Bleacher Report - Articles by Matt J

New Orleans Saints Better Take Note: Miami Dolphins Have What It Takes

Matt J — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:12:30 -0400

The Dolphins have a chance this Sunday to do something no team has been able to do this year—beat the Saints.

Up to this point the Saints have been near untouchable and I haven't seen how they could get beat. Facing the Dolphins, though, may be a different story.

When I look at the Dolphins, they just seem to be able to match up with New Orleans a lot better than most teams.

The Dolphins running game, anchored by Ronnie Brown and a revived Ricky Williams, is the best rushing attack that the Saints have faced all year. And the Dolphins almost always control the game and time of possession.

But if the Dolphins are to win, two things will need to happen. Quarterback Chad Henne needs to have a good game and they need to control the game like they have in there other wins.

If they can do those two things, then they have a very good chance to beat the Saints.

The Wildcat, so far, has worked well. The Dolphins will have to rely on that formation and the play of Henne to get the job done.

There's no doubt in my mind that if Henne plays a good game and the running game continues to excel, the Dolphins should win.

The Saints may be in for a surprise come this Sunday. I hope it comes gift-wrapped with a big "L."

Denard Robinson Shows What He's Capable Of: Rich Rodriguez Was Right

Matt J — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 20:08:31 -0400

I hate to do this and call people out and I'm sure people won't listen to me, but I think it needs to be said. If you think Denard Robinson sucks: leave. If you think Rich Rodriguez is a terrible coach: leave.

As a true, dedicated Michigan fan, I have to say people that are making comments that Denard Robinson sucks annoy me. Those are the kind of fans I like to call band wagoners. We don't need those here, Michigan has tons of real fans. We have no room for the band wagoners. We don't need people being negative towards a young team and new coach.

Now that I have said that, I would like to say without Denard Robinson Michigan never gets within two.

I also would like to say Rich Rodriguez made the right call, and if you think he sucks you're wrong.

Another thing I want to add is, these two quarterbacks are freshman. Not Seniors, not experienced, they are going to make freshman mistakes.

Now let's take a look at the game and the positives.

1) The running game looked amazing without Carlos Brown, against a top defensive squad.

It had been 33 quarters since someone had scored a rushing touchdown against Iowa's defense.

Not only did Michigan score the first one against then in that long, they also then scored another, and then again late in the game. So all together Michigan scored three rushing touchdowns against a top rated defense.

This was all without Senior running back and team rushing leader, Carlos Brown. We got a good glimpse of Vincent Smith and Michael Shaw, the two who will start next year and share carries. Plus we saw another glimpse of what Denard can do, even against a top rated defense.

2) Interception or not Denard Robinson did more good than he did bad in the end.

Denard Robinson had a lot of ground to make up when he came in. Down 10 with less than five left to go Michigan needed a score and fast.

Robinson lead the Wolverines all the way down the field, using his feet mostly but he did pass. He had 1/3 of the amount of yards that Tate did and he only played for about four minutes. Tate had the whole rest of the game, so those saying Denard can't pass and say Tate can, better re-look the stats.

Sure neither of them had a great day passing but Denard did what he needed to bring Michigan within two. Without Denard I wouldn't be surprised if Michigan would of not scored.

Rich Rodriguez made the right choice in putting in Denard and then once he lead that drive, he had to put him back in. He didn't turn the ball over and Tate did, plus Tate was hurt.

Robinson made a freshman mistake, he knows he did, we know he did, RR knows he did. But that doesn't take away from the fact that he got them within two points. Now something that can be called out is the play calling.

If you want to pass make sure they're passes Robinson is comfortable with, and why not let Robinson run? He had a clear lane, but something tells me he was told to pass and run as a very last option.

If he would of run they would of been in field goal range most likely, but we have to get past the loss.

Now let's look at some ways they can improve and stuff they need to touch on.

1) They need to rotate in on the defensive line more.

For 3/4 of that game the Michigan defensive line held their own, I was pleasantly surprised, along with the announcers at the Michigan defensive lines effort.

The problem though is they didn't rotate any in to give that defense a breather hardly ever, and once they got a little tired they started getting pushed around because they're smaller.

This is where rotating comes in, they need to get William Campbell in as soon as possible. I still haven't seen him like at all, once those middle guys get tired, they need to bring him in and let those smaller guys a breather.

Not only can the starters gain some energy, it also gives Michigan more options with William's size.

William needs to get a lot of playing time against Delaware State in this next game. It will be their last opportunity to get his some real game time experience before heading into some huge games, where they will need him.

2) Something needs to be done about the secondary

Every single week on my recaps I'm going to repeat two of the same things. William needs playing time which I already pointed out in this and the secondary needs to get better now.

I will say for a while in this game the secondary looked good and they even intercepted the first pass and by they I mean Donovan Warren. Then Iowa's QB realized he should probably throw it away from the stud.

That's the same old, same old took place. The passing game started killing the Wolverines and there were holes everywhere.

Every pass he threw to his Tight Ends were 100% uncovered. It was like he was playing pitch and catch with them and the Wolverines were playing dummy defense.

I think they forgot that it wasn't practice anymore and they could actually play defense. They forgot to stop playing dummy defense.

My only question is where is that five star Justin Turner? I'll leave it at that, I'm sick of the secondary.

Wrapping it up

All in all what people need to remember is, Michigan is young and they stuck with a top 15 team with a great defense and put up good points against them.

This still a rebuilding year and they are still going to get some wins and they already beat last years record.

Give it some time, be patient, and keep cheering on the Wolverines. We'll be back soon and when that time comes it's going to be a fun ride.

There's Reason for Excitement: The Hoosiers Are Playing Good Football

Matt J — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:57:04 -0400

The Hoosiers are playing some very good football almost halfway through the year, and if you ask me that's reason to get excited. I've watched Indiana teams through the past few years and I have to say these last few years they've been about as good as any team in a long while.

The even better news is that Ben Chappell is the leader of this team and he'll be back next year. The best news of all is this team is young in many key positions.

In positions like running back they have, Darius Willis averaging over 5.4 yards per carry and he's leading the team in rushing. And, oh yeah, he's a freshman. Tandon Doss, by far their leading receiver, has 470 receiving yards already. Plus he's run for over 60 yards with a 10.0+ average, and he's only a sophomore. Damarlo Belcher, Doss' partner in crime, has the second most receiving yards, and just like Doss he is a sophomore.

They do have 19 seniors and that may seem like a lot, but when you think about how many of them start, you realize they don't lose a lot except for some leadership and experience. But they are definitely not the most talented class of the bunch.

Three of the most important seniors on the list aren't even one or two on the depth chart if that says anything about the youth and talent on this team.

They do lose three offensive linemen from the bunch, but how many of them start I'm not sure. There's five linemen alone in the junior class all waiting for their turn anyways.

The Hoosiers are now starting Big Ten play and yes they are 0-2, but that doesn't tell the whole story. They played my beloved Michigan team for their first Big Ten game, and Michigan had written them off for the most part thinking this was another typical Indiana team.

Indiana proved them wrong though and anyone who watched that game should be able to tell Indiana is playing some good football. Their second Big Ten opponent happened to be the number one Big Ten team, and I figured once again they would get crushed.

They did lose by a pretty significant number, but again that doesn't tell the whole story. I was really impressed with Indiana for about half that game, they played some tough ball, but the big boys from Ohio were just a bit too much for them.

The good news is Ohio State is supposed to beat them, they're supposed to beat everyone and Indiana played a respectable game against them and showed some great stuff. Right now Indiana is ninth in the Big Ten, but don't expect them to finish there.

They could get wins at Illinois, Northwestern, Iowa, and Purdue and don't count them out against an overrated Penn State team. I'm not sure exactly how tough Virginia is, but if the Hoosiers continue to play like they have, anything's possible.

Here's to the next few years off good Indiana football.

Colts Showing They're Just as Good with New Coach

Matt J — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:51:42 -0400

The Colts offense looks the same year in and year out.

They're always one of the top teams when it comes to offense, but this year so far the other side of the ball has been keeping up.

After the huge game Miami had against the Colts' defense, Indy has stepped it up making them one of the best teams in the league.

Some thought since Tony Dungy retired they might not have a very good year, but with players like Peyton Manning, Joseph Addai, Dwight Freeney, and Bob Sanders it's hard not to have a good year.

They have proven they can get it done with the new coach and their perfect record is the best example of that. If they continue to play like this they will be hard to beat.

Right now they're one of the top three teams in the AFC and there's already talk that they're good enough to make it back to the Super Bowl this year. They are definitely good enough to make it this year.

Two big reasons for that are Garcon and Brown stepping up though they are only rookies. They are adding more to that already impressive offense, and with Anthony Gonzalez coming back this could be a scary team.

Michigan-Indiana: No. 23 Wolverines Escape a Near Loss, Leave Fans Upset

Matt J — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 17:17:45 -0400

Fans on both sides were extremely upset at the end of the game—for different reasons, of course, but they were probably about equally mad nonetheless.

Indiana fans were upset about the call at the end of the game. I'm a huge Wolverines fan, and I'm here to say that yes, that was a bad call, but you can't dwell on that.

I also would like to say it's not the fans' or team's fault. Indiana fans were calling out Michigan fans for no reason. We didn't make the call, so why call us out? It was also not the Michigan team's fault; they were just playing the game, not calling it either.

Now that that's said and out of the way, let's look at why the Michigan fans were upset—or at least me and all the loyal Michigan fans I know.

Michigan's defense probably couldn't have played any worse than they did. If they expect to do anything in the Big Ten, like win, then the defense is going to have to step it up big time.

Twice Tate Forcier had to put them back in the lead thanks to the defense, but more on that later. Right now I want to look at what's wrong with the defense and how they can improve.

Boubacar Cissoko needs to be replaced. What happened to Justin Turner, that five-star cornerback? I thought he was cleared finally right before the first game. He should be ready to start now.

The other guy who filled in did a nice job and stepped it up, I think JT? All I know for sure is someone other than Cissoko needs to be replaced.

William Campbell needs to get more reps; not a ton, but some. He was another five-star defensive recruit, and he's huge. He doesn't have to be amazing to clog up the middle with his strength and size in a small role.

The line right now is pretty small compared to other teams. They are much faster, but when teams run it at them all game and those linemen double-team Michigan, their speed doesn't help, and they get worn down.

I also said at the beginning of the year that I didn't understand why Michigan isn't recruiting any linebackers. It's pretty apparent to me right now they need some depth at linebacker. The starters aren't bad, but the depth just isn't there.

The new coordinator at Michigan is doing a good job, but if they expect to win, he needs to do a great job. He may not have all the players he wants to work with yet, but he has to make do if they want to be a little better than .500.

Forcier and the offense can't carry them through the whole year. There are way more seniors on defense than offense, especially starting. It's not right for the true freshmen and first-year starters to carry the team when there are guys like Donovan Warren who have started for years.

On the offensive side of the ball, though, we need to give them some credit, especially Tate and Denard Robinson, who were at it again this week. Denard finally made a big pass and got the momentum swinging in favor of Michigan.

Twice Tate had to lead "winning drives." The first should've been all he needed, and the defense should've held, but they didn't. Indiana had a great play and put themselves back ahead, but Tate would not let his team down.

Yet again he led them down to victory and kept them perfect for now.

One of these times, though, Tate is not going to come through. He's human, and so is Michigan's team. At some point Tate will fail to lead a comeback, and if the defense plays like they did against Indiana, it won't be his fault.

He needs help, and if the defense can't hold teams like that under 21 points, then don't expect Michigan to win too many more this year. Other teams will have good defenses that can stop Michigan from getting late game touchdowns.

Final thought: I wonder if Denard can play defense, because if he was a cornerback opposite Warren, how sick would that be? I would be afraid to throw his way with his speed and athleticism. It would be really hard to beat him, and he could chase down those running backs that break away.

Michigan Wolverines Playing Well Going Into Conference Play

Matt J — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:54:40 -0400

This game will be the first conference game and the second against a big school that's decent for the Wolverines. It should help that this game is at home and that Michigan has more talent. Their confidence will also be high coming into this one with a 3-0 record and are headed in the right direction.

It also helps that IU lost there key play-maker Kellen Lewis because the head coach kicked him off the team. He was the leader in passing and rushing, which wouldn't be that big a deal, but they also lost Thigpen, their second leading rusher.

Their leading receiver is also gone and the returning leader had just over 300 receiving yards."

This is a quote from my preseason prediction and I was pretty much dead on with all my comments, their, 3-0 record, high confidence level, more talent, and headed in the right direction.

Indiana will be a decent team playing in Michigan, but the Wolverines just have too much talent and depth for them. Denard Robinson could be the key play-maker in this game.

I look for Denard to get at least one running touchdown and quite possibly could put in two. Indiana has no one that can keep up with his speed and agility and he should exploit that quite easily.

The running backs should have another good game and Tate should produce more than he did against Eastern Michigan University, as long as the receivers are not dropping the catchable balls.

Just like my earlier prediction I think they'll win by 21-28 and we may see what some of these freshman can really do against Big Ten competition.

Tate Forcier Proves He Is Human After All; Running Game Picks Up Slack

Matt J — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:53:52 -0400

Until Saturday I was starting to wonder if Tate Forcier would ever play a "bad game."

And although he didn't play a bad game on Saturday, he did prove he's human and still a freshman.

All I can say is he couldn't have picked a better time with Michigan facing what looks like its second easiest opponent on the schedule.

Despite Forcier's sub-par play the Wolverines rolled to a 45-17 victory over Eastern Michigan. Most people agree that it's a "teachable" game, and freshmen need those kind of games if for no better reason than to keep them in check and not let their heads get too big.

Michigan amassed just 68 passing yards on the day. Yes, you read that correctly: a mere 68 yards in the air against Eastern Michigan. There were some drops and balls that should have been caught, though, so Forcier and Denard Robinson are not solely to blame. We have to remember that most of the receivers are first-year guys as well, so they still have some learning to do.

The good news, however, is the running game finally did what it was supposed to do all season: run for loads and loads of yards. The running game was expected to carry this team, given the two freshmen quarterbacks and the runners' experience.

Up until yesterday, though, that wasn't really the case. The best effort by one guy was 106 yards by Brandon Minor against Notre Dame in Week Two. He was expected to have an average of about 120 yards a game this year, with teammates adding more yards as well.

This week Michigan got significant contributions from both Denard Robinson and Carlos Brown. Robinson rushed for two touchdowns, and I'm not sure there are many teams out there with a guy as fast as him.

And Brown, who got his chance to shine with Minor hurting, ran for 180 yards and a 14.4 yards-per-carry average.

A lot of the young guys got into this game late, giving us an idea of what to expect depth-wise and in the next few years.

A little bad news: David Molk may be out for the bulk of the season with a broken foot. Rich Rodriguez hasn't confirmed this yet, but he did say it doesn't look good for Molk.

Overall the Wolverines played a good game against a sub-par opponent; halftime adjustments played a huge part in them winning big in the second half.

The Detroit Lions Have Improved; Even After A Huge Loss There's Hope

Matt J — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:35:59 -0400

Lions fans I know you and I are probably sick of hearing this, but keep your heads up. There's still loads of hope for this young Lions team, much more than the other teams from this decade.

Here's some key reasons why you shouldn't give up hope on this team.

1) Brandon Pettigrew is still learning

It seems like we've all forgotten about our other first round draft choice. Brandon Pettigrew missed the bulk of training camp and pre-season with an injury. That's why he didn't stay in for any pass plays in the game.

Give him a few more weeks to learn the plays and get comfortable with them and with Stafford and then watch what happens. A tight end like him is a rookie quarterbacks best friend and right now that friend, Pettigrew, is leaving Stafford hanging.

Expect Pettigrew to put up some good numbers later on in the year when he's really getting comfortable. Also his blocking skills are going to play a huge part in the running game. Patience will be the key for Pettigrew.

2) Calvin Johnson will put up numbers

Calvin Johnson is a human freak of nature, and yes I mean that in a good way. He has size, speed, and nearly unmatched athleticism. If you expect him to only make 3 catches per game this year you don't know much about the game of football.

Calvin will start producing more as well as Stafford settles in and they begin to work together. It takes some time, but in the end the payoff will be great. Remember both of these players are very young and still have lots of years left in this league most likely.

Calvin soon won't be letting us down and that should open up the running game more, plus with Pettigrew when he gets settled in, he'll take some attention off of Johnson.

3) Most offenses are not as good as the Saints

The Saints were easily a top 3 offense last year, and this year again they'll probably end up top 5. You can't expect a rebuilding defense to do much more than they did against such a great offense in the first game.

Teams like the Bears, who they will have to play soon, come to mind when I think of offenses who won't be this good. I mean Cutler just threw 4 ints. in there last game and this is a team in Detroit's conference.

4) The defense was missing one of it's most important, if not most important, key additions from the off-season.

Phillip Buchanon missed the game due to an injury. So first off it hurts that the Lions already lacked depth, or had absolutely none to be honest, and then they get the news that Buchanon can't go this week.

That must have been devastating for them, knowing the skill level of the offense they were going against. He was there number one guy and that hurt a lot losing him. I assume he will be back soon and that one person will make the secondary loads better.

5) Stafford will get better

It was Stafford's first game as a rookie, you can't expect him to do that great. Not to mention he was missing, as I pointed out before, one of his favorite targets to be, Pettigrew. Plus he's still learning to be in sync with Johnson, once those two start clicking on the field they could do some damage.

Stafford will steadily improve as the season goes on and when they're playing not as quality teams as the Saints.

Wrap-Up

The Lions started with a very tough season opener, and it hurt that they were missing two majorly key players in Buchanon and Pettigrew on most occasions. Expect them to get better and gel more as a team as the year goes by.

Plus don't forget they are under a new coach, so that's complicating it more.

They shouldn't be expected to win more than 4 or 5 games but that's not too bad for a rebuilding 0-16 team from last year. If this squad can mainly stick together for the next few years, they could be a tough match for opponents.

In All This Excitement About Michigan, We've Forgotten One Thing

Matt J — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 22:29:55 -0400

Headlines are popping up everywhere about the Michigan-Notre Dame game now being relevant. There's excitement all around about the Wolverines once again. But it seems we've forgotten one thing along the way.

Arguably Michigan's best player this year was on the sidelines watching the last game. It's kind of scary to think this team didn't even have 100 percent of their starters on the field.

Brandon Minor represents a whole new piece to the puzzle and can only add on to this offense's success so far. Just how much better will they be with him?

He should average around 80-100 yards a game, if we're being realistic. With his speed and experience—not to mention these new QBs in town—one can only imagine how it will open things up.

After the win, Michigan fans were really excited and I think most people overlooked the fact that Minor didn't even play. You want to talk about relevance in the upcoming game?

Throw him in there with Denard and watch them burn players like there's no tomorrow.

Notre Dame better be ready, because no one has really seen this Michigan team yet.

Wait a Minute Kevin and Andrew Are Gone? What's Next For The Pats

Matt J — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:57:43 -0400

The Patriots cutting there two back-ups so far this offseason has not made a lot of sense to most people. Why just keep Brain Hoyer and get rid of two guys who you invested a decent amount of value into.

Well we all know Bill Belichik always has something up his sleeve, and we all know that for a while there the rumor was that Michael Vick might be going to the New England Patriots.

Then reports came in that he had signed with the Eagles, and all those rumors died down, but why?

We all know Bill is very unpredictable, so that's why I'm thinking he might be trying to pull this trade off.

There have been new rumors that the Patriots are trying to trade for a QB from the Eagles, the reports are about A.J. Feely, but that's just what Bill would like you to believe.

My two cents is that he's working on a deal to bring Mike in as the back-up for Brady and keep Hoyer as the 3rd stringer, or project player.

Let Hoyer learn the offense and ride the pine watching the great Brady for a few years and then he can take over.

We all know that Vick won't ever really be that great of a passing QB so when Brian takes over, or even if Brady gets hurt Hoyer won't have to do it all, but he will be the passing quarterback at least.

Maybe I'm looking way to much into this but I would like to see Vick moved to the Pats, and right now with all the Eagles trade rumors and the fact that Bill likes him it seems like it could hold some truth.

In Rod We Trust: Michigan Gets A Big Win But Still Has Much To Prove

Matt J — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:41:43 -0400

The renovations are done and the sound is unbearable now said one fan. That could be due to the new renovations and even bigger stadium, but another big part of that is definitely the excitement and the joy of a new season and seeing the Wolverines win.

It couldn't have happened at a better time, Michigan needed this win for more than one reason and they got it. Some people have already taken to calling Tate Forcier, Tate "the great", and I can see why.

Here's a true freshman coming in with all the weight of this new season on his shoulders. It's up to him to prove to everyone that Michigan won't be 3-9 this year and that he deserves to be there leader.

He threw for 3 touchdowns, and 2 of them were very nice throws. Not to mention he didn't throw one interception or have one fumble. Not bad for the new kid in town. He of course didn't do it all by himself.

Denard Robinson came in and the very first time he hiked he was getting ready to jet through the defense, when the whistle was blown for a penalty. That didn't discourage him though, the very next play he got the ball and ran for a long touchdown of over 30 yards.

The Michigan offense was really clicking today, but their first real test will be next week against the Fighting Irish. Michigan has made me even more of a believer that they can win that game.

They will rely a lot on their defense that game, and the good news for them is that the defense is looking amazing. Donovan Warren finally really stepped up and looked like he had been out there forever doing this.

He laid some bruising tackles on WMU wide receivers in this game. I think he will continue to do that throughout the season and continue to be a leader for that secondary.

This game was expected to be won though, I had them winning by 21 or more and they didn't let me down. Their first real big test will be next week though. It should come down to the end of the game.

With the likes of Robinson and Tate I really am liking there chances in this game.

They still have a lot to prove this season, but so far they are really making me a believer and taking full advantage of all of there opportunities.

Tedy Bruschi: A True NFL All-Star

Matt J — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:14:40 -0400

Look up the definition of a TRUE NFL role model and Tedy Bruschi's face should be right there. I was trying to think of some ways to describe him and there's so many like fighter, overcomer, legend, happy, champion, leader, good role model, veteran, pro bowler, hall of famer. The list just goes on and on, the NFL will definitely miss him he was one of a very few select people who were well respected and liked by all. There's no doubt in my mind he will someday be a Hall of Famer. He was a leader and a major part of the 3 super bowls the Patriots won. No one will ever forget his accomplishments. I'd like to take a few minutes to look back on some of his amazing career and accomplishments.

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Detroit Pistons Lineup Predictions and Evaluation

Matt J — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:04:24 -0400

The Detroit Pistons have made some big changes this off season. As the game changes Joe is trying to keep the team up to date. Don't be expecting the same old lineup or faces as most of you know there could be a lot of differences.

I'm going to take an in depth look into the lineup and talk about some of those changes and what to expect. Though there have been some changes you will still see some of the old guys but not as many as before.

We'll start with the back court and work our way to the big men down low.

Point Guard

Starter: Rodney Stuckey

Has come a long way in a few short years. With this new style of play and new offensive minded coach he should excel, not to mention he's said having younger teammates will help him. He has a higher comfort zone playing with younger guys and being able to run and gun. He will need to step up and be the commander of this new offense and I think he will.

Bench: Will Bynum, Deron Washington, Ben Gordon

Will Bynum is a good back-up to have. The coach last season increased his playing time in the playoffs and he responded well being a back-up and sometime third string, with A.I. and Rodney both playing PG, he averaged 12 points a game. Not bad for a back-up who's been in the league the same amount of time as Rodney Stuckey.

Deron Washington hasn't play a game in the NBA ever. He's been playing in Europe and most figure he will be in the D-League this year. He still needs to prove himself before he makes the roster for sure.

Ben will play most SG and I'll talk about him a lot more later, but he has said he would be willing to step in at times and help with the PG position. I think he could be effective there is short minutes to help out.

Shooting Guard

Starter: Rip Hamilton

John Kuester made it known to everyone who cared that Rip Hamilton WILL be his starter. This makes sense to me. Gordon is fine with coming off of the bench but Rip doesn't like it at all. Plus Gordon is used to coming off the bench and making an impact.

Rip will be one of the two "captains" or leaders of this team along with Tayshaun. Him and Tayshaun need to take control and help the younger guys, and they will need to buy into the new scheme for this to work.

Bench: Ben Gordon, Will Bynum, Austin Daye

Ben Gordon will be the sixth man of this team this year. At least definitely for the back court. He is one of the most effective players coming off the bench in the league, but don't expect him to be the bench guy all year.

There's a very good chance Rip could be traded but for now Gordon will be the first player off the bench for the back court. Expect him to be very effective in that role. He knows how to give teams a jump start and with the offensive minded scheme that will be run he should really excel.

Will Bynum plays more PG than he does SG but there's always a chance he could play a little of both in some games. Like I said before he is effective off the bench like Gordon and could give both spots needed breaks at times.

Austin Daye is so versatile it isn't even funny. He can play the two,three,four and really it wouldn't be radical to say he can play the one. A bit too small for the five or center, but he could be really good as a SG.

If Rip gets traded for a big man and Ben becomes the starter then Daye is automatically the sixth man. If that's the case he'll split lots of time at the two and three. I expect him to be productive from day one as long as he isn't facing stronger players that could overpower him.

Small Forward

Starter: Tayshaun Prince

Another one of those really familiar faces, we all know he can get the job done and that he'll be a starter. Along with Rip, I expect him to be a "captain" or leader and especially help his new, younger self replica Austin Daye. Prince will get most of the playing time in this spot, but Daye will definitely get some minutes.

Bench: Austin Daye, Jason Maxiell, DaJuan Summers, Jonas Jerebko

Austin Daye, also known as the next Tayshaun Prince, should have a good rookie year and be a key contributor. If Ben Gordon is the first off the bench, then Austin is definitely the second. He's so versatile it's not even funny and depending on who the team is he could play just about any position on the court.

He knows how to score and should be productive off the bench, he'll eventually be the starter of this team but not for a few years seeing as how Prince is still around.

Jason Maxiell will play more PF, but he also can play some SF though I don't expect to get much time there with all the new rookies.

DaJuan Summers is the exact opposite of Tayshaun and Austin in many ways, and that's a good thing. He's not one of those tall, lanky, skinny guys. He's more of a stronger, bulkier guy who would rather beat someone in the post.

The SF position has so much variety and versatility already with just those few guys, but throw Jonas Jerebko in there and I'm not sure anyone has a better group of SF. He's huge at 6'10" and 231 lbs. but don't let that fool you he can knock them down outside as well as just about anyone.

One of the first Swedish players ever drafted, he'll be looked at to do big things for his country to help put them on the basketball map. Jerebko is so versatile too, he's listed as only a PF/SF but with that size and the size of all the other Detroit players he could see a little time at center. Plus with his outside shooting who knows he could play a little two.

Many thought at first he would be sent back to Europe or D-League but the Pistons seem to want him there and on the team and I don't blame them at all. He could be something special, but so could all these other SFs.

Power Forward

Starter: Charlie Villanueva, Chris Wilcox

Charlie should be the starter in most cases, especially when the Pistons are looking to play a young run and gun squad and need scoring. If there looking to get physical though and are playing a team with some bulkier guys don't be surprised is Chris Wilcox gets the nod.

Chris is smaller, but he plays bigger and more physical than Charlie, who likes to take outside jumpers probably more than he does like to back anyone down in the post. Charlie should do great in the offense system, it's basically going to be a perfect system for him and I'll be excited to see how he responds.

Bench: Chris Wilcox, Jason Maxiell, DaJuan Summers, Jonas Jerebko, Ben Wallace, Austin Daye

Chris will at most times be the main back-up. He'll be used a lot when the Pistons are looking to be more physical and get more defensive minded.

We all know what Jason Maxiell can do, he's a bit undersized for the position but he always plays his heart out no matter what and he's definitely done some amazing things through the years for this Pistons team.

DaJuan Summers and Jonas Jerebko are both more SF than PF but expect them both to see some time at the PF. Austin Daye will be used in cases where they are just running the ball down other teams throats and trying to load up the scoreboard.

If there's a game where Charlie is excelling with the run and gun and needs a break I expect Daye to be the main guy called in to help do some damage, he's perfect for that role.

Ben Wallace as we all know is not the most talented on offense, but he plays as hard as anyone out there and being back with the Pistons should help him. He won't be relied on to be a main guy and will just play minimal roles which is good for him and the team.

He's still got some left in the tank and could help in games where they are struggling defensively. He could be a vital part in helping the team learn that defense is just as important as offense with all these new guys and pieces.

Center

Starter: Kwame Brown

Why he's looked down on so much is beyond me. He's a solid starter who would be solid on just about half the teams in the NBA but he always gets ragged on just because he wasn't Bryant's savior and next Shaq in LA.

I for one am just fine with Brown being the starter for now, though I think they need some more depth and maybe someone to challenge him in there. Center is the one position that I can honestly say might be lacking.

Bench: Chris Wilcox, Jason Maxiell, Ben Wallace

Chris will be just as good a contributor off the bench in the center role as he will be in the PF position. He at least adds a little depth to this position that can be relied on.

Jason probably won't see a lot of time here, but he could be given some chances with that lack of depth. Ben as we all know is past his prime but he can give some minutes here and there and give his guidance to this team.

Summary

The Pistons are pretty stacked in most positions if the players live up to hype and can stay healthy. This is one of the most versatile teams I have ever seen, a lot of the guys can play at least three positions and some can play four solidly.

Center is the one positions that is really lacking in depth. I wouldn't be surprised if Rip was traded later in the year for a good big man to add depth and challenge Brown, if Gordon is proving he can be a starter.

With Gordon's contract you have to expect they were thinking all along he will be the starter at some point, but not while Rip is there so that makes me think Rip will be gone after a while.

This team is better than last year for sure, and a lot of that has to do with A.I. being gone. Ben will be a better contributor and he won't whine about coming off the bench which helps and the team chemistry should be amazing.

The fact that Ben and Charlie have played together and done great together in college definitely gets me excited to see what they will do together in the NBA.

John Kuester should have a great time coaching this team and with his great offense coaching skills they should put up over 100 on most nights. They could be scary as long as they remember that defense is an important part too and they get another solid center.

Starters:

PG: Rodney Stuckey

SG: Rip Hamilton

SF: Tayshaun Prince

PF: Charlie Villanueva

C: Kwame Brown

Most played bench players: Ben Gordon, Chris Wilcox, Austin Daye

Least likely to contribute: Deron Washington

Top Scorers(in order)prediction: Rip Hamilton, Charlie Villanueva, Tayshaun Prince, Ben Gordon

John Kuester Has Spoken: Rip Hamilton Will Be The Starter

Matt J — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 13:40:56 -0400

Ever since the Pistons announced the signing of Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva, the biggest question this offseason has been: who will be the starter, and who will come off the bench? Will there be another Allen "the canswer" Iverson drama?

John Kuester has spoken, and made his decision known to all.

Richard "Rip" Hamilton will be the starter in most cases, but he has to understand that there will be games where Ben and him will both get starter minutes. Ben may even start in some contests.

When asked how he feels about that, Rip said, "That is fine with me. I'll do whatever it takes to help the team, and Ben is a great player and person."

When asked the same question, Gordon said, "I figured it would be this way when I signed for now, and I respect the decision. Rip was here first, and he's a leader on this team. It will work for the best."

Paying a guy $55 million to come off the bench may seem like a bit much, but think of the effectiveness he will have. Rip lost a lot of his effectiveness when he came off the bench. Ben had a similar role for a while in Chicago, and did just fine.

I, for one, am glad we don't have another Iverson—someone who comes in and thinks he runs the show, and he has to be the starter. Rip should of been it the whole time, and Iverson should have come off the bench. It just was better that way, but now we have a team player in Ben who is fine with his role.

Rich Rodriguez: "We're Still Waiting on Two Players To Be Eligible"

Matt J — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:26:50 -0400

Practice opens up this Monday for the Michigan Wolverines, and it's not looking good for two freshman DBs.

Justin Turner and Adrian Witty both are being evaluated by the NCAA clearing house for their academic eligibility. Rich Rodriguez told 1050 AM that this just recently came up and they are waiting on news.

He's hopeful that they will find out before Sunday if they are both going to be able to play. They are waiting on test scores for Witty and Turner needs to get some undisclosed information in.

Turner is definitely expected to challenge for one of the secondary spots. He's a five-star recruit coming in and they are really looking forward to getting him on the field.

Witty is not held in as high regard, but mostly because he's coming off an ACL injury, before that occurred he was thought to be one of the best. Witty could definitely help with the weak secondary.

In good news, Coach RR said, “Jeremy Gallon’s score came in and he qualified, so he should be squared away. So we’re just waiting on Turner, Witty and hopefully one or both of them will get resolved very quickly. A lot of times with late test scores and schools being out in the summer, tougher to get those things in.”

He said the prospect of quarterback Jason Forcier joining the team hopefully will be determined soon and admitted to school by the first team meeting on Sunday when players report.

Rodriguez can’t comment specifically about Forcier beyond the admission because he’s not a member of the team but said they’re “trying to add depth and competition at every position” and the problems at quarterback last season show the importance of that.

Dick Vitale Has Michigan Wolverines Ranked 11th In Preseason Poll

Matt J — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:02:51 -0400

When it comes to college basketball there is hardly anyone who doesn't know Dick Vitale. He has been the face of college basketball for a long time.

When it comes to predictions and analyzing most people will agree with him 99.9% of the time. He knows his stuff when it comes to college basketball and he's a familiar face come March Madness time.

Well in his latest poll he has the Michigan Wolverines ranked number 11. He noted there success from last year and pointed out that Sims and Harris will do fine leading the team.

Last year was the first year they made it to NCAA tournament in at least a decade.

"John Beilein has rebuilt the Wolverines," Vitale said in his story. "Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims are back as Michigan will be dancing again."

He has yet to release his top ten, but I am assuming that Michigan State and Purdue will be in there some where ahead of Michigan. They are the only 2 who deserve to be ahead of them.

Michigan will probably actually beat Purdue during the season though, I still believe Purdue should be ranked higher.

I am excited for the season and think Michigan will definitely finish top 15 and very likely could be top 10.

Say Goodbye To Michael Vick To Patriots Thoughts: Kraft Shoots Down Vick Talk

Matt J — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:39:25 -0400

There was a huge uproar about Michael Vick going to the New England Patriots.

It looks like the team he's close to signing with is not New England.

When asked if Vick would be signing with the Patriots, Robert Kraft was said that Vick was not in the plans.

Kraft told Sirius satellite radio that the Patriots don't need another quarterback to go with Tom Brady, according to an account of the interview in the Boston Herald.

He noted that they have the number one player in the world at the position, and asked why they would want to take him off the field for even one play.

Obviously, the Patriots feel pretty strongly that Brady is 100 percent healthy and they have no plans to bring Vick in. Coach Belichick still declined to comment on the situation, saying there will be some players that come and go during training camp.

So the question now: where will Vick go? I am thinking either the UFL or the Washington Redskins. Redskins fans would love for Vick to sign with them, and right now it looks like it's them or the Ravens.

Detroit Pistons Drag Their Feet And Lose Gooden, Ben Wallace To Return?

Matt J — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:06:52 -0400

All the talk for the Pistons has been regarding the fact that they want to bring in a big man to back up Kwame Brown. At first it was Rasho, but then he signed up with his old team the Toronto Raptors.

Then it was Drew Gooden, but the Pistons could only offer the veteran's minimum and a one year deal. He wanted to be on a championship caliber team and get a deal done soon.

The Pistons didn't get a deal done soon enough. As it was announced yesterday he signed with the Mavs.

He said that they were the team seeking his signature that has the best chance of a championship. Which may be true, but now that leaves Detroit with only one choice out of their original targets left.

I can't say I'm mad they didn't get him. I've said all along I wanted Rasho, and then when he was gone I said I wanted them to sign Ben to the Pistons. Well now it's basically boiled down to Wallace or no one.

So here's my plea to Joe Dumars, please pull the trigger and get a deal signed with Wallace and bring him home to finish his career.

He could really help as a back up and when he's not being forced to start every night, he can contribute. Solid contribution is all we need from him.

Here's to the (hopefully) soon homecoming of Big Ben Wallace. I look forward to seeing him in a Pistons uniform next year.

The Los Angeles Stars: A Look into the Future

Matt J — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:29:07 -0400

Los Angeles has wanted a football team for a very long time. Well I say we give them one and make them an NFL expansion team. This year would be a great time for them to be starting up.

They could have there expansion draft, get some past their prime players and then dive into the free agency pool.

Let's just take a look at some of the possibilities that could happen if they would have been allowed to join this year as a team.

Quarterback

Target No. 1: Michael Vick

Think of how great this would be for him. New team, new town, new beginning, and he could help get this team rolling right from the get-go.

Plus he might even get himself a fair contract seeing as how he would be one of their best players. I mean come on, let's not forget after all this is an expansion team.

Target No. 2: Brett Favre

Brett Favre would have already been back and signed a deal if Los Angeles had come knocking. They could tell him that Mike is the starter and all they need him for is to back him up and help them in certain situations.

He wouldn't have to worry about not being able to finish the season and, like Vick, would probably get at least a decent contract.

Target No. 3: J.P. Losman or Rex Grossman

Both struggled a bit with their old teams and are now looking for new homes and places to get restarted. Both would bring something different to the table and are fairly young, but still have enough experience.

They wouldn't be called upon right away, and in fact would only have to be No. 3 on the depth chart. They probably wouldn't even see much of the field unless Vick didn't work out and Favre got hurt.

Maybe not the best starters, but who wouldn't want one of these guys for third stringers?

Running Back

Target No. 1: Edgerrin James

Yes he's old, yes he's past his prime, yes they can do better and they will. But let's be honest, with Mike in the backfield with him, how much will he do anyways? Plus with the other running backs on this depth chart he'll have to share anyways.

He still has some juice in him and would be a great mentor for a new guy coming in from the draft in 2010.

Target No. 2: DeShaun Foster

Had three pretty solid seasons with the Panthers, but never got over 1,000 yards. Well no worries, he won't be asked to be a 1,000 yard rusher. Eight-hundred yards would be just fine for the role he would play.

He's starting to get up in running back age (29), but he definitely still has some productive years left.

Target No. 3: Tatum Bell

Career average of five yards per carry. Not to mention last year his average was 5.7. He was at one point a 1,000 yard rusher, but then got sent to the Lions. He still has a couple of 1,000 yard seasons in him and with Foster and James he wouldn't have to carry the whole load.

Target No. 4: P.J. Daniels

He would simply be added for his size, all the others are fast outside runners. All the other power runners are to far up in age. He wouldn't see the field that much.

Wide Receiver

Target No. 1: Plaxico Burress

Sure he might be suspended from the NFL for a while, but in this case with a new team you definitely have to take a chance on him. He's by far the best receiver that's a free agent and he would help Vick and Favre look good in the passing game.

Some will say he's a troublemaker, but with an expansion team you have to take a chance and hope he can follow the rules. Plus they will have a good amount of money, give him bonuses for being good.

Target No. 2: D.J. Hackett

He's big at 6'2" and he can spread the field. Would be a great compliment to Burress on the other side of the field. He's still young and this would be a good place for him to get his career going.

Target No. 3: Matt Jones

Want to talk about huge? 6'6" and he can out jump anyone for a ball. You add him to the mix with Burress and Hackett and this receiver core is already scary.

Yes, maybe another troublemaker, but he went to classes and got out of them just fine. He's not really a troublemaker, more of a head case anyways, and just has to pass the drug tests.

Target No. 4: Marvin Harrison

Veteran experience and some one there to help guide Jones and Burress. Just what this team needs, he is a champion and a model of how to act on and off the field. He would definitely help this team and be a leader of it.

He could also always step in and play at times if one of the other three were to get into trouble. He only makes this receiving core that much more scary.

Tight End

Target No. 1: Owen Daniels

Might get him and might not but at least offer him something. He is a restricted free agent, but this team won't be shelling out that much money so they can give him a nice offer.

He would be a great starting TE for any team and would only make this team that much better.

Target No. 2: Bubba Franks

Was really good with the Packers in my opinion and he's comfortable with Favre. It would be a great reunion for them and he's got great veteran experience. Most of the TEs will probably be young so his veteran leadership will be needed.

Target No. 3: Marcus Pollard

He's bounced around from team to team, but this would be a nice place to end his career as a backup. He's a decent blocking and catching TE who is friends with Harrison from his Colts days.

Offensive Line

Guard: James Blair, Jason Fabini, Lennie Friedman, Seth McKinney, Terrence Metcalf, Chris Naeole, Grey Ruegamer, Charles Spencer

All eight of them would probably be signed at least at the beginning. They are the only guards available and having four deep on both sides would not hurt any.

Tackle: Jason Whittle, Marc Colombo, Damane Duckett, Wayne Gandy, Kwame Harris, Jonas Jennings, Levi Jones, Patrick McCoy

Four deep at tackle and guard can only be a very good thing for this team. Lots of difference between these guys. There experience ranges all the way from rookie to 16 seasons or something.

Center: Tom Nalen, Brennen Carvalho, Melvin Fowler

Tom would have the veteran experience and he could help develop Brennen who's only going into his third season.

Defensive Line

Defensive End: Vonnie Holliday, Orpheus Roye, James Wyche, Jerome McDougle, Corey Mace, Brian Johnston

Vonnie, Orpheus, and Jerome would all bring veteran experience and two championships between the three of them. Both Jerome and Orpheus have played for the two best defenses and could really help the young guys.

James, Corey, and Brian are all young and needing help. The veteran leadership and push of the other three veterans would help them improve and become better players.

Defensive Tackle: James Reed, Kenny Smith, Ellis Wyms, Kenderick Allen

Wyms and Allen both come from the Vikings and have played together before which helps. James has loads of experience and veteran leadership. This line will probably be a little old, but don't overlook them they have some great talent.

Outside Linebacker

Targets: Derrick Brooks, Willie McGinest, Marcus Washington, Pierre Woods, Rufus Alexander, Junior Seau

Brooks, McGinest, and Washington all at one time were considered the best at what they did. Now past there prime, they won't be every down linebackers but they will contribute, especially Washington.

Woods has some great experience from playing with the Patriots and would do fine in a starting role. Alexander is young and wouldn't be quite ready but with the guidance of the first three he would really come along.

Washington and Woods would most likely be the starters.

Middle Linebacker

Targets: Napoleon Harris, Derek Smith, Nate Webster, Matt Wilhelm, Rosevelt Colvin

Harris would probably be the starter of the group, with Webster seeing significant playing time. Smith has veteran experience and Wilhelm has youth and experience.

Defensive Back

Targets: Ty Law, Chris McAlister, Ricky Manning, Patrick Surtain, Tyron Poole, Adam "pacman" Jones

Had to make sure to highlight Pacman. This team would thrive with him at the CB position and being the return man. Him and Ricky would probably be the starters.

Ty Law, McAlister, Surtain, and Poole were all once great and if not forced to play a lot would really help. Especially at the safety position where they could be moved if needed.

Pacman is another one of those troublemakers, but as long as he stays under control(it would be hard I know.) then they are set. There is no other player available near his talent level.

Safety: Will Demps, Lawyer Milloy, Will Allen

A weak position on the team. Lawyer was a beast in his prime, but he's way past that now. Demps and Allen are decent, but some of the cornerbacks like McAlister or Surtain might need to be moved back here to help out.

Kicker: Matt Stover

He's old but he can still get it done for them.

Punter: Zac Atterberry

Was a rookie last year and was cut by a team that already had a punter. Nothing special but he gets the job done and he's young so there's room to improve and he can stick around a long time.

Return Man: Pacman Jones, Dante Hall

Pacman is one of the best returners in the league when behaving. Hall is the one who had the four TD returns in one season and was a beast for a while. He'll do for now.

Offensive Scheme

West Coast Offense, with loads of Option plays and maybe some Wildcat to highlight Michael Vick

Defensive Scheme

3-4: The linebackers are the best part of the defense in my opinion even though most of it is old. The 3-4 would work the best because that's what the majority are used to anyways.

Projected Record

7-9 which is not too bad for a new team, with all new players. You can't forget that besides the players they get out of free agency, they also have the expansion draft.

2010 draft choice

Having a 7-9 record puts them at the projected 10th spot so we'll just say that's where they are.

Round One: Adam Ulatoski, OT, Texas

Round Two: Darrell Stuckey, S, Kansas

Round Three: Will Barker, OT, Virginia

Round Four: Dan Williams, DT, Tennesee

Round Five: Steve Brown, LB, Michigan

Round Six: Austin Spitler, LB, Ohio State

Round Seven: Jake Seitz, C, UAB

Michigan Wolverines Top Five Running Backs of All Time

Matt J — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:56:21 -0400

Ever since there first season Michigan has produced some of the best running backs college football has to offer. Today we're going to take a look at the top 5 of all time in my opinion. Some of you may disagree with my list which is fine by me, please comment and let your opinion be known. This was one of the toughest lists I have ever put together and I'm sure there will be some debate on the top 5. So let's take a look at who I think are the top 5.

Begin Slideshow

Mark Ortmann, Michigan Lineman, Defends Rich Rodriguez and Wolverines Program

Matt J — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:51:16 -0400

Mark Ortmann has done everything asked of him.

He has played at almost every possible lineman position and started 12 career games; not to mention he has come in from off the bench in many contests early in his career.

When people say team player, this kid's name and face come to mind. He's everything the Michigan coaches thought he would be and will be a huge contributor this year. He hardly ever speaks out or talks about anyone.

This year at the Big Ten media day, though, Ortmann had a lot to say. He defended the University of Michigan's program and said he was hurt by the comments made by his former teammates.

In the last two years, three offensive linemen have left the Wolverines. Two of them, on their way out, decided to take some shots at coach Rich Rodriguez and the program.

Ortmann seems to have had enough.

"It's hurtful in the fact that he isn't telling the truth," Ortmann said. "For him to come out and question, go along with the whole [Justin] Boren thing, [Kurt] Wermers didn't even play for coach [Lloyd] Carr. So for him to say that it isn't anything like coach Carr's program, it's not fair. He doesn't know what it was like.

"For him to come out and make accusations that aren't true isn't fair to the team or coaching staff," Ortmann added.

Ortmann feels the three left for the wrong reasons and lied about their reasoning. He said they are making false accusations, and he guaranteed that, yes, family values are still intact at the University of Michigan.

Ortmann is a true Michigan man and lineman. I am glad we have him as part of our team, and I'm sure the line will be just fine without the accusers and liars.

After Ortmann was done and RR came back to talk, they asked him what he thought of the situation, and he said he's just worried about the players he has, adding he made some mistakes in the first recruiting class.

Michigan Wolverines Basketball: Next Year's Expectations

Matt J — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:33:06 -0400

Michigan basketball is being restored to it's old glory by new head coach John Beilein. Wolverine fans are starting to remember the "Fab Five" days, when Michigan had winning seasons and was a very good basketball team.

After years of being down, Beilein has really helped improve this program through his coaching and recruiting abilities. Well, the University of Michigan has taken notice and is now plan on renovating the basketball facilities.

Michigan is returning most of its players from last years team, with the key departures being Jevohn Shepherd, C.J. Lee, and David Merritt.

Lee and Merritt both played guard and were not huge contributors, and I'm not sure either ever started with Harris and all the other guards. They will be easily replaced by the two new incoming freshman.

Shepherd was supposed to be a major contributor this year, but I didn't see him doing that much. Anthony Wright should fill his hole just fine and with the two other freshman forwards coming in, so he won't be missed much.

The Wolverines' top five scorers from last year are returning—most notably Manny Harris, DeShawn Sims, and Zack Novak. All of their starters from at least one point in the season are returning, and not much was lost, especially considering the freshman who signed.

Michigan should end getting around 25 wins and should definitely be in the top three in the Big Ten conference. I look for the Wolverines to win the conference, but it's always a tough one.

The Wolverines will make it to at least the Sweet 16 this year, and probably will make it to the Elite 8. I'm not sure if they're quite ready for the Final Four, but the good news is they still will have most of them back in 2010-11.

Detroit Lions: Is Pacman Jones The Missing Piece Of The Puzzle?

Matt J — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 23:43:01 -0400

The Detroit Lions have had a rather spectacular offseason in my humble opinion by adding some much-needed help on the defensive side, with the likes of players like Foote, Peterson, and Buchanon.

The Lions also had solid additions of Fonoti, Jansen, Barton for the offensive line. Not to mention their draft was much better than expected, providing them with some much-needed help.

Things have gone really well for them so far and there's not much left that they need to piece together to become a very good team. However, they are still rebuilding and it would take a miracle for them to make the playoffs. However, they are moving in the right direction and not much is missing.

Their coach has, so far, seemed to be a great one and is really pushing them in the direction they need to be going if they want to be real playoff contenders.

They are nearly a complete team with reasonable depth at every position, which is something they haven't been able to say for a long time. However, there may be one or two things that are still missing for the Lions.

Adam "Pacman" Jones and Michael Vick may be two players that could help out the Lions. However, I'm not here to discuss Vick and why he would help the Lions. If you want to read a good article on that then click this link: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/223508-michael-vick-a-detroit-lion-an-argument-for

This is something I found a while back when looking for some stuff about Pacman maybe coming to Detroit, to see if anyone else was crazy as me for thinking it.

Well, I guess there's at least a few people who think like me and this guy thought up some humorous pros and cons I would like to share just a few though.

Con: You can be sure Pacman will ultimately find himself in some sort of trouble. Likely damn big. It’s what he does.

Pro: The porn ’stached goon himself, Matt Millen, once said, “Every team needs a rat.” Well, Pacman would fit the rat bill to a T.

Con: He’s Pacman Jones.
Pro: Which makes him better than any defensive back on the Lions’ roster.

The thing is, the second fact is rather true. The Lions have upgraded there but to be honest, this kid is a beast and would definitely improve our secondary a lot. Some say his stats went down in Dallas, but he only played nine games.

Had he played all the games in Dallas, his stats would of been almost as good as his best year with the Titans. This is pretty good considering he was off for a year and performed better than most, if not all, our cornerbacks.

A while back, when Pacman was still a Titan and got in all that trouble, the Lions thought about trying to trade and get him. However, they didn't want to get rid of anyone that might have good potential and waste it on someone who would be suspended.

Now, they don't have to worry about losing someone because he is a free agent. All they would need to do is sign him, let him workout and come to camp. If he doesn't work out or fit, then the Lions can cut him from the roster.

Why can't we sign him to the league minimum and give him some rewards or bonuses in his contract if he has good behavior? Weight and workout clauses worked for Culpepper. So why wouldn't good behavior clauses workout for Pacman?

Our new head coach had to put up with him before in Tennessee and at least he lasted a few years there. To be honest, I think he has learned some from his mistakes.

Why not at least just give him a shot? What's the worst that can happen, we have to cut him and we go 0-16? Oh wait, that wouldn't be any worse than last year.

Beyond the Playing Field: Pro Sports Most Caring Athletes Part Two

Matt J — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:50:51 -0400

This is part 2 of my most caring athletes slides. Please give me more names of people and I will make sure to do a part 3. Good news is what we need now a days about athletes, because all we ever hear is the bad. I would like to highlight some athletes who make a positive impact, on and off the field or court. This list is in no specific order of most caring, or giving in any way. I will probably leave some people out, so feel free to comment and throw some names out.

Begin Slideshow

Pistons Add Experience and Much Needed Help

Matt J — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 22:19:40 -0400

The Detroit Pistons are continuing to have an amazing offseason thus far. After a disappointing season last year, they have revamped and added some much-needed help.

The latest addition this offseason isn't some flashy guard, lanky forward, or a much-needed big man. It's a veteran coach named Brian Hill.

He and new head coach John Kuester have been assistants together. Kuester said since the day he became head coach that he's been trying to get Hill to move there.

Hill will be signing a contract some time next week.

I'm glad we got him here, he has been a big help with Devin Harris and hopefully he can be with Rodney Stuckey. I'm liking this offseason much more than any of the last few years.

In free agency news, Rasho signed with his old team, Toronto. So our new target is an old fan favorite, Ben Wallace.

Breaking News: Justin FeagIn Dismissed From Team

Matt J — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 22:03:40 -0400

Wide receiver Justin Feagin was dismissed from Michigan's football team Thursday for an unspecified violation of team rules, coach Rich Rodriguez said in a statement.

Feagin, from Deerfield, Fla., was one of the final pieces of Rodriguez's first recruiting class as a dual-threat quarterback. He played sparingly under center as a true freshman and was converted to wide receiver midway through last season.

This year, he was vying for backup time at slot receiver behind fellow sophomore Martavious Odoms.

Feagin is the third 2008 recruit to leave the team in recent months. Sophomore offensive linemen Dan O'Neill and Kurt Wermers transferred to Western Michigan and Ball State, respectively. According to an ESPN.com report, Wermers was academically ineligible at the time of his transfer.

At least RR is doing the right thing, violate the rules and you're done. Problem is I really thought Feagin had a bright future at Michigan and was going to be a huge contributor.

Jeremy Newberry To Retire: A Look Through The Years

Matt J — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:37:27 -0400

A reader pointed out earlier today that veteran center Jeremy Newberry said on his Facebook page that he's retiring from football. We've confirmed that, indeed, Newberry is done. Per a league source, Newberry has been having trouble with a knee on which microfracture surgery was performed roughly five years ago. "As he was getting ready for camp," the source said, "his knee just got worse and worse." The Falcons cut Alex Stepanovich not long after signing Newberry, so there's a chance that, unlike another former Falcons who was cut earlier this year, Stepanovich might be coming back to Atlanta. After reading this I decided that I would like to take a look back at his career threw the years.

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Beyond The Playing Field: Some Most Caring People In Pro Sports

Matt J — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:31:51 -0400

Why is it that we always hear the bad news about pro athletes? McNair was shot, having an affair, drunk. Vick killed some dogs, Stallworth killed a human being, Pacman can't stay out of fights, Kobe raped someone, better yet newest news Big Ben raped someone(or not?). Anyways point I am trying to make here is we hear too much news about all the bad stuff going on. So I would like to highlight some athletes who make a positive impact, on and off the field or court. This list is in no specific order of most caring, or giving in any way. I will probably leave some people out so feel free to comment and throw some names out.

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Broncos To Mike Shanahan: How Does $7 Million to Stay Quiet Sound?

Matt J — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:14:25 -0400

How many of you would like to be payed $7 million to keep your mouth shut?

Well, Mike Shanahan is living that dream. The Broncos have offered him $7 million to keep quiet about the team. He can talk about any other team or any other players; he just can't mention anyone on the Broncos or the Broncos in general.

Shanahan had two years left on his contract and he was to be payed $14 million over those two years. There's a clause in his contract that made this possible, unless he takes over the head coaching job somewhere else.

He will be the highest paid coach next year in the NFL and he doesn't have to do any work. Shanahan has said he wants to return to coaching, but if I was him I would get a job as an analyst or announcer and wait two years.

He can make the $14 million and jump right back into coaching, where I'm sure there will be a few coaching jobs available. Making $7 million and some extra—while being an announcer or analyst—would be a heck of a job.

Detroit Pistons Draft History Since Joe Dumars Leaves a Lot To Be Desired

Matt J — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:55:19 -0400

Mehmet Okur, Tayshaun Prince, Jason Maxiell and Rodney Stuckey. What do they have in common?

They are the few notable players that have been drafted by the Pistons since Joe Dumars took over in 2000. The rest of them were lucky if they lasted a year.

Here's a review of players that the Pistons took, and a look at who they could have gotten instead. Starting in 2000, which I believe was Joe Dumars first year being with the Pistons.

2000: Mateen Cleaves (14) and Brian Cardinal (54)

Cleaves lasted a year with the Pistons, never living up to his potential and college success. He was traded for Jon Barry and a first round pick which would end up being wasted.

Should of drafted: Hedo Turkoglu or Quentin Richardson

Cardinal at least made it two years with the Pistons, averaging 2.1 points with his career high then being nine points. Something decent did come of him though, he was packaged with Stackhouse to bring in Rip. They waived him after five games.

Should of drafted: This is hard as he was used to get Rip, and it was a second pick. If I had to go with someone it would be Ime Udoka.

2001: Rodney White (9) and Mehmet Okur (37)

Rodney was the ninth overall pick as he was 6'9". His main position? Shooting guard and he played some forward. Rodney was named the freshman of the year by ESPN. How could he be a miss? No one could match up in size with him or talent on most occasion.

Problem was he only played offense and had no respect for the coach. He played 16 games and averaged four points in eight minutes. He only lasted a year before being traded to Denver, where he did just as bad.

Should of drafted: Joe Johnson, Richard Jefferson, or Gilbert Arenas

Mehmet was one of their best picks since 2000. He played two seasons for them, but he helped them win the 2004 NBA Championship. He was a big part of their success those two seasons. The only thing they got wrong was not re-signing him after his contract was up.

Should of drafted: Mehmet Okur

2002: Tayshaun Prince (23)

Prince was again a very good pick, so the Pistons had two good picks in successive seasons. He would end up being a huge part of the 2004 NBA Championship and would be a starter for a long time. He is one of only two players from the championship team left (Rip Hamilton being the other).

Should of drafted: Tayshaun Prince

2003: Darko Milicic (2), Carlos Delfino (25) and Andreas Gliniadakis (58)

With three picks, there's no way they could screw up every single one of them right? WRONG! This was probably there worst draft yet since 2000.

Darko was on the team three years. His best season? He had a 1.8 points per game average. He claimed it was due to lack of playing time, but what could he expect with Okur and Wallace around? This was a terrible pick by the Detroit Pistons. He did finally have a nice run with the Magic in the 2007 playoffs.

Should of drafted: With this class anyone else would of been 10,000 times better, but here's a small list; Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony, D-Wade, David West, Nick Collison, Mickael Pietrius

Carlos Delfino was the second SG/SF who was huge for his position taken by the Pistons—White being the first of course. Delfino didn't turn out to be much better at all. He played three seasons with the Pistons with his best scoring average about four points. He was traded to Toronto where has had a nice career.

Should of drafted: Josh Howard, Leandro Barbosa, Mo Williams

Andreas was the last player taken in the draft. So there's not much to say about him. He never played for the Pistons.

Should of drafted: Matt Carroll, Marquis Daniels, Ronald Dupree (later signed by Pistons)

2004: Rickey Paulding (54)

Didn't last a year with the Pistons, and never really made it in the NBA.

Should of drafted: Damien Wilkins

2005: Jason Maxiell (26), Amir Johnson (56) and Alex Acker(60)

Jason, since signing with the Pistons, has been a very solid player. He turned out to be better than a lot of the people that were drafted in front of him. He was probably a steal in the draft and will be with the Pistons for a while.

Should of drafted: Maxiell, Brandon Bass (still like Jason better)

Amir Johnson was another player who ended up being solid for the Pistons. He's still a part of the Pistons and probably will be for a long time. Like Jason, he was better than most taken in front of him and could be considered a steal.

Should of drafted: Amir

Alex Acker, the same one who was just traded to make cap space. He never turned out to be much with two stints on the Pistons both not being very successful.

Should of drafted: Josh Powell, Fabricio Oberto

2006: Will Blalock (60)

Played 14 games for the Pistons averaging about two points. He was the last one chosen so much wasn't expected from him.

Should of drafted: Walter Herrman, Juan Barea, Chris Quinn

2007: Rodney Stuckey (15), Arron Affalo (27) and Sammy Mejia (57)

Stuckey has yet to blossom into the player everyone thought he would be, but it's only his third season. He still has a while to develop, and he has definitely been solid. He will turn out to be one of Dumars best picks.

Should of drafted: Stuckey

Arron Affalo was just traded away to make cap space. He never really was a big part of the Pistons and he was a bad pick in my opinion. Another one of the two-year guys, his best scoring average was about five points. Which isn't terrible, but he was the star guard of UCLA and was supposed to be way more.

Should of drafted: Marc Gasol, Ramon Sessions

Sammy Mejia never suited up for the Pistons and now is in the Greek league playing for some team. He's still under contract to the Pistons though and may make a return.

Should of drafted: Too early to tell really but I would say Milovan Rakovic, or maybe D.J. Strawberry

2008: D.J. White (29) and Deron Washington (59)

D.J. was traded right after being drafted and he underwent surgery for growth and didn't play much. He ended up averaging nine points in the season. He could of been a special player for the Pistons.

Should of drafted: White and kept him.

Deron Washington played for an Israel team this past season and signed a contract with Detroit on July 3. It's too early to tell how he will do.

Should of drafted: Washington. He was the second to last taken and he was better than the last center taken.

So there's the recap up until this season. I won't do 2009 yet as they have not even played a game yet. I had doubts about Daye being the next one and done though and so far he's proving me wrong. We'll see how they work out.

I think over the years Detroit and especially Dumars has gotten better at picking players but we need to keep them around for more than a year or so.