Will Sheehey Commits to Indiana

Another commitment, another guard. That's how Tom Crean rolls these days.

Early Monday morning, Sagemont High (FL) head coach Adam Ross confirmed to Rivals.com that Will Sheehey, a 6-5, 190 pound guard out of Weston, Florida, has verbally committed to Indiana. He is the second commitment for the Hoosiers in the 2010 recruiting class, joining DeMartha Catholic guard (Washington D.C.) guard Victory Oladipo.

The Florida wing guard picked the Hoosiers over offers from George Washington, Northwestern and Stanford. He also received 'heavy' interest from Michigan and Georgia Tech.

Like many Indiana recruits in the past, the tradition factor played a huge role in Sheehey's recruitment, even though the recent success of the program has been dismal.

"After visiting Indiana and seeing the campus and Assembly Hall and the new practice facility, he was very excited about the potential of going there," Ross told Mike Pegram of Peegs.com. "He understands the history of Indiana basketball and that it is one of the flagship programs of college basketball. He believes Coach Crean is going to bring the program back where it belongs, which is the top of college basketball."

According to Rivals.com, Sheehey is the 138th overall prospect and 35th best shooting guard in the country. The popular recruiting service offers him a three-star rating.

Here is an evaluation on Sheehey from ESPN in July 2009.

"Sheehey has great size and plays with urgency on both ends of the floor. Defensively, he plays in a stance with active hands. He competes to keep the ball handler in front of him using the proper distance. Sheehey runs the floor well in transition and can hit the three-point shot consistently with time."

Sheehey will make it official and sign his letter of intent tomorrow.

IPFW Picks Up 2011 Big Man

While at Indiana, Dane Fife was known for his fearless play on the floor. As head coach of the IPFW men's basketball team, the former Hoosier standout brings the same mentally to his players.

Terrance Williams, a 6-11 center from Freeport, Illinois, will get a taste of Fife's coaching style next season, as the big man will transfer to IPFW from SIU-Edwardsville in 2o11. Williams is the first commitment in 2011 recruiting class for IPFW.

He will join IPFW after a one-year stint at SIU-Edwardsville, where he averaged 3.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, and shot 55% from the field.

Before singing with Cougars, Williams received interest from a number of big name programs, such as Tennessee and Baylor.

Preseason College Basketball Rankings Released

For many sports sports fans, it's football season. For many college basketball fans, the time has finally come.

Although the season doesn't tip off until Monday November 9, the coaches have provided us with a glimpse of what should be another exciting college basketball season, with the releasing of their 2009 preseason poll on Thursday. As always, there are some teams that may be "overrated," but that's the beauty of these polls: we can look back at them and see what went wrong. Listed below is the poll. Enjoy.

1. Kansas (27) 0-0 770

2. Michigan State (3) 0-0 732

3. Texas 0-0 676

4. North Carolina (1) 0-0 653

5. Kentucky 0-0 635

6. Villanova 0-0 620

7. Purdue 0-0 586

8. Duke 0-0 528

9. West Virginia 0-0 501

10. Butler 0-0 408

11. Tennessee 0-0 406

12. California 0-0 370

13. Washington 0-0 364

14. Connecticut 0-0 361

15. Michigan 0-0 279

16. Oklahoma 0-0 244

17. Ohio State 0-0 241

18. Minnesota 0-0 151

19. Mississippi State 0-0 149

20. Georgia Tech 0-0 136

21. Georgetown 0-0 134

22. Dayton 0-0 130

23. Louisville 0-0 123

24. Clemson 0-0 114

25. Syracuse 0-0 111

Bob Knight Will Not Attend IU Hall of Fame Induction

Bob Knight says no thanks.

According to ESPN analyst and friend Dick Vitale via twitter, former Indiana head men's basketball coach Bob Knight will not attend the school's first ever athletic Hall of Fame introduction. The university and athletic department had planned to induct Knight, along with many other Hoosier greats, on November 7, 2009, during halftime of the Indiana vs. Wisconsin football game.

Despite the latest news, IU will still welcome back the likes of former men's soccer coach Jerry Yeagley (1973-2004), Steve Downing (men's basketball, 1971-73), Katrin Koch (women's track and field, 1989-92), Joe Norman (football, 1975-78), the family of late Mike Rabold (football, 1956-58), and Alan Somers (swimming, 1961-63).

Purdue Gets Another 2012 Commit

Matt Painter isn't wasting anytime putting together his future roster. He will even go out of state to do so.

The Boilermakers received a verbal commitment last week from current Dublin (OH) Coffman sophomore Kyle Molock. Listed as a 6-3, 180 pound shooting guard, Molock picked Purdue over offers from Akron, Florida International, Ohio, and St. Joseph's.
Reportedly, he was drawing interest from Ohio State, Notre Dame and Michigan State.

Molock joins Fort Wayne standout Rapheal Davis in the 2012 class for Purdue.

Weekly Tidbits: October 14

Welcome back tidbit fans. After a week off, we'll attempt to catch up to the past week's events , and also take a look to this weekend ahead.
We won't cover everything, but the stories I felt were most important.

Notre Dame's Big Weekend
-For Notre Dame football fans, this Saturday is a big day.

The second biggest game this weekend (behind Texas vs. Oklahoma) will feature the #25 Fighting Irish against the #7 USC Trojans at Notre Dame Stadium. Saying this is a big game may even be an understatement, as Charlie Weis and the Irish are still looking for a signature win in the 2009 season. With a win Saturday over USC, Notre Dame won't only improve to 5-1 and springboard deeper into the top-25, they may also leave a good impression on 25 or more recruits that will be visiting for the game. These aren't just any recruits coming to South Bend on Saturday, these are many of the nation's top players, most of whom also hold USC offers. An electrifying atmosphere and exciting win this weekend could do wonders for the future of the program.

However, this statement has been made many times in the past (vs. USC, 2005), and a victory on Saturday is less likely than a possibility. As of today, Vegas has the odds set for a USC victory (-10).

Here is the list of the players visiting on Saturday from the 2010 class. As you will see, Charlie Weis and staff have put all their eggs into one basket. For their sake, hopefully they don't crack.

Seantrel Henderson OL

Lamarcus Joyner DB

Chris Martin DE

Giovanni Bernard RB

Corey Cooper DB

Jordon James RB

Tai-ler Jones WR

Brandon Linder OL

Blake Lueders DE

Kendall Moore LB

Cody Riggs DB

Dietrich Riley DB

Joshua Shaw DB

Prince Shembo LB

James Stone OL

Lo Wood DB

Chris Badger DB

Spencer Boyd DB

IU Hosts Top Prospect
Just a hunch, but I have a feeling Tom Crean loves recruiting just as much as coaching.

Crean and the IU coaching staff hosted a familiar face a few weekends ago on an unofficial visit to campus. According to Mike Pegram of Peegs.com, Washington High School junior Cody Zeller, who holds an IU offer, was in Bloomington on the weekend of October 3, and most recently, this past weekend. On October 3, Zeller took a tour of campus, participated in a pickup game with the current Hoosier team, and watched the Indiana football team take on Ohio State. This past weekend, he participated in another pick up game, this time with Indiana commits Austin Etherington and Matt Carlino.

As Zeller's recruiting stock grows nationally, he continues to bring in big-time offers from top name programs, such as Purdue, North Carolina, Florida, Ohio State and North Dame. Along with IU, the 6-10 prospect has made visits to Notre Dame, Purdue, and Ohio State.

While it's way too early in the recruiting process to pick a clear-cut favorite, it appears North Carolina is the leader, followed by Purdue and Indiana.

Although, it's likely a college decision from Zeller won't come until 2010, Crean will continue to sell Zeller on the importance of staying in-state and rebuilding a once prominent program.



(Cody Zeller (far left) taking in football game with Tom Crean, staff and fellow recruits. Click photo to enlarge.)
**Photo and Video below courtesy of Mike Pegram of Peegs.com

Billion Dollar Man
A year ago, LeBron James said he wanted to become the first athlete to ever earn billion dollars. Unfortunately for the 'King,' he is a decade short and millions of dollars behind the first true billion athlete, Mr. Tiger Woods.

According to Forbes magazine, Woods topped the billion mark after winning the PGA Tour's season-long FexEx Cup, and its $10 million dollars winner's check two weekends ago. Add this prize money to his 2009 season winnings ($10.5 million dollars) to $980 million dollars in career earnings from endorsements and tour winnings, and you come to a billion dollars. Yes, with a 'B.'

While Tiger donates a lot of his fortune to charities, he can at least feel comfortable knowing his daughter's great-great grand kids are set for life.

John's Top-5 NFL Power Rankings
1. Colts: With a perfect 5-0 record, the baby horses are playing the best football of any team right now. Peyton Manning has to be the current MVP favorite.
2. Giants: Like the Colts, the Giants are on a roll, thanks to a top-3 defense and a MVP-caliber season so far from Eli Manning.
3. Saints: The best show on Turf-II? The offense receives all the credit, but it's the defense that's keeping the Saints in games.
4. Minnesota: Love him or hate him, Brett Favre has taken this team to the next level.
5. Falcons: Balance, Balance, Balance. On offense, the Falcons can beat you so many ways, while the defense doesn't give up the big play.

SAC Power Rankings
Since I have been unable to attend many high school games this year, I asked Bishop Luers defensive coach Brent Egts to provide me with his power rankings.

1. Dwenger
2. South Side
3. Snider
4. Wayne
5. Luers
6. Harding
7. Concordia
8. North Side
9. Elmhurst
10. Northrop

Ramblings:
-Attention Indiana basketball fans, Hoosier Hysteria aka "Midnight Madness" is this Friday, October 16 at 7:00 p.m. Assembly Hall should be rocking.

-Who Dey. How about the Cincinnati Bengals? Like millions, or even billions of others, I wrote this 4-1 team off before the season began. At the time, I believed they had a solid group of young, talented players, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Many of those young players, though, were inexperienced and the franchise wasn't coming off the best of seasons. I did, however, think Cedric Benson still had gas left in the tank, but not enough to lead the NFL in rushing after five weeks. The Bengals currently sit alone atop the NFC North, with three wins over division opponents. Time will tell if they are the real deal.

-The Oakland Raiders are horrible. There is no other way to say it.... They can't run. They can't pass. They can't stop the run. And, you guess it, they can't stop the pass. ESPN thinks St. Louis is the worst team heading into Week 6.

-According to ESPN, Brady Quinn has put his house up for sale in Cleveland. This could mean two things.... The Browns are going to trade him, or he is fed up with his neighbor. I'll take the former.

- Funny Clip: Indiana vs Virginia video. I received this from a good friend, who seems to have a good sense of humor.

-Last clip of the day... This has to be a horrible way to lose a football game. Remember kids, play until the whistle.

Vacation

Hello, Tidbit family. I just wanted to stop by and let you know that the tidbits are going strong and I can't wait to produce the next edition. This week, however, I have decided to take a week off to catch up on office work, homework, and life itself. I enjoy doing these tidbits very much, but they take many hours of planning and producing. You will receive an email on October 12, 2009, with a new edition of tidbits.

Enjoy the week off!

September 28, 2009: Weekly Tidbits

Welcome back tidbit fans to another week of recapping the top sports news and stories told by your boy. In this edition, we will look at a number of different sporting events that topped the headlines from September 19-27. Unless you were out of town or fell asleep early, you missed two semi-local college football games that came down to the wire. We'll recap those match ups, and much more. Enjoy!

Michigan 36, Indiana 33

Despite a breakout game from Indiana freshman Darius Willis, the Michigan Wolverines escape with a 36-33 victory over the Hoosiers, Saturday afternoon in the Big House. The Wolverines (4-0, 1-0) stay unbeaten this season, while the Hoosiers (3-1, 0-1) suffer their first loss in 2009.

Down 33-29, the Michigan offense drove the length of the field in the game's final minutes, ending the drive in a 26 yard pass play from Tate Forcier to Martavious Odoms, giving the home team the lead.

IU had one last chance to steal the victory on the game's final drive, but Hoosier quarterback Ben Chappell was picked off by Michigan cornerback Donovan Warren, ending the game at 36-33. 

Michigan was led to victory by Carlos Brown, who finished Saturday's contest with 86 yards on 11 carries, and two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving). Tate Forcier had another fine day for Michigan, going 11-23 for 184 yards and two touchdowns.

In the loss, Willis, a redshirt freshman, had a career day on the ground for the Hoosiers, rushing for 162 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns. Chappell also played well on Saturday, going 21 of 38 for 270 yards.

Next up: Michigan (at Michigan State, 12:00 PM- Big Ten Network); Indiana (vs. Ohio State, 7:00 PM- Big Ten Network)

Notre Dame 24, Purdue 21
Instead of writing my own recap, I have linked a few post-game stories from the South Bend Tribune and Journal and Courier. I felt these story explained the game very well from each fanbase's perspective.

Eric Hansen, South Bend Tribune: "Irish Clear Big Hurdle-Barely"

Mike Carmin, Journal and Courier: "Notre Dame Eludes Purdue's Grasp"

Next up: Norte Dame (vs. Washington, 3:30 PM- NBC); Purdue (vs. Northwestern, 12:00 PM- Big Ten Network)

Purdue Basketball Recruiting

Since taking over the reigns in West Lafayette, Purdue head coach Matt Painter and his staff have made a vibrant effort to recruit the state of Indiana. And if this year's roster isn't an example of that, nothing will be. However, this doesn't mean Painter won't travel outside state borders for a talented prospect, who he thinks can help the program evolve. In the case of Chicago-area Alex Foster, the Purdue head coach must believe this freshman in high school is the real deal.

In a column written by Chicagohoops.com, the Boilermakers, along with many other top programs from around the country, such as Illinois and Ohio State, are lining up at the door for Foster, a  6-7 power forward. While the line may be getting longer each month, Foster is worth the wait, as many recruiting services have already tabbed the De La Salle prospect as the top player in the 2013 class. Although it will be a while before we learn of Foster's college choice--possibly two to three years even-- coach Painter is off to a quick start with one of the top prep players in the country.

Who are the AP Poll voters?
Did you know Pete DiPrimio of the Fort Wayne News Sentinel is an AP college football poll voter? I didn't either, until searching through the website pollspeak.com. With a few clicks, you can see the panel of voters, or sports writers, who vote each week in the important poll. Take a look, you may recognize some familiar names.

Speaking of polls...Week 5, AP Poll

1	Florida (55)	4-0	1490
2	Texas (1)	4-0	1420
3	Alabama (4)	4-0	1400
4	LSU	4-0	1225
5	Boise State	4-0	1203
6	Virginia Tech	3-1	1190
7	USC	3-1	998
8	Oklahoma	2-1	979
9	Ohio State	3-1	957
10	Cincinnati	4-0	946
11	TCU	3-0	896
12	Houston	3-0	844
13	Iowa	4-0	788
14	Oklahoma State	3-1	591
15	Penn State	3-1	470
16	Oregon	3-1	462
17	Miami (FL)	2-1	452
18	Kansas	4-0	418
18	Georgia	3-1	418
20	Brigham Young	3-1	349
21	Mississippi	2-1	340
22	Michigan	4-0	271
23	Nebraska	3-1	256
24	California	3-1	206
25	Georgia Tech	3-1	185

Bernard Pollard Signs with Texans

A month ago, the Kansas City Chiefs released safety Bernard Pollard, who was the team's second round draft pick back in 2006. While the cut was unexpected, it was only a matter of time before Pollard ended up with another franchise. Three weeks later, the former South Side and Purdue standout signed a deal with the Houston Texans. Pollard, a strong safety, will begin his career in Houston as a backup.

Worst College Football Team in America
And the winner is.....

Searching around SI.com the other day led me to this article. The title of the headline is sad, but very true: Indiana State is the worst Division-I program in the country.

Pirates and Attendance 

Is there something wrong with this picture......

The Fort Wayne Tincaps average seating attendance for the 2009 season was 5,319. Not bad for a single-A minor league team. A major league team couldn't possibly draw below that number, right?

Well, it happened on September 24, when the Pittsburgh Pirates hosted the Cincinnati Reds. Although 15,000 seats were sold before the game, only 3,000 people walked through the gates, according told by PNC park officials. The officials explained the low attendance was due to the  "G-20 Summit". This reason could be true, but I have two more to add: The Pirates are in last place in the N.L. Central Division, and it's football season in Pittsburgh.

College Football Hall of Fame Will Leave South Bend

On December 31, 2010, the College Football Hall of Fame will shut its doors in South Bend, Indiana, and relocate to Atlanta, Georgia, according to Hall officials on September 25. Officials expect to draw more visitors and foot traffic through the museum, leading to bigger and better exhibits and, of course, the most important aspect, larger profit gains. A new building will be constructed alongside Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta and is expected to open in 2012.

My take: While the last day of the 2010 year will be a sad one for Notre Dame fans, the city of South Bend and Hall officials can only blame themselves for the failure of the exhibit. If you have been to the museum, I'm sure you had a fun time and learned a lot about the history of college football. However, the whole point of bringing the hall from Ohio to South Bend back in 1995 was to hit the Notre Dame market, especially on game days. Good idea, except that museum is located nowhere near campus and not in a quality part of town.

Ramblings:
-Winless no more. Congrats to the Detroit Lions for picking up their first win in almost two years over the Washington Redskins on Sunday, 19-14. The victory ends the Lions' 19-game skid (second longest losing streak of all-time). 

-Remember us? Baseball season is still going,  Here's the proof.... The New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals won their respective divisions this past weekend, joining the Los Angeles Dodgers as the only three teams to clinch playoff berths. 

-He came back for a reason.....to make plays like this. As most know, I'm not biggest Brett Favre fan, but he made a great play on Sunday to win the game for the Vikings. 

Tidbits: September 22

I should receive a delay of game penalty for delivering these tidbits late.

In this week's edition, we will discuss and dissect the important events from last week, and answer the tough questions surrounding the college gridiron and beyond. Such as.....

What's up in South Bend? Is Michigan for real? Can the Hoosiers steal a win next week against the Wolverines? Was Washington's victory over USC legit?

Let's find out...

1. Notre Dame escapes Michigan State

Fresh off a loss to the Michigan Wolverines in the Big House a week ago, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looked to put aside the heart-crushing defeat, and move on against the struggling Michigan State Spartans in South Bend. Although the game favored the Irish early, the Spartans, once again, and played well in their 'second home.'

Down 13-3 after the first quarter, Michigan State found a way to move the ball effectively against the Irish defense, leading to two touchdowns before halftime. Notre Dame added a field goal before the break, but Sparty led the Irish 17-16 at intermission.

Down a point, and needing a quick score, Jimmy Clausen and the Irish offense drove the length of the field on the first drive in the third quarter, ending with an Armando Allen touchdown pass to Robby Parris. Allen set up in the 'Wildcat' formation, faked a draw up the middle, and found an open Parris in the back of the endzone. The fireworks didn't end there. 

Michigan State fired back with two more touchdowns in the second half, giving the visitors a 30-26 lead with under five minutes left in regulation. It was put up or shut up at this point for the Irish.

The echos rang load and clear on Notre Dame's last offensive position of the game, as Clausen connected with Golden Tate for a 33-yard touchdown pass. All Notre Dame had to do now was stop the Spartans inexperienced offense, which for some reason, was no easy task on this day.

Under three minutes left, the Spartans attacked the Irish's secondary, and quickly moved the ball down the field, setting up for another potential upset at Notre Dame Stadium. When the Irish needed a stop, the defense one-upped its goal with an interception, as Kyle McCarthy saved the day after picking off a pass from a hurried Spartan quarterback Kirk Cousins, ending the game at 33-30.

While the old saying goes 'a win is a win,' Notre Dame's victory over Michigan State came at a cost, both on the injury list and among Irish fans.

Sophomore wide out Michael Floyd will miss the rest of the season after suffering a collar bone injury in the second quarter. Further, before the game, the Irish were picked as the clear-cut favorite to win, but the home team didn't play like the best squad on this day.

Until Notre Dame can stop the run and put pressure on the opposing team's quarterback, it's going to be a rough journey the rest of the season. Despite the recent loss of Michael Floyd for the entire season, the Irish offense, as a whole, is fine, with Clausen, Tate, and Allen running the show. However, Notre Dame won't be able to outscore every opponent, most notably USC in a few weeks. A new defensive game plan must be a priority, or else Weis will be out as coach at season's end.


2. Michigan is on a roll, but for how long?

The Michigan Wolverines showed the country they're on their way back to national prominence last weekend after beating Notre Dame in Ann Arbor, 38-34. Could the Rich Rodriguez's squad continue the momentum against Eastern Michigan this past weekend? Take a guess, and you would be right.

The Blue and Maize put on another fine showing, especially in the second half, in defeating the Eagles, 45-17. Although Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier had a good day under center, he wasn't the main man in the win. That title belonged to running back Carlos Brown, who rushed for 187 yards on 13 carries, and two touchdowns.

Brown's coming out party couldn't come at a better time for Michigan, as they begin Big Ten play next Saturday at home against Indiana. If the Wolverines want to build on their ongoing successful season, they must continue to make big plays and put the pressure on opposing quarterbacks. In my crystal ball, I see the Wolverines winning their next four games, until they travel to Happy Valley to take on Penn State. Not only are the Nittany Lions a strong opponent, but Happy Valley is an extremely tough place to play.

Until then, you have to be impressed with what Rodriguez is doing with this young team. With more wins, comes more confidence. This could be a scary thing for Michigan opponents down the road.....

3. Indiana zips by Akron; Bring on Michigan

In the first two games this season, Indiana has struggled to put teams away with the victory in hand. Although the Hoosiers won these games, the two wins, mind you, came against Division II program Eastern Kentucky (19-13) and MAC-opponent Western Michigan (23-19).

On Saturday, however, the Hoosiers came out with an extra fire in their pads, having little trouble defeating Akron, a top-tier MAC team, 38-21. The Hoosiers are now 3-0, heading into next's week game against Michigan at the Big House. The real test begins next week.

Leading the Hoosiers to victory was the running back corps made up of Darius Willis (15 carries, 66 yards, a touchdown), Trea Burgess (13 carries, 59 yards, a touchdown) and Demetrius McCray (12 carries, 45 yards). As a unit, the grouped averaged 3.9 yards a carry. Starting quarterback Ben Chappell had a good day, as well, throwing for 163 yards and two touchdowns, and only one interception.

At 3-0, IU sits atop the big ten standings. As mentioned, the Hoosiers' first real test will come against a tricky, option-friendly Michigan squad. Indiana will be the underdog, and they can upset Michigan if they slow down the Wolverines' rushing attacking. The problem, though, no one has been able to slow down Michigan, yet.

Although I don't see an IU win next weekend, anything can happen. Just ask USC.

4. SAC Power Poll

John's SAC Power Poll (after Week 4) 

1. Bishop Dwenger
2. Harding

3. South Side

4. Snider

5. Wayne

6. Bishop Luers

7. Elmhurst

8. Concordia

9. North Side

10. Northrop

Player of the Week: Snider running back Jason McCraw ran 18 times for 242 yards and two scores against Concordia.

5. Irving Drops Indiana from Recruitment

Indiana Hoosiers #1 recruiting target Kyrie Irving announced last week that he will no longer consider the Hoosiers in his ongoing recruitment this fall. Talks between Irving and the Indiana coaching staff turned south following an in-home visit a week ago. For more information on this story, click the link below.

Story written by Mike Pegram of Peegs.com on September 18, 2009.

       
6. We're Back...

Miami, BYU, Florida State, and Michigan. After lack luster seasons the past couple of years, it's nice to see these former college football powerhouse programs back in the national spotlight. The biggest surprise has to be Michigan, who began the 2009 season unranked, but now #23 in the polls and owns a 3-0 record, with wins over Western Michigan, Notre Dame and Eastern Michigan. Miami has also been impressive in wins over Florida State and Georgia Tech.

7. Ramblings

-Running back Jahvid Best of California is the Heisman favorite right now. Did you see his five touchdowns against Minnesota? Whether he ran north-south or around the edges, Best is a dominating force right now.

-On occasion, I like to look at my past predictions, and figure out where I went wrong with them. My biggest flop so far this year was calling Alabama overrated. True, it may be too early to call this pick a flop, but they have played extremely well up to this point. Bama is ranked #3 in the country this week.

-Call me 'Mr. Obvious,' but it appears Boise State will go undefeated, and have a shot at playing for the National Championship this season.

-Not to take anything away from Washington, who played flawless defensive football on Saturday against USC, but their win over the Trojans was a fluke. 

-With Indiana off Irving's list, look for the Hoosiers to make a push for 6-9 power forward Brandon Mobley.

-Until further notice, Kentucky is still the favorite to win the NCAA Title in 2009-2010.