TCY/FOF: Quarterback B.J. Buckner...

[mtaystl03]

I have decided to take a break after my Western Michigan dynasty came to a terrible halt when somehow the file got corrupted. I was having a great time with it and starting to get some followers. I have decided to focus in on one player and follow his career from his Senior year in high school to college and hopefully the NFL.

Our guy is B.J. Buckner, a quarterback from Bettendorf, Iowa. He is a corn-fed 6-2, 188 pounds with all of the athletic ability in the world. He goes to one of the best high school football programs in America, Bettendorf High School which rivals.com ranks as #5.

Before we go more into BJ and his story, I just wanted to take the time to let everybody know that BJ is a very capable player and motivated to be the best he can be. He comes off as 'cocky' and the recent #2 recruit in the nation tab won't help that much. But know this much, BJ Buckner wants to be the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. He wants to write a legend in his name. He wants to make it to the pro football hall of fame and he wants to be remembered. He may be cocky but his intentions are good.

More on BJ soon...

[mtaystl03]

BJ, as mentioned before, is from Iowa and he lives in a lower-middle class family with his father Bill Buckner (not that Bill Buckner), mother Jane and little brother Tommy. He gets along with his family and his father never pushed him into football even though he was an all-state linebacker in Texas before a major knee injury ended his career his sophomore year in college at Texas A&M. There is never any doubt where his athletic ability comes from.

His little brother is in 6th grade and looks up to big bro quite a bit. B.J. is short for Brian Joseph. Brian Joseph Buckner is the number two ranked high school football recruit in the nation and he will soon lend himself to the swarm of D-I schools that will try to gain his services for the next four or five years. B.J. doesn't want to let this effect his schoolwork too much but he isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. As of right now he holds a cumulative GPA of 2.39 and an SAT score of just 880. His parents have enstilled in him the importance of getting a good education in college and getting his degree in case his football career is cut short like his fathers.

In four high school games so far this season he has been more than impressive. Passing wise he is 79 of 132 for 1,834 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. Another key part to Brians game is his ability to use his legs. He can scramble and make things happen. Some people are afraid that he might not make it in the NFL because he isn't a pro type quarterback. B.J. doesn't listen to naysayers. He sets out to prove them wrong. Rushing in those four games he has 61 carries for 462 yards and four more touchdowns.

Brian does a very good job of keeping his priorities strait despite the zoo that will become of his life in the near future. In a recent interview in the Iowa City newspaper, BJ said that he is taking this a step at a time. Right now he wants to win a State Championship. He will then make his decision and will win a National Championship. He isn't looking ahead any more than that.

BJ has always been a fan of the University of Iowa and could see himself suiting up for the Hawkeyes but isn't going to say he idolizes them. He is leaving all options open and hopes for the best. He is a HUGE Green Bay Packer fan and loves Brett Favre. He will always say that he models his game after the durable leader of the Pack, even though he looks more like Mike Vick out there. He understands that is no insult.

More on BJ coming soon...thanks for reading...

[Izulde]

This'll be a fun read, I'm guessing :) Good luck with it! It'll be interesting to see where he ends up

[MizzouRah]

That stinks about your WM dynasty. I was getting into that one... although this one looks good so far. :)


Todd

[mtaystl03]

Thanks guys. I really hope B.J. turns out to be a good player. Should be fun. I will add stuff to his story to make it even more interesting...thanks for reading.

[mtaystl03]

Focusing more on the on-field B.J. many college scouts notice that he is a very athletic kid who can tuck and run and also throw the ball very well. He has a strong right arm and quick feet. They like his height at 6' 2'' but his 188 lb. body needs some toning to keep him from the injured list.

He loves to run the ball and his other biggest strength might be the long ball. He sometimes struggles with the medium-range passes. Mostly crossing patters and quick outs. In other words, third and tens give him some trouble. That is about it in terms of weaknesses. He is a smart player who won't kill you with interceptions and knows when to run and chuck it.

Coaches will be calling and visiting very soon and B.J. is excited and nervous at the same time...

IHSAA Week 5

B.J. had his best game of the season flying all over the field and ending up going 15-24 passing for 241 yards, 4 touchdowns and one INT. He also carried the ball 18 times for 141 more yards and 2 more scores! Six touchdowns isn't unusual for this kid. His team moved to 5-0 and well on their way to the best ranking in the state. There were a few dozen college scouts and a few professional. A great start to his 2004 Senior campaign.

Recruiting status

I dont think I have mentioned that BJ wants to major in Geology and that his academics are his second priority when choosing a school. He also wants to stay relatively close to home but again he isn't closing any doors.

The first school to contact him wasted no time. The University of Texas Longhorns came a callin' and basically told him right off the bat they want him badly. They even offered a scholarship right off the bat. This impresses B.J. and Bill. So, the Big XII is represented right away and the first impression Texas leaves with them is a good one. They want to set up a visit to the school but right now Bill tells them that he has to finish his high school season first. If they are still playing I am sure he would love to go to a game. That would be a huge selling point for Texas as football is so huge.

They also knew that Bill, BJ's father, as mentioned before played at Texas A&M, a huge rival of the Longhorns but Bill always had a respect for the UT program. He loved them and wanted to play for them but felt he wasn't going to get much time there so he chose A&M. I guess the leader right now would have to be the Longhorns because no other school has expressed interest.

A little more about his hometown of Bettendorf, Iowa. It is actually right on the border of Iowa and Illinois on the East side of the state. The closest school is Iowa just 55 miles away but Wisconsin is the other closest school and Illinois and Northwestern aren't far away either. That is just a little geography lesson to help give an idea since he doesn't want to travel too far from home. I wonder when and if Iowa is going to give him a call.

LEADING SCHOOL: Texas Longhorns

[mtaystl03]

I just wanted to let everybody know about a huge influence in his life is his best buddy in the world, Erik Alton. Erik and B.J. played together in Pop Warner since day one. Their fathers were high school buddies growing up in nearby Manchester, Iowa. While Mr. Buckner went to Texas to play, Mr. John Alton stayed at home and played locally at Iowa State for a couple of years but never really made it. He met the Mrs. and settled down in Bettendorf.

Bill Buckner married Jane in college and they started their lives in Lubbock, Texas. He got a call from John Alton who asked him if he would move back to nearby Manchester and be neighbors. They went to Bettendorf because they found the best living situation there. The fact that they had a giant football program in the backyard sure helped as well.

As I said, Erik and B.J. played together from day one. B.J. was always the quarterback and Erik, naturally a running back. As they grew up they did everything together and in 8th grade the Alton's were forced to move a few towns and about an hour away to Murray, Iowa. That is where Erik is going to high school at Murrayo High. He is a short kid, only 5' 11'', but has become a pretty darn good wide out. He is ranked the #12 player in Iowa and in the top 70 in the nation and #1 at his position in Iowa.

They still talk all the time and Erik hasn't received any offers yet he is excited when he heard about Texas calling B.J. They will always be buddies and while they probably won't go to the same school, they will be in touch. Erik has the smarts and may skip the college football altogheter but only time will tell.

Just a little side story for ya...we will keep an eye on Erik as well...

More on B.J. coming soon, thanks for reading...

[mtaystl03]

ISHAA Week 6

B.J. Buckner is starting to show signs of greatness. This week he completed 17 of 24 passes for 296 yards and 2 touchdowns with one interception. He carried the ball 17 more times for 138 yards and one more score.

His total season numbers look like this:
6 games - 111-180 (61.6%), 1,971 yards (10.95 avg.), 12 TD, 3 INT, 96 att. for 741 yards and 7 TD.

Recruiting update

Joining the Longhorns in going for B.J. is their Big XII foe Nebraska Cornhuskers. Bill Callahan called the house the other day to see if B.J. had any interest. Knowing that they are resurrecting the program and it is close to home he says he is very interested and even commits to a visit very soon. The fact that it is so close is the main reason he is officially "visiting" the Nebraska campus. Callahan also verbally offered a scholarship which always helps.

Also joining the race is Big-10 member Purdue. The Boilermakers called the say day Nebraska did. They also offered a scholarship and while Purdue is a little further away B.J. will definately consider them. He could be the next Drew Brees. Those kinds of things always enter his mind when thinking about who he could be playing for in college. Tommy Frasier, Scott Frost and company. Texas had a few good quarterbacks as well, the most recent Chris Simms who plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

So there are now three teams going very hard at B.J. with Nebraska being the frontrunner with the scholarship offer and the fact that he is going to visit really soon. Purdue is the 2nd closest and obviously Texas is furthest away.

One thing to keep in mind is that even though Texas is the furthest away, they do offer the best Geology program out of the three and by far. They also have the best prestige (tied with Nebraska). Purdue comes in 2nd in distance and academics but last in prestige, even though B.J. never said he had to go to a prestigious school. That is why everybody that he considers is a candidate to receive his services.

Probable school ranking

1. Nebraska
2. Texas
3. Purdue

More to come...

[mtaystl03]

ISHAA Week 6

B.J. and his Bettendorf squad had another victory and he had a mediocre (by his standards) day. He was just 16-31 passing for 260 yards, 3 TDs and one interception. He also carried the ball 10 times for 66 yards and no scores.

Schools really started calling during the week and more pressure is being added every week. He really lost focus in the 4th quarter when he threw his pick. He is playing well and the schools are not scared away at all. He looks forward to next week when he hopes to improve on his numbers.

Recruiting update

The schools are really jumping on board now. With Texas, Purdue and Nebraska already on board, Michigan, Ohio State and Pittsburgh have joined the race for the best new quarterback in the land. He has decided to visit Michigan right away and being the #1 team in the nation and the fact that they are rated a '95' in his respective major, they have a very good shot.

He quickly jumps on the opportunity to visit both Michigan and Ohio State. The Buckeyes are a team he has always admired as well. He is so happy to be getting attention from all of these great progams. He is now visiting Nebraska, Michigan and Ohio State.

He was kind of taken back by the fact that Pittsburgh gave him a call and want him to come visit. It is pretty far away and their Geology program isn't too strong. Can't fault them for tryin' but I doubt Pittsburgh gets a visit from ole B.J.. One thing they do have going for them is that their starting QB now isn't a great one and is already a Junior. That means that he could take a red-shirt (like he will probably do anywhere) and then start as a freshman.

Probable school ranking

1. Michigan
2. Nebraska
3. Ohio State
4. Texas
5. Purdue
6. Pittsburgh

On a side note, last time B.J. talked to his buddy Erik Alton he had some good news. He was contacted by both Marshall and Mississippi State programs. He hasn't got a scholarship offer but just getting called was awesome for him. He will probably wait it out to see if he can get a scholarship somewhere and maybe one of those schools will buck up. We will see.

Thanks for reading...More on B.J. soon...

[mtaystl03]

IHSAA Week Seven and Eight

The next two weeks saw Mr. Football in Iowa rack up more numbers worth talking about. Here are his stats through eight games this high school season:

150-249 (60.2%) for 2,624 yards, 19 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.
126 carries for 989 yards and 8 rushing touchdowns.

Simply amazing numbers. The Bettendorf Battling Bumblebees are now 8-0 and #1 in the state and #5 in the nation.

Recruiting update

One other team joined the race and becomes an immediate contender for B.J. The University of Minnesota, just 279 miles away (the 2nd closest, next to Purdue) and rank 3rd in academic standards in his chosen major. He gets a call and quickly accepts a visit request and will going there along with the other 3 schools he is currently looking at (Ohio State, Michigan and Nebraska).

He just seems desinted for the Big 10 it seems. If Nebraska can pull him away it would be a miracle. I still think the Wolverines are going to get him.

Probable school ranking

1. Michigan
2. Minnesota
3. Ohio State
4. Nebraska
5. Texas
6. Purdue
7. Pittsburgh


Another MAC School, Miami of Ohio, got in contact with Erik Alton and they might be the front-runner at this point. So he is still waiting for a scholarship offer but Mississippi State sounds pretty sweet. Marshall is the other MAC school going after him.

[mtaystl03]

ISHAA Week Nine

"B.J. and the Bumblebees" cruise to another win but he wasn't as spectacular as expected. They played the #5 team in the state, Des Moine-East High and beat them 34-21. It was a well played game and eventually B.J.'s deep passing got to the secondary of the Tigers. On the day he finished 19-39 for 359 yards, a TD and a pick. He ran the ball 11 times for 96 yards and a TD.

Decent numbers but his team is 9-0 and well on their way to a state championship!

Recruiting update

B.J. and Bill have decided it was time to stop hanging some teams out to dry and narrow the field down to 5 schools. He told Pittsburgh and Purdue that he would not be accepting their invitations and to take him off their list. They thanked him for letting them know right away so they don't hang on without a chance.

He has decided to visit the University of Texas along with the ones he is already taking a close look at. So, three Big 10 schools, Michigan, Minnesota and Ohio State and two Big XII schools, Texas and Nebraska, will be battling it out for the best quarterback prospect in the nation.

Right now I still think he likes Michigan and Lloyd Carr but he did catch their loss to Notre Dame a couple weeks ago on TV. Now that we have a better idea of the schools he has narrowed it down too. Lets take a look at how they are doing this season...

#11 Michigan Wolverines (3-1): They did lose 40-10 to Notre Dame on national television in week two but they are still putting together a nice season. They just beat Iowa 27-10 and they know B.J. was watching that one.

#17 Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-1): Bill Callahans club won their first two games of the season by a combined 133-13! They weren't great squads but they did play very well. Unfortunately for them they did trip up against Pittsburgh 30-16 on the road. That wasn't enough for Pitt to remain in B.J.'s top 5 however.

#3 Ohio State Buckeyes (3-0): The Buckeyes are now 3-0 with quality wins over Cincinnatti, Marshall and North Carolina State. The have won those three games by a combined score of 167-20!! B.J. is taking notice. It is still early but Ohio State hopes it will soon be "B.J. and the Buckeyes".

#5 Texas Longhorns (3-0): These guys are good. The Longhorns sitting pretty at 3-0 with a nice win over a good Arkansas squad. If they can keep it up they could make a run at a National Championship which would really impress the pants off of B.J. I think his dad, Bill, deep down would like to see him play at Texas.

#40 Minnesota Golden Gophers (3-1): Their 9-0 loss to Colorado State is killing them. They do have wins over Toledo, Anaheim and Northwestern but aren't playing up to their potential quite yet. They have probably moved down just a little.

Next week we will update how they are doing, take a look at the quarterback situations at all the schools and get an update from whats going on in the NFL!

Thanks for reading...More to come...

[Balldog]

This is great! :)

[tucker342]

Bettendorf sucks!:D

But I'm willing to ignore that fact and cheer for Buckner.
I'll be reading.:)

[mtaystl03]

ISHAA Week Ten

The Bumblebees didn't play this week. A week for B.J. to figure some things out.

Recruiting Update

In a surprise move, B.J. and his dad sat down and really discussed which teams he wanted to play for and which teams had the most to offer. One thing they did know for sure was that he wants to play four years. He wants to have an opportunity to start. He wants to contribute where ever he ends up.

That eliminates three schools. The three that had to go: Ohio State, Michigan and Texas! Very surprising. He released a statement to the Iowa City newspaper:

"It was hard to tell these schools that I would not be attending there next year. They are all great programs with great histories and coaching staffs and teams already assembled there. What it came down to was the fact that I want to play right away. I wouldnt do that at those three schools. I could take a red-shirt at Minnesota or Nebraska and play four years there. I haven't made my final decision quite yet and I would say it is about 50/50 on who I will go to. I want to be needed and would love to be a part of a rebuilding of a program."

Minnesota still leads Nebraska by a little because it is closer and they have a better Geology program there. Quite a turn of events. I would've ranked all three schools that he turned down ahead of these two. We will see which one he chooses soon enough I guess.

Upon further review I found out the reason the Texas Longhorns were dropped. They signed the #2 ranked QB behind B.J. yesterday. Donny Roberts, a 6-3, 220 lb.
beast from Hattiesburg, Mississippi signed a letter of intent to play for the Longhorns. He plays a lot like B.J. but since Texas got Donny they decided to take away the offer to B.J. He wouldn't of accepted anyways with that kind of competition there. Donny was ranked #6 overall.

The same goes for Ohio State and Michigan. Both schools got quarterbacks to sign before he did and B.J. had no other choice. Things just didnt go his way in this thing and his inability to choose between them soon enough probably eliminated his top 3 choices. His statement was a cover-up for this. He is really upset by this news. The other guys were Alfred Linquist (Ohio State) from Cypress, Texas (#3 QB, #36 overall) and Kenyon O'Neal (Michigan) from Flint Michigan (#4 QB, #65 overall). Another thing that sucks is that along with O'Neal, Michigan got an oral committment from the #1 WR prospect Terry Bender from Eastern, PA. They are also getting visits from the #3 and #4 WR's in Isaac Robinson and SeanLatschaw.

A drastic turn of events for our guy B.J. and he was saddened by this but his two choices are still solid teams. I doubt any other schools will enter this race but that is not out of the realm of possibility. One thing we need to follow is Nebraska's run at #2 WR Terrell Rice. If they get him, that could help sell B.J. to the Cornhuskers.

I still think Minnesota holds the slight advantage.

[mtaystl03]

NFL Update

Quick update on whats going on in the NFL. Brian's Packers and Brett Favre are off to a decent start. The team is 2-2 and Brett has the 3rd highest passer rating in the league at a very impressive 109.2.

The Seahawks are the only undefeated team after 4 weeks at 3-0. 3-1 teams include the upstart Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos.

Jeff Garcia is having a GREAT start to 2004 in his new digs with a 10-0 TD/INT ratio and a league-best 119.9 passer rating. Shaun Alexander and the Seahawks are the talk of the league as he leads the league with 443 rushing yards in just 3 games and 5 TD's!

Jerry Rice isn't ready to stop being a great player. He is tied for 2nd in receptions (26) with Eric Moulds. Tony Gonzalez leads by one at 27. Second year man Andre Johnson in Houston is having a good start with 440 yards receiving. Reggie Wayne is taking advantage of Peyton Manning and the presence of Marvin Harrison along side of him with 430 and Deion Branch comes in at 3rd with 389 yards.

Green Bay's Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila leads the league in sacks with 6.0 already.

Thats it for now on the NFL front...

[mtaystl03]

Thanks guys. Yeah I don't know how good Bettendorf is in real life but they will be good in this dynasty! :) Also, the name, I completely made up.

[mtaystl03]

ISHAA Playoffs

The Battling Bumblebees of Bettendorf, Iowa have swept there way to the State Championship game against Oelwein High School and quarterback J.C. Kirk who is visiting a number of good D-I schools and should give the Bees a run for their money. They have another week to prepare for this first step his B.J.'s quest. He really badly wants a State Championship ring in his Senior season...that is next week.

Recruiting Update

After the recent turn of events, B.J. has decided to start over and let teams know that he is still very available. He hasn't given up on Minnesota or Nebraska but he has opened his options back up. He was quickly contacted by two great schools in Georgia and UCLA. They are far away but the pickiness needs to subside just a little as he has been put in a tough spot waiting this long.

UCLA is extremely far away from home and he doesn't like that but they do have a great academic prowess and they are currently #3 in the nation. Georgia doesn't have quite the academics as UCLA but they are closer and are one spot better at #2 in the nation. In case you were wondering, Ohio State is #1 as of right now.

Another good thing about UCLA is that their starting quarterback Norman Robertson is a Junior with one year remaining and isn't that good as it is. They have very little in terms of a backup for him so he could start there right away!

As for Georgia, their starter is a Senior, Harold Sturm and while they have a decent backup in Sophomore Leland King, it wouldn't take long to get in there as well.

A nice little change for B.J. as things are starting to look up on the recruiting front...

[mtaystl03]

Recruiting Update

The UCLA Bruins drop out of the B.J. Buckner sweepstakes and three new teams jump in. This is far from over. The Georgia Bulldogs are the lone team remaining from the last post. Nebraska and Minnesota join the Bruins in getting out of the running.

UCLA felt that they were a long shot considering how far away the city and school are from his hometown and that he would be going from living on a farm to city life in Los Angeles just wansn't practical. The Golden Gophers got a run of the mill quarterback and they figured that with the recent interest from other schools they retracted their scholarship offer and wished B.J. the best. They were right, he wasn't goin' to Minnesota.

The new schools that join the Georgia Bulldogs are...
University of Oklahoma Sooners, University of Auburn Tigers and a call from Houston Nutt and the Arkansas Razorbacks. He has received offers from Oklahoma, Auburn and is visiting both schools. Arkansas just gave a quick call to make sure he wasn't desperate. He mentioned the schools he was looking at and they took the hint that he would be a long shot to go there.

In terms of distance, Arkansas is actually the closest school to him. Next would be Norman, Oklahoma, then Georgia and Auburn. Georgia remains by far the best academically, followed in order by Oklahoma, Auburn then Arkansas. Prestige is Oklahoma, Georgia, Auburn and Oklahoma.

Now he has been considered by over 10 major division I schools and now he is back to four schools. Right now I would rank them like this...

1. Georgia
2. Oklahoma
3. Auburn
4. Arkansas

Here is how they are all doing this year:

#2 Georgia Bulldogs (6-0): Georgia has a great shot at a national title this season and that excites our man B.J. They just got major wins over LSU and Tennessee. Great start and we will keep an eye on their progress.

#6 Oklahoma Sooners (5-1): Their lone blemish is a 24-10 loss to Texas Tech in Norman. Other than that they have wins over Oregon, Texas and at Kansas State. A streaky team but very talented.

#37 Arkansas Razorbacks (4-2): Houston Nutt's team has two losses to top 10 teams (Texas and Florida). Two of their four wins are against Auburn and Alabama.

#59 Auburn Tigers (2-4): The Tigers are not playing very well right now and that doesn't bode well for them. They have lost to Mississippi State, LSU, Pittsburgh and Arkansas. So no reall terrible teams but it would be nice to beat one of those squads. Other than Georgia in week 11 they have a fairly easy schedule and could rack up some wins.

-----
Erik Alton called B.J. to let him know that he finally got a scholarship offer from Middle Tennessee State. He is going to visit there and will probably attend MTSU next season. He just needs to decide to take the money and go there or hope for a lot of academic money and play at a more presitigious program.

[mtaystl03]

Iowa High School Football State Championship game

The Bettendorf Battling Bumblebees take on the Oelwein High School Tigers in a battle for supremacy in the state of Iowa. B.J. Buckner goes head-to-head with another highly touted quarterback J.C. Kirk who is most likely headed to the University of Indiana to be the next Antwaan Randle El.

The game started quickly as Kirk lead the Tigers downfield for a 7-0 lead. Buckner responded with a 90-yard drive and capped it off with a 34-yard touchdown scramble. 7-7.

The defenses started playing really well and the Bumblebees scored a chip-shot field goal with :05 left on the clock in the half. Tragically the Tigers' Kirk returned the opening kickoff 83 yards for the touchdown. They did miss the extra point and at half-time it was 13-10 in favor of the Tigers.

Bettendorf came out pumped up and B.J. led them down field and tossed a 10-yard score to wide reciever Brandon Bates. The Tigers' went three-and-out and B.J. took over.

Another 45 yard touchdown scramble and a 53 yard pass to fellow Senior Adam Bridgewater. The game was just about out of reach and Bettendorf was only a few minutes away from winning a state title. The first in their history.

B.J. was overjoyed. He realized right then and there that he wants to make a habit of winning and being in the spotlight. He knows that he needs to go to a school that will present him with the best chance of getting to that ultimate dream of winning a national championship.

He wants to make winning his life. The 2004 Iowa State Footbal Champions: Bettendorf High School Battling Bumblebees!!!!

[mtaystl03]

B.J. BUCKNER CALLS PRESS CONFERENCE
The star Quarterback will announce where he will be attending school and continuing his football career.

The press conference was held in the Bettendorf High gymnasium with the whole school in attendance it has become a state championship celebration/announcement ceremony on a Friday afternoon. Nobody has any idea what he is going to announce. His official announcement will be the first time the news has broken since he made his decision the night before. He did call the coach to let him know but asked him to keep it a secret until he announces it.

They go through all of the celebration, songs and player introductions of the 2004 State Champs with B.J. being announced last. He has become the pride of not only Bettendorf but all of the surrounding counties. The place was packed.

They unveiled the state banner and trophy and then B.J. took his place next to his parents, little brother and high school coach to start the press conference. There were cameras and plenty of local photographers.

B.J. gets introduced by the principal and without further adu...

"Hey everybody. Thanks for being such great supporters of your champion BEES!!! [cheers] I am so excited to be here in this situation, it just wouldn't be the same without everybody here and without that great looking banner and trophy sitting over there [louder cheers]. The reason I am here is because of my parents sitting next to me, my coaches, team mates and all of you out there. [even louder cheers].

I have made my decision where I will continue my football career. It was a hard decision because I was contacted by so many great schools but this one was meant for me.

I will continue my career with coach Mark Richt and the University of Georgia Bulldogs!"

The crowd erupts. The Bulldogs are currently 7-0 and #1 in the nation. He makes his way out of the crowd and into his car. He would spend the night with his family and friends at home. Erik Alton makes his stop by and they hang out until the sun comes up.

B.J. will be a Bulldog!

[mtaystl03]

Rest of College Football Season

The week following B.J's signing, the mighty Bulldogs fell to the #8 ranked Florida Gators. They then found a way to lose to Kentucky. The Bulldogs ended the regular season at 8-3 and played Purdue (7-4) in the Alamo Bowl.

They won 17-10 and end at 9-3 and on a high note. B.J. is so excited to go there next season. As for the National Championship. The Ohio State Buckeyes were matched up against the long shot Notre Dame fighting Irish in what could become one of the greatest success stories in the history of college football. Ty Willingham's team overcame the odds and a 47-7 loss to rival Boston College to play for a National Championship.

They ended up a touchdown short and the Ohio State Buckeyes, once a contender for B.J. won the title. B.J. isn't happy the Bulldogs lost but he is somewhat glad that he has something to play for. To bring a long awaited champtionship to Bulldog Nation. An SEC Championship would be nice as well.

Texas' great Junior quarterback Bernie Tice won the Heisman Memorial Trophy by a slim margin.

We also found out that Mississippi State came around and offered Erik Alton a scholarship which he gladly accepted and he will be playing for another Bulldog squad in the SEC and will likely play against his best buddy B.J. Buckner! This was an exciting development for both guys and they are looking forward to that.

Amazingly enough, the rival quarterback in the Iowa state championship game, J.C. Kirk has also committed to Mississippi State and will throw the ball to his best buddy and will play against eachother once again! Nice developments.

2004 NFL Results

The regular season ended with the following matchups in the wild-card round of the playoffs:
AFC
Denver (10-6) at Cleveland (11-5)
Tennessee (10-6) at Jacksonville (11-5)
NFC
New Orleans (11-5) at Dallas (10-6)
Seattle (12-4) at Detroit (9-7)

The teams receiving first round byes are: New England (13-3), Kansas City (13-3), St. Louis (13-2-1) and Carolina (11-5). Technically, the Rams had the best regular season with their 13 wins and only two losses. Nice.

Denver, Dallas, Seattle and Tennessee moved on to play for the right to be in the Conference Championship.

Carolina 31, Dallas 17
Kansas City 24, Denver 17
Seattle 23, St. Louis 21
New England 33, Tennessee 28

The Rams dream season ends but all other expected teams won.

New England went into K.C. and beat the Chiefs 27-20 to continue their dominance over the AFC and the right to play for yet another Super Bowl title. Carolina defeated Seattle 24-16 to secure their 2nd strait conference title and a rematch of the previous Super Bowl!

Super Bowl XXXVIII

The New England Patriots battled their way to a 16-13 win over the Carolina Panthers marking the 2nd strait year that an Adam Vinatieri field goal has been the difference in the Super Bowl. This time, a Jake Delhomme interception at their own 44 yard line set up the winning boot. The Panthers tried to stage a late rally and comeback but a Roman Phifer sack on 4th and 3 with 1:12 left to play sealed the deal. The Patriots are Champs once again! And once again QB Tom Brady accepts the Super Bowl MVP award.

Major Awards:

Most Valuable Player: Steve McNair, Tennessee Titans
Offensive Player of the Year: Marshall Faulk, St. Louis Rams
Defensive Player of the Yeark: Rob Morris, Indianapolis Colts
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Julius Jones, Dallas Cowboys
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jonahtan Vilma, New York Jets

Jake Delhomme really made a name for himself as a prolific passer in this game. He managed to throw a league-high 35 touchdown passes and just 17 INT. He had a 100.2 passer rating, just .6 behind the leader and MVP of the league Steve McNair.

Peyton Manning was great again with 4,722 yards, 31 TD and 12 INT.

Shaun Alexander led the league in yards (1,702) and touchdowns (11) and yards per carry (4.9).

Eric Moulds led the league in receptions (98) and receiving yards (1,558) while Terrell Owens found the end-zone a league-high 13 times.

Shaun Ellis of the Jets led the league with 17.5 sacks.

[mtaystl03]

2004 Off-season

The Georgia Bulldogs ended up with the #43 recruiting class in the nation despite getting the #2 overall player and best QB in our B.J. Buckner. They really didn't get much but let's take a look at some of B.J.'s new buddies:

FB Bennie Hill - Roselle, New Jersey - #7 by position in high school
Bennie will turn into a nice powerful blocking back that can convert the short yardage situations to help out.

WR William Stevens - Newport News, Virginia - not ranked nationally
William has to get over his inconsistency in catching the football but has big-play ability and could develop into a nice running mate for B.J.

TE Zach Prior - Franklin, West Virginia - #94 tight end in nation
Another guy that needs to mature but could become a dominant target for B.J. with time. Will probably see a red-shirt.

On defense they got three talented players in DT Joe Pence, ILB Monty Stanton and S Melvin Ellard, who the coaching staff really hope develop into the core of a solid defense for years to come.

B.J.'s Offseason

While he knows that he needs to work to become a solid player at the college level and needs to put on some pounds. He did just that. He bulked up from 188 pounds to 206. Bulldog Head Coach Mark Richt was very pleased with the way he came into camp and he has decided to give B.J. a red-shirt and have him learn and get his school work done for a year before stepping onto the football field. B.J. accepts, pretty much expecting it. He could, however, be pulled off the red-shirt list if an injury occurs.

NFL Off-season moves

A few big name players changed cities during the offseason including:
-Trent Green, 49ers
-Orlando Pace, Chargers
-Shawn Barber, Packers
-Mike Rucker, Raiders
-Deion Branch, Cowboys
-Edgerrin James, Vikings
-Steve Smith, Browns

Here are the top 10 picks of the NFL Draft:

1. Tampa Bay - O'Neal, John, WR, Florida State
2. San Francisco - Copeland, Lenny, T, Georgia Tech
3. Atlanta - Woo, Matt, WR, Penn State
4. New York J - Wolf, Luther, RB, Oregon
5. Miami - Bronson, Kevin, DE, Wisconsin
6. Arizona - Burns, Ricky, TE, North Carolina State
7. New York G - Hodges, Desmond, DT, Pittsburgh
8. San Diego - Palma, Ricardo, OLB, Ohio State
9. Baltimore - Gaylord, Otis, C, Arizona State
10. Houston - Ramsey, Blake, CB, Nebraska