Eric LeGrand Inspires People With Strong Social Media Skills & A Positive Attitude
Paralyzed from the neck down on a kickoff during a Rutgers football game in October 2010, defensive tackle Eric LeGrand inspired fans across the country with his openness and his recovery. Now LeGrand is spearheading spinal cord research and sending out positive messages via social media.
LeGrand has nearly 60,000 Twitter followers, he now has the blue verified check, and is raising money by selling t-shirts. Through his charitable works and helping people who were in his position to overcome adversity, LeGrand is “trying to make an impact in this world.”
Nike is making a LeGrand jersey to raise money for charity. There will be a 5K walk to benefit spinal cord research. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie believes in LeGrand.
“I’m posting things every single day,” LeGrand told Mashable in an interview. “I just want to motivate people not to take everything for granted and to be the best people they can be.”
LeGrand has 47,000 followers on Facebook with “Believe” in big words at the top of the page which chronicles his recovery, which is improving every day. “I’m still the same person I always was, but now it’s kind of taken off and if I can inspire youth by just being the person I am and being happy, then that’s great,” he told Mashable.
His coach at Rutgers, Greg Schiano, now coaches the Tampa Bay Bucs. Schiano signed LeGrand to a contract after the draft in a wonderful gesture and the above photo got over 26,000 likes. Hopefully LeGrand’s positive influence can help change lives as he inspires people via social media.
NFL Mock Draft 11-20
NEW YORK– By Bob Cowper
Check out the top 10 projected picks here!
#11: Kansas City Chiefs, Dontari Poe (DT, Memphis)
Overall, the Chiefs had a very mediocre 2011 season. At times they looked like they could be the worst team in the league (see their four game losing streak in November) and then flashed signs of life (when they went 2-1 to finish the year, beating playoff teams Green Bay and Denver). There are many areas where they could improve, but I think their best bet is to upgrade in the trenches. If OT Riley Reiff is still available, expect that to be the pick. With Reiff off the board, the Chiefs will address the interior of their defensive line and take DT Dontari Poe. Poe is a prototypical nose tackle who weighed in at a HUGE 346 pounds at the NFL Combine (for comparison, the next DT on the list was Hebron Fangupo at 323). The Chiefs recorded just 29 sacks in 2011 (27th in the league); Poe will help occupy interior offensive lineman to allow the Chiefs DE’s and OLB’s more time to get to the quarterback.
#12: Seattle Seahawks, Luke Kuechly (LB, Boston College)
Rumors swirling around ESPN and other media outlets have the Seahawks taking Tannehill if he falls this far. I just don’t see it; they signed Matt Flynn from the Packers and need to begin building around him. Seattle lost leading tackler in LB David Hawthorne and need to replace his production. They did sign veteran Barrett Rudd, but are best off adding Boston College MLB Luke Kuechly. Kuechly can start from day one and will be a mainstay in the middle. Kuechly had 192 tackles in 12 games in 2011 (yes, you read that correctly) and also added three picks.
#13: Arizona Cardinals, Mike Adams (OT, Ohio State)
The Cardinals are in desperate need of help on the offensive line. The Swiss cheese line allowed 54 sacks (second worst) and caused the team to be in the bottom third in most rushing categories. With Kalil and Reiff off the board, Mike Adams is my third rated OT. That being said, being selected at 13 is probably a reach for Adams, so the Cardinals should be listening to offers from other teams. Adams did fail a drug test at the NFL Combine, so many teams will lower him down their boards. Ultimately, I don’t think it’s an issue and expect the Cardinals to take the best available OT, even if that means reaching on Adams. Don’t be surprised if the Cardinals try to move up a few spots to nab Reiff.
#14: Dallas Cowboys, Mark Barron (S, Alabama)
The Cowboys need help in the secondary, but will likely miss out on CB Morris Claiborne, who should go in the top 10. The Cowboys mostly need help at CB, however I do not believe that either Stephon Gilmore or Dre Kirkpatrick warrant a pick at 14. If the Cowboys can slide back a few spots maybe they can pick up an extra draft pick and fill their biggest need. Barron totaled 233 career tackles and 12 INT’s in his career at Alabama. His best statistical year was in the 2009-2010 season as a sophomore with 74 tackles and seven picks. Barron was the top safety on two BCS Championship teams; the Cowboys could do a lot worse trying to upgrade their secondary.
#15: Philadelphia Eagles, Michael Brockers (DL, LSU)
With Barron off the board, the Eagles may be looking at drafting either best available or going with a “project pick” at 15. My guess is they will stray from many of the predictions out there and go with Michael Brockers. Brockers is a DT from LSU who could end up playing DE in the right system. Brockers is raw and has more potential than talent right now, but I think he is worth a pick by a team that is already solid at just about every position. I heard a comparison of Brockers raw potential to Jason Pierre-Paul when he was drafted; if anybody in the Eagles front office heard that comparison, they will no doubt take Brockers because JPP terrorized the Eagles in 2011 (13 tackles, three sacks).
#16: New York Jets, Cordy Glenn (OL, Georgia)
At Georgia, Cordy Glenn split time between OG and OT and his versatility will get him picked ahead of the best pure OG, David DeCastro. Glenn could challenge incumbent Wayne Hunter in training camp for the starting job. If Hunter is able to beat out the rookie, Glenn would provide quality depth for an offensive line that allowed a sack on 6.8 percent of drop backs (The NFL average last season was 5.9).
#17: Cincinnati Bengals, Melvin Ingram (DE, South Carolina)
In free agency, the Bengals lost two of their top five sack men from 2011: Jeff Fanene (six sacks) and Frostee Rucker (four sacks). They will need to replace this production, since they did not sign any big time free agents at the position. Ingram totaled 48 tackles, 10 sacks and 3 INTs in a breakout senior season with the Gamecocks. He will contribute from either the 4-3 DE or 3-4 OLB positions, depending on the team that ultimately drafts him. Ingram also added a 68 yard TD rush on a fake punt that was the perfect showcase for his athleticism.
#18: San Diego Chargers, David DeCastro (G, Stanford)
DeCastro is likely the best player available on the board, aside from WR Michael Floyd. The Chargers have plenty of talent at WR, so they should look to solidify an OL that was hit by injuries in 2011. Former starter Kris Dielman has retired after his scary mid-game seizure, so DeCastro could potentially compete for the starting job in training camp.
#19: Chicago Bears, Michael Floyd (WR, Notre Dame)
Some mock drafts have Floyd going as high as 10th to the Bills, but I think he will ultimately fall to the Bears at 19. In the off-season, the Bears did make a splash by trading for Brandon Marshall, but the low cost to get him (two third round picks) means there is no reason not to take Floyd as well and turn a previous weakness into a strength in 2012. Drafting an OT or solidifying the secondary may be an option, but I say the Bears should go for the home run pick. Lining up in three-WR sets with Floyd and Marshall on the outside and speedster Johnny Knox in the slot will make defensive coordinators fearful in 2012. Floyd’s stats are solid (100 receptions, 1147 yards, nine TD’s in 2011) and he has good size (6’3, 220 pounds) but to get a feel for his impact on the game you have to watch his tape.
#20, Tennessee Titans, Peter Konz (C, Wisconsin)
The Titans’ C Eugene Amano and OG Leroy Harris are probably reserves on most teams, so drafting a bona fide center in Konz would be a good move to help solidify the offensive line. Wisconsin manufactures offensive lineman and Konz is no exception; he was the biggest C at the NFL Combine (6’5 and 315 pounds) and runs an estimated 5.3 second 40-yard dash. Drafting Konz would allow the Titans to move Amano back to his role as a reserve at OG behind starters Leroy Harris and Jake Scott.
Tampa Bay To Hire Rutgers Coach Greg Schiano As Head Coach
After bringing the Rutgers University program up from practically nothing, Greg Schiano will now try to do the same for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Schiano and the Bucs are now finalizing a contract that would make him the team’s new head coach, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Schiano, 45, has been the head coach for the Big East’s Scarlet Knights since 2001 and has compiled a 68-67 record over that span. However, Schiano is highly regarded as a good fit for the pro game and has drawn praise from people like Patriots coach Bill Belichick. Just as he faced challenges with Rutges, he’ll face just as many challenges with Tampa Bay.
The move came just a few days after Oregon coach Chip Kelly reportedly turned down the job.
The Bucs lost their final 10 games of the 2011 season to finish at 4-12 and allowed at least 31 points in their last five contests. The team does have a decent young QB in Josh Freeman, but not much else on the offensive end and an aging defense that finished 30th in the NFL in yards allowed.
2011 SprungOnSports Man Of The Year- Novak Djokovic
Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees had sensational calendar years dominating NFL defenses and Justin Verlander had an amazing year leading the Detroit Tigers to the playoffs and winning both the MVP and Cy Young awards. There were many athletes who had incredible 2011′s, but no one had a year quite as dominant as the man they call The Djoker.
The year in tennis began with Rafael Nadal as the unquestioned top player in the sport and ended with one of the most dominant years in the history of the sport. 2011 started with many doubting Novak Djokovic’s ability to pull through and consistently win tournaments and grand slam events. Then Djokovic took the sport by storm.
It began in Melbourne with Djokovic’s second career Australian Open championship, beating Roger Federer and Andy Murray in straight sets to win it. What he did in the subsequent 10 months was nothing short of historically astounding.
Djokovic took on a gluten free diet, became more precise with his ground strokes, worked on his conditioning and went an unbelievable 70-6 in 2011 and a total of three major titles. The 24-year-old Serbian superstar went 6-0 against Nadal, all in tournament finals, and 4-1 against Federer. He won 10 singles titles, he had won 11 in the last three years combined, and earned nearly $13 million in prize money.
Djokovic didn’t lose his first match until June 5. Think about that for a few seconds and then get back to this article…I’ll wait. He took singles titles in Dubai, Indian Wells, Miami, his native Belgrade, Madrid and Rome. He defeated Nadal in the final to take three of those tournaments and was practically unbeatable for a four month stretch. His streak ended when he met the only major tournament he didn’t win. He fell to Federer in the semifinals of the French Open, ending a 43-match winning streak.
Despite the impressive run, his ability to consistently win major tournaments remained in question. That changed a month later at Wimbledon. Electing to skip the grass court warm-up tournaments for the Championships at the All England Club, Djokovic looked rested and focused, dropping just four sets in the entire tournament. He ousted the talented Frenchman Jo-Wilifried Tsonga in the semifinals before meeting Nadal in yet another final.
Even though Djokovic never won a major tournament outside of Melbourne, Djokovic had a psychological advantage by winning all those previous tournament matches, two of them coming on Nadal’s favored clay surface. Djokovic won the match fairly handily in four sets to win his second major title of the year and took a ton of momentum into the American summer hardcourt season.
Wins in Montreal and Cincinnati in a limited schedule, in order for The Djoker to rest, took him to Flushing Meadows for the U.S. Open. Novak breezed through to the semifinals, where he played the match of the year against Federer under the Saturday night lights in Queens.
Federer took the first two sets from Djokovic and that almost always clinched the match for the all-time great Swiss technician. Federer was 181-1 when winning the first two sets in a Grand Slam match. However, this was Djokovic’s year and Djokovic’s match. Down 5-3 and two match points in the fifth set, Djokovic hit a series of incredible shots to win four straight games and the match. He then slayed Nadal again in the final to win his third major of the year and cap one of the dominant years in the history of the sport.
No player in any sport had a more dominant and successful year, and SprungOnSports congratulates Novak Djokovic for winning this year’s award.
Other Nominees Who Fell Short (ordered alphabetically)
Ryan Braun, OF, Milwaukee Brewers- The righty slugger won the NL MVP award, led the Brewers to the playoffs and then tested positive for a banned substance, creating widespread controversy in the sport.
Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints- Brees broke Dan Marino’s single season record for passing yards and led New Orleans to an 12-3 season in 2011.
Jimmer Fredette, PG, BYU/Sacramento Kings- JimmerMania spread throughout college basketball this year, with his dazzling individual performances captivating the country despite playing for a non-major school. He was taken in the first round of the NBA Draft in June by the Kings.
Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor- His accuracy, arm strength, speed and running ability allowed RGIII to become the first player in school history to win the Heisman Trophy. He is slated to become a first round pick in next April’s NFL Draft.
Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford- He led the Cardinal to a Pac 12 title and is generally regarded as the best NFL QB prospect since Peyton Manning. He was so great as a QB in college that he inspired a widespread “Suck For Luck” campaign among fans of losing NFL teams. The Indianapolis Colts, the team that drafted and still has Manning at QB, is currently the frontrunners to get the first pick in next April’s draft.
Dirk Nowitzki, PF, Dallas Mavericks- Nowitzki finally won his elusive NBA title in a six-game thriller over the Miami Heat and was named Finals MVP.
Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals/Los Angeles Angels- Not only did Pujols have another sensational season for the Redbirds and help lead his team to a World Series title, he also shocked the sporting world by leaving St. Louis for a $254 million contract with the Angels. He scored high grades in the on field and off-the-field/controversial categories.
Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers- The master of the discount double-check won the Super Bowl MVP award and led his Packers team to a 14-1 record in 2011.
Derrick Rose, PG, Chicago Bulls- The 2011 NBA MVP, Rose improved on his three-point shot and his passing ability to lead Chicago to the Eastern Conference Finals.
David Stern, Commissioner, NBA- Stern not only partially brought the league this year’s NBA lockout, but also rejected the league’s trade of Chris Paul to the Lakers. No commish had a more influential or controversial year.
Tim Tebow, QB, Denver Broncos- He got America and the world to think about faith’s role in sports after a string of wins for his Broncos and inspired his name becoming a verb with his kneeling prayer on the football field.
Tim Thomas, G, Boston Bruins- His incredible goaltending helped Boston win its first Stanley Cup in 39 years while winning the Conn Smythe (playoff MVP) and Vezina (best goalie) trophies.
Justin Verlander, SP, Detroit Tigers- He won 24 games, threw a no-hitter, led Detroit to the ALCS and won the Cy Young and MVP in the American League. Not too shabby.
Kemba Walker, PG, UConn/Charlotte Bobcats- Walker led the Huskies to an improbable national title with a dazzling display of skill and ability. He was taken by the Bobcats in the June draft to try to rebuild the franchise.
Jim Tressel Resigns As Ohio State Coach
Jim Tressel’s stunning resignation after 10 seasons as Ohio State University’s head football coach, the right thing to do, scores a major victory for NCAA compliance and oversight. The violations and illegal activities that occurred, with his knowledge, under his watch, along with Tressel’s failed cover-up of the entire ordeal, probably what led to his downfall, had to be dealt with swiftly and aggressively by the NCAA for its oversight and disciplinary body to have any sort of credibility.
Tressel will now be best known for what happened at the end of his wonderful on-the-field tenure in Columbus rather than the national championship he won.
