Sunday, May 20th at Highland Park Stadium

9:00 am  Player Check-In

9:45 am  Staff Introductions

10:00 am On-field Participant Stretch & Warmups

10:15 am  Break into groups and testing begins

12:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm  On-field Participant Stretch & Warmups

1:15 pm  Break into position groups

3:30 pm Final Combine wrap-up/closing…message from Sammy Morris and Johnny Quinn

3:45 pm Parents/Players Q&A Session with Warren McCarty regarding the recruiting process

What to bring: cleats for football drills, tennis shoes for vertical testing, sunscreen, gatorade/powerade (we will provide water throughout the day), sunscreen, athletic shorts.

The Infiniti FX50 can be described in one word: Elite.

I don’t know who Sebastien Vettel is, or much about race cars at all, but apparently he is an elite driver and he helped design the Infiniti FX50 Crossover SUV. He and the engineering team at Infiniti have simply blown me away with this one.

The engine purrs. I never really understood what that term meant, until I got behind the wheel of the FX50. You hit the start button (I still think that’s so cool), and you can FEEL it. Literally, the 3. L V6 feels like the purr of a big cat underneath your feet. For a crossover SUV, it did excellent in the mpg department (in the high teens to low 20′s), and it handles exceptionally well. To say that it drives like a car would be an understatement.

Now, I’d also have to say that the FX50 carries an element of style and class in the interior that can often be overlooked in a crossover. From seat comfort to leg room to the audio system, I kept clicking “check” on my mental checklist of what I look for in a ride. The touch screen audio and navigation system is on a whole new level, and the cameras produce a clear, vivid image for the driver while in reverse.

I am a family man with a beautiful wife and five amazing kids. When I review vehicles, I am often asked “bro, would you really buy that car if you had the cash or was it just awesome to drive?”.  The FX50 starts at around $43k. If I had the cash to spend on  a vehicle, I’d drop the $43K in a heartbeat. Elite engineering matched by quality on the inside and style on the outside justifies the price tag.

I emailed my rep in Denver as well as my rep with Infiniti, and told them that I was selling all of my personal belongings, and my wife and I were piling the kids in the back and that we were making a dash for the Canadian Border. I had no intention of returning the FX50.  If you take a test drive, you’ll understand why.

For more enlightenment on all things FX50, check it out here: http://www.infinitiusa.com/fx/

The 5th Annual MPIF Combine Schedule is as follows:

Sunday, May 20th Hornet Stadium on the campus of Highland Park High School:

9:00 am Check-in & Registration

9:45 am Introductions of Staff

10:00 am Team Stretch

10:15 am Break into groups and testing begins

40-yard dash, Short Shuttle, Bench Press, Vertical Jump, Height/Weight Measurements

12:00 pm Lunch (courtesy of Randall Raider Grilling Team & Big Texan Steack Ranch)

1:00 pm Team Stretch

1:15 pm Break into position groups

3:30 pm Camp wrap-up, Guest Speakers Johnny Quinn and Sammy Morris

4:00 pm Informal Q&A Session with Parents, Autographs

I’m now writing a weekly column for our good friends at The National Football Post (www.nationalfootballpost.com). It’s an excellent website that I check multiple times each day. NFP offers true insight from beat writers, former NFL players, NFL Agents, and former NFL GM’s. Here’s my first piece:

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Is-Finnegan-worth-the-investment-in-St-Louis.html

The VW Tiguan is a very cool ride. I could use this space to go on and on about how I loved the feel of the car, how comfortable it was to drive, how awesome the extended length moon-roof was, how great it was on gas, etc etc. The fact is, the Tiguan is nice, and I’d recommend it to anybody. But not for the reasons mentioned above.

I love the VW Tiguan because the German engineering shined through with respect to FIXING A FLAT TIRE.

Yep. There it is. I said it. Not exactly something you think about when looking for a new ride. Probably not in the top 20 questions that you ask when car searching.  Not even close. But it’s pretty damn important, and I got an excellent reminder of that on Monday night.

As is usual practice, I took the Tiguan out on Magnolia Road to push it a little bit, see how it handled hairpin turns, steep grades, and so forth. About half of Magnolia Road is dirt, and you pass right between two beautiful ranches that usually have elk and the occasional moose herd grazing as they traverse the mountains. So I’m admiring the scenery, bumping 2Pac in the Tiguan audio system, and I hear a ding and the check engine/warning light comes on. I thought..”that’s weird, something’s up.” Nevertheless, I kept driving. A few miles later, I realized that things had gotten bumpy. I pulled over, and immediately realized that the Tiguan’s system had detected a problem, and gave me a heads up. I just didn’t fully comprehend the warning. I got out, and sure enough my back left tire was going flat.

From start to finish, it took me 19 minutes to change the tire (and by the way, props to VW for equipping the Tiguan with an actual spare tire, not a donut). The jack was so simple to use, tire tools were neatly stored in a bag, and there were also bright orange warning cones to place on the street in the event that the flat had occurred somewhere busier in terms of traffic. I didn’t have to utilize some sort of spinning lever to lower the spare tire from underneath the tail-end of the car, it was simply stored in the back end storage compartment. My butt never hit the ground…it was a clean change, very little mess, and I was able to finish the job and get back on the road in a timely manner.

We’ve all had the flat-tire-experience-gone-bad. I was so relieved that VW took proactive steps to make sure that wasn’t the case in a Tiguan. From the warning system to storage, they had me covered.

That goes a long, long way friends.

On Thursday former Randall High standout Defensive Back Shawn Daniels announced a sponsorship agreement for the 5th Annual MPIF Combine. Daniels and his father, Johnnie, own The Car Lot located at 3615 Tower Drive off of I-40 East in Amarillo.

“I love high school football and I support any of these young men that are man enough to step onto that field on Friday nights,” said Daniels. “I was given the opportunity to play at Randall, and I would have loved to have the opportunity to compete at the MPIF Combine, and have a shot to play at the next level. This event allows young men the chance to sharpen their skills while learning from some exceptional guys, and it also exposes them to every college football program in the country. That’s so amazing to me.  My faith in God has allowed me to enjoy success in business. Many of the skills that I use every day in business, were also taught to me on the football field. It’s the greatest sport ever invented, and to have the shot at playing at the college level would be a dream come true for so many young men. I’m proud to support the MPIF Combine.”

The Car Lot is one of the most unique automotive dealers in the Western U.S. In business for a decade in Amarillo, Shawn  and Johnnie Daniels provide a wide range of quality vehicles, but also provide in-house financing. They maintain a strong presence on the web with their website. The Car Lot is open Monday through Friday from 9am-5pm, and on Saturdays from 10am-2pm. They can also be reached at (806) 374-8153.

The 5th Annual MPIF Combine will be held on Sunday, May 20th at Hornet Stadium on the campus of Highland Park High School. For more information, call Warren McCarty at (303) 809-7896.

Not every driver has the same litmus test that I do when it comes to the Subaru brand. You see, Subaru and I go way back. Back to my high school days in the early 90′s. I was rockin’ an egg-white, 1982 Subaru Sports Coupe, and I absolutely loved that car. It had a standard transmission, was great on gas, and the coolest thing was that it started with a helicopter switch. Seriously. One red toggle switch you flipped up. The other you flipped down, and the engine would fire. I’m going to assume that the helicopter switches were a post-manufacturer modification, but cool nonetheless.

Fast forward to 2011, and I had  a chance to drive the 2011 Impreza. And I was FLOORED. It totally knocked my socks off. So when the opportunity presented itself for me to test drive the 2012 version, I jumped at the chance.

I go with a more realistic approach to evaluating vehicles. I’m not a car enthusiast. I don’t know about things like torque and cylinders. That’s not my world. My world consists of winding mountain roads, the importance of good gas mileage, how many kids can you squeeze into the ride, and does it have any cool features.

And just like the 2011 version, the Subaru Impreza Sedan is freaking awesome. Gas mileage is outstanding, averaging in the high 20′s throughout the week. As we all stare at $4.00 p/gallon, that’s important. Equally important for me, considering my commute, is how the vehicle handles hairpin turns and mountain curves. The Impreza is superb in how it handles. I took it on Magnolia Road West of Boulder, which will test ANY vehicle’s ability to handle hairpin turns, curves, inclines and declines, and rough terrain. I transitioned in and out of 4WD with no issues. That’s an exceptional feature for someone driving in the mountains, but also needing good gas mileage due to a commute.

Sound systems in most cars these days are of high-quality, but Subaru doesn’t joke around when it comes to the audio experience.

And last but not least, starting at only $17k this car is priced lower than what you’d expect from a sedan with this many high-quality features.

It looks sleek, handles extremely well, gets great gas mileage, and it can handle a challenge on the road. The Impreza is Impressive, no doubt about it.

Roger Goodell must be ready to puke. This Audio just ended Gregg Williams career. I’ve listened to the recording four times now, and I am utterly disgusted. That is not football.

I was struck this morning by the thought that folks criticizing Goodell on the BountyGate scandal need to pump the brakes.  Or better yet, slam on the brakes.

Let’s go through the basic checklist for a moment:

-Upon learning of the the suspensions for Loomis, Payton, Vitt, and Williams, along with the fine and loss of draft picks, Drew Brees went to twitter and demanded and explanation from Goodell.

-Darren Sharper and multiple current and former Saints defensive players have denied that there was any sort of bounty system in place, other than cash for interceptions, fumble recoveries, and big, clean hits.

-Thousands of Saints fans have hit the Commissioner’s office with phone calls, letters, and emails to protest the suspensions.

-This week the Louisiana State Legislature drafted a resolution asking Roger Goodell to reconsider and/or reduce the suspensions.

The audio recording should end the discussion. The public statements made by Gregg Williams, Mickey Loomis, and Sean Payton should have already sealed the deal. But it hasn’t, as ridiculous as that now seems.

So, what if the situation were different here? What if the Saints, and specifically Drew Brees, were the targets of a bounty system?

Brees is one of the most popular, respected, and admired players in the NFL. He’s done tremendous work in the New Orleans community, and has done a lot to uplift that city. So, what if it had been Drew Brees taking a cheap shot to the chin after handing the ball off in the 2009 NFC Title game, instead of Brett Favre? What if it had been the Vikings visually trying to twist Brees’ already injured ankle in the pile on national television? What if it had been Jared Allen, and not Jonathan Vilma that put $10,000 on the line to injure the opposing QB? What if the audio released had been the 49ers Defensive Coordinator talking about paying guys for taking a shot to Brees’ chin, killing his head, tearing his ACL, etc? What if it had been the Vikings staff or the 49ers staff that were being suspended and fined?

I’m guessing that Brees wouldn’t take to twitter to demand an explanation for the punishments of the Vikings or 49ers.

I’m guessing that Saints fans wouldn’t be berating the Commissioner’s office demanding lighter punishments or no punishments altogether.

I’m guessing that the Louisiana State Legislature probably wouldn’t be passing resolutions to ask for Goodell to reconsider punishments and suspensions for the Vikings or 49ers coaching staffs.

The venom being spewed at Roger Goodell by the Saints family all seems hypocritical now. Fans, players, and politicians that have been in an uproar over Goodell’s decision-making here have completely forgotten the simple process of role reversal.

Football should be played the same way life should be lived: with passion and compassion. Somewhere along the way, that has been forgotten.

Kenny Dean State Farm Insurance in Canyon is now a premiere sponsor for the 5th Annual MPIF Combine, which will be held Sunday May 20th at Hornet Stadium on the campus of Highland Park High School.

“I am humbled by Warren’s willingness to make the dream of playing college football a reality for our kids,” said Dean. “This program can make a difference in a young person’s life.”

Kenny Dean was a legendary player at Childress High School, and then went on to become a standout performer as a Defensive Back at Division 1 West Texas State from 1978-1982. He joined the USFL’s Denver Gold in 1983 before an injury ended his playing career.

Dean has 27 years of experience in the insurance industry, and has owned and operated Kenny Dean State Farm for the past 11 years.  His agency has a professional staff offering Auto, Home, Life, and Financial Services.

Kenny Dean State Farm is located at 1709 5th Avenue in Canyon, and is open Monday through Friday. Feel free to visit the website ,  stop by the office, or call (806) 655-7104 for a free quote.

MPIF announced today that the 5th Annual High School Combine will now be held at Hornet Stadium on the campus of Highland Park High School in Amarillo.

“The Bushland Independent School District approved the installation of a new track and field turf at Falcon Stadium, which will begin after the district track meet,” said Camp Director Warren McCarty.  ”To avoid interfering with construction, it was in the best interest of the athletes to change venues. The set-up at HP is almost identical to Bushland, so the camp should not miss a beat. I’m so appreciative of the help that Bushland Coach Steven Flowers has provided, and I’m very thankful that Coach Proffitt at HP stepped up and offered their facilities.”

Hornet Stadium features a beautiful turf surface that was installed prior to the 2009 season. The MPIF Summer Passing Camp is held at the stadium each July.

“We are excited about hosting this year’s MPIF Combine,” said Highland Park Head Coach/Athletic Director Jason Proffitt. “This is a great event that has had an incredible impact on football players in the Panhandle, and we are glad to be part of it this year. We are blessed with outstanding facilities, and we look forward to being able to showcase them during the event and to help young men from across the region pursue their dream of playing college football.”

The 5th Annual MPIF Combine will be held on Sunday, May 20th. Cost is only $50.00 per athlete. Registration forms can be found here: 2012CombineRegistrationform. Any questions can be directed to Warren McCarty via email: warren@mypassionisfootball.com or by calling (303) 809-7896.