What to read while lugging your Pope Benedict bobblehead to D.C.
by Mike Rutherford on Apr 14, 2008 5:59 AM EDT
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Because that's why you get into Vatican politics.
If you're trying to stay on top of all the latest NBA mock draft happenings, AND you enjoy eating food, well then here's a site that you should probably bookmark. I didn't look at all 42 mock drafts, but I was surprised at the number of the ones I did check out that had both David Padgett and Derrick Caracter being taken in the second round.
Regardless of how long - or, probably more appropriately, short - he stays, Ron English is exactly the type of guy our football program needs at this moment.
"We do have a long way to go, but their attitude has been good," he said. "There's some talent here; it's not like the cupboard is completely bare."
Whether the defense can get back to a respectable level remains to be seen. But if the players follow their coordinator, they won't lack intensity.
"Some of the people last year -- and I'm not going to say any names -- weren't all in like Coach Kragthorpe preaches," Heyman said. "Coach English is an all-in guy."
If you haven't yet, I'd suggest checking out Frankpos's interview with Scott Spicer, the guy who tears it up on the Thornton's Boogie Cam at every home basketball game.
Saturday's Derby Festival Classic featuring Terrance Jennings and Jared Swopshire figures to be a hot ticket, but if you live out of town or just can't make it out to Freedom Hall, the interwebs have you covered.
I couldn't agree more with noted biographer Mark Kriegel's (Pistol is a fantastic read if you have the slightest bit of interest in Maravich) take on Dick Vitale's recent induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Dick Vitale wasn't a player. His coaching career -- culminating with a 34-60 record for the Detroit Pistons -- was a failure. And while the Hall recognizes media members with its Curt Gowdy Award (a distinction Vitale has already won), one cannot be enshrined as a mere broadcaster. So, again, how the hell did he get in?
Is he insightful? Thoughtful? Provocative? Courageous?
No, no, no and no. He's loud. He's a salesman. In fact, the very same qualities that served him so well on television have made him the perfect shill for Hooters. Also, he's relentless. As people in the basketball business know too well, Vitale has been lobbying for entry into the Hall for years. The movement, such as it was, was spearheaded by influential letter writers campaigning on his behalf, most of them famous coaches whose butts he's kissed for years. Foremost among them was Bobby Knight, the media-basher now cashing ESPN's checks. Vitale has been on air since 1979; the next tough word he has for Bobby Knight will be his first.
...
Understand that Vitale was one of the 15 finalists who came before the Honors Committee. In other words, his nomination came at someone else's expense. So consider some of the mere players who haven't gotten in: Chris Mullin, Marques Johnson, Artis Gilmore, Dennis Johnson.
They were great ones, sure. But they never did a Hooters ad.
Great guy? By all accounts. Good for the game? I think so. Hall of Famer? Absolutely not.
California blog Bears Necessity takes a look at the worst officiating calls of the 2007 college football season. I'll give you negative three guesses as to which play featuring a certain local team and a certain punt-returning asshat from Connecticut was featured.
Big East officials suck.
That's my blogging spring practice for the day.
Is this Gillispie to Oklahoma State thing really going to happen? Probably not, but God it would be hilarious. Although to be honest, I'd just as soon he stick around for a while.
Six-foot-six sharpshooter Taylor King is headed to the Big East. The freshman announced on Sunday that he plans to transfer from Duke to Villanova.
Despite ESPN experts continuing to tell us that Brian Brohm will not be drafted in the first round (I'm not letting it go), Minnesota is worried that he may not be available when it selects at pick 17. The Vikes met with Brohm over the weekend, and VikingUpdate.com wonders aloud whether or not the franchise can afford to pass on the former Cardinal QB if he's still on the board.
Enjoy the week, all.
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Life is boring
by ziptnf on Apr 14, 2008 8:56 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
"His spit flying in our face"
I like it!
by frankpos on Apr 14, 2008 9:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Vitale
...As the textbook Northeast liberal establishment wrings its hands wondering how we can help the poor mortgage holders who are about to lose their houses, we will not be surprised when said poor mortgage holders TOO, will be bailed out compliments of the taxpayer. Compliments of the people who were prudent, saved for a downpayment, didn't buy a McMansion cause real estate, like tall trees, would grow to the sky. Meanwhile, the 92 year old dude who still lives in a modest home he bought with his lovely bride sixty years ago can't make ends meet because the 100 grand he saved over a lifetime is in CDs that are now paying 2 per cent interest all because the Federal Reserve had to lower interest rates cause all the irresponsible people in the McMansions are facing higher payments when their baloon mortgage comes up for a reset. Why? Why?? Because it is the politically expedient thing to do.
Yeah, I'm raving again, Mike, but it had to be said.
Vitale, if it were not for this rolling, rollicking, yet often stagnant phantasmagoria called Americana (of which college hoops is included), would be the weird uncle that you hide upstairs in the closet and only bring out for his semi annual rants about the V Foundation (a great foundation, I am sure, but not to the exclusion of all other charities).
So Vitale just happened to be the right vacuous Talking Head at the right time. His induction into the hall was not an endorsement of his insight or analysis (He's no Vin Scully), but rather a nod to celebrity, and a political inevitability (how could you keep him out...isn't he the one who kept telling us how great a man Valvano was?).
If looking for the All Time Sportscasters, you'd discard him like a nine of clubs in a bad poker hand.
by Roz on Apr 14, 2008 11:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
in my outsider's opinion...
Brohm is at least 2.5 times the quarterback that Matt Ryan is. Its absolutely amazing how silly draftniks get over a guy's measurements. Its not a runway spot for GQ, its throwing a football. As a BE fan, I hope Brohm slips down to somewhere like Minnesota, where he could step in right away and be effective on a team that could actually win. Its a blessing that scouts are throwing Matt Ryan to the wolves in places like Miami and Atlanta.
Vitale in the Hall of Fame is absurd. It just goes to show that being a likeable guy is ultimately the most important thing once you make it in the basketball world. Note: this does not bode well for Roy Hibbert.
Taylor King couldn't get off the bench at Duke, but he's a talented kid. Hopefully he won't be snake-bitten like the rest of 'Nova's star players. It's a shame to see how far they've dropped in the national consciouness since a #1 seed a few years back.
From out here in the Bay Area:
SJ Merc News writer Jon Wilner's top 25 for next year in hoops:
- UNC
- UConn
- UCLA
- Florida
- Mich St.
- Kansas
- Louisville
- West Virginia
- Georgetown
- Marquette
- Syracuse
- Notre Dame
( http://www.mercextra.com/blogs/collegesports/2008/04/09/my-ridiculously-early-college-basketball-top -25-for-2008-09/)
*Note: I adjusted the rankings after he re-posted to say G'town was his actual #9.
Jake Curtis of the San Francisco Chronicle:
- UNC
- Pitt
- Kansas
- UConn
- Purdue
- Notre Dame
- Florida -- that's more like it
- Georgetown
- Louisville
(http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/09/SPGH1020GP.DTL)
by maz on Apr 14, 2008 12:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
You Can Never Have Enough Fries
Everybody's so optimistic for next year. Hope everybody's right.
I'm gettin' hungry. Do you recommend the original downtown Primanti's? Would it be gauche to order french fries even though they automatically come on TOP of the sandwich anyway?
Signed, Manny Sanguillen's chubby uncle
by Roz on Apr 14, 2008 1:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Its definitely true
Man I miss that city.
by maz on Apr 14, 2008 2:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Political comments on a sports blog! Yea!
One of the more bizarre segues on a sports blog in recent memory. I'm not a northeast liberal but I'm a liberal and I hope somebody does something to help home owners in trouble rather than just bailing out the big guys like the administration always does.
And as for Samuels, I'm also concerned about him. Know he's a player, but I'm not sure he's big enough to be a "5." If not, we'll be hurtin' for a big guy when the Big East season comes around. And perhaps it's my perspective from a year or 10 past middle age, but I never saw the kid as overweight. Doesn't mean he isn't, just that I didn't see it.
by theoldman on Apr 14, 2008 4:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
That Fine Line
Damn, none of this would have happened if we still had L'ville hoops.
Have a good night, oldman.
by Roz on Apr 14, 2008 5:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I really don't care where Brohm goes
It is all about the right situation for him. In the end it ultimately doesn't really matter where you are drafted. It is just a number.
Sure I would love for a hometown guy who stayed loyal to the Cardinal program for four years be drafted as high as possible. It is a point of civic pride as well as university pride.
However, I want him to be a success for many, many years. If he goes in to some horrible situation, he gets labeled as a bad QB or something worse. He ends up washing out and never being as great as he can be.
If you have a good beginning, the money will come later on down the road as well as all those people who now look at a guy named Tom Brady who was taken in the 7th round. That will always be part of his legacy (along with the Super Bowl rings and hot model girlfriends which is icing on the cake).
Loved the interview with Scott Spicer. I will cheer for this guy even louder next year.
by xjjeep90 on Apr 14, 2008 7:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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