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Archive for 2009


The Pretty Boy’s Dilemma?

In Danny Clase, Staff on December 27, 2009 at 3:25 AM

           I wonder what boxer Floyd Mayweather was thinking when he called out Manny Pacquiao, a fighter with arguably the largest following in the sports history. Perhaps he had a legitimate gripe, perhap’s Pacquiao’s utter dominance was so inexplicable that it warranted steroid allegations. Or maybe Manny’s mastering over his opponents was something Floyd could not understand. Afterall never has the pretty boy come face to face with someone that possesses such a boxing acumen on par with his own. 

           For over a decade Floyd with relative ease dominated everyone and everything before him. Whether it was the talented but knuckle headed Zab Judah, or the rising star that was Cory Spink’s Floyd was always up to the task of proving himself. Floyd’s gloves even had a penchant for taking the shine off the golden boy and exposing Ricky Hatton, the raging Welshman that he easily defeated and frankly embarrassed. Then there was Floyd’s naysayers. He’s not a pay per view draw, who has he fought? he’s overrated. Floyd with the same determination he put on display in the ring made all those aforementioned notions vanish into thin air. Still if there has ever been a knock on Floyd’s career it is that he never had an equal.

           While Floyd went into ”retirement” Pacquiao had the spotlight to himself he would go on to embarrass both Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton with greater flare then Floyd. On top of that he threw in his utter domination of the Puerto Rican power puncher Miguel Cotto. Floyd may have thought otherwise but while he was gone boxing and its fans had welcomed another superstar.

            Now with the super fight of our generation quickly approaching Floyd whether he admits or not is going into the ring with a man whose abilities appear to be equal to his. Handspeed that is beyond description, a heart that cannot accept defeat, and a will that has endured wars with boxing greats like Marquez, Barrera and Morales that as a result now seems unbreakable. Whereas before Floyd once use to step into the ring and the opposition had a fighters chance for the first time his opponent has a viable one. Are the allegations of steroid usage a mind game? Or are they Floyd’s attempt to cope with the fact that the next time he enters the squared circle he not might only lose but he will face an unstoppable force the likes of which he has never encountered before.


Usher Featuring Nicki Minaj – “Little Freak”

In Vanessa Denis on December 26, 2009 at 11:12 AM

- This is a video review from Vanessa Denis AKA TheNessaVanessa


“ManJackass”

In Stanley Fritz on October 24, 2009 at 10:52 PM

http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2006/01/15/1137303176_0010.jpg

Stanley Fritz

He burst onto the scene as the bright new young head coach for the New York Jets, with a team core that was already set for him, he managed to bring the Jets to the Playoffs with a 10-6 record, the following year with almost the same team he lost confidence in Chad Pennington, benched him for career back up Kellen Clemens, and the Jets went 4-12.  The following year Mangini was given one of the best quarterbacks to ever play, and after starting 8-3 the team absolutely fell apart, finishing the season 9-7.

After three years with the Jets, it was clear that Mangini was not the right fit for the team that was there, and after two straight disappointing seasons they got rid of him. When he left the Jets there were a couple of things that players were happy to be rid of.

  • Someone Sucking the Fun out of the sport that they loved so much
  • Excessive and over bearing Rules
  • No clear definition of Identity
  • No consistency in Identity
  • No respect or understanding for the offensive side of the ball
  • Too Conservative

So now Mangini is with the Browns, and the first thing he does, besides giving a big speech about how he will change things, is trade their star tight end Kellen Winslow, then he gives up their draft pick to the Jets for a couple of players and a second round pick, the Jets use that pick to get their franchise quarterback Mark Sanchez.  Mangini added chaos to the Browns by refusing to announce a starting quarterback until the very last minute, and even when everybody knew who the starter was, he continued to deny it.

There comes a point when you go from being strategic to just plain stupid, and Mangini passed that plateau a long time ago, making a quarterback controversy when there wasn’t a need for it, practicing a style of coaching that might as well be called bullying, and creating a level of paranoia in the locker room has done nothing good for the Browns and instead of seeing a team with decent talent playing through the season, the Browns are 0-4 frustrated beaten down, disrespected and not sure who to look towards for leadership. With saying all of that, I cant help but ask, what happened to the Mangenius that seemed to have all of the answers just a couple of years ago.

The answer is very simple if you really want to know. Mangini for all of his success that one year with the Jets, just isnt a good coach. He has no vision for what he wants to do, doesn’t understand players, and takes tries to hard to be something that he is not, Bill Bellichick. Unfortunately for the Browns that you are not, instead they are stuck with Manjackass.


2009-10 NBA Eastern Conference Preview

In Stanley Talouis on October 1, 2009 at 6:34 PM

Depending on what team you root for, you’re either looking forward to the upcoming NBA season, or you’re just so entrenched into football season that you don’t really care. And if you’re from North Carolina, you’ve always got the Tar Heels. For the rest of you, here’s a breakdown of what you can look forward to for fantasy basketball, or just the NBA in general.

The Atlanta Hawks seem poised to make another run at the postseason. That said, there are a few questions fantasy owners will have to ponder. Will the Hawks trade Mike Bibby if Jeff Teague, the rookie from Wake Forest has an immediate impact? Will Al Horford put up the same numbers he did last year? Is this going to be the breakout year for Marvin Williams? Even if the Hawks keep Bibby for the whole season, don’t expect him to put up the same numbers he did last season. His assists may increase a bit but with Joe Johnson, Horford, and Jamal Crawford sharing the court, Bibby won’t be looked at to score. Since the Hawks didn’t do the conventional thing in drafting or signing another big man, Al Horford should take advantage and put up nearly a double double like he did last season. While I don’t think that Marvin Williams will ever live up to his draft hype, he’ll be a decent pickup for fantasy owners, provided he’s drafted late. Sleeper- Jeff Teague

The Celtics will continue to be the Celtics. Unselfish, intense, and a 50-plus win team. That said, I wouldn’t personally draft anyone on that team except for Pierce and Rondo. KG is still trying to come back from that knee injury, and Ray Allen isn’t the same player he once was. Adding Rasheed Wallace makes sense from a team standpoint because they need someone to bolster that frontcourt, but he won’t make much of an impact for fantasy owners. Sleeper – Rasheed Wallace

The Charlotte Bobcats are another one of those teams that are hard to decipher for fantasy owners. Larry Brown can never really make up his mind about his lineup and the only go-to scorer on the team is Gerald Wallace, who I expect to be a middle round pick. Fantasy owners who liked Tyson Chandler’s production last season shouldn’t expect him to duplicate those numbers. Chandler benefited from playing with a borderline MVP in Chris Paul and the last time I checked, neither Ray Felton nor DJ Augustin was Chris Paul.  Sleeper- DJ Augustin

Chicago, like Charlotte, has a lot of different people that play their own roles. The offense runs through Derrick Rose with Luol Deng as his scoring option, and a lot of guys with question marks. Now that Ben Gordon is gone, this is Rose’s team, and his production should reflect that. Sleeper – Kirk Heinrich

Any fantasy owner that had Lebron James last season (like me) will tell you that LBJ can win you a league. King James will lead his team in points, assists, rebounds, and blocks… which is exactly what Bron-Bron did. Danny Ferry did a good job bringing in another option for Lebron in Danny Green. Plus, he’s a native New Yorker and I like that. Mo Williams should have another good season and may average close to 20 points a game again. Also Shaq and Leon Powe make this Cavs team very balanced to make Lebron happy. And a happy Lebron, is a productive Lebron. Sleeper- Danny Green

The Pistons are an intriguing team because they went out and brought in the pieces they needed to reclaim their place at the top of the Eastern Conference. At the same time, those very pieces could make the Pistons a very potent offensive team. Richard Hamilton is a model of consistency and Rodney Stuckey should have one of those “I’m finally coming into my own” seasons. Throw in Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva with a little bit of Dajuan Summers, and you’ve got a recipe for fantasy success. Sleeper – Rodney Stuckey

When it comes to the Pacers and Danny Granger, there are only three necessary words. Poor. Man’s. Lebron. Danny Granger has the capability to lead his team in most categories and can be an integral part of any fantasy team. His numbers have increased every year since he was drafted and he may even come close to averaging 30 points a game. There aren’t too many other scoring options, so that helps too. Sleeper – AJ Price

Consider this the last hoorah for the Miami Heat. If this team doesn’t make a serious run at the playoffs, there’s a good chance Dwayne Wade is going to skip town when his contract is up. But fear not fantasy owners, Flash will put up his MVP-type numbers. Jermaine O’Neal won’t put up his career numbers, which is sad considering he’s only 30. Michael Beasley fresh out of rehab should be focused enough to have an increase in production but only time will tell. Wade will be a top five pick, and might even be enough to carry a team ala Lebron. Sleeper- Mario Chalmers

I’m apologizing ahead of time if you happen to be a Bucks fan. You’re asking yourself, “Why Stan? Why are you apologizing?” Well, the Bucks aren’t very good, they have no scoring threat along the perimeter and there isn’t one player worth drafting before the sixth round. The lone bright spot on the team is Brandon Jennings, and that, my friends, is a stretch. Michael Redd is coming off of knee surgery and there’s no indication that he’ll be the same player he once was. One thing to consider is that Redd is a jump shooter and without knees, it’ll be hard to jump. Joe Alexander

The Nets’ Brook Lopez had a surprisingly good season for a rookie.big man. His production should definitely increase from his averages of 13 points and 8 rebounds a game. The Nets are still a team in transition getting ready for the Sweepstakes Summer of Lebron… as I like to call it. Alston could emerge as a statistical leader on this team, but he’ll struggle for playing time behind Devin Harris and Courtney Lee. As far as Harris goes, he’ll still put up his 20 points a game, and Lee’s value as a scoring option will increase. Sleeper – Sean Williams

I may be a little biased here, but the Knicks… who am I kidding? They’re so inconsistent, there’s no one worth drafting outside of David Lee. Lee was among the league leaders in double doubles and might consider showcasing himself for another team. He’s one of the hardest working players in the league and his point totals are going to show it. Wilson Chandler is another player with a similar skill set to a Danny Granger. He can shoot, he can get to the rim and he can finish when he gets there. Chandler averaged 14 points a game last season but over the last few months consistently scored 20 points or more. Sleeper- Eddy Curry… yeah I know, but he lost like 50 pounds.

The Orlando Magic took a step back when they let Hedo Turkoglu go to Toronto. They’ll have to try to replace him with an aging Vince Carter but I don’t think it’s going to work because Hedo’s versatility and the mismatches he caused made him a valuable asset. Vince Carter’s value will increase because of the double teams that Dwight Howard demands and Mickael Pietrus’ perimeter shooting. Sleeper – Matt Barnes

The Sixers have a new logo and new uniforms, but the same team. Jrue Holiday was pretty underwhelming at times at UCLA, and I have a feeling he’ll slip through the cracks in the NBA. The question to ponder is whether or not the Sixers will finally play at the slow pace they said they’d play at since before last season. If they do, Elton Brand should put up the same kind of numbers he put up in LA. If not, it should be another subpar season for the Sixers. Either way, Andre Igoudala should maintain an average of 20-25 points a game. Sleeper – Sean Singletary

The Toronto Raptors will… I repeat… WILL underachieve once again this season. Jose Calderon will shoulder the load as the best guard on the team, unless you count Marcus Banks. The forward-heavy Raptors signed Hedo Turkoglu (forward), gave Andrea Bargnani (forward) a huge deal, and drafted, you guessed it… another forward in DeMar DeRozan. Bosh’s numbers won’t waver, and he’ll have some help in Hedo, whose value should stay the same because essentially, Bosh = Dwight. Sleeper – Marco Belinelli

The Wizards look good on paper so I’ll crown them my Eastern Conference Paper Champions. They have good perimeter shooters in Mike Miller, Deshawn Stevenson and Randy Foye. They have a guy ready to make the leap to superstardom in Caron Butler, they have a young project in JaVale McGee, and a legitimate scoring threat in Gilbert Arenas despite his injury. I think Arenas is going to want to prove that he’s hasn’t lost a step and will try to put up the same kind of numbers he was able to put up a few seasons ago. Sleeper – Caron Butler

So there you have it. There’s a little preview of the upcoming NBA season for the Eastern Conference. If you have the first overall pick there isn’t anyone you should draft outside of Lebron James. If you don’t have the first overall pick, good luck to you. Lebron’s pretty good. Happy drafting.

Who Are the New York Mets?

In Uncategorized on June 25, 2009 at 4:06 AM

As I’m writing this, the Mets are currently beating the snot out of the St. Louis Cardinals 11-0 in the top of the 8th inning. Of course, I’d like to tell you that the Mets do this on a regular basis. I’d even like to tell you that the Mets do this once a week, or once every two weeks. The fact is, they don’t. In fact, I don’t even know what it is that the Mets do on a regular basis. Are they a team that lacks offense but has superior pitching like the San Francisco Giants? Do they have a prolific offense with no pitching like the Philadelphia Phillies? Are they balanced like the Boston Red Sox? The truth is that the Mets have no identity.

The 1969 Mets were  known as the Miracle Mets. The Mets in the 1980s lived like rock stars. They were feared both on and off the field. These Mets? Their legacy will be synonomous with underachieving and mediocrity. Thats their legacy – to be the Mediocre Mets.

As a Mets fan, I don’t know what to expect when I turn on the game. There are days when everything is going well.  For instance, tonight’s game just ended in blowout fashion behind another great start for Fernando Nieve. Why shouldn’t I believe its going to happen again, especially since Johan Santana is starting? Because the Mets are the model of inconsistency. And it starts at the top. The very top of the organization.

I can’t say that the Mets ownership is anything like, say, John Sterling of the LA Clippers. But how can an owner of a team not try as hard as he/she can to put the best product on the field? Going into the offseason, they knew that the team needed a power hitting left fielder, a good second baseman, and at least one reliable starting pitcher. And Adam Dunn, Orlando Hudson, and Randy Wolf/Derek Lowe were all out there. I’ll be the first to admit that neither Randy Wolf nor Derek Lowe really intrigued me as a fan, but I’d rather pay them for however amount of time they wanted than to overpay for Oliver Perez.

(Quick side note: Oliver Perez was making about $6 million last year, and in the offseason, the Mets were the only team to offer Perez a contract. Why did Omar Minaya offer Perez $12 million a year? Just something to think about.)

Fred and Jeff Wilpon were adamant keeping the payroll around $140 million but they picked up Delgado’s $12 million option and gave $12 million a year to Perez. Why not pay the $4 million it would have cost to buy out Delgado, and go after Mark Teixiera? With the $12 million they would have saved by not paying Perez and the $8 million they would have saved by not paying Delgado, they could have outbid for Tex. But hey, hindsight is 20/20.

The 2009 Mets could go down as a great team that was plagued by injuries. Its not much of an excuse but its true. In only three months, the Mets have lost three of their best position players and a good young pitcher to injury. Yet they still remain only 1.5 games behind the Phillies for the division lead. Logically, you could say that once everyone comes back from their injuries, the division is theirs to lose. You could say that but you’d be wrong. I’m not convinced that the Mets can win the division at full strength. They lack the intensity and the fortitude it takes to reclaim what is, essentially, theirs. And even though I’m a fan, I’ll continue to feel that way until the Mets make it through a September without collapsing.

And this is a good year for the Mets to shed this stigma because the NL East is horrible. The Nationals are making a bid to beat out the 1962 Mets as the worst team in baseball history, the Marlins are underachieving despite being right on schedule for another World Series title, the Braves haven’t put together that great team yet, and the Phillies’ lack of pitching is coming back to hurt them. The division is up for grabs. And if the Mets manage to win the division, this Mets fan has to wonder… how much of it was the Mets being good, and how much of it was everyone else being bad? The worst part is that among all the questions we’ll have about the Mets, we’ll still have to ask ourselves who these New York Mets are.

Some People Are Just Plain Stupid

In Stanley Talouis on May 6, 2009 at 7:44 PM

I don’t hate authority. In fact, I think authority is vital to the fabric of our society. However, some people just shouldn’t have any authority at all. These people are stupid and should be relegated to mopping up the floor of the peep show booth in an adult film store. Am I just an angry person? Yes I am. But allow me to explain.

A few nights ago, a few friends and I traveled to our local Applebee’s to enjoy some of their finest wings, nachos, and shrimp. This Applebee’s trip has become something of a tradition among our circle of friends and at this point, we’ve become familiar faces. After all, their slogan is in fact, “Eating good in the neighborhood” and we’re just taking advantage. Now, for for those unfamiliar with the inner workings of the Applebee’s franchise, after 10pm, a customer has the option to order appetizers for half price and order two alcoholic drinks for the price of one. This isn’t the first time we’ve taken part in such a deal because, as I stated before, we do this quite often.

On the night in question, it was a relatively small group of us. We sat down and ordered drinks. Those of us (me) who were required to show identification for alcohol did so and we went about the night, enjoying a rousing playoff basketball game between the Lakers of Los Angeles and the Rockets of Houston. The drinks came and we ordered our food. As always, we ordered appetizers and those who hadn’t ordered enjoyed a plethora of different items. It seemed like a good night. After we ate, we sat around, watched the end of the game and had a good time. It was nearly closing time and the game was almost ending. As the game came to an end, we got up and headed to the door. Thats when our night to an odd turn. As we were leaving, we were approached by our waitress, who stopped two of us, including myself. Apparently, the waitress felt that we took advantage of her by sitting down, only ordering $36 worth of food and drinks, and getting up without leaving an appropriate tip. Granted, her tip was rather minimal, but since when is a tip mandatory? Since when is a waiter/waitress supposed to demand a tip? Now, I’m not that cold-hearted to deny someone a tip regardless of service. And if a waiter/waitress accidentally lets it slip that he or she has a child to feed, that may have an affect on my decision on whether or not to tip. But on the night in question, our waitress not only chastised us because everyone at our table didn’t order, but she went as far as to say that this is the third time we’ve “stiffed” her and that the next time she would refuse to serve us. She continued by pointing to a sign that said after 10pm all patrons must order at least one item. I didn’t know that such a policy existed and perhaps it would have been a smart idea to inform us (the patrons) of this policy prior to ordering. Again, that would have been the smart idea. Which brings me to my next question. What if someone goes to Applebee’s and doesn’t want to eat or drink, but to enjoy the company of his or her peers? Is that a crime? Is said person supposed to wait in the waiting area, or worse yet, the parking lot?

So after being scolded by our waitress with the 4 year old child at home, we left and decided the only logical thing to do would be to go back and do it all over again, this time making sure everyone has exact change in coins. That should teach that loathsome bag of gorilla shit.

Seriously, are you telling me that our table was the deciding factor on whether or not your kid eats? Bring the kid some goddamn mozzarella sticks if its that bad. You’re working a crappy shift on a Monday night. Face it, toots… tips are gonna be few and far between. And I’m not going to make this a race thing. Because its not. I don’t believe that it is. I do believe that its one mongoloid who felt the need to say something that shouldn’t have been said. Tips are not mandatory. You want a tip? Look both ways before crossing the street. Here’s another tip. Always look people in the eye when you shake their hand.

So the next time I go to Applebee’s, I’m going to order boneless wings and two beers, and when the bill comes up to about $8.11, thats what I’m leaving on the table, pennies and all. Not because I’m cheap, but because I can.

Fast forward about twenty minutes. you thought the story was over, didn’t you? No sir. There’s more. Upon arrival at my alma mater to drop some people off, we approached the security gate and on duty was Officer Martinez. Officer Martinez and I have a bit of history. One night, Officer Martinez told us that we had ten minutes to drop off some friends and leave the premises. Now, I had been a student since 2002 and I’m well versed in all of the rules and regulations. We took a little longer than ten minutes to return and Officer Martinez took it upon himself to be SuperCop (with a square badge, no less) and wrote us up. Officer Martinez went on to threaten us with arrest if it happened again. But you know what, thats water under the bridge. I don’t particularly like him, but thats in the past.

On the night in question, Officer Martinez saw that there were six people piled into my 2005 Honda Civic, four of them sitting uncomfortably in the back. Officer Martinez informed us that he couldn’t allow us on campus with four people in the back of the car. Because everyone knows that if you have four people in the back of your car, you’re up to no good. Officer Douchebag said one of us would have to wait at the bus stop. Can someone please tell me what would have happened if we had gone onto the campus with four people in the back seat? Would we hit a pothole, and due to the weight distribution, tumble into the woods and die? Would we have smuggled pure heroin into the school to distribute amongst our peers? Would Osama Bin Laden himself be hidden in the trunk and bomb the so-called “Harvard of Long Island”??? I would love Officer Dickface to give me a legitimate answer to these questions. What if five of the six people in the car required a ride back onto the campus? Would Officer Dickless make someone wait at the bus stop and force the driver to make two trips to the dorms? Some people have waaaaaaaaay too much authority. Officer Colostomy Bag needs to get off of his high horse and leave the police work to actual police.

Author’s note: A few months later Officer Martinez realized that I’m cool with his boss, his asshole unclenched a little. Haven’t had an issue since.

2009 NFL Draft… Grades

In Stanley Talouis on April 27, 2009 at 1:07 PM

You know that feeling after Christmas comes and goes, and you’re just having fun with your gifts?  Thats feeling I have right now. Being a Giants fan, I’m just relishing in the idea of all these draft picks contributing to another Giants postseason run. Thats right people. Get used to hearing “Manning to Hicks” for the next few seasons. But enough about my team, I want to talk to about all the teams and how they did in this year’s draft. My grades are always fair. In my eyes, if a team met every need, then thats at least a C depending on the quality of the players at the position of need. For example, the Raiders needed a strong safety in the second round and took someone that should not have been selected until the 5th round. That kind of stuff gets you an F, whereas the Browns very shrewdly traded down three times to get Alex Mack, a position of need. So here we go.  Let the grading begin.

Arizona Cardinals – The Cards really didn’t address all their needs and could have drafted an outside linebacker or two. I don’t know if they really needed to take two defensive backs in the third and fourth rounds. Chris Wells is a great pickup at 31 and he’ll be a good replacement for Edgerrin James. C-

Atlanta Falcons – Mike Smith knows defense and he did a great job in the draft securing players that the team really needed. Peria Jerry was a great pickup along the defensive line and William Moore should add some depth to the secondary. B

Baltimore Ravens – Ozzie Newsome doesn’t like to address his team’s needs in the draft so its hard to judge what he’s been able to do in the draft. I would’ve liked him to take a wide receiver because Derrick Mason is getting up there in age and their other receivers aren’t really gamebreakers. Michael Oher is a great player with a great story, and they got great value in Cedric Peerman in the sixth round. B-

Buffalo Bills – The Bills had a lot of needs and they didn’t address them all. I liked the fact that they got Aaron Maybin and traded back into the first round to take Eric Wood but what I like the most is that they drafted Nic Harris, who could become a very good linebacker with the right coaching. They could have taken a running back because Marshawn Lynch is suspended for the first three games of the season. C+

Carolina  Panthers – The Panthers didn’t address their need at backup quarterback and they need depth at wide receiver but for a team without a first round pick, I thought they did well. They got great value in the fourth and fifth rounds by taking Mike Goodson from Texas A&M and Duke Robinson from Oklahoma (who happens to be related to Smokey Robinson). C+

Chicago Bears – I really like what the Bears did in the draft because they didn’t have a day one pick at all. Juaquin Iglesias is one of the best route runners in college football, Marcus Freeman is very versatile and DJ Moore is an above average defensive back. B+

Cincinnati Bengals – The Bengals got a little lucky but took advantage of everyone passing on Rey Maualuga. Rey Rey is going to be good playing alongside his former Trojan teammate, Keith Rivers. I think Andre Smith is a better run blocker but will pick up the slack quickly. Outside of Chase Coffman, I don’t think any of their other picks will have huge impacts for a while. B-

Cleveland Browns – The Browns had a smart draft. They didn’t address all their needs, but they tried to and they got some smart players. Kaluka Maiava flew under the radar at USC with all their linebackers and he comes from a great pedigree. His uncle is The Rock. Brian Robiskie and Mohammed Massaquoi were solid picks at wide receiver, which leads me to believe the Browns are still trying to trade Braylon Edwards. B+

Dallas Cowboys – I hate Dallas as much any other team but I have to admit, they draft well. A lot of their starters have been drafted in the later rounds including Tashard Choice, Marion Barber, Patrick Crayton, just to name a few. We may not be able to name a lot of the guys they drafted (all of whom were taken in the 3rd round or later) but they met all their needs and I wouldn’t be surprised if those players turned out to be important parts of the Cowboys organization. A

Denver Broncos – I will continue to say it. The Broncos are stupid for taking Knowshon Moreno. They didn’t even need a running back but they took one anyway. What they needed was a pass rusher and they let Everette Brown pass by them several times. They didn’t address their needs at safety and on special teams. I will give them credit for Alphonso Smith, Robert Ayers and Kenny McKinley, but not too much credit. C-

Detroit Lions – Its hard not to like what the Lions did. I don’t think the Brandon Pettigrew pick was smart, but they don’t really have a threat at tight end. I would have gone with a pass rusher in that spot. Derrick Williams wasa  good pickup and he should have some success the way other young receivers have had in Denver. B

Green Bay Packers – The Packers didn’t have too many needs but they went above and beyond expectations. BJ Raji was a no-brainer but trading back into the first round to take Clay Matthews was very smart. Matthews comes from a strong football background and could be a cornerstone for that franchise for years. B+

Houston Texans – I understand why the Texans wouldn’t want to take a running back early on, but to not take one at all bothers me because they do need someone to split carries with Steve Slaton. Also they aren’t very deep at wide receiver and they didn’t take one. C-

Indianapolis Colts – The Colts needed a linebacker and didn’t take one. Donald Brown was a good pick up but Rey Maualuga was there and he doesn’t really fit into that Tony Dungy style of defense but Jim Caldwell is calling the shots now. Fili Moala was also a solid pick because it gives them a different look up the middle on defense. Moala could help free up some blockers from Freeney and Mathis. B-

Jacksonville Jaguars – For a team that seemed to be interested in taking Mark Sanchez, they didn’t address any need at quarterback. I also like the value they’d be getting from Tiquan Underwood from Rutgers. Not too many people hear about him because of Kenny Britt but he’s talented. C

Kansas City Chiefs – In my mind, the Chiefs blew a chance to take a really good player in Aaron Curry. I can understand why they would want to take a pass rusher but Tyson Jackson is not a top five pick, and you don’t waste the third overall pick on a guy who’s not top five material. Jackson’s good, but not that good. If you can trade down and still get him, do it. The Chiefs also neglected to take a linebacker or a safety, two positions they needed to address. D

Miami Dolphins – The Dolphins did well, bringing in Vontae Davis late in the first round and getting Pat White in the second. The Dolphins used that Wildcat formation well and will be adding a new look with White. I also think that getting some depth at wide receiver was a good idea with Brian Hartline. I think they could have taken a defensive end to replace Vonnie Holliday, but they might be able to bring back Jason Taylor. A

Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings addressed all their needs, they brought in Percy Harvin, who can be great if he stays out of trouble. I like Jasper Brinkley, and Phil loadholt wll join his former Sooner teammate Adrian Peterson. Good draft. B+
New England Patriots – I think Patrick Chung might have been taken a little too early, but thats my only issue. Darius Butler was a solid pick and Bill Belichick always finds guys that are versatile. B+

New York Jets – The Jets were the talk of the draft. Sanchez is a great pick for them. He’s marketable, he’s a great player, and he’s a leader. I don’t know if that’s going to translate into wins, but he’ll work out. The Jets’ aggressiveness didn’t allow them to draft a wide receiver, which is what they really needed, but I like what they did to get Shonn Greene, even though it might have been a bit much. A+

New York Giants – Hakeem Nicks is a great pick. Rhett Bomar might have been unncessary but he was once one of the best high school quarterbacks in the country, and his own stupidity cost him his position at Oklahoma. He’ll develop into a very good backup. The Giants filled all their needs. Clint Sintim reminds me of Mathius Kiwanuka because he’s a linebacker that could also play on the line. William Beatty could develop into a good right tackle to eventually replace McKenzie, Ramses Barden is a project but he’s 6′6″ and Stoney Woodson got rave reviews from his old coach, Steve Spurrier.  A

Oakland Raiders – I think Al Davis forgets that he owns a football team and thinks its track and field. I don’t care if Darius Heyward-Bey ran a 3.62 40 yard dash, Michael Crabtree was the best receiver in this year’s draft and they passed on him. And then to make matters worse, they drafted some safety no one knows. F

Philadelphia Eagles – I have to hand it to the Eagles. They know how to draft. They got valuable players all throughout the draft. LeSean McCoy is like another Brian Westbrook, Victor Harris is a very good defensive back and can play both corner and safety, and Cornelius Ingram could have very well been a first round pick, or at least the first tight end taken if he had been completely healthy. A+

Pittsburgh Steelers – Its hard to stay on top when a team is usually drafting in the late first round. The Steelers needed corners and receivers to replace Bryant McFadden and Nate Washington and they got guys to put in those spots. A

San Diego Chargers – The Charfers passed on a special player in Rey Maualuga but so did everyone else. Between Larry English, Demetrius Byrd, and Kevin Ellison, the Chargers had a solid draft. B

San Francisco 49ers – The Niners got the steal of the draft with Crabtree at 10. I think Nate Davis is a good pick because it gives them someone to develop if Shaun Hill goes south and Alex Smith continues to underachieve. Ricky Jean-Francois is a very good defensive tackle even though I think he should have stayed in school for another year, and Glen Coffee is another one of those Alabama running backs like Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. B+

Seattle Seahawks – Even though the Seahawks didn’t necessarily need Aaron Curry, it was a good pick and now they have a very good linebacking corps. Mike Teel was a good pickup and he’ll learn well behind Matt Hasselbeck. Max Unger can play both center and tackle, so that should be fun for the team, and Deon Butler is a speedster. B-

St. Louis Rams – Outside of Jason Smith and James Laurinaitis, the Rams draft was pretty average. C+

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Josh Freeman was what they needed but I don’t like the fact that they didn’t get anyone to replace Warrick Dunn or Derrick Brooks… not that it would be easy to do. B-

Tennessee Titans – Kenny Britt was a great pick for them, and they took another Rutgers product in Jason McCourty. I’ve seen Jared Cook in action and I like what I see from him. B

Washington Redskins – The Redskins were patient and got a steal in Brian Orakpo. He should have been a top five pick but I guess the Chiefs like Jackson better. The Browns valued a center more and traded down and it ended up becoming the perfect storm for the Skins. They address their need at linebacker and the Skins defense should be very solid. B

There were a few guys I’m surprised didn’t get drafted. Rudy Carpenter, Cullen Harper, Chase Daniel, Graham Harrel, Brian Hoyer, and John Parker Wilson are all solid quarterbacks. Some of them were Heisman candidates at one point. PJ Hill, Marlon Lucky, Ian Johnson, Brandon Ore, and Kory Sheets were very productive running backs. Lucky had a great week at the Senior Bowl. Quan Cosby, Jon Cooper, and Alex Boone are all names we’ve heard. Darry Beckwith, Dannell Ellerbe, and Worrell Williams were productive and could produce in the NFL on special teams. Kevin Ogletree was a guy I watched throughout high school and college, I really hope he gets a look and maybe signs on somewhere as undrafted free agent. Maybe all of these guys can catch on somewhere. Some of the NFL’s best players have been undrafted free agents.

NFL Draft Diary

In Uncategorized on April 26, 2009 at 9:55 AM

Alright so its not secret that the Lions at this point were going to take Matthew Stafford so here’s a pick by pick rundown of my thoughts as the draft is happening… kinda like Twitter, but slower.

4:13pm - Well, the Rams just took Jason Smith from Baylor. Isn’t really a shock. They needed a lineman to protect Marc Bulger. Next up is the Chiefs.

4:23pm – This is why the Chiefs suck. They take players like Tyson Jackson this early. At one point, Jackson wasn’t even a top 10 pick. Don’t get my wrong. He’s good. Maybe the best pass rusher in this year’s draft. But they could have traded down to get him. And I really disagree with passing on Aaron Curry. That kid is a player, and he’s one of those high character guys. Maybe the Bengals could use him if the Seahawks take Sanchez.

4:31pm – The Seahawks lucked out with Curry here. Now the Jets could trade up to take Sanchez at 8. Browns are on the clock.

4:39pm – I love the way Keyshawn Johnson is going nuts about the Jets taking Mark Sanchez. This choice confuses me a bit. They need a quarterback, but Sanchez is inexperienced. I think he’s ready though. Now they have to get him some targets.

4:45pm – The Browns didn’t get much from the Jets for that pick. Brett Ratliff is a backup quarterback, Abram Elam is decent, and Coleman is a body. Then again, two picks and three players for one pick is the kind of thing Mike Tannenbaum likes to do. This pick might affect what the Giants do.

4:48pm – I don’t like the fact that Eugene Monroe is still on the board, and it makes sense that the Bengals would take the guy with the character issues. Oh yeah, and one of his weaknesses is pass blocking. Carson Palmer’s knee is already shaking.

4:54pm – Holy crap. Al Davis is dead. He has to be. There’s no way Davis could have let Michael Crabtree get past him. The Raiders are stupid. ITS MICHAEL CRABTREE!!!! This is why the Raiders suck. Jags on the clock. I like Monroe here but it’ll be tough for them to pass on Crabtree too.

5:03pm – Eugene Monroe’s bracelet is sick. I think it’s worth the price of my car. The Jags are getting a damn good blocker here. I don’t know how smart is would be to pass up on Crabtree. The Packers don’t really need him as much as they need BJ Raji.

5:07pm – So the Packers pick isn’t in yet, but the way BJ Raji’s family is going crazy, I think its a foregone conclusion. This is probably the smartest pick of the day or at least the smartest pick since the Rams at number 2. The Packers are moving to a 3-4 and need a run stuffer, especially in the NFC North. Here comes the real test. The 49ers need a defensive end but they won’t pass up on Crabtree. I’m surprised Brian Orakpo is still on the board.

5:17pm – It looks like Crabtree is on the phone with the Niners.

5:19pm – Niners took Crabtree. Good pick, even though I would’ve liked for them to take Brian Orakpo.

5:22pm – It looks like Aaron Maybin is on the phone with the Buffalo Bills. Umm, I’m pretty sure Brian Orakpo, A BETTER PROSPECT, in on the board.

5:24pm – Don’t get me wrong. I like Maybin. He’s good. But Brian Orakpo is there. By the way, Maybin tried get a handshake from what looked like his dad and he was left hanging. I thought that was funny.

5:29pm – Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. The Broncos are stupid. Very stupid. Sooooo stupid. Whats wrong with you, Denver? Knowshon Moreno? YOU NEED DEFENSE, BUBBLEHEADS!!! DEEEEEE FENSE!!!

5:31pm - The Redskins wasted no time taking Orakpo. Thats a no brainer for them.

5:38pm – The Saints took Malcolm Jenkins here. I’m not mad at the pick.  I originally thought he was the best defensive back in the draft despite his lack of speed but he’s smart and he can hit. Beanie Wells wouldn’t be a bad pick for Houston as a complement to Steve Slaton.

5:43pm - The Houston Texans took the Jersey Boy. Bergen County star Brian Cushing. I really like this pick.

5:50pm - I like Larry English but I think the Chargers took him too soon. Especially with Rey Maualuga on the board. The Browns should capitalize on San Diego’s stupidity.

5:55pm - The Browns just traded down with Tampa Bay. Maybe the Bucs want to take Freeman now instead of waiting.

6:00pm – The Bucs did a good job here. Let Josh Freeman manage the game. He’s a big, mobile guy with a strong arm… a lot like Joe Flacco.

6:05pm – The Broncos make a good pick here by taking Robert Ayers, but they’re still stupid for wasting that other pick on Knowshon Moreno. On the bright side, the Eagles can’t take him.

6:09pm – The Browns traded down again. This time with the Eagles. I’m confused as to what  Cleveland is doing. The Eagles needed some help at wideout and took Jeremy Maclin. Good pick.

6:18pm – Is a tight end really going to help Matthew Stafford stay off the ground? Their next pick better be an offensive lineman.

6:24pm – Alex Mack to the Browns is a good pick but not at 21. They could have traded down again.

6:26pm – Wow. Minnesota making me a prophet. Except not on my last mock draft. I originally thought Percy Harvin would fall to the Vikings but I thought his stock would have fallen because of his durability and character issues.

6:34pm – The Ravens took Michael Oher and I think thats a really solid choice. He’s a great person and people don’t know as much about him as they should. Tremendous story behind this kid. Read the book called “The Blind Side”. This kid is awesome.

6:39pm – The Falcons pass on a good linebacker and take Peria Jerry from Ole Miss. They did need help at defensive tackle so I’m not mad at the pick.

6:46pm – Even though I don’t like Vontae Davis’ overall game, he can tackle, he’s fast, and he’s strong.

6:53pm - The Packers traded with the Pats to take Clay Matthews. Oddly enough, I thought that the Patriots would have taken Matthews, who comes from a great football family with Clay Matthews Sr, and Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews.

6:59pm – A rare mistake by Bill Polian. The Colts needed a defensive tackle and took a running back. Don’t get me wrong. He’s good but I don’t think they needed him.

7:03pm – The Bills did a good job taking Eric Wood here. Personally, I thought that Wood might have been around in the second round but I don’t think they wanted to take a chance.

7:07pm – The Giants took Hakeem Nicks. He’s big, he can get yards after the catch, and he’s a big play waiting to happen. I love this pick.

7:17pm – Kenny Britt to the Titans is smart. They needed a wideout and got one. Beanie Wells has to go to the Cards next.

7:25pm – The Cards have done a good job taking Beanie Wells. He’s a very tough power back that will provide a complement to Tim Hightower.

7:30pm – The Steelers got a great player in Ziggy Hood.  There’s nothing wrong with depth on the defensive line.

7:33pm – Even though James Laurinitis and Rey Maualuga are still there, the Lions took Louis Delmas. I don’t agree with it.

7:34pm – Back to back safeties going here. The Patriots took Patrick Chung. Again, I don’t like the fact that people are passing on two of the best linebackers in college football.

7:40pm – The Rams got great value in James Laurinaitis in the second round. Spags wouldn’t have let him go.

7:45pm – This is where the draft gets interesting and I stop commenting on every pick. Cleveland took Brian Robiskie is a very good receiver and I like what he can do.

7:57pm – I like what the Bengals have done. They bring together former teammates in Keith Rivers and Rey-Rey and get Maualuga here is great value.

8:04pm – The Pats just traded up with the Raiders. Best move of the night for the Raiders. Eben Britton was picked up by the Jags. Interesting discussion here. Who picks up Pat White. Hopefully, someone that wants to use him as a quarterback because he deserves it.

8:19pm – The Panthers took Everette Brown. They pretty much lucked out because I didnt think he’d get past the first round. Does this mean the end of the line for Julius Peppers?

8:28pm – The Dolphins took Pat White. I like this pick. They really ushered in the Wildcat plays this past season so I’d like to see how they use him.  The Giants just drafted Clint Sintim from Virginia. You can never have too many linebackers.

8:42pm – As the Bears trade their second round pick to  Seattle, people are once again baffled by the Raiders front office after drafting Michael Mitchell from Ohio. I watch a lot of college football. I watch the combine, and the Senior bowl. I read up on the pro days. This kid wasn’t at any of these. Why did the Raiders just draft him the second round?

8:56pm – It looks like the Browns are loading up on wide receivers after taking another one in Mohamed Massaquoi from Georgia. Hopefully this means that the Browns are planning on trading Braylon Edwards to the Giants.

9:04pm – LeSean McCoy just went to the Eagles. I guess he’ll be sort of a replacement for Corell Buckhalter or more like a Brian Westbrook alternate. I know they wanted Knowshon Moreno but McCoy is a good pick. He’s similar to Reggie Bush but less explosive and isn’t a threat on special teams.

9:27pm – The Colts needed a defensive tackle and got a good one in Fili Moala from USC. At one point, I thought Moala could be a first round pick.

9:37pm -The Giants just drafted an offensive lineman from UConn, William Beatty. I watched one game UConn played against Rutgers and he was playing left tackle. If they could move him to right tackle, he can learn under Kareem McKenzie, who’s getting up there in age.

So thats it for day one of the draft. There were a few surprises. I didnt think the Raiders front office could be any more stupid than they are. Josh McDaniels is in over his head and will be fired within three seasons. My boy KO Rey Mo was on the board way too long. The Giants and Jets did a good job on day one. Soon enough, I’ll have my draft grades up, so look out for that.

Mock Draft 4.0

In Stanley Talouis on April 23, 2009 at 8:14 AM

It seems like every time I think I’m done doing a mock draft, something happens and I’m left with no choice but to update it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I love football to the point where the NFL Draft is my own personal Christmas.  I have to work the night before the draft this year so I won’t be attending it, but I’m still considering going to Day 2 of the draft. Thats really where the action is. Guys slipping farther than you thought they would, teams jockeying for position, players you might have watched for four or five years getting a look. Sometimes the story isn’t the big time prospect slipping from 4th to 14th, but its the redshirt junior wide receiver that went to your high school that you’d love to see get drafted. But I digress, the Eagles went out and traded their 28th overall pick (among other picks) to Buffalo for Jason Peters, the “best left tackle in football”. So who is Buffalo going to draft with that pick? Well, that’s what you’re here to find out. There also may be a few other changes I make to my mock draft that I wouldn’t have made before because I’m so damn stubborn. So here we go.

1. Detroit Lions – Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia – This is the constant. This pick will never change. Even if the Lions decide to take someone else, I’ll still have this pick here. And just to prove a point, I’ll say it again. You don’t pass on a franchise quarterback… especially after an 0-16 season.

2. St. Louis Rams – Jason Smith, OT, Baylor – Another constant, however there is some talk of Mark Sanchez possibly going this early. Someone said that Marc Bulger is declining and the Rams could opt to take a quarterback here. I disagree because there’s a lot of money invested in Bulger and putting a lot of money into another quarterback that won’t play doesn’t make sense. Good try though.

3. Kansas City Chiefs – Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest - I look at Curry as almost a Patrick Willis type of player. He’s going to make an immediate impact but I don’t know if his impact alone is going to make the team any better.

4. Seattle Seahawks - Mark Sanchez, QB, USC - I was trying to convince myself that the Seahawks wouldn’t take Sanchez here and that he’d fall to the Jets. I’m not even a Jets fan. But you know what? Hasselbeck is 34 years old and he’s been banged up the past few seasons. Maybe he has a few years left in him. Or maybe he doesn’t. The Seahawks don’t normally draft this high so they might as well pull the trigger on a future franchise quarterback while they can.

5. Cleveland Browns – Brian Orakpo, LB/DE, Texas - I think the idea is that Orakpo is looking to play more linebacker than defensive end so that he can fit into that Demarcus Ware/James Harrison mold where he’ll get a good amount of sacks. I like this for Orakpo. That kid has a motor.

6. Cincinnati Bengals – Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia -Its funny that a somewhat prolific aerial offense would take a guy that seems to be a better run blocker than pass blocker, but hey they need help along the offensive line.

7. Oakland Raiders – Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech – The Raiders offense would be pretty fun to watch with Jamarcus Russell, Darren McFadden, Michael Crabtree, and Johnny Lee Higgins. Like playing pitch and catch really.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars - Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri – Even though the Jaguars picked up Torry Holt, Maclin would be a solid pick here.

9. Green Bay Packers – B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College – This pick would be just as good of a defensive pick as taking AJ Hawk a few years back. Maybe the Packers should only take players who have initialed first names.

10. San Francisco 49ers – Everette Brown, DE, Florida St – The Niners don’t appear willing to trade up to take Sanchez especially since they’d have to trade into the top three to take him so they should stay right here and take a defensive end. Now, some people can make the argument that the Niners already have two good pass rushers, but if you look at what the Giants did two seasons ago by adding depth along the defensive line, this is a good idea.

11. Buffalo Bills – Andre Smith, OT, Alabama – The Bills were going to go offensive line here no matter what. It just so happens that they traded Jason Peters.

12. Denver Broncos – Brian Cushing, LB, USC – I wouldn’t put it past Denver to trade down here and maybe take a defensive tackle which is really what they need but Cushing is a decent value pick right here.

13. Washington Redskins – Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU – I like Jackson going to Denver because they also have a need for pass rushers but I think that Denver has to rebuild the defense on all three levels, which will allow Jackson to fall here to the Deadskins.

14. New Orleans Saints – Chris “Beanie” Wells, RB, Ohio St – Reggie Bush is going to benefit the most from Wells being on the team. Reggie’s best year statistically came when Deuce McAllister was in the backfield with him.

15. Houston Texans – Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois – Lately the knock on Davis has been his technique, but I think he’s a better corner prospect than Malcolm Jenkins. Does that make him a better defensive back? Not at all. In fact, I think if Jenkins were mainly a safety, he’d be a top 10 pick.

16. San Diego Chargers – Rey Maualuga, LB, USC – I’m personally starting a movement for his nickname to be changed to KO Rey Mo. Especially considering he’ll need a nickname to rival his soon to be teammate, Shawne “Lights Out” Merriman.

17. New York Jets – Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas St. – I think the Jets would be helping themselves a bit by trading up to take Mark Sanchez. The only problem is that with Sanchez likely landing in Seattle, it would take a lot to trade up to get him. So if the Jets don’t mind settling for Josh Freeman, they’ll take him. The good news is that Freeman is mobile, he has a strong arm, he’s big, and he’s used to making something out of nothing because he barely had an offense around him… kinda like Joe Flacco.

18. Denver Broncos – Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn St. – In one swoop, the Denver Broncos can change their defenses culture. They already went out and signed Brian Dawkins and even though he’s getting up there in age, he’s one of the league’s smartest defenders and he’s a leader. They can draft a really smart linebacker at 12, and take a very good pass rusher here at 18. They could take Tyson Jackson at 12, and then take James Laurinitis here. Who knows maybe they could even trade down to take Laurinitis.

19. Tampa Bay Bucanneers – Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee – The Bucs would have to trade up to take a quarterback because the “big three” won’t be available to them. Ayers is a good value pick here, and maybe they could look to draft a quarterback in the second round like Pat White.

20. Detroit Lions – Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss – A pass rusher would work well for the Lions but they any help along the offensive line would be appreciated by Matthew Stafford and Kevin Smith.

21. Philadelphia Eagles – Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia – This is a no-brainer, and Moreno is going to be close to home.

22. Minnesota Vikings – Eben Britton, OT, Arizona – Since the Eagles won’t need to take this guy at 28, the Vikings can take him. Percy Harvin’s stock dropped when people found out that he tested positive for marijuana at the combine. That, combined with his attitude, might scare the Vikings away.

23. New England Patriots – Malcolm Jenkins, CB/S, Ohio St. – Jenkins is a definate upgrade at either corner or safety for the Pats.

24. Atlanta Falcons – Clay Matthews, LB, USC – Clay Matthews is versatile and the Falcons have to address their need at linebacker.

25. Miami Dolphins – Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland – The Dolphins lack of depth at wide reciever is an obvious hole. I thought Heyward-Bey at one point could have been a top 15 pick, and he’d be good here.

26. Baltimore Ravens – Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina – At this point, its hit or miss. Nicks is higher on most draft boards than Kenny Britt is, and Harvin went down because of his durability and attitude. Either way, the Ravens go wideout here, whether its Nicks or Britt.

27. Indianapolis Colts – Evander “Ziggy” Hood, DT, Missouri – This is a smart pick and Bill Polian is a notoriously good evaluator of talent.

28. Buffalo Bills – Larry English, DE, Northern Illinois – This late in the first round, there might not be too many offensive line prospects for the Bills to look at. I wouldn’t be surprised if they traded up to get a guy like Britton.

29. New York Giants – Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers – If the Giants don’t make that trade for Braylon Edwards, Britt could be a possibility. As a matter of fact, they can get both. There are no other teams looking to trade with the Browns so the Giants could take advantage of that by offering a 2nd round pick and a 5th round pick. Edwards is coming off of a down year where he had a lot of drops. Combine that with the lack of suitors and the Giants could land a Pro Bowl caliber player and a kid with a lot of potential and still have 8 picks to work with.

30. Tennessee Titans – James Laurinitis, LB, Ohio St. – The Titans have a good defense but lack depth at linebacker. This would be a good pick to keep their guys fresh. This kid is tough, smart, and really instinctive.

31. Arizona Cardinals – LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh – The Cards might want to cut Edgerrin James, and McCoy is a touchdown machine. He’s a bit similar to Tim Hightower but the Cards are a passing team anyway. The only problem would be his pass blocking ability.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers – Percy Harvin, WR, Florida – Pittsburgh seems like an odd place for Harvin to land before they’re a tough, gritty no-nonsense organization, but Harvin would be coming from one winning program to another, and the Steelers have taken guys with questionable backgrounds before like Santonio Holmes. Plus, Harvin’s talent speaks for itself. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Steelers work on some gadget plays with Harvin in mind.

So there you have it. My final mock draft. Its now 3:22 am on Thursday morning. Here are a few things on my mind.

– The Lions are pretty close to signing Matthew Stafford, but stop the presses… Aaron Curry says he’ll take a pay cut to play in Detroit. Thats a first for me. He wants to take less money to play for a team that won zero games last season. Curry says he’d like to line up in between Julian Peterson, Ernie Sims and Demarcus Tyler, his high school teammate. I like the initiative, Aaron. He’s also a really nice guy. He invited a leukemia patient from Alabama as his personal guest at the NFL Draft. These are the stories I like to hear about. This are the things that make sports so great. I have a good friend of mine that barely cares about sports anymore because of athlete’s attitudes and I don’t blame him. I hope Aaron Curry is the first of many athletes that are genuinely good people.

Aaron Curry with Bryson Merriweather, a cancer patient from Alabama.

Aaron Curry with Bryson Merriweather, a cancer patient from Alabama.

– A lot of times you hear stories about high school basketball players that don’t care about going to college and last year there was Brandon Jennings that didn’t want to go to college and instead chose to play basketball overseas until his was eligible to play in the NBA. Time will tell if his experiment worked but here’s a story thats a little different.  Jeremy Tyler is a high school junior thats deciding to skip his senior year of high school to play in Europe. Apparently, the competition isn’t up to his level and instead of transferring schools to play against tougher players, he’s skipping his senior year and college to play overseas. Personally, I look at these situations in case by case fashion because in some cases, college doesn’t help. Lebron James would not have gained anything from college, and the NCAA would have reaped all the benefits without Lebron seeing any of it. I like the way the NBA has it where players have to be one year removed from high school. It makes the college game so much better. In fact, I think that the NBA should employ the MLB’s way of doing things. If a player chooses to enter the draft, its up to that player. But if they go to college, they have to stay for at least three seasons. That way, the college game doesn’t suffer and the NBA gets quality players.  As far as Tyler goes, I’ve seen highlights of him and he’s NBA-ready right now. If playing against grown men helps him, then more power to him. Playing in Europe will be a learning experience and he can always go back to school.  I just hope some other kid that isn’t as good doesn’t try the same stunt and end up throwing away an education as well as a career.

Jeremy Tyler

Jeremy Tyler

– I hate catch-22’s. For example, I like Lebron James and he deserves every penny of his next contract. The problem is, his next contract won’t be coming from the Knicks. I’ve come to terms with that. Now, the Knicks are desperate to get under the cap to sign either Lebron (who will likely stay with his Eastern Conference powerhouse Cavaliers), Wade (who will either go to his hometown Bulls or stay in Miami), or Bosh (who shouldn’t be a number one go-to player). The Knicks are risking losing one or two players in David Lee and Nate Robinson to have a low payroll and have an opportunity to sign a big time free agent. What if they get way under the cap and don’t bring in any free agents? Then where are we?

– All I can say about my Mets is that the season is only 14 games old and there’s plenty of time for them to right the ship. This team is too talented to be playing the way they have been. On the bright side, at least they haven’t given up 22 runs, including 14 in the second inning.

– Lance Stephenson is starting to annoy me. At this point, is he really going to St. John’s or is that just a ploy to keep people interested? Just commit already and stop teasing fans the way Bryce Brown did to Miami fans!!!

– And finally, I think that everyone should take time to read about any pay homage to the 1936 Long Island University basketball team for standing up for what they felt was right and upholding their convictions as a team. They declined to play int he 1936 Olympics in Berlin because of Hitler’s oppression of the Jews, even though they would have been an easy favorite to win a gold medal. The team is being inducted into the Jewish Hall of Fame this Sunday on April 26th.

LIUs 1936 starting five.

LIU's 1936 starting five.

Any questions or comments? Email me at s_talouis@yahoo.com. You can also listen to me on Keeping It Real Sports on Mondays from 7pm-9pm. For information, visit www.kirsnow.com and also visit www.showoffradio.net.

Mock Draft 3.0

In Uncategorized on April 11, 2009 at 9:34 PM

So the pro days are just about done, and with the Jay Cutler trade, there could be some changes made. There are also some rumblings about the 49ers looking at Mark Sanchez, but I’ll get into that later on.

On a more personal note, I think the Giants pulled the Plax plug a little too soon. I don’t think he’s going to do any jail time and the Giants aren’t a contender without him. However, I can see it from the Giants point of view. I see why they would cut him, but its almost as if they’re cutting off their nose to spite their face.

1. Detroit Lions – Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia – Live I’ve been saying, you can’t pass up on a potential franchise quarterback. I know the Lions could possibly take Jason Smith from Baylor. Taking a lineman number one overall worked out for the Dolphins. But the Dolphins also had Bill Parcells in the front office and a rejuvenated Chad Pennington fell into their laps. This is a completely different situation. This is a team with an inept front office, a first year head coach, and a lot of other issues. I know they’re afraid after the Joey Harrington debacle, but they need a quarterback.

2. St. Louis Rams – Jason Smith, OT, Baylor – The Rams essentially are an offensive line away from being a playoff team. You know going in that they’re going to run the ball so they’ll definately be addressing the line.

3. Kansas City Chiefs – Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest – Aaron Curry could really be the number one overall pick. He’s that good.

4. Seattle Seahawks – Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia – Whats all this about the Seahawks taking Mark Sanchez? Why do that when you have a very capable Matt Hasselbeck? They’ll have to pay Sanchez a lot to ride the bench for a few years. They could trade out of this spot to take a wideout, but if not Monroe is a solid pick here.

5. Cleveland Browns – Brian Orakpo, LB/DE, Texas – Orakpo’s versatility is what makes him so attractive. Mangini shouldn’t have the same excuses with him that he did with Vernon Gholston.

6. Cincinnati Bengals – Andre Smith, OT, Alabama – The Bengals always take guys with questionable backgrounds. Why should this pick be any different?

7. Oakland Raiders – Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech – Al Davis will not, I repeat, WILL NOT, pass up on a chance to take Crabtree if he’s there. Then again, what the hell do I know? The smart pick would be a lineman.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri – The difference between Maclin and Heyward-Bey is really Maclin’s return ability. I think MoJo is going to get a good amount of snaps in the backfield so I wouldn’t use him in the return game as much. That said, Maclin is a great returner and they wouldn’t miss a beat with him back there.

9. Green Bay Packers – BJ Raji, DT, Boston College – Do you really think that this whole allegation of a failed drug test for Raji is going to affect him? He’s the best defensive line prospect in the draft. They can’t afford to pass on him. And call me naive, but he’s disputing the test and I believe him. The smart thing to do if a test comes up positive is to admit it… unless you didn’t fail it.

10. San Francisco 49ers – Everette Brown, DE, Florida St. – I don’t think that the Niners would take another quarterback knowing how Shaun Hill has played and how much they’ve invested in Alex Smith.

11. Buffalo Bills – Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss – As much as taking Aaron Maybin would be nice here, why would the Bills draft another defensive end when they have Schobel and Kelsay there on the edges? Especially when they have a need along the offensive line?

12. Denver Broncos – Brian Cushing, LB, USC – There is no way BJ Raji is falling to the Broncos here, even though he’d be an awesome pickup for them. I wouldn’t be surprised if they traded up to take him. If they don’t, Cushing is a good pick for them.

13. Washington Redskins – Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU – Jackson’s stock has risen over the past few weeks, and the Redskins could use someone to play opposite of Andre Carter. Plus, Albert Haynesworth is going to draw a lot of attention and may free things up for Jackson and Carter.

14. New Orleans Saints – Chris Wells, RB, Ohio St. – The Saints might be looking to get a Deuce McAllister type player to complement Reggie Bush. If not, Vontae Davis makes the most sense here.

15. Houston Texans – Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois – Davis is virtually a steal here for the Texans. They need help in the secondary and Davis could be a playmaker.

16. San Diego Chargers – Rey Maualuga, LB, USC – Rey Rey reminds me of Junior Seau and he could help solidify that linebacking corps with Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips.

17. New York Jets – Mark Sanchez, QB, USC – All these rumors about Sanchez to Jacksonville and San Francisco don’t make much sense to me on a few levels. 1) Jacksonville has David Garrard as a starter it wouldn’t make sense to pay Sanchez that much to be a backup. 2) San Francisco has cheaper alternatives in Shaun Hill and Alex Smith, especially the way Hill played toward the end of last season. The Jets have a legitimate need at quarterback and the options they have aren’t starters. It doesn’t matter if Ratliff has a strong arm because he’s shown it off against backup defenders. I wouldn’t put it past the Jets to trade up for Sanchez, either.

18. Denver Broncos – Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn St. – Now that the Broncos have addressed a need at linebacker, they should address another need and pick a pass rusher. The Cutler trade worked out better for the Bears because they got a franchise quarterback. The Broncos may have taken a few steps back but they can build on the picks they have and take advantage of the weak AFC West.

19. Tampa Bay Bucanneers – Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas St. – Its always nice to have the highest paid tight end in football, but who the hell is going to pass to him?

20. Detroit Lions – Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee – The Lions need a pass rusher and Ayers’ stock has been rising since his pro day where he showed a lot of versatility.

21. Philadelphia Eagles – Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia – I’ve said this before and I’ll keep saying it. If Moreno is available when Philly is on the clock, as a Giants fan, I won’t be comfortable.

22. Minnesota Vikings – Percy Harvin, WR, Florida – His durability is an issue, but not only is this kid versatile but he’s a lot stronger than people give him credit for.

23. New England Patriots – Malcolm Jenkins, CB/S, Ohio St. – Last season, Aqib Talib could have been an option, but I really feel like Jenkins is a great value pick for the Pats right here.

24. Atlanta Falcons – Clay Matthews, LB, USC – The Falcons lost Michael Boley to the Giants but could have a capable replacement in Matthews.

25. Miami Dolphins – Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland – The Dolphins don’t have a lot of depth at wide reciever and whatever Sparano did for Ginn may work for Heyward-Bey.

26. Baltimore Ravens – James Laurinitis, LB, Ohio St. – The Ravens might be looking to replace Bart Scott and Laurinitis is a tough, gritty linebacker that fits into their system.

27. Indianapolis Colts – Evander “Ziggy” Hood, DT, Missouri – The Colts could use the interior presence to help out Brock and Dwight Freeney.

28. Philadelphia Eagles – Eben Britton, OT, Arizona – Britton gets a lot of comparisons to Joe Thomas. And all he’s done is go to a Pro Bowl in his first two seasons.

29. New York Giants – Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina – In my opinion, the Giants showed their hand too early by cutting Plaxico Burress. The consensus was that they would likely draft a wide reciever but now that they don’t have Plax, its pretty much a foregone conclusion that they’ll take a wideout. They still have options though. I would consider trading this pick, along with one of the second rounders to Arizona for Anquan Boldin. Torry Holt is also available.

30. Tennessee Titans – Michael Johnson, DE, Arizona – I still like this pick for Tennessee.

31. Arizona Cardinals – LeSean McCoy, RB, Pitt – I don’t know if JJ Arrington is still a factor in Arizona so McCoy would look good here. With Tim Hightower getting a majority of the snaps and Edgerrin James being used a blocker, McCoy would be essential.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers – Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest – Like I said before, the Steelers could look to replace Bryant McFadden or maybe they draft an offensive lineman like William Beatty, Alex Mack, or Max Unger.

So there’s version 3. It might be the last. Once again, here are a few things going on in the sports world that have caught my eye.

– I told you that Courtney Paris would be eating her words, and stupid Oklahoma won’t let her pay back the scholarship. I don’t care if her dad is rich, it still would have been funny because I’m tired of these damn athlete guarantees.

– So Jack Elway decided he doesn’t want to play football anymore. My question is, why did he wait this long? You get all the way to Arizona St and you (the son of legendary quarterback John Elway) don’t want to play football anymore. Nice one.

–  Who didn’t expect UNC to win the national title? Now we get to hear how bad of a pro Tyler Hansbrough will be but he’ll get drafted because of his heart and toughness. Yay.

– Andrew Gallo isn’t just one guy that got drunk one time and caused a hit and run. Gallo is a disgusting human being and his possible 55 year sentence for killing Nick Adenhart is not nearly enough. Its one thing if its a first time offense, but he’s a multiple offender with a suspended license. Nick Adenhart will be missed.

Mock Draft 2.0

In Uncategorized on March 11, 2009 at 9:30 AM

After some deliberation, some input from readers, and retooling, I’ve put together my second mock draft. There have been some changes around the NFL since my last mock draft, and those changes have forced me to make some changes of my own. So, without further delay, here we go.

1. Detroit Lions- Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia- I still think the Lions need a franchise quarterback. If you have the number one overall pick and there’s a franchise quarterback to be had, take him.

2. St. Louis Rams- Jason Smith, OT, Baylor- Jason Smith has gone from a backup tight end to a little known offensive lineman to the premier offensive tackle in this year’s draft.

3. Kansas City Chiefs- Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest- Not only is Curry’s stock rising extremely fast, but the Chiefs fixed their gaping hole at quarterback by trading for Matt Cassel. Is Matt Cassel going to be exposed by playing on a bad team? Absolutely. But they did get a quarterback. As far as Curry goes, he’ll be learning under the wily veteran Vrabel.

4. Seattle Seahawks- Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech- Even though the Seahawks snagged TJ Whos-Yo-Mama (Houshmanzadeh for those of you who don’t get the joke) I think they’d be out of their minds to pass up on Crabtree. He’ll be ready for rookie camp even with surgery, and barring anything insane, he’ll still be the best wideout to come out this year. Besides, Houshmanzadeh doesn’t strike me as a downfield threat. He’s a very good possession reciever. Crabtree is a big play waiting to happen.

5. Cleveland Browns- Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas – Orakpo had a hell of a combine, and he ran a 4.63. Thats pretty scary. Mangini plans on playing the 3-4 in Cleveland and Orakpo can play defensive end and outside linebacker.

6. Cincinnati Bengals- Andre Smith, OT, Alabama- Smith is going to drop but not by much. He’s still talented and apparently, he’s had good private workouts and interviews.

7. Oakland Raiders- Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia- I’m sticking with this pick. I really think this is a smart yet safe pick for the Raiders. They have the strong armed mobile quarterback they wanted. They have the impact running back they wanted. How about a blocker or two?

8. Jacksonville Jaguars- Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland- Did anyone catch this kid’s 40 yard dash? Part of me wants to put him ahead of Crabtree (its not too late for that) but I want to see what he does at his pro day.

9. Green Bay Packers- BJ Raji, DT, Boston College- With the Packers making the transition into a 3-4 defense, getting Raji is even more important because he’s the prototypical nose tackle that eats up blockers and makes his linebackers free to do their thing… or “thang” depending on how you like it.

10. San Francisco 49ers- Everette Brown, DE, Florida St.- I’m really tempted to say Mark Sanchez here because Alex Smith is all but done, Shaun Hill is not the future, and JT O’Sullivan sucks. However, I don’t know if the 49ers want to draft another quarterback with a top 10 pick after what happened with Smith, and they certainly have other needs to address.

11. Bufffalo Bills- Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss- The Bills went out and got Mr. Owens, so now they need someone to keep Trent Edwards/JP Losman upright so he can get the ball to T.O.  Honestly, is Owens really going to make a difference on that team? I mean, Lee Evans is the present and future of that recieving corps, and Marshawn Lynch is really good. What will T.O. bring to the table outside of locker room drama?

12. Denver Broncos- Brian Cushing, OLB, USC- The Broncos need to revamp their defense, and they started by bringing in Brian Dawkins to be a leader in the secondary. Cushing could be a vital part of the defense right away.

13. Washington Redskins- Rey Maualuga, LB, USC- The Skins went out and spent a ton of money in free agency. Albert Haynesworth helps the defense on all three levels and Rey Maualuga will benefit and flourish in Washington’s defense.

14. New Orleans Saints- Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois- I wanted to go with Malcolm Jenkins here but with his subpar 40 time may influence teams to move him to safety. Davis had an excellent combine and the Saints need to go cornerback here.

15. Houston Texans- Chris Wells, RB, Ohio St.- The Texans cut Ahman Green and rumor has it they wanted to sign Cedric Benson. It would be smart to have two quality guys back there and Wells is a bruiser.

16. San Diego Chargers- James Laurinitis, LB, Ohio St.- This might be a little early to take Laurinitis but now that the Chargers restructured LT’s contract and franchised Darren Sproles, I don’t see where Knowshon Moreno would fit. They do need help at defense so maybe they can trade down to take him later.

17. New York Jets- Mark Sanchez, QB, USC- Sanchez never belonged in the top five. He’s good but not great. The only other spot he could go is 10 to the 49ers but they just resigned Alex Smith to a longer deal. The Jets need a quarterback. I don’t know how confident I would be going into the season with Brett Radcliffe and Kellen Clemens.

18. Chicago Bears- Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU- The Bears need help on defense and Vontae Davis won’t be available.

19. Tampa Bay Bucanneers- Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas St.- The Bucanneers need to bring a young quarterback or else no one will take their offense seriously. Kellen Winslow Jr. is a weapon but he needs someone to throw to him.

20. Detroit Lions- Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia- Some people objected to my suggestion that the Lions should take a quarterback and a running back in the first round, and they have a good point. The Lions need help on defense. However, why pass on talent like Moreno?

21. Philadelphia Eagles- Eben Britton, OT, Arizona- The Eagles have lost some guys along the offensive line and they’ll need to rebuild.

22. Minnesota Vikings- Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri- Maclin has excellent return ability and I don’t expect him to fall this far. If the Bucs don’t take a quarterback, he might be an option.

23. New England Patriots- Malcolm Jenkins, CB/S, Ohio St.- Let me be clear about this. Malcolm Jenkins, going into the combine, was a top five to ten pick. His slow 4o time made him the second best cornerback prospect this year. Maybe even third. If Jenkins really does move to safety, the Patriots should take him. I really don’t expect Jenkins to fall this far. Someone might trade up to take him earlier.

24. Atlanta Falcons- Larry English, DE, Northern Illinois- This pick is really becoming a no-brainer.

25. Miami Dolphins- Percy Harvin, WR, Florida- I don’t see why the Dolphins wouldn’t go with the hometown guy here. And yes, I know that Gainesville isn’t the same as Miami. Florida is Florida to New Yorkers like me.

26. Baltimore Ravens- Alex Mack, C, California- Max Unger could also be a pick here but I think Mack is a little better than Unger. The Ravens can also go corner here with Alphonso Smith.

27. Indianapolis Colts- Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss- The Colts look serious about getting some help on the defensive interior.

28. Philadelphia Eagles- Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee- Ayers isn’t a guy a lot of people are talking about and the Eagles didn’t really have a consistent pass rush so this could be a good pick for them.

29. New York Giants- Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina- The last time the Giants drafted someone in the first round from UNC, his name was Lawrence Taylor… I’m just saying. His guy is highlight waiting to happen and the Giants have already addressed their needs on defense by bringing in Rocky Bernard, Chris Canty, and Mike Boley.

30. Tennessee Titans- Michael Johnson, DE, Arizona- The Titans need help along the defensive line with the departure of Albert Haynesworth.

31. Arizona Cardinals- Clay Matthews, LB, USC- The Cardinals could also go with LeSean McCoy here because of his versatility and catching ability. Until then, I think they might want to bring back Edge to share the backfield with Tim Hightower.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers- Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest- The Steelers haven’t lost much and they may want to replace Bryant McFadden with Smith.

Alright, so thats version 2. Leave me a comment if you agree, disagree, or you just think I’m an ass. As always, here are a few things swirling around the sports world that intrigue me.

– Courtney Paris,  the senior center from the University of Oklahoma has guaranteed a national championship for the Sooners. In fact, she says if they don’t win, she’ll pay back her entire athletic scholarship, totaling about $64,000. Does Courtney realize that the average WNBA salary is between $60,000 and $65,000? And does she also know that UConn is 33-0? This is the 7th time UConn has won 30 or more games in a season, and every time they did so, except for one time…. they’ve gone on to win the national title. Lofty goal, Courtney. Lofty goal. I guess you and your twin sister Ashley are going to be sharing that first year salary.

– Shame on Philadelphia. In these economic times, they have the audacity to fire someone over expressing themselves on Facebook. It wasn’t even like he was a front office employee. He was a gate chief and they fired him over the phone. A place he’s been working for over six years. And to top it all off, what he wrote didn’t even make sense. “Dan is [expletive] devastated about Dawkins signing with Denver … Dam Eagles R Retarted!!” I didn’t realized damn was spelled “dam” and retarded was actually “retarted”. Don’t even get me started on his variation of the word “are”. Then again, it’s Facebook.

– How the hell did the Netherlands beat the Dominican Republic in the WBC?? I mean, they’re Dutch. On the bright side, at least know I know that Jose Reyes is going to back with the team for spring training.

– It sucks to see the Mets cut Duaner Sanchez. Ever since that cab accident, he hasn’t been the guy we brought in from the Dodgers. At this point, I just hope he gets better and plays for someone.

– The St. Johns Red Storm beat the Georgetown Hoyas in the first round of the Big East tournament. I really hope that this is indicative of St. Johns being relevant in college basketball again.

Questions or comments? Email me at s_talouis@yahoo.com, and don’t forget to listen to Keeping It Real Sports on Mondays from 7pm-9pm. Log on to kirsnow.com and join for all the perks. And then log on to showoffradio.net and join so you can listen to Showoff Radio on Mondays from 9pm-11pm.


Mock Draft 1.0

In Stanley Talouis, Uncategorized on February 16, 2009 at 12:19 PM

Yes, people. That’s right. Now that I just watched the Pro Bowl, I’ve come to grips with the fact that the NFL season is over. Luckily, I get to watch the NFL Network and get myself ready for the NFL draft, which in essence is like a season by itself with all the pro days, combines, and workouts. So, technically, the season hasn’t really ended. Score one for Stan.

Now before I  get on with my first (of many) mock draft of the year, I want to put a few things out there.

1. I met Scott Steiner at Target the other day.

2. This mock draft will not take into consideration trades. I’m only human people.

3. I met Scott Steiner at Target the other day.

4. This mock draft will change over the coming weeks and months, so expect some changes.

So here we go. Oh… by the way, did I mention that I met Scott Steiner at Target the other day? I’m a huge fan.

1. Detroit Lions- Matthew Stafford QB, Georgia- If they don’t take Matthew Stafford here, then I really believe that Matt Millen is secretly still working for the organization ala Isaiah Thomas. The one thing you can point to as the reason for the Lions continued crappiness (besides horrible defense, bad coaching, and abysmal front office moves) is quarterback play. At one point, their starting quarterback was Dan Orlovsky. Yeah, that Dan Orlovsky. They could also go offensive line here, but I think if they’re going to fix the line, they should trade down.

2. St. Louis Rams- Andre Smith, OT, Alabama- The Rams have really been lacking a presence along the offensive line since the days of Orlando Pace. Part of me feels like they’ll go for a defensive guy since Steve Spagnuolo is the new head coach but they need a lot more than defense. What they need is consistency on offense. Later on in the year, the Rams found a threat in Donnie Avery but if they can keep Marc Bulger off his back and maybe clear some lanes for Steven Jackson, they’ll be fine.

3. Kansas City Chiefs- Mark Sanchez, QB, USC- Again, I’m not completely sold on Sanchez. I think he came out a bit early, I think he’s a little above average and he’ll be exposed on a talentless team. Granted, there’s Dwayne Bowe, but with Larry Johnson possibly on his way out and Tony Gonzalez looking for a trade, that offense isn’t going to be that great. Don’t be surprised if the Chiefs trade down here.

4. Seattle Seahawks- Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech – I was conflicted here because I think the Seahawks could take a running back here but it would be almost impossible for them to pass up on a guy like Crabtree. I still wouldn’t be surprised if they traded down to take a running back. They have the wideouts, they just couldn’t stay healthy this past season.

5. Cleveland Browns- Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn St. – The Browns need an impact pass rusher and I think the difference between Florida St’s Everette Brown and Maybin is very slight. That said, I like Maybin more and I think he’ll play well for Eric Mangini.

6. Cincinnati Bengals- Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest – The Bengals could go offensive line here but I think they still have issues on the defense. With the continued development of Keith Rivers, Aaron Curry could flourish with the Bengals. I also could have gone with Everette Brown here.

7. Oakland Raiders- Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia – The Raiders took Darren McFadden last year and he did absolutely nothing. Needless to say, the Raiders may want to consider drafting someone to actually block for him. But hey, what do I know?

8. Jacksonville Jaguars- Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri – The Jaguars have had issues at wide reciever for a while and I think Maclin is a perfect fit. He doubles as a returner and he could help that not-so-dynamic offense of the Jaguars.

9. Green Bay Packers- B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College – The Packers would be smart to take the best available player here and I think Raji is that player. The Packers offense is set with what they have in place and the defense is starting to come together. If they bring a big defensive tackle that could plug up some holes up front, it would allow their linebackers to do some good things.

10. San Francisco 49ers- Jason Smith, OT, Baylor – I think the 49ers could go a number of directions here, especially with Mike Singletary staying as head coach. But, I think they should have an offense built around Frank Gore and Jason Smith is a pretty good run blocker and will be an even better pass blocker for Alex Smith.

11. Buffalo Bills- Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma St. – The Bills’ defense kept them in a lot of games last season and their offense is starting to come together. With some consistency at quarterback and a guy like Pettigrew as a safety net for Trent Edwards/JP Losman, the Bills will be a factor in the AFC East.

12. Denver Broncos- Everette Brown, DE, Florida St. – The Broncos really get on my nerves. They never take anyone great on defense. They always bring in defensive players as free agents. They can’t pass up on Brown.

13. Washington Redskins- Rey Maualuga, LB, USC – This actually scares me because I’ve seen a lot of what a healthy Rey-Rey can do. Hell, Rey-Rey at 75% scares me. As much as I’d like to see him as a Giant, it’s not going to happen and I have to be stuck with him in the division.

14. New Orleans Saints- Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas – The Saints took Sedrick Ellis last year and they need to keep adding on to that defense. They can also go cornerback here but I think the more pressing matter is along the line.

15. Houston Texans- Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio St. – As much as I think the Texans would be willing to go offense here, I think they’re satisfied with Steve Slaton getting the majority of the snaps and they could always grab a back later on in the draft. What they should address here is their lack of an impact cornerback.

16. San Diego Chargers- Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland – Do you really think the Chargers are dumb enough to get rid of the best running back in the NFL? With LT and Sproles, where are the Chargers going to put a guy like Beanie Wells or Knowshon Moreno? They should get another target for Rivers and bring in Heyward-Bey to spread the defense and keep guys out of the box for LT.

17. New York Jets – Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas St. – With the recent retirement of Brett Favre, the Jets can’t possibly go into next season with Brett Radcliffe as the projected starting quarterback. Josh Freeman is a big, strong-armed quarterback. He’s been getting a lot of comparisons to Joe Flacco and we all know what happened there. I think with Rex Ryan as the new head coach, he’ll be willing to give Freeman a “baptism by fire” the way Flacco was handled last year.

18. Chicago Bears- Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois – The Bears lack depth in the secondary and Davis is considered to be one of the top corners in college football. Plus, it helps that he’s sort of a hometown guy and has a good football pedigree as his older brother is Vernon Davis.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Percy Harvin, WR, Florida – Tampa Bay needs a quarterback, there’s no doubt about that. However, I don’t know if I’d use a first round pick on a guy like Nate Davis. Harvin would probably be the best available prospect on the board at this point, so I’d definately take him here.

20. Detroit Lions- Chris Wells, RB, Ohio St. – The Lions at this point will have already taken a quarterback. Now they need to address more needs on offense. Most teams have implemented the two-back system. With Kevin Smith and Beanie Wells in the same backfield, the Lions may have some sort of consistency on offense.

21. Philadelphia Eagles- Brian Cushing, OLB, USC – The Eagles were 4th last season in rushing defense. What they need is an instinctive, tough linebacker to keep that trend going. Cushing has great instincts and is as tough as they come.

22. Minnesota Vikings- Cornelius Ingram, TE, Florida- The Vikings have never addressed their needs at tight end and I think this is as good of a time as any. Ingram is coming off of a national championship and despite not having great numbers, its simply because he was on a team with a number of different playmakers.

23. New England Patriots- Louis Delmas, S, Western Michigan – The Patriots are going to be looking to replace Rodney Harrison. Unfortunately, Taylor Mays went back to school, so they’ll have to settle for Delmas, who isn’t exactly a gamebreaker.

24. Atlanta Falcons- Larry English, DE, Northern Illinois – With John Abraham having health issues, English might not be his replacement but it’ll be more of an insurance policy. The Falcons already have a good offense that led them to the playoffs and under Mike Smith, English could prosper.

25. Miami Dolphins- Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU – The Dolphins defense is still aging and Vonnie Holliday is on his way out of the league. Jackson is one of those guys that flew under the radar at LSU with Glenn Dorsey being the star two seasons ago and Ricky Jean-Francois getting all the attention this past season.

26. Baltimore Ravens- Clay Matthews, OLB, USC – The Ravens are going to have a tough time bringing back Ray Lewis, Bart Scott, and Terrell Suggs. Don’t be surprised if Lewis leaves and the Ravens have Scott fill in his spot and take a guy like Matthews to come in and be another piece to that defense.

27. Indianapolis Colts- Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss – The Colts will finally be completely healthy on offense and they need a run stopping defensive tackle on defense. With Foster and Dawson still developing, the Colts are going to have to rotate guys into the defensive line.

28. Philadelphia Eagles- Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma – The Eagles were 22nd last year in rushing offense. Robinson was part of an offensive line that blocked for two 1,000 yard rushers.

29. New York Giants- James Laurinitis, LB, Ohio St. – The Giants seemed to lack intensity from the defensive side of the ball late in the season. Whether it was because Justin Tuck was being triple-teamed while fighting the flu, or if it was because of whatever may have been distracting Antonio Pierce, the Giants couldn’t get it done against an inferior Eagles team that could barely run the ball.  Laurinitis, as well as the return of Osi Umenyiora should help those matters.

30. Tennessee Titans- Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers – Personally, I don’t think Britt is a first round caliber talent, and I think the Titans would be better off trading up for a wide receiver. Unfortunately, I’m not a fortune teller so this pick will have to do.

31. Arizona Cardinals- Fili Moala, DT, USC – The Cardinals were horrible on defense and their offense literally carried them to the playoffs. Even with the possible departure of Anquan Boldin and Kurt Warner, the Cardinals still have a playoff caliber team because they play in the NFC West. The Cards will have to fix that defense and they should start with Moala.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers- DJ Moore, CB, Vanderbilt – The Steelers have no major holes. They’re bringing everyone back on both sides of the ball, and there’s no reason to believe the defense won’t be as good as it was before. At this point, all they can do is add some depth along the offensive line or in the secondary.

Now, I know what you’re thinking and I agree. How can I have a mock draft with Knowshon Moreno? You know what? This is the first of several mock drafts. Until I’m convinced that the Chargers are going to get rid of LT, I can’t see them taking another running back. I also thought they Lions could have taken him, but then that leaves Wells out of the mix. You see what I’m saying? This isn’t easy.

Thoughts on Reggie Miller…

In Uncategorized on February 4, 2009 at 11:53 PM

I know, its not much of a title but right now I’m extremely livid. I’m very upset at what Reggie Miller had to say about Knicks fans that were in attendance for Kobe’s 61 point game. Reggie says he was disappointed in the fans that were there because they were chanting MVP for Kobe. Now, I’m not the type to chant for an opponent, but who is Reggie Miller to be disappointed in any fanbase? Kobe is a three time champion, and he’s been to the NBA Finals five times. Kobe is also a former league MVP.

I’m not making excuses for the Knicks or their fans, but for the past 8 years, we’ve had absolutely nothing to be proud of. If the fans want to cheer for Kobe, let them. Is Reggie jealous because the Knicks fans never cheered for him? I think Mr. Miller should really take a step back and worry about his Pacers before thinking about what the Knicks fans are doing.

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New Year… Same Blog… Or Is It?

In Uncategorized on January 26, 2009 at 6:08 PM

Before I get started in my usual rant, I just want to say that Brody Jenner is singlehandedly emasculating every man between the ages of 18-35 by going forward with this travesty of a tv show on MTV called Bromance. I’m tired of this whole “bromance”, “bros over hoes”, “man-hug” culture. There’s nothing wrong with hanging out with the fellas, but when you have to put a label like “bromance” on it, thats just being a little weird. Alright… now let’s get to the sports.

We’re a week away from the “Feel-Good” Super Bowl. Seriously people. What is there to hate in this game? Almost every year, there’s a team to hate. Last year it was the Patriots. The year before I couldn’t stand Lovie Smith’s inability to pick a quarterback. Before that, I despised the stupid Seahawks and their stupid stadium. See the trend here? There’s always something to hate on… except in this case. This year we have the Pittsburgh Steelers. The tough, blue collar team that wins with defense led by a young, talented quarterback and a smart head coach. And then you throw in the fact that we could have a second black head coach win a Super Bowl in three years. And if thats not enough for you, the Steelers would get their seventh Super Bowl championship since the Lombardi Trophy was created, which would put them behind the Cowboys for second all time.

On the flip side, there’s the Arizona Cardinals. The sexy pick. A nice young team lead by the guy who’s been there before. Kurt Warner is the quarterback this team needs. Who better to make this is a Cinderella story than the Cinderella Man himself? And he’s got the notorious G.O.D. on his side.

“But the Cardinals don’t have a running game!” Really? The same Cardinals team that has a combined 335 rushing yards between Edgerrin James and Tim Hightower? Thats right. Edge is leading the postseason in rushing yards.

“But the Cardinals don’t have a good defense!” Really? The same Cardinals team that forced six turnovers against what was considered the second best team in the NFC? The same Cardinals team that held Donovan McNabb to a first half passer rating of 2.2 in the NFC Championship? Oh yeah, there’s no way that defense is any good.

Part of me wants to see the Cardinals win because they never have, and likely never will… because they’re the Cardinals. Wherever they go, they suck. Chicago, St. Louis, Arizona, friggin Guam… it doesn’t matter. The Cardinals, up until this season, have been a cursed franchise. Almost as cursed as the Cubs.

The other part of me wants to see the Steelers win because they’re the best team remaining. The team is stocked with good guys. Ben Roethlisberger didn’t come from any fancy quarterback factory like USC. He went Miami of Ohio. Hines Ward was a third round pick. James Harrison was an undrafted free agent who, at one point, drove a bus and now he’s the Defensive Player of the Year. Whats not to like?

Personally, I think the Steelers are going to win because they’re better. They’re battle tested and they’ve come out clean. They had the toughest schedule in football, and some would say the toughest schedule of the past 25 years and they still managed 10+ wins. Kurt Warner is a fumble waiting to happen, and James Harrison lead the league in forced fumbles. I don’t know if you could have a better situation for the Steelers without actually rigging this.

As far as my Giants go, I’m disappointed to see them lose… especially to a team like the Eagles because its no secret that the Cardinals would have been floating up the proverbial creek without a paddle if they had to play the NFC Championship in the Meadowlands. Moving forward, I’m looking forward to the draft. Anyone who knows me, knows that I’m well on my to being a draft guru. The Giants have glaring holes at wide reciever and could look to upgrade their linebacking corps. With the 29th pick in the draft, the Giants will probably take a linebacker. Luckily, they’ll have options. Even though its a little early to tell, I can see them drafting a guy like James Laurinitis or Brian Cushing. If they could bring in a guy like Hakeem Nicks from UNC, it’d be a good addition. I don’t see any free agent that piques my interest, especially at wide reciever. TJ Houshmanzadeh is good. He runs precise routes, he has great hands but how often does he really break a huge touchdown run? Is he really a playmaker or does he benefit from the attention that Chad Johnson gets. Another thing to keep in mind is that the Giants have a second and a fifth round pick from New Orleans for Jeremy Shockey. Also the Giants can acquire a first round pick from the Saints if they re-sign Jonathan Vilma before he becomes a free agent. If the Saints sign Vilma before February 27th, the Jets get a second round pick, and the Giants get a first. So, here’s hoping the Saints sign Vilma tomorrow.

As always, here are a few things I’ve been thinking about in the wide, wide world of sports.

– What kind of world do we live in where Eric Mangini gets a job almost immediately but guys that have won Super Bowls like Jon Gruden and Mike Shanahan are still waiting?

– So, should we officially start the timer for Vince Young’s next mental breakdown? I mean, Jeff Fisher pretty much said that not only is Kerry Collins coming back but he’ll start next season. So, we’re in agreement? Vince Young is going to shoot up the Titans facility like an underappreciated A/V club member?

– I would love it if the 49ers signed Mike Vick, not because I want to see Vick play again, but I think the locker room dynamic between him and Mike Singletary would be something they would have to make a reality show for.

– It turns out that Joe Torre had a few things to say about his former Yankee players. There’s a shock. Thanks Tom Verducci. Any other fresh stories you want to throw out there? I heard Manny Ramirez wants out of Boston. Maybe you want to cover this new Mets prospect, David Wright? Reggie Jackson’s coming to the Bronx, Tom. You might want to throw these stories in the book.

– Either Omar Minaya is really slick, or really stupid. Regardless, I have an ulcer now. Thanks, Omar.

– What’s up with high school coaches lately? They’re either killing kids in football practices in Kentucky, or beating the ever-loving snot out of girls with learning disabilities on the basketball court. 100-0? Really? I guess when it was 59-0 at halftime, he just decided, “Hey, who am I to take my foot off the gas?” Is this what we’ve become as a country? Anything for a W? Now, look… I’m not saying he should have kept it close just for the sake of keeping it close, but at least let them score. Put in your scrubs. Work on the passing game. Stop the full court press, perhaps.

– How about Chase Budinger eating some shoe the other night against the University of Houston?

– Does AJ Smith have a deathwish? Doesn’t know that if he continues down this road antagonizing LaDanian Tomlinson, his home will be ransacked and he’ll be run out of town ala Frankenstein’s monster? I guess he doesn’t realize who LT is and how much he means to San Diego.

– Stephon Marbury is upset because the Knicks won’t let him out of his contract so he can join the Celtics. There’s a shock. What did Steph think? That the Knicks were just going to hand him over to the defending NBA champs… within their division? Come on, Steph. I know you have a tattoo on the side of your head, but you’re not that stupid.

– Finally, I just wanted to take some time to remember NC State Wolfpack coach Kay Yow, who passed last week at the age of 66. She will be missed.

Questions or comments? Email me at s_talouis@yahoo.com.