Last night the Minnesota Vikings made one of the more surprising picks of the Draft when they selected QB Chris Ponder #12 overall. Unless the Donavon McNabb rumors come true, this shows they are ready to move in a new direction for QB, and not just this season, but from the past 25 years.
The past 25 years, the primary way Minnesota has found it’s starting quarterback is by finding a player who is past their prime and hope he can resurrect his career. As much as division rival Chicago is mocked for its inability to find a quarterback, the Vikings have had just as many problems finding some to replace Fran Tarkenton (3 Supersbowls, 9 Pro Bowls, 1975 MVP, Primary starting QB from 1961-1978 with a 4 year hitatus play for the Giants).
Here’s a look back at the primary starting quarterbacks who have been used for Minnesota the past 25 years starting with the most recent.
2009-2010: Bret Favre
Age 40 when he started playing for the Vikings and had already been in football for 18 seasons. Won a Super Bowl in Green Bay and played in another one. Was able to lead team to 2009 NFC Championship game before getting hurt his second year.
2008: Gus Frerotte
Age 38 when he started playing for the Vikings, had been in the NFL for 14 seasons and had primarily been a back up for the past 8 seasons for Denver, Cincinnati, Miami, St Louis and Minnesota. Went to a Pro Bowl as a member of the Washington Redskins. He Led Vikings to 8-3 record before getting hurt.
2007: Tavaris Jackson
Tavaris was drafted by the Vikings with the last pick of the 2nd round the previous year. He drafted to be the Quaterback of the future, but never panned out.
2005-2006: Brad Johnson
Age 37 when he started playing for the Vikings again and had been in the NFL for 13 seasons. Won a Super Bowl in Tampa and went to 2 Pro Bowls with Tampa and Washington. Went 7-2 in 2005 missing the playoffs by 1 game. Midway through the 2006 season, he had already set an NFL record for passes completed short of a first down on third down in a season.
2001-2005: Daunte Culpepper
Culpepper is the one success story for the Vikings. They drafted him 11th in 1999 and by 2001 he was starting. He was a 3 time pro-bolwer and graced the cover of Madden 2002. His stint with the Vikings didn’t end well with the boat cruise dilemma
1999: Jeff George
Age 32 when he started playing for the Vikings and this was already his 4th team in 9 Season. He was the 1st overall pick in 1990 and had medicore success with each of his first three stops Indy, Atlanta and Oakland. In 10 games as a starter went 8-2 and put up excellent numbers (23 touchdowns, 8.6 yards per attempt, a 94.2 rating) in leading Minnesota to the playoffs and a round 1 victory of the Giants. After the season, Minnesota did not resign him
1997-1999: Randall Cunningham
Age 35 when he started play for the Vikings and coming off 1 full season of retirement. Was a three time pro-bowler with Philadelphia. In 1997 he came in to replace Brad Johnson and led the Vikings to the 2nd round of the playoffs. In 1998 he guided the Vikings to a 15–1 regular season record with 34 touchdown passes and only 10 interceptions and took them to the NFC title game where the heavily favored Vikings were upset in Overtime by the Atlanta Falcons. After playing 6 games in 1999 he was benched due to poor performance
1996-1998: Brad Johnson
Johnson was taken in the 9th round in the 1992 draft and was primarily used as a back-up. He started only limited time in 1996 and had injury shortened 1997 and 1998 seasons.
1994-1996: Warren Moon
Age 38 when he started playing for the Vikings and had already been in football for 15 seasons. He was a 5 time Grey Cup Champions (CFL Title) 6 time pro bowl QB for Houston. Moon passed for 4,200+ yard in his first two seasons, but was injured and not resigned in 1996.
1993: Jim McMahon
Age 32 when he started playing for the Vikings and had already been in football for 11 seasons. He had won a Super Bowl with Chicago and went to one pro-bowl. He then bounced around 2 more teams before landing on the Vikings in 1993 and led them to the playoffs before being replaced by Warren Moon
1990-1992: Rich Gannon
1986-1989: Wade Wilson
Both of these two quarterbacks were late round draft picks that didn’t have much potential. They both had some success but were unable to sustain it for the Vikings
So that’s the past 25 years of quarterbacks for the Vikings. Four draft picks that didn’t pan out (3 of which were taken past the 4th round (4, 8 and 9) and were never expected to be good) 7 quarterbacks who were past their prime but were able to have one last good season for the Vikings and Daunte Culpepper.
So now we can ask the question, what does this all mean? Well as you can see, the Vikings did have some success with their old QBs, but none of them could sustain it for more than 3 seasons. They have been competitive using the model so why not look to sign Donvan McNabb for a year or two? It’s worked before and it can work again.
The only time they used a high overall pick on a QB (Culpepper), they had him sit on the bench for two years behind past their prime quarterbacks. After the two Years Culpepper thrived in the system and gave the Vikings their longest run of consistent quarterback play in a decade. The other quarterbacks they drafted were late round picks and never had much hope that they’d become the franchise quarterback even though they did spend time behind past their prime quarterbacks.
So is Minnesota the place QBs go to die? If they sign McNabb I think we can agree it is, but if you can get 1 more run out of them, that might not be a bad thing.
Jumat, 29 April 2011
Peter King Explains Bears and Ravens Non-Trade
Peter King led off his article today discussing the Bears and Ravens trade that didn't happen.
Chicago, picking 29th, and Baltimore, at 26, finalized a trade that would have had them switch slots, with the Ravens getting the Bears' fourth-round pick in return. Chicago would take Wisconsin tackle Gabe Carimi, and the Ravens, if Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith was still on the board, would take Smith at 29. With two minutes left in the Ravens' period, the deal was done.
Under NFL rules, each team has to report the trade to NFL draft headquarters at Radio City Music Hall. The Ravens called it in. They assumed Chicago called it in, but due to a miscommunication in the Bears' draft room, no one from Chicago ever called the league. As the clock ticked down to zero, and with Chicago on the phone with Carimi to tell him he was going to be their pick, Baltimore noticed no one at the league had announced the trade and Chicago's pick of Carimi. Meanwhile, Kansas City, with the 27th pick, rushed its card to the desk at Radio City, taking Pittsburgh wideout Jonathan Baldwin.
Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome, on an open line to New York, demanded to know why the trade hadn't gone through. Chicago never called to confirm it, Newsome was told. Baltimore was infuriated. The league didn't allow the trade. The Ravens picked Smith at 27 (not 26; Kansas City was awarded the 26th pick and took Baldwin, because the Chiefs got the pick in before the Ravens did), and the Bears got lucky, getting Carimi at 29.
"Whatever you hear, Baltimore did everything the right way," Bears GM Jerry Angelo told Chicago media. "There were a lot of things happening in the draft room. We were getting a lot of calls, we just ... dropped the ball. I dropped the ball. I can't say anything more than that."
All's well that ends well, you say? Not so fast. Angelo called Baltimore owner Steve Bisciotti to apologize, but Bisciotti wanted the fourth-round pick anyway, claiming it was part of the deal they'd agreed to. In fact, I'm told Bisciotti today will push to get the fourth-round pick, or to make the situation right in some way.
The league is under no obligation to do so, because the trade was never official. And maybe all's fair in love and draft-night trades, but as far as Baltimore's concerned, I don't think this one's over. I think the Ravens will ask the league to award them some compensation from Chicago before the draft resumes at 6 p.m. Eastern today. Stay tuned.
Chicago, picking 29th, and Baltimore, at 26, finalized a trade that would have had them switch slots, with the Ravens getting the Bears' fourth-round pick in return. Chicago would take Wisconsin tackle Gabe Carimi, and the Ravens, if Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith was still on the board, would take Smith at 29. With two minutes left in the Ravens' period, the deal was done.
Under NFL rules, each team has to report the trade to NFL draft headquarters at Radio City Music Hall. The Ravens called it in. They assumed Chicago called it in, but due to a miscommunication in the Bears' draft room, no one from Chicago ever called the league. As the clock ticked down to zero, and with Chicago on the phone with Carimi to tell him he was going to be their pick, Baltimore noticed no one at the league had announced the trade and Chicago's pick of Carimi. Meanwhile, Kansas City, with the 27th pick, rushed its card to the desk at Radio City, taking Pittsburgh wideout Jonathan Baldwin.
Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome, on an open line to New York, demanded to know why the trade hadn't gone through. Chicago never called to confirm it, Newsome was told. Baltimore was infuriated. The league didn't allow the trade. The Ravens picked Smith at 27 (not 26; Kansas City was awarded the 26th pick and took Baldwin, because the Chiefs got the pick in before the Ravens did), and the Bears got lucky, getting Carimi at 29.
"Whatever you hear, Baltimore did everything the right way," Bears GM Jerry Angelo told Chicago media. "There were a lot of things happening in the draft room. We were getting a lot of calls, we just ... dropped the ball. I dropped the ball. I can't say anything more than that."
All's well that ends well, you say? Not so fast. Angelo called Baltimore owner Steve Bisciotti to apologize, but Bisciotti wanted the fourth-round pick anyway, claiming it was part of the deal they'd agreed to. In fact, I'm told Bisciotti today will push to get the fourth-round pick, or to make the situation right in some way.
The league is under no obligation to do so, because the trade was never official. And maybe all's fair in love and draft-night trades, but as far as Baltimore's concerned, I don't think this one's over. I think the Ravens will ask the league to award them some compensation from Chicago before the draft resumes at 6 p.m. Eastern today. Stay tuned.
Noffke’s NFL Draft Round 1 Recap
Before I dive too much into this I first have to state I really don’t like instant analysis on the draft. Really we should wait a year or two to analysis who had a good draft. Too often I hear, “You know who had a good draft? The Patriots! They got good players, and filled some needs.” Well yeah, when a team has 6 picks in the top 90 I hope they have a good draft. So I don’t want to hear any of that crap. I am just going to go through some quick thoughts.
Cam Newton being the #1 pick: I think he could be good, but I don’t trust him. He was a 1 year wonder, and he has a very checkered past. He got in trouble while at Florida or he never would have left, then he “shopped” around for a new team to play for, but didn’t know about it. Great. I just heard Mike Lombardi from the NFL network say, “With one year guys, you don’t look forward, you look backwards. You look at what reasons made the guy a 1 year wonder.” I think that’s the case here, let’s see why he wasn’t better longer.
Also, TMQ brought up an interesting point. Look at BCS winning quarterbacks in the pros? Here’s a list of the 12 BCS winning QBs who have played in the NFL.
1. Tee Martin – Tennessee: Never did anything in the pros
2. Chris Wienke – Florida State: Never did anything in the pros
3. Josh Huepel – Oklahoma: Never did anything in the pros
4. Ken Doresy – Miami: Never did anything in the pros
5. Craig Krenzel – Ohio State: Started a few games for the Bears
6. Matt Mauk – LSU: Never did anything in the pros
7. Carson Palmer – USC: Good NFL Career with multiple pro bowls.
8. Vince Young – Texas: Started off promising, but didn’t sustain his level of play
9. Matt Lienart – USC: Never did anything in the pros
10. Chris Leak – Florida: Never did anything in the pros
11. Matt Flynn - LSU: Never did anything in the pros
12. Tim Tebow – Florida: Won two games as a rookie in limited action.
We’ll let Tebow be TBD and not count him. So 1.5 out of 11. Not a high success rate. These guys had great players around them which helped them thrive. Brees carried Purdue around for 3 years. Tennessee was good, not great when Peyton was there. Brady had great players around him at Michigan, but had to constantly fight with Drew Hensen for a starting job. These players learned how to play in tough situations which made them better. So needless to say, I’m penciling in Newton as a mediocre, but never great player.
While we are in Auburn, let’s talk about Nick Fairly to Detroit. Instantly everyone is excited to see Fairly play with Suh. I don’t think Fairly is anywhere near as good as Suh, and I am not convinced he’s going to be a good player in the NFL. He’s a one year player, and let’s take Lombardi’s advice and look back. He had to go to Jr College for 2 years before he could get into to Auburn cause he didn’t have the grades (think about that). He plays very high and tries to avoid contact, neither of which you want to see out of an interior lineman. If he plays high, the O-line will beat him up which could lead to injuries. He has to engage a player (or two) and then beat them to help the linebackers stay clean and flow to the football. He has a questionable work ethic, and we know how that turns out right after you pay that type of player a lot of money. I am predicting a very short NFL career for Mr. Fairly.
The Cardinals were smart, there was an obvious need for this team at QB in a very winnable division. However, they saw this draft had quarterback depth and didn’t value any of the top guys as high, so they took the best player in the draft in Patrick Petersen. I think Petersen is going to be a star, and playing inside can only help him utilize his speed. I see them grabbing Dalton or Mallet with their 2nd round pick.
The more amusing parts of the night came when the Falcons traded a whole bunch to get Julio Jones. Way to hold the Jersey the right way buddy. I can’t understand trading that much to get a WR. WR are a benefit, not a need. A smart d coordinator can eliminate a WR’s impact on the game easier then any other position. Unless they feel this guy is going to be a Randy Moss like talent (he’s not) or a Jerry Rice like work ethic (he won’t’) then I can’t see him making a big enough impact to warrant trading as much as they did. As ACSS draft expert Ryan Parrent pointed out, the Bears traded less for Jay Cutler, a proven NFL player. I don’t get it.
The dumbest part of the night came when the Vikings selected Chris Ponder with the 12th pick. I thought I had blacked out for 24 hours and it was the 12th pick of the 2nd round. I was just dumbfounded by this pick. I saw him play live against a very sub-par Boston College team, and I was not impressed. He doesn’t have the arm strength necessary to throw the 15-20 yards out which are necessary for playing in the NFL. He also has not proven to be durable, missing time in his final two years at FSU. While I am glad the Vikings took him, so they can waste 3-4 year figuring out he’s not that good, I don’t understand the pick.
Finally to the Bears. I think the trade they were trying to get through with Baltimore was to get Smith from Colorado, I don’t see any other reason why they’d try to move to that spot. Taking Camri at 29 is a good choice. He’s a solid offensive lineman who can play either tackle or either guard. I think they are going to try to get him to start at LT, but if he can’t beat out Williams or Omieyle then they can play him somewhere else until he gets the confidence and the ability to make that spots his a year or two down the line.
Looking at the Bears line I see positives and negatives now. The positives are we have 3 guys who can play both guards and both tackle spots (Omieyle, Williams and Camari) along with Garza who can play either guard, Webb who proved he can at least hold his own for a full 16 game season, and one last run for Kruetz (still think the Bears should get an interior lineman 4th or 5th round to be his eventual replacement). So the Bears will have depth and flexibility on the line that will give Mike Tice the ability to find the best fit for the team. The problem with all this flexibility is there are no players who own the position. Knowing from day 1 where they are going to play and building together from there. I think if Tice gets these guys in defined roles early in Camp (if there is one) it will be better for the team as a whole.
Cam Newton being the #1 pick: I think he could be good, but I don’t trust him. He was a 1 year wonder, and he has a very checkered past. He got in trouble while at Florida or he never would have left, then he “shopped” around for a new team to play for, but didn’t know about it. Great. I just heard Mike Lombardi from the NFL network say, “With one year guys, you don’t look forward, you look backwards. You look at what reasons made the guy a 1 year wonder.” I think that’s the case here, let’s see why he wasn’t better longer.
Also, TMQ brought up an interesting point. Look at BCS winning quarterbacks in the pros? Here’s a list of the 12 BCS winning QBs who have played in the NFL.
1. Tee Martin – Tennessee: Never did anything in the pros
2. Chris Wienke – Florida State: Never did anything in the pros
3. Josh Huepel – Oklahoma: Never did anything in the pros
4. Ken Doresy – Miami: Never did anything in the pros
5. Craig Krenzel – Ohio State: Started a few games for the Bears
6. Matt Mauk – LSU: Never did anything in the pros
7. Carson Palmer – USC: Good NFL Career with multiple pro bowls.
8. Vince Young – Texas: Started off promising, but didn’t sustain his level of play
9. Matt Lienart – USC: Never did anything in the pros
10. Chris Leak – Florida: Never did anything in the pros
11. Matt Flynn - LSU: Never did anything in the pros
12. Tim Tebow – Florida: Won two games as a rookie in limited action.
We’ll let Tebow be TBD and not count him. So 1.5 out of 11. Not a high success rate. These guys had great players around them which helped them thrive. Brees carried Purdue around for 3 years. Tennessee was good, not great when Peyton was there. Brady had great players around him at Michigan, but had to constantly fight with Drew Hensen for a starting job. These players learned how to play in tough situations which made them better. So needless to say, I’m penciling in Newton as a mediocre, but never great player.
While we are in Auburn, let’s talk about Nick Fairly to Detroit. Instantly everyone is excited to see Fairly play with Suh. I don’t think Fairly is anywhere near as good as Suh, and I am not convinced he’s going to be a good player in the NFL. He’s a one year player, and let’s take Lombardi’s advice and look back. He had to go to Jr College for 2 years before he could get into to Auburn cause he didn’t have the grades (think about that). He plays very high and tries to avoid contact, neither of which you want to see out of an interior lineman. If he plays high, the O-line will beat him up which could lead to injuries. He has to engage a player (or two) and then beat them to help the linebackers stay clean and flow to the football. He has a questionable work ethic, and we know how that turns out right after you pay that type of player a lot of money. I am predicting a very short NFL career for Mr. Fairly.
The Cardinals were smart, there was an obvious need for this team at QB in a very winnable division. However, they saw this draft had quarterback depth and didn’t value any of the top guys as high, so they took the best player in the draft in Patrick Petersen. I think Petersen is going to be a star, and playing inside can only help him utilize his speed. I see them grabbing Dalton or Mallet with their 2nd round pick.
The more amusing parts of the night came when the Falcons traded a whole bunch to get Julio Jones. Way to hold the Jersey the right way buddy. I can’t understand trading that much to get a WR. WR are a benefit, not a need. A smart d coordinator can eliminate a WR’s impact on the game easier then any other position. Unless they feel this guy is going to be a Randy Moss like talent (he’s not) or a Jerry Rice like work ethic (he won’t’) then I can’t see him making a big enough impact to warrant trading as much as they did. As ACSS draft expert Ryan Parrent pointed out, the Bears traded less for Jay Cutler, a proven NFL player. I don’t get it.
The dumbest part of the night came when the Vikings selected Chris Ponder with the 12th pick. I thought I had blacked out for 24 hours and it was the 12th pick of the 2nd round. I was just dumbfounded by this pick. I saw him play live against a very sub-par Boston College team, and I was not impressed. He doesn’t have the arm strength necessary to throw the 15-20 yards out which are necessary for playing in the NFL. He also has not proven to be durable, missing time in his final two years at FSU. While I am glad the Vikings took him, so they can waste 3-4 year figuring out he’s not that good, I don’t understand the pick.
Finally to the Bears. I think the trade they were trying to get through with Baltimore was to get Smith from Colorado, I don’t see any other reason why they’d try to move to that spot. Taking Camri at 29 is a good choice. He’s a solid offensive lineman who can play either tackle or either guard. I think they are going to try to get him to start at LT, but if he can’t beat out Williams or Omieyle then they can play him somewhere else until he gets the confidence and the ability to make that spots his a year or two down the line.
Looking at the Bears line I see positives and negatives now. The positives are we have 3 guys who can play both guards and both tackle spots (Omieyle, Williams and Camari) along with Garza who can play either guard, Webb who proved he can at least hold his own for a full 16 game season, and one last run for Kruetz (still think the Bears should get an interior lineman 4th or 5th round to be his eventual replacement). So the Bears will have depth and flexibility on the line that will give Mike Tice the ability to find the best fit for the team. The problem with all this flexibility is there are no players who own the position. Knowing from day 1 where they are going to play and building together from there. I think if Tice gets these guys in defined roles early in Camp (if there is one) it will be better for the team as a whole.
Rabu, 27 April 2011
My Three Round Mock Draft
Okay, this is it. The NFL draft is on Thursday. So, I am going to post my final NFL Mock Draft. It will be three rounds. I will not predict any trades. At the end I will predict trades for the Bears (if there are any) and how they will wind up with their ALL of their picks.
ROUND ONE:
1. Carolina Panthers - Cam Newton QB
2. Denver Broncos - Marcel Dareus DT
3. Buffalo Bills - Von Miller DE/OLB
4. Cincinnati Bengals - AJ Green WR
5. Arizona Cardinals - Patrick Peterson CB
6. Cleveland Browns - Julio Jones WR
7. San Francisco 49ers - Robert Quinn DE
8. Tennessee Titans - Nick Fairley DT
9. Dallas Cowboys - Prince Amukamara CB
10. Washington Redskins - Jake Locker QB
11. Houston Texans - JJ Watt DE/DT
12. Minnesota Vikings - Aldon Smith DE/OLB
13. Detroit Lions - Tyron Smith OT
14. St. Louis Rams - Correy Liuget DT
15. Miami Dolphins - Blaine Gabbert QB
16. Jacksonville Jaguars - Cameron Jordan DE
17. New England Patriots - Anthony Costanzo OT
18. San Diego Chargers - Da'Quan Bowers DE
19. New York Giants - Gabe Carimi OT
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Ryan Kerrigan DE
21. Kansas City Chiefs - Nate Solder OT
22. Indianapolis Colts - Mike Pouncey OG/C
23. Philadelphia Eagles - Derek Sherrod OT
24. New Orleans Saints - Muhammad Wilkerson DE/DT
25. Seattle Seahawks - Jimmy Smith CB
26. Baltimore Ravens - Cameron Heyward DE/DT
27. Atlanta Falcons - Brooks Reed DE
28. New England Patriots - Akeem Ayers OLB
29. Chicago Bears - Benjamin Ijalana OT/OG
30. New York Jets - Marvin Austin DT
31. Pittsburgh Steelers - Phil Taylor NT
32. Greenbay Packers - Mark Ingram RB
ROUND 2:
33. New England Patriots - Mikel LeShoure RB
34. Buffalo Bills - Christian Ponder QB
35. Cincinnati Bengals - Andy Dalton QB
36. Denver Broncos - Aaron Williams CB/S
37. Cleveland Browns - Adrian Clayborne DE
38. Arizona Cardinals - Rahim Moore FS
39. Tennessee Titans - Ryan Mallett QB
40. Dallas Cowboys - Jabal Sheard DE/OLB
41. Washington Redskins - Randall Cobb WR/KR
42. Houston Texans - Brandon Harris CB
43. Minnesota Vikings - Colin Kaepernick QB
44. Detroit Lions - Ras-I Dowling CB
45. San Francisco 49ers - Torrey Smith WR
46. Denver Broncos - Ryan Williams RB
47. St. Louis Rams - Titus Young WR
48. Oakland Raiders - Stefan Wisniewski OG/C
49. Jacksonville Jaguars - Leonard Hankerson WR
50. San Diego Chargers - Martez Wilson LB
51. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Danny Watkins OG
52. New York Giants - Stephen Paea DT
53. Indianapolis Colts - James Carpenter OT
54. Philadelphia Eagles - Allen Bailey DE
55. Kansas City Chiefs - Jonathan Baldwin WR
56. New Orleans Saints - Kyle Rudolph TE
57. Seattle Seahawks - Orlando Franklin OG/T
58. Baltimore Ravens - Davon House CB
59. Atlanta Falcons - Jerrel Jernigan WR
60. New England Patriots - Rodney Hudson OG/C
61. San Diego Chargers - Edmund Gates WR
62. Chicago Bears - Jurrell Casey DT
63. Pittsburgh Steelers - Will Rackley OT/G
64. Green Bay Packers - Sam Acho DE/OLB
ROUND 3:
65. Carolina Panthers - Jaiquawan Jarrett S
66. Cincinnati Bengals - Quan Sturdivant LB
67. Denver Broncos - Jarvis Jenkins DE/OLB
68. Buffalo Bills - Christian Ballard DE/DT
69. Arizona Cardinals - Johnny Patrick CB
70. Cleveland Browns - Tandon Doss WR
71. Dallas Cowboys - James Brewer OT
72. New Orleans Saints - Daniel Thomas RB
73. Houston Texans - Curtis Brown CB
74. New England Patriots - Greg Salas WR
75. Detroit Lions - Marcus Gilbert OT
76. San Francisco 49ers - Shareece Wright CB
77. Tennessee Titans - Justin Houston OLB/DE
78. St. Louis Rams - Jason Pinkston OT/G
79. Miami Dolphins - Taiwan Jones RB
80. Jacksonville Jaguars - Ricky Stanzi QB
81. Oakland Raiders - Jalil Brown CB
82. San Diego Chargers - Kendall Hunter RB
83. New York Giants - Clint Boling G
84. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Luke Stocker TE
85. Philadelphia Eagles - Marcus Gilchrist CB/S
86. Kansas City Chiefs - Kenrick Ellis NT
87. Indianapolis Colts - Drake Nevis DT
88. New Orleans Saints - Chimdi Chekwa CB
89. San Diego Chargers - Terrell McClain DT
90. Baltimore Ravens - Austin Pettis WR
91. Atlanta Falcons - Jordan Cameron TE
92. New England Patriots - Bruce Carter OLB
93. Chicago Bears - Greg Little WR
94. New York Jets - Casey Matthews ILB
95. Pittsburgh Steelers - Joseph Barskdale OT
96. Green Bay Packers - Lee Ziemba OT/G
97. Carolina Panthers - Dontay Moch DE/OLB
There you go. Now, what do I realistically think will happen with the Bears? I think they'll trade down. I think you'll see teams who want MARK INGRAM and/or QB's looking to trade to the top part of the first round. I think the Jaguars will trade up to take our pick. They'll trade us their second and third rounders (49 and 80) and we'll swap picks 114 for 127. That puts the trade value within about 15ish. So we'll get picks 49, 80, and 127 for picks 29 and 114. Keep in mind the draft is not the same as the mock draft above since there will actually be trades.
MY ACTUAL PREDICTION FOR THE BEARS PICKS:
40 - Jonathan Baldwin WR
62 - Jurrell Casey DT
80 - Clint Boling OG
93 - Chimdi Chekwa CB
114 - Joseph Barksdale OT
160 - Jake Kirkpatrick C
195 - T.J. Yates QB
So there you have it! My three round mock draft, and my picks for the Bears draft. LETS GO BEARS!
Selasa, 26 April 2011
Senin, 25 April 2011
Tressel a Goner?
Pat Forde thinks so.
"The only bigger coach than Tressel in Ohio State history was Woody Hayes, winner of AP national championships in 1954 and '68 and the all-time leader in Big Ten conference victories with 152. Yet when Hayes shamed the university by punching Clemson's Charlie Bauman in the 1978 Gator Bowl, igniting a bench-clearing brawl, the school fired him the next day.
If Ohio State could fire its greatest football icon, it can fire Tressel."
Kamis, 21 April 2011
Hawks Puck Mystery
I definitely woke up this morning thinking ESPN.com was swearing at me - the giant headline saying "WHERE IS THE PUCK?" was a bit, well, confusing.
However, after all my confusion, it looks like Outside the Lines has finally ventured outside of the realm of cheesy stories about disabled high school athletes doing meth or whatever and is actually doing something semi-cool, since this story is all about Patrick Kane's Stanley Cup-winning hockey puck and its mysterious disappearance.
In other news, I'm heading to Conseco Fieldhouse tonight to watch the Bulls take on the Pacers in Game 3 of what has been, so far, a highly entertaining series. It'll be strange not being at Yogi's for a game, but hey, it's the NBA! Love it Live, right? I'm thinking the place will be about 70 percent Pacers fans, 30 percent Bulls fans. Looking forward to some serious MVP chants.
However, after all my confusion, it looks like Outside the Lines has finally ventured outside of the realm of cheesy stories about disabled high school athletes doing meth or whatever and is actually doing something semi-cool, since this story is all about Patrick Kane's Stanley Cup-winning hockey puck and its mysterious disappearance.
In other news, I'm heading to Conseco Fieldhouse tonight to watch the Bulls take on the Pacers in Game 3 of what has been, so far, a highly entertaining series. It'll be strange not being at Yogi's for a game, but hey, it's the NBA! Love it Live, right? I'm thinking the place will be about 70 percent Pacers fans, 30 percent Bulls fans. Looking forward to some serious MVP chants.
Rabu, 20 April 2011
Cubs Throw 1918 World Series
Well, looks like the Black Sox weren't the only dirty team in Chicago.
http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=6396358
http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=6396358
Bears 2011 Schedule
As I am sure some of you are aware, the NFL just announced its 2011 schedule (assuming there is a season). I have pulled up the Bears Schedule and am going to do a quick breakdown Lovie Smith style, breaking the season into quarters
1. Falcons, @Saints, Packers, Panthers
Wow, talk about getting the NFC south out of the way. Three of the first four games are against the NFC south including both home games. This is a bummer as the Bears can’t take advantage of Warm weather teams come up North in the Winter. I am glad the Falcons are coming to Chicago though, the Georgia dome has become a house of horrors for the Bears. I see the Bears beating the Panthers, and winning at least 1 of the other 3. I could see them winning more, but to be conservative
Bears Record 2-2
2. @Lions (MNF), Vikings (SNF), @Bucs (In London), Bye, @ Eagles (MNF)
Interesting stretch here for the Bears with 4 high profile games. The Bucs make their 2nd trip to London to play while for the second straight year the Bears will play internationally (Maybe next year they can play Arizona in Mexico City and keep it going). Luckily, the Bucs are the team that are losing the home game and not the Bears. After the London trip, the Bears have 15 days off with the bye week and then MNF, so hopefully they will be fully over the jetlag. Also, it’s another year the Bears are playing the Eagles in a primetime game, that seems to happen every year. I see the Bears beating the Lions and Vikings, then splitting the Bucs and Eagles.
Bears Record 3-1
3. Lions, Chargers, @Raiders, Chiefs
The Lions then a run of the 4 AFC west teams seems odd to me. Why would the NFL schedule all the AFC games back to back? Even with all 4 teams improving (maybe not the Chiefs) I still see the Bears sweeping this part of the season, at worst dropping 1.
Bears Record 3-1
4. @Broncos, Seahawks, @ Packers (SNF *subject to change), @Vikings
The end of the season is a little rough with 3 of 4 on the road and playing in 3 of the most difficult stadiums. Luckily the Bears don’t have to make the trip to the great Northwest with the Seahawks coming to town. The Broncos game will get more attention if Captain NeckBeard is playing, but most likely the Bears will have to stop Tebowmainia? I have a feeling the Bears will lose 2 of the road games even though they should probably only lose 1.
Bears Record 2-2
Overall Record: 10-6
NFC Central: 2nd Place
NFC Playoffs: 5th Seed
With the 5th seed the Bears will defeat the NFC West Champion Rams and after that, who knows what happens.
If the season happens, it should be a fun one for the Bears. A trip to London and San Diego, I don’t think you can get any further apart?
1. Falcons, @Saints, Packers, Panthers
Wow, talk about getting the NFC south out of the way. Three of the first four games are against the NFC south including both home games. This is a bummer as the Bears can’t take advantage of Warm weather teams come up North in the Winter. I am glad the Falcons are coming to Chicago though, the Georgia dome has become a house of horrors for the Bears. I see the Bears beating the Panthers, and winning at least 1 of the other 3. I could see them winning more, but to be conservative
Bears Record 2-2
2. @Lions (MNF), Vikings (SNF), @Bucs (In London), Bye, @ Eagles (MNF)
Interesting stretch here for the Bears with 4 high profile games. The Bucs make their 2nd trip to London to play while for the second straight year the Bears will play internationally (Maybe next year they can play Arizona in Mexico City and keep it going). Luckily, the Bucs are the team that are losing the home game and not the Bears. After the London trip, the Bears have 15 days off with the bye week and then MNF, so hopefully they will be fully over the jetlag. Also, it’s another year the Bears are playing the Eagles in a primetime game, that seems to happen every year. I see the Bears beating the Lions and Vikings, then splitting the Bucs and Eagles.
Bears Record 3-1
3. Lions, Chargers, @Raiders, Chiefs
The Lions then a run of the 4 AFC west teams seems odd to me. Why would the NFL schedule all the AFC games back to back? Even with all 4 teams improving (maybe not the Chiefs) I still see the Bears sweeping this part of the season, at worst dropping 1.
Bears Record 3-1
4. @Broncos, Seahawks, @ Packers (SNF *subject to change), @Vikings
The end of the season is a little rough with 3 of 4 on the road and playing in 3 of the most difficult stadiums. Luckily the Bears don’t have to make the trip to the great Northwest with the Seahawks coming to town. The Broncos game will get more attention if Captain NeckBeard is playing, but most likely the Bears will have to stop Tebowmainia? I have a feeling the Bears will lose 2 of the road games even though they should probably only lose 1.
Bears Record 2-2
Overall Record: 10-6
NFC Central: 2nd Place
NFC Playoffs: 5th Seed
With the 5th seed the Bears will defeat the NFC West Champion Rams and after that, who knows what happens.
If the season happens, it should be a fun one for the Bears. A trip to London and San Diego, I don’t think you can get any further apart?
Jumat, 15 April 2011
From the Big Ten Blog: Iowa drop motivates IU's Damarlo Belcher
From the Big Ten Blog
After the 2010 season wrapped up, Damarlo Belcher had Indiana's video staff compile cutups of all his catches and drops from the previous 12 games.
The catches far outnumbered the drops. Belcher had 78 receptions last fall, tops among Big Ten players. He ranked 19th nationally in receptions per game (6.5) and finished fourth in the league in receiving yards per game (69.3 rpg). The 6-foot-5, 214-pound Belcher emerged as the most consistent pass-catcher on the league's top passing offense.
[+] EnlargeAP Photo/Darron Cummings
Damarlo Belcher led the Big Ten in receptions last fall, but is motivated by his drop against Iowa.Belcher reviewed every play, but he spent more time on the drops. Specifically, he watched The Drop.
Indiana fans don't need further explanation. Anyone who watched the end of the Hoosiers' Nov. 6 game against then-No. 15 Iowa understands.
After Iowa scored a late touchdown to take an 18-13 lead, Indiana responded with a drive to the Hawkeyes' 18-yard line. After three incompletions, quarterback Ben Chappell lofted a pass to the end zone on fourth-and-10. Belcher leaped above the defenders to grab it for the game-winner.
But the ball bounced off of his hands. Iowa ran out the clock, and another chance for Indiana to turn a corner had disappeared.
Belcher hasn't forgotten what happened that day.
“I can't," he said. "But it won't happen again, I'll tell you that. That’s the one I watch the most."
Belcher felt understandably sick after the drop, but his coaches and teammates rallied around him. Indiana's leadership council unanimously voted him a game captain the next week against Wisconsin.
Belcher finished the season with an eight-catch, 83-yard performance as Indiana knocked off Purdue in overtime to reclaim the Old Oaken Bucket. But Indiana fell a win shy of bowl eligibility, and the school fired coach Bill Lynch the day after the Bucket game.
The Drop has lingered in Belcher's mind throughout the winter and spring.
"I think about it every day," he said. "Whenever I'm in the weight room or out at practice, I think about it. It gives me an extra effort or motivation to just go hard."
Belcher will be Indiana's clear-cut No. 1 receiver this fall after teammate Tandon Doss declared early for the NFL draft. Belcher also considered bolting after the coaching change.
Indiana's hiring of offensive guru Kevin Wilson helped keep Belcher in Bloomington.
"That was a big part of the reason why I stayed," Belcher said. "Coming from where he came from, I couldn't do anything but stay."
Wilson has talked to Belcher about former Oklahoma star tight end Jermaine Gresham and other standout pass-catchers he coached in Norman. Belcher has responded well to the new staff this spring.
"He's the oldest guy in the group, the most experienced, and he's been great to work with," co-offensive coordinator/receivers coach Kevin Johns said. "For someone who led the Big Ten in receptions, who made All-Big Ten recognition, he's very hungry to learn. He comes into meetings with wide eyes, not a guy who feels, 'I already know everything.'"
Belcher's hunger stems in part from the drop against Iowa. He can't wait for the season and a chance for redemption.
"If it can be close, man, I want it, I want the ball in my hands," he said. "That's how much it affected me. Whenever it's crunch time, I'll be ready."
After the 2010 season wrapped up, Damarlo Belcher had Indiana's video staff compile cutups of all his catches and drops from the previous 12 games.
The catches far outnumbered the drops. Belcher had 78 receptions last fall, tops among Big Ten players. He ranked 19th nationally in receptions per game (6.5) and finished fourth in the league in receiving yards per game (69.3 rpg). The 6-foot-5, 214-pound Belcher emerged as the most consistent pass-catcher on the league's top passing offense.
[+] EnlargeAP Photo/Darron Cummings
Damarlo Belcher led the Big Ten in receptions last fall, but is motivated by his drop against Iowa.Belcher reviewed every play, but he spent more time on the drops. Specifically, he watched The Drop.
Indiana fans don't need further explanation. Anyone who watched the end of the Hoosiers' Nov. 6 game against then-No. 15 Iowa understands.
After Iowa scored a late touchdown to take an 18-13 lead, Indiana responded with a drive to the Hawkeyes' 18-yard line. After three incompletions, quarterback Ben Chappell lofted a pass to the end zone on fourth-and-10. Belcher leaped above the defenders to grab it for the game-winner.
But the ball bounced off of his hands. Iowa ran out the clock, and another chance for Indiana to turn a corner had disappeared.
Belcher hasn't forgotten what happened that day.
“I can't," he said. "But it won't happen again, I'll tell you that. That’s the one I watch the most."
Belcher felt understandably sick after the drop, but his coaches and teammates rallied around him. Indiana's leadership council unanimously voted him a game captain the next week against Wisconsin.
Belcher finished the season with an eight-catch, 83-yard performance as Indiana knocked off Purdue in overtime to reclaim the Old Oaken Bucket. But Indiana fell a win shy of bowl eligibility, and the school fired coach Bill Lynch the day after the Bucket game.
The Drop has lingered in Belcher's mind throughout the winter and spring.
"I think about it every day," he said. "Whenever I'm in the weight room or out at practice, I think about it. It gives me an extra effort or motivation to just go hard."
Belcher will be Indiana's clear-cut No. 1 receiver this fall after teammate Tandon Doss declared early for the NFL draft. Belcher also considered bolting after the coaching change.
Indiana's hiring of offensive guru Kevin Wilson helped keep Belcher in Bloomington.
"That was a big part of the reason why I stayed," Belcher said. "Coming from where he came from, I couldn't do anything but stay."
Wilson has talked to Belcher about former Oklahoma star tight end Jermaine Gresham and other standout pass-catchers he coached in Norman. Belcher has responded well to the new staff this spring.
"He's the oldest guy in the group, the most experienced, and he's been great to work with," co-offensive coordinator/receivers coach Kevin Johns said. "For someone who led the Big Ten in receptions, who made All-Big Ten recognition, he's very hungry to learn. He comes into meetings with wide eyes, not a guy who feels, 'I already know everything.'"
Belcher's hunger stems in part from the drop against Iowa. He can't wait for the season and a chance for redemption.
"If it can be close, man, I want it, I want the ball in my hands," he said. "That's how much it affected me. Whenever it's crunch time, I'll be ready."
Hawks vs Canucks
So I was browsing the Web and came across this video supporting the Canucks.
While it's a kind of clever video. It did get me pumped for tonight's game (sadly still to far away). I do think we are going to win the series still, the Hawks have lost Game 1 the past two years. To make myself more pumped I started watching more clips
Goal Horn
Last Years Anthem vs Canucks
Best Anthem Ever (All-Star Game while USA was at war in Iraq in the Old Stadium)
CBC Remebers the 2010 Stanley Cup
To Beat Nashville in Game 5
While it's a kind of clever video. It did get me pumped for tonight's game (sadly still to far away). I do think we are going to win the series still, the Hawks have lost Game 1 the past two years. To make myself more pumped I started watching more clips
Goal Horn
Last Years Anthem vs Canucks
Best Anthem Ever (All-Star Game while USA was at war in Iraq in the Old Stadium)
CBC Remebers the 2010 Stanley Cup
To Beat Nashville in Game 5
Playoff Trivia: Bulls and Blackhawks
What is the only year in history of Chicago did both the Bulls and Blackhawks make it to the Finals?
Rabu, 13 April 2011
Rabu, 06 April 2011
The Masters: A Tradition Unlike Any Other
Its that time of year again where I contribute something to this blog. The Masters is upon us and I'm estatic. This is my favorite major out of the four. There is so much tradition that goes with this tournament and so many great golf moments come The Masters. It is a goal of mine to one day go to Augusta National, I would like to play but that would never happen sadly.
Last years champion, Phil Mickelson, looks to repeat his performance from last year. Ill never forget last year when he went 7 under (I think thats right, I cant remember and I dont feel like looking it up) through three holes. He had that unbelievable shot where he was in the trees and he knocked to about 3 feet. Pretty sure it made Sportscenters top ten list, however probably wasnt able to beat some lame ass dunk. It became an instant classic Masters moment and gave Phil the momentum that carried him through the rest of the weekend towards the victory.
This year im not so sure if he can repeat and for really one reason, and that is because he is Phil Mickelson and you cant really predict what he is going to do. As I write this the St. Louis Blues just tied the Hawks 3-3 in the 3rd and makes me miss how awesome last summer was with the Hawks winning it all (It was a crappy goal and I let Duncan Keith know how I felt about his effort on that play). Back to The Masters, this year should be a good one though. Tiger will be going for another major win getting closer to the all-time record, however I dont think he will win. I dont think he is back to his old form and I havent seen anything that makes me think otherwise.
I would like to see Ricky Fowler do well just because he is young and will win a couple majors in his career, so why not start with this one. I'm also interested in watching Rory McIlroy. He is another youngen that has a bright future in the PGA. Plus his name sounds like Roy Mcavoy from the movie Tin Cup which is a good movie.
My pick to win this year is Bubba Watson. I think he has played well this year so far and because it seems like a good pick. Also look for Mark Wilson to do well. He is the current money leader and FedEx Cup Points leader. He is having a good year and could carry the momentum he has gained into this tournament. Alright thats it from me, hope you enjoy tournament.
Last years champion, Phil Mickelson, looks to repeat his performance from last year. Ill never forget last year when he went 7 under (I think thats right, I cant remember and I dont feel like looking it up) through three holes. He had that unbelievable shot where he was in the trees and he knocked to about 3 feet. Pretty sure it made Sportscenters top ten list, however probably wasnt able to beat some lame ass dunk. It became an instant classic Masters moment and gave Phil the momentum that carried him through the rest of the weekend towards the victory.
This year im not so sure if he can repeat and for really one reason, and that is because he is Phil Mickelson and you cant really predict what he is going to do. As I write this the St. Louis Blues just tied the Hawks 3-3 in the 3rd and makes me miss how awesome last summer was with the Hawks winning it all (It was a crappy goal and I let Duncan Keith know how I felt about his effort on that play). Back to The Masters, this year should be a good one though. Tiger will be going for another major win getting closer to the all-time record, however I dont think he will win. I dont think he is back to his old form and I havent seen anything that makes me think otherwise.
I would like to see Ricky Fowler do well just because he is young and will win a couple majors in his career, so why not start with this one. I'm also interested in watching Rory McIlroy. He is another youngen that has a bright future in the PGA. Plus his name sounds like Roy Mcavoy from the movie Tin Cup which is a good movie.
My pick to win this year is Bubba Watson. I think he has played well this year so far and because it seems like a good pick. Also look for Mark Wilson to do well. He is the current money leader and FedEx Cup Points leader. He is having a good year and could carry the momentum he has gained into this tournament. Alright thats it from me, hope you enjoy tournament.
Selasa, 05 April 2011
Am I The Only One Who Thinks Erin Andrews Is Not That Hot?
I keep seeing those stupid Mountain Dew commercials and I cannot get over how Big Erin Andrews' nose is. It makes her look like a troll. I don't think she is ugly, but I don't think she is hot. I don't get why everyone thinks she is. Perhaps I am the only one, but I think she is incredibly overrated. I mean her head is too large, and her nose is a mountain on her face. I don't know, I really don't get it. What does everyone else think?
Senin, 04 April 2011
Playoffs: A closer inspection
I know what you must be thinking: Holy crap two articles in a row from Dan.
So recently, (about when the final four was determined) I heard somebody on CBS make the assertion that the tournament was not the best forum for determining a national champion. This struck me as absurd, however I then thought about every league and their playoff systems to see where improvements could possibly be made. Here is what I came up with. In advance I look forward to the feedback that this will receive.
NCAA Basketball
With the tournament just recently expanded, and VCU taking full advantage of this new system, the current format doesn't seem to need any adjustments. However, lets for the sake of argument lets assume there is a holy grail playoff to be attained. What would it be. To me there is only one playoff system better than the current format: World Cup format. In my new scenario the underdogs all have a chance to advance in a round robin first round. This gives even more chances for upsets to occur, and would eliminate fluke losses due to cold shooting as quality teams would still win 2/3 assuming they had a bad night. After these round robin games the stage would be set for the sweet 16 to advance from the round robin rounds. From there the tournament would play out as usual, just like the world cup.
NCAA Football
I am a huge hater of the current BCS system. I think that a simple 8 team playoff would be the best solution. Throught last season on my radio show we routinely compared what an 8 team tournament versus a 16 team tournament would look like and a majority of the time the first round was a waste of time in the 16 team format. However, the 8 game format posed some exciting firts round match-ups. This system would also add a few games to the BCS games which would result in better games for veiwers to watch and more profits for the bowls. Win-Win.
Baseball
I have always been a tad uncomfortable sending only 4 teams to the playoffs from each league. That being said My new system only adds two teams per side in an NFL format. In the new format, the three division winners get a spot and then the next three best records also get a spot. The top two records overall get first round byes. At first this seemed unfair as it sets up the first round bye teams rotations very well. However to combat this the opening rounds will be shortened. The first round will be best of 3, the second round best of 5, the championship series will be best of 7 and the world series will be best of 9. This seems excessive, however I think its time the game adapts to its players again. In the past in order to give batters a chance the lowered the mound. I feel that in recent world series it has been a race to see if you can get your ace and your #2 to pitch games 4 and 5 and wrap it up as fast as you can. In a 9 game series this would allow your whole rotation to compete and also take your bullpen into account. I think that with actual managerial decisions to make the world series would be way more interesting.
Hockey/Basketball
Unlike baseball I feel there are too many teams in each of these playoff scenarios. Realistically an 8 will hardly ever beat a one but on occasion it happens. Therefore I am willing to leave these playoff systems alone but put them on notice that they are subject to change.
As I stated earlier I think all of the proposed changes would make the games more interesting to watch while further testing the teams to determine a "truer" champion.
So recently, (about when the final four was determined) I heard somebody on CBS make the assertion that the tournament was not the best forum for determining a national champion. This struck me as absurd, however I then thought about every league and their playoff systems to see where improvements could possibly be made. Here is what I came up with. In advance I look forward to the feedback that this will receive.
NCAA Basketball
With the tournament just recently expanded, and VCU taking full advantage of this new system, the current format doesn't seem to need any adjustments. However, lets for the sake of argument lets assume there is a holy grail playoff to be attained. What would it be. To me there is only one playoff system better than the current format: World Cup format. In my new scenario the underdogs all have a chance to advance in a round robin first round. This gives even more chances for upsets to occur, and would eliminate fluke losses due to cold shooting as quality teams would still win 2/3 assuming they had a bad night. After these round robin games the stage would be set for the sweet 16 to advance from the round robin rounds. From there the tournament would play out as usual, just like the world cup.
NCAA Football
I am a huge hater of the current BCS system. I think that a simple 8 team playoff would be the best solution. Throught last season on my radio show we routinely compared what an 8 team tournament versus a 16 team tournament would look like and a majority of the time the first round was a waste of time in the 16 team format. However, the 8 game format posed some exciting firts round match-ups. This system would also add a few games to the BCS games which would result in better games for veiwers to watch and more profits for the bowls. Win-Win.
Baseball
I have always been a tad uncomfortable sending only 4 teams to the playoffs from each league. That being said My new system only adds two teams per side in an NFL format. In the new format, the three division winners get a spot and then the next three best records also get a spot. The top two records overall get first round byes. At first this seemed unfair as it sets up the first round bye teams rotations very well. However to combat this the opening rounds will be shortened. The first round will be best of 3, the second round best of 5, the championship series will be best of 7 and the world series will be best of 9. This seems excessive, however I think its time the game adapts to its players again. In the past in order to give batters a chance the lowered the mound. I feel that in recent world series it has been a race to see if you can get your ace and your #2 to pitch games 4 and 5 and wrap it up as fast as you can. In a 9 game series this would allow your whole rotation to compete and also take your bullpen into account. I think that with actual managerial decisions to make the world series would be way more interesting.
Hockey/Basketball
Unlike baseball I feel there are too many teams in each of these playoff scenarios. Realistically an 8 will hardly ever beat a one but on occasion it happens. Therefore I am willing to leave these playoff systems alone but put them on notice that they are subject to change.
As I stated earlier I think all of the proposed changes would make the games more interesting to watch while further testing the teams to determine a "truer" champion.
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