A quick poll for the weekend. Watch The Average Homeboy's video again, then tell me who you think he probably pulls for?


The jorts, the mullet....they practically scream "Gator"

Blazer Names to Know: #25 Norris Drinkard

With Roddy White playing on Sundays after the 2004 season, the Blazers lost a tremendous offensive weapon and a favorite target of Darrell Hackney. One of the receivers looking to take up the slack last season was #25 Norris Drinkard. He finished third behind departed starters Reggie Lindsey (53 catches for 978 yards and 11 TDs) and Jhun Cook (42 catches for 653 yards and 2 TDs) with 41 catches for 390 yards and 2 TDs. With Lindsey and Jhun gone, Drinkard looks to add plenty of yardage to his stats as he tops the depth chart in the "X" WR position formerly occupied by White and Lindsey. Drinkard has also played several other roles over his career as he lined up in the backfield last season 13 times for 45 yards rushing (with 22 of those yards coming on 3 carries in the loss to Southern Miss), and is the Blazers' top kickoff return performer averaging 22.4 yards on 15 returns (with a long of 38) and punt returner averaging 5.1 yards on 15 returns (with a long of 27).

Your big haired, pointy guitar video of the week (h/t Van):

Low expectations and a quick look at the UAB schedule

In light of UAB being picked to finish fifth in the East in C-USA, I thought I'd run down the schedule and see what sort of shot I think we have.

Sept. 2 at Oklahoma

Sept. 9 East Carolina*#

Sept. 16 at Georgia

Sept. 23 Miss. St.

Sept. 30 Troy

Oct. 7 Memphis*#

Oct. 14 at Rice*

Oct. 21 Marshall*#

Oct. 31 at SMU*

Nov. 10 UTEP*

Nov. 18 at Southern Miss*#

Nov. 25 at UCF*#

* conference game
# division game

Games we will win: East Carolina, Mississippi State, Troy, Rice, SMU
Games we should win: Memphis, Marshall
Games we have a shot at winning, but probably won't: UTEP, UCF
Games that there is no way in hell we will win: Oklahoma (duh), UGA (again, duh), Southern Miss (what can I say, they own us)

At worst, we win five games and stay at home in December. At best, we win 9 and get a decent bowl bid. What's likely? Six wins and we stay home for the Birmingham Bowl. As far as conference strandings shake out, we probably will lose to Southern Miss and/or UCF and miss out on the conference championship game.

Blazer Names to Know: #46 David Miller

Listed just behind McElveen on the depth chart, but still certain to see playing time in all twelve games, is #46 David Miller. The senior out of Cullman, AL has split time throughout his career with McElveen, providing solid depth at the end position. In 2005 Miller played in all 12 contests, starting nine, and recorded 28 tackles with five going for a loss and two sacks. He also played in all twelve games the previous two years and redshirted his freshman year. He's aa philosophy major, which really doesn't mean anything as far as his football career goes, but is of note since yours truly holds a degree in philosophy from UAB. If the major is still filled with the disgusting variety of conformist "non-conformists" it was riddled with when I was there then I could just imagine how they're treating a jock.

Finally, a rapper that really speaks to me.

"I'm just a middle class guy, trying to express myself." - Average Homeboy

In part seven of the ten part "Celebrity Ass I'm Reasonably Certain I Could Kick" series is Elvin Bishop. Pretty much everyone likes Fooled Around and Fell in Love well enough (fun fact, that isn't him singing), but I lost all respect for him after hearing his awful, amaturish, blues for dummies guitar solo on Drunken Hearted Boy from the Allman Brothers box set. Seriously Elvin, if you step on a stage with Duane Allman with a guitar in your hand, you better come with it.


















He ain't good looking but he sure can play...unless Duane is nearby.

While UAB and Troy aren't necessarily rivals on par with Bama and Auburn (or even UAB and Memphis), it's still an in state rivalry that looks to heat up as both teams are scheduled to meet each year for the foreseeable future. The teams have met five times since 1993, with Troy holding a 3-2 advantage over the Blazers. However, UAB holds a 2-1 lead over Troy since both have moved into D-1A (UAB in '96 and Troy in '02) and looks to expand it to a 3-1 record on September 30th. Considering making fun of your rivals and/or generally thinking the worst about them is one of the great thrills of college football, I have to point you in the direction of EDSBS, who has a caption contest going involving what appears to be the Trojan O-Line, a corpse, and what I hope is soapy water.

Blazer Names to Know: #98 Jermaine McElveen

On the other end of the defensive line is #98 Jermaine McElveen. McElveen has plenty of experience, starting right away in 2003 and earning a spot on the Rivals.com Freshman All America team and the C-USA All-Freshman team. Starting in 2004 he began splitting time with #46 David Miller, racking up 29 tackles including 18 stops, 5 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks while playing in all twelve games. In 2005 he again split starting duties with Miller, playing in ten games and starting the final two contests. He concluded the season with 26 tackles with 4 for loss and two sacks. He also blocked a punt on special teams in the win over Rice and recorded an interception in the win over UTEP. While those aren't necessarily McSwain numbers, he's been a solid contributor to the defense's depth at the end position and is currently listed as the starter on the 2006 depth chart.

Blazer Names to Know: #44 Larry McSwain

A quick look at the other side of the ball...

McSwain is currently on the preseason watch lists for the Nagurski (best defensive player of the year), Lott (defensive impact player of the year), and Hendricks (defensive end of the year) awards and is the current C-USA preseason Defensive Player of the Year. His breakout season was in 2004 when he recorded 56 tackles (29 solo, 18 for loss) including 13 sacks (1st in C-USA, 4th nationally) and was named a 1st team all conference selection. His production dropped slightly in 2005 as offenses paid more attention to him and Wayne Bolt (the fattest of ALL Bolts) only rushed four and had his linebackers dropping into covereage more often than not, allowing the opposing O-Line to better pick up the pass rush. In 10 games as a starter he recorded 53 tackles, but only five for loss and four sacks. He also returned an interception 23 yards against Troy.

I know it's really just a poor man's Apprentice, but Design Star has single handedly restored my faith in HGTV after the abominations that are What's With That House? and The Junk Brothers made me seriously consider switching to the Food Network for all my late night "gotta have something to fall asleep to" needs permanently. Early favorite: Temple. Who doesn't love a cello playing former Miss Utah?

I'm strangely powerless to look away...

One more pet peeve about NCAA 2007 (and the whole series, really). Why, under the rivalry games mode, do they still have "The Magic City Classic" played at either State or A&M's fields? It's The Magic City Classic because it's played in The Magic City (that's B'ham, in case you didn't know) at Legion Field. Can we please get this straight for '08?