Et Tu Toney ?

I never really thought much about Toney Clemons after he was unable to convince Terrelle Pryor use his talents for good rather than evil. As far as I was concerned, he was just another guy with some really talented cousins. His production over 2 years on the team support that perspective.

In general, I love getting recruits from Pennsylvania (because it pisses Penn State fans off) -- except in this case he was not even recruited by the Nittany Lions. I watched his recruiting highlight video (yes, the one he calls himself Baby Jesus) and laughed when I saw him dance on the field. High School football stars do stupid things in their own fishbowls.

In the midst of our 3 win nightmare, Toney Clemons was there. He got yelled at. He played a little bit and eventually got buried on the depth chart by more talented players. When he decided to transfer and "take his blessings and gifts elsewhere"... I chalked it up to yet another event in the RR transition chaos.

But yesterday Toney Clemons re-emerged in my conciseness with this:

I truly don't want to be associated with the program back there. But I am going to help benefit my teammates back there by speaking and giving testimony.

Wow. Sounds like a jilted lover. I don't want to add to the heaping pile of crap and scorn this kid has brought upon himself -- but I want to know a couple of things.

1) How exactly is Toney Clemons going to remain dis-associated with the program ?

2) How exactly is Toney Clemons going to help his former teammates by giving testimony designed to injure the program they play for ?

Excessive

Wow, I take a couple days off the keyboard and all hell breaks loose. I wanted to take a moment from our normally scheduled Sunday programming to provide a place for thoughtful discussion and comment.

The Detroit Free Press has posted a major story about alleged NCAA violations within the Michigan football program. This is quite a change from all the "fluff" you see from the Detroit papers. As you would expect, it was also picked up by ESPN, CBS Sportsline, and others. All of the allegations seem to revolve around the time spent working out both off-season and in-season. Michigan and Rich Rodriguez deny any violations. After reading the article, the key issue seems to revolve around the definition of "voluntary".

The timing on this could not be any better with the season less than one week away. The bandoliers of Michigan haters and RR hunters are full of new ammo this morning. I don't even want to look at the comment sections on any of the blogs that have picked this up. All the off-season talk about how "hard they worked" and how "everyone is on the same page" seems to be a little less inspiring this morning. On the bright side, Sru has something other than Larry Harrison to talk about.

The Michigan football program has never been found guilty of a major NCAA violation.

Sunday Swimsuit - Emmanuelle Chriqu

“Delay is ever fatal to those who are prepared”

~ Lucan

Yes, that is Sloan from Entourage.

Cutting down on the drag

HT: EDSBS

Our boy Jim has hit the BIG TIME !!!!

Against all logic a Stanford donor has given $50K so Jim can quickly do his business and move on to the task of losing games in the Pac10. This is not sitting well with the rest of the Stanford Athletic Department. that is facing a huge budget crisis. Revenue generation has died, budgets have been cut, people have been axed. For gods sake.... Fencing is in danger of being cut.

To make things worse: Fellow Pac10 coaches Pete Carroll (USC), Rick Neuheisel (UCLA) and Jeff Tetford (Cal) don't have their own private reading area -- and I am willing to bet that Bo used the same potty as every one else.

Wallpaper Wednesday: Big Brother Mike

I was surfing this weekend and ran into an incredible thread on Spartantailgate.com that motivated me to make this wallpaper.

OK, I have to admit that I sometimes go over there to see what Sparty is whining about. Most of the time it is someone proclaiming how elitist Michigan is or how MSU is poised to dominate Michigan for the next 100 years. This time I found a thread making fun of Mike Hart's diminutive size. The thread only started last Monday (August 17th) and has reached 35 pages of side splitting laughter.

Speechless.

Caption Contest: Brandon Graham

It has been a while since we have had a caption contest, so let's get it on. You know the rules. Hopefully we can wake T9 up long enough to award a winner.

The Detroit News ran a pretty funny picture of Brandon Graham yesterday, even though the article had nothing to do with him. There were about a dozen things that popped into my mind when I saw it. Now it is your turn to tell the real story...

For those of you keeping track of such things, this a one of those moments when we laugh and make fun of ourselves.

Beware of the Three Headed Monster

This weekend I got a sick feeling in my stomach when I read the headline: Michigan’s Rodriguez plans to play 3 QBs in opener. The first thing I pictured was Nick Sheridan throwing an interception on the first play of the season and watching a Western Michigan Bronco defensive back return it for a touchdown. The pain and horror has returned.

I started to panic.... what if the new freshman quarterbacks are not as good as Nick Sheridan ?? What if the best QB on our roster is Nick Sheridan ? I can NOT take another season of this! Why do the college football gods hate me sooooo much ?

Finally I read the article, took a deep breath and relaxed. RR was joking. The AP needed a pull-you-in headline. RR was in coach-speak mode. He does not want to tip his cards to the Western coaching staff. It is better to make them prepare for TBD than any one specific player.

I tell you this: if Nick Sheridan sees any meaningful snaps during the upcoming game against Western Michigan, we are in DEEP trouble. If he sees significant playing time when either Robinson or Forcier are still healthy, we are in DEEP trouble.

Cash for Clunkers - Vikings style

I saw this cartoon this morning - and chuckled.
The Vikings will still beat the Lions both games this year.

Sunday Swimsuit - Fantasy Football

Both Tara Reid and Kim Kardashian love football. They play fantasy games with football players all the time (Tara: Tom Brady, Jerome Bettis, Jeremy Shockey, and Kyle Boller. Kim: Reggie Bush).

Both Tara and Kim strongly suggest you play fantasy football also. They both want you to join the Spawn Fantasy Football League managed by loyal Spawner BIGASSHAMMM. The draft is scheduled for August 29th.

The only thing you need to do to get started is send your email to spawnofmzone at gmail dot com. Only then you can join in all the fun Tara and Kim have to offer.

Lions Gameday

I know it is only Saturday, but I can't think of anything more fun to post today than football, american flags, and bikinis. Lions QB Matt Stafford agrees with me. For those of you questioning the dedication or judgement of our new starting QB, he does have a Tigers hat on.

The girl to his right is his UGA Cheerleader girlfriend. She has had an upgrade since Matt signed his NFL contract. Amen.

Lions at Browns tonight. Go Matt !!

Be True to your School

No new Boren material today, so I post this in honor of my friend whetstonebuck.
15 days and counting...

74,000 Truck Drivers

The legendary Michigan broadcaster Bob Ufer once referred to the typical Ohio Stadium crowd as "10,000 alumni and 74,000 truck drivers."

Now it appears that our old friend Justin Boren just could not overcome his Ohio roots. At an early age he realized he wanted to be a Buckeye, and all that it entailed.

Check out page 19 of the 2009 Ohio State Football Media Guide: When I was younger, I dreamed of being a: Truck Driver.

You can't make this stuff up.

Wallpaper Wednesday: Redemption Tour

Last week, our friend YVGENI from Nothing is Illuminated published his 2009 schedule wallpaper. Of course that motivated me to get working on my new version.

I give you the 2009 Michigan Redemption Tour schedule. I hope somewhere in there we can find six wins.

I want to give a special hat tip to one of our readers, Nick. He took the original photo at the spring game and sent it to me asking if I could use it.

THANKS NICK !!! I hope you like it.

Henne to Hartline

The NFL sure makes for some strange relationships.

Check out this Chad Henne highlight video on NFL.com (sorry, but they do not enable video embedding for some reason).

Henne had a decent game last night as the Dolphins beat the Jags. The first play they show is a 20 yard reception to rookie WR Brian Hartline. Teddy Ginn Jr also had 2 receptions in the game.

How strange will it be if Henne/Ginn/Hartline become a successful NFL combination ?

Zoltan wants you...

...to join the SPAWN FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE.
I know there are plenty of you out there that come here every day. We need more teams to fill out the league.

This is FREE fun. No pressure. Just another chance for glory.

If you have never played fantasy football, now is your chance. Give it a try. You have nothing to lose.

The draft is set for August 29th. I will do something special for the first team that drafts a Detroit Lions player. Send your email address to spwanofmzone at gmail dot com and we will get an invite sent to you with the needed info.

Sunday Swimsuit: Breast Cancer Awareness

Cancer is a word, not a sentence. ~John Diamond

Vada Murray Update

image from www.loukatactical.com/vadaMurray.asp

Go to http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/vadamurray to send words of encouragement and support.
Vada's wife Sarah posted this....

August 8, 2009

We spent the month of July dealing with side affects from the new chemo drug. This drug happened to be oral, so we had a nice reprieve from visiting the cancer center every couple of weeks. Unfortunately, we visited the ER a lot. The side affects of this chemo were pronounced and difficult.

One of the side affects of this particular oral chemo was acne. Vada developed severe acne, which we actually were excited about. The appearance of acne significantly increased the likelihood that the drug was working effectively.

Unfortunately, we learned yesterday that the chemo is not working. There has been further growth of Vada's tumors. He begins a new form of chemotherapy on Monday.

Many people have asked how Vada is doing. He is tired. We are 24 hours into receiving the news that his chemo is not working. He is having a hard time.

As for me, I would say the same. I am very scared.

As always, we look to you - our family, friends, neighbors, corworkers, acquaintances - for arms to catch us when we feel like we're falling down, and strong legs to help us move forward.

Sarah

Dressing the part

Check out the 2009 Ohio State football headshot of our favorite Buckeye Justin Boren.

Wow.

I guess it is safe to assume that family values do not include purchasing shirts and jackets that fit correctly.

His Dad should be so proud...

Tainted Love

Andy beat me to the "welcome to the new world" post, and many of my friends in the know continue to gloat and say, "see, we told you that Mr. Martin sold you down the river. This Rich Rod guy is no Lloyd and he doesn't get what it means to be at Michigan...."
They just laugh when I suggest that Les Miles wouldn't be a collector of boy scouts either and that we have to give RR a chance....
The recent news surrounding the departure of Justin Feagin has left me saddened and somewhat disillusioned...and given the back story, I have to wonder if they aren't just a bit right.

But it doesn't matter, because gone are the halcyon days of family values and no advertising in the stadium and the domination on the field. And I just wonder how long, if ever, it's going to take to get that stuff back. And, I wonder if I'll cheer as loudly or as blindly.

Maybe I'm just getting old.

Normally I'm ridiculously fired up for football. I'd be reading and watching every pre-season preview media pablum there was. But I just can't get the gumption up. Now before you accuse me of being a fair-weathered fan, or someone who only cheers when we win I can promise you that is not the case. What I'm having such a hard time with is the ennui generated by scheduling games against Western, Delaware State, and EMU. Games which in days gone by would be laughers and an excuse to invite every friend and old roomate you could find to come up for the game and get stupid. Now, I have to hear other people's jokes about winning the opener and I'm worried we'll lose them all and Appy State will seem minor in comparison.

This wishful adherence of mine to the Michigan mystique may be akin to thinking that Mick Jagger is still hot---once there was this vibrant, powerful, commanding presence of a powerhouse. Now there is but a shell of that being with weakened strength and general reminders of what once was.
Time to move on.
Give it up.
Embrace the new.

Buy adidas?

So, I'll start by drinking the Kool-Aide and resuscitating myself on daily videos courtesy of RR and staff....COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF.
WOOT!!!
WOOT!!!
Woot?

And attend all the games and watch all the ESPN my eyeballs can handle, and vehemently defend this house. Until the next dumbass thing happens...........
sigh.

Welcome to my Tainted Love affair.

B10 Greatest Games

Since the launch in August of 2007, The Big Ten Network has done an admirable job of putting together a nice catalog of classic B10 football games to enjoy. No matter which team you root for, there is likely a game for you. Until today, I had not checked out HULU in a while, but it looks like they have partnered together with the BTN and have the entire season one lineup available. I look forward to having season two, including the 1969 Ohio State game.

I give you the 2007 Michigan at Michigan State "Little Brother" game:

Wallpaper Wednesday: Braylon

Here is a stylized image of Braylon Edwards from the 2003 Ohio State game.

Someday we will win that game again.

Someday.

Tragically Stupid

Michigan football practice started yesterday in Ann Arbor. There are literally dozens of stories detailing the highlights, including the competition for the starting QB spot. Personally I do not think there is going to be much of a competition. Barring injury, if Tate Forcier is not the starting QB when the season starts, I will be shocked beyond recognition. For the record, I also like the look of the new practice jerseys.

One thing that is going to linger over the season -- and Rich Rodriguez for a long time is the recruiting and departure of Justin Feagin. I have read the Detroit Free Press story and the entire Police Report.

This is a sad and stupid story.

From the outside, it looks like RR handled the situation in the appropriate way : dismissing the kid the instant he heard the details of the failed cocaine plot. However, there will be many that will point to this incident as further proof that RR lacks the moral character for the job. No matter what happens from this point forward, he will be open to questions regarding the "type of kid" he recruits.

A couple of observations on the Feagin story. Yes, he was a last minute add to fill a critical need after we lost out on a higher profile guy. But you can not automatically assume that RR turned a blind-eye to character issues in a panic. Justin Feagin was recruited by RR at West Virginia. He had an eye on the kid for a while.

I find it interesting that people are claiming that RR and the coaches should have known about Feagin's home-town legal problems. How is it that Rivals or Scout did not know about these issues ? We live in an era where recruit information and rumors flow faster than a Glenville Tarblooder sprinter. If none of the dedicated services that focuses on high school football recruiting did not uncover these, how is that we expect RR and staff to know ?

In a previous professional life, I spent some time dealing with minors and legal system. The rules and data you have available for adults does not apply. Arrests and judgements against minors are not public records, you can't just go to the police station or internet and pull up information. Any legal issues that Feagin had in Florida were likely "sealed" cases because of his age. Unless the kid himself disclosed the problems to a recruiter, there is no way to know.

The statement of "common knowledge" regarding Feagin's budding marijuana business is also going to linger. If I had to bet, this will be the slam we hear over and over again from our green and scarlet friends. Again the assumption that RR and staff "should have known" is the key. Considering there are about 100 kids on the team, I don't assume that the coaches know everything that goes on off the football field.

When I was in college I knew I guy that operated a pretty healthy grow-op in his dorm and later his apartment. It was "common knowledge" to those that were looking to smoke pot. He was never busted, eventually graduated and went on to a real job. One can only assume that "common knowledge" amongst students did not translate into common knowledge to people in positions of authority (like coaches).

Again, the stink of this situation is going to linger for a long time. I have no doubt that we will be ridiculed for the erosion of family values. My advice to any Michigan fan looking to respond: DON'T.

The stupidity of the Justin Feagin story happened. There is nothing you can do to make it go away. It is ours. We need to move on, win a few games, and the smoke will eventually clear.

Spawn Fantasy Football

Loyal Spawn contributor BigAssHammm emailed me last week about fantasy football.

I told him that I no longer play fantasy football, but I would be happy to make a post and get the league filled with fellow readers. I have played fantasy football for something like 15 years, made the playoffs many times, but never actually won.

For me, it kinda ruins the Sunday NFL experience, because I am more concerned about how well "my" players are doing rather than watching the game unfold and rooting for my teams. That is my issue, not anyone else. Plus I always end up filling out my roster with Detroit Lions or former Michigan players and get pissed off at them for performing so poorly.

Hammm's email:

I have created a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the upcoming NFL season. Live draft will be Saturday Aug 29th at 10pm EST. I made it open to 14 teams total with a 6 team playoff in weeks 15, 16, and 17. Yahoo is free to use and it's actually an enjoyable FF experience.

Here is the link to the home page.
http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/f1/465932
Password to be provided when you contact me

So there you have it, if you want to join, send us an email (spawnofmzone at gmail dot com) and I will send over the password to join. Open to the first 14 teams.

Sunday Swimsuit - Olivia Munn

We know what we are,
but know not what we may be.

~ William Shakespeare, Hamlet

Feagin to Appy State

ESPN is reporting that former Michigan QB/WR Justin Feagin is going to transfer to Appalachian State. As long as he is academically eligible, he could play this year for the Mountaineers. The details regarding his hasty exit from Ann Arbor have not become public yet.

Feagin was dismissed last month by RR for the all encompassing violation of team rules. I refuse to speculate about what the violation was, but it had to be pretty bad considering it took all of one day to remove him.

While he was with our program, Feagin never attempted a pass, but he did gain 49 yards on seven attempts, including an exciting 34-yarder in the second quarter at Minnesota.

Prepare yourselves to hear the following wise-cracks over and over:

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
or
He wanted to play for a better program.

My advice to any M fan out there looking to respond: SHUT UP. Until we start winning some games and erase the memory of the Appy State and Toldeo losses, you should have nothing to say.

Yea... I blew every day

T9 added this to the buffet yesterday, but the picture the Detroit Free Press posted with this story was just too perfect for an afternoon photoshop project.

In a preview of a future Outside the Lines episode, ESPN features an interview with the fallen Spartan/Lion Charles Rogers. During the interview he is pretty candid about his behavior and talks about...brace yourselves... that he smoked pot when he was a member of the Detroit Lions. Not just once or twice. Not during the off season when he was hanging with his entourage. Nope, Charles got high EVERY friggin DAY.

Say what you will about how bad the the Detroit Lions franchise is and what a failure Matt Millen was, but there is no way he could have predicted this level of stupidity. This idiot smoked away his talent and the millions of dollars he could have earned.

Wallpaper Wednesday: Typographic M

I was going for something more simple this week.

The initial concept had the repeated "michigan" on a 45 degree slant -- and the resulting M looked pretty much like our offense did all last year.

Off balance.
Confused.
Ugly.

Football for Player and Spectator

A good friend of mine is the offensive coordinator of his son's football team this season. He is no football neophyte, in fact he was a very good (all-state) high school wide receiver and he played a couple of years at a decent D3 program in Michigan. He called me this weekend looking for some ideas beyond the standard "QB under center with 2 RBs" concept that dominates his league.

After we talked a while, he thought it would be fun to try to teach his kids the basic spread offense running plays. So I pointed him to the 2002 West Virginia playbook that had been rolling around on the internets last summer. As I was searching for the PDF of the WVU playbook -- I ran into the incredible football playbook website : FAST and FURIOUS FOOTBALL.

This site is a absolute football coaching treasure chest. My favorite item is the 1905 illustrated book by Field Yost titled FOOTBALL FOR PLAYER and SPECTATOR. What it lacks in inspirational messaging and charisma it makes up for in the scientific approach to running Yost's 1905 offense. Sadly, the 1905 season delivered the first loss for Michigan football since Yost took over following the 1900 season.

There are tons of other items available on the site, including Fritz Crisler's 1947 single wing offense, Bo Schembechler's 1985 defense, and the 1997 National Champions defense.

Edit: Our friend Greg at MVictors reminded me in the first comment that he posted about Yost's book all the way back in March of 2008. He also provides a great link to the google books version of the manuscript, which has all the pages and clear images. Very cool. Thanks Greg !!!

Custom Cover - Martavious Odoms

A couple of weeks ago I added a post and some links to a group of guys that create custom covers for the popular NCAA Football video game. As it turns out these guys are pretty intense and quite organized. After looking at the examples, reading the tutorials, and experimenting with the style and concepts I am ready to share my initial attempt.

I give you Martavious Odoms.

I am fairly confident that having a custom video game cover made for you is nothing like the famous Sports Illustrated cover jinx, but I am knocking on wood anyway. If in fact there is some sort of weird jinx that falls on players, I am pretty sure we are going to be OK.

Sunday Swimsuit - Karolina Kurkova & Friends

Sorry for the late Sunday Swimsuit entry. I went camping this weekend and forgot to pre-load the post.

I think Karolina is the 2nd one from the right, but I can't be sure. I guess it really does not matter.