All right, ya'll, I know your collective noggins hurt from one too many Cinco de Mayo beverages following a brief stint in which you pretended to care about horse racing but you've got to pop the Alleve now in prep for watching Evan Turner try to put the ailing Chicago Bulls into a 3-1 series hole at 1pm Eastern.
The Villain didn't start in Game 1 as the coach who kinda thinks he taught Jordan the game continued to showcase his penchant for micromanagement but Turner did earn a starting nod in Game 2 and responded with 19 points, seven boards and six assists in a Sixer blowout.
Then, Friday night ET put up a workmanlike 16 and nine including the difference making play with time winding down as he rebounded his own miss and drained two free throws after being fouled on an attempted putback leading Philly to a 79-74 victory.
At odds with Collins at various points during his brief career in the supposed City of Brotherly Love, Turner had plenty of sugar for his head coach in the post game:
"I think it is a high point. The last two plays, he ran the play for me. As a player, that's the big thing, that you can show me you have confidence in me. Thankfully he did that. ... It was pretty cool. He had confidence in me to give me the ball in crucial parts of the game."
Collins continued the lovefest showing ET with praise following his clutch play to seal the win:
"I honestly believe that the single biggest play of the year for us was Evan Turner. The play he made under the basket ... Evan just fought, fought, fought, got fouled and made those two free throws. That was the singular biggest play for us -- of the season. I thought it was beautiful. Evan Turner is a big-time competitor. Big time. He is at his best in these kind of games. He really is. He played great in Chicago. They booed him on every possession and he played great there."
Good stuff. Would be great to see The Villain come out strong this afternoon and put the Bulls on the brink of elimination.
NOT EVERYONE IS HIGH ON URBAN'S STAFF. While many pundits have spoken favorably of the coaching staff UFM assembled in short order upon his arrival in Columbus, BTN's Tom Dienhart isn't chugging the Kool-Aid.
Playing make believe as a newly hired head coach that can only build his staff from assistants within conference, only Luke Fickell made the cut as the LB coach. Meanwhile, Michigan assistants selected included Al Borges (OC), Fred Jackson (RB) and Greg Mattison (DC). As much as I want to disagree, it's hard to argue Jackson and Mattison.
Tom Herman was an honorable mention at the OC and QB spots and Ed Warinner joined him (OL) on the offensive side of the ball.
Defensively, aside from Fickell's LB nod, only Everett Withers drew an honorable mention, at Defensive Coordinator which was interesting since he and Fickell share the role with Luke supposedly in charge of play calling, leaving Vrabel and Coombs on the outside looking in.
Obviously, the list means squat but that shouldn't stop you from deciding to hate Michigan just a little bit more today.
JALIN MARSHALL IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE SICK. The five star QB/ATH from Middletown had a busy weekend participating in Friday's Elite 11 regional as a quarterback before showcasing his playmaking ability especially as a receiver on Saturday at the Nike Football Training Camp, also held in Columbus.
With Miller in the fold as the sure starting QB in 2013, Marshall is more than willing to move around in Urban's offense to guarantee he sees the field.
And it's good to know the kid doesn't suffer from a lack of confidence. Here he is talking about what he can do as a pass catcher:
"I think I did real well bouncing around to different positions. I threw the ball well and they couldn't guard me at receiver. Ohio State is recruiting me as an athlete, so I have to go up there and throw for them, but for now it's an athlete. With Braxton there right now, I would like to play slot because with both of us on the field it would be dangerous. I went up against Cam Burrows today. It was a bad ball but I burnt him, so I think I could be dangerous at receiver."
Even better news is that when the kid isn't showing out on the field, he's doing all he can to help Urban bring in ballers:
“I’m trying to get Jaylon Smith, Robert Foster and Vonn Bell. I talk to them and tell them come play with me and it’s going to be the best time of your life.”
Can't wait to see what this kid can do in Meyer's offense.
Art has been in more than 45 prisons/jails over the yearsCONCUSSIONS AT WORK AGAIN? Fresh off being sentenced to 127 months in jail for orchestrating a ticket scam that bilked 50+ people out of over $2 million, Art Schlichter's lawyer cited 15 concussions and their devastating effects on his brain as the reason for Art's 30 year criminal history.
It's easy to quickly dismiss such a notion as a ridiculous lack of accountability but it's hard to completely turn away from the findings of three mental health specialists who dared peek into Schlichter's head.
According to Art's lawyer, the examinations found "significant deficits" in the former OSU QB's frontal lobes and that such damage could cause impaired judgment and impulsive behavior.
Interestingly, Schlichter has already agreed to donate his brain and spinal cord to the now well-chronicled Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy.
A TIP OF THE CAP. I do my best to try and avoid giving Penn State any type of positive recognition whatsoever but I'm breaking the rules just a bit this morning to congratulate Adam Taliaferro. The former Nittany Lion who was paralyzed making a tackle in the 'Shoe back in 2000 earned a spot on Penn State's board of trustees as he dusted two other candidates in online ballots submitted by alumni.
I always admired the way Taliaferro attacked his injury even amidst an early diagnosis that said he wouldn't walk again. Less than a year later, he was able to walk and has since started a foundation to help kids with spinal/head injuries and earned a law degree from Rutgers.
Just seven months ago, Taliaferro was elected to the seven person Gloucester (NJ) County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Able to vividly recall the day the kid was paralyzed in Ohio Stadium, I'm truly thrilled to see what he's accomplished in the 12 years since.
IT'S THAT DAMN HANSEL. HE'S SO HOT RIGHT NOW. Ten coaches on the hot seat... Montee Ball cited for tresspassing... One of the best tributes to Adam Yauch that I've seen yet... Mets pay homage to MCA via walk-up music... 10 Definitive Jules Winnfield GIFs (NSFW)... 25 Strange Baseball Superstitions... How Slash sees us... William Blackstone was a Boss.
