Braylon, is that you?

Braylon, and his beard, have checked into NY Jets training camp. Yikes.

Photo via Twitter

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.

NFL Draft Open Thread

The first round is history, but there is still plenty of NFL draft fun out there.

Congrats to Brandon Graham on being selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round. Just when I was getting ready to stop watching McNabb-less Eagles games they do this to me. BG jersey's are already being sold, but number 55 is already taken by Eagles LB Stewart Bradley, so we don't know what BG's new number will be.

It was also a great first day for the Detroit Lions. Both Suh and Best should help make them a better team.

Who Dat?

Yea. I am not the angel of death afterall!

For the first time since Tom Brady beat the Carolina Panthers in 2004 -- the team I was rooting for actually won the Super Bowl !!

Congrats to the New Orleans Saints and former Michigan players and coaches: Jonathan Goodwin, Adrian Arrington, Mike Mallory, and Terry Malone. It was great game and the right team finally won.

Super Bowl Open Thread

The flooding of New Orleans is a sign that God is tired of seeing his creation mocked by the Mardi Gras and its perverted display of debauchery and exposed breasts.

~ Pat Robertson

Go SAINTS !!!!!!!

Wallpaper Wednesday: Super Bowl XLIV

Super Bowl Sunday is a big day for former Wolverines Jonathan Goodwin and Mike Hart. Goodwin is the starting center for the New Orleans Saints and Hart is a reserve running back for the Indianapolis Colts.

When he was in Ann Arbor, Goodwin played all three offensive line positions (center, guard, and tackle). He was name to the All B11 team as a senior. He was a 5th round draft pick by the Jets in 2002. As a four year started, Hart is the leading rusher in Michigan football history and produced a school record 28 career 100+ yard games. He was drafted by the Colts in the 6th round of the 2008 NFL draft.

Personally I am rooting for the Saints, but I won't be upset to see Mike Hart get a Super Bowl ring if the Colts happen to win.

Edit: I have fixed the link to the 1280x800 wallpaper version. I need to stop editing from my iPhone while waiting in line at the airport.

Brandon MVP

Congrats to Brandon Graham for winning the MVP of the 2010 Senior Bowl. After impressing the NFL scouts all week in practice, BG continued to dominate in the actual game where he collected five tackles, two sacks, one tackle for loss and forced a fumble.

He played defensive end all week, but there is some debate on whether he will play DE or OLB on Sundays. His first sack was a classic speed move around West Virginia tackle Selvish Capers. Later in the game, he showed his strength while bull-rushing Ciron Black of LSU. He is such a bad-ass, he didn't even need to wear his mouth piece on one of his stops.

Hail!

Playoffs Game Day Open Thread

photo HT: Michigan Football Saturdays

A few Michigan Men are still playing today:

For the Colts---Mike Hart and Marlin Jackson (on the IR)
For the J E T S JETS JETS JETS---Braylon Edwards, Jay Feely, and David Harris

For the Vikings---Big ol' Steven Hutchinson
For the Saints---Adrian Arrington and Jonathan Goodwin

You know what that means???
It means there will be a Michigan alum in the SuperBowl. A-gain.

Wallpaper Wednesday: NFL Defensive PoY

In a vote that was no surprise, Charles Woodson was named The Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Chuck received 28 of a possible 50 votes from a panel of media members.

It's the first award of its kind for Woodson, who earned his second straight and sixth career Pro Bowl bid this season and was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month in three of the four regular-season months. CW is the first cornerback to win the award since Deion Sanders in 1994. The award was first instituted in 1971.

Beware of the Angel of Death

Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.

~ Norman Cousins

Warning to all college and pro football fans reading this blog. I am the Angel of Death for any and all football teams I root for. This weekend has finally convinced me of this simple yet terrifying fact. For those that know me, I don't need to mention what has happened to the Michigan program or the Detroit Lions franchise. This weekend I cheered for, in order: Bengals, Eagles, Patriots, and Packers. Each and every one of them... GONE.

Be afraid. Very afraid.

Swimsuit Sunday - Wildcard Sunday

“Sunday is the golden clasp that binds together the volume of the week”

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Go Patriots!

NFL Playoffs

Now that the college football season is really over, I need to turn my attention to something until baseball arrives. The good news is the NFL playoffs start today and will run until early February. I will only have a couple of weeks of watching hockey before the college baseball season starts down here in Texas.

According to MGoBlue.com, Michigan's 24 NFL playoff players/coaches is the largest for any school. Not bad for an irrelevant football program scratching and clawing to get back to a mid-December bowl game.

Not that I ever need a reason to cheer for the demise of Jerry Jones, but the only NFL team with out some sort of Wolverine representation is the Dallas Cowboys.

Games today:
4:30 EST. New York Jets at Cincinnati Bengals.
The Jets have Kicker Jay Feely, LB David Harris, and WR Braylon Edwards. The Bengals have TE Carson Butler, LB Dhani Jones, CB Morgan Trent, and CB Leon Hall.

8:00 EST. Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys.
The Eagles have WR Jason Avant. The Cowboys suck.

Games on Sunday:
1:00 EST. Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots.
The Ravens have Assistant coach Andy Moeller and LB Prescott Burgess. The Patriots have LB Shawn Crable (injured), LB Pierre Woods, and QB Tom Brady.

4:40 EST. Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals.
The Packers have Assistant coach Mike Trgovac and all around badass Charles Woodson. The Cardinals have DT Gabe Watson, DT Alan Branch, and WR Stevie Breaston.

Hail !

Braylon's intro

As promised yesterday, here it is. I had to work a little bit to find the Braylon Edwards "Lloyd Carr's University if Michigan" intro from NBC's Sunday Night Football. I have uploaded it for you to judge for yourself. I have included the Bengals intros also to compare how Dhani Jones and Leon Hall do it.

Of course the Free Press is making a big deal of this. They even go as far as taking Dhani's statement of the obvious as a shot at RR. Whatever.

Call me a Blue Loyalist all you want, but none of this will matter if Michigan starts winning football games. If I were Rich Rodriguez - I wouldn't think twice about this. Braylon is a well documented ego-maniac prone to foot-in-mouth maneuvers. He has officially stated this was not a slap at RR, but rather a tribute to LC. Win some games and all this cannibalism goes away.

BIG hat tip to our friend Whet for the cannibilism image.

Braylon Braylon Braylon

I did not see it, but last night during the player introductions on NBC, Jets WR Braylon Edwards said he was from "Lloyd Carr's Michigan". I am looking for a clip of it, but have not found it yet. I will.

Of course the idiots at the Free Press and Spartantailgate have jumped all over it and are celebrating the shot at Rich Rodriguez as they have everything else over the last two years. The MGoIdiots are in full battle gear. Yawn.

This is not a battle in the war over the #1 jersey. Personally I think it is just another Braylon "engaging his mouth before his brain" moment. I am sure he is as frustrated as the rest of us with back to back losing seasons. Understanding he has an ego the size of Justin Boren's belly, I am sure he wanted to distinguish his time at Michigan away from the current situation. Given Braylon's history of self-centered idiotic moments, none of this is surprising to me.

At this point, I am not sure Rich Rodriguez will ever the chance to deliver what he was brought to Ann Arbor to do. The cloud hanging over this guy never seems to dissipate. I don't remember the fan base going crazy when Ty Law or Charles Woodson introduced themselves from their respective high schools rather than Michigan. Enough already.

Wallpaper Wednesday: Steve Breaston

This week I want to feature Arizona Cardinal WR Steve Breaston.

I doubt anyone (except maybe Johnny) expected Breaston to be anything more than a punt/kick returner in the NFL. Not so fast.... last year he broke out with a 77 catch and 1000 yard season helping the Cardinals to the Super Bowl.

Hail!

Wallpaper Wednesday: Chad Henne

Life has gotten in the way of blogging and original wallpaper creation. Here is a nice one of Chad Henne with the Dolphins.

Although I would like to take credit for this one, I did not make this. I found it. Here. Thanks GISH.

Adios Donovan

A good example of why NFL agents in general are slime bags and Drew Rosenhaus in particular is the devil. I am pretty sure Bo would have killed him sometime last night.

"I am confident in my abilities to play any receiver at the next level, I am hoping to be drafted in the first round."

I know I am biased but instead of listening to Rosenhaus and "hoping" to go in the first round -- why not stay, have a great senior season, and ensure you go in the first round.

I don't get it.

Wallpaper Wednesday: Tom Brady

Here is the second in my new series of NFL Wolverines.

Wallpaper Wednesday: Charles Woodson

I am going to start a wallpaper series of prominent NFL Wolverines. I will start with Charles.

There has been a lot of talk about what a great year Charles Woodson has been having for the Green Bay Packers. Many people think he is going to be named the NFL's Defensive MVP this year.

Wallpaper Wednesday: The Leaders and the Best

MAJOR HT to our reader Dakotapalm who offered up this gem during Andy's hiatus.
From the artist:
"I was inspired by a wallpaper I saw of five soccer greats from a UEFA
team; I thought of the Wolverine players that should grace such a
wallpaper. I decided to go with the all-time leading rusher, passer,
receiver and the two recent Heisman Trophy winners- more evidence of
the Michigan Wolverines as the Leaders and the Best."