Greg Schiano Writes His Own Knight's Tale

If some people were writing the "Greg Schiano: A Knight's Tale" story it would go something like this:

*Grow up and play high school football in New Jersey

*Play college ball at Bucknell
*Return to old high school as assistant coach

*Become grad assistant at Rutgers, then move onto Penn State

*Coach in the NFL(Chicago Bears)

*Return to college as defensive coordinator for the Miami Hurricanes

*Head back to New Jersey as head coach at Rutgers

*Parlay success at Rutgers into head coaching position at storied program(i.e.-Michigan)

However, it seems that for the second time in less than a week that the University of Michigan has been told "no" by a potential coaching candidate.

Last week, it was Les Miles and his crazy pre-SEC title game press conference that was called just to tell everyone that he wasn't going to Ann Arbor. This, after numerous outlets had reported that Miles was heading back to his old stomping grounds.

Now, Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano has apparently told the Wolverines that he doesn't want their job, eventhough some reports had indicated on Wednesday that Schiano had tentatively accepted the job.

Schiano has achieved remarkable success at Rutgers by directing the Scarlet Knights to their third straight bowl game, but coaching in Piscataway, NJ comes with significantly less pressure and scrutiny than it does when it's being done within the confines of Michigan Stadium. Schiano has lead Rutgers to success that it's never known with regard to college football, and in doing so, he's pretty much set himself up for life there. It's hard to walk away when you're not just the king of the castle, but also the one who built it and bestowed tremendous prosperity over the entire kingdom.

At this point, it appears that Michigan's nasty case of transitive football herpes may be flaring up again. Hopefully the Gators wear their Durex uni's on New Year's Day.

Thanks to Woodmania for the picture.

All Your Big Tenleven Belongs To Urban Meyer

First, there was the BCS title game against Ohio State where Urban Meyer's team put on a display of asswhoopery of great proportions. His team showed what speed and quickness could accomplish against an opponent not used to seeing a squad loaded with fast personnel at every position. Some thought it was a fluke, that the longer layoff really hurt Ohio State, or that Ted Ginn would have saved them from their humiliation(maybe if he could block Earl Everett or Ray McDonald or Jarvis Moss or, well you get the idea).

Then came the Michigan loss to Appalachian State.

But before we get into that, let's have a little background info about coaches "sharing" ideas and philosophies. Due to his success in implementing the spread option offense, Meyer has had other coaching staffs visit him in Gainesville to learn how he does it. Over the past two years, that list has included Texas A&M, Virginia Tech and more recently Appalachian State. Now do you see where this is headed?

Appalachian State head coach Jerry Moore headed down to Gainesville to check out Meyer's system, and against Michigan it was a Meyer-esque style attack that provided one of the biggest upsets ever in college sports.

Meyer said early in the week that he had gotten to know Appalachian State Coach Jerry Moore. Moore visited the UF coaching staff to learn more about the Gators' spread option offense.

The Mountaineers' version of that scheme helped them shock then-No. 5 Michigan 34-32 Saturday afternoon at Michigan Stadium. Meyer saluted Moore again Thursday and said he may call him for a favor.

"I want to see that game film," Meyer said.

In comparing film from both the Florida/Ohio State and Appalachian St./Michigan matchups you can see similar wrinkles, and how Meyer and Moore used their faster players to help spread the field and keep the defense on its heels.

So, as you watch these App. St./Michigan highlights remember that Urban Meyer had a hand in this, and that it was payback for anyone who still believed that Michigan should have played OSU in the BCS title game last year.

Youth Football "Wrong Ball" Trick Play

This is one of the more popular sports videos making its rounds today. It's from a youth football game between Lakeland and Hartland in Michigan.

Cheap? Maybe. Entertaining? Definitely.


Awesome Football Trick Play - Watch more free videos

I've read some comments where people are pissed that this happened during a youth game. Though, I wonder if they would be just as mad if they watched this Arkansas trick play.

'Cause I'm A Golf Fan Baby

This past Monday evening, thieves stole golf clubs belonging to the Milan High School girl's golf team from their coach's car. They made off with six sets of clubs. Five belonged to girls on the team, and one belonged to the coach, Claire Neff.

Eventhough it was a sad incident, help arrived two days later in the form of a phone call from a surprising source.

Kid Rock.

I say "surprising" because I had no idea that he was a golf fan. The more surprising aspect of the story is that he called up John Daly for advice on what clubs to order as replacements for the ones that were stolen.

That's right, Kid Rock and John Daly talk about golf clubs. There's a good chance that they might even shoot rounds of golf together, though they probably have to call ahead so that the mobile beer carts are adequately stocked.

Seriously, if you had the chance to play with either Kid Rock & John Daly, or Tiger & MJ, who would you choose? Bawitdaba baby...bawitdaba...

And that picture is pretty much how I envision Kid Rock on the course. Wife-beater, cigar, can of beer, girls and a stylin' hat.