It's Monday. Let's pay some bills.
URBAN TALKS RIVALRY. Spoiler alert: He keeps an eye on a certain team north of Ohio's border.
From Bill Rabinowitz of Dispatch.com:
“I think from the fans’ perspective, it is kind of cool,” Ohio State coach Urban Meyer told The Dispatch. “They’ve got a guy that’s won at (the University of) San Diego, won at Stanford and won in the pros. He’s a very good coach.
“I think our staff is certainly aware of Coach Harbaugh’s history. Any time the adversary has quality people in there, you’re aware of everything they’re doing and their work. I don’t know if (the rivalry) is ratcheted up. I think aware is the appropriate word. We’re certainly aware and want to make sure we’re staying on top of our business.”
Does this mean we'll see Urban shirtless at a satellite camp soon? Not exactly.
He said he is still deciding whether he thinks satellite camps are a good idea. One thing is for certain, though: Even if attending satellite camps in the Southern heat becomes common, Meyer will not remove his shirt.
“That,” he said, “will not happen.”
And there's the difference between the two coaches.
Harbaugh is insane, but he's not an idiot. Him going shirtless gets Michigan in the headlines, which is what Michigan needs... but at the end of the day, it's a gimmick.
Urban Meyer didn't need gimmicks when he whipped Bowling Green into respectability. He doesn't need to tweet like a drunk college sophomore to show he's "down with the kids" to earn the ear of a top recruit.
I standby my take Harbaugh will win games at Michigan, but he will be Urban's whipping boy. (Caveat: I am more nervous for The Game than I ever remember being.)
I also don't think Harbaugh will be at Michigan for more than five years, but that's probably another topic for another day.
JOEY BOSA MAKES A TECHNO SONG? I'm not into "electronic dance music" or whatever these kids are calling techno — in fact, the only techno song I endorse is DaRude's epic banger, "Sandstorm" — but when I heard Joey Bosa helped make a techno song, I figured I'd give it a listen.
And that's my review of Joey Bosa's techno song: I listened to it.
ACTUALLY, SILK LIKES THE SIXERS. D'Angelo Russell was scheduled to workout for the 76ers. Then he cancelled it. Then he rescheduled it.
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? One of the most credible NBA draft gurus, Jonathan Giovony, says Russell is down with the City of Brotherly love:
Contrary to reports, I'm told D'Angelo Russell would be thrilled to be play for Philadelphia. He says he had a great workout there this week
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 21, 2015
My guess? Russell makes it work for whatever franchise puts millions of dollars directly into his bank account.
CONGRATS TO THE FUTURE MR. AND MRS. APEX. Congratulations to the former Ohio State center and his new fiancée, Anna:
The interrogations are over! Lol I am beyond excited to start my life with Anna Eileen! https://t.co/foiPMT7wn7
— Corey Linsley (@Linsley71) June 21, 2015
Crazy to think Linsley was once on the verge of quitting football entirely. Now he works in tandem with the NFL's best QB. Makes you think, for sure.
VATECH DEFENSE COMIN'. The esteemed Bill Connelly of SBNation.com released his Virginia Tech preview yesterday, and the big question facing the Hokies seems to be if their offense will be worthy of their defense.
Virginia Tech coordinator Scott Loeffler hasn't led a good offense in a while; his 2011 Temple offense ranked 64th in Off. S&P+, his 2012 Auburn offense ranked 93rd, and his two Tech offenses have ranked 71st and 85th, respectively. Changing jobs almost every year can't help; it's hard to know your personnel when you're getting a brand new roster every year. In 2014, with Loeffler finally staying in the same place for a full offseason, injuries and youth forced him to again work with new skill position weapons across the board.
Tech had a transfer at quarterback, a freshman running back, and three freshmen leading the receiving corps. That's rarely going to produce a good offense, no matter the coordinator.
So we can say Loeffler gets a double-mulligan for the way his Tech tenure has started. But the slack ends this year. With eight starters returning, plus key injury returnees at running back, receiver, and tight end, he needs to figure out what Tech can actually be good at.
Ezekiel Elliott and the Slobs came together late, but the defense also made a jump in the postseason. If the Silver Bullets continue their postseason trajectory, then I don't think the contest in Blacksburg will be much of a contest.
THOSE WMDs. Saving his son meant letting him go... Grieving in the Time of Lulz... The Real #Teens of Silicon Valley.... The Wedding Sting... Putnam County's Sheriff Chases a Killer... Ukrainian immigrants used a Tor-like network to send uncensored letters during the Cold War.
