For Harbaugh, it's all about those Benji's

Hail to Victor's bank account. The hottest name in coaching has found a new home. Funny thing is he didn't have to drive too far for this one. The former Stanford coach has touched down in San Francisco to take over the reigns as Head Coach of the 49ers with a contract worth $25 Million over five years. The big question is how will 'Captain Comeback' fair in the NFL. With his "Ra-Ra, Do it for the gipper" coaching style, it may be hard to get through to a group of grown men who already have their money as opposed to kids with star-eyed dreams of fame and fortune in the NFL. One thing is for certain though - Ann Arbor, MI has just gotten colder.

Ann Arbor sure ain't what is used to be...

The past three years have definitely been forgettable for die-hard U of M fans. The winningest program in NCAA College Football history that has produced three Heisman Trophy winnters is in the midst of some turmoil that doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon. From Rich Rod and his epic fail of an attempt to install a new spread offense into a program that has it's roots in Bo Schembechler's grind-out, run-first offense to the fact that it's been about 1160 days (give or take) since Michigan has beaten Michigan State in either basketball or football, you would think that Wolverines would be lined up at the door of AD, David Brandon with pitchforks and torches. But that's not the case. Keep in mind that former Athletic Director, Bill Martin pulled a solid Nick Saban-Ron Meyer-esque move and got out of dodge before the walls started closing in. Brandon vows to bring the football program back to prominence on the national stage with his next hire. My first word of advice would be to beat the Spartans and OSU first.

So what's next for U of M? Stanford's Head Coach and former Michigan assistant coach under Bo, Jim Harbaugh is seemingly out of the picture for a number of reasons and Les Miles has turned LSU into a national powerhouse down in the SEC. For those who want to stick to the roots and bring a 'Michigan Man' in, it looks like your only hope is Brady Hoke. The current San Diego State Head Coach is responsible for three total bowl games (including two wins) and an overall record of 47-50 between his time at SDSU and Ball State. Sure he isn't the sexiest girl at the dance but if it's a 'Michigan Man' that fans and alums want then this is the best for right now. Also, keep this in mind. Bo Schembechler, Gary Moeller, and Lloyd Carr were all far from being 'hot' coaching commodities. Rich Rod was one of the few 'big name' coaches that Michigan sought out. Is Hoke the answer for the Wolverine football program, who knows? Whoever it is, best of luck to them; especially since 'Little Brother' is getting tired of running 'Big Bro' off the field.

Sports Tuesday - NBA Finals, Game 3 - Tonight

"We're not coming back to LA!." exclaimed Celtics forward, Paul Pierce after the Celtics nine point win over the Lakers at Staples on Sunday night. Even though the Celtics were able to pull off the split in LA, two of their 'Big Four' were nowhere to be found throughout Game 2. Garnett was benched most of the night with both foul trouble and inefficiency on the court. Pierce was hounded by Kobe Bryant most of the night and was held to only ten points; eight points less than his playoff average. The load was picked up by Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo; who combined for 51 points between the two of them. Allen was lights out from beyond the arc, shooting 8-11 from the 3-point line. With numbers like these, Pierce better be right in his second bold prediction of the playoffs (Pierce stated the Celtics would close out the Magic in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in Boston, they went on to close the series in Game 6 in Orlando). After winning the first game of a playoff series, Phil Jackson's teams are 47-0; which also explains his ten rings as an NBA head coach. Expect both teams to come prepared for war tonight as the series enters the Garden in Boston. With the switched format from a 2-2-1-1-1 to a 2-3-2 in the Finals, Boston has a great opportunity to not only take a commanding lead in the series before possibly heading back to LA, but they also have a chance of closing the Lake Show out in Boston if they come to play. Rondo must continue to prove himself as a true leader of this squad and KG must finally show up to play and be at least somewhat productive. The Lakers must contain the fast-paced Rondo-Run offense and dominate the boards if they want to take the first game in Bean Town. With the massive amounts of fouls being called in this series, they will also need big production from their role players in order to keep things rolling along. Odom, Artest, and Fisher must step up to make their minutes count. However, one thing is for certain, the Celtics-Lakers rivalry has definitely transcended decades and has reached a new level of competition and intensity in 2010.

Game 3 of the NBA Finals - Tonight, Coverage begins at 8:30 with NBA Countdown on ABC

Music Mondays - J Dilla

For those of us blessed to be from Detroit, we already know of Dilla's legend and his impact on the hip-hop game. Along with being one of the most acclaimed producers in the game, Dilla is responsible for a movement that is still taking place within the city. Artists on the rise like Guilty Simpson and Black Milk credit Dilla for having a major stake in their success. J Dilla's catalogue is one that is completely unparalleled in the industry. It's hard to find another artist outside of other legends such as Biggie and Pac that completely embodied their hometown in their music as Dilla and the aforementioned have. There are not enough words in any language to express the impact Dilla's work has had on not only the local music scene but also in the overall scope of hip-hop. His passing in 2006 has become yet another tragic moment of someone with a world of ability to offer being taken too soon. Dilla's legacy is one that will continue to live on and inspire artists for years to come.

Check these out:

J Dilla - Donuts

J Dilla - Ruff Draft

Jaylib - Champion Sound

J Dilla - The Shining

Photos from Emerge and See - 9/11/09

A fusion of live art and entertaiment... Emerge and See put local musicians and artists in the spotlight for a night at The Crofoot in Pontiac on September 11th. Live graffiti artists, DJs, and a handful of local bands displayed their talents as local vendors, journalists, and fans alike took notice.

- Mo Tray

Photos by Mo Traylor
Music by Dcipher - http://www.myspace.com/dciphermusic

A Tale of Two Tigers Teams

Published on BleacherReport.com
(http://bleacherreport.com/articles/206727-tigers-ride-win-streak-and-1st-place-into-all-star-break)

It was the best of the season, yet it was also the worst of the season. The Detroit Tigers found themselves atop the American League Central Division heading into the second half of the season with All-Stars Justin Verlander, Edwin Jackson, Brandon Inge, and Curtis Granderson leading the way.

However, the magic that seemed to propel them to the top of the division seemed to diminish as well as their lead when their plaguing injuries and severe lack of offensive production rose to the surface.

After pealing off three of four wins in a recent series with the White Sox to break a tie for the division lead, Detroit went on to lose three of four in the following series against the Texas Rangers.

The seemingly only bright spot of the series for the Tigers came off the arm of Justin Verlander in a dominating 13-strikeout performance in the closing game of the series.

With Magglio Ordonez seemingly on the decline of his offensive prowess and no signs of Carlos Guillen returning to form, the lineup needs some sort of power injection to force opposing pitchers to challenge lone .300+ hitter, Miguel Cabrera.

As the trade deadline gets closer with each passing hour, the general consensus around town is that the Tigers are in desperate need of an offensive boost. Rumors surrounding slugger Adam Dunn and other potential trade candidates have yet to come to fruition.

Whether or not Tigers’ GM Dave Dombrowski adds another bat to the lineup still remains to be seen. Nevertheless, Tigers fans are pleading for some consistency for the ballclub as they enter the final third of the season.