Mailbag!

// February 9th, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

I was wondering what your motivation was for playing football overseas? Are you getting paid, when are you leaving?” -Jake Smyth

Its a good question. Many Layers. Like an Onion. Layers.

My motivation for playing overseas was this: I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the game just yet. Getting hurt in my final season at UConn and not being able to start my last game at the ‘Rent and in the Bowl was not the way I wanted to go out.

Why Edsall Wins By Recruiting Character

// February 6th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized

The UCONN Huskies are not (yet) in a position to start pulling in recruiting classes chock full of 4 and 5 star recruits (those days are coming though). But guess what? It doesn’t matter.
Coach Edsall has built the premier program in New England, from the ground up, using players that, basically, no one else wanted. Who was Darius Butler, or Cody Brown, or Alfred Fincher coming out of high school? Deon Anderson (starting fullback for the Dallas Cowboys) was an absolute nobody.
He and his staff work tirelessly to find the best recruits. Not based on what Rivals.com has to say (cancel your subscription now) or what any other “scout service” thinks. Fortunately and unfortunately dropping the name “UCONN” to a potential recruit doesn’t always get them all hot-and-bothered. UCONN is not USC (there’s just something about Pete Carroll that does it for me).
Instead the UCONN Football staff weeds through tape after tape to find not only players that can compete and succeed at Divison I levels, but also young men of character.
It doesn’t matter if you are from the suburbs of New York (that’d be me), the ghettos of Miami, or the Tundra of Canada. If you can play football well, and you are of high work ethic and moral caliber then you will be found by Randy Edsall.
I am the first to say that over my five years at UCONN the sheer quality of athlete has improved. However, one thing has remained constant: men of character. Edsall believes it, and it is true, you can win with character.
The old adage “Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard” couldn’t be truer than it is in Storrs. The practices are the toughest, the training the hardest, and the facilities the absolute best. The result is guys that can turn heads on Saturday afternoons.
However, this process is not air-tight, no one is perfect. And Coach Edsall is the first to take these “problems” head on. The 2006 season Edsall took a lot of heat from the media for kicking players off the team throughout the season. These individuals were just that: individuals. And while they were my friends, at the end of the day, they were a cancer doing nothing but bringing the team down.
It paid off. The 2007 UCONN Huskies were the Big East Champs. The 2008 Huskies won the International Bowl.
So with all this hoopla and fanfare surrounding National Signing Day, and the relative inattention paid to the University of Connecticut, I’d like to offer this:
It’s the quiet ones you got to watch.

Deon Anderson

// February 6th, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

Deon Anderson was out of his mind at UConn. The ultimate team player, he played the game the way it should be played: Full Throttle. Full Time.

Someone shot me this link from way back, least I can do is give him a little press.

The Top 5 Reasons You Should Be Excited About UConn Football

// February 4th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized

The 4 Reasons you should be excited about the future of Uconn Football.
(Because I’m too tired to write a 5th)
This is the doldrums of the sports season.
A month away from March Madness and college are teams slowly wading their way into conference play.
The Super Bowl is over.
Hockey isn’t in the playoffs.
And Spring Training seems like an eternity away.
I’m left to watch obscure sports, like lawn mower racing and swimming (insert Michael Phelps joke here).
So here they are:

1. Better recruits.
I hate to quote Papa John here (we hate all things Louisville) but “better ingredients, better pizza.” In this case our pizza is a UCONN Football team and our ingredients are a fresh batch of recruits. Gone are the days when blown-up 1AA guys will be getting their shot to play for UCONN (I shed a tear knowing that a guy of my caliber isn’t even on the radar anymore). This signing class will have a handful of top-rated guys from Rivals and ESPN (think Top 100 and 4 and 5 star recruits). This is truly the benefit of having won the Big East in 2007. There is usually a year’s delay between on-field success translating to a recruiting class that can reflect it. So pay attention, there are a lot of future stars in the 2009 signing class.
*Of special note: Martin Hyppolite who is listed as “athlete.” Likely to be used in his freshman year as just a “returner”. This strays from typical Edsall behavior. And you know what?….I dig it.

2. Introducing the spread
So there is definitely a steep learning curve, especially with offensive linemen when transitioning a new offense. However, there are two (maybe three) reasons you should be excited about this. 1. With two talented running backs the hole left by Donny Brown should be filled, especially in an offensive scheme that promises a more balanced attack (Oh…so the UCONN quarterbacks CAN throw the ball!). Second is that the most likely starter for next year at the quarterback position is Zach Frazer, who ran the spread in high school and is, according to him, “the system I’m most comfortable running.” Also keep in mind that while Zach was in high school, running such an offense, he broke every major Pennsylvania state quarterback record. In doing so he knocked off Dan Marino, Joe Montana, and Joe Namath.

3. Defense. Defense. Defense.
2008 is going to be a tough act to follow, no doubt. UCONN finished #6 in the nation in total defense. But rest easy, Todd Orlando and Hank Hughes are still at the helm. The rushing presence off the edge by (future NFL talent) Cody Brown and Julius Williams will be adequately replaced by Lindsay Witten, A.J. Portee, and Marcus Cambell. The inside will also be as stout as ever with Juniors who have some serious game experience. The defensive backfield will hold strong with Robbie Vaughn, Jasper Howard, and Reggie McClain.

4. Syracuse is still in the Big East.
No more worrying that UConn will go winless in the Big East ever again.

FWG: You’re NEVER Too Old To Look Stupid

// February 4th, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

So the off-season training had hit a high point. No drinking, all clean foods and lifting my balls off to try and get ready to play in Europe. There is only so much of this training I can do before I get completely bored. So I found a few ways to entertain myself. This blog is one of them, the other is working one or two nights a week at a campus bar as a bouncer. Pretty easy work, break up a few fights, check a few IDs and go home with some good stories. Of course, this work is somewhat “off the books.” The reason I tell you that was because I got into work and my boss was in the kitchen and told me to “fill out a W-4 form and a new time card.” In retrospect I should have probably given more thought to why I was doing this, but I didn’t. It also happens that last week was my birthday. I had returned that night from a snowboard trip with the girlfriend in which we celebrated my 23rd. Anyway, there I am filling out this form, when my boss yells to me to come out quick. I assumed he was getting swamped at the bar and needed an extra hand. This is what happened next:

The rest of this post by the FWG can be found HERE

Blog Gods Smile: Hilarity Ensues

// February 3rd, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized

Every now and then the Blog-God’s smile and provide me with material so funny and hilarious I don’t even have to put my own “Fat White Guy” spin on it. Sure I can make fun of Tom Selleck and my family (that is comedic gold). Which brings me to this: How annoying are those “verification” screenings anyway? (The answer: really annoying). Well, finally a little justice.

Pause a minute and let the laughter wash over you.

FWG: Your Morning Laugh

// February 3rd, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

Here it is. Your morning laugh.

God. The off-season is slow. Thank God I have YouTube and Jim Levitt interviews to see me through.

Your Fat White Guy Moment of the Week

// February 3rd, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

FAT WHITE GUY MOMENT OF THE WEEK.

Tomorrow, all around the United States Denny’s Restaurant will be offering a FREE GrandSlam Breakfast. 100%-No-Strings-Attached-FREE.
6am-2pm

You see, this is why I love America. With heart-disease the number one killer of Americans and obesity an epidemic among American children what do huge restaurant chains do to curb the problem? They offer you a FREE Cardiologist-hating-artery-clogging-heart-attack-inducing meal. Again…FOR FREE. Eat up America, breakfast is the most important meal.

This has the FWG stamp of approval ALL OVER IT.

The Finer Points of Tecmo Superbowl

// February 2nd, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

As a child of the 90’s my afternoons were filled with the occasional “afternoon special”, running around terrorizing my neighborhood until the street lights came on (ensuing argument: “Street lights are on, but it’s still light out, Mom!”) and of course countless hours of Tecmo Super Bowl.

This game made me love football. I’d play for hours. Then go outside and run around pretending that I was in Tecmo Super Bowl. My sisters never wanted to play, and that was fine. I’d tackle them at unsuspecting moments, channeling my very best Lawrence Taylor. While the rules of Tecmo Super Bowl were standard football rules. There were a few “unwritten” agreements. As consistent as gravity:

The rest of this article by the Fat White Guy HERE

The Dogs That Found Me

// February 2nd, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized

For those of you who don’t know, I love dogs. Although my last “final thoughts”entry might make you think otherwise. I rescued a Pit Bull last year and she was an amazing dog. She was tragically killed this past spring (hit by a car). My heart melts for these dogs. Anyway, I almost impulsively decided to get another one on Saturday morning. What’s not to love?

If anyone out there is interested in Pit Bull Rescue or interested in adopting a dog. Please contact me at TheFatWhiteGuy@gmail.com