Tom Izzo job rumors

I'm sure you've heard the rumors about Tom Izzo (UP Power!) is about to be offered truck loads of money to take the Oregon job. WDFN is talking about how they don;t think he would leave for another college job, only for the NBA. Ermani is creating a Rube Goldberg scenario where Phil Jackson leaves the Lakers to take the NJ Nets job - since they'll sign LeBron James. This leaves the Lakers job open for Izzo.

While I think nothing would help the M basketball program more than an Izzoless MSU. I would be disappointed if he left MSU for another job. Stay true to your roots Tommy - It's "Go Green" not "Go for the green!"

Why Do I Still Laugh At This?

Sad News re: Jim Cnockaert

Looks like Jim Cnockaert was convicted of possessing child pornography. I thought he did a decent job both at the AA news and on WTKA. It was surprising when he disappeared from the scene here. There were always rumors about something like this.

This and That

MSU knows how to win.

I liked the green in the Bemidji State uniforms. It just looks nice to me.

Watching Ekpe Udoh today made me think that if he hadn't transferred, M would have made the NIT this year. Maybe. And, if not, I blame it all on RR.

It seems that almost every NCAA Tournament B-Ball game I have seen, the announcers say something like "This has been a well-officiated game." Meanwhile, I'm thinking "They are so inconsistent." I don't watch enough college b-ball during the regular season, so I'm assuming inconsistent officiating is the norm.

What impresses me about hockey players isn't the agility they have on skates, nor the fancy helmets the goalies wear. But, it always amazes me that they always seem to know where their teammates are. Their awareness of the ice is incredible.

MSU Basketball

I don't like Tennessee, I think Bruce Pearl is a crook (but I like that style of basketball) so I'm rooting for MSU!

Go Blue

Ɠø ßℓůǝ!!!

NCAA Hockey

The NCAA Men's Division I hockey tournament starts today. Here's the match-ups:

East Regional (Albany - Fri/Sat)
1Denver vs. 4RIT
2 Cornell vs. 3 UNH

West (St Paul - Fri/Sat)
1 Wisconsin vs 4 Vermont
2St. Cloud St vs 3 NMU

Northeast (Worcester - Sat/Sun)
1 BC vs 4Alaska
2North Dakota vs 3 Yale

Midwest (Ft. Wayne - Sat/Sun)
1Miami (OH) vs 4 Alabama-Huntsville
2Bemidji St vs 3 Michigan

My picks to make it out to the Frozen 4 in Detroit are Denver, St Cloud St, BC, and Michigan

BTW, I have 2 extra Frozen 4 tickets if anyone is interested.

CBRC

I don't know how many of these there will be after this, but M probably won't move too much. M is #93. What is interesting is that Virginia is one spot above M, and Sam Houston St. is one spot below. That is interesting because ralph SAMpson played for Virginia.

I tell you, there are a lot of coincidences in sports.

New NFL overtime rule

I heard someone mention this on the radio yesterday, but I'm not sure I heard what they answer was.

What happens if the team kicking off in overtime successfully executes an onside kick. Can they win with just a field goal, or do they need to kick off again?

It sounded like they "experts" thought the game would be over that the rule was for the opportunity of possession, not actual possession.

The hole that Ufer left

Here's some views of the stadium construction. The space where the press box used to be is still empty so you can see into the stadium.

Karl's opinion of the Michigan Night Game?

Gladstone loses regional final

Gladstone lost pretty handily to Petoskey last night. Phil Griebel, "Griebs", (who now coaches the jayvees) said Gladstone put up a good fight, but Petoskey was too good a team.

I got an e-mail from Joe Madden, "Madds", saying he feels a little like Mercury Morris every time Gladstone loses in March. Last regional champs were his 1985-86 team that lost (for the second year in a row) to Mark Macon's Saginaw Buena Vista team.

Lost

Is there actually going to be a three way war?

1) Jacob-ites
2) Smokey-ites
3) Widmore-ites

Or do two of the groups form an alliance?

Much of it doesn't make sense. Of course, I thought the same thing after the pilot and I'm still watching.

the GERG

I walked down to Chipotle (State and Liberty) for lunch and saw the GERG jogging south on State.

Gladstone District Champs!!!

The Gladstone Boys Basketball team won the district last week and play tonight against Ogemaw Heights in Cheboygan, wanna go?

Lost

I'm starting to get an "Old Testament God" feeling from Jacob. He seems spiteful. "I'll save your son, but you'll never see him again." Whatever Richard had to give up to seemingly live forever. The original good-vs-evil of Jacob-vs-MIB, seemed too easy, and I think we're seeing flaws in Jacob that make it not so cut an dried.

The Lost - Gilligan Island Connection

Oscar predictions

Here are my official Oscar predictions.

Best Picture - I've seen: Avatar, Hurt Locker, Inglorious Basterds and Up in the Air. I thought they were all very good, the "smart money" seems to be on either Avatar or Hurt Locker. I'll go for the small movie upset - Hurt Locker

Best Actor - I've only seen Hurt Locker, and Jeremy Renner was very good, but every other award has gone to Jeff Bridges this year, so I'll pick him.

Best Actress - Of these performances, I've only seen Meryl Streep in Julie & Julia. Again, the general consensus seems to bee Streep or Sandra Bullock for the Blind Side. I'll pick Sandra Bullock.

Supporting Actor - Have only seen Christoph Waltz from Inglorious Basterds. He was great, he's my pick.

Supporting Actress - From Up in the Air, I thought both Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick were great. Mo'Nique has won everything so far, so I'll go with her. She must have been impressive to be better than either of the women from Up in the Air!

Best Director - I'll go with the same vote as best picture - Kathryn Bigelow. Hollywood likes an upset of the little movie over the Giant.

On the writing, I'll go with Tarantino for Inglorious Basterds for original screenplay and The gang from Up in the Air for adapted screenplay.

Avatar will sweep the technical awards, Up for best animated picture

WTKA Poll Question

Do the allegations against Michigan concern you?

Yes
No

My Answer: Of course. Based on the little that I've heard, the findings probably won't result in anything major, but even the minor things (reduction in scholarships?) hinders the program from returning to where it should be. In addition, even if there are no penalties, it is clear we have a coach and staff that care less about following the rules than I am comfortable. How can you not be concerned that something else will happen with this guy in charge? If your answer is because the University and the Athletic Department will be watching so closely that it would be impossible for him to do anything illegal (to the NCAA), then you are answering exactly like I am. You are concerned about RR's ability to run a program within the rules without constant oversight. I understand that there are people in the AD that are supposed to be doing that and probably messed up, too, but it shouldn't be a department, er university-wide project to keep the football team compliant. Compliance needs to start at the bottom with a little oversight to make sure up the ranks. RR has turned that system over.

The results on the WTKA website are:
Yes 36%
No 64%

I haven't listened much since this came out, so I have no idea who is saying what on there, but there are way too many homers on the air there, and too many listeners who are influenced by the homer announcers.

WB New Coach Ron Bellamy, Hillman and Elvis

I think MGoBlog linked an interview with Ron Bellamy, who was hired as football coach at West Bloomfield High. I didn't check his link, but I did read an interview in The Spinal Column, a weekly lakes area paper. I'm assuming it is the same interview as was linked.

A few tidbits:
-Zia Combs is the DB coach
-Bellamy's father-in-law if Dexter Bussey

If my memory serves me, WB football is not very good. They are only 2 miles up the road from Orchard Lake St. Mary, who is good every year (but whose basketball team only one 5 games this year), so they will really have to improve to get the neighborhood support (by neighborhood, I mean people like me who have an even worse high school team to normally cheer for).

Speaking of high school B-Ball, Hillman finished the regular season 17-1. The JV team went undefeated. The best player on the Varsity is the son of one of my classmates/teammates. Their only loss was at Hale (16-2). Hillman beat them a week ago Friday at home. Unfortunately, Hale and Hillman are in the same district (to be played at Hale) so one of the two best Class D teams in Northeastern Michigan will be out early. I think the first they can meet is the district finals on Friday. I think the winner of that game will likely win regionals, which Hillman has never done (at least I know they haven't since at least the late 70s). I went to a game a couple weeks ago and the way they played didn't resemble the game I played in high school at all. Much faster, better shooting, quicker passes, etc.

The local HS, Waterford Mott, is normally not good in any sports, but both girls and boys basketball teams are doing well. The boys should be competing for a regional. The girls just one districts.

Speaking of districts, have you ever noticed that most Elvis impersonators are middle aged and overweight? Clearly they are impersonating the later Elvis.

WDFN Poll Question 030510

What is the Lions' most pressing need now?
Running Back
Corner Back
Offensive Line

My answer: Of course, I don't really know because I don't follow them a lot, but I always think making sure you have a good OLine is a good idea. But, even though I am usually one to say that you don't need to worry about getting good RBs, the little I have watched the Lions I've noticed the lack of ability the RBs have at making things happen. As far as cornerback, I don't know anything.

Official answer: OLine

olympic hockey

Maybe I'm misreading the Canadian feeling here, but I don't understand NBC making such a big deal that Canada was so interested in beating the USA in hockey - like the USA is Canada's biggest rival.
It gave me a "Illinois thinks M is their biggest rival" feeling. Obviously team Canada NEEDED to win the hockey gold medal. But I don't think they feel any more satisfaction about beating the US than anyone else. (I know there is some point to be made for making up for the team that beat them in the round robin - but that is not what NBC was claiming.)
On a side note, when will there be enough pressure placed on NBC or any future US network showing the Olympics to actually show events live. And full events. It was so much more enjoyable to watch the skiing events on the BBC feed at work than the 10 minute version on NBC.
NBC's version of the Olympics had maybe 150 athletes. And we were DVRing the closing ceremonies by then, but to go away from the ceremonies to show "The Marriage Ref"?!? WTF