IU Football Lands Stud Ohio DE

'Brotherly Love' left Philadelphia and made its way to Bloomington, Indiana. For a one day, anyway.

The Indiana football program received good news Monday morning as 6-2, 253 pound Jibreel Black committed to Bill Lynch and staff, just days after visiting Bloomington for IU's summer football camp. Peegs.com columnist Matt Weaver broke the news of the commitment Monday afternoon.

Black, who is a three-star prospect and the 23rd ranked defensive end in the country, according to Rivals.com, picked Indiana over offers from in-state powerhouses Michigan and Michigan State, as well as Kentucky and Cincinnati. Scout.com gives Black a four-star rating, noting explosiveness off the line and intensity as his strengths.

Black is the seventh committment for the Hoosiers in the 2010 class, and the sixth pledge in the last 12 days. Though early in the recruiting season, the Cincinnati Wyoming standout could eventually become the best prospect in Indiana's 2010 class.

Black said he liked Indiana's coaching staff, most notably defensive end's coach George Ricumstrict, and a certain player on the team, defensive tackle and big brother, Larry Black Jr. Jibreel said he wanted to play college football with Larry, and now, he will get his chance.

The Blacks will join Adrian and Aaron Burks as team's two sets of brothers on the 2010 roster.

Friday's Tidbits: June 26

1. NBA Draft News and Notes...

The day some of us have been waiting for came and went Thursday evening as the 2009 NBA Draft once again filled our television screens with great picks, surprising trades, and head scratching selections. While the talent pool was considered down this year, with the exception of Oklahoma's Blake Griffin, anyone could have be drafted at any pick, which in many ways helped viewership, but forced team G.M.'s to flip a coin on certain selections. Yes, the field was that wide open.

Listed below are a few selections from the draft I found interesting last night...

-Ricky Rubio to Minnesota with the 5th pick. I thought he would not fall beyond Sacramento, or someone would trade up for his services. He may not be fully ready for the league, but his jersey will sell like crazy in Spain.

-Sacramento selects Tyreke Evans. ESPN commentator Jay Bilas had been praising Evans all week, and it's possible Bilas got into the heads of the Kings front office. Evans is a stud and possible future All-Star.

-DeJuan Blair falling to the second round was the biggest surprise of the night. Teams were apparently afraid of his past health issues, which included two ACL surgeries in high school. Another reason may have been his 6-6 1/2 height, which is considered small in the NBA at the power forward position. Both of these reasons may be valid, but the draft is about taking chances, and Blair has proven to be a banger. He may not be a future All-Star, but he knows how to play the game.

-Back to Minnesota......four point guards??? Ok, two will make the team and start (Rubio and Johny Flynn), one was trade bait (Ty Lawson was sent to Denver for a future first round pick) and the other, Nick Calathes, will tryout for the team and most likely be shipped overseas.

*Another option for the Timberwolves is to trade Rubio to a team willing to give up a future first round pick and cash considerations. New York, anyone?

-Pacers selecting Tyler Hansbrough was in hindsight a good pick, but I thought it was a reach. Indiana could have traded down a few spots, received something in return, and Hansbrough would've still been sitting there. But I'm no G.M or Larry Bird. Hansbrough did impress scouts this past month, showing he could translate his blue-collar work ethic to the pro game. There's not argument he can play, but he will not dominate to the level he did in college. Not even close actually. He will be a solid role player, who will rebound and hustle every night. And maybe hit a few open jumpers.

2. Vince Carter to the Orlando Magic

Early yesterday afternoon the New Jersey Nets sent Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson to the Orlando Magic for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee. After thinking about this trade and its implications, you have to believe the Magic's starting five is the best in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland may have the best duo in Lebron James and Shaquille O'Neal and Boston may have the 'Boston Three Party' plus Rajon Rondo, but take a look at this starting lineup....

PG: J. Nelson
SG: V. Carter
SF: R. Lewis
SF/PF: H. Turkoglu (if he resigns..)
C: D. Howard

This starting lineup is built for a championship run. Each of these guys have All-Star potential, and besides Carter, they're all young. It's going to be another three-team race next season in the Eastern Conference, between Orlando, a healthy Boston squad, and a Cleveland team now filled up with the 'Diesel.'

3. Notre Dame Football Recruiting

When it appeared recruiting was getting tough for Charlie Weis, he comes back the next day and picks up two solid prospects. Both players committed to the Irish this past Wednesday after making trips to South Bend. As we are starting to see more often, getting players to campus is essential.

-Finally, Cincinnati Mueller quarterback Andrew Hendrix made his pledge to the Irish after visiting campus on Monday and Tuesday. The committment didn't come as a surprise, but as another victory for Notre Dame in their recruiting efforts over Ohio State. Hendrix is the first quarterback to commit to the Irish in the 2010 class, and he will most likely redshirt his first year at Notre Dame.

-On the same day as Hendrix's committment, Zionsville linebacker Blake Lueders gave his committment to Irish after visiting South Bend this week. Many scouts and people who have seen Lueders play describe him as an "animal." Lueders chose Notre Dame over Stanford, Boston College, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech and North Carolina.

Both Lueders and Hendrix are listed as four-stars, according to Rivals.com.

-Chris Martin News....

Earlier this week, Notre Dame's 2010 prize commitment, Chris Martin, said he was going to start looking around, just to make sure he had made the right decision. Well, apparently, he has changed his mind, and is now solid with the Irish, according to Pete Sampson of IrishIllustrated.com. Here's the story link.

4. Indiana Basketball Recruiting

-Stacey Poole, a four-star small forward from Jacksonville, Florida, recently put Indiana in his top two, along with Clemson. After an outstanding performance last week at the NBA Top 100 camp, it's likely Poole's stock is on the rise. Here's a breakdown of Poole's performance from the camp from Jerry Meyer of Rivals.com.

"One of the best finishers in the camp, Poole has an explosive first step and doesn't slow down from there on his attacks on the basket. A physical player with a tremendous physique, Poole also rebounds and defends at a high level. How high he takes his stock depends largely on the development of his outside jumper."

-2012 prospect Ron Patterson out of Indianapolis recently said he was going to make his college decision at the end of his sophomore season. According to Mike Pegram of Peegs.com, Patterson's finalists include Indiana, Tennessee and Ohio State. A lot can change in a year, but I believe, like Mr. Pegram, he's an Indiana lean.

-No new news on Kyrie Irving and Marquis Teague. This could be a good thing for the Hoosiers....

5. Purdue Basketball Recruiting

-Donnie Hale, a 6-8 power forward from New Albany, Indiana, finally gave his pledge to Matt Painter this past week, after months of speculation he would end up in West Lafayette. Hale is a three-star prospect according to Rivals.com, and he chose Purdue over Xavier.

The interesting part of this committment is that Purdue did not have an open scholarship to offer Hale, but gave him the option of playing a year in prep school before coming to Purdue in 2011. Unless someone on the current roster leaves the team, Hale won't suit up for the Boilermakers until 2011.

-A prospect Purdue fans should take note of is 2011 small forward Brandon Dawson, out of Gary, Indiana. I have seen some film on the kid, and he's a legit Division-I standout, and this is why Georgetown, Indiana, UCLA and Purdue are all after him. He has set no timetable for a decision, but it could come as early as this fall. If you like athleticism, Dawson is your guy. Purdue is the early leader in this recruiting race.

6. Fort Wayne's Finest

I understand most of my readers live and work in the Fort Wayne area, so this tidbit is dedicated to the Summit City. I have made a list of the top basketball players in the area that are receiving high interest from major Division-I programs.

-Incoming senior Deshaun Thomas, Bishop Luers High School: Committed to Ohio State
-Incoming senior Russell Byrd, Blackhawk Christian: Committed to Michigan State
-Incoming junior Evan Blackmon, Bishop Luers High School: Receiving letters from Big Ten and MAC schools. Stock is rising.
- Incoming junior Tony Springman, Bishop Dwenger High School: Receiving letters from Big Ten and MAC schools. Stock is rising.
-Incoming junior Ken Mullen, Bishop Luers High School: Receiving letters from Big Ten and MAC schools. Stock could rise with a good season.
-Incoming sophomore Rapheal Davis, South Side High School: Committed to Purdue


7. Kellen Lewis to Valdosta State

This is probably old news by now, but former Indiana quarterback Kellen Lewis has transferred to Division-II powerhouse Valdosta State. Lewis, who was on his way to setting every major Indiana passing record, was dismissed from the Hoosier program after breaking unspecified team rules. Ben Chappell is now the man under center for Bill Lynch.


Enjoy the weekend!

FINAL Mock Draft: 3 of 3

With about 10 minutes left until the first selection is made by the Los Angeles Clippers, I have completed and put together my final 2009 NBA mock draft.

1. L.A. Clippers: B.J. Griffen, Oklahoma

2. Memphis: Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut

3. Oklahoma City Thunder: Ricky Rubio, Spain

4. Sacramento: Jordan Hill, Arizona

5. Minnesota: Tyreke Evans, Memphis

6. Minnesota: James Harden, Arizona State

7. Golden State: DeMar Derozan, USC

8. New York: Stephen Curry, Davidson

9. Toronto: Brandon Jennings, Italy

10. Milwaukee: Gerald Henderson, Duke

11. New Jersey: Johnny Flynn, Syracuse

12. Charlotte: Ty Lawson, UNC

13. Indiana: Jrue Holiday, UCLA

14. Phoenix: Earl Clark, Louisville

15. Detroit: James Johnson, Wake Forest

16. Chicago: Jeff Teague, Wake Forest

17. Philadelphia: Eric Maynor, VCU

18. Minnesota: Tyler Hansbrough, UNC

19. Atlanta: Austin Daye, Gonzaga

20. Utah: Terrance Williams: Louisville

21. New Orleans: B.J. Mullens, Ohio State

22. Portland: Darren Collison, UCLA

23. Sacramento: DeJuan Blair: Pittsburgh

24. Dallas: Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech

25. Oklahoma City: Omri Casspi, Israel

26. Chicago: Sam Young, Pittsburgh

27. Memphis: Tony Douglas, Florida State

28. Minnesota: Chase Budinger, Arizona

29. New York: Patrick Mills, St. Mary’s

30. Cleveland: DeJuan Summers, Georgetown

Shaq to Cavs

Superman meet the King.

In a move that will undoubtedly spice up the Eastern Conference race next season, the Phoenix Suns have agreed in principle to trade future Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal to the Cleveland Cavilers for Ben Wallace, Sahsa Pavlovic, and $500,000 in cash. The Suns will also receive the 46th pick in this year's draft.

The deal was made late last evening, although the two teams have tried to work out a deal involving Shaq since February. Now, Shaq joins a Cleveland team that is primed for another deep playoff run, and in need of someone to body up against Dwight Howard.

While it's too early to tell if this move instantly makes Cleveland the favorites next season, the move does provide Lebron James something has yet to have in his 5 year career in the NBA: a proven, solid big man, who can defend and score consistently on the block.

NBA Make-Up

Take a look at some interesting numbers showing where current NBA players attended school, or lack thereof. Pretty interesting breakdown.

By school/conference

1. ACC (53)
2. Pac-10 (47)
3. Tie - Big 12, Big East (41 each)
4. SEC (39)
5. Big Ten (35)
6. Conference USA (22)
7. WAC (12)
8. Atlantic 10 (11)
9. Mountain West (seven)
10. West Coast (five)

The top 10 conferences in producing NBA players, using current conference alignments

1. ACC (55)
2. Big East (48)
3. Pac-10 (47)
4. Big 12 (41)
5. SEC (39)
6. Big Ten (35)
7. Mountain West (13)
8. Conference USA, Atlantic 10 (12 each)
10. WAC (seven)

Top schools producing NBA players

1. Duke (14)

2. UCLA, Connecticut (12 each)

4. North Carolina, Kansas (11 each)

6. Arizona (10)

7. Georgia Tech, Florida, Kentucky (nine each)

10. Texas (eight)

**These numbers were provided by David Fox, Rivals.com College Basketball Writer

2009 NBA Mock Draft: 2 of 3

With three days left until the 2009 NBA Mock Draft, here is an updated version on how I see things panning out this year. Changes were made from the first mock draft after individual player workouts, body measurements and players opting to head back to school.

1. L.A. Clippers: B.J. Griffen, Oklahoma

2. Memphis: Ricky Rubio, Spain

3. Oklahoma City Thunder: Tyreke Evans, Memphis

4. Sacramento: Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut

5. Washington: Jordan Hill, Arizona

6. Minnesota: James Harden, Arizona State

7. Golden State: DeMar Derozan, USC

8. New York: Stephen Curry, Davidson

9. Toronto: Brandon Jennings, Italy

10. Milwaukee: Gerald Henderson, Duke

11. New Jersey: Johnny Flynn, Syracuse

12. Charlotte: DeJuan Blair: Pittsburgh

13. Indiana: Jrue Holiday, UCLA

14. Phoenix: Earl Clark, Louisville

15. Detroit: James Johnson, Wake Forest

16. Chicago: Jeff Teague, Wake Forest

17. Philadelphia: Eric Maynor, VCU

18. Minnesota: Ty Lawson, UNC

19. Atlanta: Austin Daye, Gonzaga

20. Utah: Terrance Williams: Louisville

21. New Orleans: B.J. Mullens, Ohio State

22. Dallas: Darren Collison, UCLA

23. Sacramento: Tyler Hansbrough, UNC

24. Portland: Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech

25. Oklahoma City: Omri Casspi, Israel

26. Chicago: Chase Budinger, Arizona

27. Memphis: Tony Douglas, Florida State

28. Minnesota: DeJuan Summers, Georgetown

29. L.A. Lakers: Patrick Mills, St. Mary’s

30. Cleveland: Sam Young, Pittsburgh

Friday's Tidbits: June 19

1. NBA Free Agency

With the NBA season now over, fans and owners can turn their attention to the offseason, as in, next week's draft and ongoing free agency. We'll get to the draft in tidbit #2.

As for free agency, a few big name studs will hit the market this summer, looking for a hefty payday and in some cases, more playing time. Of course, many teams are holding out for the 2010 free agency bonanza, where the bidding will begin with the names of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. For now, though, let's take a look at the big name free agents this summer and see where they might end up.

Carlos Boozer: The once Duke prodigy will likely opt out of his year of his deal in Utah, and look for more cash elsewhere. While Cleveland makes the most sense, it's been said New Jersey or Detroit would be willing to offer a 5 year, 15 million a year package. That type of money will get Boozer's attention.

Hedu Turkoglu: Even though Turkoglu had a fine regular season, he blew up in the postseason, which could lead to a huge deal this summer. Orlando has said they want to keep him, even if that means paying the luxury tax. Depending on Orlando's new offer, these teams could also be intrigued by the 6-10 versatile big man: New York, Miami and Cleveland. Turkoglu made 5 million this season and is looking for around 10-12 million next season.

Ben Gordon: The Bulls sharp shooter is due for a heavy payday. Chicago would like to resign him, but there is only so much cash to go around. He turned down a 50 million contract earlier this season, instead wanting Luol Deng money (5 year, 80 million). In this economy, Gordon likely won't get that type of contract. However, look for Detroit, Philadelphia and Chicago to push for his services.

Other Notable Free Agent Candidates:

Rasheed Wallace
Ron Artest
Joe Johnson
Allen Iverson
Jason Kidd
Lamar Odom
Mike Bibby

2. NBA Draft: More Whispers

-Stephen Curry been lights out in NBA pre-draft camps, improving on an already high stock value. If so, it wouldn't be crazy to see Oklahoma City take him at #3, pairing Curry with Russell Westbrook in the Thunder backcourt.

-It's almost a forgone conclusion that Memphis will trade out of the #2 pick. Don't be shocked to see New York, or Washington move up to grab Ricky Rubio or Hasheen Thabeet. Chicago could also dangle their two first round picks to move up in the top five. If Memphis stays put, however, they go with Thabeet, or draft Rubio and trade him away.

-Despite winning the 2009 Finals. the Los Angeles Lakers need to upgrade at the point guard position. Luckily for them, this year's draft is littered with above average guards, many of them combo guards. They are crossing their fingers that Eric Maynor (VGU) or Ty Lawson (UNC) fall to them at #31.

-The closer draft day approaches, the more it looks like the Pacers will go with Pittsburgh's DeJuan Blair (if available, of course). If not, point guard is a valid option.

3. IU Basketball Recruiting

-As stated on Tuesday, Kyrie Irving did not commit to Tom Crean and the Hoosiers, as rumors suggested early this week. However, many scouts and insiders believe it's Indiana verse everyone else.

-Indiana recruiting fans should became very familiar with the name T.J. Bell. Bell is a 6-7, power forward, who is moving with his family to Bloomington, Indiana, next year. He will attend Bloomington South High School, and will join a 2012 Indiana high school class that could be the best in recent memory.

ESPN Scouting Report

T.J. is a slasher supreme. He is very good at catching on the wing, putting the ball on the floor and getting to the basket. Young and athletic, his potential is limitless. He is a good passer with excellent basketball instincts. He needs some work on his jumper which is more of a push shot at this point. T.J. is a top 20 prospect in the 2012 class nationally.

The Hoosiers haven't offered, but will soon.

4. ND Football Recruiting

-The Irish are still waiting on a committment from Cincinnati quarterback Andrew Hendrix. As noted in previous tidbits, Hendrix is ranked 11th among quarterbacks in the class of 2010. Word out of South Bend says he should commit in the next week or so. However, Ohio State is making one last push for his signature. It appears both teams are scrambling after losing out on Nick Montana.

-While Charlie Weis has been successful lately recruiting in the state of Ohio, the past few years he has stolen talent out of southern California, or USC's backyard. La Canada (CA) safety Dietrich Riley is a new name on the radar from this region, and he holds a Notre Dame offer, along with USC and UCLA, among others. Although he likes the Trojans and Bruins, Riley is currently planning a trip South Bend this summer.

-Three prospects have decided to visit Notre Dame the weekend of October 16: Running back Jordan James, Linebacker Kendall Moore and Cornerback Joshua Shaw. Why October 16 you ask?

USC vs. Notre Dame

Notre Dame stadium should be electrifying on this night. A win could help the Irish in more ways than one.


5. Tincapping It

Congratulations to the Fort Wayne Tincaps for clinching a playoff spot for the Midwest League playoffs. The last time the Tincaps (or Wizards) made the playoffs was in 2006. According to the team's website, the squad will play a best-of-three series starting September 9-11.

6. Cubs and Trade Deadline

According to friends who follow the Chicago Cubs religiously, the "North Siders" will look to make a move or two before the July 31st trade deadline. The problem, though, it is unclear who will be available when that time comes around. The Cubs will most certainly look for more offensive production, as no full-time starter currently holds a .300 or above batting average. At the moment, Ryan Theriot leads the team with a .282 average. Don't considered this a positive statistic.
Before going down with injury, Aramis Rameriz was hitting .364 and owned a .417 on base percentage. Cubs fans can't wait for his return to the starting lineup.

Tuesday's Thoughts

1. Congrats to the Los Angeles Lakers for winning the 2009 NBA title. I'm not the biggest "Kobe guy," but he had an incredible series. He has come a long way since being traded from Charlotte to L.A. back 1996 for Vlade Divac.

The NBA should be thankful for a great overall season, as ratings in the playoffs continue to climb each year. As a side note, the NHL and the Stanley Cup Playoffs are looking for a new marketing model. It's not good thing when Buffalo, New York, owns the highest hockey ratings at 4.0 for Game 6, compared to an 8 in the lowest market for Game 6 of the NBA playoffs.

Next season, we hope, should even be better. I think it's safe to say the NBA is on the rise again.

2. The Kyrie Irving to Indiana rumors were shut down quick this morning by.....Kyrie Irving, via his Twitter page. According to a member on the fan site, Hoosiernation.com, it was rumored that Irving had given his pledge to Tom Crean last night. If you have forgotten, June 15 was the first day coaches could call recruits this summer.

However, I'm 100% sure Crean called Irving last night. He'd be crazy if he didn't.

3. Last but not least. The New York Times reported tonight that Sammy Sosa was one of the 104 players who tested positive for steroids back in 2003. This should not come as a shocker to any baseball fan. On the flipside, I think it's ethically wrong that Arod and Sosa were 'outed' like this. Some will argue that it's "great for the game knowing what these guys did." I agree with this statement. However, the players were told this information would be kept secret.

The Players Union is going to have a fit. Again.

Take care everyone.

Friday's Tidbits: June 12

1. Game. Set. Series over.

By winning game 4 last night in Orlando, the Lakers have all but sealed the deal in this year's NBA finals. Unsung hero and 12 year NBA veteran, Derek Fischer, was 0-5 from behind the arc through 3 quarters in Thursday's contest, before hitting two three pointers, one in regulation and one in overtime, to help the Lakers take a 3-1 series lead over Orlando. No team has even come back from a 3-1 deficit, and chances are, the trend will continue this year.

Despite shooting 11-31 from the floor, Kobe Bryant had a game high 32 points, while going 8-8 from the charity stripe. I don't think it's a question who the Finals MVP will be this time around for the Lakers.

2. IU Recruiting

Whispers from beneath....

-2010 standout Kyrie Irving recently told Zagasblog.com that Indiana is in the lead for his committment, with Duke, UConn and Kentucky following close behind. While Irving states IU as his leader, I'm not sold on his committment yet. A decision likely won't come until October.

-The latest word from the Marquis Teague saga is that the Hoosiers have moved ahead of Louisville for his committment. Currently, Teague the 8th best prospect in the 2011 class. Like Irving, I have a funny feeling about this one, but I'm more confident in Irving's pledge, though.

-The next Indiana committment could come from the 2012 class. Indianapolis Broad Ripple Guard Ron Patterson is said to be a 'heavy' IU lean. However, with his every growing game comes an overgrowing offer list. Tennessee and Illinois have offered the 6-3 guard in the last week, and this could delay his decision date. Despite the new offers, I believe Patterson becomes a Hoosier when it's all said and done.

3. Notre Dame Quarterback Recruiting

Well, Nick Montana is a Huskie. Most Notre Dame fans wish him well, only because they are waiting on a committment from a prospect with more upside and a better arm: Andrew Hendrix. Hendrix, a 6-3, 220 pound gun-slinger from Cincinnati, recently made recruiting trips to Notre Dame and Ohio State. He likes both, and a decision could come at anytime. I like Notre Dame's chances in this one.

As mentioned previously, the Irish would like to land two quarterbacks in this class for insurances purposes. At the point, Hendrix is a must get. Other names that have been brought up recently as quarterback targets are Sean Robinson and Luke Massa. Both do not hold offers from the Irish, but both plan to attend Notre Dame's summer camp next week in hopes of earning the paperwork from Charlie Weis.

4. Purdue Recruiting

-Despite the limited scholarships available in the 2010 class, the Boliermakers are in play for 6-8, 195 pound power forward Donnie Hale. Hale holds offers from Purdue and Xavier, and he is receiving interest from Iowa, Indiana and Louisville. All signs favor Purdue.

-Purdue is also in pursuit of 6-9, 225 pound Mitch McGray out of Chesterton (IN) Chesterton. The 2011 power forward holds an offer from the Boilers, and lists having interest from Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Notre Dame and Michigan. Purdue has the early lead in this recruitment.

- Hot off the presses...2009 Purdue signee and Indianapolis guard Jeff Robinson did not qualify academically for the 2009 semester, and will not be attending West Lafayette in the fall. However, this now opens up a scholarship for the 2010 recruiting cycle for the Boilers, which means they can now offer five-star Dominique Ferguson out of Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis. A scholarship offer is no guarantee, but very likely. Ferguson has said he likes coach Painter and Purdue.

5. Dear Brett Favre,

For the love of ESPN and my sanity, make up your mind. It's beyond ridiculous what's transpiring right now. I personally don't care if you want to play. If you want to come back, fine. I still think you have a little gas left in the tank. If not, stay in Mississippi. Canton will be waiting for you. However, my five year cousin makes decisions everyday. You should too.

-John

6. NBA Draft whispers

-With the #2 pick, the Memphis Grizzles are looking to move down, hoping another team desires to move up and take Spain's Ricky Rubio.

-The Pacers are looking to draft a point guard or a power forward. Jonny Flynn, Jrue Holiday and DeJuan Blair are names to look out for.

-The most underrated (well, not underrated since he's a surefire lottery pick) player in this year's draft is USC's DeMar DeRozan. If you have time, watch his highlights.

7. Shaq to the Cavs?

It's no done deal, but there's a very good chance this could happen. Besides getting the 37-year old "Deisel,' the Cavs would dump one of the worst contacts in recent memory. Did Ben Wallace earn his 14.5 million a year? Uhhh... 2.9 points, 6.9 rebounds earned him a spot on the team's bench. Big N-O to that question.

Rumored trade: Shaq (21 mil) for Ben Wallace (14.5 mil) and Sasha Pavlovic (4.5 mil).

**Note: The Suns would like take the extra cash and try and buy out Wallace's existing contract and hope to resign him at a more affordable and reasonable price.

Nick Montana Picks Washington

Paddling your own canoe is what Nick Montana wants to do.

Oaks Christian quarterback and the son of former Notre Dame great Joe Montana, Nick Montana, decided not to follow in his fathers footsteps and play for the Irish, instead committing first year head coach Steve Sarkisian and Washington. The Seattle Times reported the news of the committment last night.

Montana, who is rated as a four-star on Rivals.com, made the decision last night after making an unofficial visit to Washington this past weekend.

While it was believed Notre Dame, Ohio State, Alabama and Washington were the front runners, many in and around South Bend thought at the end of the day Montana would sign with the Irish. However, reports surfaced later in Montana's recruitment that he wanted to start his own legacy, not follow one.

When you take a step back and think about it, you can't blame the youngest Montana for this decision, and frankly, he may have made a better decision staying out West for these three reasons.

1. He can be apart of the rebuilding process in Washington.
2. He'll be closer to home.
3. He'll get onto the field much earlier at Washington than if he committed to Notre Dame. With Jimmy Clausen and highly touted Dayne Crist as one-two on the Irish depth chart, Montana more than likely would not have seen the field until possibly 2013 at the earliest.

Still, Montana has the chance to create his own legacy, and if he succeeds, he will paddle his way to greatness like his Dad.

Notre Dame lands another 2010 prospect

Speed kills. Luckily for Notre Dame, wide receiver Bennett Jackson has a lot of it, and much more.

The Irish landed their fifth 2010 committment Sunday afternoon after Jackson made his college choice in front of friends and family in Hazlet, New Jersey. Bennett chose Notre Dame over Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Michigan State, Boston College, West Virginia, and others.

The Raritan High School prospect picked up a Notre Dame offer while visiting campus in early April. Even after a couple visits to rival schools, Bennett felt most comfortable with the coaching staff and fellow Jerseyman, head coach Charlie Weis.

"The best thing might be the nice campus and I love that they have really good academics," Jackson told IrishIllustrated.com editor Pete Sampson. "The academics there will put me in a good position. They have a good football team too and there are a few Jersey guys on the coaching staff, so that was a bonus. There were a lot of things that I liked about it."

Rivals.com rates Bennett as a three-star, while Scouts.com offers a four-star rating. He stands 6-1, 165 pounds, and as listed as a slot wide receiver.

Bennett joins Daniel Smith, Christian Lombard, Chris Martin, and Alex Welch as verbal commitments in Notre Dame's 2010 class.

In theory, Notre Dame would like to grab one more wide receiver committment in this class, preferably a tall, outside deep threat to balance out the passing attack.

For now, Charlie Weis may have found a future kick returner with speed in Jackson.

Friday's Tidbits: June 5

1. Game 1: Lakers.

Not entirely surprised with the outcome of Game 1 between Los Angeles-Orlando: 100-75. In the 25 point win, Kobe brought home 40 points on 34 shot attempts, and Pau Gasol had 16 points and eight rebounds.

Recent history shows that if Kobe takes more than 30+ in a game, the Lakers are in for a dogfight. But not on this night.

The Lakers also played tough defensively, especially against 2009 playoff-stud Rashard Lewis, who finished the game with 8 points on 2-10 from the field.

Expect Orlando to get Lewis more looks in Game 2, although the Lakers should take the game and go up 2-0 in the series.

2. The #1 high school football prospect in the 2010 class is in the process of cutting his list. Seantrel Henderson, a 6-8, 301 pound monster, currently holds offers from every big name program in America. So far, he says a few schools have recruited him harder than others.

"It's tough to say, but Ohio State, Iowa, Minnesota, USC, UCLA, Oklahoma and North Carolina are probably on me the hardest," Henderson told Gerard Martinez of USCfootball.com.

While Notre Dame is on Henderson's offer list, it appears the Irish have fallen out of the running for his signature.

Look for this race to come down to USC, Michigan or Ohio State.

3. New IU Offers

Tom Crean and staff have recently extended a few new offers the past couple of weeks.

Small Forward: Stacy Poole, Jacksonville, FL. 6-5, 200 pounds (4 star rating, according to Rivals.com)

Shooting Guard: Cameron Wright, Cleveland, OH. 6-5, 195 pounds (4 star rating, according to Rivals.com)

Here's a link of the offers given out in the 2010 class:

Future Hoosiers?

4. Know the name Britney Griner.

One of my co-workers brought this to my attention the other day (Thanks Bill!), but Miss Griner is already being considered as the "Next" great women's basketball player. Some say she will be the greatest. Why? She's 6-8, and can throw it down with the boys.

She was a 2009 McDonald's All-American, and has signed to play at Baylor next season.

Check out these clips.

5. Wonder how many touchdowns Peyton Manning has thrown on Sunday's after a rainstorm?

If you are ever in need of a football stat or have a question about an NFL player from years ago, check out Profootballreference.com. Unbelievable information.

6. What if Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, and others went to college....where would they have gone? After making a list of players, here's what I found.

Kobe Bryant: Duke
Lebron James: Duke
Dwight Howard: North Carolina
Amare Stoudemire: Memphis
Josh Smith: Indiana
Andrew Bynum: Connecticut
J.R. Smith: North Carolina
Al Jefferson: Arkansas
Sebastian Telfair: Louisville

7. Father vs. Son

After scrambling through some random highlights the other night, I came across a certain individual who will be a junior in high school next year. He's already considered one of the top high school football players in the country, thanks to great speed, vision, and footwork. He must have picked up a few moves from his father....

Meet Barry Saunders Jr.

In the clips below, he's only a sophomore in high school. All the major colleges are after him, but it has been reported that Oklahoma State is the early favorite. Imagine that.

8. Last Friday, I gave my prediction for the 2009-2010 College Football national title game.

Florida vs. Texas

Now, what about a Heisman favorite? Although the last two Heisman winners, Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford, are back for another year, I'm going with....

Texas QB Colt McCoy.

NBA Finals Prediction

John's Prediction: Lakers in 7

Los Angeles 4, Orlando 3

The Dish: Although the Magic won the only two meetings this season (Home, Dec. 20: 106-103, Road, Jan. 109-103 ), the playoffs are a whole different animal. The Lakers can be vulnerable at home, as Houston and Denver showed us earlier in these playoffs. Orlando has also proven to be a quality road team. However, when push comes to shove, Kobe and Co. are peaking at the right time, which should guide them to a 15th NBA title.

IU Coach Tom Crean in Fort Wayne Tonight

Recruiting a fanbase is just as important as recruiting a class of prospects. Especially in the lowest of times.

That's why Indiana head men's basketball coach Tom Crean, along with Sherry Dunbar (volleyball), Felisha Legette-Jack (women's basketball), Bill Lynch (football) and athletic director, Fred Glass are traveling the state of Indiana this month as part of the " 2009 IU tailgate tour." The goal of the tour is to celebrate the accomplishments and sell the importance of the athletic program, while gaining and maintaining solid support from the thousands of Hoosier fans and alumni statewide.

The tour's last stop was in Merrillville, Indiana, on Monday. Next up is Fort Wayne this evening.

Tonight at 5:30 PM at Ceruti's reception hall, Crean, the keynote speaker, will put his best foot forward, and sell the Indiana men's basketball program to a fanbase in need of a positive outlook after a long, dreadful 6-25 season and a last place finish in the Big Ten.

Crean made these comments yesterday on his Twitter page about coming to Fort Wayne.

"Remember to keep wearing all your Indiana gear. People need to see that visible pride. Tomorrow night we are in Ft. Wayne. I expect that will be fantastic as well."

Fort Wayne news stations should be in attendance, so hopefully I can post some clips from his speech.

From witnessing a couple of his speeches in the past--including his introductory press conference as Indiana head coach--Crean will take you back by his passion and excitement for Indiana basketball.

His fan recruiting efforts should pay off tonight.

Here's the link from iuhoosiers.com for more information.

Freaks of Nature: NBA Draft Measurements

The 2009 NBA prospects are freaks. Not the freaks who have black hair and enjoy Gothic music. Freaks of nature.

The first round of NBA draft testing came and went last week that had nothing to do with a player's skill level on the court. Instead, prospects were tested from head-to-toe, measuring their height, weight, and my favorite measurement, wingspan. While measurements do not make or break a prospect's draft stock, it can provide important information regarding ones floor position at the next level.

Take for example DeJuan Blair from Pittsburgh. For most of his career at the college level, he dominated the paint on both ends, using his large frame to battle for position in and around the basket. While he is listed as a 'banger'-- someone who uses more than his physical skills to make plays in the post-- a knock NBA scouts worry about is his height. He stands 6-5, which nowadays is the size of an average shooting guard (Rip Hamilton stands 6-7), not a power forward. Ten eyars ago, Blair had the ideal size of a power forward (see: Charles Barkley). However, NBA scouts had to be very impressed with Blair's newly measured 7-2 wingspan. This means he has the arm length of someone who stands 7 foot 2 inches tall. If Blair was an average human being, his wingspan would match his height, 6-5. Pretty impressive and freakish to say he least.

(My friends and I tested our wingspans one night for fun. From the measurements, I stood 6-0 tall and offered a 6-1 wingspan. I'm not a freak.)

Blair's measurement should not totally disclaim all of the scouts worries of him, as quickness and mobility are still an issue. But it should provide the notion that he still has the length to battle for important rebounds.

Blair isn't the only prospect with these eye popping measurements. Listed below are a few other prospects with similar "wow" numbers. And some who don't.....

**Measurements were provided by NBAdraft.net**

Measurements included:

(Name, Height(shoes/no shoes), Weight, Wingspan, Standing, Body fat %)

Jeff Adrien, UConn	6' 5.25"	6' 6.5"	236.2	7' 2"	8' 11.5"	N/A
Rodrigue Beaubois, France	6' 1.25"	6' 2.25"	182.4	6' 9.75"	8' 4"	N/A
DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh	6' 5.25"	6' 6.5"	276.6	7' 2"	8' 10.5"	N/A
Derrick Brown, Xavier	6' 7.5"	6' 8.5"	224.6	7' 2.5"	8' 11.5"	N/A
Chase Budinger, Arizona	6' 6.25"	6' 7"	206.4	6' 7"	8' 5"	N/A
DeMarre Carroll, Missouri	6' 6.25"	6' 7.75"	207.2	6' 10"	8' 9"	N/A
Omri Casspi, Israel	6' 7.75"	6' 9.25"	211.2	6' 9.25"	8' 10.5"	N/A
Dionte Christmas, Temple	6' 4.25"	6' 5.5"	210.8	6' 9"	8' 6.5"	N/A
Earl Clark, Louisville	6' 8.5"	6' 10.25"	228.4	7' 2.5"	9' 1.5"	N/A
Darren Collison, UCLA	6' 0.25"	6' 1.5"	166.2	6' 3"	8' 0.5"	N/A
Dante Cunningham, Villanova	6' 7"	6' 8.25"	227.4	6' 11"	8' 10.5"	N/A
Stephen Curry, Davidson	6' 2"	6' 3.25	181.0	6' 3.5"	8' 1"	N/A
Austin Daye, Gonzaga	6' 9.75	6' 10.75	191.8	7' 2.25"	9' 2"	N/A
DeMar DeRozan, USC	6' 5.5"	6' 6.5"	211.2	6' 9"	8' 6.5"	N/A
Toney Douglas, Florida State	6' 1"	6' 2"	183.4	6' 6"	8' 1.5"	N/A
Wayne Ellington, North Carolina	6' 4.25"	6' 5.25"	202.4	6' 6.5""	8' 4"	N/A
Tyreke Evans, Memphis	6' 4"	6' 5.25"	220.6	6' 11.25"	8' 8"	N/A
Jonny Flynn, Syracuse	5' 11.25"	6' 0.75"	195.6	6' 4"	7' 11.5"	N/A
Taj Gibson, USC	6' 8.5"	6' 9.75"	214.4	7' 4"	9' 1"	N/A
Danny Green, North Carolina	6' 5.25"	6' 6.5"	208.0	6' 10"	8' 7"	N/A
Blake Griffin, Oklahoma	6' 8.5"	6' 10"	248.4	6' 11.25"	8' 9"	N/A
Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina	6' 8.25"	6' 9.5"	234.2	6' 11.5"	8' 10"	N/A
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame	6' 6.25"	6' 8"	240.4	6' 9.75"	8' 10"	N/A
James Harden, Arizona State	6' 4"	6' 5.5"	222.0	6' 10.75"	8' 7.5"	N/A
Gerald Henderson, Duke	6' 4"	6' 5"	214.6	6' 10.25"	8' 6.5"	N/A
Josh Heytvelt, Gonzaga	6' 10"	6' 11"	246.2	7' 1.25"	9' 0"	N/A
Jordan Hill, Arizona	6' 9.25"	6' 10.25"	232.4	7' 1.5"	9' 0"	N/A
Jrue Holiday, UCLA	6' 3.25"	6' 4.25"	199.0	6' 7"	8' 4.5"	N/A
Joe Ingles, Australia	6' 7.75"	6' 8.25"	209.2	6' 10.25"	8' 9"	N/A
Damion James, Texas	6' 6.25"	6' 7.5"	224.0	7' 0.75"	8' 10"	N/A
James Johnson, Wake Forest	6' 7"	6' 7.75"	257.2	7' 0.75"	8' 9.5"	N/A
Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech	6' 7.75"	6' 9"	229.0	7' 0"	8' 10"	N/A
Ty Lawson, North Carolina	5' 11.25"	6' 0.5"	198.6	6' 0.75"	7' 10.5"	N/A
Eric Maynor, VCU	6' 2.25"	6' 3.25"	163.6	6' 2.5"	8' 1"	N/A
Jack McClinton, Miami	5' 11.75"	6' 0.75"	185.2	6' 2.5"	8' 0"	N/A
Jerel McNeal, Marquette	6' 1.5"	6' 3"	190.4	6' 7.25	8' 3.5	N/A
Jodie Meeks, Kentucky	6' 3"	6' 4"	211.4	6' 4.5"	8' 2"	N/A
Patrick Mills, Saint Mary's	5' 11.25"	6' 0.5"	175.4	6' 2"	7' 11"	N/A
BJ Mullens, Ohio State	6' 11.75"	7' 1.25"	258.2	7' 1.5"	9' 3"	N/A
Jeff Pendergraph, Arizona State	6' 8.75"	6' 10"	239.6	7' 1"	8' 11"	N/A
AJ Price, UConn	6' 0.5"	6' 2"	192.8	6' 3.75"	8' 1"	N/A
Tyler Smith, Tennessee	6' 5.25"	6' 6"	212.0	6' 9.75"	8' 8.5"	N/A
DaJuan Summers, Georgetown	6' 7.25"	6' 8.5"	243.0	7' 0.75"	8' 10.5"	N/A
Jermaine Taylor, Central Florida	6' 3.5"	6' 4.75"	207.4	6' 8.75"	8' 5"	N/A
Jeff Teague, Wake Forest	6' 0.25"	6' 1.5"	175.2	6' 7.5"	8' 2.5"	N/A
Hasheem Thabeet, UConn	7' 1.25"	7' 2.5"	267.2	7' 6.25"	9' 5"	N/A
Marcus Thornton, LSU	6' 2.75"	6' 3.75"	194.4	6' 5"	8' 3"	N/A
Greivis Vasquez, Maryland	6' 4.75"	6' 6"	197.4	6' 7.25"	8' 5"	N/A
Terrence Williams, Louisville	6' 5"	6' 6.25"	213.2	6' 9"	8' 7.5"	N/A
Sam Young, Pittsburgh	6' 5.25"	6' 6.75"	222.8	6' 10.75"	8' 9.5"	N/A