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Yesterday was the annual game played at the end of the spring practices.  The photo I sent to the Associated Press was used by Sporting News Today.

Thank you “Buckeye Nation.”  95,722 Ohio State fans packed Ohio Stadium, setting the national spring day attendance record.  And every single one of them is a moron!

I have been to exactly one spring game and it was extremely boring.  It was in 2002 at Alabama and it was about as boring as attending a real Florida State game.  The spring “game”  is not a game, but a scrimmage — it is practice!!!  And when is practice ever exciting?  The only time practice is interesting is if there is a fight!  And I doubt that the coaches would allow that to take place.  So spring games are glorified practices that never tells you much about the up-coming season.

But in 2007 the “game” changed.  Suddenly, the practice became a big deal when newly-hired Alabama head coach Nick Saban held his first A-Day game.  Delusional Alabama fans came from the Boonies and beyond to pack Bryant-Denny Stadium.  And pack it they did –  to the tune of 92,138.  It was a national spring game attendance record…and they could have been more (many fans were turned away at the gate)!

And the media had a field day with it.  It surprised many.  And many more laughed at Alabama and their delusional fan base.  “92,000 rednecks for a SPRING GAME!”  Now some were perhaps jealous because their own teams could not draw 92,000 to their regular season games, but the criticism was warranted.  Were there really 92,000+ people who wanted to watch practice?  I was perplexed by the stupidity of Alabama fans.

But not as perplexed as I was for Ohio State fans.  And I am not talking about just this year.  In 2007, while people were blasting Alabama and their fans for having 92,000+ at a spring game, Ohio State quietly had 75,301.  But, unlike Tide fans which were able to get into Bryant-Denny Stadium for free, Buckeye fans actually paid to see their team practice!!!  Who pays to see practice!?  Well, Ohio State fans apparently.  And they are not the only team that does that (USC does it as well).

So which is worse — 92,000 showing up to watch a practice for free; or 75,000 paying to watch practice?  Both are idiots, but paying to see a practice goes beyond dumb.  Can it get any worse than that?

It should be illegal to have so many idiots in one place at the same time!

Yes, it can!  How about combining the two?  Yes, this year’s version of Ohio State’s spring game also came with a fee.  So all 95,722 of the Buckeye fans that showed up to Ohio Stadium in Columbus to watch practice actually PAID TO BE THERE!!! Assuming that everyone did pay (not sure if children were admitted free of charge), that means that $478,610 were spent to watch PRACTICE!!!!!!!!  Economic downturn my ass!

So, thank you Buckeye fans!  You actually made Alabama fans look like geniuses.  And you would think that it would finally deflect some of the smack that Alabama fans (and football fans in the South in general) receive.

But of course, that did not stop Los Angeles Times “columnist” Chris Dufresne (whoever the hell that is) from taking a shot at the South’s obsession with football (nor did it stop him from taking shots at UCLA…for some reason).  I guess he is upset over the fact that L.A. STILL does not have a professional franchise!

For the last 15 years or so, NFL draft weekend was a big deal.  I’d stay in front of a TV for virtually the whole draft, taking breaks for meals and such with XM Radio tuned into the draft in my car.  I knew quite a bit about most of the players who would end up getting picked in the first two rounds, as well as a ton about VT players and those of the teams they had played the past few seasons.  But not this year.

This year, I didn’t even remember the draft was this weekend until late Saturday afternoon when I asked Jason about it on the golf course.  Even after that, I didn’t bother to watch any of it.  Just a few minutes ago this morning, I went to ESPN.com and looked at the results.  I recognized the name of maybe one of every ten players picked.  It appears only one Hokie was drafted.  Oh.  As a side note, this was also the weekend of the Virginia Tech spring game.  I had already lost interest in that a couple years ago, except for the tailgating aspect.  

On one hand, I could look at this as lack of interest in an activity I used to enjoy, which would be a sign of depression.  However, that would require me to accept ’sitting and watching a bunch of suits select players on TV for 6 straight hours, for two consecutive days’ as an activity, which is oxymoronic in nature.

In place of watching the draft and the spring game, I enjoyed a gorgeous weekend of weather, I went to the farmers’ market, I planted some vegetables in our garden with Janice, I bought a chest freezer for the garage, I played golf with Jason, I went shopping for some interview clothes for Janice, I watched some golf on TV, I installed a shelf in the garage, and I grilled some catfish.  That’s a substitution for the NFL draft that I would pick #1 overall any year!

I feel like this is a significant change in me, going from sitting and watching the world move on without me to participating in it in a fulfilling manner.  This, to me, is breaking out of the rut I had so often lamented being stuck in previously.  It’s why I left Blacksburg, it’s why I moved south, and it’s why I changed jobs.

It was a longer winter than I had anticipated, but it’s over now, and I couldn’t be happer!

This weekend is the Quail Hollow Championship, formerly the Wachovia Championship.  It’s Charlotte’s PGA Tour stop, and I’ve been going every year for about five years.  I have weekly passes again, and will be attending on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and possibly Sunday.  It’s one of the best weeks of the year for me.  Should be a great time as usual!  The weather looks solid.  Not sunny, but also not steady rain.

Today i had the chance to shoot the spring football game. It was my first time shooting foot ball and probably the hardest it will ever be for me because i decided to throw a nikon 300mm lens on my canon 20D body, which meant i had no autofocus and had to do it manually. I also put  my 70-200 on my 5dII, which i actually liked a lot better then the longer reaching 400+mm. I am really happy with how my manually focused shots came out, and I love the colors my 5d produced, again, a great camera. I cant wait to shoot more football next year when the season starts up.

*All images copyright Brad Meyer and the Daily Illini

If you can’t be at the Dome, you can still be a part of the game from home.

Click Here to check out The Volante Sports Live Chat for tonight’s Spring Game. Coverage will begin at 6:45 p.m., with the kickoff set for 7 p.m.

Because I am a sports braodcast major I have tried hard to get involved in a number of on campus media organizations, especially the one’s related to sports broadcasting.  The most recent team that I have been working with is the Elon Phoenix Weekly crew.  This is a show about varsity sports at Elon and it airs on ESPN 2 at 8:30 on saturday mornings.  I have had the wonderful opportunity to direct the final four episodes of the year and I have also gotten involved by creating packages for the show.  I recently finished my first package for the show.  It is about the Football team’s spring game which will be played on Saturday April 25th.  I created a short video to advertise the game.  The video consists of b-roll and some responses from three interviews that I conducted (one with the head coach: Pete Lembo, one with an offensive lineman: David Harrison, and one with a Defensive End: Brandon Ward).  The video is on my page: “Video Projects.”  Feel free to look at it and give me some feedback.

Troy Weatherhead looked every bit the starter who tossed 21 TDs in 2008 on Sunday afternoon. Photo courtesy of Hillsdale College.

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

As published in the Hillsdale Daily News on April 20, 2009

All eyes are on the man under center.

Even though the quarter­back lines up with 10 guys who make his mission possible and he is constantly battling another unit of 11 bruisers, no position in sports may be more revered, or more openly criticized for that matter.

While Sunday’s Hillsdale College spring football game did nothing to convince spectators that Michigan weather can be anything but plain miserable this time of year, it was a perfect rainy day to take stock of four Charger QBs as head coach Keith Otterbein tries to guide his team to the top of the GLIAC. If Sunday was any indication, junior to-be Troy Weatherhead is working hard to overcome injury problems and cement his spot as one of the GLIAC’s most reliable gunslingers, while redshirt freshman Anthony Mifsud is already a physical specimen to be reckoned with.

It’s always a luxury to have more than one good option at QB, but the way things are shaping up the Charger coaching staff has plenty of difficult decisions on the near horizon.

Weatherhead and Mifsud, along with the coaches’ son, Brad Otterbein, who will be a junior, and sophomore-to-be Matt Bryan all controlled the snaps for three series Sunday afternoon, just enough of a glimpse to draw some insightful conclusions at the end of Chargers’ spring ball.

With 132 days to go before the team’s road opener at St. Joseph’s College on August 29, here is what Charger fans should know about their favorite gunslingers based on Sunday’s performances.

Troy Weatherhead
Waves of anxiety must have swept through the athletic de­partment earlier this semester when Weatherhead broke his leg in an intramural basket­ball game, fresh off a successful first season in the starting role. It appears everyone can take a deep breath for now though, granted he stays healthy.

Other than a few shaky long balls early on, Weatherhead looked just I like remember him last fall — unshakeable, fairly mobile and blessed with touch that allows him to make almost every throw a QB needs to.

He led the offense to two touchdowns and was only sacked once Sunday, by a Charger front-line that was quick to put pressure on him; and although he nearly threw a pick on a fade route in the back of the end zone, the plays that made you say ‘wow’ easily outweighed the ones that make you shake your head.

He made a pair of beautiful throws into double coverage deep downfield, resulting in 27 and 35 yards bombs to slot­man A.J. Kegg and lanky, speedster Andre Holmes.

He was excellent at sustaining drives, his spirals were tight and he looked right at home barking out plays and communicating with teammates.

He completed six of 10 passes in 21 plays Sunday and gave the crowd every reason to believe his 21 TDs against 10 interceptions in 2008 was no fluke.

If he’s not the clear-cut starter come August I expect a bum knee is the only thing holding him back.

Matt Bryan
Bryan has thrown just three passes so far in his college career, so he is largely an unknown among Charger faithful, but an unknown who coach Otterbein says has a great shot at being the team’s backup.

He started out sharp Sunday, but ultimately came up with an “Incomplete” grade.

He showcased an ability to be effective out of a short-drop, utilizing his extremely quick release, but he didn’t get a chance to air it out at all.

He also got trapped going through progressions a few times, getting sacked twice and Cody Henderson intercepted one of his throws toward the sidelines, the only turnover of the spring game.

His ability to escape the pocket might be a question as well, but a dozen snaps on a wet field isn’t a tell-all test.

Overall his spirals were tight and his throwing motion seemed structurally sound and consistent.

He failed to lead his group on a scoring drive and was two of six passing on the afternoon.

Brad Otterbein
His heart and athleticism cannot and should not be questioned, but the former Hillsdale High School grad still has plenty of things working against him with so much competition at his position.

On Sunday he proved he is a quick decision maker who is a threat with his feet, but he is also still developing as a pocket passer and he isn’t a naturally gifted thrower like his teammates.

Last season he played in seven games, going 10-for-23 for 77 yards and two interceptions and his spring game performance didn’t do a whole lot to explain those numbers one way or another.

On several occasions he went right up the middle of a seam for sizeable gains on the ground, but his one for six passing performance, with two passes deflected, show he has plenty of room to grow.

He threw a couple of wobbly spirals and his release point was inconsistent, but on the run and with his feet firmly planted he was equally effective.

Being the coaches’ kid always brings plenty of undue pressure and Otterbein is no different. He is a great athlete, from a phenomenal local family, but his exact role on this team is still hard to figure out.

Anthony Mifsud
The only Charger QB yet to throw a pass in a college football game, may in fact be the most intriguing one on the roster.

The 6-4, former First-Team All-State selection by the De­troit Free Press, looked like he has put on some muscle since coming in as a 183-pound freshman, and he carried himself like a man on a mission.

He threw only six passes, of which he completed just two, thanks in part to two drops, but the way he did so got me excited.

On his first snap in his first spring game he rolled out and delivered a picture-perfect 25- yard strike to Nathan Smith.

He seemed to command the huddle well, and driving his team to a touchdown on his first drive was tangible proof of his success.

He did come up short on one of his throws, but his throwing motion seemed almost effortless and his arm strength appears to be an asset that helped draw attention from Division I FBS schools like Villanova and Richmond a year ago.

He demonstrated a great pocket-presence and had no problem stepping off defenders en route to finding an open receiver.

His size, demeanor and physical skills seem almost too good to be true, but the intangibles and experience Weatherhead offers mean Mifsud may have to use “garbage time” situations next season to prove whether he’s worthy of being more than a two-year starter in his time here.

On paper Mifsud and in­coming running back recruit Joe Glendening seem to be the future of the blue-and-white, but knowing Keith Otterbein, he is going to make players earn their spots by competing for jobs in practice, and Otterbein is also loyal to upperclassmen who have levied through countless hours of workouts and drills.

Other HC spring game notes:
• Halfback Vinnie Panizzi scored two rushing touchdowns, including one where he leaped over a wall of line­man into end zone.

• Redshirt freshman tailback Brad Spencer showed off his quick cutback ability and good outside speed with several memorable runs, including a 15-yard touchdown

• Defensive lineman Drew Berube, who will be a senior next season, looked even stronger and faster than last season, something all GLIAC offensive lineman should be scared about.

• Freshman defensive end Kyle Caulkins, a former Hillsdale Hornet like Berube, saw plenty of action and did a good job accelerating through seams in the middle to get to the QB.

• Mark Petro (a senior next year) missed a 45-yard field goal on the only special teams game of the play

• Sophomore tailback Vincent Alentado suffered a “bad break” in the ankle / foot region on the final play of the scrimmage according to several assistant coaches. He got tangled in a pile up and was left on the turf with bones in his right foot drastically fractured. No further information on the injury was yet available.

Because I'm really not sure whats going on here....

Georgia fails to blackout the red team in last Saturday’s spring “red versus black” game.

In what seemed to be an offense-less game, the red ended up topping the black with a fourth quarter field goal and touchdown. The game was tied 3-3 with just over two minutes remaining in the game when Andrew Johnson hit the 48-yard go-ahead field goal. The solo touchdown came from tailback Carlton Thomas in a 20 yard run with nine seconds remaining in the game. The final score was 13-3. Probable starting quarterback Joe Cox went 9 of 16 passing for 105 yards and young quarterback Logan Gray went 9 of 13 for 91 yards.

While watching this game I wasn’t quite sure what to hope for. On one hand I felt like I should cheer when a pass was intercepted, because it’s an error in judgment from the quarterback. But on the other hand it was a pat on the back for safety Bryan Evans. Although I will never pass up an opportunity to watch Georgia beat up on their own players, it could have only been better if there wasn’t the “no tackle” policy on the quarterbacks. The best part of the game was before it started, Matthew Stafford jogged out onto the field and someone pitched him the ball and he bobbled it before finally dropping it to the ground. Good hands, Matt, I can see the promise in an NFL career already! All in all I truly wasn’t impressed with the Georgia Bulldogs, who failed to live up to the hype in their 2008 season. My prediction is that the 2009 squad is going to end up in the bottom of the top 25 this season. Their losses will be to LSU, Florida, Georgia Tech, and (I hope) Auburn.

Here are a few notes from the spring game, in case you couldn’t make it.

Offense:

• Robert Griffin is MUCH more accurate and he has a good release. He made a pass a la Chase Daniels, sighting Justin Akers through three defenders and completing a pass good for a touchdown.
• Jay Finley won’t have to carry the whole load running the ball. Jarred Salubi and Andre Pierce looked solid, and neither Terrance Ganaway nor Glasco Martin are here yet.
• The receivers are still dropping a lot of balls. That’s worrisome. On the opening kickoff there was a fumble, too.
• Griffin threw an interception, a result of a busted route. Still, he threw a jump ball into double coverage.
• Maybe it was the defense spying Robert all afternoon, but Griffin wasn’t as productive on the ground. It was probably Briles’ coaching, because he talked about not wanting to rely on him as much.
• The offensive line hasn’t gelled, but that’s to be expected.
• Most of the running sets still come out of the shotgun. The ones that worked were either counters or something that bounced outside. Pass plays were mainly short plays and screens, but the wind had a lot to do with that.

Defense:

• Phil Taylor is huge. I wouldn’t be surprised if he weighed more than the entirety of the Lariat sports desk combined. The transfer from Penn State dominated the offensive line, demanding double — and even triple — teams. On a field goal attempt, he decleated a lineman and rushed in, nearly making it in time to block the kick.
• Norwood is running the same defense as Penn State does, a cover three with some man/cover-one thrown in. That’s not surprising, but in the second year of the scheme, the Bears seem to understand it better. Jeremy Williams was strong in man coverage as well as zone, and Jordan Lake is playing back a little further.
• The linebackers weren’t particularly effective, but they were able to spread the offense out, funneling the runner to the defensive backs.
• With Phil Taylor taking much of the load, the defensive ends didn’t really capitalize, but they did manage one sack.

Special teams:

• Kickoffs weren’t great, but there weren’t enough to make an informed decision.
• Punts were a mixed blessing. Epperson had one 50+ boot, but the other wasn’t much further than the first-down marker.
• Only one field goal attempt and, well, it’s more of the same. Phil Taylor did almost block it, but the kicker (I’m not sure who it was my view was blocked), came up woefully short from 20 yards out.

That will probably be the last football post until August. I hope you can find something else to do until then. As for tonight, here’s a link to my story in the paper tomorrow.

It seems that Coach Briles is deliberately trying to downplay the importance of this game, so I’m doubting we’re going to see something spectactular.

However, there are a few things to watch for:

• 2nd string Xs and Zs: David Gettis is hurt, so the scrimmage could be a good battle for that spot.
• The symphony at running back: What roles will Finley, Salubi, Martin, Ganaway and others play in the backfield?
• Defensive end: Who will replace Leon Freeman?
• Quarterback: You can take this as an April Fool’s joke, but you should take a look at Griffin’s improved passing ability. His arm isn’t to Chase Daniel’s yet, but it’s pretty close to Colt McCoy’s.

That’s it for now. Check out the action tomorrow at 4 p.m. We’ll all be there.

-Drew Suppes

Spring football in Boulder is officially 5 days away.  

Leading up to the first scrimmage on April 11, I will be taking a closer look at each position.

Today’s feature: the Offensive Line.

In football, the foundation of success is built upon a teams ability to control the line of scrimmage.  Football games are won and lost in the trenches.  In the Dan Hawkins era, productivity from the offensive line has been very inconsistent due to injuries, academic issues,  transfers, and lack of experience.  This inability to dominate the line of scrimmage has been the major contributing factor to the underachieving offenses for Hawkins at CU.

In 2007, after the graduation and transfer of a few linemen that were brought in under his predecessor, Gary Barnett, Hawkins and co. were very limited in Spring drills with only 6 healthy scholarship offensive linemen to work with.  The Buffs were so attrited at the position that they were forced to play half of the Spring Game with 7-on-7 drills, using no offensive and defensive linemen.  In the Fall, the Buffs got some help from true freshmen Ryan Miller and Kai Maiava who were inserted into the starting lineup.  This inexperience and lack of depth translated into an offense that ranked nationally 69th in rushing, and 72nd in total yards (out of 120 teams).  The Buffs finished the season 6-7.

Last Spring, Hawkins had 11 healthy scholarship offensive linemen to work with.  However, of those 11, eight were participating in their first Spring drills (6 redshirt freshmen, Ryan Miller, and converted TE Nate Solder).  In the Spring game, fans got their first glimpse of the Buffs new spread offense, as the offense showed that they could move the ball down the field.  It was thought that depth in the offensive line would be a strength for the Buffs as they approached Fall practices.  But the season started on a bad note, as Sione Tau was declared academically ineligible, and Kai Maiava announced that he was transferring to UCLA after being moved to fullback.  Then came the injury bug–more like the injury plague.  It only took one practice for the Buffs to lose projected starting OL Mike Iltis to a torn ACL, forcing him to miss the 2008 season.  This was only a sign of things to come for the Buffs.  True freshmen, and starting G Max Tuioti-Mariner tore his ACL in the third game of the season, and starting OT Ryan Miller broke a bone in his leg in the game against Florida State, just four games into the season.  Both players missed the remainder of the season.  Junior Devin Head, and redshirt-freshmen Matt Bahr and Blake Behrens did a decent job of filling in, but lack of experience and depth converted into a 5-7 season, as the Buffs offense ranked 101st in scoring, 95th in total yards, and 87th in rushing yards (out of 120 teams).

When the Buffs take to the practice field on March 31, Hawkins will have (knock on wood) 12 healthy, academically eligible scholarship offensive  linemen to work with.  Adding Denver Johnson as their offensive line coach, and reverting back to a huddled, more conventional offense, the Buffs look to reestablish dominance on the line of scrimmage.  If they are successful in doing so, CU’s talented stable of running backs should have a big year.

Kyle Ringo of the Daily Camera offers his prediction on what the starting o-line will look like in 2009:

“My starters would be Mike Iltis at center, Ryan Miller and Blake Behrens at guard and Nate Solder and Bryce Givens at tackle. Maybe Miller plays tackle and Givens plays guard.”

I can’t say I disagree with him, but a lot can happen between Spring practices and the CSU game.

Player(s) lost to graduation:

Daniel Sanders–started 36 straight games at offensive line

Player(s) Returning:

Ryan Dannewitz (RFr.)–Redshirted his freshman year in 2008.

Bryce Givens (RFr.)–One of Hawkins’ biggest recruits in 2008.  He should compete for a starting job after putting on at least 25lbs. from last season.  The sky is the limit for Givens.

Max Tuioti-Mariner (Fr.)–Suffered his third torn ACL earlier this month.  He will miss Spring practices, and hopes to return in the Fall.

Ethan Adkins (So.)–Played sparingly in 3 games, totaling 41 snaps and 1 sack allowed.

Matt Bahr (So.)–Replaced Ryan Miller at Right Tackle in 2008, starting 8 games.  He played 585 snaps and allowed 0 sacks.

Blake Behrens (So.)–Named 1st team Freshman All-Big 12 by Rivals.com in 2008.  He played in every game, totaling 769 snaps (3rd most on team).

Shawn Daniels (So.)–Brother of former four year starter Brian Daniels.  Played a total of 31 snaps in 2008 as a redshirt freshman.

Mike Iltis (So.)–Should compete for the starting center job after suffering an ACL tear on the first day of Fall practices, causing him to miss the 2008 season.

Sione Tau (So.)–Academically ineligible in 2008.  He appears to be on the right track in the classroom, and has the size (6′5″, 330lbs.) to compete in the Big 12.

David Clark (So.)–Walk-on.

Ryan Miller (So.)–Former 5 star recruit broke his fibula during the Florida State game in 2008, causing him to miss the remainder of the season.  He was granted a medical redshirt, giving him an extra year of eligibility.  Barring any huge setbacks, Miller should be a starter again in 2009.

Nate Solder (Jr.)–The converted tightend started all 12 games, and every snap in 2008.  He’s shown glimpses of brilliance (grading out at 99% in the KSU game), but still has much to learn.  In a Daily Camera article last week, Buffs strength and conditioning coach Jeff Pitman mentioned  Solder’s size, speed, and agility: “6-foot-9, 305 pounds and runs a 4.8-second 40-yard dash, has a 34-inch vertical jump with 10 percent body fat.”  If o-line coach Johnson can harness Solder’s size and raw talent, he can be an All-American.

Evan Eastburn (Jr.)–Walk-on transfer from Maryland, played high school in Boulder.  He will compete for the starting center job.

Keenan Stevens (Jr.)–Former walk-on, should compete for the starting center job.

Devin Head (Sr.)–Saw action in all but one game in 2008.  In 663 plays, he allowed 0 sacks.  He should compete for a starting job.

Practices start on March 31, and conclude on April 25 with the annual Spring Game.  Here’s where you can find a schedule of the practices.

GO BUFFS

The Spring Game will be held on April 11, 2009 at twelve noon. College football fans all over the world circle the date in preparation for this game, which for many marks the unofficial start of the new season. We can’t wait until the season begins. See you then!

I’ve finally gotten around to creating a video of my photos from the Spring Game.

Ryan Mallett’s appeal to the NCAA to play this season was denied. AOL thinks that it was the right decision for the NCAA. Former Razorback Head Coach Lou Holtz has been elected to the College Football Hall of Fame. Casey Dick is gaining attention…the expats are kinda intrigued. Razorblogger HogBlogger recaps what he saw this spring. College Football News looks at the SEC’s Spring Games. Here’s a list of former hogs that have signed with NFL clubs as undrafted free agents…Weston Dacus-Kansas City Chiefs, Robert Felton-Buffalo Bills, Michael Grant-Jacksonville Jaguars , Matterral Richardson-Washington Redskins, Fred Bledsoe-Green Bay Packers. Marcus Monk and Felix Jones are gaining attention in their rookie camps. Speaking of Jones, He and Darren McFadden have chosen their jersey #’s. Also, D-Mac is getting paid and one of the expats welcome him to the neighborhood. Houston Nutt recommended Monk to the Bears. Speaking of Nutt…the expats check in on him. And Finally The Hog Blogger was drawn back into blogging by the expats…welcome back we missed you!

This Week From the Bench…

A surprisingly good crowd appeared in Fayetteville for the Red-White game and the unveiling of the forward pass for the Hog faithful. It was also good to see the introduction of the tight-end eligible play. Maybe after an extended period of time with no passing game the Hogs can finally put somebody in the NFL who can play receiver, which hasn’t happened since Derek Russell, a product of Little Rock Central High.

Mr. Shields also touches on the NFL Draft.

Hawgsports.com

As most of you know by now, Darren McFadden was selected 4th overall by the Oakland Raiders in the first round of Saturday’s NFL Draft. Arkansas’ “Other” RB Felix Jones was selected 22nd overall in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. I wish them both the best of luck (except against my Bears).

The Diamond Hogs won their third consecutive SEC series this weekend, taking 2 of 3 from Ole Miss. The team lost the opener on Friday Night…UA 4-UM 12. Due to a forecast of bad weather for Sunday they played 2 on Saturday with the Hogs taking both. The first game went into extra innings with a final in 10 of UA 13-UM 11. The Hogs won the rubber match by a score of UA 12-UM 4. The win places the Hogs 2nd in the division and tied for 8th overall in the SEC. Only the top 8 records in the conference get into the SEC Tournament. The team has also won 7 of their last 9 games overall.

Over 40,000 came out for the Spring Game according to Arkansas’ Sports Information Office, setting a record. The crowd saw Casey Dick pass for 404 yards and two touchdowns, while RB Michael Smith ran for 157 yards and a TD on 13 carries. Red won 45-14.

Mid-Morning Update: The Razorbloggers have their wrapups from the spring game and Diamond Hog Doubleheader posted. John Pelphrey announced that Daniel Payne, one of his 2008 recruits, will not be attending the University….

Payne, a 6-foot-7 small forward who played at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, “is no longer eligible to participate at the Univerisoty of Arkansas and will be given his immediate release,” the e-mail said.

I’ve got some catching up to do since I was on a business trip to NWA this week. Although that trip did allow me to catch the first of the two game set against N. Colorado at Baum Tuesday. I have some mediocre pictures from my point and shoot I’ll be posting at my flickr account that I’ll link to in a post this weekend. On to the news…

Don’t forget that EAS Razorfest and the Spring Red-White game are tomorrow. The NFL Draft is also this weekend. Here is a look at all the hogs most likely to be drafted…I’ll get back to McFadden in a moment.

Hog LB Freddie Fairchild pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of third degree battery and second degree false imprisonment stemming from an arrest earlier this month. Here’s the final practice wrapups from the Razorbloggers…4/17, 4/18, 4/19, 4/22, 4/24. Here’s a good article on Defensive Coordinator Willy Robinson and outtakes from the article touching on his major off-season knee surgery.

Since I last did a trough the Diamond Hogs have been on somewhat of a hot streak, winning 5 out of their last 6. First they bounced back over the loss to ORU with a 9-1 win over Alcorn St.. They then won their second consecutive SEC series against then #30 Tennessee…UA 5-UT 4, UA 5- UT 4, UT 7-UA 6. They then took both games of a two game set midweek against Northern Colorado…UA 9- UNCo 2, and UA 7-UNCo 1. I Just want to take a sec and say that the daily spring practice and the post game wrap ups that the Razorbloggers do are fantastic. Those posts are a somewhat thankless job and I just wanted to point out the great work they do. Thanks again.

While I was gone I also missed the Patrick Beverley “I’m Leaving” mania. Beverley apparently updated the status on his facebook.com page to “I’m Leaving”. During last weekend’s Real Deal on the Hill Beverley also told reporters that he had “No Comment” on the reports. Rumors started swirling that he was headed to USF, reuniting with former Head Hog Stan Heath. Finally, during an interview with a Tampa Bay paper, Beverley’s Mom stated he was staying at Arkansas (She apparently talked him out of it).

Speaking of Mothers…Darren McFadden’s Mom had some choice comments regarding her son playing in either New York, for the Jets, or Oakland. In the article in the LA Times an Arkansas Coach is quoted as saying D-Mac will be bringing the whole family to where ever he’s drafted. One thing he won’t be bringing to NYC is a Dress for the Draft. He’s also been in talks with the Patriots and talks about his most recent ESPN the Magazine photo shoot. The expats also mention his honest and open policy about his family and past.

And Finally…

Sophomores Michelle Stout and Casey Jo Magee became the first Lady Razorbacks gymnasts to earn All-America honors Thursday, leading 11th-ranked Arkansas to a fifth-place finish in Session 1 of the NCAA Championships

A barrage of spring games have or will occur on campuses around the nation. What do people see in these games? Tens of thousands of fans go to see the Florida, Oklahoma, and other spring games. The only good to come of this, it seems to me, is to get out in the sun to do something. Is this country really that obsessed with college football, or football in general? The answer is yes if we are constantly discussing these games. We do realize that the NBA and NHL playoffs are in full swing right? The purpose of pointing this out is to give some sense to people who love sports.

I have a couple of problems with the spring games. First, the importance is so small, yet, we are seeing stories all around the country about these games. People take time out of their day to analyze how players did. It is common to see analysts seriously predict who will start for teams based off of this game! I am hoping that the majority realize that this is a practice that does not determine these positions. Games will not start for months. It is simply a glorified practice that is more of a show than a predictor of the future.

Second, their are some that want to see all these star players in an intense game situation. Well, I don’t want to see my star running back out on the field for the whole game taking a beating. The risk of injury is so great in football already, why do we want to risk the health of these players?

While I am personally not obsessed with the sport of football, I understand that people love the game. Still, these spring games are way over-glorified. There is no true importance, and the risk of injury is too great. I do not want to tell people not to go to these games. Go for it. Have fun. Enjoy the nice weather. Hang out with friends. I am only asking not to take too much from this practice that is four months removed from the start of the actual college football season.