Today we lead with something less newsworthy and more...well, worthy.
Atlanta, GA — Bolstering Refugee Small Business from Episcopal Migration Ministries on Vimeo.
If you have followed EDSBS for some time you know that Spencer Hall has a soft spot in his heart for Refugee Resettlement and Immigration Services of Atlanta, a non-profit that helps refugees from war-torn countries find homes, jobs, and lives here in America.
A worthy cause indeed, but one that isn't profit generating --- you know, like those devilish bowl games or the NCAA itself. So to continue doing the kind of work that needs to be done, RRIS needs donations.
Why should you donate? Well, other than the eternal satisfaction of doing something exceedingly small that will help make a huge difference in the life of someone who hasn't been nearly as blessed as you (and let's face it, if you are wasting time on the internet reading about college sports, you've got a pretty safe base level of human comfort going on), there is always that great American ideal of PURE, NAKED, COMPETITION AMONG RIVALS.
If you donate, make sure to specify your fandom (MICHIGAN) and any other taunts to rivals that you feel are necessary. If Michigan fans donate the most --- and remember, Michigan fans blew out the competition a year ago --- then Spencer has all sorts of cool things lined up, the least of which is a makeover to EDSBS (the most of which being an essay that steps all over Ohio State (and in doing so inevitably pisses off Michigan State fans for not being included in the hate fest)).
So donate. It will make you feel better about the colossal amount of time you waste on the internet reading about something as frivolous (but awesome) as college football.
Now, on with the links:
U-M's Hemingway, Molk were seventh-round steals, Kiper says - Not much surprise here as Kiper had penciled both in as mid-round selections. I expect both to have some impact in the NFL, but it is always so hard to judge with these things because where you play matters so much more than how good you are when you're still getting your footing as a low round or undrafted player.
Michigan coaches pleased with progress of centers Ricky Barnum, Jack Miller- Guard may be a swirling pool of uncertainty that may or may not have a walk-on seriously fighting for playing time, and depth at tackle is something old men in rocking chairs speak about fondly ("I remember back in aught six when we used to run out six tackles, each one bigger than the last."), but at least things look solid at center.
Tremendous: Impact Freshmen: Jarrod Wilson - Tremendous makes the case for why Jarrod Wilson could play early. Making the case against --- that there are two established starters with two physically capable but mentally developing backups behind them --- has never made me happier. Although that is nothing against Tremendous (or Wilson).
Take Two: Which B1G position needs jolt? - At least Michigan isn't the only school looking for improved passing and wide receiver play.
Michigan's Roh growing in many ways
"At linebacker, I did not know what was going on at all," he said. "I know what I'm good at and what I'm not good at. I'm not good at linebacker. I know I am good at reading and reacting on the defensive line."
Congrats, Craig. You have proven yourself more qualified to run a college defense than Greg Robinson.
Penn State Spring Stock Report: Trending Upward and Trending Downward - Black Shoe Diaries looks at which players helped and hurt their cases this spring. Guess which list Rob Bolden is on.
Big Ten Baseball Weekly Review - 2012 Week 11 - Leave it to Nebraska to do the best job covering Big Ten baseball.
Conference USA Expands; 3 From the FCS
Alright, so we’re here. One day, when we all look back on the expansion era, we should view the day Conference USA added three teams that had combined to play in 45 games since 1941 as the tipping point – you know, the moment when things got really out of hand.
Derek Dooley calls overhaul of Tennessee staff a "correction" - CBSSports
"Is it normal to have seven coaches transition in a year? No, it's very rare for something like that to happen," Dooley said. "But I kind of view it as sort of a correction. When you start a company, when you start anything, you always have that little initial correction to kind of fix all the things maybe you didn't get right in the beginning. "I think it was a good correction for me, and I think it's going to be for the team."
And as for that "fear," Dooley came up with a highly colorful metaphor to describe it. "I think some left because the fit wasn't right," Dooley said. "I think some left because they maybe allowed the fear … the fear made the wolf a little bigger than it was."
Seven assistant coaches left and Dooley thinks it is a positive sign? With spin like that Derek has a promising career ahead of him as director of public relations for the BCS. More promising than his coaching career anyway.
The only uniform I’d ever see him in was a blue smock. Grandpa Ben owned and managed a Rexall Drug my whole childhood, retiring during my freshman year of high school when the store’s lease expired. I lived next door to him growing up; that he was an ex-NBA’er was a fun fact to toss around to my friends, especially when he ventured out into the driveway to shoot around with us, which he did regularly. Once in a while a buddy would ask for his autograph, which would lead to Grandpa and I sharing a laugh, in on his joke that he was no John Stockton, or Mark Price, or Tony Massenburg, or Keith Jennings.
Still, he would politely oblige. To my adolescent ears, Grandpa Ben’s tales had the vague quality of being vaguely … off, somehow:
"The only time I got in a game at the Knicks, Madison Square Garden was booked for the circus, so we had to play in the armory building."
"One time Otto Graham almost blew off my friend’s face on a skeet shooting trip."
"My sister met Muhammad Ali at the post office."
In what I suppose would have been a typical 12-year-old’s reaction, I learned to tune out this noise, and I still don’t know if he realized he only ever had half of my attention. If he did, he didn’t care.
Bonus after the jump: Hoke on BTN's Step Into My Office (H/T to Touch the Banner).