Spring Musings

Even though this gray April day in Chicago feels more like a late-season college football Saturday at Camp Randall, I felt it an appropriate time to break the month-long seal on postings in the wake of the basketball Badgers ugly departure from the Dance. This post is devoted entirely to football, as I still believe a promising 2008 season awaits us despite a looming quarterback controversy, an injury-rattled DL, and the need to replace both NFL-caliber kicking specialists. Evridge should emerge as the QB, the DL will get healthy even before camp, and the kicking game will be fine with stellar replacements lined up for Melhaff and DeBauche.

Speaking of these two soon-to-be graduates, Melhaff was the first kicker taken in the draft and should replace one of the annoying Grammatica brothers. DeBauche, while not drafted, was signed immediately by the Pack and should give mediocre Jon Ryan a run for his money at punter come fall. Word is DeBauche is taking advice from Kevin Stemke, the Ray Guy of Badger football. This time there isn't a future pro bowler (Craig Heinrich) in a Badger's way.

Happy also to see Nick Hayden land on a team that needed help on the DL. The Hartland Arrowhead grad had a great senior season and is an effort player like Aaron Kampman who could be a solid pro in his own right. Paul Hubbard will join Joe Thomas in Cleveland, a team on the rise with two solid QB's. I was surprised that Philly took a early flier on Ike, but few would question their past success with former members of the Badger secondary (see Troy Vincent).

As for next season, ESPN's Todd McShay already has Travis Beckum projected as a first round pick. Shaughnessy, assuming he recovers completely from his most recent malady, should also be a high pick. Word is that Levy is poised to have a breakout season, so he too could be taken, probably in the later rounds.

On another front, the BCS commissioners are meeting in Florida to discuss the potential of adopting a plus-one championship game format beginning in 2010. Rumor is that BT Commish Jim Delaney and his Pac 10 counterpart are dead weight in these negotiations, as both are more concerned about their historic ties to the Rose Bowl and the payoff associated with it. I vote for the plus-one system as a reasonable compromise for the refusal to have a best of eight tournament, but doubt that Delaney and his compatriots will come up with anything besides the status quo.

Regardless, it's well past the time that Bucky makes a curtain call at a BCS Bowl. Lord knows the rest of the BT can't win in Pasadena.