Unverified Voracity: THEY ARE ON FIRE NOW!!!! Edition

First...


I'm so happy. Said picture is courtesy BC&RS. Sam also provides a selection of other wondrous images from fifth graders. My favorite is titled "Disco Car" and features either Kid or Play (the one with the giant novelty haircut), a pink car flying off a cliff, and a THRILLING CONCLUSION you must SEE TO BELIEVE!

Also from Sam comes my proudest moment as a Michigan engineer. That's a brief movie; please watch it with the sound on. If anyone out there has some video editing skills, please fade in the Michigan fight song towards the end and then bring up a giant block M with "The Michigan Difference" under it. You'll see what I mean.

The scales of fate balance out... or something. Starting Nebraska OLB Barrett Ruud broke his arm and will miss the Alamo Bowl. Backup DE Wali Muhammad is also suspended for a violation of team rules. Two less guys for the offensive line to sort-of block.

Who had 23 games in the pool? ESPN.com headline: "Marbury no longer Isiah's fave." Newsday:

Something's got to give, and Knicks president Isiah Thomas recently indicated that if it ever comes down to a choice between Brown and point guard Stephon Marbury, he'll cast his lot with the coach.

The NY Daily News:

Nary a loss passes without Brown questioning the toughness or basketball IQ of his players. ... Thomas was hailed for acquiring Marbury and now he has no other option but to trade Coney Island's Finest.

The NY Post:

THOMAS: MARBURY NO LONGER NUCLEUS OF KNICKS

Who saw this coming? Everybody? Oh. The Knicks are 6-17. Brown is HEY! HEY! HEY!-ing his way to drafting someone who is not Greg Oden this summer. The Pistons are 18-3 and clearly better without The Great Millstone around their necks.

Dear Larry, the city of Detroit would like to extend you a warm...

Ha. Ha.

Gracious? Er, not really. But let's review: Pistons battling for their playoff lives; Brown attempting to leave town before season even ends.

If I am alive this time in 2009-10 I (and you) will be watching a team that misses both Minnesota and Northwestern in the Big Ten. That should be just enough time for Mason to flee to greener pastures and Northwestern to resume its historic uselessness. Remember, the answer to the question "Who are the two worst teams in the Big Ten?" is always "Whoever Michigan misses." I would be very afraid if I was Iowa.

Also: yet another Big Ten team is slated for two years without both Michigan and Ohio State. This time it's the Wildcats. It wasn't relevant this year, but what are the chances that Iowa doesn't skeeze out a questionable Big Ten title in '07 or '08?

(Thanks to reader Douglas Dillon for the pointer.)