http://www.ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=480051

More talk on the rankings.

I had questioned Nicks ranking and past rankings, specifically comparing NIU's 2005 class ranked 1 to the 2007 class ranked 11

(02-11-2011 10:05 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  I love the work Nick does. It is great that someone takes such a great interest in MAC football.

Are we 8th? Probably not.....But we are not in the top -3- and after the top -3- the next 6-8 are about the same. Don't get me wrong I like our class, but Doeren got a late start. We really missed a playmaker on that DLine. I wanted to see DE & TE in that 6'5 range and we did not get, but got a decent class.

I too like the fact that Nick puts all this work in on MAC Sports. I think it's fun to talk about. I think in the next 2-4 years, he will see that this class is pretty good as well, because we will continue to be in the hunt for the MAC West title. I agree that Toledo probably had the best class, but he should have rated us higher. I think he puts more stock in HS football in OH, PA & MI. We don't recruit many from those states, so this may be the reason why he has a low opinion of our classes in his head. That's my two cents. Thanks Nick for your dedication to MAC sports.

(02-11-2011 10:05 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  But we are not in the top -3-

That's very debatable - Rivals has the NIU class ranked 2nd in the MAC.

Is he a toledo homer? probably not, is he a north-east ohio homer? oh god yes. As someone who has seen a decent amount of the players he lists here many he seems to be infatuated with are not going to be worth a lick, certainly at the positions they were recruited for. For example, Aaron Macer will never be a college Safety, Devonte Morgan is garbage, Kyle Hammonds is too slow to be an RB or WR, to small to be a TE or Linebacker, and he has him as a high sleeper. 5'9 150lb guys who run in the late 4.6s dont have successful football careers.

(02-12-2011 06:44 PM)Tjm68 Wrote:  Is he a toledo homer? probably not, is he a north-east ohio homer? oh god yes. As someone who has seen a decent amount of the players he lists here many he seems to be infatuated with are not going to be worth a lick, certainly at the positions they were recruited for. For example, Aaron Macer will never be a college Safety, Devonte Morgan is garbage, Kyle Hammonds is too slow to be an RB or WR, to small to be a TE or Linebacker, and he has him as a high sleeper. 5'9 150lb guys who run in the late 4.6s dont have successful football careers.

While your intentions might be right, is it fair to call a 17 or 18 year old student-athlete garbage?

You never know how these kids are going to turn out. Some don't live up to the hype and some are told they are too slow, too small, etc and they turn out to be all-MAC. Sometimes it is more about heart and dedication than it is about talent. That's why you can't take a recruiting class and say this kid is or isn't going to have a successful career.

Best example I can think of is is Bruce Gradkowski. He was listed at 6-1 or 6-2 and that was a real exaggeration. People said he was too short and his arm was too weak to be a DI quarterback. Not only did he win the MAC MVP award and a MAC title, but he's a QB for the Oakland Raiders.

Another example is Lance Moore. He was too small and not fast enough to play DI wide receiver. He's the career receptions leader at UT and not only plays for the Saints and won a Super Bowl, but he's played in the Pro Bowl as well. And Toledo was his only DI offer. You just never know.

(02-14-2011 11:12 AM)BrianNowicki Wrote:  

(02-12-2011 06:44 PM)Tjm68 Wrote:  Is he a toledo homer? probably not, is he a north-east ohio homer? oh god yes. As someone who has seen a decent amount of the players he lists here many he seems to be infatuated with are not going to be worth a lick, certainly at the positions they were recruited for. For example, Aaron Macer will never be a college Safety, Devonte Morgan is garbage, Kyle Hammonds is too slow to be an RB or WR, to small to be a TE or Linebacker, and he has him as a high sleeper. 5'9 150lb guys who run in the late 4.6s dont have successful football careers.

While your intentions might be right, is it fair to call a 17 or 18 year old student-athlete garbage?
You never know how these kids are going to turn out. Some don't live up to the hype and some are told they are too slow, too small, etc and they turn out to be all-MAC. Sometimes it is more about heart and dedication than it is about talent. That's why you can't take a recruiting class and say this kid is or isn't going to have a successful career.

Best example I can think of is is Bruce Gradkowski. He was listed at 6-1 or 6-2 and that was a real exaggeration. People said he was too short and his arm was too weak to be a DI quarterback. Not only did he win the MAC MVP award and a MAC title, but he's a QB for the Oakland Raiders.

Another example is Lance Moore. He was too small and not fast enough to play DI wide receiver. He's the career receptions leader at UT and not only plays for the Saints and won a Super Bowl, but he's played in the Pro Bowl as well. And Toledo was his only DI offer. You just never know.

I agree that he should have used better words to describe what he was trying to say than call a kid "garbage".

(02-14-2011 11:12 AM)BrianNowicki Wrote:  Best example I can think of is is Bruce Gradkowski. He was listed at 6-1 or 6-2 and that was a real exaggeration. People said he was too short and his arm was too weak to be a DI quarterback. Not only did he win the MAC MVP award and a MAC title, but he's a QB for the Oakland Raiders.

Bruce had unparalleled success in Vegas too.

(02-14-2011 12:25 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(02-14-2011 11:12 AM)BrianNowicki Wrote:  Best example I can think of is is Bruce Gradkowski. He was listed at 6-1 or 6-2 and that was a real exaggeration. People said he was too short and his arm was too weak to be a DI quarterback. Not only did he win the MAC MVP award and a MAC title, but he's a QB for the Oakland Raiders.

Bruce had unparalleled success in Vegas too.

Now if you would have mentioned the walk-on RB that never played a down in his career at Toledo, but was involved in the scandal........then it would have made sense. Ripping someone that has never been proven to be part of anything, nor indicted, just because some people think he skipped a game after a concussion they week before because he was paid to do so, even though he tried putting on his uniform and helmet but the team doctors wouldn't let him........that's just wrong, unclassy, and a personal slander against someone.

I get it though. You're made because you guys still think UT threw the 2005 game against NIU, don't you? Hate to tell you, but you were the better team and actually beat us fair and square.