A "blue" day in the Big House

Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press writes that Michigan fans got a hard dose of reality on Saturday... "Rich Rodriguez is 0-1 at Michigan, and let's be clear on this: One game, no matter how ugly, does not define a coach or even a season. Rodriguez has been successful in the past and could win a ton of games at U-M." ...

Michael Rosenberg

• The announced crowd of 108,421 is the 209th consecutive game welcoming more than 100,000 fans at Michigan Stadium.

• Seniors Sean Griffin, Tim Jamison, Mike Massey and Morgan Trent served as game captains in the season opener.

• Former All-Americans Bob Chappuis (1942, 1946-47), Ron Kramer (1954-56) and Reggie McKenzie (1969-71) represented the Wolverines as honorary alumni game captains against Utah.

• After previously taking only four career snaps, sophomore quarterback Nick Sheridan started at the helm of the Wolverine offense and completed a team-high 11-of-19 passes for 98 yards and one touchdown.

• Seven Wolverines made their first starts today, including senior linebacker Austin Panter, junior offensive lineman David Moosman, sophomores linebacker Marrell Evans and quarterback Nick Sheridan, and freshman running back Sam McGuffie, offensive lineman David Molk, wide receiver Martavious Odoms and wide receiver Darryl Stonum.

• Fifth-year senior K.C. Lopata's career-long 50-yard field goal was U-M's first conversion of at least 50 yards since November 3, 2001.

• Fifteen U-M players made their collegiate debuts today: center David Molk, receiver Martavious Odoms, receiver Darryl Stonum, quarterback Steve Threet, running backs Sam McGuffie and Michael Shaw, defensive tackle Max Martin, defensive end Ryan Van Bergen, safety Mike Williams, cornerback Boubacar Cissoko, and Kevin Leach, J.B.Fitzgerald, Brandon Herron, Mike Therman and Jordan Reilly on special teams.

Rich Rodriguez making changes in Ann Arbor

Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press has an article about the changes Rich Rodriguez has made in Ann Arbor... "When Rich Rodriguez arrived in Ann Arbor for the first time on Dec. 17, 2007, he knew very little would be staying the same. Those close to him had some idea, his new players had a hint of an idea and fans pretty much had no idea." ...

Mark Snyder

Alabama-Clemson - Will the Tigers roar in Atlanta?

Alabama Crimson Tide (0-0) vs. Clemson Tigers (0-0)
8:00 p.m. (EST) - ABC - Atlanta, Georgia
Michigan favored by 5.5 points
Alabama Quick Notes - Alabama returns 9 on the offensive side of the ball...the Tide's strength is its offensive line which is anchored by OT Andre Smith and C Antoine Caldwell....John Parker Wilson is an ole hand at QB and he has one of the most exciting true freshmen in WR Julio Jones...the Bama defense improved as the year went on, but it will have its hands full against an explosive Clemson offense...

Clemson Quick Notes - this is a huge game for the Tigers...a win here, and Clemson could slide into the BCS title hunt - a loss, and they can forget about a national title...the Tigers possess the nation's best RB tandem in C.J. Spiller and James Davis...they also have a soild QB in senior Cullen Harper (6-4, 220) who threw 27 touchdowns passes and just six interceptions...however, the Tigers have an entire new offensive line...the defense has 8 players returning including the entire secondary...look for true freshman Da'Quan Bowers to make an impact at DE...

Prediction - If this game was played in October, Alabama would give the Tigers a battle...but not this early in the season....Clemson 28-13...

Utah-Michigan - Will Rich Rodriguez begin with a W?

Utah Utes (0-0) at Michigan Wolverines (0-0)
3:30 p.m. (EST) - ABC - Ann Arbor, Michigan
Michigan favored by 4 points
Utah Quick Notes - the Utes, from the Mountain West Conference, make their second trip to Michigan...in 2002 they lost 10-7...even though they are a slight underdog again this year, many skeptics of Michigan football believe Utah can walk out of The Big House with a W...Utah is led by senior QB Brian Johnson...when healthy, Johnson is capable of creating problems...injuries have kept him from living up to his potential...the Utes also have the conference's best RB in Darrell Mack and K Louie Sakoda...Utah's defense is susceptible to the run - something that Michigan may not do a lot of this year...

Michigan Quick Notes - No matter if Nick Sheridan or Steven Threet start at QB, expect to see running back Carlos Brown under center during the course of the game...the Michigan depth chart indicates three starting wideouts - watch for true freshmen Darryl Stonum (#22) and Sam McGuffie (#2) to see action...there are so many question marks on the offense, but people forget, the Michigan defense is still solid...the D-line is anchored by Tim Jamison and Terrance Taylor...Obi Ezeh headlines the linebackers...and veterans Morgan Trent and Donovan Warren are still at CB...

Prediction - This is going to be a close game...it will come down to late in the game, but Michigan wins 30-24...

Dan LeFevour - High octane quarterback

Dan LeFevour, Junior, Central Michigan
Quarterback, #13, 6'3" - 230 lbs.
LeFevour just may be the first quarterback drafting when he decides to enter the NFL Draft...the kid has size, arm, and speed...he became the second player in I-A history to throw for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in the same season (Vince Young, Texas, 2005)...LeFevour was the first quarterback to lead his team to a Mid-American Conference (MAC) title as a freshman and a sophomore...

In 2006, he was the MAC Freshman of the Year when he threw for 3,056 yards, 26 TDs and 10 Ints...he followed up his freshman year with a banner 2007 as he was named MAC Offensive Player of the Year...he finished with 3,562 yards, 27 TDs, and 13 Ints...

Chippewa head coach Butch Jones had this to say about LeFevour in the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, "Dan has that 'it' factor," Jones said. "You may not be able to define what 'it' is, but you know when someone has that special leadership quality and Dan is clearly a leader, not just on the field, but in the locker room and in the classroom. He can walk into a room and command instant respect."

Interesting note - CMU is pushing LeFevour for the Heisman Trophy...the CMU Marketing Department spent $50,000 to rent a 30-by-60 foot billboard on the back of Comerica Park's scoreboard near the main entrance to Ford Field, where incoming Detroit Tigers and Lions fans can see his photo...LeFevour is an Academic Honrable Mention as he holds a 3.53 GPA...

Michael Oher - the best offensive lineman in college football

Michael Oher, Ole Miss

Offensive tackle, #74, 6'5" - 318 lbs.

If you are looking for a player to root for this year, I have that person for you - Michael Oher....Oher will probably be the first offensive lineman drafted in the 2009 NFL Draft...he is a consensus First Team All-American...Oher had a difficult, yet interesting life...he is the subject of Michael Lewis's 2006 book, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game...



Growing up was not a fun time...his father was not involved in his upbringing and was murdered when Oher was a junior in high school...his mother was a crack addict...Oher had to repeat first grade...he attended 11 different schools during his first nine years as a student...he bounced around to various foster homes...he finally found stability when he was 16 and moved in with a white family by the name Tuohy...



Oher never played offensive tackle until his senior year...he turned heads immediately and was recruited by LSU, Tennessee, and Florida to name a few...but he chose Ole Miss because the Tuohys were graduates from there...



Blue Ribbon College Yearbook had this about Oher: "If Mike has a big year this year -- which we expect him to have -- he's going to be one of the top picks in the draft," said Kent Austin, Arkansas Offensive Coordinator. "He's got such a great combination of size and athleticism. He's a big tackle with great length and great feet. He's very quick off the ball and he's got a great center of balance. He's got the tools he needs to handle the great edge rushers in our conference."



FF Toolbox, an NFL draft site, had this written about Oher, "NFL scouts love how Oher is able to control the line of scrimmage. His massive physical frame, coupled with excellent footwork, makes it almost impossible for defensive linemen to get around his pass protection. His quick feet also make him a strong run blocker, as he's able to get to linebackers and neutralize their pursuit of the ball."...



The video below is of Oher at this year's SEC Media Day...

Norm Chow looks to "paint" a new picture at Westwood

Chris Foster of The Los Angeles Times writes about Norm Chow's return to college football... "Chow was on vacation with his family in Europe this summer when, stepping out of the Sistine Chapel, he discovered he was the second-most recognizable person in Vatican City that day." ...

Chris Foster

Suzanne Halliburton of the Austin Statesman writes how Texas head coach Mack Brown is trying to reconstruct the Longhorns... "Through the preseason, coach Mack Brown has worked to reconstruct a team around the key players from the 2007 squad — such as Miller and quarterback Colt McCoy. Moreso than in past years, Brown will have to rely on a number of less experienced Longhorns, many of whom signed immediately after the 2005 national championship." ...

Suzanne Halliburton

United States Are Gold Medal Champions Again!

MISSION
COMPLETE

Sports Illustrated cover of Michael Phelps did not go over big with Washington Post reporter

Robin Givhan of The Washington Post was not happy with the Sports Illustrated cover of Michael Phelps... "But Sports Illustrated did him an injustice with its Aug. 25 cover. The photograph treats Phelps like a pinup, like beefcake, like a babe. And he is none of that." ...

Robin Givhan

Obama Girl - Is She Happy with Biden as Veep?

Sex will be rampant in the Olympic Village as the Beijing Olympics come to a close

This article in The London Times bluntly details what will be going on in the Olympic Village this final weekend of the Beijing Games - Booty Call!!!...according to Matthew Syed, a former Olympian and wuthor of the article, it is basically nothing but sex all weekend... "I played my first Games in Barcelona in 1992 and got laid more often in those two and a half weeks than in the rest of my life up to that point." ...

London Times

Greg Middleton - Indiana's stud player

Greg Middleton, Indiana
Defensive end, #92, 6'3" - 275 lbs.
How did this stud and future NFL star get past Ohio State, Michigan, and Notre Dame?...Middleton, who is from Indianapolis, earned a number 6 state ranking from Rivals.com prior to the 2005 season and closed his senior year with 79 tackles and nine sacks...

In 2007, as sophomore at IU, he led the nation with 16 sacks...Middleton was a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award, presented to the top defensive end in college football...he was named first team All-Big Ten by both the coaches and media...that was Indiana's first All-Big Ten first team selection from the defensive line since Adewale Ogunleye in 1997...

He picked up All-America distinctions from the Walter Camp Football Foundation (second team), the Associated Press (third), The Sporting News, CBSSports.com, SI.com (second), Rivals.com (second team) and CollegeFootballNews.com (first team)...

This is what was written about Middleton in the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook: "As a freshman in 2006, end Greg Middleton (6-3, 275) had six tackles in five games. Not the kind of numbers that would have a coach projecting greatness. But Indiana co-defensive coordinator Joe Palcic had a feeling something big was coming from Middleton, calling him the team's best lineman before the season even started. Middleton spent the 2007 season proving Palcic right, recording a national best 16 sacks in a breakout season.

Now a junior, Middleton will be a candidate for several national awards in 2008. He was a finalist in 2007 for the Ted Hendricks Award, which goes to the nation's top defensive end. Middleton was an easy pick for the All-Big Ten team.

"We feel good about what he's doing," Palcic said. "He continues to improve. He'll be an NFL prospect when he comes out."

NFL Films - Video of Gene Upshaw and Raiders offensive line

Gene Upshaw Dies of Pancreatic Cancer

Former Oakland Raider Hall of Famer and NFL Player's Union President Gene Upshaw died today of pancreatic cancer...Upshaw was just diagnosed with the disease last Sunday...he was 63-years-old...

ESPN

Michael Crabtree - the best receiver in college football

Michael Crabtree, Sophomore

Wide Receiver, #5, 6'3" - 214 lbs.

Michael Crabtree - remember the name!...as a redshirt freshman last season, Crabtree sprouted onto the national scene with a mind boggling 134 receptions for 1,962 yards and 22 touchdowns...



Crabtree played "bigtime" against the big opponents...he led the team with 12 catches for 154 yards and a touchdown in Tech's upset of No. 3-ranked Oklahoma...against the Texas Longhorns, he made a team-high nine catches for 195 yards and two touchdowns...let's not forget the man throwing him the ball, Graham Harrell...



At the end of the year Crabtree walked away with the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's best receiver...he also took home the Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year...Scout.com had this to say about Crabtree, "Michael Crabtree is the best receiver the school has ever produced, and that includes Wes Welker." ...



The Blue Ribbon Preview had this, "Crabtree, who made the Blue Ribbon and Playboy preseason All-America teams, among many others, has always been a strong receiver, able to keep corners from pressing on the line, but in the spring he showed he's even stronger and his technical skills, such as route running, are even sharper."...



As an interesting sidenote, when asked what his favorite activities are, Crabtree listed "cutting hair"...after watching this 3:30 clip, you will realize that Crabtree also loves to cut up defenses...

John Scott Challis - an 18-year-old kid who did his best

I first read about John Scott Challis when the New York Yankees came to PNC Park to play the Pittsburgh Pirates...Challis was an 18-year-old kid from Pittsburgh who was dying...he got to meet some of the New York Yankees including Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez...a few weeks later, at the height of the A-Rod-Madonna stories, Challis visited Yankee Stadium...he was determined to visit Yankee Stadium this year...

When the Yankees heard he was going to be at the game, they had A-Rod meet up with him...in the afternoon, Challis hung out at A-Rod's penthouse...A-Rod then drove Challis and his dad to the Stadium and allowed them to stay on the field during batting practice...

On Tuesday, August 19, 2008, Challis died...so if you thought you had a bad day today, stop for a few moments and read his story...
John Scott Challis

When asked a few weeks ago how he would like to be remembered, John said, "I could see people having some beers and hopefully remembering how I always tried my best, no matter what I was doing. That's my message -- just for people to always do their best, no matter what they're doing or how stupid it might seem. And no matter what, there will always be a reward, no matter how small it is."

George Selvie - the best defensive end in college football

George Selvie, Junior
Defensive End, #95, 6'4" - 245 lbs.
In 2007, South Florida showed the country they are a force in the college football world...also 2007, South Florida defensive end George Selvie put his stamp on being a force at sacking quarterbacks...the first ever consensus All-American in school history...led the country with 31.5 tackles for loss and needed just one more to break the NCAA record...second in the country with 14.5 sacks...

The College Football News wrote this about Selvie, "Selvie opened eyes as a freshman. As a sophomore, he made them bulge. One of the most explosive ends in the country, he erupted for a nation’s-high 31.5 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks, commanding constant double teams. An All-American who’s just a few years removed from being a center, Selvie’s a three-down guy that’ll also pitch in on running downs. He’s such a disruptive force, everyone on the defense benefits from his presence." ...

Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook wrote this, "If there was one player who epitomized USF's sudden emergence on the national scene it was junior end George Selvie (6-4, 242). Selvie started as a freshman in 2006, contributed 5.5 sacks and earned freshman All-American honors by The Sporting News. Despite that auspicious debut, no one could have predicted what Selvie accomplished last season. After becoming USF's first consensus All-American last year, Selvie achieved another USF first this summer when he was selected to Playboy's All-American team. He's also a member of Blue Ribbon's preseason All-American team, among others. Rivals.com chose Selvie as its No. 2 "Scariest Defender" in college football, behind only USC linebacker Rey Maualuga."

Coaches call him the best practice player on the team...he is also a good person off the field...Selvie participates in every community service opportunity around the athletics department and football program...

Interesting fact - A Buick rolled off a car jack and onto his head as a infant...still has a dent in his head from the accident to this day...moved many times as a youth because his father was in the military...

Mark May and Lou Holtz talk Big 10 football

ESPN's Mark May and Lou Holtz give their thoughts about the Big Ten this football season...

10 Greatest Athletes - Jim Brown, Jim Thorpe, Bo Jackson, Babe Ruth, Wilt Chamberlain, etc.

With Michael Phelps' amazing feat of 8 Olympic gold medals, ESPN's Buster Olney wrote in his blog about who he thought were the 10 greatest male athletes...he listed in no particular order:
Babe Ruth, Michael Phelps, Tiger Woods, Muhammad Ali, Wilt Chamberlain, Wayne Gretzky, Pele, Willie Mays, Lawrence Taylor, and (tie) Michael Jordan and Emil Zatopek.

My top 10 (in no particular order) varies a bit...to me, a great athlete does not mean someone who dominates their sport, such as Tiger Woods...to me, a great athlete is someone who can do various sports extremely well or various aspects of their sport very well...below are my top 10...

- Deion Sanders - Sanders was the best lockdown cornerback in the NFL...he was also a good baseball player who had super speed...he was not a baseball All-Star, but he was good enough...

- Bob Hayes (right) - Bullet Bob won the Olympic gold in the 100 meters at the 1964 games...afterward, he played wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys...he was a good receiver...Hayes is the only person so far to win both an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl ring...

- Jesse Owens and Carl Lewis - these two are lumped together because they both won 4 Olympic gold medals at one Olympics in four different track and field events...they were not only fast, but they were also the best at the field event of long jump...

- Wilt Chamberlain - Wilt was a badass on the basketball and volleyball court...he did not let his height become a hindrance...

- Bo Jackson - Bo was not a Hall of Famer at baseball, but he was mighty good though...he had a terrific arm...and in football, he was a freakin' BEAST!!!...if not for the hip injury, he would have been enshrined in Canton, Ohio...

- Jackie Robinson - besides all the crap he had to deal with at baseball, Robinson was also a very good football player at UCLA...he was UCLA's first athlete to win varsity letters in four sports: baseball, basketball, football and track...

- Jim Thorpe - Thorpe won the decathlon at the 1912 Olympic games in Stockholm...he was also a rugged football player who played almost any position...former president Dwight Eisenhower played against Thorpe and had this to say after he injured his knee while trying to tackle Thorpe..."Here and there, there are some people who are supremely endowed. My memory goes back to Jim Thorpe. He never practiced in his life, and he could do anything better than any other football player I ever saw."...

- Jim Brown (left) - Jim Brown was the best running back ever...but most people don't realize he may have also been the best collegiate lacrosse player ever too...

- Michael Phelps - Phelps dominated his sport of swimming...but unlike Tiger Woods in golf, Phelps won at varying distances in the pool...and he won his 8 gold medals all within a week's time...often times, having to swim different lengths during the course of a day...

- Babe Ruth - The Babe was simply a Freak of Nature...imagine Alex Rodriguez being able to pitch like Jim Palmer...or imagine Greg Maddux being able to hit like Albert Pujols...The Babe would have been a Hall of Fame pitcher if he stayed on the mound...and he would have easily hit over 900 homers if he was not a pitcher early in his career...

Who are your Top 10 Greatest Male Athletes?......

Check out this 3 minute clip of Bo Jackson and his great plays when he strapped on the helmet of the Silver and Black...

Elena Delle Donne leaves U. Conn; plans to play for University of Delaware

Elena Delle Donne announced today that she plans to enroll at the University of Delaware...story below is from the New Castle-Wilmington (Delaware) News Journal...

DelleDonne hopes to attend UD this fall

Ex-Ursuline star issues statement on decision to leave UConn

The News Journal

Elena DelleDonne intends to enroll at the University of Delaware this fall, the former Ursuline basketball star said in a statement released this morning.

DelleDonne, who has decided to forego a basketball scholarship from the University of Connecticut, will not be eligible to play sports at UD for one school year because UConn has not released her from the scholarship.

DelleDonne, widely considered the nation's top girls high school basketball recruit last season, has not said specifically why she decided not to go to UConn.

"Both UConn and I require a 100 percent dedication to the sport, and as of now I feel I cannot give that level of commitment," she said. "It therefore would be unfair to the excellent program, Coach Geno Auriemma, the team, and UConn fans for me to play."

Elena DelleDonne's statement

"I have decided that in the best interest of both UConn and myself that I will not play college basketball this year. Both UConn and I require a 100% dedication to the sport, and as of now I feel I can not give that level of commitment. It therefore would be unfair to the excellent program, Coach Geno Auriemma, the team, and UConn fans for me to play.

Coach Auriemma and the team have been extremely understanding during this time of my transition from high school to college, and I thank them for that. I am especially grateful to Coach Auriemma whose kind wisdom has shown me why UConn is such a class program.

I intend to enroll at the University of Delaware for my freshman year this fall.

Elena DelleDonne"

The Best Damn NFL Site - PERIOD!!

If you want the best darn coverage of the NFL, check out The Zone Blitz...everything is one click away...he has links to game stories, videos, boxscores...all that shit...so if you are a REAL MAN - a true NFL Fan, then you better check it out...from what I hear, I believe L.T. checks it out...

USC's M&M Boys

Adam Rose of The Los Angeles Times USC Blog All Things Trojan was kind enough to take some time and respond to a few questions that I had about USC's stud defensive players linebacker Rey Maualuga (photo left) and safety Taylor Mays (photo below)...I want to thank Adam for taking the time to respond...

Q1. What are the strengths of Rey Maualuga's game?
A. The first thing people talk about is how hard Maualuga hits. YouTube is littered with clips of him crushing some pour soul. I like to joke that Maualuga is the reason Waldo is hiding. In more realistic terms, Maualuga is an aggressive player with an incredible burst that allows him to get into the backfield -- which makes him a threat to sack a quarterback or drop a tailback for a loss. His bone-jaring hits can also lead to turnovers, which has also been a cornerstone of USC's success. While he's strong, athletic, and pretty big, he never struck me as a weight-room freak. He's more energetic and intense, like the Tazmanian Devil cartoon.

Because of his raw ability, Maualuga becomes a player that offenses have to gameplan around. If a quarterback takes his eyes off of Maualuga, there's always a chance that he'll wind up eating the turf (and even spitting up blood, like Rudy Carpenter did last year).

While not a strength, another factor is that he's always been surrounded by other talented players. He's been very modest about sharing credit, and deservedly so. He wouldn't have wound up in the backfield so often without Sedrick Ellis, Lawrence Jackson, and Keith Rivers distracting the offensive line. All three have left for the NFL, but they've just been replaced by another group of highly touted players (plus he's still lining up next to Brian Cushing).

Q2. Where does Maualuga rank among the great linebackers at USC?
A. It's a little early to say, because his legacy will depend on this season. Just think of the guys who have worn USC #55 alone: Rivers, Seau, McGinest, Claiborne. As Maualuga continues to make his mark wearing #58, it may come down to how the team performs this season. Maualuga is a leader, and leaders are remembered for winning. If the Trojans don't win it all this year, he'll be their first superstar in recent memory to leave school without a national championship ring.

At the same time, Maualuga has already won three Pac-10 championships, a Rose Bowl MVP, and could approach 300 career tackles this year. It's not like his resume is lacking. He just has some big shoes to fill.

Q3. What are the strengths of Taylor Mays?
A. Size and speed. He's got an unusual combination of the two. When I say Maualuga doesn't strike me as a weight room freak, Mays does. You'll hear that from everybody who watches him (ESPN ranked him #2 in the nation when it comes to workout freaks). Like Maualuga, he's physical and loves to hit.

Q4. Could you comment how Mays can impact the game from the free safety position?
A. He takes away the middle. Big wide receivers aren't fast enough to escape him, and Mays won't hesitate to crush them. He leveled a 6'5" receiver in practice the other day. A 5'10" guy doesn't stand a chance. I'm often skeptical of 40-yard dash times, but for those who care he's been clocked under 4.3 seconds. Receivers can't run, and they can't hide.

Elena Delle Donne - Interesting Facts

Here are some interesting facts about Elena Delle Donne...

Jesus in a sink for $50,000

Do you love Jesus?...Do you have an extra $50,000 burning a hole in your pocket...then I got a deal for you...a person from Struthers, Ohio is selling, on ebay, a marble sink with an image of Jesus...check it out...five days left to bid...

Jesus in a sink

PTI - Five Good Minutes with Charles Barkley

Here is the Five Good Minutes Segment from the Friday, August 15th edition of PTI...Charles Barkley talks about the Olympics and why he thinks this year's team is going gold because of one player...

PTI's Michael Wilbon tucks Cubs jersey into his old man pants for the first pitch at Wrigley Field

Someone please tell PTI's Michael Wilbon to never, never, never, tuck a jersey into your pants...especially old man pants...

Elena Delle Donne shocks U.Conn by dropping out of college

With the Olympics in the news and the start of football season only weeks away, this news nugget easily slid onto the agate pages of your local sports section...but recent high school graduate Elena Delle Donne, who was enrolled at the University of Connecticut, and was supposed to be the next star of the U.Conn Lady Huskies basketball team has dropped out of college...Delle Donne was the Female High School Basketball Player of the Year in the U.S. last season...for more about this story is an article which appeared in Sunday's Hartford Courant...

Delle Donne Not Coming To UConn
By JOHN ALTAVILLA

Courant Staff Writer

August 17, 2008

Elena Delle Donne, the reigning Naismith player of the year and the prized UConn women's basketball recruit, has told the university she will not accept her scholarship and will likely seek a future without basketball.

UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma confirmed the decision Saturday, releasing a statement: "I have recently been informed that Elena Delle Donne has decided not to play college basketball and will not enroll at Connecticut. Everyone at UConn wishes her the best of luck."

Delle Donne, who is expected to make a statement Monday, had decided to attend UConn last year after an intense recruiting battle with Tennessee. She would have been the third consecutive national player of the year to attend UConn, following Tina Charles in 2006 and Maya Moore last season.

Delle Donne could not be reached for comment.

With a deft shooting touch and extraordinary size for a perimeter player, the 6-foot-5 Delle Donne was expected to be an additional element to a team thought to be the preseason No. 1 this season.

Delle Donne left the summer session after just two days in June, and she had been spending her summer at home with her family. The fall semester begins Aug. 25.

Delle Donne averaged 29 points and 11 rebounds last season and led Ursuline Academy to the Delaware state title.

"This is nothing out of the ordinary," Auriemma told The Courant when Delle Donne left summer session. "It happens all the time. Maybe she's just not ready to make the move [away from home] yet."

A few days later, Delle Donne said she was taking a personal break with no timetable to make any decisions. She said the break had nothing to do with UConn and told ESPN.com that her decision was the result of problems "so much deeper than basketball. ... I have a lot of personal issues to fix. Only my family understands what's going on."

Ernie Delle Donne, Elena's father, told The Courant at the time that he was pleased with how UConn had dealt with the situation.

"The way Geno Auriemma has handled Elena's personal situation should make every little girl in America want to play for him," he said. "That man is an incredible individual."

Delle Donne also took off last summer, saying she needed time to get away from basketball and the recruiting process. By doing that, she passed up the chance to play for USA Basketball's U-18 team that featured Moore and won a gold medal. Her senior season was then complicated by mononucleosis that forced her to miss 10 games.

The Huskies played in their first Final Four since 2004 last season and were being touted as overwhelming favorites to win the national championship in 2009 with Delle Donne joining a strong returning team, featuring senior Renee Montgomery, junior Charles and sophomore Moore, a first-team All-American and Big East player of the year as a freshman.

Delle Donne was to be the icing on the cake on this year's team, which includes freshmen Caroline Doty, a guard from Doylestown, Pa., guard Tiffany Hayes of Winter Haven, Fla., and center Heather Buck, Connecticut's two-time player of the year.

Delle Donne's talent always brought praise.

"Let's hope that she's just tired of it all right now," analyst Debbie Antonelli told The Courant in June. "The game needs a talent like her in it. A lot of people felt she could have started in the WNBA when she was a sophomore in high school. That's a lot of pressure to put on a kid. I hope for her, as a young woman about to start a new phase in her life, that she can resolve it and move on. I feel for her. I feel for her parents. She has had a lot to deal with."

There has been repeated speculation that Delle Donne is simply homesick. She is very close with her sister Lizzie, who is deaf, blind and has cerebral palsy. Elena has often commented on how difficult it would be to leave her sister.

Mark Spitz was not overly excited after winning his 7th gold medal

Karen Crouse of The New York Times writes about how Michael Phelps is able to block out the entire world, including his parents, as he prepares for a record 8 gold medals...“Phelps has also polished off enough pasta and pizza to feed a village, although not as much as the astonishing 12,000 calories a day he usually consumes, because he does not want to race on a full stomach." ...

Karen Crouse

Richard Sandomir of The New York Times writes about the day when Mark Spitz got his seventh gold medal in 1972 and showed very little emotion... "But while Spitz looked elated briefly, there was little celebration... "He put a towel over one shoulder. None of his relay teammates appeared to speak to him while ABC’s cameras lingered. Swimmers from other countries came by and spoke to Spitz’s teammates, but not him." ...

Richard Sandomir

Billy Witz of The New York Times writes how Manny Ramirez has been a smash hit with Dodgers fans...“This is the biggest thing since Gibson hit his home run,” said Ray Gonzales, a Dodger fan since the 1960s, referring to Kirk Gibson’s game-ending home run in the 1988 World Series opener, the last time the team won a playoff series." ...

Cindy Swirko

The Birmingham News has an update on stud high school player Anthony Orr who has already committed to Alabama...Orr is a nice guy off the field, but a monster on it... "

Birmingham News

Why do Misty May-Treanor, Kerri Walsh, and other women wear bikinis in beach volleyball

Cindy Swirko of The Gainesville Sun writes why beach volleyball requires men to wear shirts, but women to wear skimpy bikinis... "Federation spokesman Fabrizio Rossini wrote in an e-mail to The Sun that the shirts are required because they can “characterize in the best way the competition among countries, displaying clearly the country code.” ...

Cindy Swirko

Harvey Unga - the best running back you have never heard of

Harvey Unga, Sophomore
Running back, #45, 6'0" - 240 lbs.
Brigham Young is known for its great quarterbacks, but now it may have its best running back ever...even the name "Harvey Unga" sounds like a hard-nosed bruising back...last year as a redshirt freshman, Unga earned Freshman All-America honors, named the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year, and earned the BYU Steve Young Offensive MVP Award...

Unga finished with 1,227 yards rushing, 1,840 all-purpose yards, and 17 touchdowns...Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook wrote this about Unga, "He surpassed 100 yards seven times, including a career high 177 yards against UNLV. Unga is more battering ram than bullet -- his longest run from scrimmage was 44 yards -- but he has good vision and is a load to bring down." ...

Check out this last second touchdown run against arch-rival Utah...

George Bush Funny Pictures

George Bush Funny Pictures.

Surely photoshop'd. If you want more of these head over the site..
http://www.funny-games.biz/pictures/bush-pictures-2.html

INXS - Never Tear Us Apart

Group: INXS
Song: Never Tear Us Apart
Album: Kick
Year: 1988
Written by: INXS bembers Andrew Farriss and the late Michael Hutchence
This is a song that has been forgotten in the United States but is loved in Australia, the home of INXS...20 years ago, in August 1988, "Never Tear Us Apart" reached a high of #7 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #24 in the UK...the song deals with the love between two people and how their worlds crashed when they saw each other...the use of violins in the background add a touch of class...

Interestingly, this song was played as lead singer Michael Hutchence's coffin was carried out of St. Andrew's Cathedral by the remaining members of INXS and his younger brother...in 2006, the song was voted the Nation's Favorite Lyric by viewers on VH1 Australia...

Recently, the song has been adopted by Australian football team Newcastle United Jets...the song is sung by their fan base, known as The Squadron, during the 40th and 85th minute of games...

Favorite line:
I was standing
You were there
Two worlds collided
And they could never tear us apart

Never Tear Us Apart Lyrics

The video, which was filmed in Prague, is such a peaceful video with the foggy landscape in the background...enjoy one of the classic ballads on the 1980s...music like this cannot be found today...

Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik, of Youngstown, Ohio, has Father Time on his side when he fights Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins

George Kimball of ESPN.com has a feature story about Youngstown, Ohio native Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik, who is the middleweight champion, and his next bout against Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins...

George Kimball

The History Behind the Ric Flair WOOOO!

Interesting facts about Michigan football - Braylon Edwards, Ron Johnson, Anthony Carter, and more

Today's college football facts deal with the Michigan Wolverines...the information was gathered from the trivia book Wolverineology Trivia Challenge....here are a Baker's Dozen of interesting facts:

- Michigan Stadium was built on top of an underground spring...during construction in 1926, the water completely engulfed a crane...the crane still remains underground and under the stadium to this day...

- John Navarre holds the Michigan single game passing mark with 389 yards vs. Iowa in 2003...he finished with 26 completions, two touchdowns, and 1 interception...

- Fielding Yost purchased The Little Brown Jug before the 1903 game against Minnesota because he feared the Minnesota people would contaminate Michigan's drinking water...the team manager went out a bought the 5 gallon jug...

- Ron Johnson holds the Michigan single game rushing mark when he rushed for 347 yards on 31 carries vs. Wisconsin in 1968...

- Tom Curtis holds the Michigan all-time record for interceptions...Curtis had 22 interceptions from 1967-69...

- The famous "Go Blue, M Club Supports You" banner first appeared in 1962 when head coach Bump Elliot allowed the banner on the field before the Homecoming game vs. Illinois...

- Steve Breaston holds the Michigan record for combined punt and kickoff returns for a touchdown...Breaston brought back 4 punts and 1 kickoff for touchdowns...

- Anthony Carter was the first consensus All-American wide receiver at Michigan...he was named All-American in 1981 and 1982

- Braylon Edwards holds the Michigan record for receiving yards in a career...Edwards finished with 3,541 yards on 252 receptions and 39 touchdowns...

- Mike Taylor was Michigan's first consensus All-American at linebacker...in 1971 he had 97 tackels, 7 pass breakups, and 2 interceptions...

- Fielding Yost was the first head coach in college football to use "motion" as a decoy on offense..

- The first bowl game that Michigan played in outside the Rose Bowl was the 1976 Orange Bowl when they lost to Oklahoma 14-6...

- Jack Clancy holds the Michigan record for receiving yards in a game...Clancy finished with 197 yards in a 1966 game vs. Oregon State...

Enjoy this 6:38 clip from the 1969 Michigan-Ohio State game when first year coach Bo Schembechler upset the #1 ranked Buckeyes of Woody Hayes 24-12...

Another Pretty TV Host - 杨思琦

杨思琦 (Yang Si Qi) was Miss HK 2001. She also won the most photogenic award, most popular contestant award, sweetest smile award, best leg award..blah blah blah. HK's TVB conducted an olympic host training class and she's one of the participants. Lucky Hong Kong people will probably see her on TV during this period.

Olympic TV Host in China - 沈星 (Shen Xing)

Was surfing around when I came across this blog on female TV hosts that the blogger hopes will host some of the olympic reports on Chinese TV. Looking at some of the photos, I can understand why. There's this gal called Shen Xing. Sweet looking.

沈星的美丽不张扬，有着天然雪莲般的清纯与高贵，她那种让人有惊鸿一瞥感觉的形象博得了电视机前无数中国人的好感。沈星在主持《魅力前线》、《综艺大观》、《体育界》的时候有人做过调查，每当这位美女主持出境的时候收视率会直线上升，而当画面中没有沈星，守候在电视机旁的人数就会狂跌不止。被媒体戏称为“木头美人”的沈星不需要吴小莉、鲁豫那些主持的“知性”，沈星要做的仅仅是将美丽进行到底，因为美丽是女人永不过期的PASS卡。 2008的奥运荧屏希望可以看到沈星。

Let photos do the talking

The Zone Blitz does Google!

Check out The Zone Blitz today...he has some very interesting football stuff...

September records for NFL teams

Marc Lawrence's Playbook is one of the best football handicapper yearbooks...in one section, Lawrence breaks down each NFL team's record per month from 1990 through 2007....below are the winning percentages of NFL teams for the month of September...(strike games not included)....

1. Denver 45-24 - 65.2%
2. Kansas City 43-25 - 63.9%
3. Miami 39-23 - 62.9%
4. Dallas 37-29 - 58.7%
5. Green Bay 40-29 - 58.0%
6. Minnesota 39-29 - 57.4%
7. San Francisco 37-28 - 56.9%
8. Jacksonville 26-20 - 56.5%
9. N.Y. Giants 37-29 - 56.1%
10. Buffalo 35-28 - 55.6%

11. Baltimore 36-30 - 54.5%*
12. Indianapolis 34-29 - 54.0%
13. Pittsburgh 34-30 - 53.1%
13. Washington 34-30 - 53.1%
15. Seattle 35-32 - 52.2%
16. New England 32-31 - 50.8%
16. Oakland 34-33 - 50.8%
16. Philadelphia 33-32 - 50.8%
19. St. Louis 33-34 - 49.3%
20. Tampa Bay 32-35 - 47.3%

21. Detroit 32-36 - 47.1%
22. San Diego 31-36 - 46.3%
23. New Orleans 30-35 - 46.1%
24. Tennessee 29-35 - 45.3%**
25. Carolina 19-24 - 44.2%
26. Chicago 26-41 - 38.8%
27. Atlanta 25-41 - 37.9%
27. N.Y. Jets 25-41 - 37.9%
29. Cleveland 11-20 - 35.5%
30. Cincinnati 21-43 - 32.8%
31. Houston 6-14 - 30.0%
32. Arizona 19-46 - 29.2%

* includes record from Cleveland Browns prior to 1999
** includes record from Houston Oilers

Meteorologist Kurtis Gertz gets surprised as a snake gets in his pants at Iowa State Fair

I found this funny video on Drudge Report where a big ole fat snake gets slithers into meteorologist Kurtis Gertz's pants at the Iowa State Fair on live television...NO JOKE!...

Snake in a man's pants

Allen Iverson talking about PRACTICE!

I needed something to make me laugh, and there is nothing better than Allen Iverson's press conference about PRACTICE....

Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times eats a penis

I found this video on the blog Signal to Noise in which Los Angeles Times sports columnist Bill Plaschke and Chicago Tribune reporter Kevin Pang eat a penis in Beijing...NO JOKE!...

Bill Plaschke eats a penis

Braylon Edwards One Handed Catch

Enjoy this great one-handed catch made by Cleveland Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards in Thursday's pre-season game against the New York Jets...Edwards played for the University of Michigan...

Fantasy Football Draft - The Toughest League in America

On Sunday, our fantasy football league held its draft...now some are probably thinking it is early, but that is the only day we were able to all meet...as we all get older, some now have families and it gets a bit harder to get a set day for the draft...

It is our 14th year of fantasy football and I will say, the other 7 guys that compete in this league are all "Ballers"...this is one tough assed league...it is also very racially and ethnically diverse...we have 3 African-Americans, 1 Puerto Rican, 1 Italian, 1 Jewish, 1 Irish, and 1 Greek Cypriot...

In our league you can start 2 quarterbacks...you can also start a variety of offenses such as 1 rb/4 wr, 2 rb/3 wr, 3 rb/2 wr, or 4 rb/1 wr...also, tight ends are considered the same as wide receivers...so that is why some people may have drafted 2 stud QBs or loaded up at one position...we go 20 rounds with 2 final speed rounds where the person has 5 seconds to fire off their pick...below is how the first 10 rounds went...please look over and give your thoughts...

Round 1
1. Hunter - Tomlinson, LaDainian, rb
2. Lehman - Peterson, Adrian, rb
3. Edmonds - Brady, Tom, qb
4. Valentine - Westbrook, Brian, rb
5. George - Moss, Randy, wr
6. Ellis - Jackson, Steven, rb
7. Persino - Addai, Joseph, rb
8. Leonard - Owens, Terrell, wr

Round 2
9. Leonard - Edwards, Braylon, wr
10. Persino - Portis, Clinton, rb
11. Ellis - Johnson, Larry, rb
12. George - Lynch, Marshawn, rb
13. Valentine - Manning, Peyton, qb
14. Edmonds - Romo, Tony, qb
15. Lehman - Barber, Marion, rb
16. Hunter - Brees, Drew, qb

Round 3
17. Hunter - Palmer, Carson, qb
18. Lehman - Gore, Frank, rb
19. Edmonds - Grant, Ryan, rb
20. Valentine - Roethlisberger, Ben, qb
21. George - McFadden, Darren, rb
22. Ellis - Wayne, Reggie, wr
23. Persino - Lewis, Jamal, rb
24. Leonard - Johnson, Chad, wr

Round 4
25. Leonard - Fitzgerald, Larry, wr
26. Persino - Colston, Marques, wr
27. Ellis - Burress, Plaxico, wr
28. George - Houshmandzadeh, T.J., wr
29. Valentine - Johnson, Andre, wr
30. Edmonds - Holt, Tory, wr
31. Lehman - Jones-Drew, Maurice, rb
32. Hunter - McGahee, Willis, rb

Round 5
33. Hunter - Smith, Steve, wr
34. Lehman - Holmes, Santonio, wr
35. Edmonds - Jones, Julius, rb
36. Valentine - Turner, Michael, rb
37. George - Smith, Kevin, rb
38. Ellis - Graham, Earnest, rb
39. Persino - Welker, Wes, wr
40. Leonard - Jacobs, Brandon, rb

Round 6
41. Leonard - Maroney, Laurence, rb
42. Persino - Anderson, Derek, qb
43. Ellis - Hasselbeck, Matt, qb
44. George - McNabb, Donovan, qb
45. Valentine - Bush, Reggie, rb
46. Edmonds - Johnson, Rudi, rb
47. Lehman - Cutler, Jay, qb
48. Hunter - Williams, DeAngelo, rb

Round 7
49. Hunter - Stewart, Jonathan, rb
50. Lehman - Manning, Eli, qb
51. Edmonds - Forte, Matt, rb
52. Valentine - Boldin, Anquan, wr
53. George - Jones, Thomas, rb
54. Ellis - Williams, Ricky, rb
55. Persino - Brown, Ronnie, rb
56. Leonard - Taylor, Fred, rb

Round 8
57. Leonard - James, Edgerrin, rb
58. Persino - Parker, Willie, rb
59. Ellis - Favre, Brett, qb
60. George - Jennings, Greg, wr
61. Valentine - Young, Selvin, rb
62. Edmonds - White, LenDale, rb
63. Lehman - Witten, Jason, te
64. Hunter - Mendenhall, Rashard, rb

Round 9
65. Hunter - Johnson, Calvin, wr
66. Lehman - Rivers, Philip, qb
67. Edmonds - Harrison, Marvin, wr
68. Valentine - Coles, Laveranues, wr
69. George - Jones, Felix, rb
70. Ellis - Gates, Antonio, te
71. Persino - Marshall, Brandon, wr
72. Leonard - Winslow, Kellen, te

Round 10
73. Leonard - Cooley, Chris, te
74. Persino - Bulger, Marc, qb
75. Ellis - Folk, Nick, k
76. George - Garrard, David, qb
77. Valentine - Gostkowski, Stephen, k
78. Edmonds - Evans, Lee, wr
79. Lehman - Gonzalez, Anthony, wr
80. Hunter - Bowe, Dwayne, wr

Where's that Hand Coming From?

A person is definitely taken out of the photo. But the hand's left behind..lol..

I've Been Cloned!

I've been cloned!

Barry Bonds returns to AT&T Park for San Francisco Giants 50th Anniversary

Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle writes about Barry Bonds appearance at the San Francisco Giants game on Saturday to commemorate 50 years of the Giants being by the Bay... "On the way out of the tent a half-hour later, a sole reporter got close enough to him to ask why he had returned, and he said simply, "It's home." The perfect answer for the audience he was actually reaching - the paying customers." ...

Ray Ratto

Gay Policemen

Gay Policemen
Who says gays can't get in to the police force?

Biggest Smile

The Biggest Smile.
That's photoshop'd of course..