Michigan already has 2 LB's committed to the 2012 and they just received a verbal commitment for the third. That commitment came from Cincinnati's Joe Bolden, who made a surprise visit to Ann Arbor today.
Joe is a 6'2 225 LB who had a total of 18 offers from the like of Arizona, Boston College, Cincinnati, Kentucky, North Carolina, Penn State, Stanford, Tennessee and West Virginia. As a junior he had 90 tackles, 4 sacks and 2 interceptions. This kid can play.
With last years haul of LB's (some for Cincy as well), I would guess Michigan is done at this position for the 2012 class. James "Biggs" Ross is part of the Michigan 3 and the Wolverines might find room for him if he wants to jump on board. With a lot of depth at this position now with the last two classes, I'm guessing "Biggs" might look elsewhere.
Joe is the 7th verbal commitment for the 2012 class.
For more on Joe, check out Mgoblog.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Michigan Friday: Wonders if Delany's hindsight is 20/20?
Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany should be applauded for the work he has done with the Big Ten Network and bringing in Nebraska. Many has criticized his approach with a number of topics including: logos, legends and leaders. He also hasn't been very aggressive in discipline for players and coaches off field actions. He usually allows the teams or the NCAA to carry the big stick.
Now he is sitting with a huge mess with one of his biggest name coaches getting deeper and deeper into more trouble as time goes on. What should he do? Nothing or Something like the SEC did to Bruce Pearl?
Here is what he said, yesterday at the BCS conference: "Based on what we knew, we just spoke on behalf of the kids and the NCAA made the decision it made," Delany said Thursday at the annual Bowl Championship Series meetings in New Orleans. "But I don't think anybody had the knowledge that we have now."
The only new news is that JT knew about it and kept it quiet. Would that fact made you take action against the players? Of course it would have regarding Tressel.
Jim what do think will happen with JT and OSU?
"I'm concerned about it. I think it's a serious situation," Delany said. "The facts are fairly well known and I think the institution will get in front of the infractions committee and then they'll render their opinion in a timely way."
Jim did you stick up for the players last December?
"I spoke on the fact that it wasn't a recruitment issue -- it wasn't an agent issue, it was an extra benefit issue, and it was an extra benefit issue that to our knowledge was isolated and confined," he said. "So it was on that basis that I appealed on behalf of the school. But we didn't have the information we have today."
That makes sense, these guys just picked a tattoo guy in Columbus and struck this one time deal. I'm sure this never happened before in Columbus. Great Take, Jim.
In fact, the Columbus Dispatch is now reporting that there were more items and players involved in the selling of grear and bowl gifts. I guess that is what Jim is referring to as "new information".
My take is Jim seems to be a very good business man and sells the Big Ten very well. I'm concerned about the other part of his job and his inability to see the forest through the trees and mostly when it comes to his big name coaches. His silence or lack of punishment in this matter speaks volumes. Let the NCAA or the institution handle it, is a pretty weak stance for a serious situation in his own backyard.
Now he is sitting with a huge mess with one of his biggest name coaches getting deeper and deeper into more trouble as time goes on. What should he do? Nothing or Something like the SEC did to Bruce Pearl?
Here is what he said, yesterday at the BCS conference: "Based on what we knew, we just spoke on behalf of the kids and the NCAA made the decision it made," Delany said Thursday at the annual Bowl Championship Series meetings in New Orleans. "But I don't think anybody had the knowledge that we have now."
The only new news is that JT knew about it and kept it quiet. Would that fact made you take action against the players? Of course it would have regarding Tressel.
Jim what do think will happen with JT and OSU?
"I'm concerned about it. I think it's a serious situation," Delany said. "The facts are fairly well known and I think the institution will get in front of the infractions committee and then they'll render their opinion in a timely way."
Jim did you stick up for the players last December?
"I spoke on the fact that it wasn't a recruitment issue -- it wasn't an agent issue, it was an extra benefit issue, and it was an extra benefit issue that to our knowledge was isolated and confined," he said. "So it was on that basis that I appealed on behalf of the school. But we didn't have the information we have today."
That makes sense, these guys just picked a tattoo guy in Columbus and struck this one time deal. I'm sure this never happened before in Columbus. Great Take, Jim.
In fact, the Columbus Dispatch is now reporting that there were more items and players involved in the selling of grear and bowl gifts. I guess that is what Jim is referring to as "new information".
My take is Jim seems to be a very good business man and sells the Big Ten very well. I'm concerned about the other part of his job and his inability to see the forest through the trees and mostly when it comes to his big name coaches. His silence or lack of punishment in this matter speaks volumes. Let the NCAA or the institution handle it, is a pretty weak stance for a serious situation in his own backyard.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Michigan Thursday: Recruiting Blitz
It's time for Michigan to gain some ground on the recruiting trail. They now have a stable head coach, they have highly qualified assistants, The Big Ten Player of the Year in Denard, the opportunity for early playing time and OSU is in big trouble with NCAA penalties looming. Now is the time to put together a top 10 2012 class.
Here we go..........................
Here we go..........................
- Reports were that Gunner Kiel a 5 star QB from Indiana (considered the top ranked QB in the nation) visited Ann Arbor yesterday. Reports were he was in town with his mom. From ESPN- Gunner on Michigan: "They have a new coaching staff and they are bringing a new offense on the table that's going to feature the passing game a lot. It's going to be a good system and they will be successful."
- Instate TE Ron Thompson is on commitment watch, looks like it might come in Mid May.
- Instate DT Matt Godin is in the same boat as Ron.
- Cincinnati 4 star LB Joe Bolden is also close to a commitment, some reports have it coming this weekend. Others have him waiting a few more weeks.
- Michigan coaches will be in the high school of 5 star (and OSU soft commit) RB Brionte Dunn today.
- TomVH weighs in with an interview with Missouri DT Ondre Pipkins who is planning to make a visit to Ann Arbor in June.
- Michigan continues to look for a true Safety in this class. Seems like their #1 target is New York DB Wayne Morgan.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Wolverine Wednesday: Wonders if Tressel is Bigger Then the Program?
That's what it comes down to right? Is the Vest more important then the Ohio State Football program?
Unless he is fired before August 12th, consider the answer to the above statement as YES.
Let's give some proof why he is:
#1: OSU hired a successful D1A coach that was just coming out of a similar NCAA problem at YSU. Seems like a very strange hire when you look back at it. How could a D1A coach handle being head coach at OSU and mostly with a bad track record with the NCAA. Would Michigan hire Grand Valley's coach if he had issues with the NCAA? Not a chance.
#2: JT won a National Championship and has only 1 loss against Michigan. Everyone still remembers John Cooper in Columbus and can't stand the thought of another situation like that happening.
#3: The guy can recruit (maybe with a little help). He consistently gets a top 10 classes.
#4: The OSU President who seems to consider himself a part time comedian said, "he hopes Jim doesn't fire me".
#5: The NCAA will come down even harder on OSU if they keep him as coach. Coaches don't survive this label from the NCAA. If they don't fire him, they are willing to take a harder penalty if he continues as head coach.
This is the decision that OSU is struggling with right now. It's clear they don't want to let JT go, but do they really have a choice? If they keep him, it's clear that he is bigger then the program.
(Memo to Urban Meyer: you don't want this head ache, stay retired enjoy your big contract from ESPN and working a couple days a week. Look how happy Jon Gruden is)
Last point, would a CEO of a Fortune 500 company keep his job if he lied to the DOJ and his board of directors? Not a chance.
Unless he is fired before August 12th, consider the answer to the above statement as YES.
Let's give some proof why he is:
#1: OSU hired a successful D1A coach that was just coming out of a similar NCAA problem at YSU. Seems like a very strange hire when you look back at it. How could a D1A coach handle being head coach at OSU and mostly with a bad track record with the NCAA. Would Michigan hire Grand Valley's coach if he had issues with the NCAA? Not a chance.
#2: JT won a National Championship and has only 1 loss against Michigan. Everyone still remembers John Cooper in Columbus and can't stand the thought of another situation like that happening.
#3: The guy can recruit (maybe with a little help). He consistently gets a top 10 classes.
#4: The OSU President who seems to consider himself a part time comedian said, "he hopes Jim doesn't fire me".
#5: The NCAA will come down even harder on OSU if they keep him as coach. Coaches don't survive this label from the NCAA. If they don't fire him, they are willing to take a harder penalty if he continues as head coach.
This is the decision that OSU is struggling with right now. It's clear they don't want to let JT go, but do they really have a choice? If they keep him, it's clear that he is bigger then the program.
(Memo to Urban Meyer: you don't want this head ache, stay retired enjoy your big contract from ESPN and working a couple days a week. Look how happy Jon Gruden is)
Last point, would a CEO of a Fortune 500 company keep his job if he lied to the DOJ and his board of directors? Not a chance.
- 5 Star RB from Ohio Bri'onte Dunn has re-opened his recruitment (verbal to OSU) and might visit Ann Arbor this weekend. Even if he doesn't make it up on Saturday, it seems Michigan still has a great shot at getting a visit from him.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Michigan Tuesday: Pitt Keeps Mowing The Wolverines Lawn
Michigan fired Rich Rodriguez and staff in early January after 3 years of embarrassing football. The Bowl Game on January 1 was the final straw. RR seems to be spending some time with CBS College Sports TV and Web and a number of coaches from his staff went to Pitt. No big deal right? Right.
Then Ray Vinopal transferred before spring practice so he could get back home for some family issues. Home is an hour away from Pitt so no big deal he decided to transfer there. Then Cullen Christian who couldn't get time on the worst defensive backfield in the Big Ten decides after spring ball to transfer away from Ann Arbor. Guess where he ends up? You got it:
"I'm coming home and I am going to be a Pittsburgh Panther," Christian said. "Pittsburgh got my release and all that is left for me to do is to give them my transcripts and fill out paperwork. I'm leaving here on Tuesday after finals, so I might stop down this week, but I am supposed to go down May 9th and meet with the staff and do all the paperwork."
"It feels real good to get a fresh start," Christian continued. "I'm just happy to be coming home. Coach (Tony) Gibson is at Pitt and he was the main reason why I chose Michigan. I just feel like I will enjoy it being home. I wasn't enjoying myself here at Michigan."
"I was thinking about WVU," he said when asked about what other schools he considered. "I wanted to be closer to home and being back with Coach Gibby is too much to pass up. I know what he expects from his players and I know how he coaches. I am also familiar with Tony Dews and Calvin Magee."
I'm not accusing anyone of tampering, but where there's smoke..................
(BTW: I am not saying that RR's former coaches don't have a right to make a living, they do. I'm also not saying that Cullen and Ray don't have a similar right to transfer. I'm just saying there seems to be a lot of coincidences with Michigan's 2 transfers going to the same school)
Then Ray Vinopal transferred before spring practice so he could get back home for some family issues. Home is an hour away from Pitt so no big deal he decided to transfer there. Then Cullen Christian who couldn't get time on the worst defensive backfield in the Big Ten decides after spring ball to transfer away from Ann Arbor. Guess where he ends up? You got it:
"I'm coming home and I am going to be a Pittsburgh Panther," Christian said. "Pittsburgh got my release and all that is left for me to do is to give them my transcripts and fill out paperwork. I'm leaving here on Tuesday after finals, so I might stop down this week, but I am supposed to go down May 9th and meet with the staff and do all the paperwork."
"It feels real good to get a fresh start," Christian continued. "I'm just happy to be coming home. Coach (Tony) Gibson is at Pitt and he was the main reason why I chose Michigan. I just feel like I will enjoy it being home. I wasn't enjoying myself here at Michigan."
"I was thinking about WVU," he said when asked about what other schools he considered. "I wanted to be closer to home and being back with Coach Gibby is too much to pass up. I know what he expects from his players and I know how he coaches. I am also familiar with Tony Dews and Calvin Magee."
I'm not accusing anyone of tampering, but where there's smoke..................
(BTW: I am not saying that RR's former coaches don't have a right to make a living, they do. I'm also not saying that Cullen and Ray don't have a similar right to transfer. I'm just saying there seems to be a lot of coincidences with Michigan's 2 transfers going to the same school)
- With Zeke Pike lost to Auburn, Michigan is now looking at a couple of new names at QB. Chad Kelly who is related Jim Kelly is one and another name to keep an eye on is Tyler O'Connor.
- There have been a number of questions on rather Michigan would still recruit TE Ron Thompson after they got verbals from two TE's on Friday. Reports were that Fred Jackson was out to meet with Ron at his school yesterday. So it looks like they still want Ron to join the 2012 class.
- TomVH reports Pennsylvania RB Greg Garmon is planing a visit to Ann Arbor in the next couple of weeks.
- Instate DE Matt Godin is planning to make his announcement on May 12th. Michigan seems to be in good shape in his recruitment.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Bad Day For the Buckeyes
On Friday, OSU got their letter and today it's becoming public. The good news for Buckeye fans, the NCAA did not alleged OSU for "failure to monitor" or "failure of institutional control" violations. Which actually makes no sense. Kids were doing the wrong things, the coach gets tipped off, he lies about it and hides it and then is caught red handed. So I guess the NCAA is saying, OSU did monitor the situation they just hide it or didn't do anything about it.
There is plenty of bad news in the allegations but maybe the most damning penalty is that OSU could be seen as a repeat offender for Troy Smith taking $500 from a booster and former basketball coach Jim O'Brien who gave a recruit $6000.
The rest of the allegations (from the Columbus Dispatch):
- Tressel was guilty of ethical misconduct when he knowingly provided false information to the NCAA in certifying that he knew of no potential violations by his players and failed to inform OSU officials.
- Ohio State fielded ineligible players last season when starting quarterback Terrelle Pryor and others competed despite Tressel's knowledge of their misconduct. NCAA bylaws call for immediate suspensions.
- The NCAA said that Pryor, Dan Herron, DeVier Posey, Mike Adams, Solomon Thomas and Jordan Whiting will not face further punishment. They have been suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season.
- The NCAA letter details what those five current players and one former player did: Improperly sold Big Ten championship rings, "gold pants" charms from Michigan wins, game-worn equipment and other items to tattoo-parlor owner Ed Rife for $9,480.
- Players, whose names were redacted by Ohio State citing a federal privacy law, also received 13 free or discounted tattoos. In addition, one player received a $2,420 discount toward the purchase of a used vehicle from Rife, as well as an $800 loan for vehicle repairs, the NCAA reported.
- Tressel knew that at least two players were selling memorabilia or football awards to Rife. Those transactions made the players ineligible to compete under NCAA rules, the letter states.
OSU can kiss the 2010 regular season good bye, it sounds like they will be able to keep the Sugar Bowl win since the players were already under penalty.
OSU clearly wants to keep Tressel as head coach but that's a mistake. There should be nothing keeping this guy in his job. The NCAA hates when people lie to them and Tressel did it twice. IMO, if Tressel keeps his job the NCAA will come down hard on Ohio State and even harder if they are found to be a repeat offender. A penalty could be a number of lost scholarships and being banned from the Big Ten Championship game and Bowl Games.
Don't forget Tressel could "personally" found to be a repeat offender as well for the situation at Youngstown State. The NCAA lately has been trying to penalize coaches who skip to other jobs and leave the entire penalty with the University they just left. Other examples of this are Kelvin Sampson when he left Oklahoma for Indiana. There are other guys that have gotten away with it include: Lou Holtz, Pete Carroll, and John Calipari.
Ohio State is in a no win situation with Tressel at the moment. They don't want to fire him but can't support him either. He is and will be hung out in the wind. He should resign since he could be fired with cause today anyway.
OSU will meet with the NCAA on August 12th. The best they can hope for is that the NCAA accepts the current penalty they have given Tressel. Don't count on it.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Fantasy Baseball 2011 - 20 Games Down
Ah, what a season so far. Nothing earth shattering has happened, but at the current rate Andrew and I might be very pleased by the end of the season. We had our first trade of the season in the league, and Andrew and I are still trying to get over how bad it was. You can't have a good season without some controversy.
Andrew is busy at the moment building a monument to Jered Weaver. Weaver is 6-0 in 6 starts with 49K, an ERA of .99, and a .79 WHIP. You might say that he is having a good start to the season, and I would say that I'm annoyed that I wasn't more aggressive in bidding for him.
For the Baseball Gods so loved the world...
I wish I has someone to harp about on my team, but with Matt Kemp coming down to earth a bit I'm stuck just hoping Yovani Gallardo and Max Scherzer don't screw me over on a weekly basis. In the time it took me to start this post and get to this sentence Scherzer went from 5 shutout innings and 7K to 7IP and 5ER. Its going to be a long season for me... again. At least Matt Holliday is hitting .423 and looking fatter than ever.
Now for the trade. It was bad, it started out much worse, but after a league wide outcry it was watered down from complete shit to just flat our crap. The first form of the trade was Tim Lincecum and Wandy Rodriguez for Francisco Liriano and Gavin Floyd. Why you would give up Lincecum for a shit sandwich is beyond me, and we blocked it. Sadly it came back and was begrudgingly approved as Lincecum, Rodriguez, and Joba Chamberlain for Liriano, Floyd, and Ricky Nolasco. So now one team has Roy Halladay, Tim Lincecum, Clayton Kershaw, and Justin Verlander. This trade makes no sense no matter how I look at it.
Current Status
Bert - That rug really tied the room together, did it not?
Andrew - Way to go Donny!
Andrew is busy at the moment building a monument to Jered Weaver. Weaver is 6-0 in 6 starts with 49K, an ERA of .99, and a .79 WHIP. You might say that he is having a good start to the season, and I would say that I'm annoyed that I wasn't more aggressive in bidding for him.
For the Baseball Gods so loved the world...I wish I has someone to harp about on my team, but with Matt Kemp coming down to earth a bit I'm stuck just hoping Yovani Gallardo and Max Scherzer don't screw me over on a weekly basis. In the time it took me to start this post and get to this sentence Scherzer went from 5 shutout innings and 7K to 7IP and 5ER. Its going to be a long season for me... again. At least Matt Holliday is hitting .423 and looking fatter than ever.
Now for the trade. It was bad, it started out much worse, but after a league wide outcry it was watered down from complete shit to just flat our crap. The first form of the trade was Tim Lincecum and Wandy Rodriguez for Francisco Liriano and Gavin Floyd. Why you would give up Lincecum for a shit sandwich is beyond me, and we blocked it. Sadly it came back and was begrudgingly approved as Lincecum, Rodriguez, and Joba Chamberlain for Liriano, Floyd, and Ricky Nolasco. So now one team has Roy Halladay, Tim Lincecum, Clayton Kershaw, and Justin Verlander. This trade makes no sense no matter how I look at it.
Current Status
Bert - That rug really tied the room together, did it not?
Andrew - Way to go Donny!
Nike Finally Gets Something (Mostly) Right
After years of violating our visual senses, it looks like Nike has come up with something good. I'm hoping this spreads to other schools, but I'm not going to hold my breath hoping for something good at Oregon, Miami, or Virginia Tech. Nike's Pro Combat designs have been flat out horrible, and the three people that read this blog know how I feel about them. Nike seems to have broken away from the Pro Combat looks in creating Arizona States new uniforms, and I am delightfully surprised.
The 2010 edition. Horrible.
ASU had one of the worst uniform sets last year, mainly the maroon-on-maroon home look that makes me bleed internally. Nike has gone with a complete overhaul of the current look and added a black uniform set. They ditched the golden yellow piping, and most interestingly they dumped Sparky their long time logo/mascot. This is an obvious, and effective, attempt by Nike and ASU to bring a little more attention to their football program. If you google "Arizona State University" images you will quickly realize what the school is known for, and it isn't football.
A quick search for "Arizona State" yielded this, its the tamest one that came up.
The Good : I'm so happy they stuck with the traditional golden yellow and maroon colors, not a huge fan of maroon but considering the game of color hot potato they have been playing up in Eugene this is a plus. I don't have anything against Sparky, but the new helmet logo is great. I didn't come up with this, and if I could remember where I heard it I'd give them credit, but Sparky kinda looks like Walt Disney in a devil costume. The new trident logo is simple, relates to Sparky, and works really well as a helmet logo.
Sparky vs. new trident logo and ASU text.
I'm also happy they simplified the jersey and pants, getting rid of all piping and pants stripes. The addition of the trident shoulder striping is also a great move. Its similar to USC's shoulder stripes, which are a classic look, but with a modern twist. I'm not a huge fan of black uniforms if black isn't one of your school colors, but whatever. I'd feel better if they only used the black helmet and pants together with the white or maroon jersey, but I'm sure they will mix and match like Oregon. Also, I like the change to a Florida State style number font.
The 2011 edition. Very nice.
Bonus points for the tasteful Pat Tillman tribute on the collar. The marketing photos make the logo seem extremely prominent, but when you look at the players wearing them its very subtle.
Overall this is a big win for Nike and Arizona State. Worst case scenario I go on to hate the ASU on the shoulders and best case scenario it helps the people of Tempe forget that their team sucks.
The 2010 edition. Horrible.ASU had one of the worst uniform sets last year, mainly the maroon-on-maroon home look that makes me bleed internally. Nike has gone with a complete overhaul of the current look and added a black uniform set. They ditched the golden yellow piping, and most interestingly they dumped Sparky their long time logo/mascot. This is an obvious, and effective, attempt by Nike and ASU to bring a little more attention to their football program. If you google "Arizona State University" images you will quickly realize what the school is known for, and it isn't football.
A quick search for "Arizona State" yielded this, its the tamest one that came up.The Good : I'm so happy they stuck with the traditional golden yellow and maroon colors, not a huge fan of maroon but considering the game of color hot potato they have been playing up in Eugene this is a plus. I don't have anything against Sparky, but the new helmet logo is great. I didn't come up with this, and if I could remember where I heard it I'd give them credit, but Sparky kinda looks like Walt Disney in a devil costume. The new trident logo is simple, relates to Sparky, and works really well as a helmet logo.
Sparky vs. new trident logo and ASU text.I'm also happy they simplified the jersey and pants, getting rid of all piping and pants stripes. The addition of the trident shoulder striping is also a great move. Its similar to USC's shoulder stripes, which are a classic look, but with a modern twist. I'm not a huge fan of black uniforms if black isn't one of your school colors, but whatever. I'd feel better if they only used the black helmet and pants together with the white or maroon jersey, but I'm sure they will mix and match like Oregon. Also, I like the change to a Florida State style number font.
The 2011 edition. Very nice.Bonus points for the tasteful Pat Tillman tribute on the collar. The marketing photos make the logo seem extremely prominent, but when you look at the players wearing them its very subtle.
The Almost Bad : My biggest gripe is with the ASU text on the shoulders. They just don't seem to fit in, I'm not sure if I can explain it. They look like Nike panicked because the uniforms look so different from previous years, so they needed something to let you know its Arizona State. I would have gone with numbers here like USC. I also have a long standing hatred for gradient numbers, which you see on the black jerseys.
Gradient numbers, my mortal enemy.
Michigan Has a Double Good Friday in Recruiting
Michigan has been doubling down on recruits lately and today was no exception with 2 new Wolverines soon to be in the fold.
Verbal #1 comes from a 6'4 210ish pound TE from Farmington Hills Harrison, Devin Funchess who has visited Michigan a number of times the last month or so. Harrison has a number of D1 prospects this year and is known as a MSU feeder school. Devin is on record saying he will recruit his teammates (Mario Ojemudia and Aaron Bubridge) to Ann Arbor. If I had to guess Devin is pretty close guaranteed a redshirt as he gains some weight for a TE in the Big Ten. This kid is an athlete with a nice frame which equals the high upside label. He looks more like a WR in the video below.
Devin is a 4 star recruit to Scouts and 24/7 and has a nice offer list that includes Cincinnati, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Missouri, Nebraska, and Virginia. If you would like more details on Devin, check out Mgoblog profile here.
Recruit #2 is AJ Williams from Cincinnati, Ohio. AJ is a big fella at 6'6 260 pounds and could be considered a TE or offensive line prospect. Coach Hoke likes the idea of a blocking TE so maybe he could fit that role as well.
AJ is a three star recruit to Scouts and not rated on Rivals or 24/7. He does have a nice offer sheet that includes WVU, BC, MSU, Vandy, NC State, Arkansas, Louisville, Illinois, and Indiana.
There is a lot of videos of AJ Williams on You Tube but none (I could find) for this AJ Williams.
This would seem the end of Michigan's TE recruitment for 2012 if (AJ is considered a TE). Which leaves the question mark about Ron Thompson who has seemed to been on the verge of a commitment to the Wolverines for some time. Would Michigan take 3? The answer is probably yes if they consider AJ more offensive lineman then TE. Then again maybe Devin is more WR then TE.
Verbal #1 comes from a 6'4 210ish pound TE from Farmington Hills Harrison, Devin Funchess who has visited Michigan a number of times the last month or so. Harrison has a number of D1 prospects this year and is known as a MSU feeder school. Devin is on record saying he will recruit his teammates (Mario Ojemudia and Aaron Bubridge) to Ann Arbor. If I had to guess Devin is pretty close guaranteed a redshirt as he gains some weight for a TE in the Big Ten. This kid is an athlete with a nice frame which equals the high upside label. He looks more like a WR in the video below.
Devin is a 4 star recruit to Scouts and 24/7 and has a nice offer list that includes Cincinnati, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Missouri, Nebraska, and Virginia. If you would like more details on Devin, check out Mgoblog profile here.
Recruit #2 is AJ Williams from Cincinnati, Ohio. AJ is a big fella at 6'6 260 pounds and could be considered a TE or offensive line prospect. Coach Hoke likes the idea of a blocking TE so maybe he could fit that role as well.
AJ is a three star recruit to Scouts and not rated on Rivals or 24/7. He does have a nice offer sheet that includes WVU, BC, MSU, Vandy, NC State, Arkansas, Louisville, Illinois, and Indiana.
There is a lot of videos of AJ Williams on You Tube but none (I could find) for this AJ Williams.
This would seem the end of Michigan's TE recruitment for 2012 if (AJ is considered a TE). Which leaves the question mark about Ron Thompson who has seemed to been on the verge of a commitment to the Wolverines for some time. Would Michigan take 3? The answer is probably yes if they consider AJ more offensive lineman then TE. Then again maybe Devin is more WR then TE.
Michigan Friday: Loses a Christian and a Morris
I was going with the headline: Michigan loses a Christian and a Savior but I thought that was a bit too much on a holiday weekend. :)
Let's get to the basketball news first. Darius Morris has decided to enter the NBA Draft and not hire an agent. That means he has until May 8th to pull his name out of the draft. If he hires an agent before then, he will not be allowed to change his mind and come back to Ann Arbor.
I would now say the odds of Darius coming back as pretty slim. I'm not an NBA expert but here is what I have been hearing.
Reasons for Darius to go: Some have used the words "terrible" to describe this NBA draft. Many big time players from schools like Baylor, OSU and North Carolina have decided to stay in school. Which makes this draft pretty light on big names. If that is the case, Darius might be considered a "better" prospects this year over other years.
Reasons for Darius to stay: He still needs to work on his game. He is lacking a perimeter jump shot and could use another year of college basketball. There is also a strong possibility of an NBA lock out and one reason some players are electing to stay in school. Many are predicting this lockout could be worse then the NFL's and continue long into the season.
That's a difficult decision for Darius and wish him luck either way.
Like we mentioned yesterday, Cullen Christian has elected to play his football elsewhere. Here are some quotes from SuperPreps: "Coach (Brady) Hoke is a great guy and I have no issues with him at all," Christian told Superprep.com. "I had meetings with my other coaches and I just didn't like the direction that they had me going in. I think it is best that I move on and finish my career elsewhere."
"I thought I did pretty well in spring ball and as far as production goes; I did very well," Christian told the website. "I hurt my back and wasn't able to perform in one scrimmage and the spring game, and that set me back a little bit."
"I came here to be a part of something big and it has all fallen apart," he told the website. "Part of you feels like you failed, while another part of you wants to go prove them they were wrong. I need to move on now and do what is best for me."
I personally had high hopes for Cullen at Michigan. I thought with his skill set he could come in and play right away. Freshman did play last year but Cullen didn't get a lot of time. Avery and Talbott got much more playing time at corner over Cullen.
Michigan is getting back Woolfolk and Floyd starters in defensive backfield this year and true freshman Greg Brown who enrolled early played pretty well in the Spring Game. Not to mention the guys that will be here this summer which include: Delonte Hollowell, Blake Countness, Tamani Carter and Raymon Taylor. I also believe Avery is going to be an NFL prospect after his senior year.
If you add all those things up, it pretty much equals a transfer. Good Luck CC, I wish you luck at your next school.
Let's get to the basketball news first. Darius Morris has decided to enter the NBA Draft and not hire an agent. That means he has until May 8th to pull his name out of the draft. If he hires an agent before then, he will not be allowed to change his mind and come back to Ann Arbor.
I would now say the odds of Darius coming back as pretty slim. I'm not an NBA expert but here is what I have been hearing.
Reasons for Darius to go: Some have used the words "terrible" to describe this NBA draft. Many big time players from schools like Baylor, OSU and North Carolina have decided to stay in school. Which makes this draft pretty light on big names. If that is the case, Darius might be considered a "better" prospects this year over other years.
Reasons for Darius to stay: He still needs to work on his game. He is lacking a perimeter jump shot and could use another year of college basketball. There is also a strong possibility of an NBA lock out and one reason some players are electing to stay in school. Many are predicting this lockout could be worse then the NFL's and continue long into the season.
That's a difficult decision for Darius and wish him luck either way.
Like we mentioned yesterday, Cullen Christian has elected to play his football elsewhere. Here are some quotes from SuperPreps: "Coach (Brady) Hoke is a great guy and I have no issues with him at all," Christian told Superprep.com. "I had meetings with my other coaches and I just didn't like the direction that they had me going in. I think it is best that I move on and finish my career elsewhere."
"I thought I did pretty well in spring ball and as far as production goes; I did very well," Christian told the website. "I hurt my back and wasn't able to perform in one scrimmage and the spring game, and that set me back a little bit."
"I came here to be a part of something big and it has all fallen apart," he told the website. "Part of you feels like you failed, while another part of you wants to go prove them they were wrong. I need to move on now and do what is best for me."
I personally had high hopes for Cullen at Michigan. I thought with his skill set he could come in and play right away. Freshman did play last year but Cullen didn't get a lot of time. Avery and Talbott got much more playing time at corner over Cullen.
Michigan is getting back Woolfolk and Floyd starters in defensive backfield this year and true freshman Greg Brown who enrolled early played pretty well in the Spring Game. Not to mention the guys that will be here this summer which include: Delonte Hollowell, Blake Countness, Tamani Carter and Raymon Taylor. I also believe Avery is going to be an NFL prospect after his senior year.
If you add all those things up, it pretty much equals a transfer. Good Luck CC, I wish you luck at your next school.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Michigan Thursday: 2012 QB Recruiting
So there are plenty of obvious jokes regarding Zeke Pike picking Auburn: He took the turn-Pike town south or just another big fish that got away. Please remember to tip your waiter and waitress.................
Bad jokes aside where are the Wolverines looking for a QB now that 5 star Zeke Pike is heading to play for the National Champs?
#1 Gunner Kiel out of Columbus, IN. Considered the top QB prospect in the 2012 class. He has offers from everyone. Has some ties to ND and that's probably where he will end up.
#2 Maty Mauk out of Kenton, OH. Brother played for Brian Kelly at Cincinnati but Maty has been up to Ann Arbor a couple of times and nearing a decision on where he wants to play next year. He has offers from Cincy, ND, Ill, Missouri, Vandy and Michigan. This could be Michigan's best shot at a QB commitment in the near future.
#3 Austin Appleby out of North Canton, OH. Austin continues to be on Michigan's radar as a potential QB offer. He is 6'5 228 pounds and has mostly MAC offers at this point.
#4 Bennie Coney out of Plant, Florida. RR was in on Bennie early and that has seemed to continue into the Hoke era. Bennie has said he has Michigan in his top 5. He has offers from Auburn, Louisville, FSU, BC, Texas Tech, VT, MSU and others. Bennie had some school/team issues so he might have some baggage.
Michigan has also offered: Devin Fuller from NJ and Jake Rodrigues from CA. Neither has shown a ton of interest in Michigan yet.
Don't forget about 2013 mega instate QB recruit Shane Morris but Michigan will still take a QB in the 2012 class for sure.
Bad jokes aside where are the Wolverines looking for a QB now that 5 star Zeke Pike is heading to play for the National Champs?
#1 Gunner Kiel out of Columbus, IN. Considered the top QB prospect in the 2012 class. He has offers from everyone. Has some ties to ND and that's probably where he will end up.
#2 Maty Mauk out of Kenton, OH. Brother played for Brian Kelly at Cincinnati but Maty has been up to Ann Arbor a couple of times and nearing a decision on where he wants to play next year. He has offers from Cincy, ND, Ill, Missouri, Vandy and Michigan. This could be Michigan's best shot at a QB commitment in the near future.
#3 Austin Appleby out of North Canton, OH. Austin continues to be on Michigan's radar as a potential QB offer. He is 6'5 228 pounds and has mostly MAC offers at this point.
#4 Bennie Coney out of Plant, Florida. RR was in on Bennie early and that has seemed to continue into the Hoke era. Bennie has said he has Michigan in his top 5. He has offers from Auburn, Louisville, FSU, BC, Texas Tech, VT, MSU and others. Bennie had some school/team issues so he might have some baggage.
Michigan has also offered: Devin Fuller from NJ and Jake Rodrigues from CA. Neither has shown a ton of interest in Michigan yet.
Don't forget about 2013 mega instate QB recruit Shane Morris but Michigan will still take a QB in the 2012 class for sure.
Breaking News: Strong Rumors Around Another DB Loss
Mgoblog is reporting sources that Cullen Christian a soon to be sophomore and former Army All American CB will be asking for his release from the Michigan Football Program today. Cullen struggled last year at DB and the rumors were he had a back problem and that is why he didn't play in the Spring Game.
This would be a big loss for the Wolverines in a few years. Not so much this year with Woolfolk and Floyd coming back from injury. CC should re-think his transfer and take a redshirt year if he needs it. He won't find a better opportunity at playing time then he currently has at Michigan. If you put together the losses of CC and Ray both this Spring, there really could be a big hole in the depth chart in the next few years.
Another one gone? RR sort of took a flier scholarship offer a couple years ago on a track star more then a football player from Ohio named DJ Williamson. There are also strong rumors that DJ might look to spin his records at another school next season. I would consider his loss a minor one for contribution now and in the future.
At this point both are rumors and things can change quickly. Greg Brown earlier this year was rumored to had gone home for good and ended up playing pretty well in the Spring Game. So you never know how these things will play out. Carlos Brown was always rumored to have a foot out the door as well.
Transfers after the Spring Game are not uncommon and in fact very common after a new coaching staff takes over. Clear example, I wonder if Mike Cox would have been listed as a transfer candidate if RR was still the head coach.
This would be a big loss for the Wolverines in a few years. Not so much this year with Woolfolk and Floyd coming back from injury. CC should re-think his transfer and take a redshirt year if he needs it. He won't find a better opportunity at playing time then he currently has at Michigan. If you put together the losses of CC and Ray both this Spring, there really could be a big hole in the depth chart in the next few years.
Another one gone? RR sort of took a flier scholarship offer a couple years ago on a track star more then a football player from Ohio named DJ Williamson. There are also strong rumors that DJ might look to spin his records at another school next season. I would consider his loss a minor one for contribution now and in the future.
At this point both are rumors and things can change quickly. Greg Brown earlier this year was rumored to had gone home for good and ended up playing pretty well in the Spring Game. So you never know how these things will play out. Carlos Brown was always rumored to have a foot out the door as well.
Transfers after the Spring Game are not uncommon and in fact very common after a new coaching staff takes over. Clear example, I wonder if Mike Cox would have been listed as a transfer candidate if RR was still the head coach.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Wolverine Wednesday: The Golden Bear Rolls Over on his Buckeyes
Jack Nicklaus is a golfing legend. He is the best golfer ever, end of story right? Nope, as many of you know. He is also a Ohio State Buckeye (for those that have played the U of M golf course, the legend is that from the back tee on #18 (used to be #9) he hit his ball in the water with a three wood (yes it was a real wood). I don't know how far it is to get to the water from the tips but I'm guessing it's over 300 yards with technology from the late 1950's.
Jack was in C-Bus on Monday to do a charity event for his Memorial Tournament. He was asked about the Tressel situation and had gave his opinion: "I don't know what really happened, but I'll promise you that Tressel wasn't the only one that knew what happened," Nicklaus told The Plain Dealer. Nicklaus' theory runs contrary to the facts as the public knows them and contrary to the facts as presented by Ohio State in its self-report to the NCAA.
"I can't imagine that the university didn't know what was going on," Nicklaus said. "Unless Jim, who is a terrific guy, maybe he decided to take it on his own shoulders. That could be, I don't know. I just like him a lot.
"I think he's an honest guy, he's a straight guy and he's a great coach. I think he really cares about his kids. And if I had a kid who was of age to play here, I'd love to have him play under Tressel, because I just think he's a great guy." (his grandson recently picked Florida State over Ohio State)
Jack was clearly trying to support his coach but basically just accused his University of not having Institutional Control. Which would be another log on the fire regarding the potential penalty.
Now OSU AD Gene Smith is starting to speak up about this and probably trying to cover his own backside. Speaking on the cost of this entire case: “It’ll probably eat up the whole $250 (thousand),” Smith said. “I’m not sure. We haven’t done any projections.” Evidently, Tressel was supposed to apologize the night the story broke but didn't and Smith had to talk to Tressel about it. “Then we got with him and he got better at it,” Smith said. “It’s an emotional thing.” Gene how is the whole process going? “It’s a nightmare,” he said.
Is it me or is anyone else feeling that Tressel is not the clean cut guy that he portrays himself to be? I think Jimmy might be playing under a different set of rules and I'm betting many at OSU know it.
- 5 Star QB Zeke Pike announces his decision today. It's down to Auburn, Michigan, and Purdue. No pun intended, but the smart money is on Auburn. It's going down at 2:15.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Michigan Tuesday: Old Faces New Places
We all knew that Kaleb Ringer is releated to former MSU star Javon Ringer. Here is what Javon had to say about Kaleb committing to the Wolverines: I tried (to get him to MSU). I definitely wanted him to do what was best for Kaleb. I wanted to make sure that he took all his visits and went to all the different schools so he could find the best fit for him and to go to a place that he could get some playing time right away.
I do not like that it is Michigan and I don’t have a problem saying that. I’m not a big fan of Michigan with me going to Michigan State. I have a lot of respect for Michigan. No matter how much you dislike them, they’re a great team.
I still know some of the players who played there. I will support my nephew. I hope that he does great. I pray that I left a good enough legacy at Michigan State and I’m pretty sure that Kaleb will do that same thing at Michigan.
Whatever happened to Michigan's Walk-on QB from Pioneer Nader Furrha? Well, he didn't last long at Michigan. He was a back up at Riverside City College last year and now has accepted a scholarship offer to play at Morgan State next season. “I thought I was going to get more opportunity (at Michigan), it didn’t work out so I moved on,” Furrha said. “It was hard leaving, but it was a move I had to make for myself.”
UMass rode the wave of their good performance at the Big House to a invitation to the MAC Conference. The official announcement is expected tomorrow at 5:00.
We knew Michigan's Basketball's 2011/2012 incoming recruiting class is strong but is it really this good? MaxPreps did their top 100 and look how Michigan did: #62 Carlton Brundidge - PG, #82 Trey Burke - PG, and #100 Max Bielfeldt, PF/C. Carlton and Trey are not big surprises but Max wasn't even rated by Rivals or Scouts - zero stars and he is a top 100 player on MaxPreps! Sounds good to me!
I do not like that it is Michigan and I don’t have a problem saying that. I’m not a big fan of Michigan with me going to Michigan State. I have a lot of respect for Michigan. No matter how much you dislike them, they’re a great team.
I still know some of the players who played there. I will support my nephew. I hope that he does great. I pray that I left a good enough legacy at Michigan State and I’m pretty sure that Kaleb will do that same thing at Michigan.
Whatever happened to Michigan's Walk-on QB from Pioneer Nader Furrha? Well, he didn't last long at Michigan. He was a back up at Riverside City College last year and now has accepted a scholarship offer to play at Morgan State next season. “I thought I was going to get more opportunity (at Michigan), it didn’t work out so I moved on,” Furrha said. “It was hard leaving, but it was a move I had to make for myself.”
UMass rode the wave of their good performance at the Big House to a invitation to the MAC Conference. The official announcement is expected tomorrow at 5:00.
We knew Michigan's Basketball's 2011/2012 incoming recruiting class is strong but is it really this good? MaxPreps did their top 100 and look how Michigan did: #62 Carlton Brundidge - PG, #82 Trey Burke - PG, and #100 Max Bielfeldt, PF/C. Carlton and Trey are not big surprises but Max wasn't even rated by Rivals or Scouts - zero stars and he is a top 100 player on MaxPreps! Sounds good to me!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Michigan Monday: Likes the Recruiting Weekend Michigan Just Had
Michigan had it's Spring Game on Saturday and there were some highs and lows. Those are expected during a Spring Scrimmage. I think the 15 days of learning a new offense showed and 15 days of working on defensive fundamentals also showed. What really impressed me was the ground the Michigan coaching staff is starting to make up with the 2012 recruiting class.
Michigan landed two 4 star LB's in Kaleb Ringer and Royce Jenkins-Stone. Those were huge pick ups. Michigan is expected to take 3 LB's in this class and the spot light now turns to Cincinnati's Joe Bolden and Detroit's James "Biggs" Ross to fill that last spot. It seems Joe's timeline might make him the winner for the last spot but don't count out Biggs if he wants to be a Wolverine.
Jordan Diamond the mega offensive line from Chicago was also in town with his QB. He has been to Michigan a number of times and many consider the Wolverines to be his leader. He plans on taking some more visits but the Michigan fans made a nice impression on him: When we got there we came out on the field and there was a bunch of fans telling me Jordan we need you. To have them recognize an offensive lineman and ask me for autographs was pretty cool. I was getting stopped on the street and people were asking me if I was Jordan Diamond. I was signing autographs for little kids, and to have that happen at a big school was cool. Being with the players is always great too, they're exactly the same on and off the field. The character and attitude they have is always the same.
Sheldon Day from Indy also made his second trip to Ann Arbor with his family. If you haven't heard Sheldon is one of the top DT in the 2012 class (9th by Scouts) and this is his second trip to Ann Arbor. His coaches even asked him to go to another Spring Game since he had been to A2 already and he told them: "No, I'm going up to Michigan this weekend".
Michigan also made progress with visitors Mario Ojemudia a DE from Farmington and JJ Denman a huge offensive lineman from Pennsylvania.
5 Star QB from Kentucky Zeke Pike is planning to make his college decision on Wednesday. His final group is Clemson, Michigan, Auburn, Arkansas, Tennessee, Purdue, North Carolina. Zeke enjoyed his Michigan visit and has been talking about Michigan since his visit. He has also been a number of other places since then as well. The rumor mill is saying Auburn but who knows. Update: TomVH talked to Zeke and says his final 3 are Auburn, Michigan and Purdue. Michigan and Purdue are with in driving distance for his family. Auburn is the National Champion, so we will find out in two days.
There is also speculation that Michigan got a "silent" commitment from a player this weekend as well. We don't have a name to share but we believe it's a defensive player. For those that don't know, silent commits are guys who want to make sure their spot is reserved at University X but still wants to take some visits to other places. We should know who this "masked" defender is in the next 2-3 weeks.
Could be a fun week, stayed tuned!
Michigan landed two 4 star LB's in Kaleb Ringer and Royce Jenkins-Stone. Those were huge pick ups. Michigan is expected to take 3 LB's in this class and the spot light now turns to Cincinnati's Joe Bolden and Detroit's James "Biggs" Ross to fill that last spot. It seems Joe's timeline might make him the winner for the last spot but don't count out Biggs if he wants to be a Wolverine.
Jordan Diamond the mega offensive line from Chicago was also in town with his QB. He has been to Michigan a number of times and many consider the Wolverines to be his leader. He plans on taking some more visits but the Michigan fans made a nice impression on him: When we got there we came out on the field and there was a bunch of fans telling me Jordan we need you. To have them recognize an offensive lineman and ask me for autographs was pretty cool. I was getting stopped on the street and people were asking me if I was Jordan Diamond. I was signing autographs for little kids, and to have that happen at a big school was cool. Being with the players is always great too, they're exactly the same on and off the field. The character and attitude they have is always the same.
Sheldon Day from Indy also made his second trip to Ann Arbor with his family. If you haven't heard Sheldon is one of the top DT in the 2012 class (9th by Scouts) and this is his second trip to Ann Arbor. His coaches even asked him to go to another Spring Game since he had been to A2 already and he told them: "No, I'm going up to Michigan this weekend".
Michigan also made progress with visitors Mario Ojemudia a DE from Farmington and JJ Denman a huge offensive lineman from Pennsylvania.
5 Star QB from Kentucky Zeke Pike is planning to make his college decision on Wednesday. His final group is Clemson, Michigan, Auburn, Arkansas, Tennessee, Purdue, North Carolina. Zeke enjoyed his Michigan visit and has been talking about Michigan since his visit. He has also been a number of other places since then as well. The rumor mill is saying Auburn but who knows. Update: TomVH talked to Zeke and says his final 3 are Auburn, Michigan and Purdue. Michigan and Purdue are with in driving distance for his family. Auburn is the National Champion, so we will find out in two days.
There is also speculation that Michigan got a "silent" commitment from a player this weekend as well. We don't have a name to share but we believe it's a defensive player. For those that don't know, silent commits are guys who want to make sure their spot is reserved at University X but still wants to take some visits to other places. We should know who this "masked" defender is in the next 2-3 weeks.
Could be a fun week, stayed tuned!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Michigan's Spring Game Deep Thoughts
The format of the scrimmage was pretty much what I expected. The coverage and technical problems by the Big Ten Network was far worse then I expected.
The wind was whipping with the cold weather made the play pretty sloppy at times. Neither QB did very well and completions seemed to be far and few in between. The only bad snap was when the center didn't get the ball back on the right count. I didn't see any injuries which is really good news and Michigan picked up a huge instate commitment from Royce Jenkins-Stone, so Saturday was a successful day.
Many of you seem very high on Cam Gordon and Big Will. They will be an important part of the defense next year. A couple of you picked Carvin Johnson and he was a very good choice as well. Lots of Fitz, Hopkins and Cox.
- Evan B. (Cox & Avery)
- Scott P (Cox & Big Will)
- Cody D (Cox & Gordon)
- Kai M (Cox & Black)
- Drew Y (Fitz & Ryan)
- J Wilson (Fitz & Ryan)
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Wolverine Weekend Update: Springs 2 LB Commits!
Today Michigan played it's Spring Game and I will get to that post Sunday morning. So tune in then.
The Big News from today is that Michigan has landed 2 four star linebackers in 2 days.
The first one on Friday night was not a surprise with the commitment of Kaleb Ringer, cousin of former MSU Spartan Javon Ringer. Kaleb will come to Ann Arbor as a 6'1 225 pound linebacker looking to make a difference on the Wolverine defense. Kaleb is a 4 star prospect to Scouts but not yet rated by Rivals or ESPN.
Kaleb's offer list includes Cincinnati, Syracuse, West Virgina, MAC Schools, Iowa and Illinois. Not a bad offer list for early in the recruiting process but some people might point out that he didn't have offers from Ohio State or Michigan State. OSU has a very limited scholarships this year and a bunch of other trouble to worry about and who knows why MSU didn't offer.
The book on this kid is he plays sideline to sideline as a run stopper. Maybe a guy that the Wolverines would take out on 3rd downs or traditional passing situations. Which I could care less, We could use a guy around Ann Arbor that can stuff the run!
Welcome to Ann Arbor Kaleb!
LineBacker #2 is RJS! Royce Jenkins-Stone.
RJS is part of the Instate 3, a group of highly touted prospects with James Ross and Terry Richardson. Royce decided today that Michigan was the place for him. (No decisions yet for Ross or Richardson) RJS is still growing into his frame but right now is at 6'2 and 215 pounds. His offer list is an impressive one: Oklahoma, Florida, Alabama, Tenn, ASU, MSU, Miami, and so on. This guy is a big time prospect and a future Wolverine!
He comes from the Division 1 talent machine which is Cass Tech in Detroit coached by former Wolverine Thomas Wilcher. RJS had 90 tackles, 3 sacks and 5 picks last year as a junior. He also rushed for 10 touchdowns as a full back.
Royce is the first 2012 verbal commit that makes Wolverine fans that follow this stuff to say: Wow!
Let's hope there are more of those coming. Michigan is now in a strange position with two other LB's and probably only has 1 spot left. Both are 4 star guys as well. Joe Bolden from Cincinnati (who was up to Ann Arbor this week with his parents) and Detroit's James "Biggs" Ross. Would Michigan say no to one of them? Or would they take both? I say bring both to Ann Arbor if they want to be Wolverines!
The Big News from today is that Michigan has landed 2 four star linebackers in 2 days.
The first one on Friday night was not a surprise with the commitment of Kaleb Ringer, cousin of former MSU Spartan Javon Ringer. Kaleb will come to Ann Arbor as a 6'1 225 pound linebacker looking to make a difference on the Wolverine defense. Kaleb is a 4 star prospect to Scouts but not yet rated by Rivals or ESPN.
Kaleb's offer list includes Cincinnati, Syracuse, West Virgina, MAC Schools, Iowa and Illinois. Not a bad offer list for early in the recruiting process but some people might point out that he didn't have offers from Ohio State or Michigan State. OSU has a very limited scholarships this year and a bunch of other trouble to worry about and who knows why MSU didn't offer.
The book on this kid is he plays sideline to sideline as a run stopper. Maybe a guy that the Wolverines would take out on 3rd downs or traditional passing situations. Which I could care less, We could use a guy around Ann Arbor that can stuff the run!
Welcome to Ann Arbor Kaleb!
LineBacker #2 is RJS! Royce Jenkins-Stone.
RJS is part of the Instate 3, a group of highly touted prospects with James Ross and Terry Richardson. Royce decided today that Michigan was the place for him. (No decisions yet for Ross or Richardson) RJS is still growing into his frame but right now is at 6'2 and 215 pounds. His offer list is an impressive one: Oklahoma, Florida, Alabama, Tenn, ASU, MSU, Miami, and so on. This guy is a big time prospect and a future Wolverine!
He comes from the Division 1 talent machine which is Cass Tech in Detroit coached by former Wolverine Thomas Wilcher. RJS had 90 tackles, 3 sacks and 5 picks last year as a junior. He also rushed for 10 touchdowns as a full back.
Royce is the first 2012 verbal commit that makes Wolverine fans that follow this stuff to say: Wow!
Let's hope there are more of those coming. Michigan is now in a strange position with two other LB's and probably only has 1 spot left. Both are 4 star guys as well. Joe Bolden from Cincinnati (who was up to Ann Arbor this week with his parents) and Detroit's James "Biggs" Ross. Would Michigan say no to one of them? Or would they take both? I say bring both to Ann Arbor if they want to be Wolverines!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Michigan Friday: Spring Game Wish List
I like the Michigan Spring Game, just because I really enjoy seeing the Maize and Blue on the field for another Saturday and know it's my last chance until September. I don't really love it because it's a glorified practice which can give us some insight on who and where your favorite players might be next year.
So if I was 6 years old and really wanted my wish list to come true on Saturday, here it is:
Enjoy the game and I will do my MVP on Sunday Morning. We just have 6 shirts so the first 6 with the right prediction will get them. I have received hundreds of emails.
Don't forget, Michigan should get a 4 star LB recruit tonight at 6:00 PM!
Go Blue!
So if I was 6 years old and really wanted my wish list to come true on Saturday, here it is:
- No major injuries of any sort
- Denard looks comfortable under center
- Denard has some nice completions
- No fumbled snaps from anyone
- The recruits are impressed and want to commit on the spot
- The defense looks improved since the nightmare I had on 1/1/11
- A couple of running backs look like good options this fall
- Linebacker play is much improved with new players
- Another starting safety whose name doesn't rhyme with "throwbacks"
- WR's and TE's that catch the ball consistently (don't forget Michigan struggled with that last year)
- A couple made field goals
- A couple young DB's who show they can play
- A Big Day for Big Will! I want a QB pressure and a ton of stops of RB's for no gain or -2 yards.
- Devin to play with confidence and throw the ball well
- A 3rd String QB to stand out - Mr. President? The Pioneer kid?
- #1 wish: That the right building blocks are in place to make this a championship team in the next couple of year.
Enjoy the game and I will do my MVP on Sunday Morning. We just have 6 shirts so the first 6 with the right prediction will get them. I have received hundreds of emails.
Don't forget, Michigan should get a 4 star LB recruit tonight at 6:00 PM!
Go Blue!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Wolverine Thursday: Spring Game Information
Coach Hoke sat down with the media yesterday and gave us some thoughts on the Spring Game on Saturday.
First off, the weather is supposed to be cold and rainy which is too bad because that probably will keep people way and donations for Mott's down. If your wondering, the game is still free but if do $5 and up donation to Mott's you will walk away with some cool Fat Head stuff or special access to game day activities next season.
Players that are out: JT Floyd, Troy Woolfolk, Taylor Lewan, and Kenny Demens. Those are all starters and each one is expected to be ready for Fall practice.
Match Ups: #1 Offense vs #2 Defense. #1 Defense vs #2 Offense. Winners get Steak for dinner - Losers get Hot Dogs.
"We're heading down the home stretch of spring, obviously. We've got two days left to keep evaluating." Mindset, mentality, etc. will still be evaluated in the final two days. "We've made some progress in some of those areas but we're a long way from being the football team we want to be in the fall."
I have heard there has been a ton of "coaching" going on for each player. Much more working on fundamentals then under the last staff. Which is exactly what this team needs. I am not expecting a ton out of the Spring Game, my hope is the players can work on what they learned in Spring over the summer months and really turn it up during Fall Practice.
If your wondering, I still hear the kicking game still sucks. I sure hope that freshman coming in can kick field goals.
First off, the weather is supposed to be cold and rainy which is too bad because that probably will keep people way and donations for Mott's down. If your wondering, the game is still free but if do $5 and up donation to Mott's you will walk away with some cool Fat Head stuff or special access to game day activities next season.
Players that are out: JT Floyd, Troy Woolfolk, Taylor Lewan, and Kenny Demens. Those are all starters and each one is expected to be ready for Fall practice.
Match Ups: #1 Offense vs #2 Defense. #1 Defense vs #2 Offense. Winners get Steak for dinner - Losers get Hot Dogs.
"We're heading down the home stretch of spring, obviously. We've got two days left to keep evaluating." Mindset, mentality, etc. will still be evaluated in the final two days. "We've made some progress in some of those areas but we're a long way from being the football team we want to be in the fall."
I have heard there has been a ton of "coaching" going on for each player. Much more working on fundamentals then under the last staff. Which is exactly what this team needs. I am not expecting a ton out of the Spring Game, my hope is the players can work on what they learned in Spring over the summer months and really turn it up during Fall Practice.
If your wondering, I still hear the kicking game still sucks. I sure hope that freshman coming in can kick field goals.
- Here is some visit reaction from Joe Bolden's who was in town on Tuesady for his second visit to Ann Arbor with is Mom and Dad: I didn't see as much as I wanted to last time. This time we got to drive through campus, see the classrooms, and we just got to see a lot more than last time. We go the grand tour of everything. I didn't get to see a dorm because there weren't any vacant, but I got to see the building that I would be living in.----Timeline: I still haven't gotten the chance to sit down with my mother, father, and uncle and weigh out the pro's and con's of everything. My uncle wasn't at school today, but we'll probably sit down in the next couple days. I really don't have a timeline, it could happen tomorrow or it could happen in February. I'm not sure yet.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Wolverine Wednesday: Big Recruiting Week on Tap
The Spring Game is one of those yearly events that brings out a number of prospects to Ann Arbor to get a chance to see the Big House and what the new Michigan coaching staff might have in store for us next Fall.
- 2013 Michigan QB Shane Morris (6'3", 189 lbs)
- Instate TE Devin Funchess (6'5", 205 lbs)
- Illinois DT Vontrell Williams (6'2", 263 lbs)
- Instate LB Royce Jenkins-Stone (6'2", 215 lbs):
- Instate TE Ron Thompson (6'4", 210 lbs)
- Illinois OL Jordan Diamond (6'7", 289 lbs):Could be coming with his teammate QB Robert Gregory.
- Instate LB James Ross (6'0", 209 lbs)
- Indana TE Pierre Aka (6'4", 250 lbs)
Look for more additions to this list. If RJS and James "Biggs" Ross make it to Ann Arbor expect that Terry Richardson to be with them.
- TomVH gives us a list of attendees that are planning to make it to the game.
- 2013 Michigan QB Shane Morris (6'3", 189 lbs)
- Instate TE Devin Funchess (6'5", 205 lbs)
- Illinois DT Vontrell Williams (6'2", 263 lbs)
- Instate LB Royce Jenkins-Stone (6'2", 215 lbs):
- Instate TE Ron Thompson (6'4", 210 lbs)
- Illinois OL Jordan Diamond (6'7", 289 lbs):Could be coming with his teammate QB Robert Gregory.
- Instate LB James Ross (6'0", 209 lbs)
- Indana TE Pierre Aka (6'4", 250 lbs)
Look for more additions to this list. If RJS and James "Biggs" Ross make it to Ann Arbor expect that Terry Richardson to be with them.
- 4 star LB from Ohio Kaleb Ringer is still planning to announce at 6:00 on Friday. Things look great for the Maize and Blue. The Dayton Daily News has already broken the story a couple days early. Why would they do that to a kid?
- 4 Star TE from Detroit Ron Thompson who many expected to announce his decision this week, has delayed his decision due to transferring to another high school.
- Cincinnati 4 Star LB Joe Bolden was in town with his parents on Tuesday. Joe has been saying he wouldn't make an early decision but now an early announcement seems likely. If Kaleb and Joe jump on board does that fast forward RJS and James Ross timeline? Michigan could use 4 LB's for sure, but that would be the max.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Fantasy Baseball 2011 - 10 Games Down
The season is well under way, and I'm going to try and make this short. I'd love to spend alot of time rehashing the first 10 games, but there are 152 left and its useless to freak out. If you had told me that Team A would be 10-4 and Team B would be 3-10 to start the season, and asked me to predict their seasons I would stare at you blankly. Just for the record, Team A is the Kansas City Royals and Team B is the Boston Red Sox. Do we really think KC will be that much better than Boston? No, lets all relax.
After a draft day meltdown Andrew is feeling much better. With the way Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, and Tommy Hanson have started the season he could be feeling good for a while. Hanson has been pretty good, but Weaver and Haren have won 6 of their 7 combined starts. Andrew is so lucky that Haren actually picked up a win in an epic 14 inning game where he came in and pitched a single inning. Weaver currently leads the majors in K's, so things are looking up for the defending champ. Andrew's biggest concern is Matt Thornton, who just can't save a game to save his life. The guy blew four consecutive saves, and may not get another chance.
Looks like one apple fell really far from the tree.
I'm trying to relax, but I have two very serious concerns on my team. I am getting murdered by Sean Rodriguez and Ben Zobrist of the Rays. Both guys are hitting under .200, and Rodriguez has been displaced by flavor-of-the-month Sam Fuld. If that wasn't bad enough Fuld went to Stanfurd! I'm even more annoyed because I have been firmly perched in the Top 3 (enjoying some time at the top) despite these clowns. My team would be awesome without them, but whatever. My team is freakishly piling up walks and my "worst buy", Matt Kemp, is fucking destroying the league. Kemp is hitting .440 at the moment, his 8 SB are leading the majors, and he looks to be on track for a 20+ homer season. I realize these will change, at this pace he would steal 86 bases, but its nice to have someone playing well.
Apparently breaking up with Rihanna makes you hit over .400
Current Status
Bert - The Dude abides.
Andrew - No, he's a sex offender. With a record.
After a draft day meltdown Andrew is feeling much better. With the way Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, and Tommy Hanson have started the season he could be feeling good for a while. Hanson has been pretty good, but Weaver and Haren have won 6 of their 7 combined starts. Andrew is so lucky that Haren actually picked up a win in an epic 14 inning game where he came in and pitched a single inning. Weaver currently leads the majors in K's, so things are looking up for the defending champ. Andrew's biggest concern is Matt Thornton, who just can't save a game to save his life. The guy blew four consecutive saves, and may not get another chance.
Looks like one apple fell really far from the tree.I'm trying to relax, but I have two very serious concerns on my team. I am getting murdered by Sean Rodriguez and Ben Zobrist of the Rays. Both guys are hitting under .200, and Rodriguez has been displaced by flavor-of-the-month Sam Fuld. If that wasn't bad enough Fuld went to Stanfurd! I'm even more annoyed because I have been firmly perched in the Top 3 (enjoying some time at the top) despite these clowns. My team would be awesome without them, but whatever. My team is freakishly piling up walks and my "worst buy", Matt Kemp, is fucking destroying the league. Kemp is hitting .440 at the moment, his 8 SB are leading the majors, and he looks to be on track for a 20+ homer season. I realize these will change, at this pace he would steal 86 bases, but its nice to have someone playing well.
Apparently breaking up with Rihanna makes you hit over .400Current Status
Bert - The Dude abides.
Andrew - No, he's a sex offender. With a record.
Bundesliga : We Have Winner
Well after four months and alot of schadenfreude I think its safe to call a winner. I've definitely grown to enjoy the Bundesliga and cultivated my hate for Bayern Munich. I think its also nice that my dislike of Schalke has really matured right before they face Manchester United in the Champions League.
Borussia Dortmund : WIN! I'm a little conflicted because they may win the Bundesliga. I would hate to pick a team just because they won the league, but thankfully I'm drawn to more than that. They had an "insurmountable" lead at one point, but its shrunk to 5 points with 5 games to go. They only play one team in the top half of the table (Nurnberg, 6th) and get a game against relegation bound Borussia Monchengladbach. The team behind them (Bayer Leverkusen) has a tough game against Bayern Munich, so Dortmund should have the title in hand.
Is there a Japanese equivalent of schadenfreude?
I also have a small man crush on Shinji Kagawa, so I'm going to spend the summer very worried. I read that Liverpool's sponsor (Standard Chartered) wants them to buy an Asian player to boost marketing in Asia, very similar to what Manchester United has experienced with Park Ji-Sung. If Liverpool buy Kagawa, I'm going to be seriously upset.
Bayer Leverkusen : ELIMINATED. Pretty close 2nd. As the season has gone on I've grown to like Arturo Vidal. Prior to the season I had never heard of him, but he has put together a very solid season for Leverkusen with 9 goals and 8 assists (leads the team in both stats currently). I've also grown to like Renato Augusto, who is also having a good season for Leverkusen. Both guys are 23, so I'm sure they will be tormenting me for some time.
Eintracht Frankfurt : ELIMINATED. Very middle of the road team that has mainly provided me with some comedy. Their top scorer is Theofanis Gekas, a 30 year old Greek international, who has scored 16 goals for Frankfurt. The next highest scorer? Four players are tied at 2 goals. Frankfurt have scored a total of 29 goals, worst in the league, and Mr. Gekas has over half of them.
Kaisersluatern : ELIMINATED. Despite the prodding of my friend, I just didn't connect with these guys.
Werder Bremen : ELIMINATED. These guys were the heavy favorites to start the season, and all they managed to do was suck. Per Mertesacker missed alot of games with a serious facial injury, and then spent the rest of the season insisting that he wasn't going to be sold to Arsenal. They seemed really burned out when they were in the Champions League and did little to nothing to impress me. Their kits also make my eyes bleed.
VfL Wolfsburg : ELIMINATED. Currently in the relegation zone. Their top goalscorer (Edin Dzeko) hasn't been on the team in nearly four months. Their high profile coach has been fired. Unless the town of Wolfsburg bursts into flames I doubt things can get much worse.
Borussia Dortmund : WIN! I'm a little conflicted because they may win the Bundesliga. I would hate to pick a team just because they won the league, but thankfully I'm drawn to more than that. They had an "insurmountable" lead at one point, but its shrunk to 5 points with 5 games to go. They only play one team in the top half of the table (Nurnberg, 6th) and get a game against relegation bound Borussia Monchengladbach. The team behind them (Bayer Leverkusen) has a tough game against Bayern Munich, so Dortmund should have the title in hand.
Is there a Japanese equivalent of schadenfreude?Bayer Leverkusen : ELIMINATED. Pretty close 2nd. As the season has gone on I've grown to like Arturo Vidal. Prior to the season I had never heard of him, but he has put together a very solid season for Leverkusen with 9 goals and 8 assists (leads the team in both stats currently). I've also grown to like Renato Augusto, who is also having a good season for Leverkusen. Both guys are 23, so I'm sure they will be tormenting me for some time.
Eintracht Frankfurt : ELIMINATED. Very middle of the road team that has mainly provided me with some comedy. Their top scorer is Theofanis Gekas, a 30 year old Greek international, who has scored 16 goals for Frankfurt. The next highest scorer? Four players are tied at 2 goals. Frankfurt have scored a total of 29 goals, worst in the league, and Mr. Gekas has over half of them.
Kaisersluatern : ELIMINATED. Despite the prodding of my friend, I just didn't connect with these guys.
Werder Bremen : ELIMINATED. These guys were the heavy favorites to start the season, and all they managed to do was suck. Per Mertesacker missed alot of games with a serious facial injury, and then spent the rest of the season insisting that he wasn't going to be sold to Arsenal. They seemed really burned out when they were in the Champions League and did little to nothing to impress me. Their kits also make my eyes bleed.
VfL Wolfsburg : ELIMINATED. Currently in the relegation zone. Their top goalscorer (Edin Dzeko) hasn't been on the team in nearly four months. Their high profile coach has been fired. Unless the town of Wolfsburg bursts into flames I doubt things can get much worse.
Big House Blog Michigan Spring Game Contest
BHB Readers: Here is your chance to get some free gear while you watch the Spring Game this weekend. We all love the Spring Game because we get to see the winged helmets back on the football field again. This will also be interesting because it's Coach Hoke first time in the Big House as the Wolverines head coach.
Here's the deal:
Smack Apparel has been kind enough to give my readers 6 Tressel Tattoo & Pawn T-Shirts. We have 2 L's, 2 XL's, and 2 XXL. These shirts are all over the media and even in a Columbus Business Blog.
If you would like to win one of these shirts, please email me the following at thebighouseblog@hotmail.com.
Title: Spring Game Contest
Pick two MVP's for the Spring Game. 1 on Offense and 1 on Defense. (I will give you a hint, don't go obvious like Denard and Mike Martin. I'm looking for guys that will make a New impact next year)
I will do a post Sunday Morning on my Spring Game thoughts and will also pick the MVP's. If we agree - you win! The first 6 emails with the names or close will win. I will also need your shirt size and will email you back for your shipping address.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks! Enjoy the game and Go Blue!
Here's the deal:
Smack Apparel has been kind enough to give my readers 6 Tressel Tattoo & Pawn T-Shirts. We have 2 L's, 2 XL's, and 2 XXL. These shirts are all over the media and even in a Columbus Business Blog.
If you would like to win one of these shirts, please email me the following at thebighouseblog@hotmail.com.
Title: Spring Game Contest
Pick two MVP's for the Spring Game. 1 on Offense and 1 on Defense. (I will give you a hint, don't go obvious like Denard and Mike Martin. I'm looking for guys that will make a New impact next year)
I will do a post Sunday Morning on my Spring Game thoughts and will also pick the MVP's. If we agree - you win! The first 6 emails with the names or close will win. I will also need your shirt size and will email you back for your shipping address.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks! Enjoy the game and Go Blue!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Michigan Monday: Coaches Play Contracts Like a Fiddle
We also know that coaches when they have even a little bit of success can work the system like no other. I truly believe when Les Miles retires he should start a Michigan scholarship fund for all the raises and contract extensions he has gotten from LSU due to "conversations" he has had with Michigan about their football openings.
We all know the Les examples, but let's take a look two other examples that involve coaches at Missouri. The first one was Purdue's head basketball coach Matt Painter who flirted with the opening at Missouri a couple of weeks ago. Was Matt really considering leaving Purdue for Mizzu? Of course not! He just wanted a raise from Purdue and got one. He was on vacation when this entire thing went down. Not too bad to be near the pool, get a couple of calls and end up getting a big raise. I hope he called the front desk and got his room upgraded.
The second comes from Gary Pinkel, Missouri's head football coach. He is quoted in this article (regarding why he didn't interview for the Michigan job) saying, “That was a really difficult situation just because I grew up in Ohio and my whole life I hear about Ohio State and Michigan. To have an opportunity like that is sort of a once-in-a-lifetime thing. For me it still boiled down to I just feel so much a part of Missouri now.”
“The reason I didn’t pursue it was because I feel so much a part of Missouri. I’m so committed personally to continue to build the opportunity I was given. And family, a combination of those things. So, I bowed out of it. I feel really good about it. I thought a lot about it. It got really close. But before I went to the interview, it was a matter of hours before when I decided I wasn’t going to pursue it and I wanted to stay at the University of Missouri. So, that’s kind of the conclusion I came to.”
Gary just signed a two year extension and is now under contract until 2017. Shocker! He didn't even talk to Brandon and still got an extension. We don't know any details of the search but I'm willing to bet Gary's "people" reached out to David Brandon about interviewing for the open position in Ann Arbor.
These coaches and agents have some special talent when it comes to getting more money and extensions when they names are linked with any other jobs. Bob Stoops should have Bill Gates money by now with all the jobs he has been linked to.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Michigan Friday: It's all about the #4!
The two highlight of Thursday were Lion Kim at the Masters and the Michigan Hockey Team winning their Frozen 4 game.
Other News:
- Lion shot a decent +4 76 on Thursday. Playing in your first major and with the likes of Davis Love III and former Master Champion José María Olazábal. Right now it doesn't look good for him to make the cut unless he goes in red numbers today. Either way it's a tremendous honor to play in the tournament and think he had done great!
- I will be the first to say that I know very little about Hockey. What I do know is Michigan beat a great hockey team last night in North Dakota. ND is said to be full of NHL players and pretty much blew out many of their opponents this year. Either way, Michigan won a low scoring game last night and I even watched the last few minutes when Michigan scored the open net goal.
Other News:
- Michigan has already started on the 2013 class by already offering instate 6'3 187 pound QB Shane Morris who already has 4 BCS offers. Shane and his family are Michigan fans.
- With the new Big Ten Schedule formats - Michigan and Wisconsin will take 6 years off and the Wolverines and Badgers won't play until 2015.
- ESPN loves Michigan Documentaries. The Fab 5 was their highest rated 30/30 ever and now they are doing one on former Michigan QB Tom Brady, called the Brady 6. Which references the 6 QB's taken in the NFL draft before Tom. Does any of these names ring a bell? Chad Pennington (No. 18, Jets), Giovanni Carmazzi (65, 49ers), Chris Redman (75, Ravens), Tee Martin (163, Steelers), Marc Bulger (168, Saints) and Spergon Wynn (183, Browns).
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Michigan Thursday: A Wolverine at Augusta National
Rarely do we get a chance to cheer for a Wolverine at the Masters. Even if your not a golf fan, this week you can support Lion Kim a U of M golfer that will be one of six amateurs in the field today at Augusta National. Lion earned the invite by winning the 85th U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship last summer. "Obviously, I'm extremely excited," said Kim, who ranks second all time at U-M with a career scoring average of 73.30 strokes per round. "I feel my game is at a good place right now and I'm getting to where I can compete at The Masters. It's exciting but it's also pretty nerve-wracking to know that you're playing on the biggest stage in golf." Lion is playing with Davis Love and José María Olazábal today.
If your a golf fan you don't need another reason to watch the Masters. If your not, please tune in and support Lion and maybe you can see why so many of us love this sport. Augusta National is a special place and I got chance to be at the tournament 3 years ago. It's a perfect golf course and that pretty much sums it up.
On a side note: Maybe this is the guy RR kept talking about when he kept referencing the Lion King movie? :) Good Luck Lion and Go Blue!
If your a golf fan you don't need another reason to watch the Masters. If your not, please tune in and support Lion and maybe you can see why so many of us love this sport. Augusta National is a special place and I got chance to be at the tournament 3 years ago. It's a perfect golf course and that pretty much sums it up.
On a side note: Maybe this is the guy RR kept talking about when he kept referencing the Lion King movie? :) Good Luck Lion and Go Blue!
- From a good news to sad news: The Michigan Men community lost a member yesterday, with the passing of Vada Murray to his fight to cancer. Vada as you know was a Wolverine Safety from 1988-1990 and then a Ann Arbor Policeman after he graduated. RIP Michigan Man, RIP.
- The Michigan Hockey Team is in the Frozen 4 Tonight. Go Blue!
- Michigan Football Walk On News: Michigan has added a new offensive line recruit for the 2011 class. Gary Yerden has accepted a invitation to be a preferred walk-on at Michigan. Gary is a 6'6 330 pound offensive lineman with only one year of football under his belt at Portage Northern. Gary has a high upside with his lack of football experience but guess what? The kid is strong! He is the 3 time State Champion in weightlifting by dead lifting a state record 630 pounds. Wow! Sounds like a great pick up.
- ESPN is saying Michigan's Basketball preseason ranking should be #16. I would agree if Darius Morris stays in Ann Arbor.
- TomVH has an interview up with 2012 TE prospect Evan Baylis.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Fantasy Baseball 2011 - Draft Autopsy
We have waited patiently for months, endured annoying Giants fans, reviewed our strategies, re-reviewed, compiled our spreadsheets, and now the wait is over. It's fantasy baseball season at the Sports Optimator, and as the first week of games goes by, it's time for the post draft autopsy. This year the draft was held after opening day, so we spent three days trying not to freak out about horrible starts (Jon Lester anyone?) and hot bats (Nelson Cruz, Ian Kinsler, anyone facing Boston...), which was not easy. In the end, neither of us got the team we planned for, but that may be a good thing for some, and not for others.
The Draft
Bert - I have a boring and fairly conservative draft strategy that changed a little this year. I'm not concerned with landing the best player, but this year I was very concerned with landing a top SS and 3B. The weakest positions this year are SS, 3B, and 2B, so if you don't get one of the top 2-3, it's a long way to the bottom. The top 2B's aren't nearly as good as SS (Hanley Ramirez, Troy Tulowitzki) or 3B (Evan Longoria, David Wright, Ryan Zimmerman) so I decided that I would come out with one of each or die trying. I retained my deep love for 20-20 players, mostly outfielders this year, and I didn't want to spend more than $1 on catchers or closers. I really, really, really wanted Prince Fielder this year. Fielder was #1 in BB (111) last year, he is 27 (statistically players tend to peak at 27) and it's a contract year, so he should have a monster season. I also decided not to spend money on a Top 5 pitcher and roll the dice with mid-range affordable arms, since pitching is so random and always screws me over. My draft calling card is feasting on mid-range players when everyone else has spent way too much for the top players; very dependable and low-risk, but lacks upside.
Andrew - I could delve into my draft strategy, but then I'd have to kill Bert. Oh, Bert knows all about my Teutonic devotion to value, and he knows about the great site, Last Player Picked, which I mostly rely on for said values, but one component of my draft preparation remains shrouded in secrecy. Just to live up to my reputation for insufferable arrogance, though, because I wouldn't want to disappoint anyone, I will say that since I implemented it two years ago it hasn't let me down. Two years, two championships. And, running counter to my actual (horrendous) start, and despite gifting Bert a few players, my projections have me finishing first again. Mwuahahahaa.
As an aside, I'm thinking Furor Teutonicus might be a good name for my team next year.
The Aftermath
Bert - Well, I almost completely abandoned my top priorities but it all worked out in the end. I think. Han-Ram and Tulo went for a lot; I wasn't willing to go much over $30 for Tulo and he went for $34, so I basically walked away from SS. Then my 2B target, Dustin Pedrioa, went for $24, which was basically $4 more than I was willing to pay for a 2B not named Dan Uggla. The draft Gods smiled upon me, though, when I was able to snag David Wright for $29, but then they cursed me by letting me get Matt Kemp for $28. I completely folded on Prince Fielder, and that is when the panic set in. Fielder went for $29, way more than I thought, and I just couldn't go to $30. No Tulo, no Fielder, and my only pitcher at this point was Yovani Gallardo. With a whole bunch of money left I was able to get Matt Holliday for a discount (appendectomies rule) and hoard 20-20 outfielders. I missed out on Cole Hamels, who went for $23, but I fell ass-backwards into Max Scherzer for $9. I was also able to take advantage of Andrew's late draft cash problems and walk away with Matt Cain ($15), Brett Anderson ($9), Johnathan Sanchez ($11), and Gio Gonzalez ($8). I must credit Andrew with a purchase I didn't plan to make; Carlos Santana. I avoided spending more than $30 on a player, and went with a budget pitching staff, so when Santana could be had for $12, Andrew goaded me into it. With the depth at 2B/SS I decided to invest in a catcher and pay $1 for a warm body at the end of the draft. After having a heart attack to start the draft, I finished with a team that should finish in the Top 3.
C - Carlos Santana (CLE)
C - Carlos Ruiz (PHI)
1B - Kevin Youkilis (BOS)
2B - Ben Zobrist (TB)
SS - Derek Jeter (NYY, may the baseball gods forgive me...)
3B - David Wright (NYM)
OF - Matt Kemp (LAD)
OF - Matt Holliday (STL)
OF - Alex Rios (CHW)
OF - Henter Pence (HOU)
OF - Bobby Abreu (LAA)
1B/3B - Paul Konerko (CHW)
2B/SS - Sean Rodriguez (TB, this is my $1 warm body.)
UTIL - David Ortiz (BOS, I had to get BB since I missed out on Fielder.)
P - Yovani Gallardo (MIL)
P - Roy Oswalt (PHI)
P - Matt Cain (SF)
P - Max Scherzer (DET)
P - Brett Anderson (OAK)
P - Johnathan Sanchez (SF)
P - Gio Gonzalez (OAK)
P - Leo Nunez (FLA)
P - Kevin Gregg (BAL)
The usual suspects. Six guys back from a 4th place team that imploded down the stretch, what could possibly go wrong?
Best Buy - Max Scherzer ($9) - if he has a good year, $9 is a bargain.
Worst Buy - Matt Kemp ($28) - Shin-Soo Choo went for $19.
30-30 season or an expensive pain in the ass. Time will tell.
Andrew - It was a weird draft. Every year, most people in our league, aside from the two of us, prematurely ejaculate over basically anyone that you throw out there. A few years ago we even had Derek Jeter go for $37. $37! This year was no different, in fact I think it was worse than usual, and for the first round and a half, any top-20 player was going for $35+. Bert and I were sitting there, incredulously shocked, appalled, and happy at our good fortune, as each team's budget was effectively destroyed on one player. One factor in play, we think, is that our league tracks BBs instead of runs, and most price guides are based on runs scored. So Bert and I throw big runs-scored guys out there like Crawford and Cano and watch the feeding frenzy ensue.
Anyway, at some point in the draft, maybe when Pujols went for $43 - $5 under value - or maybe when Mauer went for $23 - another $5-off discount, people seemed to readjust to their dwindling coffers, and the draft got weird. You would think this would be a great time for people with extra cash to move in and feast, and you would be half-right. Bert, aside from blowing his wad on Matt Kemp, regained some self control and dignity and drafted pretty well from there on out. I, on the other hand, was too inflexible, too committed to getting certain targeted guys, meaning I overpaid for a few guys (hellooo, Victor Martinez), and let too many other guys go for too little. And, most inexcusable of all, I ended up with $8 left in the bank. What? This has never happened to me before, and it makes me very, very nervous. It makes me even more nervous when the other three teams that I've projected to finish in the top four are occupying the top three, and as this is being written, I'm struggling to move out of dead last. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the season's a marathon and it's only week one, but still.
Best Buy - Based on projected numbers, Ted Lilly went for $13 less than he should have, but if Bay comes back to hit ~22 HRs and walks 80 times, he's the steal of the draft for me, maybe the league.
Worst Buy - V-Mart ($23) when I probably could've had Mauer for $25. Bollocks.
Hindsight Is 20/20
Worst Buy Overall - This is tough, but I'm going to have to say Joba Chamberlain ($7). One of the worst things you can do in our league is buy a non-closer relief pitcher, and someone paid $7 for one! The next worst would be Manny Ramirez for $4, but the buyer had no way to know he would get busted for doping and retire suddenly.
The numbers back up Bert's pick - the buyer overpaid by $21! Ha!
Best Buy - Jaime Garcia ($3). If Garcia's arm doesn't fall off this could be the bargain of the draft; he was excellent last year before being shut down.
I'm still (optimistically) nominating Jason Bay, but it's not an overly confident pick.
Massive Upside - Josh Johnson ($14) / Max Scherzer ($9). Johnson pitched like a Top 5 pitcher last year before an injury ended his season, but he still has a serious injury concern this year. He has already pitched well, so it's entirely possible he stays healthy and competes for the NL Cy Young. Scherzer is unproven, but finished so well after coming up from a stint in the minors last season that everyone has been saying he has Top 10 upside.
Jason Bay ($1) Bay, Bay, Bay. If I repeat his name like a mantra for the next ten days, will my horrifically low RBI numbers bounce back?
Current Status
Bert - The Dude abides.
Andrew - Nothing is fucked?! The God damn plane has crashed into the mountain!
The Draft
Bert - I have a boring and fairly conservative draft strategy that changed a little this year. I'm not concerned with landing the best player, but this year I was very concerned with landing a top SS and 3B. The weakest positions this year are SS, 3B, and 2B, so if you don't get one of the top 2-3, it's a long way to the bottom. The top 2B's aren't nearly as good as SS (Hanley Ramirez, Troy Tulowitzki) or 3B (Evan Longoria, David Wright, Ryan Zimmerman) so I decided that I would come out with one of each or die trying. I retained my deep love for 20-20 players, mostly outfielders this year, and I didn't want to spend more than $1 on catchers or closers. I really, really, really wanted Prince Fielder this year. Fielder was #1 in BB (111) last year, he is 27 (statistically players tend to peak at 27) and it's a contract year, so he should have a monster season. I also decided not to spend money on a Top 5 pitcher and roll the dice with mid-range affordable arms, since pitching is so random and always screws me over. My draft calling card is feasting on mid-range players when everyone else has spent way too much for the top players; very dependable and low-risk, but lacks upside.
Andrew - I could delve into my draft strategy, but then I'd have to kill Bert. Oh, Bert knows all about my Teutonic devotion to value, and he knows about the great site, Last Player Picked, which I mostly rely on for said values, but one component of my draft preparation remains shrouded in secrecy. Just to live up to my reputation for insufferable arrogance, though, because I wouldn't want to disappoint anyone, I will say that since I implemented it two years ago it hasn't let me down. Two years, two championships. And, running counter to my actual (horrendous) start, and despite gifting Bert a few players, my projections have me finishing first again. Mwuahahahaa.
As an aside, I'm thinking Furor Teutonicus might be a good name for my team next year.
The Aftermath
Bert - Well, I almost completely abandoned my top priorities but it all worked out in the end. I think. Han-Ram and Tulo went for a lot; I wasn't willing to go much over $30 for Tulo and he went for $34, so I basically walked away from SS. Then my 2B target, Dustin Pedrioa, went for $24, which was basically $4 more than I was willing to pay for a 2B not named Dan Uggla. The draft Gods smiled upon me, though, when I was able to snag David Wright for $29, but then they cursed me by letting me get Matt Kemp for $28. I completely folded on Prince Fielder, and that is when the panic set in. Fielder went for $29, way more than I thought, and I just couldn't go to $30. No Tulo, no Fielder, and my only pitcher at this point was Yovani Gallardo. With a whole bunch of money left I was able to get Matt Holliday for a discount (appendectomies rule) and hoard 20-20 outfielders. I missed out on Cole Hamels, who went for $23, but I fell ass-backwards into Max Scherzer for $9. I was also able to take advantage of Andrew's late draft cash problems and walk away with Matt Cain ($15), Brett Anderson ($9), Johnathan Sanchez ($11), and Gio Gonzalez ($8). I must credit Andrew with a purchase I didn't plan to make; Carlos Santana. I avoided spending more than $30 on a player, and went with a budget pitching staff, so when Santana could be had for $12, Andrew goaded me into it. With the depth at 2B/SS I decided to invest in a catcher and pay $1 for a warm body at the end of the draft. After having a heart attack to start the draft, I finished with a team that should finish in the Top 3.
C - Carlos Santana (CLE)
C - Carlos Ruiz (PHI)
1B - Kevin Youkilis (BOS)
2B - Ben Zobrist (TB)
SS - Derek Jeter (NYY, may the baseball gods forgive me...)
3B - David Wright (NYM)
OF - Matt Kemp (LAD)
OF - Matt Holliday (STL)
OF - Alex Rios (CHW)
OF - Henter Pence (HOU)
OF - Bobby Abreu (LAA)
1B/3B - Paul Konerko (CHW)
2B/SS - Sean Rodriguez (TB, this is my $1 warm body.)
UTIL - David Ortiz (BOS, I had to get BB since I missed out on Fielder.)
P - Yovani Gallardo (MIL)
P - Roy Oswalt (PHI)
P - Matt Cain (SF)
P - Max Scherzer (DET)
P - Brett Anderson (OAK)
P - Johnathan Sanchez (SF)
P - Gio Gonzalez (OAK)
P - Leo Nunez (FLA)
P - Kevin Gregg (BAL)
The usual suspects. Six guys back from a 4th place team that imploded down the stretch, what could possibly go wrong?Best Buy - Max Scherzer ($9) - if he has a good year, $9 is a bargain.
Worst Buy - Matt Kemp ($28) - Shin-Soo Choo went for $19.
30-30 season or an expensive pain in the ass. Time will tell.Andrew - It was a weird draft. Every year, most people in our league, aside from the two of us, prematurely ejaculate over basically anyone that you throw out there. A few years ago we even had Derek Jeter go for $37. $37! This year was no different, in fact I think it was worse than usual, and for the first round and a half, any top-20 player was going for $35+. Bert and I were sitting there, incredulously shocked, appalled, and happy at our good fortune, as each team's budget was effectively destroyed on one player. One factor in play, we think, is that our league tracks BBs instead of runs, and most price guides are based on runs scored. So Bert and I throw big runs-scored guys out there like Crawford and Cano and watch the feeding frenzy ensue.
Anyway, at some point in the draft, maybe when Pujols went for $43 - $5 under value - or maybe when Mauer went for $23 - another $5-off discount, people seemed to readjust to their dwindling coffers, and the draft got weird. You would think this would be a great time for people with extra cash to move in and feast, and you would be half-right. Bert, aside from blowing his wad on Matt Kemp, regained some self control and dignity and drafted pretty well from there on out. I, on the other hand, was too inflexible, too committed to getting certain targeted guys, meaning I overpaid for a few guys (hellooo, Victor Martinez), and let too many other guys go for too little. And, most inexcusable of all, I ended up with $8 left in the bank. What? This has never happened to me before, and it makes me very, very nervous. It makes me even more nervous when the other three teams that I've projected to finish in the top four are occupying the top three, and as this is being written, I'm struggling to move out of dead last. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the season's a marathon and it's only week one, but still.
C - Victor Martinez (DET) - Good average and decent power, but would it kill him to walk a little more?
C - Brian McCann (ATL) - I've had this guy every year since I can remember. So solid, so consistent.
1B - Joey Votto (CIN) - The poor man's Pujols. This year he could be even better. Fair value at $36.
2B - Dan Uggla (ATL) - I've also owned Uggla a lot, and he's never let me down. Well worth the $21.
SS - Stephen Drew (ARI) - His numbers say he's underrated; I remain unconvinced but hopeful.
3B - Casey McGehee (MIL) - If his numbers continue on their upward trajectory, a steal for $1. If.
OF - Jayson Werth (WAS) - I don't love this pick. Washington's park is not exactly a hitter's paradise.
OF - Shin Soo-Choo (CLE) - Great player, but I paid nearly full value for him.
C - Brian McCann (ATL) - I've had this guy every year since I can remember. So solid, so consistent.
1B - Joey Votto (CIN) - The poor man's Pujols. This year he could be even better. Fair value at $36.
2B - Dan Uggla (ATL) - I've also owned Uggla a lot, and he's never let me down. Well worth the $21.
SS - Stephen Drew (ARI) - His numbers say he's underrated; I remain unconvinced but hopeful.
3B - Casey McGehee (MIL) - If his numbers continue on their upward trajectory, a steal for $1. If.
OF - Jayson Werth (WAS) - I don't love this pick. Washington's park is not exactly a hitter's paradise.
OF - Shin Soo-Choo (CLE) - Great player, but I paid nearly full value for him.
OF - Jason Kubel (MIN) - Where my draft started to go downhill. Kubel is not a poor man's Swisher.
OF - Jason Bay (NYM) - Massive upside, minimal risk for $1, if he's not permanently concussed.
OF - Lance Berkman (STL) - Scares the bejeesus out of me. If I get 87 BBs and 18 HR I'll take it.
CI - Billy Butler (KC) - Numbers are going up across the board. I love him for $9.
2B - Howie Kendrick (LAA) - I had to pony up $9 for him, but he hit 41 2Bs in '10. Optimistic.
UTIL - Adam LaRoche - Still flying under the radar. I expect 25 HRs and 85+ RBIs. No BBs, though.
2B - Howie Kendrick (LAA) - I had to pony up $9 for him, but he hit 41 2Bs in '10. Optimistic.
UTIL - Adam LaRoche - Still flying under the radar. I expect 25 HRs and 85+ RBIs. No BBs, though.
P - Dan Haren (LAA) - I'm counting on the aberration of 2010's first half to vanish like snow before the sun.
P - Tommy Hanson (ATL) - Not enough years stats to make me comfortable. Plus never trust a ginger.
P - Ted Lilly (LAD) - I hate this guy's face and his Cub background, but for $6 could I go wrong? So far, yes.
P - Zach Greinke (MIL) - Banking on his rib injury to unlock some deep value for $14.
P - Jered Weaver (LAA) - Thinking that his K numbers from '10 are not a fluke. Early numbers are backing me up.
P - Chris Carpenter (STL) - So good, so fragile, and he pitches to contact. Cain for $16 would've been better.
P - Javier Vazquez (FLA) - Hold my nose and pray for the Ks to come back. Florida's park can't hurt. Right?
P - Dallas Braden (OAK) - Don't win, don't strike guys out - what do you do? Oh, well, decent ERA and WHIP.
P - Chris Perez (CLE) - 30+ saves for $2. I'll take it.
I choo-choo-choose you!
I choo-choo-choose you!Best Buy - Based on projected numbers, Ted Lilly went for $13 less than he should have, but if Bay comes back to hit ~22 HRs and walks 80 times, he's the steal of the draft for me, maybe the league.
Worst Buy - V-Mart ($23) when I probably could've had Mauer for $25. Bollocks.
For me, the draft is mostly based on projected numbers relative to projected value, and then the real season starts. Right now, it's ugly. No strikeouts, low wins, horrible WHIP, and a laughably low RBI total despite top-3 HRs. My team must be channeling the Cardinals, who scored less runs in their first 9 games than all other iterations of their team since 1919. They suck. They and their clueless manager will continue to suck. 10 days in, and I am more panicked than Ryan Franklin on the mound in the ninth.
Hindsight Is 20/20
Worst Buy Overall - This is tough, but I'm going to have to say Joba Chamberlain ($7). One of the worst things you can do in our league is buy a non-closer relief pitcher, and someone paid $7 for one! The next worst would be Manny Ramirez for $4, but the buyer had no way to know he would get busted for doping and retire suddenly.
The numbers back up Bert's pick - the buyer overpaid by $21! Ha!
Best Buy - Jaime Garcia ($3). If Garcia's arm doesn't fall off this could be the bargain of the draft; he was excellent last year before being shut down.
I'm still (optimistically) nominating Jason Bay, but it's not an overly confident pick.
Massive Upside - Josh Johnson ($14) / Max Scherzer ($9). Johnson pitched like a Top 5 pitcher last year before an injury ended his season, but he still has a serious injury concern this year. He has already pitched well, so it's entirely possible he stays healthy and competes for the NL Cy Young. Scherzer is unproven, but finished so well after coming up from a stint in the minors last season that everyone has been saying he has Top 10 upside.
Jason Bay ($1) Bay, Bay, Bay. If I repeat his name like a mantra for the next ten days, will my horrifically low RBI numbers bounce back?
Current Status
Bert - The Dude abides.
Andrew - Nothing is fucked?! The God damn plane has crashed into the mountain!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
