Very excited about Zinter. His early testing numbers were off the chart for an early enrollee freshman lineman, and it' s not like he was some undersized kid that needed to maintain that while bulking up. He's NFL size with at least NFL testing numbers and advanced technique .... Next step is just getting some experience and translating that mobility to the field. Think hes a dark horse candidate to be starting as early as the 2021 season.
I often see people talk about the advantages of playing overseas because you can "concentrate full-time on basketball", but I think that is overblown. For one, you can only play basketball so many hours per day before it physically wears your body down more than it is helping. While he probably will have more than 20 hours per week to dedicate to basketball, I don't think it would be more than say 30 hours weekly, at least not regularly over the course of a year.
Secondly, as someone who works in international education (at UM actually), we often downplay the socio-emotional fatigue that people, or in this case a teenager, faces in moving to a completely different culture, and having to navigate that while simultaneously missing out on the things their other peers are doing back home. That unfamiliarity in and of itself has massive costs in fatigue as well as stress, and in my estimation would largely offset any extra skill development he might get from spending 1 hour more per day on basketball (with likely lesser facilities and technology than UMich - not being ethnocentrist here that's just the truth)
So yes in my estimation ... for Todd, going overseas' only benefit is going to be that check .. The skill development piece is overblown, the transition costs are under-emphasized, and the exposure likely will be lesser as well ...
Not to hijack the actual topic being discussed, but I disagree on a couple of points.
1st - As a member of a Divine 9 organization, you represent them at all times for the rest of your life. It's not something you can turn off just because you have a Michigan uniform on.
2nd - It is not mutually exclusive to be hopping and to be pumping up the crowd, many of whom know that he is a Que (the moniker for Omega Psi Phi members) from the Yard Shows and other events on campus. That's why the stadium sound guy turns on Atomic Dog because that is the traditional Que hopping song.
Just for the record, I've seen many posters referring to what he does as a dance, incorrectly. He is a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity (one of the Divine 9 Black Greek Letter Organizations) and what he does is called a "Hop". It is a cultural rhythmic movement associated with the traditions of his fraternity and while it is similar to a dance, many members of the organization feel slighted if it is referred to as such, as it has much deeper meaning behind it. (Some are more sensitive about it than others of course.)
I myself am a member of another Divine 9 organization, Alpha Phi Alpha, and we "stroll" , and our movements are mistaken for a "dance" as well. It's not a big deal to me as I understand the mix-up, but just wanted to put it out there for anybody that cares to be PC.
Definitely Reniassance 2004 . I saw every game that year except when they played and beat Greg Oden and Mike Conley's Lawrence North team in Indiana. Not only were they undefeated, but every game that year they won by 20 + except for the aforementioned game and I beleive the game against Drew Neitzel in the State semi-finals.
Malik Hairston and Joe Crawford were top 10 players that year.
Marcus Stout was a 4 year starter at Fordham and got a cup of coffee in the NBA wth a few Sumemr league appearances.
Tajuan Porter came off the bench and was a 4 year starter at Oregon.
Carson Butler (my teammate in football) actually didnt play because he was sitting out the year due to some stupid transfer rules, but he would go on to be an All-State performer the following season.
In addition to those guys they had some solid rotational pieces that all could play ball.
Definitely the best team I ever saw. ( They were ranked #3 in the nation that year according to ESPN or Rivals , I cant remember, but based on what I saw from Oak Hill - the #1, they would have beaten them )
I think what likely happens is that the staff recruits as if the walk-ons won't get schollys and the 3 back-up offensive 5th year guys won't be there ( RB , KH , JH ). That gives us 18 spots to play with. With the sheer volume of offers being thrown around, they are recruitng as if they have somehere near that amount of spots open.
My best guess at the Michigan Dream Board :
7. Iman Marshall
8. Mike Weber
9. Chris Clark
10. Roquan Smith
11. Damon Arnette
12. Ryan Davis
13. Zach Gentry
14. Chris Williamson
15. John Kelly
16. Reuben Jones
17. Pat Allen
18. Ty Wheatley Jr
If they had the chance , I think they would take those 18 guys (12 + 6 already committed) and say bye to the three aforementioned 5th year guys, and not extend scholarships to the Glasgows and Kerridges for this year. When there is the inevitable attrition in the winter/spring , they could re-visit the situation , with the Glasgows and Kerridge being first up, and those 5th year guys after that, for schollys.
Obviously they are not going to get all 12 of those guys. Kelly has already committed to Tennessee and several of those guys are going to be tough pulls. So this is a moot point and I think the Glasgows and Kerridge will get their scholarships. But if all 12 of those guys did want to join this class, there is technically room for them and I think Michigan would bring them aboard.
An interesting dilemma I think is if 2 of Snyder, Williams and Pickard commit ? Does Clark still have his offer? I would think yes but that would be 3 TE/FBs in a pretty small class for a team already decenlty stocked at the position.
Edit: Forgot about McMillon. Gotta think that if he wants a spot in the class he gets one too. Not sure which of the Top 18 I would bump out for him though.
Recent Comments
Interested if available !
[email protected] .. Want to take my 9 year old. He's never been interested in football but is finally starting to come around ! lol
Very excited about Zinter. His early testing numbers were off the chart for an early enrollee freshman lineman, and it' s not like he was some undersized kid that needed to maintain that while bulking up. He's NFL size with at least NFL testing numbers and advanced technique .... Next step is just getting some experience and translating that mobility to the field. Think hes a dark horse candidate to be starting as early as the 2021 season.
Wooga reminds me a lot of Jordan Crawford. Sneaky great athleticism, great length and interesting mechanics but the ball always seems to go in.
I often see…
My 2 cents -
I often see people talk about the advantages of playing overseas because you can "concentrate full-time on basketball", but I think that is overblown. For one, you can only play basketball so many hours per day before it physically wears your body down more than it is helping. While he probably will have more than 20 hours per week to dedicate to basketball, I don't think it would be more than say 30 hours weekly, at least not regularly over the course of a year.
Secondly, as someone who works in international education (at UM actually), we often downplay the socio-emotional fatigue that people, or in this case a teenager, faces in moving to a completely different culture, and having to navigate that while simultaneously missing out on the things their other peers are doing back home. That unfamiliarity in and of itself has massive costs in fatigue as well as stress, and in my estimation would largely offset any extra skill development he might get from spending 1 hour more per day on basketball (with likely lesser facilities and technology than UMich - not being ethnocentrist here that's just the truth)
So yes in my estimation ... for Todd, going overseas' only benefit is going to be that check .. The skill development piece is overblown, the transition costs are under-emphasized, and the exposure likely will be lesser as well ...
Not to hijack the actual topic being discussed, but I disagree on a couple of points.
1st - As a member of a Divine 9 organization, you represent them at all times for the rest of your life. It's not something you can turn off just because you have a Michigan uniform on.
2nd - It is not mutually exclusive to be hopping and to be pumping up the crowd, many of whom know that he is a Que (the moniker for Omega Psi Phi members) from the Yard Shows and other events on campus. That's why the stadium sound guy turns on Atomic Dog because that is the traditional Que hopping song.
Kappas "shimmy"
Just for the record, I've seen many posters referring to what he does as a dance, incorrectly. He is a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity (one of the Divine 9 Black Greek Letter Organizations) and what he does is called a "Hop". It is a cultural rhythmic movement associated with the traditions of his fraternity and while it is similar to a dance, many members of the organization feel slighted if it is referred to as such, as it has much deeper meaning behind it. (Some are more sensitive about it than others of course.)
I myself am a member of another Divine 9 organization, Alpha Phi Alpha, and we "stroll" , and our movements are mistaken for a "dance" as well. It's not a big deal to me as I understand the mix-up, but just wanted to put it out there for anybody that cares to be PC.
Definitely Reniassance 2004 . I saw every game that year except when they played and beat Greg Oden and Mike Conley's Lawrence North team in Indiana. Not only were they undefeated, but every game that year they won by 20 + except for the aforementioned game and I beleive the game against Drew Neitzel in the State semi-finals.
Malik Hairston and Joe Crawford were top 10 players that year.
Marcus Stout was a 4 year starter at Fordham and got a cup of coffee in the NBA wth a few Sumemr league appearances.
Tajuan Porter came off the bench and was a 4 year starter at Oregon.
Carson Butler (my teammate in football) actually didnt play because he was sitting out the year due to some stupid transfer rules, but he would go on to be an All-State performer the following season.
In addition to those guys they had some solid rotational pieces that all could play ball.
Definitely the best team I ever saw. ( They were ranked #3 in the nation that year according to ESPN or Rivals , I cant remember, but based on what I saw from Oak Hill - the #1, they would have beaten them )
I think what likely happens is that the staff recruits as if the walk-ons won't get schollys and the 3 back-up offensive 5th year guys won't be there ( RB , KH , JH ). That gives us 18 spots to play with. With the sheer volume of offers being thrown around, they are recruitng as if they have somehere near that amount of spots open.
My best guess at the Michigan Dream Board :
7. Iman Marshall
8. Mike Weber
9. Chris Clark
10. Roquan Smith
11. Damon Arnette
12. Ryan Davis
13. Zach Gentry
14. Chris Williamson
15. John Kelly
16. Reuben Jones
17. Pat Allen
18. Ty Wheatley Jr
If they had the chance , I think they would take those 18 guys (12 + 6 already committed) and say bye to the three aforementioned 5th year guys, and not extend scholarships to the Glasgows and Kerridges for this year. When there is the inevitable attrition in the winter/spring , they could re-visit the situation , with the Glasgows and Kerridge being first up, and those 5th year guys after that, for schollys.
Obviously they are not going to get all 12 of those guys. Kelly has already committed to Tennessee and several of those guys are going to be tough pulls. So this is a moot point and I think the Glasgows and Kerridge will get their scholarships. But if all 12 of those guys did want to join this class, there is technically room for them and I think Michigan would bring them aboard.
An interesting dilemma I think is if 2 of Snyder, Williams and Pickard commit ? Does Clark still have his offer? I would think yes but that would be 3 TE/FBs in a pretty small class for a team already decenlty stocked at the position.
Edit: Forgot about McMillon. Gotta think that if he wants a spot in the class he gets one too. Not sure which of the Top 18 I would bump out for him though.