So Kanye's new album came out and I purchased it this morning. Not a big fan. It's filled with the digitalized voice bullshit that has ruined popular music over the last few years. Hey Kanye, Cher beat you to the punch with this CD 10 years ago fuckhead. Get back to what you do best and rap motherfucker.

Labels: Kanye West, stupid digitalized voices = bloody excrement

That's right boys and girls, 2 hates for the price of 1. 2 despised fan bases in Lincoln in back to back days. 2 straight days of CU/NU action, bring it on.

Friday the liberal bastard buffs from Boulder come in to town followed up by the Qwest Center preppy's on saturday.

Get out your flame retardent jump suits, it's time to fire away. I'm looking at you Sambuca...

K-State is hiring Bill Synder tomorrow. Five-year contract.

This is hilarious.

Labels: Bill Synder, Kansas State, The Big XII's New Baylor

Labels: Charlie Weis, ESPN sucks, Notre Dame

Here is the new Radiohead Video

http://vimeo.com/2311934

Two straight weeks of NFL posts and I feel giddy. While it wasn't exactly a profitable weekend, things could have been substantially worse. We live to play on, and thankfully there is a whole load of material to get us through it. Like Guns N Roses, it's time for a comeback. Like LL Cool J, the best gay rapper alive, don't call it a comeback either. A few things to blow through:

--Call me a conspiracy theorist or whatever, but I am firmly entrenched in the camp that the Steelers-Chargers game was absolutely fixed. Between the time the play ended and the time that the score was changed was certainly enough time for someone in Vegas to call someone in the NFL and get this done. Consider these facts:

1. For some reason, this was the most heavily wagered-on game of the year, according to Vegas sources.
2. This was a $72 million dollar swing-in favor of the books.
3. The NFL (as well as the NCAA, MLB and the NBA) consults with sports-books all the time to keep an eye out for potential shady business.

My point is this: if you were Vegas and you stood to make $72 mil with a Chargers cover, you had contact with high ranking NFL people, and you saw it vanish on a controversial play, you wouldn't at least try to save your ass?

If you're the NFL, and you try like a bastard to avoid anything even remotely acknowledging gambling despite that an estimated 1/3 of your ratings come from gamblers, you wouldn't have incentive to appease one of your main revenue streams? I'm not sayin' I'm just sayin'.

--Tony Romo taking a homeless guy to get the movies is, in a word, awesome. I wouldn't take a homeless guy to the movies, and I'm not the All-Pro QB of the most popular team in the sport with what some (not me) consider to be an amazing looking girlfriend with a really creepy dad. I simply can't hate this guy anymore. I can't. I try. Things went downhill when he helped a couple change a tire on the side of the road after a game. Now this. Fucking guy. You can't make this shit up. I'm sure some cynics will say that these are all stunts, but until proven I'm in the camp that says he's just a genuinely awesome guy. It's not like there's a camera crew making sure every news outlet gets these stories.

--Phil Savage, Browns GM, responding, during the actual Browns-Bills game, to an upset Browns fan: "Go root for Buffalo. Fuck you."

After the Browns season this year, and the cruel reality of me not being able to watch the best Browns game of the year on Monday, nothing would surprise me at this point. Savage could have gone to the emailer's house, ball-gagged him, and banged the guy's wife and I wouldn't have done more than a shoulder shrug at this point. There are, of course, many problems with the Savage-fan discourse, but here's why I'm upset:

1. It was during the game! Why is the Browns' GM even on a computer during a game? Was he watching the ESPN Gamecast like I fucking was? This asshole, who is responsible for all personnel moves for my beloved Browns, is fucking reading message boards while Willie McGinest and Andra Davis (combined age: approximately 78)apply for Medicare and chase after Trent Edwards in wheelchairs. Unbelievable.

2. If I were going to suggest this fan support another team, shouldn't it be a team that is substantially worse than you? That leaves the Lions, Bengals and Chiefs to choose from.

3. If you're going to be a bear, be a grizzly. Phil Savage should channel Randy "Macho Man" Savage and start dishing out flying elbows, and snapping into Slim Jims.

Onto the picks:

RAVENS (-1) over Eagles

I did not even get into the Donovan McNabb story, but I tend to agree with a Whitlock column I read today about how not knowing games could end in ties can't possibly make him a less effective QB. What makes him a less effective QB is that he doesn't have much talent and he works for a stubborn organization.

Also, I've heard rumblings about the NFL needing to eliminate ties and go to a college OT. While I love the college OT, I also love quirky things in sports like pro football games ending in ties once every five years or so. That's awesome. I tied a fantasy game earlier this year and it was much better than if I had won. I bet the Eagles don't feel that way.

Also, take the Ravens.

DOLPHINS (+1.5) over Patriots

In honor of Greg Camarillo, my favorite Italian-Mexican-American receiver, getting a 3 year contract extension, I'm riding his boys this week. I think they are a better team overall than the Pats, they kicked their ass in Foxboro BEFORE New England's entire team went down and they will win a crucial divisional game here. I was dead right about them last week against the Raiders, and I will be here, as well.

Jets (+5) over TENN

The Titans have to not cover one of these, right? Umm, right? I don't think these teams are that far apart actually, and I like the Jets to make it come down to a field goal, one way or another.

Colts/Chargers Under 49

Did Vegas think it was 2006 or something. I'm either walking into one enormous trap or this is absolutely free money.

SAINTS (-1) over Packers

John Q. Public is going to love Green Bay here, while I'm going to sit back and let him bet the Packers into being favorites and come down on the side of the explosive home team getting points indoors at home on Monday night. Green Bay would beat this team 7 or 8 times out of 10 on a neutral site, but this is a tough spot for 'em.

Now, some over/unders for The Deuce's wedding:

The Deuce (1.5) collars on tux outfit
People (33.5) who see a picture of NPGage's new cats
Whiskey cocktails (5.5) consumed by first-ballot wedding Hall of Famer OC, obviously this total does not include beer
Scale from one to 10 on offensiveness of GA's speech (-5.5) (And I'm absolutely taking the unders. Consider that a challenge, GA.)

Congrats, The Deuce.

Labels: ambiguously raced receivers, fixes, Pete's NFL Picks, Sports Wagering, The Deuc

Slow day up there, or what?

This was announced Thursday, but I just saw it today: Fire Joe Morgan is going dark.

This is incredibly sad news. FJM was one of the biggest influence on me to start a blog. Obviously, our blog and theirs are vastly different--the biggest difference being "focus" (oh, and "not nearly as funny")--but still, FJM basically gave the me the idea to start up Heavy Soul.

For my money, FJM was the funniest website out there, sports-realted or not. Total bummer.

Labels: Fire Joe Morgan

Mark Cuban Charged with Insider Trading

Shit. Here's the next headline I see popping up:

"Cubs Welcome The Rickett's Family as New Owners"

Merry Christmas, Cub fans. Be on the lookout for random kicks to the nuts, 'cause they're coming.

Labels: Chicago Cubs, Mark Cuban

After reading the word 'economy' approximately 27 times on the blog this week, it seemed appropriate to talk about the economics of my own personal sports wagering. It has been a very profitable year up to this point for me and hopefully for you, too.

Particularly striking have been covers by very big NFL underdogs. I'm instituting this rule for the rest of the year: If a team is a 10 point or more dog and is not named the Detroit Lions, fire away.

Yesterday, the Jets narrowly avoided, along with the Miami-Va Tech game, two excruciating backdoor covers on one Thursday night. That would have been a terrible way to start the week, but instead I ended up 1 unit.

Given the unexpectedly crappy slate of college games this week, let's get to the NFL picks for this Sunday:

FALCONS (-6.5) over Broncos
The Broncos are one of those teams this year that makes the NFL so unpredictable. Against a team like Cleveland, they have enough firepower to overcome their ungodly sucktastic defense and win some 38-35 type games. Against a team like Atlanta, that can run the ball and has a smart QB, they are in for a double digit loss. I'm not sure why Vegas hasn't had to inflate The ATL's lines yet, but thanks. Also, Atlanta just dismantled, I mean really kicked the shit out of, a Saints team last week that is basically the NFC equivalent of the Donkeys. Atl 28, Denver 17

CHIEFS (+5) over Saints
Vegas is banking on the fact that the public hasn't watched either of these teams in the last three weeks, or that Joe Public is simply looking at the Chiefs win/loss record and taking the team with all the superstars. These are the kind of spots to look for. The young Chiefs are playing well, and it will start to pay off, and I think it starts today. Plus, as A. will attest, Tyler Thigpen is my man. Chiefs 31 Saints 28


GIANTS (-7) over Ravens
This one almost feels like a trap, but there is absolutely no way I'm expecting Joe Flacco, who has been decent, to show up in the Meadowlands and take it to the Giants' defense. I thought there was no way the GMen should have been dogs last week in Philly, so I bet them and bought a 1998 Cavalier. The GMen are playing hard all year and not at all resting on their considerable laurels, and I see no way that Flacco can dissect the intricacies of their pass defense on the road. If it's not a trap, it's a gift. NYFG 24 Baltimore 6

Raiders (+11) over DOLPHINS
With apologies to A., I just don't think that the Dolphins are going to really run it up here. They have a good offense, but it's not exactly built around running up scores. I know the Raiders are terrible, but about one in every four games they show up and spoil the fave party. I'm not saying they win outright, I just don't think the Dolphins are going to need to, or want to, blow this team out. Miami 20 Oakland 14

JAGUARS (+3) over Titans
If Jacksonville has any pride, they catch Tennessee on an off week with not much to play for and blow their doors off. The Bears showed they could stop the Tennessee run, and I liked what I saw last week from MoJo and the Jags. I'm calling for the upset. Jacksonville 23 Tenn 17

Leans toward: Redskins, Steelers, Seahawks, Rams, Vikings, Bengals, Colts, Lions, Bills

Good luck to all, apologies for lack of humor in this post, time constraints.

Labels: Adam Peterson, Pete's NFL Picks, Sports Wagering

How do your libertarian values feel about regulating credit default swaps and the derivitive market?

Now, I would hardly say this picture is one that screams "unity." But there is one face there that looks almost as awkward as Palin's...maybe it is the guy at the far right?

I can't tell if Heineman has the look of a man who just wants to get back to the Good Life or if it is a look of sheer terror, but I'll tell you one thing: I'm pretty sure he's the source of that quote.

I know if I was part of a press conference that apparently sets up Sarah Palin as the "de facto" leader of my party, I'd look annoyed, too.

God's Speed, Governor. God's Speed.

Labels: Awkwardness, Dave Heineman, Sarah Palin, yikes

No, just smart.

I found this on Mises.org, a libertarian think-tank (named after the Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises). It is absolutely spot on, and then you realize the guy wrote this in 1999.

I am just going to post the part of the article that I found the most interesting, but I would strongly encourage you to read the entire thing. The ridiculous argument that we are in a financial meltdown right now because there wasn't enough "regulation" gets kicked square in the nuts here, in particular the issues with the housing bubble.

Again, keep in mind: this was written almost 10 years ago, while the economy was seemingly moving at light speed and everyone was getting rich off their Pets.com stock. Enjoy.

"Perhaps the most egregious example of all of regulatory blackmail is enforcement of the so-called Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) in the U.S. The CRA was enacted in 1978 under a patently false pretense -- that banks made fewer loans to residents of low-income neighborhoods not because there were fewer creditworthy borrowers there, but because of allegedly pervasive "discrimination" against the residents of those neighborhoods, primarily black residents.

Banks do -- and should -- "discriminate" against less creditworthy borrowers, but in doing so they run the risk of regulatory extortion. An entire industry of sometimes federally-funded "community groups" has sprung up, with names like "Center for Community Change" and Association of Community Groups for Reform Now (ACORN), which essentially extort money from banks with the following ruse: Whenever a bank proposes a merger, expansion, or building of a new branch, it is subject to regulation by the Fed, the Comptroller of the Currency, and the FDIC. If anyone files a complaint to any of these agencies accusing the bank of making too few CRA loans, the merger or expansion is halted. So-called community groups frequently lodge such complaints and do not withdraw them until the banks give them or other groups which they designate large sums of money, sometimes in the tens of millions of dollars.

For example, the "Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA)," led by self-described "urban terrorist" Bruce Marks, has "won" loan commitments totaling $3.8 billion from Bank of America Corp., First Union Corp., Fleet Financial Group, and others. These monies are lent to borrowers favored by Mr. Marks, and his organization usually gets a lump-sum fee or a percentage of each loan. NACA plans to operate in all 50 states by 2001 when it expects its annual budget to be in the $80 million range.

Regulatory extortion via the CRA was on display on national television during Bill Clinton's summer 1999 "poverty tour." One of the corporate executives who accompanied Clinton on his tour of economically depressed areas was the CEO of NationsBank, which was at the time in the process of merging. Before granting NationsBank permission to merge, Clinton required the bank to commit to $150 million in low-interest loans to individuals and businesses in areas chosen not by the bank, but by the Clinton administration. One can be sure that the areas chosen for such favorable treatment will be ones in which Al Gore is in need of votes for his presidential bid.
A staff member of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee recently told me that approximately $100 billion in CRA "loans" have been extended in the past twenty years, and that there is currently a concerted lobbying effort afoot to extend the CRA to credit unions and the insurance industry.

The CRA is a welfare program financed by (legal) regulatory extortion. It is bound to have a negative effect on the capital values and stock prices of banks in particular and and on the entire economy in general, because it socializes a portion of the capital markets. The major negative effect on the economy is the diversion of capital from economically sound to politically popular but economically dubious uses. A moral hazard problem is also created, in that a signal is sent to lower-income people that one does not necessarily need to become creditworthy (by working regularly, paying one's bills, and saving part of one's earnings, for example) to have access to credit, but to become politically connected instead.

The Clinton administration has been budgeting over $100 million per year in federal subsidies for "community development banks," which are another (similar) way of politicizing lending. This, along with the expansion of the CRA, possibly into credit unions and the insurance industry, is a recipe for another savings-and-loan-type financial disaster in the future."

Anyway. For further enlightenment, enjoy Ron Paul's op-ed on CNN.com today.

Labels: Austrian Economics, Community Reinvestment Act, Ludwig von Mises, Mises.org

Cody Glenn has been kicked off of the team. More details as this unfolds.

UPDATE: He's actually been suspended indefinitely. I've spoke with a couple of people who usually have good information, and they know nothing. It's a pretty weird deal, but something significant happened, and apparently the only people who know are Cody Glenn and the coaches. --GA Hill

Labels: Cody Glenn kicked off of the team, Nebraska Football

Labels: Duke Sucks, Patrick Patterson, University of Kentucky

I talked a bit yesterday about some future Huskers that we all hope come in and make an impact. But what about the current Huskers who might come blossom and help the team out in the near future. Here's a position by position breakdown of what may come.


Quarterback
Losing: Joe Ganz, Beau Davis.
Returning: Patrick Witt (will be a So.), Zac Lee (Jr.), Kody Spano (RFr.), Jim Ebke (Jr.), Zach Ruiz (RFr.)
Incoming: Cody Green.
Outlook: Replacing Joe Ganz will certainly not be easy. Ganz is the clear-cut leader on the field and in the locker room for this team and his intangibles will not easily be replaced. That said, Ganz has suffered from First Year Starting Quarterback Syndrome (FYSQS) despite starting the last quarter of the 2007 season. I foresee Patrick Witt becoming the heir apparent, but expect Zac Lee to give him an even fiercer fight than in the spring and fall. Spano was a late pick up last year and was really signed as a safety valve in my opinion than as a long term solution. Green on the other hand could come in to the program in the spring and jumpstart his redshirt year much like Witt did. In spite of the logjam, whomever wins the starting spot should be given the reins for at least two seasons, allowing for them to have their FYSQS season and then their hopeful breakout season following.


Running Back
Losing: Marlon Lucky.
Returning: Roy Helu, Jr. (Jr.), Quentin Castille (Jr.), Marcus Mendoza (So.), Austin Jones (So.), Collins Okafor (RFr.), Lester Ward (RFr.), Jordan Makovicka (RFr.), Jeremy Wallace (RFr.).
Incoming: Dontrayveous Robinson.
Outlook: Even the loss of Lucky does not completely diminish the amount of talent at this position for next year. Helu, Jr. is coming into his own, albeit against second string defenses for the most part. I don't think he is as complete a back as Lucky, but he will have time to prove me wrong. If Castille can cure himself of the fumblitis, or Big Dumb Dan's Disease as it is also known, he can possibly become a featured type back, but until then he will find himself relegated to spot duty. I think next year we'll see an Alexander/Buckhalter type rotation that succeeded well enough to win the '99 league championship. I think Mendoza can be a home run threat if used in trickeration. I don't foresee any of the young backs getting a ton of touches, but I didn't think Castille or Helu would amount to much either. One will surprisingly emerge and push for playing time. Robinson will likely take a redshirt year but if the staff can land a all-purpose back like Rex Burkhead or the back on the market Jarvis Giles, I would anticipate them getting into the mix immediately.


Fullback
Losing: Thomas Lawson
Returning: Justin Makovicka (Jr.), Tyler Legate (Jr.), Aaron Gillaspie (Jr.), Kevin Thomsen (So.), Mike Hays (So.).
Incoming: C.J. Zimmerer.
Outlook: After catching three touchdown passes last year, Lawson has been largely invisible this year. An emergency appendectomy may have had something to do with that, but the fact remains that the fullback has yet to produce numbers. Lawson was a converted I-back, but all of the returning fullbacks are legitimate bar brawlers. And with the exception of Gillaspie, all native Nebraskans. I will not tell you about Makovicka and Legate. Thomsen turned down a CSU scholarship as a DT to come here. Hays was a high school running back and is becoming a special teams favorite. Zimmerer is a stud. He comes from a good program and could be the best Nebraska high school fullback since Willie Miller. Give him about a year and a half in the program and see what happens. Shawn Watson has done some good things with fullbacks in his career and let's hope he continues to use them.


Tight End
Losing: Hunter Teafatiller
Returning: Mike McNeill (Jr.), Dreu Young (Jr.), Ryan Hill (So.), Tyson Hetzer (Jr.), Jay Martin (So.), Damon Bechtold (RFr.), Ben Cotton (RFr.), Kyler Reed (RFr.).
Incoming: J.T. Kerr.
Outlook: Nobody was happier to see a resurgence in the use of the TE than this guy, but let's be clear, there is a lot of work to be done until we're at the same level as the elite in the Big XII. I think we can get there and this season has been a good start. McNeill has become quite dependable and for a new incoming quarterback, that is an awfully cozy security blanket. Young has shown he can stretch the defense and provide some matchup problems against teams overloading the box. This season the TEs have caught 36 balls which is roughly 13% of the completions. Not bad until you consider that Nate Swift has 54 to himself. Over the next two seasons, look for McNeill and Young to be a homeless man's Martin Rucker and Chase Coffman. And after that, we have plenty of bodies to plug in. As I said yesterday, Watson did well by his tight ends at Colorado, so fitting them into the offense should not be a stretch.


Offensive Line
Losing: Lydon Murtha, Matt Slauson, Mike Huff, Andy Christensen.
Returning: Mike Smith (Jr.), Jaivorio Burkes (Jr.), Marcel Jones (So.), Derek Meyer (Sr.), Cruz Barrett (Jr.), Jacob Hickman (Sr.), Mike Caputo (So.), Ricky Henry (Jr.), D.J. Jones (Jr.), Keith Williams (Jr.).
Incoming: Brent Qvale, Nick Ash, Jess Coffey, Jeremiah Sirles.
Outlook: Losing Slauson will hurt the most. Murtha is a solid player, but injuries have limited his playing time. Huff lost his starting spot during the season and Christensen was fortunate to even be allowed back on the team. Smith, Burkes, Jones, Meyer (at K-State), Hickman, and Williams all have starting experience. The depth on the line this year allowed Henry to redshirt. Although this line is deep, it hasn't necessarily been dominant. The running game has idled for much of the season. The game experience is there. It's really a matter of molding these hogs into a more balanced force.

Wide Receiver
Losing: Nate Swift, Todd Peterson.
Returning: Menelik Holt (Sr.), Niles Paul (Jr.), Will Henry (Jr.), Chris Brooks, Sr. (Sr.), Curenski Gilleylen (So.), Steven Osborne (RFr.), Tim Marlowe (RFr.)
Incoming: N/A.
Outlook: Ouchie. Losing two of the most productive receivers in the history of the program hurts a lot. Paul is rising and could have a good final two years. Holt has shown signs of good things before his injury. Will Henry is tall. Brooks has been mostly a bust. Gilleylen was supposed to emerge as our deep threat and still could. Osborne has been very impressive on the scout team according to sources. Marlowe has been called the fastest receiver on the team. The lack of overall experience will cause some dependence on the Tight Ends and the running game.

Defensive Line
Losing: Zach Potter, Barry Turner, Ty Steinkuhler, Shukree Barfield, Clayton Sievers.
Returning: Ndamukong Suh (Sr.), Pierre Allen (Jr.), Jared Crick (So.), Cameron Meredith (So.), Josh Williams (RFr.), William Yancy (So.), Baker Steinkuhler (RFr.), Quentin Toailoa (RFr.), Terrence Moore (So.)
Incoming: Cole Pensick, Thaddeus Randle, Emerson Evans.
Outlook: We could be in for some growing pains. Potter and Steinkuhler have provided very strong senior leadership. Turner's injury this year has given way for Allen's emergence. Allen needs to continue his ascent and develop into a leader of the D Line. Suh's return for a senior season could really help ease the transition into new players. Crick and Moore have gained some valuable game experience this season and Meredith had to burn a redshirt unfortunately, but hopefully that's matured him as a player. Yancy needs to have a breakout offseason much like Pierre Allen's of two years ago. Josh Williams needs to gain some size and maturity. Steinkuhler and Toailoa could be set to contribute pending productive offseasons.

Linebackers
Losing: Tyler Wortman, Cody Glenn.
Returning: Phillip Dillard (Sr.), Colton Koehler (Sr.), Blake Lawrence (Jr.), LaTravis Washington (Jr.), Thomas Grove (Jr.), Sean Fisher (So.), Matt Holt (So.), Will Compton (RFr.), Alonzo Whaley (RFr.).
Incoming: Chris Williams, Earnest Norman, Shawn Bodtmann.
Outlook: Things can only get better. Dillard has battled injuries throughout his career, but has experience. Lawrence and Washington desparately need to step up this off season and get ready to have breakout Spring practices. Fisher has played on Special Teams and Holt has seen a surprising amount of time on the field as a true freshman walk on. Compton and Whaley are having strong redshirt seasons on the practice field.

Cornerbacks
Losing: Armando Murillo.
Returning: Prince Amukamara (Jr.), Anthony Blue (RSo.), Eric Hagg (Jr.), Lance Thorell (So.), Anthony West (Jr.), Alfonzo Dennard (So.).
Incoming: DeAndre Byrd.
Outlook: Armando has been somewhat underwhelming. Amukamara, Hagg, and West have all played well this year. Thorell has been a very nice emergence as a nickelback. Blue is coming back from a knee injury. By most accounts, Blue would have been a strong contributor this year without the injury. Dennard has seen time as a returner but is still developing as a defender.

Safeties
Losing: Not a damn soul.
Returning: Larry Asante (Sr.), Matt O'Hanlon (Sr.), Rickey Thenarse (Sr.), Major Culbert (Sr.), John Levorson (RFr.), Courtney Osborne (RFr.), P.J. Smith (RFr.).
Incoming: Taylor Martinez.
Outlook: If this isn't the strength of the defense next year, then someone needs to quit. Hopefully there are significantly less mental breakdowns next season with a season under their belts. Word has it that Levorson and Osborne are game ready now, but the staff is saving their redshirts.

Specialists
Losing: Dan Titchener, Jake Wesch, T.J. O'Leary, Justin Baumgartner
Returning: Adi Kunalic (Jr.), Alex Henery (Jr.), Brett Maher (RFr.), David Pillen (RFr.)
Incoming: N/A
Outlook: The kicking game looks good for awhile. Kunalic and Henery will probably continue to split the kicking duties until Maher is ready to take over. Maher will probably take over for Titchener's punting duties. David Pillen is next in line to be a four year starter at long snapper.

On behalf of The Tunnel Walk, apologies are necessary for the lack of productivity. In that spirit, this segment will be entitled The Tunnel Stroll, indicative of our rather sedentary nature of late.

The Recruit Files:
Already Committed: Just in case we don't make it this far again in the near future, The Tunnel Stroll is going for broke, shooting the moon, spilling our seed. Here's a list of each NU recruit the lazy bastards at The Tunnel Walk have yet to profile:

• Chris Williams, ILB. 6-0, 230. Abilene (TX) Abilene. If QB Cody Green is the shining light on the offensive side of this recruiting class, allow me to crown Williams with the defensive honor. Adding Williams, Rivals' 13th rated MLB with 4 stars, to a very young and inexperienced linebacking corps could help to ease my stomach ulcers. That is, until news of a freak injury broke. Williams committed in early October and was recruited by Coaches Ekeler and Cotton. Getting this caliber of player away from Big XII foes Oklahoma, Mizzou, and Texas Tech proves that this staff can deliver on big time recruits.


• Earnest Norman, ILB. 5-11, 220. Euless (TX) Trinity. Teammate, current NU commit, and cousin Tray Robinson may have had something to do with getting Norman to switch his pledge from Kansas to NU. Norman is rated by Rivals as the #39 ILB with 3 stars. Norman switched during the Kansas game, coincidentally. NU 2, KU 0. Norman has yet to qualify academically, so pumping the brakes may be recommended Husker fans. This is a big pickup on many fronts. It obviously helps shore up a lackluster linebacking corps and also adds recruiting roots into that fertile crescent known as the DFW Metroplex. Landing two key players from the best team in Texas could do wonders down the road.


• Nick Ash, OG. 6-5, 261. Keller (TX) Keller. Keller has been to five five Nebraska home games this year, four on his own dime. It might be fair to say that Ash's level of commitment could be classified as solid. With Baker Steinkuhler starting on defensive, NU only has one OL from last year's recruiting class. Not the numbers you want. This year, the OL has been an obvious focus and Ash could be the best of the bunch. The runt (at 6-5--we love it) of the group, Ash will likely start at guard, though he is versatile enough to play all 5 positions.


• DeAndre Byrd, DB. 5-10, 170. Tallahassee (FL) Lincoln. The current sleeper (Scout only rates him as a 2 star prospect) of this class, Byrd comes from a juggernaut high school program and re-establishes a link to the Sunshine state. A highly recruited corner, Byrd chose NU in August over 20 other offers from the likes of Wisconsin, Colorado, Arkansas, South Carolina, and USF. He has yet to visit NU and that scares The Tunnel Stroll an itsy bit.


• Jesse Coffey, OT. 6-7, 270. Denton (TX) Guyer. Another Texan. Another giant offensive lineman. If there are two things that this class is becoming about it's being from Texas or being really, really tall. Coffey chose the Cornhuskers over Harvard (yes, that Harvard), Texas Tech, and Arkansas. Has the frame to be a monster. Comes from the northern border of the DFW Metroplex, clearly showing NU's efforts to place a sticky web over the entire place, enticing recruits not in a creepy Arachnophobia-type way, but in a benevolant Charlotte's Web-type way.


• J.T. Kerr, TE. 6-4, 230. San Diego (CA) Scripps Ranch. Despite coming from a place called Scripps Ranch, Kerr is about as blue-collar a TE as you're gonna find. Has good, but not great size. Adequate, but not ideal speed. The Tunnel Stroll will hereforto refer to Kerr as Captain Buzzcut. Kerr seems to us to fall into the Jack of All Trades, King of None category, which frankly is exactly where we want our TEs to be. Watson has a good history of developing TEs that kick large amounts of ass on their way to the NFL (Daniel Graham, Quinn Sypniewski, Joe Klopfenstein). Maybe Kerr's next, or maybe he's the next Hunter Teafatiller. I would take either one.


• Taylor Martinez, ATH. 6-0, 176. Corona (CA) Centennial. Ahh, the fabled ATH label. Martinez plays QB for his highly ranked high school team, but most feel he is better suited to play in the defensive backfield at the next level. We love high school QBs who turn into college safeties. His dad played for Iowa State in the 80s and he seems like a smart kid with good athleticism (4.47 40, 38-inch vert). The NU coaching staff has given Martinez the option of which side of the ball he would like to start his career and we hope he chooses wisely.


• Jeremiah Sirles, OL. 6-6, 280. Lakewood (CO) Bear Creek. While Sirles is not the most highly touted Denver-area recruit (that honor would fall upon DE Nick Kasa), landing him would be a huge pickup for regaining a presence in the burgeoning west Denver suburbs. Sirles comes from a program that runs a pretty balanced offense, so he is no stranger to run blocking. Sirles graduated with honors from the Greg Oden Handsome Boy Modeling School (he looks 38, not 18)


• Shawn Bodtmann, LB. 6-0, 205. Scranton (PA) West Scranton. Bodtmann was the second member fo the 2009 class to commit, shortly after the Spring Game. The Tunnel Stroll will further refer to Bodtmann as the Veep or Michael Scott. In addition to being a pretty solid linebacker, the Veep is a highly regarded fullback. However, most insiders don't feel he will end up on the offensive side. That might be due to the pledge of...


• C.J. Zimmerer, FB. 6-0, 213. Omaha (NE) Daniel J. Gross. The NU staff wanted a true fullback and this is their pick. His coach is a former NU fullback. This will cut back significantly on Ndamukong Suh's reps, but all is well. NU hasn't had a true FB since Dane Todd and it may be interesting to see what a true lead blocker could do in front of one of our big backs.

From The Tunnel Stroll Cookbook: Pot Roast

Take a 3-lb pot roast from your local butcher. Crack a generous amount of sea salt and black peppercorns and massage into that lovable piece of meat. Show that roast that you care. Throw that ol' bitch into a roasting pan. Cover with a lid and shove it in the oven for 2 hours at 300 degrees. During those 2 hours take a nap. Once you wake up, peel a bag of carrots and cut them in half. Dump those suckers in the pan. Peel and slice a medium white onion. Dump in pan. Take a medium sized head of cabbage and core and quarter it. Shove those wedges in the pan and put back into the oven for another half hour. DO NOT NAP this time. Instead, peel and quarter a bag of potatoes and put them in after the half hour. Turn the heat up to about 350 and give it another

It was good to know you. Your witty commentary and delicious Dorothy Lynch concauctions will be missed.

Labels: Awesomeness, Dick Tricks, Dorothy Lynch, The Tunnel Walk

Labels: collabs, NES, Nike

Hey, remember me? I used to post a lot but now my life is in shambles with structure. Anyway, I have a few quick hits for a Thursday and the promise of a full-scale NFL post tomorrow.

-Congratulations to The Official Current United States President of Heavy Soul, Barack Obama. GA and I enjoyed the festivities at McFly's with about 7 people we had never met before and almost walked out on our tabs because, in typical Democrat fashion, we were falsely told that they were paid for. Ominous? I report, you decide.

-I'm predicting the Huskers to lose on Saturday. I just have an awful feeling about it. It seems like every time we really need to win a game that would really fire up the fanbase or give a sign the program is on the upswing, we lose. Plus, it seems like most fans and honestly most media I have heard are already chalking this one up. I can't get behind it, although I hope it happens. If you didn't know already, Vegas has this one as a pick 'em. With much disdain, KU 42-NU 30.

-Hello, Brady Quinn era! My conservative Catholic QB pulls the Browns up by the boot straps while managing to stump for Palin in 2012 and make homophobic slurs while leading The Big Brown and Orange Machine (-3) to a decisive (by Browns standards) victory over the Broncos tonight, 35-28. And yeah, hit that over as well EZT, Mayfield, and The Deuce.

-One sentence commands to Nebraska politicians that are as negative as possible:
Mike Johanns-Try not to quit this job.
Lee Terry-Maybe years 11 and 12 will mean you can actually accomplish something.
Scott Kleeb-Get your smart Ivy League brain out of our state, (homophobic slur).
Jim Esch-Get a haircut and get a real job.

-The sentence about Kleeb reminds me that I see evidence of the "brain drain" effect in Nebraska all the time. It's true that talented people in Nebraska are leaving en masse, like The Deuce, who will never be back. Fortunately, the people at Bucky's Gas Stations are not victims of the "brain drain" because in addition to soft serve ice milkcones coming in at 50 cents, they also now have Coke Zero on tap.

Really, their fountain soda is a murderer's row of obscure badassery: Squirt, Diet Rite, Barq's, Sunkist, Peach Tea, and Powerade. Let this be a call to all other gas stations: Step Your Game Up.

Labels: Bucky's Gas Stations, Cleveland, Coke Zero, Johanns

Labels: Graphic Designers Need Love Too, Logos, Major League Baseball, Uni Watch

Labels: Kansas State, Ron Prince

I'm surprised no one has posted about this...maybe because our Democratic contributors don't want to jinx anything?

Well, here it goes: my shot at some elections, national and Nebraskan-al:

-President: Bob Barr (whoops, I meant Barack Obama)
-Nebraska 2nd District Representative: Lee Terry
-Nebraska 1st District Representative: Jeff Fortenberry
-Nebraska 3rd District Representative: Adrian Smith
-U.S. Senate: Mike Johanns
-Nebraska Initiative 424: "Against." Nebraskans typically don't like it when outside groups try forcing constitutional amendments down our throats; I pray this continues to be the case with Initiative 424.

U.S. Senate: Democrats miss out on elusive "60," probably settling in the 54-57 range. Fairly strong possibility of hitting 59, but I think you've got that clown-shoe Al Franken to thank for not hitting 60*.

U.S. House of Representatives: No clue.

So there you have it; a quick prediction list. I see Nebraska basically staying the same, although my "out on a limb" prediction says that Obama may indeed carry the 2nd District.

Enjoy the returns, friends. I'll be with Pete and Delusional at the "bellwether" of Omaha politics, McFly's--swing by and join us watch the country come under one-party rule!**

*If I'm wrong, then I give up. Seriously, Al Franken has about as much business running for the honorable position of United States Senator as...I don't know, he just has no flipping business holding that position. Sorry.

**Friendly reminder: the most prosperous times in our country's history have occurred under two-party rule, where the Executive Branch and Legislative Branch were controlled by opposite parties. So, the opposite would be true of one-party rule. So yeah, something to look forward to.

Labels: Al Franken, Barack Obama, McFly's, Nebraska Politics

Allen Iverson being traded to Detroit for Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess, and Cheikh Samb? Really?

I just do not see how trading one of the most solid--if getting quite old--point guards in the league on a defense-first team for a rapidly-aging Allen Iverson is that great an idea. In fact, it seems pretty insane to me (especially when you consider how valuable a role player McDyess has been for the Pistons).

Add this to the news that Phil Fulmer agreed to step down at the end of the season at Tennessee, and it is a pretty eventful sports morning, isn't it?

EDIT: OK, this trade actually makes sense, mainly because of the numbers. You get rid of Billups and his $11M salary over the next four (four!) years, and McDyess' $6.8M over the next 2 for an expiring Iverson contract. Perhpas the Pistons are loading up for a big free agent season next year? Or clearing out room for LeBron the year after that? Interesting stuff, and if I'm a Pistons fan, I'm happy. You get one season with one of the most exciting players ever--even if he is old and doesn't play defense--but more importantly, you're clearing room for the future. I'm in Joe Dumars, you crazy old fox you.

Labels: Allen Iverson, Chauncey Billups, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee Football