Yardbarker: Michael Johnson

Linebacker Shuffle Underway in Cincinnati

Tue, 05 May 2009 08:47:00 -0500

Cincinnati Bengals third-round pick DE Michael Johnson has the team’s defensive line, linebacker and special teams coaches drooling in the wake of last weekend’s rookie minicamp. Coaches were particularly impressed with the speed with which he took to the SAM spot, though his presence at outside linebacker is — for the moment — described as [...]

Bengals Start Day 2 With Michael Johnson

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 09:49:18 -0500

Cincinnati stuck with defense to begin day 2, selecting Georgia Tech DE Michael Johnson at the top of the third round. Johnson had some buzz earlier this year as a possible top 10 pick, even though he was only a starter his senior year, notching 43 tackles and seven sacks. He has superior speed off the [...]

Adam’s 2009 NFL Draft Apples: Day Two

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 01:36:49 -0500

Adam's Draft Apples Day Two: C Antoine Caldwell, Alabama - The best player on the board if you ask me. DE Michael Johnson, Georgia Tech - Way too athletic, big and talented to still be available. DT Ricky Jean-Francois, LSU - Another Baton Rouge D-line product we have scouted. G Duke Robinson, Oklahoma - ...

Miami Meticulous In Researching Ga. Tech DE Michael Johnson

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:59:13 -0500

How meticulous are the Dolphins in draft preparation? Consider: Even after interviewing Georgia Tech defensive end Michael Johnson twice this...

Falcons, Redskins, Browns & Bucs To Host DE Michael Johnson

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 03:38:19 -0500

Georgia Tech defensive end Michael Johnson, a potential first-round draft pick, has set up private workouts/visits with the Atlanta Falcons,...

Gunners target signs NEW deal

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:12:48 -0500

Reported Arsenal target Michael Johnson has signed a new five-year contract at Manchester City. The midfielder has earned rave reviews since breaking into the City first team two years ago. Many Blues fans have compared the England Under-21 international's style to that of City legend Colin Bell. Champions League qualifiers Arsenal and Liverpool are among those believed to [...]

Gunners Miss Out On Man City Midfielder

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 11:45:29 -0500

Arsenal look set to have lost out on another major midfield target, with Manchester City's Michael Johnson set to sign a new deal at Eastlands. The Gunners have been heavily linked with the 20-year-old, who has proved an instant Premier League hit. But any thoughts Arsene Wenger had of bringing him to the Emirates before the transfer [...]

Bolt's Accomplishments Watered Down (Pun Intended)

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:11:38 -0500

Usain Bolt has broken his own 100M sprint record (with an untied shoe and a pull-up finish) as well as Michael Johnson's 200M record in this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing. So much for the smog (and a slight headwind) slowing down the runners.
Normally, this would be a monumental accomplishment. But, thanks to Michael Phelps and the Speedo Razor, world records have become meaningless in these Olympics. Records in the pool and falling left and right, as new swimsuit technology has allowed swimmers to trim nearly whole seconds off of each 100M length. This is wholly unfair to Bolt.
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Most fans pay little or no attention to swimming, gymnastics and track and field except for every four years when the Olympics are held. We only know what the folks on the television tell us. Rather than downplay the smashing of swimming records for the first week of the games, Rowdy Gaines and others screamed and applauded the amazing performances by Phelps and others. They often glossed over the fact that sometimes racers, especially at longer distances, broke the world record without even reaching the medal podium.
blahblahblah The real hero of the Beijing Games - Speedo Razor

Then we went to the track, where records are much hardier, and we didn't blink when records fell. People who are part of the track community, or ran track in high school or college, are stupified by Bolt's amazing accomplishments. Casual fans wonder what all the fuss is about. After all, Bolt only has two gold medals. So what if he's the fastest man in the world, Phelps has eight. Of course, there is no backstroke, butterfly, or breaststroke in track, so Bolt has won just about everything he could win. Even the 400M, which has always occupied that weird middle-distance status, is a totally different race than the sprints.

If you need perspective on Bolt's accomplishments, look at the Track and Field world records as they existed prior to Beijing. Many of the records are over a decade old. Many of the sprint records are younger, but this is understandable as the margins between victory and defeat are measured in the hundreths of seconds. Improvements in shoe, stadium, apparel and track engineering are going to have the greatest effect on the shaving those times. Even then, the records last for years and are only marginally broken.
Usain Bolt has arguably made the most important and impressive contribution to these games, but thanks to Michael Phelps he'll probably be best remembered for being a bit of a showboat.

Lightning Bolt Strikes 22

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:34:35 -0500

Happy 22nd Birthday, Usain "the lighting" Bolt. Today is the young world record holder's 22nd birthday. The amazing 6?5 Jamaican won both the 200m and the 100m gold medals in Beijing and is easily the fastest human in the world. For the first time since 1979, one man holds the world record in both events. The last man to do so was Donald Quarrie, a Jamaican and it is a Jamaican holding the title once again. Bolt astonished everyone breaking world records in both events. Usain is doing in the second week of the Olympics what Michael Phelps was doing during the first week, dominating and making a name for himself. Usain become the first man since Carl Lewis in 1984 to sweep the 100 and 200 golds at an Olympics. Bolt also broke another American's record (Michael Johnson's) in the 200m from the 1996 games. Usain seems confident and has a great attitude with the media, saying, "Michael Johnson is a great athlete, and he revolutionized the sport. I just changed it a little bit." Bolt changed the sport, simply by winning both races in world record times. Some call the sight of him running, poetry in motion, and believe he is extremely elegant to watch. At 6?5 he is a rather tall sprinter but has none of the awkwardness of other taller sprinters of the past. He uses his huge 9-foot strides for his benefit much like Michael Phelps, Darren Heitner's man crush (hahah), uses his long strides and perfect turns to his advantage. He really is a bolt of lightning, with a badass attitude.

Bolt Breaks Johnson's 12-year old Mark in the 200

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:48:45 -0500

[caption id="attachment_776" align="alignright" width="290" caption="Bolt breaks an unbreakable record. (ESPN.com)"][/caption] Lightning does strike twice. Usain "Lightning" Bolt broke Michael Johnson's 12 year old world record in the 200 Wednesday night, but this time there was no chest pounding. He knew he had to be at his best to beat Johnson's incredible mark ...

Usain Bolt breaks the 200m World Record with VIDEO

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:56:17 -0500

Everyone and their mother is upset at NBC for not showing the 200 meter final featuring Usain Bolt live. So what do people do, they go out and get the video from other countries and upload it online. Bolt ran an insane 19.30 breaking Michael Johnson's 19.32 world record from the Atlanta Olympics. He also became the first man to break both the 100m and 200m world records in the same Olympic games. This guy is a machine. No one is even close!

Usain Bolt Sets Another WR In 200 Meter Final

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:56:47 -0500

I'm all for Michael Phelps and patriotism, but this kid from Jamaica is just off the charts fast. Usain Bolt just set a new world record in the 200-Meter Final with a 19.30 beating the previous time of 19.79 by Michael Johnson. USA's Wallace Spearmon finished third but was disqualified for running out of his lane, so Shawn Crawford (also of the U.S.) took the bronze in his place. Churandy Martina of the Netherlands finished second in 19.82 and was never even close to Bolt. I've a...

Prediction: Bolt Will Run 19.25 and Smash Johnson's World Record

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:35:52 -0500

I am excited to see Usain Bolt attempt to break the mark of 19.32 and cause Michael Johnson's face to give off a wonderful, way-too-much-botox look. If Johnson was awe struck by Usain's "I'm-only-half-trying" 100 meter dash, what will he look like when Bolt runs a 19.2?! Full video of Johnson's 1996 200 meter world record run of 19.32 after the jump

Michael Johnson is Amazed by Usain Bolt - What a Picture

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:29:22 -0500

Michael Johnson, one of the greatest of all time, had the most hilarious photo / picture after Usain Bolt's world record... and his face says it all... what a freaking hilarious photo from the Olympics.

Darren Is About To Get A New Pair Of Nikes

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 07:37:49 -0500

And unfortunately, it is not me who will reap the new kicks along with a nice stack of change in return for endorsing the Beavertown, Oregon product. The other Darren, Darren McFadden, is reportedly very close to signing a deal with Nike and may end up signing his name on the dotted line after he picks an agent, which should be soon. Whoever that agent is will be lucky for a variety of reasons. Not only will he or she get a definite first round pick, but the agent will not have to front any bill for McFadden's pre-draft workouts. That is because the swoosh (Nike) has decided to pay the expense and give McFadden a free ride to the Michael Johnson Performance Center, where he can scope out the parking lot for as many Escalades as he desires. All jokes aside, The Sporting News makes a great point about why McFadden may have lucked out: This is the first year that NFL agents have been prohibited from contacting third-year juniors until the NFL officially releases the list of underclassmen that declared for the NFL Draft on Saturday. There has been a lot of speculation in football circles that top juniors, including McFadden, would not be ready to work out at the combine since NFL agents pay for and often control the slots at the top training programs. " This is something to remember if you are actively recruiting a 3rd year junior who is leaving early to enter the draft. The article discusses possible candidates for McFadden's marketing agent. I think the favorite by far has to be Conley Sr.