AFC Draft Grades!!

NFC Draft Grades!!!!

AFC COMING SOON!!!

NBA Playoff Updates!!!

The Missing Piece in Orlando...

It's not Vinsanity, Matt Barnes, Brandon Bass, White Chocolate, or even Ryan Anderson. The difference between this year's Magic and last years is the addition of a healthy Jameer Nelson. Not the guy who came back at the end of the playoffs last year and played in the Finals on pure guts and guile but the former All-Star level point guard who ran this team at an extremely efficient rate. Dwight Howard has been in foul trouble this whole series and it hasn't even mattered one bit, the reason you ask.....Jameer Nelson. In this series he's averaging 25 points and he's made 10 out of 22 three pointers and only missed 1 foul shot(15-16). I don't know how this is being swept under the rug, but Jameer Nelson is back and the man is killing right now. He's getting to the basket whenever he feels like it and drilling three after three, the Magic are a different team with Nelson running the show. He could be the difference between a title or a title appearance for Orlando. Who do you think is the Magic's most important player second to Dwight that gives them the best chance to win a championship??

With the 38th Pick in the 6th Round....

The Tennessee Titans select Myron Rolle, safety from Florida State University!!! Kudos to Jeff Fisher and the Titans organization for not letting this kid go undrafted and ending his misery. The NCAA says they want "well rounded people" that are not only good athletes but good students. So why does a Rhodes Scholar get drafted in the 6th Round?? When he came out of highschool in 2006 he was the highest rated player in the COUNTRY!!! He went to FSU, again he was the highest rated player in the country and he chose FSU. He didn't have the greatest college career, but in no ways was it the worst. I can think of more than a few players from FSU who got drafted higher than he did that weren't as smart or as athletic as he was, they got drafted because they went to FSU. Let's be real, if a bench or role player from a percieved football factory enters the draft they will get looked at higher than a productive starter at a mid major or Division 2 prospect. Myron started all 3 years at FSU, he had a very good pro day and the best he could do was the 6th round? There were many players in this draft without his football pedigree that were drafted higher only because they didn't have a percieved "alterior motive." Rolle's "alterior motive" being his other passion to be a Neurosurgeon as well as an NFL player. The only problem I believe Rolle has is unlike a Earl Thomas or Eric Berry he's not the type of safety that can come down and cover a slot WR in man coverage, unless I'm crazy most safeties in the league have that problem. That's what makes guys like Berry and Thomas so coveted, I think Rolle is the perfect complement to the super athletic Michael Griffin in Tennessee. Rolle should be the successor to former FSU safety and current Titans safety Chris Hope. Do you think that Myron Rolle was punished aka blackballed by the NFL and their scouts?? Or is the 6th round where he truly belongs?? Food for thought, during the combine interviews Rolle was asked why he "deserted" his teamates to go study in Oxford, seriously with all of the off field issues athletes have today this kid is being dumped on for going to further his education???

Great Fits and Steals

The 5th round of the NFL draft is winding down, I'm still wide awake and parked in the same chair. I'm trying not to blog too much while watching this, but we all know that wasn't going to happen!! There are a couple of picks that I think are great, and I mean GREAT fits for their perspective teams. Toby Gerhart the physical running back from Stanford, he is now the #2 back in the Vikings backfield. Think about this, when Adrian "ALL DAY" Peterson comes out the defense is not getting a break at all. Instead of a small shifty type back coming in to change the pace, the Vikings elected to go with the bruiser. They are going to hit you in the mouth every time they run the ball, whether its AP or Gerhart. The Cowboys are in my running for luckiest teams in the draft, I mean they had DEZ BRYANT fall in their laps!!! For the encore performance they stole Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, if you don't know who that is Ansah is a corner/special teamer extraordinaire. The guys name means "Born on Sunday", not to side track but Adam Schefter just announced that the Raiders traded for Jason Campbell or at least are in the process of trading for Jason Campbell. That is a steal, the Raiders just got a very good QB for late round picks potentially!!! Jason Campbell makes the Raiders relevant again, like that makes them a balanced offensive football team. What do you think of the Gerhart, Bryant, and Ansah trades??
It's official, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF JASON CAMPBELL AS THE RAIDER'S NEW QB???

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Every round that goes by, the Buccaneers get better and better talent. Its currently the 5th round, and the Bucs already have a "GREAT" draft class. They could stop now and go into training camp with what they got in 4 rounds and be excited for the future. Not only did they get one of the two monsters at defensive tackle with the selection of Gerald McCoy, they also got Brian Price to pair with him at defensive tackle to solidify that line for years to come. Josh Freeman the QB of the future they selected last year, has to be the happiest person in the organization!! The Bucs went out and surrounded the young QB with not one but TWO big physical wide outs, Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams. They already run the ball well, so now they get two monsters at wideout to accelerate Freeman's development. They also got a corner to pair opposite Aquib Talib, Myron Lewis might supplant fan favorite Ronde Barber in the secondary. The Bucs are on the move, I'm not a Bucs fan and what they did so far in this draft has me going nuts!! Do you think the Bucs are going to have a winning record this year, or are they a year or two away from being a player in the NFC South??

Can't Wait !!!!

I know its only the end of the 2nd and 3rd round but I already am anticipating the start of the NFL season!! I love how they back loaded the schedules, which means the last couple of weeks will be filled with division match ups instead of non-conference games. This way teams will not be as likely to rest their starters (COLTS!!!), which makes the last few games of the season actually MATTER!!! The intelligent drafting continued today as teams filled needs, which caused some high profile players to drop wayyyyy down the draft board. Colt McCoy was a 3rd round pick, the winningest QB in this year's draft was a 3rd round pick!!! Taylor Mays the inhuman safety prospect from USC slid down to the 49th pick( which was to MY 49ers!!!), Mount Cody fell to the Ravens with the 57th overall pick. The 3rd round will end soon and there are still very productive players left on the boards for the conclusion of the draft tomorrow. A lot of the teams that finished at the bottom last year took advantage of their opportunities and put together "great" draft choices for this year. PARITY, that's the word of the year for this upcoming NFL season!! Which bottom feeder from last year will make the leap back to normalcy this year??? Which team will make the jump to .500 this year out of the Rams, Lions, and Buccaneers??

Heck of a 1st Round!!

I can't believe how good the first round of the draft went tonight, there weren't even a handful of picks that were considered a "reach." The only pick that I was surprised by was the Jaguars taking Tyson Alualu with the 10th pick only because I hadn't heard of him prior to tonight, not in the combine or mock drafts at least. I thought Dez Bryant was going to fall a LITTLE on the draft board, not down to where the Cowboys were. They have to be happy to have had him available at that point, the Broncos also surprised me by their two first round picks. They selected Deymarious Thomas and Tim Tebow, I understand the need at wide out due to the Brandon Marshall trade but I don't get the selection of Tebow with 3 QB's already on the roster. I was proud of the Redskins and Raiders for actually selecting what they need for once instead of neglecting their OBVIOUS needs. As a 49ers fan I couldn't have asked for more with the selection of not one, but two offensive lineman. I loved the Giants getting Pierre-Paul and thought the Saints were brilliant for taking Patrick Robinson to complement Terry Porter in the secondary. The folks in Buffalo should be going crazy after getting CJ Spiller, if they do indeed keep Marshawn Lynch that is one explosive backfield. I could go on for hours, but I need rest for the 2nd round. Did you approve of your team's 1st round selections, or are you already regretting the player(s) selected???

Ernie Sims the new Eagle!!

We are 3 days away from this year's NFL draft,up to this point the offseason has been crazy!! This year's run of trades has continued, Ernie Sims is now a Philadelphia Eagle. The Eagles made noise earlier this offseason for the trade of "Franchise" QB Donavan McNabb, through a couple other trades they accumalated a few picks to give them a grand total of 10 for Thursday's draft. The Lions sent Sims to Philly in order to get TE Tony Scheffler from the Broncos, the Broncos recieved an undisclosded draft pick from the Eagles( i believe it was a 7th rounder). Outside of trading McNabb, recent struggles for the Eagles was their defense, namely the saftey and linebacker positions. By aquiring Sims from the Lions, they fixed that need in a HUGE way, Sims is a 1st Round talent who was stuck on a bad team. This move was good for the Lions as well because a TE is a QB's best friend, getting Scheffler give them two good tight ends. The only part of this trade that I question is what did the Broncos gain out of all of this?? Not only is the draft just 3 days away, but rumor has it that there is lots more trading to go on before and during the draft!! What do you think the Broncos were thinking when they took part in this trade??

This Past Weekend

This weekend was crazy in the sports world. The 1st round of NHL and NBA playoffs began and if you weren't watching thats a shame!!! The only lower seed to win a game in the NBA was the Trail Blazers last night when they upset the Suns in Phoenix. In the NHL, many of the higher seeds lost the first game and HAD to win the second game to tie the series up!! This is a busy busy week coming up, both leagues (NHL & NBA) have games almost something on every day and the NFL Draft begins thursday. There's playoff games scheduled every night of the draft, I going to watch the draft and catch up on everything else online. As a sports fan, what sporting event takes priority for you on this action packed week?

Playoffs Start TODAY!!!

Finally the post season is starting today in the NBA, I can't wait. I don't think any team is going to be swept and I believe every series will be competitive for the most part. I'm looking forward to see how D. Wade and Amare perform in the playoffs this year because they might be teamates next year. The Durantula vs Ronny Artest is another great matchup, if LA can't slow KD down it's going to be a long series. The Bobcats look to be an intriguing team, in the regular season they had good records against the eliet teams in the league. The new look Mavs vs the old wiley vets in the Spurs, you also have Brandon Jennings vs the Hawks. As a rookie point guard leading his team to the playoffs with out the help of his big man due to Andrew Bogut's season ending injury, it's going to be exciting to see how he does in his first playoff series. Can Thabo Sefelosha put the clamps on the Black Mamba? He's going to have to just to keep the Thunder in the series, 3 pm can't come soon enough!!! What series are you looking forward to the most?

Welcome Tedd Ginn!!!

As a 49er fan I am ecstatic about this move, it only cost a 5th round pick and it put to rest one of the biggest issues with the team. We now have an actual threat in the return game!!! Ginn isn't being asked to be a number 1 or 2 reciever just to put in work as a returner and whatever he can contribute on offense is a bonus. I think he could be a great slot reciever in San Fran, I love Crabtree and Morgan as our #1 and #2 recievers and that slot position has been up in the air for a couple years now. Now we have someone else other than Vernon Davis that can stretch the field vertically on offense, I LOVE IT!!! I don't think anything is wrong with Ted Ginn as a player, I just think he was drafted way too high and held to unrealistic expectations as a reciever. He's not a #1 guy he's a complementary wide out, nothing is wrong with that and his return skills can't be questioned. Ginn is very explosive, hopefully he can live up to his potential out in the Bay. A former 1st rounder for a 5th round pick, good or bad decision??

NBA Playoff Preview

Check the Western Conference out first, then the Eastern Conference!!! Thanks for listening....

Brilliant Transaction!!!

Brandon Marshall is out of Josh McDaniels hair, and Marshall got what Denver wouldn't give him....the money he deserved for arguably being the league's best wide recievers. The Broncos got two 2nd round picks (1 this year and 1 next), and the Dolphins got a MONSTER of a wideout. The Dolphins even gave him an extension that made him the highsest paid wide out in the game, so now they get a happy and motivated Brandon Marshall!!! Now the Broncos get a chance to get Dez Bryant in the 1st round or a good WR in the 2nd now that they have 2 second round picks. Unlike some of the previous trades that made absolutley no sense in this offseason, this is a win win for both teams. That is of course if the Broncos end up with a future number 1 wide out, if not the Dolphins won out in this deal. They now have Marshall who is only 26 for the next 5 years, all they need to do is get a WR to stretch the field and Chad Henne, like Mark Sanchez is now handed the keys to an explosive offense. If you were the Broncos, would you have pullled the trigger on this deal or waited out for a number 1 pick during the draft?

1st Round Nightmares...

In the Western Conference the playoff picture is pretty clear, in the Eastern Conference it's still a little murky although we have a pretty good idea. I just watched the Bulls-Celtics game, now watching the Suns-Nuggets game and I still can't stop thinking about Derrick Rose. Wherever he got that killer midrange game from and killer is an understatment, Rose is a match up nightmare for opposing teams. Rajon Rondo isn't exactly a bad point guard by any means, he's pretty darn good!! Rondo couldn't slow Rose at all, the difference being that Rose can consistently knock down that midrange jumper to keep teams honest and Rondo can't. The Bulls defended Rondo the way teams used to defend Rose, which is to play him for his jumpshot and you can no longer do so. Now back to this whole nightmare thing, I'm going to share with you the teams I think are hellish match ups in the playoffs in both conferences. The Suns, Mavs, and Thunder are my choices on the Western side of things. In the East I'm going with the Bobcats, Heat, and Bulls. Each of these teams have a collection of talent whether it be individual superstars or the system that can create problems. Nash and Stoudamire for the Suns, the whole cast of characters for the Mavs, and the Durantula and his playmates in OKC. Larry Brown(who isn't a player) is my sole reason for selecting the Bobcats, then Rose and Wade obviously my choices for stars that can will their teams to victories. What team do you think presents the most problems for a championship contender in either conference???

April 12th Podcast

5th ROUND PICK????

I understand that the new look NFL cares about character, I don't have too big an issue with that. What I do have an issue with is inexplicable trades that are a result of "character issues." Santonio Holmes, former Super Bowl MVP was traded for a fifth round pick, a 5TH ROUND PICK!!!!!!! If you were to get rid of him, am I to really believe ALL that you could get for him was a 5th round pick? Not a 2nd or 3rd, but a 5th!!! Big Ben has been accused twice of rape, Holmes allegedly threw a glass at a woman, a charge that has already been dropped. A male witness has confessed to throwing the glass, out of these two issues why is Holmes the one on the move?? Why trade either one, I'm sure there is to be some sort of discinplinary action handed down by the commisioner. That still isn't reason to get rid of 60 to 70 percent of your offense (at least by my estimation) and get nothing in return, the Jets have made off like bandits in this offseason and it's not even the draft yet. They still have all their good picks, they have added 3 Pro Bowl players. Antonio Cromartie, Ladanian Tomlinson, and now Santonio Holmes with a week to spare before the draft. Who's to say they don't go out and aqquire Brandon Marshall?? They are already courting Jason Taylor, I know this year was going to be an uncapped year. I didn't know it was going to be get rid of your percieved "malcontents" offseason, and get rid of them at all costs at that. Do you think a 5th rounder was the best YOU could get for Santonio Holmes???

Myron Rolle Update...

Maybe a month ago, at the end of the of a Combine Podcast I mentioned my sleepers for this year's draft. One of them was Myron Rolle, a former FSU safety who became a Rhodes Scholar(I'm sure you've all heard the stories). He attended the combine and didn't do that well according to all of the draft experts. Well guess who improved his times at his Pro-Day and looks more like a late round steal?? Myron dropped his 40 time from a 4.76 to 4.54, yeah so all those rumors about his bad foot speed should go to rest now. His short shuttle and three cone drill numbers dropped signifigantly as well, that means a team is getting an athletic, intelligent, physical safety instead of the slow footed,out of shape, unmotivated saftey. I mean if you hear that someone was away from a sport and didn't give them the propper amount of time to adjust, how in the world can you accurtely assess them?? Well I just wanted to let everyone know that the rumors and early indictments were wrong, he went to FSU as one of the top 10 highschool football players in this country!!! You do not loose all of that talent, maybe you come back rusty and a little out of shape. I think he's going to be what most FSU players are in the NFL, very SUCCESFUL!!

A week away...NFL Draft!!!!

The draft is a week or so away, I really don't know how to feel about it. As a sports fan I can't wait, as a 49er fan I'm worried!!! I check McShay and Kiper's draft boards like 5 times a day to see how they are changing. The 49ers have the 13th and the 17th pick, it has already been established that an offensive lineman ( a tackle) needs to be taken with one of those two picks. The other pick is said to be used to select a QB, specifically Jimmy Clausen. Just when I thought we (the 49ers) had dodged the whole McNabb thing, here this go. No offense Redskins fans who should enjoy what McNabb can do for you provided you select a left tackle with that 4th pick, I like the direction we've been going in. I was one of the few who believed in Alex Smith 5 years ago, even after all that has happend in his life and on the field I believe in him. When Shaun Hill went down last year, I might have been the happiest person in the world especially when Alex came on the field and produced. I love the offensive weapons he has around him after not having any when he was drafted 5 years ago. I agree that we need a tackle, I just don't agree with the QB thing. Why go backwards, ya know? If everything works out in my favor, eric berry or Dez Bryant falls to us at 13 and we get a tackle 4 picks later. If it doesn't, I'm still okay with a tackle at 13 and Taylor Mays, Rolando McClain, Sergio Kindle, or Earl Thomas at 17. No matter what happens, PLEASE NO QB!!! Does anyone else have a nightmare pick for their team, like the worse possible selection that could potentially set your team back in your eyes?? If so, please share!!

He's Baaack!!!!

I've been trying to find something else to do today other than watch golf. I tried mowing the lawn, washing the car, and finally the sports geek in me had to turn the television on. I turned it on just in time to watch Tiger hook a ball 30 to 40 yards in the air around the trees and land on the green. I am not sure what hole it was on, I didn't even sit around to find out. I saw all I needed to see, the man is back. Skip Bayless was on First Take today talking about which Tiger was going to show, the new meek one or the old angry Tiger. For all of those believing Tiger is going to take time to get back and that he is going to struggle to regain his stranglehold on golf I would like you to look at it this way. If he was able to concentrate and block out all of the demons he had while doing whatever it was he was doing in his personal life, come out compete and still be heads and shoulders above the rest. If those demons are put to rest and the pure joy or love of the game is back for him, do you think he's going to be better or worse than he was before? If his focus and concentreation is that intense, minus the demons I believe he is going to be even BETTER than he was before all of this stuff happend. I think this is the best for him and his family that all of this is behind him, the only people it's not good for are his peers. Do you think he's going to better or worse after all of this has transpired?

They Are Who We Thought They Were!!

U-CONN BAS-KET-BALLLL!!!! My girls did it again, as the defending champions they succeeded in their title defense. Back to back titles gives Geno his 7th title in his tenure at Uconn! The man that no one likes delivered again in the big game to keep his record sparkling clean at 7-0. Tina Charles, Maya Moore and the rest of the group overcame a sluggish 1st half and a tough Stanford team to defend their title and repeat as champions. Most of the post and pre game articles were about which Uconn title team was the best, I honestly don't think you can compare them. The only reason I believe that is every year they have won the rest of the country gets better. Believe it or not, Uconn is just that good!!! If you take Uconn out the picture, Stanford is the best team in the country. I also saw the piece at halftime about Tara Vandeveer giving advice to Geno about coaching the Olympic team, that almost had me in stitches( not literally, i was laughing). If 90% of the Olympic team's roster is Uconn graduates, who better than Geno knows their strengths and weaknesses?? Anyways, back to the perfect season these young woman just completed. If I had to pick, I think the Diana Taurasi led title team was the best, only because they weren't nearly as stacked as the rest. They only went as far as Diana carried them, this years team was loaded. I know Tina and Maya get all the love, but the rest of the team could start for other teams in the country and not only start but STAR on other teams. What Geno has done is remarkable and I hope his peers would see it the same way. Did anyone else see the most fake handshake in sports when the game was over between Tara and Geno? Tara never even looked up until she got to the assistant coaches, that is uncalled for. You don't have to like Geno or the team, but please respect their achievements. I don't think next year is going to be a perfect season, but I do expect Maya to be the MOP on the best team in the country again. Let's go 3-peat, or am I taking it toooo far???

Coach K

As you all know Duke is the National Champion, they held on to beat Butler in a very close game. I wasn't very fond of the officiating but I will save that for another day. I think that this is the best of the 4 titles that Coach K has won, he coached a heck of a season. This team he won with is exactly the same group that has underperformed their whole collegiate careers. I believe this is the least talented team he has ever won a championship with. They aren't superior athletes or basketball players period, they don't play "Duke" basketball for the most part. Coach K accepted this and found ways to play to their strengths and hide all of their deficiencies. The Most Outstanding Player Award should have gone to Coach K, he is the only one on that roster who deserves it. I am not a big Duke fan but I have no problem acknowledging great coaching when I see it. Duke has played boring,efficient, and fundamental basketball all year. Do I think they were even one of the top 20 teams in the country, I answer that with a resounding NO. This was one of the greatest coaching jobs ever and I commend Coach K on what he just accomplished with THAT team. Do you believe it was the players who made this happen, or do you agree with me and think that it was all Coach K?

April 5th Podcasts

Why I HATE the NFC EAST!!!

Is this the only division in sports where they GIVE away franchise players like its charity??? No one even knows what Kevin Kolb is, and if that is who's hands you put the franchise in at least get something worth it!!! Who cares about the 2nd round pick...you GAVE away a QB in their prime for a 2nd ROUND PICK!!! For once I have to give the SKINS' credit, they still kept the 4th pick in the draft while gaining a franchise QB!! They can still get that left tackle of the future to protect McNabb and that gives them a chance to trade Campbell for at least the 2nd round pick they lost. Am I the only one in the world how thinks the NFC EAST is the DUMBEST DIVISION in sports?

How....????????????

How do you win every game you play by double digits? How do you coach two not one but two teams to 70 game win streaks( one still currently on one as such)? How do you improve the already superior gifted players? Why doesn't your team get complacent? What kind of coach does it take to "take it one game at a time" while amidst a 76 game win streak? If there was such a coach, how do they not win Coach of the Year?? Enter Geno Auriemma coach of the UCONN Huskies Womens basketball team, he was also picked to lead the National team in the Worlds Tournament this year. So how does one who achieved these goals get snubbed for the award that he should have earned in when the streak was still in the 50's? If this were Pat Summit there would be parades in the streets and an award for every 10 games that continued the streak. If it were Tennesee there would be so many "Great" stories about the "mettle" of the kids and how they are never allowed to get complacent by their "Fearless Leader." It's Geno, again!! Well get over it, I don't care what kind of person he is or is perceived to be by his peers or the media. Numbers speak louder than any other voice when it comes to coaching!!! Is he a winner? Check!!! Does he help the players that set foot on his campus improve? Check!! Has he led a team to a title? Check!!! How much longer do I have to go on for everyone to see that this man just got ROBBED!!! Connie Yori, and I'm sure she's a good coach in her own right can't hold a finger to the silhouette of Geno!! Yes I said silhouette!! Not only did she win an award that should have never even been a race for, she won by 18?? If this were men's basketball there would be an outrage. Since it's womens and it happens to be Geno it's no big deal, that absolutely absurd!!! Am I the only one who thinks this is an insult to a great season, someone goes undefeated for 70 plus games and this is how they are rewarded? Please tell me how....????

My NFL Mock Draft

Don't Wish that on me Ricky Bobby!!!

Adam Schefter....I love your work, I am one of your loyal followers on twitter. Please please please and quadruple please stop wishing bad on my franchise and put the McNabb talk to rest. I am sure you are very fond of Donavan and do wish the best for him, but please stop wishing this terrible thing on the 49ers!!! We've been quietly rebuilding and I've been very happy with the baby steps that have been made in the past years. We have finally put talent around our QB, much like Jason Campbell who has been through 3000 different coordinators and coaches let Alex Smith breathe please!!! He's not the worst QB in the league, nor is he on track to be (Jamarcus Russell, Jake Delhome). The guy was dealt a terrible hand, having been used I mean "coached" by the great Urban Meyer in college. The franchise was in a rut when he was picked, finally under this new regime has the boat been steadied. Crabtree,Gore, Morgan, and Davis are great pieces that weren't all there when Alex was drafted. He finally got to enjoy that talent last year after reclaiming his rightful place as the team's starting QB. Just let the 49ers go out and quietly get a tackle to solidify that line and some help in the secondary. That's all we (49ers fans) ask, let us quietly continue our climb to respectability. No McNabb!!!! Where do you think McNabb is going to land, other than San Francisco?

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