The Rich Get Richer: College Football Signing Day

Tell me if you’ve heard this before…according to Rivals, the top five signing day classes belong to USC, LSU, Texas, Ohio State and Alabama.  Between the five schools, 18 5-star recruits and 63 4-star recruits signed up to join these factories and join the equal number of similarly heralded recruits from the last year, who joined the equal number of similarly heralded recruits from the last year, etc, etc, etc.

Not surprisingly, all of these teams, save perhaps Alabama, have regularly found themselves in the upper echelon of the rankings annually.  USC, OSU and ‘bama all have power coaches with a strong national presence and Texas and LSU are smack dab in the middle of the most talent rich region of the country, and I mean no offense to Florida, which is right up there too.   It’s no wonder these teams are normally successful with pipelines like these.

But it’s not just limited to these powerhouses…a quick glance at the rest of the early top 25 classes reaveals pretty much every SEC team worth a shit, with Tennessee having a surprisingly strong class considering their coaching turnover, and Florida and Georgia getting their usual haul of ridiculous skill players.  Oklahoma had a strong class, as did known recruiting mofo Butch Davis, bringing North Carolina another strong class and building Chapel Hill’s program in the same vein as he rebuilt Miami’s in.

Mets Confirm That They Will Continue Fleecing Hard-working Americans

Per good friend of the site, Darren Rovell: the Mets have no intention of trying to boost the economy and will continue using taxpayer funds for the use of naming rights to their glorified minor league stadium.

MLJ Bromance: The Shenanigans Post

I guess we’ll get the obvious questions out of the way early: Are Clown and Rex exactly like their internet personas?  The answer is a resounding yes.

After having to find Rex via cellphone in the airport we finally start walking toward each other in slow motion with music playing.  When our destiny unites us his first words are, “you’re fatter than I thought.”  My heart burned with desire, this was the man I thought he would be.  Clown’s plane came in two hours later so we grabbed a couple of beers at Chilis in which Rex immediately started eye-fucking all the Phoenix Fives.  If the chick had a boyfriend, Rex saw it more as a challenge than a sign that he should move onto the next one.  No one noticed him (psst. Rex is a Phoenix One).  The waitress didn’t even try to hide her disdain.

There was surprisingly little awkwardness between the Danger Seeker and myself so we assumed that the quiet, closet case would be Clown…and we were correct.  Clown is quiet in real life.  But everything he says is an internet comment.  If you want to hear more, you gots to click the jump:

Quality Start: Not Quality when WordPress is Involved

Lakers 126, Knicks 117: I had something written about this…but after WordPress FUCKED ME OVER THREE FUCKING TIMES THIS MORNING…I’m sorry, this is all you’re getting.

Kobe is good.  LeBron is still better.  End of story.

Under the Lights: I May Have Plans Thursday

Good evening everybody. Today was a bit of a travel day here at MLJ. Hef, Rex, clown and Hef’s Gay Magician friend made their way home from Mexico and the rest of us made our way back to sobriety. As far as lazy, uninspired Mondays go, this may have been the most stupendous ever.  As I am trembling in the excitement that is the Oliver Perez resigning, a glimmer of hope seems to be shining. Word is maybe, possibly, sort of, it could happen that the Mets may or may not possibly talk to Scott Boras about Manny maybe thinking about playing for the Mets. I am excited.

Break’d News: Oliver Perez Close to Deal With Mets

Ollie's expression sums up how I feel about this.

According to Ken Rosenthal, Jon Heyman and Metsblog, Oliver Perez is close to a three year deal with the Mets that pays him no more than $12 million annually but it is not confirmed what the exact number is. There may or may not be a vesting option. In related news, I am going to be drinking more heavily this season since my tender psyche can’t handle Ollie’s tender psyche.

Update: It looks like the deal is 3 years $36 million with no option. Not a terrible contract considering the short years. It is terrible if the Get Manny In Left Field or MILF Clause is not enacted soon.

Get to Know a Recruit: Matt Barkley

If you want to gripe, Barkley is already enrolled at USC and will participate in spring practice, but he’s in here anyways because he’s the best QB recruit of the year, the prototypical pocket passer with the elite-high school resume.  A product of Mater Dei high school (arguably the best high school program in the country), Barkley took the helm as a freshman and never looked back, and pretty much has had the recruiting world in a tizzy since his junior year.

There are a lot of elements that make Bradley seem like a can’t miss QB…at 6′4” and around 220, he already has the size that NFL teams are looking for in a QB, he’s got the big arm that’s accurate enough and the coolness in the pocket that belies his youth.  Of course, this is the thing that’s said about EVERY prospective QB coming out of high school.  Barkley has a few things going for him, though, that seperate him from the rest of the QB prospects…the fact he operated from a “pro-style” offense and has the requisite footwork and his alma mater, which means he played against some of the best high school competition in the country.