Unverified Voracity: Fried Ice Cream Edition

There's a new Michigan blog to bring to your attention: Michigan Football Saturdays. Check out MFS blow-by-blow account of the annual Michigan Car Wash. Alan Branch is in grave danger due to suds, but comes through dancing. Uplifting!

Chances of regaining the Jug: steadily rising. Projected Gopher starter Gary Russell's academic problems have become terminal. The Gophers have a seemingly endless supply of intimidating running backs with roman numerals in their names, but losing both Maroney and Russell in one offseason is pretty harsh. Junior Amir Pinnix steps into the starting lineup.

Gopher safety Brandon Owens will also miss the '06 season with nerve damage in his shoulder -- the exact same injury that kept Michigan safety Ryan Mundy out for all of '05.

In other opponent news: Irish's Samardzija signs with Cubs. I assume this isn't going to affect his football eligiblity since BGS hasn't posted something at least mildly panicky.

The Wolverine has much, much more on Michigan's new hockey commitments via Research On Ice's Paul Shaheen:

"He really developed into one of our league's elite goaltenders by the end of the year," says Lincoln head coach/GM Steve Johnson, who helped introduce us to Hogan back in March (Hogan's Hero, ROI March 23, 2006). "As the year went on, he understood the pace better, he got stronger, more confident, and we relied on him very heavily. He did an outstanding job."

For now, Hogan's commitment is for the fall of '07, but he may defer until 2008.

Langlais is a confirmed commit now and sounds, well, only slightly like Eric Werner:

Though not dominant offensively, Langlais can help in that regard, all the while making defense his top priority.

Which is nice -- defense is good from a defenseman coughRICHMONDcough -- but I still miss the little buccaneer and would thoroughly enjoy a totally-insane-but-effective replacement.

Aaaaaaargh? Kevin Allen's latest USA Today column goes into some detail about a potential 'Canes-Penguins trade involving one Jack Johnson and the Penguins' first round pick. I have no idea whether that would make him more or less likely to flee before the season, but we aren't out of the woods yet. Hockey Night In Canada's Satellite Hotstove made ominous noises about the Canes making a further push to sign Johnson in any case, as every 'Canes defenseman is ancient, a free agent, both, or Mike Commodore.

Enjoy some fried ice cream, Brian McBride.

Feliz Cumpleanos a BRIAN MCBRIDE!!! ...says the man on Univision at halftime of the Saudi Arabia-Ukrainski game. Photo used: the one from the Italy game where McBride looks like he's twenty minutes into a cage match, natch. McBride has just turned 800. Many thanks to Kanu for turning me on to the Univision coverage of the World Cup, which is much more fun than the ESPN/ABC coverage despite -- perhaps because of -- my inability to understand much aside from "GOOOOOOOOOOOOOL".

Etc.: EDSBS reveals the top 25 madlibs sportswriters undertake every year. NC State blogpoller and 'Canes fan Steven from Section Six has a freakin' ticket to freakin' game freakin' seven. I am intensely jealous. Braves & Birds has done something I considered doing myself by lifting Victors poster AdamantiumBlue's thoughts on soccer for a post of his own. Everything you wanted to know about USA-Italy.