NateVolk

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Date	Title	Body
8 weeks 1 day ago	Announcer downgrade IMO	I am a little surprised CBS didn't grab the Florida Gulf Coast region which also includes three nationally popular schools and assign it to the A or B team. Not loving going from Vern and Raftery, two great college announcers, to Albert and Kerr, two mostly pro guys.
9 weeks 16 hours ago	No question that the value of	No question that the value of a University degree is as low as it's ever been and sinking ever lower. Still it represents an opportunity that, if you created a revenue sharing system that favored some larger schools over others, would be denied hundreds if not thousands of under-privileged border line students who are also stand-out athletes. So many schools would simply drop out of the game completely that it would cripple educational opportunities. There are plenty of ways to pool money from licensing of the athletes and share it among all the student athletes to their, while not creating destructive economics for many athletic programs. Let's not forget, Michigan's black ink is not the norm, but the growing exception.
13 weeks 2 days ago	Sort of a miserable one trick pony in life. Kinda sad.	Poster boy for the importance of balance in life as well wisely choosing sustainable outlets. His whole existence by most accounts was centered on being considered the best ever at a game where people toss a ball through a hoop. He did almost nothing to use his position to advance causes for the disadvantaged in his own race so as to risk upsetting his corporate handlers.  Overall, way less relevant than he should have been. After all that insane effort towards one goal, he sits retired and powerless. He has to listen to the growing chorus of people saying James is better. This is a guy that was still a title-less punchline less than 9 months ago.   Show's how fleeting that whole obsessed goal was along. Jordan has had the competitive outlet of executive and basically has been pretty indifferent to it. Guy was a tota ass when he played, so the lousy executive part has been fun to watch.  The greatest basketball player ever he is though. I don't see it even up for debate.
15 weeks 2 days ago	Your last sentence or two is	Your last sentence or two is well-reasoned.  I think the ultimate fate of such laws rests with the question of costs for risk management and insurance.   Insurers are going to be less likely to write or make policies of reasonable cost for cash strapped school districts or cash-strapped rec leagues. Plus, the idea that kids and parents can sign something to fully assume the risk probably won't hold up in court. This is especially true given the ongoing suits involving the NFL and the still unknown outcome of ongoing studies. From a legal perspective you can't ask people to assume the risk of activities where there are risks that are unknown or should have been known by those offering the sport. With no insurance, no sport.  Michigan football can absorb the costs to get umbrella coverage. Caseville intermediate school district can't.
17 weeks 10 hours ago	I'd pick a different smack topic	USC has 11 players in the rivals top 100.   Michigan currently has 2 with 1 more likely. Hatcher is barely dust in the wind for that class.  Let's all deal in facts. Bagging in USC's recruiting, regardless of the likability of their coach, makes everybody on here look lame.
19 weeks 4 days ago	I was in Los Angeles at the	I was in Los Angeles at the end of November. If you haven't spent time there, the lifestyle tangibles blow the midwest away. Start with 300 plus sunny days a year and list them out.  USC is private too, so no state imposed red tape if they want to pay their assistants huge money. He'll got a monster raise if he takes the job.
20 weeks 3 days ago	Feeling way better about the	Feeling way better about the State game next year the more I watch them play. I can't picture their offense being much better than what we saw this year. If Bell and Sims, bolt probably worse. Neither of those quarterbacks present many problems for a defense.
20 weeks 4 days ago	Come on!  Have you been	Come on!  Have you been watching these games? No one is going to any of them. The fans have caught on and they are basically all crappy bowls.   It's the number 1 reason the playoff thing is happening. The TV ratings are starting to get as abysmal as the attendance to these games. The networks weren't going to give out the huge contract to show this stuff for a few more years and demanded more meaningful games. The public at large isn't buying in with this junk anymore. When Nebraska fans fail to show up, you know it's crappy.
21 weeks 10 hours ago	Pets should live as long as	Pets should live as long as people if not longer if years were granted based on truly selfless love given. We'll be looking for good things in your next update tomorrow.
21 weeks 11 hours ago	It has been good today. A lot	It has been good today. A lot less of the old schtick of super stars playing iso and then drawing a call on a drive to the hole.  The Lakers showed more than a pulse. What are your impressions of them and do you think they have the upside with this roster to be a threat come May?
21 weeks 18 hours ago	I actually like him on	I actually like him on Detroit. They need a post scoring option and he'd be their best offensive player right off the jump. So it's an upgrade. Unload those trash contracts you speak of too. Now just find a way to convince the Knicks to do it..... Since Isiah isn't running things anymore, I have my doubts.
21 weeks 18 hours ago	I am wracking my brain on	I am wracking my brain on where he'd fit in. I actually like him as a 6th man for Oklahoma City. He gives them a post option.  I am talking limited minutes though. He's too much of a black hole and plays no defense to log heavy minutes for a good team with promise.
21 weeks 18 hours ago	Yeah. Right on. I do think	Yeah. Right on. I do think that people who throw them out with morning trash because they are old and can't run this system, need to watch the games. Dantoni has his faults such as pedestrian knowledge of defense, but he is already taking the offense and molding it to the size and age issues.  Nash is the key and he'll set the pace and it doesn't have to be Phoenix 6 years ago to be devastating.
21 weeks 18 hours ago	If he can defend and give	If he can defend and give them 15 high energy minutes, him nailing that 3 or scoring at all is just gravy.
21 weeks 18 hours ago	Plus they don't rebound well.	Plus they don't rebound well. I just don't see them shooting like this to win meaningful series in May. Teams get out and play tighter and with more energy then in a random game in December.
21 weeks 18 hours ago	I agree. I think it goes to	I agree. I think it goes to the larger issue with the Lakers.  The coach knows after a month of watching that they have glaring weaknesses amid all the star power and he's trying to patch those up. It just isn't a very talented bottom 2/3 of the roster. The height advantage he has in most games gives him some wiggle room to experiment at the 2 and 3 positions.  I just don't see the supporting cast. On the positive, we can see already Nash will make the offense much better. If Howard is actually an All Star dominating center defensively, they could be tough. He may not be anymore though.
21 weeks 18 hours ago	He gives them a little more	He gives them a little more athleticism. It's a good move from that stand point against a very old Knicks team.  It also frees them up to get Jordan Hill more into the rotation. Again, more athleticism. I can see where you are coming from on Artest, but he's no longer much better than a good or slightly above average defender.
21 weeks 5 days ago	The players loved the EL	The players loved the EL jerseys last season don't forget. By all accounts, they went nuts when they came back from warm ups and saw them sitting in the lockers. We all need to embrace the idea that this game is for the players and future players. They are the lifeblood. They come first. If you embrace that, the uniforms are a lot easier to accept or at least understand.
27 weeks 5 days ago	Great to hear and it's good	Great to hear and it's good to talk to a grown up. Might hopefully rub off on me. Pretty much any place in the Southland is great to be and live in my book. Love that place.  I'll be there 5 days so if you can get into town, we'll have to get together and chew the fat.  I'd like to pick your brain about your favorite restaurants. If you can make time, shoot email me at njvolk@yahoo?   Whatever you can do I'd be so appreciative. It's been 7 years since I have been in Los Angeles.  When I was there before I worked so many hours in my brief stay I basically lived off McDonalds and Corn Nuts driving around in a car all day.
27 weeks 5 days ago	Good point on Haden	You can definitely be a power program up there and if Kelly leaves Oregon  for the pros (as is widely rumored), the North goes back to Washington as a lead dog most likely. So him leaving is remote I agree.  I am coming out for Notre Dame on the 24th. I am going to the Michigan-Ohio watch Saturday morning at American Junkie in Hermosa Beach. Is that where you go? I'd like to buy you a couple rounds.
27 weeks 5 days ago	good points	Well I think from what you are saying and what I am reading fans already are wanting a change. The issue is more about Pat Haden and what his plans are. By most accounts they have a great working relationship. When given the chance to distance himself from Kiffin since taking over as AD, Haden has done totally the opposite. Recall that Kiffin was under the gun from the NCAA over stuff from his  Tennessee seasonand Haden looked at it and subsequently backed him unequivocally.   Even appearing on his behalf before the committee on infractions. My guess is the things working in Lane's favor currently with Haden are: --His age and his desire to remain at the school for as long as he coaches which brings attractive continuity --His excellence in recruiting --His having to deal with a talent dip left by Pete's two very weak last 2 full classes in terms of offensive linemen, d linemen, and linebackers. The 08 and 09 classes whiffed heavily on quality o linemen and left the new regime scrambling and rebuilding quality depth. When we say out talent other teams, that's true and it's not. The trenches matter and they weren't being addressed adequately before Lane took over. --His guiding them through probation and two very high quality wins last season. --He is considered a bright mind offensively in a lot of circles --The lack of reasonable alternatives that bring the above attributes to the table. One guy who would fit the mold and would bring a smoother presence with the media and probably a more likable reputation overall would be Sarkisian at UW.   Now if he is at all available after next season, Kiffin's seat gets very hot with a 3 plus loss season. Sark was very popular in Los Angeles and has all of Lane's upside without the side shows that seem to erupt. It will be interesting and I do think there will absolutely be staff changes in the off season barring a rally to end all and a Rose Bowl berth.
27 weeks 5 days ago	Kiffin's back, almost 100% lock	I follow the team pretty close and he's safe unless there is something huge on the violations front. He's an outstanding recruiter. People's expectations were maybe not in line with reality this season. There were lots of road games and the PAC is a lot better league than when Carroll was running over it every year. USC is mostly a young team and will have 17 starters back next year. Plus they'll have really only 3 difficult games with two of them at home and no Oregon. We all saw the difference the home-road thing made this season with Michigan. Now if he goes 8-4 next year, the seat might be heating up.  This offseason don't be surprised if there are staff changes made including his dad retiring as defensive coordinator and maybe hiring an offensive coordinator/quarterback's coach.  My understanding is his relationship with Barkley is unnecessarily prickly and a buffer between the quarterback and coach might be in order. These changes will be an almost certainty if they don't beat UCLA and lose the south.
28 weeks 2 days ago	????? What????	If it suits Brady Hoke, it suits Michigan. They are one in the same and he's not worried about anything besides the success of the Michigan team when he speaks. We had our three years of the super coach who had to be everybody's smooth operator and the smartest guy in the room. It was a disaster.  As an action and results guy, he'd probably caution us to give meaning to the product he is in charge of taking the field and the quality of men who emerge from his program. I doubt he'd care if any of us give any weight to his meanderings to the media about subjects which aren't their business in the first place.
29 weeks 3 days ago	it's about who has the better players too	If you listen to Hoke in the post game last night it was more pointed than the usual coach speak about the offense.  He seemed fatigued from the lack of touchdowns. I think what we are seeing this season is a back and forth balancing act. Notre Dame tipped the playcalling more conservative and it worked for a while.  Now they'll probably look to add on some more wide open type stuff hoping it can be done without lots of turnovers. We just don't have great talent at the skill positions right now, especially when Denard is out. Seriously any of Nebraska's front line skill guys we saw last night would start for Michigan. Same thing with State and probably Notre Dame. As great as he is, the existence of Denard has probably caused receivers and backs to shy away the last couple classes. Especially the receivers. If you are a kid who is wanting to go NFL, you are looking at an offense that is vanilla college spread with tons of quarterback runs and a quarterback who is hit and miss with his accuracy.  You are going to say thanks but no thanks. Really what we are seeing is more a product of the transition back to a pro style offense than anything. All that aside, if Denard stays upright, this team can absolutely win out.
29 weeks 3 days ago	Meh. The same old same old with Rich Rod	As a USC follower who never misses a game, that was one of the 2 worst games USC has played since Paul Hackett was put out of his misery after 2000. The other being the 2009 loss to Stanford at home where Harbaugh ran it up on Carroll.  Taking nothing away from Arizona, but their defensive line literally got no push for 90% of the plays.   For whatever reason, USC piled up unforced turnovers and double digit penalties at an alarming rate. Arizona was actually pretty awful too, but they have a quarterback that can chuck it and they hit a couple big plays.  Arizona was doing a lot of the same bonehead penalties and weak fundamentals in areas not pertaining to his offense we all cursed when he was here at Michigan.  On the game coaching front, he almost really cost them by getting greedy going for an unnecessary 2 point conversion in the 3rd quarter. Plus he can't resist blowing up over and over again right in player's faces. The same stuff we rag on Brian Kelly for all the time. it looks just as bad and childish when he does it. No denying that Rich is doing a pretty good job down there but he inherited a very talented quarterback and running back with experience tailor made for his system. I'll bet they take a step back when their 5th year quarterback leaves after the season. Let's see him coach some people up in the next couple years and see if we look at him with the same reverence.
30 weeks 3 days ago	The guy in the window in the	The guy in the window in the Aaron Rodgers "Discount Double Check" commercial I think. I'll go back and check the DVR.
30 weeks 3 days ago	He was playing to win. Just	He was playing to win. Just like on that fake punt. Major respect to him and his team.
30 weeks 3 days ago	You can put a stranglehold on	You can put a stranglehold on the legends next week in Lincoln. Important win.
30 weeks 3 days ago	perfectly put	perfectly put
30 weeks 3 days ago	only down a point, just stay	only down a point, just stay steady and get the ball back.

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