The Crystal Ball Draft Special

Welcome to the draft special, football fans. As promised, The Crystal Ball is back to talk football with one and all in the middle of the long and dark off season. And we find ourselves here at this lovely new home, Riding the Pine. Just such an exciting time for sports fanatics, is it not?

Before we really get into things, I must put out a bit of honesty regarding the draft. I do not know much about the prospects trotted out for the draft. Like most I watch to see who takes whom in the first round, and then like a few others I follow who Pittsburgh takes through the draft, usually going why in the hell did they take that guy! Like last year when they drafted a quarterback, it about blew my mind. We had two good quarterbacks and a decent third string guys, do we really need a fourth? Although once Ben had his unfortunate accident, it would seem as though a little insurance is not a bad thing. But then, they did not even keep the draftee on the roster, cutting him at the end of camp. Just no sense whatsoever! But I digress. I am not one to follow the players, nor the combine or pro days or any other pre draft nonsense. You have no idea how these guys are really going to perform until they get on the field. And the only way to know that before their NFL careers is to watch the college game. And to be quite frank, unless I happen to catch my Nittany Lions, go dear old state, I rarely watch college football anymore. It’s difficult to throw away an entire weekend on football. I end up feeling too guilty about it. Plus, I find myself less and less interested in the college game as they continue down the path to obscurity by refusing to implement a playoff system, mainly because too many people make too much money on the bowl system although no one ever says that aloud. Never mind the fact that they could probably make ten times what they make now with a playoff structure. You think I am wrong? I only need one piece of evidence to support this, and it is called March Madness. You think that does not generate a ton of money for the NCAA and the programs involved? You bet your bippy it does. And football could have the same thing, but the nimrods in charge seem to ignore this fact. I prefer my sports to have things settled on the field, and college football never does settle anything on the field. So, I neglect watching the game, and therefore really do not know much about the players in the draft. But the draft itself is still a fun, if nonsensical, exercise and provides hope for the have not teams while giving the powerhouse teams the ability to maintain their top dog status. And it gives the rest of us football nuts a chance to talk, think and obsess about football, even though actual games are still months away. So good times all the way around for everyone.

But before we get to the draft, the excuse of a reason we are here, there has been lots going on in the NFL world during the off season. I admit I have not kept up as much as I did last year, but I have still kept an eye or two or three on the happenings in the NFL. A chunk of players have found new homes and jobs with other teams for success or payday’s or just to get away from their current situations. So many in fact, that I see no point in rehashing all of them, although there are a few of note I will mention. If you follow your team, you know who they lost and gained. But, here is a little taste of the many off season goings on that have occurred since the final snap of Super Bowl 41.

Starting with the defending Super Bowl champions, the Colts have been hemorrhaging players left and right. Jason David, Mike Doss and Nick Harper all left their secondary, as did Cato June from their linebacking corps. And while their defensive exodus is startling, so is the loss of yet another high profile running back, with Dominic Rhodes leaving to sign with the Raiders for a big pay day. Now I must ask the question, is Dominic Rhodes high? Seriously, did he not learn anything from watching Edgerrin James last year? Leave a great situation with a winning team and a winning staff for more money on a crappy team going absolutely nowhere. You really think taking the money and heading to Oakland is a good career move? Why don’t you chat with Randy Moss and see how much fun it is in Oakland right now. You saw he took the first boat he could catch out of town. Dominic, your yards per rush average behind that atrocious offensive line will hover around 2.2 as you get hammered on every play. Not the best move, in my opinion. But then again, no one has tried to throw a truckload of money at me for my services, so who knows how I would react.

Their Super Bowl combatant, the Bears, find themselves falling apart as well. First in a strange move that smacks of overreaction to the Super Bowl loss, they split ways with Ron Rivera, who managed to land on his feet and became the linebackers coach at San Diego. What a fall though, from defensive coordinator and head coach candidate to linebacker coach. Tank Johnson’s legal woes continue, finally resulting in jail time for parole violations. Will it be long before he is hit with mandatory time off under Goodell’s new conduct policy? Lance Briggs is unhappy being tagged as a franchise player and wants more than the one year salary the tag brings. Not sure what the problem there might be, since that distinction will pay him about 7.8 million dollars this season. Perhaps it is some perceived lack of respect, or a mere bargaining stance for a huge contract. Sure, Lance was underpaid last year based upon his production and skills, well underpaid comparatively for the NFL. If most of us were as underpaid as Lance, there would be much less debt all around. But Lance, I recommend that for the moment you just roll with it this year and get super paid next season when you are an unrestricted free agent, and some lowly team will throw tons of cash your way. Looks like the Bears are headed for the dreaded Super Bowl loser hangover before the season ever gets underway.

Are you ready for the big spender New England Patriots? Me neither, but it happened. They finally spent some of that built up cap money to fill more than a few holes in their depth chart, and now everyone is crowing about how they are back on top and ready to reassume control of the AFC. On the surface, it appears they could. They acquired help at linebacker and wide receiver, two of their biggest sore spots, with quality players. They also added more than a few solid role players to complement their team, and have taken a chance on a potentially reformed head case who could make their passing game explosive. More on this later. As for the other elite teams in the AFC, San Diego is becoming a larger mess with their coaching staff snafus (see Norv Turner), Pittsburgh is breaking in a new coach, the Bungles have shown still no matter what they do they will always be a mess and the Colts are trying hard to retain players and fill rapidly opening holes in their roster. Every other team in the conference is still too far away to really catch the Patriots. With these items combined, it could be the perfect storm to bring Pats fans unlimited joy come February and strike fear in the hearts of other teams. But personally, I am not worried. The Patriot brain trust will find it more than difficult to bring all these different players and personalities into the fold. And some may bristle at first with buying into the Patriot way. Plus getting them all to work together with all those already a part of the system will be a large, almost Herculean, task. Chemistry means almost everything when it comes to team sports, especially football, and the Patriots will need to create chemistry between the old and new extremely fast. Plus, whenever a team is dubbed before the season as the team to beat, they invariably never are. Think I am wrong? Please refer to these recent examples. 2006 Chargers, 2005 Colts, 2004 Panthers, 2003 Colts. Need I go on?

Tom Brady, AAHHHH HA HA HA HA HA HA! It is to laugh. You would think someone in his line of work would remember to USE PROTECTION! He does in his professional life, was it too much to do the same in his personal life? Nice example you are setting for the kiddies, Tom.

The San Diego Super Chargers, so much for team to beat. After watching all of their prime assistants get better jobs elsewhere after their playoff collapse, the Charger brain trust THEN decides to can Shottenheimer with no logical successor left on the staff. Brilliant move. So at that point, their best choice was Norv Turner. Really, that was the best option available? Apparently, they forgot, or chose to conveniently ignore, about his stints in Washington and Oakland.

In other coaching news, Dallas hired, away from the Chargers, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips as their new head coach. Uhhhhh, ok. Phillips is a great defensive mind, but his head coaching has been rather suspect at best. Ask Denver and Buffalo fans, they will vouch for this. As uninspired as the hiring may be, it is perceived to be merely a short term solution, one meant to strengthen their defense, which actually is doing well, and keep the seat warm until Jerry Jones feels that Jason Garrett is ready to assume control. Does anyone else get the feeling Dallas is not quite back to elite status yet?

Ricky Williams applied for reinstatement into the league. He served his suspension and should be given the opportunity to show that getting high does not rule his life. But I have to ask, what is Ricky’s motivation? Is it money? This makes the most sense, since he would still be required to give back bonus money to Miami if he were to stay out of football. Plus, he has not demonstrated a huge love of the game up to this point. A passion for playing football does not seem to drive him. I just wonder what does at this stage.

The Rams traded a pick to Kansas City for Dante Hall in hopes of sparking something in their return game. It’s such a shame they do not play the Bears this season. Could you imagine a game with both him and Devin Hester? Who would ever leave the TV? Everyone would stay glued for every second of the game, in fear they might miss something spectacular. Can we get a schedule change to make this happen? Is that possible?

Moss to Green Bay? Perhaps the Packer brain trust is trying to force Favre into retirement. This one died on the vine, so the Cheese heads can breathe a sigh of relief. Not so much for Patriot fans.

In quarterback news, Denver traded Jake Plummer to the Buccaneers, and he promptly retired. Jake, I know Tampa sucks, but at least give it a chance. It is strange to think that Plummer was once looked upon with hope in Denver. Fans looked at him and thought that finally they had a quarterback after years of struggling to replace Elway. And just one year ago, he had his team in the AFC Championship game. Now, he would rather be a spectator than play for a third team in his career.

Jeff Garcia found no such issue and signed with Tampa Bay, happily letting them show him the money. I found this disappointing, since considering his age and that this might be his last contract, it would show what is really important to Garcia, money or a championship. Sure, he has a better than average chance at becoming a starter there, considering the quality of quarterbacks on their roster. But he will never get a championship playing for that team. They have too many question marks in too many positions to seriously contend.

The Texans, in hopes of upgrading their woeful status, acquired Matt Schaub from the Falcons and gave David Carr his walking papers. I have not figured out quite yet how a career backup with little experience as a starter can be an improvement over a 5 year veteran and consummate team player. Plus, since they did very little to improve their porous offensive line, I wonder still how a change in signal callers will really matter if the new one gets sacked as often as the old one. But, perhaps the Texans know more than I on such matters.

David Carr managed to land on his feet and signed as backup in Carolina. With the shine rapidly coming off the star that is Jake Delhomme, how long before Carr gets a real chance with a better team? I maintain Carr can be a good quarterback, he just needs a good situation, one that was woefully absent in Houston. With a good running game and better line in front of him, I bet he could prosper. If he comes in and does wonders in Carolina, do not be surprised. And remember where you heard it from.

To fill their new void at backup, Atlanta snatched up Joey Harrington to be their quarterback in waiting. You think with the nonsense surrounding Vick he might have a chance to play this season?

And speaking of Vick and his self inflicted woes, now we find him embroiled in an investigation regarding involvement in dog fighting. Seriously, what is wrong with this guy? Will this finally pop the bubble of invincibility that surrounds him and allow people to finally see him as he really is, an overpaid mediocre quarterback who may also be a scum bag in his spare time. I do hope that if the allegations are true, and if they find out he has been involved in these kinds of shenanigans, they lock him up. I do not care, in any way, for people who participate in such activities. Look, if humans want to get into a ring or octagon and beat the tar out of each other that is one thing. We can make choices for ourselves, and as dumb of a choice as fighting for a living may seem, that is one we can accept or decline. But dogs are not people, and cannot make those choices. They fight for food or dominance, not for sport. And those who force them to do such are nothing more than animal abusers who should be jailed. I wonder if Goodell will step in and have something interesting to say to Ron Mexico now. Come on Roger, I know he is a big star and a marquee name, but you have to keep consistent on your discipline policies and set a real tone here.

Miami has done absolutely nothing to improve their quarterback situation, playing a wait and see game with Daunte Culpepper and his oft-repaired knee and holding on to Cleo Lemon as though he is gold. They threw away their shot at Brady Quinn and seem to be content with trying to acquire a rapidly aging Trent Green as a viable option. And you thought Nick Saban was stupid.

Vince Young will be the next cover boy of Madden 08. Considering his electric performance last year, was anyone surprised by this? The only question, other than why this announcement is news, is will the perceived Madden curse strike Vince? Since their secondary and return games will not be the same without Pacman, more on this in a bit, how devastating would an injury to Young be for the Titans? I would venture a guess of 4-12 devastating.

And finally, Drew Bledsoe retired, which was seemingly overdue. His relevance in the game was gone after Brady took his first snap in relief of Bledsoe after injury in 2001. But he has always been a decent teammate and a good guy, one of few left in sports. He said during his retirement press conference that his dream came true the first time he walked onto an NFL field, and the league never let him down once. One of my favorite stories about him was after he was traded from the Pats; he took out a full page newspaper ad to thank the fans of Boston and New England for cheering for him for so many years. The best part was that he really did mean those sentiments; it was no public relations ploy. A classy move from a classy guy and the league will surely miss that type of player and person. So here’s hoping he enjoys the next phase of life. Perhaps he can take in the horses in Saratoga with the Tuna.

In other retirement news, Kansas City tackle Will Shields called it a career. Shields was one of the best O-linemen of all time, and a huge cog in the KC running machine. I know I said last year their running game would be affected when Willie Roaf retired, and Larry Johnson made a point to prove myself and others who felt the same way wrong. But with Shields now gone too from their vaunted front five, I’m maintaining my stance that Kansas City’s offense will suffer this season. It seems I was merely a year too early. Watch.

Joey Porter became a free agent and a Miami Dolphin. From a logical standpoint, I understand why Pittsburgh allowed Porter’s departure. Joey wanted more money than Pittsburgh was willing to invest, especially with other high profile free agents coming up in the near future, read Troy Polamalu. Sometimes in the fun of football, you tend to forget that underneath it all, it is still a business. And yes, it will be less of an issue to replace his on the field production than his locker room presence and leadership. And I know someone will step up to fill the locker room void eventually. Casey Hampton has already begun to make noise about becoming a more vocal and emotional leader for the team. As Spock once said, nature abhors a vacuum. And I will adjust, probably after the first preseason game. But it will be different and weird at first without him trash talking opponents before a game, jersey rolled up to show off his six pack and guns. It will also be tough because Porter is yet another player from the Super Bowl team gone. Personally, while I know all these things and feel like we will still be good and able to move on and compete, I am NOT looking forward to the game against the Dolphins this year. Marvel Smith had best have a career game that day, or Roethlisberger is going to have a bad one, guaranteed. Even though Joey and the team parted on amicable terms, do not think for one minute that Porter will not be pumped for that game, or out looking for blood. Part of me is glad, though, he went to the Dolphins. I heard the Bengals were interested and if he signed there, I might have had to claw my eyes out. It is still taking time to accept his absence, and every time I think I am on a good path, something sets me back. The NFL finally aired the America’s Game episode about the 2005 Steelers, and of course the three people they interviewed were Jerome Bettis, Bill Cowher and Joey Porter. Not one of them is even a part of the organization anymore and two are out of football entirely. And after watching the program, I had to start all over again in learning to accept the loss of Porter. I will really miss the fire and swagger he brought to the team. Thank you Joey for all you have done. Know you are missed and will always be a member of Steeler Nation, no matter where you play.

The saga continues for the man known as Pacman Jones. Wow. What is there to say that has not already been said a million times already? It is amazing to me how someone with such athletic gifts can throw them away through stupidity. Is there no one in this man’s life that can wake him up to the potential that he is wasting? Cannot anyone point out to him other sad examples and show him how he could end up if he continues on his self destructive path? For his own good, will not someone show him a synopsis of Maurice Clarett’s life? The league decided to be that person and stepped in and dished out a heaping helping of tough love, and Jones does not like it one bit. After meeting with commissioner Goodell, Jones was suspended for the entire 2007 with a potential of a lighter suspension depending upon the outcome of his many legal cases. You would think that at this point, Jones would step back and work hard to straighten out his life and get back into the league. However, he did an interview with Deion Sanders after the meeting, and while he was contrite it was obvious he did not seem to comprehend that what he does in his life is detrimental not only to his job and the league, but to his own life as well. Jones now has time to consider the options for his future, but seems unwilling or unable to reconcile the differences between his current life and his former life. Predictably, though, he is appealing the suspension, although I do not believe he will be successful in lobbying for reinstatement. Unfortunately, it seems to be just one more step toward a league exit and a sad story of wasted potential.

Roger Goodell is laying down law against repeat offenders and trouble makers. In addition to suspending Jones, he also suspended repeat troublemaker Bungle receiver Chris Henry for 8 games. Goodell is taking a hard line stance on troublesome off the field behavior, working hard to keep players on the straight and narrow and nip any potential negative public perception of the NFL in the bud. In his changes to conduct policy, Goodell has made NFL teams responsible for the conduct of their employees and subject to discipline for any transgressions. That is a big departure from the policy of previous years. Below is a statement from the commissioner regarding personal conduct.

"Illegal or irresponsible conduct does more than simply tarnish the offender. It puts innocent people at risk, sullies the reputation of others involved in the game, and undermines public respect and support for the NFL. "

"While criminal activity is clearly outside the scope of permissible conduct, and persons who engage in criminal activity will be subject to discipline, the standard of conduct for persons employed in the NFL is considerably higher. It is not enough simply to avoid being found guilty of a crime. Instead, as an employee of the NFL or a member club, you are held to a higher standard and expected to conduct yourself in a way that is responsible, promotes the values upon which the league is based, and is lawful. "

"Persons who fail to live up to this standard of conduct are guilty of conduct detrimental and subject to discipline, even where the conduct itself does not result in conviction of a crime."

Word around the league is that Goodell’s new policy is being widely praised. The Players Association is also backing the commissioner fully. But with suspending players who have not been convicted of any crime does leave open the door for potential lawsuits against the league. It could be argued that they are being punished for no reason. It could, but I say screw ‘em. The point of the policy is to impart upon all personnel in the NFL that playing or working in the NFL is a privilege. If you are too stupid to grasp that and still feel the need to go out and behave poorly, then you have already made your choice. The league will roll on just fine without you. If you doubt this, ask Maurice Clarett or Laurence Phillips.

In brighter news, Ron Jaworski is in and Joe Theismann is out as ESPN shakes up the announcers booth for Monday Night Football in hopes to stem flagging ratings. Could I dream that MNF might actually be palatable? Oh definitely. At least this is a change in the right direction. Jaws has a fantastic knowledge of the game and is insightful and interesting during broadcasts. I hope the other two nimrods to not drag him down and raise their game to his level. This has the potential to be a great thing for the broadcast quality of the show. I say that now months before a game, but I am steeling myself for the inevitable nonsense that will take place once the season begins mainly inane sideline reports and those asinine celebrity interview segments.

After a few delays, the schedule came out for the season and I am so looking forward to Pittsburgh’s September 30th game in Arizona. That should be a good time and I will be there. The old coaches working to resurrect a perennially feeble franchise going head to head against their old charges and team that spurned them. Good revenge factor game there and Arizona may just win it, depending on how Tomlin does in his first season as man in charge. One interesting factoid I culled from the schedule. The Colts have only one Monday night game, on October 22 against the Jaguars in Jacksonville. Last year, the defending champ Steelers had only one Monday night game, which was against the Jaguars in Jacksonville. Is a pattern developing here?

Oakland missed a golden opportunity when they hired their latest coach. No one wanted to coach the Raiders, which became painfully obvious the longer the process drug on. They are a mess from top to bottom, and they might not even be fixable at this point. I have recommended in the past a switch with one of the NFL Europa teams, but thus far no one has taken me seriously. Once again, I am digressing. There was one hire they could have made that would have had some relevancy to today’s culture, kept the team at least in the headlines and created a new buzz around the league. The Raiders should have hired Snoop Dogg.

Now, before you start thinking I am smoking something Snoop gave me personally, hear me out. This would have made too much sense. The Raiders are a train wreck, and the only person who was willing to take the job was an assistant assistant coach with barely any recognizable NFL experience whom no one has ever heard of before now. Seriously, Kiffin’s biggest connection, far overshadowing his own NFL experience, is that his dad is a successful coach. That makes Meghan Cowher about as qualified to take on head coaching duties as Lance. That also makes Snoop about as qualified, as he has about the same amount of NFL experience. But at least most people have heard of Snoop, unlike Kiffin.

Snoop would be a draw not only at home, but on the road as well. Tell me you would not suddenly find yourself interested in watching the Raiders led by coach Snoop Dogg? You cannot. I hate the Raiders and I would watch them! Plus, Snoop has said previously that he would love to be a coach, although he was talking about coaching the Steelers at the time. But a job is a job, and perhaps a lower tiered team such as Oakland would be the perfect stepping stone for rookie coach Snoop.

Considering his experience level, what are the Raiders going to do with young Lance Kiffin in his first season? They will need to provide him with extra support and from the front office and surround him with veteran coaches and staff as he adjusts to the rigors and demands of being an NFL head coach. If the team has a collective brain in left in their heads, this is the most logical thing they can do to help insure their coach gets off to a successful start in his career and his attempts to resurrect a flagging team and franchise. Makes sense, does it not? Now with that in mind, try to find just one good reason why that would not work with Snoop. I cannot, and I bet, knowing the video game junkie Snoop is, he has played Head Coach by EA Sports. That is at least more experience than Kiffin has to this point.

Also by hiring Snoop, the Raiders would also have hired a minority candidate, and diversification is always a good thing. By being an outsider to the NFL, he could have brought some radical new ideas to the league, and looked upon things from perspectives that no other coach may have even considered. Coming from the streets and hip hop culture, he would have been able to connect with players in a way no other coach possibly could. This type of connection could have a two pronged effect. One, by connecting with the players so intimately, he would be a very effective leader and able to get the most out of his charges each week. And two, with Snoop’s past, he could speak from experience as to the dangers and dead end roads that living a gang bangers life can lead. There are a few troubled players in the league who seem to be intent on throwing away their gifts and opportunity for a myriad of reasons, most seemingly foolish. And some do not seem to hear anyone who is trying to curb them from their self destructive behavior. Snoop has lived that life, and he can set them straight from his own trials and tribulations. He has lived it, he knows the truth behind it, and he could connect with these young players and help set them on the right path. His street credibility would be his in toward assisting in shaping the lives of these young men in positive ways. That alone makes him a worthy hire in my book. And honestly, how bad could he have been? The Raiders won two games last year. If they won three under Snoop, that would be a 50% improvement. If they won four, 100%, and the percentages sky rocket from there. Heck, even if they only won one game, that is only one less win than last year, so how much worse could it really get?

On top of that, the unintentional comedy from the hiring would be through the roof. How many sports writers out there would have a full coffer of ideas thanks to Coach Dogg and his band of merry Raiders? If Oakland looked sluggish on game day, the references in articles the next day that Snoop and the team had one too many “film sessions” would be astronomical. Watching straight laced coaches like Tom Coughlin or Brad Childress go out to chat with Coach Dogg during pregame warm-ups would be priceless. Seriously, what would they say to each other? The jokes at that point almost write themselves. Listening to the broadcast teams talking in serious tones about what strategy Coach Dogg is putting forth? I wonder what kind of breakdown Jaws would be able to put forth.

And that brings up another point, with no history to look back upon; you really would never know what kind of game plan Snoop would put in. Each week would be an adventure, since you honestly would never know what was going to come next from the team. They would be a constant, and potentially entertaining, surprise. Plus, if you thought the Raiders teams of the 70’s were wild and unpredictable under Madden and Tom Flores, I would be willing to bet they would have NOTHING on the teams from the Dogg era.

But alas, this was not to be, and for several reasons. One, the Raiders are stupid. They never seem to get anything right. They had a chance at the perfect bad season last year, and screwed that up royally. And when they did, everyone except the nut jobs in the Black Hole and prisons across the country stopped talking about them. By hiring Snoop Dogg, everyone would talk about them, and it would seem from their performance last year the team wants to avoid people doing that. Two, the NFL stands for No Fun League, and if you thought they had a hissy about touchdown celebrations, they would certainly have a hissy about a rap celebrity as a head coach. Three, the NFL is currently trying to rid themselves of the negative images brought upon the game and the league by frequent offenders such as Pacman Jones and Chris Henry, and lets just say Snoop has had a slightly checkered past. Even though he has moved on, at least seemingly, from that life, and as mentioned above could be an excellent mentor to some of the more troubled players in the league, some may see it differently, unfortunately, and the NFL would not want to take a chance in tarnishing their image. And four, Snoop is a Steelers fan; he loves the Black and Gold. Like there would be ANY way he would coach the hated Raiders. You might as well ask him to coach the Ravens. It would never happen. Plus, Snoop obviously has an affinity for winners, and the Raiders are anything but winners. But, perhaps one day a brave team may take a chance, and give us that magical concoction that would be Coach Snoop Dogg.

Since we are pretty much caught up, let us get to the nonsense that is the draft.

I love the absurdity of the draft. Thousands upon thousands of supposed experts, talking for months about players that may never even play a down in the NFL. Tons of fans analyzing potential picks with the intensity of a conspiracy theorist watching the Zapruder film. Two, count them two, networks giving live coverage of people walking around with slips of paper with names on them and occasionally some guy reading the paper. And thousands of fans decked out in jerseys and face paint watching said guy read the slips of paper. It almost rivals Vegas for its surreality. Well, almost.

The draft experts and commentators never cease to simultaneously make me laugh and drive me nuts. And it seems more and more everyone is fancying themselves as a draft expert. I think there were more people with a mock draft this year than were in March Madness polls. If numbers came out to support that, I would not be surprised. I am actually kind of surprised no one has turned this into an office poll as of yet. And if suddenly anyone does, I am owed a huge royalty for such.

The experts really do not know what they are talking about. They seem to take this more seriously than it should be. It is nothing more than a guessing game, and they miss that fact. Even for the teams, it is a guessing game. Teams take players in hope that they will produce yield dividends for their team, but you never know. At the time of the 1998 draft, some experts thought the Colts were foolish for not taking Ryan Leaf, but we all saw how that turned out, and fast. And before last season, who really had heard of Marquis Colton? Exactly. But because they need to fill time or column space they speculate endlessly and begin to think they may actually something. Of course, when the most obvious selections are proven correct, it is easy to see how they can suddenly start to feel they have a finger on the pulse of how to draft talent. One funny thing is how they are flabbergasted when their thoughts and ideas are proven wrong, and most of them ARE wrong. I heard one gentleman say that there were many surprises in the first round. When the teams would draft differently than the experts thought, that was considered a surprise. No, that is just proof that like everyone, you are merely guessing what may happen and that the teams are the ones that really know what they will do come draft day. Whether any of the players taken find jobs or are successful has yet to be seen. The answer to that guess will not come until August.

I also love how experts will sit around while a team is on the clock, pontificating how excellent a certain player would be for said team. This particular player, let us call him player A, would be the perfect fit for said team, and the experts just know said team will pick player A. Then, when the team goes in a completely different direction and selects another player, player B, the same experts immediately switch gears. This is where the real entertainment kicks in, watching these gentlemen backtrack and state something dumb like player B is the perfect pick, and then goes into a longwinded explanation as to why player B is such a boon for the team, even though it may be completely opposite from what they had just been saying regarding player A. Pure high comedy.

Plus, too many experts seem to be beholden to the draft trade chart. For those who do not know what this is, it is a chart created by Jimmy Johnson when he was with the Cowboys that assigns a numerical value to each pick in the draft. Thus, by using it, you can demand equal value from another team if they show interest in your pick. Johnson created the chart as a guide to assisting him in draft day dealings as he worked to rebuild the Cowboys, and it is just that, a guide. But too many people now take the chart as gospel and will balk at trades that may upgrade their team or draft because they feel they might be getting shortchanged. And the draftniks take the chart far too seriously, as though it is written in stone. Everyone, keep some perspective. If a team really needs to rely on this chart as gospel, the people running the team are poorly qualified and should be replaced.

One thing that always bothers me, and I never find amusing, is when the experts will drop the stock of a player depending on physical attributes that do not necessarily match a prototype of a player at that position. For instance, a defensive end only has 30 inch arms, instead of longer arms for better reach and leverage. You know what really matters? If the guy can play. If he can produce on the field, then he is a football player, and the rest of that crap matters not. Last year, Maurice Jones-Drew took a lot of flack as a 5’7” running back, even though he produced at UCLA, because of his shorter stature. The flack probably cost him a first round position. Jacksonville saw that he could produce where it counted, on the field. Guess what he did all last season, even though he is ONLY 5’7”? That’s right, he produced on the field. Such a fantasy world has been created out of the draft and too much focus has been applied on such minor details as arm length or height or their speed in the 40 yard dash, you wonder if they even remember the point is to evaluate talent in game conditions. Most of the time, it would seem not.

Now I am not saying it is pointless to watch the draft, it can be fun and interesting and an excellent excuse to spend a lazy Saturday on the couch. Just keep in mind a few things before you tune in.

The experts really do not know all that more than anyone else with a set of eyes and a brain.

Every player chosen, no matter where in the draft, is a crap shoot. Whether they succeed will depend on their talent, work ethic, intelligence, and whether or not they work with other successful professionals and talented coaches in their NFL careers.

Every coach will say they had a great draft. Why would they say otherwise?

Every player chosen is excited to be a new member of the team who selected them. Why would they say otherwise?

Just because a player is drafted, does not mean he has a job in the NFL. Many of these players you will never hear about again. It is very difficult and competitive to get, and keep, a job in the NFL.

Every player picked:
- is a physical specimen.
- has a big motor
- is excitable with a big heart
- loves the game/is a football player
- has a long reach with lots of upside and potential

With the above list, I thought it might be fun to create a bingo game. These five items could go down the left side of the sheet, and along the top you could put five position players, say quarterback, running back, line backer, lineman and safety. Or units, say skill positions (running backs and receivers), line, secondary, special teams and field leaders (quarterbacks and line backers). For each player picked, find the group they belong. If an announcer mentions one of the above categories, you get a stamp. Make a line, you have a draft day bingo! I am going to try it next year. Perhaps have a draft day bingo party as well. Actually, the more I think about it, this could be a really fun reason for a football party in the spring. By next year, I will flesh out the details so everyone can play. I’ll even make a card so you can join in too. Let us take the insanity of the draft just one step further!

All goofiness aside, if you keep these things in mind, and keep a little perspective as well, you can have a fun draft day. Hmmm, since it is over, perhaps you should save these for next year.


Some interesting notes I culled while wasting away a Saturday.

One question that came to mind early one was, with three months of preparation to make their moves, list out who they like, their fall back choices if the first player they want is gone, who they might want to trade up with and what packages they would offer to put together to make said trade happen, it still takes each team the entire allotted 20 minutes to make a pick. Seriously, is there no way they could speed that up?

Cleveland really went toward the future, getting themselves two first round picks and using them on left tackle Joe Thomas and quarterback Brady Quinn. I am still not scared of them, but they made a splash that should appease their fan base and give them something they have not had since they got their team back, hope.

There was literally a ton of nonsensical talk as Brady Quinn kept dropping throughout the first round. I actually heard more than one person state how much money Quinn lost the further he dropped. Idiots, Quinn cannot lose money he never had. Yes, I know there is a disparity between what kind of contract a top five pick gets and a pick in the twenties, but Quinn was never guaranteed money. He never had any contract or assurance of a payday. You cannot lose something you never had in the first place. And I would not worry too much about Quinn. I bet financially, in the long run, he will be fine.

Lots of defense was taken in the first round. I wonder if that will affect scoring.

The Ravens took Heisman Trophy winner quarterback Troy Smith in the 5th round. Could dropping that far be beneficial for Smith, and conversely the Ravens? That kind of drop can potentially light a fire under a player to prove everyone very very wrong about how they judged him. If you think I am wrong, please see a sixth round exhibit from the 2000 draft by the name of Brady.

The Patriots decided to really test their ability to maintain team harmony and unity and see if they really are good at turning around disgruntled players when they sent a 4th round pick to Oakland in exchange for Randy Moss. I cannot WAIT for this one to implode. If Moss is unhappy, he is a bigger pain in the ass than Terrell Owens. He is not as demonstrative as Owens, he is more subversive. He constantly takes plays off, and his lackadaisical effort during plays he is not a part of is a huge tip off to what play is actually coming. He does all the little things that destroys morale and kills momentum. This will be fantastic to watch him destroy the Patriot machine from the inside.

This brings me to one other stupid item I heard that I wish to point out. In discussing this trade, which was done ad nausea after it happened, the experts said how this was a great trade for New England. They stated how the Pats are getting a player who is ready to turn things around in his career and be a team player. He wants to contribute and be a part of a winner and that winning a championship has become a priority in his career than individual stats. Fair enough, if it is true. The signs for such a resurrection of a career are certainly there for Moss. At face value, the statement seems innocuous enough. However, at the same time, they also said it is a great trade for Oakland, since their young coach would have a much easier time without the distraction of Moss in the locker room. This is where it got stupid and I have to ask. Which is it, is Moss a team first guy ready to produce and make a team better, or a distraction and locker room cancer that can derail a team with his mere presence? He cannot be both. This is why you should never listen to the experts. They have no idea what they are saying, even as they say it!


As I attempt to wrap my head around the idea of Randy Moss, New England Patriot, here are the first round selections and the teams that made them, in case you have been on a deserted island for the past week.

1 – Oakland - QB JaMarcus Russell - Excellent choice by the Raiders. Well, except for two small problems. One, their offensive line is, well, offensive and Russell will probably spend a large part of the season running for his life. And two, by trading away Randy Moss, to exactly whom will Russell be throwing the ball? If Mike Williams, whom they acquired from Detroit, could not work well in a Mike Martz system, what hope does he have to survive in the Black Hole?

2 - Detroit – WR Calvin Johnson – Wait, Detroit took a receiver? That’s so unlike them. Although, for once this is an excellent choice considering the caliber of player they drafted in Johnson. Now if they could only solve that pesky quarterback problem.

3 – Cleveland - OT Joe Thomas – The Browns spent their pick on a foundation for the offensive line. Good call there, since the entire offense is dictated by how well or poorly the line plays. Thomas did not bother with spending the day cooped up in a suit in New York, but instead preferred the tranquility of fishing. I see nothing wrong with getting away from the pressure of finding out where your professional life is going. But the absurd part of the entire scene was that NFLN had a camera at the dock anxiously awaiting Thomas’ return. And people think the draft and the hype surrounding it has gotten out of hand.

4 – Tampa Bay – DE Gaines Adams – Could Gruden really be doing something smart, grabbing for a young defensive player to replace the rapidly aging cogs in his defense? Could be. But he also passed on Quinn despite the mess that is his quarterback situation. The limits of one pick in each round, I suppose.

5 – Arizona – OT Levi Jones – Finally the Cardinals get it. You cannot use all those fantastic offensive weapons if they are poorly protected. This is the influence of Whisenhunt and Grimm. Could they be changing the mindset of the loser Cardinals? Just maybe, or perhaps they will get sucked into the loser vortex like so many before them, never to be heard from again.

6 – Washington – FS LaRon Landry – I guess that free agent signing of Archuleta last year did not really work out as well as hoped. Shame they mortgaged so much future in all their high priced free agent signings. They did not have another pick until the fifth round.

7 – Minnesota – RB Adrian Peterson – Not bad, but probably drafted Peterson a bit high. When he is healthy, he can be stellar. Unfortunately, he has had some trouble staying healthy. And, they also have a ton of questions at quarterback and did not bother to draft Quinn. At the very least, he could have sold some tickets by picking up Quinn.

8 – Atlanta (from Houston) – DE Jamaal Anderson – Another team ignoring a quarterback problem.

9 - Miami – WR Ted Ginn Jr. – Not a horrible pick. But it raises the question, who exactly will be throwing Ginn the ball? Quinn would have been an excellent choice here, but apparently the future is Cleo Lemon or the as of yet un-acquired 38 year old Trent Green. I am sure the Dolphin faithful are feeling really confident in their team’s brain trust right about now. Considering the boos that rained down on Cam Cameron as he announced the pick to the Dolphin faithful, I’d say their confidence is at an all time high. The Porter signing looks better and better each day, since they will need every ounce of defense they can muster just to stay in games.

10 – Houston (from Atlanta) – DT Amobi Okoye – So the Texans are betting on Matt Schaub as the answer to their QB woes. You never know, he could be. But would it have been so bad to draft Quinn as the future? To think they could have had Reggie Bush, Vince Young or Brady Quinn and passed on all of them. All 12 remaining Houston fans are currently seeking qualified therapists.

11 – San Francisco –LB Patrick Willis – 49ers still rebuilding, and some defensive help assists those efforts.

12 – Buffalo – RB Marshawn Lynch – They dump McGahee and send him packing to Baltimore, and then use their first pick to find a replacement that may or may not help immediately. Did not take long for that love affair with Willis to end, did it? And then they trade their best defensive player away to Philadelphia. Looks like another long winter in Buffalo.

13 – St. Louis – DE Adam Carriker – Considering the amount of points the team gave up last year, and how they lost games by being outscored, I would say this is a smart choice.

14 – N.Y. Jets (from Carolina on draft day trade) – CB Darrelle Revis – The Jets made the first big stir by trading up from the 25th pick to jump here and steal Revis, who many had been predicting would be picked by Pittsburgh at 15. The Jets needed a good corner to compete against the super loaded Patriots and by all accounts Revis is just that. But did they give up too much to get him? Only time will tell. Predictably, Jet fans in attendance booed.

15 – Pittsburgh – LB Lawrence Timmons – Pittsburgh made the smart call on a potential replacement for Porter.

16 – Green Bay – DT Justin Harrell – No immediate help for Mr. Favre in any way. They needed a running back since Green departed, and Harrell does not seem to fit that bill. They passed on making a trade for Moss, which while some say was foolish, I disagree. Who needs a head case in the locker room? But they still did not get any fresh weapons for Favre, and Harrell does not look to make an immediate impact on the defense. I hope Brett stays around for 08.

17 – Denver (from Jacksonville on draft day trade) – DE Jarvis Moss – Did Denver really feel that this guy might not be there four spots later? He better be good, they gave up a lot to jump these few spots. I guess they needed to do something big, since their defense has been falling apart in the off season.

18 – Cincinnati – CB Leon Hall – I did not see this guy on any police blotter, are we sure the Bungles are allowed to draft him?

19 – Tennessee – S Michael Griffin – Welcome to the Tennessee Titans era minus Pacman Jones.

20 – N.Y. Giants – CB Aaron Ross – Another N.Y. team who needed a cornerback. If you ask me, they should have gone after a quarterback and a coach. Can you draft coaches? That would be fun. But hey, what do I know about football. Unpredictably, though, Giants fans in attendance did not all boo. Some did, but I think that was more out of reflex than anything.

21- Jacksonville (from Denver on draft day trade) – FS Reggie Nelson – Nelson works for the Jags. But here is yet another team with a shaky quarterback situation that could have used an infusion of hype and talent.

22 – Cleveland (from Dallas on draft day trade) – QB Brady Quinn – Huge move by the Browns to nab their left tackle and QB of the future in the same draft. Could this be a turning point for the Browns? Possibly. At the very least as I said above, they generated some much needed buzz and hope for their beleaguered fan base.

23 – Kansas City – WR Dwayne Bowe – Two questions come to mind with this pick. One, who exactly will be throwing Bowe the ball, and two, who exactly will be protecting this mystery signal caller? I have trouble believing Huard is seriously looked upon as the future at quarterback, when he was not entrusted to keep their surprising season together late last year.

24 – New England (from Seattle) – FS Brandon Meriweather – Belichick says screw character I need players! Hmmm, another interesting head case for the locker room. Did I mention I cannot wait for the implosion?

25 – Carolina (from N.Y. Jets on draft day trade) – OLB Jon Beason – Not a bad choice, Beason helps with their defensive holes.

26 – Dallas (from Philadelphia on draft day trade) – DE Anthony Spencer – After giving up their first rounder to Cleveland, Big D managed to get one back and spent it on the player they wanted all along. Very shrewd, Mr. Jones. This pick looks like the influence of new head coach Wade Phillips. How long before he is replaced by Garrett?

27 – New Orleans – WR Robert Meachem – Not worrying too much about the loss of Joe Horn.

28 – San Francisco (from New England on draft day trade) – OT Joe Staley – 49ers make line protection a priority with their second pick of the first round. Nice move addressing both sides of the ball. Does Seattle have a bit of competition for dominance of the division? You bet they do.

29 – Baltimore – G Ben Grubbs – The Ravens start addressing their aging line. But what about the aging Ogden or McNair? Perhaps they feel Troy Smith will be a future upgrade over Boller. Although I have my doubts about that if Smith’s career is now in the hands of Brian Billick.

30 – San Diego – WR Craig Davis – Seemingly the influence of Norv Turner, even though the team lost a lot on defense thus far in the off season. You would think they would have looked for linebacker or secondary help. But hey, what is logic really?

31 – Chicago – TE Greg Olsen – The last time the Bears took a tight end in the first round, that player was named Ditka. Now I am not comparing Olsen to Ditka, just thought it was worth mentioning.

32 – Indianapolis – WR Anthony Gonzalez – Even though the Colts have a ton of other glaring problems thanks to lost players, they get another toy for Peyton.



Mr. Irrelevant - 255th Pick Detroit Lions - CB Ramzee Robinson. Congratulations Mr. Robinson, this is quite the distinction. Do not let previous winners down; you have a storied history to add to and upkeep.


Pittsburgh’s Picks (you knew I would pick these apart)

1st round – 15th pick – OLB Lawrence Timmons. Excellent pick. They need help at linebacker with Porter’s departure, and Timmons could be a help this year. Some are questioning that he had little experience as a starter in college. Sure, that is true and nothing beats experience. But I think he will be just fine, especially since he has a few good backers to learn from.

2nd round – 46th pick – DE LaMarr Woodley. Another excellent pick. Woodley has the size to play end, but the experience and speed to play linebacker. He gives the team an option to potentially show a 4-3 front and really confuse offenses plus he gives the team another option at OLB.

3rd round – 77th pick – TE Matt Spaeth. I am not sure about this pick. Unless they feel Tuman is nearing the end of his productivity, I could see no real need at tight end with Heath Miller in the fold. I have heard inklings of the team toying with a three tight end set, but what would that do? Me asking that question is the real reason I am not an offensive coordinator.

4th round – 112 pick – P Daniel Sepulveda. Good pick, considering Gardocki’s age. Plus, I drive on Sepulveda Boulevard all the time. It makes the pick more fun for us West Coast Steeler fans. Oddly, the Pittsburgh press has been tearing this one apart, and I cannot figure out why. In any game, field position is key and getting a few extra yards can make all the difference. Plus, too many teams discount the need for effective special teams, which baffles me to no end. Never short change yourself on special teams play; it can make the difference in a game. And is it really such a bad thing to have a punter who can run down the field under his own punt and plaster the punt receiver as he catches the ball? Not in my book.

4th round – 132nd pick (compensatory) – DE Ryan McBean – Additional strength for the d-line. Not bad, hopefully we will see more out of him when training camp arrives.

5th round – 156th pick – G Cameron Stephenson. Potential future of the offensive line? With Faneca in the last season of his contract, and no real offers to him from the team, looks like they might be planning on a future without him. It disappoints me to think that, but does not surprise me.

5th round – 170th pick (compensatory) – CB William Gay. Unlike many “experts” I have trouble seeing how we need all that much help at cornerback. But if the team feels a need, then sure, why not take a shot on a young kid. My question is, with the NFL and their stance on perceived “questionable language”, will I be able to buy a Gay jersey at NFL.com, or will that be banned? It has happened before.

7th round – 227th pick – WR Dallas Baker. Who knows, perhaps he could light something up during camp. But I doubt it, since the stellar Fred Gibson did not make the team last year. But hey, if he pushes Washington and Holmes to improve, he is well worth the pick.

I suppose that is about all we can babble about for the time being. Considering how long the babble is, I am sure this is plenty. We still have a few months left to go before any real action begins, so hang in there everyone. Who knows, perhaps there is more off season excitement ahead. Maybe Belichick will completely lose his mind and trade for Terrell Owens. Now that really would be fun. In any event, that is all for now. See you in camp.