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)

22 (Mark Ingram) days from Kickoff

And we're 22...22 Mark Ingram days away from the kickoff of college football. And today we salute Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram. Coming in with a highly touted signing class that featured the likes of Julio Jones, Terrence Cody, Dont'a Hightower, Mark Barron, and BJ Scott, Ingram wasn't an afterthought, but nobody could have predicted what he has done in just 2 short years at Bama. In just 2 seasons, he's managed to be put himself in the conversation of the best players to ever play in Tuscaloosa (that's saying a mouthful). Enjoy!

23 (Robby Green) Days Until Kickoff

And we're 23...23 days away from the kickoff of Alabama football. I'm taking this time to show Robby Green some love. Since he, unfortunately, is ineligible to play this season, this will probably be the last time you hear from him this season. I was expecting huge things from Robby this season, but unfortunately it'll have to wait until next year. Looking forward to it. Shouts out to you, Robby.

24 (Waine Bacon) Days Until Kickoff

Yeah...So I couldn't find any footage of Waine. I couldn't find any footage of a #24 from an earlier era (Tony Dixon) and I could've found some stuff on the latest #24 (Marquis Johnson), but that would've been too easy. Last year, as I was doing my countdown, I gave a spot to all teams as to remain unbiased. So in this spot last year, I had Carnell "Cadillac" Williams. And he's the easy pick for this one too. But I'm thinking I may keep the countdown Crimson this year. We'll see..So..no photos...no videos...just a shout out to Waine Bacon.

25 (Rolando McClain) Days from Kickoff

And we are 25...25 days away from the kickoff of college football. And today we salute the latest in the long line of Alabama greats at the linebacker position. When Rolando showed up on campus, I had a problem with his tackling form. He used his arms more than he did his body to bring a defender down. But what won me over was his effort in the 2007 loss to Auburn (our LAST loss to Auburn by the way). The game was virtually over. At least from watching the effort of some of the seniors you would think that the game was over. But McClain played his heart out...as if the game really meant something to him. I knew then that this passion (as you'll see at the 2:39 mark of the 2nd video below) coupled with his rare combination of size, speed, agility, strength, and just flat out high football IQ would make him one of the best to ever wear Crimson. Here's Ro in all his splendor




BONUS CLIP

26 (Bobby Humphrey) Days Until Kickoff

And we're 26..26 Bobby Humphrey days away from the kickoff of College Football. Today, we pay homage to Bobby Humphrey, one of the best running backs to ever wear Crimson. With Penn St. back on our schedule this season, I decided to post the video of the 1987 Bama vs. Penn St. game where Humphrey pulled off one of the greatest individual runs I've ever seen. Also in this video, you'll see the late, great Derrick Thomas and Sigma Man, Lamonde Russell (SU' 89,Theta Delta Chapter). In an ironic twist, it was Penn St. who was coming off a National Championship season and Bama visiting Happy Valley. This season, Bama's coming off of a national championship and Penn St. is visiting the Capstone. Hopefully Bama can get a W this season.




As a bonus, I wanted to show some love to the 28 and 27 guys that passed through over the weekend: Javier Arenas (28) and Siran Stacey (27).

Javier came to Alabama to play for Mike Shula at a time when nobody else wanted Arenas. Nobody had ever heard of the guy when his named first popped up on Bama's radar, but as soon as he stepped on the field as a freshman return man, you could see that he was just a football player. Fast forward 4 years, and he's not only one of the best Bama players in recent memory, but he's also made his mark in NCAA history. His knack for always being able to bring a spark to the team through his return ability as well as on defense will be sorely missed at Alabama.



As far as Siran Stacey is concerned, nothing that he has ever done on the field will surpass what he's been able to do as a man, as a human being. Being dealt one of the toughest hands in life that anyone could be dealt and turning it into a positive. 3 years later, it's still just as heartbreaking and gut wrenching to read about. I cannot fathom, nor do I ever want to know experience such a thing. Not enough can be said about the measure of a man that he is.

2009 Pre-Season All Mack Team in Review (Offense)

As they say, hindsight is always 20/20. Last season, I embarked on a meaningless journey of naming the first ever pre-season All-Mack team. In the early part of the season, I made the Sports Illustrated cover look like a 4-leaf clover as all of my guys it seemed were either getting hurt or having down seasons. Here is the 2009 pre-season All-Mack team in review:



OFFENSE


QB - Tim Tebow, Florida - After winning 2 national titles, and being touted as possibly the best college football player of all time, Tebow's sole mission was to come back for a chance at going undefeated, which he'd never done. He suffered a nasty and scary looking concussion against Kentucky and it pretty much spiraled down from there. The only time after that game that he looked like himself was in the Cincinnati game in the Sugar Bowl. Every other game, he looked very timid and less wreckless. Nobody will convince me that he wasn't rushed back before he was ready. As the season would have it, he threw 9 fewer TDs than 1 more INT and he was sacked more times in 2009 (29) than he was sacked in the previous 2 seasons (28). Seeing as how, win or lose, Tebow's senior season was nothing more than a final victory lap, I'd like to call last season a success. But since he didn't get his ultimate goal, maybe not.


HB - Jahvid Best, Cal - This was supposed to be Jahvid's finest hour. But he wound up missing the final 5 games of his college career due to quite possibly the scariest looking head/neck injury I've ever seen. When this injury occured I felt terrible for even picking him on the team. So if there's no pre-season All-Mack team this year, Jahvid Best is the reason why.


HB - Noel Devine, West Virginia - This is one that I got right. With Steve Slaton and Pat White both gone and not taking carries from him, Devine turned in his best season as a collegiate, racking up 1465 yards on the ground and 13 TDs. Here's a look back at Devine's 2009 campaign.

WR - Julio Jones, Alabama - With his breakout freshman season, no receiver in the country had higher expectations. And while, individually, Julio had a solid year, by his standards, it was a down year. This was mostly due to nagging injuries that kept him relegated to one side of the field as he couldn't cut in certain directions. Where he thrived though, was blocking up the field for his classmate, teammate, and 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram. Julio's defining moment of the 2009 season, though, was stepping up big time against hated in-state rival, Auburn. Trailing late in the 4th quarter and with Ingram on the sideline dinged up, Julio Jones became the ultimate possession receiver hauling in a number of short passes and keeping the chains moving. And even though Julio's year was down individually, any time your team wins a national championship, it can't be all that bad.

WR - Arrelious Benn, Illinois - This guy was an absolute enigma all season long. Much of it had to do with inconsistent play from the QB position, but Benn had his worst year as a collegian, hauling in only 38 passes for 490 yards. A bad season all the way around. I would love to show highlights, but there's really nothing to show. Benn had an awful season.

TE - Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma - Gresham's season was non-existent. He had a season ending knee injury in fall camp and never took the field in 2009. But on the strength of his performances in previous seasons, he still wound up being a 1st round draft pick for the Cincinnati Bengals. So it worked out for him.

OT - Ciron Black, LSU -Black was voted first team All-SEC post-season, but many observers, including LSU fans, didn't think he was deserving. I tend to agree with them. He, as many college tackles do, had struggles with the speed rush. And his run blocking was just ok. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers and moved to Guard.

OG - Mike Johnson, Alabama - Big Mike had a stellar season. He was the unquestioned leader of an offensive line that wound up winning the national championship and that didn't get called for a holding penalty all season long after the 2nd quarter of the 5th game of the season against Kentucky. He wound up signing with the Atlanta Falcons. Great season for Johnson.

C - Kristofer O'Dowd, USC - O'Dowd was all set to anchor a team that was vying to reclaim dominance in the Pac-10 and catapult back into the National title picture. But a series of crazy situations surrounding the program, coupled with this explanation from USC's official site, killed it all for him.

But he was slowed throughout the season by injuries, seeing action in just 8 games (starting 7). He missed the San Jose State opener after dislocating his right kneecap in 2009 fall camp, then started USC's next 5 games (Ohio State, Washington, Washington State, California, Notre Dame) before a sore shoulder and the lingering effects of his pre-season knee injury sidelined him for the next 3 contests (Oregon State, Oregon, Arizona State). He saw brief action against Stanford, didn't play versus UCLA and returned to the starting lineup against Arizona and Boston College. He missed 2009 spring drills while recuperating from shoulder surgery.

OG - Brandon Carter, Texas Tech -Speaking of crazy events, nothing could have been worse for Brandon Carter and the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Their coach wound up being fired over the way he handled certain situations, and it divided the locker room as well as the fan base & alumni. This was a no win situation for everybody. Terrible season for Carter and Texas Tech.

OT - John Jerry, Ole Miss - Before last season, America had annointed Ole Miss as the next big thing, the same way they're doing Arkansas this year (hilarious!!). As it turned out, Ole Miss's entire season was a complete flop, going 8-4 overall, 4-4 in the conference, and finishing 3rd in the SEC's Western division. Jerry, individually, had a pretty decent season, though. He wound up getting drafted by the Dolphins, getting moved to Right Guard, and he's gotten pretty good reviews thus far.

So I'll say that overall, the 2009 Pre-Season All-Mack Offensive team had a horrendous season with a bright spot here and there.
Defense & Special Teams review coming next week.

29 (Dennis Riddle) Days until Kickoff

Annnnnd so...We're back with the countdown. A little late this year but who cares, right? Today I honor one of the most underrated teams players in the history of the Crimson Tide. This wasn't Dennis's best game, but it was clearly his finest hour. The vision & body control on this play are unreal.

The Morning After: NBA Finals Wrap-Up

And so. The Lakers, last night, won their 16th NBA championship against their hated rival, the Boston Celtics. Here are my thoughts on the game, post-game, and so called legacies.

• First and foremost, a tip of the hat to the Lakers and their organization. Any time you can be the last one standing it's something to behold. And to be in the Finals for 3 straight years shows a commitment to excellence.
• Last night, the Lakers defeated their most difficult opponent: themselves. I don't think any team in the league this season was as talented as LA from top to bottom. But Kobe played almost the whole season needing surgery on his finger & ankle. Good for him. In the game last night, although the defense was great from both sides, the game was there for LA all night. Despite Boston's great defense, LA pounded them on the offensive glass and were it not for LA missing so many free throws, probably due to nerves, this game would've looked a lot different with LA controlling it from start to finish.
• Congrats to Ron Artest. I've always said that I wanted to see him & Lamar Odom do well, just based on the things that they've had to deal with in their lives outside of basketball. So shouts out to those two guys. The only thing that would've made it sweeter is if Stephon Marbury were on the team.
• Ron Artest's post game interview goes in the interview Hall of Fame. Right up there with Allen Iverson's "Practice", Jim Mora's "Playoffs", and Denny Green's "They are who we thought they were". Athletes around the world should take note..This is how you do a postgame interview. UPDATE: Apparently, Ron didn't let it stop there. He gave TMZ this great quote: "Screw Disneyland, I'm going to Compton." HAHAHAAHAHA...My man wore his entire uniform out to dinner. And he took his WHOLE family out with him. Gotta love Ron. ANOTHER UPDATE: The Artest legend just keeps on growing. It has been confirmed that Ron Artest was actually running along side the Celtics team bus screaming "Queensbridge". They should name 3 streets in the neighborhood after Ron, because NOBODY big ups their burrough more than Ron.
• Speaking of crazy ish, watching Rasheed Wallace play last night was frustrating. Because you saw that if he actually cared, he'd be a first ballot Hall of Famer. His post game is almost unstoppable. But after the game, both Doc Rivers & Ray Allen have confirmed that there were many tears shed in the Celtics' locker room. Well, apparently, Rasheed let his emotions get the best of him and stormed into the officials' locker room and had to be removed by security. Sheed said he just wanted to talk. WOW.
• As far as Boston is concerned, this may be the end of what could've been a modern day Celtics dynasty. Father time & injuries derailed it. I still contend that had KG's wheel not gone bad on him last year, this would be the 3rd year in a row that the two teams met in the Finals. But then again, if IF was a 5th we'd all be effed up...So no need to speak in terms of hypotheticals. The best years of KG, Ray Allen, Rasheed, and maybe Paul Pierce are in the rear view mirrors at this point. But they put up a valiant effort to take what they had to a Game 7 in the Finals. And from all of that has emerged one more name to throw in the mix with the game's elite point guards.
• That being said, let's not get caught up in the moment. The one thing I hate about the playoffs is the hyperbole from commentators. Rondo is not the best point guard in basketball. Chris Paul is. And if he weren't it would be Derron Williams..or Tony Paker..or Derrick Rose..and when did Jason Kidd retire? Rondo takes a back seat to all of them. And Pau Gasol the best big man in basketball? Are you kidding me? When did Dwight Howard stop playing? Even a withered Tim Duncan is still better. Chris Bosh's team is so irrelevant that he goes largely underappreciated. But give me a break with the Gasol being the best big man in the game. He may be the most skilled, but he benefits largely from playing on a great team. I haven't seen him deal with double teams consistently since he left Memphis.
• There's an old saying that a dog can howl at the moon all night long, but if the moon barks/howls back, the dog becomes famous. Kobe, had his chance to be the moon last night. But he blew it. His longstanding strained relationship with Shaquille O'Neal is well documented, but Kobe could have and SHOULD have been the bigger man, but he had to rub this one in Shaq's face. Actually called him out by name. Somebody on his PR team needs to tell him that sometimes you can say the most by saying nothing at all. But then again, his PR team was responsible for this. Somebody should be fired.
• And to kill this argument before it gets out of hand, Kobe is not Michael Jordan. There's only one Michael. As much as people think I hate Kobe, trust me when I tell you that my disdain for Jordan was exponentially greater. But I will give the devil his due. And Michael Jordan, Kobe is not. And he never will be. Not even close. A great player? Of course. The best of his generation? Absolutely. But compare and make cases as you may, what Michael was able to accomplish was not of this world.
• I can't say this enough, let's not be prisoners of the moment. Just because someone is the best player that YOU'VE seen, doesn't mean that he's the best ever. For example, Shaquille O'Neal is by far the most dominant big man I've ever seen play, but I didn't see Wilt play, I didn't see Russell play, and I didn't get to watch Kareem in his prime. For that reason, I won't ever say that Shaq is the best to ever do it. He's just the best I've ever seen. And to counter the inevitable argument about those guys in the past just being better physically than their opponents, look at it this way. 20 years from now when everybody on the court has LeBron's size & skillset, because of the bigger, faster, stronger evolution of athletes, in fairness, you won't be able to discount what Kobe's doing today. You have to give him his just due.
• And lastly, unless Kobe is retiring tomorrow, let's hold off on the talk about his legacy. It's unfair to compare his body of work before it's finished. Sure, it makes good water cooler talk, but nothing else beyond that. Let the man finish before we start trying to compare apples to apples.

And with that...is it football season yet?

Blame It (On the Goose)..

Or Stand By Your Man...whichever chart-topping song you want to use here. Just read the article below that says Grey Goose (yes...they specifically named the drink) made a woman think she was bulletproof...

and thus, she stood between a police officer's drawn gun and her boyfriend.

"However, his girlfriend, fueled by Grey Goose, apparently believed she
might be bulletproof, as she stood between the officers and the suspect and
ignored orders to move," according to the police account.
As officers tried
to hold the suspect at gunpoint the woman continued to place herself between her
boyfriend and the police. Eventually, another officer was able to pull the woman
away so the suspect could be arrested.

You need someone like this on your team. That's a down chick. I know my wife loves me, but I doubt she'd take it that far.

(Source)

Under-Aged Bristol Palin Clubbin in NY

The one downside to being the child or relative of a public figure, especially a political figure, is that someone is ALWAYS watching. And in Bristol's case, she (and her, then, unborn child) were thrust into the limelight at a knee-jerk pace. Read below to see her latest.

Miss Palin may have spent Wednesday morning celebrating the National Day to
Prevent Teen Pregnancy — but she spent Wednesday evening fretting that her cover
would be blown at NYC hot spot 1Oak.
"Bristol was there around 1
a.m. with friends," a partygoer says. "She was trying to have fun, but she
looked like she was terrified that people would recognize her and start gawking.
It seems like she couldn't even relax." A second denizen of the club
backed up the sighting.
We can't blame Bristol for being nervous: After
spending all day at events like "The Harsh Truth: Teen Moms Tell All" — and
tirelessly promoting her new good-girl image — showing up at a 21-and-over venue
may not have been the best idea.

And things like this really may hurt her mother's chances of being anything other than an ex-governor, talk show host, and author. But then again, Bill Clinton's brother was a Klansman and George W. Bush's daughters got slushed on the regular in public (got it from daddy) and they both served two terms. So hey...this might actually help her cause.

(Source)

Is This What's Hot in the Streets?

Been a while, but I'm BACK! (Who knows for how long, though?) My comeback was inspired by something that I saw on these internets that really took me aback. So.....this guy, Terrelle...well...read the letter below for yourself.



I have several questions: 1) I've admittedly been out of the love letter writing business for at least 12 years or so, but is this what's hot in the streets?!?! 2) Is my man writing this from jail? 3) Is this really a guy? The penmanship screams female. 4) What's really going on with the English & Grammar teachers in the Denver [as he referenced in the letter] school systems? Not one punctuation. Sentences were running on like traffic with no stop signs. 5) Is it possible to be in love with someone, but still want to meet their "little freaky a$$ friend"?, and finally 6) Dude, are you serious?!?

I'm no Heathcliffe Huxtable, but I don't fancy myself as the dad from the Wonder Years either. But if I EVER find something like this written to my daughter or written to some young lady from my son, please trust that I'll be arrested for assault.


(Source)