According To Kurz...Keeping The Faith

In two days school will be over and summer will begin, which unfortunately means you won’t be hearing much about the Hoosier Football team (no news means good news when it’s the off-season). As a true football fan, I search daily for any football news or hot topics about the teams I follow. So I am writing this blog for the Hoosier football fans out there. We just came off of a 3-9 season, but there is hope for the 2009 season. Here are just a few reasons why 2009 won’t be like 2008:

1) Senior Leadership
We have so many seniors this year that refuse to go out like last years class did, and a 3-9 season is almost a reminder of what could happen if we don’t put in the work. Jammie Kirlew sends out weekly text messages reminding us to work hard and keep our goals in mind, but he’s not the only one taking the lead. Bryan Payton, Roger Saffold, Will Patterson, and many more have spoken to the team and do a really good job emphasizing the work we put in now is what will decide the outcomes of Saturdays.

2) Defense
I play defense so of course I am a little biased, but this year’s defense has a chance to be really special, and we all know defense wins games. Greg Middleton and Kirlew will be bringing a heavy pass rush off the edges this year and that will make everyone else’s job that much easier. The rotation of LB’s include: Matt Mayberry, Patterson, Justin Carrington, Tyler Replogle, and Darius Johnson. These are all guys who can not only hit, but have speed as well. The 3rd line of defense is the two starters at safety, Austin Thomas and Nick Polk. Austin’s hard hitting ability is complimented so well by Polk’s ball-hawking skills that I would not be surprised to see both of them receive All-Big Ten honors of some kind. I know they are both coming off of season ending surgeries but as someone who spends multiple hours a day with these two, you should trust me when I say they will come back stronger and more determined than before.

3) Running by Committee
Any one who attended the spring game can attest our running back situation is as strong as it has ever been. The change to the pistol formation has changed our running game into a downhill, smash-mouth type of offense - one I personally love. Demetrius McCray brings great agility and a lethal stiff-arm, Trea Burgess is the big back that can carry the load, Payton runs with such determination and power that he will lead to a lot of arm tacklers, and Darius Willis brings patience to see the holes and speed to burst through them. Look for all four of these guys to have a major contribution this year.

4) Attitude
The best thing about last years season is that it was last year! The team has held numerous meetings and conferences to talk about what we need to do to be a better team on and off the field. Right now lifting is not “mandatory”, but I lift 4-5 times a week and every time I go into the weight room it is full of players trying to get better and compete for a starting spot. But the best thing about it is its not just upperclassmen, but the freshman and sophomores too. The whole team realizes that last season absolutely can not happen again.

Sometimes even as a player its hard to say to yourself that next year will be different, and as a fan (and player) of IU football I’m very aware its hard to believe that this wont be the “same ‘old IU”. But I really don’t think it will be and I don’t think Coach Lynch will allow it. First and foremost, it will start with the players, and next week is the start of lifting 4 days a week, and running at 6:30a.m. and we expect 100 % attendance because we know if we want to go to a bowl it starts now.

According To Kurz...12 Quick Fire Thoughts About the 2009 NFL Draft

With my two favorite days of the year rapidly approaching (16 days, but who’s counting?), I thought I would give a little preview to this years NFL Draft with some of my “quick-fire thoughts” about this year’s class.

1) I really feel like this is one of the worst top 5 or top 10 classes we have seen in a long time.

2) The best spot to be picking this year is about from pick number 20 and beyond because you are getting the same value in a player that you would in the first 10, but you are paying much less.

3) Secretly, the tight end class is very deep, my favorite being Brandon Pettigrew from Oklahoma State. I believe he is one of the best blocking tight ends to come out of college in quite some time. Also, I got to see him first hand in the 2007 Insight Bowl (still trying to erase that game from my memory).

4) Brian Orakpo, the defensive end from Texas really bothers me. Whenever I watch his film I don’t see a lot of consistency from him, and if your going to be considered as the best defensive end in the draft that is something you need to have.

5) I think it is very possible we will see six offensive linemen taken in the first round, with the top two being Jason Smith from Baylor and Eugene Monroe from Virginia. Which one will come off the board first is up to some lucky GM.

6) I see the Lions taking former Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford with the first pick and at 20 taking an offensive lineman - following the Falcons 2008 draft formula.

7) I keep flip-flopping on Stafford. Sometimes I think he has it all and other times I just don’t see the accuracy and decision making that’s needed to be a franchise quarterback. I have a USC quarterback bias, but I believe Mark Sanchez is the most “pro-ready”, coming from that west coast offense.

8) Chris “Beanie” Wells reminds me a lot of Cedric Benson in college and I am not so sure he won’t be like him in the pros.

9) Being a defensive back myself, I am pretty disappointed in this year’s crop. Malcolm Jenkins and Vontae Davis are this years top corners and neither are well above average. In the words of Mike Mayock, “If you need a cornerback in this draft, just sit out”. And it’s very possible we won’t see a safety taken the entire first round!

10) Forget what you’ve read and heard about players such as Knowshon Moreno and James Laurinaitis’s 40 yard dash times. Turn on the game film and you will have all you need to know about these 2 players.

11) If you’re an Eagles, Steelers, Colts, or Patriots fan you really shouldn’t be worried. Your team always drafts well and finds gems on the second day.

12) Unfortunately, this is the first year in a long time we will go without seeing a player from “The U” (Miami Hurricanes) taken in the first round.

I will have my own mock draft sometime before April 25th, but next week I will give you my take on the Jay Cutler trade, and the two winners of that transaction…neither being the Broncos.

According To Kurz...A True Renaissance Man

The past few weeks have been pretty crazy for me with spring break, midterms, and spring ball starting. I must admit it has been a struggle to find free time to sit down and type out my thoughts. This got me to thinking, how does Bryan do it? How does he find time to balance his academic life with his football life, love life, and of course, still dress to the nines? Well, this week I thought I would take the opportunity to give the readers out there a closer look into the author of this blog, the Hoosiers starting RB, and more importantly my friend, Bryan Payton.

I remember when I first joined the team; Bryan was one of the first members to introduce himself to me. We small talked for a little bit, but we soon found out we shared a passion for the Miami Hurricanes football program. Since then, we have been good friends who debate all different types of topics, and enjoy talking sports (possibly the reason he offered me this column). The Bryan I met then to the Bryan I know now has matured and changed in numerous ways but still has been able to keep that core that makes him who he is.

In the lockeroom, he is a leader and a role model to all of us and paves the way by setting the example of what an Indiana University football player should be on and off the field. During our winter workouts Payton is pushing himself and everyone else in the weight room, and is always running as hard as he can whether it is the 1st sprint or the last (I’ve had a pretty good view of his back numerous times). He is very aware of how hard he has worked to get to where he is, and isn’t about to stop now - especially with this being his last year of eligibility.

“BP” exemplifies the term “student-athlete” and isn’t afraid to challenge himself off the field. Bryan takes demanding courses, writes for the school paper, magazine, and posts a blog all while playing a division one sport. His days start early and end late. I recall one day walking into breakfast at 8 am and seeing Bryan finishing up his meal and asking him, “Wow, here kind of early huh”? He replied right back, “This isn’t early, I am usually up at about 5”.

What is so refreshing about being Bryan’s friend is that he is always himself, and treats everyone with the respect they deserve. Walking through the stadium you may catch Bryan chatting it up with Coach Springer, his position coach, discussing fashion with a few lesser known players, or most likely, asking the cooks and the rest of the stadium staff how their lives are - joking around with them.

“Pops” has numerous opportunities this summer and post college, and he deserves them all. He has stayed focus his entire collegiate career which is something we all know is hard to do. But if I know Bryan, he isn’t about to get complacent with where he is. I ask readers of “ A Renaissance Man’s Daybook” to seriously take advantage of each entry because when Bryan Payton makes it big in either the sports business, the writing world, or whatever he puts his mind to, you can say “I knew Bryan when…”, because I know I will.

According To Kurz...'Tis The Offseason

For a lot of people once the Superbowl has come to a conclusion they suffer what I call, “Football Hangover”. It’s the phenomenon of having an overload of so much football from September to February. With the playoffs, then the week to build up to the Superbowl, to the actual Championship, and finally all of a sudden it’s taken away. It’s over. Or is it?

To be honest this time of the year is my absolute favorite; it’s time for Mel Kiper Jr.’s mug to be all over ESPN, Todd McShay to be on every radio station and for Mike Mayock to change his name to “Mr. NFL Network”. Its time for the NFL draft of course!

For some strange reason I almost enjoy reading about all the prospects; grading them and watching film on them more than I do during the season. The draft gives every die hard fan hope that maybe, just maybe, this will be their year (and yes, this does include Detroit fans). But for as much as I care for this time, I do have one small problem.

The combine is held annually at the beginning of March, inviting college footballs “best” 300 players to participate in everything from the bench press to psychological testing. The problem I have is that because of the combine and the pro-days that follow, the draft is pushed back until mid April. Players often spend the time from their last game until draft day trying to shave off tenths of their 40 time, increase their reps on the 225 bench and elevate their vertical jumps. Players go to training sites just to work on specific combine drills instead of football skills. If I was going to pick an Olympic team for the U.S.A, I would go to the combine. If football was won based on who could jump higher, I would go to the combine. But football is much more than any type of drill, or timed sprint.

I believe that the NFL should hold its draft in mid March, wiping out all of the combines and pro-days. This gives enough time between the end of College football and the Superbowl to have a few College All-Star games, and in early March invite those same 300 prospects to Indy to go through doctor exams and physicals (this saves teams from having to fly to every prospect). But the biggest benefit would be for the GM’s and coaches because players would be drafted off of their production in games, instead of off the Wonderlic test, decreasing the number of draft “busts”.

Because of the way things are now, it’s so easy for fans and teams to fall in love with a guy because of his numbers and overlook the film. “The eye in the sky doesn’t lie”, is an old football saying and its absolutely right. If a player can play, he shows it every single time he is on the field and the games films will show exactly that.

According To Kurz...Doing The Right Thing

This week the most used word in the American language has been “steroid”. I am so sick of hearing this word that I am now going to refer to it as, “the s-word”. But while “A-Roid” (as he is now being referred too), better known as Yankees third baseman, Alex Rodriguez, was giving his press conference and explaining how “young and dumb” he was at the age of 23, some decency was being displayed sports.

Milwaukee Madison senior basketball and football player, Johntell Franklin’s mother died of cancer on Saturday Feb. 7th. He originally decided he was going to miss his basketball game that night. He later changed his mind and wanted to play in the game against DeKalb (Ill.) High School. Because his coach, Aaron Womack Jr., had not planned for him to be there, Franklin’s name was not in the scorebook. Womack decided to play Johntell, knowing that the rules stated that the other team would be awarded two free throws. DeKalb coach, Dave Rohlman pleaded with the refs to not have the free throws assessed but the refs were just doing there job.

In response, Coach Rohlman gathered his team in order to decide who would shoot the free throws. Senior point guard, Darius McNeal put up his hand.

“You realize you’re going to miss, right,” explained Rohlman.

Darius nodded.

Darius set up to take his free throws with all the eyes in the arena on him. He brought the ball up to his forehead and rolled it across the out of bounds line. The ref picked up the ball handed it to the point guard. He did the same thing. The crowd rose to their feet and applauded the senior for his actions.

“I did it for the kid who lost his mom” McNeal told a Milwaukee newspaper. “It was the right thing to do.”

At the age of 17, Darius McNeal knew the right thing to do. A young man decided he was going to be selfless and miss those shots on purpose. I wonder what a 23 year old “A-Roid” would have done….

According To Kurz...Blue Chips

Last week Wednesday I found myself sitting at my computer surfing Rivals.com, while tuned to ESPN on my TV. The date was February 4th, the first Wednesday of the month, better known as College Football National Signing Day. This is a ritual that goes back to my days in high school, when I first recognized the high anticipation and excitement of finding out which school’s each blue-chipper will choose.

But what started off as players just faxing in their letters to the chosen school, has now turned into national media coverage (see Terrell Pryor), internet diaries (Chris Leak), and All-American bowl games where players lay three hats out onto a table to trick the audience (Dre Kirkpatrick). The fact that just the recruiting aspect has gotten so much coverage is crazy to me, but something I do thoroughly enjoy. But after my freshman year in college I started to question the process. Does the number of stars given to an athlete on Rivals really matter? Maybe the sports world has it mixed up. What goes on after the player has chosen a school is more important than everything that happened before the decision.

Exhibit A: Back in 2005 there was a five-star receiver who was labeled the “next Randy Moss”. He was a 6’4”, 190 lbs kid from Tallahassee, Florida. His name was Fred Rouse. Fred attempted to be the first player to jump from high school straight into the pros. Well, we all know that never happened, so he decided to attend Florida State University. One year later he was kicked off the team for breaking into former teammate, Lorenzo Booker’s apartment before deciding to transfer to UTEP. On March 21st of last year UTEP Head Coach, Mike Price announced that Rouse would not be returning for the ‘08-‘09 season. Now, Rouse has landed at Division 1-FCS Texas Southern University.

Exhibit B: With the 40th pick in the second round, the New Orleans Saints selected Indiana University cornerback, Tracy Porter. Tracy came to IU as a two-star recruit, who was later changed to a three-star by Rivals. Not very heralded out of high school, but while in college he recorded 212 tackles, 16 interceptions and became the first player in school history to return a punt, interception and a fumble for a touchdown in his career. In his rookie season Tracy started five games in the NFL before being sidelined with a wrist injury. But more importantly, Tracy Porter graduated the school he originally committed to with a degree.

So while all the media and analysts begin to look at next years’ crop of big time recruits, I think I will be following the development of players such as Bryce Brown (Miami), Manta Te’o (ND), Jelani Jenkins (UF) among many others. I’m interested to see how each of them handle being a small fish in a big pond and how they grow, not only as players but as people. I will be listening for their names in the 2012 NFL Draft.

According To Kurz...The Super Bowl - 10 Things I Liked, 10 Things I Didn't Like

After two weeks of build-up for Americas greatest game, here are the 10 things I liked, and the 10 things I didn’t like about this years Superbowl.

10 I things I liked:
1) Mike Tomlin is a great coach, and is the pioneer for a new generation of much younger professional coaches. In his second year he has as many Lombardi’s as Bill Cowher did in his 15 year run.

2) I really enjoyed NBC’s pregame show - which lasted five hours - especially when Bill Belichick broke down the film of each teams offense and defense. I found it very interesting to almost look through the eyes of one of football’s geniuses.

3) Bruce Smith, Rod Woodson, Derrick Thomas, Randall McDaniel, Bob Hayes, and owner, Ralph Wilson all deserved to be inducted into the Hall of Fame this year. The effects of each of these individuals can be felt in the NFL to this day.

4) I was pleasantly surprised that President Barrack Obama actually chose a team to win the game, and was openly rooting for the Steelers. In years past, President Bush did a nice job of riding the fence before the game.

5) Kurt Warner is actually a family friend and I was happy to see him starting in the Super Bowl. I don’t know if there’s any other player that has gone from Super Bowl MVP to searching for a backup role to back on top, starting in the big game.

6) The Rooney family has always done an excellent job of running the Steelers franchise. They, now, hold the record for winning the most Lombardi Trophies with six, and they deserve every one of them.

7) Animal Planet’s alternative to the game, Puppybowl 5, was just as hilarious as it has been every year. The kittens at half-time stole the show.

8) Those E-Trade commercials with the baby talking stocks are still funny, and they keep getting funnier. I can’t help but wonder if we’ll ever see that baby at the Oscars 15 years from now.

9) Cardinal safety Adrian Wilson has always been a diamond in the rough out in Phoenix. I was happy he finally got some exposure. He played hard and tough the entire game, despite a losing effort.

10) I don’t feel this year’s game was better than last, but it’s a tough choice. There was a moment where I thought the game could have gotten out of reach for the Cardinals, but the game was exciting and had me on the edge of my seat.

10 b) Only 2 months until the NFL DRAFT!

10 Things I didn’t like:

1) The media over analyzing the Boldin and Todd Haley spat on the sideline of the NFC championship. Stuff like this happens a lot more than people know about, players and coaches want to win and sometime emotions flare.

2) The Chicago Bears weren’t playing this year…next year is our year!

3) The pre-game was good, I enjoyed Tony Dungy, Mike Holmgren and others, but Matt Millen? The guy that put together possibly the worst team in NFL history is one of the last opinions I want. I have a feeling if the Lions had not fired him, we could see them trading up to the number 1 overall pick to select Michael Crabtree.

4) No trash talk? No arrests? No prostitutes? Superbowl week was too quiet this year. It’s almost as if players are getting Commissioner Roger Goodels message.

5) I am still not in favor of the media voting for the Hall of Fame. I think players and coaches and current members should vote. If this were the case I have a hunch Chris Carter and Shannon Sharpe both may have not been left out.

6) Despite a few gems, again the commercials were not all that funny or creative, very disappointing.

7) James Harrison played hard and almost un-blockable showing why he won Defensive Player of the Year, but his cheap shots late in the game on a defenseless Cardinals player was disheartening to see.

8) Kurt Warner’s “fumble” at the end of the game was not reviewed very long. The more and more I see the replay, the more I think it was an incomplete pass. If it was ruled just that, and on top of the personal foul the Steelers received, the Cardinals would have had the ball at the Steelers 30 yard line. But I guess we’ll never know.

9) I respect and enjoy watching Troy Polamalu play, but he missed way too many tackles that night. He put his head down and didn’t wrap up on many occasions, very un-characteristic for the ball-hawking safety.

10) Football is over…college spring ball couldn’t be here soon enough.

According To Kurz...Starting From Scratch

“There’s no blueprint for this.”

Those were the words of Indiana University head basketball coach, Tom Crean, as said to the Chicago Tribune a few weeks ago after losing to the University of Michigan by six points in overtime. What the coach was referring to was starting a team from scratch. If IU’s basketball team were a professional one it’d be an expansion team. The team includes eight scholarship players, five of those being freshman, and six walk-ons.

Now I must admit I am not the biggest basketball fan, and I can count how many times I have been to an IU basketball game on one hand, but I do know one thing: Coach Crean's squad plays their hearts out! I went to their game against the Minnesota Gophers with my dad and we sat right behind Indiana’s bench. Right behind us sat his wife (who yells just about as loud and as much as her husband).

Two things I noticed through out the game: One was the intensity and passion that Coach Crean has for the game of basketball and how good he is at communicating with all of his players, refs and staff. He almost never stopped talking and pacing the sidelines. Secondly, I was impressed by the effort and great work ethic each and every individual displays on the Hoosier’s team. Of course every player on the floor was giving it their all, but even the players on the bench were all into the game cheering their teammates on. The assistant coaches were scrambling to write down stats and tendencies of the Gophers while the trainers and managers were hustling to get water and towels to the team.

The game went back and forth, going down to the wire, but Indiana ended up losing by three, making them 0-6 in the Big Ten and 5-13 overall at that time. At the end of the game everyone stood up and gave the team a standing ovation, but you could see the empty seats in Assembly Hall. An observant but confident Coach Crean noticed the empty seats as well.

“We're going to get back to where it's sold out, it's a monster ticket, to where the ticket brokers are making a heck of a living because of Indiana basketball," Crean told the Chicago Tribune. "We'll get that back."

But the vacant seats and the defeated league record overshadow just how impressively hard this team works. I hate the saying, “wait till next year”, but I know sometime in the near future Coach Crean will be adding another banner or two up in Assembly Hall, and this team will have been the foundation for the future.

According To Kurz...Former FSU Safety, Rolle A Rhodes Scholar

A few months ago Myron Rolle, the former starting safety for the Florida State Seminoles, was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, which is essentially known as the world’s most prestigious academic scholarship. He is the first major-college football player of this era to win. The last athlete to accomplish this feat was Bill Bradley, a basketball player for Princeton in 1965. But major accomplishments and fantastic triumphs are nothing new to Rolle.

Before entering college he was the nation’s top recruit at Hun School of Princeton where the All-American made 112 tackles while earning a 4.0 GPA in the classroom. Outside of football he played the saxophone in the school band, sang in school plays and was the sports editor of the school newspaper. While attending FSU, he graduated in two and a half years with a 3.75 GPA in pre-med. On top of these achievements, Myron’s greatest deed may have been the $4,000 grant he was awarded to conduct cancer research and set up a program in Okeechobee, Fla. to teach children about physical fitness and health. Sounds too good to be true, right?

Well it gets even better. This Tuesday, Rolle announced he was skipping the 2009 NFL draft (where he was projected as a sure first round pick) and will be studying at Oxford instead.

“The opportunity to attend Oxford next year as a Rhodes Scholar was one that you couldn’t pass up”, he told ESPN. “I want to be a neurosurgeon and I want to help impoverished nations build up their vaccination programs”.

Being a student athlete myself, I know how hard it can be to manage your time and priorities. To be able to do what Rolle has is very impressive and almost envious. Before focusing on an NFL career Rolle has other more important priorities he feels he needs to put at the center of his attention.

Myron Rolle defines the term Student-Athlete; he is a rare breed who isn’t afraid to put it in that order either. So while you continue to read and hear about athletes wanting more money or deciding to leave school early to “get paid”, I encourage you take the time to look around and appreciate the diamonds in the rough.

According to Kurz...A Winter Wonder Classic

Meet Matt Kurz. He's a great friend and teammate of mine from Chicago. He and I have had numerous talks about sports and the like and I've always enjoyed his insight. For that reason, I've decided to give him a column on my blog. For his first post, he wrote about his experience at Wrigley Field for the NHL "Winter Classic" between the Detroit Redwings and the Chicago Blackhawks. Enjoy.

I negotiated my way across ice covered Clark and Addison Streets, through the sidewalks full of excited fans who celebrated in neighborhood bars that morning, and headed my way into Wrigley Field. Once inside, I noticed that their were Blackhawk jerseys that read Makita, Toews, Kane and Hull, instead of the normal Cubs jerseys stitched with last names such as Wood, Sandberg, or Lee.

Today was not a normal day at Wrigley - instead of “the Friendly Confines,” it was “the Frozen Confines.” Today was the 2009 “NHL Winter Classic”, which is a game played outdoors that the NHL puts on once a year in desired locations. The first year duo of Blackhawks president, John McDonough and owner Rocky Wirtz convinced NHL commissioner Gary Bettman that Chicago and Wrigley would be a perfect fit for this special event.

I sat down in seat 102, in section 413, located on the second tier along the third base line. I had a perfect view of everything. Inside Wrigley the rink stretched from first to third base and had red bricks painted on it to match the interior of the ballpark. Today’s matchup included two “Original Six” teams, the Blackhawks versus their hated rivals, the Detroit Redwings. It was the young talent of the Hawks, which included All Stars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane against the experienced, older players of the Wings like Chris Chelios and Niklas Lidstrom.

Both teams entered the rink side by side through fog and pyrotechnics and were met with the chant of “Detroit Sucks!” The stadium was full to capacity of approximately 40,818 boisterous fans.

In the first period the Hawks took control, scoring two goals and a third later on, to take the lead of 3-1 at the first intermission. That was the last time the home team would be in control of this game.

The Redwings rallied back to win the game 6-4. A late Blackhawks goal from defensemen, Duncan Keith closed the gap, but was not enough.

"They're the defending Stanley Cup champs for a reason," Keith said. "At the same time, we all think we're a good team, and hopefully, if we keep improving, we'll be like them."

The loss put Chicago eight points out of first place in the West Division, but the game was a success.

"It was a special place to be and play," Blackhawks Coach Joel Quenneville said. "And certainly we are not happy with the way it ended up, but it was a privilege to be here today."

NBC reported the game this year’s Winter Classic drew an overnight rating of 2.9 and a 6.0 share - the best showing for the league in almost 13 years. With events like this commanding national attention, the NHL is fighting its way back to being a premiere sport. So, here’s to an amazing 2009 Winter Classic. I anxiously look forward to another one in 2010, wherever it may be!