Monday Grab Bag: A Rose with a broken stem

Ah, what a busy weekend!  I got some sun, ran a bunch of errands, and saw My Bulls lose any shot at a title... all within a few hours.  How fantastic!

Today in the bag I'll be talking up the Buffs headed to the NFL, mourning the loss of the Bulls playoff hopes, and taking a quick swing around the world of baseball.

Click below for the bag...

Quick Post: '12 NFL Draft Preview

If ESPN's media juggernaut hasn't hammered it into your brain yet, let me remind you that the 1st round of the NFL draft is tonight.  Spaced over three days, the draft now dominates the late spring sports calendar, allowing the NFL to spread its money-printing tentacles well past the completed season's expiration date. 

It's fascinating to me how the draft has grown from a televised mass teleconference, to an entity unto itself.  Just think, there are people out there who care more about what goes on tonight (names being read over sparkly highlight packages) than the very entertaining NHL playoffs (Caps over Bruins!).  Champions are being ousted, and people will drop everything to watch a glorified press conference.  *sigh*

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Unlike last year, I don't even have the prospect of multiple Buffs being selected to hold my attention.  In fact, there is a slight chance the draft will pass by without selecting a single Buffalo.  Of all the 28 seniors, the largest graduating class in program history, only big Ryan Miller is considered a solid draft possibility.  I guess if only one Buff is going to be drafted, it might as well be him.  Ryan Miller is a Buff's Buff.  Through some of the darkest days in program history, the big man gave his all for the Black and Gold. 

Some team (maybe the Broncos?) will get a solid guard with their late-round pick of Miller.

The Colorado native definitely has NFL size and talent, but his stock is held back by the position he plays.  Offensive guards are considered an interchangeable group, with very few early round picks typically spent on OG's.  The simple truth is that if Ryan was a LT, he'd probably be selected on the first two days.  As it is, Buff Nation will have to spend a fitful Saturday afternoon, hoping to see his name scroll across the screen.

Other high profile members of the '11 senior class, like Speedy Stewart and Tyler Hansen, will probably end up as un-drafted free agents.  Still with a shot at an NFL roster, but outside of the draft's spotlight. 

For his sake, Coach Embree believes upwards of seven or eight Buffs will end up in NFL training camps this fall.  I hope he's right, because I thought there was more talent on the team than the resulting 3-10 record would have you believe. Many of those kids deserve a solid look from pro scouts.

Monday Grab Bag: A perfect weekend

Apologies to Buff Nation, but today's grab bag will start off with the 21st perfect game in baseball history.  I will, however, also be talking about how CU gets its funding.

Click below for the bag...

(UPDATED) Quick-Post: Mike Bohn's media roundtable

 BREAKING NEWS ALERT!!!!!

You keep ringing that bell, Texas Tech dude, and let the whole world know that there's breaking CU news.

You like-a da awesome?  I get you more awesome...

Mike Bohn gathered up the CU media at Blake Street Tavern this afternoon to direct download teh awesome about the future of the athletic department.  Throughout the media roundtable he hit upon juicy topics like: the eagerly anticipated Folsom expansion, other facility upgrades, further sport expansion, and future travel plans for the C-Unit.

Since I was not invited (with good reason... too much drool), allow me to link to the pertinent tweets from the assembled media horde.  (Big shout-out to BuffStampede.com's Sean Niehoff, who was the most effusive with his tweeting this afternoon.  BuffScoop.com's Will Whelan also deserves direct mention.)

Folsom Expansion: First and foremost, Folsom will be seeing a "transformational" facilities upgrade in the near future.  Rumors and speculation surrounding possible Folsom upgrades had been rampant since photos of an expanded Folsom model leaked on National Signing Day.  Furthered by the fact that big-time CU athletics booster George Solich was soon to come into a few extra billion in cash, many in Buff Nation believed related upgrade announcements were just over the horizon.  It seems that we'll only have to wait until September to see these dreams become a reality.

Boom.

The important news is that this is the first public acknowledgement of the upgrade possibilities from the athletic department.  Considering that, I have no problem with waiting a few more months for all the details to be hashed out.  What's more, an announcement in September could be unleashed in such a way that it overshadows the Rocky Mountain Showdown, making the CSU upgrade saga seem childish by comparison.  The University of Colorado: where serious people make serious shit happen.

(UPDATE) In the follow-up BDC article, Bohn is quoted as saying, “It's not a dream, it's not a vision, it's a project we're working hard on. It's our No. 1 priority.”  Further clarification on the facility: "[...] the project will include a permanent indoor practice facility that would be used primarily by the football team, but would also benefit many of the other 16 athletics programs in the department."


Further facility upgrades: The sorely needed video board upgrades will be installed after the Bolder Boulder.  Additional major facility upgrades could include the CEC, where expansion of team specific facilities are being eyed.  This, along with the addition of a basketball specific strength and conditioning coach, proves we're serious about maintaining the gains made in hoops.  Finally, the practice bubble will be getting some new turf put in around July.


Sport expansion redux:  Let me tell you, this will never go away.  Sooner or later, the athletic department is either going to cave, or throw a fit. *cough*I-want-a-baseball-team*cough*  For his part, Bohn hoped to assuage the conversation by hinting that it's off the table without further donations.

So you're saying there's a chance...  Not for nothing, but PowerBall is up above $100 million this week; should I win that, we'll have a baseball program by Sunday morning.


The C-Unit will be let loose on the Strip: The final piece of awesome is the announcement that the C-Unit study abroad series, which featured stops in Los Angeles and Albuquerque last month, will continue in 2012-13.  That means the University will be sending kids on a trip to Vegas!

Now before the Helen Lovejoy's of the world start screaming about the children, I imagine the trip will be as heavily structured as this past year's were, and that the students won't be allowed anywhere near a gambling floor.  Still, the prospect of an all expenses paid trip to the City of Sin should have plenty of students showing up for every game this year.


Go Buffs!

Quick Post: Smotrycz to Maryland

Evan Smotrycz has announced his decision to transfer to Maryland.  If you haven't been following along, the 6'9" swing forward from the University of Michigan, a former 4-star recruit out of New Hampshire, had CU listed in his final three schools.  He would've been a nice addition to the Buffs frontcourt, especially considering that his first year of eligibility ('13-'14) will probably be the first year post-'Dre.

Good luck to you, Evan.

Still, with the impending non-transfers of Shannon Sharpe and Ben Mills, I'm not sure a scholarship was available for him had he favored CU.  Additionally, this leaves the coaching staff with at least one probable scholarship to spend in the talent rich 2013 recruiting year.

As an aside, by picking Maryland, Smotrycz chose Terp coach Mark Turgeon over our own Coach Boyle.  All together Turgeon has now bested Coach Boyle (a former assistant) in two games and a recruiting battle.  The Master one-ups the pupil once again.

Monday Grab Bag: The Spring Game Has Sprung

Spring football is finally behind us.  Before I swear off football discussion for three months, I'll dive into the subject one last time.  Today in the bag, I'll wrap-up the Spring Game, discuss the not-yet-started QB battle, talk recruiting news, and briefly mention some notes from the world of baseball.

Click below for the bag...

Friday Beer Post: 2012 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - Spring Game Edition

Each week throughout the football season I'm going to suggest a good beer for the ubiquitous pre-game tailgate. Let's be honest, with tailgates it's not always top quality that you're looking for. To steal a phrase from the heinous beer terrorists at Budweiser, you want "drinkability." (or what a real beer connoisseur calls "a session beer") So, be warned, these may not be "the best" beers around. But,     in the words of Dave Chappelle as Samuel L. Jackson "IT'LL GET YOU DRUNK!"


The Beer Post is back!  And just in the nick of time, too, because I'm going to need something to get me through the glorified scrimmage kicking off tomorrow night.

If I haven't made myself clear by now, I can't stand the practice of holding a Spring Game.  Unlike baseball or basketball, where exhibitions can be mildly entertaining, and exhibition of football is mindless fodder for those easily suckered (some schools actually charge for the privilege of attending theirs).  Football is a sport that can only achieve watchability when everyone on the field is giving their all, and that's just not possible in an exhibition setting.  Dress it in gameday garb all you want, the whole thing is a waste of time for us, the spectators.

But a tailgate?  Well, that's always in season, and, barring some inclement weather Saturday afternoon, it's on like Donkey Kong.

For the Spring Tailgate this year, I'm planning on bringing a beer that I was only recently introduced to.  A variant on the ubiquitous American Pale Lager, this brew is one of the first craft offerings to be mass produced in conveniently drinkable 16oz tallboy cans.  I'm naming New Belgium's Shift Pale Lager as my tailgate beer-o-the-week.

It may look like every other American-style lager you've seen pitched to you in billion dollar ad campaigns, but the kind folks at New Belgium have added something I like to call "flavor" to what can be a very bland style.  It starts with a nice kick of hops before leveling off to a very light malt flavor.  Light yellow and clear, with about 5% alcohol, this beer is the very definition of a "session-beer."

So, when dusting off the tailgating equipment tomorrow morning, give a thought to grabbing a 4-pack of Shift tallboys. They'll help with wash down the bad football aftertaste that's sure to come with the Spring Game.

Happy Friday!  Go Buffs!  Beat Ourselves!