Campus Confidential

By Adam Abramson

I'll say it again: Buzz Bissinger is lame.

I’m eight years younger than the mind behind deadspin.com, Will Leitch, and apparently eight years older than Buzz Bissinger’s son. I think that puts me near the beginning of this whole Internet boom and shouldn’t surprise anyone that I indeed blog.

I say he’s lame because it’s clear he’s stuck in the past. What was his point about the late W.C. Heinz? That Heinz is a better writer than Leitch, myself and every other blogger in the history of the world? OK, cool. And?

Bissinger came off as pretentious, which is found all-too-often in the words of major columnists today. I don’t need someone to imply they’re more intelligent than I am, when they’re not.

The best part of the 20-minute train wreck on Bob Costas’ show was Bissinger’s lack of a solid argument and Leitch taking the high road on several soft jabs flailed in his direction. While Bissinger may be eloquent with the pen, he came off looking like a buffoon in front of the camera.

What Bissinger sees as indecent is what I, a 24-year-old college educated sports nut, think makes Deadspin and its blogosphere peers work. The new media generation doesn’t want someone rehashing what we watched. We’re looking for the conversation we’ll have in the bar or at the water cooler.

While Heinz, Bissinger and their colleagues were, and are, great at capturing the moment with words, the camera operator on TV sufficed just fine. LeBron James’ stat line and critical jumper in the final minute mean little – I've already witnessed it and I know what it means. I’ve moved on to the Jay-Z diss and DeShawn Stevenson wearing a Michael Vick jersey. This is probably where Bissinger would look at the picture of me in the left rail and say “You’re dumbing down like the rest of your generation, you *(#&$*(&#$!!”

Sour grapes. Bissinger’s theme song is embedded.

And I won’t bother to dwell on the hypocrisy of his profanity-laden tirade on Deadspin’s indecencies.

Face it, Bissinger, the dream is over. Respected Newsday columnists Bob Glauber and Neil Best wake up every day and take to their computers to blog. And guess what? They’ve been trying to “perfect the craft” like you, for decades.

Shoot me a link when you decide to catch up and show us what blogging is all about.

By Adam Abramson

It has been brought to my attention that there's a new phenomena sweeping the metro New York area. It's called "Going Abramson."

Considering I'm Abramson, I feel I need to clarify what happens when someone "Goes Abramson." Click that link for more back story from mentor Bob Glauber.

1. Yes, you do get very angry. But it's more of a fluster than a rage.

2. The flustering shuts down your brain. At the Draft, Bob, on several occasions, offered to transcribe any thoughts I had while the wireless network was in limbo. I had nothing. I couldn't make out words, put together thoughts. Picks were happening in front of me and I had no opinion. I couldn't speak. I waited 365 days to have my brain shut down. I'll stop before I "Go Abramson" again just thinking about it.

3. There's a whole different level of "Going Abramson" that should be documented. Generally, this side comes out when I'm playing sports or Wii bowling Friday nights on Wall Street. Don't stand near me if I miss a big jumper, an easy interception or a crucial spare. That "Going Abramson" is a more extroverted experience that's actually fun to witness, say friends. I'd also give that one an R-rating. This can come out during long drives, also. "Going Abramson" on a road trip generally happens when a semi-trailer cuts you off to pass another semi-trailer, but the first semi only goes 1 mph faster than the first making the pass take 12 minutes -- totally OK to "Go Abramson" there.

La Monica just reminded me that the No. 1 place to see Abramson "Go Abramson" is any golf course, and is highly recommended.

And always remember, "Going Abramson" requires you walk a fine line. You can never fully lose it. For instance, at the Draft, I could not totally snap, or else I would have been thrown out by security and likely been banned from all New York media functions forever. "Going Abramson" during a work softball game also requires some self-restraint, no explanation necessary. And, if you "Go Abramson" in front of your friends, be prepared to take some ribbing for it when you eventually settle down.

And always laugh it off.

By Adam Abramson

Writing in this space has introduced me to college football heads from all over the country.

I've met casual fans from Washington to South Florida. I've met "insiders" from Lincoln to Tallahassee.

They're all pretty much the same. Love their squad. Hate their rivals. Hype the coming season. Downplay flaws within the program. Etc.

The best, though, is the average Notre Dame fan:

http://domerlaw.blogspot.com/2008/04/wonderlic-scores.html

The bias is a lot of fun. This is a small example.

And if they want a reason why teams like Sedrick Ellis over Trevor Laws, try this on for size:

Laws: Doesn't play strong enough to hold off blockers or anchor inside ... Shows only adequate ability to control the line of scrimmage and anchor ... Has a feel for pressure, but doesn't react to it all of the time ... He shows marginal ability to defeat blocks...

Ellis: Needs to maintain a lower pad level (showed marked improvement here in 2007 ... His adequate academics might indicate he would need time to digest a complicated playbook.

That's not me talking, that's the NFL.

There were several high profile names not drafted this weekend.

I came across this interesting piece from Rivals. I wish I had time to do this kind of research.

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=802409

Any omissions?

By Adam Abramson

The NFL Draft came and went this weekend and here's how my "Draft This Guy" prospects fared.

Joe Flacco -- Drafted in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens. No. 18 overall.

Dustin Keller -- Drafted in the first round by the New York Jets. No. 30 overall.

Jeremy Zuttah -- Drafted in the third round by Tampa Bay Buccaneers. No. 83 overall.

Chevis Jackson -- Drafted in the third round by the Atlanta Falcons. No. 68 overall.

Ryan Mundy -- Drafted in the sixth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers. No. 194 overall.

Marcus Monk -- Drafted in the seventh round by the Chicago Bears. No. 248 overall.

Micah Rucker -- Undrafted. Signed by the Steelers to a free agent contract as soon as the draft ended.

Also, keeping tabs on a player feature we did in the midst of last season, Xavier Omon was drafted on Sunday.

Xavier Omon -- Drafted in the sixth round by the Buffalo Bills. No. 179 overall.

Given a little more time, I would have crafted a piece about Jamaal Charles from Texas. The Kansas City Chiefs drafted Charles, 5'10 200 lbs. in the third round, No. 73 overall. While he'll play behind Larry Johnson, he's going to turn out to be a steal in the third round.

And Limas Sweed to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round is hilarious. Mike Tomlin had a great draft this weekend.

Out for the evening.

Tomorrow Bob and I will be coming at you live from the NFL Draft. We'll have analysis, thoughts, hopefully a little breaking news. Erik and Tom will be near the war rooms dropping knowledge, too.

Note: We're going to try a new form of live blogging. It's heavily interactive and basically a live chat, so be sure to tune in!

I sat down with our NFL columnist Bob Glauber to talk about this year's NFL Draft. Some guy I work with, this La Monica fella, filmed it for me.

And all the college knowledge you hear B-Glaubs drop, yeah, that's me talking. I'm his Quato.

By Adam Abramson

I've found my sleeper: Micah Rucker.

Eastern Illinois wide receiver. Perfect measurables. Great numbers. Impressive human being.

Rucker played his high school ball on the West Coast of Florida, receiving several high profile offers. He chose The University of Minnesota.

For Rucker, it was almost a blessing and a curse.

The blessing: He found the woman of his dreams, Rebecca Fissehastion Yacob.

The curse: Minnesota had tons of talent at running back and used it often.

Rucker transferred to Eastern Illinois, Tony Romo's alma mater. In two seasons he pulled in 104 catches for 1,743 yards and 22 touchdowns. However, with the chance to showcase his talent came unthinkable pain.

Rucker's girlfriend, whom he met and fell in love with at Minnesota, was killed by a drunk driver. Rucker responded by creating a campus organization, Respect for Youth, to fight drunk driving. A far cry from the character issues attached to so many names of college prospects.

I talked to Rucker about his past and this weekend's draft.

Campus Confidential: Take me from your days as a big time prospect in Florida to today. What has all of this been like for you?
Micah Rucker: Man, going back to five years ago there has been so much ... I don’t know where to start. It's really just a blessing to be still playing football and getting the opportunity to play professionally! I am truly blessed. There have been many ups and downs, but my parents have led me to where I am today. I will be graduating on May 4, so all is well. Hard work is the key to anything.

CC: Guys like Devin Thomas, Limas Sweed, DeSean Jackson and Malcolm Kelly have been names thrown around in the first round. Have you seen tape of them? Are they a good representation of the class? How do you feel about this WR draft class top to bottom?
MR: Well, there are a bunch of good receivers out there. My Pro Day numbers speak for themselves [Rucker worked out at the Illinois Pro Day]. My biggest question was speed. 4.47 changed that. So, now they've got to find something else to talk about. I have better Pro Day numbers top to bottom than any wideout out there this year. 4.47 40-yard, 42" vertical, 11.3 broad jump, 20 reps on the bench, 11.2 sixty ... God has a great plan for me. I just want the opportunity and we can go from there!

CC: Why did you leave the University of Minnesota?
MR: I wanted to go somewhere where my talents could be biggest and where I could make plays. So Eastern gave me a great opportunity that I am thankful for.

CC: What does it mean to see guys like Terrell Owens and Tony Romo – "small school guys" – succeed in the league?
MR: The League is an equal opportunity employer! If you can play, you can play, it doesn't matter where your from. Marques Colston, [Tony] Romo, Joe Horn ... Hard work can really do wonders and talent can't be stopped. I'm happy to represent Eastern Illinois, it is a great place.

CC: If you could go back and do everything over, would anything change?
MR: I would change nothing. You know, I have learned and met a lot of great people along the way. ... Minnesota taught me a lot. I met the woman of my dreams there who eventually passed away, but I had a great time learning about football and life. ... When I speak to kids I let them know about what I've been through and what it takes. Right is better then wrong and I preach that.

CC: What are your strengths? Weaknesses?
MR: Size, speed, strength, raw ability. I just need to learn and listen, which I love doing. Route running is key for me and having someone teach me to stay low during routes. I want to learn and take everything in and all will be OK.

CC: Sell yourself to an NFL GM in 30 words.
MR: Everyone has talent at the NFL level. Hard work and desire are what pay off. Heart is something I have and hard work is what I pride myself on. I love learning and I love the game of football. Fear of failure is key for me, so I work day and night to help my team. I love working with people and hate to lose.

I was able to meet Bob Glauber in the city yesterday to talk NFL Draft. The dude makes me look like a chump, but he's the man.

Giants:

Jets:

I'll be back with one more later today and one final "Draft This Guy."

Here's what you need to know about this year's No. 1 pick:

Four year starter.

Two penalties. Two sacks. One of them came against Vernon Gholston -- likely a Top 5 pick.

That's not one season. That's four seasons.

I've been saying he's as every bit of good as Joe Thomas, Cleveland's No. 3 pick last year and Pro Bowl tackle form Wisconsin.

Now we move on to the Rams, who I think will start a run on defensive linemen.

How would I rank these defensive linemen? Well, there are two ways I want to rank.

First, best in college:

Glenn Dorsey
Chris Long
Sedrick Ellis
Vernon Gholston
Derrick Harvey

Now, most attractive draft picks:

Vernon Gholston
Chris Long
Derrick Harvey
Glenn Dorsey
Sedrick Ellis

Will they be drafted in that second order? Unless the Rams draft Dorsey (which they won't based on need), the Falcons will.

So in what order will they be picked?

Gholston
Dorsey
Long
Harvey
Ellis

All likely before Pick No. 12 rolls around.

I added five prospects and some analysis to the gallery I made a while back.

Click the photo to see the five latest additions.

By Adam Abramson

New Nebraska coach Bo Pelini may be a little too sensitive.

As the former LSU coordinator goes through his first spring as main man in Lincoln, the school's newspaper printed an opinion piece stating its displeasure with Pelini's handling of player transgressions.

"Pelini began his trend of downplaying altercations involving football players early on in his tenure when quarterback Patrick Witt was arrested after showing up in a dormitory intoxicated and belligerent, shoving an RA and then fleeing from police."

This came after one of Pelini's recruits was arrested for assault and robbery, charges Pelini has not commented on.

Pelini, none too pleased with the piece, called the office of the Daily Nebraskan and tried to eat someone's lunch, as the expression goes. Members of the staff followed up with an account:

"After seeing the staff editorial, Pelini called our office and berated one of our board members so loudly that he was heard clearly from across the newsroom. There's no real point in printing the choice phrases he used during that first phone call."

Pelini and the athletic department then did not let the student reporters and photographers in at practice (eventually they were given access).

This is all very bad for Pelini. Like the beginning of every school year, new coaches start out with an "A." He's already doing everything he can to knock that letter grade down in the eyes of Nebraska faithful.

I had my share of battles with the athletic department and teams back when I ran the sports section of the Collegiate Times down at Virginia Tech. But coaches always handled themselves in a professional matter with student-run media. Frank Beamer was one of the nicest people I have interviewed, to this day. Men's basketball coach Seth Greenberg and I didn't always see eye-to-eye, but I was one of the first calls he made when he was hired.

He wanted to introduce himself and begin building a relationship with the media, something I'll never forget -- and something that's missing all throughout the industry.

The same can be said for several of the coaches I covered while in Blacksburg. No matter how critical I, or my staff, was of VT athletics.

Pelini better get used to the student media criticism. He also better get used to pieces with a little less polish. I was once told that a student newspaper "is the perfect place to take risks." But as long as the Daily Nebraskan isn't breaking any laws, opinion is opinion and Pelini better deal with it or he won't last very long as a head coach.

Howdy.

Bob and I touched base today. Draft stuff to come!

Today is a big day because I'm cutting my hair for the first time since November. As I told Bob: "I don't want to be turned away at the door of the NFL Draft because they don't want any hippie protesters."

We'll talk college football headlines in a bit, there's some interesting stuff going on...including a big injury at Penn State.

Until then, enjoy the Mets getting Rick Rolled:

By Adam Abramson

As much as it will pain some people on here, and part of me, I have to take Rich Rodriguez's side.

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, whom I guess is worried about the arrival of Rodriguez to the league, took park in the following exchange:

Reporter: Is there a gentlemen's agreement in the Big 10?

Tressel: I guess only between gentlemen.

All of this came after Purdue coach Joe Tiller called Rodriguez "a guy in a wizard hat selling snake oil."

And all of that came after two Michigan freshmen to-be, Michael Shaw and Roy Roundtree, switched their verbal commitments from Purdue and Penn State just before Signing Day, after Rodriguez arrived into town.

What did Rodriguez have to say about all of it?

On Jim Tressel's "gentleman's agreement" comments:

If not being a gentleman is recruiting the guy until the end, until the signing date particularly after he visits, guilty as charged, we're going to recruit him until the end. I know as soon as I took the job there was a guy that was committed To Michigan and he changed his recruitment and went to a Big Ten school, right? I didn't say that guy's not a gentleman, I just thought well, heck they must have been recruiting him all the way along and he jumped at the opportunity. You know, we're not going to break any NCAA rules. We're going to play by what the NCAA rules are but the first time I heard about any so-called agreement was after signing day.

I didn't get any memo from the Big Ten and a handbook that says "This is how you're a gentleman." I feel pretty proud about how we recruit, I tell our coaches you know, don't be a negative recruiter, state the facts and all that so you know if you're asking me if I'm going to change how we recruit in the future because of what somebody said? No.

On whether other schools have similar recruiting philosophies:

I could care less what anybody else says, all I can tell you is how we're going to recruit, I'm not going to audition for the job or try to fit a certain style or certain image I've been doing this long enough and I feel pretty proud of our track record and how we do things.

He's right. As much as he burned WVU, he's coaching big time football. There's a lot of rumors about shady acts as he was leaving Morgantown and heading to Ann Arbor, but the guy is trying to win. If anyone should be taking jabs, it should be WVU -- not the coaches of the Big 10.

This happens all the time. I can remember a similar squabble between Frank Beamer and Steve Spurrier a few years ago.

The days of gentlemen are gone. The days of big TV contracts, no-huddle, spread offenses and 75,000 people at spring games aren't going anywhere -- and everyone needs a piece of that pie.

It's time that the Big 10 lay down some of its "old guard" attitude towards the sport or it will become The Big Dinosaur.

Frankly, I think guys like Rodriguez and Ron Zook will jumpstart the conference into the direction it needs to go. And don't be surprised if the same can be said for Joe Paterno's successor, whoever that may be.

By Adam Abramson

SportsPickle.com, which is basically the sports section of The Onion, is one of my favorite Web sites. It has some choice language and topics, but it's always good for a quick laugh.

I figured I would share what loyal reader Coach Rob shared with me today: http://www.sportspickle.com/features/volume7/2008-0409-notredame.html

I'm trying to track down NFL oficionado Bob Glauber to set up our Mock Draft I've been looking forward to for a good four months. If you read Bob, tell him to get moving!

The ball is tipped
and there you are
you're running for your life
you're a shooting star
And all the years
no one knows
just how hard you worked
but now it shows...
(in) ONE SHINING MOMENT, IT'S ALL ON THE LINE
ONE SHINING MOMENT, THERE FROZEN IN TIME

But time is short
and the road is long
in the blinking of an eye
ah that moment's gone
And when it's done
win or lose
you always did your best
cuz inside you knew...
(that) ONE SHINING MOMENT, YOU REACHED DEEP INSIDE
ONE SHINING MOMENT, YOU KNEW YOU WERE ALIVE

Feel the beat of your heart
feel the wind in your face
it's more than a contest
it's more than a race...

And when it's done
win or lose
you always did your best
cuz inside you knew...
(that) ONE SHINING MOMENT, YOU REACHED FOR THE SKY

Still gives me chills, namely at the 1:48 mark (Thank you, Mr. Raftery).

And it was confirmed to me today that I am not crazy: Billy Packer is a few possessions behind on his insight. But, hey, he's a Hall of Famer.

By Adam Abramson

Here are two main reasons Memphis will win the NCAA title game:

1. Antonio Anderson. Everyone will talk about Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts. They'll even talk about Joey Dorsey's impressive 15 rebounds before they talk about the role Anderson plays for the Tigers. Anderson draws the all-important task of defending Brandon Rush. It's obvious what happens when Rush gets going (see Saturday's win over North Carolina). The Heels' Marcus Ginyard, also a defensive stopper, had his hands full, but Anderson might be one of the best man-on-man defenders in the entire country. At 6'6, 210, Anderson is so versatile, playing at an extremely level of comfort on the perimeter, but has no problem defending in the high post. If Rush wants to catch the ball in the block, Anderson will have the aid of Dorsey, the C-USA defensive player of the year.

2. Memphis will refuse to play in a half-court offense. Kansas is very stout on defense -- not as good as UCLA, but pretty close. Memphis knows this and will do anything possible to avoid half-court sets. When UNC could not run, the Heels were completely dismantled. Most of this dismantling started with weakside help when Tyler Hansbrough caught the ball -- something Memphis will not have to worry about. Everything goes through Rose and Douglas-Roberts, forcing the Jayhawks to make some serious adjustments. Memphis has made its bones and won 38 games with its athleticism. Being that it's unparalleled, this is a huge advantage.

Discuss.

By Adam Abramson

I'm pretty sure Paris Hilton could figure out Louisiana State won a national title large-in-part to its fantastic defense if she watched a little film.

Everyone, including Campus Confidential, was quick to give praise to the Tigers' fierce front seven. But when you have guys like Glenn Dorsey and Ali Highsmith, you'd be crazy for not giving them their due.

However, the entire defensive unit was deserving, from top to bottom. Jonathan Zenon, Craig Steltz, Jai Eugene and Chevis Jackson were part of a secondary that ranked No. 9 in the country last season against the pass. Sure, much of this can be credited to that front seven's rush, but those guys couldn't have pinned their ears back if smart, physical backs weren't roaming around behind them.

The trusty Tiger back GMs should keep an eye on in April is Jackson. Playing for two different coaches in college, Jackson has played it all. In the clip, you see he can handle the zone, but that's not really a question about him.

After slow times at Combine (over 4.6), many are wondering if he can run down field in man coverage and give support in run game. The answer is yes to the first, and I'd be surprised if he couldn't to the second.

While his 0-40 speed was slow in Indianapolis, Jackson has showed fluidity in drills during the Senior Bowl (where he received rave reviews) and even at the Combine. Jackson followed up with another 4.6s at LSU's Pro Day, pretty much locking him into that speed, but his athleticism cannot be questioned with a 10-foot broad jump and a 40" vertical.

This is a class that's chock-full-o defensive backs, so GMs could shy away from Jackson in favor of big names like Mike Jenkins, Antonio Rodgers-Cromartie, Leodis McKelvin and Aqib Talib.

But as quarterbacks pine for taller receivers, they're going to need taller cornerbacks to cover these guys. Jackson is one of the taller corners in the class. While he doesn't possess the DeAngelo Hall speed, the explosiveness he displayed during Senior Bowl week makes it very possible a team like San Francisco drafts him at No. 39 if those aforementioned names drop off the board, as they should. Anything after the second round and you're getting good value if you pick Jackson.

Note: I played phone tag with Jackson's agent for a good two weeks. But, again, the Spitzer scandal -- amongst other big news stories -- kept me bogged down and I ended up missing that boat. My apologies.

Also, draft these guys:
Marcus Monk
Joe Flacco
Dustin Keller
Jeremy Zuttah Ryan Mundy

Chad Johnson is awesome.

With everything becoming so politically correct, ESPECIALLY on the college level, it was actually awesome to see this (I actually read along on closed captioning while I was at the gym and immediately looked it up on YouTube today).

This isn't a forum for pro football, I'll leave that to our expert, but it is a forum for football. So I'm taking up for Chad Johnson and saying he's allowed to retort in the way he did. Marvin Lewis tried to call him out and some of it was off base. Johnson, while very vocal, has kept his nose clean and does not come along with the bullets that Lewis made reference to.

Lewis is taking enough bullets with Chris Henry, especially after his latest arrest.

He's also awesome because of this commercial: