Rose Aims To Smooth Things Over With Hill

Jalen Rose said he wants to give Grant Hill a hug, talk things over and continue a good relationship with the former Duke star. Rose also said the media and the public sensationalized him calling Hill "an Uncle Tom" during the ESPN Fab Five documentary he produced.

In the detnews.com article, Rose said that people made too much of the controversial comment.


"Please stress I was discussing what I said or thought as a high school recruit," Rose said. "People say that I am a racist. Well the last time I checked I am black and he (Hill) was black. If anything, it was a social economic issue. I was an urban youth and I said I was jealous of that. I was motivated by that.


"Now at the point I am in life, I want that for my family. The way his family raised him is the way I am trying to raise my kids. So for people to fast forward saying that what I believed as a kid is the same I believe as an adult is ignorant."


This may sound biased, but you can't say this is how a man feels twenty years down the road. True, Rose had some disparaging things to say back then. Key words "back then". Stop jumping down this man's throat for something he felt as a youth. I'm sure there are many of us in white and black America who may have thought ill of someone you thought was "trying to be black" or "acting white". It still goes on today.

What he said wasn't right but at least he had the guts to say it where others keep their feelings in the closet.


Would Duke have gone after Rose, a top-10 player, if he had the perfect background? Yes. Would Hill have been on Duke's list if he came from Rose's background? No, and therein lies Rose's point. Class and race play a factor in whom Duke chooses to recruit.

Former Pro Bowl Receiver Drew Hill Hospitalized

Former Pro Bowl receiver Drew Hill has been hospitalized in Atlanta and is in very serious condition battling a brain related condition.

Hill played 14 years in the NFL, most notably for the Los Angeles Rams and Houston Oilers. He enjoyed his best years in Houston.

In a story from cbssports.com , said that Hill was on the golf course when he took ill, and was transmitted to Piedmont Hospital. After Hill was diagnosed with high blood pressure, he departed the hospital, but then was subsequently re-admitted when he experienced headaches. Sources close to the Hill family said that Hill was being treated for a stroke or aneurism. Hospital officials won't discuss his condition.

Michigan Thumps Tennessee; Harris Says His Team Quit

The Tennessee Volunteers entered the NCAA tournament with a cloud of uncertainty hanging over their program. The Michigan Wolverines entered the tournament with confidence, feeling they could play with anyone. On the court in today's meeting between the two teams Tennessee played listless and didn't do coach Bruce Pearl any favors and Michigan continued to play with the confidence they exhibited throughout the second half of the year.

Pearl who pretty much has one foot out the door for lying to NCAA investigators, wasn't given a vote of confidence by athletic director Mike Hamilton before the tournament. Hamilton stated in a radio interview that the "jury was still out" regarding Pearl's status. Not exactly the right thing to say before the tournament. If he tried to turn this into a Bo Schembechler moment, he failed miserably. You would think the players would come together and have a win one for the gipper moment. The Volunteers simply couldn't muster up that effort. It led to freshman forward Tobias Harris questioning his teammates' heart and saying they quit. Based on their performance he may not be too far off.

"We just didn't play with heart out there," Harris said. "Michigan came out and made shots and we just did a terrible job of trying to cover them. On the offensive end, we rushed too many shots. Basically, just quit."


Anyone who thinks Tennessee should get rid of Pearl, think about what the program was before he got to Knoxville. So be careful what you wish for.

As for Michigan, a date with long time nemesis Duke awaits. I don't expect them to win, but I do expect them to play with the confidence, grit, and heart they've played with all year. The Wolverines have shown they can play with the nation's elite. They were close losses, but with a few more breaks they could've won those games. I know horseshoes and hand grenades. I believe Michigan can make this game competitive and possibly throw a scare into the Blue Devils. If they play like they did today against Tennessee they could possibly pull what could be the tournament's biggest upset.

Stu Douglass is looking forward to the next round.

"It was a great rivalry, great history," Douglass said, "and it's a new day."

Dallas Clark Doing Some Acting On The Side

With the NFL lockout now a reality, Indianapolis Colts tight end Dallas Clark has a side hustle. He's acting. Clark will be playing a detective on the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds. The report at indystar.com says the episode will be airing on April 13.

Clark says acting has always been a dream of his and it's not money motivated.

"This has nothing to do with money," he said during a phone interview Wednesday. "This is fulfilling a dream of mine of being an actor."

Clark took some acting classes in college and met one of the show's writers there. The writer thought to put Clark in one of the episodes. Clark will have two lines in the show. He's hoping to do more after this appearance.

"I've got two lines to impress somebody. That's my goal. I've got to impress someone," Clark said. "Maybe I could do an Allstate commercial, you know, like you're in good hands."

That would be a good career choice after his playing days are over. With football you never know when that will be. 

Griffin Calls Capel Firing "Unfair"

It came as a surprise to many that Oklahoma decided to fire head basketball coach Jeff Capel. I wasn't floored but it caught me off guard. Considering the Sooners had to bounce back frm a difficult two years, I thought Capel should've been given more time to get things back on track in Norman.

Blake Griffin was bothered by the firing and labeled it as "unfair" and said OU was "piling it on". (  http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=6221727)

"What bothers me the most is that everyone is saying he did all of this when Blake Griffin was there," Griffin said. "Well to me, you say he deserves no credit when a certain player is there and then, when things go bad, throw all the blame on him. To me, they're piling it on. He took over the program after Kelvin Sampson and all of those sanctions and he put his faith in everyone. This is what he gets? Within two years we're in the tournament and now two years later he's fired? It's completely unfair."

"As soon as he got the job he started recruiting me and we were in it together," Griffin said. "When I committed to Oklahoma, it wasn't a popular thing to do at the time but I went because of Coach Capel. We all take pride in what we did there and what we built and for them to turn their backs on him so quickly, it really disappoints me."

After Griffin left, Capel quickly reloaded with freshman Tommy Mason-Griffin and big man Keith "Tiny" Gallon along with highly regarded returnee Willie Warren. That squad fell flat and Capel never could find the right combinations. There was some off court trouble and Gallon, Warren, and Mason Griffin left town. The NCAA came around again regarding a loan given to Gallon.

"I understand you have to win and I understand the coaching carousel," Griffin said. "And I know about the NCAA but he has said he knew nothing about it and I believe him. Besides, look around at some other coaches and what has happened. They're still coaching. In comparison to Oklahoma, you can't even compare it."


Regardless of what happened, Griffin still has love for the college he went to. He just thinks it wasn't right that the coach he played for was fired.

"I just want people to know the respect I have for Coach Capel and to let people know that I feel like they're giving him a really unfair boot," Griffin said. "I don't claim to know everything when it comes to basketball, but I do know a great coach. He's a great coach and I think Oklahoma has made a mistake."


Capel was once an up and comer in the coaching ranks. Maybe he'll get another shot elsewhere since there are some recent openings.
   









  

How Vikings Punter Chris Kluwe Spends Part Of His Free Time

For some reason it seems like there have been a lot of stories involvng Minnesota Vikings players this offseason, both good and bad. There was Bryant McKinnie blowing $100,000 at a party, conerback Chris Cook brandishing guns in Virginia, the Williams wall and their legal fight and Adrian Peterson's slavery rant.

Punter Chris Kluwe spends his time as a bass guitaristin a rock band called tripping icarus. I'm not hip to rock music so I wouldn't know if this was good or bad. At least he's doing something that doesn't make the police blotter or out blowing money during a time when he should be saving.

Here's a sample of him playing with the band.

 

Quote Of The Week: Don King

After seeing this I had to give this week's award to Don King.

"I have a PhD in Caucasianism."

He also says he graduated from the university of the ghetto the school of hardknocks and broken dreams and describes his political affiliation as "republicrat."