Doin' BIG Things: Jahii Carson

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Who ever said that size matters? Well, don't tell that to Mesa High's, Jahii Carson (Jr.), who is currently playing for the Compton Magic on the AAU Circuit this summer. The 5'10", 170lb. prep star is making huge splashes in the recruiting world with his little frame. Originally committed to Oregon State, Carson opted out of the deal and is a free agent once again, opening talks back up to colleges across the nation who are on the prowl for an athlete like himself. The 4-star rated point guard currently holds his original offer from Oregon State, along with offers from Arizona State and California. Don't let the three offers deceive you, colleges are heavily recruiting him from the east coast to the west coast, including Midwest powerhouse, Kansas. Check out this nasty video of some of his highlights; it is one of many. Be ready for Carson to spring up in a few years at the collegiate level.

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UFC 113: Machida versus Shogun 2

It is going to be electric inside the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec tomorrow night for UFC 113!! Headlining the pay-per-view is the the rematch we've all been waiting for... Lyoto Machida (16-0) is putting his World Light Heavy Weight Championship on the line against Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua (18-4). Their last epic brawl came down to the judge's decision in which they awarded Machida the victory, but many critics were skeptical of the outcome and felt Shogun deserved the belt. With wins over Forrest Griffin, Mark Coleman, and Chuck Liddell on his resume, Shogun has proved to the world he deserves this spotlight and another chance at the title. He is the next man in line to face Machida, as Rashad Evans and Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson are still waiting on their fight to happen. The winner of that would go on to face the winner of Machida-Shogun 2 fight which is tomorrow night. This should be an exciting tussle that could go the distance. My prediction? Shogun, TKO, 2nd round.

With 11 matches on the official fight card, the main card had some good draws. Welterweight bout between Josh Koscheck and Paul Daley should draw some heads. Two very good fighters, some say Daley has the overall advantage. Lightweight division drew Sam Stout and Jeremy Stephens, Middleweight class has Patrick Cote and Alan Belcher.

But what a lot of viewers are waiting in anticipation for is the return of YouTube legend, Kimbo Slice, to the ring. He is stepping in to face fellow opponent on the Ultimate Fighter, Matt Mitrione, in the Heavyweight bout. Mitrione is known as a 'Meat Head' and Kimbo is ready to cook him up for the fans.

I'll be in DSM this weekend and would definitely like to watch this PPV event! If you haven't had the chance to watch the first match between Machida and Shogun, peep it before the rematch tomorrow. One of the best fights I've ever had the chance to watch (other than my boy Diego Sanchez when he beat the hell out of Clay Guida)! Comment box is working now so let's get some discussion going!

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All-NBA Team

The All-NBA Team was released this afternoon, and might I add, this year's squad could compete with any starting five lineup of all-time. Headlining the list is two-time league MVP LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers and defensive player of the year Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic, as they were unanimous selections. Joining them is Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers. Need I say anymore?

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The Rise of a Hybrid Athlete

Versatility can destroy an opposing defense by the different variations of attack on the offensive side of the ball. In today's world, versatile players are being referred to as 'hybrids', which is a combination of two or more different things aimed at achieving a particular objective or goal. From the hardwood on the basketball court to the trenches of a football field, these sort of players are springing up across the nation, but in rare forms. Cheshire Academy's, Eric Katenda (Jr.), is most-certainly a gem that colleges across the nation are starting to recruit and hunt down.

Standing tall at 6'9" and weighing in a little over 200 pounds, Katenda has a big frame for his age playing at the wing/power forward position. He is a very long athlete who can make open shots with ease and lockdown his opponents on defense. This past season with the Cats, Katenda put up an outstanding 28 points, 13 rebounds and 3 assists per game while finishing 16-8 and making it to the playoffs in the state of Connecticut. He is currently playing with the Albany City Rocks AAU squad who participated in the Boo Williams Invitational at the beginning of April, in which Recruit Empire was there to witness Katenda put up 22 points a contest against some of the best competition across the country.

Katenda is known to make a ton of positive plays to motivate his team each series on the court from being active on the glass and blocking shots, to scoring relentlessly from any range whether it be from under the glass, mid-range jumpers, or a three beyond the arc. He is capable of performing every task any coach would ever want from their players with the upmost energy and potential. This summer will allow Katenda to improve on the aspects of his game in which he feels he needs to work on, and according to him when asked about next season, the future star responded, "I need to work on pretty much everything. I am already trying to prepare myself for the next level." Is there such thing as a super-hybrid?

Preparing himself for the next level is a necessity that must occur sooner than later, for Katenda has already received Division-1 scholarship offers from Notre Dame, Siena, Stetson, and most-recently, the University of Iowa. Many sources have put Iowa as the leader in Katenda's college decision for the mere fact that newly hired coach Fran McCaffrey recently left Siena where he was originally recruited. But do not think Katenda is going to make a decision anytime soon. He is receiving high interest daily from schools across the country like Michigan, Colgate, Harvard, Georgia Tech, Georgetown, Boston College, West Virginia, Xavier and many more. With college visits lined up and coaches waiting in line to meet with him at home, Katenda is excited to wrap up his high school tenure next season and continue his playing career somewhere that will use his versatility against all adversaries who try to stop him.

www.recruitempire.com
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Favre's Future 'Up in the Air'

Sources from ESPN.com released breaking news this morning that Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre will in fact need ankle surgery in order to play next season. The 40-year old veteran has had his shares of bumps and bruises in the past, but not one injury has ever set him back from a start. He currently holds the record for most consecutive starts as a quarterback with 285 (309 including playoffs), and also holds nearly every major quarterback record in the books.

In an email to ESPN, Favre stated, "To play again, I would need the surgery, as I suspected. This decision would be easy if not for my teammates and the fans and the entire Vikings staff. One year truly felt like 10 -- much like Green Bay for many years. That's what I was missing in my heart I suppose, a sense of belonging.''


Stay tuned to the blog for further breaking news in the Favre saga and in the wide world of sports! There is much more to come including the NBA Playoffs, MLB's newest slugger, and a preview of Mayweather-Mosley fight tomorrow night!

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'Run Ricky Run'

Check out ESPN's: 30 for 30 presents 'Run Ricky Run' tonight at 7:00pm for a short movie which summarizes the life and playing career of Ricky Williams. I guarantee this will be a great flick to watch and learn about the aspects behind Williams's decision to leave the NFL and come back after gaining great success on the field from the University of Texas, to the pros, and to the spiritual side of life where he found his peace.

Check out the trailer to the movie by clicking on the link: >>>RUN RICKY RUN<<<

Williams was one of my favorite players growing up a Dolphin's fan. He was a beast on the field and a notorious pot head off, leaving many people skeptical of his commitment to the organization and eventually bringing about a lot of unwanted criticism to himself and his team. No matter what he pleased to do in his own time off the field and away from his team, Williams was one of the greatest backs to ever play the game until he left the NFL and retired in 2004; fortunately for us, he came back into the league in 2005 until being suspended in 2006 on drug abuse charges. Here is a list of his accomplishments throughout his collegeiate and professional career:

--> 2 x Doak Walker Award (1997, 1998)
--> 2 x Jim Brown Trophy (1997, 1998)
--> Walter Camp Award (1998)
--> Maxwell Award (1998)

--> Heisman Trophy (1998)

--> AP College Player of the Year (1998)

--> Pro Bowl selection (2002)

--> Pro Bowl MVP  (2002)

Only playing five, full 16 game seasons in his 10 year career with two of those seasons being suspended and in retirement, Williams has nearly 9,000 rushing yards with 62 rushing touchdowns which is an outstanding feat considering the amount of playing time. The speed and explosion he has shown on the field to this day still leaves defenders weary everytime he carries the ball across the line.

I'm glad Williams is still on the Dolphins dominating one of the most prolific rushing games in the league along side Ronnie Brown. Tonight's documentary should be very interesting to watch and possibly motivating for a lot of young athletes out there. Be sure to check it out on ESPN at 7:00pm!!!

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LeGarrette "Sock 'Em Bop 'Em" Blount Lands in the NFL

It's funny how one decision can effect your entire career and sometimes your life. Oregon senior running back, Legarrette Blount, made the decision to knockout a player on Boise State's squad last season while the Bronco's stampeded across the field after an upset victory over the Ducks. View the video, think what you want about the situation. The Boise St. player clearly made contact with Blount first, but that does not give Blount the right to act the way he did. After the blow to the face that dropped the player, Blount proceeded his way to the locker room where fans begin heckling and attacking Blount, and the Oregon running back did not take it well. We all know the story; Blount received a season long suspension his senior season, but did get a chance to play in the team's BCS Rose Bowl game vs. Ohio St.

What people may not have known, Blount was projected to go anywhere from the late 1st round to the end of the 2nd round in this year's NFL Draft. That one decision he made effected his entire life; Blount was undrafted this past weekend. Knowing the caliber of a player Blount is and the talent he shows on the field, teams all over the NFL contacted him to give him a 2nd chance. Originally deciding to go to the San Francisco 49er's with a free agent contract, Blount opted out and signed with the Tennessee Titans this morning. The trade of LenDale White to the Seattle Seahawks opened Blount's mind and gave him a reason to play for the Titan's behind the league's leading rusher, Chris Johnson.

The Titans also signed undrafted senior running back out of USC, Stafon Johnson, whom last year was devastated by a tragic weight lifting injury that nearly left him dead. After performing numerous surgeries, Johnson's doctors believed it was a miracle that saved him. Good to see him in the league and I wish him nothing but success.

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Hawkeye Draft Recap

A record number of Hawkeyes were selected in this year's NFL Draft with six players being taken off the board, placing Iowa in 3rd place behind Florida (9), Alabama (7), Oklahoma (7), and USC (7) with players drafted. Bryan Bulaga was the first to go when he was selected by the Green Bay Packers with the 23rd pick in the 1st Round, and Kyle Calloway rounded it out being chosen early in the 7th Round by the Buffalo Bills. Here's a list of all the Hawks who turned pro this weekend:

• Bryan Bulaga (OT) - 23rd / 1st Round - Green Bay Packers
• Pat Angerer (LB) - 63rd / 2nd Round - Indianapolis Colts
• Amari Spievey (CB) - 66rd / 3rd Round - Detroit Lions
• Tony Moeaki (TE) - 93rd / 3rd Round - Kansas City Chiefs
• A.J. Edds (LB) - 119th / 4th Round - Miami Dolphins
• Kyle Calloway (OT) - 216th / 7th Round - Buffalo Bills

Dace Richardson (OG) was another NFL prospect, but unfortunately did not make the cut. Things are looking good for him though, he has tryouts coming up with the New York Giants. Next year could be a huge year for the Hawks in the draft as well, possible record setting numbers once again. Mel Kiper is already projecting Adrian Clayborn as a top five pick for next year's draft; other players include Ricky Stanzi, Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, Karl Klug, Christian Ballard, Ryan Donahue, and Jeremiah Hunter.

Best of luck to all the players selected in this year's draft, we'll miss you in Black and Gold but can't wait to cheer you on in the pros! (((sports_R_us)))

MADDEN 2011

Barry Sanders. Michael Vick. Donovan McNabb. Shaun Alexander. Troy Polamalu. Players who have been hit by the "Madden Cover Curse". Supposedly, being on the cover of the imfamous EA Sports Madden football game brings you bad luck the following season which usually winds up with an injury that sets you aside for quite some time. Who's the lucky cover boy for next year? No other than Super Bowl XLIV MVP Drew Brees from the New Orleans Saints. Believe the hype, the curse, the hoorah; do what you want. This EA edition of Madden is going to be amazing beyond belief considering how good last season's was. I wish the best for Brees and all the players who risk their body for the cover of the game. The Saints are my NFC team so I'll give a '504' shoutout to Wayne behind bars, but I'm for the Dolphins all the way. (PS- The actual cover has not been designed yet, the picture to the left is not real! It says Madden 10)

Keep following the blog and be sure to check out the 2nd day of the NFL Draft today! Last night was nuts. Kiper and McShay don't know shit.

2010 NFL Draft -- Big Board / Hawkeye Projections

In less than 4 hours, the 2010 NFL Draft kicks off its first ever, 3-day live coverage event on television. There are MLB games & NBA Playoffs on tonight and all weekend, but the draft will have my attention as I sit back and watch where the collegiate football stars from the past four years wind up. Along with that, there are seven Hawkeye players who are fighting for a spot on the draft board this year. Most of them are a lock to be drafted, but a couple are on the hot seat. Let's take a look at where our boys are projected to be taken off the board:

--> Bryan Bulaga (OT) - Round 1 (anywhere from a Top 10-20 pick)
--> Amari Spievey (CB) - Projected Rounds 2-4
--> Pat Angerer (LB) - Projected Rounds 3-6
--> Tony Moeaki (TE) - Projected Rounds 3-6
--> AJ Edds (LB) - Projected Rounds 4-7
--> Kyle Calloway (OT) - Projected Rounds 4-5
--> Dace Richardson (OG) - Projected Rounds 6-undrafted

It is hard to predict where each player will land. Bulaga is a lock for the first round. Some projections have him going as high as pick #5, some as low as #20. As for the other boys, we hope for the best and we'll be watching for your names to pop up on the bottomline when your time comes!

As for the other draft candidates this year, I thought I would list my Big Board of top players. I'm not going to guess which order they'll get drafted, but these are the players I feel will perform the best in the NFL:

Chase's Big Board
1. Ndamukong Suh (DT) Nebraska
2. Sam Bradford (QB) Oklahoma
3. Eric Berry (S) Tennessee
4. Derrick Morgan (DE) Georgia Tech
5. Dez Bryant (WR) Oklahoma St.

Tune in to ESPN at 6:30pm for the start of the NFL Draft! For more coverage on the Hawkeyes, check out Hawkeye Report!

Iowa Hawkeye's Spring Game

This Saturday, April 17th, our beloved Hawks take the field at Kinnick Stadium to scrimmage each other in the annual Spring Game. Admission is free, but the university is asking everyone to bring can food items to donate for a good cause. Game starts at 1pm, gates open at 11:30am, so for all of you who are still in IC and not in Ames showing the Cyclones how to drink at Veishea, grab your cooler and brats and head down to Melrose for some spring tailgating action before the scrimmage. We haven't seen our boys in action since the BCS Orange Bowl victory over the Yellow Jackets of GA Tech back in January, so here's a look at Saturday's two deeps:

SE - DJK/Sandeman
WR - McNutt, K. Davis
QB - Stanzi, Vandenberg
RB - Rogers, White
FB - Morse, Leppert
TE - Reisner, Herman
LT - Reiff, Tobin
LG - Vandervelde, Orne
C - Koeppel/Ferentz, Boffeli
RG - Gettis, Hundertmark
RT - Zusevics, Van Sloten
K - Murray/Mossbrucker

DE - Clayborn, Daniel

DT - Klug, Nardo

DT - Ballard, Daniels

DE - Binns, Forgy

OLB - T. Nielsen, Petersen

MLB - Tarpinian, B. Davis
WLB - Hunter, Johnson
CB - Prater, Castillo
CB - Hyde, Bernstine
SS - N. Nielsen, Steinbrecher
FS - Swanson, Donatell
P - Donahue, Guthrie

Coaches are holding out players from the scrimmage just to be safe. Starting running backs Jewel Hampton and our boy Adam Robinson, wide receiver Paul Chaney, and safties Tyler Sash and Brett Greenwood. Brandon Wegher recently suffered a shoulder injury and is out as well, but is hoping for a fast recovery. A-Rob is almost back to 100% after his shoulder surgery in the off-season, and Bernstine is finally healthy and working for his cornerback position.

Looks like we'll have some heated position battles at a couple spots on the offensive line, cornerback, and runningback. Hampton is back from a season long injury last year and will be competing with A-Rob for the top spot. Our depth at running back is great, but utilizing all of our playmakers will be hard. There has been talks of moving Wegher to a defensive back position, but no moves have been made by Ferentz yet, so we'll see how the season plays out.

As always, stacked on D with arguably one of the best defensive coaches Norm Parker, and easily the best defensive front line in the nation with Clayborn, Ballard, Klug, and Binns. We reloaded at linebacker with Nielson and Tarpinian after losing Edds and Angerer due to graduation. All-American Tyler Sash is looking to top last season's heroics with his partner in crime Brett Greenwood.

Receiver rotation is looking great bringing back DJK, McNutt, and Sandeman. Sophomore Keenan Davis will take huge strides this year and make big plays for the Hawks. Tight end Allen Reisner has some of the best hands on the team and is a huge playmaker when he releases from the line.

America's favorite gunslinger Ricky Stanzi is back under center and will control his own destiny all year. Let's hope he can be more consistent and accurate this year with his passes. We all know he is a winner, but he still has a lot to prove. James Vandenberg stepped up huge last year in his absence and will be ready to go if needed.

ESPN currently has Iowa at the #9 position in wayyy early preseason polls. Check out the full rankings and analysis on each team here: Top 25

Can't wait for this Fall to come around, it's the best time of the year! I-O-W-A LET'S GO HAWKS!

New Nike ad: Earl and Tiger Woods

I'm blown away by this newest Nike advertisement. People may watch it and not know what to think and that is understandable, but this is deep, real deep. Earl Woods was the father of Tiger, his mentor, his coach, his best friend; he was also ranked a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Special Forces while serving in Vietnam, he was also an author, he was also a very competitive athlete. Earl passed away on May 3rd, 2006, leaving people in disbelief and feeling skeptical about this new commercial which features Earl talking to Tiger in the background, while Tiger stands there motionless in a black and white frame sporting a Nike hat and tee. The audio track of the commercial was taken from a 2004 interview of Earl for the documentary DVD "Tiger: The Authorized DVD Collection", in which Earl discussed comparing the "authoritative" nature of his wife, Kultida, to his own "inquisitive" nature. Needless to say, this commercial came out at perfect timing and was a great stepping stone for Tiger to get back into the real world. Hell, he shot his best 1st round ever at a Master's Tournament in his career yesterday shooting a -4 (68), tied for 8th and just 2 strokes back from the lead. Hate to break it to ya people, but Tiger's back and better than ever.

Check out the video advertisement on YouTube: TIGER