Category Archives: Sports

The NFL Draft – My Guesses

Anyone who’s done a mock draft knows that it isn’t a science, it’s a guessing game. No general manager of an NFL team tells the truth and the “so-called experts” honestly are guessing as well. Here is my best guess and this Saturday I’ll see how well (or more likely bad) I did.

 

1 – Jake Long OT – Miami Dolphins – I got this one right since they already signed him.

2 – Chris Long DE – St. Louis Rams – He fits their system best.

3 – Glenn Dorsey DT – Atlanta Falcons – Beast of a man who will improve their defense immediately.

4 – Darren McFadden RB – Oakland Raiders – Raider fans cheer for this explosive running back.

5 – Ryan Clady OT – Kansas City Chiefs – They need line help and he provides it.

6 – Vernon Gholston – DT – New York Jets – Hopefully his career follows his workouts.

7 – Leodis McKelvin – CB – New England Patriots – The lost Asante Samuel and need to replace him.

8 – Matt Ryan – QB – Baltimore Ravens – They can’t believe their luck getting a new QB.

9 – Sedric Ellis – DE – Cincinnati Bengals – More help for their beleaguered defense.

10 – Keith Rivers – LB – New Orleans Saints – This guy can play and they need linebacking help.

11 – Devin Thomas – WR – Buffalo Bills – An instant upgrade to their offense.

12 – Branden Albert – OG – Denver Broncos – This guy can be a great guard or tackle in the NFL.

13 – Chris Williams – OT – Carolina Panthers – Happiness in Pantherland when he falls to them.

14 – Jeff Otah – OT – Chicago Bears – Him or Mendenhall at RB but I think they have bigger needs in the offensive line.

15 – Rashard Mendenhall – RB – Detroit Lions – They have so many needs but this is a solid pick (at least its not a WR).

16 – Derrick Harvey – DE – Arizona Cardinals – Another happy team with their pick.

17 – Phillip Merling – DE – Kansas City Chiefs – Replacing Allen on the D-Line was the purpose of this pick

18 – Mike Jenkins – CB – Houston Texans – Surprise pick but a definite need.

19 – Dominque Rogers-Cromartie – Philadelphia Eagles – No one saw this coming but it makes sense.

20 – Ketwan Balmer – DE – Tampa Bay Bucs – More defense equals more wins.

21 – Limas Sweed – WR – Washington Redskins – Returner and receiver is just what the Skins need.

22 – Felix Jones – RB – Dallas Cowboys – Everyone saw this one coming from miles away.

23 – James Hardy – WR – Pittsburgh Steelers – They need weapons and he is one of them.

24 – Calais Campbell – DE – Tennessee Titans – Boost the defense in this round, offense in the next one.

25 – Dustin Keller – TE – Seattle Seahawks – Matt Hasselback throws a party now that he has a top TE to throw to.

26 – Marcus Harrison – DT – Jacksonville Jaguars – Solid pick.

27 – Ryan Clady – OT – San Diego Chargers – His drop surprises many, Chargers are happy.

28 – Kenny Phillips – S – Dallas Cowboys –  Why not?

29 – Dan Connor – LB – San Francisco 49ers – Now they have a solid LB corps for years with Patrick Willis.

30 – Chad Henne – QB – Green Bay Packers – They either trade him for more picks or get a backup to Aaron Rogers.

31 – Tyrell Johnson – S – New York Giants – Real value pick.

The NFL Draft – Part 1

Yes, it is that time of the year again. As some of my readers know, I am an NFL draft junkie. While my main focus of life is on the effect of environmental toxins on health, sometimes you need a diversion to retain focus and the National Football League Draft is one of my favorites. Being a Jet and 49er fan, way too often, unfortunately, they draft early.

Predicting the draft is strangely futile as you never can guess which team will pick which player but it is fun for me to try even though I never have gotten it right. Today I pick numbers 1 – 10.

 

1 – Miami Dolphins – Jake Long OT Michigan – The way to build a team is to start at the lines, both offensive and defensive. This guy is huge (6’7”/315 lbs) and extremely talented. This pick may last up here for a while unless the Dolphins trade down.

2 – St. Louis Rams – Glenn Dorsey DT LSU – This would give the Rams a formidable defensive front for many years to go after drafting Adam Carriker last year.

3 – Atlanta Falcons – Matt Ryan QB Boston College – Given that Mike Vick is in jail, they need a franchise quarterback and this guy been rated as the best one available.

4 – Oakland Raiders – Chris Long DE Virginia – His dad Howie played for the Raiders, now the son adds his mark to a team desperate to become better defensively.

5 – Kansas City Chiefs – Vernon Gholsten DE Ohio State – The Chiefs let out a groan when Jake Long was picked as O-Line is where they need help. Gholsten was the Big Ten defensive player of the year and could be a great one.

6 – New York Jets – Sedrick Ellis DE USC – This guy fits into the 3-4 defensive scheme but having Darren McFaden still available may be too tempting to pass up.

7 – New England Patriots – Darren McFadden RB Arkansas – The Patriots would be crazy to pass up a runner with this guys talent.

8 – Baltimore Ravens – Leodis McKelvin CB Troy State – This is a need pick but a good one. McKelvin has all the tools and the speed to be a major impact for the Ravens secondary.9 – Cincinnati Bengals – Derrick Harvey DE Florida – They need help defensively and he is one of the best at the position available.

10 – New Orleans Saints – Mike Jenkins CB South Florida – They were burned in the secondary last year and this guy can close that hole.

NFL Season Picks – Another Year of Cheer

As some of my readers know, I’m a BIG pro football fan. My favorite teams include the NY Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers (the Super Bowl two years ago was a dream game for me). Now that the new season is about to start tonight, it’s time for my prognostications for the upcoming season. Here goes:

AFC East – New England Patriots      AFC North – Indianapolis Colts      AFC South – Pittsburgh Steelers            AFC West – San Diego Chargers

AFC Wild Cards – Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets

NFC East – Dallas Cowboys             NFC North – Chicago Bears            NFC South – New Orleans Saints            NFC West – Seattle Seahawks

NFC Wild Cards – Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers

AFC Champion – San Diego Chargers

NFC Champion – Seattle Seahawks

Super Bowl Champion – San Diego Chargers

Team with the first pick in the 2008 NFL Draft – Miami Dolphins

First team to fire their coach after the season – New York Giants

So, there you have it, my wild guesses. Take them as such.

Last NFL Mock Draft

Ok, here is my third and final mock draft. With any real draft, you always get curves balls thrown at you like the Buffalo Bills choosing Donte Willner way earlier than anyone expected. Then you have the Detroit Lions and Matt Millen who somehow hasn’t gotten the idea of how to build a team through the draft. Hint Matt, you build it from the inside out (defensive and offensive lineman first, wide receivers second). Still, I can’t see him not selecting Calvin Johnson with the second pick. At that point he could trade him to either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the Atlanta Falcons who have two 2nd round draft choices and the 8th pick in the first round. Needless to say, it will be an interesting day on Saturday, if you are an NFL fan like me.

 

Pick #
Team
Selection
Pos
College
Comments
1
Oakland Raiders
JaMarcus Russell
QB
LSU
Not the best player, but a definite need pick.
2
Detroit Lions
Calvin Johnson
WR
Georgia Tech
May be the best WR selected since Jerry Rice. Has it all. Will very likely be traded after pick.
3
Cleveland Browns
Brady Quinn
QB
Notre Dame
I think he will be better than Russell over time.
4
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Gaines Adams
DE
Clemson
A definite need for Tampa Bay. They may also trade this pick to the Lions for Johnson.
5
Arizona Cardinals
Joe Thomas
OT
Wisconsin
Safe pick and a desperate need pick.
6
Washington Redskins
Amobi Okoye
DE
Louisville
They will trade down. Guaranteed. If Quinn is available, bet the house on that scenario.
7
Minnesota Vikings
Leon Hall
CB
Michigan
Trade rumors abound.
8
Atlanta Falcons
LeRon Landry
S
LSU
This is the team that will consummate a trade with either the Lions or the Redskins.
9
Miami Dolphins
Levi Brown
OT
Penn State
They would love Quinn or better yet, trade up in the second round for Trent Edwards of Stanford.
10
Houston Texans
Adrian Peterson
RB
Oklahoma
Even though I don’t really like him in the NFL, they desperately need to take a running back here.
11
San Francisco 49ers
Patrick Willis
ILB
Mississippi
One of the best people in the draft.
12
Buffalo Bills
Marshawn Lynch
RB
Cal
If the 49ers take Willis, then the Bills reach for Lynch.
13
St. Louis Rams
Jamaal Anderson
DE
Arkansas
They need help on the D-line and he is the real deal.
14
Carolina Panthers
Greg Olsen
TE
Miami
Poor Jets, no TE in the first round this year.
15
Pittsburgh Steelers
Lawrence Timmons
OLB
Florida St.
Joey Porter gone, Lawrence Timmons in.
16
Green Bay Packers
Ted Ginn Jr.
WR
Ohio State
Farve needs more weapons and this guy can flat out fly.
17
Jacksonville Jaguars
Alan Branch
DT
Michigan
Questions about his attitude abound but no doubting his physical talent.
18
Cincinnati Bengals
Darrelle Revis
CB
Arkansas
Lockdown CB would immensely help the Bengals.
19
Tennessee Titans
Robert Meecham
WR
Tennessee
A marketing bonanza and a definite need pick.
20
New York Giants
Paul Posluszny
LB
Penn State
They’d rather have Timmons but Posluszny will do.
21
Denver Broncos
Adam Carricker
DE
Nebraska
The Broncos would do back flips if Carricker lands to them at 21. Branch may be the pick here if the Jaguars pass on him.
22
Dallas Cowboys
Aaron Ross
CB
Texas
A perfect fit for the Cowboys.
23
Kansas City Chiefs
Dwayne Bowe
WR
LSU
Could be a great #2 wide receiver in the NFL.
24
New England Patriots
Brandon Merriweather
S
Miami
Versatility is the Patriots motto and this guy has it. A trade though is highly likely
25
New York Jets
Jon Beason
LB
Miami
Got the instincts and aggression that Mangini loves.
26
Philadelphia Eagles
Michael Griffin
S
Texas
A good pickup this late in the round
27
New Orleans Saints
Anthony Spencer
DE
Purdue
Not the biggest need but this is a good value pick
28
New England Patriots
Joe Staley
OT
Central Michigan
I think they will trade out of this spot but if not, another great pick by the Pats.
29
Baltimore Ravens
Trent Edwards
QB
Stanford
Another probable trade, possibly with Miami, but the Ravens sure could use a good young QB
30
San Diego Chargers
Steve Smith
WR
USC
I think this guy will have a better NFL career than teammate Dwayne Jarrett
31
Chicago Bears
Dwayne Jarrett
WR
USC
Boy do they need another WR in their offense
32
Indianapolis Colts
Justin Harrell
DT
Tennessee
The Colts would absolutely flip if this guy lands here. Alan Branch may also fall all the way here.

 

Mock Draft #2

Here is my second Mock Draft. I do have a major change and that is the Detroit Lions will trade their second pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I am now pretty convinced that the Raiders will not select Johnson and will go with a potential franchise QB in JaMarcus Russell.

 

Pick #

Team

Selection

Position

College

1

Oakland Raiders

JaMarcus Russell
QB
LSU

2

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Calvin Johnson
WR
Georgia Tech

3

Cleveland Browns

Brady Quinn

QB

Notre Dame

4

Detroit Lions

Gaines Adams

DE

Clemson

5

Arizona Cardinals

Joe Thomas

OT

Wisconsin

6

Washington Redskins

Amobi Okoye

DT

Louisville

7

Minnesota Vikings

Leon Hall

CB

Michigan

8

Atlanta Falcons

LeRon Landry

S

LSU

9

Miami Dolphins

Levi Brown

OT

Penn State

10

Houston Texans

Adrian Peterson

RB

Oklahoma

11

San Francisco 49ers

Robert Meachem

WR

Tennessee

12

Buffalo Bills

Patrick Willis

ILB

Mississippi

13

St. Louis Rams

Alan Branch

DT

Michigan

14

Carolina Panthers

Greg Olsen

TE

Miami

15

Pittsburgh Steelers

Lawrence Timmons

OLB

Florida State

16

Green Bay Packers

Marshawn Lynch

RB

Cal

17

Jacksonville Jaguars

Jamaal Anderson

DE

Arkansas

18

Cincinnati Bengals

Darrelle Revis

CB

Pittsburgh

19

Tennessee Titans

Dwayne Bowe

WR

LSU

20

New York Giants

Paul Posluszny

LB

Penn State

21

Denver Broncos

Adam Carricker

DE

Nebraska

22

Dallas Cowboys

Aaron Ross

CB

Texas

23

Kansas City Chiefs

Ted Ginn Jr.

WR

Ohio State

24

New England Patriots

Michael Griffin

S

Texas

25

New York Jets

Jarvis Moss

DE/OLB

Florida

26

Philadelphia Eagles

Chris Houston

CB

Arkansas

27

New Orleans Saints

Justin Harrell

DT

Tennessee

28

New England Patriots

Jon Beason

OLB

Miami

29

Baltimore Ravens

Joe Staley

OT

Central Michigan

30

San Diego Chargers

Reggie Nelson

S

Florida

31

Chicago Bears

Dwayne Jarrett

WR

USC

32

Indianapolis Colts

LaMarr Woodley

DE/OLB

Michigan

NFL Mock Draft #1 for 2007

Even though my father-in-law thinks that watching the NFL draft is akin to spending an afternoon watching tar cool or paint dry, it is one of my favorite events of the year. Some people look forward to the Oscars, I look forward to the NFL draft which this year is on ESPN on April 28th and 29th.

One of the best parts of the draft is the days leading up to it and all of the speculation of which team will pick which player. Mel Kiper Jr. is considered the top guru on the subject and even he is rarely right on more that 60-70 percent of his picks in his mock draft. This year seems more unsettled than in years past so whatever I pick here is sheer guesswork especially if any draft day trades are made. I will post another couple of mock drafts in the coming week.

So here is my NFL 2007 mock draft selections:

Pick #

Team

Selection

Position

College

1

Oakland Raiders

Calvin Johnson

WR

Georgia Tech

2

Detroit Lions

JaMarcus Russell

QB

LSU

3

Cleveland Browns

Joe Thomas

OT

Wisconsin

4

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Gaines Adams

DE

Clemson

5

Arizona Cardinals

LaRon Landry

S

LSU

6

Washington Redskins

Amobi Okoye

DT

Louisville

7

Minnesota Vikings

Leon Hall

CB

Michigan

8

Atlanta Falcons

Levi Brown

OT

Penn State

9

Miami Dolphins

Brady Quinn

QB

Notre Dame

10

Houston Texans

Adrian Peterson

RB

Oklahoma

11

San Francisco 49ers

Patrick Willis

ILB

Mississippi

12

Buffalo Bills

Marshawn Lynch

RB

Cal

13

St. Louis Rams

Jamaal Anderson

DE

Arkansas

14

Carolina Panthers

Greg Olsen

TE

Miami

15

Pittsburgh Steelers

Lawrence Timmons

OLB

Florida State

16

Green Bay Packers

Ted Ginn Jr.

WR

Ohio State

17

Jacksonville Jaguars

Adam Carriker

DE

Nebraska

18

Cincinnati Bengals

Darrell Revis

CB

Pittsburgh

19

Tennessee Titans

Dwayne Bowe

WR

LSU

20

New York Giants

Paul Posluszny

LB

Penn State

21

Denver Broncos

Alan Branch

DT

Michigan

22

Dallas Cowboys

Aaron Ross

CB

Texas

23

Kansas City Chiefs

Robert Meachem

WR

Tennessee

24

New England Patriots

Chris Houston

CB

Arkansas

25

New York Jets

Michael Griffin

S

Texas

26

Philadelphia Eagles

Jarvis Moss

DE/OLB

Florida

27

New Orleans Saints

Justin Harrell

DT

Tennessee

28

New England Patriots

Reggie Nelson

S

Florida

29

Baltimore Ravens

Joe Staley

OT

Central Michigan

30

San Diego Chargers

Dwayne Jarrett

WR

USC

31

Chicago Bears

Trent Edwards

QB

Stanford

32

Indianapolis Colts

Jon Beason

OLB

Miami

Props to Mr. Pavin

I’m a big PGA golf fan and I want to just say congrats to Mr. Corey Pavin for winning his first tournament since 1996.  After battling cancer, and struggling to even make the cut this year, I’m real happy to see this gentlemen of the tour win once again.

And yes, sometimes the good guys do win.

If Sportswriters Didn’t Have Sports….

On a somewhat less than serious blog, I find the statements made by a number of so-called sportswriters comparing Indy race care driver Danica Patrick with former tennis pro Anna Kornikova to show such a lack of intelligence that I ma happy they their carriers otherwise they might not be able to find any other work.  The lack of thought and insight these writers have is staggering. Here are my insights as to why any such comparison is stupid.

  1. Anna Kornikova never risked her life playing tennis.  Danica Patrick risks it everytime she steps on the track.
  2. Anna Kornikova played tournaments all the time many of the with lesser competition. Danica Patrick has won against lesser opponents it’s her lack of wins against the best in the world that the writers have a beef with. Also she has fewer races than Kornikova had matches.
  3. Anna Kornikova wouldn’t have had a chance playing men; she probably would have never scored a point against top notch men. Danika Patrick came in 4th in her first Indy and 8th today.  That is damn good and did better than most men could have done.

Of course they could say that in tennis you have more matches to play before winning a tournament but that doesn’t wash as you have to race to get your position on the starting grid and that has a lot to do with your eventual finish.

So to the overweight sportswriters who likely can’t drive a car over 70 mph and haven’t hit a tennis ball with any more power than a 12 year old girl, glad you have a job, too bad you don’t do it well.

NBC Coverage of the Olympics

Is is just me, or are the NBC announcers covering the Winter Olympics just the biggest bunch of whiners?  All I keep hearing is how bad all of the athletes are, how bad their ski runs are, how dull the skating is, yada yada yada.  Seeing as most of them are ex-athletes, I’m wondering whether professional jealousy is their motivation behind the hyper criticism.

Hey, NBC, we’re not watching as much as usual because your annoying us to no end.  Be more positive, please before I turn is off way before the end of the games.