Drew Stanton and the Detroit Lions

Well it's about time the Detroit Lions finally let Drew Stanton play. All the guy does is compete, play hard and win. He won in high school and at Michigan State. And now he's winning for the Lions. I'm glad to see it happen. It's always fun watching Stanton complete a pass to Chelsea's Tony Scheffler. I remember covering a state football playoff game between Stanton's Farmington Hills Harrison team and Scheffler's Chelsea squad. It's kind of cool seeing those two now playing professionally for the local NFL team. I wish the Lions would give Stanton a longer look, but, of course, as soon as Matthew Stafford and his No. 1 draft pick and big salary return, Stanton will be a distant memory. I don't know, I'd really like to see Detroit stick with Stanton. His teammates seem to enjoy playing with him, and because he's such a tough, gritty guy, I think he's earned everybody's respect. Guys play harder for someone they respect -- big contract or not. The Lions have played hard these last three games with Stanton at the helm. I'd love to see it continue, but, of course, it's the Lions and we all know their history of making decisions and evaluating talent. I guess I should simply enjoy it while it lasts.

Huron's Dante Williams makes bold prediction

On Friday night Dante Williams and his River Rats traveled to Romulus to take on the host Eagles in the Romulus Holiday Classic, and fell 60-47.
However, after the game, Williams, who recently committed to play basketball at Oakland University, talked not only about Huron's game, but also about today's Michigan basketball game against his future team.
Williams made a bold prediction that Oakland would beat Michigan, and that the Golden Grizzlies would win handily.
Check it out:

Oakland no pushover, Wolverines should be worried

On Tuesday, when the Oakland Golden Grizzlies defeated No. 7 Tennessee (in Knoxville, no less) the team got quite a bit of attention. Oakland was all over SportsCenter Wednesday, with the anchors making sure to let the national audience know that Oakland University was in Oakland County, Michigan, not Oakland, California. OU head coach Greg Kampe, who despite being the program's main man since Regan's first term in office is still relatively unknown by most college sports fans, was interviewed live on ESPN. The Detroit sports radio station, which avoids talk of mid-major sports like Rex Ryan avoids Jenny Craig, seemed to be fielding calls left and right about the Golden Grizzlies and their big upset over the Volunteers.
The attention must be nice for Kampe and his Golden Grizzlies.
But here's a little secret: Oakland is good. They have been good, and they are probably going to get better before the season ends.
Sure, the victory over Tennessee is probably the biggest win in the program's history. But a week before that, the Grizzlies played Michigan State right down to the wire, losing by just a point, 77-76. Oakland has been to the NCAA tournament twice in the last five years, and is looking to make a push again this season.
So why all the talk about Oakland in Ann Arbor?
Well, the Golden Grizzlies are coming to town Saturday to take on Michigan at Chrisler Arena (12 p.m.).
It's not the first time. In fact, Michigan often gives the Grizzlies a spot on their schedule. And it's almost always a blowout game in favor of the Wolverines.
But this year could be different.
Oakland is riding high after the big win over Tennessee, and the narrow loss to Michigan State. The Grizzlies have also played tight games against Big 10 powers Purdue and Illinois.
Oakland boasts center Keith Benson (18.8 points and 11.5 rebounds), who, according to at least one NBA mock draft, could become the school's first first-round draft pick.
On the other side is Michigan. A team that has the capability to be brilliant one moment, and plain awful the next.
So when it comes to Saturday's game, it really depends which personality of the Jekyll and Hyde Wolverines is going to show up.
If it's the team that beat up on Clemson and Utah, Michigan will be fine. But if it's the team that showed up for the games against Coastal Carolina and Concordia, the Golden Grizzlies might be looking at getting a little more ESPN coverage.

Big Chill at the Big House

A2 Journal reporter Mike Larson is currently blogging live from the Big Chill at the Big House! Check back to see what he has to say about the game.

1st 13:18- So far the game has been fast-paced. During the game's first TV timeout, UM quarterback shows off his Silver football award.

1st 9:50- The crowd is really into the game. Despite early weather reports, it's not too cold outside. Then again, it's easy to say that from the comfort of the press box. Both teams are getting opportunities, but goaltenders Shawn Hunwick (UM) and Drew Palmisano (MSU) are playing well.

1st 7:32- I guess I typed too soon. Jon Merrill just put one past Palmisano on the power play. Michigan leads 1-0. Got to say, those fireworks are pretty cool.

1st 5:06- The fireworks are blasting again! Merrill puts his second goal in the net with a nifty shot. The Spartans need to do something big to get into this thing.

End 1st- Both teams finish the first period with eight shots, but Brighton-born freshman Jon Merrill really seems to have found his groove. For the first intermission, a large carton of Arby's curly fries took to the net to block shots. If you could get one past the fries, you win free Arby's for a year...god I love hockey.

Intermission 5:02- I'm looking over the rosters, and I can't help but pull for Michigan senior Scooter Vaughn. How could you not root for a dude named Scooter?

2nd 17:36- Michigan State's Zach Josepher and Michigan's Chris Brown get sent to the penalty box for "hitting after the whistle." I never understood college hockey players trying to fight. You guys are both wearing cages over your face...

2nd 16:06- Michigan State goes on a 4-on-3 power play. Will Sparty get on the board? No. Still 2-0 Michigan.

2nd 12:12- This seems to be just a special team's game. Both teams have been heavily penalized, however, neither team is taking advantage in the second period. On a side note, Michigan senior Shawn Hunwick is playing admirably in goal in absence of starter Bryan Hogan. Hogan injured his groin during the pregame warmups.

2nd 9:56- Hockey fans are getting into the Big House spirit. The fans have started the "slow wave." You can tell the press box folks who have never been here for a football game. They are really enamored with the waving... I'm anxious to see what they do when it speeds up...

2nd 7:22- Michigan's Carl Hagelin puts the Wolverines up 3-0. Penalties are killing the Spartans. Michigan State needs to score the next goal, or this game is over. By the way, those fireworks after a goal is scored are still the coolest thing ever...
Mike Legg gets voted No. 2 best Michigan hockey moment... I wonder what No. 1 is?




2nd 2:36- The Spartans are starting to look tired. Down 3-0, coach Comley needs to get his players motivated, and needs to get them to score. Every second that goes by tips this game more and more toward Michigan.

Intermission 15:00- I was hoping the curly fries would come back. They didn't. So disappointed.

Intermission 2:58- It's starting to look dark around the Big House, but the lights are shining bright on the ice. Last week, during the high school games, a lot of the prep players said the lights added a completely different aspect to the game. I wonder how the college guys will adjust.

3rd 18:08- I just glanced at a TV here in the press box. That glare on the ice looks like it's really rough!

3rd 13:20- They just announced the attendance. Over 113,000. A new Guiness World Record! It is also the most attended event at the Big House, and an NCAA record!

3rd 11:03- Michigan scores again on the power play. State might have had a better chance if they had just started those curly fries in net... 4-0, Michigan.

3rd 9:02- Wolverines get another goal. This one is over folks.

3rd 4:25- The fans are singing "The Victors," and it can be heard clearly in the press box. That's really saying something as the box has been pretty well insulated all day...

Final- Michigan wins 5-0 in a game that really wasn't much of a game. The two teams shake hands afterward in a show of sportsmanship, but all 113,000+ fans know that the Spartans got beaten like eggs in a bake off today.

White Out!

Even if the snow holds off, there will still be plenty of white stuff in Ann Arbor tonight. The student section at Father Gabriel Richard High School has declared a "White Out"-- all fans will come dressed in white-- for the team's game against Flint Powers. Mike Larson will be at the game, blogging about the event in real time.
Check back for updates throughout the evening.

6:52 P.M- The Irish could have a tough time tonight. Flint Powers boasts two outstanding players in Patrick Lucas-Perry (brother of former UM basketball player Laval Lucas-Perry) and Javonte Hawkins. in Friday's Detroit Free Press, both players were named among the top twenty players in the state.

7:05 P.M.

Richard JV team winning with three minutes left. I'm not sure how long Ashton Hundley will be playing junior varsity. He looks like he could play with the big boys.

7:22 P.M.

Varsity off to a late start. Teams warming up now. Richard fan section going nuts.

At this point, my phone stopped cooperating for the live blogging.
Flint Powers went on to win the game 63-49, however that didn't dampen the spirits of the Gabriel Richard fans. The student section was crazy all night, doing a number of cheers to keep the team pumped up.

Evan Smotrycz: The new Kevin Pittsnogle?

Do you remember Kevin Pittsnogle? He was that really tall, very pale guy who used to play under John Beilein at West Virginia? Sure he was kind of goofy looking, but he was a basketball coach's dream. He was a big, physical presence around the hoop, able to bang around with the best rebounders in the game. But he could also shoot. His ability to nail outside shots forced coaches to alter their defenses. It forced them to make that tough decision about whether or not to take a big defender out of the middle of the paint.
If they chose to, then the middle opened up, if they chose not to, Pittsnogle would shoot (and most of the time make) wide open shots all night.
The Michigan Wolverines and Beilein seem to have a player very much like that. Freshman Evan Smotrycz has so much in common with Pittsnogle, it's scary.
They are both tall, pale looking guys with odd last names. Their first names even rhyme! But most importantly, their games are pretty similar.
On Tuesday night Smotrycz scored a career-high 18 points against Clemson, and he did it in a very Pittsnoglian fashion. He converted shots on the inside, and if the opportunity came, he knocked down shots on the outside.
If Beilein plays his cards right, he may have found another player to help him get his NCAA tournament swagger back.
Let's just hope Smotrycz's future is brighter than that of his West Virginian counterpart.

"Jimmy V Week for Cancer Research" starts today

"Don't give up. Don't ever give up."-- Jim Valvano

Today marks the beginning of the fourth annual "Jimmy V Week for Cancer Research." The event, which is sponsored by the Jimmy V Foundation and ESPN, has raised over $2.63 million dollars for cancer research, including $950,000 last year.
The event is named for Jim Valvano, the late college basketball coach and ESPN commentator. Valvano is best known for his emotional speech at the 1993 ESPY Awards, where he accepted the Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian Award. He addressed the crowd for over 11 minutes, using the final portion of the speech to speak about the the need for cancer research. Eight weeks later, Valvano lost his own battle with bone cancer.
Valvano's battle and his "Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research" became personal for me in the summer of 2008 when, coincidentally, I was diagnosed with the same form of bone cancer that took the life of the former North Carolina State coach.
I was lucky. I survived. Perhaps some of the dollars raised by the Jimmy V Foundation helped to improve my treatment. It's very possible.
I'm not going to beg people to give money, but, if the spirit moves you, here is the link for the Jimmy V Foundation.
However, I think it's important to take this week to think about all of the people you know who have been affected by cancer. It's a terrible disease and more needs to be done as we take steps to its eradication.
And, if you have time, watch Valvano's speech. It's pretty amazing.