Each team would only be able to pay one, star linebacker, and perhaps two defensive lineman. The gap would be filled by rookies, low-priced journeymen, or untested young players.The Hogs would be sent to market. Steve Young would split sooner from Montana.Do you keep Russ Grimm or Joe Jacoby? Charles Mann or Dexter Manley? Richard Dent or Dan Hampton? Carl Banks or Harry Carson? John Taylor or Roger Craig? Wilbur Marshall or Otis Wilson? Mark Bavaro or Joe Morris? Jeff Bostic or Mark May? Jimbo Covert or Jay Hilenberg?Those questions would ruin a general manager’s day.Cap space must be cleared.The quality of the play drops dramatically around the league.Parity is Paul Tagliabue’s lasting gift to the fans.Though smaller and slower, the elite teams of the ’80s would dominatetoday’s superstar, self-centered game.In the end, it’s about the team. The best team wins.But the best teams aren’t around anymore.. A few days ago, Michigan added a 10th commitment to the class of 2009.Illinois OT Michael Schofield is a huge kid (6′5″-6′7″, 270-ish depending on which site you see) with good quickness; something that RichRod will no doubt covet in his linemen, especially with the new spread offense being installed.As with a lot of Michigan’s class thus far, Schofield has strong ratings with one scouting site and quite a different rating with another.Rivals has him as a four-star prospect and the No. 16 overall tackle in the class. Scout, meanwhile, only has him as a three-star prospect and the No. 29 tackle in the class.Michigan’s first offensive lineman recruit has a lot of positives let’s take a look at a few quotes from a recent article in the Chicago Sun Times: “He’s the first good catch for Michigan out of Chicago in some time,” recruiting analyst Tom Lemming said.
“In one or two years, he can really develop into an All-American. He has a lot of potential.”“[Michigan is] going to be in a spread offense and they are going to need offensive tackles that can move a little,” said Schofield, who now throws the discus and the shot put for the Eagles “They said I’m a really good fit for them. They really liked my athleticism.”“Ever since I was little kid, I always wanted to play Big Ten football That was always my dream,” Schofield said “It feels really good. Michigan is the perfect fit of football and academics.” For those who think that the spread means smaller, quicker linemen, this obviously shows that those thoughts are wrong. Schofield is a big kid and I’m sure that RichRod will bring in others like him (PA’s Adam Gress is similar, and Michigan has sent an offer out to him).Stay tuned for more recruiting news. With summer camps going on,commitments should be rather frequent for the summer; at least one would hope.GO BLUE!.
Who says we’ve lost our capacity for faith?For all his foibles, Tim Donaghy certainly knows how to scratch an itch. Sure, his suggestion that the NBA had a hand in fixing Game Six of the 2002 Western Conference Finals smacks of seedy desperation. Still, it’s hard to fault the guy for fudging the facts especially when his fibs have managed to fall on such eager ears.The truth of a story is in the telling, after all And nothing is quite so real as that which draws a crowd. Donaghy’s credibility is beside the point here. What matters is our credulity, our willingness to buy the bilge. Any common rodent will squeal when you back it into a corner. It takes another species entirely, though, to imagine that the squealing might somehow be worth listening to.
Fool us once, shame on you.Fool us twice, shame on us.Fool us after you’ve exposed yourself as a no-good two-bit fink, meanwhile, and maybe we’ve got problems even Ralph Nader can’t solve. There’s something comforting about a good conspiracy theory. On one level, it affirms the virtue of the conspired-against. On another, it ascribes a generalized evil to a concrete and therefore cursable source.