I believe in second chances. Every athlete deserves one. I hate it when athletes don’t get a second chance, but I love it when that second chance comes and they make the most of it. But what really gets me is when athletes get that second chance, and then blow it.

You want to talk about a guy who blew not just a second chance, but a number of chances after that, look no further than Ryan Perrilloux. He blew it! Even after allegedly being found being involved in a counterfeiting scheme, even after entering a casino illegally, and even after failing to meet his obligations as an LSU student-athlete, Les Miles believed he’d turn around. And he has every reason to believe that.

The Tigers won a National Title last year, in part to Perrilloux’s performance in the SEC title game. He would be the starting QB to one of the most dominate programs in the country. He would have played for arguably the most visible team in the most visible conference out there.
Miles probably considered this, and even more, when he had previously suspended and disciplined Perrilloux. He gave him a shot to make amends, and to prove people, like me, wrong

Perrilloux blew it. He took advantage of his coach’s good nature, and he let down his teammates, as now the best two options LSU has at QB are a freshman and a Harvard transfer. LSU may actually now have bigger problems at QB than Michigan, which is saying a lot. Ryan, I hope it was worth your shot, because from where I stand, you have to be one of the stupidest people out there. Good luck at D-II…if you get there.

Things have not been going well for the Michigan Wolverines this past year. First, there was that huge upset in the Big House against Appalachian State (no Michigan, I have not forgotten) that started a horrible skid. Then there was their fifth straight loss to rival Ohio State. And then they had to settle for Rich Rodriguez when what they really wanted was Les Miles. And that was just the regular season.

The off-season has proven even more tumultuous for one of the most storied programs in the country. Player after player has transfered out of Michigan to play else where after Rich Rod’s arrival. Then came the loss of heavily recruited Terrelle Pryor who decided to sign with the rival Buckeyes, leaving what seems to be nothing but unanswerable questions involving the quarterback position. Now, with the impending draft of their offensive line’s all-star, Jake Long, comes another blow. Former Wolverine OL Justin Boren has decided to cut his ties with the Maize and Blue to sign on with none other than the Buckeyes.

When asked why he was leaving the Wolverines, Boren said, “family values have eroded” under the new head coach, Rich Rodriguez. Now, we can debate the reasons for the departure of Boren. They could be simply sour grapes, and they could be exactly what he says they are. Either way, there should be cause for concern in Wolverine Country.

The Athletic Department for Michigan may think that they found their guy, but the players and recruits are thinking something else. Maybe it would have been better for the athletic department to, you know, ask the players what they would like. After all, they are the ones making the money for them.

Rodriguez is a good coach to be sure. But it may not matter if the good, talented players Michigan has (or had) will not play for the man. This is an “I told you so” moment for me. I knew this hire would cause problems for Michigan. I just thought it would be later instead of sooner. Well, here’s to being proven wrong.

BYU fans got a potentially bad piece of news today. Center Trent Plaisted announced his intention to go in to the NBA Draft this upcoming June. Plaisted is a good player. He certainly has great potential to go in to the pros and become someone who can change a game. He has that potential, but I question if he has lived up to it on a regular basis.

Plaisted has a good skill set. He led BYU in rebounds with 7.7 per game and was second in points per game with 15.6, only trailing Co-MWC Player of the Year Lee Cummard. His biggest issue is his consistency. He had nights when he was the boss this past season. He put up 9 double-doubles and had stellar numbers against teams like Louisville and North Carolina.

However, along to go with those incredible, shinning moments came times when he looked lost and flustered. In post-season play (MWC Tournament and the Big Dance) Trent never hit his rebounding stride, and really didn’t come around until after halftime in some cases. His most dismal numbers came from the charity stripe this season; .542 FT %.

One thing that I have liked about Trent is that his numbers and his game improve year in and year out. For that reason, I think he should forgo the NBA for one more year simply because we have yet to see the best in him. There have been movie trailers of what he can be, but he still has yet to show the full-length blockbuster.

Trent will not go high in the draft this year, but if he shows more with another season as a Cougar, he will prove that he belongs as a second round choice at the very least. It’s a good thing he hasn’t hired that agent yet because he still has a shot at coming back for his final season. Here’s to hoping that the NCAA hasn’t seen the last of him.

This is typically a college sports blog, but since the NFL Draft involves the pros and the collegiate athletes, I won’t lose much sleep over this post.

There is a lot of talk about Miami drafting Boston College QB Matt Ryan with the #1 pick. Justifiably so. Ryan is an excellent QB who could really flourish anywhere he plays. However, drafting a QB may hurt them more than help. Need we forget, Miami drafted former BYU QB John Beck in 2007 NFL Draft. Yes, Miami finished 1-15 and yes Beck started in a few of those games. But please be reasonable. After Miami lost Chris Chambers to San Diego, who did he have to throw to? And who was protecting him at the line? Beck may have had better luck throwing to real dolphins, and as far as protection goes, the cheerleaders may have been better.

I submit to you the man that will change their horrific luck: Michigan’s Jake Long. This 6′7” 315-pound behemoth moves faster then many defensive linemen and has the skills to play most any position up front. He is young, he is smart, and he is a no-miss pick. We know that a QB is only as good as his protection. Need proof? Just watch Super Bowl XLII; simple enough.

Ryan is a good QB, and I’m sure that there are plenty of teams out there that could use a guy with his talent. As of right now, the Miami Dolphin don’t fit that billing. Once Miami gets those things that a QB needs, such as good linemen and good receivers, maybe they can start to be a little more picky.

I was walking around the BYU campus the other day and I noticed basketball player Vuk Ivanovic stroll past me. Having some knowledge of the Serbian language, I realized his name, directly translated into English, is Wolf Johnson. Pretty sweet name, if you ask me. Sounds like the name of somebody that balled for the ABA back in the day.

Anyways… I went on a search to check out some of the best names in college basketball…

Leemire Goldwire — Charlotte If your name rhymes, you’re good in my book.

Jaycee Carroll — Utah State How many dudes can rock two girl names? He led the Aggies in scoring, mind you.

Hashim Thabeet — Connecticut The name just sounds like it belongs to a tall, athletic blocking machine.

Robert Vaden — UAB Vaden. Vader. Kills opponents with 3s. Kills opponents with Jedi Mind Strangulation.

John Killen — SMU Do you want to meet this guy? I don’t.

Jaytornah Wisseh — Long Island How many people have a name that sounds like it came straight out of Jay Z’s mouth?

Paulius Morkeliunas — Long Island It must be great being a foreign player. “Yes, in my language it means ‘Paul The Most Awesomely Cool One.’” Most likely, their teammates are none the wiser…

Stuart Creason — Colorado State I’m thinking taped glasses and suspenders… how bout you?

Jabir Jinna Jr. — UVSC Extra points for alliteration.

Last year, Don Imus made inappropriate, and racially driven remarks towards the Rutgers Women’s Basketball team. After a long, drawn out battle, Imus was released by his employers. Rightfully so as well. You are certainly entitled to your own remarks, just as your employer is entitled to fire you for misrepresenting them, and their company.

Fast forward to now. Once legendary head coach Rick Majerus was on the syndicated Dan Patrick Show, giving his picks for the first round match-ups of the upcoming National Tournament. When asked about the game between BYU and Texas A&M, Mr. Majerus said “I don’t like BYU from my Utah days. You know, Mitt and magic underwear and all those guys.” Patrick moved on; trying to save his tail, I’m sure. Majerus later made another comment saying something to the effect of “their magic underwear won’t save BYU.”

Majerus coached in Utah. No doubt he was familiar with the heavy Latter-Day Saint (Mormon) population. That certainly does not make him an expert in Mormonism. Nor does it give him cause for the things he said. Whether or not he has any love towards Mormons is not the issue. The issue is that Majerus said something that is discriminatory towards a specific group of people. We would not like it if Majerus said something of that nature about those who are Jewish. Nor would we put up with it if he had said something discriminatory against a specific race. So why no outcry?

It is a double standard to many. If we would have a negative reaction towards something said against other groups and minorities, why not for this? Why should Majerus get a free pass? Because he’s bashing on Mormons? If you feel this an over-reaction or even prudish, ask yourself this: what would you do if someone, like Majerus, made a comment about your race, or your religion? I’m guessing you would have that same reaction. You may even call for the termination of that person.

Saint Louis University, I do not blame you for Majerus’ comments. It is apparent you don’t like his remarks either. As I recall, his stance on pro-choice versus pro-life turned you off, and called him in to question. Now that he has made these remarks, you need to do the right thing and let him go. If not, he will drag you down in to the mud pit he already frequents.

We live in a time when such bigotry and prejudice should not exist. People, like Majerus, who still live in a time where ignorance was the mainstream, are simply relics. Relics that live in a blissful existence, not even considering that they have misjudged someone. I hope that Saint Louis University will proverbially take the old dog out to pasture. If not, they do their institution a disservice by propagating his prejudice.

The Buckeyes had to wait longer for Christmas, but I hardly think they are complaining. One of the most highly regarded recruits ever finally made his choice! Terrelle Pryor chose Ohio State over rival Big Ten powers Michigan and Penn State, as well as Oregon. This choice comes as a surprise to many, including Wolverine Nation, but I am not surprised. In fact, my only surprise was that he wasn’t going to play basketball too. I am no Buckeye fan, but I know a winner when I see one. That is what Ohio State is, and now their noted dominance in the Big Ten will be felt longer.

So what will Pryor do for the Buckeyes? What will make Pryor the most dangerous player on the field is simply his athleticism. Ohio State is more known for their power on both sides of the ball. While that is daunting, it has hurt them; namely in BCS Title games, where the opposition has been much faster. Having Pryor in the line-up will make a significant difference. According to scouts, when it comes to his athleticism, “the sky is the limit.”

Probably even more significant is the ramifications that Michigan will now feeling. There is great question what will happen in their own QB situation. They don’t have a lot to work with currently, and you can believe Pryor would have made a huge difference when it comes to working Rich Rodriguez’s spread system. Ohio State not only landed the best recruit, but they also hurt the future status for their greatest rival. It’s like two birds with one stone.

I’m a Westerner. All I have heard about Pryor is what I read in his scouting report. All I have seen on Pryor is Youtube footage. But that’s all I need to see to know that this kid is, and will be, something special.

March Madness has finally arrived. Yesterday as we saw the brackets unveiled; we sat in anticipation and saw teams in that were no great surprise, as well as other teams that made us cock our heads in confusion. I saw three teams that made me do just that: Kentucky, Oregon, and Arizona.

My biggest issue with Arizona is not the just 19-14 record with a dismal 8-10 Pac-10 showing. They could be allowed in to the Big Dance with that. However, it was the fact that they were picked over Arizona State. That’s right, the same Arizona State that beat the Wildcats twice. The same Arizona State that beat Xavier, Stanford, USC. Now, Arizona beat Washington State twice and also beat USC. In my eyes, that puts the two teams on the same level as far as quality wins go. So how do you decide who is better then? Head-to-head competition. I think the strength of schedule is a non-issue regarding this. And it should be for the committee as well since they seem to disavow RPI’s anyway.

Next on to Kentucky and Oregon. I feel they both are certainly better then Arizona, but my issue is simply their resumes are curiously similar to that of rejected Syracuse. In fact, when one only looks at quality wins, Syracuse is right on pace with them. If any of you are looking a strength of schedule, as I know many of you are, Syracuse wins the battle. I do believe that Syracuse shouldn’t be dancing, but I also believe that if you are going to reject the Orange, then you should turn down UK and the Ducks.

What we have are three teams here from three different conferences with eerily similar resumes. Kentucky’s only saving grace is that they had a weaker conference, and while they have impressive wins, they have failed to prove they can get it done on the road against a team that would be considered - what’s the word I’m looking for - good.

If I could place three teams in the place of these three I feel fell back in to the Big Dance, I would have selected Arizona State, Illinois State, and maybe Dayton. I do regard RPI as important, which is why I would take the Flyers and Redbirds. I would take the Sun Devils simply because they have proven they can get big wins outside of the conference after beating Xavier, a 3 seed. Out of conference wins are important simply because in the first round of this tournament you play a team from a different conference.

All arguments aside now, we can do nothing about the snubs. Let’s just play some basketball!

One of the many blunders the Mountain West Conference has made can be found during conference tournament time. The MWC Conference Tournament is held at the Thomas & Mack Center; home of the UNLV Rebels. The MWC signed a contract to hold the tournament there for several years.

Now, I’m a huge fan of holding any conference tourney at a NEUTRAL location. I know the Thomas & Mack Center is one of the great college basketball venues. However, it favors UNLV too much to have it there. It’s just giving them extra home games. Since the MWC has held the tournament there, UNLV has been in the finals of that event every year but one; the reason the didn’t go that year was because of self-imposed restrictions to prevent them from any post-season play due to NCAA violations.

Look, I know this means a lot to Rebel fans. After all, Men’s Basketball is usually the only sport UNLV does well in. But the advantage is too great to ignore. I know it does no good to just flap my gums on the topic. A solution is necessary. I have in mind three venue changes.

1. The Staples Center; Los Angeles, CA

I good venue I’d say. If you only do the tournament there for one week only, logistical problems should be at a minimum. Still, there may be conflicts as the NBA’s Lakers and Clippers, plus the NHL’s Kings, play there. However, this is a great a idea from the neutrality standpoint. Besides, do you think many people will hate playing at one of the NBA’s premiere venues? The Big East certainly has no problem with Madison Square Garden.

2. The Pepsi Center; Denver, CO

Before the MWC Tournament moved to UNLV’s stomping grounds, it was held in Denver. Maybe this could become a permanent venue. Only two teams claim this arena; The Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche. Besides, when I think of mountains, I think of Colorado. It obviously worked well before. If it ain’t broke, why fix it?

3. The Energy Solutions Arena; Salt Lake City, UT

So it’s a stone’s throw from the University of Utah, and close to BYU. Think of it as a way of evening out the advantage UNLV has had these last years. Logistically, it may be the easiest. Only the Utah Jazz use the arena. Give them one big road trip, and the place is more than freed up. Beside

I’m sure there are other places that could host this event. Feel free to place your suggestions. I hope this issue is resolved soon. The other teams in the MWC would probably like to get away from the UNLV home floor advantage when they are fighting for a spot in the big dance.

I give the Wildcats credit. After a weak start to their season, they went in to conference play and started taking names; names that included Vandy and Tennessee. Unfortunately for UK, they are a victim of the injury bug, and not living up to the billing needed for them to go to the big dance. Here are my reasons why we won’t see them in March Madness:

1. The lose of freshman phenom Patrick Patterson hurts UK simply because they are a bubble team. The committee does take in to consideration the condition of the players of a team as they enter in to the tournament. Patterson led the Cats in boards and was barely second in points. Statistically, they lost their best player. That takes away some of their competitive edge.

2. No quality road wins. Most any team out their can defend their home court; even if their opponents are vastly superior to them. UK has home wins against Vandy and Tennessee. However, their best road win came against 14-13 Auburn. You better believe the committee looks at how you play on the road, and UK hasn’t shown that they can get a good win against a good team on that team’s floor. “But what about almost beating the Vols over in Knoxville.” Well, good for you. Would you like a cookie for that?

3. Their big wins are too far away. Tennessee and Vandy are pretty much all UK has to show on their resume. Guess what? Since UK beat those two teams, they in turn have lost to them. Good, you beat them. But hey, they beat you more recently. And, in Vandy’s case, ran you out of the building. It is true the committee looks at your past 10 games more then the others because that shows your recent success, and how well you are playing at that point. That may be the problem though because currently, their 10 games won’t show a win over a quality team

4. Horrible non-conference record. UK is 16-11 right now. However, 10 of those winsare SEC wins. As of right now, the SEC will be lucky to send 4 teams to play in the tournament (not including UK). This year, the SEC is slightly weaker than it was before. Conference record debates aside, who do you play first round? A non-conference opponent. With all the non-conference teams they played that have a shot of going to the Big Dance, they have no wins to show for it. That will matter to the committee.

UK, you only have one shot left: win the SEC Tournament. You win that, everything I said will not matter! If you can’t, I look forward to seeing you in the N.I.T.