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Fall camp for college football teams is a week away. And with some players itching to hit the turf after summer workouts, it's time to identify players necessary for the Buckeyes' 2009 success.

Sometimes needs arise because of departing seniors or players leaving voids.

Other times it's because players have not fulfilled expectations from recruiting or misconceived hype.

When it comes to the 2009 version of the Ohio State Buckeyes, here are five guys who need to step up for team success in no particular order:

1. Mike Adams

The top OT prospect in the 2008 recruiting class, Adams is expected to be guarding Terrelle Pryor's blindside in the future.

Though he was limited in action last season due to injury, he has earned some praise from the coaching staff for toughness.

Adams has the athleticism that former OT Alex Boone did not have and he has shown great pass protection skills.

He must become a better run blocker to become an elite lineman, but reps on the field as a starter can go a long way to his development. He may or may not be the next Orlando Pace, but his sophomore season might be his season to step into the spotlight.

2. Brian Rolle

Not too many players have gotten as much hype this summer as the junior LB from Florida.

Rolle is only 5'11'', but at 221 lbs and hits like a tank with tremendous speed as well.

Expected to replace the LB spot formerly held by Marcus Freeman, Rolle has to prove that he is worth the hype generated from a good spring performance.

His freakish athleticism is quickly becoming a common trait of new starters of the OSU defense, where new players in the back seven mostly lack experience, but make up for it with speed and athletic ability.

Rolle will have to bring this freakish package together on the field this season. And when he does, he can become a force and a fan-favorite among Buckeye fans.

3. Andre Amos/Travis Howard

The loss of both starting corners in Malcolm Jenkins and Donald Washington leaves a huge void in the Buckeye defense.

Jr. DB Chimdi Chekwa is pencilled into one spot with two years of solid play and great experience as a nickel-back.

The other spot figures to be a competition between senior Andre Amos and redshirt-freshman Travis Howard.

Expect a very hard-fought competition between the seasoned veteran Amos and the youngster with great ball-skills in Howard.

Amos is the favorite to land the spot, but Howard should see a good amount of playing time and will push Amos all year long. But whoever gets the other starting job will have the big shoes of the departed starters to fill.

Having two experienced safeties in Anderson Russell and Kurt Coleman to make lives easier for whichever player starts at CB.

4. Taurian Washington

The past two springs, Washington has been the star at receiver, scoring long touchdowns in each game. But last season, Washington saw very little field action.

With both Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline gone, expect this spring star to see a ton of playing time in spread sets.

Washington's speed might make it hard for this guy to not see the field, but he has to put it all together and show his skills off in the fall camps.

He has that deep-threat potential which would help to spread out opposing defenses, and give Pryor a big-play weapon with speed.

However, he has to show that he is committed and can work to get on the field. In a crowded field at WR, Taurian has the knowledge to succeed, but must work to get his touches.

5. Brandon Saine

It's basically impossible for a team to replace a RB like Beanie Wells in one season.

But multiple guys in the backfield will help to give the offense weapons, and Saine is one of those guys.

Saine is one of the fastest players on the Buckeyes, but has never been able to see much time because of injuries and Wells' performances.

A big catch against LSU in the 2008 BCS title game showed he can play and be a receiver out of the backfield, but he has never showed it consistently.

Saine brought a lot of hype to Columbus two years ago. Now his time has come and he has to be the guy many felt he would be.

If he stays healthy, there's no reason to think Saine can't be the guy some thought he would be at OSU.

Ive been a sports fan for a while now. I’ve seen the ups and the downs. I’ve also seen the disgusting. The people who should have their ticket ripped from their hands and given to the 15-year old who can’t afford what the scalper is asking. So I decided to compile 10 rules that should be enlisted in all stadiums. Here they are:

1st Commandment: Thou Shall Not Jump Bandwagons

You know the guy. He’s got a Jordan jersey, Yankees hat, Redwings jersey, and has "always" liked the team that’s winning. For the women reading this (I’m sure that’s a total of zero) make sure you stay clear of these guys. They are not respectable and their actions are inexcusable.

Sports are a marriage. Through sickness and in health. So while their team is struggling for a few years this guy decides to cheat on them with the Patriots. Real smooth slick. But the fact is your a fraud. Nothing is worse than a bandwagon hopper.

People may not agree with the team you root for but if you are with them through thick and think you will gain their respect. And becoming a hopper isn’t a way to do that. A guy who jumps bandwagons is a guy who will cheat on you with your sister...Kinda like Martin Brodeur.

2nd Commandment: Thou Shall Know Their Team, The History, The Future    

There is a really annoying occurrence i find while talking sports with strangers. There are a lot of die-hards that don’t know anything about the team. Don’t know the history. Barely know the current players. 

Definitely don’t know the farm system. I always make the argument that if you see a movie 50 times. And you really aren’t paying attention to it. You will still pick up quotes from said movie. So if you’re really a "die hard" you should watch every game.

This will give you insight on the history, current team, and the future. It’s not hard to learn this. If i had a seven year old watch every single Philadelphia Flyers game they, by the end of the season, should be able to sound of the roster. If you’re going to take time to call yourself a "die hard" take even more time to actually become one. Because saying you’re a die-hard of a team and actually being one are really complete opposites.

3rd Commandment: Thou Shall Not Leave Until Completion of Game

When you go to a movie that is an hour and a half. Do you stay for only 70 minutes and say "Hey I’m pretty sure they catch the killer....Lets beat traffic" Real sports fans know that there is nothing less predictable then sports.

I saw the Philadelphia Phillies come back from a seven run deficit to beat the New York Mets in extra innings. I saw this in a half empty stadium because half the "fans" decided the game was over.

There’s a whole lot of Buffalo Bills fans who DIDN'T see Frank Reich lead the Bills back in the greatest comeback of all time against the Oilers. They didn’t think the Bills would win. Even if your team is getting blown out Real fans stay. Through thick and thin. The worst are at baseball games.

Team will be down by a run and they leave in the BOTTOM of the ninth. When the team has a chance to win. You paid for a full game so stay for a full game. I mean what pressing issue are you running too at 10:42at night? 

You expected to see the entire game so don’t leave early. Because chances are if they were winning by three, you would stay. So stay when they’re losing by three and support the team

4th Commandment: Thou Shall Not Go Up the Isle during A Game

"And the 3-2 pitch" What happened you ask? Well the reason you’re asking is because you couldn’t see what happened. Because Brad, who’s wearing the Hollister shirt and a hat that of neither team playing, decided he would go for a beer run. Making everyone in the isle get up. Which blocked your view. Don’t be a dick. Wait until a stoppage of play.

5th Commandment: Thou Shall Not Start The Wave

This is really only a problem in baseball. And from what I’ve seen of late its usually started by your good friend Brad and his buddies from commandment 4. They stand up...usually during a pretty important time in the game.....and proclaim "HEY EVERYONE WHERE GOING TO START THE WAVE....ITS GOING THAT WAY ONE TWO THREE" And it’s begun.

Sweeping the stadium like a bad disease it grows bigger and bigger. Each time you hope it dies. Because you, as a fan, realize what they fail too.....ITS THAT THERE'S A GAME GOING ON. I find it extremely offensive to the teams that you are so bored by their play on the field that you want to make yourself look like the ocean. It’s not the 1980's.

We aren’t in Dodger Stadium; Fernando Mania isn’t coursing through our veins. You just look like a jackass who couldn’t give a rat’s ass about the game.

6th Commandment: No Chants Of Other Teams In The City You Are In   

For all of you who haven’t ever been to a Phillies game this used to be a huge problem. In the middle of a Phillies game Brad and his friends are at it again. Their quest for attention has led them to chant their battle cry. "E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!"

Look I’m from Philly and love the Eagles. But if you are chanting EAGLES in July when the only activity going on is practice with no pads you just look like a douche bag. What this says about you is "I’m such a hardcore Eagles fan that I’m thinking about them at a Phillies game".

It’s especially bad now considering that the Phillies, not the Eagles, broke the curse in the city of brotherly love. So please. Don’t do Eagles chants. Because no Eagles player is in your section and he isn’t going to come up and thank you for your support if he even was in your section. Don’t be an asshole. Chant Phillies at a Phillies game. Eagles at and Eagles game.

7th Commandment: If You Bring A Girl To A Game....Make Sure She Knows SOMETHING

Worst thing at a game is a Slutley. It’s the girl that wears an Utley shirt and knows absolutely NOTHING about the player. Even worse is the guy that brought her in a pathetic attempt to get laid. She doesn’t cheer through the entire game.....UNTIL the hot player comes up to bat.

Whereupon she goes nuts. And the guy ends up spending the entire game trying to prove to her that he knows sports. Yea because guys get laid all the time based on their sports knowledge. By all means bring a girl to the game. But bring one that’s an actual fan. If not bring a friend. Or just sell the damn ticket.

8th Commandment: Thou Shall Not have Personalized Shirts Or Jerseys

Jersey shirts cost $20. Even in this economy you can afford that. So the argument that "Well i pay for the shirt and have it forever and I don’t have to worry about the player being traded. I understand that jerseys are expensive but for football, where player T shirts aren’t popular, try the throwback jersey. Same goes for basketball. Its $20.Thats one lap dance.

9th Commandment: Thou Shall Show Up On Time

I take public transportation to the games most of the time. So on occasion i even break this rule. But the people I’m talking about are guys who are too busy in the parking lot getting trashed. They show up with terrible insults and are stumbling all over the place.

Look if you’re going to tailgate by all means tailgate. Just go to the game on time. There aren’t a whole lot of excuses for being late for a game when you have been within 100 yards of the venue.

10th Commandment: Thou Shall Treat Opposing Teams Fans with Respect   

This has some stipulations. If a guy is running his mouth and isn’t really making sense. And he’s just being annoying and using the typical lines of "You Suck" then as Russell Crowe would say "Unleash Hell." But I’m talking about the Fan that is a fan of the opposing team. Shows up. And doesn’t say ANYTHING.

He doesn’t bother anyone. Doesn’t talk shit. All he does is watch his team. This is especially relevant for if his team is losing. Just leave the guy alone. I recently went to a Phillies game where the Phillies scored 22 runs against the Reds.

The family behind us was Reds fans. Their teams just gave up 22 runs they don’t need to be heckled. This definitely goes for fans of last place teams. Give the guy credit just for showing up (I’m referring to the seven Nats fans) They showed up to the game probably expecting a loss and hoping for the best. Of course this rule goes out the window if they start talking a bit too much.

1. Muttiah Muralitharan

2. Shane Warne

3. Jim Laker

4. Abdul Qadir

5. Bishen Singh Bedi

6. Saqlain Mushtaq

7. Anil Kumble

8. Erapalli Prasanna

9. Daniel Vettori

10. BS Chandrasekhar

In our little survey, 90 percent said that seeing Michael once again in a Ferrari would be great for F1. Well they are about to get there wish. In a statement that sent shock waves around the globe, Michael is back! In a statement that was made to The Times,  Michael had this to say

"The most important thing first is that, thank God, all the news concerning Felipe is positive," said Schumacher in a statement. "I was meeting this afternoon with [Ferrari principal] Stefano Domenicali and [company president] Luca di Montezemolo and together we decided that I will prepare myself to take the place of Felipe."

He added: "Though it is true that the chapter of Formula One has been completely closed to me for a long time, it is also true that for loyalty reasons to the team I cannot ignore that unfortunate situation. But as the competitor that I am, I also very much look forward to facing this challenge."

In the final days of this years Tour de France, the seven-time champion showed the world how he won those titles.

Even being out of the sport for three years, Lance Armstrong let the world know that he is a very special kind of racer that comes along once  in a life time. He was brilliant against two of the best climbers that the Tour has ever seen, Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck, finishing third overall. It is the stuff that legends are made of. Lance Armstrong retired in 2005 after winning his seventh Tour.

A year after the seven-time Tour winner called it quits, another seven-time world champion left the world's stage. His name: Michael Schumacher.

Could it be possible that the seven-time FIM world driving champion, may imitate Lance's return with one of his own?

Last Saturday during the second round of qualifying for the Hungarian GP, Ferrari Ace, Felipe Massa slammed into the tire barrier unconscious. What caused the shunt was Massa being hit in the face with a suspension spring out of a Brawn car. While the reports are that Massa is on the mend, a big question is over an eye that has been damaged, it could in fact be the end of his career, if the injury impacts his sight.

In a statement to the Times, Ferrari President,  Luca di Montezemolo made it quite clear that their priority was the fallen star Felipe Massa. After leaving the hospital and being questioned about Massa's possible replacement, he made it quite clear that Massa was family and his well-being came first.

All that being said, Schumacher is listed as one of the team's reserves, this of course allowed him to do test work this season for the Prancing Horse. This means that Ferrari could use him this year without bringing in a replacement, who does not know the team or car.

All that being said, there is a bigger story here, F1 is in turmoil, much the same way the Tour de France was. A battle between the FIA and the teams (FOTA) has alienated the fans and they are turning away from the sport.

If ever there was a magic wand that could reignite F1, is the return of the greatest driver of the modern era, seven-time world champion, Michael Schumacher. It would put F1 back on the world stage and people would return in droves, some to see him win, others to hope he does not.

Could this be the year of the returning champions? Could this be the year, that Queen immortalized in the song "We are The Champions"?"

Could this be the year, that two seven-time champions return to grace our presence?

Boston University and Vermont have dominated the America East Conference for much of the past decade, but the two haven't fought each other for a league title since 2005.

In 2010, that will change.

The Terriers return their top six scorers after finishing third last season with an 11-5 record in the league. The Catamounts don't bring back as much talent in 2010, but it's still enough to fight the Terriers for the championship.

Vermont has one of the league's best player, Marqus Blakely, and the conference's best recruiting class. That combination makes the Catamounts, who finished 13-3 last year, a favorite and a better bet to win the league than reigning champion, Binghamton.

But that doesn't mean the Bearcats are slouches.

The conference's most dominant player, DJ Rivera, calls Binghamton home. But the surrounding cast this year is a bit thin, as second-leading scorer Dwayne Jackson is gone, as well as several key role players.

While Boston and Vermont have the most complete teams, Binghamton has enough star power to be considered a serious contender. The Bearcats did win three of four meetings with Vermont and Boston last season.

The rest of the league will be as a whole be better than last year. Hartford, Stony Brook, and Albany will be taking steps forward. The Danes will have the best shot to challenging the top three, as they have two potential All-League players in point guard Tim Ambrose and small forward Will Harris.

New Hampshire and Maine won't be too far behind the middle-tier teams in the league, while Maryland-Baltimore County should be headed for the conference dungeon.

Team by team capsules, projections, and all-league teams after the jump.

1. Boston University

The Terriers have one of the best trios of any mid-major in the country.

Small forward John Holland is an explosive scorer who can change the scoreboard from any spot on the floor. Point guard Corey Lowe does the same in addition to being a reliable distributor. Boston's future lies with sophomore big man Jake O'Brien who, averaged almost 13 points per game as a freshman. As a whole, the trio scored 47 points per game.

Boston also returns its next three leading scorers from last year. On top of all the talent, the Terriers also have one of the best incoming freshmen in the league. Point guard BJ Bailey will allow Lowe to slide over to the two-guard position, as Lowe is a deadly scorer.

2. Vermont

The Catamounts have the reigning Conference Player of the Year, as power forward Marqus Blakely can dominate both ends of the floor. Blakely is a double-double waiting to happen each night, as the senior averaged 16 points and nine boards a game last season. Blakely also is one of only a few players that averaged at least two blocks and two steals per game last season.

Blakely's supporting cast isn't as strong as what Holland and Lowe have at BU, but the Catamounts have some nice players returning. Vermont will need Michigan State transfer Maurice Joesph to step up and take on a more prominent role in the offense.

Vermont also has two of the highest-rated freshmen in the conference, and Luke Apfeld and Brendan Bald will have an immediate impact. Apfeld's versatility to guard multiple positions will make Vermont an even better defensive team after the squad led the conference in defensive efficiency last season.

3. Binghamton

The only reason Binghamton's best player, DJ Rivera, didn't win the league's Player of the Year award last season was because America East coaches weren't happy with the kind of players coach Kevin Broadus brought in from other schools. He's easily the most explosive talent in the conference, but wasn't awarded for it with any accolades.

Binghamton had five players average double-digit points last year, and three return this season. Gone are guards Malik Alvin and Dwayne Jackson, but returning is one of the league's most valuable players: Emanuel Mayben.

Binghamton's biggest weakness is actually being too small. The Bearcats only have one contributor over 6'5'', and the tallest member of their starting lineup from last year graduated. Coach Broadus's team was killed on the glass last year, and that trend should continue this season.

4. Albany

The only tandem in the league better than Tim Ambrose and Will Harris is Boston's John Holland and Corey Lowe. Like Lowe and Holland, Ambrose and Harris are a point guard-small forward duo.

The supporting cast just isn't there for the Great Danes. One other starter returns and a few reserves, but no real impact players.

The Great Danes do have an above-average class for an America East team, which will help build coach Will Brown's team for the future since point guard Ambrose will only be a junior this season.

5. Stony Brook

The league's second-best defensive team returns the majority of its core players from that finished .500 in the league.

There is the potential for the Seawolves to finish much higher than fifth with a roster as complete and experienced as theirs, but Stony Brook struggled significantly at times on offense.

6. New Hampshire

The Wildcats somehow finished .500 last year, despite being well below the league average in both offensive and defensive efficiency.

The Wildcats return the majority of their roster, but New Hampshire lacks a star player capable of taking over a game.

7. Hartford

The Hawks were anemic offensively last season, ranking 317th in offensive efficiency in the country.

Star player Joe Zeglinski returns after missing most of last season. As a sophomore, Zeglinski was named to the All-League team after averaging over 16 points per game.

8. Maine

The Black Bears' leading scorer is gone, but now-sophomore Gerald McLemore was second on the team in scoring as a freshman.

If Maine is going to make a noise in the league, it will be behind McLemore. He's the only bright spot for the Black Bears, as the defense last year was abysmal and there aren't any banner recruits coming in.

9. Maryland-Baltimore County

Only two role players remain from UM-BC's 2008 championship winning team, but those two players are going to be thrust into major roles, as just three real contributors return from last year's sixth place team. 

There is hope for the future, as the Retrievers bring in several solid recruits and transfers from Marshall and Siena.

All-America East Team

Boston point guard Corey Lowe

Albany point guard Tim Ambrose

Boston forward John Holland

Binghamton forward DJ Rivera

Vermont forward Marqus Blakely

America East Player of the Year

DJ Rivera

America East Coach of the Year

Patrick Chambers

America East Freshman of the Year

Vermont forward Luke Apfeld

Conference Previews:

Dayton is Class of Atlantic 10, but Richmond, Charlotte, and La Salle Could Surprise

Tulsa Will Take an Unrecognizable Conference USA by Storm

For more on college basketball, follow Jameson on twitter.

I have been a member of Bleacher Report for about 5 months now and have honestly enjoyed every second of it. From the thrill of finally completing my first article to the excitement of my first comment, the ride has been a blast.

I can remember the first article I wrote, highlighting the ACC Championship contenders. I even included my very own version of the "NCAA Power Rankings" that listed my Top 5 predictions in the rankings for the following week. I was really excited to publish the article because I honestly wanted to know how people enjoyed the article.

I chose the tags that I would list my article under and clicked "Publish". One hour went by, Two hours went by. I sat by the computer screen, wondering if I would ever get to 10 reads. I then called it a night and went to sleep.

I woke up the next morning to find that about 50 people had read my article, and I even had a comment. I was extremely excited at the time, until I realized that 50 reads is not all that great. Still, people had read my article and one person had left his opinion in the form of a comment.

It then took me about a month before I could finally sit down at the computer and begin to write another article. Although the first article had not been a success, I decided not to give up hope and persevere.

This is the standard on Bleacher Report for new writers: Although their first couple of articles may not be successful, they must persevere, never lose hope and get back to writing articles.

At least that was the case for me. Either way, I have enjoyed the experiences I have had since becoming a writer for Bleacher Report.

But this article is not about me or my experiences. This article is written to display some of the new talent that Bleacher Report has to offer. I know that several people have written articles that displays the best Bleacher Report has to offer (such as Leroy Watson, Blaine Spence, BabyTate, Heartbeat Of The Bronx, Jameson Fleming, L.J Burgess, Andrew Nuschler, Ron Johnson, etc.), but I wanted to do something different.

I then decided that I would display some of the up-and-coming writers of Bleacher Report:

The first person I would like to mention is bob bob. Yes, I must admit, a guy with a picture of SpongeBob as his profile picture did surprise me at first. But over my time contributing as a Los Angeles Laker's writer, I have come to identify bob bob as a good friend.

He is probably the happiest person on Bleacher Report, always commenting and leaving a =), but I have truly found that he knows his stuff and is a very good Los Angeles Laker and NBA writer. If you read one of his articles, I promise he won't disappoint.

(bob bob is not really an up-and-coming writer, because he is already succeeding on Bleacher Report, but I still wanted to give him props)

The next person I would like to mention on this list is Ryan Desmarais. The man who knows all things Boston Celtics and is a big NBA fan. I have recently gotten to know a little more about Ryan, and I believe that one day he will be the #1 ranked Celtics writer here on Bleacher Report. To all Celtics fans: He knows what he is talking about.

(Plus he always leaves a positive comment on any article you write, while also giving you a little advice if needed)

Mark Moore is the next person I would like to highlight. For all things NBA, go to him. He has only written 6 articles, but each one includes his own special way of writing that really intrigues me.

Throughout the articles he has written, he shows me that he knows what he is talking about while also making you believe the same way he does. Great writer, and I can't say enough good things about him. I have not gotten to know him as well either, but I am sure we will become good friends over time.

I guess that it has been about 3 weeks or so, but I read an article on Lamar Odom that for some reason was one of the best articles I have read over my time on the site. That article was written by a guy named Rajiv Narula. I have no clue how to pronounce your name, but I can only say good things about your articles.

(Rajiv has only written 3 articles, but give him time and he will become one of the best writers on this entire site)

The final person I would like to include in this article would be Robbie Cotton. Robbie has got to be the only writer I have seen on the site to write about the San Jose Earthquakes, but it is encouraging to see new writers under the MLS section of Bleacher Report.

I am a highschooler, but I understand that soccer and the MLS are slowly losing popularity with the youth of today. Most people would rather have a famous NBA player be their role model than a MLS player. I hate that it has come down to this, but at least there are still some writers who are passionate about the sport on this site. Robbie is the newest, but over his time on Bleacher Report I can see him becoming a very popular MLS writer.

To the five people that I have written about in this article, I truly wish you all the best. I have only written 15 articles, this will be my 16th, but still I have come to enjoy each article that you five have written over my time with Bleacher Report.

To all of the people who read this, please check out the five people I have outlined throughout this article. I truly believe that these are just five of the up-and-coming writers that Bleacher Report has given the opportunity to succeed through writing. 

That is my goal on this site, to get others noticed while also sharing my opinion. I am a passionate writer and I really like to hear other's opinions as well. Look for the future of Bleach Report to be in safe hands with some of the new talent that is being revealed.  

It has been five years since Conference USA entered a season looking so unfamiliar. Five years ago the league suffered through a radical overhaul that sent five teams to the Big East, several more to mid-major conferences, and welcomed in a few new schools to the mix.

But heading into this season, the league will look radically different again. This time, all the same teams will return, but most without the star players that were the faces of the league last season.

Without former league powers Louisville and Marquette, Memphis rose to the top of the league, dominating Conference USA at a historic level under Coach John Calipari. But Calipari traded in Memphis Blue for Kentucky's Big Blue and with that likely goes the Tigers' 61 game winning streak and stranglehold on the league.

The door is now wide open for Tulsa who hasn't seen much postseason success since joining Conference USA prior to the 2005-2006 season. The Golden Hurricane men's basketball team is poised to regain the success it saw when the school reached at least the second round of the NCAA Tournament five times from 1997 to 2003.

Tulsa's resurgence falls on the shoulders of two returning stars and an incoming freshman that ESPN rates as the 14th best freshman point guard in the country.

Trailing Tulsa will be two teams that will make C-USA basketball relevant in Houston, Texas. Rice and Houston have historically always been strong rivals across all sports, but their basketball rivalry has typically been one-sided.

In 2010, both will field teams that will make them among the best in the league and give this underrated rivalry some juice.

After the top three, a mish-mash of mediocre teams will fill out the middle of the leagues.

At the bottom of the league, a bevy of teams missing their superstars will call the basement home. Central Florida without Jermaine Taylor, UAB without Robert Vaden and Paul Delaney, Memphis without Antonio Anderson, Robert Dozier, Shawn Taggart, and Tyreke Evans, and Southern Mississippi without Jeremy Wise will be seriously hurting in 2010.

Team by team capsules, projections, and all-league teams after the jump.

1. Tulsa

The Golden Hurricane has the best inside-outside, one-two punch in the league with the tandem of guard Ben Uzoh and center Jerome Jordan. Uzoh led the team in scoring a 14 points per game last year as a junior, down almost a point and a half from his sophomore season.

Uzoh's offensive efficiency also dropped last season, but if the dynamic point guard can regain his sophomore season form, he could be the league's best player as a senior.

Tulsa's center Jerome Jordan isn't the league's best player yet, but he certainly has the most professional potential. Jordan stands seven feet tall and can at times steal the show. Inconsistency plagues Tulsa's tree as the center has been slow to develop during his first three seasons in Oklahoma.

Jordan is a highly efficient offensive player with a true-shot rating that ranks 56th in the country. He also knocks down his free throws at a solid rate for a center (74%). Jordan can also dominate the defensive end of the floor.

The senior center ranked 20th in the country in both defensive rebounding and shot blocking. His presence in the middle of the floor is the biggest reason Tulsa was so good defensively last season.

Two men don't make team though. Uzoh and Jordan will have great support with starters Justin Hurtt and Bishop Wheatley returning. Wheatley isn't much a scorer which can put pressure on Uzoh to do more than he has to as a scoring point guard.

That pressure will be alleviated a bit with incoming guard Donte Medder. ESPN rates Medder as the 14th best point guard prospect in the country. His presence will allow Uzoh to play off the ball to find his own shot rather than create it every time.

2. Houston

If Ben Uzoh and Jerome Jordan make up the league's best one-two punch, then Houston's Aubrey Coleman and Kevlin Lewis are a very close second.

Unlike Uzoh and Jordan who are an inside-outside combine, Coleman and Lewis destroy teams with slashing and shooting. Colemand gets to the basket with ease while Lewis is a constant threat to knock down the long ball.

What separates Houston's duo from Tulsa's tandem is the supporting cast. The Cougars bring back starting point guard Desmond Wade and last year's second and third options off the bench Zamal Nixon and Nick Mosley.

Houston's incoming recruits are nothing extra special, but coach Tom Penders will rely on them to provide more minutes than they might be prepared for.

3. Rice

Houston will win with star power while crosstown rival Rice will win with depth. The Owls return five players that can lead the team in scoring each night. Starting point guard Rodney Foster is gone, but Rice has potential stars in Connor Frizzelle and Lucas Kuipers.

If Frizzelle, Kuipers or Trey Stanton, Cory Pflieger, Lawrence Ghoram - the other three Owls capable of leading this team- take their game to the next level, Rice could have its best season since 2004 when the Owls were still in the WAC.

4. Marshall

The Thundering Herd feature a roster very similar to Rice from the standpoint Marshall returns five players that can lead the team in scoring each night. Only leading scorer Markel Humphrey is gone, but his output will likely be replaced by one of the best recruits in the league, center Hassan Whiteside.

Whiteside gives Marshall a much needed inside presence. Having a big body to anchor the center of Marshall's defense should allow the Thundering Herd to improve on its terrible 1.041 points per possession allowed.

5. UTEP

The Miners lose star slasher Stefon Jackson and center Kareem Cooper, but have three reliable options returning including future all-league guard Randy Culpepper. UTEP also brings back one of the league's best rebounders, Arnett Moultrie.

The Miners will have the option of teaming Moultrie up with the extremely talented Derrick Caracter who's behavioral problems forced him out of Rick Pitino's lineup.

Caracter is a 6'9'' load under the basket that showed stints of domination when at Louisville, but can also disappear and make just as many terrible, bone-headed or selfish plays as good plays.

6. Tulane

Defense hasn't been a problem for awhile for the Green Wave, but instead the squad has struggled putting points on the board in league play. That may change a bit as one of the league's most efficient players, Kevin Sims should be the uncontested top option as several inefficient key options have graduated.

Even if the offense doesn't come around behind Sims, the defense has been the team's calling card and should continue to win the Green Wave games in 2010. Tulane's undersized lineup has had no trouble forcing teams into bad decisions and turnovers.

7. Southern Methodist

The Mustangs have been awful in league play since joining Conference USA before the 2005-2006 season. SMU has never won more than four games in the conference, but that should change with a veteran lineup.

SMU brings back nine of its top players from its rotation including Paul McCoy who led the team in scoring as a freshman.

The Mustangs struggled defensively last season, but the team's rotation essentially intact, SMU can likely only go up.

8. East Carolina

SMU had its troubles on the defensive side of the floor last year, but East Carolina took bad defense to a new level. Only five teams in the nation allowed more points per possession than Pirates.

With three starters back and four more members of East Carolina's rotation, the Pirates can only get better.

East Carolina's offensive can keep the Pirates afloat in 2010 if the defensive comes around at all. Darrius Morrow and Jamar Abrams are C-USA stars in the making. Having a point guard that distributes as well as Brock Young, makes scoring much easier. Young assisted on 45% of a field goals scored when he was on the floor, a rate that ranked second in the country.

9. Central Florida

Jermaine Taylor was Central Florida basketball last year. No player was leaned on more heavily than Golden Knight two-guard. But he's gone, as is second leading scorer Tony Davis and starting center Kenrick Zondervan.

The Golden Knights do have the league's deepest and most talented recruiting class in the league which won't help much this year, but could be setting UCF for a future title run.

10. Memphis

Oh how far have the mighty fallen. The top four members of the 2009 Tigers are gone. Left are options five through nine for coach Josh Pastner. Those five players have never been a top option at the college level. There's no point guard in the bunch and little size.

So help has to be on the way, right? Well, not really. Power forward Will Coleman will provide some size and a lot of talent, but that's only six players. Small forward Martin Ngaloro will be asked to be contributed now, but he's likely not going to be ready for Conference USA ball.

Preston Laird and Angel Garcia are also on the roster under scholarship, but neither will contribute much to this Memphis team.

The Tigers' only hope is to have Duke transfer Elliot Williams cleared to play immediately. Williams talent could instantly turn Memphis into a top five team in the league. As for now, this roster is headed towards disaster

11. Southern Mississippi

USM is in a very similar position as Memphis. Three of the top four contributors for the Golden Eagles are gone and only six players return from last year's team. Only three of those six players had a real impact for Southern Miss.

R.L. Horton will likely score a ton for the Golden Eagles, but he won't have much help. The recruiting class is one of the worst in the league meaning relief isn't on the way in 2010.

12. UAB

The Blazers' situation is so bad that it is essentially the sum of the awfulness of Memphis's problems and the awfulness of Southern Mississippi's problems. The names left on Mike Davis's roster are unrecognizable. The recruits aren't that great. There's only 10 scholarship players on the roster - six of which are freshmen or JUCO transfers.

This season should be historically bad year for the program.

All Conference USA Preseason Team

Tulsa guard Ben Uzoh

Tulsa center Jerome Jordan

Houston guard Aubrey Coleman

Houston guard Kevlin Lewis

UTEP guard Randy Culpepper

Preseason Player of the Year

Tulsa center Jerome Jordan

Preseason Freshman of the Year

Tulsa guard Donte Medder

Preseason Coach of the Year

Doug Wojcik

Conference Previews:

Dayton is Class of Atlantic 10, but Richmond, Charlotte, and La Salle Could Surprise

For more on college basketball, follow Jameson on twitter.

I'm not entirely sure what prompted it, but recently my father and I started talking about the best Giants players since the disastrous and tragic Bay Area Series.

From this, I started thinking of the best players the Giants have had at each position...and the following is the fruit of that endeavor.

Obviously, some of you readers will disagree with me on my picks, and that's OK—feel free to debate these choices, and make your own suggestions. 

Just remember, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but mine is better than yours.

**N.B.—This is limited solely to the players who wore a Giants uniform between 1990 & now, and evaluated solely on their performance with the Giants. However, this will still count stats accumulated while in a Giants uniform prior to 1990. Also, there will be no middle relievers on this team (apologies to Mike Jackson).**

So without further ado, I present to you the post-1989 All-Giants Team. Enjoy.

POSITION PLAYERS

C: Bengie Molina (2007-Pres.)—We really haven't had a solid, all-around catcher in this particular time span. Yes, yes, Kirt Manwaring was an outstanding fielder, but he had absolutely nothing going for him in the batter's box, so that invalidates him. Bengie has been fairly solid and consistent, both behind the dish and at the plate. Therefore, he gets the nod, despite his complete and utter lack of plate discipline.

Honorable Mention(s):

Mike Matheny—A sublime defensive catcher (best of our generation, maybe?), and did a passable job with the stick...It's really too bad about the concussions.

Benito Santiago—Bennie was a big part of that 2002 National League Pennant-winning team, but he benefited greatly from having Bonds and Kent in the lineup with him—not to mention, his three Giant seasons came in the twilight of his excellent career.

1B: Will Clark (1986-1993)—I don't think this one even needs to be argued. The Thrill was blasting from his first MLB at-bat (he hit a HR off The Ryan Express on the second pitch of his career). It's a crying shame that we couldn't keep him, Bonds, and Williams in San Francisco.

Honorable Mention:

J.T. Snow—Decent hitter, but a great glove at first—but his most important 'catch' was at home plate, and it didn't involve a baseball. All in all, you really can't dislike this guy. It's actually physically impossible.

2B: Jeff Kent (1997-2002)—Despite the fact that he was a massive jerk, he is nevertheless one of the best slugging 2nd basemen to play the game—and his best years came with the Giants. His offensive tour-de-force on the way to an NL MVP Award in 2000 was (and still is) astonishing. 

Honorable Mention:

Robby Thompson—there is no other legitimate candidate at 2nd base (sorry Ray-Ray). He really was a pretty good player up until the '94 season...unfortunate (both for him and the Giants, because of his contract) that he never recovered to pre-strike/injury form.

3B: Matt Williams (1987-1996)—I'm not sure if there has ever been a more strongly disliked trade (at the time of the deal) in SF Giants history than the one in which Matt Williams was the dreaded "player to be named later"...I remember almost crying. The guy was my hero and favorite baseball player...but we did get Jeff Kent out of the deal, so all's well that end's well, right?

In any event, Matt was just plain dominant at the dish, especially in his '94 (his 43 HR's led MLB, on pace to break Maris' record until the strike shortened his season to 112 games) and '95 (23 HRs, .647 SLUG in only 76 games); obviously, these weren't full seasons...Only the Lord knows what he could have accomplished if they were. 

Honorable Mention: 

Pablo Sandoval—This was a tough call between Pablo and Bill Mueller. Obviously, Kung Fu Panda hasn't been playing very long, I am willing to discount this fact somewhat in light of his season thus far.

Billy was decent but didn't find his "pop" until he landed in Boston; still, he was a solid player with the Giants. It's really a toss-up here, only because of a (very) limited sample for the Panda—but Sandoval's stellar performance this season earns him my nod.

SS: Rich Aurilia (1995-2003, 2007-Pres.)—It's really unfortunate that Sabean's senility led to Richie's return, thereby ruining most people's perception of him (Aurilia)...he really was outstanding before, I promise! His 2001 campaign still stands as, arguably, the best in Giants SS history (37 HRs?!?! 206 Hits?!?!). Rich was a member of that 2001 All-Star team that featured 3 Giants as starters, back when the fans knew how to vote for the correct players.

I just wish he could leave S.F. with dignity, but that seems less possible after each game he plays. 

Honorable Mention:

Omar Vizquel—The Wizard Pt. 2 gets this spot by default. This is mainly due to the fact that, well, he's Omar, and Royce Clayton is definitely not worthy of the spot. Possibly the best defensive SS of his generation (solid fielding has become a hallmark of these Honorable Mentions, apparently).

**Attn.—I'm going to take a bit of liberty with the specific positions in the outfield...and the Honorable Mention category is wide open here.**


OF 1: Barry Bonds (1993-2007)—I'm just gonna throw a few stats out there, other than that whole most-HRs-ever thing (762 if you have been living in a cave). Here's one that's utterly mind-blowing: FOUR CONSECUTIVE YEARS WITH AN OBP OVER .500 (including a jaw-dropping .609 in 2004).

Baseball, as I have mentioned before, is a game which is always measured by the amount of failures (shameless plug for my article here) someone makes...Barry is the only player to succeed MORE times than he failed when he went to the plate over the course of FOUR STRAIGHT SEASONS. Truly amazing.  Also, take a gander at this one: 2558 career walks, for a guy who a) is 6'1" and b) doesn't crouch at the plate. I don't see how people still insist that he doesn't belong in Cooperstown, regardless of PED use (by the way, Bonds never cheated because it wasn't against the rules when he allegedly used HGH, so stop saying he cheated).
(end of rant)

OF 2: Ellis Burks (1998-2000)—After being picked up from Colorado at the trade deadline(!) in '98, Ellis Burks provided an awfully good 2 1/2-ish seasons, given his health problems. In 1999 and 2000, Burks posted an OPS of .964 and 1.025, respectively, all while playing with knees that were clearly a few decades older than the rest of his body past.

Burks is not really known for being a Giant, but he posted his best averages wearing the orange and black (yes, even better than he did in Colorado per AB—and this was pre-humidor Colorado). Obviously, this is a pretty arguable pick...so feel free to critique this one.

OF 3: Kevin Mitchell (1987-1991)—Kevin Mitchell was a bit goofy (bare-handed catch, anyone?), but he could definitely hit a ball hard & far. I'm from Cincinnati, so Mitchell stands out a little bit extra in my memory, but it isn't as if he isn't deserving of this spot.
His '89 MVP season—47 HRs, 125 RBIS, 192 OPS+ (OPS above league average)—warrants a place on team, at least in my opinion (and I have already explained the thing about my opinions). Again, this is a potentially arguable choice, but I think he's a bit more solid than Burks.

Honorable Mentions: (In the interest of your time, I'm not writing full blurbs [oxymoronic?] for all of these guys) 

Randy Winn—Winn has been consistently putting up solid numbers with the Giants, but this has gone relatively unnoticed by most. Winn would be my #4 pick in the OF, close behind Burks.

Darren Lewis—Only reason I will throw his name up here is because of his glove. But oh, what a glove (even made a S.I. Cover for it).

Willie McGee—I personally did not even think about McGee, but good old baseball-reference.com reminded me of him, and he definitely had some solid years in the early to mid 90s (he was a member of that fantastic '93 team).

Brett Butler—Yes, he is most remembered as a Dodger; however, the 'Human Bunt' did post some good numbers over his three years as a Giant.

Also, I was named after him.

PITCHING STAFF

Starting Rotation (Pitchers in no particular order)
 
Jason Schmidt (2001-2006)—Yet another Giant star that is now wearing Dodger blue...however, we did rob the Pirates to acquire him in the first place.  For about a three year period earlier this decade, "Schmidtty" was certainly one of the best pitchers in baseball. He undoubtedly was robbed of a Cy Young, as his career year in 2003 unfortunately coincided with Eric Gagne's spectacular (though fluky) season.

After joining the Giants, Schmidt truly became the definition of power pitcher, posting a S.F. Giant record for strikeouts in a season, with 251 in 2004 (which has since been broken by another member of this team). To add to his impressive resume, Jason hurled one of the best games by a Giant pitcher in recent memory (2006, June 6th, against the Marlins, 16 Ks, you remember it).

John Burkett (1987, 1990-1994)—I bet most of you forgot about this guy! (Or was I the only one; I sincerely didn't even remember Burkett until my dad mentioned him). John was a rare Giant pitcher that never endured what could be called a "bad" season at any point in his Giant career, but outside of that league-leading 22 wins in '93 (that team was so good, too bad there was no wild card then), he never was particularly a standout.
Regardless, Burkett knew how to throw strikes and keep the runners off the basepaths, and that's what made him successful. Ergo, he deserves a place on this team.

Kirk Rueter (1996-2005)—I don't think there is really argument about Woody's place on this team. For a while, he was in possession of the second highest winning percentage amongst active lefties, second only to one Mr. Randy Johnson. Oh, and he's had the most wins in a Giant uniform since the '89 Series, with 105. All arguments of the validity of the "win" stat notwithstanding, 105 wins is still nothing to pooh-pooh.

The worst thing is, Woody is a virtual unknown outside of the Bay Area, considering he started his career in Montreal, and never posted gaudy numbers in one particular season...something of a shame he never made an All-Star team (a travesty of justice, for sure).

Russ Ortiz (1998-2002, 2007)—Ok, I'm definitely going to catch some flak for this pick, but I'm sticking by my guns. During his years as a Giant, Russ was probably the second most successful Giant starter (on a regular basis), behind the aforementioned Woody.
He ultimately ended up having his best season(s) of his career immediately after leaving the Giants, but before leaving for Atlanta, he managed to compile a 69-47 record as a Giant. In light of his recent performances, it might be tough to actually believe that he was good at one time.

Tim Lincecum (2007-Pres.)—I simply cannot leave Timmy off of this list. Winning an NL Cy Young award in his first full season, The Freak has kept his foot on the gas and definitely isn't showing signs of slowing down anytime soon. Obviously, he's still very, very young, and it's my fervent hope that Bochy doesn't work his arm into the ground, but no other SF Giant pitcher has ever been more dominant at a young age. I love how people want to compare him to Dwight Gooden, even though Lincecum is far and away better than Doc. As the ace of the present and the ace of the future, Tim deserves this spot, possibly (maybe a year or two down the line) even a mention amongst the top Giants pitchers EVER.

Honorable Mention: 

Matt Cain—Prior to this season, he was the possessor of the worst luck amongst all active MLB pitchers, and now the Giants have finally started giving the big guy some run support. In a few years, I would expect him to easily usurp Ortiz' spot on this team.

Livan Hernandez—El Duque's little brother was the prototypical workhorse. Sadly though, that's about all he amounted to for the Giants, all told. He was influential in getting them through the playoffs to the '02 Series, but that, in and of itself, does not get him in the door.

Shawn Estes—Went from good, to...well...not-so-good. If there ever were a flake amongst the post '89 pitchers, Estes would be the one. Inconsistency plagued him throughout his time as a Giant, and that is what is chiefly keeping him from replacing Ortiz' spot in the rotation.

Bill Swift—Swift definitely had the most successful short stint of any Giant pitcher in the 90s (21-8 in '93, 39-13 over his Giant career). Out of all the pitchers, this is probably my biggest oversight. Personally, I didn't think that three years is enough to put him in over others, which is kinda hypocritical seeing as how I put Lincecum in. Regardless, Swift will be left as an honorable mention.

Noah Lowry—Throwing him here for posterity. I truly feel bad for the guy.

Closers; A Short Section
(Again, no middle relievers here)

(Tie):  Rod Beck (1991-1997) & Robb Nen (1998-2002)—I am choosing to group these two masters of the ninth together because, essentially, they were both extremely good (and fairly similar in abilities). Beck was scary, Nen was scary. Both threw smoke, and both were nasty.

Sadly, the Giants haven't been able to keep up the quality of closers since then (Brian Wilson has yet to be consistent), which is why there will be no Honorable Mentions in this category. Beck and Nen actually did their job, unlike their eventual successors (this finger is pointed at you, Armando Benitez).

P.S.—Rest in peace, Rod.

With that, I will conclude my exhaustive All-Giants Team, from 1990 to Present Day.

Hopefully, you enjoyed this, and again, feel free to make comments about my picks, point out the people I missed, or whatever you feel compelled to write in the box.

(Thanks to Baseball-Reference.com for most of the statistics)

Yesterday, I introduced my list of six freshmen who I expect to have major impact in their first year of eligibility (the link: http://tiny.cc/topfreshmen).

Anyways, as I promised to those who read the previous list, here is the continuation of the top impact freshmen list, again in no particular order.

Trent Richardson - RB, Alabama

A top-10 prospect, Richardson brings added toughness in the power running game to the Crimson Tide.

He is expected to spell Sophomore RB Mark Ingram in hopes of keeping him fresh and adding to the Alabama running game that took the country by storm in 2008.

Richardson has a powerful frame at 225 pounds with more room to grow, which will no doubt make Alabama fans happy this season.

The loss of Glen Coffee might hurt in Tuscaloosa, but if Richardson has immediate impact, Tide fans will have nothing to worry about. 

Jaamal Berry - RB, Ohio State

The South Florida sensation will be heading north about 1000 miles to play for Jim Tressel in Columbus, and he brings his incredible speed with him. Though Ohio State will have two RBs in Dan Herron and Brandon Saine fighting for the starting job, Berry should be able to see the field at least sparsely at first.

The university did confirm that Berry is still eligible despite his drug issues, but it will be up to how he performs on the field in order for him to get out of Tressel's doghouse.

He has the talent to do it; he just needs to show the work ethic to impress the Buckeye Nation.

Dre Kirkpatrick - CB, Alabama

Kirkpatrick brings size and speed to the corner position and may transition to safety if needed while at Alabama.

Obviously, the most intriguing feature he brings is length and speed, which will allow him to fight to deflect passes away as a CB. He will be called upon at times to replace the starters at DB for the Tide, if not play in nickel sets at times in 2009.

He did have some academic problems to deal with, but Bama fans hope he is past that and can be a stud this season.

Alex Okafor - DE, Texas

Okafor comes to Austin boasting an outstanding physical pedigree including a reported 4.6 40-yard dash. He also has that ability to rip through the offensive line to get to the ball carrier with his speed and strength.

Having graduated DEs Henry Melton and Brian Orakpo, Mack Brown might find it hard to keep this physical beast off the field. Okafor may see immediate time in blitz packages playing with Sergio Kindle.

He will need to put on some more muscle, but his physical tools might give Okafor ample opportunity to showcase his talent on Will Muschamp's aggressive Longhorn defense.

Jelani Jenkins - LB, Florida

Ranked the top OLB by most websites, Jenkins does two things that Urban Meyer absolutely loves. He hits like a Mack truck and has the speed to fly down the field.

Jenkins will come in facing an uphill battle to find playing time on a defense that is returning all 11 starters and has a logjam at the LB position. His talent will warrant him some playing time on defense though, and he is most likely to join special teams and Meyer's vaunted punt block team in 2009.

He has been known to hit incredibly hard, and could very soon become a fan favorite in Gainesville by the time he becomes a starter as soon as 2010.

Vontaze Burfict - LB, Arizona State

One of the most outstanding physical specimens in the state of California, Burfict shocked many by spurning USC to head to Pac-10 rival Arizona State.

At 245 pounds as a freshman, Burfict has shown tremendous physical tools including great speed and like Jenkins, is considered one of the hardest hitters in the country.

A talent like his should have no problem finding time in Dennis Erickson's defense in Tempe. Even if he doesn't start, expect him to see significant time spelling starter Travis Goethel.

Burfict is a dominating physical presence that will bring his raw power to ASU, and he should have no problem becoming an immediate force any time he steps onto the field. 

Honorable Mentions:

Tate Forcier/Denard Robinson - QBs, Michigan

Nico Johnson - LB, Alabama

Gary Brown - DT, Florida

Marlon Brown - WR, Georgia

Obviously, there are so many Freshmen to mention here that it would take multiple lists. But there is little doubt in the fan bases of these schools that the hype of these young kids will be justified as soon as this season.