1. Translation
Bay City actually isn't that far away from Detroit, so I'm not sure why more people haven't gone up there to see 2022 Rivals250 defensive lineman and Michigan commit Alex Van Sumeren. I made it out there twice this summer to see VanSumeren at a private workout with his high school defensive line coach. And I came back to The Fort with very positive reviews. Alex spent a lot of time adding good weight on the offseason, but he also honed in on his get off and hands. That offseason work really translated to the field as VanSumeren utilized what he learned during those summer drills and applied it to the field. VanSumeren is no longer just a bull rushing three-tech. He has an arsenal of moves at has disposal. It was really cool to see the fruits of Alex's labor and kind of rewarding for me since I've been banging the VanSumeren drum for the last few months.
2. Mean vs. Dirty
There is a difference between a mean player and a dirty player. And I for one have no problem with players walking the line. As long as it's not blatant and malicious, I'm cool with it. The thread a poster started about Alex being a dirty player was unwarranted. He is mean, and he plays angry, but I did not see him do anything dirty during my time out in Bay City. Yes, he rag dolled the opposing quarterback even though he didn't have the ball, but it was a read option. I didn't see anything wrong with it. Yes, he smacked offensive linemen that were in his way, and yes he said some not so nice things during the course of the game. But who cares? None of it was dirty. Give me a mean defensive lineman that lives for contact every day of the week.
3. Seeing Games
I spent some time talking to Alex's father, Jeff VanSumeren, during halftime, and he told me that families will now receive four tickets to Michigan games this season. Obviously, Alex's older brother, Ben, is on the team, so that means Alex will get to check out as many Michigan games as he wants this fall. The VanSumeren family won't be at Minnesota this weekend, but they play on seeing as many home and away games as possible. And that's a plus for his recruitment. Alex won't get to experience the usual Big House atmosphere (yes, he has in the past), but a no fan game is better than no game at all, especially with Alabama, Penn State and Stanford all recruiting him hard. I think Alex is locked in, but he does plan on making other visits. A strong season could go a long way in keeping him in the fold.
4. The City
I was planning on driving to Bay City and back on Friday, but I adjusted my plans when I found out the PSL championship was scheduled for Saturday at noon. I've seen Rivals250 Michigan offensive line commit Raheem Anderson and top 2023 quarterback target Dante Moore a ton, but I really didn't want to miss Cass Tech vs. King Pt. 2. The first one was an instant classic, and another in-game evaluation never hurts. I cut my teeth covering high school football in South Dallas, and I'm not from a so great area myself, so I kind of feel at home covering PSL games. The bands, the in-game tomfoolery, the tailgating and the rowdy fans all make it so enjoyable. Though the game didn't live up to the hype, I am glad I stayed the extra day. I love inner city ball.
5. Raheem vs. Crippen
We've had this discussion before, but it's very topical. After all, I saw Anderson and fellow Michigan offensive line commit Greg Crippen in consecutive weeks for the second time this fall. Again, I feel like Anderson is the better prospect. My opinion definitely remains the same on this. While Crippen is a technician and has great hand placement, Anderson is just as good in those areas (he really improved there from last year and cut some bad weight) and is stronger and more physical. Yes, I can see Anderson transitioning to guard at the next level and being very successful. But for the millionth time, I just love his leadership qualities and intangibles. The respect he commands could help in bigger games. I just don't see those same qualities from Crippen, who I'm not so sure could move to guard unless he really develops in the Michigan S&C program.
6. Wilcher
There was some discussion on the board recently about Michigan pursuing Devin Gardner for a staff position. But honestly, my vote would go to Cass Tech head coach Thomas Wilcher. I don't think Michigan has an in-state recruiting problem. I think Michigan has a Detroit recruiting problem — at least from a perception standpoint. Wilcher is a former Wolverine and is well respected by those in the inner city and surrounding communities. Wilcher didn't have the best things to say about Michigan when I talked to him a couple of months ago, but his comments weren't angry. I think he wants to help. And he's a decorated coach at the high school level. The game he called against King over the weekend was masterful. He would be a great addition as an analyst, on field coach or HS relations personnel. With Wilcher in A2, the narrative would change.
7. What Is Benny Thinking?
Our Austin Fox was out in Oak Park this weekend and had a chance to catch up with Rivals100 defensive tackle and Michigan target Rayshaun Benny. Something interesting that Benny said was he knew where he was going but is now having second thoughts. I don't think Benny is lying or playing games. He's a genuine kid, and this lines up with what I've been hearing lately. Had Benny committed last month, I fully believe the pick would have been Michigan. Now, I'm less confident. Michigan State has recruited the hell out of him and is giving him a lot to think about. I still feel like Michigan is the safe pick, and I have no reason to change my FutureCast right now. But I wouldn't be shocked if U-M isn't the pick next Sunday, either. Assuming it's Michigan or we just don't know by Saturday, our Clayton Sayfie will be live at his announcement ceremony.
8. EJ 2 Arizona
I will not be there because I will just be getting back to Chicago from Phoenix. I've had this trip planned for a long time, and it doesn't make sense for us to drop cash on a rental and for me to die of exhaustion when Clayton lives close by. So don't take me not being there as any type of sign. My trip to Phoenix is non-refundable. Now, that doesn't mean I'm not excited to go out to Phoenix. I really am. I love it out there. My wife and I looked at Phoenix closely while we were looking at options to get away from Texas. Even though I hate the heat, I love the city and the landscape. It's also home to Michigan commit Quintin Somerville, who I saw last spring before I joined this beat. It's been a long time since I've gotten an in-person eval in, so I'm pumped about that. Saguaro plays Hamilton, which means I'll get another look at 2022 quarterback target Nicco Marchiol, who I saw last fall during my Denver run (he moved this offseason). Michigan is back in that race, so it's going to be a big weekend.
9. Detroit Pizza
My Twitter mentions were filled withy angry comments last night after I said Buddy's pizza was meh. Let me clear something up. I think Buddy's is good, but it's not great especially, when compared to Prince St. pizza in NYC, which has the best Detroit-style pizza I've ever had. I really do like Detroit-style, but I've never actually had Detroit-style pizza that's blown me away in the city of Detroit. That's not a knock on Detroit. Maybe I just haven't been to the right places. While Chicago deep dish is my favorite kind of pizza from an overall standpoint, Prince St. remains the top dog in my pizza power rankings. So where can I find a top level Detroit-style pizza in Detroit?
10. 5 Sports Movies
Other than criticizing Balas for picking Rudy in the 5 Best Sports Movies thread, I didn't give my picks, so I thought I'd share here. Honestly, I'm not a big sports movie guy. I'm not even a big sports guy. Other than football, I don't watch sports. I like basketball but haven't followed it in a while. Baseball is boring (I do love recruits who play it). Hockey is lame. I only watch World Cup & Euros when it comes to soccer. And MMA doesn't do it for me. On the movies front, my favorites are ones you probably never heard of. My wife and I love indie films and have our own little at-home festival every year. I'll tale a good horror/sc-fi flick over sports movies or sports in general, tbh. Anyway, here are my five.
5. The Replacements — Keanu Reeves is corny, but it's a decent time.
4. Waterboy — Apparently I kind of look like Adam Sandler. And this is one of his best performances.
3. Friday Night Lights — It gets Texas bonus points.
2. The Little Giants — I haven't seen it in like 20 years but kid EJ loved it.
1. The Sandlot — Baseball sucks. The Sandlot doesn't.
Bay City actually isn't that far away from Detroit, so I'm not sure why more people haven't gone up there to see 2022 Rivals250 defensive lineman and Michigan commit Alex Van Sumeren. I made it out there twice this summer to see VanSumeren at a private workout with his high school defensive line coach. And I came back to The Fort with very positive reviews. Alex spent a lot of time adding good weight on the offseason, but he also honed in on his get off and hands. That offseason work really translated to the field as VanSumeren utilized what he learned during those summer drills and applied it to the field. VanSumeren is no longer just a bull rushing three-tech. He has an arsenal of moves at has disposal. It was really cool to see the fruits of Alex's labor and kind of rewarding for me since I've been banging the VanSumeren drum for the last few months.
2. Mean vs. Dirty
There is a difference between a mean player and a dirty player. And I for one have no problem with players walking the line. As long as it's not blatant and malicious, I'm cool with it. The thread a poster started about Alex being a dirty player was unwarranted. He is mean, and he plays angry, but I did not see him do anything dirty during my time out in Bay City. Yes, he rag dolled the opposing quarterback even though he didn't have the ball, but it was a read option. I didn't see anything wrong with it. Yes, he smacked offensive linemen that were in his way, and yes he said some not so nice things during the course of the game. But who cares? None of it was dirty. Give me a mean defensive lineman that lives for contact every day of the week.
3. Seeing Games
I spent some time talking to Alex's father, Jeff VanSumeren, during halftime, and he told me that families will now receive four tickets to Michigan games this season. Obviously, Alex's older brother, Ben, is on the team, so that means Alex will get to check out as many Michigan games as he wants this fall. The VanSumeren family won't be at Minnesota this weekend, but they play on seeing as many home and away games as possible. And that's a plus for his recruitment. Alex won't get to experience the usual Big House atmosphere (yes, he has in the past), but a no fan game is better than no game at all, especially with Alabama, Penn State and Stanford all recruiting him hard. I think Alex is locked in, but he does plan on making other visits. A strong season could go a long way in keeping him in the fold.
4. The City
I was planning on driving to Bay City and back on Friday, but I adjusted my plans when I found out the PSL championship was scheduled for Saturday at noon. I've seen Rivals250 Michigan offensive line commit Raheem Anderson and top 2023 quarterback target Dante Moore a ton, but I really didn't want to miss Cass Tech vs. King Pt. 2. The first one was an instant classic, and another in-game evaluation never hurts. I cut my teeth covering high school football in South Dallas, and I'm not from a so great area myself, so I kind of feel at home covering PSL games. The bands, the in-game tomfoolery, the tailgating and the rowdy fans all make it so enjoyable. Though the game didn't live up to the hype, I am glad I stayed the extra day. I love inner city ball.
5. Raheem vs. Crippen
We've had this discussion before, but it's very topical. After all, I saw Anderson and fellow Michigan offensive line commit Greg Crippen in consecutive weeks for the second time this fall. Again, I feel like Anderson is the better prospect. My opinion definitely remains the same on this. While Crippen is a technician and has great hand placement, Anderson is just as good in those areas (he really improved there from last year and cut some bad weight) and is stronger and more physical. Yes, I can see Anderson transitioning to guard at the next level and being very successful. But for the millionth time, I just love his leadership qualities and intangibles. The respect he commands could help in bigger games. I just don't see those same qualities from Crippen, who I'm not so sure could move to guard unless he really develops in the Michigan S&C program.
6. Wilcher
There was some discussion on the board recently about Michigan pursuing Devin Gardner for a staff position. But honestly, my vote would go to Cass Tech head coach Thomas Wilcher. I don't think Michigan has an in-state recruiting problem. I think Michigan has a Detroit recruiting problem — at least from a perception standpoint. Wilcher is a former Wolverine and is well respected by those in the inner city and surrounding communities. Wilcher didn't have the best things to say about Michigan when I talked to him a couple of months ago, but his comments weren't angry. I think he wants to help. And he's a decorated coach at the high school level. The game he called against King over the weekend was masterful. He would be a great addition as an analyst, on field coach or HS relations personnel. With Wilcher in A2, the narrative would change.
7. What Is Benny Thinking?
Our Austin Fox was out in Oak Park this weekend and had a chance to catch up with Rivals100 defensive tackle and Michigan target Rayshaun Benny. Something interesting that Benny said was he knew where he was going but is now having second thoughts. I don't think Benny is lying or playing games. He's a genuine kid, and this lines up with what I've been hearing lately. Had Benny committed last month, I fully believe the pick would have been Michigan. Now, I'm less confident. Michigan State has recruited the hell out of him and is giving him a lot to think about. I still feel like Michigan is the safe pick, and I have no reason to change my FutureCast right now. But I wouldn't be shocked if U-M isn't the pick next Sunday, either. Assuming it's Michigan or we just don't know by Saturday, our Clayton Sayfie will be live at his announcement ceremony.
8. EJ 2 Arizona
I will not be there because I will just be getting back to Chicago from Phoenix. I've had this trip planned for a long time, and it doesn't make sense for us to drop cash on a rental and for me to die of exhaustion when Clayton lives close by. So don't take me not being there as any type of sign. My trip to Phoenix is non-refundable. Now, that doesn't mean I'm not excited to go out to Phoenix. I really am. I love it out there. My wife and I looked at Phoenix closely while we were looking at options to get away from Texas. Even though I hate the heat, I love the city and the landscape. It's also home to Michigan commit Quintin Somerville, who I saw last spring before I joined this beat. It's been a long time since I've gotten an in-person eval in, so I'm pumped about that. Saguaro plays Hamilton, which means I'll get another look at 2022 quarterback target Nicco Marchiol, who I saw last fall during my Denver run (he moved this offseason). Michigan is back in that race, so it's going to be a big weekend.
9. Detroit Pizza
My Twitter mentions were filled withy angry comments last night after I said Buddy's pizza was meh. Let me clear something up. I think Buddy's is good, but it's not great especially, when compared to Prince St. pizza in NYC, which has the best Detroit-style pizza I've ever had. I really do like Detroit-style, but I've never actually had Detroit-style pizza that's blown me away in the city of Detroit. That's not a knock on Detroit. Maybe I just haven't been to the right places. While Chicago deep dish is my favorite kind of pizza from an overall standpoint, Prince St. remains the top dog in my pizza power rankings. So where can I find a top level Detroit-style pizza in Detroit?
10. 5 Sports Movies
Other than criticizing Balas for picking Rudy in the 5 Best Sports Movies thread, I didn't give my picks, so I thought I'd share here. Honestly, I'm not a big sports movie guy. I'm not even a big sports guy. Other than football, I don't watch sports. I like basketball but haven't followed it in a while. Baseball is boring (I do love recruits who play it). Hockey is lame. I only watch World Cup & Euros when it comes to soccer. And MMA doesn't do it for me. On the movies front, my favorites are ones you probably never heard of. My wife and I love indie films and have our own little at-home festival every year. I'll tale a good horror/sc-fi flick over sports movies or sports in general, tbh. Anyway, here are my five.
5. The Replacements — Keanu Reeves is corny, but it's a decent time.
4. Waterboy — Apparently I kind of look like Adam Sandler. And this is one of his best performances.
3. Friday Night Lights — It gets Texas bonus points.
2. The Little Giants — I haven't seen it in like 20 years but kid EJ loved it.
1. The Sandlot — Baseball sucks. The Sandlot doesn't.
