Monday's Tidbits: August 31

Welcome back fans to the site you call home, at least on Monday mornings and afternoons. In this week's edition of the tidbits, we'll discuss a number of issues that topped the headlines this weekend, as well as offer a few of strategies for the fantasy football managers out there. The tidbits below will inform you on the events that occurred this past week, and answer a few questions that appeared from the weekend.

Is the Michigan football program in trouble? Who attended the Indiana Elite basketball camp this past weekend? Matt Barkley has been named the starter out in L.A., did the 'Aaron Corp Era' end, before it even started?

While you're visiting the site, please take the time to vote in our poll on the right side of the screen. A new  question will be posted each week for your enjoyment. Here we go...

1. IU Elite Camp

School starts today for students at IU, but for Tom Crean, classes in Basketball 101 have already begun.

Crean and his staff, along with current and former Indiana players, such as Eric Gordon and Jared Jeffries, hosted over two dozen recruits this weekend as part of the annual Indiana Elite camp. The camp is for high school basketball players from all over the country to come to Bloomington for a weekend, and learn new skills from a handful of top-notch teachers. The camp took place at Assembly Hall, and was not open to the general public or media. While it is unknown on who all exactly attended the camp, information from inside sources zeroed in on who made it to Bloomington and who didn't. Here are a few key names that participated this weekend.

2010- Matt Carlino, Austin Etherington

2011- Jeremiah Davis

2012- Jeremy Hollowell, Kellon Thomas, JP Tokoto, Royal Edwards, Tyler Corley, TJ Bell

2013 - Daryl Baker, Collin Hartman, Daryl Hicks, Dwayne Wilson, Bryson and Brenton Scott (Northrop)

Recruiting update:

Kyrie Irving, the 6-2, shooting guard out of St. Patrick High School in New Jersey, will take one of his five official visits to Bloomington on October 3. This comes as no surprise to Hoosier fans, as Irving has gone on record to saying Indiana would receive one of his visits, but now an official date has been set. Duke will get the first visit on September 25, then Indiana will get its turn. The remaining three visits have yet to be determined, but it's likely Kentucky will grab one of them.


2. Final Week of Vegas Odds: College Football

Since the next edition of the tidbits will not be available until next Monday, listed below are the early week odds from Vegas on a few key match-ups for this weekend. In bold are the teams I say you take, if you're a betting man or woman.



Navy
Ohio State -22

Western Michigan
Michigan -11.5

Nevada
Notre Dame -14

Georgia
Oklahoma State -4

Missouri
Illinois -7

Toledo
Purdue -11

Miami
Florida State -5.5

Virginia Tech
Alabama -7


3. Michigan Football Program in Trouble

Or are they? In case you missed it, a report surfaced from the Detroit Free Press stating that a handful of current and former Michigan players allege current Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez forced his players to extra practice time during the summer months, which is forbidden by the NCAA. Teams are permitted to no more than 20 hours of practice time during the week, but supposedly Rodriguez explained to his team that playing time would be determined on how much 'extra' time they spent in the weight room and on the practice field. One of the antonymous current players told the Free Press that some practices would last up 12 hours. While these allegations are just that, the NCAA just announced that a formal investigation will take place as soon as possible. We'll keep you updated on the NCAA's findings.

4. Barkley Named the Starter, is Corp Gone?

As reported on this site a few days ago, USC head coach Pete Carroll has picked freshman Matt Barkley as the starting quarterback for opening day against San Jose State. Barkley beat out sophomore Aaron Corp and junior Mitch Mustain for the starter's spot.

Although Barkley may be a good choice for the future of the program, many wonder what will happen to Corp, now the team's backup. Early reports out of Los Angeles say Corp will transfer to another school, most notably Colorado. Other reports say Boise State, where he has a few friends on the current roster.

These transfer rumors may be true, but at this point, Corp doesn't have many options. Since he participated in USC's offseason mini camp, he would still have to sit out a year, and would not be able to join another team's roster this season, even as a clipboard holder. My guess is Corp stays in L.A. and tries to win over the job, if or when Barkley struggles.


5. MLB MVP Leaders

While football is on the minds of many sports fans in this country, major league baseball is still going strong. With just over a month left in the season, it's about that time to start discussing the MVP race from both leagues. As stated many times on this site, I'm no baseball expert (I consider basketball my strong suit), but I have noticed a few trends in MVP voting over the years. One noticable trend that is different from the NFL and NBA is the team's success does not have an effect on the race. Albert Pujols won the award last season from the National League, but the St. Louis Cardinals did not make the playoffs. In the other two leagues, Pujols probably wouldn't have won the award, despite a great 2008 season. Below is a list of two players from each league, who have the best chance at winning the coveted award. In bold are my winners.


NL

Albert Pujols: 41 HR (1st), 110 RBI (3rd), .320 BA (5th)

Hanny Ramirez 19 HR (27th), 85 RBI (10th), .359 BA (1st)

AL


Joe Mauer: 25 HR (11th), 79 RBI (13th),.367 BA (1st)
Mark Texeria: 32 HR (2nd), 101 RBI (1st), .284 BA (37th)



6. SAC Power Poll

John's SAC Power Poll (after Week 2)

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


7. Fantasy Advice

As a fantasy commissioner the past six years, I have seen it all when it comes to drafting players. Many managers like to take a quarterback with their first pick, or even a stud wide receiver. Both strategies are fine, and have worked in the past. If you follow these four tips, however, you may find yourself in the winner's circle in your league this winter.

1. Get a stud running back early.

There are many to choose from, but there are only a dime a dozen. If you are slotted in the first six picks, get one of the quality backs. You will be sorry if you don't.

Can't miss: Maurie Jones-Drew

Sleeper: Donald Brown

Stay away: Joseph Addai



2. If the running backs are gone, find your quarterback.

Many leagues are set up to favor the running back and wide receiver positions, but a lot of these players tend to get hurt throughout the season. Quarterbacks get hurt, too, (thanks Tom Brady for ruining my season last year), but the top name QBs do not go down as often. Find a star QB early if the top RBs are gone.

Can't miss: Tom Brady

Sleeper: Drew Brees

Stay Away: Brett Favre



3. Wait on defensive players and kickers.

Don't be that guy who drafts a defensive linemen or kicker in round four. Sadly, I've seen it done, and the result did not end well for that manager. So, if your league has three spots for these players, wait until the final three picks to draft these guys. You'll thank me later.

Can't miss: DeMarcus Ware

Sleeper: Aaron Curry

Stay away: Charles Tillman



4. Tight Ends make catches, too.

I've been astonished over the years on how many people wait until the very last minute to select a tight end. Do they forget these guys make big yard catches and receive touchdown passes? Find a TE whose team  has a young quarterback, likes to throw often, and has little depth at wide receiver. Tight Ends have won match-ups for managers late in the week.

Can't miss: Tony Gonzalez

Sleeper: Greg Olsen

Stay away: Alge Crumpler



Thanks for reading. Good luck with your drafts fantasy owners. Until next week, I'm out!

Barkley named Trojans starting QB

USC has produced many talented quarterbacks over the years, many who are still playing in the NFL. If this trend continues, the next great Trojan signal caller will start his first game against San Jose State in a few weeks.

Matt Barkley, the consensus #1 overall recruit in the 2009 class, has been tabbed as the USC starting quarterback for opening day. Trojan head coach Pete Carroll announced the news following the team's afternoon practice. He slotted Barkley the starter over sophomore Aaron Corp and junior Mitch Mustian.

In this quarterback race, Carroll had a win-win-win situation. Despite each not having much or any NCAA Division I playing experience, any of the three would have likely succeeded under center this season with 10 starters returning on offense.

Barkley, however, won the job outright by throwing crisp, clean passes during training camp, while an injured Corp watched from the sidelines.

Here is some information on Barkley from his personal website, www.MattBarkley.com...

Barkley was named 2007 Gatorade national player of the year, as the first non-senior to ever been named such. He also won the 2007 Glenn Davis Award, given to best high school football player in Southern California , as well as the inaugural Joe Montana Award as the nation's top high school quarterback.

Matt Barkley passed for 3,576 yards and 35 touchdowns in 2007, completing 63% of his passes with nine interceptions. In 2005, he became the first freshman quarterback to start at Mater Dei High School since Todd Marinovich.

Matt Barkley is rated the top overall prospect in the nation by Rivals.com. On January 23, 2008, Barkley ended all speculation about Norm Chow and UCLA possibly becoming a contender by making his announcement for the USC Trojans.

Matt Barkley had a memorable 2007 junior season, when he was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year and won the Pete Maxwell Award for the top prep football player nationally. Matt Barkley threw for 3,560 yards and 35 touchdown passes in helping lead Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei to a share of the Trinity League title.

Monday's Tidbits: August 24

Welcome back friends to another edition of this week's tidbits. Although football season doesn't officially kickoff for another week, the stories that dominated the headlines this past week were pigskin related. I'm sure you are fine with that. We'll also discuss Bob Knight finally being inducted in the Indiana University Athletics Hall of Fame, as well as provide the new Rivals.com updated rankings for the class of 2011. Let's do 'dis.

1. Bobby is Back

On September 11, 2000, Bob Knight said goodbye to Indiana fans after being fired as head coach of the Hoosiers for 29 years. On November 7, 2009, he may say hello once again.

Former Indiana Hoosiers coaching great Bob Montgomery Knight has been inducted into the Indiana University Athletics Hall of Fame, according to Indiana Athletic Director Fred Glass in a press release distributed to the media last Friday. Knight, along with former Indiana head men's soccer coach Jerry Yeagley, and a handful of other past great Indiana athletes, will officially be enshrined in front of an expected sold out crowd for the Indiana vs. Wisconsin football game on November 7, 2009.

While this is a great honor for all involved, one important question remains.....will Knight attend the ceremony? Early speculation suggests he will not, due to the remaining animosity he holds to the athletic department that ran him out of Bloomington almost a decade ago. Indiana fans, however, suggest most of that administration, most notably former Indiana President Myles Brand, is no longer associated with the school. Reportedly, only six people from that administration still work for the athletics department.

Although many Knight loyalists and Indiana fans are calling for his appearance, at the moment, I have a weird feeling coach Knight will not attend. Bad blood still runs thick, and it make take a strong personality, i.e. Tom Crean, to convince the one time Hoosier coach, to come back to Bloomington. I hope I am wrong, but Knight has been silent on this matter since the story broke.

Could he be setting the plot for a surprise entrance?

Indiana fans can only hope this story ends well.

2. New 2011 Rivals Rankings

The most interactive recruiting service on the web, Rivals.com, recently released an updated version of its high school basketball rankings for the 2011 class. And to no one's surprise, many Hoosier names appear from top to bottom. In fact, nine players from the state of Indiana made the list. For a state as small as Indiana, this is extremely impressive and shows that the Hoosier state still remains a hotbed for basketball talent. Take a look at the list of players and let's see where they might end up in two years....

Indiana High School Players on the 2011 List

2. Marquis Teague, Indianapolis Pike-Considering: Louisville, Kentucky, Indiana
10. Michael Chandler, Indianapolis Lawrence North: Committed to Louisville
16. Brandon Dawson, Gary Lew Wallace: Considering Purdue, Indiana, UCLA, Georgetown
35. Cody Zeller, Washington: Considering Indiana, Purdue, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Butler
40. Jeremiah Davis, Muncie Central: Considering Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee
41. Marshall Plumlee, Warsaw (Arden, N.C.): Considering Duke, Purdue, Indiana, Florida
49: Ryan Taylor, Indianapolis Lawrence North: Committed to Louisville
68: Darwin Davis, Bloomington South: Committed to Xavier
86: Austin Etherington, Hamilton Heights: Committed to Indiana

3. AP and Coaches College Football Polls

The coaches made their voices known two weeks ago with their respective poll. Now, the media gave their opinion. After months of anticipation , the Associated Press of America released its 2009 preseason poll last week, tabbing Florida as the overwhelming favorite to repeat as National Champions. Although the two polls look very similar at first, there are some noticeable differences. Let's take a peak.

AP Poll Coaches

1. Florida (58) 0-0 1,498

2. Texas (2) 0-0 1,424

3. Oklahoma 0-0 1,370

4. USC 0-0 1,313

5. Alabama 0-0 1,156

6. Ohio State 0-0 1,113

7. Virginia Tech 0-0 1,054

8. Mississippi 0-0 1,047

9. Oklahoma State 0-0 989

9. Penn State 0-0 989

11. LSU 0-0 914

12. California 0-0 746

13. Georgia 0-0 714

14. Boise State 0-0 659

15. Georgia Tech 0-0 593

16. Oregon 0-0 587

17. TCU 0-0 521

18. Florida State 0-0 307

19. Utah 0-0 289

20. Brigham Young 0-0 267

21. North Carolina 0-0 261

22. Iowa 0-0 229

23. Notre Dame 0-0 225

24. Nebraska 0-0 207

25. Kansas 0-0 134

Coaches Poll

1. Florida (53) 0-0 1,466

2. Texas (4) 0-0 1,386

3. Oklahoma (1) 0-0 1,358

4. USC (1) 0-0 1,321

5. Alabama 0-0 1,134

6. Ohio State 0-0 1,126

7. Virginia Tech 0-0 1,020

8. Penn State 0-0 988

9. LSU 0-0 917

10. Mississippi 0-0 889

11. Oklahoma State 0-0 861

12. California 0-0 711

13. Georgia 0-0 707

14. Oregon 0-0 694

15. Georgia Tech 0-0 559

16. Boise State 0-0 542

17. TCU 0-0 461

18. Utah 0-0 404

19. Florida State 0-0 371

20. North Carolina 0-0 293

21. Iowa 0-0 257

22. Nebraska 0-0 236

23. Notre Dame 0-0 194

24. Brigham Young 0-0 178

25. Oregon State 0-0 165

4. Indiana Basketball Recruiting Update

The topic line should read the 'Kyrie Irving saga.'

As we have mentioned on this site many times before, Irving has been the number 1 prospect on the Hoosiers' recruiting board the last eight months. While he has said many times that a decision won't be made until this fall, we now know the list of schools he will choose from. Irving provided this list to Zagsblog.

"The six schools are Duke, Indiana, Kentucky, Georgia Tech, Seton Hall, UConn, and Texas A&M.”

Irving on Indiana...

"I have a great relationship with all the coaches, the whole coaching staff starting with Coach [Tom] Crean and it just trickles down to the assistant coaches. To Coach [Tim] Buckley and coach [Roshown] McLeod, I have great relationships with them."

Rivals.com ranks Irving as the 9th overall top prospect in the country for the 2011 class.

5. SAC Football

John's 2009 SAC Poll: (After week 1)


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


Week 1 Scoreboard:

BISHOP DWENGER 42, SOUTH SIDE 19
ELMHURST 21, NORTHROP 13
CONCORDIA 28, NORTH SIDE 6
SNIDER 27, BISHOP LUERS 13
HARDING 26, WAYNE 21

Player of the Week: Harding running back Roderick Smith rushed for 298 yards on 28 carries, and two touchdowns, to lead the Hawks to a 26-21 win over the Wayne Generals.




Ramblings:

-Michigan head football coach Rich Rodriguez recently said he plans to use three quarterbacks in the season opener next week against Western Michigan. The three QBs for the Wolverines this season are Tate Forcier, Denard Robinson and Nick Sheridan. Forcier should win the starting job outright by week 2.

-Lou Holtz is at it again. The former Notre Dame legendary head coach recently said in an interview on ESPN that he believes the Irish will take on Florida for the 2009 National Championship. Most know I'm a big Notre Dame fan, and I do enjoy watching Holtz's personality on air. However, this prediction is borderline insane. If he's somehow right in a few months, I will quit writing the tidbits each week. I still believe the Irish can go 10-2.

-Former Duke point guard Greg Paulus has been named the starting quarterback for the Syracuse Orange. Either Paulus still has a cannon from his high school days, or the Orange program is desperate.

-Finally, Brett Favre made his Minnesota Vikings debut last Friday evening against the Kansas City Chiefs. While the future hall of famer finished the game with a sub par stat sheet, going 1-4, 4 yards, in two series, he looked comfortable running the West Coast offense he was so accustomed to in Green Bay. Look for a better showing from Favre against the Texans on August 31.

-Former Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals running back Edgerrin James signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks.

-While I may get into trouble for this saying this, since I am one of them....Cubs fans, maybe next year.

Thanks for reading sports nuts!

Monday's Tidbits: Aug. 17

Hello again, ladies and gents. I hope you enjoyed your cup of coffee or juice this morning. I know I did.

For this week's tidbits, we'll discuss everything from the latest in IU and PU recruiting to the Michael Vick finally signing with a team saga. Sit back, and enjoy your morning, and of course, these tidbits.

1. Tiger Falls in PGA, or did Yang Win?

Before we discuss the overall impact of Y.E. Yang's victory at the PGA Championship on Sunday over Tiger Woods, one thing should be said and understood: Tiger didn't lose Sunday's major, Yang won it.

Twist it how you like, and many will, but that's how the last major of the 2009 season happened. And even to the world's best, it should have happened sooner.

Heading into the PGA Championship this weekend, Tiger was a perfect 14 for 14 in majors won after owning or sharing a piece of the lead, heading into the final 18 holes. Now, the once eye-popping stat reads an impressive 14 of 15 major won.

The last major of the season turned out to be the best of the year, and Tiger didn't even win it. It was a major filled with excellent shot making, unlucky breaks, and suspense. I'm curious to see the overnight ratings on CBS, which will be released Monday morning. I bet it reaches a 7 or 8.

Most of the excellent shot making came from Yang, who on the final hole Sunday, probably hit one of the best approach shots on a final day of a major with the lead in history.
Who hits a 3-wood (excuse me, hybrid 3-wood) from 206 yards, over a tree and a few greenside bunkers, with the tournament on the line, to six feet? Tiger had to even be impressed.

Another impressive shot from Yang's came on 14 when he chipped in for eagle to go up for the first time in the tournament. At the time, this was the shot of the weekend, until the miraculous final approach on 18. These two shots kept the 37-year-old South Korean, and now first time major winner, somewhere not many have been before on Sunday against Tiger: on top of the leaderboard.

While Yang didn't falter like many before him against the world's number one, Woods couldn't seem to drop a putt. Without looking at the video or stat sheets, it's a fair to say Eldrick lipped-out (hit the side of the hole) on six or seven birdie and par putts on Sunday. If two of them fell, we would be talking about Tiger winning his 15th major title. As many golfers know, sometimes you're going to have days where nothing falls. It was just odd seeing miss after miss from one of the best players to ever play the game. For once, Tiger felt a regular golfer's pain on the greens.

In all, the win by Wang will be headline news in South Korea for days to come. CNN-Asia is likely showing around-the-clock coverage of the new champion's whereabouts. And they should.

As the announcers made clear all day Sunday, golf is a booming busniess over in Asia. In a few years, we will be seeing more and more players like Wang, playing on the PGA and winning regularly. One of those players could be Ryo Ishikawa from Japan. Remember that name (if you can pronounce it correctly) because many golf analysts across the pond are already dubbing him as the "Next Tiger."


While it's too early to tell if that prediction will come true, I don't think we'll ever see another Tiger Woods. Despite losing Sunday, I would put a lot of money and my 60* sand wedge on Eldrick surpassing Jack Nicklaus' all-time major of 18. Tiger needs four to pass the Golden Bear.

I'm guessing 2012 will be the year the record is broken. Funny thing is, by that time, Ryo may be the player looking to stop Tiger from achieving this feat. We'll see.


2. Michael Vick signs two year deal with the Eagles

The once dog fighting ringleader is back to leading an offense. It just won't be any time soon.

The former Atlanta Falcon quarterback has agreed in principle to a contract with the NFC runner-up from a year ago. The terms of the contract are two years, with the first year being 1.6 million and the second year adding up to 5.6 million. The second year entitles a team option, meaning the Eagles can release Vick if things go south and not pay a dime for year two. Basically, Vick has to show up, or it's back to the free agent market.

While Vick joining Philly is an interesting partnership, it's hard to see the former Virginia Tech standout taking naps behind center anytime soon. Pro Bowl quarterback and franchise player Donovan McNabb might have something to do with that, but also, it's unlikely Vick is in any type of football shape. When he is able to run a 4.4, 40-yard dash again, the Eagles must find a way to get him involved, even if that means drawing up certain schemes and running unique plays to have him run wild.

I'm curious to see if Philadelphia can design a few plays with McNabb, Vick, Brian Westbrook, Jeremy Maclin, LeShan McCoy and Deshaun Jackson all on the field at the same time. Defensive coordinators would be shaking in their Nike's.

3. IU Basketball recruiting updates

Mike Pegram from Peegs.com gave recent updates about a few visitors that will be making their way to Bloomington in the near future. One of those players is 6-11 center Marshall Plumlee out of Arden, North Carolina. We have discussed Plumlee in the past, but here is his profile from Rivals.com. The Hoosiers sit well with Plumlee at the moment, but don't discount recruiting efforts from Duke, Purdue or Notre Dame. While a long-shot, many Hoosier fans would love to see a Plumlee-Cody Zeller package committment.

Check out Plumlee in action.




The next visitor that will make his way to see Tom Crean and staff is Indianapolis Broad Ripple standout soon-to-be sophomore Ron Patterson. The visit was supposed to take place this past weekend, but it got moved back until this coming weekend. Instead, Patterson will head to Indiana and participate in its Elite camp this weekend, and take a visit around campus.

Internet reports a few months ago stated Patterson was on the verge of an Indiana committment, until more offers arrived at his doorstep soon after. Tennessee, Purdue, Illinois and Ohio State are now heavily in the mix, and it's assumed a few of these schools will get visits. Luckily for the Hoosiers, Patterson has been to Bloomington many times before for home games. We'll keep you updated on this story.

Check out Patterson in action.





(Video courtesy of Peegs.com)

4. Preseason Polls from the big Publications

The college football season is two weeks away, and many of the top sports publications have released their 2009 preseason polls. Here is a list of them.

USA Today
Sporting News
Sports Ilustrated
Rivals.com
Scout.com

5. Purdue Basketball Recruiting

In the last few recruiting cycles, Purdue head coach Matt Painter has cleaned up the best of the best from the state of Indiana. Now, he's taking his recruiting efforts across state lines to Illinois.

Nnana Egwu, listed as a 6-9, 205 pound center out of Chicago, officially picked up a Boilermaker offer earlier this month, adding to an already impressive offer sheet that includes Illinois, Northwestern, Wisconsin, and Oregon State.

Egwu was offered a scholarship while on an unofficial visit to West Lafayette this summer. He had this to say to Brian Neubert of BlackandGold.com of the Purude coaching staff.

"I liked the way their campus was put together, how everything was close, and I like their coaching staff. They're nice and they've shown they know how to win. Coach Painter's done a good job building Purdue since he came there."

It's likely the 2011 prospect won't make a decision anytime soon. However, Boilermaker fans should remember Egwu's name, as he is blowing up on the recruiting scene nationwide.

Watch Egwu in action


6. Fort Wayne and Surrounding Area High School Football Season Preview

As mentioned in a previous tidbit section, most of my readers live and work in the Fort Wayne area. While high school basketball is still king in these parts, the Summit City loves its football. Who are the favorites to win the SAC, NHC, ACAC and NECC conference titles and make their way to the Dome?

Tom Davis of the Fort Wayne News Sentinel and Glenn Marini of WANE-TV break down the top five area teams coming into this fall.

Davis and Marini on 2009 season

Also, check out WANE-TV's season preview by conference.

SAC
ACAC
NHC
NECC

John's 2009 SAC Preseason Poll:

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

7. Ramblings

-The Washington Nationals have until midnight tonight to sign number overall pick Stephen Strasburg to a contact. If the two sides fail to reach a deal, the San Diego State phenom will have the option of heading back to college or playing for an Independent League this season. Reports suggests Strasburg and his camp want in the range of 15-20 million dollars a year, which is record money for a rookie. The current rookie contract record was dealt to former Chicago Cubs pitcher Mark Prior for 10 million dollars a year back in 2002. Scott Boras, Stasburg's agent, think his client is a once in a lifetime pitcher, one that deserves top market value.

We'll know by tonight if a deal is reached. Stay tuned!


Thanks for reading. Enjoy the week!

Vick to Philly

Tony Dungy was right again. The man can't tell a lie.

Former Atlanta Falcon and Virginia Tech standout Michael Vick has signed a 2-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, according to ESPN.com. The two sides came to terms late last night after talks started to heat about this past Monday.

The first year of the contact is worth 1.8 million dollars and the second year is worth 5.2 million. He could also earn another 3 million in incentives if eh reaches certain goals over the next to years. The deal grants the Eagles a team option for the second year, meaning they do not have to resign Vick, and can let him loose.

The final important piece of the contact is that non of this money is guaranteed. That's the big thing to look for in any NFL contract, and Vick gets non of it. Unless, of course, he stays out of trouble and helps the Eagles advance deep into the playoffs.

More reaction to come as this story settles into reality.

Tidbits: Aug. 9

Sorry folks on the delay for this week's (or I guess now, last week's) tidbits. Work and an important wedding were the top priorities for your boy this past week.
But now I'm back, and ready to deliver the important stories that made the airwaves on ESPN, or in print in the Indy Star and Fort Wayne's News Sentinel. It was a delightful week in the world of sports, a week with more quality stories than quantity. Let's get to the recap.

1. Instate shooting guard commits to Crean, Indiana

Tom Crean has said on many occasions that when he recruits, he looks for players who are not only talented, but who want to sincerely play at Indiana. With the commitment of Austin Etherington, he has found both.

Last Tuesday morning, Etherington, out of Hamilton Heights, Indiana, made his college decision in person to Crean on a surprise visit to Bloomington. The 6-6 shooting guard committed to Indiana after much deliberation with his friends, family and high school coaches. In the end, he chose the Hoosiers over offers from Oklahoma State, Xavier and Butler.

As for ranking, Scout.com offers a four-star rating and ranks him as the 12th best shooting guard in the 2011 class. Rivals.com gives the future Hoosier a three-star mark.

Scroll down three stories to see new clips of Etherington in action in Las Vegas.

Here is a scouting report from Mike Pegram of Peegs.com...

Peegs' Scouting Report

You have to start with how good a shooter Etherington can be, especially from the baseline. He is deadly there, or at least was in Las Vegas last week. But what makes him valuable is he is a pure shooter with good size plus he has good bounce off the floor and will fill the lane well in transition. He needs to work on his defense but there are not a lot of other weaknesses. His handle is decent and while he needs to look more for teammates, he showed good progress from April to July in this area. In fact he improved in most every area from April to July as he begins to regain his feel for the game following his knee injury.

2. Indy Linebacker commits to Purdue

Danny Hope may have found a diamond in the rough in Indianapolis linebacker Joe Gilliam.

On August 7, the Southport High School product became the 10th committment in the 2010 class for coach Hope and Boilermakers. In a statement to Kyle Charters of GoldandBlack.com, Gilliam had this to say about Purdue.

"I really connected well with all the coaches, Coach Hope, and my position coach, Coach (Mark) Hagen. It's about an hour and thirty minutes away from my home and that's another factor, and I felt like I could get a good degree there from Purdue."

Listed as a three-star outside linebacker on Rivals.com, Gilliam is ranked as the seventh best prospect in the state of Indiana in 2010. By year's end, he could reach the four-star mark. He picked the Purdue over a boat-load of offers from programs such as Stanford, Wisconsin, Indiana, Colorado, Nebraska, and Michigan State.


3. Notre Dame lands four-star linebacker

The Irish are dancing like it's 1999 after receiving a commitment from Prince. This may not be the Prince you are thinking of, though.

Prince Shembo, a Rivals.com four-star linebacker out of Charlotte, North Carolina, made his pledge to Notre Dame last Monday evening, becoming the 14th commitment for Irish in the 2010 class. Shembo is listed as a defensive end, but considers himself as a 'hyprid' player (a player who can play multiple positions, in this case defensive end, or linebacker.)

Other than Chris Martin, many recruiting analysts consider Shembo as one of the most important commitments for the Irish in this recruiting cycle.


4. Introducing the "Uro Club" and "Potty Putter"

It's never too early to start thinking about what to give others for Christmas, even in the month of August. Check out these two new popular golf items that would make any golfer happy for years to come.

Uro Club
Potty Putter


5. Dominique Ferguson to Florida International

Yes, you read that correctly.

In a surprising commitment to say the least, former Lawrence North standout and now Hargrave Military Academy senior Dominique Ferguson, who was ranked as one of the top high school players in the state of Indiana in the 2010 class, committed to Isiah Thomas and the Panthers last week over offers from a few big name programs. Purdue and Indiana never pulled the trigger for a number of reasons, including scholarship numbers and on court problems shown by Ferguson, but the likes of Arizona and Kentucky did make a push for the 6-9 power forward.

While a high school player can commit to any college of his choosing, this one is a bit puzzling, considering the lack of success lately from both Thomas and Florida International.

6. Crabtree holds out...for now

It's only a matter of time before San Francisco rookie wide out Michael Crabtree comes to terms with the team over a contract. In the meantime, however, the once Texas Tech great is sure making things difficult for himself and the NFL.

In a statement made by Crabtree's adviser and now infamous cousin, the 10th overall pick in the 2009 draft is considering sitting out the 2009 season if they dollar numbers do not match up in ongoing contract negotiations. And if Crabtree does in fact sit out, NFL rules indicate that he can re-enter his name in the 2010 draft.

Crabtree's camp, who includes Eugene Parker, a well-known professional football agent from Fort Wayne, says the receiver is seeking top-three pick money, which is around 40 million dollars in guarantees. The problem, Crabtree wasn't a top-three pick.

While I don't think the 49ers will cave into this demand, it's likely a deal will be made before the season begins.


7 . Ramblings

-David Ortiz has spoken out about the latest allegations that he usd PEDs back in 2003. I want to believe the guy, but sadly nowadays players are proven guilty until innocent. I will hold further judgment on this matter until it's reported on what was found in his system

-With Carlos Zambrano back on the injury list, speculation has grown that Jeff Samardzija will be named named as the fifth man in the Cubs rotation. I hope he has better success as a starter than latest performances coming out of the bullpen.

-In Washington D.C., football is king. Want proof? On Saturday, the city had two of its teams, the Washington Redskins and Washington Nationals, play on the same day. The Redskins hosted a scrimmage, which was open to the public, while the Nationals took on the Arizona Diamondbacks. Looking at attendance numbers, it's clear the Redskins control the city's fanbase.

Redskins (scrimmage): 29,000
Nationals: 24,551

-It's back to Vegas for the last tidbit this week. 'Sin City' has recently released its point spreads for the first week of the college football season. Kickoff isn't for another 27 days, but here are some of the early lines from the important games in week one.
*The link will direct you to the USAtoday.com website.

Alabama -5.5
Virginia Tech

Nevada
ND -12

Toledo
Purdue -12

North Texas
Ball State -19.5

Western Michigan
Michigan -11

Missouri
Illinois -6

Georgia
Oklahoma State -5.5

Miami
Florida State -3.5

2009 Preseason Coaches Poll Released

Rank	Team (first-place votes)	2008 record	Points	Final 2008 rank
1.	Florida (53)	13-1	1,466	1
2.	Texas (4)	12-1	1,386	3
3.	Oklahoma (1)	12-2	1,358	5
4.	Southern California (1)	12-1	1,321	2
5.	Alabama	12-2	1,134	6
6.	Ohio State	10-3	1,126	11
7.	Virginia Tech	10-4	1,020	14
8.	Penn State	11-2	988	8
9.	LSU	8-5	917	NR
10.	Mississippi	9-4	889	15
11.	Oklahoma State	9-4	861	18
12.	California	9-4	711	25
13.	Georgia	10-3	707	10
14.	Oregon	10-3	694	9
15.	Georgia Tech	9-4	559	22
16.	Boise State	12-1	542	13
17.	TCU	11-2	461	7
18.	Utah	13-0	404	4
19.	Florida State	9-4	371	23
20.	North Carolina	8-5	293	NR
21.	Iowa	9-4	257	20
22.	Nebraska	9-4	236	NR
23.	Notre Dame	7-6	194	NR
24.	Brigham Young	10-3	178	21
25.	Oregon State	9-4	165	19

Notre Dame Lands Shembo

Charlie Weis has recruited a Badger, a Shaq and a Fox. Now, you can add Prince to that list.

Prince Shembo, a 6-2, 232 pound, 'hyprid' linebacker out of Charlotte, North Carolina, committed to the Irish Monday afternoon, bringing Notre Dame's 2010 commitment list to 14. He made his pledge known via phone call to Weis and assistant coach Corwin Brown early Monday morning.

Shembo picked the Irish over an offer list that included Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Virginia, Wake Forest, West Virginia, North Carolina and North Carolina State. He also received interest from Florida State and Boston College.

Listed as a weak side linebacker, Shembo will likely stay at that position in college, or even move over to the strong side, due to his pure athleticism and knack for making the big play.

Rivals.com gives the Charlotte Ardrey Kell standout a four-star rating, while Scout.com awards a three-star mark.

Tim Prister of IrishIllustrated.com offers this bit on Shembo:

"Shembo represents himself as a Notre Dame-type young man with athletic upside and versatility. He seems to be the perfect fit for the Sam linebacker position in Jon Tenuta’s 4-3 scheme. At that position and in that scheme, he is a stand-up outside linebacker, but can put a hand on the ground in pass-rush situations, much like current projected starting Sam linebacker Darius Fleming."

Indiana Picks Up 2011 Shooter

College coaches from around the country recruit Indiana players for many reasons, but one reason is well-known: Indiana high school players can shoot the rock. And luckily for Tom Crean, he didn't have to go very far to find an Indiana sharp-shooter.

According to multiple news sources, including Peegs.com, Austin Etherington, out of Hamilton Heights High School in Acardia, Indiana, committed to Tom Crean and the Hoosiers, Monday afternoon while on a visit to the Bloomington. He joins Matt Carlino, out of Bloomington South, as Indiana commitments for the 2011 class.

Etherington is a 6-6, 185 pound, shooting guard, who averaged 15.7 points and 6.7 rebounds a game in his sophomore season. He also shot an impressive 44 percent from beyond the 3-point line.

He picked to wear the Cream and Crimson over offers from Notre Dame, Butler, New Mexico State, Oklahoma State, and interest from Florida and Ohio State. Many scouting sites had him as a 'prospect on the rise,' after putting together excellent performances on the AAU circuit this past summer.

With two pledges taken in the 2011 class and one in the 2010 class, Crean and staff are going to have to be a little picky from here on out. The 2012 recruiting cycle is when the scholarship numbers will start to look favorable for the Hoosiers.