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.

College Odds and Picks: Week 3

It's time again to check out the current odds from Vegas for tomorrow's college football games. I have a feeling an upset or two are in store.....

Remember, picking against the spread isn't the same thing as choosing the winner of the game. For example, as you will see below, I have Toledo in bold against Ohio Sate. This doesn't mean I think the Rockets will take down 'the Ohio State,' I just don't think Ohio State will win by 21 points.
Feel free to make your own selections in the comment section below.

At this moment...

Ball State
Army -8

Northern Illinois
Purdue -12.5

Eastern Michigan
Michigan -24

Arizona
Iowa -5.5

Indiana
Akron -4

Michigan State
Notre Dame -10

Ohio State -20.5
Toledo

Tennessee
Florida -30

Louisville
Kentucky -13.5

Florida State
BYU -8

Midweek Tidbit: Sept. 15

Recruiting Updates

Recruiting in college athletics is a 24 hour, seven day a week, grueling job. Make sure to remind Kelvin Sampson that there are restrictions, though.

It has been said most coaches spend twice as much time recruiting than they do working with their own team. And there is good reason for that: if a coach recruits well, his job becomes easier on the field with the talent he has brought to campus. 

We talk about recruiting a lot on this site because it's important in college sports. And if you're like me, you find it interesting.

I enjoy mostly the adventure a recruit takes during his evaluating process. What schools does he like? Where is he going to visit? Why is he going to visit a certain school? And lastly, what school fits him the best?

Let's discuss a few recruiting stories that made news last week. 

Notre Dame Football

Two days after visiting South Bend for the Nevada game, Cameron Roberson, a 6-1, 215 pound running back out of Newbury Park, California, ended his recruitment last Sunday evening, and committed to the Irish. He chose Notre Dame over offers from BYU, Northwestern, Utah, Washington, and Arizona.

Rivals.com gives the new Irish commit a four-star rating, while Scout.com offers a three-star mark.  Rivals.com also ranks Roberson as the 19th best running back in the country, and the 220th top overall prospect. The Newbury product will convert to fullback next season at Notre Dame.



Purdue Basketball

Despite the lack of scholarships the next two seasons, head coach Matt Painter is still a busy man on the recruiting front. The Boilermaker head coach recently offered a prospect many recruiting gurus may have known at one time, but have forgotten over the years.

Indianapolis Park Tutor point guard Kevin Ferrell, also nicknamed 'Yogi,' now a junior, recently picked up an offer from Purdue, after showcasing his talents at the Boilermaker Elite Camp held in West Lafeyette. He also holds offers from Ohio State and Butler. As a sophomore, Ferrell averaged 12.3 points, 5.1 assists and two steals. He also shot 36 percent from three-point range.

Ferrell is no stranger the big stage, as he was once dubbed as the 'Top Fourth Grader' in the country by recruiting analysts years ago. He will visit Purdue sometime this summer.


Indiana Basketball 

Duke and Kentucky had their chances, now it's Indiana's turn.

Tom Crean and staff spent Sunday evening in Elizabeth, New Jersey, making an in-home visit with prize recruit Kyrie Irving. The meeting, as told by Irving, was an "overall good visit."  In the past few weeks, the talk surrounding Indiana's number one target has not been good news to Hoosier fans. It has been reported that Duke is now the solid leader, although Irving has said on many occasions that all the teams involved in his recruitment are "balanced." As more time passes, it appears the Blue Devils may land this talented floor leader.



Fun Fact of the Day: New York Yankees slugger and possible future Hall of Famer, Alex Rodriguez, has hit many home runs in his professional career. Where did he hit his first dinger as a pro? The answer, against the Fort Wayne Wizards back in 1994 at the now crumbled Memorial Stadium.

Monday's Tidbits: Sept. 7

Welcome back earthlings to another edition of this week's tidbits. Since today is Labor Day, the tidbits will be short and sweet, but as always, will leave you satisfied. I have been sent a few links many of you will enjoy, featuring the "50 Greatest Hits in College Football history." Speaking of College Football, we'll recap the biggest game from the weekend, and provide the odds for next week's Notre Dame-Michigan contest.

1. Indiana Lands Second 2010 Commit
 Guards are flying in from the heavens and landing in Bloomington. 

According to Peegs.com, DeMatha (MD) shooting guard Victor Oladipo has committed to Tom Crean and the Hoosiers. Oladipo made his pledge to the Cream and Crimson after visiting campus on an official visit Saturday afternoon. He joins David Williams as the two commitments in the 2010 class for the Hoosiers.

Oladipo, a 6-4, 180 pounds shooting guard out of Hyattsville, Maryland, picked Indiana over offers from Notre Dame, Marquette and Xavier. He is ranked as the 133rd overall prospect in the 2010 class and is listed as a three star, according to Rivals.com.

To get a taste of Oladipo, check both of these videos. He's extremely long and athletic. Needs to work on his consistency. 

Dunk contest in Bloomington against Indiana's Maurice Creek
High school highlights

2. ND, Michigan, Purdue win big

The Irish, Wolverines, and Boilermakers all had questions coming into their respective games this past weekend. How will Purdue look in Danny Hope's first game? Can Michigan take a step forward with freshman Tate Forcier at quarterback? Has Notre Dame's young five-star talent finally grown up? Let's answer each of these questions.

Purdue 52,  Toledo 31

It wasn't perfect, but the Boilers got the job done. Led by senior quarterback Joey Elliott's three touchdowns, the Purdue Boilermakers cruised to victory over MAC opponent Toledo, 52-31. Despite three interceptions, Elliott, for the the most part, played better than expected in the season opener. A few throws made you scratch your head, but that's expected early in the season. Coach Hope should be happy with his quarterback's performance, but he should be a little concerned with the defensive effort. Nothing against Toledo, but a mid-level MAC team should never score 31 points against a Big Ten team. Still, there's room and time for improvement, and I give coach Hope a passing grade in his first game as head coach.

Michigan 31, Western Michigan 7

Behind freshman quarterback Tate Forcier and a stellar defensive performance, the Michigan Wolverines rolled over Western Michigan, 31-7 at the Big House on Saturday afternoon. While this should have been chalked in as a win before kickoff, Michigan fans were all curious and anxious to see how their new quarterback would perform in his first game in the Maize and Blue. If the score wasn't an indicator, the statsheet painted the picture. Forcier went 13-20 for 179 yards through the air and rushed for 37 yards on 10 carries, running Rich Rodriguez's spread offense. Although Western Michigan wasn't a tough a opponent, Michigan fans should be excited for the future. The real test comes next week as the Irish come to town.

Notre Dame 35, Nevada 0

Are the Irish back? Not yet, but they are getting closer. The Irish had no trouble defeating the Nevada Wolfpack 35-0, thanks to another fine performance from quarterback Jimmy Clausen, who went 15-18 for 315 yards and four touchdowns. Over the last two games, Clausen has thrown more touchdown passes, nine, than incompletions, seven. Pretty impressive. Future All-American wide receiver Michael Floyd had 4 receptions for 189 yards and three touchdowns. While watching the game, it's clear the Irish have developed as a unit over the past two seasons. The talented recruiting classes have grown up, and now, they are showing their potential. Like Michigan, the true test comes next week as the Irish look for a victory in the Big House.

Monday's Odds for the Michigan-Notre Dame game on Saturday...

Notre Dame -4

Michigan

3. Biggest Hits in College Football History

Like big hits? Click this link, and you will see the top bone-crushing tackles from over the years. Personally, #2 on the list is ridiculous.

Wow!

3. Is the Big Ten done forever?

The Wall Street Journal recently ran a story discussing the main reason why the Big Ten has been considered 'down' over the years. Can you guess what it is? Read this article and you will find out. The answer may surprise you. Thank you Grandpa Felts for providing this interesting story.

 P.S.: Ever notice the number '11'  embedded in the Big Ten logo?

4. Oregon's Blount suspended for the season

In case you missed it, Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount has been suspended for the entire 2009 season after punching Boise State backup defensive lineman Byron Hout following last Thursday's game. Here's the video link.

This was a crazy scene that should not have ever happened. Personally, I think Blount's suspension is a little steep, since he didn't start the altercation and who knows what Hout said in the aftermath. However, Oregon is sending a message: 'We don't act like this here.' Four games would've fit the crime, in my opinion. Hout should be suspended, too, for unsportsmanlike-conduct and for acting like a fool in victory.

6. NFL Super Bowl Predictions

College football had their moment in the sun, now it's the NFL's turn. This Sunday marks opening day for the 2009 NFL season, and if you are like me, I'm on pins and needles. So many story lines and questions await, such as, who are the teams to beat? Listed below are the favorites to win the Super Bowl from around the media.

Sports Illustrated: New England over Chicago

Sporting News: New York Giants over New England

ESPN: New England over New York Giants

John: New England over Philadelphia

NFL Rumblings...

-Colts safety Bob Sanders is expected to return from injury in five weeks.

-Rookie quarterback Matt Stafford has been tabbed as the Lions starter for opening day.

-It appears Brady Quinn will be named Cleveland's starting quarterback for week 1. Wouldn't be surprised if Derek Anderson wins the spot, either.

Short and sweet. Have a good one.