Here we go again.

First Dexter Coakley was too small. Then he went to the Pro Bowl.

Couple years ago Jason Hunter was too small. Then he set a record for Packer special-teams tackles.

Now the line is being thrown at the Blur. He’s just too small to be an NFL receiver.

And that ain’t a critic talking. That’s his coach.

“If he plays every down, he won’t make it. There is no way he can make it,” Bucs receivers coach Richard Mann said. “He’s too small. This is a big man’s game. Little guys don’t last long playing every down.”

Tell him that.

For now the Bucs are set to have Dexter work primarily as a punt returner, but there is a precedent for him to grow into something more.

Carolina receiver Steve Smith is the biggest “little receiver” in the NFL at 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, but when he was selected in the third round out of Utah in 2001, his only purpose was to return kicks.

“When we took Jackson, he was small. We knew that,” Mann said. “We took Dexter to be a returner. That’s what we took him for, to get that field position. That’s it. We’re going to make him into a receiver.”

Hear that? Gentlemen, they can rebuild him. Better than he was before. Better. Stronger. Faster(?).

Just not taller.

Now in the AppFan Video Gallery.

Funnier line? Blake Elder’s “Water and alcohol don’t mix” or CoCo Hillary’s “And you can’t swim by yourself. That’s dangerous.”

These PSAs are also out in paperback.

Appfan Justin has posted a gallery of photos focused on The Rock. FYI – There’s now 37 days till the big home opener.

Found on Flickr.

App State has gone from cupcake to sheetcake!

Sweeter than an AE TD, this was created by For Goodness Cake in Charlotte.

By request, the AppFan countdown clock is now available as a widget. If you have a website and would like the clock on your site, just cut and paste this code where you want the clock.

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.appfan.com/countdown/"<script>

Now if only it came with some appropriate sound.

When last we saw our hero, he was being booted from the Bachelorette and telling all. Today, our former App State point guard is in love. To a soap star!

So says … not kidding … People Magazine.

Graham Bunn, 29, stepped out publicly with All My Children soap actress Chrishell Stause, 26, at the premiere of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 in New York Monday, where he flashed his pearly whites and gushed about his new girlfriend.

“I’m very grateful and very flattered to be with this beautiful lady,” Bunn told PEOPLE about Stause. “I’m the luckiest guy in the world. She’s just amazing.”

The two met through a mutual friend from All My Children before Bunn joined The Bachelorette. Despite rumors to the contrary, Bunn maintains they reconnected after his stint on the show.

Pretty girl. And talented too!

Yet rumors are now circulating courtesy of …. not kidding .. US Weekly regarding exactly why Bunn exited the Bachelorette. Apparently, he may be turned off by a woman dating multiple men simultaneously, but has no such qualms for himself.

Well played, plah-ya. /fist bump

//realizes he just typed celebrity gossip, seeks nearest ginsu knife for immediate seppuku

Heck, he’s won the primaries in Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee, Massachusetts and Delaware! That’s a mandate!

Yes this is a joke, but a good one.

From steelers.com

While injuries close the pro door for some, they open that door for others.

Case in point – Yesterday the Steelers’ second-year punter went down for the season. Torn ACL.

So Julian Rauch, come on down! Show ‘em what you got!

Sepulveda tore the ligament on the first day of practice Monday. The Steelers used undrafted rookie kicker Julian Rauch of Appalachian State as their practice punter yesterday, but claimed former Broncos punter Paul Ernster on waivers from Detroit.

This is Ernster’s fifth team since 2005, and Rauch’s first since … oh … spring. So this should be one fun preseason camp! Good luck birthday boy.

Here’s a trailer for the Battle Royal in the Bayou – App State versus LSU.

Taken from nascarmediagroup.com.

Something for the Tiger bulletin board. Sayeth AE, “In certain formations, they always play certain defenses.”

Yep. The band is going.

You be the coach. Or at least look like one.

The Blur at camp. An App fan is there.

SoCon wants a Hall of Fame. So it can honor all those greats from programs long gone from the league.

LSU tough upfront. Our O-line will be tested early.

But the Tigers may be soft at QB. They will not be overlooking App State, I gare-ahn-tee.

Watchout Weekends. I love that photo.

The Man may be starting again. Richie’s always ready.

The latest from the minors. Rubinstein records his first three-hit game as a pro.

More App pros. It’s a good time to be paid in euros.

Your eyes do not deceive you. That is indeed App State great Jason Hunter biking to practice in Green Bay. And no, it’s not cause of gas prices.

In Green Bay, it’s tradition.

In what has been a Packers tradition since the days of Vince Lombardi, Packers players will often ride to the practice field on the bicycles of young Packers fans.

Youngsters with bicycles are encouraged to line up near the area where the players exit/enter Lambeau Field (in front of the Oneida Nation Gate). Players will generally come out for practice starting about 20 minutes before the scheduled start of practice.

While some players will choose to walk to the practice field, most players will pick a bike to ride to practice, with the bike’s owner either hitching a ride on the back of the bike or running alongside the player.

There’s apparently no truth to the rumor Queen is played during the rides. (But it should be).

Last week App State coach Jerry Moore called out UNC. As expected, there was a great disorder under Tarheel Heaven, and the situation is excellent. For as weak as Carolina is on the field, its fans’ excuses are even weaker.

First off, here are three reasons UNC fans have given to defend their stance under the bed, with an appropriate response.

1. It’s a lose-lose situation. That being either UNC easily beats a cupcake it’s supposed to beat, or it loses and becomes another Michigan joke. Great argument, until you consider UNC almost annually plays a I-AA school (Hello, McNeese State). So it that a ‘loss’?

2. App State is not worthy. Just rub our noses in that NC State game, yet you’re forgetting all those wins over Wake Forest, three straight national championships and a darkhorse Heisman candidate. Oh, and can’t forget this. And that was before 3Peat Nation!

3. There’s really nothing in it for North Carolina. Which begs the question, what does LSU, Virginia Tech, Georgia and Florida see that UNC doesn’t? Heck, ESPN wants us, even on holidays. (Then again, does UNC really belong in any list which includes “LSU, Virginia Tech, Georgia and Florida”?)

As a public service to our whine and cheese brethren, here are three Rock Solid reasons UNC should never play App State.

1. Protect your investment. Butch baby didn’t come cheap. A loss to App would make him the Bear Stearns of college football coaches.

2. A title is your destiny. Wake Forest stopped scheduling App State and suddenly it won an ACC championship. Good things come to those who hide.

3. Remember your history. October 30, 1999. And, whew, this was close. (Here’s how we handled Furman that year)

The Cover Boy has a contract.

The Buccaneers agreed to terms on a four-year contract with second-round draft pick Dexter Jackson as the team finished reporting to training camp on Friday afternoon.

Jackson was the last of Tampa Bay’s 2008 draft picks to agree to terms on his rookie contract, but he was signed in time to take part with the rest of the team’s 2008 draft class in the team’s first practice, which is scheduled for Saturday morning.

The Tampa Bay blog Option Routes spoke to Dexter after the signing.

Now comes the hard part – making the coaches happy.

Jackson later made a catch of a hard pass while falling after he had stumbled. The catch was rather impressive, but one coach’s reaction was: “Get up! What are you falling for, anyway?” On the last snap of the drill, the Bucs’ first and second-round rookies were matched up for the first time in camp. Jackson managed to catch a pass from fellow 2008 draftee Josh Johnson in front of Talib.

Practice makes perfect. Thirteen days before it becomes real …. kinda.

It’s an amusing NASCAR cliche. The first words out of a race winner’s mouth usually sound something like this, “It’s a great win for our DuPont Chevrolet. Our guys in the shop were amazing. I’m happy for them, Pepsi, Quaker State and the great folks at Nicorette, who got us across the finish line tonight.” /pauses to take big swig of Pepsi

Rick Hendrick threw in a new line yesterday. After his driver Jimmie Johnson won the Allstate 400 at Indy, he thanked App State.

Seriously! Apparently one of NASCAR’s strongest teams needed a kick in the rear, and App State coach Jerry Moore was called in to deliver it.

(Hendrick) went so far last week as to call Appalachian State football coach Jerry Moore, whose team has won the past three I-AA football championships, to deliver a speech on desire and dedication.

“I called Chad out in front of Coach Moore,” said Hendrick, referring to Johnson’s crew chief, Chad Knaus. “I said, ‘Chad, are you going to win the championship and win a third one like Appalachian?’

“He said, ‘I’m going to do my best.’ Coach Moore said, ‘That might not be good enough.’ Then Chad said, ‘You better be glad I’m not coaching football in this league.’”

Here’s another version of that story.

Last week Jerry Moore, the Appalachian State football coach who orchestrated one of the most shocking upsets in college football, told members of Hendrick Motorsports that winning was about desire.

And after a frustrating loss in Chicago, Jimmie Johnson didn’t lack desire to avenge that loss on Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Love that Moore magic.

Looks like Jon Jansen is gonna have to carry his own helmet again. App State great Kerry Brown has been waived by the Redskins.

The first rule for young players in training camp reared its ugly head today.

The rule is: Don’t get hurt.

Washington Redskins offensive lineman Kerry Brown, a rookie from Appalachian State, sprained his shoulder last week. He was expected to be out one-to-two weeks. The Redskins released him.

According to the official Redskins team blog, he “could be placed on injured reserve if no other team picks them up.” Still, depressing way to start a week.

Found at Proud Professor

Carolina Panther camp, of course. I’m so excited!

Jake is back! And Steve Smith! And Peppers! And! And … (throws up a little in his mouth) … this guy.

Also, single-game Panthers tickets go on sale tomorrow morning for … oh.. about 2.3 seconds, depending on the speed of those souless ring wraiths online ticket merchants.

Home games to circle and try to snag a tix:

September 14, Chicago Bears – Gotta give a holla to Steve Wilks.

October 19, New Orleans – Look! A Catamount to boo! With no guilty conscience!

November 16, Detroit Lions – Jerome! …. Jerome! (Tear falls)

December 8, Tampa Bay – A Monday Night Game, the Blur will (hopefully) be in the house!