Potato Power: Boise rolls out the blue carpet for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Many well-named bowl games have graced college football's second season over the years ? the Salad Bowl (Phoenix), the Bacardi Bowl (Havana, Cuba), the Refrigerator Bowl (Evansville, Ind.), the Poulan Weedeater Independence Bowl (Shreveport, La) and last year's addition of the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl in Detroit (though "pizza" was later dropped).

But it's hard to top this year's bowl addition of the "Famous Idaho Potato Bowl," which takes the place of the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho.

From the official release:

The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl continues the tradition of commodity-named bowl games with connections to a state's top agricultural export.� The Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl and Cotton Bowl all took their namesakes from products critical to their respective state's economic health.� Idaho has been the nation's largest producer of potatoes every year since 1957.� The "Famous Potato" slogan was initiated by the Idaho Potato Commission and added to the State's license plates in 1948.

The best part about the bowl, other than its name of course, is the logo -- a football, split open like a loaded baked potato completed with chives. Not sure anything could be more genius than that.

The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl will feature teams from the WAC and MAC, and the naming rights have been secured for six years of potatoey goodness.

I would be highly disappointed if every meal didn't include some sort of spud and if the players didn't compete in a potato sack race.

It's hard to fathom what kind of swag this bowl will be handing out: A sack of potatoes? Mr. Potato Head dolls? Bags of the TGI Friday's potato skins chips? Or maybe, in sticking with the logo theme, normal items made to look like potatoes. Like the limited edition potato Xbox? Or the potato iPod? What about the Bose potato-shaped noise-canceling earphones?

And, of course, all the electricity for the game must be run on potato power (didn't you do that experiment in grade school?)

Source: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Potato-Power-Boise-rolls-out-the-blue-carpet-fo?urn=ncaaf-wp4496

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I survived the Nuerburgring Nordschleife!

The Nordschleife. Just the word sends shivers down the spine of even the best motor racing driver. Sir Jackie Stewart nicknamed the old track in western Germany the "Green Hell" and although it is extremely dangerous, they all loved racing it really. I was lucky enough to be driven round at high speed

Source: http://blogs.reuters.com/sport/2011/07/21/i-survived-the-nuerburgring-nordschleife/

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Potato Power: Boise rolls out the blue carpet for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Many well-named bowl games have graced college football's second season over the years ? the Salad Bowl (Phoenix), the Bacardi Bowl (Havana, Cuba), the Refrigerator Bowl (Evansville, Ind.), the Poulan Weedeater Independence Bowl (Shreveport, La) and last year's addition of the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl in Detroit (though "pizza" was later dropped).

But it's hard to top this year's bowl addition of the "Famous Idaho Potato Bowl," which takes the place of the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho.

From the official release:

The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl continues the tradition of commodity-named bowl games with connections to a state's top agricultural export.� The Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl and Cotton Bowl all took their namesakes from products critical to their respective state's economic health.� Idaho has been the nation's largest producer of potatoes every year since 1957.� The "Famous Potato" slogan was initiated by the Idaho Potato Commission and added to the State's license plates in 1948.

The best part about the bowl, other than its name of course, is the logo -- a football, split open like a loaded baked potato completed with chives. Not sure anything could be more genius than that.

The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl will feature teams from the WAC and MAC, and the naming rights have been secured for six years of potatoey goodness.

I would be highly disappointed if every meal didn't include some sort of spud and if the players didn't compete in a potato sack race.

It's hard to fathom what kind of swag this bowl will be handing out: A sack of potatoes? Mr. Potato Head dolls? Bags of the TGI Friday's potato skins chips? Or maybe, in sticking with the logo theme, normal items made to look like potatoes. Like the limited edition potato Xbox? Or the potato iPod? What about the Bose potato-shaped noise-canceling earphones?

And, of course, all the electricity for the game must be run on potato power (didn't you do that experiment in grade school?)

Source: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Potato-Power-Boise-rolls-out-the-blue-carpet-fo?urn=ncaaf-wp4496

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USC can still cash in on the Matt Barkley leap year ? now for a limited time only

Kicking off Pac-12 Week.

When recruiters finally collapse onto their desks at night, Barkley is the prototype, blue-chip pocket passer they see in their dreams. He showed up at USC two years ago as the No. 1 quarterback prospect in America, the latest and most celebrated product of the bottomless quarterback pipeline from nearby Mater Dei High; within a few months of stepping on campus, he was the first true freshman in school history to start his first game.

In terms of advance hype, opportunity at a traditional powerhouse and squeaky-clean charisma ? before he even left high school, Barkley had already been on mission trips to build homes for the poor in Mexico, volunteered at an orphanage in South Africa and led a drive to raise money for families of Marines ?�he was the West Coast's answer to Tim Tebow. Except that, after two years as a starter, pro scouts are now dreaming about Barkley's potential, too.

The fact that he hasn't broken through on anything remotely approaching a Tebow-esque scale in those two years is a testament to just how high the bar is for a golden boy quarterback at USC ?�and to just how far short the Trojans have fallen under the combined weight of NCAA sanctions and on-field mediocrity. The NFL doesn't care about that stuff; it cares about Barkley's arm. But if this fall is his last at USC, Barkley's not only throwing against the competition for a slot in the first round: As the undisputed leader of a lineup otherwise lacking in its usual star power, it may also be his last bid for a legacy that transcends the fall of the Trojans' West Coast empire.

To some extent, again, he's been a victim of the gleaming records that came before him. Barkley has 17 wins as a starter, more than any outgoing or returning Pac-12 quarterback except Stanford's Andrew Luck, but has also been a part of as many losses (7) as predecessors Matt Leinart, John David Booty and Mark Sanchez suffered from 2003-08 combined. As a freshman, he orchestrated a dramatic, game-winning touchdown drive at Ohio State in his second game, but also presided over two of the worst beatings in school history against Oregon and Stanford. As a sophomore, he finished third in the Pac-10 in passing yards, touchdowns and efficiency, but averaged fewer yards per game than any USC quarterback in a decade, with fewer TDs and a lower passer rating than any Trojan QB in that span except Booty in 2007.

It would be easier to be optimistic about Barkley's progress if it hadn't seemed to come unraveled as the season progressed. USC dropped five of eight games, with two of the three wins in that span coming by one point (34-33 over Arizona State) and three points (24-21 over Arizona), respectively. Even with a relatively consistent ground game keeping defenses honest, the occasional Favre-like tendency to strong-arm balls into coverage resulted in another season of double-digit picks, contributing to the diminishing returns by the entire offense. He served up two interceptions against Oregon on the biggest stage of the season on Oct. 30; before he was knocked out of the Nov. 20 loss at Oregon State with an injured ankle, Barkley had already thrown a pick-six and was battling through the worst two quarters of his career in an eventual 36-7 rout.
Barkley didn't play at all against Notre Dame, another disappointing loss in a driving rainstorm, and returned only to serve up two more picks in an ugly finale at UCLA a week later. That win left the offense averaging a full 60 yards and six points less per game for the season than it had been averaging at the Oct. 23 bye week.
Taken as a whole, though, 2010 was a clear step forward over Barkley's 2009 debut, both on paper and in his comfort level in Lane Kiffin's offense as opposed to Jeremy Bates'. Over the first half of the season, the "potential" gave way to actual production: Through the first seven games, Barkley passed for multiple scores in six of them, with 20 touchdowns to just four interceptions. When the defense went to sleep in last-second losses to Washington and Stanford in early October, the offense put the pedal down for 30-plus points and nearly 500 yards of total offense in both. In the latter, Barkley dueled Andrew Luck to a virtual draw with 390 yards and three touchdowns in a losing effort against the Cardinal, and bounced back the following week to bomb Cal for five touchdown passes ? all in the first half ?�en route to a 48-14 massacre. He had a firm grip on Kiffin's offense, a go-to target in freshman burner Robert Woods and the complete confidence that the offense is built around his right arm.

That will be even more true in 2011, when the offense not only returns Woods but also adds a pair of mega-hyped, top-ranked freshmen, Kyle Prater and George Farmer, to Barkley's array of targets. Even the young, mostly revamped offensive line features a likely top-10 pick at left tackle, Matt Kalil. Based on the career trajectory of other touted pocket slingers, Year Three is where the rubber meets the road: Jimmy Clausen, Mark Sanchez, Matt Stafford, Josh Freeman, Matt Ryan, JaMarcus Russell and Brady Quinn all converted their simmering potential as underclassmen into big seasons as juniors that propelled them into the first round of the draft. Andrew Luck could have done the same last year if he'd wanted to.

As a sophomore, Barkley was ahead of arguably everyone in that group. Short of injury, there's nothing stopping him from following them: He has the arm, the experience, and an abundance of surrounding talent. If he's going to put it together in time to make good at USC, though, he has to add the consistency, and he has no time to waste.

- - -
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

Source: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/USC-can-still-cash-in-on-the-Matt-Barkley-leap-y?urn=ncaaf-wp4409

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Headlinin?: Pac-12 strikes again with deal for wide-ranging network

Making the morning rounds.

? Larry Scott goes big or he doesn't go at all. Continuing its ongoing assault on the future, the Pac-12 announced a twelve-year deal with four different cable providers Wednesday to carry the Pac-12 Network, with more satellite and telephone companies still expected to join the fray. Actually, it's going to be the Pac-12 Networks: In addition to a national channel based on the Big Ten model, the conference is also establishing six regional networks throughout its geographical footprint ?�one network apiece devoted to covering Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Northern California, Southern California and the new Rocky Mountain schools, Colorado and Utah. Altogether, the deal will put the network in at least 45 million homes that already subscribe to one of its cable partners (Comcast, Cox, Time Warner and Bright House) and guarantee that every Pac-12 football and men's basketball game is available to a national audience.

One thing the network isn't going to do, at least not yet: Fill any school's coffers. Unlike the Big Ten (which shares ownership of the Big Ten Network with Fox), the Pac-12 has managed to retain full equity in the project, but has no immediate plan to distribute revenue to member schools in the short term. Presumably, it wants to ensure that there is revenue to distribute before committing to that ? and considering the big fat deal the conference just signed with ESPN and Fox for its traditional television distribution rights, no one is about to complain if the checks don't come for a few years. [New York Times, San Jose Mercury News, Los Angeles Times]

? Next! Predictably, the early list of candidates to replace freshly fired head coach Butch Davis at North Carolina consists entirely of three current UNC assistants: Offensive line coach/associate head coach Sam Pittman, defensive coordinator Everett Withers and offensive coordinator John Shoop. Both Pittman and Shoop signed on as part of Davis' first UNC staff in 2007, but if the school is really in "turn the page" mode, don't count out the only remaining holdover from the pre-Butch era: 65-year-old running backs coach Ken Browning, who was originally hired by Mack Brown in the early nineties and has managed to remain in Chapel Hill for 18 years. [Raleigh News & Observer, Tar Heel Illustrated]

? Cool your stinger. Georgia Tech co-offensive line coach Todd Spencer will serve a one-game suspension as penance for making impermissible phone calls to recruits. According to records, Spencer and four other Tech assistants made 22 verboten calls to 12 different recruits over the first half of 2010, none of whom eventually signed with Tech. Spencer was reportedly responsible for 14 of the calls, and will pay by sitting out the Jackets' winner-take-all showdown with Western Carolina on Sept. 1. [Atlanta Journal Constitution]

? Two hours certain to be met with grace and introspection. ESPN Films has released times and dates for seven upcoming documentaries to air on Tuesday nights this fall, including an exploration of the Alabama-Auburn rivalry, "Roll Tide/War Eagle," directed by ESPN senior producer Martin Khodabakhshian. The press release promises "the story of the history between the two programs, the bad blood between its fans and how this intense rivalry came to a pinnacle, just when they ended up needing each other most." The subtext suggests a whole lot of Al from Dadeville. [TV by the Numbers, Birmingham News]

? You can always go home again. Former CNN anchor Rick Sanchez ? he of "Jon Stewart is a bigot" fame ?�has landed on his feet as a color analyst for Florida International games. Sanchez, who was fired from CNN last October for his comments about Stewart and "a lot of the people who run all the other networks" (read: Jewish people), is a Miami native, began his television career in Miami and will have two sons attending FIU this fall. [Associated Press]

Quickly? Ohio State loses a backup linebacker. ? Splendidly named quarterback Shavodrick Beaver is transferring from Tulsa. ? Lane Kiffin on letting the Black Mamba get away. ? And even the Detroit Free Press' headline writer sounds a little contemptuous of Dhani Jones' new show on the Big Ten Network.

- - -
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

Source: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Headlinin-Pac-12-strikes-again-with-deal-for-w?urn=ncaaf-wp4276

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One Hit Romero

Ricky Romero ends up allowing just one hit, the home run by Desmond Jennings as Toronto defeats the Rays 3-1. Romero walked four and struck out seven, Jon Rauch coming on for the save. Jose Bautista ended his home run drought with a solo shot in the fourth inning. It was his first since he [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Baseballmusingscom/~3/ECXsmOw85gs/click.phdo

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So Long And Thanks For All The Dick Jokes

I feel like we’ve all done this before. But it’s true. This is my last post at KSK. Having co-founded this site and having spent the last five years being [...]

Source: http://kissingsuzykolber.uproxx.com/2011/07/josh-zerkle-farewell-post-at-ksk.html

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Boesch Bash

Joaquin Benoit allowed two home runs to the Rangers in the top of the eight, tying the Tigers at five. Brennan Boesch turned that blown save into a win, however, with a solo shot in the bottom of the inning, his third hit of the game. That gave the Tigers a 6-5 win. Detroit must [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Baseballmusingscom/~3/44OTyEEHpt0/click.phdo

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Tie in the West

Daniel Hudson out-pitched Tim Lincecum Tuesday night as the Diamondbacks defeated the Giants 6-1. The teams both stand at 61-49, tied for first in the NL West. Hudson lasted eight innings, striking out five while walking one. Lincecum only allowed three hits during his seven innings of work, but he walked three. One of those [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Baseballmusingscom/~3/ATbb4PRkCE4/click.phdo

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When the panel cap was *in*

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/UniWatch/~3/5QRM1tv2hyg/

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Ron Artest will become ?Metta World Peace? on Aug. 26

Several weeks ago, we brought you the story of Ron Artest's decision to change his legal name to the wonderfully weird "Metta World Peace." It was a bizarre choice entirely befitting Artest's personality, but also a very nice (albeit overly idealistic) attempt to make the world a better place. This name will not hurt anyone. At worst, it will make us laugh. At best, it will solve all the world's problems. I am an optimist and choose to expect the latter.

Still, announcements are not actions, and it remained to be seen whether Artest would follow through on his promise. Thankfully, according to TMZ, he has. In fact, we should see the name change become official before the end of the month. The details (via EOB):

Long story short -- anyone looking to officially change their name in the State of California has to get a public declaration of the name change�PRINTED in a local newspaper 4 times -- once a week, 4 weeks in a row.

On July 19th, Ron's LAST declaration to become�Metta World Peace�was published in the L.A. Daily Commerce -- but the�name change�won't become official until August 26th ... when a judge is scheduled to sign the order.

There you have it: We must wait a mere 24 days before we can call a grown man "Metta World Peace." Sadly, the NBA lockout will probably stop the production of any official "World Peace" Lakers jerseys, but something tells me the streets of Los Angeles will be filled with acceptable knockoffs. The kind people of our planet will finally have a counterweight to Miroslav Satan hockey sweaters.

We will update you as World Peace updates continue to trickle in. On Aug. 26, widespread hunger and pestilence will become a thing of the past.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Ron-Artest-will-become-Metta-World-Peace-on-Au?urn=nba-wp7092

baseball yankees american football

?What a Wimbledon? ? Rusedski

This year?s Wimbledon Championships had a lot of interesting stories.

Source: http://blogs.reuters.com/sport/2011/07/04/what-a-wimbledon-rusedski/

baseball yankees american football

Headlinin?: Pac-12 strikes again with deal for wide-ranging network

Making the morning rounds.

? Larry Scott goes big or he doesn't go at all. Continuing its ongoing assault on the future, the Pac-12 announced a twelve-year deal with four different cable providers Wednesday to carry the Pac-12 Network, with more satellite and telephone companies still expected to join the fray. Actually, it's going to be the Pac-12 Networks: In addition to a national channel based on the Big Ten model, the conference is also establishing six regional networks throughout its geographical footprint ?�one network apiece devoted to covering Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Northern California, Southern California and the new Rocky Mountain schools, Colorado and Utah. Altogether, the deal will put the network in at least 45 million homes that already subscribe to one of its cable partners (Comcast, Cox, Time Warner and Bright House) and guarantee that every Pac-12 football and men's basketball game is available to a national audience.

One thing the network isn't going to do, at least not yet: Fill any school's coffers. Unlike the Big Ten (which shares ownership of the Big Ten Network with Fox), the Pac-12 has managed to retain full equity in the project, but has no immediate plan to distribute revenue to member schools in the short term. Presumably, it wants to ensure that there is revenue to distribute before committing to that ? and considering the big fat deal the conference just signed with ESPN and Fox for its traditional television distribution rights, no one is about to complain if the checks don't come for a few years. [New York Times, San Jose Mercury News, Los Angeles Times]

? Next! Predictably, the early list of candidates to replace freshly fired head coach Butch Davis at North Carolina consists entirely of three current UNC assistants: Offensive line coach/associate head coach Sam Pittman, defensive coordinator Everett Withers and offensive coordinator John Shoop. Both Pittman and Shoop signed on as part of Davis' first UNC staff in 2007, but if the school is really in "turn the page" mode, don't count out the only remaining holdover from the pre-Butch era: 65-year-old running backs coach Ken Browning, who was originally hired by Mack Brown in the early nineties and has managed to remain in Chapel Hill for 18 years. [Raleigh News & Observer, Tar Heel Illustrated]

? Cool your stinger. Georgia Tech co-offensive line coach Todd Spencer will serve a one-game suspension as penance for making impermissible phone calls to recruits. According to records, Spencer and four other Tech assistants made 22 verboten calls to 12 different recruits over the first half of 2010, none of whom eventually signed with Tech. Spencer was reportedly responsible for 14 of the calls, and will pay by sitting out the Jackets' winner-take-all showdown with Western Carolina on Sept. 1. [Atlanta Journal Constitution]

? Two hours certain to be met with grace and introspection. ESPN Films has released times and dates for seven upcoming documentaries to air on Tuesday nights this fall, including an exploration of the Alabama-Auburn rivalry, "Roll Tide/War Eagle," directed by ESPN senior producer Martin Khodabakhshian. The press release promises "the story of the history between the two programs, the bad blood between its fans and how this intense rivalry came to a pinnacle, just when they ended up needing each other most." The subtext suggests a whole lot of Al from Dadeville. [TV by the Numbers, Birmingham News]

? You can always go home again. Former CNN anchor Rick Sanchez ? he of "Jon Stewart is a bigot" fame ?�has landed on his feet as a color analyst for Florida International games. Sanchez, who was fired from CNN last October for his comments about Stewart and "a lot of the people who run all the other networks" (read: Jewish people), is a Miami native, began his television career in Miami and will have two sons attending FIU this fall. [Associated Press]

Quickly? Ohio State loses a backup linebacker. ? Splendidly named quarterback Shavodrick Beaver is transferring from Tulsa. ? Lane Kiffin on letting the Black Mamba get away. ? And even the Detroit Free Press' headline writer sounds a little contemptuous of Dhani Jones' new show on the Big Ten Network.

- - -
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

Source: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Headlinin-Pac-12-strikes-again-with-deal-for-w?urn=ncaaf-wp4276

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Michigan calls on old hands to run the defensive voodoo down

Part of Big Ten Week.

When Michigan fired Rich Rodriguez in January after three mostly depressing seasons, it wasn't for any personal or nostalgic reasons. It was because he lost too many games, and lost them to the wrong teams. But his demise didn't come without a note of irony: When he was hired in December 2007, Rodriguez's mission was to reinvigorate a stale culture with the kind of 21st Century spread scheme that had turned West Virginia into an unlikely national contender on his watch, and by 2010, that mission was largely accomplished.

The Wolverines led the Big Ten last year in total offense and yards per play, made a true sophomore the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Year in his first season as a starter and averaged more than 30 points per game for the first time since the Wolverines' last Big Ten championship team in 2004. Contrary to its run-first reputation, at 239 yards per game rushing and 250 passing, it was as balanced as any attack in the country. It also returned essentially the entire lineup in 2011.

In that sense, if in no other, Rodriguez did what he was hired to do. But the men he hired to run his defense ?�Scott Shafer in 2008, followed by ousted Syracuse head coach Greg "Gerg" Robinson in 2009-10 ?�could not even begin to say the same. The gap between the two sides was as wide as Lake Erie, and the depths almost as deep.

After hitting all manner of new lows in Robinson's first season, last year's edition was in free fall almost from the beginning, eventually crash-landing at the bottom of the Big Ten in total defense, scoring defense and pass defense. It barely missed the bottom in rushing defense, pass efficiency defense and takeaways. The Wolverines allowed at least 34 points in seven of eight Big Ten games, and went out with a bright maroon "52" stamped on their helmets courtesy of Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl. Nine of 13 opposing offenses racked up at least 435 total yards, including Indiana and Massachusetts.

By almost every important measure ?�points allowed, yards allowed, pass efficiency, third down percentage ?�it was the worst Michigan defense on record. Even if Rodriguez had managed to survive the carnage, his hand-picked defensive coordinator certainly would not have.

If you wander into certain Maize-and-Blue-colored corners of the web, you'll run into a backlog of long-running debates over the roots of the collapse, and how they took such deep hold. Were Shafer and Robinson really that inept? Or were they forced to adapt to an unfamiliar scheme? Can you really hold them responsible the parade of injuries and attrition that afflicted the secondary? Or for the apparent drop-off from the usual talent level? Whose fault was it that, after three years, more than half the starting lineup still consisted of freshmen and sophomores?

But there is no debate about the all-encompassing reality of the failure itself. (Given the facts, there couldn't possibly be.) And wherever individual Michigan fans fell on the spectrum of reactions to Brady Hoke as Rodriguez's replacement, there was no disagreement that a) Yes, the Wolverines did need to make a defensive-oriented hire in the top job, and b) Once in the job, Hoke made the single best hire of the offseason when he lured Greg Mattison from the NFL to become his defensive coordinator.

Mattison has done this before, and well, as the brain of some of the best Wolverine defenses of the modern era. He spent four years in Ann Arbor under head coaches Gary Moeller and Lloyd Carr in the mid-nineties, overseeing a pair of units that held 19 of 25 opponents below 21 points in 1995 and 1996, and didn't allow 30 points even once. After his departure for Notre Dame in 1997, the group he helped develop as underclassmen ? including Heisman winner Charles Woodson and eight other players who would go on to spend at least four years in the NFL ? turned in the best defensive effort in the nation en route to a national championship. Mattison has spent the last three season as defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens, where all three of his defenses finished among the top three in the league. You don't hire a guy like that to dictate to him what to run.

Regardless of who took on the job, though�(or even, heaven forbid, if Gerg returned for another season)�the pit of despair would be looking a lot less desperate going into this fall. The untenably young outfit that wore its growing pains on its sleeves last year now consists almost entirely of juniors and seniors ? only one projected starter, sophomore safety Carvin Johnson, has been on campus less than two years ?�almost all of whom begin the season with significant starting experience, if not draft-worthy talent. It still lacks speed or depth in the secondary and a reliable pass rush, but assuming it hasn't permanently succumbed to shell-shock, this group can do mediocrity. After the last two years, mediocrity sounds like a pretty significant step forward.

A step forward in the box score, anyway. How effectively that translates to the win/loss column also depends on how effectively the offense transitions to the less Denard Robinson-centric philosophy installed by new offensive coordinator Al Borges in the spring. If Borges' attack comes anywhere near last year's production, an improved turnover margin and a halfway decent kicker could make a small step forward on defense go a long way in the standings. Under the circumstances, that's probably the best the Wolverines can hope for: The lineup is in no position for anything like an overnight, worst-to-first turnaround, but Mattison can guarantee the faithful this much: Under no circumstances could it possibly get any worse.

- - -
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

Source: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Michigan-calls-on-old-hands-to-run-the-defensive?urn=ncaaf-wp4177

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?What a Wimbledon? ? Rusedski

This year?s Wimbledon Championships had a lot of interesting stories.

Source: http://blogs.reuters.com/sport/2011/07/04/what-a-wimbledon-rusedski/

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Debriefing: Michigan turns the page (preferably to two chapters ago)

The least you should know about the 2011 Wolverines. Part of Big Ten Week.

? Life is timing. It sounds like sour grapes when Rich Rodriguez says in interviews that he finally had Michigan in position to win this fall, if only he'd been given one more chance after the worst three-year stretch in Ann Arbor in 40 years. Frankly, though, on paper, it's hard to argue with him: Before Rodriguez was fired in January, his spread offense had just taken hold in a big way, he was preparing to bring back a truly veteran lineup in 2011 for the first time and was probably a new defensive coordinator away from turning the corner.

Instead, RichRod is out, Brady Hoke is in, and a "Michigan Man" gets to oversee the final stages of the journey from the tumbleweed-strewn locker room that greeted Rodriguez back in 2008. Only he's going to do it with tradition.

By pure coincidence, Hoke's arrival also coincides with the ongoing disintegration to the south, where Ohio State continues to succumb to the glare of NCAA violations and the consequences on the recruiting trail. The Buckeyes will roll into Ann Arbor on Nov. 26 without either of Rodriguez's chief tormenters, Jim Tressel and Terrelle Pryor, and possibly with far less to play for if the NCAA is still feeling particularly vindictive. If the emergency coach and/or quarterback transfer in Columbus doesn't take, OSU's eight-year winning streak in the rivalry is in jeopardy for the first time since well before anyone on Michigan's current roster set foot on campus.

? If it ain't broke... The philosophical shift on offense is a double-edged sword. On one hand, the offense gets back the Big Ten's reigning offensive player of the year at quarterback, four starting offensive linemen and virtually everyone who touched the ball for the No. 1 total offense in the conference. On the other, Hoke and offensive coordinator Al Borges seem determined to begin shifting the offense away from the shotgun/spread system in which all that returning talent came up as underclassmen and ultimately flourished.

Of course, no one flourished more than electron-quick quarterback Denard Robinson, but that was at least in part because almost no one else had the chance: "Shoelace" kept the ball himself or passed on more than 58 percent of the Wolverines' offensive snaps for the year, accounting for more than two-thirds of the team's total yards. As a runner, he averaged almost 20 carries per game, and had at least 17 carries in all but two ? and at a little under 200 pounds, also had to leave five different games for an extended period due to assorted injuries.

If there's an obvious advantage to the takeover by Borges it's his commitment to keeping Robinson healthy and in the lineup by reducing the number of hits he takes on any given weekend. Obviously, that means reducing his opportunities to run in favor of a gaggle of backs that haven't proven themselves to be a fraction of the home run threat their quarterback is. According to Borges' math, the yards Robinson yields to remain upright will be more than accounted for by his improved production as a passer. But can he force defenses to respect his arm without paralyzing them with the ever-present threat of his legs?

? Fix it. Please fix it. Like Borges, new defensive coordinator Greg Mattison inherits a lot of vets ?�eight guys are back with significant starting experience, all of them beginning their third or fourth year on campus ?�but he only wishes he was confronted with how to handle a proven game-changer. Not surprisingly given their wretched numbers, the Wolverine D was shut out by league coaches when it came to first-team All-Big Ten voting, and only put one player (defensive tackle Mike Martin) on the second team.

Aside from Robinson, the defensive line looks like the strength of the team, mostly thanks to Martin and defensive end Craig Roh. But a big part of its success in improving its rock-bottom numbers against the run will also hinge on William Campbell, a 6-foot-5, 330-pound behemoth who's getting one more chance to justify the five-star hype at defensive tackle after two years on the bench. Campbell was so uninspiring in his initial go-round on defense that the old staff converted him to offense, but woeful depth on the D-line doesn't give the new staff much choice. If he can hold down the role of the wide-bodied run-stuffer in the middle, it will allow Martin to play to his strengths as a quick, slashing rusher and finally give the linebackers a chance to get to ball carriers before they're engulfed by blockers at the second level.

? Plugging the leaks. As bad as the defenses were ?�and man, they were bad ?�Rodriguez was equally undone by the classic measures of bad teams: Turnovers and special teams. Michigan finished dead last in the Big Ten in turnover margin all three years of Rodriguez's tenure (an incredible feat, considering that turnovers tend to be fairly random over time), and was so hopelessly inept on field goals in 2010 that the offense was basically resigned to going for it from anywhere more than 25 yards out.

Again, the combination of experience on offense and the law of averages suggests the turnover margin should radically improve. And while neither experience nor the law of average will help the dismal placekicking situation, incoming freshman Matt Wille may have a shot. If so, the offense should be able to capitalize on enough scoring opportunities to keep output in the 30-points-per-game range, even if the total yardage takes a hit.

- - -
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

Source: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Debriefing-Michigan-turns-the-page-preferably-?urn=ncaaf-wp4283

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Rashaan Salaam is auctioning off his Heisman ring

Colorado's only Heisman winner is auctioning off some of that memorabilia.

Rashaan Salaam, who set a CU record by rushing for 2,055 yards and 24 touchdowns in 1994, is auctioning off his Heisman Trophy ring.

Yep, Heisman Trophy winners get rings in addition to a bronze statue.

The gold ring is size 11.5 and contains more than 20 diamonds totaling 1.5 carats. The ring is missing a diamond in the upper left corner, but it's still projected to sell for $15,000 - $25,000 and comes with a certificate of authenticity from Salaam and the auction house.

But why is Salaam selling?

Well, that's the great mystery.

According to the Denver Post, Salaam has been marketing mixed martial arts around the world and his business has taken a hit.

"I know he's been through some tough times with his business because of the economy," Colorado spokesman David Plati told the paper Tuesday at the Pac-12 Conference football preview in Los Angeles. "But it's not like he's in dire straits."

Salaam, a native of San Diego, is arguably the best player to wear a Colorado uniform. During that 1994 season, he had four consecutive 200-yard games and had 362 yards of total offense in a 34-31 win over Texas. The unanimous All-American led the Buffs to an 11-1 record that culminated in a 41-24 win over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl and a No. 3 ranking in the final AP poll.

He was selected 21^st overall by the Chicago Bears, but injuries shortened his pro career, which included stints with the Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers.

The auction is through the website of auctioneer Nate D. Sanders. Among the other things you might find on Sanders' auction block -- Lee Harvey Oswald's baby crib.

The current bid for the ring stands at $1,000. The auction ends Aug. 9.

Source: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Rashaan-Salaam-is-auctioning-off-his-Heisman-rin?urn=ncaaf-wp4226

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Still-talented Tar Heels get a second shot at the defense scandal snatched away

Part of ACC Week.

About this time last year ?�before the agents, the investigations and the suspensions that loomed over the season ?�the buzz surrounding North Carolina's defense had nothing to do with scandal. It was about just how good the Tar Heels were going to be. How could they not? Nine starters were back from a unit that had led the ACC in total defense in 2009 and finished in the top 15 nationally in every major category. Six of those starters had earned first or second-team All-ACC honors as sophomores and juniors, and at least four of them were being floated by NFL scouts as likely first-rounders in the 2011 Draft. Man for man, it looked like the best defense in the nation, bar none.

By the season opener, it was a makeshift, attrition-ravaged wreck playing with its entire starting defensive line and three-fourths of the starting secondary watching on TV. Seven first-stringers missed at least one game; four missed the entire season, including soon-to-be draft picks Robert Quinn (a first-round pick) and Marvin Austin (second round). Altogether, the Heels lost a staggering 89 starts to injury or suspension on both sides of the ball, most in the nation by far, and it showed: Even with a significantly improved offense, UNC came in at 8-5 for the second year in a row, dropping three games in which the offense scored at least 24 points. On paper, the hastily revamped defense regressed by every possible measure ? and on the scoreboard, too, where it allowed almost a full touchdown more per game.

By the end of the year, though, the debacle was beginning to seem less like a missed opportunity than a momentary window to reload. If it fulfills its potential, the 2011 defense has a chance to emerge as the domineering unit the 2010 edition was supposed to before Marvin Austin's Twitter feed hit the fan.

Again, the optimism starts up front, where Quinn's role as edge-rusher-in-residence was inherited by Quinton Coples, a 6-foot-6, 285-pound nightmare who racked up 10 sacks, a first-team All-ACC nod and unanimous projections as a top-10 pick in next year's draft. (He also passed NCAA scrutiny earlier this year.) Coples' counterpart on the other end of the line, Donte Paige-Moss, is widely expected to join him in the first round. Depending on who you ask, so might speedy outside linebacker Zach Brown. Defensive tackle Tydreke Powell is being sized up for the second day of the draft, as a possible third-rounder, at least. Cornerback Charles Brown, a 2010 suspendee who decided to take a redshirt, is still very much on the scouts' radar and could move up with a solid return. Middle linebacker Kevin Reddick, the leading tackler, has a likely pro future when he comes out in two years.

Once again, man for man, it looks like the best collection of individual talent in the conference; outside of the embarrassment of riches at Alabama, the Heels may be as loaded as any defense in the country.

If there's a question, personnel-wise, it's in the secondary, where the only player with regular starting experience (Brown) is coming off a full season on the bench. The more pressing question, though, is whether the "potential" will actually yield better results with a full season and offseason under its belt as a unit. The pass-rushing talent up front didn't stop the run defense or total defense from dipping from the best in the conference in both categories in '09 to fourth; for that matter, the defense as a whole was mediocre by ACC standards at getting to the quarterback and well below par when it came to tackles for loss. The secondary actually regressed later in the season, after a round of musical chairs had restored three suspended starters (all now graduated) to their old positions.

All of which is to be expected from a group of mostly new starters playing together for the first time, under the circumstances. The week-to-week lineup was chaos. But with the first wave of NCAA-inflicted pain behind them, and the next wave not likely to strike until well after the season, the last available window for making good on the promise that was snatched away last year is only open for a limited time.

- - -
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

Source: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Still-talented-Tar-Heels-get-a-second-shot-at-th?urn=ncaaf-wp4019

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An Appendix to the Trade Deadline

Andrew Friedman, VP of the Rays, spent Saturday night having his appendix removed: The trade deadline turned out to be a painful experience for Rays executive VP Andrew Friedman, who was hospitalized on Saturday and underwent an appendectomy Saturday night, then conducted business today from his hospital room. According to Rays VP Rick Vaughn, Friedman [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Baseballmusingscom/~3/s8NHp2bDvro/click.phdo

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Best Of The SB Nation Network: August 1, 2011

Source: http://sbnation.com/2011/8/2/2310363/best-of-the-sb-nation-network-august-1-2011

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Prep for the PGA by touring Atlanta Athletic Club?s holes 1-6

Next week comes the PGA Championship, and Devil Ball will be right there on-site bringing you all the details as they hit. To prepare you, we've got this three-part series breaking down the entire course, hole by hole. And let's begin at Hole 1, shall we?

�

More follows.

And here's the second hole:

No. 3:

The fourth:

Hole No. 5:

... and the sixth:

Come back Tuesday�for holes 7-12!

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/blog/golf_experts/post/Prep-for-the-PGA-by-touring-Atlanta-Athletic-Clu?urn=golf-wp4049

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ACC Forecast: In which a divided nation confronts Virginia Tech?s non-conference schedule

Twelve hyper-specific predictions for the ACC in 2011. Wrapping up ACC Week.

? Florida State will win its first ACC title in six years, but with a much better record than the 8-5 campaign in 2005. Including the conference championship game and bowl game, the Seminoles should win at least 11 games for the first time since the 2000 FSU team that played for the BCS championship, setting up the still-young 'Noles as a chic frontrunner for the national title going into 2012.

? Virginia Tech will go into an early November bye week undefeated at 9-0, sparking a weeks-long debate about the Hokies' cushy non-conference schedule ? until their BCS title hopes are dashed in one of two Thursday night dates against Georgia Tech (Nov. 10) and North Carolina (Nov. 17). With a September slate consisting of Appalachian State, East Carolina, Arkansas State and Marshall and Florida State absent from the conference schedule, Tech likely won't face a ranked opponent until the conference championship game.

? Miami will lead the conference in total defense but drop at least three games in which the offense fails to crack 20 points for the second year in a row. The 'Canes return the vast majority of both the front seven that led the nation in tackles for loss in 2010 and the secondary that finished fifth nationally in pass efficiency D, but also return two inconsistent quarterbacks finding their way under a new offensive coordinator with an uninspiring track record.

? Running backs Andre Ellington and Mike Bellamy will revive the "Thunder and Lightning" label at Clemson en route to racking up more total yards than any other backfield duo in the conference. New offensive coordinator Chad Morris is importing a more up-tempo style from Tulsa, and both running backs are going to see a ton of action. Ellington, who averaged more than six yards a carry in a part-time role last year, has already proven himself, and Bellamy, an elite incoming freshman, shouldn't be far behind.

? Defying the storm cloud of pending NCAA sanctions, North Carolina will briefly rise into the top 10 in both major polls on the strength of a 6-0 start. The Tar Heels will subsequently drop at least three of their final six games over the second half of the season, but still finish in the top 25 for the first time since Mack Brown's final season as head coach in 1997 ? even as rumors about Butch Davis' job security continue to swirl through the bowl game and the start of the new year.

? In an unguarded moment following a tough loss, N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien will admit that he regrets forcing All-ACC quarterback Russell Wilson to choose his baseball career over football earlier this year. While the Wolfpack struggle under up-and-down new starter Mike Glennon, Wilson will be putting up big numbers in Wisconsin and making humble statement about his exit from Raleigh as he prepares to start in a BCS game.

? Boston College junior Luke Kuechly will win the Butkus Award as the nation's best linebacker. Kuechly, a junior, has 341 career tackles, including a national-best 183 stops as a sophomore, putting him on pace to smash former Northwestern linebacker Tim McGarigle's career mark (545 tackles from 2002-05) if he returns for his senior season. If healthy, though, Kuechly will decide instead to take advantage of first-round projections in the 2012 draft.

? Georgia Tech will shuffle through three different starting quarterbacks over the first two months of the season before finally settling on one of three spectacularly named freshmen ?�Vad Lee, Demontevious Smith or redshirt Synjyn Days ?�for the stretch run in November. Despite the revolving door, 6-foot-5 receiver Stephen Hill will double his 2010 production (15 catches, 291 yards, 3 touchdowns) as a junior.

? Maryland senior Kenny Tate will improve his draft stock at outside linebacker after passing up a second-round projection as a safety to return to school. Tate led the Terps in total tackles and earned a first-team All-ACC nod last year from his position at free safety, but at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, the new coaching staff under Randy Edsall immediately recognized him as a natural at linebacker.

? Virginia will pull at least one key upset in a four-game midseason stretch against Georgia Tech, N.C. State, Miami and Maryland, keeping the Cavaliers' hopes of returning to a bowl game alive going into the season finale against Virginia Tech. Even after they come up short in a surprisingly competitive effort against the Hokies, coach Mike London will widely credited with getting the Cavs moving in the right direction for "team on the rise" status heading into 2012.

? No Wake Forest player will earn a single vote for the postseason all-conference team, making Wake the league's only shutout on the team for the second year in a row. But the Demon Deacons will end their one-year drought in the NFL Draft courtesy of one of three mammoth senior linemen, Joe Looney (6-3, 320), Doug Weaver (6-8, 325) and Dennis Godfrey (6-3, 350), who have combined for 66 career starts.

? At some point in the midst of a seven-game losing streak to close the season, Duke's independent student newspaper, The Chronicle, will publish a thoughtful, in-depth package of stories arguing for the university to drop football as a Division I sport. "David Cutcliffe is the most competent head coach this school has had since Steve Spurrier," an editorial accompanying well-researched analyses of the program's longstanding on-field, attendance and financial woes will read. "Yet even he has managed only five conference wins in five years and the team will miss a bowl game this winter for the 19th consecutive season."

Hard copies of the issue will subsequently be used to construct papier-m�ch� masks of Blue Devil basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski for distribution in the student section in basketball games.

- - -
Atlantic Division predictions by Graham Watson.
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

Source: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/ACC-Forecast-In-which-a-divided-nation-confront?urn=ncaaf-wp4092

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ACC Forecast: In which a divided nation confronts Virginia Tech?s non-conference schedule

Twelve hyper-specific predictions for the ACC in 2011. Wrapping up ACC Week.

? Florida State will win its first ACC title in six years, but with a much better record than the 8-5 campaign in 2005. Including the conference championship game and bowl game, the Seminoles should win at least 11 games for the first time since the 2000 FSU team that played for the BCS championship, setting up the still-young 'Noles as a chic frontrunner for the national title going into 2012.

? Virginia Tech will go into an early November bye week undefeated at 9-0, sparking a weeks-long debate about the Hokies' cushy non-conference schedule ? until their BCS title hopes are dashed in one of two Thursday night dates against Georgia Tech (Nov. 10) and North Carolina (Nov. 17). With a September slate consisting of Appalachian State, East Carolina, Arkansas State and Marshall and Florida State absent from the conference schedule, Tech likely won't face a ranked opponent until the conference championship game.

? Miami will lead the conference in total defense but drop at least three games in which the offense fails to crack 20 points for the second year in a row. The 'Canes return the vast majority of both the front seven that led the nation in tackles for loss in 2010 and the secondary that finished fifth nationally in pass efficiency D, but also return two inconsistent quarterbacks finding their way under a new offensive coordinator with an uninspiring track record.

? Running backs Andre Ellington and Mike Bellamy will revive the "Thunder and Lightning" label at Clemson en route to racking up more total yards than any other backfield duo in the conference. New offensive coordinator Chad Morris is importing a more up-tempo style from Tulsa, and both running backs are going to see a ton of action. Ellington, who averaged more than six yards a carry in a part-time role last year, has already proven himself, and Bellamy, an elite incoming freshman, shouldn't be far behind.

? Defying the storm cloud of pending NCAA sanctions, North Carolina will briefly rise into the top 10 in both major polls on the strength of a 6-0 start. The Tar Heels will subsequently drop at least three of their final six games over the second half of the season, but still finish in the top 25 for the first time since Mack Brown's final season as head coach in 1997 ? even as rumors about Butch Davis' job security continue to swirl through the bowl game and the start of the new year.

? In an unguarded moment following a tough loss, N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien will admit that he regrets forcing All-ACC quarterback Russell Wilson to choose his baseball career over football earlier this year. While the Wolfpack struggle under up-and-down new starter Mike Glennon, Wilson will be putting up big numbers in Wisconsin and making humble statement about his exit from Raleigh as he prepares to start in a BCS game.

? Boston College junior Luke Kuechly will win the Butkus Award as the nation's best linebacker. Kuechly, a junior, has 341 career tackles, including a national-best 183 stops as a sophomore, putting him on pace to smash former Northwestern linebacker Tim McGarigle's career mark (545 tackles from 2002-05) if he returns for his senior season. If healthy, though, Kuechly will decide instead to take advantage of first-round projections in the 2012 draft.

? Georgia Tech will shuffle through three different starting quarterbacks over the first two months of the season before finally settling on one of three spectacularly named freshmen ?�Vad Lee, Demontevious Smith or redshirt Synjyn Days ?�for the stretch run in November. Despite the revolving door, 6-foot-5 receiver Stephen Hill will double his 2010 production (15 catches, 291 yards, 3 touchdowns) as a junior.

? Maryland senior Kenny Tate will improve his draft stock at outside linebacker after passing up a second-round projection as a safety to return to school. Tate led the Terps in total tackles and earned a first-team All-ACC nod last year from his position at free safety, but at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, the new coaching staff under Randy Edsall immediately recognized him as a natural at linebacker.

? Virginia will pull at least one key upset in a four-game midseason stretch against Georgia Tech, N.C. State, Miami and Maryland, keeping the Cavaliers' hopes of returning to a bowl game alive going into the season finale against Virginia Tech. Even after they come up short in a surprisingly competitive effort against the Hokies, coach Mike London will widely credited with getting the Cavs moving in the right direction for "team on the rise" status heading into 2012.

? No Wake Forest player will earn a single vote for the postseason all-conference team, making Wake the league's only shutout on the team for the second year in a row. But the Demon Deacons will end their one-year drought in the NFL Draft courtesy of one of three mammoth senior linemen, Joe Looney (6-3, 320), Doug Weaver (6-8, 325) and Dennis Godfrey (6-3, 350), who have combined for 66 career starts.

? At some point in the midst of a seven-game losing streak to close the season, Duke's independent student newspaper, The Chronicle, will publish a thoughtful, in-depth package of stories arguing for the university to drop football as a Division I sport. "David Cutcliffe is the most competent head coach this school has had since Steve Spurrier," an editorial accompanying well-researched analyses of the program's longstanding on-field, attendance and financial woes will read. "Yet even he has managed only five conference wins in five years and the team will miss a bowl game this winter for the 19th consecutive season."

Hard copies of the issue will subsequently be used to construct papier-m�ch� masks of Blue Devil basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski for distribution in the student section in basketball games.

- - -
Atlantic Division predictions by Graham Watson.
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

Source: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/ACC-Forecast-In-which-a-divided-nation-confront?urn=ncaaf-wp4092

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