Forty-nine days.
With a week to go until the beginning of Big 12 Media Days, that's how many days remain until the true beginning of the Charlie Strong Era in Austin arrives.
Forty-nine freaking days.
One way or another, the fate of this season is headed our way and it's going to be on the doorstep before we know it, which means that when I started brainstorming topics for this week's column, the question that I receive more than any other over the course of an off-season kept popping up as an obvious subject matter.
Yup, I'm talking about depth charts. Considering that we're 10 weeks clear of the Texas Spring Game and it's been a while since a complete discussion on the two-deep on both sides of the ball has taken place, why the hell not?
Starting with the offensive side of the ball, it's pretty obvious with which position we need to start the process.
Quarterbacks
Roll-call of returning players: Miles Onyegbule (Sr.), David Ash (Jr.) and Tyrone Swoopes (So.)
Incoming freshmen: Jerrod Heard (Denton Guyer)
Walking wounded: Ash (Concussion/foot)
Spring Game: With Ash out of the game, Swoopes led the way at the position by completing 17 of 30 passes for 229 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Onyegbule completed 5 of 10 passes for 60 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions in his role as the chief back-up.
Big questions: Can Ash stay healthy for a full season and, if not, what the hell does Charlie Strong do? If Ash can stay healthy, can he be a true plus-player at the position? Will Heard redshirt?
Breakdown: The starting job is Ash's by default at this point going into the fall because there's not anyone on the roster that's ready to challenge him. The focus will be on young pups Swoopes and Heard from the first day of camp until the opener, as everyone waits to see who emerges as a No. 2 that many expect to see the field at some point this season. The hunch here is that Heard will be more ready than Swoopes to play extended action, although both players could use redshirts.
Projected first-game two-deep
1st team: David Ash
2nd team: Jerrod Heard
3rd team: Tyrone Swoopes
Running Backs
Roll-call of returning players: Malcolm Brown (Sr.), Joe Bergeron (Sr.), Johnathan Gray (Jr.), Daje Johnson (Jr.), Alex De La Torre (Jr.) and Jalen Overstreet (So.)
Incoming freshmen: Duke Catalon (Aldine Eisenhower) and D'Onta Foreman (Texas City)
Walking wounded: Gray (Achilles)
Spring Game: Brown rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, while Jalen Overstreet rushed for 68 yards on 19 carries.
Big questions: How exactly will the workload be split between a group of backs that probably ranks as the best in the entire Big 12? What kind of player will Gray be when he returns? Can Brown stay healthy and be the every-down bell-cow that the offense needs? What kind of role will be devised for Johnson and how many touches per game will he receive?
Breakdown: The Longhorns have every kind of back you can desire, from the grinder between the tackles (Brown) to the big back (Bergeron) to the home-run hitter (Johnson) to an all-purpose weapon (Gray), which means that on paper this is probably the best positon group on the entire team if it can stay healthy.
Projected first-game two-deep
1st team: Malcolm Brown
2nd team: Johnathan Gray
3rd team: Daje Johnson
Wide receivers
Roll-call of returning players: John Harris (Sr.), Jaxon Shipley (Sr.), Marcus Johnson (Jr.), Kendall Sanders (Jr.), Jacorey Warrick (So.), Montrel Meander (RS FR.) and Jake Oliver (RS Fr.)
Incoming freshmen: Roderick Bernard (Sharpstown), Armanti Foreman (Texas City), Garrett Gray (Marble Falls), Lorenzo Joe (Abilene Cooper) and Dorian Leonard (Longview)
Walking wounded: Oliver (elbow)
Spring Game: Shipley led the way with six receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown, while Kendall Sanders added three catches for 10 yards, Jacorey Warrick had two catches for 18 yards, Montrel Meander had one catch for 30 yards and John Harris had one catch for 22 yards and a touchdown.
Big questions: Can anyone other than Shipley, Johnson and Sanders emerge as a player the offense can count on? Is there a true No. 1 receiver on the team or a couple of No. 2s and No. 3s? How much better can Shipley be with better quarterback play and improved health?
Breakdown: The quarterback play has been so inconsistent for the last four seasons that it's impossible to know how good this group really is or just how good it might become with top-flight quarterback play. My eyes tell me that this team has three guys it can play with against anyone and a bunch of guys behind them trying to prove they belong on the field in a role that matters.
Projected first-game two-deep
1st team: Shipley and Johnson
2nd team: Sanders and Warrick
3rd team: Meander and Foreman
Tight ends
Roll-call of returning players: Greg Daniels (Sr.), Geoff Swaim (Sr.), M.J. McFarland (Jr.) and Blake Whiteley (So.)
Incoming freshmen: None
Walking wounded: None
Spring Game: Swaim caught two passes for 25 yards.
Big questions: In his last game as head coach at Louisville, Charlie Strong started two tight ends and one wide receiver, but in his first game as coach at Texas does he even have one player that he can feel good about having on the field?
Breakdown: What do you want me to say? It is what it is.
Projected first-game two-deep
1st team: Geoff Swaim
2nd team: Greg Daniels
3rd team: M.J. McFarland
Offensive Line
Roll-call of returning players: Desmond Harrison (Sr.), Dom Espinosa (Sr.), Kennedy Estelle (Jr.), Sedrick Flowers (Jr.), Taylor Doyle (Jr.), Camrhon Hughes (So.), Kent Perkins (So.), Curtis Riser (So.), Rami Hammaad (RS FR.), Darius James (RS Fr.) and Jake Raulerson (RS FR.)
Incoming freshmen: Alex Anderson (New Orleans, La.), Elijah Rodriguez (Cy-Creek) and Terrell Cuney (Jasper)
Walking wounded: Perkins (knee)
Spring Game: With Perkins out of the line-up, the two-deep looked like this …
RT Kennedy Estelle (Camhron Hughes)
RG Taylor Doyle (Rami Hammad)
C Dom Espinosa (Jake Raulerson)
LG Sedrick Flowers (Alex Anderson/Curtis Riser)
LT Desmond Harrison (Darius James)
Of that group, Espinosa and Flowers were rock solid, while the rest of the line was a little up and down throughout the game.
Big questions: What combination of five players will emerge as starters and in what order? Do the Longhorns have five players they can feel good about? Does the team have anyone that can hold up at left tackle? What young players will step up to the fill the depth void on the second-team line?
Breakdown: When everyone is healthy, the best five linemen would appear to be Espinosa, Perkins, Estelle, Flowers and Harrison, which means that either Estelle or Perkins will have to play inside if the Longhorns want to get those five on the field together. Of course, a much bigger question will emerge if Harrison can't provide the consistency needed at left tackle, which would likely have consequences that would impact every position on the line with the exception of center. The entire back-up offensive line will likely be filled with players that have never played a significant down in their entire collegiate careers.
Projected first-game two-deep
1st team: LT Desmond Harrison, LG Kent Perkins, C Dom Espinosa, RG Sedrick Flowers and RT Kennedy Estelle
2nd team: LT Darius James, LG Taylor Doyle, C Jake Raulerson, RG Rami Hammad and RT Camrhon Hughes
No. 2 - Moving on to the defensive side of the ball …
Defensive tackle
Roll-call of returning players: Desmond Jackson (Sr.), Malcom Brown (Jr.), Marcus Hutchins (Jr.), Hassan Ridgeway (So.), Alex Norman (So.) and Paul Boyette (So.)
Incoming freshmen: Poona Ford (Hilton Head, SC), Chris Nelson (Lakeland, Fla.) and Jake McMillon (Abilene)
Walking wounded: None
Spring Game: Brown recorded three stuffs, two pressures, a tackle for loss and ½ sack, while Jackson posted two tackles for loss, two stuffs and a sack, Ridgeway had four pressures and a sack, Norman had one stuff, one tackle for loss and one hurry and Hutchins had one tackle for loss.
Big questions: Are Jackson and Brown ready to take the next steps as players? Who are the No. 3 and No. 4 tackles? Will Poona Ford be the first "Charlie Strong guy" to make an impact in Austin?
Breakdown: Brown and Jackson potentially make for as good of a pair of tackles as there is in the conference, but there's nothing proven behind them whatsoever. You can't survive a 13-ganme schedule with two defensive tackles, so someone has to stand up at the position among the young players.
Projected first-game two-deep
1st team: Brown and Jackson
2nd team: Ridgeway and Ford
3rd team: Norman and Hutchins
Defensive ends
Roll-call of returning players: Cedric Reed (Sr.), Shiro Davis (Jr.), Caleb Bluiett (So.) and Byrce Cotrell (So.)
Incoming freshmen: Derick Roberson
Walking wounded: None
Spring Game: Bluiett posted 1.5 sacks, one pressure, three stuffs and a batted pass, Reed had 1.5 sacks and a stuff, Cottrell had ½ sack, one pressure and two stuffs and Davis had one pressure.
Big questions: Can Cedric Reed play like a first-round pick? Who will win the starting job opposite him? Does the team have enough depth?
Breakdown: Bluiett and Davis are going to battle throughout the month of August for the starting job, but Bluiett looked like the guy that needed to be on the field during the spring game, signaling that Davis needs to raise his game.
Projected first-game two-deep
1st team: Reed and Bluiett
2nd team: Cottrell and Davis
3rd team: Roberson
Linebackers
Roll-call of returning players: Steve Edmond (Sr.), Jordan Hicks (Sr.), Tevin Jackson (Sr.), DeMarco Cobbs (Sr.), Peter Jinkens (Jr.), Dalton Santos (Jr.), Tim Cole (So.), Deoundrei Davis (RS FR.) and Naashon Hughes (RS FR.)
Incoming freshmen: Andrew Beck (Tampa, Fla) and Cameron Hampton (Dallas Carter)
Walking wounded: Hicks (Achilles) and Jackson (knee)
Spring Game: Jenkins had a three tackles and a sack, Santos six tackles and a sack, Hughes had a hurry and a pressure and Cobbs had eight tackles and tackle for loss.
Big questions: After two seasons ended by injury, does Hicks have anything left? Can Edmond be turned into a plus-middle linebacker by Strong? Who in the hell is going to step up to provide real depth?
Breakdown: Truth be told, this position might be as up in the air as any on the entire team. Outside of penciling in Edmond at the Mike and Santos as his chief back-up, while assuming that Hicks takes the Will spot, I'm not sure what else materializes with this position. Jinkens is a vocal leader, but can he play well enough consistently to stay on the field? That's the question that haunts every player in this group.
Projected first-game two-deep
1st team: WLB Jordan Hicks, MLB Steve Edmond and SLB Peter Jinkens
2nd team: WLB Tim Cole, MLB Dalton Santos and SLB Tevin Jackson
Cornerbacks
Roll-call of returning players: Quandre Diggs (Sr.), Sheroid Evans (Sr.), Duke Thomas (Jr.), Bryson Echols (So) and Antwuan Davis (RS FR.)
Incoming freshmen: Jermaine Roberts (New Orleans, La.)
Walking wounded: Evans (knee)
Spring Game: Echols had six tackles and three pass break-ups.
Big questions: Will Diggs play on the outside or continue to play inside on the slot? Will Thomas take a step forward? Will Evans be healthy enough to contribute significantly? Will anyone step out from the pack of inexperienced players?
Breakdown: Everything outside of Diggs is a question mark, which means that a lot of players need to raise their level of play from where it has been up until now.
Projected first-game two-deep
1st team: Diggs and Thomas
2nd team: Evans and Echols
3rd team: Davis and Roberts
Safeties
Roll-call of returning players: Mykkele Thompson (Sr.), Josh Turner (Sr.), Kevin Vaccaro (Jr.), Adrian Colbert (So.), Chevoski Collins (RS FR.) and Erik Huhn (RS FR.)
Incoming freshmen: John Bonney (Houston Lamar), Edwin Freeman (Arlington Bowie) and Jason Hall (South Grand Prairie)
Walking wounded: Huhn (knee)
Spring Game: Thompson had five tackles and a pick-six, while Turner also added an interception.
Big questions: Pretty much everything. Who are the starters and can they be plus-players after the inconsistent results of previous seasons? Which young players can provide steady depth?
Breakdown: Thompson and Turner have the experience needed to be starters, but they've never put it all together for an entire season, so there's some doubt about what the pair can provide. This position is a bit of a crapshoot going into the year.
Projected first-game two-deep
1st team: Mykkele Thompson and Josh Turner
2nd team: Chevoski Collins and Edwin Freeman
3rd team: Erik Huhn and John Bonney
Place-kickers/Punters
Roll-call of returning players: Will Russ (SR.), Nick Jordan (Jr.) and Nick Rose (Jr.)
Incoming freshmen: None
Walking wounded: None
Spring Game: Nick Jordan (55 yards) and Nick Rose (40 yards) each missed a field goal, while William Russ averaged 43.3 yards on three punts with a long 47 yards (two downed inside the 20).
Big questions: Who is going to be the place-kicker? Will that person be any good? Is Russ ready to handle the punting chores?
Breakdown: Life after Anthony Fera is a total question mark.
Projected first-game two-deep
1st team: PK Nick Jordan and P William Russ
2nd team: PK Nick Rose and P Michael Davidson (walk-on)
No. 3 - You want Nostraketchus, I'll give you Nostraketchus (2.0) …
A month ago, yours truly … Nostraketchus … made the following remarks in this very column:
"Until the Longhorns turn it around on the field with a style of play that generates significant buzz, I just can't give Charlie Strong and Co. the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the biggest blue chips in the state of Texas for 2015. You guys can complain about the unfairness of it all and we can debate the ways all day long, but the hard truth is that Texas just doesn't have the juice right now needed to land the Malik Jeffersons and Kendall Sheffields of the world."
Well, I'm backing off of those comments slightly. With the "Stars Come Out at Night" Camp approaching this week, the Longhorns seem to be gaining some quiet steam with a number of key targets, including and especially Mesquite Poteet Bad Mamma Jamma Malik Jefferson.
So, how good might this class look on paper in February based on my mid-July projections? Let's find out.
Current committed players are bolded)
Quarterback (2): Zach Gentry (Albuquerque, NM) and Kai Locksley (Baltimore, MD)
Current rankings: Gentry (4 stars/5.8/No.9 pro-style QB) and Locksley (4 stars/5.8/No.12 dual-threat QB)
Quickie thoughts: The quarterback recruiting could get very interesting in the next couple of weeks. In addition to having the commitment from Gentry, the Longhorns are in the top three with FSU and Maryland for the signature of Locksley, whose father is the offensive coordinator for the Terps. Here are a few reasons why I think the Longhorns eventually land Locksley …
1. His father has worked for four schools and in four conferences over the course of the last decade, which means that as the offensive coordinator for the Terps it becomes impossible to project his father still being with the school at the end of the decade. I mean … it could happen, but it seems unlikely and I have a hard time believing his father is going to let him get caught up on the middle of his career trajectory.
2. Florida State appears to view Locksley as more of an athlete than quarterback and has Deondre Francois high on its recruiting board.
3. Committing to Florida State (ACC) in a year when Maryland is making its debut in the Big 10 would be a political two-step I'm guessing his father would like to not have to deal with.
4. The Longhorns appear to recruiting Locksley as a quarterback and represent the Switzerland in this discussion, as it's not the ACC or the Big 10 or anything that could leave his father in any kind of a weird spot.
5. The kid really likes Texas.
Hey, maybe the kid is going to sign with Maryland and follow his dad to all ends of the earth if need-be, but Texas seems like a really good situation for him and the question for the Longhorns if he commits is whether it impacts Gentry. My guess is they are telling Gentry they view Locksley as an athlete-first and that he shouldn't have anything to worry about, that he's just a quarterback insurance policy, while they tell Locksley that he's a quarterback-first and will get every shot to prove it. Right now, I'll go ahead and project the Longhorns to land both … for now.
Running Backs (4): Jordan Stevenson (South Oak Cliff), Kirk Johnson (San Jose, Ca.), Tristan Houston (Houston North Shore) and Chris Warren (Rockwall, Texas)
Current rankings: Stevenson (3 stars/5.7/No.30 RB/No.29 LSR), Johnson (3 stars/5.6/No.59 RB), Houston (3 stars/No.46 RB/No.68 LSR) and Warren (4 stars/No.16 RB/No.158 national/ No.22 LSR)
Quickie thoughts: Status quo at the running back position for the fourth straight update. When push comes to shove, I think they'll land Warren and hold on to the rest of their commitments.
Wide receivers (2): John Burt (Tallahassee, Florida) and Ryan Newsome (Aledo)
Current rankings: Burt (4 stars/No.7 WR/No.61 national) and Newsome (3 stars/No.41 WR/No.49 LSR)
Quickie thoughts: The No. 2 and No. 3 teams on Burt's list always seem to be churning and changing, but the No. 1 team has been the same for a while and it's possible that he'll commit before Newsome, who seems intent on waiting to take his official visits before making a decision.
Tight ends (1): Will Gragg (Pine Bluff, Arkansas)
Current rankings: Gragg (4 stars/No.9 TE)
Quickie thoughts: If the Longhorns miss on Gragg, who might be a bit of a reach projection at this point because he's not currently leaning to the Longhorns, it's possible that the position will be addressed by a name not currently on the radar. Texas has tried to spread their reach in an effort to address the position because the in-state options are limited, but it's possible that the Longhorns will take a developmental prospect later in the year to help off-set a position that loses half of its scholarship players following this season.
Offensive linemen (5): Patrick Vahe (Euless Trinity), Ronnie Major (Huntsville), Toby Weathersby (Houston Westfield). Garett Thomas (Many, Louisiana) and Tyler Moore (Galena Park North Shore)
Current rankings: Vahe (4 stars/No.16 OG/No.34 LSR), Major (3 stars/No.42 LSR), Weathersby (4 stars/No.15 OG/No.13 LSR) and Moore (3 stars/No.70 LSR)
Quickie thoughts: With four commitments already in the cupboard, the question becomes how many the Longhorns are willing to take … four, five or six? The current guess is five, but if the right combination if players fell into place, I could see them taking six, which would give Joe Wickline a lot of young talent with which to rebuild the front line if the talent on campus can't get it done.
Defensive tackles (2): Du'Vonta Lampkin (Houston Cy Falls) and Darrion Daniels (Dallas Bishop Dunne)
Current rankings: Lampkin (3 stars/No.21 DT/No.48 LSR) and Daniels (4 stars/No. 12 DT/No.155 overall/No.26 LSR)
Quickie thoughts: Lampkin is among the candidates to be the next UT commitment, but picking the No. 2 or No. 3 defensive tackles in this class is a crapshoot at this point. I'm not sure I believe that they'll land Daniels at this point, but he's a name that they've offered that is reasonable. It's possible that they'll have to dip down into another in-state tier or head to the JUCO circuit.
Defensive ends (2): Charles Omenihu (Rowlett) and Takkarist McKinley (Contra Costa C.C.)
Current rankings: Omenihu (3 stars/No.36 LSR) and McKinley (4 stars/5.9)
Quickie thoughts: See defensive tackle. This is another position where you can sense that there could and likely will be a third name, but it might not be someone we're paying any attention to at the moment (ie … lower-ranked in-state prospect or JUCO).
Linebackers (2): Cameron Townsend (Missouri City Ridge Point) and Malik Jefferson (Mesquite Poteet)
Current rankings: Townsend (3 stars/No.31 OLB/No.46 LSR) and Wheeler (5 stars/No.2 OLB/No.1 LSR)
Quickie thoughts: I'm drinking the Kool-aid on Jefferson and going back to my original projection of Jefferson ending up in Austin.
Defensive Backs (4): DeShon Elliott (Rockwall Heath), Keivon Ramsey (Converse Judson), Holton Hill (Houston Lamar) and Kris Boyd (Gilmer)
Current rankings: Elliott (3 stars/No.38 OLB/No.57 LSR), Ramsey (3 stars/No.34 S), Hill (3 stars/No.29 CB/No.37 LSR), Locke (3 stars/No.40 S/No.40 LSR) and Lewis (4 stars/No.25 CB/No.237 national)
Quickie thoughts: After taking Boyd off the board a month ago because it appeared that A&M had emerged as a leader, the Longhorns are back in the top two (with A&M outside) and his little brother's recruitment might tell a big piece of the story.
If things were to unfold exactly like this, here's what the breakdown would look like:
6.1: 1
6.0: 0
5.9: 5
5.8: 6
5.7: 4
5.6: 5
5.5: 3
Five stars: 1
Four stars: 11
Three stars: 12
Two Stars: 0
With 24 commitments currently projected with names that we can potentially pin down, the smart money likely has the Longhorns creeping up into the 25-27 range in commitments if it turns out to be the right set of players and it comes at positons like offensive line, defensive line, linebacker or in the secondary, which are all spots that could take a player or two more than is currently projected.
IF… IF… IF the Longhorns sign a single five-star and double-digits in four-stars, the likely team national ranking will sit somewhere between 9th-15th in the Rivals rankings and considering other services have a number of Texas players ranked higher than Rivals, it's not hard to see them finishing with a consensus top 10-15 class.
They'll need to close like a mother to make that happen because the current projections include nine five/four star additions that don't currently exist on the commitment list.
No.4 - Scattershooting on the Longhorns …
… If Florida prep star John Burt wants to commit this month but still take his official visits, do you take his commitment or ask him to wait until he's ready to stop taking visits?
… When I hear that J.W. Ketchum isn't currently in contact with college coaches, my instincts say that all of those offers that he believes he had many months ago won't exist in the same fashion when he reestablishes contact. His decision to attend the July 18th camp is a smart move on his part.
… One of the two lowest ranked prospects in the Texas recruiting class according to Rivals is Huntsville offensive lineman Ronnie Major, a kid that I think is easily better than his current slot. I'll be challenging Rivals to make sure he's a player the regional analysts see in person as early in the season as possible.
No. 5 - This fall I'm going to take my fan talents to …
"The Decision" has been made.
After a month of scouting players and nations alike in an effort to increase my knowledge of the sport and push me into a direction for a favorite English Premier League team, I feel like I've found my way after a process that has taken me in a lot of different directions.
The entire discussion would have been moot had Luis Suarez not departed Liverpool for FC Barcelona of the Spanish League, as I was ready to hitch my wagons to the Reds and let the crazy biter take me on a wild soccer ride. With his departure from Liverpool, things opened up for the last few weeks as I tried to sort through my options.
Ultimately, the decision came down to me choosing between Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United.
Manchester United was eliminated because I spent the entire World Cup rooting against the Dutch for no real reason and I don't want to latch on to a team whose best player might be Robin van Persie. Don't get me wrong, he's awesome and all, but it just doesn't feel right.
Manchester City didn't have much that intrigued my interest and their colors remind me too much of Austin Reagan.
That leaves a battle between Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool. To decide between the three, I decided to put together a pros/cons list for each.
Arsenal
Pros: Badass players include Aaron Ramsey, Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil. Fans are known as Gooners. Which would seem to have great t-shirt potential. Colin Firth's favorite team. Located in London. Like the Green Bay Packers, the team is owned by its fan-base, which can buy shares of the team.
Cons: Osama Bin Laden's favorite team. Has a cannon on its crest.
Chelsea
Pros: Badass players include Eden Hazzard. Owned by a Russian mob boss. Manager Jose Mourinho Is considered a cross between Coach Pop, The Hoodie and John Harbaugh. Located in a pretty sweet section of London in the event I ever want to travel to see a game. Has a lion on its crest.
Cons: Referred to by an OB subscriber as the "49ers of the English Premiere League." Star player John Terry seems like an a-hole.
Liverpool
Pros: Badass players include Steven Gerrard, Daniel Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho, Lucas Leiva and Martin ?krtel. Hometown of the Beatles. Not in London. Stadium was built in the 19th century. Big rival is Manchester United. Team song is "You'll Never Walk Alone" and the scene before and after games when they sing it is pretty epic. The city's symbol is something called a liver bird.
Cons: Lost Suarez, which was the single biggest reason I was originally attracted to them. Not in London. Might not have been John Lennon or Paul McCartney's favorite team.
You can make a strong case for all three, but in the end I eliminated the Arsenal because of the Bin Laden connection and the fact that I like the other team's colors and mascots/crests/whatever they are called.
That left a showdown between Chelsea and Liverpool. When I asked my wife for her opinion, she replied, "I like Liverpool, it's a hard town."
So it is said, so it shall be written. Add her seal of approval with the fact that former Liverpool player Dirk Kuyt took staples to the head in order to stay in Saturday's third-place game against Brazil and you've got a done deal.
This fall I'm taking my fan talents to Liverpool.
No. 6 - After the worst week of soccer in Brazil's history …
At least Argentina didn't win the freaking World Cup on your turf.
In a week when the locals didn't even place after losing by a combined 10-0 score, at least there's that little piece of solace.
Germany beat Lionel Messi and Co. in what felt like a just outcome. The best team in the entire field won the tournament, which means that all the nation of Brazil has to worry about is that new soccer image the world has for it.
(courtesy of @ZoowithRoy)
No. 7 - The Essay …
On a January morning 15 years ago, former Texas all-American Cory Redding broke his mother's heart and I was able to witness it in the most intrusively out of the way means possible.
Because I'd driven down from Austin to cover the announcement and because of some technical difficulties inside the North Shore auditorium, Redding agreed to let us hook up a wireless microphone, which inadvertently led to us overhearing him tell his mother about his decision mere moments before he told the world. With an older brother already at Arizona, Momma Redding was hopeful that Cory would choose the Wildcats because it would allow all of the family to be in one place.
With tears rolling out of her eyes, Redding's mom sobbed as Cory explained to her that when the family had returned from Florida a few years back after a hurricane, it was a dream come true for him because he loved living in Texas so much more than anywhere else.
"I want to go to school in Texas and find my future wife in Texas and then I want to have kids and raise them in Texas," Redding said without a hint of uncertainty.
It was the rawest look at recruiting that these eyes and ears have ever witnessed and when LeBron James announced on Friday in The Essay that he was returning to Cleveland because he so dearly wanted to be back home in Northern Ohio, I couldn't help but think of Redding.
Somewhere on Thursday evening on a plane with Dwayne Wade and Friday morning on a phone call with Pat Riley, James almost certainly said something very similar to both.
"I'm an Ohio boy that met his wife in Ohio and has children that he wants to raise in Ohio," I imagined him saying in some combination of words.
Sometimes a man has to do what a man has to do and the thing that James had to do was get back to his roots in the state that he loves more than any other and finish his career with the professional team that he failed to win a championship with when he departed four years ago. If that meant forgiving the bastard of an owner that set you on fire and tried to embarrass you upon your exit from your home-state because the only way you can return home is to not only do so, but send the value of the owner's team straight into the stratosphere … so be it.
In a sudden swoop, The Decision no longer matters because in a state that sees a lot of folks make it and a lot of folks leave after making it, seldom does it see someone make it, leave and then eventually return. Once the successful leave, they usually never turn back, but not in this case.
Now he's Ohio's in a completely different way than ever before. Good for them and good for him. From someone that doesn't have a dog in the fight, the whole thing comes across as very cool and when you understand that James prefers to be the baby-face rather than the heel in all seven days of the week, you realize just how ingenious The Essay really was.
Pride is one of those seven deadlies and it would not stand in the way of his quest to return home without scorn. That James' willingness to forgive and forget was so freely given is almost impossible to fathom.
Except sometimes you love something so much that you can absorb any number of pains if the path to that thing you love so dearly requests it to be so.
Just ask Cory Redding.
No. 8 - Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
... LeBron's tempering of expectations for year No. 1 in Cleveland was another very wise piece of The Essay's puzzle. Yes, the Cavs will be expected by many to compete for the title because of the relative weakness in the East, the reality is that James is playing with a bunch of very young players that haven't played a meaningful NBA game in their entire lives. Even his first team in Miami needed some time to feel its way through two seasons of growing pains and that was a group that featured three experienced Hall of Fame players in the prime or near-prime of their careers. Eventually, LeBron is going to bring home a title to Cleveland, but it's not going to be this year.
… It's beyond unfair that Dan Gilbert has been given what essentially amounts to a winning power-ball ticket. Seriously, read this.
… Teams are lining up to make offers to Kevin Durant in 2016. I'm talking the home-town Wizards, the Lakers, the Knicks … the list will grow from here. If Durant has any sense at all, he won't sign an extension before free agency for a million reasons (the expected increase in max salary after the new TV is a huge one), but the biggest needs to be the ability to harness and take control of the exact type of power that LeBron was able to use in the last two weeks.
… One of the theories in Oklahoma City that's going around is the idea that the Thunder is saving up dollars and unwilling to go into the luxury tax (despite ranking fifth in the league in revenue) because it wants to wait until the year Durant is a free agent so that it can use it during his "prime" seasons. I hope Durant is paying attention to the fact that the Thunder seem unwilling to invest in winning a championship for an entire five-year window, all in the name of assuming he'll stick around forever and has the patience to ignore it.
… The scare rhetoric that those in OKC use in the discussions of adding signings or additional weapons that could help Durant now is similar to what we see from the NCAA in the discussion of giving college athletes additional compensation. It's always the Doomsday scenario. Basically, they believe that you should do virtually nothing at all because something bad could happen.
… I can't be upset at Carmelo Anthony for taking the money with the Knicks. Would you give up 50 million additional dollars on the risk that Derrick Rose can stay healthy and that even if he does, it means that the Bulls will absolutely win a title in the next four years? Me neither.
… Am I crazy for liking Lance Stephenson for the Mavericks more than Chandler Parsons?
… Poor Darryl Morey. Rough weekend.
… Rule No. 9 in choosing whether to purchase a pay-per-view boxing card: If a Cuban fighter is in the main event, just say no. I could see the dud that Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy Lara coming a mile away because I knew that like so many Cuban fighters, Lara was going to try to duck, avoid and slap Alvarez for 12 rounds in hopes of stealing he fight on the scorecards. Apparently, it almost happened. Glad I paid attention to my pay-per-view rules.
… My God, the suck that is my Philadelphia Phillies has completely robbed me of any interest in Major League Baseball this year. I just don't have the heart for it by the time I'm done watching my team play for a few innings. The tank job from the Sixers was far more fascinating to watch unfold than this mess provided by Ruben "Needs to Be Fired Yesterday" Amaro Jr.
No. 9 - Pop goes the culture because the culture goes pop …
… Hottie of the Weekend: Hello, D.J. Tanner!!!
… Oh J-Law: Love the mesh dress
… She did it: Selena Gomez appears to have had a boob job
… Lulz: Brody Jenner Went To Reggie Bush's Wedding After Skipping Kim Kardashian's Pre-Divorce Ceremony Last Month
… Sign that the apocalypse is upon us: 'Transformers' is now the #1 movie of the year with over $750 million worldwide:
… WTF: 'Psycho' Daughter Slept And Ate Next To Mom's Corpse For 3 Years
… Going to court: Tracy Morgan Sues Walmart Over Deadly Crash
… Miley Link of the Weekend: Miley Cyrus and Flaming Lips' Trippy 'SuperFreak' Video
No. 10 - The List: Bob Marley (Listen/Subscribe Via Spotify)
In a week when I just didn't have time to dive head-first into a new musical assignment, I thought I'd revisit a list I first did more than about 100 columns ago because you can never have enough Marley in your life.
Honorable mention: Natty Dread, baby We've Got a date (Rock it Baby), I Know, Lively Up Yourself, Johnny Was, Redemption Song, Get Up Stand Up, Buffalo Solider, Kinky Reggae and War.
10. Trenchtown Rock
If you needed to know what Bob was about, just listen to this song, which is about music having the ability to make everything in life a lot better.
9. Jammin'
It is everything the title suggests it should be. One of the greatest base lines of all time.
8. Could You be Loved
Everything about this song is spot on, from the lyrics to the groove to the background vocals.
7. Stir it Up
It's just a funky, playful little jam that makes you want to put your arm around your girl.
6. Concrete Jungle
I think this is one of the most underrated songs in his entire catalog. Along with an incredibly funky groove, Bob's singing about fighting for a better life. Really though, the guitar work in this song is out of this world good.
5. Three Little Birds
You could make a case that this is as perfect of a happy reggae song as can possibly made and I wouldn't argue you a lick.
4. I Shot the Sheriff
This was the song that turned me on to Bob many moons ago when I was just a kid.
3. Waiting in Vain
Bob could and did sing about any number of things, but I'm not sure there is a more beautiful song in his catalog than this track from the Exodus[/I] album
2. One Love
It's a simple song, but it's basically the national song of Jamaica. One love, man.
1. No Woman No Cry
It's not just an iconic song, it's one of the greatest sings ever recorded. This was Bob doing what Bob doing what he does better than anyone, singing about struggles at home, while making you feel like there's still heaven on earth that can be obtained.
Archives List
Blues/Jazz: Listen via Spotify )
Classical: Listen via Spotify)
Country: Listen via Spotify )
Electronic: Listen Via Spotify
Funk: Listen Via Spotify (Part II ? After Hours))
Metal: Listen Via Spotify
Pop: Listen via Spotify )
Punk: Listen via Spotify)
Random: My Number 1's on Spotify
Rap: Listen via Spotify),
R&B: Listen via Spotify)
Reggae: Listen via Spotify)
Rock: Listen via Spotify )
and Listen via Spotify )
This post was edited on 7/14 2:38 PM by Ketchum
