Maize n Brew gives you your daily (or semi-daily) rundown of all the Michigan Football, Michigan Basketball, College Football, and College Basketball news you need to get through the tedium of your boring desk job. For good measure we'll throw in a little irreverent information, comedy and commentary to help you salt away the time until the clock strikes 5pm. We're on a Facebook and Twitter drive, so be our friend or follow us! If you don't know what that means, you're old. If you want Maize n Brew in 140 characters or less, follow us on Twitter! Or you can friend us on Facebook and become a fan of Maize n Brew on Facebook for more links. Here's what's ON TAP:
Stuff You Should Read Right Now
Michigan football team's Jon Bills recovering well, feeling 'very lucky' after serious car accident - Thank god for this. Michigan Tight End Jon Bills suffered a broken neck and pelvis when his car hydroplaned into on-coming traffic during a June 4 rainstorm. Despite these injuries, Bills is recovering, conscious, and even thinking about law school and returning to the field of play.
"I talked to doctors and my coaches, and no one even mentioned anything about career over, so I was just taken aback by that. Now, it’s something that I obviously have to consider when that time comes. If there’s an increased risk of possibly being paralyzed, that sort of thing, I’ll have to think about it. But as of right now I have nothing but plans of coming back and playing."
Bills has received nothing but love and support from his coaches, teammates and family since the accident and is actually walking around. Based on what is contained in the article, it appears that the workouts and strength training Bills has done over the last few years may have saved his life.
Jon, hurry back. Oh, and as a lawyer who has already taken the LSAT, Bar Exam and practiced for a number of years... take the GMAT instead. All our prayer and best wishes are with you.
The strange case of Boubacar Cissoko - Back in high school I played baseball with a number of guys that were caught up in some bad things. Very bad things. In spite of this, I liked them. We played baseball together, joked, had fun, won and lost as teammates. The moment we stepped inside the locker room or onto that diamond we were all buddies, regardless of our race, creed, upbringing, or the crowd we ran with in school. Off the field, we would give the head nod in the hall, or a morning "what's up?", but we wouldn't hang out socially. I came to find out later that one of my teammates, a fellow catcher, actually saved me from getting my ass beat by a guy in his crowd who'd taken a disliking to me for reasons I'm still unclear on.
The catcher, to me, was a good guy. Always laughing and quick with a joke. He dubbed me "Pinky" because he thought I was the whitest human being on the planet, or at least on a predominantly hispanic baseball team. But he also had a reputation as a bad dude who was mixed up in some bad things. Mid-way through my sophomore I found out he'd been shot to death when an argument turned ugly. Even though I knew there were things going on in his life that would normally have kept me as far away from him as possible, he was my teammate and within those chalk lines my friend. Our conversations never ventured past girls, fart jokes and baseball, but within those lines that didn't matter. And maybe that's why the story of Boubacar Cissoko sticks with me, and is so sad.
Ann Arbor dot Com asks the simple question: "What caused Cissoko to destroy his dream of playing at Michigan, and fall into disgrace?" Sadly, it's a question that refuses to have a simple answer. There is no answer that anyone will find palatable or satisfactory. It's a sad story of promise followed by a fall. Thankfully for Boo Boo, he has the chance to make things better. A chance my friend never had.
Big Ten Expansion
After the Conference Realignment Maelstrom - Frank the Tank breaks down the fall out from Big Ten Expansion. Definitely worth a read.
Michigan Basketball
Former Michigan basketball star DeShawn Sims signs free agent deal with Celtics - DeShawn Sims apparently signed a free agent deal with Boston soon after the draft was over.
Even though he went undrafted, it was time for Manny Harris to leave U-M - Chengelis on Harris' decision to forego his senior year. As usual, she nails it:
Would it have been a positive if Harris had stayed? Of course, but only if he truly believed that was the best decision. Now it's time for everyone to move on.
Ex-Wolverine Manny Harris appears headed to Cavaliers - Apparently, Cleveland is the place for the former Michigan guard, as he tweeted 'Grind Time!! Cleveland Cavs,' indicating he'll be on the Cavaliers' Summer League roster. Good luck, Manny.
Michigan Hockey
Jon Merrill's NHL draft hopes hinge on how teams view his maturity - Maturity is Jon Merrill's greatest strength. It also may be his greatest weakness.