The Cavs are going to mess around and win the title, aren't they? I think so.
DARRON LEE AND THE POWER OF PB&J. Earlier this week, we marveled at Darron Lee's 2014 highlight reel. Yesterday, Darron Lee's world-destroying secrets were revealed.
From Ralph D. Russo of The Associated Press:
Then there was snack time, right before bed: Four mostly peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and three glasses of chocolate milk.
''I love chocolate milk and it tastes like a Reese's (Peanut Butter) Cup when you combine them,'' Lee said. ''I'm like, 'Oh my gosh! This is so good.' But it's also filling.''
Snack time wasn't always fun.
''I enjoy it now, but beforehand, no I really didn't,'' Lee said. ''I knew I had to have the snack if I was going to make weight the next day. But there were times I'd finish one and a half, two (sandwiches), and I'd be like, I'm done. But in the back of my mind I know I have to eat it to make weight or coach Mick's going to be on my butt.''
I doubt this was a team-wide diet plan, but holy hell, that's the only fact I would've needed to predict Darron Lee's 2014 explosion onto the scene.
"Darron Lee: Eaten four peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and three glasses of milk before bed every night for the last year and a half. Prediction: Big, crunchy things."
CAN'T STOP NOVOCAINE. During the "Film Room" broadcast of the national championship (a game Ohio State won, in case you forgot), former MSU DC/current Pitt HC Pat Narduzzi made a comment about how Urban Meyer finds plays he likes "and then whips you with them."
The genius of Urban's offensive is it's simplicity, which opens up opponents to devastating counters.
Ace Anbender of That Blog Up North looked at how Michigan could stymy OSU's vaunted attack.
In football everything old tends to become new again. In last week's article on the Saban pattern-matching defense I alluded to how Alabama tried to use the same strategy Virginia Tech had against Ohio State, and got "85 Yards Through the Heart of the South" in their face. However Michigan had some success last year defending this same stuff from a base alignment. So I thought I'd explain how
Anbender then launches into a detailed analysis (including graphs, videos, and GIFs) that I don't want to dilute through my own distillation.
It's quality work, but here's the summation of the article:
What does it mean for this year? Michigan returns an excellent trio of linebackers, plus a game-changing safety/hybrid space player in Peppers. At least one cornerback should be able to hold his own against any receiver in the league, and the other cornerback is either senior Blake Countess or a guy who beats senior Blake Countess. Jarrod Wilson is now free safety instead of Clark. And while the DE positions are questionable the interior DL is a strength. Michigan appears the horses to do some Bear this year without getting burned. And Bear is fun.
Everybody tried the Bear after Virginia Tech — down to Minnesota — and everybody fell.
Not that Anbender's tactical analysis is amiss, but it's one thing to know it's coming, and it's another to stop it.
As the whitewashed and mythologized version of Coach Boone said:
URBAN'S PEACE. Here's a good #longread on Urban's peace (appendectomy notwithstanding) at Ohio State.
From Doug Lesmerises of cleveland.com:
"As you get older, I think you transition," [former Meyer assistant/current Boston College coach Steve] Addazio said. "You're always learning. We all do. And I think there's something to being home. When he talked about Ohio State, he always talked about it like it was special. And he feels great about being here. He's centered.
"And that's not anything slighted towards (Florida). We had six unbelievable years down there and we loved it.
"Whatever the dynamics, we're all a work in progress, and he's in a great place and really happy. And as one of his closest friends, I'm real happy to see him so happy. I love him. You want to see great people happy, so I'm thrilled for him."
Mike Vrabel left, and Urban replaced him. Everett Withers left, and Urban Meyer replaced him. The jury's out on Tom Herman's replacement, but he's the biggest hire Urban's made in his tenure.
We'll see how it plays it. (Not like Beck has big shoes to fill or anything, amirite!?)
BARTON PROPHESIES BIG THINGS FOR DECKER. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago Taylor Decker was the only question mark along the offensiveline. I guess amazing things happen when you train in Ed Warinner's dojo for years at a time:
@TDeck68 will be the best tackle in the country this season. Made a major jump every year. Chicago next May... pic.twitter.com/r6mHxgBZjZ
— Kirk Barton (@Kirk_Barton) May 6, 2015
Seriously though, people were worried about Decker when he got whipped by Buffalo's Khalil Mack in his debut. It's almost as if it takes a bit of time to get acclimated to playing in the trenches.
TWO BROS. These guys could've raised some hell in Columbus as teammates:
Forever Buckeyes @Daddyluv2250 and @Jared_Sully0 on campus today working out #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/81KX5xBQje
— OSU BASKETBALL (@OhioStateHoops) May 6, 2015
If I didn't know any better I would bet Greg Oden served in Korea.
THOSE WMDs. The story of (the song) Ohio... Site of four-alarm Columbus fire had troubled past... Twist Satisfying... Down goes Boateng... Who killed Chuck Phillips?
