Happy 65th Birthday Coach

“I don't ever in my life remember going into any game feeling like I was an underdog. I certainly have never experienced that at Michigan.”
~ Lloyd Carr

36 days and a wakeup until the season starts.

Maurice goes back to school

Over the last seven years, I have made my fair share of Maurice Clarett jokes. Back in the old days of the MZONE, Maurice provided us all a lot of rivalry fueled laughs as we watched his life implode. The best part of the story at the time was he posed a serious threat the seemingly perfect teflon coating that surrounds Buckeye coach Jim Tressel. I have since come to realize that coating is impossible to damage.

When word came out last year about Maurice's blog, it was like a comedic ghost returning from the dead. I spent a some time reading it looking for more punch-line material. Instead, I was left with a far different impression of the man. No longer was he the villain I had created in my ridiculous internal college football rivalry battleground. I now saw a seemingly thoughtful and sensitive young man living in suspended animation hoping to get another chance at life.

Well, it looks like that life is taking an impressive positive step this week. Maurice was quietly released from prison in April, has been living in a "step out" program, and started taking classes a THE Ohio State University on Monday. Rather than make jokes about him and the buckeye football program, I want to take this opportunity to applaud him for this very important life choice. I have long believed that an education is the key to escape the prison of idiocy and poverty. It is refreshing to see someone with the history of Maurice Clarett make this step. I hope with all of my heart he succeeds in finishing his degree and makes something out of this life.

Also, congrats to Coach Tressel for apparently making the effort to help Maurice make this transition. I very rarely allow myself to say nice things about the devil in the red sweater vest, but it would have been very easy for him to turn his back on a guy that tried to submarine the OSU program. He did not do that and my only response is: Well done coach. Perhaps you might want to consider giving Rich Rodriguez and Michigan's football program a second chance at life and re-energizing the rivalry in November?

I now return to my normal state of irrational buckeye hate.

Wallpaper Wednesday : Hail Charles Woodson

The new TP

"The only reservation I have is I'm not so sure he doesn't train too much, It seems like he's there all day. He's just a worker..."

- Jim Tressel

Erin Andrews v tOSU

Not sure how this passed by last week without notice or comment.

Erin Andrews is suing THE Ohio State University and The Blackwell Inn on OSU's campus for negligence and invasion of privacy in connection with the secret videotaping of her by an Illinois man. She filed the suit in Cook County Illinois for negligence and invasion of privacy, about seven months after Michael David Barrett, of Westmont, Ill., pleaded guilty in federal court in Los Angeles to interstate stalking.

Andrews' lawsuit alleges the hotels confirmed where Barrett was staying and gave out her room number without her permission.

Barrett pleaded guilty in December to renting hotel rooms next to Andrews in three cities, altering the peepholes and shooting videos in two locations – in Columbus, Ohio, in February 2008 and in Nashville, Tenn., seven months later. Prosecutors accused him of contacting 14 hotels asking for Andrews' information. Barrett was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison in March.

Andrews is asking for more than $1.2 million from the hotels and Barrett for “severe and permanent emotional distress,” according to the complaint.

Ohio State has declined to comment.

Wallpaper Wednesday: Ryan Van Bergen

Three days in a row with posting something.... woooo hoooo!

If you are thinking you may have seen something like this before, you are right, it was 364 days ago. Here is hoping that RVB individually has the same type of season Brandon Graham did last year.

Over scheduled

I don't need to tell anyone that visits here on a regular basis, but things have been a little slow. Not a lot of college football stuff to comment on and when you add in a real job that requires me to like.... work, and this place is becoming down right boring. I'd like to blame T9, but I know she has a job and a life also.

In an effort to fix, I decided to put together a schedule wallpaper. and then I had another idea. and another, until I clearly went overboard. Rather than choose just one, I thought I would share them all. Let me know which one you like the best.

Will Campbell

Darryl Stonum

Michael Shaw

Denard Robinson

Tate Forcier

Roy Roundtree & friends

Denard

NCAA Football 11

Tonight at midnight, EA sports releases their latest and greatest version of the popular college football game, NCAA 11. My son has already pre-ordered his copy and I am sure he will be up earlier than he has been all summer to pick it up at BestBuy. By noon, he should have his first National Championship under his belt.

If you have not bought the game in the past couple of years, reports from the gaming community say this might be the year you need to get the new game. Improvements in the transitions, the addition of QB vision cone and player locomotion will be interesting. And yes, they have updated Michigan Stadium to include the new press box/suite structure.

The biggest issue for me at this point is the inclusion of Denver Bronco kick-returner Tim Tebow on the cover. Don't worry, there are plenty of custom covers available to replace the future NFL bust.

Custom Cover genius BIGDMO has a great collection, including Tate Forcier in all game consoles.



Denard Robinson is also available in a couple of different versions, one from cazihead and another from Spartyon6686.

Full resolution

Full resolution

And for those of you looking for an "old school" touch, veteran cover maker easportsfan1 made this Tom Brady version for PS3.

Full resolution

and finally, I created a Brandon Graham version this morning.

You can download my full version here.

Go Blue.

World Cup Final Open Thread

GOOOOOOAAAALLLLLLLL!

I know it is Spain v Netherlands, but I HAD to use this picture.

Magic act

"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE"
- Dan Gilbert. MSU '82



Couldn't get Izzo? Couldn't keep LeBron? I am pretty sure Magic is looking for a comeback venue.

LeBronedict

I don't care about the NBA, but anything that makes so many Ohioans so unhappy is alright in my book.

In my opinion, the sport is a baby step above professional wrestling in terms of actual competition. The LeBron-athon of the last week has been so nauseating, I am actually looking forward to watching the World Cup soccer final.

Thankfully, I had some old episodes of Two and a half Men on my DVR and missed the hour long ESPN "decision" special last night. From what I could gather, it was compelling television.

<---- Now the fun starts. Besides the incredible letter posted by Cavs owner (and Sparty grad) Dan Gilbert, the reaction to this circus has been simply awesome. The new material provided by scorned buckeye state fans will fill the gap until football season starts.

My favorite this morning is from James on WaitingForNextYear.com: Lebron, you are a worthless piece of crap. Enjoy being the second banana to Wade for the rest of your sorry career. Thanks for hosting an hour-long special to stick a knife in your hometown’s back. Thanks for quitting in the playoffs last year. Thanks for leaving, so the Cavs can get an actual superstar who will win on his own, and not hold the city and team hostage.

The front page of the Cleveland Plain Dealer is nicely done. One thing I do know, LBJ had better brush up on his spanish.

Sleep well Cleveland.... Long live the King.

Wallpaper Wednesday: Keep Believing

59 Days.

The Huskies are coming: 60

Happy 4th of July weekend

I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives.
I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.
~Abraham Lincoln

Happy Birthday America.

CWS Final

I was traveling back home yesterday and did not post a final College World Series entry. In case you missed it, South Carolina won in extra innings. Yes, the SEC is the greatest conference in the entire history of mankind. Blah Blah Blah.

16 games in 11 days - and it comes down to a single moment.

Whit Merrifield drives a pitch into right field.

Scott Wingo scores the winning run

Gamecock dogpile (I was up high, my son shot this one)

Trophy celebration

Jackie Bradley Jr = MVP

We now return to our regularly scheduled blogging.