Just to remind everyone what we're adding to the roster:
Best:
0:47 fade away over Duncan
1:07 plows over Bosh
1:14 straight facial
1:27 pick 'n pop
2:53 pick 'n roll
looks tasty
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Are they not who we thought they were?!?!?
Title obviously in regards to this unforgettable moment:
Anyway, the Bears beat down of the Eagles on sunday was pretty darn enjoyable. The Bears, dare I say, dominated this game and the final was score was not really indicative of how badly the Eagles were outplayed. I came away with a few observations:
* The Bears defense is legit. The addition of Peppers and a healthy Urlacher has predictably been a major factor, but I think the unsung heroes have been the play of the rest of the D-line. Perhaps a good chunk of their success can be attributed to the attention Peppers draws, but elevated play from Adams, Toeaina, and Melton has been huge.
* The O-line is bad, but improved. After the Giants and Redskins game I didn't think the Bears would win more than 6 games this year. Quite a turnaround. Cutler is still under consistent pressure but it has improved.
* Special teams matters. The Bears are really good at it and it shows each game. I just don't want to hear Lovie say that we have to rely on our special teams and defense to be our offense!
How far can this team go? They're in pretty good shape to make the playoffs with the Jan.2 game in Lambeau probably determining the division winner and home-field advantage. Most of the time you can predict the super bowl winner based on who has the best "unit", either offense or defense. This isn't always evident until the end of the season, but if the Bears keep improving (mainly the O-line where there are still major issues) I'd put their D up against any other offensive or defensive unit in the NFL:
Eagles offense? Falcons offense? Patriots offense? Giants D? Steelers D? Ravens D? Jets D?
Just sayin'.....
Anyway, the Bears beat down of the Eagles on sunday was pretty darn enjoyable. The Bears, dare I say, dominated this game and the final was score was not really indicative of how badly the Eagles were outplayed. I came away with a few observations:
* The Bears defense is legit. The addition of Peppers and a healthy Urlacher has predictably been a major factor, but I think the unsung heroes have been the play of the rest of the D-line. Perhaps a good chunk of their success can be attributed to the attention Peppers draws, but elevated play from Adams, Toeaina, and Melton has been huge.
* The O-line is bad, but improved. After the Giants and Redskins game I didn't think the Bears would win more than 6 games this year. Quite a turnaround. Cutler is still under consistent pressure but it has improved.
* Special teams matters. The Bears are really good at it and it shows each game. I just don't want to hear Lovie say that we have to rely on our special teams and defense to be our offense!
How far can this team go? They're in pretty good shape to make the playoffs with the Jan.2 game in Lambeau probably determining the division winner and home-field advantage. Most of the time you can predict the super bowl winner based on who has the best "unit", either offense or defense. This isn't always evident until the end of the season, but if the Bears keep improving (mainly the O-line where there are still major issues) I'd put their D up against any other offensive or defensive unit in the NFL:
Eagles offense? Falcons offense? Patriots offense? Giants D? Steelers D? Ravens D? Jets D?
Just sayin'.....
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Brant (Brian's Rant) of the week: UM's football IQ lower than OSU's student body IQ: Yikes!
One of my many sports pet peeves is when people talk about a team's coach. For the most part, I feel like the coach has very little to do with the failure or success of their team....again, for the most part. Granted, this depends on the sport of course - football probably being the most important. Even so, the coach doesn't miss a tackle, jump off-sides, fumble, shank a 25 yard field goal, grab a facemask, or drop a pass. If your players are simply not on the same level as your opponent then what chance do you have? A college football coach essentially needs to do three things:
1. Recruit good players
2. Get their players prepared for game situations during pracice
3. Make in-game adjustments
I can't decide whether Rich Rod deserves to return for a 4th year. I mean, how much of Michigan's failures lie with their coaching and how much lies with their lack of talent? How do you determine if a player missing a tackle is a skill issue or a coaching issue? If a freshman misses a tackle is it ok, but if a senior misses a tackle then it's on the coach? Don't know. Our high school baseball coach would always say that he could accept a physical mistake, like striking out or booting a grounder, but what would really make his forehead vein explode were the mental mistakes, like throwing to the wrong base or not knowing how many outs there were. One of the more useful things we would do in practice was not taking batting practice (obviously necessary though) but was responding to real game scenarios set up by our coaching staff and having to respond to those situations. 'Ok, runners on first and third, one out, coach hits a double in the gap, what are you gonna do?' Knowing how to respond prior to the hit elevated our teams' ability. This, I believe, is where we can most easily separate the good coaches from bad coaches. Good teams, especially in college football, DO NOT BEAT THEMSELVES! Now again, you could make the argument that good players are less likely to make mental errors, and I suppose that's true to a certain level. I'm not sure how to judge that.
But in college football especially it seems like the outcome of the majority of games are based on who makes less mistakes, not who makes more great plays. Take teams like Iowa and Wisconsin. No top 10 recruiting classes recently, yet they're consistently competitive. How is that possible? We all remember and talk about the great one-handed catch, or the 30 yard gain that should've been a 5 yard loss. However, the plays that are not on the sportscenter highlights are often the plays that determine the outcome. And it's these plays that have virtually nothing to do with talent level and, in my opinion, more to do with coaching. Is a drive kept alive by a bonehead penalty, like when a player running full speed towards the sideline instead of pulling up prior to hitting the opponent running out of bounds decides to lay into him for a 15 yard penaly? This is not a matter of skill-level, it's a matter of coaching. Has the coach driven home that exact play and prepared their players for it or not. Is a drive ended by a a dropped pass? (I know, I said earlier that a coach never drops a pass, but it's my opinion that dropped passes are a game preparation issue at least as much as a talent issue. You don't need to be a 5-star recruit to catch an open pass) Is there a fumbled snap?
Take the Michigan-OSU game today. I'm definitely not saying UM should've or even could've won the game, but if we simply take away the mental mistakes then who knows how the game plays out. At least it would've been competitive longer. Coaching can't improve a player's speed or his height, but it can improve a player's football IQ - and right now Michigan's football IQ is as low as the Ohio State student body's regular IQ. Not good. A player's desire is another tough one to nail down. The coaching may be able to add to this, but I think that's almost all on the individual. The game got out of hand and then it didn't really matter. But I thought the first quarter was pretty darn telling of a team that when momentarily matched a superior team play for play, they couldn't capitalize b/c of mental mistakes. Focusing on the little things in practice matters. Yes, you can run the same play over and over until it looks just the right way, but if you neglect the little things then it's moot.
The ultimate way, in my opinoin to judge the ability of a coach is if they make games competitive that otherwise shouldn't be. The current Michigan team does not do this. The teams that are supposed to beat them, beat them with relative ease. Jim Harbaugh's Standord teams, prior to becoming nationally ranked and prior to inching closer in talent level to their conference counterparts would on occasion battle as underdogs and occasionally win; you do that by not beating yourself.
Ok, good talk. See ya out there.
1. Recruit good players
2. Get their players prepared for game situations during pracice
3. Make in-game adjustments
I can't decide whether Rich Rod deserves to return for a 4th year. I mean, how much of Michigan's failures lie with their coaching and how much lies with their lack of talent? How do you determine if a player missing a tackle is a skill issue or a coaching issue? If a freshman misses a tackle is it ok, but if a senior misses a tackle then it's on the coach? Don't know. Our high school baseball coach would always say that he could accept a physical mistake, like striking out or booting a grounder, but what would really make his forehead vein explode were the mental mistakes, like throwing to the wrong base or not knowing how many outs there were. One of the more useful things we would do in practice was not taking batting practice (obviously necessary though) but was responding to real game scenarios set up by our coaching staff and having to respond to those situations. 'Ok, runners on first and third, one out, coach hits a double in the gap, what are you gonna do?' Knowing how to respond prior to the hit elevated our teams' ability. This, I believe, is where we can most easily separate the good coaches from bad coaches. Good teams, especially in college football, DO NOT BEAT THEMSELVES! Now again, you could make the argument that good players are less likely to make mental errors, and I suppose that's true to a certain level. I'm not sure how to judge that.
But in college football especially it seems like the outcome of the majority of games are based on who makes less mistakes, not who makes more great plays. Take teams like Iowa and Wisconsin. No top 10 recruiting classes recently, yet they're consistently competitive. How is that possible? We all remember and talk about the great one-handed catch, or the 30 yard gain that should've been a 5 yard loss. However, the plays that are not on the sportscenter highlights are often the plays that determine the outcome. And it's these plays that have virtually nothing to do with talent level and, in my opinion, more to do with coaching. Is a drive kept alive by a bonehead penalty, like when a player running full speed towards the sideline instead of pulling up prior to hitting the opponent running out of bounds decides to lay into him for a 15 yard penaly? This is not a matter of skill-level, it's a matter of coaching. Has the coach driven home that exact play and prepared their players for it or not. Is a drive ended by a a dropped pass? (I know, I said earlier that a coach never drops a pass, but it's my opinion that dropped passes are a game preparation issue at least as much as a talent issue. You don't need to be a 5-star recruit to catch an open pass) Is there a fumbled snap?
Take the Michigan-OSU game today. I'm definitely not saying UM should've or even could've won the game, but if we simply take away the mental mistakes then who knows how the game plays out. At least it would've been competitive longer. Coaching can't improve a player's speed or his height, but it can improve a player's football IQ - and right now Michigan's football IQ is as low as the Ohio State student body's regular IQ. Not good. A player's desire is another tough one to nail down. The coaching may be able to add to this, but I think that's almost all on the individual. The game got out of hand and then it didn't really matter. But I thought the first quarter was pretty darn telling of a team that when momentarily matched a superior team play for play, they couldn't capitalize b/c of mental mistakes. Focusing on the little things in practice matters. Yes, you can run the same play over and over until it looks just the right way, but if you neglect the little things then it's moot.
The ultimate way, in my opinoin to judge the ability of a coach is if they make games competitive that otherwise shouldn't be. The current Michigan team does not do this. The teams that are supposed to beat them, beat them with relative ease. Jim Harbaugh's Standord teams, prior to becoming nationally ranked and prior to inching closer in talent level to their conference counterparts would on occasion battle as underdogs and occasionally win; you do that by not beating yourself.
Ok, good talk. See ya out there.
At Halftime, Michigan 7 - Michigan mistakes 45
It's amazing how a team can consistently beat itself. There was a sequence in the first half of the UM-OSU game that typified 2010 UM football:
Denard Robinson leads the UM offense down the field with little resistance against a top 10 defense in the country -- touchdown! OSU 10 - UM 7
Ensuing kickoff, OSU returns kick for TD through what I was hoping was a UM coverage team that only had 8 players on the field, b/c that's what it seemed like. Nope, apparently they had all 11 players on the field.
OSU 17 - UM 7
Next UM drive, Denard again leads the offense down the field with relative ease. However, the drive was haulted by two dropped passes. OSU then converts two long 3rd downs partially b/c of bad tackling, partially b/c of freshman mistakes - TD. OSU 24 - UM 7
That's it...the whole season rolled into a 5 minute stretch:
unstoppable offense, disastrous special teams, beating yourself, freshman mistakes. Bing Bang Bong.
UM is actually out-playing OSU, but Michigan is playing against the toughest opponent they can possibly dream up...themselves.
Denard Robinson leads the UM offense down the field with little resistance against a top 10 defense in the country -- touchdown! OSU 10 - UM 7
Ensuing kickoff, OSU returns kick for TD through what I was hoping was a UM coverage team that only had 8 players on the field, b/c that's what it seemed like. Nope, apparently they had all 11 players on the field.
OSU 17 - UM 7
Next UM drive, Denard again leads the offense down the field with relative ease. However, the drive was haulted by two dropped passes. OSU then converts two long 3rd downs partially b/c of bad tackling, partially b/c of freshman mistakes - TD. OSU 24 - UM 7
That's it...the whole season rolled into a 5 minute stretch:
unstoppable offense, disastrous special teams, beating yourself, freshman mistakes. Bing Bang Bong.
UM is actually out-playing OSU, but Michigan is playing against the toughest opponent they can possibly dream up...themselves.
Friday, November 26, 2010
This just in: Obama's toss of crumpled paper into trash can rims out !
Is it really necessary for ESPN to let us all know via their sports ticker that Obama received 12 stitches in a pick up basketball game? Really? And do they also feel so compelled to have his thoughts on the Miami Heat's slow start scroll on the bottom of the screen? Good God!
So apparently the deification extends to sports media as well...
So apparently the deification extends to sports media as well...
Sexual Chocolate!
The Bulls played tonight without Derrick Rose due to a neck spasm, and of course, without Carlos Boozer who has been out with a broken hand after "falling over luggage at his house" (coughing while saying bullshit)...
Anyway, a win was a lot to ask for, especially after the Bulls quickly were down double digits yet again. However, I came away with two observations from this game:
1. I'm LOVING the Coming to America reference/impersonation by Bulls TV announcer Stacey King in regards to Bulls reserve guard C.J. Watson. Watson stepped up huge today, scoring 32 and making big crunch time buckets, which provided even more "Mr. Randy Watson(!)" references...
2. This was kinda a heartbreaking loss given how short-handed the Bulls were yet STILL could've/should've won the game. Deng played great for 47 minutes and 56 seconds of the game, but the last 4 seconds when he was guarding 'Melo was pretty bad. It was like watching a DB play 10 yards off a receiver at the 5 yard line. The key moment of the game, in my opinoin, was a coaching gaffe. Why was John Lucas III in the game when Denver had to foul??? He hasn't played in God knows how long! You can't have a guy that far removed from playing competitive bball in at the key moment. Brutal. Oh well....
by the way, it was pretty noticeable that 'Melo has checked out.
Anyway, a win was a lot to ask for, especially after the Bulls quickly were down double digits yet again. However, I came away with two observations from this game:
1. I'm LOVING the Coming to America reference/impersonation by Bulls TV announcer Stacey King in regards to Bulls reserve guard C.J. Watson. Watson stepped up huge today, scoring 32 and making big crunch time buckets, which provided even more "Mr. Randy Watson(!)" references...
2. This was kinda a heartbreaking loss given how short-handed the Bulls were yet STILL could've/should've won the game. Deng played great for 47 minutes and 56 seconds of the game, but the last 4 seconds when he was guarding 'Melo was pretty bad. It was like watching a DB play 10 yards off a receiver at the 5 yard line. The key moment of the game, in my opinoin, was a coaching gaffe. Why was John Lucas III in the game when Denver had to foul??? He hasn't played in God knows how long! You can't have a guy that far removed from playing competitive bball in at the key moment. Brutal. Oh well....
by the way, it was pretty noticeable that 'Melo has checked out.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving!!
It's no surprise why Thanksgiving is so many people's favorite holiday of the year. For me, it brings together three of my favorite things:
Food
Sports
and family
The "point guard" of our Thanksgivings year after year has been my mom. Thanks Mom!
Food
Sports
and family
The "point guard" of our Thanksgivings year after year has been my mom. Thanks Mom!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Brian's Rants = Brant. (First of many): Gut check in the desert
Bulls 123 Suns 115
The Bulls' win in double overtime over the Phoenix Suns was one of the more enjoyable and memorable Bulls wins in a long time. Even though it was only the 12th game of the year, this game typified why this Bulls team is so much fun to watch and so damn likeable! Perhaps this last point was driven home by the fact that the Miami Heat played right before and the stark contrast between the two teams was apparent. On the one hand you have a level-headed yet cold-blooded superstar like Derrick Rose whose drive to win is unmatched and exudes quiet, steady leadership. Compared with the Heat's performance which consisted of playground-esque one-on-ones, and awkwardly detached teammates who had to force themselves to pretend like they were an actual team, the Bulls showed that we are better off sans the over-hyped Miami Thrice. Derrick Rose is the man! Down by 23 in the first half and having played the night before the Bulls still never quit. There probably aren't 5 teams in the league that could've done that. The great thing about basketball is that the superstar has almost complete control over the game unlike any other sport. As good as Tom Brady is and as good as A-Rod is, they can only contribute in a relatively limited way compared to basketball. Only in basketball can you get a true sense of the players' skills, and more importantly, their desire. And no one has more desire than Rose, Noah and the rest of the 2010 Bulls. Even though there wasn't a sportscenter, highlight reel play like last year when this happened:
for those that watched this game, it's clear that Rose is the early season MVP....and that I'm glad we have Joakim!
At the end of the game when the fake-tan, Phoenix fans were heading home and the remainder of the stadium was chanting: "Let's Go Bulls, Let's Go Bulls!", it ended the debate of the #1 sports city.
The Bulls' win in double overtime over the Phoenix Suns was one of the more enjoyable and memorable Bulls wins in a long time. Even though it was only the 12th game of the year, this game typified why this Bulls team is so much fun to watch and so damn likeable! Perhaps this last point was driven home by the fact that the Miami Heat played right before and the stark contrast between the two teams was apparent. On the one hand you have a level-headed yet cold-blooded superstar like Derrick Rose whose drive to win is unmatched and exudes quiet, steady leadership. Compared with the Heat's performance which consisted of playground-esque one-on-ones, and awkwardly detached teammates who had to force themselves to pretend like they were an actual team, the Bulls showed that we are better off sans the over-hyped Miami Thrice. Derrick Rose is the man! Down by 23 in the first half and having played the night before the Bulls still never quit. There probably aren't 5 teams in the league that could've done that. The great thing about basketball is that the superstar has almost complete control over the game unlike any other sport. As good as Tom Brady is and as good as A-Rod is, they can only contribute in a relatively limited way compared to basketball. Only in basketball can you get a true sense of the players' skills, and more importantly, their desire. And no one has more desire than Rose, Noah and the rest of the 2010 Bulls. Even though there wasn't a sportscenter, highlight reel play like last year when this happened:
for those that watched this game, it's clear that Rose is the early season MVP....and that I'm glad we have Joakim!
At the end of the game when the fake-tan, Phoenix fans were heading home and the remainder of the stadium was chanting: "Let's Go Bulls, Let's Go Bulls!", it ended the debate of the #1 sports city.
Ladies and Gentlemen...Joakim Noah
I never thought when the Bulls drafted this:
Or this...
... that it would turn into this:
But it did. In the Bulls' loss to the Lakers, Noah dominated Pau Gasol, and along with Taj Gibson, dominated the Lakers frontcourt. Not enough for the win, but pretty darn encouraging - and fun to watch!
Now we just need an upgrade at shooting guard, please.
... that it would turn into this:
But it did. In the Bulls' loss to the Lakers, Noah dominated Pau Gasol, and along with Taj Gibson, dominated the Lakers frontcourt. Not enough for the win, but pretty darn encouraging - and fun to watch!
Now we just need an upgrade at shooting guard, please.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
#1 offense gets more weapons
Michigan has the #1 offense in the Big Ten and #5 nationally with a QB that has started all of 10 games in his career. The #1 and #3 ranked all purpose running backs in the country have committed to the Wolverines recruiting class of 2011. The offense will have 9 returning starters. It makes me wonder how good this offense can be.
The defense? well, it can't really get worse can it? This all makes for a tough decision for the Michigan A.D. on whether to retain Rich Rod. Assuming UM loses to OSU this saturday (19.5 pt underdog), and loses its bowl game the final record will be 7-6. Certainly not great, but probably within 1 win of most predictions. I'd probably keep Rich Rod and make 2011 a definite make or break year. If Michigan had even just a bad defense instead of a dreadful defense this year they would probably be 9-2 right now. I still have never seen such a discrepancy between a team's offense and defense. But hopefully we learn a lesson from Notre Dame on how NOT to handle coaching changes...and on how to avoid the front butt:
The defense? well, it can't really get worse can it? This all makes for a tough decision for the Michigan A.D. on whether to retain Rich Rod. Assuming UM loses to OSU this saturday (19.5 pt underdog), and loses its bowl game the final record will be 7-6. Certainly not great, but probably within 1 win of most predictions. I'd probably keep Rich Rod and make 2011 a definite make or break year. If Michigan had even just a bad defense instead of a dreadful defense this year they would probably be 9-2 right now. I still have never seen such a discrepancy between a team's offense and defense. But hopefully we learn a lesson from Notre Dame on how NOT to handle coaching changes...and on how to avoid the front butt:
Pacers demolish Heat in Miami; hundreds of people there to "Witness"
After the Pacers, with a front court lead by Josh McRoberts and Roy Hibbert, embarrassed the Heat 93-77, I'm left to wonder who of the "Big Three" is left looking the worst:
LeBron, or Chris "I have one skill which is of no help to my new team, yet these coattails are a fun place to hang from" Bosh.
Interesting article today on CNNSI on why people hate the Heat:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/michael_rosenberg/11/23/lebron.hatred/index.html?eref=sihp
By the way, is there a city that doesn't deserve having a geat team more than Miami? For them, going to see their team play is like going to a Rock Concert or Broadway muscial. They simply want to be entertained for a few hours. There's no attachment to the performers, but it doesn't matter. How else do you explain that the Heat are not even in the top 3 in the NBA in attendance and that they needed to air commercials in Miami teaching their fans how to be supportive? I'm sure the hundreds of fans in the arena were very disappointed.
Also: Miami @ Cleveland on Dec. 2nd is becoming must-see-tv
LeBron, or Chris "I have one skill which is of no help to my new team, yet these coattails are a fun place to hang from" Bosh.
Interesting article today on CNNSI on why people hate the Heat:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/michael_rosenberg/11/23/lebron.hatred/index.html?eref=sihp
By the way, is there a city that doesn't deserve having a geat team more than Miami? For them, going to see their team play is like going to a Rock Concert or Broadway muscial. They simply want to be entertained for a few hours. There's no attachment to the performers, but it doesn't matter. How else do you explain that the Heat are not even in the top 3 in the NBA in attendance and that they needed to air commercials in Miami teaching their fans how to be supportive? I'm sure the hundreds of fans in the arena were very disappointed.
Also: Miami @ Cleveland on Dec. 2nd is becoming must-see-tv
Monday, November 22, 2010
The Notebook? Seriously?
When I go to the gym, I usually run on the treadmill while watching something on the tube that passes the time. If it's saturday or sunday afternoon in the fall - and to answer Hank Williams Jr's question - Yes, I'm ready for some football. When I walked into my building's mini gym over the weekend prepared to contemplate what exactly the Michigan defense does all day during practice, I anticipated watching whatever football game was on at the time. Iowa-Ohio State, Illinois-Northwestern, or even (gulp) whatever fill-in-the-blank service academy team Notre Dame was probably playing all would've been fine. But when I walked in, there was a guy on one of the two treadmills and the TV was already on. It was a commercial at the time, but I figured I was in good shape; younger looking guy, saturday afternoon, I mean what else would he have on? Well, turns out he didn't sign on to the social contract that is/should be in place. So instead, I got this:
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