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Pre-Combine NFL Mock Draft

2/28/2017

By Evan Oesterle

Disclaimer: I can't guarantee that this mock draft will be any more accurate than Warren Beaty at the Oscars, but that's sports media for you! Below you'll find a full first round mock draft as well as some draft predictions for all Michigan players currently projected to be taken in the NFL Draft.

Cleveland (1-15) Myles Garrett, DE Texas A&M: I am not a Browns fan, but for the sake of all the Browns fan, I really hope they do not mess this pick up. Garrett is a Jadeveon Clowney type talent that could at least help (if that’s possible) the atrocious Browns’ defense. He should sign two days before (think Jake Long and Matthew Stafford) to keep the Browns from doing something stupid. This is not even a discussion.
San Francisco (2-14) Mitch Trubisky, QB North Carolina: The most poorly run organization in the NFL will make the worst decision of the first round. They’d be better off trading this pick for Paul George than reaching on a quart...oops wrong sport. I can’t think of one good thing to say about the 49ers taking a quarterback with this pick. It will happen though. And not only will it happen, but they’ll reach on Trubisky or Watson or Kizer and then some 3rd round pick (who will be reached on as a first round pick in what will be the best pick in the 2017 draft, see pick 13) will be far and away the best quarterback of the 2017 class.
Chicago (3-13) Jonathan Allen, DE Alabama: I’m making a big assumption here. I don’t think the Bears will be stupid. Rule #24 of sports media: Never assume that the front office of an American professional sports organization that is not a Boston team, the Golden State Warriors/San Antonio Spurs, run by Theo Epstein, or (insert good hockey organizations here because I know nothing about hockey) will be smart. I’m breaking this rule. Watch Allen jump over a Texas A&M lineman if you need justification of this pick. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIn3iMbyj9Y)
Jacksonville (3-13) Jamal Adams, S LSU: Honestly, if there were a team that should reach on a quarterback in the top 10, it’s the Jaguars. They’ve acquired a lot of talent by drafting well, but Blake Bortles can’t win games. They’ll continue to amass elite defensive talent with Adams. He’s a versatile safety who is NFL ready and will terrorize receivers over the middle for years while playing behind Jalen Ramsey.
Tennessee - from Los Angeles (4-12) Marshon Lattimore, CB OSU: The Rams have Jared Goff and the Titans get their pick. It remains to be seen if Goff is going to pan out, but (as much as it pains me to say this), Lattimore is a ball hawking corner who will help the Titans, who barely missed the playoffs last season, take the next step.
New York Jets (5-11) Malik Hooker, S OSU: I’m high on the OSU guys but this is a little bit of a reach. I am again breaking the rule assuming team’s are stupid because I think the Jets will realize that Fournette isn’t worth this pick. He won’t be the best running back from this class and the Jets need to rebuild their defense before they can worry about a game changing running back.
Los Angeles Chargers (5-11) Taco Charlton, DE Michigan: The first Wolverine off the board! Go ahead and call me a homer. If the Chargers do decide to pick an edge rusher to pair with Joey Bosa, Solomon Thomas will receive strong consideration. Watch Charlton’s film. He finishes every play. The Chargers will fall in love with the film and have an unstoppable Buckeye-Wolverine combo on their defensive line that the Lions wish they had on offense.
Carolina (6-10) Leonard Fournette, RB LSU: I’ve seen him play when healthy. He will be a bust. Him and Cam Newton will lead the team to 4-8 win seasons for the next five years until Newton decides that he wants to be a middle school quarterbacks coach because players that hit him in a contact sport are too mean.
Cincinnati (6-9-1) Reuben Foster, ILB Alabama: The Bengals will regret not taking a receiver here. Let the Bengals be mediocre. Foster is a great player and will probably be the leading rookie tackler next year but I don’t know that he really fills their needs.
Buffalo (7-9) Deshaun Watson, QB Clemson: I’m breaking my own rule of assuming teams stupidity a lot, but I think the Bills will move on from Tyrod Taylor. If they don’t they will grab another Clemson WR (more later) to pair with Sammy Watkins, but I’m confident they will get rid of Taylor. After watching the 4th quarter of the National Championship, I’m sold on Watson. The Pitt game where he threw so many interceptions that Pitt couldn’t keep failing to win might have made me bash him at the time, but Watson is a winner. He carries himself like a star and I think he will be a successful NFL QB. Not great, successful.
New Orleans (7-9) Solomon Thomas, EDGE Stanford: The Saints should take a corner here, but any defensive help is fine for them here. Thomas is a great value pick here and the Saints can’t ignore him. Honestly, even if Thomas is on the board here they might pass on him for a corner, but who knows, maybe Drew Brees likes having to try to score four touchdowns in the 4th quarter every game after watching his corners get embarrassed and give up 500 passing yards in the first half.
Cleveland - from Philadelphia (7-9) Sidney Jones, CB Washington: I think that whoever the Browns take here (should) will be better than Carson Wentz. As long as it is not a quarterback. I repeat, DO NOT REACH ON A QUARTERBACK HERE FOR THE LOVE OF JIM BROWN. Maybe the Browns’ defense will be good next year!
Arizona (7-8-1) Patrick Mahomes, QB Texas Tech: If he isn’t the best QB from this draft class, go ahead and call me out. If the Cardinals don’t take him (this is a huge reach and they probably won’t), call me out. If Mahomes is a 5th round pick that never starts an NFL game, bash me for this. But hear me out. I know Texas Tech sucked while he was there but that’s because Kliff Kingsbury didn’t realize he wasn’t the offensive coordinator. Mahomes arm is huge, he has a gunslinger mentality, and they might not have been good, but Tech was always in the game. Give him a year (or 4 games) to learn under Carson Palmer, and let him be your quarterback of the future @arizonacardinals. Pause: This is the point in the mock draft where nobody knows who anybody is gonna pick because nobody knows who will still be on the board. I’ll give very short rationale for the rest of the first round picks because if even half of these are right I should have Mel Kiper’s job with his salary doubled.
Indianapolis (8-8) Dalvin Cook, RB FSU: Luck needs help and not just from his line. He will be the best running back from this class.
Philadelphia - from Minnesota (8-8) Mike Williams, WR Clemson: This is a steal. The Vikings have Sam Bradford and the Eagles get a great wide receiver. The Vikings would not trade Mike Williams for Sam Bradford given the opportunity. I might be too high on Watson because of how good Williams made him look. Seriously, Watson could’ve thrown the ball anywhere and Williams would’ve caught against Bama.
Baltimore (8-8) Tre’Davious White, CB LSU: Interchangeable with Jones at 12 to the Browns.
Washington (8-7-1) John Ross, WR Washington: They’re gonna pay Kirk Cousins and get him help. And then win 8 games every year until Cousins arm falls off because he’s the kind of guy who will always believe he can keep playing.
Tennessee (9-7) OJ Howard, TE Alabama: This should be Jake Butt (sad face emoji). College players shouldn’t get crap for not playing in bowl games. I feel awful for Butt and I hope he comes back strong. Also, the Titans are gonna be good next year.
Tampa Bay (9-7) Derek Barnett, EDGE Tennessee: Meh.
Denver (9-7) Ryan Ramczyk, OT Wisconsin: He will have a good career protecting garbage quarterbacks since John Elway doesn’t want anyone to be the next John Elway.
Detroit* (9-7): Jabri...ok sorry, Marlon Humphrey, CB Alabama: But how much fun would it be to see Peppers return punts and light up slot receivers for the Lions? Actually, I don’t think I would wish a fate of being on the Lions on anyone.
Miami* (10-6) Takkarist McKinley, EDGE UCLA: This is a steal. In other news the sky is blue and the Dolphins will not make the playoffs next year.
New York Giants* (11-5): The older brother of a future Michigan superstar quarterback, RB Stanford: I think he will be a good pass catcher and add another dimension to an already dangerous offense.
Oakland* (12-4) Gareon Conley, CB OSU: Gosh I feel like an OSU homer right now. I wish Jourdan Lewis were 2 inches taller.
Houston* (9-7) Cam Robinson, OT Alabama: He is a large man. I’d love to see him face Watt/Clowney in practice every day.
Seattle* (10-5-1) Garett Bolles, OT Utah: Seattle needs to protect its ‘franchise quarterback’.
Kansas City* (12-4) Tim Williams, Pass Rusher Alabama: He isn’t a linebacker in my book, but he will continue to be a sack monster at the next level.
Dallas* (13-3) Budda Baker, S Washington: Hopefully he can cover tight ends. Actually, hopefully he can’t because there are very few things I find entertaining than Skip Bayless on Twitter after the Cowboys lose a playoff game.
Green Bay* (10-6) Alvin Kamara, RB Tennessee: No clear answer here. But the Packers might also be exempt to that teams making bad decisions rule. Kamara will probably be a star if the he’s wearing green and yellow next year.
Pittsburgh* (11-5) Haason Reddick, OLB Temple: I’ll be honest, I’ve never seen the dude play. But if Kiper has him in his 1st round, who am I to say otherwise?
Atlanta* (11-5) Charles Harris, DE Missouri: Scary on film. Falcons will continue to add to a young and deep defense.
New England* (14-2) Jabrill Peppers, S? Michigan: If I do another mock draft after the combine (I probably won’t), Peppers might be 20 spots higher. The combine won’t help any player more. But I hope he goes to the Pats. Bill Belichick wouldn’t just figure out a good position for him to play, he would tap into some superhuman power that Peppers has hiding underneath his uber-athletic body.

*indicates playoff team
**********I’m sorry for not including Corey Davis @WMUfans, I think he will be a good player but there is so much depth and talent at so many other positions this year that I can’t see more than a couple receivers coming off the board on day one.

The rest of the Wolverines:

Ben Braden, G: He could go day 2, if not he will be a steal in a late round. He’s consistent but not a dominant force.

Jake Butt, TE: I really hope a team reaches on him in the 2nd or 3rd round. Butt is a high character guy with sure hands that can play the position in every way any coach could think of. If he fully recovers he will be a top 10 tight end during his career.

Jehu Chesson, WR: His stock was killed as he was overshadowed by Darboh this season but some team will fall in love with his speed and pull the trigger in rounds 3-5.

Jeremy Clark, CB: I have no idea. If teams think he will be healthy he could be a day 3 pick. He was great to start the season as the number 1 corner with Lewis out. I wish the best to him but I just don’t know.

Amara Darboh, WR: I think he could be a day 2 guy. He has great hands and runs great routes. Just play that catch against BYU on repeat.

Ben Gedeon, ILB: I thought he was underrated all season. He is an excellent tackler and will make a team happy that decides he’s safe enough to grab in rounds 4-6.

Ryan Glasgow, DT: He was surrounded by superstars, but Glasgow held his own against the run. I’d be shocked if he is on the board after day 2.

Delano Hill, S: Not really sure that he will be drafted. At a minimum someone will give him a training camp contract.

Kyle Kalis, G: He’s higher than Braden on most draft boards, and I’m high on Braden, so….

Jourdan Lewis: He’s a day 1 player who will be picker on day 2. He will answer questions about his size by being a lockdown corner at the next level. His recovery speed and ball skills are better than any other corner in this draft.

Erik Magnuson, OT: See: Kyle Kalis

Deveon Smith, RB: I’m not totally sold on Smith as an NFL back even though he is thick and runs tough, but apparently some teams are. He will go day 3 and battle for a backup job/short-yardage role.

Channing Stribbling, CB: I really think he’s a day 2 guy. He was overshadowed by Lewis and Peppers, but he was frickin’ good this year.

Chris Wormley, DE: 6 months ago it was Wormley being discussed as a first rounder, not Charlton. I am not completely sure why his stock fell, but he will be a steal for someone in the 2nd round.

If you think I'm right, wrong, or have anything else to say, comment below or on Facebook or tweet me @E____money! I'm happy to argue about how little I know with anyone.

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Trade Deadline Recap

2/28/2017

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Winners and Losers of an Underwhelming Deadline

By: Bogart Lipe

   All last week, NBA fans everywhere spent their Wednesday and Thursday constantly refreshing their Twitter feed and hoping reporter Adrian Wojnarowski would break news of a blockbuster trade (an action that has become such a ritual that there is a term for when he does break the news, called a “Woj Bomb”). Thursday at 3pm came and went and no blockbusters took place, save for the Demarcus Cousins Heist on the previous Sunday night. Paul George, Jimmy Butler, Carmelo Anthony, and other stars rumored to be on the move all stayed with their respective teams. So in an overall anticlimactic trade season, who made the right moves and who made the wrong ones (or didn’t make any at all)?

Winners

New Orleans Pelicans
          Sunday night was picture perfect for the city of New Orleans. Their star, Anthony Davis, broke Wilt’s All Star scoring record and won the game’s MVP award. Sure, the scoring record was diluted because of the utter lack of defense in the game, but then the Pelicans traded a bag of rocks for the best big man in the league in Demarcus Cousins. Cousins’ contract expires after next year and it’s not guaranteed that he will resign, but when you can trade three mid-tier players, a first rounder, and a second rounder to form one of the best on-paper frontcourts ever, it’s a no-brainer. Although the duo has combined to average 58.7 ppg and 19.7 rpg together, the Pelicans are 0-3 in their three games with Cousins. The team around the two big men is admittedly a dumpster fire, and their wing play will need to be addressed in the offseason. They were the runaway winners of the trade deadline and as a result may get the honor of being swept by the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.

Houston Rockets
          Cousins’ debut came against the Rockets, and the brightest star on the court that night turned out to be the new Rocket, Lou Williams. Houston sent a first round pick and Corey Brewer to the Lakers to acquire the off-the-bench scoring machine. With the Williams addition, the Rockets further upgrade their already second best offense by pairing Williams with Eric Gordon in the second unit, who happen to be the two highest scoring bench players in the league this year. With MVP candidate James Harden leading the way, the Rockets have potentially established themselves as the only team in the West who has any hope of taking down the Warriors in the playoffs. The Spurs likely don’t have the firepower from behind the arc to keep up with Golden State, but Houston would happily oblige to shoot 60 threes a game and try to make 25 of them. And still lose in 6 to Steph, KD and company.

Toronto Raptors
          Toronto also made a couple moves to try to threaten a top team in the Cavs. They traded their 2017 first round pick and Terrence Ross to the Magic for Serge Ibaka and also traded Jared Sullinger and two second round picks for the Suns’ P.J. Tucker. The Ibaka move looks good on paper, but this is probably not enough to truly threaten the Cavaliers and LeBron’s 6 straight Finals appearances streak. It’ll be up to Lowry and DeRozan to step up, unlike in past playoff series, to give the Raptors any chance of giving the Cavs a fight. Coupled with Kyle Lowry’s wrist surgery that will keep him out of the lineup for 4-6 weeks, it appears these moves won’t be enough for a serious run at a title, although both moves were well done.

Cleveland Cavaliers
          The Cavs didn’t trade for anyone, but they have quickly become the destination for older players trying to chase a ring. Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut have both been bought out and it appears both will sign with the Cavaliers, with Deron Williams already signing with the team. Williams provides a serviceable backup to Kyrie and should allow LeBron to rest more. In addition, Bogut would prove to be very valuable against the Warriors, especially when he intentionally takes out Steph in the Finals and sparks fights with every Warrior.

Losers

Sacramento Kings
          As previously stated, the Kings willingly gave up the top big man for a pack of socks and a bag of popcorn. Maybe Cousins’ attitude had become too much (probably), or maybe the Kings didn’t want to pay Cousins $200 million or more (definitely). Both reasons would make sense. What doesn’t make sense is the sequence of events that led to the trade. Vlade Divac, the man somehow in charge, said a few days prior to the trade that Demarcus would not be traded. Then, after the trade took place, he admitted he had a better trade offer a couple days prior, in effect digging his own grave to fall into once Buddy Hield turns into just another spot up shooter in the NBA. Speaking of Hield, the Kings owner Vivek Ranadive is to blame in some regard to the move. Hield admitted to media that in his two games in Sacramento as a Pelican, Vivek would say that “we’re still gonna get you”. I have to imagine this struck fear in Buddy’s heart unlike anything else in his entire life, and I send my condolences for his destiny coming to fruition. As if that isn’t enough, Vivek says he thinks Buddy Hield can be the next Steph Curry. But hey! At least his owner believes in him! If you didn’t know, Hield is shooting 39.8% from the field and 37% from three! Steph has never shot below 45% from the field and 42% from three in his career!

(Phil Jackson smiling and nodding slowly as he realizes he isn’t the most incompetent man in charge in the NBA)

Philadelphia 76ers
          Somewhere Sam Hinkie violently clenched up when he saw the 76ers ship the wrong big man for quite honestly the lowest price possible. The Sixers sent Nerlens Noel, not Jahlil Okafor, to the Mavericks for Justin Anderson, Andrew Bogut, and a top 18 protected first round pick that will likely turn into two second round picks. As stated above, Bogut has already been bought out so Noel was essentially traded for Justin Anderson and two second rounders, anything but a useful return on a stalwart defender. Noel fit with Embiid better than Okafor, but now the Sixers are stuck with Jahlil and Dallas gets a center they can try to build around in the future.

Boston Celtics
        I had to put the Celtics somewhere, and losers seems more fitting than winners. The Celtics were supposed to be big time bidders for Demarcus Cousins, Jimmy Butler, Paul George, and even Blake Griffin. However, a deal didn't get done and Boston decided to keep its young players as well as the World Famous Brooklyn Nets Picks. Whether Boston decided that either the price was too high for a few of the stars, or it just wasn't worth bringing in a troubled star (Boogie), Danny Ainge stood pat. The Celtics have the brightest future of maybe any team in the league, with basically a 50/50 shot at landing a near surefire superstar in either Markelle Fultz or Lonzo Ball. They didn't need to trade for a star and try to steal a Finals appearance or even a title this year. They have the incredible ability to sit on a couple likely top 5 Brooklyn picks the next two years and building the team that way. If they were to be able to draft a guy like Fultz, who can play the 2 guard, they could replace Avery Bradley and his expiring contract and pair Fultz with an already established star like Isaiah Thomas. This isn't over yet, as the Celtics will likely inquire about the mentioned stars in the offseason before the draft, at that point possibly holding the number 1 pick and maybe the keys to one of the future centerpieces of the NBA. They could’ve traded for a star and they didn’t, but it’s not the end of the world for Boston, only a missed opportunity for the time being.

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Women’s Basketball Crushes Attendance Record but Faces New Obstacles

2/21/2017

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By: Emily Herard

The Michigan women’s basketball team experienced a bittersweet moment Sunday afternoon. While the Wolverines played in front of the largest crowd in program history, a sellout crowd of 12,707 fans, they dropped their rivalry game against Michigan State, 86-68. Enthusiastic Michigan fans helped crush the previous attendance record of 5,991 that was recorded the last time the Spartans came to Crisler in 2015. This record-shattering attendance illustrates how far the women’s basketball program has come at the University of Michigan. Fans have embraced this team’s newfound success that is built upon head coach Kim Barnes Arico’s game plan to make Michigan a women’s basketball school.

Going into Sunday’s game, the Wolverines were ranked No. 20 in the country and were looking to tie a program record of 22 wins. Instead, Michigan lost back-to-back games for the first time this season and are now 21-7 and 10-4 in the Big Ten. It seems that the Wolverines are feeling the pressure of the uncharted waters that come with being the most successful team in program history.

Before Thursday’s 72-61 lost in Indiana, Michigan’s offense was explosive, shooting a league best 40% from three point range. Led in scoring by Katelynn Flaherty (19.8 points per game), the Wolverines have also benefited from the dynamic scoring and passing abilities of Kysre Gondrezick (14.3 points per game) as well as Hallie Thome’s high percentage scoring ability in the paint (15 points per game on 63% shooting). Michigan’s success leading into this weekend could be attributed in large part to the team’s ability to move the ball with ease on offense to find one of its many scorers the best shot possible. When one player was having an off night, another would step up and the offense would continue to roll.

In the past two games against Indiana and MSU a different Wolverines team has showed up to play, one that is just a shell of the true offensive abilities of this team. Against Indiana, Flaherty was the only Wolverine who could get a shot to fall, scoring 23 points. The next highest scorer was Thome (10 pts), and the team shot a horrid 21.1% from three. Adding insult to injury, Michigan was unable to hold on to the ball, turning it over 17 times. They also struggled to stop Indiana’s number one offensive option, Tyra Bust, allowing her to score 21 points.

On Sunday, Michigan’s offensive woes continued with the Wolverines shooting only 17.6% from three. Despite the offensive efforts of Thome (21 points) and Gondrezick (19 points) Michigan was unable to overcome poor team shooting and the uncharacteristic performance of Flaherty, who only scored 4 points on 2 for 12 shooting. On the other end of the floor, the Spartans couldn’t miss, converting on 58% of their field goals and 50% from long range. An unstoppable Tori Jankoska did it all for Michigan State (28 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks, 1 steal) and the Wolverines were unable to find a matchup that slowed Jankoska’s scoring attack. On several occasions Jankoska pulled up and knocked down a long three in transition with a hand in her face, and she finished the game 5 of 10 from downtown.

In the back-to-back losses, Michigan has missed senior point guard Siera Thompson’s usual stabilizing presence. Thompson, who is rarely the high scorer but instead brings leadership through her court vision and ability to hit open threes, had little impact against Indiana (9 points, 2 assists) and Michigan State (2 points, 2 assists). As the starting point guard for four seasons, Thompson’s leadership on the court has been a crucial component of Michigan’s success. Kim Barnes Arico and Thompson will need to work together to help the senior regather her on-court composure in order to help the Wolverines get back on track.

After a couple of setbacks, Michigan needs to take a step back and return to the basics. As KBA has said, the team needs to enjoy the moment and forget any outside pressures that come with the higher expectations of being a ranked team. If the Wolverines continue to embrace their motto
“By Any Means” and take each game one at a time, they will find themselves playing the type of basketball that got them to the best start in program history.

The Wolverines head into Thursday’s game against Nebraska ranked No. 25 and will celebrate their seniors Siera Thompson and Danielle Williams in their last home game of the season at 7 pm. You can tune into WCBN’s broadcast of the game on our YouTube channel or here on our website.

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Crash Crisler February 19th!

2/14/2017

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By: Emily Herard

Sunday vs. Wisconsin
The Michigan women’s basketball team continues to roll, extending their winning streak to 6 games with Sunday’s 75-66 victory over Wisconsin. Led by a red-hot Katelynn Flaherty (35 points), the Wolverines were able to defend their home court despite struggling to get consistent stops on defense. Creating a spark off the bench, Nicole Munger recorded her first career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. After Sunday’s win, Michigan moved up to #20 in the AP Poll. This Thursday at 6:00 pm, the Wolverines visit Indiana before returning to Crisler on Sunday to face Michigan State at 2:00 pm.

Crash Crisler!
If you want to support the Wolverines, you can help the women’s basketball team record a program attendance record (current record: 5,991) on Sunday, February 19th at 2:00 pm when the Spartans come to Crisler.

10 Reasons You Should Attend:

It’s a rivalry game! Take out your mid-term stress by yelling at the Spartans
Michigan is in the midst of the program’s greatest start in program history (21-5, 10-2) and you can be a part of history while breaking the attendance record.
The team is ranked No. 20 in the country; you can catch them before they start to garner more national attention and inevitably beat UConn in the NCAA finals.
The Wolverines are the leading 3 point percentage (40.8%) shooting team in NCAA; when they click, they are dynamic and fun to watch on offense.
Katelynn Flaherty – watch No. 2 on Michigan’s all-time scoring list drain off-dribble jumpers from all over the court with a quick release reminiscent of Steph Curry’s
Witness sibling rivalry: freshman phenom Kysre Gondrezick is bound to dazzle you with a stat sheet-stuffing game as she takes on her sister, Kalabrya Gondrezick
Jillian Dunston will shake your mid-winter malaise and get you on your feet with her contagious energy.
If you’re a student, it’s FREE!
… if free basketball doesn’t interest you, I’m not sure why you’re reading a sports blog.
If you’re still not convinced, just trust me and come watch some high-quality basketball.

And if you absolutely can’t make it to Crisler, tune in to WCBN’s live broadcast, which you can find on our youtube channel or on this very site.

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A Guide to Booing Your Sports Ex

2/14/2017

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And Grades for How OKC Fans Did Saturday

By: Bogart Lipe

   Everyone knew it was coming. We knew it the second the decision was made. The entire city of Oklahoma City had been preparing for this the day since Kevin Durant’s Player Tribune declaration that he would join the Warriors this season. A lot of tears, anger, and most importantly, pettiness, led up to last Saturday night. People were mean. People wore “KowarD” t-shirts at the game. A man dressed up in a Rey Mysterio-like mask, a cape, and painted a KD-themed cupcake on his chest and gut. But this is what happens when fans have to deal with the spearhead of the best 8 years of fandom they may ever experience leaving their team and forming a never-before-seen powerhouse: grown men sacrifice their self-respect for the sake of a scorned fanbase. Without fail, this manifests itself in ridiculous and undignified displays of fanhood, which begs the question: is there a certain recipe for success when a superstar like KD returns to his former home in the fashion he did Saturday? Yes. Yes there is.

Here is the Official Guide For Booing The Player You Now Hate When He/She Comes Back For The First Time.

1.      Player Intros

The building needs to shake. An earthquake needs to be induced by the boos when said player is introduced. The PA announcer’s words must be muffled by jeers. This is step 1 in a successful night of booing. A great meal cannot start with a bland, lukewarm appetizer. The basketball booing appetizer must be a delicious blend of frustration and disgust.

The OKC fans served us all a decent appetizer. It grabbed my attention, but did not blow me away. I wanted to stay for dinner, but only because I had made this reservation months in advance and was looking forward to this for just as long. I was not thrilled about spending money on something that says it includes four servings when it only truly serves two, but I was not mad either. It didn’t sate my hunger enough for me to be fully satisfied, however.

OKC Grade: B

2.      Endurance

The booing cannot stop. If you hate this player as much as you claim to, it must not cease. No matter the score, no matter the situation, the booing must continue. Whenever the player touches the ball, boo. Whenever the player scores, boo. The only situation when booing may halt is if the player commits a foul or misses a shot. Then you can cheer. Every other time the player is involved in the play, boo.

OKC did a wonderful job of this, constantly harassing KD from tipoff until the end of the game. The game was basically over as soon as KD made his first shot, and then it was definitely over once the Warriors got up by 23 going into half, but the fans did not stop. Credit to them. It’s difficult booing one of the best scorers ever as he hangs 34 points on 12-21 shooting and 9 rebounds on your team in a blowout loss, including a 30 footer to formally ice the game when Westbrook was supposed to be guarding him. It’s not easy. But the OKC fans did not stop. It was beautiful, if you’re into the whole booing the best person to ever happen to your sports well-being sort of thing.

OKC Grade: A-

3.      Home Team Success

In order to successfully boo an opposing player, your team must keep the game close. The “scoreboard” comeback cannot be available for use by the opponent. In the same way you cannot successfully trash talk when you make a jumpshot while your team is down 20-8 and you are facing game point, you cannot boo with success unless the game is close.

This was hard for the Thunder fans to do. Although they made a mini run in the 4th, the game wasn’t close for roughly 35 minutes of the game. This is admittedly difficult when you’re facing a team that consistently hits shots that only 5 people in the world can make, while having 3 of the aforementioned players. However, Russell Westbrook had the perfect Russ game, with 47 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, and 11 turnovers. When Russ has a triple double with turnovers game, you know he went full-on Relentless Russ on you. The fact the face of Durant disdain (or so it appears in public) had a monster stats game, for better or worse, helps this would-be failing grade.

OKC Grade: C-

4.      Pettiness

This may be the most important part of the guide. Forget the altered jerseys of the former player. That’ll get you a passing grade, but the true petty fans strive to take it further. You must be original, and have a few current players who will join you in the search for ultimate pettiness. Teamwork is important when being petty. The fans must be on the same page. A theme is preferred, and using previous comments and inside jokes the player made while on your team against him/her takes your pettiness over the top.

Well, OKC took it over the top. T-shirts were abundant. The aforementioned KowarD shirts were common, while cupcakes with the number 35 or the poop emoji were emblazoned on merchandise. The inside joke the Thunder had with KD on the team, calling opposing “soft” players “cupcakes”, was constantly shouted at him during the game. Even if KD isn’t soft (and he is definitely not soft), the fans did not care. This is the embodiment of pettiness. Westbrook was also very petty on Saturday. He even showed up in a Willie Beamen jersey, which I’d like to think was in reference to the Warriors blowing a 3-1 lead (because for those who do not know, Willie Beamen’s jersey number was 13). Did the Thunder blow a 3-1 lead too? Yes. But being petty does not mean acknowledging your own shortcomings, only the opponent’s. The way the fans were a single unit in their heckling of Durant was textbook. They will forever be the gold standard in this part of the Booing Guide.

OKC Grade: A++

Overall OKC Grade: B+

          Kevin Durant might not have deserved to be booed. He has done countless wonderful things for the city of Oklahoma City and its sports fans. However, as mentioned before, this is what happens the first game back. There may be a day when Durant gets the standing ovation he deserves, but that day seems very far away as of now. He did get the win, now the 3rd straight over his former team this year, and had yet another efficient 30 point game. So although the OKC fans scored well according to the above guide, KD finished top of the class and the night.

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Nobody Wants Carmelo Anthony. Are you surprised?

2/7/2017

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By: Bogart Lipe

For the better part of the last few weeks, Carmelo Anthony, a 9-time All Star, 3-time Gold Medalist, former scoring champ, and (likely) future hall of famer, has been firmly on the trading block. However, only 3 teams have been linked to him as potential trade destinations. Why is this? And what does it say about Carmelo and where he is in his career at the age of 32?

So far, Carmelo hasn’t been involved in trade rumors with any teams other than the Clippers, Cavaliers, and Celtics. However, Danny Ainge came out recently and said that the Celtics won’t be trading for Melo. That leaves the Clippers and Cavs, two teams that thus far have made it clear what Carmelo’s value on the open market is, although his no-trade clause limits how “open” the market truly is. Neither team has been willing to give up any of their own stars, with the Clippers uninterested in dealing Deandre Jordan or Blake Griffin, and the Cavs already declining to give the Knicks Kevin Love for Anthony. This makes sense, as all of the mentioned players are arguably more talented than Carmelo, younger than him, and as such have higher upside. But it’s more telling that no other contending teams are interested, given that 'Melo would be willing to go to any team close to contending since the Knicks are nowhere near relevance, let alone contention.

Carmelo does not offer much in today’s NBA. He is horrendous on defense, posting a negative defensive plus/minus. Overall, he has only a 0.8 Value Above Replacement or VORP (the value in points per 100 possessions contributed in relation to a replacement-level player) this season, his lowest since 2005 and the second lowest of his career. He has only shot 45% from the field once in the last 6 years, although he narrowly missed that plateau in 2013 (44.9%). In addition, he has only shot 40% from three once in his 14 year career, and is shooting only 36% this year. He specializes in the midrange, an area of the court that has been dying in recent memory, as teams are trending more and more toward an emphasis on the three pointer and easy buckets near the basket. This year alone, he has taken almost 60% of his shots from 16 feet and out, and is only shooting a combined 42% from this range.

A player like Carmelo, who has not experienced much team success in his career, is not worth the risk for many teams. He is not an accomplished winner at the NBA level, even though he has been unfortunate with some of the roster management around him in New York. He has also had a problem in his career sharing the spotlight with players he thinks are less talented than him, specifically Amare Stoudemire and Jeremy Lin when they were Knicks. His amazing performances at the Olympic level, and the fact that he’s the all-time leading scorer for USA Men’s Basketball, do support the argument that he excels when surrounded by other talented players, but this eliminates all but about 10 teams in the league, if that. The pool of franchises dwindles even further when you take into account his subpar defensive skills and increasingly outdated offensive game. Take another step and consider he neither offers much critical playoff experience to younger teams nor adds more experience to an already seasoned team of vets, and you end up with the Clippers and Cavs, two teams with one of his closest friends on each (Chris Paul and LeBron). Finally, no matter which team chooses to trade for him, they will likely have to deal with him playing the small forward position rather than the power forward position. For some reason Carmelo prefers the small forward spot, even though his two most productive years in a Knicks uniform came when he spent a majority of his playing time at power forward and as a stretch 4. This will surely present another issue with bringing him onboard in the middle of the season.

The Knicks' recent struggles must serve as a humbling experience for Carmelo, and he has done everything right while dealing with the firestorm of rumors. Considering he’s the wrong person that should be removed from the Knicks organization, it’s commendable how professional Melo has been. Meanwhile, Phil Jackson, the person who deserves the lion's share of the blame and should, definitely, unequivocally, be the person who loses his job, has consistently shown how out of touch he is as an NBA General Manager. He has previously refused to travel to away games unless they were in Los Angeles, alienated his star player who’s been nothing but loyal during his stay in New York, and has made terrible roster decisions time and time again. The most recent glaring mistake he’s made was gifting Joakim Noah a 4 year $72 million deal last summer. That’s the same Joakim Noah who is averaging 5 points and 9 rebounds a game. In other words, he’s on pace to make over $40,000 for every point he’ll score this year. And somehow Carmelo is the one who has been cast as the scapegoat for the Knicks’ struggles and even suffered boos at the hands of Knicks fans Saturday night against the Cavs.

No matter how much Melo has declined, it’s admittedly difficult to see a player of his magnitude be fractionalized the way he has recently. However, it seems as if he’ll be relieved of the rumors soon enough and likely be traded to another team. It’s now a matter of where and when, not if.

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Michigan Women’s Basketball Ranked No. 21 in AP Poll

2/7/2017

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By: Emily Herard

After securing a comeback victory over Iowa on Sunday, the Wolverines (19-5) have won four straight and remain undefeated at home (12-0). Michigan entered the AP top 25 on Monday for the first time since the 2012-13 season, slotting in at #21.

Sunday vs. Iowa
The Wolverines trailed the Iowa Hawkeyes through three quarters, entering the fourth quarter down 61-52 before mounting an impressive comeback. Michigan started out cold from the field, shooting only 34.4% in the first half. The Wolverines struggled to contain Iowa’s Megan Gustafson, allowing her to score 23 points and pull down 12 rebounds. Michigan’s struggles from the foul line (57.7%) and difficulty defending in the paint led to a 15 point deficit in the third quarter. Kysre Gondrezick and Nicole Munger led the comeback for the Wolverines. Gondrezick scored a career high 23 points and stuffed the stat sheet, with 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 6 steals. With under a minute to play, Nicole Munger tipped the ball away from Iowa to Gondrezick in a half-court trap. Gondrezick then found Katelynn Flaherty on the fastbreak, and her layup gave the Wolverines a 69-68 lead. After Iowa responded with a second-chance bucket to retake the lead with 35 seconds remaining in the game, Munger drove baseline and finished through traffic, putting the Wolverines up 71-70 with 17 seconds remaining. Michigan came up with a defensive stop and were sent to the line twice, but missed three out of four free throws, extending their lead to 72-70. With only seconds left on the clock, the Wolverines were able to stop Gustafson at the rim and Michigan pulled out an exhilarating, come-from-behind victory, 72-70.

Historic Start
The Wolverines’ 19-5 start is the best record through 24 games in program history. KBA has promised a future of strong women’s basketball at the University of Michigan for players that buy into the program and her game plan. The team’s motto of “By Any Means” is paying off as they look for a fifth straight win when they face Purdue on the road Wednesday.

The Wolverines return home to Crisler on Sunday at 2 pm to take on Wisconsin for their Pink Game recognizing breast cancer survivorship.

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Michigan Football: 2017 National Signing Day Commits

2/6/2017

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By: Evan Oesterle

Michigan entered National Signing Day with the 4th ranked recruiting class in the nation and 27 commits in the class. However, Harbaugh and Co. were not done. With a couple expected commits signing papers to confirm their commitments, and an unexpected surprise that came during the Signing of the Stars event, the Wolverines finished with 30 total commits. Despite moving down one spot in the 247 Composite, the class is still one of the best in Michigan history. Below is a profile of the last three commits in the 2017 class, followed by the hits and misses of the class as a whole.

All recruiting rankings come from 247 Composite player and team rankings.

Aubrey Solomon 5*, #2 Defensive Tackle, #25 Overall: Solomon had one of the more interesting recruitments we have seen in recent years. After originally being committed to the Wolverines heading into his senior year, he decommitted after the Wolverines sent him a thank you card for attending the BBQ at the Big House event, which he did not attend (on top of the fact that he wasn’t even there, his name was spelled wrong). His recruitment was then mainly focused on SEC schools like Georgia and Alabama, but with a late push from Harbaugh and his staff, he recommitted to Michigan on Signing Day morning. Coming in at 6’3” and just under 290 pounds, Solomon has the size to contribute early for a Wolverines defensive line that loses all four starters and a ton of production. Based on all the film from his high school career and camps he attended, he looks like he has the ability to be a major force from start to finish while wearing the winged helmet. He could start at defensive tackle next to Mo Hurst or come off the bench in a role similar to Hurst’s in 2016. Either way, expect Solomon to contribute a lot for a young Michigan defense in 2017.

Nico Collins 4*, #23 Wide Receiver, #136 Overall: Collins is one of five wide receivers in the 2017 class, four of whom are rated 4* or higher. His commitment on NSD added to an embarassment of riches in the class at the position. However that talent is well needed as the Wolverines lose over ⅔ of their receiving production from 2016 as Jehu Chesson, Amara Darboh, and Jake Butt all graduated. Additionally, Collins is a major recruiting victory for Harbaugh, as he hails from Alabama. By beating out Nick Saban for his in-state target, Harbaugh has shown that he has his footprint firmly placed in SEC territory. (Solomon is also from Georgia, who says satellite camps were ineffective? (Don’t fret, Harbaugh will find a new way to recruit players from the southeast even with the satellite camp ban)) Collins won’t arrive until the summer, so early-enrollees Tarik Black and Donovan Peoples-Jones will have a better chance to contribute early in 2017. However, don’t count out Collins as a potential contributor during his freshman season. Standing at 6’5”, Collins will present a size mismatch on the outside against defensive backs that Michigan will look to exploit. He should look to add some muscles to that large frame as he is only 195 pounds, but his height will allow him to be a factor in the receiving corps regardless of how quickly he can add muscle.

Brad Robbins 2*, #13 Punter: Brad Robbins commitment came as a surprise to most Wolverines fans. The punter from just outside Columbus, Ohio was committed to Nevada since October 23rd, and very few Wolverines fans and writers even knew Harbaugh had offered him prior to his commitment. Robbins may not be a flashy add to the class, but he will contribute right away. Harbaugh made it very clear that he did not like having Kenny Allen kicking in all three phases (punting, placekicking, and kickoffs) in 2016. Despite his effectiveness and level of play by the end of the season, it is clearly not ideal to only have one player maintaining all three of those responsibilities. Robbins presence will allow RS Freshman Quinn Nordin to focus on place kicking, a major special teams advantage for the Wolverines moving forward. They’ll now have a true punter & kicker for the next four seasons.

Hits and Misses:

Hit: Added depth at positions that have proven importance in Harbaugh and Co.’s system.

With five wide receivers, six defensive linemen, and a highly rated quarterback, Harbaugh reloaded his mainstay positions on both sides of the ball. With superstar talents like Solomon, Collins, Peoples-Jones, Black, Luiji Vilain, and more, there will be both depth and future stars at receiver and across the defensive line. Dylan McCaffrey will have a tough time competing with incumbent starter Wilton Speight and talented RS Freshman Brandon Peters since he won’t arrive until summer, but he will be a star in a few years with some help from the strength and conditioning staff as well as quarterback whisperer Jim Harbaugh.

Miss: No offensive guard in the class.

Many of Michigan’s late season offensive woes stemmed from an ability to run the football. That started with the offensive line. Losing three starters to graduation will not help either as the line will be extremely young. Cesar Ruiz, the nation’s number one center, should be able to come in and start right away, allowing Mason Cole to move to tackle or guard, but with Ben Bredeson expected to move back to his natural position of tackle, there is a still a whole at guard. There are four offensive tackles in the class, including 4* Chuck Filiaga who should compete for playing time right away, but no offensive guards. With the transfer of 5th year senior of Dave Dawson, there is now a major question of who will start around Ruiz/Cole on the interior of the offensive line. Expect guard to be a top priority in the 2018 class, but for now it’ll take some position changes and young contributors to get through the 2017 season.

Hit: Athletic defensive stars who will contribute right away.

It has been well publicized that Michigan’s #1 ranked defense will lose 10 out of 11 starters, most of whom will be selected in the NFL Draft. With the entire secondary and defensive line moving on to the next level, as well as two of three linebackers, Mike McCray will need young stars around him to step up right away. Rashan Gary, Mo Hurst, Tyree Kinnel, Chase Winovich and Lavert Hill all contributed in 2016 and are expected starters, but at the rest of the defensive positions there will be intense competition for immediate playing time. As previously mentioned Solomon and Villain should contribute on a loaded defensive line right away. Four star linebackers Jordan Anthony and Drew Singleton will have a chance to compete for the holes left by Ben Gedeon and Jabrill Peppers. Anthony’s athletic ability should give him a chance to play Pepper’s SAM position, while Singleton’s size and tackling ability will make him a high choice to replace Gedeon at middle linebacker. (Singleton is recovering from a torn ACL so that may affect his ability to compete for a spot right away) In the secondary, Jaylen Kelly-Powell should compete with returners Tyree Kinnel and Khaleke Hudson for playing time. Kelly-Powell’s fellow early-enrollees Ambry Thomas and Benjamin St-Juste (both corners) will compete for snaps as well. Thomas is on the smaller side, and could be a player with a similar style to graduating star Jourdan Lewis. St-Juste is 6’3” and has great wingspan, and that will give the Canadian an opportunity to make an impact right away. We’ve seen Harbaugh show no apprehension in playing freshman on either side of the ball if he feels that they’re game-ready; he will be forced to this year after losing so much talent and experience to graduation and the draft.

Miss: Losing high profile recruiting battles.

When you have 30 recruits make up a top 5 recruiting class, it almost feels like nit-picking when trying to find mistakes. But when Najee Harris (Alabama) and Isaiah Wilson (Georgia) made very public decisions with the Wolverines coming in second, it has a negative effect on the image. Both players would’ve been massive additions to the class and it hurt to lose those battles in such public ways, especially when both were considered Michigan leans at one point or another. However, getting Collins (from Alabama) and Solomon (from Georgia) helps ease the pain in the battle with the SEC schools, and locking down the state of Michigan (the top 6 players in the state are all members of Michigan’s 2017 class) is a major confidence booster moving forward. Harbaugh’s antics and personality will always garner attention, whether it’s positive or negative, but I don’t think many people will complain with 20 wins in two seasons and a top 5 recruiting class. Give him one more year to develop all this talent he’s acquired in the last two classes, and come 2018, expect “College Football Playoff or bust” chatter coming from the media once again.

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Criminally Underrated: Hootie & the Blowfish

2/5/2017

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By: JP, Supreme Dictator

Hootie freakin' rocks, man. I take a lot of shit for loving them at this station, and it's about time I set the record straight. Yes, this site is normally reserved for sports blogs, but Hootie transcends that label. Have some heartache? Hootie. First day of summer with the windows down? Hootie. Ready to have a most righteous party? Hootie. Why is it so cool to hate on one of America's greatest musical treasures? It's unjust. Here's a more in-depth look at the beauty of the Blowfish:

Let Her Cry (1994) - The Appetizer Everyone Loves

I'm qualifying this blog post under sports because the music video incorporates not only SportsCenter, but the Swami, too. What a goddamn classic. The song that made Hootie, Hootie. Encapsulating Darius' emotional turmoil with the Dolphins' lack of success, probably something about an old Bob Dylan song, and most definitely yelling about wanting to be with somebody. Never has a song deserved so many drunken karaoke runs. This is just a sample platter, folks. Wait for the main course.

Let Her Cry (1994) - Emotional Journey Contd.

So what if every Hootie song I put in this article only comes off of 1994's Cracked Rear View ? It's the only Hootie anyone needs! I get emotional sometimes, but Hootie has my back.

EDITORS NOTE: Hootie is not underrated. He may in fact be overrated. This blog is more of an awareness blog than that of the "criminally underrated" franchise.

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Weird Sports: Syllabus

2/3/2017

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By: Daniel Thompson

Sports are one of the most popular pastimes in the world, obviously. It’s no secret that millions of athletes around the world play hundreds of different sports, many of which draw huge audiences. The near universal interest in sports partnered with the internet make it beyond easy to watch excessive amounts of coverage for any popular sport that interests you. But part of me wishes that we’d use all this time devoted to covering the same stories about merit-less trade rumors or NBA fashion to cover the less followed sports. While not all sports are created equal and there are definitely reasons that make the biggest sports draw in the biggest crowds, I think it’s definitely worthwhile to learn about the team handballs of the world.

One of the reasons I think we love sports is because of the unscripted drama they provide. I still have trouble believing the 73-9 Warriors became the first ever team to blow a 3-1 NBA Finals lead to give Cleveland its first championship in 52 years. Any sappy sports movie could have told an underdog story like that, but unlike most entertainment, sports are real. Seeing Brazil lose 7-1 at home in the World Cup semis was like watching a train wreck, and knowing it wasn’t special effects. Sports provide unpredictable, actually real, reality entertainment. Any less popular sport can do that as well. Disney’s Cool Runnings is a testimony to that. How many people are bobsled fans? Take a picture if you ever find one. How much did a movie about a true bobsledding story make at the box office? $155 million. Every sport has its own Cool Runnings. Probably every sport has multiple Cool Runnings. I think we’re all choosing to miss out by not finding the great untold stories of every sport.

Not to be overshadowed by the glory of narratives is the fact that watching and playing sports is simply fun. Every two years billions of people tune in to watch the Olympics, a wonderful break from the annual cycle of the popular sports calendar. Though we would never care about them otherwise, everyone every four years pole vaulting, speed skating, fencing, cycling, and over 20 more sports gain an overnight following. Even more importantly, they get a chance to attract new athletes to those sports. While an athlete could spend their life training and never reach the premier league or NFL, there’s a much quicker path to the top of the alpine skiing world. Every two years the Olympics bring us the moments of heroism from The Miracle on Ice to Michael Phelps’ 23 gold medals. But they also remind us that sports exist outside of player contracts and trades. We may stay for the discussions, analytics, and legendary moments, but as fans we are originally drawn to sports for the fun of it.

Leaving the scope of the Olympics reveals even more fun to be had. eSports have a promising future and already draw in large audiences. Games that are only played regionally can be great as well, American football being one of them. Sepak takraw is tremendously popular in Southeast Asia and is basically volleyball but played with all body parts but the hands. Or on the purely obscure side you get sports that you can tell are entertaining just by the name. Sports like chessboxing, shin kicking, competitive eating, and cheese rolling all have sizable followings.

Hopefully I’ve inspired you to join WCBN every Friday to learn about a new, weird, sport that we think deserves more attention.

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Trade Deadline Recap

Winners and Losers of an Underwhelming Deadline

By: Bogart Lipe

Women’s Basketball Crushes Attendance Record but Faces New Obstacles

Crash Crisler February 19th!

A Guide to Booing Your Sports Ex

Nobody Wants Carmelo Anthony. Are you surprised?

Michigan Women’s Basketball Ranked No. 21 in AP Poll

Michigan Football: 2017 National Signing Day Commits

Criminally Underrated: Hootie & the Blowfish

Weird Sports: Syllabus

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