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Miami Hurricanes News and Notes – March edition

Canes Pundit — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 15:21:35 +0000

Annnd we’re back. We had a little bit of a ‘hiatus’ due to some technical difficulties. Still not 100% back to normal, but at least the site is operational. This is the down time of the year, anyway. Fans are clutching at straws…trying to learn of some 19 year old kid’s 40 yard dash time at a Pro Day to tide them over til football season. Junkies. (Olivier Vernon 4.68? Lee Chambers 4.41?)

Now’s the time of year where I pretend to care about basketball and might give the UM baseball box scores a passing glance. It’s been a while, so let’s look at what has transpired:

The 2012 schedule came out. This is where I start making my travel plans in the fall. My buddy in Chicago is already texting me about getting him some Notre Dame tickets. The one thing that stood out to me is that we’re going to find out early if this team is going to suck or simply be mediocre (for those with national championship hopes in their head, now is the time to come back to reality). At BC and at K State. Two road games off the bat. There is no excuse to lose to Boston College. K State will be tougher, especially if that f’er Collin Klein is back (Google searches Collin Klein and finds out that he is returning next year). If the Canes can manage to win those two games, they get Bethune-Cookman at home prior to heading to my hometown to face the Yellow Jackets. After a home game versus NC State, it is the showdown versus Notre Dame in Chicago on October 6th. This is where the schedule takes an ugly turn. Notre Dame, UNC, FSU, VT. Yikes. If Miami only has 2-3 losses after the VT game, I would consider it a coups. Remember, this is a 6-6 team that just got raped by the NFL draft. At Virginia, USF, and at Duke rounds out the schedule. Consider we’re breaking in a new QB, starting RB, and top WR – not to mention losing the team’s most valuable defensive player – I would consider a 7-5/8-4 type of year to be progress.

March Madness. So the Canes hoops team beat Georgia Tech and now face FSU at 9:00 tonight. The consensus going into the ACC tournament was that Miami needed to win at least two games to be assured a spot in the tourney. One down, one to go. If they don’t make it to the big dance, however, at least they’ll be one of the favorites to win the NIT.

Kony Fever. All this Kony 2012 madness got me thinking…why couldn’t we as a fan base organize a similar type of movement against Terry Porter? By the way, is it me or does Kony kinda look like Grant Hill’s pops, former Cowboy Calvin Hill?

Peyton MIAnning. I just know that Ross and Ireland are going to F this up. A USA Today poll asked where people thought Peyton would land and 41% picked Miami, with the next closest team at 10%. It is the most logical fit. He’s got surrounding talent – as bad as the Dolphins were last year, they automatically turn into a playoff contender with a veteran franchise QB. They’re in the AFC. The organization is willing to give full control and all the money in the world to him. He’s already got a condo in South Florida. And it’s Miami, Florida – a desirable destination. Yet, it has two glaring weaknesses. Stephen Ross. And Jeff Ireland. I can just see Ireland asking Peyton if his mom was a prostitute. My fear is that Peyton heads to Arizona because of ties to that organization, it being a warm weather climate as well, and Larry Fitzgerald not only being a better receiver than Brandon Marshall, but the total opposite of him off the field. Besides, Ross and Ireland don’t strike me as the kind of guys someone wants to build a relationship with. While I don’t think Ireland is as incompetent as Dolphins fans make him out to be, Ross is. He’s a billionaire in over his head. He’s preoccupied with having JLo and Gloria Estefan become part owners and has the football acumen of a Rhesus monkey.

Super Sunday for Hurricanes

Canes Pundit — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:07:15 +0000

With Signing Day behind us, we have a little bit of a dry spell. Sure, there’s Spring ball but that’s just clutchin at straws to get your football fix. We’ll be here with our warped take on it all, though. For now, I’m still reveling in Tom Brady getting punched in the gut yet again by the Giants. As a Dolphins fan, this is almost as good as seeing the Phins win it all. If Belichick had read my clock management post a few weeks ago (clearly he didn’t) he would have let the Giants score on 1st down instead of 2nd down. Brady with 2 timeouts and over a minute might do some damage. 1 timeout and under a minute didn’t cut it. At least he realized the quandary he was in (i.e. the Giants looking to kick a 20 yard field goal with 20-something seconds left) and laid down on 2nd down. The indecisive Ahmad Bradshaw was sweatin out that last Pats drive like Don Imus at the Apollo. In the end, I think the better overall team won, though neither should be considered an elite, all-time great team.

- It was pointed out that Belichick and Brady have zero Super Bowl rings since being busted for spying on other teams. All their titles have asterisks if you ask me, and Dan Marino is still better than Brady or any other quarterback that played in the pros.

- Good to see the Canes hoops team beat Duke at Cameron. Well, I didn’t see it since it wasn’t on my local TV. But, I was following the live tweets all the way. If they make it to the big dance, they could do some damage (and by ‘damage’ I mean possibly make it to the Sweet 16 if they’re lucky).

- This has nothing to do with football but someone told me that if you type ‘repeat’ after ‘youtube’ in the url, the video will replay automatically. Do what you wish with this information. I plan on replaying a Creed song on my buddy’s computer and then hitting keyboard lock.

- It’s never too early to look towards the 2013 class. Miami recently got a verbal commitment from Jayron Kearse, Jevon Kearse’s nephew. Other Floridian prospects for next year with solid DNA are Kevlin Taylor (son of Fred Taylor) and Ray Lewis III (son of Ray). Depending on what comes down from the NCAA this year, I would expect next year’s class to be just as solid (though surely not as big) as this year’s.

Hurricanes Recap: Signing Day Success

Canes Pundit — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:39:48 +0000

Wow. 33 commits. The #1 ranked CB in the nation. #1 all purpose RB. 6 of the top ESPNU 150 recruits. A top 10 class according to Rivals, Scout, and ESPN.

And all with the black cloud of NCAA sanctions looming overhead. Make no doubt, the hammer is about to fall some time in 2012. With the preemptive bowl ban and player suspensions, however, we think it might be less than some are expecting. Another year bowl ban? Maybe. Loss of scholarships? Definitely. But as USC has shown, that does not necessarily mean a death sentence. And with 33 commits, 9 of which are enrolling early to count towards last year’s class, there is no better defense against sanctions than an early offense on the recruiting field.

Everyone is bowing to Golden this morning and rightfully so. He and his staff quartered off South Florida. In fact, only 7 recruits came from outside the state of Florida. He had to battle negative recruiting, the main culprit supposedly being UF coach Will Muschamp. He had to ward off the inquiries about impending NCAA sanctions. About playing for a team that just went 6-6. And he somehow lured in a top 10 class.

And while that’s great and everyone is giving virtual high fives, remember that Randy Shannon lured in the top ranked class according to ESPN in 2008. Four years later, he was gone and the team had a .500 record. This really means nothing. 5 star labels and #1 class rankings mean nothing if you’re constantly changing offensive coordinators. It means nothing if the talent is not harnessed and players aren’t properly developed. We’re banking on that happening. Our optimism doesn’t really stem from the top 10 recruiting class as much as the coaching staff being in place for years to come. Stability and player development is something that has lacked in years past. This recruiting class symbolizes a change in that respect.

Quick Hits: If you haven’t read it, check out the Palm Beach Post’s story on VT assistant coach Charlie Wiles’ conversation with Ja Wand Blue on his last minute switch from VT to Miami. Any time I see this, I wonder how many times schools promised scholarships to players, only to pull them at the last minute…..Watched ‘Drive’ the other night and thought it could have been so much better. Decent soundtrack though….Looks like Floyd is fighting Manny’s leftovers. Dude turned down a 50-50 split and is now trying to say that Pacquiao doesn’t want the fight. C’mon man, I said last year that as soon as Pacquiao agreed to blood testing he’d think of something else, and sure enough….As long as they don’t give up draft picks, I’m OK with the Phins dishing out money for Manning. Last time they passed on a decent QB because of health issues, they chose Culpepper over Brees….I’m picking the Giants to win, mainly because I can’t stomach the thought of Tom F’n Brady winning another Super Bowl.

Signing Day Looms

Canes Pundit — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:45:03 +0000

We are hours away from February 1st – National Signing Day. Each year I tell myself not to get caught up in the excitement, that I’m too old to care where a 17 yr old kid decides to obtain his higher education. Yet, each year, I get sucked into the tweets, the ESPNU coverage, and the pick-a-hat game on national TV. This year, the pie in the sky is Tracy Howard, the #1 ranked CB in the country. Most estimates have him sticking with his original decision of UF, but Miami made a late push and might surprise. The other is 5 star OL Avery Young.

Miami’s recent signing of Tampa CB Antonio Crawford will ease the blow if Howard in fact picks UF or FSU. Crawford, a Georgia Tech commit until receiving a Miami offer, is 5’11″, 180 lbs and has racked up over 100 interceptions in his 3 star career.

What Golden has done, regardless of how Signing Day goes, is nothing short of amazing. Over 30 recruits and a top 10 class. This, coming off an abysmal season with NCAA sanctions about to be enforced upon the program. We expect Signing Day to be a quiet one for the Canes, but what Golden has done thus far has been unbelievable. With a steady coaching staff in place for years, there’s little doubt that this team will improve in the years ahead.

So grab your popcorn and pull up a seat this Wednesday. February 1st symbolizes hope and promise for the future, even if the attention paid is quite misguided. It starts at 7 am on ESPNU and lasts for 10 hours. Below are the two big catches that we’re hoping for:

CB Tracy Howard: 9:35 am ESPNU (choosing between, UF, FSU, and Miami)

OL Avery Young: 2:00 pm ESPN (choosing between UGA, AU, UF, Bama, and Miami)

If you can’t make it to the Signing Day Party at the Bank United Center, the Hurricanes official site will have plenty of social media coveragethroughout the day.

Miami Hurricanes Recruiting Update

Canes Pundit — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:19:00 +0000

I told myself I wouldn’t get caught up in recruiting this year. Yet, just like I tell myself I won’t watch ‘The Bachelor’ any more, they suck me back in (is it me or does that dude Ben look like the guy from your I.T. department who has been to 50 Phish concerts?). Anyways, Mirimar CB Tracy Howard is regarded as the top defensive back in the country. He was all set to choose Florida or FSU and then Miami crept into the picture. I still think it’s a long shot, but what a coup it would be for Golden to rope him in. Not only would the kid start next year, he might be our top corner.

- I got excited a few weeks ago when West Boca Raton WR Robert Lockhart decommitted from Virginia Tech and verbally committed to The U. Well, now it seems he’s running into clearinghouse issues. One person with knowledge of the situation put his chances of gaining clearance at ’50-50.’ Ugh.

- Tyriq McCord, the four star Tampa DE that committed to the Hurricanes during the US Army All American Game reaffirmed his commitment earlier this week. When asked if he was still intent on heading to Coral Gables, McCord texted ’SOLID!’ and noted that he will be faxing his letter of intent on Signing Day. McCord is part of the ESPNU150 and is the 7th ranked defensive end according to Rivals.com.

- Per UM, the official 2012 schedule will be released in February. Right now, the games currently locked in are 9/8: @ Kansas State, 10/6: Notre Dame (@ Chicago, IL), 10/13: Bethune-Cookman, and 11/24: South Florida.

Quick Hits: Demi Moore’s kids are adults and she hardly works any more. I wonder what the working class single mom with two jobs and three kids thinks of her being ‘exhausted.’….I like this talk of the Phins maybe going after Peyton Manning. It sure beats Matt F’n Flynn….Rented this movie ‘Sara’s Key’ at the behest of my lady friend. F’n A, that sh-t was deeeepressing. Only rent it if you’re feelin upbeat and want somethin to bring you down…..If Pacquiao and Mayweather aren’t going to fight, I’d like to see Mayweather-Cotto and Pacquiao-Marquez IV.

Miami Hurricanes News and Notes

Canes Pundit — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:42:40 +0000

- RIP Joe Pa. You were a great football coach and did a lot for the university. Sure, there was that little thing of not catching the child rapist that was on your staff for 30+ years, but hey, nobody’s perfect.

- Recruiting season is heating up. Miami’s 2012 class somehow sits at #6 on Scout.com’s rankings, and #7 on Rival.com’s. The fact that Golden is doing this with impending NCAA sanctions looming overhead is unfathomable. With less than 10 days to go until Signing Day, there is still room for improvement. Still, anything near the top 10 is a coup considering the situation we’re in.

- Of the top 25 recruiting classes ranked on Scout and Rivals, only one school has over 30 commits. Miami. Yet another recruit, TE Dwayne Hoilett, will enroll early thus counting towards last year’s class. This frees up some much needed space in this year’s class. Whether it be enrolling early or coming in as a walk on, there are several legal ways around the 25 scholarship per class limit.

- Man, as a Dolphins fan I can’t take another Tom Brady Super Bowl. 5 in 11 years? Meanwhile the Phins haven’t played in a Super Bowl in 27 years. 27! There’s only 16 teams in the AFC. Ugh. I like the Philbin hire. That dude kinda looks like Larry Coker. Let’s just hope he doesn’t coach like Coker.

Quick Hits: As I said, once Pacquiao agreed to the testing, Mayweather would think of something else – and sure enough, demanding more than 50-50 is it. If anything, Pacquiao is the bigger draw and deserves the higher percentage….Watched ‘The Ides of March’ over the weekend. Eh, kinda slow in the beginning but got better as it went along and was OK….Nice to see Duke Johnson upgraded to a 5 star recruit, but does it really matter? I’m looking forward to next year and think that he will get lots of playing time….Coughlin totally should have given Harbaugh the ‘Power Shake’ at the end of OT.

Clock Management Coach For Hire

Canes Pundit — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:52:58 +0000

I watched the movie ‘Moneyball’ last night and thought it was a decent flick. It got me thinking about football and some of the major statistical oversights, namely clock management.

I’ve always said that pro and college teams need to hire an individual that is solely responsible for clock management. It amazes me how there are special teams assistant coaches, graduate assistant coaches, interns, etc. yet there is no sole individual assigned to maximizing the efficiency of offenses in the two minute drill. Sure, they practice it during the week and the head coach has the ultimate say on when to call timeouts, but there needs to be a dedicated unit of teaching to ingrain in these young minds what to do when there a precious seconds left in a crucial situation. Does Bobby Bowden lose Wide Right I if he runs another play to gain a couple of yards? Does he lose Wide Right III if he doesn’t waste precious seconds prior to Matt Munyon’s field goal attempt?

The NFL is not immune, either. Take a look at the Saints-49ers playoff game from this past weekend. With a little over 2 minutes remaining, San Francisco QB Alex Smith is facing a 3rd and 8 at New Orleans’ 28 yard line, down by 1. New Orleans has 1 timeout left. He runs a bootleg and is in the clear. Sprinting down the sidelines, Smith heads towards the end zone untouched. If I were the clock management coach, I would have told him, ‘If you get in the open, go down at the 2.’ Think about it. Instead of scoring a touchdown – as he did – Smith purposely falls down at the 2, bringing the game to the two minute warning. San Francisco now has a 1st and Goal at the 2. They take a knee on 1st down, New Orleans calls their last timeout. 1:55 remaining. Smith takes another knee and with the Saints out of timeouts, the clock is brought down to 1:10. On 3rd down, they take another knee, bringing the clock down to approximately 27 seconds. They bring on John Kasay to kick the go ahead 21 yard field goal with about 20-30 seconds left. Wouldn’t you rather have a two point lead with 25 seconds left than a 5 point lead with 2:11 left?

Sure enough, All Pro QB Drew Brees marched his team down for the go ahead touchdown. Only problem is, the Saints don’t have a clock management specialist either so they scored too soon, thus allowing the 49ers to retake the lead for good with 9 seconds left.

There’s a part in ‘Moneyball’ where someone tells the Billy Beane character that his team paid approximately $200K per win while the New York Yankees paid over $1 million per win. When you think about it, wins are the only stat that matter. Personally, I’m tired of the PR campaign for so-and-so getting his 5th straight 100 yard game or this guy’s passer rating being in the top 5 of the nation. It all doesn’t matter. Wins are the only numbers that matter. And perhaps there is no greater impact – in the coaching realm – on a win than managing the clock with a few minutes to go in a close game. I remember when timeouts in the Randy Shannon era were being doled out like Chinese girls at adoption agencies. It seems we’d always use them all up prior to halftime or the end of the game (then, on the rare occasions that we did have one left near the end of the game, we failed to use it wisely…remember the 2008 Emerald Bowl versus Cal).

I am offering up my services for free. I have no head coaching experience but have played enough Madden to know what to do. When time is running out, getting to the sidelines is key. When you’re down by 10 with under two minutes to go, kick the field goal and attempt an onside kick instead of going for it on 4th down (kudos to Golden for realizing and doing this versus FSU). The onside kick has the lowest probability, so the closer you get to clearing that obstacle, the closer you will be to winning the game.

There are endless possibilities to these teachings, most of which have largely been hidden from student athletes. Remember when Eagles RB Brian Westbrook fell down at the one on purpose a couple of years ago? Some Eagles fans were irate. But not the smart Eagles fans. They knew that he did the right thing to preserve his team’s victory. There are times when you’ll have to take a knee at the one in an open field, as opposed to scoring. Other times, it might make sense for the defense to simply allow the opposing team to score a touchdown (think the Dolphins-Chargers 1995 playoff game). Either way, college – and pro – teams need to have a clock management specialist assigned to their teams. Wins are simply too valuable to be left to chance. Athletic programs need to take a good long look at maximizing the statistical benefits of certain key last minute situations. Because the last thing you want is Drew Brees with the ball and two minutes to go. I’d much rather be facing Drew Brees with 20 seconds to go.

Quick Hits: Dude, Ireland needs to go. I don’t know what Stephen Ross’ fascination is with him, but I’ve already seen enough of his Pat White-loving, Dez Bryant-hating persona to know that he’s not the right guy for the job. Besides, you’re gonna miss out on guys like Cowher if you give final personnel decision control to someone else….So, Paula Deen had Type II Diabetes for three f’n years and continued to cook her butter and sugar-ridden dishes on TV, but is now coming out in public because she is ‘partnering’ with a diabetic drug company? That is what is wrong with this country. And Paula Deen is a greedy dipshit….Rented ‘Crazy, Stupid, Love’ at the request of my lady friend and gotta admit, it was entertaining. I’m a closet RomCom fan, though….That Italian cruise ship captain reminds me of that episode of ‘Seinfeld’ where Costanza is at a kid’s birthday party and, thinking there’s a fire, pushes them out of the way to get to out of there.

The Time I Knocked Up My Girlfriend

Canes Pundit — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:21:35 +0000

It was the summer of 2005. I was 29 and decided it was time to purchase my first home. It would turn out to be the best decision I ever made in life, while simultaneously being the worst financial decision I’ve ever made. As you know, the real estate market tanked shortly thereafter and now I’m stuck with a mortgage that is much greater than my home’s value. But I wouldn’t change a thing. You see, the place I purchased changed my life.

I always knew I wanted to live in a loft. I would see them in movies with exposed brick, no doors, and will windows and think that would be a cool place to live. So I saved some money in my 20s, working at a job I despised. And when it came time to purchase a home, I bought a cool loft in the heart of Midtown Atlanta. I was living the life. Didn’t have much furniture, but I made sure to get a reclining couch and big screen TV.

A few weeks later, I was heading to my door when the door next to mine popped open. An attractive girl around my age came out and said, ‘Are you my new neighbor?’ Little did I know at the time, but this would become the mother of my child about a year later.

You see, aside from sharing 4.3 speed, Travis Benjamin and I have something else in common – we knocked up our girlfriends. Don’t think just cuz you went to private school your whole life and are cautious about every purchase you make that you, too, can’t knock up your girlfriend. It just takes one little swimmer to make it past the goalie.

To make a long story short, I started dating my neighbor in the fall of 2005. Things were moving along and in the early part of 2006 she asked me to meet her family. It was great. Her family was warm and welcoming. The ‘new boyfriend’ was treated as one of their own. Things were goin well. Then about a week later, on a Thursday night, I got ready for bed. I rarely spent the night at my place any more and this night was no different than the others. As I lay in bed, about to fall asleep, my girlfriend leans over and says the following words I will never forget:

‘Mike, I haven’t started yet.’

‘Started what?’

‘No, I haven’t STARTED yet.’

Ohhhhh. Oh. Whoa. And with that my ability to sleep 8 hours consecutively disappeared.

Holy sh-t! To grasp the magnitude of this moment you must first understand the kind of person I am. Whenever I purchase something, whether it be a toaster or a TV, I meticulously comb through ads and the Internet to find the right product and at the right price. I eat with precision, treating my body like a temple. I haven’t had fast food since I was a teenager. I plan out my expenses, my meals, my everything. And then, life throws you a curveball.

In retrospect, we laugh at how spooked I was. This wasn’t in the cards. But, you roll with whatever life gives you. My son is the single greatest thing that’s ever happened to me. I don’t know what is in 2nd place, but it’s way back there like the horse that came in 2nd to Secretariat.

The next day I went to Publix and picked up one of those home pregnancy kits. Is this really my life right now? I made sure to pick up some flowers too. Either way, those were needed. She knew, though. She didn’t have to take the test – she knew she was pregnant. Once that test came back positive, my mind started racing. I started thinking about all the sh-t I need to do to get my life in order. Where are we gonna live? (Are we gonna live together?) Start saving. Where’s the child going to go to school? Cancel your Netflix subscription so you can afford diapers (seriously, I canceled Netflix).

The next few months were a nervous blur. But then we went to the hospital to get a sonogram done. I thought for sure it would be a girl, and while all I wanted was a healthy baby, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want a boy. When that lab technician used her mouse cursor to point to my son’s tiny penis, it was the greatest moment of my life. A boy. Ahhhh. Someone I can take to Hurricanes games. Play racquetball with.

We didn’t get married right away because neither of us wanted to. Our families thought it would be in the best interest of the child, but wouldn’t rushing into marriage when you’re not ready be the worst thing for the child? Why jeopardize the relationship for some old fashioned standards? So, we took our time. We eventually moved in together that year and got married last year.

My son is now 5 and in pre-kindergarten. It is the absolute best thing that’s ever happened to me and I highly recommend it. I’m not sayin to punch holes in your condoms, but parenthood – as long as you have the means to do so – will make you a better person. At times I’ll check the real estate values in my neighborhood. I’ll get discouraged when I hear that a loft in our building foreclosed for half of what I paid for mine. And then I’ll realize that I probably would have never met my wife if I hadn’t made this purchase. To me, it’s the best way to throw away a few hundred thousand dollars. Despite what the numbers say, I got a bargain on my home.

Post BCS Title Game Hurricane News and Notes

Canes Pundit — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:53:57 +0000

F’n Alabama. A state filled with fat racist people just secured it’s third consecutive national title. It was tough enough to sit through two crappy offenses, but to then have to watch Nick F’n Saban force a smile while getting doused with Gatorade…ugh. You know that f’er was gettin crap for his sour puss face last time they won the title and forced himself to pretend to enjoy the moment. I just wish I had a field pass so I could’ve dumped out the Gatorade in the 3rd quarter and filled it up with gallons of my urine. Then, after they dumped it on him, I’d run up to him and yell ‘THAT’S for picking Culpepper over Brees!’

Now we gotta sit back and wait for the inevitable toothless-hillbillies-at-the-local-Tuscaloosa-WalMart-posing-with-the-Sears-Trophy pictures to show up all over the Internet. Is it me, or does every single male Bama fan ages 15-35 have the same f’n haircut? The same floppy, to-the-side ‘do…the same checkered button down shirt…and the same racist views. It’s like they’re all related somehow….hmmm.

- Not sure how he’s doing it (hope it’s not briefcases full of cash), but Golden is roping in one of the nation’s top recruiting classes despite the black cloud of NCAA sanctions looming overhead. Everyone is preparing for the inevitable loss of scholarships, but that’s not stopping Golden from luring in some of the nation’s top recruits. Rivals has Miami with the 6th best class in the nation. Scout has us 7th. ESPN lists us at 12.

- The total number of commitments is around 30. The number will fluctuate as some might enroll early in order to count against last year’s class. Last February Golden projected 21-23 commits in the 2012 class. They have exceeded that and there is still three more weeks to go. It’s important for this class to be not only quality, but large. There’s no telling how many scholarships will be lost in the future, so stock up on talent now.

- There’s talk of OC Jedd Fisch heading to Chicago to be the Bears QB coach, but I’m not too concerned. For one, he recently moved from the NFL to the college ranks on purpose. Secondly, he just had a kid with his wife and they’re settling down in South Florida. And thirdly, he would have to work with Jay Cutler on a daily basis. That dude seems like a prick.

Quick Hits: I’m not a big NBA fan, but NBATV’s ‘Open Court’ is a great show. Round table discussion with Barkely, Shaq, Reggie Miller, Chris Webber and others about stories from their playing days….Am hoping Justin Blackmon falls to the Phins in the draft, but doubt it. They never trade up, but if they did, Luck is the only one I’d want. He’s worth the next three years’ first round picks, if not more….If you don’t mind readin subtitles, rent ‘The Secret In Their Eyes.’ Won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film last year. Has a rape-y scene at the beginning and some dude whips out his wiener half way through, but if you can stomach that, it’s a great movie….If Mayweather names his non-Pacquiao opponent this week, he is clearly dodging, as Pacquiao just said that he wants Floyd next.