Did we do it again? Yes we did! Here is our newest creation which was sent in to us by Mark Menendez. We call it the "FredetteAboutIt 32" shirt. It's got the classic Godfather script on the front. We should have them in available early next week so order yours today before they are sold out.
FredetteAboutIt 32 Shirt for sale
We didn't do a mailbag last week due to the underwhelming amount of questions we received so let's try this again. Send us your questions, thoughts and comments and we'll do answers on Tuesday. Thanks CrackHeadz!
mcpeters@sportscrack.com
matt@sportscrack.com
Whoever thought that must be crazy. Take the latest example of a player winning an arbitration hearing. Ross Ohlendorf had a spectacular 1 win and 11 loss season, yet won an arbitration hearing against the Pirates to get a raise from $439k to $2.025 million. That's just comical. What makes it more interesting is the Ohlendorf sports a career 4.40 ERA with 13 wins compared to 25 losses. I'm not sure what kind of person Ohlendorf is and he may be a saint, but when does that type of resume support an annual salary of $2.025 million?
It's not like the Pirates aren't hurting as a franchise as is. I have a wonderful idea, someone take "Big Ben's salary and give it to the Pirates to help build a team and bring some sort of winning back to the Pirates. Pittsburgh is in desperate need of some good news right now and this has to feel like someone is throwing knives at the Pirates as they are spinning on a wheel like a cheap carnival act. I understand taking care of players, but receiving over a $1 million for a 1 win season is ludicrous. Maybe I should head up the arbitration committee and the NCAA hearings process.
Thanks to ESPN and the AP for reporting this craziness!
North Carolina (+10.5) at Duke
This year is no different in ACC Basketball as UNC and Duke are the two best teams in the conference. Both teams have one loss in conference and whoever wins this game will more than likely win the regular season conference title. UNC is starting to come into their own. Harrison Barnes has been shining after struggling the first two months of the season. Look for Barnes to have a big game. Duke has been led by PG Nolan Smith who leads the ACC in points and assists. He would be the first player in ACC history to accomplish the feat. In what should be a classic game look for a high scoring affair that could come down to a last second shot. I like North Carolina as the heavy underdogs against their archrivals. Also a Moneyline bet on UNC to flat out win pays out 5.5-to-1 so you might want to go with the upset here.
Prediction: Duke 85 North Carolina 82
Louisville at Notre Dame (-4.5)
Holy shit can you believe Notre Dame is up to #7 in the country? Not too bad for a team who didn't receive a single vote in the preseason top 25 poll. Mike Brey's squad is 14-0 at the Joyce Center. Louisville is 3-3 on the road but one of those wins came at UCONN. You know head coach Rick Pitino will have the Cardinals ready for this game but I just can't see Notre Dame behind the stellar play of guard Ben Hansbrough losing this one on their home court.
Prediction: Notre Dame 74 Louisville 66
MONEYLINE PARLAY OF THE NIGHT: Take Texas, BYU, and Wisconsin all to win on the road. The payout is nearly 2-to-1 in games that SHOULD be all blowouts.
I guess if flash mobs are your thing this is pretty cool. This happened during the Kansas-Missouri game on Monday night and wasn't seen on TV. Next time they need to incorporate a stripper's pole. It would make it more interesting and realistic. Why realistic? Because once half these students are done with school and find out their degree won't nail them a job worth more than $35k a year they will soon be stripping and blowing dudes for cash in order to pay off those nasty student loans. And no I'm not being sexist. Those guys will be on their knees before you can cough Rock Chalk Cock Out.
Via ExtraMustard
This kind of shit never gets old for me. I can't help but laugh in anticipation for the face plant. Now don't get me wrong I hope the kid is ok and didn't have a bone sticking out of his ass but this kid deserved it right? I mean what kind of asshole tries to do a double backflip off a pogo stick? A fucking idiot that is who. This kid certainly won't be nailing any auditions for Cirque du Soleil much less girls with a face like that.
I'm all about trying new beers since I can get pretty bored with the usual water down beers during the cold months. My buddy Travis brought over an Imperial Stout beer made by SweetWater Brewing Company (Atlanta, GA) called "Happy Ending." It's mighty fucking tasty if I do say myself. It's got a 9.0% abv so you can't chug it like a normal light beer and honestly you don't want to because it tastes so damn good going down. It's got a roasty malt taste to it with almost a chocolate after taste to it. It goes down smooth in case you were wondering. Unfortunately there is no "happy ending" when it comes to the cost in your pocket as these 6 packs usually run about $9. It's worth a try nevertheless.
SportsCrack Grade: solid B+
I think we now know the name of the second gunmen on the grassy knoll. The 6-foot-3, 223-pound quarterback is a redshirt junior who has yet to throw a pass for the Huskies in a game. The kid obviously has deadly accuracy with no pads or helmet on. I think my favorite shot was the Domino's Pizza delivery guy.
Via TheBigLead
Sports Illustrated's lead college football writer Stewart Mandel has never been a big fan of Notre Dame. Generally when he gets the chance to throw a couple of jabs at the program he will take off the gloves and wail away. But today he posted an article that actually praises the direction the program is headed with head coach Brian Kelly and the recruiting efforts. Color me smitten!
The words have been uttered countless times over the past two decades, and each time they've proven premature. They elicit hope from a fan base desperate to reclaim its now-distant glory and groans from every other fan base in the country.
So brace yourself, because you're going to be hearing them again and again over the next 12 months.
Notre Dame is coming back.
Really.
We all know that SEC football is minor league football and with the exception of Vanderbilt going to classes is generally frowned upon if you play big boy football. With that being said it's time for Georgia head coach Mark Richt to stop with the nice guy routine and also stop hiding behind the Christian values umbrella he has surrounded himself with and flat out cut Washaun Ealey.
Right now Ealey is only suspended without pay.
ATHENS — Tailback Washaun Ealey’s future in the Georgia football program appears uncertain.
UGA said today that Ealey remains on the team but would not address accounts that he has been suspended indefinitely from the Bulldogs’ off-season activities.
“I can confirm that Washaun Ealey is still here and still on the team,” Georgia senior associate athletic director Claude Felton said in an e-mail. “That’s all the details I can provide.”
Ealey’s suspension is believed to stem from failing to show up for a disciplinary run last week.
Even before this issue, Georgia coach Mark Richt had raised the possibility of Isaiah Crowell — the prized running back signed last week — starting the season opener against Boise State in the Georgia Dome. Richt also has said that Ken Malcome, who was redshirted as a freshman last season, will contend for playing time at tailback.
There have been intermittent rumors since December that Ealey would consider transferring; he has previously denied that.
This is not Ealey’s first brush with trouble on the Georgia team. He was suspended from last season’s opening game because of an arrest for hit-and-run of a parked vehicle and driving with a suspended license. Richt was particularly upset about that incident because Ealey had assured coaches he would not drive while his license was suspended.
I got a little dust in my eye watching this. Just like when Ray played catch with his dad in "Field of Dreams" I could have sworn someone was cutting onions in the room because my eyes got a little irritated. It's great to see a star football player like DeSean Jackson making a difference in the community and showing a little heart. In case you were wondering his teammate Michael Vick couldn't make it. Apparently he had money on the bullies.
UGA officially hired Offensive Line Coach Will Friend from UAB. Can't say it much better than Watts Dantzler on Twitter, "Talked with new OL coach tonight! Great guy. Knew Richt would have a great hire! Can't wait till June 6! #godawgs #WD".
For more info on the "Friend"ly hire, check out the info from Seth Emerson's Bulldogs Blog below.
It's official: Will Friend has replaced Stacy Searels as Georgia's offensive line coach.
Here's a statement from head coach Mark Richt:
"Will has played and coached under some outstanding, nationally-recognized offensive coaches. He comes with a formidable resume of offensive football knowledge and experience. I got to see first hand his work ethic when he was a graduate assistant on our staff and since that time he's developed into a seasoned, top notch offensive line coach."
And here's a statement from Friend (whom you can read about in the previous blog post):
"I'm extremely excited about the opportunity to be the offensive line coach at Georgia. To have the chance to work with one of the top football programs in the country and with Coach Richt and the staff there is a tremendous opportunity for me. When I worked with Coach Richt and the staff as a grad assistant, I had a great experience and I always wondered if I might have the opportunity to come back to Athens. I am looking forward to getting to work."
UGA says Friend's title is just offensive line coach, so he apparently will not have the title of running game coordinator, as Searels did.
Of the 120 FBS (formerly Division I-A) teams, UAB last season ranked 15th in fewest sacks allowed (12), 30th in total offense (423 yards per game), 24th in passing offense (267 yards per game) and 59th in rushing offense (156 yards per game).Don't forget you can follow me @twitter.com/mcpeterj for all the latest info I have... that I'm allowed to share of course!
PItt(Pick Em) over West Virginia
The Panthers bring a 9-1 Big East record into Morgantown against their arch rivals. They call this backyard brawl. I just think it will be a good Big East game that will come down to the wire. I like Pitt here. They have a legitimate shot of winning the Big East and should come in focused tonight. I see Ashton Gibbs putting up 25 tonight.
Mizzou at Kansas (-11)
Pretty simple here. Kansas is the superior team. They are at home and this is suppose to be a rivalry game. Last year KU blew out Mizzou twice by double digits. I think Kansas is an even better all around team this season. The Morris twins will dominate in the paint and Kansas will cover the 11.
Brings back memories of driving down in Miami. I guess as long as you honk your horn you can pretty much drive over anybody you choose. In Egypt the police vans act like it's Tokyo Drift and just run over pro-democracy protesters. Just watching this video makes me appreciate living here and not there.
I thought overall the Super Bowl commercials were lame. Some of the beer ones were good and I like the Volkswagon one with the kid playing Darth Vader but the other car commercials were terrible. Please stop with the Detroit made, you gotta buy American blah blah propaganda bull shit. Build something nice, affordable, and doesn't break down at 100,000 miles and I will start buying it. Honestly I have no right to knock American cars since I drive a Dodge Durango and before that I was a Jeep guy. I guess I'm a sucker when it comes to American built. On to the original subject at hand and that is Kim Kardashian's ass. Ok her Sketchers commercial. This was suppose to be controversial? So what if the guy is trying to pile drive her. Who wouldn't? Have we swung into the dark ages where you can't show some skin without people flipping out? Are we going to start cutting off cocks and sewing together 'ginas all because there might be a little sex involved with selling a product? Sex sells! Personally I was hoping to see the Kim K-Ray Jay video and then at the very end they could have superimposed some Sketchers on his cock or something. Now that would have been controversial.
Congratulations go out to Cheesehead Nation with the Green Bay Packers winning their 4th Super Bowl. I got my preseason prediction right with the Packers winning (got 8-to-1 odds at the time) so I won a little money. Unfortunately yesterday I picked the Steelers to win so I lost some money too. I should have stuck with the hot team. Oh well. You live and learn. I think a solid argument can be made for Aaron Rodgers being the best NFL quarterback in the game. I know Tom Brady swept the MVP votes by garnering all 50 and Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are great quarterbacks in their own right but if I had to pick one to be the face and leader of my franchise I would have to go with Rodgers.
Now with the NFL over hopefully they can get this collective bargaining agreement hammered out. No 18 game schedule owners. It's fucking dumb and irresponsible. No rookie salary cap either. The owners already make a shitload of money so stop being greedy and pay the players what they deserve. Usually I don't side with the player's union but in this case I'm all in for them.
The long wait is finally over. You got Black n Yellow vs. Green n Yellow. Big Ben vs. Aaron Rodgers. Two storied franchises battling it out for NFL supremacy. Pittsburgh vs. Green Bay in the comfortable confines of the Dallas Cowboys Stadium.
I've been going back and forth on this game. Both of these teams are evenly matched so it's hard to pick a definitive winner. I like the Packers offense with Rodgers running the show but I also love the Steelers defense with Troy knocking out receivers. In a close game I got to favor the better defense. Rapelisberger always comes through in big games like this. I'm taking Pittsburgh with a last minute drive.
Line: Green Bay (-2.5)
Prediction: Pittsburgh 24 Green Bay 21
MVP: Roethlisberger
Check out the live streaming press conference of John Jenkins picking between the Gaytors and UGA here @ Scout.com.
UPDATE: The massive defensive tackle has picked UGA. He will start immediately at nose tackle in Georgia's base 3-4 defense. Jenkins is the most important recruit for Mark Richt and his staff and his impact will be tremendous.
The NFL is a cold, heartless bitch who will not even let you mention the words "Super" and "Bowl" together without throwing a lawsuit your way. It should come as no surprise that today a fan was seriously injured from falling ice from the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. And Commissioner Roger Goodell insists on Atlanta getting a new stadium before it will ever get another Super Bowl. At least we don't critically injure people with ice in Atlanta. Sure we may rob you and not sell you alcohol on Sunday but we will never try to kill you.
ARLINGTON, Texas — A Super Bowl safety committee official says five people have been injured by falling ice at Cowboys Stadium.
Valdez says one person has been critically injured and taken to the hospital. He didn't immediately know about the others.
He says he could not say why those injured were at the stadium.
What could possibly go wrong with two flamboyant boys with lisps catching a cheerleader from the second floor?
What's up CrackHeadz? Follow me on Twitter @ twitter.com/mcpeterj for the latest... just sayin...
With signing day over and with just a few remaining top prospects still yet to announce (Clowney in particular) I figured I would give you a top 10 preseason/post National Signing day poll.
Here is my early list. Expect a lot to change from now and August when injuries, transfers, coaching changes, arrests, prostitution, and grand theft all could throw a monkey wrench into the order. But enough about USC football, let's take a look at the rest of the nation.
1. LSU TIGERS-Yes I know they got one of the biggest dipshits for a head coach but they also have the most talent of any team in the nation. When the Tigers are dominating the rest of the SEC it is because they have the best, most physical linemen on both sides of the ball. I see them running the ball at will and stopping the run despite the loss of some key players such as DT Drake Nevis and CB Patrick Peterson. They open the season with Oregon at Cowboys Stadium. Whoever wins the game will be in the BCS Title game.
2. Oklahoma Sooners-The Sooners return QB Landry Jones, WR Ryan Broyles, and 29 other players who have at least started one game while in Norman. This will probably be Bob Stoops best team at least on paper. The only team I see knocking them off in conference play is Okie State and they do play the Semenholes in Tallahassee on Sept. 17th. Win those two games and I think they go undefeated.
3. Oregon Ducks-The Ducks will benefit from playing in a rather weak conference. The Pac-12 isn't the same when USC is obviously down and UCLA blows. Even their homestate rival Beavers are nothing to shout about. The Ducks have QB Darron Thomas and LaMichael James back on offense so they will put up a ton of points. Lookout for freshman DeAnthony Thomas too. He looks like a special player and they got him out of the Trojan's backyard. The key for the Ducks is to keep the momentum from last season and replace three starters on the offensive line. If they can plug in guys and beat LSU to open the season then they have a solid shot of playing for another BCS Championship.
4. Boise State Broncos-The Smurfs should have been undefeated last season if they didn't have Finkle as a kicker. This team is legit so please stop arguing with me. They can beat the big boys and with QB and leading Heisman contender Kellen Moore back they will probably lay a hurting on Georgia in Atlanta to start off the season. They joined the Mountain West Conference so they will be hosting TCU this season. If they can beat the Horned Frogs they have a great shot of going undefeated. Deal with it BCS dickheads.
5. Stanford Cardinal-They have the best QB in the nation in Andrew Luck back. They have key starters back on defense even with having to replace 7 of them. The problem is they have no Jim Harbaugh who is now with the 49ers. Can they keep the momentum from a 12-1 season with a new coach? Honestly I'm not sure. But with Luck I think anything is possible and former offensive coordinator David Shaw is the new head coach so I don't think they have a huge adjustment going on in Palo Alto with philosophies. Stanford also plays their two toughest games at home with Oregon and Notre Dame both visiting.
6. Arkansas Razorbacks-Call me crazy but I think Arkansas could be a sleeper SEC Championship team next year. They play in the toughest division in the SEC West and they must replace Ryan Mallett but I think Tyler Wilson has the ability to step in and replace him. I'm a big fan of their running game with Knile Davis and their defense should be a lot better than last season. People tend to forget they went to the Sugar Bowl and not Bama or LSU or Florida. Bobby the Snake will have this team playing incredible football.
7. Oklahoma State Cowboys-I'm still in shock WR Justin Blackmon came back. With Blackmon and QB Brandon Weeden returning the Cowboys just need to find a replacement for Kendall Hunter and they shouldn't have a problem scoring. Incoming freshman Herschel Sims could be that guy and look for him to make an immediate impact at the tailback position. They get the Sooners at home but make no mistake they are going to have to put up 40 points minimum a game to stay in the top 10 next year. Their defense is suspect.
8. Ohio State Buckeyes-The Buckeyes are without a doubt the best team in the Big Ten in 2011. Wisconsin and Michigan State should take steps back and even with the 5 starters suspended for the first 5 games including QB Terrelle Pryor they should be able to weather a weak front end schedule. The key for the Buckeyes is finding replacements for all their linebackers who are gone and Cameron Heyward on the d-line. I think incoming freshman Curtis Grant could make a huge impact at ILB. Just stay away from the tattoo parlors kid.
9. Alabama Crimson Tide-I still don't know how in the hell they lost 3 games last season with the talent they had coming back. They completely blew the Auburn game. But that was last year and you know Nick Saban will have them hungry come fall. They gotta find a QB to replace Greg McElroy. McElroy wasn't the greatest but he was efficient and wouldn't lose the game for Bama. Either Phillip Sims or AJ McCarron will be the starter. You lose Mark Ingram and Julio Jones but I think Bama has the depth to not lose much with Trent Richardson due for a breakout season at tailback and Julio in my mind was always overrated. The Bama defense will be one of the best in the nation with All-American LB Dont'a Hightower back along with safety Mark Barron. I will probably move up Bama before my final preseason poll comes out but right now they sit 3rd in the SEC West. Amazing.
10. TCU Horned Frogs-TCU will be playing their last season in the Mountain West before leaving to the Big East in 2012. The defending Rose Bowl Champs have to replace QB Andy Dalton but it won't matter since it has always been their perennial top 5 defense that wins them games. If they can beat Boise State on the Smurf Turf then we might see coach Gary Patterson's Horned Frogs back in another BCS game trying to finish yet another undefeated season.
Just missed the cut:
Florida State Seminoles-The ACC blows so it wouldn't be a shock to see them win it in 2011. If they beat Oklahoma (a big if) at home then they will shoot up to top 5 in the rankings.
South Carolina Gamecocks-They looked like shit at the end the season vs. Auburn and FSU but they got everybody coming back including star RB Marcus Lattimore and WR Alshon Jeffery.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish-Virtually every starter comes back for a team who might have been the hottest the last third of the season. They got to settle on a QB (Dayne Crist back from another major knee injury) and find ways to get the ball into their playmakers hands (Michael Floyd, Theo Riddick, and Cierre Wood) but what will make them a legit top 10 team and BCS contender is their defense. Don't be surprised if ND has a top 10 defense next year with LB Manti Te'o leading the charge.
Auburn Tigers-The defending BCS Champs lost the two best players at their respective positions in the nation in Heisman winner Cam Newton and DT Nick Fairley. Those guys can't simply be replaced and expect the same results for Auburn next season. Auburn does have a top 5 class coming in and expect big things from them in 2012. Not so much in 2011 though.
Just kidding...
In case you do want to see this kid's highlights on you tube though...
In all honestly, Nick Marshall has to be the most underrated player UGA signed this year. The kid threw for 2,791 yards, 41 touchdowns, 15 interceptions and ran for another 684 yards and 9 touchdowns and the kid signed as a DB. He also runs a legit 4.46 40. To top that off, he is a highly rated point guard who will also play basketball for the Dawgs. Check out the Nick Marshall recruiting video as provided by ESPN here.
For some bizarre fucked up reason Anthony Rabasa only got 3 stars when evaluated by Rivals but I believe he has the ability to be the best player in Notre Dame's 2011 class. The 6'3, 220 lb weakside defensive end doesn't get near the publicity of 5 star recruits and fellow classmates Stephon Tuitt, Aaron Lynch and Ishaq Williams and I really don't understand why. The Miami, FL product received offers from Florida, FSU and Miami amongst many other schools and yet he seems to be the unnoticed recruit on defense.
Rabasa has a nonstop motor who reminds me exactly of David Pollack when he was a 3 time All-American at Georgia. You can tell on video he has an extremely explosive first step and I believe he will add enough weight (put on another 20-30 lbs during his freshman season) to be a fixture with Lynch and Tuitt at defensive end. He is not nearly as hyped as those guys and I think it will help him in college. Rabasa has to prove to everybody including his classmates that he belongs on the field.
Bold prediction: By 2012 Rabasa will be making a huge impact for the Notre Dame defense as a DE/OLB in the 3-4 defense and will turn into a great college player. Pulling Rabasa out of Miami will pay off huge dividends for Notre Dame and I would not be shocked at all to see him develop into a consensus All-American.
This is the first time I have heard new Michigan head coach Brady Hoke speak and it gives me even more confidence to say Michigan is going to be mediocre for a while. Not only does he sound like my drunk 5th grade PE teacher but he says they are going to concentrate their recruiting in hotbeds such as Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Western PA. This is great news for Notre Dame and Ohio State followers because those states don't exactly produce the best college football talent. All though I will say the state of Ohio does usually produce some good talent but this past recruiting cycle it was down. The southeast, Texas, and California are where you usually find the elite talent but whatever, you just go ahead and recruit the Midwest with a passion Brady.
On to the awkward part: Rich Rodriguez interviewing the guy he was replaced with. Rodriguez handles himself pretty well all things considered. He does have that defeatist look on his face like he just found out his wife had been banging his best friend. As much shit as I gave Rodriguez when he was at Michigan I still think he is a good college football head coach in the right situation. Ann Arbor clearly was never the right one. Everyone knew this from the beginning except the Michigan AD. I wouldn't be shocked to see him in a place like Clemson or even North Carolina next year if those programs decide to make a change. My suggestion for DickRod at his next coaching stop would be to find a great defensive coordinator. And also don't cry or sing in front of your players.
This might have the best line I have ever heard in a Super Bowl rap song: "We gonna toast these niggas...Pop Tarts!" and "I'm in Wisconsin smoking Amsterdam!
Dude I love Pop Tarts and Amsterdam. Lil Wayne knows how to hook in the early 30's white audience.
Yeah dude, next time ya might want to look where you are fucking throwing asshole. This kid is lucky to be alive. Or is he?
The #1 offensive tackle in the nation, Cyrus Kouandjio, still has no fucking clue where he wants to go to college just a day after he declared he would be going to Auburn. The 6'7 322 lb DeMatha, MD tackle prospect has supposedly narrowed his choices to Auburn, Alabama (where his brother plays), and Iowa. Iowa? Don't laugh because yesterday the kid was still heavily considering New Mexico (they won 1 game last year).
To say this kid is confused would be an understatement. I've heard reports he had a hard time choosing between waffles and pancakes this morning. Maybe he wanted to throw some exotic in there for breakfast like huevo rancheros. His father told TideSports.com there will be no announcement till Friday at the earliest.
"If he makes a decision today, you will have it tomorrow in the morning," Jean Claude Kouandjio, the father, said. "He's still confused. We keep talking with him, I don't think he's ready yet. He's the one that who wants more time."
"He's deciding between Alabama, Auburn and even Iowa. It may even come back to Iowa. He's considering his options even more now. Those three (schools) have been floating in his mind"
Yeah I know this hip check is from a couple of nights ago but I thought it deserved some attention. Ovechkin played hacky sack with P.K. Subban. Those Ruskys know how ta plah da game right eh?
Holy shit that was embarrassing. The Islanders Rick DiPietro takes one solid punch and he goes down. Yeah keep on the goalie mask ya fucking twinkle toes.
Every fucking night this kid has a highlight dunk. Tomorrow night the Clippers come to Atlanta and I'm actually thinking about getting my lazy ass down there to see him. The last visiting player I wanted to see in person was Michael Jordan. Yes, Blake Griffin is bringing back the NBA.
DeAnthony Thomas is a five star athlete who hasn't made up his mind if he is going to stick with commitment to USC or go to Oregon and compete for PAC-12 Titles. Thomas calls himself "The Black Mamba" because you need a black mamba to penetrate the orphices of one Shelley Smith. All kidding aside why the hell are USC alums calling Thomas and begging him to stick with the Trojans? It's a clear NCAA violation for the program and it's not like they are on probation or anything right now. Somehow USC is going to sign 29 recruits this year despite the fact they are suppose to be losing 5 scholarships per year for 3 years according to the sanctions brought down by the NCAA. This means they can only recruit 40 kids for the next 3 years right? Because once they go over 70 (max scholarships is 85) it would be in direct violation of the NCAA sanctions. All this shit is confusing but what is not is that USC continues to bend the rules and laugh at everybody in the process. I sincerely hope their program dies and/or Shelley Smith eats them.
Video via TheBigLead
What you don't see is the slaughtered Elephant representing Bama to Isaiah Crowell's right. Sure we all see the cute English Bulldog puppy and for good reason. Puppies are adorable. But what about the discarded elephant? Crowell has set off a dangerous precedent that will have a ripple effect for years to come.
I'm still waiting to get confirmation if Troy Niklas brought a leprechaun on stage after he suffocated Tommy Trojan with an extra large Trojan.
She's lucky there wasn't an Ohio State recruit working security at LAX.
Picture via Egotastic
I literally can't stop laughing at this screen grab. You can see the sadness and hatred burning deeply in Rich Rod's eyes. This is what people saw in Jeffrey Dahmer's eyes before they were put in the freezer section.
Seriously why the fuck would you send a guy like Anderson Cooper to the middle of Egypt to cover a riot? I mean did you not think a pretty white boy would stick out among those jackals? Just another reason why CNN is falling behind FOX News and MSNBC for news. From my confidential sources I've been told Cooper enjoyed getting gang banged...I mean beaten up by a bunch of gorillas.
Since today is National Signing Day why not focus on a former 5 star all world recruit who never lived up to his potential coming out of high school. Today we learned that USC quarterback Mitch Mustain, the guy Charlie Weis turned down at Notre Dame because he was recruiting Jimmy Clausen, was arrested last night after selling prescription drugs to an undercover cop. It's the little things that count.
Mustain, 22, was arrested Tuesday at 8:10 p.m. and was booked on the felony charge at the West Valley-area station, according to Los Angeles Police Department officials. Mustain was released after posting $30,000 bail.
The arrest came as the result of a sting operation, but police did not elaborate on details of the case.
Mustain did not return phone or text messages seeking comment.
Not all is well in Columbus on Signing Day. Incoming recruit Chris Carter was arrested yesterday for fondling girls while pretending to measure and fit them for their ROTC uniforms. HAHA...why the fuck did I never think of that in high school?
Cleveland Police said a 15-year-old girl told officers that Carter took her out of her classroom and into a room behind the JFK auditorium and told her he needed to measure her for the uniform.
"Once inside the room, (Carter) asked the victim to take off her sweatshirt and shirt so he could take her measurements," the police report said. "He cut off the lights. . . and stated 'I need you to take your bra off.' The arrested male than put his arms under her arms from behind and attempted to pull her bra up."
The girl told police she refused to cooperate and left the room.
The Georgia Bulldogs completed their "Dream Team" on National Signing Day with the commitment of the #1 tailback in the nation in Isaiah Crowell. Crowell is from nearby Columbus, GA and picked the Bulldogs over Alabama.
If you watched UGA last season you could tell that tailbacks Washaun Ealey and Caleb King were not going to be the "home run" type backs that Georgia has been accustomed to with the likes of Knowshon Moreno, Garrison Hearst, Rodney Hampton, and of course Herschel Walker. Crowell has a great chance of being one of the elite RB's in the SEC next season. If you remember how much of an impact Marcus Lattimore made for South Carolina this past season then get ready for Crowell to have the same opportunity.
I know high school 5 star recruits are 50/50 when it comes to realizing their potential in college but I believe Crowell will be more Hearst than Jasper Sanks in Athens.
Georgia finished off strong by landing a top 5 class and 2011 will be a make or break season for Mark Richt and his staff.
The Ohio State Buckeyes finished their 2011 class out with a bang with the signing of Curtis Grant, the #1 linebacker in the country and #2 player overall according to Rivals.com. The Richmond, VA native Grant had narrowed his choices to Florida, North Carolina, and his home state Virginia Cavaliers but decided Jim Tressel and Columbus would be the best fit. This is a huge get for the Buckeyes. Grant to me was one of the most impressive football players with his instincts and just overall athleticism in the All-Star games. He has a chance to make an immediate impact for the Buckeyes with the losses of all three starters in Andrew Sweat, Ross Homan, and Brian Rolle at linebacker. Expect to hear big things soon from Grant.
This is why you need to respect your elders. I think since MMA has come around everybody thinks they know how to fight because they watched it on television. In the meantime these old bastards who had to fight and work their way up society's ladder just sit waiting for some dickhead bully to come and fuck with them. The lesson is just because you see Herschel Walker kicking the shit out of people on Showtime doesn't mean your slow, lazy, drunk ass can do it to some guy who probably trained with the NAZIS.
I'm not going to jinx myself and tell you I've been nailing all my college basketball picks at an incredible rate but I'm also not going to lie to you at the same time. Take these picks for what they are worth.
KANSAS(-13.5) AT TEXAS TECH
Kansas is a legitimate Final Four team (right up there with Texas and Ohio State) and has been on a bit of a roll lately. I know Bill Self isn't good luck in Texas Tech (hasn't won) but KU on paper is much stronger than the Red Raiders. I think Kansas wins big in Lubbock.
UNC (-3) AT BOSTON COLLEGE
Since the Tar Heels got their asses handed to them by Georgia Tech they have been playing lights out. Barnes is starting to look like the freshman everybody thought he could be during the preseason. From top to bottom UNC is a more physical and talented team than BC. I'm going with another road team to cover the spread. Take the Heels.
PENN STATE (+8) AT ILLINOIS
There really is no reason the Illini should be favored by this much. They have lost 4 of the last 5. Penn State on the other hand has won 4 of the last 6 with the two losses being on the road by less than 5 points against ranked conference opponents. Illinois will probably win but take PSU with the +8.
PURDUE AT WISCONSIN (Money Line)
I think Wisconsin could win big at home here since they are undefeated and Purdue isn't the greatest of road teams. But I'm going to be a little conservative here and take Wiscy with the money line bet because I'm not sure they cover the 5. The payout is still good (say you lay 1k on the Badgers it pays out 1.44K) and I think there is some money to be made here.
For those avid baseball fans like Matt and I, getting to know Rob Neyer through his rants and raves on ESPN.com, particularly his blog SweetSpot, since 1996 has been an absolute pleasure. I've spent countless hours over the last 27 years being in love with the game and desperately praying that baseball would always be a part of me and I would always be a part of it. I owe a lot of that to dedicated people like Mr. Neyer who have tirelessly worked to come up with stories, facts, figures, portrayals, and predictions regarding the game that has become so much a part of me. To all of the other sports bloggers, sports writers, and sports reporters, we here at SportsCrack may think we're better than you, but your work is appreciated and truly keeps us going. Thanks Rob, for all you've done for baseball, for all you've done for ESPN, and for all you've done for me over the last 15 years!
To this day I still think Herschel Walker is the greatest college football player of all-time. The guy was a beast at Georgia and could have easily won 3 Heismans if the voters voted like they do today (back then freshmen and sophomores were frowned upon by Heisman voters).
Herschel is now 48 years old and still kicking ass. Now he is just doing it in MMA against guys half his age. I'm not a huge fan of the mixed martial arts/ultimate fighting stuff but I did watch Herschel whoop some ass Saturday night on Showtime. You could tell he still does his 1000 push ups a day and he claims last year he ran a 4.4 40 yard dash. Is there any doubt Herschel could play in the NFL as a fullback? I bet he could be a killer linebacker. If he can survive MMA at 48 I think he could probably still cut it in the NFL.
If the Atlanta Falcons want to create some more buzz for next season I suggest they invite him to tryouts. The local legend already has a cult following and I wouldn't mind seeing him wear the NFL's version of the red and black in 2011.
What do you think about Herschel? Could he play in the NFL at the age of 48?
Seriously what the fuck is this guy on? Every single night he has a new highlight. You know Blake Griffin is young enough to be Michael Jordan's long lost son. Just saying.
I could hear Josh Smith whisper to all the d-bag Knicks fans in attendance last night at the Highlight Factory. You know what he said?
"GO FUCK YOURSELF NEW YORK!"
I do find it kind of humorous all the people who live up north bitching about the weather on Facebook. Jesus, fucking move already if you are sick of the snow. It's fucking January and you live in a cold weather city. You have no right to bitch about the snow or delays or any of that shit. There is a reason why I moved back to the South. The women are hotter and it doesn't snow 3-4 months a year.
By the way awesome form by the guy while falling off the roof. He could have killed himself but he didn't. He shrugged and laughed it off. Jay Cutler would still be crying like the little bitch he is. Now excuse me while I go get a band aid for this paper cut. It's never a good idea to flip pages with your cock.
I have to give props to Chip Towers who always puts together great news when it comes to college recruiting. You can check him out over at the AJC writing almost daily on the college football recruiting blog. I shared some insider information about a week ago here and I wanted to point out something Ray Drew said.
“I just want to say to Jay (Jay Rome) at the end of his announcement, I heard your call,” Drew said. “And now I’ve given an answer. Isaiah Crowell, we’re waiting on you; Antonio Richardson, we’re waiting on you; John Jenkins, we’re waiting on you; and Jeoffrey Pagan, we’re waiting on you. Come join what we’re putting together, the Dream Team. But remember, a dream is only a dream until you make it reality. So I’m calling you out on this one. I hope you’re not afraid to be thrown into the fire. I hope you’re not afraid to be the ones to make the change.”
Dunk you very much Derrick Williams! Talk about getting some fucking sky astronaut. Williams took the alley oop pass from Kevin Parrom and did his best Blake Griffin impression. I'm almost positive ESPN's Rece Davis jizzed in his pants during this highlight. I know I did.
Video via ExtraMustard
A Virginia State trooper pulled a car over on I-64 about 2 miles south of the Virginia/West Virginia State line..
When the trooper asked the driver why he was speeding, the driver said he was a Magician and Juggler and was on his way to Beckley, WV to do a show at the Shrine Circus. He didn't want to be late.
The trooper told the driver he was fascinated by juggling and said if the driver would do a little juggling for him then he wouldn't give him a ticket. He told the trooper he had sent his equipment ahead and didn't have anything to juggle.
The trooper said he had some flares in the trunk and asked if he could juggle them.
The juggler said he could, so the trooper got 5 flares, lit them and handed them to him.
While the man was juggling, a car pulled in behind the patrol car. A drunken good old boy from West Virginia got out, watched the performance briefly, then went over to the patrol car, opened the rear door and got in. The trooper observed him and went over to the patrol car and opened the door asking the drunk what he thought he was doing.
The drunk replied, "You might as well take my ass to jail, because there ain't no way I can pass that test."
You gotta love the complete honesty of Tracy Morgan. Morgan never misses a chance at saying something outlandish which in this case is pretty fucking funny. I love Charles Barkley's shit eating grin too when he says it. Ernie Johnson looks like he just shit himself.
Video via TheBigLead
In what turned out to be the least shocking in regards to recruiting announcements Ray Drew, the 6-ft-5 250 lb defensive end from Thomasville, picked the heavily favored Georgia Bulldogs over Auburn and LSU. Just last week Drew promised to "shock the world" on Facebook with his announcement but in the end it turned out exactly like a M Night Shyamalan film: boring and predictable.
Drew is a licensed minister who preaches in churches after destroying his opponents on the gridiron. I call him the "Pastor of Disaster" because he is a consensus 5 star recruit who is ranked the #1 weakside defensive end by Rivals.com and #2 by ESPN. He is projected to play more of an OLB role at Georgia and should have a chance to compete for a starting position right away with the early departure of Justin Houston to the NFL Draft.
Drew is another member of the "Dream Team" to join the 2011 class. UGA has already landed Jay Rome, Malcolm Mitchell, Xzavier Ward, Sterling Bailey, Damian Swann and are looking to close out with 5 star tailback Isaiah Crowell.
Mark Richt is doing a hell of a job recruiting for a program coming off two disastrous seasons.
Here are some highlights of the "Pastor of Disaster"....
Image courtesy of accessnorthga.com
Here at SportsCrack, you could say we are brash, you could say we don't care and you'd be right, but we do have some kind of heart and it shows. After numerous, okay, maybe just a few, requests for a mail bag, here it is. Email me @ mcpeters@sportscrack.com or Matt @ matt@sportscrack.com and get in our heads. We'll be doing this weekly on Thursdays and posting answers on Tuesdays. Keep it juicy and don't worry, we won't hold back.
"So, in closing, I'd like to give big ups to God, Buddha, L. Ron, whoever. Hell, maybe I just need to thank me. If there's one thing I've learned through all my adventures and conquests, it's that some people are just wired for success. I had no choice when it came to being great. I just am great. I'm not trying to sound cocky or full of myself, but Kenny Powers has a sneaking suspicion that no matter what comes his way he will always be great. Because that's just the way shit works sometimes. This has been based on a true story. The motherfuckin' end." - Kenny Powers
Image Courtesy of georgiadogs.comAlso, word on the street is that Jeoffrey Pagan has decommitted from Clemson and that Clemson will not be sending scholarship paperwork to either Pagan nor Ray Drew. Even the Clemson insiders over at Scout.com think that Pagan will probably sign with UGA. I'm hearing that UGA staff is visiting both Crowell and John Jenkins this week before the dead period and that at least one UGA staffer will be at the Drew press conference on Friday.
Drew, by the way, said it was he, not the college teams recruiting him, who canceled all the in-home visits scheduled for this week. Clemson, Auburn and LSU were all due in his Thomasville home this week, but Drew said he asked them not to come.“I needed this week just to breathe a little bit and clear my mind,” the 6-foot-5, 250-pound defensive end said. “I didn’t want to talk to any more coaches.”
Drew is going to announce his decision Friday morning at 10 a.m. at Thomas County Central High School. That has required a lot of his time to get ready. Not only has he had to figure out who he’s going to pick — he already knows, by the way — and how he’s going to do it, but he also is having to juggle his academic schedule. He’s having to take one test today that was scheduled for Friday so he can get it out of the way.
“I’m ready to get it out and get it over with,” he said.
Drew offered no hints or intentional deflections were provided by Drew this time. He said will talk about finalists Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, LSU and Miami on Friday. But there will be no hat ceremony, he said. “Only the one I’m going to put on my head when I say where I’m going.
Seriously I was just waiting for her to start motorboating. If I didn't flunk Spanish all those years I would interpret what exactly they were saying but it wouldn't be as sexy as just not knowing. You know what I'm saying. Sometimes the mystery of a foreign language while some broad gropes on boobs is something I don't want spoiled by real English words. Oh and by the way a guy would never get away with this shit on camera.
Video via Ebaum's World
How come I never get invited to parties like this? It must be because I tend to strip down and piss on everyone when I get drunk. Apparently I was raised in much more liberal household. Props go out to her finishing the shot by the way. She's marriage material.
Video via Ebaum's World
Taylor Dever-Starting right tackle who's play improved greatly last season. He will again be the starter at right tackle in what should be an excellent line in 2011.
Gary Gray-Top cornerback on the team and a top five corner in the nation. Gray is one of the best tacklers from the corner position and was a huge reason why the Notre Dame defense was so greatly improved in 2010. Should be an eventual starter in the NFL.
Andrew Nuss-Backup to Taylor Dever at offensive tackle. Provides much needed depth and experience for the Irish line.
Mike Ragone-Backup tight end to Tyler Eifert. Ragone has battled injuries since high school but when he plays he is the best blocking tight end. Was a must get since Kyle Rudolph left early for the NFL.
David Ruffer-Finalist for the Lou Groza Award this past season and should be on scholarship in 2011. One could argue that Ruffer was the MVP of the team. A fan favorite even though NBC butchers his name.
Harrison Smith-Starting safety who had an excellent 2010. He has transformed himself into one of the best safeties in the nation. Had a game saving pick vs. USC at the end of the game and also had 3 picks in the bowl game vs. Miami. Named a captain along with Michael Floyd for 2011.
From what I see on paper only offensive lineman Matt Romine and defensive lineman Emeka Nwankwo were not asked back for 5th years. As of now with the 23 incoming recruits and the 5 fifth-years back Notre Dame has a full roster of 85. Notre Dame doesn't "gray-shirt" like the SEC schools do so if they take on anymore recruits before signing day or a transfer like Prestwood from FSU then somebody would have to transfer out of the Notre Dame program who is currently on the scholarship chart. My money on a possible transfer out would be a QB, defensive lineman, or kicker.
It's starting to look like Notre Dame will not be getting a tailback in this recruiting class with recent news that RB Savon Huggins has eliminated the Irish and will choose between North Carolina and Rutgers tomorrow. Huggins is a definite game changer who reminds me a lot of Knowshon Moreno when he came out of high school. He has the same build, lateral quickness, and speed. He is currently ranked the #7 back in the nation and is the #1 recruit out of New Jersey. Right now if I had to bet on where he lands I think the good money is on home state Rutgers. Head coach Greg Schiano is selling him on the pro-style offense they run and Huggins as his Ray Rice 2.0.
I was hoping Notre Dame would land Huggins because with the graduations of Armando Allen and Robert Hughes they only have Cierre Wood and Jonas Gray with any experience coming back. Wood could have a monster season in 2011 as the feature back and bolt for the NFL. Plus injuries always happen so if there is one position the Irish will be recruiting hard in 2011 it will be tailback. Barry Sanders Jr. is the top target among the juniors.
Here are some of Huggins highlights...
According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports the Baltimore Orioles have made free agent Vladimir Guerrero an offer. Supposedly it's a one year deal with a range of $3-5 million. Fuck yeah!
Vlad is coming off another solid season of 29 homers and 100 plus RBI's at Texas. He would be perfect for the Orioles lineup with him as the full-time DH and putting Luke Scott in LF while Felix Pie and Nolan Reimold battle it out for the 4th OF spot.
Check out this lineup if Vlad does sign with the O's:
Brian Roberts, S (2B)
Nick Markakis, L (RF)
Derrek Lee, R (1B)
Vlad Guerrero, R (DH)
Luke Scott, L (LF)
Mark Reynolds, R (3B)
Adam Jones, R (CF)
Matt Wieters, S (C)
J.J. Hardy, R (SS)
Their lineup would have serious pop and a decent balance of lefties, righties, and switch hitters. With the Blue Jays and the Rays both taking serious steps back this offseason it wouldn't be all too shocking to see the Orioles finish 3rd in the AL East. They would at least be exciting to watch from an offensive standpoint.
The defections keep coming from the USC Trojans football program. Once the sanctions hit you knew players would be jumping ship but now they have lost one of their biggest celebrities in rapper Snoop Dogg. Snoop-a-loop was spotted last night in South Bend with a Michael Floyd jersey and flashing "O" line signs with offensive tackles Mike Golic Jr. and Taylor Dever. By next week expect to see Will Ferrell wearing a Manti Te'o jersey while filming his next movie. Poor USC.
Wait a god damn second. That headline can't be right! There is no way an athlete would just walk away from $12 million.
Actually one did. His name is Gil Meche and instead of reporting to Kansas City Royals spring training in a couple of weeks he has decided to retire and essentially walk away from $12 million guaranteed if he just sat his ass on the bench.
“When I signed my contract, my main goal was to earn it,” Meche told the paper from his temporary home in Lafayette, La. “Once I started to realize I wasn’t earning my money, I felt bad. I was making a crazy amount of money for not even pitching. Honestly, I didn’t feel like I deserved it. I didn’t want to have those feelings again.”
“This isn’t about being a hero — that’s not even close to what it’s about,” Meche said. “It’s just me getting back to a point in my life where I’m comfortable. Making that amount of money from a team that’s already given me over $40 million for my life and for my kids, it just wasn’t the right thing to do.”
What is the world coming to when Notre Dame is stealing recruits from FSU? Florida high school kids no less!
The hot rumor going around the forums lately is current FSU early enrollee offensive tackle Jordan Prestwood (committed to ND before signing with FSU) is not happy in Tallahassee and is looking to transfer to Notre Dame in the summer. Prestwood and Notre Dame defensive end Aaron Lynch are good friends and went on the same paths during their recruiting trips. Both committed to Notre Dame last summer only to decommit in October. Both took a couple of days before deciding to go to FSU. As we all know Lynch switched back to Notre Dame right after the US Army All-American Game after he felt he was lied to by FSU coaches. If Prestwood does transfer to Notre Dame he would have to sit out a year due to NCAA regulations regarding transfers.
Another college football story going around is USC Trojan WR Brice Butler is looking to transfer. Butler was a 4 star recruit coming out of Georgia who has never blossomed into the star he was made out to be. Since USC is on probation Butler can transfer and not have to sit out a year. It's looking like Georgia or FSU could get Butler. The Bulldogs could use Butler immediately with the departure of AJ Green to the draft.
