The 2011 Pre-Season All-Mack Team

OK..So against my better judgment I'm doing this again. But I'm doing it with one caveat: Since this All-Mack team has pretty much been the kiss of death, I'm excluding all Alabama players from this list. Not only for that reason, but as a fan of the Crimson Tide, I think it's only fair that I recognize the great football being played by players outside of the University of Alabama. So without further ado, here is the 2011 PreSeason All-Mack Team

OFFENSE

Quarterback

Matt Barkley (USCw) – Barkley came into USC with all of the hoopla that a top player in the country comes with. He took several lumps his first year, but avoided a sophomore slump and from about the 3^rd game on during his sophomore campaign, not only did he look like a capable college QB, but he looked like an NFL QB. He has great mechanics, wonderful pocket presence, and he’s a leader.

Honorable Mention: Andrew Luck (Stanford), Nick Foles (Arizona), Landry Jones (Oklahoma), Robert Griffin III (Baylor), Aaron Murray (UGA), Taylor Martinez (Nebraska), Denard Robinson (Michigan)

Running Backs

LaMichael James (Oregon) – James is a dynamic runner with vision, quickness, and speed. The fact that he plays in Oregon’s wide open offense can cause some to overlook the fact that he is a legitimate “between the tackles” back with game breaking speed.

Marcus Lattimore (South Carolina) – A tough,hard-nosed runner who is not only not afraid of contact, but he quite often initiates the contact. His hands out of the backfield are rare for a young player and his pass protection skills are improving immensely.

Honorable Mention: Cyrus Gray (Texas A&M), Ronnie Hillman (San Diego St.), Doug Martin (Boise St.), Dennis Johnson (Arkansas), Montee Ball (Wisconsin), James White (Wisconsin), Michael Dyer (Auburn), David Wilson (VaTech)

Wide Receivers

Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma St) – He was a legitimate threat to win the Heisman last season from the wide receiver position. He’s stepped in admirably into the same position that Dez Bryant made a name for himself.

Ryan Broyles (Oklahoma) – If it weren’t for Blackmon, Broyles would get a LOT more attention in his own state. Although Blackmon had more receiving yards than Broyles last season, Broyles had 20 more receptions than Blackmon (131 receptions total). With Oklahoma making a push for a national title this season, I expect to see Broyles replicate that production.

Alshon Jeffery (South Carolina) - A huge body with big play ability reeling in 88 receptions for over 1500 yards last season. Depending on who his QB is, I look for a stellar season from Jeffery.

Honorable mention: Juron Criner (Arizona), Lance Lewis (ECU), Michael Floyd (Notre Dame), Greg Childs (Arkansas), Joe Adams (Arkansas)

Tight End

Michael Egnew (Missouri) – A big body that served as a main target for Blaine Gabbert reeling in 90 passes last season. With a first year starter this season in Mizzou’s pass happy offense, look for Egnew to duplicate or eclipse those numbers this season as he serves as a security blanket for the young QB.

Honorable mention: Davis Paulson (Oregon), Coby Fleener (Stanford), Orson Charles (UGA), Philip Lutzenkirchen (Auburn)

Tackles

Matt Kalil (USC) – This guy is a prototypical left tackle. He is a physical specimen! And he has the pedigree to go along with it being the son and younger brother of former NFL players.

Riley Reiff (Iowa) - Reiff is a hand-spanked, corn fed naturally strong, athletic left tackle. He’s equally as good as a pass blocker as he is a downhill run blocker. He has solid footwork that is good enough to stay with a speed rushing DE and push him upfield past the QB.

Honorable mention: Mike Adams (Ohio St.), John Martin (Stanford), Bobby Massie (Ole Miss),

Guards

Cordy Glenn (UGA) – At 6-5 330lbs, Glenn is massive for a guard. He moves well in pass protection and in a man blocking scheme wins 9 out of every 10 battles he has.

Kelechi Osemele (Iowa St) – Another HUGE guard standing 6-6 and weight 347. He’s a traditional road grader who has spent time at both Guard and Right Tackle. For his size, he’s incredibly agile.

Honorable mention: David DeCastro (Stanford), Kevin Zeitler (Wisconsin), Ryan Miller (Colorado)

Center

Mike Brewster (Ohio St.) – Brewster has started for the Buckeyes since his freshman year and has been a stalwart. He’s equally as impressive as a pass blocker as he is a run blocker.

Honorable Mention: Ben Jones (UGA), Ben Habern (Oklahoma), Phil Blake (Baylor), T-Bob Hebert (LSU)

DEFENSE

Defensive Ends

Jake Bequette (Arkansas) – A tough, mature, hard-nosed DE with a motor that just won’t stop. He’s a little undersized, but what he lacks in size he makes up for in toughness and determination. If there’ s a big play, he’s usually around the ball.

Quinton Coples (UNC) – Continuing in the long line of NFL type DEs that Butch Davis recruited to North Carolina, Coples filled in all last season for the suspended Robert Quinn and put up monster numbers with 10 sacks, 15 ½ tackles for loss, and 2 forced fumbles.

Honorable mentions: Donte Paige-Moss (UNC), Brandon Jenkins (Florida St.), Delvin Taylor (South Carolina), Brandon Lindsey (Pitt), Bruce Irvin (West Va.)

Defensive Tackles

Jared Crick (Nebraska) – A quick and strong DT who could play a traditional 4-3 DT position or slide over to DE in a 3-4 scheme. He has a nice motor and late last season once he got adjusted to being the man after the departure of phenom Ndamukong Suh, he wound up with 7 sacks in his last 8 games.

Marcus Fortson (Miami) – He was supposed to be the second coming of Warren Sapp. I have yet to see anything close to that, but his raw athleticism is too good not to live up to those expectations. With new coach Al Golden on board, I look for Fortson to start walking into his destiny as a legitimate NFL type DT.

Honorable mention: Fletcher Cox (Miss. St.), Kheeston Randall (Texas), Kuwann Short (Purdue), Roosevelt Nix (Kent St.)

Linebackers

Vontaze Burfict (Arizona St.) – In short, this kid is a heat seeking missile with bad intentions. The fact that he goes for the knockout blow on just about every tackle leads some to question his maturity level. But his intensely violent playing style intimidates opposing runners.

Zach Brown (UNC) – An absolute freak athlete, who (at 6-2 225 lbs) is said to have clocked at 4.28 seconds (!!!!) in the 40 yard dash, outproduced the big names for UNC like Quan Sturdivant & Bruce Carter last season.

Travis Lewis (Oklahoma) – This is the only returning player from the All-Mack pre-season team from last season. Lewis is a tackling machine. All he does is produces. And he’s a legitimate team leader on defense.

Honorable mention: Sean Spence (Miami), Emmanuel Acho (Texas), Luke Kuechly (Boston College), Tank Carder (TCU), Jerry Franklin (Arkansas), Chris Marve (Vandy)

Cornerbacks

Tyrann Mathieu (LSU) – This kid plays a lot bigger than his size indicates. Forced into action last season as a true freshman due to multiple injuries in the Tiger backfield, Mathieu more than held his own. I’m not saying he’ll be Patrick Peterson, but he’ll be darn close.

Jayron Hosley (VaTech) – Ball hawk..End of story.

Honorable mention: Alphonso Dennard (Nebraska), Morris Cleiborne (LSU), Chase Minnifield (Virginia), Casey Heyward (Vandy), Janoris Jenkins (N. Alabama)

Safeties

TJ McDonald (USC) – McDonald is the best safety on USC’s roster. And coming into his second year under the tutelage of legendary defensive wizard Monte Kiffin, he should have a strong season.

Ray Ray Armstrong (Miami) – Like his teammate Marcus Fortson, Ray Ray was supposed to be the next Sean Taylor or Ed Reed. Thus far he has been neither. But he has all the physical tools and ability to be that type player. I look for Ray Ray to have a great season.

Honorable mentions: Ed Whitley (VaTech), Kenny Tate (Maryland), Rashad Hall (Clemson)

Kicker

Blair Walsh (UGA) – If you’ve ever seen the kid play, not much explanation is necessary. He’s money. And for the past couple seasons, he has been the only sure thing on UGA’s roster.

Honorable mentions: David Ruffer (Notre Dame), Danny Hrappman (Southern Miss), Derek Dimke (Illinois)

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Punter

Bryan Ager (Cal) – A big punter (6-4, 207) with a big leg (has 54 punts of over 50 yards in his career).

Honorable mentions: Kyle Martens (Rice), Brian Stahovich (San Deigo St.), Drew Butler (UGA)

Kick Returners

Cliff Harris (Oregon)

Greg Reid (Florida St.)

Punt Returner

Greg Reid (Florida St.)

2010 Pre-Season All Mack Team Revisited

This is only the 2nd year of the All-Mack team, but it could be the last. Many suffered needlessly because of it. Check it..

Christian Ponder – I thought he was a Heisman favorite, but he didn’t quite live up to that. Had a decent season, but he was bitten by the injury bug right before the ACC Championship game and he missed it.

Mark Ingram – The Monday before the first game of the season, he tweaks a tendon in his knee, has to have arthroscopic surgery and was never the same all season. He showed flashes, but after his huge first game against Duke, Ingy was never quite the same all season. He made some 2^nd team all-conference teams, but it was mostly out of respect. He didn’t produce much at all this season.

Neol Devine – A guy who was one of the most electrifying players in all of college football for the past 2 seasons was largely invisible this year.

A.J. Green – Bogusly suspended for the first 4 games of the year for selling his own football jersey.

Julio Jones – In the season where he was supposed to be finally healthy, he broke his hand. Surprisingly, though, after the broken hand, he turned into the receiver that his hype coming out of high school said he would be. Julio is the first player to sort of escape the All-Mack Team curse.

Mike Pouncey – I picked this guy as center of my pre-season All-Mack team and as it turned out, he couldn’t even get the ball to the QB!! His plethora of bad snaps early in the season was the first sign that things weren’t all good in Gainesville, and while the season showed flashes of promise, it ultimately started to roll downhill and culminated with Urban Meyer stepping down for the 2^nd time in as many years.

Marcell Dareus – Suspended for the first two games of the season for attending a party in South Beach thrown by a runner for an NFL agent, he started getting dinged up toward the end of his first game back (against Duke) and got a high ankle sprain vs. Arkansas that he never fully recovered from. Based on what he was able to do last season and what he was projected to do, this season was the epitome of subpar for Dareus.

Dont’a Hightower – Coming off surgery to repair torn ligaments in his knee, it was expected that Bama’s defense wouldn’t miss a beat after losing 2009 Butkus Award Winner Rolando McClain, because many observers thought that Hightower was better than McClain because of his versatility and combo of size & speed. That may have been so…pre-surgery..Hightower often looked like he was running in mud, slow to the point of attack and was largely invisible most of the season aside from huge games against Florida and Auburn. He ultimately turned over his defensive play calling duties to true freshman backer CJ Mosley and sophomore backer Nico Johnson.

Mark Barron – Coming in, he was supposed to be the top safety in the country. And he was for the most part, but starting alongside 3 and sometimes 4 new starters in the defensive backfield, he was often left exposed and took bad angles to runners. And in the most inappropriate time, the All-Mack curse struck Barron. During the 2^nd quarter of the Iron Bowl, Mark was caught out of position and beaten on a pass. And in an effort to club the ball from the receiver, he tore his pectoral muscle. In an attempt to soldier on, that injury hurt him even more in the 3^rd quarter. On a poorly thrown pass from presumptive Heisman trophy winner Cameron Newton to WR Terrell Zachary, Barron was in perfect position to intercept the pass, knock the ball down, take the receiver’s head off, or (worst case) tackle the receiver. But because of the torn pectoral muscle, he could do neither, and it resulted in a TD for Auburn. Even worse for Mark, he had put together a decent enough season to at least test the NFL Draft waters, but because recovery from his surgery will be 3-4 months, he may wind up returning to Alabama for his senior season.

After all this, I’m seriously considering never doing the All-Mack team again. But if I do, there will NEVER be another Alabama player on the team.

2011 Post-Season All-Mack Team

And just as soon as the 2010 football season started, it's now over. One team in Alabama started the season ranked #1, and another team in the state finishes at #1. The preseason All-Mack team can be found here. But now we get to the post season team.

OFFENSE

QB - Cameron Newton (Auburn)

As an Alabama graduate and lifelong fan, it pains me to my core to admit this. But this what this guy has managed to accomplish ON THE FIELD is undeniable. Without him, his team is at best 8-4. He has willed his team to win at least half of their games this season.

Honorable mention: Denard Robinson (Michigan)

RB - LaMichael James (Oregon)

As the main cog in the most explosive offense in football this season, James led the nation in rushing with 155 yards/game.

RB - John Clay/James White (Wisconsin)

Both of these rushers averaged 94 yards per game giving Wisconsin a two headed monster to pound their opponents into submission, racking up more than 70 points against conference competition.

Honorable Mention: Jordan Todman (UConn), Ronnie Hillman (San Diego St.), Doug Martin (Boise St.)

WR - Julio Jones (Alabama)

When this guy finally got healthy, he showed the world what he's capable of doing. Ironically, his most productive games came after he suffered a broken hand. Breaking single game records vs. Tennessee and career records against Auburn.

WR - Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma St.)

Dez Bryant out. Justin Blackmon in. Mike Gundy knows how to find world beaters at the WR position, and Blackmon does just that with 18 TD receptions on the season.

WR - Ryan Broyles (Oklahoma)

Broyles came into the season looking to do big things and he has delivered, leading the country in receptions with 115.

Honorable mention: Alshon Jeffery (S. Carolina), AJ Green (Georgia), Titus Young (Boise St.), Greg Salas (Hawaii), Joe Adams (Arkansas), Randall Cobb (Kentucky),

TE - Michael Egnew (Missouri)

Mizzou was a force on the national scene for over half the season and Egnew was a major reason why, leading all Tight Ends with 83 receptions on the year.

Honorable mention: DJ Williams (Arkansas)

NOTE: Offensive line to come later. Haven't seen enough to honestly mention any individual offensive linemen.

DEFENSE

DE - Da'Quan Bowers (Clemson)

I remember watching this kid in his first game against Alabama in 2008. I thought he was light, but knew he'd be special. He finally lived up to that this season, leading the country in sacks with 15.5 and 24.5 tackles for loss.

DE - Ryan Kerrigan (Purdue)

An absolute MONSTER! Registering 12.5 sacks, 26 tackles for loss, and 5 forced fumbles. This kid has a motor that won't stop.

Honorable mention: Sam Acho (Texas), J.J. Watt (Wisconsin)

DT - Nick Fairley (Auburn)

Dirty and overaggressive at times? Maybe. Blockable? Absolutely not. Probably the most disruptive force in the middle of the defensive line since a young Warren Sapp. His highlights this season read like the high school highlight reels of some of the best defensive linemen in the country. In other words, he was a man among boys all season.

DT - Drake Nevis (LSU)

This guy is a bit undersized, but he has a motor that won't quit. And he's surpassed most of Glen Dorsey's accomplishments at LSU and that's saying a lot. He had 6 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and 3 forced fumbles.

Honorable mention: Roosevelt Nix (Kent St.) for my Bama fans reading this, this kid is a freshman. We have to see him first game of the season next year. Had 20 tackles for loss. The same amount as Nick Fairley.

LB - Luke Kuechly (Boston College)

This sophomore was a tackling machine, leading the country with 171 total tackles. 34 more than the person closest to that number.

LB - Justin Houston (Georgia)

Houston registered 10 sacks and brought stability to a UGA defense that wasn't interested in tackling anyone. In addition to his 10 sacks he had 14 QB hurries.

LB - Nate Irving (NC State)

Irving led all linebackers in tackles for loss with 20.5 and registered 88 tackles.

DB - Patrick Peterson (LSU)

Still head & shoulders the best DB in the country. He was used as a punt returner this season to try and help his team and it may have taken away from him in some of the biggest games. He was out with cramps against UNC and LSU miraculously won. Julio Jones bested him in the battle against Alabama, but his team won. He was caught slipping a lot against Arkansas. But as the first sentence said, he's STILL the best DB in college football.

DB - Cliff Harris (Oregon)

A threat in the defensive backfield (22 passes defended) as well as in the punt return game (4 punt returns for TD).

DB - Jayron Hosley (Virginia Tech)

Even though he missed the game against East Carolina due to suspension, he still led the country in INTs with 8.

DB - Robert Lester (Alabama)

It is my humble opinion that Robert was the beneficiary of some subpar QB play. Of his 7 INTs (which is tops for all safeties in the country), all 7 of them were thrown directly to him. To his credit, though, he didn't drop any of them.

Honorable Mention: Casey Hayward (Vanderbilt), Davonte Shannon (Buffalo), Victor Aiyewa (Washington), Lamar Chapman (Utah)

NOTE: Special Teams will come later

Daily Nonsense

A Hong Kong businessman, traveling by private jet to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, was picked up by a car-service driver and taken to the city for a 13-mile trip -- that wound up costing him nearly $800,000. (NY Post)

Rob Pattinson (from the Twilight sagas and Jason Statham (from The Transporter) were allegedly involved in a bar fight over Pattinson's Twilight co-star and girlfriend, Kristen Stewart.
(Digital Spy)

More than 3 tons of marijuana seized in Texas (CNN.com)

Brett Favre's VoiceMail Love

For those of you who haven't heard, on yesterday, the good folks over at Deadspin.com broke a story about Minnesota Vikings QB Brett Favre leaving voicemails and sending cell phone pics of....ahem..."Little Brett" on a sideline reporter for the New York Jets named Jenn Sterger (photo below, courtesy of BlackSportsOnline.com) during his time with the Jets. (Here's the link to Brett's "situation", also courtesy of BlackSportsOnline.com)


No comment on the pics (of Brett or Ms. Sterger), but the audio of Brett's message to the lady can be heard below:







First off, you're married dude. C'mon son. Secondly, why are you leaving REPEATED voicemails?

Now, granted, Brett is fairly older than me. But when I was coming up, there certain love protocol. Admittedly, this was before cell phones, so the only voicemails you could leave were on answering machines, which meant everyone in the house could hear it. You didn't want that. What you DID want, though, and what Brett SHOULD have done is just let some music play over the voicemail.

I know it sounds corny, but this method is tried & true. If there's a young lady you like, and you all are at the point where you've just run out of words, you just subtly let an appropriate song play in the background and let the crooner do the talking for you.

As evident from him stumbling all over his words in the voicemails, here are a couple of suggestions that Brett could've used :

And if that was too strong or if she didn't respond, there's no way he can go wrong with this one:

Successful Mistresses do What Wives Won't

Very interesting article here that was forwarded to me by some friends. I found that the author made some very valid points. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Here's the link to the story

During the 15 years we have been married, my husband, Mykel, and I have had the privilege of befriending many couples and counseling more than a few. One of the sorest topics we have ever explored is infidelity.

Unless you have suffered through the agony of sexual betrayal by your spouse, the pain is difficult to imagine. It seems the humiliation is made worse when the offending spouse has engaged not in a mere tryst, but has sustained a long-lasting, sexual and emotional relationship outside of the marriage.

Since Mykel and I have personally spoken to more men than women who have cheated in this manner, we have been able to gain some insight into the behavior successful mistresses engage in that wives typically do not. Please note: This list is not comprehensive, nor the result of any type of statistical study, only the result of a very informal survey of the few men we know who have been willing to share this information with Mykel, myself, or both. Please do not confuse my exploration of cheating with my approval. Extramarital affairs are the ultimate form of betrayal, which cause lasting damage to individuals, families, and communities. They weaken the fabric of our culture and empower the enemy to wreak havoc in our lives as well as in the lives of our spiritual and physical seed.

That said, there are some valuable lessons wives could learn from “The Other Woman” when it comes to taking care of our husbands.

Mistresses Initiate Sexual Contact
Yes, the man is the pursuer. When a wife pursues her husband sexually, however, it proves to him that she finds him attractive and desirable. It seems husbands enjoy being found attractive and desirable at least as much as their wives do.

Mistresses Are Nice
It sounds corny, but a little kindness goes a long way. Big and tough they may be, men appreciate kind words and consideration. The more brutalized a man is out in the world, the more necessary it is for him to be treated with dignity at home. Terms of endearment, such as “Honey” or “Sweetie,” a pleasant tone of voice, or basic manners – saying “Please” and “Thank you” affirm a person’s humanity.

Mistresses Show Interest In A Man’s Hobbies
Many extramarital affairs begin harmlessly enough over shared hobbies. While on his daily run, he bumps into her on the track. An avid reader, he joins a book club, where she happens to be a member.

If your husband enjoys football, try taking time to learn the game. If he fishes, subscribe to a fishing magazine and commit to reading an article or two a week. Investing in his hobbies can provide more common ground and an opportunity to grow closer.

Mistresses Seek Out A Man’s Opinion
Is there an area your husband knows a lot about? Solicit his opinion and listen to what he has to say. I have a friend who follows local politics very closely. His wife consistently asks him to explain his position on various issues. She is very smart and has her own opinions, yet makes a point to ask her husband anyway because she is genuinely interested in his perspective.

Mistresses Feed “Their” Men
In many households, microwave meals are the order of the day for husband and wife alike. If this is true for you and your guy, make hubby something nice once in a while. If you don’t cook, make him a sandwich, or buy him his favorite dish and bring it home to surprise him. The content may not be as important as the gesture.

Mistresses Affirm Men
At a marriage retreat I attended a few years back, the main speaker encouraged wives give out what she called “Attaboys” on a regular basis (as in “Attaboy Mykel! You took out the trash!). Every husband in the room applauded his approval. Giving a man accolades for a job well done, or a simple task he did on your behalf, shows him that you appreciate his efforts. Accolades encourage repeat behavior. Repeat behavior makes for welcome habits. Everybody wins.

Mistresses Know When To Shut Up
Giving your husband quiet time – especially at the end of a busy day allows him (and you) to decompress. During the course of your relationship, establish together how much is a reasonable amount of time for him (and you) to recharge. Do your best to respect that time.

Resist complaining to him about things he can do nothing about. Not everything you think as a woman needs to be said out loud to your husband. Do the bulk of your complaining to God. He knows, understands, and is able to affect change when your husband doesn’t, won’t , or can’t. If you need to vent to or unload upon another human being, call or meet with a trusted girlfriend, and give your man’s ears a break.

Mistresses Wear Sexy Undies
Yes, granny panties are extremely comfy – but your husband does not want to sleep with his nana. Invest in one or two sexy outfits and make a point to wear them to bed periodically.

Mistresses Know What’s Going On At Work
I am always surprised by how many wives have no idea what their husbands face professionally. For better or for worse, many men define themselves according to what they do for a living. Wives should know how that part of their man’s life is progressing, if for no other reason than to intercede effectively on his behalf.

Mistresses (Sometimes) Buy Gifts
A token gift, a handwritten note, or even a phone call says, “I’m thinking about you.” Who doesn’t like to “hear” that?

Mistresses (Occasionally) Pick Up The Check
It is more than okay to take your husband on a date from time to time and pay for everything. If you’re like most couples, the money comes from a joint account anyway. The gesture, however, is no less sweet. If you pay from your own account or allowance, then so much the better.

Mistresses Ask For And Give Oral Sex
For many Christians oral sex is strictly taboo. There are as many biblically-based opinions on the matter as there are Christians. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, consider reading Sheet Music: Uncovering the Secrets of Sexual Intimacy in Marriage by noted Christian author, Dr. Kevin Leman. Well researched and humorously candid, I found it pleasantly surprising.

Mistresses Invest In Their Appearance
Between carpooling, grocery shopping, washing clothes, and wiping noses and/or butts, who has time for a shower, let alone a spa day? As a mother of four, ages 4 through 12, a writer, an editor, a volunteer, and a student, I know first hand how hard it can be to glam it up. Sometimes simply putting on a nicer pair of earrings (or any at all), choosing the t-shirt with fewer permanent stains, or painting on clear gloss, constitutes my investment for the day. The point is to put on something, or to do something for yourself that makes you feel more feminine, more beautiful, more confident. Baby steps in the right direction still get you there. Give yourself lots of grace as you go.

Mistresses Say Yes To Sex More Often
I’m shaking my head because as I write this blog, my husband snoozes soundly in our bed – alone. I know what it is like to be too tired, too angry, too apathetic, too cranky, or too busy for sex. But consider this: Your husband is your first ministry. To him, your “no” is a rejection. Persistent rejection can lead to his losing interest in asking you for sex altogether (Why should he bother if you’re just going to say “no” anyway?). A loss of interest in you can lead to his turning to someone else for validation. Not a pronouncement – just something to consider.

I hope this list proved to be as thought-provoking to read as it was to discuss and write. It was not only interesting, but convicting for me to learn about the many ways in which mistresses affirm other women’s husbands. I definitely see areas where I can grow. If your marriage is in a secure enough place to do so, bring this list to your spouse’s attention and see what kind of feedback you get. If you learn anything interesting or helpful, share it by posting a comment.

Be blessed Family!

2010 Pre-Season All Mack Team

With the season less than a week from kicking off, I have decided against my better judgment to name the 2010 All Mack Team for the pre-season. Just to be clear on the criteria, this is THE team that I would choose if I had one game to play and win if my life depended on it. And with that, here is the 2010 Pre-Season All Mack Team.

OFFENSE



QB - Christian Ponder - Florida St.

This guy is an interesting case. Seems like he's been at FSU forever, and I think minus a couple of bad breaks he could easily been mentioned in the same circles as the Ryan Mallets and Jake Lockers of the world. I think with the new regime at FSU (although they did do Bobby wrong), this will be a breakout year for Ponder. Think Chris Weinke's Heisman Trophy season.

Honorable mention: Ryan Mallet (Arkansas), Jake Locker (Washington), Jacory Harris (Miami), Andrew Luck (Stanford), Case Keenum (Houston)



RB - Mark Ingram - Alabama

Aside from the fact that this guy is the reigning Heisman trophy winner, he just gets it. He's a ball player through and through. He always seems to show up at the right time, whether it's in pass protection or taking a 2 yard dumpoff 73 yards. Last season, he had over 1000 yards rushing AFTER CONTACT. Absolutely amazing.



RB - Noel Devine - West Virginia

He made this team last season and righfully so, he makes it again this year. Probably the most explosive and exciting player to watch in all of college football. His juke & jerk running style is reminiscent of Barry Sanders and his break away speed rivals that of Bo Jackson. I'm looking for big things from Noel this season.



Honorable Mention: Jacquizz Rodgers (Oregon St.), Trent Richardson (Alabama), Ryan Williams (VaTech), Kendall Hunter (Oklahoma St.)



WR - A.J. Green - Georgia

Todd McShay just called him the best player in all of college football. And if you've ever watched AJ play, it's kind of tough to put many holes in that argument. He meant everything to his team offensively last season. He has soft hands, more than adequate separation speed, great leaping ability, and he runs crisp routes. I'm not sure what more you may want from your #1 WR.



WR - Michael Floyd - Notre Dame

I went on record last season and called this guy the real deal. Had he not gotten hurt, Jimmy Clausen would've probably gone higher in the draft than he did and Charle Weis would still be Notre Dame's head coach. But as the saying goes, if IF was a 5th, we'd all be effed up (hammered, drunk, smashed, etc.). Either way, this guy has all the tools. I'm not too sure what starting QB Dayne Crist will do, but I do know that Brian Kelly's offense should make Floyd a household name this fall.



WR - Julio Jones - Alabama

After a superb freshman season, Julio ran into the proverbial sophomore slump in terms of numbers. But based on the criteria for this list, I don't know if I'd want any other football player, let alone a WR, more than Julio if my life depended on it. In two of Alabama's toughest games last season (LSU & Auburn), it was Julio that was the difference in both of them, taking a bubble screen 50+ yards for a TD against LSU and turning into a possession receiver and catching 5 short passes converting them for 1st downs on the decisive game winning drive against Auburn. In addition to that, Julio can also be credited with great downfield block for last year's Heisman Trophy Winner.



Honorable Mention: James Rodgers (Oregon), Darvin Adams (Auburn), Ryan Broyles (Oklahoma), Greg Childs (Arkansas)



TE - D.J. Williams - Arkansas

It seems to me like this guy has been at Arkansas forever. Before Mallet. Before Petrino. And he's been a terror in the middle of the field since before they had a real passing threat. Arm him with a mammoth QB with a laser arm and a head coach/offensive coordinator hell-bent on throwing the ball 50 times a game, and in DJ Williams you have the college version of Tony Gonzalez.



Honorable Mention: Kyle Rudolph (Notre Dame), Luke Stocker (Tennessee), Dwayne Allen (Clemson), Wesley Saunders (S. Carolina)**



T- Gabe Carimi - Wisconsin

T - Bo Thran - Oregon

Both of these guys are big, aggresive and have good feet.

Honorable Mention: Lee Ziemba (Auburn), Marcus Cannon (TCU), Demarcus Love (Arkansas)



C - Mike Pouncey - Florida

Probably the undisputed leader of the team now that Tim Tebow, Brandon Spikes, and his twin brother Maurkice have departed for the NFL's greener pastures. He's been the stout centerpiece of the offensive line at Florida for the past 2 seasons and I see him continuing that this season.

Honorable Mention: William Vlachos (Alabama), Ben Jones (Georgia), Kristofer O'dowd (USC)



G - Rodney Hudson - Florida St.

Considered by many the best offensive lineman in college football going into the season, Hudson is the perfect combination of size, agility, strength, speed, and intelligence. He has received All-ACC honors his previous 3 seasons at FSU and is on the verge of becoming the most decorated offensive lineman in Florida St. history.



G - Thomas Claiborne - Boston College

Another intelligent road grader at the guard position. He led a line last season that blocked for a back who ran the rock 308 times (4th most nationally).



Honorable Mention: Barrett Jones (Alabama), Bryant Browning (Ohio St.), Alan Pelc (North Carolina), Ryan Miller (Colorado), Carl Johnson (Florida)



DEFENSE



DE - Marcel Dareus - Alabama

Probably the best kept secret in college football until last year's national championship game. Everyone in the state of Alabama who has watched Marcel since his high school days, knows that he's virtually unblockable. A rare combination of size, strength, agility, and speed, Marcel is Alabama highest rated NFL prospect (over the likes of Mark Ingram and Julio Jones).



DE - Adrian Clayborn - Iowa

I can't quite put a finger on who this guy reminds me of. He's big, ripped to shreds, and has a mean streak on the field that's unmatched. He's an absolute terror any opposing QB and looks to put Iowa in serious contension to win the Big 10 this season.



Honorable Mention: Sam Acho (Texas), Allen Bailey (Miami), Greg Quinn (UNC)



DT - Sam Acho (Texas)

This guy is so good and versatile that he's listed as both DT and DE. Texas's defense under Will Muschamp has been stellar and I don't see it being any different this season with Acho anchoring.



Honorable Mention: Marvin Austin (UNC), Jared Crick (Nebraska), Jarvis Jenkins (Clemson)



LB - Dont'a Hightower - Alabama
There's been many whisperings that last year's Heisman Trophy winner wasn't even the best running back on his own team. Well, last year's Butkus Award winner,Rolando McClain, may not have been the best linebacker on the team, either. That distinction probably would've gone to Dont'a Hightower had his season not been cut short by a nasty knee injury against Arkansas. This season, Dont'a is the undisputed man on defense. He can play every linebacker position and even some defensive end. Look for Dont'a to have a special season.

LB - Greg Jones - Michigan St.
Two words for this guy: Tackling Machine...the end..that's all you need to know.

LB - Josh Bynes - Auburn
When I watch this guy play, two former Alabama linebackers, ironically, come to mind. Saleem Rasheed and Brooks Daniels. Josh is not the biggest guy, but he has a nose for the ball. And typically when he gets to you, you go down. If not, he has enough strength to hold on until the rest of his teammates arrive. He's a gamer, and a playmaker.

LB - Kelvin Sheppard - LSU
A bigger, faster version of Josh Bynes. He very rarely misses tackles and because he's so good in the open field, it allows John Chavis to take more chances with his guys up front.

Honorable Mention: Quan Sturdivant (UNC), Greg Lloyd (UConn), Tank Carder (TCU), Bruce Carter (UNC), Sean Spence (Miami), Akeem Ayers (UCLA)

CB - Patrick Peterson - LSU
Without question the closest thing to a shutdown corner as there has been in college football for a long time. Size, speed, fluidity in the hips, great feet, great vertical, and a solid tackler. The only thing he's missing is soft hands. But then again, that's why he's a DB and not a WR. He's my first pick at DB for any team I'm choosing this year.

CB - Stephon Gilmore - South Carolina
I like Gilmore's style. He has the mindset to be a great DB. I've seen him get beat on a play and get up acting as if he'd made a pick 6. In addition to his mindset, he also has the physical tools to be one of the best in the country.

Honorable Mention: Jenoris Jenkins (Florida), Brandon Harris (Miami), Chimdi Chekwa (Ohio St.), Rashad Carmichael (VaTech), Aaron Williams (Texas)

S - Mark Barron - Alabama
When you're on the same team with Julio Jones, Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson, and Dont'a Hightower, and you're deferred to as the best overall athlete on the team regardless of position,you're definitely worth keeping an eye on. Coming into last season having to replace the heart & soul of Alabama's defense Rashad Johnson, Barron filled in nicely leading the SEC in interceptions with 7. This season, he takes over as one of the leaders on a defense that lost 9 starters.

S - Rahim Moore - UCLA
Probably the best returning safety in the country. Led the nation last year with 10 interceptions. And ranked second in the country in passes defended. A fast ranger defender who can cover a lot of ground on the backside of a defense.

Honorable Mention: Jeron Johnson (Boise St.), Blake Gideon (Texas), Quinton Carter (Oklahoma), Jermale Hines (Ohio St.), Will Hill (Florida), Ahmad Black (Florida)


SPECIAL TEAMS

K - Grant Ressel - Missouri
Emerged last season from virtual obscurity to being named an All-American by most services at the end of last season. Has a big leg and is accurate (was 96.3% accurate last season). On top of that, he has ice water running through his veins as he displayed against Mizzou's arch-rival Kansas last season on his game winning field goal with no time remaining.

Honorable Mention: Wes Byrum (Auburn), Blair Walsh (Georgia), Joe Phillips (Utah), Kevin Goessling (Fresno St.), Kai Forbath (UCLA)

P - Chas Henry - Florida
Not really much to say other than this guy can pin you so far back into your endzone that you're in the endzone when you take your snap...and he can do it on a consistent basis. He was as much a part of Florida's success over the past few seasons as Tim Tebow and Brandon Spikes. He's the closest thing to a big name punter outside the Colquitt dynasty at Tennessee.

Honorable Mention: Rob Long (Syracuse), Peter Caldwell (Utah State), Drew Butler (Georgia)

KR/PR - T.Y. Hilton - Florida International
I got a chance to see this guy up close & personal last season and he's a PURE threat to score every time he touches the ball. I have him here for both punt returner and kick returner, but he's also an offensive threat! He's not the biggest guy in the world, but you won't find too many football players who are better.

Honorable Mention: Derrick Locke (Kentucky), Dennis Johnson (Arkansas), Warren Norman (Vanderbilt), Brandon Boykin (Georgia), Chris Owusu (Stanford)