Lions hit each other. Can they hit anyone else?

A quick update from Lions camp.

Two interesting intra-squad rivalries have emerged recently, which naturally lead to some questions.

Jeff Backus vs. Dewayne White (photos from detroitlions.com)

First up is Jeff "On My" Backus vs. Dewayne "The Brow" White.

According to a report by The Free Press, White beat Backus in a pass-rushing drill (oh my god! really?), and Backus tried to hold White's jersey. White apparently pancaked Backus (the shocks keep rolling in, don't they?) and Backus rose and got in White's face. The players were separated.

A few plays later, White allegedly hits Backus in the chin, to which Backus responds by throwing White to the ground and punching him. Players intervene, and some guy named Frank Davis hits somebody. Supposedly that's all we need to know.

The first thing to realize is that this is NOT an indicator of major chemistry issues. From what I've heard from people who play football, and as suggested by the article, this type of thing happens in training camps all the time. Two guys who are fighting for their livelihoods go up against each other over and over in the sweltering heat, and something pushes them over the edge. Both players have written the incident off on these grounds. "We let it go, [left] it on the field," Dewayne White commented. "He said his piece, I said my piece. It's over." Rod Marinelli naturally wasn't pleased, launching into a spiel about "mental toughness," but that is about as surprising as White beating Backus off the edge in the first place. As far as Rod is concerned, not finishing a cheeseburger is probably a sign of mental weakness.

More concerning is the fact that White allowed Backus to throw him to the ground. When I first heard about the fight, my initial reaction was, "is Backus still alive?" Naturally, I was very disappointed. But seriously, does anyone remember a play in the Redskins game last year when 'Skins DE Andre Carter literally threw Backus to the ground with one arm as an afterthought? I know Ace does. Carter had already beaten him inside, and he just reached back with one arm and leveled our starting left tackle. Carter is 252, White is 273. I know you can't actually infer anything about how such an incident translates to the football field, but White should be embarrassed. I'm giving this round to Backus.

Round 2: Jerome Felton (photo from Detroit Free Press) vs. Buster Davis (busterdavis.com)

Our next match-up is rookie fullback Jerome Felton, versus scout-team linebacker Buster Davis. According to yet another Free Press article, Felton laid a monumental hit on Davis which relieved Buster of his helmet. This pleased Marinelli, who proceeded to show the tape to his players over and over again. I was not able to locate the footage, but I'd like to imagine it looked something like this.

This is a much healthier example of competition between players. Felton, a fifth-rounder out of Furman (where he scored 63 rushing TDs, btw), and Davis, who spent last season on our practice squad, are both competing for roster spots right now. Having the two of them going out there and trying to prove themselves the right way, is exactly what training camp is all about. Felton was allegedly very humble about the incident, and realized that he was most likely going to get his before it was all said and done. Let's not forget Buster Davis was a stud linebacker at Florida State, and a man who was known to lay some serious lumber. If I was Felton, I would be humble too.

We'll give Buster the benefit of the doubt and say this is just round one. If Jerome Felton's name turns up in the obituaries later this week, I think we'll know why.

Stay tuned to The Ace of Sports for more Lions info as we get closer to the season opener on September 7.