I've been slacking...

I know Sports Pad followers, I've been slacking a wee bit. Between taxes (I've been trying to figure out if being totally awesome is tax deductible; no luck... yet.) and traveling, I haven't been able to free up any time to get some quality writing done.

So here's my thoughts about this week in sports:

Isiah Thom(pson)as is the new Head Coach at Florida International. Zeke coaching college makes me so excited I can't stand it. It's great for FIU, it gives them instant notoriety and a way to stand out recruiting wise and for Thomas he gets a chance to resurrect his career. However if this goes astray we could go from zero to Larry Eustachy in about a month. Also, I have a few questions that I just can't get past.

I'm not buying the "I'm giving back my first year salary to the school" bit. Has anyone looked into the terms of his Knicks deal? Because, I'm willing to bet, that in the terms of deal he can't be paid or moonlight for any other company, while the Knicks are paying him the rest of the 12 million owe him. Just a hunch.

He's going to be in charge of molding boys into men; what kind of conversations will they be?

Men, there is a time and a place to call a woman a bitch.
If you overdose on sleeping pills, throw one of your family members under the bus, that's what family is for.
At Award Banquets never mention the word Sunt in your speech. (Careful on this link NSFW language.)

How is he going to overpay with scholarships? Are we going to hear that Thomas signed the Star Wars Kid?

I really cannot wait for college basketball to start again...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John Madden retires. No more telestrated penises.

I'll miss him. A lot of people won't and I'm not sure why? The job of the announcers are this: The play-by-play guy sets the tone and feel of the event and properly describes the right emotions of the game. He has the heavy lifting part of the gig. The Color guy has to be, just that, colorful. He has to bring you insights into the game and most importantly he has to love the game.

Madden did all those things. Sure his points were a little on the nose and he described things like a seven-year-old, but he knew the game and what he was talking about. Plus, he was always balanced out by Summerall. They had great chemistry (most of the time). To me, when Madden was on, it was like watching a game with a buzzed uncle... who liked turkey legs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Duke basketball player, Greg Paulus has been offered a scholarship and a chance to compete for the starting QB job at the University of Michigan.

So let me get this straight a kid who hasn't played football in four years, who wasn't allowed to compete for Duke's QB position (they said he could tryout WR), is now going to be given a chance at starting for a major Big Ten program.

The QB position at U of M is awful apparently. Nick Sheridan broke his leg, Steven Threat transferred (again), they moved Justin Feagin to WR. That leaves freshman Tate Forcier and career backup David Cone.

I can't imagine Paulus will be ready to play by the start of the season, but if he can survive strength and conditioning coach Mike Barwis' training regiment then, at least, he'll be close to playing shape. (Scroll over to Barwis, click on his wiki page and read his "Reputation" section. The Sports Pad has a man-crush on Barwis, not because he's full of Tuff Juice, but because I'm scared of him.)

Which means he's there to be a backup to Tate Forcier and again Michigan will start the season with an inexperienced QB. If Michigan's QB play is terrible again (the achilles heel of last years team), can Rich Rodriguez survive another losing season???

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'll get to NBA playoffs and a whole lot more this weekend.

And as always tell your friends.