Blake Griffin would have been a heck of an OU tight end
Blake Griffin
If Blake Griffin had also played football at OU, he likely would have been a heck of a tight end. He certainly would have been a big target for OU quarterback Sam Bradford to find going across the middle.
As part of ESPN SportsCenter’s “Fan Feast,” Griffin’s dream of playing for the Sooner football team will air Friday as part of a series of vignettes in which key athletes discuss their favorite events (other than their respective sports) to play in or to watch:
June 29: Kobe Bryant – play cricket.
June 30: Joe Mauer – be a quarterback at the Super Bowl.
July 1: Candace Parker – attend the FIFA World Cup.
July 2: Jeff Gordon – face Tony Hawk one-on-one in an X Games contest.
July 2: Carl Crawford (midnight) – to be a quarterback in the NFL.
July 3: Blake Griffin – play football at the University of Oklahoma.
July 6: Colt McCoy – attend the Masters.
July 7: Trevor Hoffman – race in the Indy 500.
July 8: Lisa Leslie – attend the US Open and watch a Williams sisters final.
July 9: Dale Earnhardt Jr. – play in the NFL.
July 9: Dick Vermeil – a front row seat at the Indy 500.
July 10: Justin Morneau – play and win the Stanley Cup.
The series will feature five daily essays each by ESPN television studio host Kenny Mayne on his top five sports events to attend, and Mike Greenberg, co-host of ESPN Radio and ESPN2’s Mike and Mike in the Morning Show, on his top five events to participate in.
Fans also can fans can submit a 50-word essay on www.espn.com/fanfest proposing their favorite sporting event to attend. Fans can also submit essays about their favorite sporting event to participate in. A panel of ESPN.com editorial staff will select the top 10 essays submitted for each category.
ESPN’s Chad Ford: Rubio to Thunder
Ricky Rubio
ESPN’s draft begins at 6 p.m. Thursday from the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. After Tuesday’s trade between Minnesota and Washington shook up the draft order, ESPN.com draft guru Chad Ford made some adjustments in his latest mock draft. Ford’s current top five:
- Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
- Hasheem Thabeet, Memphis
- Ricky Rubio, Oklahoma City
- Tyreke Evans, Sacramento
- James Harden, Minnesota (from Washington)
ESPNU to replay OU games as part of NBA draft coverage
Blake Griffin dunks against American University.
ESPNU (Cox 253) plans to replay three OU basketball games to spotlight Sooner star Blake Griffin, expected to be the No. 1 pick in NBA draft Thursday night. The Sooners’ 72-60 loss to North Carolina in the Final Eight will air at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. Other broadcasts include OU’s 82-78 win against Davidson and star guard Stephen Curry at 5 p.m. Thursday and a 89-81 victory over OSU (Jan. 26 in Stillwater) at 7 a.m. Friday.
ESPNU also is featuring games of other draft prospects, including DeJuan Blair (Pittsburgh), Tyreke Evans (Memphis), Blake Griffin (Oklahoma), James Harden (Arizona State), Jordan Hill (Arizona), Jrue Holiday (UCLA) and Hasheem Thabeet (Connecticut).
ESPN’s extensive draft coverage will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday from the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Stuart Scott will host ESPN’s coverage with analysts Jay Bilas, Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy. Additional contributors will include international basketball expert Fran Fraschilla; Dick Vitale (via satellite); reporters Ric Bucher and Andy Katz; on-site interviews by Mark Jones; green room interviews by Lisa Salters; and field reporter Rachel Nichols from Tarrytown, N.Y., site of the New York Knicks’ training facility.
The coverage will include video conferencing with 15 team headquarters — Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Indiana, Los Angeles Clippers, L.A. Lakers, Memphis, Minnesota, New Jersey, Phoenix, Portland and Washington — and “draft cam” from the draft rooms of the Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves, which have three first-round selections.
ESPN The Magazine’s current issue offers a preview of the NBA Draft including a Mock Draft featuring current players making the picks for their respective teams. Top five picks:
1) L.A. Clippers (selected by Ricky Davis) – Blake Griffin, Oklahoma.
2) Memphis Grizzlies (selected by Rudy Gay) – Hasheem Thabeet, Uconn.
3) Oklahoma City Thunder (selected by Russell Westbrook) – James Harden, Arizona State.
4) Sacramento Kings (selected by Spencer Hawes) – Ricky Rubio, Spain.
5) Washington Wizards (selected by Antawn Jamison) – DeMar DeRozan.
Recovering from stroke, Lee Corso expected back for “College GameDay”
ESPN's Lee Corso at a "College GameDay" appearance Nov. 22 in Norman
I’ve always loved ESPN college football analyst Lee Corso after covering him two seasons for the Indiana Daily Student in the mid 1970s. Corso was such a colorful quote that he made covering Indiana University football a joy for a young sports writer.
I was saddened with the news that Corso recently suffered a minor stroke. The good news is he plans to be back for the kickoff of the 2009 college football season.
Corso suffered no permanent damage in the minor stroke, which was caused by the blockage to a small artery. He is expected to make a full recovery.
“This is just a small bump in the road,” Corso said in a statement issued by ESPN. “A ‘not so fast, my friend’ in my game of life. I look forward to making a full recovery and returning to ESPN for my 23rd season analyzing the greatest sport in the world — college football.”
Corso, who played at Florida State, also coached at Louisville, Northern Illinois and the USFL’s Orlando Renegades. He joined ESPN in 1987.
