Graham Left Off Lombardi Semifinalist List
LAME LAME LAME
Anyway, here's the (clearly inferior) list.
Anyway, here's the (clearly inferior) list.
Terrence Cody, Alabama, NG, #62, Sr., 6-5, 365, Ft. Myers, FLMay Brandon avenge this heresy by eating the hearts of all who dare oppose him.
Rennie Curran, Georgia, LB, #35, Jr., 5-11, 228, Snellville, GA
Carlos Dunlap, Florida, DE, #8, Jr., 6-6, 290, North Charleston, SC
Jerry Hughes, TCU, DE, #98, Sr., 6-3, 257, Sugar Land, TX
Rolando McClain, Alabama, LB, #25, Jr., 6-4, 258, Decatur, AL
Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma, #93, DT, Jr., 6-4, 297, Oklahoma City, OK
Eric Norwood, South Carolina, LB, #40, Sr., 6-1, 252, Acworth, GA
Russell Okung, Oklahoma State, LT, #76, Sr., 6-5, 300, Houston, TX
George Selvie, South Florida, DE, #95, Sr., 6-4, 250, Pensacola, FL
Brandon Spikes, Florida, LB, #51, Sr., 6-3, 258, Shelby, NC
Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska, DT, #93, Sr., 6-4, 300, Portland, OR
Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri, LB, #12, Sr., 6-2, 245, Jasper, TX
October 15th, 2009 at 11:26 AM ^
It's Brandon!
October 15th, 2009 at 11:30 AM ^
Thank you. That's what I get for trying to type and fumble about with basic html before my morning caffeine.
October 15th, 2009 at 12:00 PM ^
Sadly these things are only based on stats, or pre-season hype. Thats how people like Pat Fitzgerald win awards.
October 15th, 2009 at 11:31 AM ^
my blue colored glasses and all...that's pretty crazy.
October 15th, 2009 at 11:32 AM ^
be on that list... But it is not exactly like those are bad football players on that list
October 15th, 2009 at 11:33 AM ^
He's tied for 93rd in the nation in pass sacks. I love the guy (and he's done other stuff - like tackling for a loss over and over again), but those aren't exactly award-winning numbers.
October 15th, 2009 at 11:40 AM ^
His slow start in regards to sacks did him in for this award, being that it is results-driven and all.
However, we all know Brandon is a beast (and a beastly one at that!). I think his team MVP award means more than this. But that's just me.
October 15th, 2009 at 1:21 PM ^
and 15th in TFL/G...but that doesn't appear to correlate very well with who's on the list.
October 15th, 2009 at 11:34 AM ^
I'd say it's right. I definitely think BG's way better than his early numbers show.
He was held back big time in early games by somewhat ineffective team pass rush, yet still had a number of "almosts" on the sack side. Even Brian kept saying, "How doesn't he have one yet?" It was truly frustrating.
It's the same reason Kiper's got him as the 4th DE right now. If he keeps it going he'll move up, but too late for any awards.
October 15th, 2009 at 11:52 AM ^
I love Miami / Michigan helmet.
They almost picked up Braylon earlier...that would have been awesome.
October 15th, 2009 at 12:25 PM ^
That helmet is AMAZING!!! What would be the chances of getting a copy of that in a larger resolution?
October 15th, 2009 at 12:30 PM ^
Love the helmet as well. Do you have a higher-quality version of it? A dolphins-fan friend of mine would love it.
BG will get his due on draft day.
October 15th, 2009 at 1:59 PM ^
did it while still high on the Henne/Long/Edwards lovefest that was the MNF game.
It was something just thrown together in MSPaint, not exactly high-res.
If you'd like it, I'd be happy to send it to you. Shoot me an e-mail.
[email protected]
October 15th, 2009 at 11:35 AM ^
should absolutely be in this list. He played like the best DE in the country even though his sack statistics doesn't show it.
October 15th, 2009 at 11:49 AM ^
If you haven't watched a single Michigan game this year, how would you know Graham is any good? You're correct, his stats don't show anything and that is what the list is based from.
October 15th, 2009 at 12:30 PM ^
Regardless, BG is a lock to go to the 1st round. NFL scouts loved him.
October 15th, 2009 at 1:19 PM ^
Yet this award isn't who is loved by NFL scouts the most.
October 15th, 2009 at 2:00 PM ^
about the award. Just saying that despite the fact that he was left out, he is still a lock to go to 1st round.
October 15th, 2009 at 11:38 AM ^
who got schooled by Tennessee's run game?
I feel like Graham should be on the list solely based on his goal line destruction of that Michigan State RB...
October 15th, 2009 at 12:05 PM ^
Best hit I've seen this year especially given the context:
October 15th, 2009 at 12:15 PM ^
The best hit this year was when he was in zone pass coverage against Iowa and he leveled that receiver and then fell on top of him. I was surprised the kid didn't die.
October 15th, 2009 at 11:44 AM ^
Carlos Dunlap ahead of Brandon Graham is ridiculous. Dunlap's the most overrated player in the country.
October 15th, 2009 at 11:48 AM ^
BG should definitely be on it (Norwood, Dunlap???); however, it'd be a crime if Suh doesn't win this award
October 15th, 2009 at 12:14 PM ^
Norwood should be on that list. He is a beast and a 1st rounder.
October 15th, 2009 at 11:49 AM ^
is a joke. Don't understand the hype on him. He's awful and can't play more than a couple of plays before having to get oxygen on the sidelines.
October 15th, 2009 at 12:29 PM ^
Cody is vastly overrated. For a guy in his size, he get pushed back by OL. He has serious conditioning issues and he is really slow. He's just an another body on the line. McClain, Hightower(though he's hurt) and Arenas has been carrying the defense.
October 15th, 2009 at 11:51 AM ^
I wonder if these lists take into account how often a player gets double-teamed, held, and clotheslined.
October 15th, 2009 at 12:00 PM ^
It's a travesty, a scam, and a mockery! A Travescamockery I tell you!
October 15th, 2009 at 12:04 PM ^
There are good number of players who missed the cutdown, Suh was amazing last Thursday in front of the entire country so its hard to argue that one.
Only Weatherspoon and Curran are ranked in the top 100 in total tackles
Only Hughes, McCoy, Norwood, and Suh rank in TFL
Only Dunlap, Hughes, Norwood, Spikes, and Suh rank in Sacks
Graham ranks in TFL (impressively I would add, 15th) but is otherwise a non presence in the NCAA rankings. If there is anyone in the big ten who got snubbed, Greg Jones ranks 3rd, 78, 93 respectively in each category.
October 15th, 2009 at 12:07 PM ^
BG is underrated. Even by us Michigan fans. There I said it. This guy is a great player and though I loved watching Woodley tear it up, I really do think BG is better. I have this debate often with my mich friends during games. BG doesn't have David Harris, Alan Branch, Leon Hall, Shawn Crable, Prescott Burgess, etc., to back him up out there and he is still causing all sorts of problems.
My prediction is, like Woodley, BG will moved back to LB in the league and absolutely destroy fools. He'll probably be a late 1st rounder to maybe even 3rd round (if he's still underrated in 5 months) but within a year or so he'll make a bunch of teams look foolish for passing him up.
Okay, i'm done.
October 15th, 2009 at 12:14 PM ^
Clearly, this is Lloyd Carr's fault.
He sat in a box with the Lombardi Award folks a couple of weeks ago and used all his connections to blackball Graham from winning.
Want proof? He has not said anything about it being a sham that Graham didnt make it. That speaks volumes.
He's jealous that Graham could win an award when he is not the coach. I am pretty sure Carr also helped run Braylon out of Cleveland and paid Bernard Pollard cash to spear Brady's knee last year.
I dont know about y'all, but I am done with the man. Until he gives presser on the steps of Crisler Arena and bows at the feet of RichRod, I will forever feel that everything bad is happening because Lloyd is working behind the scenes.
This is just another example.
October 15th, 2009 at 12:18 PM ^
Can I bet you on that?
October 15th, 2009 at 12:48 PM ^
I'd have thought that jamiemac had gone over the edge. Tough day on the board, man?
October 15th, 2009 at 1:47 PM ^
+1; well played, good sir. That other thread is a mess.
October 15th, 2009 at 1:53 PM ^
funniest thing I've read all day
October 15th, 2009 at 12:21 PM ^
...i don't think he's expected to be a first-round pick.
October 15th, 2009 at 12:44 PM ^
This is like a corner who ends the year with 1 interception because every opposing QB is afraid of throwing at him. Such a CB probably isn't going to win the Thorpe Award.
Yes, Graham gets double-teamed every play, but that doesn't mean he's having a good season. That means he's well respected by opponents.
But just like "pre-season hype" puts some people on the list, "pre-season hype" is what's keeping Graham off the list. He was hyped up prior to the season and, therefore, opponents are doubling him. He doesn't deserve to be on the semifinalist list; he hasn't done much yet this year.
October 15th, 2009 at 12:39 PM ^
from Big Ten, Pac-10 or ACC. 6 from the SEC, 4 from the Big 12 and one from MWC and Big East.
October 15th, 2009 at 12:41 PM ^
Not only didn't Graham make the cut, there's not a single Big Ten player anywhere to be found.
These include
O'Brien Schofield
Gregg Jones
Nathan Triplett
Lee Campbell
All of which are putting up great numbers.
October 15th, 2009 at 12:54 PM ^
That's because it's a national award... for the good ol' Confederate States of America.
October 15th, 2009 at 12:45 PM ^
as I think we all do on MGoBlog, but I have a hard time getting too worked up about individual awards, whether its the Lombardi or the Heisman. Football is a team game, individual awards are a very, very low priority, IMHO.
October 15th, 2009 at 1:45 PM ^
it's not like UFR is useful for comparing to a national average since only Brian does UFR. It makes it easy to slip into thinking our best really are the best and our worst really are the worst since the frame is so Michigan-centric.
October 15th, 2009 at 1:33 PM ^
or tackles for loss per game had much to do with the voting. How does it even work? Some committee runs around and scouts everybody?
Also: Cobrani Mixon is 4th in the nation in tackles. He's playing LB at Kent State.