Finale

Funny, really, that a post that will live here on this site for eternity, or at least until the robots take over, is a post laughing at how Michigan's ".edu" page links to a...suggestive...adult site. I actually might take that down, now that I think about it, so that anyone who stumbles here on a dead blogroll link doesn't get the wrong impression. It will be the first post that I've ever deleted - not that I haven't wanted to in the past.

205 posts, dating back to January 27th. Actually, if I could, I would probably delete that post too. It's funny how much the style has changed over the short time of 9 months. I'm sorta glad nobody was around to read it. We made it up to #17 in NCAA blog rankings, according to Ballhype, although I'm quite sure that our traffic numbers - about 200 visitors/day at our peak - wouldn't reflect that high a number.

My first post started out with an observation: "it ain't easy." It's still not. I'd like to say that I've improved, my writing certainly has, but it's still not easy coming up with stuff to write about in the Sahara desert that is the off season. Add in the fact that we all have real lives with real issues, and you get the point. I didn't realize how true that first statement would turn out to be.

Something else I didn't realize when I started was how addictive it would be. How much fun it would be to see your sitemeter rise as more people click on your stuff. How cool it is to see something you wrote show up on EDSBS or Mgoblog or even AOL. I never dreamed that, during this disaster of a Michigan season, I would be having the most fun I think I've ever had being a college football fan. That's why I'm not going to stop.

This blog has always operated under the guise of being a "Big Ten" blog with no particular affiliation to any team. Anyone who has read it on a consistant basis, however, has probably found this to be patently untrue. The main reason for my not starting a "Michigan" blog when I began was the fact that there were already so many very good ones out there. Mgoblog is the Gorilla not just of Michigan, but of all NCAA blogs. RBUAS, Genuinely Sarcastic, Varsity Blue...hell, Michigan has a swimming blog. A blog. About Michigan swimming. What chance did I have of getting any of that market share? So I wrote thinly veiled Michigan posts. Even my non-Michigan posts came from a Michigan fan's worldview, which is a beast unto itself.

Now I'm proud to say that Champ and I will be writing for one of those Michigan blogs that I deemed as "too big and powerful" to go directly up against when I first started this thing. We will be writing at Maize 'n Brew, and I sincerely hope that you will come along for the ride. There is virtually no way you've stumbled upon this site having not been aware of MnB, but there it is anyways. I don't expect my writing style to change much, and frankly, I don't expect the content to change much either. I will still write crazy Northwestern posts, and I'll still have Spartstravaganza day despite the fact that they let me down on the whole tailspin thing.

This is probably getting close to the dreaded "tldnr" but there is no way this site even registers the tiniest of blips in this 'sphere without the help of the BTB group, and specifically the boys at Black Heart Gold Pants. Also those people who, somehow, found this site and commented. That was fun.

Come join me and Champ over at Maize 'n Brew. I promise it will be a good time, even if you hate Michigan.

Go Blue.

And thanks.

Shenanigans!

On the road this week. Light posting. Apologies.

For What It's Worth

For what it's worth, I tried. But, try as I may, I cannot force my internet connection to be anything more than brief and weak. Thus, the BXI Blogger Roundtable wrap-up must be delayed until tomorrow, which is fine, really because tomorrow is Saturday, and I know that you'll all be ready to read something fresh after your games anyways.

Apologies all around - it's not often that life intercedes, but when it does it comes with the fury.

Functionality Update

Please press play before reading this post:



First, I am hosting the Roundtables this week, as you may have seen from your various stops along the information super highway. Recently, I've thought the roundtable questions had gotten a bit repetitive and so-forth, so I decided to switch things up and make them Jeopardy style - with me providing the answers, and the various BTB'ers supplying the questions. Results have been mixed so far - full report on Friday. The "answers" are:

1) Jay Paterno and the Spread HD

2) Joe Tiller's Mustache

3) The Color Purple

4) Brains

5) Hawkeye State

6) Rudy

7) Knee Ligaments

8) Terrell Pryor

9) Mark May

10) Rich Rodriguez

Feel free to leave your best "question" pertaining to any of these answers in the comments section. I'll probably bump a few of them in the wrap-up post if they're any good.

Second, The Daily Gopher has been running a Big Ten games Pick'em that I've been participating in behind the scenes. I was in 2nd place until a disasterous Saturday. I'm now, like, in 12th or something. Either way, you can always check the standings at TDG if you're so inclined.

Third, I will be travelling tomorrow and Friday, and posting may be light, depending on Champ's schedule. I will have the Roundtable wrap up on Friday, but that's it in terms of regularly scheduled broadcasting. The good news is that I will be travelling to the Clemson vs. Wake Forest Thursday night game. Look for me on TV - I look awesome in High Def. A full tailgate/game experience report will be forthcoming.

Fourth, given the dearth of Wisconsin blogs, I was asked some questions about the upcoming Penn State vs. Wisconsin game by friend of the blog Zombie Nation. If you're craving some Beauford (and who isn't?) run over there for my take on the game.

Functionality Note

College football has started. Work has not stopped. I am currently in CA with limited time for writing, and as such, posting will be light this week. Hopefully, I'll get the BTB roundtable up, and maybe a preview or two for next week's games. Champ will (hopefully, Champ? Thnx) get the logic poll up at some point, and I'll try to do my best. This has been, so far, an inauspicious beginning of the actual season for this blog as I feel around for some semblance of a regular posting schedule. Stay tuned.

End Transmission.

Welcome Back...

...College Football.

Enjoy this weekend. We'll be back Monday Morning, with guest Alex Trebek, who will weigh in on the opening weekend.

Following Our Heroes

Following our Heroes is the newest and bestest attempt at regularly scheduled broadcasting from yours truly. Each Tuesday (where applicable) I'll put up a little ditty following one NFL rookie from each of the BXI's teams. That's right, folks, a motherfucking ditty. The goal, of course, is to allow you, the Big Ten fan, a glimpse into your past hero's new lives playing football in funny looking uniforms. You can't possibly follow each one on Sunday, so what I hope to create is a one-stop place where you can catch up on at least one of your favs. I've got the preliminary list of players that I'd like to follow below - one from each team where applicable. This is not necessarily the end list, and I'm sure that Following our Heroes is going to go through several rejiggerations before the final format is settled upon. In most cases, I've tried to pick the most interesting player drafted. In some cases, I've picked the only player drafted. If there is a more interesting player, or a player that you would like to see followed that is not included, please leave it in the comments section, or email me directly. The NFL isn't nearly as fun as the college game, but it's always cool to see your favorite players do well in the league. Without further ado, the first 5 players on the list. Look for the remainder tomorrow.


Illinois: Rashard Mendenhall Drafted #23 overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Scouting Report goes here, combine profile goes here. There have been some fluffy pieces written about the potential of Rashard in the Pittsburgh offense - most of which are completely spun towards the fantasy buffs, and none of which are actually that informative. I get it. Mendenhall is a number 3 fantasy back at best. Arrgh. That does absolutely nothing for me in terms of how the Steelers figure to use him next year. In my estimation, Willie Parker will still be the number 1 back for the Steelers, but given his rather small stature, and Mendenhall's rather bruising style, I would imagine that Rashard will get a fair number of touches in that Jerome Bettis 3rd down/goal line situation. Offensive Coordinator Bruce Ariens told CBS Sportsline that Rashard has looked good in camp, and figures to be utilized by the offense:

"The change-of-pace guy that when you take your starter out, you're putting in the same quality guy," Arians said of his rookie. "Mendenhall will give us the ability to keep doing what we're doing. He might work as our goal-line runner if he shows the vision and patience for that. And he'll kill the clock at the end of the game. ... He should have fresh legs at that point in the game." Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Mendenhall struggled in goal-line drills during the first week of training camp and could lose that role, possibly to Willie Parker"

So there's that. I wouldn't put too much stock in the Post Gazette's story about Mendenhall struggling in goal line drills because, like, duh, a rookie is going to struggle in his first NFL practices. The Steelers are trying to fill the Jerome Bettis role. Mendenhall looks to be that guy.

Indiana: Remarkably, the Hoosiers had two players drafted in the 2nd round - Corner Tracy Porter, and Receiver James Hardy. For purposes of this piece, I'm going to focus on James Hardy because he's more interesting to follow than a Cornerback, and he's from my hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana, where this happens. Scouting report goes here, combine profile goes here. Hardy figures to help out the Bills, partly because of his perfect wide receiver build, but mostly because the Bills ranked 30th in passing last year, scored a franchise record low 20 TD's total, and need all the help they can get. If Hardy had gone to, say, Michigan or Ohio State, I have no doubt that he would have been a first rounder at least, and a Braylon Edwards type at best. Typically, it takes three years for NFL receivers to pupate from larvae to beautiful TD catching butterfly; witness the aforementioned Edwards for evidence. Hardy has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, and is questionable for the the first preseason game. My guess is that he will get PT immediately once the season starts, and will be a good option opposite Lee Evans.

Iowa: CB Charles Godfrey was drafted in the third round by Carolina. He figures to be that defensive back that will probably see action as a nickel guy, and will definitely play on special teams. Combine profile goes here, pre-draft chat conducted by ESPN goes here. The only really informative thing I can dig up on Godfrey is that he will most likely compete for for the FS position with free agent Terrence Holt. Godfrey has the size to play anywhere in the secondary, so it will be interesting to see how Carolina utilizes him.

Michigan: There are several players from which to choose here, but I think the most interesting will be Mike Hart, drafted in the 6th round by the Colts, if only because he's such an NFL enigma. He's slow and small, but that were a problem, how'd he set all those records at Michigan? We know, barring injury, that Jake Long will most likely have a long and prolific NFL career. If Henne ends up starting, he could be interesting to follow, but won't be much fun as a backup QB. Hart is a mystery, and will be fun to follow. Combine profile goes here. Fluff piece from HOF game in which Hart carried for 53 yards and caught the ball for another 28 goes here. The tail end of that article seems to suggest that Hart will have a tough time making the team. It should be noted that most Colts fans and people who know better than I do seem to think that Hart will end up making the team as the third option RB. Why do Colt fans think this? Dungy to clarify:

“(Rookie running back) Mike (Hart) ran and did everything in the (preseason opener) just about as he’s done in practice (rushing for times for 53 yards and catching three passes for 28 yards). It really wasn’t surprising. When you watch him practice and watch him work, we felt like he’d have a good game. He did everything he was called on to do. He had two pass-protection pickups. He handled those well. He caught the ball out of the backfield and ran and made people miss. It’s probably what he has been doing for eight or nine years.”

Highlights? Highlights.



Michigan State: WR Devin Thomas was selected with the 34th overall pick to the Washington Redskins. Combine profile goes here. The hype around Thomas was over the moon when Washington picked him up in the 2nd round - he was a projected first rounder. Now? Not so much:

"Redskins coach Jim Zorn said rookie receivers Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas on Tuesday need to improve their conditioning and said he anticipates the injured receivers will have a hard time having an impact on the offense early this season. Kelly, who has hamstring and knee injuries, and Thomas, who has a hamstring injury, were hurt early in training camp and are likely weeks from a full return. Kelly underwent arthroscopic surgery Monday to remove floating particles from his left knee, and Zorn said the early prognosis of a return in two weeks was "ambitious.""

Once his Hamstring heals, he should be in good shape to contribute. As a rookie, however, losing those training camp days and conditioning drills hurts. A lot. Thomas was not eligible to play during the opening HOF game against the Colts.

Those who stay...

...will be champions. Those who leave will be on vacation until Monday, and probably not be posting much. Champ may get his Penn State preview up, and I have an admittedly paltry Minnesota thingy that I may just post, but that's probably it.

It's July folks - go outside and have some fun.

And OPS - stop calling me and yelling "Wu-Taaaaang" then hanging up.



Oh - and I require each of you to watch this video on repeat until I get back. Don't give up on it until the "rap" part is done - it's worth it, and it's not "bears!"

State of Game Version 2.0

In an effort to have more control should I ever want it, I've migrated this site off of the ".blogspot" network, and on to its own domain: http://theonlygamethatmatters.com.

I wish I could say that this change means great new things, new looks, and edgier more witty writing. In actuality, it means none of those things. For now, all you need to do is point your browser to the new site: http://theonlygamethatmatters.com.

See you Monday.

BTN and Comcast have domestic partnership, mulling over move to California or Massachusetts.

Here you go.

Working Late

Please leave your favorite Calvin and Hobbes quote in the comments section. If you don't know any, then go buy this, and get back to me. I'm swamped, and would love to post something relevant, but outside of a half-finished Northwestern preview, I got nothin...

B2

How to Not Run a Blog...

Step one: Don't post.

So...um...it's been a really long week, and it's Wednesday. I'm trying for something tomorrow. In the meantime, please try to avoid clicking the movie below:

Not gonna do it. Wouldn't be prudent.

So - I thought that a leisurely layover in Chicago would give me plenty of time to finish my Michigan preview, but bad weather (delays, you know, will kill you) combined with poor time management has made that impossible. Nothing new today - but just you wait 'till Monday...

Thank you for your patience.

B2

The Dude is Not In.

Yesterday saw a minor setback - namely an injury to my finger that makes typing a bitch. So there will be nothing from B2 today; maybe something tomorrow depending on how well the sutures hold up.

It is my sincere hope that Champ can fill us in on his weekend, which will probably include an Indy 500 recap. In the meantime, I implore you to watch all 10 minutes of this beauty:



Thank you for your patience.

Charity Finale; Functionality Update

First, thanks for EVERYONE who donated to the EDSBS/Fanblogs charitybowl. It raised over $20,000 - which wildly eclipsed anyone's expectations. Kudos to Michigan and Ohio State in particular, who dominated like it was 2006. Before the bowl games. Screw bowl games.

Michigan won the thing, and EDSBS's new banner makes me teary with joy:



Space Bitches indeed.

Functionality Update: Ummm...I suck. This hasn't been a busy time at work. I haven't been traveling. I just suck. Champ's got some sort of test that will determine his future worth on the horizon, so at least he's got an excuse. I have no such excuse.

The pre-analysis analysis of Michigan State will be up later today - this I can promise you. After that, it's anyone's guess. Please accept this video as our apology.



Total Pwnage!!111!!1

EDSBS/Fanblogs Charity Bowl Update!

Current standings:

1. Michigan - $2,985.00
2. Ohio State - $2,305.00
3. Florida - $1,570.00
4. Texas - $480.00
5. Auburn - $355.00
6. Florida State - $350.00
7t. Case Western Reserve - $300.00
7t. Virginia - $300.00
8. Alabama - $230.00
9t. South Carolina - $200.00
9t. Georgia Tech - $200.00
9t. SMU - $200.00
10. Oklahoma - $185.00

Lurking: Tennessee, Nebraska, Va Tech, LSU, Notre Dame

It positively warms my heart to see the Big Ten so well represented, and in the correct order. Michigan 1, Ohio State 2. Wow, it's been awhile since Wolverine fans could say that...

At any rate, today is Spite for Blight day, meaning any contributions will count against your team of choice. I reach but a paltry audience, but I plead: Buckeyes and Wolverines, cast both your donations against the SEC. Infighting will only lead to an SEC victory. That is all.

Please click here for the particulars on how to donate.

Give a little bit.

Please play above clip as you read this post.


Chances are, if you've arrived at this site, you've arrived via, through, around, over, or from Every Day Should Be Saturday. The college football blogosphere is a train, with each car a little different in color (check out that graf'd up Ohio State car!), but there is no doubt that EDSBS is the engine that drives this thing. So when Orson calls people to arms for a good cause, you'd better listen. The particulars - direct from Swindle Industries:

1) Make a donation online to the American Red Cross, CARE, or the International Rescue Committee.

2) Email the donation confirmation to kevin@fanblogs.com and state your team affiliation by 8pm EDT on Wednesday, May 14th.

3) Results will be displayed at Every Day Should Be Saturday and Fanblogs throughout the week, with the final results shown by Thursday, May 15th.

4) The winning school will have its colors displayed at EDSBS and logo/mascot shown on every page at Fanblogs.


Take a look at it this way: You read all these blogs written by folks like me who aren't paid, and you do so for free. Take $10 bucks out of your wallet, and consider it a fee for all the free analysis and humor that you've taken as part of your daily surf. It is rare that the conductor of this train asks a fee, so when he does, you'd better pay up.

B2

Ridiculously Early Previews: Big Ten Style

Mmmmmmm...you smell that? That's the smell of the off season, and it smells like...plagiarism. Delicious. I put it on toast.

In all fairness, it's not really plagiarism if you can't hope to do it as well as the original right? What if you link to their site? Will that help?

Go to SMQ to read ludicrously early previews of obscure teams. You can also visit any college football blog in the world for a "stuff ____ and ____ people like" post, so I don't feel too bad about this.

Starting this week, Champ and I will run through ridiculously early previews of all 11 Big Ten teams. For added difficulty (and style points!) we'll be doing it in....alphabetic order!!

After a brief overview to get you caught up, Champ and I will go over the following questions in separate posts:

1. One thing the media will harp on that is ridiculously off base
2. One thing the media will completely ignore that is integral to this team's success
3. Most important contributors on each side of the ball
4. Area that scares you as an opponent
5. Area that makes you salivate as an opponent
6. Random factor that you think will come into play this season
7. Overall Record
8. Final Big Ten Standing
9. Bowl Game Destination

Disagreements will be had, and I'm not above a rope fight in the Octagon to settle them. I'm not saying it will happen, I'm not saying it won't. Just know that I'm not above it.

Now that you know the format, we'll forge on with the first in our alphabetized list of Big 10 Teams: Indiana University (I decided to use full official names - thus placing Indiana above "University of Illinois," smartass).

One More Day People!

People! There is only one more day before voting concludes on the "coach most likely to be seen adjusting himself" poll! Do your duty! Vote! Get your friends to vote!

Seriously. I'm using this as a small barometer of how many people actually read this blog - so take a second and vote.

Live From New York

Iiiiiiiit's...Beauford Bixel?

After a triumphant (in that I didn't die, lose my - admittedly small - bank account, contract Chlamydia, or father a child) return from Las Vegas, I was immediately informed that I was needed in New York City to make a presentation that I had not yet created. Oh, and you need to be there on Tuesday.

This makes my job sound almost glamorous, no? No. But it does put a dent into an already content starved blog. I don't own an iphone. I don't have a blackberry. I have a starbucks, and a wireless card. Cut me some slack, and look for fresh, delicious content coming soon.

Besides, the tournament is dominating the news, and if you can't follow the 24/7 media frenzy of the NCAA tournament on your own, then you need help man. It's MARCH MADNESS! MADNESS! MADNESS!