Bleacher Report - Articles by Mark Fodor

Tom Crean Gets His Hoosiers in Line, Indiana's Rotation Is Emerging

Mark Fodor — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:58:00 -0500

The Indiana University men's basketball team saw their undefeated season end tonight, as the Rebels of Mississippi spotted the Hoosiers an early nine-point lead before settling down and dominating in the school's first round Puerto Rico Tip-Off matchup.

Indiana led 20-11 at the 14:14 mark but relinquished the lead just four minutes later and eventually fell 89-71.

At 2-1, Tom Crean and the youthful Hoosiers have begun to settle into the grind of a major-conference schedule. As fans, we're starting to figure out who the stars are, and who will be relegated to a season spent wearing the candy-striped pants and chatting with assistant coaches.

Let's take a look at the Hoosiers' rotation as it stands today.

Point Guard: Jeremiah Rivers

Doc's kid has started all three games (Crean has gone with the same starting five thus far), but before Ole Miss he was pretty quiet on the stat sheet, totaling just eight points and a 9:8 assist:turnover ratio in heavy minutes. Tonight, we saw why Rivers, the 6'5", 210-lb. Georgetown transfer, is so highly regarded by his teammates.

In 27 minutes of action, largely limited by foul trouble, Jeremiah scored 14 points on 6-of-6 shooting and added seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals. His turnovers are still troubling (four tonight), but Rivers looked like a natural PG bringing the ball up and handling good defense from a high-major opponent.

His rebounding abilities may allow Crean to go smaller at the two as the season progresses, but he needs to improve his defense if he wants to stay out of foul trouble and on the floor for 30-plus minutes a game.

Shooting Guard: Verdell Jones III

Ah, Verdell. As the Hoosiers wound down last year's 6-25 schedule, it was Jones that emerged as Indiana's star in the making. Last year, I called him "a joy to watch on defense and simply nerve-wracking to watch with the ball," and although the 6'5" SG has put on weight and made his mark as a slashing scorer and spot-up shooter, he's still a work in progress while, um, dribbling.

His turnovers are down this season since he's been able to move to the two and bring the ball up less, but he still has a tendency to get too flashy and, say, bounce the ball off his own foot and out of bounds. Or throw it over somebody's head.

Jones scored 17 tonight on 8-of-15 shooting and gives the Hoosiers a legitimate threat from midrange and driving the ball. But he needs to accept a role as a catch-and-shoot (or drive) type of player if he wants to really help the offense grow.

His long-armed defense is still very good as long as he doesn't get caught in transition.

Swingman: Maurice Creek

The 6'5" true freshman from Maryland has stepped into the starting rotation and led the Hoosiers in scoring through three games, averaging almost 20 ppg. He's an athletic player who seems to thrive as a scorer and can bang down low when needed.

In his first real test against Ole Miss, Creek turned the ball over four times. He had only one total turnover in the first two games. As Indiana's secondary ball-handler, Creek needs to be able to slow down and run the offense with confidence.

His obvious talent and poise make Creek a virtual lock to hold down this position throughout the season, but the frosh still has a lot of growing up to do. He's going to have to guard a ton of good players as the year wears on and needs to step up on the defensive end.

Forward: Christian Watford

Watford exploded for double-doubles in his first two games against Howard (14-11) and USC Upstate (17-10) but was held in check tonight, shooting 20 percent for a mere five points. Although his rebounds were also down (five tonight), it should be noted that four of those were on the offensive glass.

Watford, at 6'8" and 220 lbs., was recruited as a small forward type. But undersized Indiana needs him to post up this year, playing the role that the since departed Nick Williams filled last season. He can be a force on the glass and has good range (2-of-5 from outside the arc this year), making him a tough matchup for traditional power forwards.

An important factor for Watford going forward is free throw shooting. He will be going to the line a lot this year and needs to convert his opportunities.

Forward/Center: Tom Pritchard

Pritchard started his freshman year strong, averaging a double-double through the first third of the season before fading down the stretch. He was burdened with being the Hoosiers' sole legitimate big man, battling with the best of the Big Ten as an 18-year-old.

The key for Pritchard this year? Consistency. He played just 10 minutes against USC Upstate and struggled against their 7'3" center Nick Schneiders, racking up four quick fouls. Ole Miss was a better gauge of what Tom can bring to the table. He played a solid 30 minutes, chipping in eight points to go with eight rebounds (four offensive). His thunderous dunk early set the tone for the opening Hoosiers run.

Pritchard needs to stay out of foul trouble. He is the best of IU's big men at running the pick-and-roll sets that make up so much of Crean's offense and is crucial to Indiana's scoring potential in the half-court game. With much of last year's weight off his shoulders, the 6'8" Pritchard has to continue to work hard on both ends of the court, or he risks losing minutes to Indiana's other big men.

Key Reserves

Senior juco transfer Devan Dumes was Indiana's most reliable scorer last year and one of their best deep threats. He is still coming back from an offseason injury and has yet to find his shot, going 2-of-10 from deep in the first three games.

If he can get healthy, I expect Dumes to play a lot of minutes at SG, especially alongside Rivers, who has the size to make up for Devan's 6'2", 192-lb. frame. Dumes can also handle the ball and plays competent defense on the opposing point guard, making him the top option off of the IU bench.

Derek Elston, the true frosh from tiny Tipton, Indiana, has made a big impact in his first three games. At 6'9" and 220 lbs., with the frame to add more bulk, Elston is athletic and tough on the inside. He has played an average of 17 minutes so far this year and put up some major numbers in limited time, averaging over nine points, five rebounds, and a steal per game.

He is more athletic than Pritchard and nearly as much of an offensive threat as Watford. Expect Elston to play around 20 minutes a game as the No. 3 big man.

Jordan Hulls, Indiana's Mr. Basketball and the leader of Bloomington South's state championship team last year, has a problem. He is barely six feet tall. Against inferior competition, this isn't so much of an issue, and Hulls gave Indiana good minutes against Howard and Upstate spelling Rivers.

But against the larger players of Ole Miss, Hulls looked lost running the offense and was harassed into three turnovers and an 0-of-3 shooting performance in just 12 minutes. Hulls is going to have to work on his outside shot and his confidence if he wants to survive the Big Ten grind.

Bench Contributors

Matt Roth is the Hoosiers' token gunner, the Steve Kerr of the team if you will. The sophomore needs to accept fewer minutes this season and be ready to come off the bench and provide instant offense.

Bobby Capobianco, the freshman from Loveland, Ohio, looks like he is a grade or two below Watford, Pritchard, and Elston as a big man. In 18 total minutes so far, he has yet to score or make an impact on the glass. Frankly, I expected more from Capobianco, and hopefully he will develop as the season goes on, since IU needs more than a three-man 4/5 rotation.

Tijan Jobe is seven feet tall. He is also slow and can't shoot. Jobe got dominated by Upstate's Schneiders, the 7'3" German.

An undersized jitterbug from Carmel, Daniel Moore is another guy who will have to make the best of his spot minutes. He has better speed than Hulls but lags behind his fellow PG elsewhere. On the upside, he has gotten a couple of rebounds so far this year, which shows some toughness.

Bawa Muniru was cleared to play later than most of his fellow freshmen, but Indiana could really use him as a backup center. At 6'11" and 242 lbs., Muniru has excellent size and athleticism. He has made a few plays (a block and two points vs. Howard, three rebounds vs. Upstate) in his handful of minutes, but he is buried on Tom Crean's bench until he learns the schemes.

Brett Finklemeier, Stephen Gambles, and Kory Barnett round out the roster. One of them must emerge as Indiana's lead cheerleader and the first man off the bench and high-fiving at timeout time. None figure to see the court often.

Breakdown

Here's what I hope for the Hoosiers to accomplish this year.

Point Guards

Rivers: 27 mpg, improve A:TO ratio, stay active on the boards.
Hulls: 10 mpg, run the offense when Rivers sits.
Moore: 3 mpg, be an energy and fast break threat guy.

Shooting Guards/Small Forwards

Jones: 23 mpg, score around 14 ppg, don't turn it over, be smart off the ball.
Creek: 25 mpg, keep scoring, help run offense as secondary ball-handler.
Dumes: 22 mpg, be a threat off the bench, push Jones for a starting spot.
Roth: 10 mpg, spread the floor as a three-point threat.

Forwards/Centers

Watford: 25 mpg, continue to develop as post-up force, work on defense.
Pritchard: 25 mpg, be consistent on the boards! Stay out of foul trouble.
Elston: 20 mpg, bring energy off the bench, crash the boards, and score a bunch off the bench.
Muniru: 7 mpg, guard dominant big men for stretches. Continue growth.
Capobianco/Jobe: 3 mpg, give the top three some rest without much of a fall-off.

Tobias Harris Picks Bruce Pearl, Tennessee Volunteers

Mark Fodor — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:42 -0500

Bruce Pearl has to be happy tonight, as his star recruiting prospect, five-star forward Tobias Harris of Dix Hills, N.Y., just announced his commitment to the University of Tennessee.

Harris, rated seventh overall by ESPNU and universally regarded as a top-10 prospect in the Class of 2010, rolled with the Vols in favor of competing offers from Big East powers Louisville, Syracuse and West Virginia, Maryland and Georgia Tech from the ACC, and UT arch-rival Kentucky in the SEC.

Over at ESPN, Matt Winklejohn has this great feature on Harris's growth as a player over the last several years.

The SEC was college basketball's punching bag last season, but between Kentucky's Calipari revival and Pearl's hard work at Tennessee, it's starting to look as if the conference may return to prominence sooner than expected.

Nabbing a major prospect like Harris is a coup for Pearl, Tennessee and the SEC as a whole.

Indiana Basketball Early Season Guide: How Will Hoosiers Fare Out of Conference?

Mark Fodor — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:44:00 -0500

Between now and New Year's Eve, the fledgling Indiana Hoosiers basketball team will face 10 opponents ranging from pushovers (hello, Bryant University!) to a possible powerhouse (rival Kentucky).

After opening the season with exhibition wins over Grace College and St. Joseph's (Indiana), it's time to find out just how good this youthful team can be.

Let's take a look at IU's first 12 games of 2009-10.

Nov. 13: Howard

The Bison hail from the MEAC and finished last year with an 8-23 record reminiscent of IU's own 6-25. Their leading scorer from last year, Eugene Myatt, is no longer on the roster. Belgian junior forward Kandi Mukole and Indianapolis native Kyle Riley, a guard, will lead the attack, but I expect this one to be a blowout at Assembly Hall.

PROJECTION: Indiana cruises, 1-0

Nov. 16: USC Upstate

In their third year as a D-I program, the Spartans of Spartanburg, SC don't appear to pose much of a threat. However, they do have a cool media guide available online! They also have the seasoned Eddie Payne, who is entering his 25th year as a head coach. So they've got that going for them, which is nice.

PROJECTION: Indiana wins in a walk, 2-0

Nov. 19: Ole Miss (O'Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off )
*Nov. 20: Kansas State/Boston University
*Nov. 22: TBA

The Hoosiers will travel to sunny Puerto Rico to take part in the Tip-Off this year. Ole Miss is a quality opponent hovering just outside the top 25, and Hoosier transfer Nick Williams (traitor!) will get to observe his former teammates from the Rebels bench.

The tourney features a tough field including ranked Villanova, Georgia Tech, and Dayton, as well as Ole Miss and Kansas State. Really, the only soft teams are Boston U. (Indiana's likely Round Two opponent) and George Mason. The website (linked above) is a good resource if you want to dig deeper into the field.

PROJECTION: L vs. Ole Miss, W vs. BU, L vs. Georgia Tech, 3-2

Nov. 28: Northwestern State

A member of the Southland Conference, the Demons are another team that struggled last year. They have games against Texas Tech and Indiana in their early schedule, so we'll have a better idea of whether they pose any threat to IU after the Red Raiders get their shot.

PROJECTION: W, 4-2

Dec. 1: Maryland

Senior Greivis Vasquez leads a seasoned Terrapins team that lost to Memphis in the second round of last year's NCAA Tournament. Maryland is lacking in quality big men but is deep at guard and swingman and will test the defense of Verdell Jones, Jeremiah Rivers, and the rest of the Hoosiers backcourt.

This is a home game for IU, and I expect Assembly Hall to be rocking for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Maryland has a cakewalk through its early schedule before coming to a truly hostile environment.

PROJECTION: Close L, 4-3

Dec. 8: Pittsburgh

Despite losing its top three players in Sam Young, DeJuan Blair, and Levance Fields, the Panthers may still be a tough opponent for the young Hoosiers. Coach Jamie Dixon gets his teams ready to contend year in and year out and runs a tough offense and defense.

This one will come down to whose young players are more ready to step into the limelight. The Hoosiers may actually have the advantage in experience, as Dixon is going with an entirely new starting lineup to open 2009-10.

PROJECTION: W, 5-3

Dec. 12: No. 5 Kentucky

Another awesome game at Assembly Hall. I remember the last time the Wildcats came to town in 2007, when Jordan Crawford schooled his big brother Joe and paced IU to a win.

Patrick Patterson probably remembers too, which can't be good for Indiana. I expect the junior big man and Kentucky's top-notch gang of freshmen to put on a show in what could be a great game for fans of high-flying, fast-paced basketball.

PROJECTION: L, 5-4

Dec. 19: North Carolina Central

They opened the season with an 89-42 loss at North Carolina. In just their third year as part of Division I, they simply aren't ready for major conference talent.

PROJECTION: W, 6-4

Dec. 22: Loyola (Maryland)

Part of the MAAC, they started out well last season before losing eight of their final nine games. The Greyhounds will have begun conference play by the time this Christmas break matchup rolls around, and I'm seeing...hang on...crystal ball?

PROJECTION: W, 7-4

Dec. 28: Bryant University

Like NC Central and USC Upstate, Bryant is a newcomer to the D-I scene. Still, they won eight games last year, including upsets at Yale and against Long Island at home. Seniors Nick Pontes and Cecil Gresham are capable players.

But this team was blown out by every major-conference opponent they faced last year, scoring only 36 at Big Ten also-ran Iowa, and I don't expect a whole lot to have changed since then.

PROJECTION: W, 8-4

So there you have it. Heading into their New Year's Eve home date with Michigan, the Hoosiers should have a bunch of wins under their collective belts, and hopefully one or two upsets against major-conference opposition to help them grow a little bit of swagger.

It's a major bonus to have virtually all of their tough early matchups at Assembly Hall, aside from the Puerto Rico tourney, and home court advantage will definitely be a factor.

This early schedule ought to give Indiana fans a chance to see who's for real among the bumper crop of freshmen and who has improved from last year's core of Jones, Devan Dumes, and Tom Pritchard.

Big Ten Power Rankings (Week 11), Part Two: The Bad and the Ugly

Mark Fodor — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:29:00 -0500

After running down the Top Five in Great Lakes/Cornfields 12 Football, it's time to get to the rest of the conference! If there's a consistent theme to these squad's seasons, it's inconsistency. Some are emerging from awfulness towards respectability, while others are grimly sliding towards oblivion. Keep in mind, three of these schools will probably be going bowling.

6. Michigan State (5-5, 3-3)

State's season highlight so far was a 24-14 win against Northwestern at home. They recovered nicely from their three-game losing streak against Central Michigan, Notre Dame (barely), and Wisconsin (barely, again), but after losing to Iowa and Minnesota in the last three weeks, they find themselves right back in limbo.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins (pictured) has had a showcase season, throwing for 2,097 yards and fourteen touchdowns, but MSU's running game has not kept up at all. Losing Javon Ringer to the NFL really hurt, as none of his replacements have more than 400 yards.

Meanwhile, the defense has been torched by many opponents, including a Minnesota squad that was missing top threat Eric Decker two weeks ago.

Beating Western Michigan 49-14 last week counts for something (namely, a W), but a road date at Purdue this weekend, and the home finale against Penn State, are both crucial for Sparty's bowl hopes. Close losses have been a theme throughout the year, as all five L's have been by eight points, or less.

Still, Michigan State is clearly the "best of the rest", and may even pass Northwestern for the fifth Big Ten spot before it's all said and done.

7. Purdue (4-6, 3-3)

The Boilers have really pulled themselves together after a miserable 1-5 start to the season. Fiery coach Danny Hope (at left) refuses to give up, even after his team's win streak was ended in a comprehensive 37-0 demolishing at the hands of Wisconsin, and led his Baby Boilers to a nail-biter of a win at Michigan last weekend.

With losses to Oregon and Notre Dame, and the upset win against Ohio State, Purdue has a strong schedule to show for itself, and closing out the season with MSU at home and then a road game against Indiana gives these Boilermakers an outside shot at a bowl in their first season without the legendary Joe Tiller.

Purdue's biggest problem is a defense that tends to give up around 30 points a game, but their offense has been explosive at times and features a number of playmakers. Look for them to end their season on a high note and go bowling somewhere.

8. Illinois (3-6, 2-5)

Although their overall record is the worst in the conference, the Fighting Illini are riding a two-game win streak against Big Ten opponents. They probably won't be going anywhere this postseason, although beating Northwestern in Champaign on Saturday would be a huge statement, because their next opponent is #5 Cincinnati on the road.

Juice Williams is hurt again, but that may be a blessing since frosh Jacob Charest looked good in the upset at Minnesota. How will he fare against that rejuvenated Wilcats defense on Saturday? It's anybody's guess. Mine is that Northwestern wins, but then again, I'm biased.

9. Minnesota (5-5, 3-4)

The Golden Gophers are an enigma. After a strong start to the season, they got plastered by Big Ten front runners Ohio State and Iowa, then came back and won a huge game against Michigan State after losing their best player in WR Eric Decker.

The stage was set for a late-season run, right? Not so fast. A home loss to Illinois last week drops Minnesota all the way to the Big Ten basement, with two games left to play. One of those games is a freebie against South Dakota State, so Minnesota will likely become bowl-eligible, just in time to go on the road and play Iowa, a prospect that is not quite so daunting now that Ricky Stanzi is gone.

Minnesota has the talent to win both of those games, but who knows which team will show up? Regardless, it will be a team missing a likely NFL first rounder, as Decker is gone for the year.

10. Michigan (5-5, 1-5)

Thanks to a soft schedule that gave them wins against Delaware State, Western Michigan, and Eastern Michigan, the Wolverines are still alive for a postseason berth. And their strong national following will likely give them that berth if they can get one more victory.

But that doesn't hide the fact that this team is not very good. Although their running back tandem of Carlos Brown and Brandon Miner have put up sterling numbers (954yd, 12TD, 5.7ypc), their freshman quarterbacks have fallen apart during the grind of a Big Ten season. This offense can definitely score some points, and their 320 is tops in the conference.

But it's really the running game doing most of the damage, including Forcier and Robinson. Their best wideout has only 22 catches, and no receiver has more than one TD.

Also, the defense is terrible against any reputable school (not DSU, WMU, or EMU).

Add that to a daunting final two games against #20 Wisconsin on the road and then #9 Ohio State at home, and you have a team destined for 5-7 obscurity.

11. Indiana (4-6, 1-5)

Ahh, Indiana, our Indiana. The standard 3-0 start against weak non-conference opponents had IU fans salivating over a shot at another bowl game. Then reality set in, as the Hoosiers lost game after game after game.

Hoosiers believers, including Bill Lynch (aka the blind leading the blind), never fail to point out that Indiana has outplayed several good teams this year, only to fall victim to circumstance. I was at the Michigan game, and can attest that Indiana looked a lot better than the Maize and Blue, up to a point. IU had Iowa on the ropes last week but couldn't finish the job. They almost came back against Wisconsin this Saturday, losing by three. They were dominating Northwestern in the first half at Ryan Field, and self-destructed.

I'm sorry, but a loss is a loss. And those four count just as much as the Virginia shellacking or the Ohio State snoozefest.

My line on this team remains the same. Indiana is lucky to have a ton of talented players on their roster. Jamie Kirlew will be playing in the NFL soon. So will Tandon Doss, and Demarlo Belcher, and probably Ray Fisher, and Darius Willis, too. They are weak at corner beyond Fisher, and the offensive line is inconsistent in both phases, but both show spots of brilliance, as in the five INTs against Iowa.

But Indiana's biggest problem is a coaching staff that talks itself out of victory, after victory. This week, it was the decision to kick the ball deep to Wisconsin after getting within three points, with four minutes left in the game. Wisconsin's RBs had run all over the Hoosiers (that D-Line is much better at the pass rush than at run stopping), and thoroughly wore them out. What made the IU coaches think that Wisconsin wouldn't be able to get enough first downs to run out the clock?

Indiana now has a great facility in The Rock At Memorial Stadium (left). It is a beautiful stadium, up there with the best in the Big Ten, and its seating capacity of just over 50,000 is manageable if this team could just string together a few wins. Add in the top notch weightlifting facilities, and a great AD in Fred Glass, and this should be a program already on the rise.

Yet here they are, at the bottom of the Big Ten again. It's way past time for a coaching search.

Big 10 Power Rankings (Week 11) Part One: The Good

Mark Fodor — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:18:00 -0500

As promised, here are my Power Rankings for the future Heartland/Midwestern 12. There has been a lot of movement since I last did this a few weeks ago, especially in the case of Purdue (upwards), and Michigan (free fallin').

1. Ohio State (8-2, 5-1)

That's right, the Buckeyes are back on top. Most of their wins have been dominant this year. The three exceptions? A squeaker with Navy to open the season, which doesn't look so bad now that the Midshipmen are 7-2, and just beat Notre Dame, that awful loss to Southern Cal, which showcased Ohio State's weaknesses (conservative coaching in the Red Zone, underachieving offense), and the fluky upset against Purdue on the road, where Pryor just had an awful game.

Since then, the Bucks have reeled off comfortable wins against Minnesota, New Mexico State, and a ranked Penn State squad. Also, their defense continues to excel, holding Daryll Clark and Penn State to a mere seven points.

They play in their second consecutive huge game this week as Iowa comes to the Horseshoe (pictured at left).

2. Penn State (8-2, 4-2)

The Penn State offense has been inconsistent, racking up 30-plus points seven times, while being shut down by quality defenses like Iowa, and Ohio State (seventeen total points).

The defense, on the other hand, has only allowed 108 points all season, and OSU's 24 last weekend was their worst outing of the year.

Penn State's last three games are going to determined by the play of special teams, where OSU's Ray Small got two big field position punt returns last weekend. Indiana may not be much of a threat on Saturday at Beaver Stadium, but Ray Fisher is one of the best punt returners in the conference, and is always a threat to break one. And the road game at Michigan State will probably be close, decided by a few plays one way or the other.

If Penn State can get its special teams in sync with its defense, that flaky offense may not matter quite so much.

3. Iowa (9-1, 5-1)

According to ESPN, QB Ricky Stanzi had surgery on his ankle this week, and (at best) will be coming back for Iowa's bowl game. So Iowa is going to face big bad Ohio State on the road with a true freshman at the helm. Kirk Ferentz (pictured) doesn't look too pleased at the prospect.

This would be a very good time to try and run the ball 40 times. Unfortunately, Iowa doesn't have anybody who can do that. Their best play all year has been the deep ball. Against OSU's excellent defense, probably the best in the Big Ten, I don't give Iowa much of a chance.

Then again, ball-hawking safety Tyler Sash, and super D-Lineman Adrian Clayborn have been making plays all year, and if they can ruffle Terrelle Pryor's feathers like Purdue did a few weeks ago, this could become an upset in the making.

4. Wisconsin (7-2, 4-2)

Wisconsin got a bye week at the right time. After losing to Ohio State, and Iowa prior getting a week off, Wisconsin responded with a convincing sweep of the Hoosier State, crushing upstart Purdue, and holding off Indiana on the road. Wisconsin has the best running game in the Big Ten, led by sophomore John Clay.

Clay has 973 yards, and 11 TDs this year, and his backups are not exactly slouches, either. The Badgers currently sit at No. 20 in the BCS rankings.

The big difference from past Wisconsin teams? The defense is vulnerable. They've already given up over 200 points on the season, with three games left on the schedule. This week's match up, with struggling Michigan coming to Camp Randall, is a welcome one for the Badgers. The Wolverines are winless on the road this year, and in disarray.

Closing out the year with road dates at Northwestern, and at Hawaii (talk about getting two bowls instead of one!), virtually ensures this Wisconsin squad a nine-win season.

5. Northwestern (6-4, 3-3)

The Wildcats just got their defining win of the year, taking it to Iowa 17-10 for their third straight victory at Nile Kinnick Stadium. NU's quarterbacks combined for a mere 109 yards, but got key first downs when they needed them.

This is a team with clear strengths, and weaknesses. One strength is the defense, which has finally returned to last year's winning form thanks to the return of safety Brad Phillips, and several CBs from injury. This is a solid, seasoned unit with good players on all three levels.

Northwestern's other strength is more of a surprise. After losing almost 100 percent of their wide receiver production from last season, seniors Zeke Markshausen (pictured) and Andrew Brewer have stepped up big time.

Markshausen is the possession guy, weighing in at a petite 180 lbs. and standing 5'11" (both generous measurements). All Zeke has done this year is lead the Big Ten in receptions, with seventy through 10 games. That's sixty-nine more than he had in his entire career up until this year.

Meanwhile, big Andrew Brewer is the home-run hitter. Averaging over 15 YPR with five TDs, Brewer is a threat to take it to the house every time he gets the ball.

Unfortunately, the Kafka/Persa combo at QB is inconsistent, and neither has been able to run the ball as well as Kafka did last year in relief of CJ Bacher. The running game has missed Tyrell Sutton, as Scott Concannon has had to carry most of the load, and has been stuffed against top Big Ten defenses.

This Northwestern team needs to win at Illinois on Saturday to lock themselves into a bowl bid. Several teams that travel better than NU can still get to six, and if that happens, and the 'Cats can't win again, they could easily be left in Evanston for New Years.

...second half of the Power Rankings coming soon...

Big Ten Power Rankings: Is Iowa for Real?

Mark Fodor — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:24:00 -0400

Big victory tonight for the Iowa Hawkeyes in Iowa City, as they defeated Michigan 30-28 on a final minute interception of Denard "Shoelace" Robinson.

Kirk Ferentz, Ricky Stanzi, and crew are now 6-0 (2-0 in conference) and are the Big Ten's sole unbeaten team. This is the same team that squeaked by Northern Iowa 17-16 in the season opener.

Here are my Big Ten (Week Six) Power Rankings.

1. Iowa

They're unbeaten. They've played good teams in Penn State and Michigan and major conference opponents in their early schedule, defeating Arizona and Iowa State. The Wildcats and Cyclones aren't exactly good this year, but they're not Temple and Eastern Illinois either (*cough JoePa cough*).

I have been blown away by the play of junior DT Adrian Clayborn, he of the blocked punt-and-TD run against Penn State.

Huge road tests are coming up the next two weeks at Madison and East Lansing. If they survive, they're the front runner for the automatic BCS bid. My bet is they don't and settle for a nice Rose Bowl berth.

2. Ohio State

Terrelle Pryor has to be the best individual player in the conference. The Bucks handled Wisconsin with ease today. Ohio State has playmakers on offense (Pryor, Dane Sanzenbacher, Brandon Saine) and defense (Brian Rolle looks like a first rounder). At 5-1, with an unblemished 3-0 conference record, OSU is one miracle Matt Barkley drive away from being a top three team nationally.

Side note: I really dislike Matt Barkley.

Anyway, their remaining road games include a date next week at Purdue and then huge November games against Penn State and perennial rival Michigan. They get Minny at home, a freebie against New Mexico State, and then what is shaping up to be the Game of the Season, Nov. 14 against Iowa at the Horseshoe.

Ohio State can easily keep themselves in the BCS conversation if they keep playing like they have been.

3. Penn State

The Nittany Lions are mostly here by virtue of their No. 14 national ranking. The good includes a solid defense that has only yielded 50 points all season (17 of those to the Fighting Illini last week). The bad includes their soft schedule, with only Syracuse posing an out-of-conference challenge, and Daryll Clark's inability to stand up under pressure.

In that respect, he reminds me of the Titans' Vince Young—great in comfortable wins, freaks out when things go wrong. Definitely not Texas' VY; I'm talking about the pro version here. Not a good sign when you still have to play half of the Big Ten on the road in the second half of the season.

At least one of Michigan, Northwestern, or Michigan State will upset PSU on the road, and Ohio State will probably beat them in Happy Valley, too. That's three losses and a trip to the Outback Bowl in my mind.

4. Minnesota

If Pryor isn't the Big Ten's best player, Gopher WR Eric Decker might be. A supremely talented athlete, he has been a stud at wideout for a long time in Minneapolis. Just get him the ball, and Minnesota has a shot in any given game.

But on the downside, this team got beat by a Cal squad that's looking worse and worse as the season goes on and let Wisconsin get away with Paul Bunyan's Axe at home. Standing 4-2 (2-1) after six weeks, I foresee at least two more losses for the Golden Gophers. They've got road games against Penn State and Ohio State the next two weeks.

'Nuff said. If they get home 1-1 from that stretch, we can take them a little bit more seriously.

5. Wisconsin

I was wrong about Bret Bielema. Coming into the season, I thought he would be on the hot seat by now. Well, a 5-1 record (2-1 B10) with good wins against Michigan State and at Minnesota pretty much puts that to rest. John Clay reminds me an awful lot of Ron Dayne, and the power running game reminds me an awful lot of Barry Alvarez.

But the Badgers were overmatched and outplayed today at Ohio State and must bounce back next week against Iowa, which will probably land in the top 10 nationally coming into the game. An upset on the road would legitimize their season. A loss puts them about where they belong—squarely in the middle of the pack.

6. Michigan

Explosive, mistake-prone offense. Defense that allowed Indiana to roll up 476 yards. They've got a 4-2 record but are 1-2 in the Big Ten and on the outside looking in of the championship conversation.

On the bright side, a bowl bid would be a nice step in Rich Rod's rebuilding project. With Illinois, Purdue, and Delaware State on the menu, seven wins is well within reach.

7. Michigan State

They have shown a lot of grit coming back from a 1-3 start to land at .500, and they boast a 2-1 Big Ten record. I'm still not sold, but next week's home game against Northwestern means a whole lot for both teams.

Sparty and Willie Wildcat are going to be scrapping for the league's final bowl bid, and the winner on the 17th in East Lansing will have a major advantage.

8. Northwestern

Simply put, NU hasn't beaten anybody yet. They got hosed by the officials at Syracuse and couldn't come back against Minnesota at home. Wins against Purdue, Miami (OH), Eastern Michigan, and Towson aren't going to win you any style points at season's end.

See above for significance of next week's game. A win gets you to five with a winning Big Ten record. Also, they get Indiana at home for Homecoming (surprise, surprise—see IU section) and a road date at scuffling Illinois.

Just three wins get Pat Fitzgerald's Cats to seven and a bowl bid. But they're going to have to step up, especially on defense, and play like they are capable of doing.

9. Purdue

1-5 (0-2 B10). Games coming up against Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Michigan. Basically the best they can hope for is a couple more wins against their fellow Big Ten bottom-feeders, and frankly. I doubt they're going to get them.

They're here by virtue of hanging tough against Notre Dame, Oregon, and Northwestern. But I wouldn't be shocked if they finish below ninth in the league.

10. Indiana

Hoosiers fans have it rough. Every year, it seems like Indiana starts strong but then shows its true colors as the season progresses. It's hard to get a bandwagon started when you let Al Freakin' Groh (?!?!) shoot your tires off 47-7.

Indiana has looked awful now for two straight weeks following their mugging by the officials at the Big House, and the best hope is that redshirt frosh Darius Willis can get healthy and make some more big plays. The defense isn't awful, but it isn't good either. Ben Chappell would look better at a MAC school. The wideouts are talented yet inconsistent. The coaching staff...let's not go there.

Bill Lynch couldn't win at Ball State, and this is year three of his B-Town tenure. Let the Tommy Tuberville Watch begin. Next week is an absolute must win, with sad-sack Illinois coming to town for Homecoming.

Speaking of Homecoming, Indiana has served so far as patsy for two HCs (at Michigan, at Virginia) and has at least one more coming up in Evanston. You never want to be the team everyone wants to schedule for Homecoming. Again, where are you, Tommy T?

11. Illinois

This team was ranked preseason? Hahahahahaha...ahahahahaa...hah. Apparently neither quarterback can start, Arrelious Benn doesn't want to be a NFL wideout, and defense? Oh no. The Chief is 1-5, and Ron Zook looks like a goner. On the upside, I still think he's a better coach than Bill Lynch.

Have I mentioned that Larry Coker is starting a I-AA football program at UT-San Antonio, while these guys have BCS jobs? Tell me again why Big Ten schools can't pull coaching talent from the South, because there are a ton of unemployed guys (and underemployed guys) down there.

Wrapping it up, this is definitely not a "down year" for the Big Ten. The conference will field at least six worthy bowl teams and has eight that can contend in December, if not January.

There's still a lot of season left, but a few more losses at the top and a single BCS bid could easily put the Eleven in line for a very good bowl season.

Sox Finally On Track, Buehrle Rocks Again

Mark Fodor — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:04:00 -0400

After what seemed like an eternity of our South Siders scuffling along at a few games under .500, the Boys in Black have finally woken up. Tonight's 4-1 victory over the surprisingly not awful Kansas City Royals puts the White Sox at 41-38 on the season, trailing Detroit by only two and a half games, with 83 left to play.

I guess Ozzie's relentless negativity has finally worked!

All we've heard all season from the fearless skipper is "this team [bleeping] stinks," "we can't hit worth a [bleep]," and so on. And deservedly so, because until this current hot streak the Sox were definitely an underachieving, mediocre squad.

Things are starting to change. The Sox have won ten of their last twelve. Gordon Beckham has been a revelation in his first professional season, providing firepower from the hot corner.

I just added him to my Yahoo!Fantasy Double Baggers, at the expense of the solid but mundane Captain Paulie. You also can't ignore the resurrection of World Series hero Scott Podsednik, who has seemingly come out of nowhere to make a huge contribution at the top of the order.

Despite missing Carlos Quentin and getting some serious injury time from Jermaine Dye, the Sox bats are heating up at just the right time. After this four gamer in KC, the Pale Hose have crucial series against fellow AL Central denizens Cleveland and Minnesota.

On a personal note, my all-time favorite Sox player, SP Mark Buehrle, has been the definition of an ace and team leader all year long. He went 8.1 innings tonight, scattering six hits and allowing one run to move to 8-2 on the season with an ERA right around 3.00 and a low, low WHIP around 1.10.

Sure, he's not a strikeout king, but if he keeps pitching like this, the Sox will have a rock to rally around for the playoff push. I have seen a lot of All-Star lineups that don't include Buehrle, who I believe has been to the midsummer classic four times already at the age of 30.

Granted, the AL is loaded with talent like KC's Zach Greinke, Seattle's Felix Hernandez, Toronto's Roy "Doc" Halladay, and Detroit's mean starting rotation including Verlander and Edwin Jackson. But none of those guys are leaders, role models, and consistency masters like Buehrle. Even Halladay is a lock for the DL at least once a year.

I think Buehrle is a no-brainer for an All-Star selection. Matt Thornton's name has been bandied around by many, including Ozzie himself, but I think that if the Sox only get one in, it should be Number 56.

Sorry, Cubs fans, but the best team in the Chi and the best starter in the Tristate Area both reside on the South Side. Let's go go go go White Sox.

A Few Thoughts on the NBA Draft: Chicago Bulls Edition

Mark Fodor — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:16:00 -0400

Thursday is Draft Day, and I'm very excited. Although the NFL draft is more researched and hyped than its basketball counterpart, the two big drafts are always fun. It's like getting Christmas presents for your favorite sports team!

The Bulls have two first round picks this year, at number 16 and number 26. Speculation has Chicago looking at a wide range of players, from UNC stars Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, and Wayne Ellington to Dookie Gerald Henderson, who could be targeted in a trade-up.

A couple of quick thoughts for my favorite team:

1) Why not package your picks to move up and take Davidson's Stephen Curry? Curry is a lights-out shooter who can also handle the ball and play a little bit of defense. He's also 6'3".

Targeting Curry (who will be gone by the Knicks' selection at 8, if not before) would allow the Bulls to release Ben Gordon. Now, don't get me wrong. I like Ben. But he is barely six foot. He can't play any defense at all. And he's going to cost you at least ten million dollars a year, while never being a true starter.

Curry would be a better complement for Derrick Rose, and letting Gordon go would allow the Bulls to keep Kirk Hinrich, a tremendous team leader and character guy who is about the best Rose insurance policy I can think of.

2) Please don't even think about taking Gonzaga's lightweight PF Austin Daye! I believe that Daye came into the Berto Center for a workout in this leadup to the draft, and he is seen as an upside guy. He has always been a hyped draft prospect. The problem?

Um, he can't really make an impact. Every time I saw him in college he looked lost on the floor. He was about the fourth fiddle on the Zags team last year, behind Heytvelt, Bouldin, and Pargo. I'm sorry, but if you can't look good in college, you're probably not goanna do it in the Big Leagues. I'm terrified of Daye.

3) Anyone from Carolina = a good pick. Danny Green at 26 would be a great deal. So would Wayne Ellington. Gerald Henderson scares me because he is a bit too similar to Derrick Rose minus Rose's court vision (Henderson can't really shoot the trey, either), but he will be a good pro. In my mind, he would be worth it at 16, but not worth trading both picks for.

Ty Lawson and Tyler Hansbrough... oh man, I love those guys. Lawson simply flies up and down the floor, and his J is good too. He would be a blast to watch on the fast break with Rose, Tyrus, and Noah.

Hansbrough is one of the best work ethic guys in basketball and has impressed scouts with his underrated athleticism and midrange game. I'm not exactly impartial here, but any of these Heels would look great following MJ's footsteps.

4) I like DeJuan "Charles Barkley II" Blair, a lot. I think he will be a good pro. If he is there at sixteen, he'd be an easy pick. Sadly, he will be gone. Oh well.

5) Let's trade the second pick for OKC's D.J. White. Need a skilled power forward who still has room to grow and a solid all-around game? White is underused in Oklahoma City and would be a great rotation guy for Chicago. We know that the two teams like to trade (witness Thabo Sefalosha), so why not make this happen?

6) I think this is a pretty good year, all around, for the draft. Not many superstars, although Ricky Rubio has the potential (watch him on YouTube if you don't believe it), but a whole lot of quality starters and rotation guys all the way through the top 40 or so prospects.

I'm excited to see who lands where and for summer league to get started!

Bring the Big Ten/ACC Challenge to Football

Mark Fodor — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:19:00 -0400

Noffke got me thinking recently about how messed up major college football scheduling has become. The Big Six conference teams try to schedule mostly puff cakes who will come play in their stadiums without requiring a home-and-home series.

It's a shame, because I think that as a college football fan the best games to watch are those random major conference matchups early in the season.

I have to give a lot of credit to Indiana University here for agreeing to a home-and-home with Virginia of the Atlantic Coast Conference, which starts this season. Hoosiers-Cavaliers isn't exactly a glorious matchup, but it should at least be more interesting than other early season games against the likes of Western Kentucky (ranked last by Athlon among FBS teams) or William and Mary for UVA (didn't my high school play them?).

So here's my solution. In college basketball, which already has a much better end of season setup than football, one popular scheduling idea over the last decade or so has been the conference 'Challenges,' most notably the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Granted, this series has not gone very well for the Midwesterners—only Michigan State has a winning record.

But take a look at the matchups we'd get if we brought the inter-conference challenge to football! Hey. It works for Major League Baseball and gets butts in seats. Cubs-Sox are six of the best (and most watched!) games of the season in Chicago. Why wouldn't interleague work just as well for college football?

Here's how the matchups would shake out for this coming year, roughly based on last year's records. Best plays best, Duke is out because they finished last in the ACC.

1. Virginia Tech vs. Penn State

A great matchup of perennial contenders and great coaches in Joe Paterno and Frank Beamer.

2. Ohio State vs. Georgia Tech

Up-and-coming program in GT gets the Big Ten's best team, according to preseason rankings.

3. Florida State vs. Michigan State

Both teams are expected to compete this year.

4. Northwestern vs. Boston College

Excellent academics, solid football teams. BC lost a lot (coach, star defensive tackle, star linebacker) in the offseason. NU looks much improved on defense since changing coordinators, but lost most of its veteran offensive skill position players.

5. North Carolina vs. Iowa

Another great coaching matchup featuring Kirk Ferentz of Iowa against Butch Davis of UNC.

6. Wisconsin vs. Clemson

It's like a late-December bowl, only you can afford the tickets and tailgate at a great stadium, whoever the home team happens to be. Death Valley and Camp Randall are both awesome facilities.

7. Maryland vs. Minnesota

See above.

8. Illinois vs. Wake Forest

Wake is a much better opponent than either Illinois State or Fresno State, both of whom are on the Illini's schedule this season. Not that that's saying much.

9. Purdue vs. Miami (FL)

Randy Shannon is on the hot seat, while Purdue is starting their first season without Joe "Orville Redenbacher" Tiller on the sidelines.

10. Michigan vs. NC State

The Wolfpack was decent last season, and Michigan has to be better in Rich Rodriguez's second season.

11. Indiana vs. Virginia

This matchup is actually happening, as they start a home and home this year.

The Armchair Superstar Mock Draft

Mark Fodor — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:32:00 -0400

Steve and I took about an hour in between, well, grilling and sitting around to do our very own NFL Round One Mock Draft. Here are the results. Thank you, Google Chat! [SN is Steve Noffke, MF is Mark Fodor, both from armchairsuperstar.blogspot.com]

MF: With the first pick, the Detroit Lions select... I hate this pick.... but Matthew Stafford from Georgia.

SN: I agree, they are hoping he becomes the next Matt Ryan. They have a lot of holes, and it could be a long rookie season for Mr. Stafford.

MF: Yeah. The problem is, he is not even remotely Matt Ryan. Anyway, that's the pick.

SN: He's not even a Flacco.

MF: exactly.

SN: St Louis Rams: Second overall Pick: Jason Smith from Baylor.

They are looking to find the replacement for Pace. There is good tackle talent early, and I think he's the smart pick here.

MF: Yep. Great pass blocker, solid all around pick.

I think this third pick is a no-brainer at No. 3: Kansas City selects Aaron Curry from Wake Forest. This guy will make multiple Pro Bowls.

SN: a Fodor favorite. I remember the feature you did on him. He can play all over the place now that they are switching to a 3-4.

MF: yes, very flexible, and i think he's a better pass rusher than people give him credit for. I wouldn't be shocked if he goes to the Lions instead.

SN: 4: Seattle Seahawks Select: Eugene Monroe OT from Virginia.

I know people are saying they are taking Sanchez here, but there's value later and QB is not an urgent need. This gives Jones some help on the line and potentially resurrects a rushing attack out west. Also a phenomenal pass blocker.

MF: I agree... one question: Will Monroe turn out better or worse than D'Brickashaw Ferguson (the other VA Left Tackle/High Pick) ?

SN: I think he will be compared to D'Brickashaw (coolest name ever, by the way) early and often because of the UVA thing. I think he will mature into a better pass blocker, but I don't know if he will be as good of a run blocker.

MF: Browns are taking Michael Crabtree at No. 5.

Crabtree is just an awesome ball player. I see him putting up Anquan Boldin-type numbers in the League.

SN: Yeah, trading away Winslow, they need another target to throw to.

MF: Plus, Braylon might be gone, the trade rumors are swirling.

SN: 6: Cincinnati Bengals: Andre Smith.

I do find it funny that the Bengals get him with all the trouble they've had. I think Smith is the top talent in the draft, but has fallen because of the combine and his immaturity issues. He will solidify the line and protect Palmer.

MF: I heard some radio talking heads saying that this is a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' situation. Either don't take him and look silly when he turns out awesome, or take him and get condemned for picking yet another character risk. Either way, I can't believe Marvin Lewis is still employed. Smith will be a good player.

MF: With the seventh pick, the Oakland Raiders select...Brian Orakpo, Texas, DE.

I bet you thought I was going to say Maclin. But I think they could use an athlete like Orakpo on defense to help give them a tougher identity.

Besides, Johnny Lee Higgins is a BALLER! It really depends on how long Al Davis can last outside of his oxygen tent without the blood of children to keep him awake. The best thing for Oakland would be if he has to retreat to his cave before the pick.

SN: Haha. I can't wait for them to hire Madden as a consultant. I'd love to see Madden and Davis standing next to each other.

SN: 8: Jacksonville Jaguars Select: Jeremy Maclin WR from Mizzou.

Speedy WR who can return kicks. They do need some Defensive help, but with Orakpo off the board I think Maclin is the choice.

MF: I think this is a great fit; Jacksonville has had a long run of 6'4" wideouts. They need a speedy guy and also a sick return man now that Maurice Jones-Drew is the man on offense.

SN: Yeah, I think Garrard will be more than happy to throw to him.

MF: (Garrard will be happy not to see Mark Sanchez in a Jags cap on draft day)

Ninth pick, the Green Bay Packers select B.J. Raji from Boston College.

Packers need Raji to solidify that defensive line. I think he's a no-brainer here.

SN: Raji is a phenomenal talent.

MF: I think I know who the Niners are going to take here...

SN: 10: San Francisco 49ers: Mark Sanchez USC.

Alex Smith did not pan out, so they need to figure out their QB situation. Sanchez will be staying in California.

MF: Poor Singletary. Going from one first round QB flop to another. Butt yeah, that's the inevitable pick.

SN: Yeah, poor Samurai Mike. Can’t do it, can’t win with them.

MF: Buffalo (Toronto) has the 11th pick, with our old friend Dick Jauron. I think the draftniks have this pick pegged. No. 11 is Penn State's Aaron Maybin, the second hybrid DE/OLB off the board behind Orakpo.

SN: I think there's going to be a plethora of DE's taken 10-15, the only question is who's going to which team.

MF: I would also not be shocked to see them reach for Jason Peters' replacement in Mike Oher or Eben Britton.

SN: But yeah, Maybin will be a solid DE but can also stand up and play some LB.

12 Denver Broncos: Tyson Jackson, LSU. They will need a Combo DE person as well and with Maybin off the board, Jackson is the right pick.

8:36 PM MF: Jackson is a true 3-4 defensive end and a big guy, also a big risk because of questionable work ethic, but I think he's the pick here.

And now for the Washington Dan Snyders at No. 13. Danny selects...Rey Maualuga, LB USC to play the middle. London Fletcher is their best 'backer, and he is OLD!

SN: I think that's a good choice.

14 New Orleans: Brian Cushing, OLB, USC. New Orleans does not need Chris Wells; they got their offense figured out. They need defensive help and Cushing is exactly what they are looking for.

MF: Interesting. I think between locking down Vilma and adding Cushing, they're going to be pretty sick at LB next year. They could also go for a hybrid-type guy here.

Houston Texans, No. 15, Ohio State's Malcolm Jenkins.

Houston doesn’t need front line help, they need some D-back help. He's a little slow to play corner, but will be a great free safety at the NFL level.

SN: Solid choice, the Texans defense is shaping up to be pretty nice.

MF: Yeah great drafting with Super Mario, Okoye, Demeco Ryans.

SN: 16: San Diego Chargers: Chris Wells, RB Ohio State. LT is on the down side of his career, here is his replacement. They don't really need a RB, but I think they would be hard pressed to pass him up.

MF: Beanie! Yeah. He's not as explosive as LT but would be a nice complement to LaDainian and Sproles. Good, safe pick.

SN: Good value for that pick too.

MF: Let's see... #17 is the J-E-T-S J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets. I think they're going with defensive line here to make up for the huge bust last year (Vernon Gholston) and will take Everette Brown from Florida State.

SN: No QB? Nate Clemens gets the job? But no I totally agree, Coach Ryan likes good defenses (see: Baltimore), he will go defense first pick.

MF: yeah I think Freeman is a huge stretch anywhere near the first round. Then again, so are Stafford and Sanchez, but it's a bad year for QB's.

SN: With the 18th Pick the Draft the Chicago Bears take JAY CUTLER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MF: HOOOOORAY CUTLER!

SN: 18 Denver: Clay Matthews, USC LB If they didn't get DE with their first pick they'd take one here, but I still see them taking some defensive player and Matthews is solid.

MF: He certainly is. Have three LB's from the same team ever been drafted in the first round? I can't think of an example.

SN: I can't either.

MF: McShay? Kiper? They got nothin'. (Editor’s Note: Anybody out there know? Please post a comment if you do.)

Tampa is picking at No. 19, and just got Byron Leftwich in the free-agent market.

I love Byron, ever since his Marshall days. Just a classic cannon arm and a good dude, though Jax didn't think so.

SN: One of the coolest highlights ever as his Guards carry him down the field and set him down so he can call out the play and throw again.

MF: But they're not going to go QB or TE here. Robert Ayers from Tennessee. Gaines Adams is a beast in the front seven. Basically everyone else in that front line could be replaced.

SN: Good choice.

20 Detroit: Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss.

After going offense early, they now need defense.

MF: They need a lot of things. I think Peria Jerry is a good pick here.

SN: Jerry is a solid run stopper which is needed when 1/4 of your schedule is against Peterson and Forte.

MF: Agree 100%

At #21, Donovan McNabb (Philly) gets another quick and dangerous target in Percy Harvin (Florida), who can also do some Westbrook spelling on third downs and those little swings out of the backfield.

SN: I like that pick, gives them versatility to return kicks and do all sorts of fun things with him.

MF: He's a good value at 21, too.

SN: 22: Minnesota Vikings Select: Vontae Davis. I know this might be a little high for him, but you always hear the Vikings can run and stop the run. There really isn't good value at this pick to help the passing game, so they help the passing game on the other side of the ball.

MF: I actually think Vontae is a phenomenal athlete. His brother is one of the most freakish guys in the NFL (Vernon Davis of the Niners) and its pretty obvious they're related.

MF: Okay. Now it's time for Bill Belichick (New England) to pick at No. 23. It seems like the Pats are aging at a lot of positions. I think they'll go with the best value here and take Brandon Pettigrew from Oklahoma State. Benjamin Watson has not exactly intimidated people at TE. I think Brady will be happy to get a great check down guy (well, another one. He already has Welker).

SN: 24: Atlanta; Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland. Looking for a target for Ryan. He's got some good speed and will love playing on the fast Georgia Dome surface for half the season.

MF: Yep, he's definitely a stud in the measurables. But I think Roddy White and Jenkins came on strong this year. If I'm Atlanta, I want to address defense, where I lost a lot to free agency.

SN: I wanted Pettigrew, dammit!

MF: Hahaha, maybe they'll trade up for him.

MF: With the No. 25 pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select Hakeem Nicks from North Carolina. A polished and talented possession guy who will look great opposite Teddy Ginn Jr.

SN: I like that choice. He's good, and you are Mr. UNC after all.

MF: The film on Nicks is pretty incredible and he's already played for a pro coach in Butch Davis.

SN: 26: Baltimore Ravens take Michael Oher, OT from Mississippi. Ogden has been considering retiring and even if he doesn't, he has fallen way off from where he was (which was amazing). Oher is exactly what they need.

MF: Perfect pick and the Ravens are pretty lucky he's lasted this long. Only because it's such a good year for tackles.

MF: I see about seven offensive linemen in this draft who will end up 90+ in Madden two years from now.

I think Jim Caldwell is going to go with the character pick, and it's also a pretty good all-around selection.

At 27, Indianapolis selects LB James Laurinaitis from Ohio State.

This kid can really play. Classic example of hurting your stock by staying one year too long.

SN: yeah, Laurinaitis is a good pick here, staying near home, has a real good pedigree, his dad was a real animal.

MF: That was such a lame pun.

SN: It was terrible

MF: ...Sigh... it had to be done.

SN: I am pretty sure I got that from you.

MF: I wouldn't be surprised.

28 Philly Eagles: Eben Britton, OT Arizona. Their bookend tackles have been around for all five NFC championship games, Britton will slide right in and be one half of the bookend for the next decade.

MF: Dead on. Have you taken every Offensive Lineman thus far? That's unreal.

SN: All seven of them. Not that I'm biased. But it's also that a lot of teams I land on need them.

MF: Next up are the NY Giants.

9:37 PM I think they go value here. No. 27, Knowshon Moreno, UGA. He replaces Derrick Ward, who went to Tampa.

SN: He is a great value for this late in the round. I could see them going WR with Britt from Rutgers, but good choice.

30: Tennessee Titans: Evander Hood, DT Mizzou. No Haynesworth, no problem. Hood is their new tackle. 6-3, 298, solid player.

MF: He looked strong in the Alamo Bowl. So did Sean Weatherspoon, the Mizzou LB.

MF: Last pick for me, and it's the Arizona Cardinals. This is a tough one.

MF: I think they go with Paul Kruger, the OLB from Utah.

He's a hybrid type too and they could use some more pass rush.

SN: I like that choice. They do need defensive help, offense really isn't a big concern.

32: Pittsburgh: Alex Mack C, Cal. If they had a weakness, it was their O-Line play. It got a lot better as the year went on, but they still need some help.

MF: I knew you were going to do that!! Still, I like sneaking him into the first round.

SN: 8 for 8! Linemen are half my picks; but then, O-linemen are half the offense.

MF: I didn’t pick one. That's sad, because I really think it's a strong year for offensive linemen, you just beat me to 'em.

Tom Crean After One Year: Can He Save Indiana Basketball?

Mark Fodor — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:13:23 -0400

On April 1, 2008, Tom Crean inherited an Indiana University program in complete disarray. A year later, Crean and the Hoosiers hit rock bottom with a 6-25 season, the worst in history for a program with five national championships to its credit. So why do things seem so hopeful back home in Indiana?

Crean has been hailed as the savior of IU basketball. It has been a long and painful decline for the Hoosiers since 2002, when Mike Davis took an experienced squad of Bobby Knight recruits to the NCAA title game after the incredible upset of a loaded Duke team.

Since that day, Indiana hasn't advanced beyond the second round of the tournament. This is a school, let me remind you, that has historically dominated the Big Ten under Knight and Branch McCracken.

After suffering through the mediocrity of the Davis years and the disaster that Kelvin Sampson's regime became, Hoosier fans are desperate for a return to glory. There is no doubt that Indiana has some of the most devoted followers in the country.

Even this year, fans showed up in droves to watch a squad full of freshmen and juco retreads (oh, and Kyle Taber!) lose game after game to such traditional powers as Northeastern, Northwestern, and everyone in between. Even Lipscomb took down the Baby Hoosiers.

Can Crean resurrect this team? Personally, I am a believer.

The new coach's first recruiting class, granted, was not amazing. Mike Davis brought in guys like D.J. White and Bracey Wright, although some of his best commitments never made it to campus (I'm thinking of Atlanta's Josh Smith in particular). Kelvin Sampson made waves around the country when he convinced Eric Gordon to ditch Illinois in favor of his home state school.

Crean, in contrast, brought in players like Tom Pritchard, Verdell Jones, and Nick Williams. These are talented guys, but nobody expects them to end up in the NBA like White and Gordon.

However, the way that this young team played last year gives cause for hope. Where Davis and Sampson's teams seemed apathetic half the time (I remember one game in particular where Marshall Strickland was texting from the locker room while trailing at halftime at Northwestern), Crean's kids played hard all season long, and mostly showed improvement as the year passed.

Importantly, these guys will be spending four years wearing the cream and crimson. Gordon left after just one. Smith never made it to town.

Indiana fans really respond to hard work and dedication. The blue collar ethic of Crean resonates with people in the state, most of who still openly worship Bob Knight. His honesty (and he better be honest, as IU's NCAA monitors are on alert for even the tiniest slip) is crucial for a program that cannot afford any more Sampsonesque screwups.

Next year, Crean is bringing in a top 10 recruiting class. G Jordan Hulls just led his Bloomington South team to an undefeated season and an Indiana state championship. He will join highly regarded swingmen Christian Watford and Maurice Creek in a backcourt already loaded with rising sophomores Jones and Williams, as well as the team's leading scorer in Devan Dumes (who will be a senior).

Most important, though, is the incoming size for Indiana. Forwards Derek Elston, Bobby Capobianco, and Bawa Muniru will allow Williams to move back to his natural position at shooting guard (he has been playing the four for the size-deficient Hoosiers) and should get serious minutes right away.

Crean has already proved that he can get young guys to compete hard in the rough-and-tumble Big Ten. With this year's class seasoned and ready to win, the six new players will be stepping into a young but veteran organization.

Fan support remained high throughout this season, the worst in Indiana history. The Crean era already looks golden in comparison to the train wreck that was 2007.

Crean has proved that he can stay positive throughout tough times and motivate his players to compete hard. Next year, he will have at least twice as much talent to work with, and should continue to bring in good players year after year.

The expectation next year is of a competitive season and a team around .500, which is attainable. An NIT berth would be nice. After that, I think Crean will be ready for his grace period to end, and I expect that Indiana will return to the Big Dance in 2011 with a skilled and well-rounded team of sophomores and juniors.

After this difficult season, all that Indiana fans expect is steady improvement and a gradual return to the limelight of college basketball. Just as important, Hoosier nation expects a coach who will keep their program honest. Crean and his team look ready to grow into the giant shoes of Knight, McCracken, Isiah Thomas, and all the other legends who have played and coached in Bloomington.

Three Games to Watch - Upset Alert

Mark Fodor — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:16:00 -0400

You know, I've been debating over what exactly to write about this week. The tournament is in full swing, but it seems as though everyone and their mom is doing previews, commentary, postgame analysis, and so on and so forth. There are a lot of really good articles out there.

By the way, the NIT has been as good as advertised.

While I agonize over what exactly to do a feature piece on, here are my top three matchups for the upcoming Sweet Sixteen.

3. Duke-Villanova (Thursday)

As a North Carolina fan, it's pretty obvious where my rooting interest lies. I would love to see Coach K's Kids get smashed here. Villanova has really looked strong thus far in the tourney.

In the first round, they spotted American U. a 14-point lead (which prompted some very inadvisable betting by me!) before storming back to win by 13. They went on to a wire-to-wire demolition of a pretty good UCLA team. I loved the line by the analyst during this game; 'UCLA looks like a bunch of kids getting worked over by the 30-something team down at the YMCA' [paraphrase].

Meanwhile, Duke wrecked Binghamton in a game that made me wonder why East Tennessee State got stuck with a No. 16 seed while Binghamton made a No. 15. Duke hater that I am, I had them going down in the second round to either Minnesota or Texas. As it turned out, the 'Horns almost pulled it off, losing on a shoving call in the last 15 seconds of the game.

I think Villanova's combination of board-crashing and driving ability will flummox a characteristically soft Duke team, and Dante Cunningham will have a field day.

Of course, I've been wrong about almost everything this tourney. Either way, this is a classic Big East/ACC clash that should make for entertaining basketball.

2. Syracuse-Oklahoma (Friday)

Oklahoma is another two seed that I stupidly had falling in the second round. Blake Griffin has continued to run away from the field for Player of the Year honors in the tournament, putting up huge games in both the first and second rounds. Michigan was game, but simply could not keep up with the big fella down low.

Now, Griffin runs into one of the best coaches in college basketball in Jim Boeheim. His Syracuse squad boasts a 2-3 zone that can take away interior power, good guard play with Eric Devendorf and Jonny Flynn, and a solid inside presence (albeit one that can't shoot free throws to save its life) in Arinze Onuaku.

I think Flynn will school Oklahoma's young but talented Willie Warren, and Boeheim will outcoach Jeff Capel, but Griffin is going to be hard to knock out of this tourney. He is playing awfully well.

'Cuse in a nailbiter.

1. Missouri-Memphis (Thursday)

Yeah, that's right, I'm picking every 2-3 matchup but one. Missouri is the last, best hope to rescue my drowning bracket. They meet a potent Memphis team in what I anticipated before the start of the tournament to be one of the best games for fans to watch.

It's 40 Minutes of Hell against Calipari's Drive-and-Kick. Two teams with a lot of great players but not one dominant guy. Tiger against Tiger.

I'm once again taking the No. 3 seed. That makes all three games. So far, this tourney has been all about chalk, and all those upset picks have landed me in the basement of more pools than I want to talk about!

If that finally changes this round, expect 'Nova, Mizzou, and/or 'Cuse to make it happen.

Five Reasons To Love the NIT

Mark Fodor — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:04:00 -0400

College basketball is a magical thing, and we fans are on a collision course for three of the finest weekends of the year. The brackets are out and being pored over.

The one seeds are dealing with the pressure, the Cinderellas are still to be determined, and only one team gets to walk away from this 2008-'09 season with a win and a trophy.

Actually, two teams get to do that.

The NIT, which is undoubtedly the red-headed stepchild of the college tournament world, gets no respect. But as a Northwestern fan, this year I'm finally going to change that. How 'bout some love for the little guys? Here are five reasons to love, or at least to enjoy, the National Invitation Tournament this year.

5. NCAA opening round games start Thursday...Today is Tuesday

Only 50-some hours before anything actually happens in those brackets we've all been agonizing over. EXCEPT...the NIT opening round games start today! And they're on the ESPN Network. That's right. Real, live college basketball, and even better, none of these games can ruin your precious bracket.

4. Cinderellas past and present

Just a few short years ago, George Mason shocked the world by crashing the Final Four. This year, they're a seven-seed in the NIT, and they are slated to duel overachieving Penn State (who probably deserved Arizona's NCAA bid) and Big Ten Coach of the Year Ed DeChellis.

3. Which brings me to No. 3: Great coaches

Yeah, you can find your Boeheims, Calhouns, Roy Williamses, and so on, in the Big Dance, but the Little Big Dance features some serious non-slouches, too! Billy Donovan's Florida team is a one seed in the NIT and plays in-state (not quite) rival Jacksonville in the first round.

Dana Altman and Creighton have another one seed. And Tony Bennett's Washington State squad finds themselves in a West Coast throwdown tomorrow against Patrick Mills and St. Mary's, another bubble team done wrong.

These are only a few of the superb coaches battling in the NIT this season.

2. Speaking of Patrick "Patty" Mills (Happy St. Paddy's Day!), how 'bout the collegiate superstars of this years' NIT? In addition to Mills, Stephen Curry and Davidson are doing the Little Dance, and play South Carolina in the first round.

Luke Harangody (Remember him from preseason POY speculation?) and underachieving Notre Dame play University of Alabama-Birmingham, who feature their own beast of the three, Robert Vaden.

I didn't even mention Mike Davis in Number Three! (Okay, so maybe that wasn't an accident.) And how about Jodie Meeks of Kentucky? He dropped 54 in a game earlier this year, and gets another chance to do it at home against UNLV tonight on ESPN.

1. Ladies and gentlemen, Northwestern University! My Wildcats have never gone to the NCAA Tournament. Never. Literally, every other high-conference, any other mid-major conference team, has gone to the tourney at least once in the last 60-odd years.

Well, Bill Carmody, Kevin Coble, and senior guard Craig Moore came so close this year that the 'Cats faithful could literally taste the dance.

One more win, whether against Illinois at home, at Purdue in a heartbreaker, or against Minnesota this past weekend in the Big Ten Tourney, and the Wildcats could have been dancing.

They start Wednesday against Tulsa, and if they win that game, they get SEC up-and-comer Auburn in Round Two. I'm rooting hard for these Cinderella 'Cats to join whoever ends up taking down the real nets in Detroit, and finish 2009 with a win and a banner to raise.

Getting To Know Wake Forest's Aaron Curry

Mark Fodor — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 02:27:00 -0500

As the NFL Draft approaches, possible top picks are falling like dominoes. Alabama's Andre Smith did a thorough job of shooting himself in the foot at the Indianapolis Combine.

The monster tackle, who looked like a stone-cold lock for the No. 1 selection only a few months ago, first raised questions with his suspension prior to his team's Sugar Bowl appearance, and further encouraged character issues by refusing to participate at the Combine or answer any sort of inquiry in a straightforward manner.

Meanwhile, QBs Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez, both of whom have the measurables and experience in a pro-style offense that NFL teams covet these days, have to be taken with a grain of salt because of their decisions to come out as underclassmen.

Fair or not, many of the quarterbacks who have jumped to the NFL as juniors or below (e.g. Ryan Leaf, Alex Smith) have flopped, while those who play a full college career (Peyton Manning, others) seem to enjoy greater success.

So the competition for the dubious honor of being selected first overall this April by the woebegone Detroit Lions has a new leader. Wake Forest strong-side linebacker Aaron Curry appears, more and more, to be the safest pick in the Draft.

Granted, Curry has not enjoyed the hype of a superstar QB for a powerhouse program like Georgia (Stafford) or USC (Sanchez), or the expectations of a giant like 'Bama's Smith. He is in many ways an unknown quantity compared to these guys.

I thought that I would take this opportunity to learn something about the guy who is now unofficially the clubhouse leader for the first overall pick, having ascended to that status in SI's Mock Draft (written by Don Banks), among others.

Breaking it down into categories:

College Career: Curry won the Butkus Award last year as the nation's top linebacker. Although he could have jumped to the draft early, he returned to Wake Forest for his senior season and put up absolutely sick numbers, including three fumbles recovered and sixteen tackles for loss, better than one a game.

Though there were other future pros on his Wake defense, including corner Alphonso Smith, Curry was the guy that scared the bejezus out of opponents. You can see some examples of his sterling play here and here.

He has demonstrated the ability to play the pass and also to rush the passer and beat offensive linemen off the snap. In short, his Wake game tapes show a guy that is extremely versatile and has the speed and toughness to excel at the next level.

Combine Performance: Going into Indy, Curry was already the top-rated linebacker prospect. Nevertheless, he exceeded expectations, posting the best LB time in the 40-yard dash (around a 4.56), and also putting up top numbers in the jump categories and the 60-yard shuttle.

By all accounts, he is impressive in interviews and has strong character, and avoided an Andre Smith-type slip of any type.

Measurables: Curry stands 6'2" and weighs 254 lbs. NFL.com is comparing him to Tennessee's Keith Bullock. That's pretty flattering for a guy who hasn't yet played a professional snap. If you want to nitpick, he is maybe an inch short and a few pounds light. Neither will affect his stock, nor should they.

Personality: Mike Mayock, draft expert extraordinaire, compares Curry to Atlanta's ROY Matt Ryan in terms of reliability even after a big payday. Curry has a good story - the son of former NFL defensive back Reggie Pinckney, he returned for his senior year of college even though his mother was struggling to make ends meet.

He has stayed out of trouble at school and is intelligent and a leader on the field. Reading his SI.com journal, it is hard to get a really good feel for how Curry really is–he's not a wild card like, say, Deion Sanders or Chad Ocho Cinco, but is that really a bad thing? He seems like a nice guy.

That is definitely not a bad thing for a potential top prospect.

On top of all this, Curry would also fill a need for the Lions. Ernie Sims is a great young linebacker, but Detroit badly needs another guy to pair with him. The Bears have Urlacher and Briggs, the Vikings have EJ Henderson and Chad Greenway, the Pack has Barnett and A.J. Hawk.

By drafting Aaron Curry, the Lions could finally have the guys at the 'backer spots to make a case for top billing in the tough-as-nails NFC North.

In my book, this is the way to go with the No. 1 pick. Curry is no workout warrior, nor is he a college star whose skills don't translate to the big leagues. He is well rounded and a safe bet in the best possible sense of the term.

UPDATE: SI.com has just added a third entry to Curry's journal, where he talks about his experience at the Combine. It's a good read.

Northwestern Ends Assembly Hall Streak, Hoosiers Fall Again

Mark Fodor — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 02:05:00 -0500

It was a beautiful day in Bloomington, Ind., with temperatures in the 50s and a springtime feel in the air. The Northwestern Wildcats arrived at Assembly Hall carrying a heavy load on their collective backs: no 'Cats team had won at IU's current gym, ever. Their losing streak in Bloomington stretched back to before the Hall was even built!

Tipoff was at 6:30, and for the second time this season I took advantage of the fantastic five dollar upper-level ticket offer to go see the Baby Hoosiers play. The last time I went, IU hung on to defeat Iowa 68-61. This time, I was hoping for a different result.

You see, I grew up in Evanston, and Northwestern is my first love. But I've lived in Bloomington for seven years now, and have followed Indiana through thick and thin. These two athletic programs have really struggled throughout the years, but each has had bright moments that keep hope alive.

For Northwestern, it's a never-ending battle just to stay afloat in the cutthroat Big Ten. IU, on the other hand, is a traditional powerhouse (the nine banners hanging in Assembly Hall testify to Hoosier dominance under Bob Knight and others), but one that has gone through an insane amount of turmoil over recent years.

Mike Davis gave way to Kelvin Sampson and his Darth Maul-like protege Eric Gordon. Sampson left town in the wake of his self-generated recruiting scandal, and now Tom Crean has arrived to pick up the pieces.

The Wildcats were 14-11 (5-9) going into tonight. The Hoosiers were 6-20, with a lone Big Ten win. Mismatch? On paper, definitely.

But between the Assembly Hall hex and the two teams' first game of the season, a 79-77 nailbiter at Welsh-Ryan in Evanston, there was ample reason to believe that this could be a good one.

Indiana jumped out to an early lead behind senior forward Kyle Taber, the longtime hustle guy for the Hoosiers and one of just two holdovers from the Sampson years.

The young IU squad actually held a lead until the seven-minute mark of the first half, when Northwestern began to settle down and run their signature Princeton offense and 1-3-1 defense effectively.

One of the best moments of the game is pictured at the top of this article. Midway through the first, NU popped the ball loose from Verdell Jones III (who finished with seven turnovers to six assists).

In the ensuing scrum, the rock bounced from Hoosier to Wildcat, and back, and forth, for a solid five seconds before finally rattling out of bounds as the Assembly Hall faithful, who are known for their love of hustle plays, cheered wildly and bodies hit the hardwood. I guess you had to be there. The ovation died down as the refs called it Northwestern ball out of bounds.

At the half, the Wildcats had established a 30-25 lead behind veteran guards Craig Moore and Michael Thompson. Thompson, who has had some rough moments this season, was really impressive tonight, finishing with sixteen points and five assists.

As the second period began, IU hung tough, staying neck-and-neck with the more experienced 'Cats. Nick Williams was impressive during this run, as was Taber, who was the Hoosiers' leading scorer with 12 points.

Side note: This is the first time I can ever remember seeing No. 44 at the top of the box score! It was good to see him play well, even in a losing effort.

But Northwestern was just too much for the inexperienced Hoosiers. After a sweet backdoor cut from walk-on Daniel Moore brought the score to within two at 41-39, the seasoned Wildcats methodically pulled away.

Defensive ace Jeremy Nash buried a trey to start the rout, and Craig Moore finished the job. He ended up hitting up 5-of-7 from beyond the arc and racked up 17 points in a very impressive performance.

Verdell Jones is (I thought) a good defender, but Moore made him and the rest of the IU freshmen look bad as he knocked down long ball after long ball.

In the end, it wasn't even close. Northwestern got its first win at their former House of Horrors by a wide 75-53 margin.

Afterward, Tom Crean spoke about his young team's struggles, and Bill Carmody tried to tell the media that he hadn't even known about his team's past frustration in Bloomington.

Even though Indiana is young and inexperienced, this was a good win for the Wildcats. Any victory on the road in the rough-and-tumble Big Ten is one to be celebrated.

NU now has 15 wins on the season, with a home game against cellar-dwelling Iowa (4-11 in conference) next on the schedule.

Although the 'Cats lost in Iowa City, I expect home-court advantage to come into play here. Iowa doesn't have the graduate base in Chicago that so many other Big Ten teams enjoy.

Against an Illinois or Wisconsin, the stands at Welsh-Ryan are evenly divided between fans of the home and away squads, leading to more of a neutral court feel.

Hopefully, the Northwestern kids will show up in force for this game. The Wildcats need the win to solidify their NIT status and keep their Big Dance dream alive.

As for the Hoosiers, all I can say is that Tom Crean is a good coach, and this team will not quit. Indiana activated one of their student managers for this game (Mike Santa, step on up!) and Crean says he wants to add another of his practice-squad guys to the roster soon.

IU's young talent will continue to develop and hopefully play hard. I wonder what the Vegas odds are on Indiana shocking the world and winning the Big Ten Tourney in Indy! Hey, I can dream, right?

Go Wildcats, go Hoosiers. Thanks for a well-played game.

(AP photo from ESPN.com, link provided)

Michael Crabtree Has Fracture, Stock Slipping?

Mark Fodor — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:48:00 -0500

Top-rated WR prospect Michael Crabtree has a stress fracture in his left ankle, according to ESPN.com. Interestingly, this was not the reason that he was hesitant to run at the NFL Combine this weekend. His right foot was the one that had been sore at the end of his college season and the one he was worried about.

Crabtree's fracture was revealed during the medical wringer that draft prospects endure in Indianapolis every year before the draft.

ESPN's John Clayton noted that this is not an extremely serious injury, and in fact is similar to the one that Carolina RB Jonathan Stewart had before last year's draft. Stewart ended up going 13th in 2008, and had a great season as the running mate to DeAngelo Williams for the Panthers.

Anyone who got to watch Michael Crabtree during the last two years at Texas Tech knows this guy is the real deal. Mock drafts consistently have him going in the top five, often to Seattle at the fourth spot, and always as the first wideout off the board. Does this revelation change his draft status?

He won't be able to run for teams before the April 25 NFL Draft, but should be ready for training camp. Of course, as a Bears fan, my first thought was a wildly unreasonable one—could Crabtree last 'til our selection now?

Honestly, I doubt it. Even if he slips out of the top five, there is no reason for an Andre Smith-type free fall here (Smith was listed as 'missing' from the Combine workouts today, and Baylor's own T Jason Smith has all but sealed the deal as the new top offensive lineman this year).

Crabtree was insanely productive in college. He has all the tools you want in a wide reciever, all the measurables and intangibles. This guy is going to be an NFL monster. If he makes it past Seattle at that fourth spot, I would expect the Bears (and a number of other teams) to make efforts to trade up and snag him. He would be a steal anywhere outside of those top few picks.

There's no way he slips past the Raiders, who pick seventh and need a wideout in the worst way. Trading up would certainly cost the Bears, but getting an elite receiver to pair with Devin Hester on the outside might just be worth it. Although I like Percy Harvin a lot, Crabtree is a real blue-chipper, a guy I thought Chicago had no hope of getting until today.

Chicago Bulls Acquire Miller, Salmons from Sacramento

Mark Fodor — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:23:00 -0500

I'm not going to go full-bore on this story yet, because nothing has been 100 percent confirmed, but it looks like the much-rumored Bulls deal for a big man could net us not Amare or Chris Bosh, but 32-year-old NBA&id=586">Brad Miller.

You might remember Miller from when the Bulls drafted and dumped him back in the late 90's, or from when he flopped with the Olympic team.

I'm not biased because he went to Purdue; I can admit that Miller has been a multi-talented center throughout his career. But the rumors have us giving up Noce, Gooden's expiring contract, and Ced Simmons to get Miller and John Salmons from Sacramento.

Does this help or hurt the Bulls? Analysis will follow confirmation of the trade actually happening. But let me just say that a 32-year-old seven footer isn't exactly the building block for which I was secretly hoping.

Update

So, it looks like this trade is actually happening. According to ESPN, the specifics are: Bulls get Miller and Salmons; and the Kings get Gooden, Andres Nocioni, Michael Ruffin, and Cedric Simmons.

I went on NBA.com and was looking at player comparisons for Gooden vs. Miller and Salmons (a 6'7" G/F) vs. Noce. The main stat that jumped out at me, first off, was Salmons' scoring average.

This year (albeit on an awful Kings team), he's playing over 37 minutes a game and averaging 18.4 points. Noce is only averaging ten. Their rebounds are identical, while Salmons gets more assists and shoots a better percentage from both two- and three-point range. Actually, this new Bull shoots over 41 percent from deep.

The seven-foot Miller is also known for his range—he's connecting at a 46.5 percent clip on 20-of-45 shooting for the season.

Though he has scored less than Gooden on the year, the two do have something in common: their injury history. Miller has missed the last six with a bad hip, while Drew has missed the last several with a strained groin. Both have also had abdominal muscle problems this year.

But after some consideration, I'm (hesitantly) putting this down as a win for the Bulls. When this team has been good in past seasons, it has been on the back of good three-point shooting from guys like Hinrich and Ben Gordon, and this trade adds two more guys that can provide that instant offense.

But as with any trade, it is very important to keep in mind that success or failure really depends on how team chemistry works out. Losing Andres Nocioni, who has been a Bull since his rookie year, as well as Gooden, who was a captain this season, will certainly affect this locker room.

My biggest question is whether Miller and Salmons, coming from a pretty bad Sacramento Kings team, will be able to become positive locker room influences during a potential playoff race. After all, the Bulls are only a few games out of the eighth spot.

Rookies Give Durant, Sophomores A Run

Mark Fodor — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 23:20:00 -0500

Thank you, Noffke, for reminding me to watch the NBA Rookie-Sophomore game tonight!

This was the first one of these games that I've really watched since Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, and Noce played back in 2006.

Surprisingly, it was a great game. The coverage was definitely helped out by the presence of D-Wade (channeling his inner Farnsworth Bentley) and Dwight Howard coaching the two squads, as well as LeBron James doing a very entertaining guest analyst spot alongside Kenny Smith.

LeBron showed off his extensive knowledge of the league ("without notes!" as his cohosts noted), commenting on Kevin Durant's improved shooting percentage and comparing Durant's teammate "Uncle" Jeff Green to "that old uncle you played with down at the gym who would always punish you in the low post."

He also talked about the invaluable experience of playing with the Olympic team this summer and how those players have all led their teams during the NBA season. LeBron also shamelessly dodged the inevitable question, "How much do you weigh these days?"

But unlike past years, this season's game didn't need a ton of distracted, Maddenesque side commentary to stay watchable. Durant dropped 46 on the Rookies on his way to the MVP award, showing off an array of sick dunks and his killer deep stroke. He finished 17-of-25 for the evening and his high effort really rubbed off on guys on both sides of the ball. He brought the game up a level from playground-style alley ooping to a truly competitive event.

Watching guys setting screens during an All-Star event was great. Props to Marc Gasol and Rudy Fernandez for playing hard for the rookies, not to mention Scola and Rodney Stuckey (who finished with a game-high nine assists) for the sophs.

Derrick Rose had a quiet night, which was kind of disappointing for Bulls fans. He's definitely a quiet guy, but he did pick up seven assists (tops for the rooks) throughout a game in which he was hesitant to shoot the rock.

LeBron noted at one point that Rose's reluctance to pull up reminded him of himself as a rookie, which definitely gives us something to look forward to. Meanwhile, Eric Gordon reminded us all why we (at least I) tend to root against him, consistently failing to defend or pass—although he did end up with 19 points on a losing team. That's gotta sound familiar to Clippers fans!

This was such a close game that Howard and Wade were forced to work towards the end, as it stayed within a two-possesion margin thanks to some pretty three-point shooting from the rookie squad.

The rookies actually fouled as time wound down to try and pull the comeback. Michael Beasley, who had a great game, hit a shot from near half court as the clock expired, which didn't end up counting. Too bad, because a three point margin would have more accurately represented how close and entertaining this game ended up. As the commentaters all noted, the future of the NBA is looking pretty good if these kids are any indication.

I expect to see a bunch of them playing in the big All-Star game in the next few years. (Side Picture from nba.com)