Yahoo! Sports has launched a new video series called “Elite Athlete Workouts,” including a series of segments that provide an up-close look at Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay’s rehab work on his surgically repaired shoulder:
See the rest of the videos here.
Five angles to consider as the Memphis Tigers (and Mississippi State Bulldogs) open the college football season Thursday night.
• Catch 22 — If there’s a single uniform number to watch Thursday night (and beyond), it would be that of sophomore tailback Jerrell Rhodes. A football team minus a running game is like a car minus its radials. Last season, Memphis rushed for a total of 1,099 yards (91.6 per game), the second-lowest total in the program’s history. There were countless second-and-longs for the Tigers a year ago. Worse, the Tigers scored exactly five rushing touchdowns in 12 games.
Rhodes will be the guy this season. He carried the ball 116 times as a freshman for 469 yards (second on the team to the departed Greg Ray). His carries should at least double this fall, even with the presence of freshmen Carl Harris and Artaves Gibson (Mitchell High School). Rhodes nursed some minor injuries through training camp, but there was a telling image late in practice two weeks ago. As the rest of the running backs worked through drills a few yards away, Rhodes performed a shuffle and ball-catching exercise with a personal instructor: head coach Larry Porter.
• He’s got the look — Say this about Andy Summerlin: He looks like a quarterback. The 23-year-old sophomore stands 6’5” and weighs 220 pounds. (Peyton Manning is 6’5”, 230.) Working through drills alongside Skylar Jones (6’1”, 190) and Taylor Reed (6’3”, 215), Summerlin looks like a lead dog. Whether or not he earns the responsibility of the offense’s most important position will come down to how many mistakes he makes. Since taking over the program, Porter has emphasized his quarterback will be the player who is (1) consistent and (2) mistake-free. The job, in Porter’s eyes, is getting the ball into the hands of playmakers . . . and keeping it out of the hands of the defense. About as basic a job description as any signal-caller could ask. It will be compelling to see how quick Porter’s hook will be should Summerlin falter. Reed appears game-ready himself.
• Size matters . . . — Rhodes and his ball-carrying buddies will go nowhere without a few gaping holes opened by the Tiger offensive line. Three starters must be replaced from the 2010 unit (and if you look at those rushing numbers, this isn’t a bad thing). A pair of gargantuan newcomers — Jordan Devey (6-7, 315) and Nick Chartain (6-5, 320) — may start as early as the opener Thursday night. Senior Ron Leary (6-3, 325) returns and should man the critical left-tackle position. The Antonescu brothers (A.J. and Michael) will also play significant roles in the trenches.
• . . . and so does speed — You can see size in practice. Matter of fact, you can see Jordan Devey’s size in a meeting room. But speed? You can’t tell if a team has speed until it lines up against an opponent and the ball is snapped. The 2010 Tigers were woefully short in the speed department. Linebackers were outrun by ball carriers. Defensive backs were outrun by receivers. And on the offensive side of the ball, there was little separation between Tiger ball carriers and opposing tacklers. It’s an ugly shortcoming to recognize, but doesn’t take long. Memphis must close this gap (literally) to win more games this season.
• Larry Porter 2.0 — Is this the warm-and-fuzzy Coach Porter Memphis has been waiting for? Hosting radio programs, lunch meetings with local businesses, whistling on his way to work. You’d almost call his disposition sunny. After enduring a 1-11 season as a first-year coach, what gives?
Here’s a theory on why Porter was so reserved this time last year, why he ruffled some media feathers by shutting off freshmen and assistant coaches: he knew what was coming. Tiger fans have to hope that the program bottomed out in 2010. A single win and very few games competitive by halftime. It was a team with no strengths (possible exception: an emerging kicking game). Had Porter, as a first-year coach, chosen to pontificate about the hopes, dreams, and possibilities of his squad, he would have looked foolish by October. The guess here is that he knew that. So we (in the media) got the reserved treatment.
Now, by opening up and embracing the public-relations side of his job, is Porter forecasting a successful 2011? When you consider a record of 2-10 would be, by relative measure, a successful campaign, I think he is. There will be more Porter recruits on the field this fall. His staff has a sense of how game week will unfold. Any decent coach will learn from mistakes . . . but he has to make them (as the head man) first. This is a new variable for a second-year coach. Larry Porter may never be warm and fuzzy, but the version we see this season will be closer to the one around which the U of M football program must be built.
The results from Sunday night’s 2011 Ostrander awards
Performers sold the hell out of a song in spite of a bad sound system, Sam Weakly turned the tears loose in his heartfelt tribute to Ron Gephart, Mark Chambers had no less than three costume changes. The 2011 Ostranders are history, and the 2011-12 season is fully underway. I’ll post more comments and video clips from the big night later in the week. Meanwhile, here’s who won.
At the Ask Vance Blog: remembering Ray Gammon’s Restaurant, unearthing an urban renewal project, info on ordering Ask Vance — Book Two, and more.
Dear Jack,
My oldest just started fourth grade. He’s always been such a good student and seemed to enjoy learning, but something has gone terribly wrong. All of a sudden, he’s always talking about how bored he is and how much everything sucks. He plays, he has fun with his friends, but if you ask him what he did today, he snarls “Nothing!” and stalks away.
He used to be proud of his good grades. His grades so far have been mediocre at best. When I ask him what’s wrong, he says he doesn’t know what’s the point of taking all these tests, they’re stupid, and he doesn’t care if he fails. He wants to know why I make him go to school at all. He wants me to homeschool him, but I can’t.
I’ve talked to his teacher and she says she’s not seeing anything out of the ordinary. But I’m his mother and I know something’s wrong.
Worried Sick Mom
Dear Mom,
Fourth grade was the worst. We started out with a great teacher, but she was very pregnant and left in the first month. The nun who replaced her walked in the door with her hair pulled back in a celise, an crucifix made of staples and nails clutched in her claw. She wore a metal ruler in a scabbard on her right hip, which she drew like a Roman centurion. Sister Anne pretty much ruined me as a student. I still made decent grades in order to avoid the weekly edification, but I definitely flew on autopilot until the day I climbed the razor wire and fled that coop.
Anything could be going on here. He could the victim of bullying. His tough-guy shtick might be a cover for his fear. Question him about it. Let him know it’s okay, it’s not his fault. If he won’t talk to you, get him to talk to someone. Ask his teacher. If you suspect it’s happening, tell him you want to help make it stop in a way that won’t look like his mom is protecting him. To a fourth-grade boy, running to Mommy is almost worse than the bullying.
He might have fallen in with a bunch of fourth-grade hipsters. Let him invite his friends over, so you can see who he’s hanging out with. If they are too cool for school, point out how negative they are, and how their negativity is only going to make his life more miserable than it already is. Watch out for gangs. Yeah, even in fourth grade.
He might honestly be bored stiff. Every parent thinks their kid is brilliant, but let’s be honest, being bored in school is not necessarily a symptom of hidden genius. Either way, you need to find ways to fill up his day. Get him involved in things – sports, arts, music, dance, or my personal favorite, the martial arts.
Getting him involved will help with the other possible issues, as well. Activities create well-rounded, confident and assured children who are less likely to be bullied. Activities surround kids without other positive, goal-oriented kids, among whom he will hopefully make friends. Sure, filling up his day with soccer, taekwondo, and filmmaking classes also fills up your day, but that’s too bad. You only get one shot at this, because he won’t be nine forever.
However, I suspect is your issue here is that he’s a typical fourth-grader. When you’re in fourth grade, everything does suck. You’re nine years old, going on 14, you already know everything you’re ever going to need to know, and you’re smarter than just about everybody you meet. Patience and understanding are in order, but no coddling. Precocious fourth graders turn into unmanageable teenagers faster than you can say eyebrow piercing. Again, the best solution is getting him involved in something.
Got a problem? Let Jack Waggon set you straight: jack.wagg@gmail.com
This guy is hosting Sunday night’s Ostrander awards. Learn more about Mark Chambers at Intermission Impossible.
Chris Herrington reviews the Mario Van Peebles film Redemption Road.
Boscos Squared’s Cellarman of the Year party Saturday, starting at 1 p.m.
