Unverified Voracity Revolves In The Secondary Comment Count

Brian

Quick reminder. If you haven't filled out Toby Hopp's survey about social media in the sports blogosphere, you should even if you never comment/diarize around these parts. It'll help me as I direct the future evolution of the site, and reward/punish the progenitor of the naked man banner, whichever you prefer.

Confirmation, unfortunately. As Tom VanHaaren and this site mentioned a couple weeks back, Brandon Smith is looking for the exit:

Receiver Roy Roundtree confirmed an Internet report from earlier this month that linebacker Brandon Smith is considering a transfer.

Roundtree, one of about 10 players and staff members to volunteer at The Salvation Army of Washtenaw County’s toy shop for needy families Wednesday, said he hasn’t talked to Smith recently, but Smith missed a team meeting earlier this week and it’s “looking like” he’ll leave.

AA.com even linked it. I feel all legitimate. To restate the previous opinion: losing a highly-rated guy at a position of need is obviously bad. At least we have clarification now that Michigan will be able to bring in a recruit to replace him.

On the other hand. At the same event, Rodriguez cracked the door open for Boubacar Cissoko:

"I'm under the impression he's trying to work his way back," said Wilcher, who speaks to Cissoko a few times each month. "I know he's working hard at school."

Wilcher said Rodriguez should be applauded for at least giving Cissoko an opportunity to potentially rejoin the team.

"I think the most important thing is that Rich Rodriguez has opened up the door to the thought of letting the kid entertain the thought of working his way back," said Wilcher, who played running back for Michigan from 1983-86. "That should be focused on -- how Rich Rodriguez is not going to turn his back, and at least lets you try to crawl back and prove you can get back by going through the proper procedures."

Michigan obviously needs help in the secondary even of the very short and somewhat toasty variety, and if he manages to limp through the rest of this year without getting in a hint of trouble there might be a rewarding comeback story in there. I've gotten a couple of independent, consistent reports that Cissoko's troubles weren't limited to missing class or practice, so he should have a long way to go. I still think he's a longshot to get back on the team and a longer shot to be a contributor, but I'd love to see the guy work through this and stick, if only for his own sake.

Also, Donovan Warren is at least keeping his options open when it comes to a return:

Michigan’s defensive backfield for next year is still in flux. Teammates have raved about freshman Justin Turner, but cornerback Donovan Warren could return after flirting with the NFL. Rodriguez told people last night that Warren is keeping in contact with the coaches while gathering information.

So I'm saying there's a chance.

Kiper == Gladwell. What do you do when Mel Kiper is seemingly wise by rating Zoltan Mesko and Brandon Graham the best available players at their positions but at the same time declaring this:

Redshirt junior guard Steve Schilling is the No. 4 performer in his class at the position, while redshirt junior Obi Ezeh is the No. 5 inside linebacker among those with a year of eligibility remaining.

This isn't even an old rating; Kiper published this list two days ago($). Has anyone ever made it in the NFL after being benched for a walk-on?

Word. A couple of Florida recruits saw a small sports blog dig up photos they posted on MySpace in eighth grade. In one the kid in question is holding a plastic gun and sixteen dollars. In another, he is wearing a bandana and throwing up an ooh scary gang sign. Naturally, this was picked up by the two big sports blogs that strive daily to become Perez Hilton, with Deadspin's Barry Petchesky opining like so:

"Not for nothing have they garnered the "University of Felons" nickname," Deadspin's Barry Petchesky wrote. "I'm not saying a top recruit posing with a gun and $16 is necessarily a crime, but it's not going to change any impressions."

Raise your hand if you thought you were hard in eighth grade. Thought so. SI's Andy Staples does something unusual and fantastic by getting in touch with the two kids to get their side of the story:

Trail said he's heard from plenty of people about the hand gesture in his picture. "That supposed gang sign I'm throwing up? That's where I stay. That's my neighborhood," he said. "I've thrown that up on the field a lot, and no one has said anything." …

Trail said he couldn't believe an adult would scour recruits' social networking pages looking for embarrassing photos. "If you really care about me that much to go on my MySpace to get a picture of me, point blank, get a life," Trail said.

Where is the right place to draw the line here? The City Boyz Inc. social media pictures were newsworthy because they were current photos of Hawkeyes who had just been arrested for credit card fraud doing unsanitary things with large amounts of money. At that point it's reasonable to say "hey, look at this picture of a guy with thousands of dollars in cash." Scouring the internet for pictures of a kid with sixteen dollars and a plastic gun… eh… not so good.

Since I do a lot of media bashing around here, let me praise Andy Staples: he's been consistently useful since his hiring at SI and is a guy I look forward to reading. With Luke Winn diving into Kenpom stats on a regular basis, SI has a great 1-2 punch in college sports.

Etc.: If you have ESPN insider, Bruce Feldman asked me to argue that Notre Dame should have taken a bowl bid this year. Apologies in advance: it's strictly above the belt. Steve Hutchinson and Jake Long make SI's All-Decade team.

Comments

matty blue

December 18th, 2009 at 12:57 PM ^

honestly. if you're going to make shit up - has anyone ever used this phrase, ever? - at least make up something clever.

to paraphrase "barry petchesky" (if that is, in fact, his real name): "not for nothing has deadspin fallen off a cliff." man, does it suck. hard.

Don

December 18th, 2009 at 1:15 PM ^

with a kick to the nads on top of it:

UM-NW 2000
UM-OSU 2006
Drew Brees-UM 2000
Troy Smith-UM 2006
App St-UM 2007

I'm surprised they didn't throw in Dennis Dixon-UM 2007 for good measure.

And to add further insult, one of the other biggest upsets was Pitt-WVU 2007.

If nothing else, those games illustrate that our defensive woes the past two seasons are hardly unique to RR's time here. Our D was completely and embarrassingly shredded in all those games.

bouje

December 18th, 2009 at 1:15 PM ^

1. I was just looking through the Top 10 games of the year (Michigan represented twice) and all of them have huge scores. I hate how in our society how a game that is won 54-56 is on that list but a defensive struggle of 21-17 would not be.

2. I was a little disappointed to not see Woodley or Graham at DE

3. I was equally surprised to see Tim Tebow as the best QB! I really think that they could have picked someone us such as Matt Ryan or even Chad Henne because I really don't think that Tebow will be very good in the NFL. (or Vince Young or Palmer or Leinert or Drew Freaking Brees who is likely to get MVP and is arguably the best QB in the league. Come on recency bias is ridiculous).

Agree/disagree/Think I'm an idiot?

matty blue

December 18th, 2009 at 1:34 PM ^

...has absolutely nothing to do with it. it's called the "college all-decade team."

suggesting matt ryan as the "college qb of the decade" indicates a really, really profound misunderstanding of the premise of the list.

bouje

December 18th, 2009 at 1:45 PM ^

Is this really that crazy?

Matt Ryan was the #3 pick in his draft. Do you think that Tim Tebow will go that high?

Also let's look at the stats:
Career Stats:
Ryan: 9310/56
Tebow: 8803/85

Coupled with his success in the NFL along with him playing for BOSTON FREAKING COLLEGE vs Tebow playing for the Florida Gators.

Was Tebow good? Yes! Was he the best of the past ten years as a QB? Um... No. Not just no. Hell no.

Md23Rewls

December 18th, 2009 at 2:20 PM ^

In Ryan's senior year, I don't believe he was in the Top 50 in the country in passing efficiency. Sure, it is a flawed stat, but Ryan was not a great college QB. Personally, I don't see how the QB of the decade goes to anyone other than Vince Young or Tebow.

bouje

December 18th, 2009 at 2:35 PM ^

what he had to work with. Can you even name a BC wideout? Now name some of the role players that Tebow has had.

Honestly I was just thinking of people who have done well in the NFL over the past few years and the first name that came to mind was Matt Ryan. IMO I would put Leinart and Young definitely above Tebow in terms of QBs of the decade. Particularly VY he was a one man show at Texas.

matty blue

December 18th, 2009 at 3:34 PM ^

i'll say it again. college qb. college qb. college qb. college qb. jeezis.

the "supporting cast" argument is another red herring. by that argument, you might as well name dan lefevour as qb of the decade. after all, CENTRAL FREAKING MICHIGAN.

tebow, no matter what his limitations are going to the pros, is clearly a historic figure as a college qb. matt ryan is not. obviously. he may become a hall of fame pro quarterback - that has absolutely nothing to do with a college all-decade team...when the history of college football in the 50s is written, does johnny unitas get a mention? no, he does not. tom brady won't get mentioned re: the 90s, either.

jamiemac

December 18th, 2009 at 1:22 PM ^

Kiper has had Ezeh as the #5 OLB in the junior class all season during every update he's done. It's been a Uniscorn and WLA Live (well, when we do the latter) most of the season.

Seriously, who is he crapping? I mean we're getting close to the production out of Ezeh as Bama has had out of Rolando McClaim, amirite?!?!?!

Also, I e-gree on Winn and Staples. I like them......and that's typical crap out of deadspin.....interesting how they portray themselves as the anti-MSM, but end up just doing the same sensationlism crap that made me leave the industry, never to return.

I mean, digging up 5-year-old photos, when they were in junior high, just for a quick laugh, controversy and faux moralizing. I'm surprised the deadpsin fools arent getting realz jobz in journalizm.

SFBlue

December 18th, 2009 at 1:27 PM ^

Roy Roundtree is emerging as a leader on and off the field.

"Roundtree, one of about 10 players and staff members to volunteer at The Salvation Army of Washtenaw County’s toy shop for needy families Wednesday..."

He runs crisp routes, has good hands, and is, by all appearances, an upstanding guy. My new favorite Wolverine, and truly one of the leaders and best.

aaamichfan

December 18th, 2009 at 2:13 PM ^

what Cissoko did particularly to be kicked off the team? It's good to see him trying to work his way back, but if what he did was bad enough, it might be better to just cut ties.