Big News! Terp's Take is now on MLive.com!

That's right, a blog that was once started because I was board op'ing one night at my old job has now become an official part of MLive.com! Most of my activity will now shift to that website, so I encourage you to check it out!

Here's the link:

http://blog.mlive.com/terpstake/

Bonds a Tiger? "Only if Gary Sheffield retires..."

Detroit Tigers radio play-by-play announcer Dan Dickerson joined me on the show yesterday, and we had a chat about the Tigers struggles, the heat Leyland and his coaches are feeling, and whether Barry Bonds is in the realm of possibility for the Tigers. Dan's always a great interview, and yesterday it was no different. Take a listen:

Keith Nichol will not return to MSU

At least that's what Spartan Mag's Paul Konyndyk thinks. Our friend Paul joined us on the show today to talk about Keith Nichol's decision to transfer from Oklahoma, and where he might end up. Since Paul has covered Keith since his freshmen year in high school, I figured he was a pretty good guy to talk to about this. Interestingly, Paul thinks that Keith will not end up at MSU, the school he originally verballed to. In his words, "it's not gonna happen".

Listen to Paul discuss where Keith might end up, why he should be wary of Michigan, and the latest on Spartan basketball and football recruits:

Michigan football recruiting update

Ok, so this was an interview from last week, but I didn't have time to post it till now...sue me. Actually, don't bother; I'm tougher to collect from than Rich Rodriguez. Bad joke, but anyways, our good friend and Grand Haven native Tom Beaver gave us a lengthy and interesting discussion about the state of Michigan football. He comments on the commitments of Kevin Newsome and Shavodrick Beaver, the implementation of the spread run/pass offense, and how running that system at Michigan could change college football and possibly the NFL (about the 6:00 mark). As always, a great interview, and if you're a MI football fan, I can't think of a better way to kill 18 minutes while you pretend to work. Enjoy:

Ekpe Udoh, and the state of Michigan Basketball

Eric Lacy from the Detroit News is always a great guest, and he and I had a lengthy talk on the show yesterday about Ekpe Udoh's transfer, how that reflects on the Michigan Basketball program, and whether John Belein will be able to pull this thing out or not. It's a great interview regardless, but if you're a fan of MI hoops, you really need to take a listen:

Terp's Take *hearts* Caleb Campbell

It's true, I like the Detroit Lions' 7th-round draft choice. He's a great story, and coming from a family that has plenty of veterans in it, I like when the Armed Forces get some nice PR (even if it was a little manufactured by ESPN).

Either way, the kid certainly doesn't deserve some of the negative press he's been getting. Wait, let me correct that, the ONLY negative press he's been getting.

Funny it would come from our show's competition, the same competition that had my show banned from Mlive because Sports Talk supposedly wasn't on the same level as this. You know what? He's right. Thank goodness I'm nowhere near that level of stupidity.

Also, even though I disagree with him on certain issues, Jim Carty writes everything you need to know about the author of that article. Read it here. I'll personally vouch for everything he has to say.

Here's my Take on the subject:

Tigers breakdown with Mario Impemba

Our good friend Mario Impemba, the man with the best goat-tee in the business, dropped by Sports Talk yesterday to chat Tigers. We talked Verlander, Sheffield, and the Cabrera/Guillen flip-flop at 1st and 3rd. Here's what Mario had to say:

Knee-jerk reactions to 2008 Detroit Lions draft class

How long does it take to fully evaluate a draft class? Two years? Three? Well, 48 hours later I can't help myself. Here's my take on each pick the Lions made over the weekend:

Round 1, Pick #17: Gosder Cherilus (RT, Boston College)

• Measurables: Good size, supposed mean streak, solid run blocker
• Expected Contribution: Starter at RT.
• My Spin: The Lions had a chance at the versatile Brandon Albert at 15, and decided to trade down for a guy I assume they had rated fairly close to Albert. With the rush on Offensive Line in the first round, probably a smart pick. All he has to do is not jump offsides and he's already a large improvement over False Start Foster.

Round 2, Pick #45: Jordon Dizon (ILB, Colorado)

• Measurables: Nice quickness, brings the wood, racked up eigth most tackles in NCAA history in his college career.
• Expected Contribution: Starter at MLB as soon as he learns the Tampa Two.
• My Spin: The kid is a tackling machine, but it's not as easy to bring down NFL players as it is some shmuck from Baylor. Plus, the real key to playing linebacker in The League is shedding blocks, and the kid is pretty small. He's a Marinelli type player, let's hope he puts on about 15 pounds and doesn't lose his speed (which is very hard to do).

Round 3, Pick #64: Kevin Smith (HB, Central Florida)

• Measurables: Rushed for over 2,500 yards last year. Powerful, explosive.
• Expected Contribution: Shares the load with Tatum Bell at Running Back.
• My Spin: Smith was a great pickup, one of the best of the second group of running backs in the draft. The Lions made a solid choice here, and Smith should be the #1 back by Week 3 of the season if not sooner.

Round 3, Pick #87: Andre Fluellen (DT, Florida State)

• Measurables: Stops the run, loves Bobby Bowden
• Expected Contribution: Add depth to D-line
• My Spin: This guy was hurt much of the year but is billed as a run-stopper. The Lions need depth after trading Shaun Rogers. Fluellen will spell Shaun Cody and Cory Redding.

Round 3, Pick #92: Cliff Avril (DE, Purdue)

• Measurables: Rushes the passer (what else do you do in practice at Purdue?).
• Expected Contribution: Rush the passer (duh).
• My Spin: Kalimba Edwards, let's hope he's not. Avril was brought in to put pressure on the Quarterback. We'll see if he actually can do it.

Round 5, Pick #136: Kenneth Moore (WR, Wake Forest)

• Measurables: Great special teams player, valuable in the return game
• Expected Contribution: Return specialist, #5 receiver
• My Spin: Tom Kowalski (Lions Beat Writer) told me Detroit would draft a receiver to help in the return game, so Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you...Kenneth Moore! All he will have to do is beat out incumbent Avieon Cason. Good luck Ken!

Round 5, Pick #146: Jerome Felton (FB, Furman)

• Measurables: Scored a bunch in college, big, bruising back
• Expected Contribution: Goal-line touchdown specialist
• My Spin: He's T.J. Duckett-Lite. Or perhaps Duckett-Lite-Ice. Either way, he'll get the rock inside of 4 yards.

Round 7, Pick #216: Landon Cohen (DT, Ohio)

• Measurables: Another body on defensive side of ball
• Expected Contribution: Enjoying three-week stay in training camp.
• My Spin: He was brought in for depth, is a long shot to stick. With some good performances in practice and preseason games he could make the practice squad.

Round 7, Pick #218: Caleb Campbell (S/LB, Army)

• Measurables: High character, work ethic, ability to disarm a bomb.
• Expected Contribution: Special teams, listening to Marinelli tell old war stories.
• My Spin: I love the kid, I think he'll be a hard worker. If he can put on a little more weight, he could be an effective special teamer. Don't ever discount a serviceman, because you know he's going to put in twice as much effort as 90% of the team despite his meager salary. He's the kind of guy the coaches want around.

Terp's Final Take:

• The Lions addressed their positions of need. Which is good. The players they drafted have big question marks, which is bad. I think Kevin Smith was a great pick, and so were Fluellen, Avril, and Moore. That's the kind of depth you build in the later rounds. But Cherilus and Dizon HAVE to be starters, and there's some issues with both.

• For example. With Dizon (6'0, 229), Paris Lennon (6'2, 235), and Ernie Sims (6'0, 225), the Lions now have a trio of starting linebackers who are all as big as backup quarterback Drew Stanton (6'3, 230). Doesn't exactly strike fear into opponents' hearts.

• Cherilus will struggle early, but Right Tackle is easier to learn than LT. Dizon will not be a starter until mid-way through the season because of his inability to shed blocks (Paris Lennon's problem last year), Smith will enjoy a big year because of Roy Williams and Megatron. Moore upgrades the return game a bit, while Fluellen and Avril have their moments.

Well...the draft is over. For Lions fans, it was like Super Bowl Week. Except we were actually participating.

Dropping the Bomb...

Wow, talk about a rant. I make some cheeky comments about the Cowboys trading for Pacman Jones in yesterday's Terp's Take, but Dallas Sportscaster Dale Hansen shows me up. I'm willing to admit when I'm beat. Touche Dale. Check it out:

Terp's Take! Ocho Cinco...

Every once in a while I do a Take that I particularly enjoy for whatever reason, and this is one of those times. Special Thanks to Chad Johnson for being so crazy, and the Cincinnati Bengals for suddenly deciding they're going to try to be a respectable franchise. Enjoy:

NFL Draft Breakdown with Killer!

It's every Detroit Lions fan's favorite day of the year! It's draft day! Hooray! One of the only times of the year that Lions fans can acutally sit back, enjoy themselves, and feel like they are actually doing better than some of the other teams in the league.

And Terp's Take is here to get you pumped up for Draft Day with an interview with Tom Kowalski, the Detroit Lions beat writer for Mlive.com and Booth Newspapers.

Killer is one of the best in the business, and we always have a good time, so take a listen:

And, just for kicks, Emmit Smith also has a mock draft up. Check it out, trust me!

"The Battle Ground" Spring Game Installment

In our first "Battle Ground" discussion, we talked about the battle for football recruits between Michigan and MSU. Now, in this one we hear from opposing insiders as they each give a report on the Spring Football Game for each school.

First Up is Josh Helmholdt from The Wolverine:

Next, take a listen to Spartan Mag's Paul Konyndyk talking about MSU's Spring Game:

It's Ernie!

I can't believe it took this long, but I have finally uploaded the Ernie Harwell interview that we had on the show earlier this month. As always, Ernie was a class act, a pleasure to have, and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it. Interview is broken down into two pieces, with another seperate section in which he recites his famous essay "Baseball- A Game for All America". Awesome stuff.

Ernie called the show a few minutes late because he got hung up at the gym, so that's where we begin:

Now, Ernie recites his essay "Baseball - A Game For All America"

NHL/Entertainment Look-a-likes

In honor of the Red Wings beginning their postseason play, I present to you...Guys Who Look Like Other Guys!

No need to question anyone's orientation here, just have some fun. I think the Nik Lidstrom comparison is rather hilarious.

Check it out HERE

The Tigers are...terrible?

Brandon Inge is a pretty honest guy. He made it known that he wasn't pleased this offseason with the possibility of his diminished role. He's upfront about his belief that he's an everyday Major League third baseman. And on Saturday, while surrounded by a group of media that included yours truly, he let it be known that the Tigers aren't really this bad.

Now, if only it were a little easier to believe him.

Inge pointed out on Saturday that he was here in 2003, the last time Detroit started a season this poorly. They ended up finishing that season pretty poorly too, with a club-record 119 losses. Brandon pointed out that the reason that team played so bad to start the year was because they were, well...bad.

"Those teams were just not very good teams, and we were battling just to even win a game or two here or there, and this is not a team like that," said Inge on Saturday. "We're just going through a little low stretch right now, and everything get's compounded because it's the beginning of the season, but we just got to sit back, relax, and have fun. We're all one family here...and it will get accomplished."

Comforting words for Tigers fans, and certainly an attitude that fans and players alike still believe; but the numbers so far this season are pretty disheartening:

The Tigers are last in runs scored in AL. Their pitching has the highest ERA of any AL team. Magglio Ordonez has yet to drive in a run, while Miguel Cabrera's only RBI came off a solo homer on Opening Day.

The stats aren't good, that's for sure, and the old adage about a lineup being good on paper but not translating to the field is certainly ringing in Tiger's fan's heads right now.

After that 13-2 embarrassment last night on national television, Jim Leyland said he was not going to close the doors and yell at his team, and that a players-only meeting probably wasn't necessary either. I agree. This is a veteran ball club with plenty of guys with proven track records. They know what the score is; what they have to do to get a win in the big leagues. The perplexing part is right now no one is doing what they're expected to do.

Except for Brandon Inge. Right now, the guy who was supposed to be a super-sub for this team leads them in Home Runs and RBI's. Nothing like your job getting threatened to pull some performance out of a guy who everyone, including him, knew could've done better last year.

I'm not calling for anyone to be benched yet, and I'm not saying the sky is falling either. Like every other Tiger's fan, I'm concerned about the team right now, but still hopeful for the rest of the season. But what I can say is that only six teams in MLB history have started this poorly and still made the playoffs, and the Tigers have a hole to crawl out of to be lucky number seven.

Apparently $138 million dollars doesn't buy you as much as it used to.

The Return of Terp's Take!!!

It's the moment you've been waiting for. It's when Darth Vader tells Luke he is his father. When Rudy finally gets into the game and gets a sack. When Jackie Moon wrestles the bear. IT'S THE RETURN OF TERP'S TAKE!!!

Ok, maybe I'm a little more excited than all of you, but finally I am able to get back to what I do best, and that's doing Terp's Take, the segment that formed a cult following at my old station in Grand Rapids. I've come a long way and covered a lot of ground since I started doing the Take; from killing it in football picks, to suggesting that ESPN devote Full Circle coverage to Erin Andrews...there's always something going down on Terp's Take.

I thought that since it's a special moment for everyone, I'd post the first Take to run on Sports Radio 1370. Hope you enjoy!

Justin Boren discussion plus insights into Spring Practice

I had the pleasure of having Tom Beaver (Grand Haven class of '69) from GoBlueWolverine.com join me on the show today to talk about Justin Boren leaving the University of Michigan football team, and look at what's happening in Spring Practice. Interview is split into two chucks. Take a listen:

"I' don't know where Dontrelle Willis is at in his career"

Richard Justice, writer for the Houston Chronicle, and common face on ESPN when it comes to talking about Major League Baseball, joined me this past week on the show to talk MLB, Tigers, and more. Check out some of the highlights from that interview below to see Richard's take on Detroit's chances to win the American League:

Like father, like son

Where is Mike Vernon's kid when you need him? Check out this French news report on Patrick Roy's son, Jonathan, attacking an opposing goalie during a junior hockey brawl in Canada. Real classy stuff, especially after the news segment shows Daddy Roy encouraging his son to go attack the other kid. And then lying about it to reporters afterwards:




Want to watch the full fight? Of course you do:

It's Tourney Time!!!

It's that time of year. The time where your cousin's alma mater becomes your new favorite team. The time when five dollar bills fly out of your pocket faster than Derrick Rose dribbling down the court. The time when the sight of your boss's 8 year-old daughter handing in her bracket strikes fear into your heart.

It's March Madness baby.

By now you've heard enough of the "expert's" picks and analysis. I guess I could consider myself an expert; because I have won an NCAA pool or two in my day, but no other sporting event is truly the guessing game that the Tournament is. And that's why this time of year is so much fun.

So here's my take on this year's NCAA Tournament:

UNC has the toughest road to the Final Four: For being the overall #1 team in this tournament, the Tar Heels sure got screwed over. They possibly have a very talented (and if inspired, an extremely dangerous) #8 seed Indiana in Round 2; a match up with Luke Harangody and #5 Notre Dame in the Sweet 16, and either Louisville (the best #3) or Tennessee (the best #2) in the Elite Eight. Who wants to face any of those teams? In my opinion, if Indiana is inspired to play, they're better than most of the #4 seeds in the tournament. I can't see UNC making it all the way to the Final Four, even though they play exclusively in the state of North Carolina for the entire region. I've got Tennessee coming out of the East, but if UNC should make it past all those road blocks, they'll win it all.

UCLA has the easiest road to the Final Four: Both Memphis and Kansas will face some stiff competition on their roads, but UCLA's region has a weak #2 seed in Duke, a #3 seed in Xavier that I have being upset by #6 Purdue, and a #4 (UConn) and #5 (Drake) that can't match up with the Bruins. UCLA should cruise to San Antonio.

The team that could destroy your bracket: Last year I had a couple upset specials...I proudly chose UNLV to make the Sweet 16, and also called the VCU over Duke upset. This year I think the top seeds are a little more dominant, but there still are a couple of teams out there that can screw things up. Gonzaga is one. Everyone and their mother (not my mom, but maybe yours) is picking Davidson over the Zags. It makes sense, with Gonzaga traveling to Raleigh to play a strong Davidson team that is basically a home game for them. Then the Zags would meet Georgetown in Round 2. Looks like an fairly early exit for the Tournament darlings from Spokane. But it's this line of thinking that can destroy a bracket. A Gonzaga over Georgetown would ruin the majority of the brackets out there, including mine.

The player you've heard a lot about and then get a chance to see and realize that yes, he is really good: Long title, I know, but how else do you explain it? I remember hearing all about Wally Szczerbiak back in the day when he played for Miami of OH. Then he single-handily took the Red Hawks to the Sweet 16. This year you've heard a ton about Michael Beasley. He probably could be the #1 overall pick in the NBA draft. But more than likely, you've just seen the highlights on Sportscenter, and not truly realized the effect Beasley has on the game. You'll get a chance to watch him lead an otherwise mediocre K-State team past Wisconsin into the Sweet 16.

Sweet 16 Surprises: Kansas St, Marquette, and Drake

My Final Four: Memphis, Tennessee, UCLA, and Georgetown. Not exciting, but not stupid either.

My Champ: UCLA. Only G-town can match the Bruins inside, but I think the Vols will take them down. Kevin Love provides the inside presence, Mbah a Moute is a tough cover, Russell Westbrook could be this year's Ron Lewis (of OSU last year), and the Bruins have the easiest road to San Antonio. I just like them. Though I'll never hear the end of it from my friends on the West Coast. Especially since I only see one Big 10 team in the Sweet 16. And that could be a stretch.

So get your brackets ready kids, cause all of this becomes obsolete around Noon today.

"The Battle Ground" 1st Installment

There's always been wars between Michigan and MSU...about who has the better football program (MI), basketball team (MSU), college co-eds (MSU again)...but nothing gets quite as personal in this rivalry than when the two school go head-to-head for in-state recruits.

Yesterday on the show I had a chance in interview Paul Konyndyk from SpartanMag.com, and Chris Balas from TheWolverine.com, and I thought it would be a perfect time to debut "The Battle Ground" which pits a Michigan and State Insiders against each other.

Today's Subject: MSU has apparently gotten the jump on Michigan in terms of in-state early commitments in football.

Sparty On: Paul Konyndyk from Spartan Mag tells us that this is probably the best early-recruiting start in MSU history. He also says MSU probably has one of the best running back classes in the country already. And give his take on why Michigan has gotten beaten so far in the race for the class of '09.

Listen to Paul:



Go Blue: Chris Balas from The Wolverine talks about Rich Rodriguez's adjustment to recruiting the state of MI, and how this staff is approaching the recruiting process. He talks about Michigan's Junior Day coming up this Thursday; and why he thinks MSU has had this early success on the recruiting trail.

Listen to Chris:

As always, comments are appreciated

The Dawn of a New Era...

Ok, so maybe the news that I'm starting a blog for the show is not as earth-shattering as I hoped, but I'm still excited for this new chapter in the show's (extremely) brief history.

A little about me before we get started, just so things are kosher:

-I'm 24, grew up in Grand Haven, went to school in Grand Rapids, and now somehow found my way back home to do radio; which is funny because I majored in TV, and my college didn't even have a radio program.

-I still do TV locally for FOX 17 WXMI Grand Rapids, and you can occasionally catch me on FOX Sports Detroit doing High School stuff.

-I'm a huge Michigan fan, and not just football either, which is sadly not the case with many MI "fans". People who like MI football and MSU basketball are front-running losers. I'm just putting that out there. You know it's true anyways.

-I'm also in love with every Detroit professional sports team, and yes, that includes the Lions. Don't hold it against me, everyone is allowed one thing in their life that doesn't make sense. Fortunately I share this one thing with about 80% of our state.

-This blog is a chance for me to connect with listeners, share my thoughts in a little more informal way, and give you a chance to catch up with the show! Feel free to leave comments, send emails, and make suggestions. Your interaction is always appreciated.

Now that I've cleared the air a bit...NEXT QUESTION!