Check the Longview News-Journal Web site Wednesday for my 2008 college football predictions column.
I know you'll all be riveted by the picks. Read and respond.
And do the same with this blog, if you don't mind.
-
Monday, August 25, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Don't mess with this guy ...
Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo is a grown man. ESPN.com's Bruce Feldman ranked the nation's top 10 workout warriors in a recent Web article. Here's the link:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?id=3420212
Orakpo's No. 1 on Feldman's list. Orakpo arrived at Texas at 210 pounds. He's now a 253-pound beast with 8 percent body fat and a 4.6 time in the 40.
But get this ... he benches 515, power cleans 380, lifts 100-pound kettlebells and 180-pound dumbbells ... and has a 42-inch vertical.
That's simply not fair for somebody that big and strong to run a 4.6 and have a 42-inch vertical.
It's official: 2008 Preseason Top 10
I sat here for a while trying to rank the top 25 college football teams in the United States of America entering the 2008 season.
Well, after about 10 or 12, I realized it a pointless venture. To me, it looks like the 2008 season could be a top-heavy one; meaning, the top 10 or 12 teams in the country may indeed be legit, but beyond that ... let's just say there's much to be desired.
I'd like to point out beforehand --- if that's a word --- that my preseason Top 10 shan't reflect my national championship pick. That's coming, football fans. Don't you worry. Instead, this poll ranks the best teams in the country based on the 22 players who will take the field on offense and defense during the opening weekend of the season. In other words, my national champion pick, which should be revealed during the coming days and is different from my premature pick published in Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine, will be based on more than just talent: schedule, possible 13th game because of conference championship games, existing injuries entering the season, etc.
Without further adieu, here's Gabriel D. Brooks's 2008 Preseason Top 10:
1.Georgia
- The Bulldogs will feature one of the best backfields in the nation with junior QB Matthew Stafford and sophomore running back Knowshon Moreno, who both have the possibility of being Heisman Trophy candidates. Mohamed Massaquoi should be Stafford's top target. The biggest hurdle on offense will be overcoming left tackle Trinton Sturdivant's season-ending knee injury. After all, somebody's gotta protect Stafford's blind side.
Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens will give the Dawgs a strong duo on the interior of the defensive line, and LB Dannell Ellerbe and S C.J. Byrd are veterans in the defense's second and third levels.
2.USC
- They're back again. The best coach in the country loses his starting quarterback (John David Booty) and two NFL-caliber defensive linemen (Sedrick Ellis and Lawrence Jackson). So what does Pete Carroll do?
Reload.
Mark Sanchez should get the first crack at replacing Booty, and Arkansas transfer Mitch Mustain is waiting in the wings if Sanchez is unsuccessful. Doubt that, though. Joe McKnight is set to become Reggie Bush No. 2, while Vidal Hazelton and Patrick Turner are poised to live up to the hype they created as top-flight recruits.
USC's defense will be even better despite losing Ellis and Jackson. Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing anchor the D from their linebacker spots, and Taylor Mays, a 6-3, 226-pound safety, is cut from the same cloth as late, great former Hurricane safety Sean Taylor.
3.Florida
- I present to you the most explosive offense in the United States of America. Yes, even after losing senior tight end Cornelius Ingram for the season with a torn ACL.
Tim Tebow is the Heisman frontrunner after winning it last year, and if Percy Harvin can get back to 100 percent from his offseason heel surgery, look out. Harvin is the single-most dynamic playmaker in the country.
The question for this team is defense. A very green unit last season was exposed against LSU late, Georgia throughout, and shamefully against Michigan. Add to that starting safety Dorian Munroe's season-ending knee injury in fall camp, and Florida must get more production from a front four that lost first-round pick Derrick Harvey. Gator ends Jermaine Cunningham and Carlos Dunlap could be special, and linebackers Brandon Spikes and Dustin Doe are established stalwarts. The front seven must be solid to take pressure off the defensive backs.
4.Oklahoma
- The Sooners should be at least as explosive offensively as they were last year, when redshirt freshman QB Sam Bradford set all kinds of school records. Receiver Malcolm Kelly and RB Allen Patrick are gone, but wideout Juaquin Iglesia, TE Jermaine Gresham, and RB DeMarco Murry probably have more big-play potential. Throw in what may be the best offensive line in the nation with guard Duke Robinson and tackle Phil Loadholt, and the Sooners should short-circuit scoreboards.
Defensively, Oklahoma has a top-three defensive line with end Auston English and tackles Gerald McCoy and DeMarcus Granger. Former LB Curtis Lofton's leadership must be replaced, and Reggie Smith's play in the secondary and special teams will be missed.
5.Ohio State
- Everyone's sick of seeing the Buckeyes, but they've got a lot of starters back from a team that played in the national championship game for the second straight year.
Todd Boeckman's back at QB. Yes, he survived the mid-air decapitation courtesy former LSU linebacker Ali Highsmith in January's BCS National Championship. Chris "Beanie" Wells may be the best all-around back in the country and will be a legitimate Heisman contender. Boeckman's top receivers, Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline, are back, although neither showed the ability to make a down-field play against LSU's athletic secondary.
The nation's top linebacker returns in James Laurinaitis. Vernon Gholston's pass-rushing presence will be missed, but Ohio State is always strong up front. Marcus Freeman joins Laurinaitis at LB, and Malcolm Jenkins returns at CB for his senior and will lead a solid secondary. This team should march through the Big 10 again.
6.Missouri
- Gone are RB Tony Temple and TE Martin Rucker. So what? The Tigers have Heisman finalist QB Chase Daniel, all-purpose player Jeremy Maclin, and TE Chase Coffman back to lead one of the country's best offenses. Nothing to worry about on offense.
As for defense, a lot of people underrate Mizzou. LB Sean Weatherspoon and S William Moore give the Tigers a veteran presence. But for Missouri to make a run at another BCS bowl game, the Tigers must become more consistent defensively, specifically acquiring the ability to win games with their defense if their offense sputters here or there.
7.West Virginia
- Dual-threat QB Pat White returns to guide the Mountaineer offense for the third straight season. White is the absolute definition of dual-threat QB, too. Being left-handed throws another dimension into his game that defenses must account for.
Steve Slaton and Owen Schmitt are gone from WVa's backfield, but diminutive and deceptive tailback Noel Devine is right there to take over. Devine will be a household name by the end of 2008. Just wait. He's as game-changingly dynamic as any back in the country, nevermind the fact that he's 5-8 and about 175. If you thought Slaton was awesome in the spread option, just get ready for Devine.
The Mountaineers will need him to be, too. They're under new head coach Bill Stewart after Rich Rodriguez's departure for Michigan, and we all know how questionable the WVa defense can be.
8.Auburn
- Tommy Tuberville, the nation's most underrated head coach, is getting more and more talent to work with each year. The Tigers will have Brad Lester, Ben Tate, and Mario Fannin to choose from at tailback, while Chris Todd and Kodi Burns will share time at quarterback in new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin's tempo-emphasizing spread. This should be a fun offense to watch, something Auburn is rarely accused of.
On defense, Auburn will be Auburn. Strong. Even though losing Quentin Groves to the pros hurts, the bigger loss is Texas buying defensive coordinator Will Muschamp's services. Nevertheless, Antonio Coleman and Sen'Derrick Marks are playmakers on the front line. Marks is moving inside from his old end spot and should wreak havoc. He's a first-round pick waiting to happen. LB Tray Blackmon appears to have put his injury woes behind him, and he'll be one of the best in the SEC. The only question for Auburn defensively is depth in the secondary. DB Airon Savage tore up a knee in fall camp, and he was going to be relied upon for some leadership.
9.LSU
- If Ryan Perrilloux was still on this team, the Bayou Bengals would be sitting in the top four and poised for a run at back-to-back national titles. Alas, the titanic bust of a quarterback recruit couldn't stay out of trouble, and he'll be playing his ball for powerhouse Jacksonville State this year. So LSU is left with a Harvard JV transfer (Andrew Hatch), a redshirt freshman (Jarrett Lee), and a true freshman (Jordan Jefferson) to choose from at quarterback.
Whoever wins the QB job will have plenty of talent around him, despite the losses of Jacob Hester and Early Doucet. The tailback position is loaded: Charles Scott, Richard Murphy, Keiland Williams, and Trindon Holliday. Brandon LaFell, Demetrius Byrd, and Terrance Tolliver are back at wideout, and Richard Dickson's just entering his junior season as the Tigers' tight end. LSU may also have the best offensive line in the SEC.
What LSU certainly has is the best defensive line in the SEC, and probably the country. Tyson Jackson and Kirston Pittman are back at the ends, while the departure of the most decorated defensive player in the history of LSU's program --- Glenn Dorsey --- has opened up a fierce competition for time at DT among Ricky Jean-Francois, Marlon Favorite, Charles Alexander, Al Woods, and Drake Nevis. LB Darry Beckwith and safeties Curtis Taylor, Chad Jones, and Harry Coleman are back, but not having S Craig Steltz and CBs Chevis Jackson and Jonathon Zenon will give the Tigers some early growing pains in the secondary.
10.Texas
- I feel there's a significant drop from ninth to 10th. I labored over who to put at No. 10, and had Virginia Tech there until the last minute.
Texas's wealth of talent gives it the nod over the Hokies for the 10th spot. QB Colt McCoy must shake his 18-interception sophomore performance and return to his freshman form. Personally, I think he should run less. If Texas wants to run, it should give the ball to John Chiles more in the shotgun.
Foswhitt Whitaker, Vondrell McGee, and Chris Ogbannaya are battling for the starting tailback spot. From everything I've read, such as ESPN.com's Tim Griffin's Big 12 blog, Whitaker's the home-run hitter, McGee's the bruiser, and Ogbannaya's the experienced pass-catcher. I think Whitaker and McGee, a former Longview Lobo star, have better chances than Ogbannaya, although he could easily find himself in the game on every third down.
Quan Cosby and Jordan Shipley give Texas experienced, sure-handed wideouts, but they're not big playmakers. Texas doesn't have a David Thomas at TE this year, either.
The Longhorns' biggest improvement will come on defense, where Will Muschamp, the nation's best D-coordinator, takes over. Brian Orakpo should have a monster season at end, and former Kilgore star Eddie Jones will get a shot opposite him. The linebackers should be strong with Sergio Kindle, Rashad Bobino, and former Hallsville star Roddrick Muckleroy. The secondary must improve on its 100-plus national ranking from a year ago.
Well, after about 10 or 12, I realized it a pointless venture. To me, it looks like the 2008 season could be a top-heavy one; meaning, the top 10 or 12 teams in the country may indeed be legit, but beyond that ... let's just say there's much to be desired.
I'd like to point out beforehand --- if that's a word --- that my preseason Top 10 shan't reflect my national championship pick. That's coming, football fans. Don't you worry. Instead, this poll ranks the best teams in the country based on the 22 players who will take the field on offense and defense during the opening weekend of the season. In other words, my national champion pick, which should be revealed during the coming days and is different from my premature pick published in Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine, will be based on more than just talent: schedule, possible 13th game because of conference championship games, existing injuries entering the season, etc.
Without further adieu, here's Gabriel D. Brooks's 2008 Preseason Top 10:
1.Georgia
- The Bulldogs will feature one of the best backfields in the nation with junior QB Matthew Stafford and sophomore running back Knowshon Moreno, who both have the possibility of being Heisman Trophy candidates. Mohamed Massaquoi should be Stafford's top target. The biggest hurdle on offense will be overcoming left tackle Trinton Sturdivant's season-ending knee injury. After all, somebody's gotta protect Stafford's blind side.
Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens will give the Dawgs a strong duo on the interior of the defensive line, and LB Dannell Ellerbe and S C.J. Byrd are veterans in the defense's second and third levels.
2.USC
- They're back again. The best coach in the country loses his starting quarterback (John David Booty) and two NFL-caliber defensive linemen (Sedrick Ellis and Lawrence Jackson). So what does Pete Carroll do?
Reload.
Mark Sanchez should get the first crack at replacing Booty, and Arkansas transfer Mitch Mustain is waiting in the wings if Sanchez is unsuccessful. Doubt that, though. Joe McKnight is set to become Reggie Bush No. 2, while Vidal Hazelton and Patrick Turner are poised to live up to the hype they created as top-flight recruits.
USC's defense will be even better despite losing Ellis and Jackson. Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing anchor the D from their linebacker spots, and Taylor Mays, a 6-3, 226-pound safety, is cut from the same cloth as late, great former Hurricane safety Sean Taylor.
3.Florida
- I present to you the most explosive offense in the United States of America. Yes, even after losing senior tight end Cornelius Ingram for the season with a torn ACL.
Tim Tebow is the Heisman frontrunner after winning it last year, and if Percy Harvin can get back to 100 percent from his offseason heel surgery, look out. Harvin is the single-most dynamic playmaker in the country.
The question for this team is defense. A very green unit last season was exposed against LSU late, Georgia throughout, and shamefully against Michigan. Add to that starting safety Dorian Munroe's season-ending knee injury in fall camp, and Florida must get more production from a front four that lost first-round pick Derrick Harvey. Gator ends Jermaine Cunningham and Carlos Dunlap could be special, and linebackers Brandon Spikes and Dustin Doe are established stalwarts. The front seven must be solid to take pressure off the defensive backs.
4.Oklahoma
- The Sooners should be at least as explosive offensively as they were last year, when redshirt freshman QB Sam Bradford set all kinds of school records. Receiver Malcolm Kelly and RB Allen Patrick are gone, but wideout Juaquin Iglesia, TE Jermaine Gresham, and RB DeMarco Murry probably have more big-play potential. Throw in what may be the best offensive line in the nation with guard Duke Robinson and tackle Phil Loadholt, and the Sooners should short-circuit scoreboards.
Defensively, Oklahoma has a top-three defensive line with end Auston English and tackles Gerald McCoy and DeMarcus Granger. Former LB Curtis Lofton's leadership must be replaced, and Reggie Smith's play in the secondary and special teams will be missed.
5.Ohio State
- Everyone's sick of seeing the Buckeyes, but they've got a lot of starters back from a team that played in the national championship game for the second straight year.
Todd Boeckman's back at QB. Yes, he survived the mid-air decapitation courtesy former LSU linebacker Ali Highsmith in January's BCS National Championship. Chris "Beanie" Wells may be the best all-around back in the country and will be a legitimate Heisman contender. Boeckman's top receivers, Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline, are back, although neither showed the ability to make a down-field play against LSU's athletic secondary.
The nation's top linebacker returns in James Laurinaitis. Vernon Gholston's pass-rushing presence will be missed, but Ohio State is always strong up front. Marcus Freeman joins Laurinaitis at LB, and Malcolm Jenkins returns at CB for his senior and will lead a solid secondary. This team should march through the Big 10 again.
6.Missouri
- Gone are RB Tony Temple and TE Martin Rucker. So what? The Tigers have Heisman finalist QB Chase Daniel, all-purpose player Jeremy Maclin, and TE Chase Coffman back to lead one of the country's best offenses. Nothing to worry about on offense.
As for defense, a lot of people underrate Mizzou. LB Sean Weatherspoon and S William Moore give the Tigers a veteran presence. But for Missouri to make a run at another BCS bowl game, the Tigers must become more consistent defensively, specifically acquiring the ability to win games with their defense if their offense sputters here or there.
7.West Virginia
- Dual-threat QB Pat White returns to guide the Mountaineer offense for the third straight season. White is the absolute definition of dual-threat QB, too. Being left-handed throws another dimension into his game that defenses must account for.
Steve Slaton and Owen Schmitt are gone from WVa's backfield, but diminutive and deceptive tailback Noel Devine is right there to take over. Devine will be a household name by the end of 2008. Just wait. He's as game-changingly dynamic as any back in the country, nevermind the fact that he's 5-8 and about 175. If you thought Slaton was awesome in the spread option, just get ready for Devine.
The Mountaineers will need him to be, too. They're under new head coach Bill Stewart after Rich Rodriguez's departure for Michigan, and we all know how questionable the WVa defense can be.
8.Auburn
- Tommy Tuberville, the nation's most underrated head coach, is getting more and more talent to work with each year. The Tigers will have Brad Lester, Ben Tate, and Mario Fannin to choose from at tailback, while Chris Todd and Kodi Burns will share time at quarterback in new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin's tempo-emphasizing spread. This should be a fun offense to watch, something Auburn is rarely accused of.
On defense, Auburn will be Auburn. Strong. Even though losing Quentin Groves to the pros hurts, the bigger loss is Texas buying defensive coordinator Will Muschamp's services. Nevertheless, Antonio Coleman and Sen'Derrick Marks are playmakers on the front line. Marks is moving inside from his old end spot and should wreak havoc. He's a first-round pick waiting to happen. LB Tray Blackmon appears to have put his injury woes behind him, and he'll be one of the best in the SEC. The only question for Auburn defensively is depth in the secondary. DB Airon Savage tore up a knee in fall camp, and he was going to be relied upon for some leadership.
9.LSU
- If Ryan Perrilloux was still on this team, the Bayou Bengals would be sitting in the top four and poised for a run at back-to-back national titles. Alas, the titanic bust of a quarterback recruit couldn't stay out of trouble, and he'll be playing his ball for powerhouse Jacksonville State this year. So LSU is left with a Harvard JV transfer (Andrew Hatch), a redshirt freshman (Jarrett Lee), and a true freshman (Jordan Jefferson) to choose from at quarterback.
Whoever wins the QB job will have plenty of talent around him, despite the losses of Jacob Hester and Early Doucet. The tailback position is loaded: Charles Scott, Richard Murphy, Keiland Williams, and Trindon Holliday. Brandon LaFell, Demetrius Byrd, and Terrance Tolliver are back at wideout, and Richard Dickson's just entering his junior season as the Tigers' tight end. LSU may also have the best offensive line in the SEC.
What LSU certainly has is the best defensive line in the SEC, and probably the country. Tyson Jackson and Kirston Pittman are back at the ends, while the departure of the most decorated defensive player in the history of LSU's program --- Glenn Dorsey --- has opened up a fierce competition for time at DT among Ricky Jean-Francois, Marlon Favorite, Charles Alexander, Al Woods, and Drake Nevis. LB Darry Beckwith and safeties Curtis Taylor, Chad Jones, and Harry Coleman are back, but not having S Craig Steltz and CBs Chevis Jackson and Jonathon Zenon will give the Tigers some early growing pains in the secondary.
10.Texas
- I feel there's a significant drop from ninth to 10th. I labored over who to put at No. 10, and had Virginia Tech there until the last minute.
Texas's wealth of talent gives it the nod over the Hokies for the 10th spot. QB Colt McCoy must shake his 18-interception sophomore performance and return to his freshman form. Personally, I think he should run less. If Texas wants to run, it should give the ball to John Chiles more in the shotgun.
Foswhitt Whitaker, Vondrell McGee, and Chris Ogbannaya are battling for the starting tailback spot. From everything I've read, such as ESPN.com's Tim Griffin's Big 12 blog, Whitaker's the home-run hitter, McGee's the bruiser, and Ogbannaya's the experienced pass-catcher. I think Whitaker and McGee, a former Longview Lobo star, have better chances than Ogbannaya, although he could easily find himself in the game on every third down.
Quan Cosby and Jordan Shipley give Texas experienced, sure-handed wideouts, but they're not big playmakers. Texas doesn't have a David Thomas at TE this year, either.
The Longhorns' biggest improvement will come on defense, where Will Muschamp, the nation's best D-coordinator, takes over. Brian Orakpo should have a monster season at end, and former Kilgore star Eddie Jones will get a shot opposite him. The linebackers should be strong with Sergio Kindle, Rashad Bobino, and former Hallsville star Roddrick Muckleroy. The secondary must improve on its 100-plus national ranking from a year ago.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Sign of the times ...
When aspiring young journalists attended the University of North Texas's Journalism School from 2003 through 2005, professors cynically, yet playfully warned them to all major in something else and follow another career path.
Three years after the exact day I graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in News Writing: Editorial, the paper I've worked for for the first three years of my burgeoning sports journalism career is put put on the market by the corporate mothership, Cox Enterprises.
Wednesday, August 13, 2005 was the day Cox announced it was selling ...
- Austin American Statesman
- Austin community newspapers
- Waco Tribune Herald
- Longview News-Journal (my shop)
- Lufkin Daily News
- Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel
- Marshall News Messenger
- Three North Carolina community newspapers, and
- Grand Junction (Colo.) Daily Sentinel
Cox Enterprises retains the mothership, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, as well as the Palm Beach Post, Dayton Daily News, and a few surrounding Dayton community papers.
The AJC's hemorrhaging money. It and the PBP have made drastic employee buyouts/cuts. Metro newspapers are failing. The increase in online advertising revenue isn't enough to make up for the precipitous fall in print ad revenue. A real-life "Office Space" is occurring across the United States.
What does this mean for me?
Well, Cox is trying to sell us, along with Marshall, Nac, Lufkin, and Waco, as a package to a potential buyer. Problem is there's no potential buyer yet. Or maybe that's a good thing. The chances of being sold by a good media company, then being bought by another good media company in this day and age is highly unlikely. Of course, the companies in decent shape are theoretically the only ones who could afford to buy newspapers right now.
My only concerns are ...
- No longer being in the chain with Austin, one of my ultimate destination papers
- The possibility of being bought by a company such as Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.
- Losing the solid benefits package Cox gives its employees
- Having that solid benefits package replaced by something significantly worse, a very possible outcome
To be clear, I'm not worried. After all, The Bible says "Let tomorrow worry about itself." The past month has been a time of immense spiritual growth for me, and I know more than ever that I'm blessed to have anything and everything that I have. I know God's taking care of me no matter, so I'm not at all stressed about this.
To give myself options, though, I have to think about, not stress about, the possibilities. Maybe this, combined with being the runner-up for a job I really wanted two months ago, is a sign from The Good Lord that my future may wind up quite different than I've thought it would for quite some time now? Not that I reject that concept; I want to follow The Lord's will, and the possibility of finding something new even sounds kinda fun.
So I have to ask myself: How long do I want to stay in this field? Do I want to just ride this out and see what happens? Or should I start peppering the Southern United States with my resume, hoping to catch on somewhere else before something really bad - that may or may not happen - happens in Longview? Do I go back to school, get a master's in history or journalism and start aiming to teach in college?
Or do I just go get my teaching certificate and start my high school basketball/football coaching career? A close friend of mine just did this ... am I next?
Three years after the exact day I graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in News Writing: Editorial, the paper I've worked for for the first three years of my burgeoning sports journalism career is put put on the market by the corporate mothership, Cox Enterprises.
Wednesday, August 13, 2005 was the day Cox announced it was selling ...
- Austin American Statesman
- Austin community newspapers
- Waco Tribune Herald
- Longview News-Journal (my shop)
- Lufkin Daily News
- Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel
- Marshall News Messenger
- Three North Carolina community newspapers, and
- Grand Junction (Colo.) Daily Sentinel
Cox Enterprises retains the mothership, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, as well as the Palm Beach Post, Dayton Daily News, and a few surrounding Dayton community papers.
The AJC's hemorrhaging money. It and the PBP have made drastic employee buyouts/cuts. Metro newspapers are failing. The increase in online advertising revenue isn't enough to make up for the precipitous fall in print ad revenue. A real-life "Office Space" is occurring across the United States.
What does this mean for me?
Well, Cox is trying to sell us, along with Marshall, Nac, Lufkin, and Waco, as a package to a potential buyer. Problem is there's no potential buyer yet. Or maybe that's a good thing. The chances of being sold by a good media company, then being bought by another good media company in this day and age is highly unlikely. Of course, the companies in decent shape are theoretically the only ones who could afford to buy newspapers right now.
My only concerns are ...
- No longer being in the chain with Austin, one of my ultimate destination papers
- The possibility of being bought by a company such as Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.
- Losing the solid benefits package Cox gives its employees
- Having that solid benefits package replaced by something significantly worse, a very possible outcome
To be clear, I'm not worried. After all, The Bible says "Let tomorrow worry about itself." The past month has been a time of immense spiritual growth for me, and I know more than ever that I'm blessed to have anything and everything that I have. I know God's taking care of me no matter, so I'm not at all stressed about this.
To give myself options, though, I have to think about, not stress about, the possibilities. Maybe this, combined with being the runner-up for a job I really wanted two months ago, is a sign from The Good Lord that my future may wind up quite different than I've thought it would for quite some time now? Not that I reject that concept; I want to follow The Lord's will, and the possibility of finding something new even sounds kinda fun.
So I have to ask myself: How long do I want to stay in this field? Do I want to just ride this out and see what happens? Or should I start peppering the Southern United States with my resume, hoping to catch on somewhere else before something really bad - that may or may not happen - happens in Longview? Do I go back to school, get a master's in history or journalism and start aiming to teach in college?
Or do I just go get my teaching certificate and start my high school basketball/football coaching career? A close friend of mine just did this ... am I next?
Monday, August 11, 2008
SEC injuries piling up
Florida's Cornelius Ingram. Georgia's Trinton Sturdivant. Ole Miss' Greg Hardy.
The studs are falling right and left. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Chip Towers reported Monday night that Georgia coach Mark Richt ain't too fired up about Sturdivant's status.
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/uga/stories/2008/08/11/georgia_lineman_injury.html
This would be a huge blow for Georgia. Already facing what is probably the nation's top schedule, the last thing Georgia needs is to lose its starting left tackle and personal protector of QB Matt Stafford.
The injuries to Ingram and Sturdivant are bad, but Hardy missing six to eight weeks is equally as bad. Hardy is the most talented defensive player on the Rebels' roster, and first-year coach Houston Nutt can ill afford to lose any defensive playmakers when breaking in an entirely new backfield in QB Jevan Snead and RB Enrique Davis.
http://www.olemisssports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&ATCLID=1552836&DB_OEM_ID=2600
Big ups to ESPN.com's Chris Low. His SEC blog is my No. 1 Internet destination each day. If you want to bask in its glory, check it out here.
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/sec?lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos1
The studs are falling right and left. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Chip Towers reported Monday night that Georgia coach Mark Richt ain't too fired up about Sturdivant's status.
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/uga/stories/2008/08/11/georgia_lineman_injury.html
This would be a huge blow for Georgia. Already facing what is probably the nation's top schedule, the last thing Georgia needs is to lose its starting left tackle and personal protector of QB Matt Stafford.
The injuries to Ingram and Sturdivant are bad, but Hardy missing six to eight weeks is equally as bad. Hardy is the most talented defensive player on the Rebels' roster, and first-year coach Houston Nutt can ill afford to lose any defensive playmakers when breaking in an entirely new backfield in QB Jevan Snead and RB Enrique Davis.
http://www.olemisssports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&ATCLID=1552836&DB_OEM_ID=2600
Big ups to ESPN.com's Chris Low. His SEC blog is my No. 1 Internet destination each day. If you want to bask in its glory, check it out here.
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/sec?lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos1
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Three Questions
Football season, ladies and gentlemen, is here.
I know I just finished posting my final New Orleans blog, something I dragged out longer than I anticipated, but I've got to get some football action on this bad boy.
So, perhaps periodically I'll present a trio of football queries pertinent to the current atmosphere of collegiate football. Maybe I'll come up with a catchier name than just "three questions."
1.Who will be the SEC's most dominant defensive lineman?
Gone is LSU's Glenn Dorsey, the most decorated defensive player in the history of the Tiger program. Gone is Auburn's Quentin Groves, a fierce edge rusher who may be a hybrid linebacker this year in the NFL.
Fear not. The country's fastest, deepest, and most talented conference will have plenty of able-bodied defensive linemen in 2008. Here's who to look out for this season ...
Sen'Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn - Moving to the edge from defensive tackle, Marks should have Auburn fans screaming War Eagle as often as Groves did last season. Marks has first-round pick written all over him. ESPN NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. believes Marks could be a top-five pick in next April's draft.
Greg Hardy, DE, Ole Miss - 63 tackles and 10 sacks made him a Walter Camp second-team all-America pick last season. Hardy, who will be just a junior, will lead a strong Rebel front seven that includes DT Peria Jerry.
Demonte' Bolden, DT, Tennessee - Following in a long line of Volunteer defensive lineman, Bolden joins LB Rico McCoy and S Eric Berry as Phil Fulmer's top defensive playmakers.
Ricky Jean-Francois, DT, and Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU - Lose Glenn Dorsey? As Friday's Rivals.com story points out, if anybody in the nation can afford to lose a Dorsey, it's LSU, which is primed to insert its next wave of stud defensive linemen into the limelight. LSU could have the nation's best defensive line - again. Jean-Francois played only two games, but earned BCS title Defensive Player of the Game in the process. Jackson only had 3.5 sacks last season, but had 8.5 as a sophomore. With a strong senior season, he could be a first-round pick. Add Kirston Pittman, Al Woods, Charles Alexander, Drake Nevis, and Marlon Favorite to this duo, and they're just a few more reasons LSU is Defensive Lineman U.
(Jean-Francois)
Jermaine Cunningham, DE, Florida - You're looking at the leader of what should be an improved and more experienced Gator front in 2008. A year after having the nation's best defensive line and winning the national title, last year was a work-in-progress for Florida, but Cunningham should follow up his 64-tackle, 6.5-sack sophomore campaign with another impressive year.
(Cunningham)
2.Which new coach on the Brazos will have the more immediate impact?
Mike Sherman takes over at Texas A&M. Art Briles is running the show at Baylor. Sherman has more to work with, but Briles has more ground to make up on the competition. Briles' shotgun-based offense is not too different from the pass-happy attack Guy Morriss had employed in Waco, but as ESPN.com's Tim Griffin wrote Thursday in his Big 12 blog, expect the Bears to run the ball more under Briles.
Texas A&M, on the other hand, will pass more. Griffin's play analysis revealed that, among Big 12 teams in 2007, only Oklahoma State ran the ball as much as Texas A&M (60.5 percent of its plays). Sherman's pro experience will usher in a balanced, pro-style offense with Stephen McGee running less, Mike Goodson running more, and McGee working almost exclusively under center.
All that said, since Briles has more work to do, and because he's more familiar with the recent world of college football, Briles will have a more immediate impact.
3.How will Cornelius Ingram's season-ending knee injury affect Florida?
News of Ingram's torn anterior cruciate ligament spread quickly across the college football InterWeb late Thursday. I read about it in ESPN.com's Chris Low's SEC blog, which is another excellent example of ESPN finally doing something right journalistically by hiring experienced newspaper writers to head their Blog Network college football coverage.
Ingram caught more than 500 yards worth of passes last year, including seven touchdowns. As Low emphasized, Ingram was money on third downs. He's the perfect safety valve for a quarterback.
(Ingram, #7)
Without him, I believe Florida's offense will be greatly hampered, enough to probably cost them a couple of spots in my preseason Top 25. Not only will Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow not have Ingram to bail him out at times, but more production will be needed from already-injured star Percy Harvin, Florida's version of Reggie Bush. Harvin's recovering form offseason heel surgery, but, again, as Low pointed out, isn't progressing as the Gators had hoped. A player who uses speed and agility as much as Harvin can't afford to not play at 100 percent.
In summary, losing Ingram robs Florida of a huge offensive dimension. It will prove costly at some point.
I know I just finished posting my final New Orleans blog, something I dragged out longer than I anticipated, but I've got to get some football action on this bad boy.
So, perhaps periodically I'll present a trio of football queries pertinent to the current atmosphere of collegiate football. Maybe I'll come up with a catchier name than just "three questions."
1.Who will be the SEC's most dominant defensive lineman?
Gone is LSU's Glenn Dorsey, the most decorated defensive player in the history of the Tiger program. Gone is Auburn's Quentin Groves, a fierce edge rusher who may be a hybrid linebacker this year in the NFL.
Fear not. The country's fastest, deepest, and most talented conference will have plenty of able-bodied defensive linemen in 2008. Here's who to look out for this season ...
Sen'Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn - Moving to the edge from defensive tackle, Marks should have Auburn fans screaming War Eagle as often as Groves did last season. Marks has first-round pick written all over him. ESPN NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. believes Marks could be a top-five pick in next April's draft.
Greg Hardy, DE, Ole Miss - 63 tackles and 10 sacks made him a Walter Camp second-team all-America pick last season. Hardy, who will be just a junior, will lead a strong Rebel front seven that includes DT Peria Jerry.
Demonte' Bolden, DT, Tennessee - Following in a long line of Volunteer defensive lineman, Bolden joins LB Rico McCoy and S Eric Berry as Phil Fulmer's top defensive playmakers.
Ricky Jean-Francois, DT, and Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU - Lose Glenn Dorsey? As Friday's Rivals.com story points out, if anybody in the nation can afford to lose a Dorsey, it's LSU, which is primed to insert its next wave of stud defensive linemen into the limelight. LSU could have the nation's best defensive line - again. Jean-Francois played only two games, but earned BCS title Defensive Player of the Game in the process. Jackson only had 3.5 sacks last season, but had 8.5 as a sophomore. With a strong senior season, he could be a first-round pick. Add Kirston Pittman, Al Woods, Charles Alexander, Drake Nevis, and Marlon Favorite to this duo, and they're just a few more reasons LSU is Defensive Lineman U.
(Jean-Francois)
Jermaine Cunningham, DE, Florida - You're looking at the leader of what should be an improved and more experienced Gator front in 2008. A year after having the nation's best defensive line and winning the national title, last year was a work-in-progress for Florida, but Cunningham should follow up his 64-tackle, 6.5-sack sophomore campaign with another impressive year.
(Cunningham)
2.Which new coach on the Brazos will have the more immediate impact?
Mike Sherman takes over at Texas A&M. Art Briles is running the show at Baylor. Sherman has more to work with, but Briles has more ground to make up on the competition. Briles' shotgun-based offense is not too different from the pass-happy attack Guy Morriss had employed in Waco, but as ESPN.com's Tim Griffin wrote Thursday in his Big 12 blog, expect the Bears to run the ball more under Briles.
Texas A&M, on the other hand, will pass more. Griffin's play analysis revealed that, among Big 12 teams in 2007, only Oklahoma State ran the ball as much as Texas A&M (60.5 percent of its plays). Sherman's pro experience will usher in a balanced, pro-style offense with Stephen McGee running less, Mike Goodson running more, and McGee working almost exclusively under center.
All that said, since Briles has more work to do, and because he's more familiar with the recent world of college football, Briles will have a more immediate impact.
3.How will Cornelius Ingram's season-ending knee injury affect Florida?
News of Ingram's torn anterior cruciate ligament spread quickly across the college football InterWeb late Thursday. I read about it in ESPN.com's Chris Low's SEC blog, which is another excellent example of ESPN finally doing something right journalistically by hiring experienced newspaper writers to head their Blog Network college football coverage.
Ingram caught more than 500 yards worth of passes last year, including seven touchdowns. As Low emphasized, Ingram was money on third downs. He's the perfect safety valve for a quarterback.
(Ingram, #7)
Without him, I believe Florida's offense will be greatly hampered, enough to probably cost them a couple of spots in my preseason Top 25. Not only will Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow not have Ingram to bail him out at times, but more production will be needed from already-injured star Percy Harvin, Florida's version of Reggie Bush. Harvin's recovering form offseason heel surgery, but, again, as Low pointed out, isn't progressing as the Gators had hoped. A player who uses speed and agility as much as Harvin can't afford to not play at 100 percent.
In summary, losing Ingram robs Florida of a huge offensive dimension. It will prove costly at some point.
I Heart NOLa, Part III: People
As I sit here in my apartment at 3 a.m., almost four weeks removed from my New Orleans sojourn, I still can't get the human experiences out of my head.
New Orleans has always had the reputation of being an eccentric, often dangerous city. The eccentricity is a huge part of its charm. Dangerous? It can be if you don't know what you're doing down there, but for the most part you need not worry about that.
The locals are amazing. They were nice before Hurricane Katrina. They are still nice after.
They want you to know that they appreciate you being there, they appreciate you trying to rebuild the city's economy while they rebuild the city's heart and soul every day.
Even the street hustlers who approach you not knowing you're hip to their scams. Right outside the hotel, I stood back and watched as a collar-popped, backward-Hurley-cap-wearing cool guy let a hustler "shine his shoes" - he asks where you got the shoes, then bends down, applies a watery soap substance, rubs it off, then says, "You got them on (insert the name of the street) in New Orleans, Louisiana. Now give me $20 for the shine."
I laughed as the cool guy fell for it. What is he going to do? Tell this total stranger, who happens to be a street hustler, "No, I'm not giving you any money".... seriously?
I doubt it.
Then the hustler approached me. Before he could finish his opening pitch, I interjected, "Naw, man. You ain't getting me." I smiled and laughed as I said it, and he respectfully acknowledged my street wisdom with a an "All right," a laugh, and a smile.
That may seem simple, but it's little interactions like that I love about New Orleans. Another local working at a hotel on Decatur Street randomly asked me where I was from as I walked by him. We exchanged pleasantries as I told him I make it to New Orleans every year. You could tell he was proud of his hometown and glad to see other people enjoying it.
A local working outside the Oceana Grill helped me decide what to eat, coming back inside to check on me and see if I like his suggestion.
There are so many small moments and human encounters like that that make the trip each year that much more enjoyable. Everyone you meet is cordial and inviting.
The interaction I had that set itself apart from all others was the waitress at the CoCo Club.
I'm not the kind of guy to just strike up conversations with random girls, especially those who are (A) working, and (B) very attractive. I figured, hey, I'm in New Orleans, what's it matter?
I'm thankful I took the chance to get to know her a little. It's proof to somebody like me that you can meet amazing people, particularly of the opposite sex, in the last places you'd imagine meeting them. I found out where she was from, where she went to college, and what she was doing in New Orleans, discovering we had things in common and genuinely enjoyed each other's company.
What really did it for me was that she had move to New Orleans only two months earlier. I asked her why. She said when she was young she visited New Orleans many times and always told herself she would live there. The time came two months ago that she just decided to move to New Orleans, fulfilling her long-ago promise to herself.
That impresses me still. There are so many times when I wish I had the strength, or carefree attitude, or whatever it is to just make a decision like that and live with it. That made me really respect her and increased my affinity for her even more.
Unfortunately, I didn't get to have a proper goodbye, and chances are I'll never see her again. But I know I won't forget that human encounter; it's just another example of the blessings I receive every time I visit New Orleans, a city full of wonderful people.
New Orleans has always had the reputation of being an eccentric, often dangerous city. The eccentricity is a huge part of its charm. Dangerous? It can be if you don't know what you're doing down there, but for the most part you need not worry about that.
The locals are amazing. They were nice before Hurricane Katrina. They are still nice after.
They want you to know that they appreciate you being there, they appreciate you trying to rebuild the city's economy while they rebuild the city's heart and soul every day.
Even the street hustlers who approach you not knowing you're hip to their scams. Right outside the hotel, I stood back and watched as a collar-popped, backward-Hurley-cap-wearing cool guy let a hustler "shine his shoes" - he asks where you got the shoes, then bends down, applies a watery soap substance, rubs it off, then says, "You got them on (insert the name of the street) in New Orleans, Louisiana. Now give me $20 for the shine."
I laughed as the cool guy fell for it. What is he going to do? Tell this total stranger, who happens to be a street hustler, "No, I'm not giving you any money".... seriously?
I doubt it.
Then the hustler approached me. Before he could finish his opening pitch, I interjected, "Naw, man. You ain't getting me." I smiled and laughed as I said it, and he respectfully acknowledged my street wisdom with a an "All right," a laugh, and a smile.
That may seem simple, but it's little interactions like that I love about New Orleans. Another local working at a hotel on Decatur Street randomly asked me where I was from as I walked by him. We exchanged pleasantries as I told him I make it to New Orleans every year. You could tell he was proud of his hometown and glad to see other people enjoying it.
A local working outside the Oceana Grill helped me decide what to eat, coming back inside to check on me and see if I like his suggestion.
There are so many small moments and human encounters like that that make the trip each year that much more enjoyable. Everyone you meet is cordial and inviting.
The interaction I had that set itself apart from all others was the waitress at the CoCo Club.
I'm not the kind of guy to just strike up conversations with random girls, especially those who are (A) working, and (B) very attractive. I figured, hey, I'm in New Orleans, what's it matter?
I'm thankful I took the chance to get to know her a little. It's proof to somebody like me that you can meet amazing people, particularly of the opposite sex, in the last places you'd imagine meeting them. I found out where she was from, where she went to college, and what she was doing in New Orleans, discovering we had things in common and genuinely enjoyed each other's company.
What really did it for me was that she had move to New Orleans only two months earlier. I asked her why. She said when she was young she visited New Orleans many times and always told herself she would live there. The time came two months ago that she just decided to move to New Orleans, fulfilling her long-ago promise to herself.
That impresses me still. There are so many times when I wish I had the strength, or carefree attitude, or whatever it is to just make a decision like that and live with it. That made me really respect her and increased my affinity for her even more.
Unfortunately, I didn't get to have a proper goodbye, and chances are I'll never see her again. But I know I won't forget that human encounter; it's just another example of the blessings I receive every time I visit New Orleans, a city full of wonderful people.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
I Heart NOLa, Part II: Music
I know.
It's been almost two weeks since I've posted. I apologize. Not that I want to make excuses, but I've been completely swamped at work with a huge centerpiece story that I really did not enjoy assembling/writing/executing.
Anyway, it's been two weeks since my return from New Orleans. I still miss it badly.
The complexities I detailed concerning NOLa's food transcend its music as well. You can find good music anywhere in New Orleans. When I say anywhere, I mean anywhere.
Walk down Canal and into the Quarter you'll find talented street musicians playing brass instruments, guitars, drums, and myriad other devices, waiting for passers-by to drop a bill or two in their box. The kids who secure the metal tap-dancing contraptions to their tennis shoes do the same. I saw plenty of them on Decatur Street during my stay.
There are few groups you'll find that congregate at a particular area several days or nights in a row. I saw one group set up on the steps of the mini-amphitheater across the street from and facing Jackson Square. Trombones, trumpets, tubas, sometimes drums, always a few locals gyrating in front of the band to draw attention to themselves.
The best street band I hear has at least a dozen guys and always sets up on the corner of Bourbon and Canal along the big Foot Locker mural. They're incredible. Don't get the wrong idea: No sheet music, no singer, just a bunch of guys playing their horns by ear for whoever's walking by.
Like this ...
Yes, that's the same Foot Locker I'm talking about. And yes, that's the Foot Locker you saw on TV during Katrina aftermath that was being mercilessly looted.
As far as local establishments go, I desperately want to go to Vaughn's. Kermit Ruffins is the house performer. Most Thursday nights he serves up New Orleans jazz funk and free barbecue in the Bywater district establishment. I've never been, but I've seen Ruffins perform on TV and heard some of his music. The guy wails on the trumpet. He's unreal.
The place I always go while on Bourbon Street is Maison Bourbon, which has a sign haning out front that states "Dedicated to the Preserveration of Jazz." Jamil Sharif, a ridiculous trumpeteer, is the main attraction Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and stopping off to listen to him and house band is well worth it, especially when the humidity's running about 75 percent at 10 p.m.
My new discovery this go-around was the CoCo Club, a relatively new night spot on Bourbon Street. I hanged out at the CoCo three nights in a row, listening to Bryan Lee on Thursday and Friday nights and Marva Wright on Saturday night. Both have been signed on as house performers at the CoCo.
Lee is a blind blues man whose influences include Elmore James, Albert King, B.B. King, and Freddie King, blues legends. James wrote "The Sky is Crying," one of the best blues songs ever. Stevie Ray Vaughan does an awesome rendition of the song, too.
Lee was unbelievable. Being able to watch a blues guitarist as talented as Lee from a few feet away was something I'll never forget.
Wright is called "The Queen of New Orleans Blues." I normally don't hang around for female blues performers, but she far exceeded my expectations.
I met some great people at the CoCo Club, including the DJ, one of the bartenders, and a waitress.
A waitress that became my most memorable encounter of the entire trip.
But that story comes in Part III: People.
In the meantime, enjoy some Bryan Lee. The video's low quality, but you'll get the idea.
It's been almost two weeks since I've posted. I apologize. Not that I want to make excuses, but I've been completely swamped at work with a huge centerpiece story that I really did not enjoy assembling/writing/executing.
Anyway, it's been two weeks since my return from New Orleans. I still miss it badly.
The complexities I detailed concerning NOLa's food transcend its music as well. You can find good music anywhere in New Orleans. When I say anywhere, I mean anywhere.
Walk down Canal and into the Quarter you'll find talented street musicians playing brass instruments, guitars, drums, and myriad other devices, waiting for passers-by to drop a bill or two in their box. The kids who secure the metal tap-dancing contraptions to their tennis shoes do the same. I saw plenty of them on Decatur Street during my stay.
There are few groups you'll find that congregate at a particular area several days or nights in a row. I saw one group set up on the steps of the mini-amphitheater across the street from and facing Jackson Square. Trombones, trumpets, tubas, sometimes drums, always a few locals gyrating in front of the band to draw attention to themselves.
The best street band I hear has at least a dozen guys and always sets up on the corner of Bourbon and Canal along the big Foot Locker mural. They're incredible. Don't get the wrong idea: No sheet music, no singer, just a bunch of guys playing their horns by ear for whoever's walking by.
Like this ...
Yes, that's the same Foot Locker I'm talking about. And yes, that's the Foot Locker you saw on TV during Katrina aftermath that was being mercilessly looted.
As far as local establishments go, I desperately want to go to Vaughn's. Kermit Ruffins is the house performer. Most Thursday nights he serves up New Orleans jazz funk and free barbecue in the Bywater district establishment. I've never been, but I've seen Ruffins perform on TV and heard some of his music. The guy wails on the trumpet. He's unreal.
The place I always go while on Bourbon Street is Maison Bourbon, which has a sign haning out front that states "Dedicated to the Preserveration of Jazz." Jamil Sharif, a ridiculous trumpeteer, is the main attraction Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and stopping off to listen to him and house band is well worth it, especially when the humidity's running about 75 percent at 10 p.m.
My new discovery this go-around was the CoCo Club, a relatively new night spot on Bourbon Street. I hanged out at the CoCo three nights in a row, listening to Bryan Lee on Thursday and Friday nights and Marva Wright on Saturday night. Both have been signed on as house performers at the CoCo.
Lee is a blind blues man whose influences include Elmore James, Albert King, B.B. King, and Freddie King, blues legends. James wrote "The Sky is Crying," one of the best blues songs ever. Stevie Ray Vaughan does an awesome rendition of the song, too.
Lee was unbelievable. Being able to watch a blues guitarist as talented as Lee from a few feet away was something I'll never forget.
Wright is called "The Queen of New Orleans Blues." I normally don't hang around for female blues performers, but she far exceeded my expectations.
I met some great people at the CoCo Club, including the DJ, one of the bartenders, and a waitress.
A waitress that became my most memorable encounter of the entire trip.
But that story comes in Part III: People.
In the meantime, enjoy some Bryan Lee. The video's low quality, but you'll get the idea.
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