Flintstone TV: Phil Swanson Interview!

Football, school, New York Times blog, All in the offense lineman’s work

With bloodshot red eyes, an excruciating headache, and the energy of a tortoise, the 6-foot 4-inch, 319 pound Phillip Swanson enters the library.

It’s nearly 9 p.m. and after a long day of practice and a full schedule of classes, Western Michigan University’s starting offensive lineman still has to study for his Journalism Law and Ethics test in the morning. Due to WMU’s road game at Kent State on Halloween, Swanson even has to take the test earlier than the rest of the class.

This is a day in the life of Phillip Swanson: hard work and even more hard work.

“I’ve got a girlfriend, I’ve got friends, I’ve got school, and I’ve got football, which is the most important thing in my life and to think about how to manage all of this time,” Swanson said.
“Sometimes you have to upset the people that you love just because I have to go do this and go do football and really sometimes it’s frustrating but you got to understand that you’ve got priorities and the biggest thing is that you got to figure a way to make it work.”

Swanson has been successfully figuring out ways to make it work since he took his first step as an enrolled student on WMU’s campus as a freshman in 2006.

Joining the football team in 2007 after redshirting the first year, Swanson quickly made his mark as he started all 12 games of the season. He was also named to the Academic All-Mac team, which would only set him up for what he would go on to accomplish in the Brown & Gold uniform.

In 2008, he once again started in every single game and was named to the First Team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District team. As he continued to thrive on the gridiron, Swanson also managed time to succeed in his academic work.

He wrote for the school newspaper, the , as well as interned at WWMT in the summer prior to the start of this year’s season.

After seeing all of his hard work in his desired field, came calling. The publication has allowed Swanson to contribute a blog to its Web site entitled “On The Line at Western Michigan,” throughout the season.

Despite all of this recognition, the football organization still remains a bit skeptical of the affect that this may have on his focus to the game of football.

“I’m concerned with the amount of time that you put into the game of football and the amount of things that he’s got going on and that’s a concern,” WMU offensive lineman coach, Bob Stanley said.
“There’s a certain amount of time that you have to put into this game and when you take away from that time then you take away from your pursuit of perfection and we’re concerned about that. I would be lying to you if I told you any different.”

Thus far, Swanson has managed to handle all of the pressure as he continues to thrive on the football field while bringing recognition not only to him self, but to the university as well.

“Anytime you get your name in a publication like and attached to your name is Western Michigan University, it’s gonna be huge!” WMU Media Director, Mat Kanan said. “Phil is kind of media savvy on both sides, so this is great.”

Due to his time management skills and attention to detail in everything that he does, it’s easy to see why Swanson is able to multi-task so well. This is why he was able to get an A on that Journalism Law and Ethics test on Halloween morning while still managing to partake in the bulk of the snaps in WMU’s game versus Kent State that afternoon.
“Kids that just go to school and work a job, that’s awesome,” Swanson said.

“But when they complain about not having enough time, I just smile. ‘You don’t have enough time?’ I wish I had the amount of time that they have but to each his own, we each have our own paths and we got to figure out a way to make it work.”

*this post can also be viewed at westernherald.com!

Photos of Nike LeBron VII!

The Box!

A Masterpiece!

*All Photos were taken by Eric Woodyard at the Crossroads Mall in Portage, Michigan!

Flintstone TV: LeBron James Sneaker Collection

Nike Air Max LeBron VII Review

by Eric Woodyard

This is a public service announcement…

The Nike Air Max LeBron VIIs are the hottest basketball sneakers in the game right now!

With the seventh release of the LeBron James signature shoe, I have to admit that it sounds a little cliché to list the latest shoe as the greatest shoe but it’s true. There no other way to explain it because it’s clearly the best of the bunch.

“The New LeBron VII takes my signature line to a new level of innovation,” LeBron James said on www.nikebasketball.com.

Nearly every aspect of the shoe is beautiful which forms to make the product an overall masterpiece. Not only is the shoe eye candy for sneakerheads, it also provides maximum comfort and stability to the foot while still managing to pay homage to a few the King’s best personality traits.

Ditching the Zoom technology that was incorporated in the previous six sneakers and replacing it with the new Max Air 360 unit, James quickly shows that he’s willing to improve every aspect of his sneaker’s on-court performance. This unit contains 80 percent more air than the previous full-length unit and I can tell you from personal experience that it makes a hell of a lot of difference. This unit provides that walking-on-pillows feel and makes you forget that you’re even wearing a shoe at times.

Nike also decided to incorporate the Flywire technology into the product as well (a la Nike Hyperdunk/Hypermax) which drastically decreases the weight of the shoe. LeBron’s shoes have generally become known for heaviness and bulkiness, but this shoe is very lightweight.

The difference between the Flywire used in this sneaker than it was in previous Nike products is that a double-layer of the technology is crafted into the shoe. The double-layer Flywire is great for managing harder cuts because it makes the shoe stiffer and more durable to hold the inner beast of King James or anyone else for that matter.

“When designing the Air Max LeBron VII, we envisioned a shoe that was both strong and comfortable,” Nike Footwear Designer, Jason Petrie said on nike.com. “We delivered a shoe that is a perfect combination of superior performance and luxurious style, embodying LeBron himself.”

Paying homage to the legendary of LeBron James, as with all of the others, was also a theme of the shoe as several hints are placed throughout the shoe to remind you just whose shoes you are wearing. These include his symbol obviously, his autograph on the tongue, as well a few of his favorite punchlines (Passion, Fearless, Tradition, Community, Family, Loyalty) in several parts of the shoe.

Outside of all the technological details that went with the creation of the product, it’s just very stylish. You can rock the shoe with jeans or sweatpants and still look hot while doing so.

After purchasing the shoe, I decided to wear the shoe to a step-show on our campus and one of the security guards asked me if they were Michael Jordan’s? This is the ultimate complement for a basketball sneaker.

Despite all of the innovative qualities with the production of the shoe, it doesn’t come at a cheap price. The suggested retail is a hefty $160.

For a struggling college student like myself, satisfying that passion for flashin’ is pretty expensive for this product, but I truly believe that the Nike Air Max LeBron VIIs are worth the investment.

Pros: Quality, Style, Comfort

Cons: $160 Price Tag

Verdict: Must Have!

**this post can also be viewed at slamonline.com!

Flintstone TV: Miame Giden Interview

In my last episode of “Flintstone TV,” I introduced the world to Western Michigan University’s women’s basketball team. In this episode, I am introducing you to WMU’s leading scorer Miame Giden.

Averaging 12.4 ppg, Giden was also named to the All Mid-American Conference Freshman Team last season while holding the 15th-highest scoring average among freshman nationwide.

As she prepares for her sophomore season, this is what she had to say…

Sincerely,
Eric Woodyard — “The Flintstone”

Flintstone TV: WMU Women’s Basketball Practice

The secret to success in the game of basketball is plain and simple: Practice!

The women’s basketball program at Western Michigan University is well aware of this. To get better, the school’s athletic department hires male practice players to help push the females in the many intense practice drills.

“Most schools, including us, want their players to compete against players that are bigger, faster [and] stronger, and often times there aren’t too many females in the normal population that are usually bigger, faster [and] stronger than your scholarship players,” Western Michigan head coach Tasha McDowell said. “So it’s great to have males that know the game and are willing to be a part of a practice squad to benefit the team. It helps us to react quicker, to defend harder and to be able to go against an elite level of athletes.”

This has become an integral piece to the organization, and it is not often recognized. In my spare time, I like to help the team and it is a joy to see them implement the skills that we have worked on in practice into a game. In a sense it’s like coaching… but not quite.

With the help of WMU senior Marcus Voelz behind the camera and the genius of Chyn Wey Lee on the editing, I was able to put together this piece.

Sincerely,
Eric Woodyard-The Flintstone

Western Michigan University’s Hoop Team Needs Midnight Madness!

When the clock strikes midnight in mid-October, most colleges and Division I universities are celebrating their basketball team’s Midnight Madness.

This marks the beginning of a new season, erasing all of the mistakes and failures from the previous season while bringing excitement to their new crop of fans. Not only does this mark a new season, it also gives freshman the opportunity to get accustomed to playing in front of the bright lights of the collegiate level in order to erase all of the early jitters.

This event is generally free and includes free food, a dunk contest, a three-point shootout, and a scrimmage in the end to give fans a glimpse of all the hard work that the players have put in over the off-season.

More than one-third of all Division I schools celebrate this event…but who? (Drum roll please?) And the survey says…Western Michigan University!

Why don’t we have this event? This should and could become a traditional event at this university in order to bring more excitement into Western Michigan University’s basketball program. Then the university wonders why more fans don’t show up throughout the season. It’s the small things like these traditional events that connects fans to their teams and brings them to games, it’s not all about the wins and losses.  

We could be the best team in the nation (which is highly unlikely by the way) and still not draw as many fans as some of the less-talented teams because we may not have established a good enough connection with them in order to win their support. On Friday, October 16, teams like Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, and even Eastern Michigan University(!!!) all celebrated their Midnight Madness. 

You mean to tell me that EMU can celebrate an event like this in Ypsilanti, Michigan and we can’t duplicate this in Kalamazoo? I don’t believe there is any reason that we cant and shouldn’t embrace this tradition. No disrespect to EMU or the city of Ypsilanti but I just fell as though we are just as capable to do these types of things if they are because we are both Mid-American Conference schools.

If the university feels as if money is a problem than I don’t agree with this in any way, shape, or form because who wouldn’t want to spend a little extra money in exchange for more fans? And they are thinking about potentially moving into another stadium in the future? They have to become more conscious of how highly successful college programs are running their organizations and most of them always have more interaction with their fans starting with the Midnight Madness.

Although I do give them credit for running a successful football organization, I just think the basketball team could be equally as good if not better. WMU almost always play their rival football game versus Central Michigan University around the time of Midnight Madness as well, which is also a big deal, but in the end the basketball team is paying for it. They should just start to reschedule the rival game like they did a couple of years ago.    

So just spend a little extra money and let’s get Midnight Madness up and running on WMU’s campus. I’m pretty sure the results will be satisfying.

Mark Ingram Jr. is the next!

I can remember it like it was yesterday!

It was a cold October night and I was home in Flint, Mich. for the weekend of my 19^th birthday. After the grind of my sophomore year of college, I needed the break badly to spend some much needed time with my family.

While being home, the buzz about this transfer kid at my former high school, Flint Southwestern Academy, was the Carter 3 big. Comparisons to past greats flooded to town about this scholar and for the first time in my life, I saw fans just as excited about watching high school athletes throw the pigskin as they were watching them on the hardwood. This is rare in Flint…very rare.

Not easily convinced, I purchased a ticket and flocked into Atwood Stadium just like everyone else with my father to watch Flint Southwestern take on Flint Northern. In less than five minutes, I could quickly see why.

Wearing the no. 7, the running back was not hard to spot because he kept Flint Northern looking silly while he danced in the end zone like Usher in his prime.  

Dazzling the crowd with his great footwork, breathtaking speed, and amazing strength he stood out like a sore thumb.

This was the first time that I saw Mark Ingram Jr. play.

He was a prodigy and destined for greatness.

I don’t know approximately how many yards he rushed for or how many touchdowns he scored but let’s just say that it was a hell of a lot of both. This was his senior year of high school, the year in which he went on to run for 1,700 yards and score 24 touchdowns. He also set city records for rushing yards (377) and touchdowns (7) in a game.

These performances only set us up for what he would go on to accomplish in college.

This past weekend he did it again!

Only this time, I was home for my 21^st birthday.  I again needed a break badly to spend some much needed time with my family.

On Saturday, October 18, we were all in Mona’s nightclub on North Saginaw Street where we watched him absolutely annihilate the defense of South Carolina on ESPN. The same night that Flint native, Andre Dirrell fought Carl Froch for the Super Middleweight crown and was defeated from a questionable split decision, Ingram stole the show.   

Rushing for 246 yards, including a game-winning touchdown, Ingram has officially moved past Florida’s Tim Tebow as the new leader in the latest edition of the HeismanPundit.com Heisman Poll released on Tuesday (Oct. 20).

 Not bad huh?

Wearing the no. 22, the running back is now nationally rather easy to spot as he continues to keep defenders looking silly while he now dances in the end zone with the artistry of Mike Jackson in his prime.

At 5-10, 215 pounds and only in his sophomore season at the University of Alabama, Ingram truly has the chance to be what everyone in Flint thought he could (and would) be after that dominating prep senior season.

The next Barry Sanders. The next Adrian Peterson. The next LaDainian Tomlinson.

He is the next big thing.

Mark Ingram has those traits to be signature sneaker contract good! Future NFL-sponsored endorsements with Campbell’s Chunky Soup are highly possible with performances like his last one.  

As Ingram is only in the beginning of his tear on college football, remember I said it here that he will be the next big thing.

(My birthday was October 16^th by the way and I’m still accepting presents)

*click on the pic to view this at It’s Just Sports!

Flintstone TV: UM Interviews

For the past year, I have been thinking about starting my own web show. This has been a dream of mine and I have had the vision of what it would look like down to the smallest detail.

With so much work that it takes to produce a successful show, I understand why more people aren’t running such a thing. It’s a grind! This is from first-hand experience because I am also trying to juggle a full-time college schedule.

Although it takes a lot of hard work, the feelings that you get when you see the final results are unmatched. This is why I had so much fun shooting my first episode of “Flintstone TV with Eric Woodyard.”

This first episode took place in the Chrysler Arena for the University of Michigan’s basketball media day. Out of all of the events that I have covered this had to be one of the best. Helping me with all of the footage was my homeboy Mark Taylor who was a rookie behind the camera but I appreciated all of the help. Mark is also from Flint and he attends school at Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC).

Helping with all of the editing was my friend, Chyn Wey Lee who also attends Western Michigan University with me. Lee is an editing genius who can take pictures and shoot video. My dreams wouldn’t have been put into affect without his participation in this project. You can check out more of his work here.

Hit him up! He is out cold…

With that being said, I hope everyone loves the video and I had a lot of fun doing this. I would also like to thank the University of Michigan for allowing us all of this access.

Sincerely,
Eric Woodyard, The Flintstone