Flint Township View

NFL Hall of Fame picks and a look at college basketball

Fat Guy Corner


 

 

A weekend with no football?! The fat guy did survive, but it wasn’t easy to tell you the truth. How did you all survive with no football, I ask? Hopefully you grinded through and for those who don’t watch football, it was just another normal weekend.

I want stay on the subject of football and some Pro Football Hall of Fame talk. The 2021 NFL Hall of Fame class was announced a couple weeks ago. The new inductees are Peyton Manning, Drew Pearson, Alan Faneca, Bill Nunn, John Lynch, Tom Flores, Charles Woodson and Calvin Johnson. The two most important inductees to me are Woodson and Johnson because of their ties to the State of Michigan.

Let’s start with Charles “Chuck” Woodson, the former Michigan Wolverine. I loved Woodson when he played at Michigan, which is why a picture of Charles still hangs up today in the fat guy man cave. The NFL career Woodson put together in his 20 seasons with the Raiders and Packers was amazing. He, in my opinion, is the best cornerback I have watched in my lifetime. Charles Woodson was the total package! I know others could be argued ahead of Woodson like Ed Reed or “Prime Time” Deon Sanders, but Woodson is No. 1 to me. The Hall of Fame got it right as Charles Woodson deserved to be a first time ballot Hall of Famer.

The Hall of Fame also got it right with Calvin “Megatron” Johnson. Calvin was a joy to watch over his nine-year career with the Detroit Lions as he retired at such a young age. The losing Lions, I believed, contributed to his early exit from the NFL. Calvin goes into the Hall of Fame at just 35 years of age, which is so young to be elected. Calvin was a dominant and physical wide receiver with speed and tremendous hands. The catches Megatron made in his Lions career were highlight reel catches on many Sundays. How could we forget the “CATCH” against the Bears, which changed the NFL rules defining a catch. It’s a shame his entire career was wasted in a Lions uniform with zero playoff wins. He still holds the NFL single season record of 1,964 receiving yards.

It will be an awesome day in Lions history when he gives his Hall of Fame speech this summer. I just wish the Lions would have won more with this Hall of Fame receiver. I say, No. 81 you were a privilege to watch and you left the game way too soon. ROAR!

The college basketball season resumed for the Michigan Wolverines on Sunday after a pause of two weeks and change. The task was tough opening back up in Madison Wisconsin against those pesky Badgers. However, a strong second half defense locked down the Badgers and sealed a Michigan victory. I strongly believe this Michigan hoop team is Final Four material come March. The Wolverines play strong defense, which tossed in with good offense and shooting will equal success on the hardwood. I am predicting a Final Four spot for Michigan.

The Michigan State Spartans are suffering one of their worst seasons under coach Tom Izzo. The Spartans will need to win some basketball games here in the next three weeks to make the tournament. The thought of Michigan State not in the NCAA Tournament is something nobody saw coming, did they? I sure did not. When I watch MSU, one of its biggest problems is they have no point guard to run the show on the court. I realize there are other issues, but this is a glaring problem to me. We shall see if MSU and coach Izzo can go on a run here in the next three weeks. It’s possible, but I think the schedule is too tough to do it. I say, Spartan fans what are your thoughts?

I can be reached at thefatguy@mihomepaper.com.