The first ever NCAA College Football Tournament is finally about to begin! After decades of greed-induced confusion in relation to crowning a collegiate gridiron champion, the title will be decided on the field for the first time in history. Here's a rundown of the 16 teams (11 conference champions and five at large teams) seeded by the polls in the tournament and when they play, along with projections on who will advance throughout the tourney:
Round One:
Friday, Dec 8
The Motor City Bowl, Detroit Mich.
#1 Michigan 12-0 (BIG 10) vs. #16 Middle Tennessee St. 8-4 (Sun Belt)
The Capital One Bowl, Orlando Fl.
#8 Auburn 11-2 (at large) vs. #9 Georgia Tech 11-2 (ACC)
The AT&T Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Tex.
#5 Texas 12-1 (Big 12) vs. #12 Wake Forest 10-3 (at large)
Gator Bowl, Jacksonville, Fl.
#4 Florida 12-1 (SEC) vs. #13 BYU 10-2 (MWC)
Saturday, Dec 9
The Pacific Life Holiday Bowl, San Diego Cal.
#6 Cal 11-1 (PAC 10) vs. #11 Boise St. 12-0 (WAC)
The Alamo Bowl, San Antonio, Tex.
#3 Louisville 12-0 (Big East) vs. #14 Houston 10-3 (Con. USA)
The Insight Bowl, Tempe, Ariz.
#7 Notre Dame 11-1 (at large) vs. #10 Rutgers 11-1 (at large)
AutoZone Liberty Bowl, Memphis, Tenn
#2 Ohio St 11-1 (at large) vs. # 15 Ohio 10-3 (MAC)
The five at large teams come from one independent (the Irish) and four of the six power conferences, with the PAC 10 and Big 12 receiving only one bid each (USC was left out after losses to Cal and Notre Dame in November, opening the door for Wake Forest, who lost a heart breaker to the Ramblin' Wreck in the ACC title game). There was of course, some controversy as there always is in college football with many believing that a two loss West Virginia team should have been invited, or Wisconsin, who quietly had a fine season. Tennessee and Nebraska (who gave away a game to Texas earlier in the year) felt that they had a gripe as well. They will have to prove that they belong with their performance in one of the many non-tournament bowl games this holiday season.
The first round will be a great opportunity for some of these smaller conference winners to show their stuff on a national stage. Middle Tennessee State, in only their fifth year of D-1 football, will have their work cut out for them against the Wolverinees. And Louisville had better be ready for Houston QB Kevin Kolb, the best player you never heard of until the post season. (And probably never would have heard of if not for this tournament.) BYU's John Beck is the fourth highest rated passer in the nation. Will he be able to lead the Cougars to an upset of #4 Florida? Boise State will finally get what they've been asking for since 2002: a chance to show they're one of the best teams in the land. This just may be the best weekend of college football in history. Let's get rolling!
Round Two, NCAA Quarter Finals:
Friday, Dec 15
Chick-Fill-A Peach Bowl, Atlanta, Ga
#1 Michigan 13-0 (BIG 10) vs. #9 Georgia Tech 12-2 (ACC)
The Outback Bowl, Tampa, Fl
#4 Florida 13-1 (SEC) vs. #5 Texas 13-1 (Big 12)
Saturday, Dec 16
The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Glendale, Ariz.
#3 Louisville 13-0 (Big East) vs. vs. #11 Boise St. 13-0 (WAC)
The Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi, Pasadena, Cal.
#2 Ohio St 12-1 (at large) vs. #7 Notre Dame 12-1 (at large)
Round two features a rematch of last year's Fiesta Bowl with Ohio St. and Notre Dame, playing this year in Pasadena, among three meetings of top ten seeds. Boise may have had the perfect draw to pull off a real Cinderella story in this tournament
Round Three, NCAA Semi Finals:
Saturday, Dec. 23
The FedEx Orange Bowl, Miami, Fl.
#1 Michigan 14-0 (BIG 10) vs. #4 Florida 14-1 (SEC)
The Allstate Sugar Bowl, New Orleans La.
#2 Ohio St 13-1 (at large) vs. #3 Louisville 14-0 (Big East)
The polls seem to have done their jobs, with the top four seeds all making it to the semi final.
Round Four, NCAA Championship:
Monday, Jan 1
NCAA Championship Game, Glendale Ariz.
#2 Ohio St 14-1 (at large) vs. #4 Florida 15-1 (SEC)
That's one hell of a month of college football!
There is one problem with this scenario: The fact that many teams play more than one game at distant locations. As played out above, Ohio St. fans would have to go to Memphis, Glendale, New Orleans, and then back to Glendale for the title game. That's a lot of travel. Florida on the other hand never left the state of Florida until the final round. Would Buckeye fans not make the effort to follow their team for a month? Maybe not. Would people living in and around the bowl locations buy tickets to see them in a playoff game? Buy tickets to a playoff game regardless of who was playing? I think so. This could also be corrected by having first round bowl locations set up in each region to accomodate potential participants. The idea that this would provide an added academic strain on players doesn't fly here either. Players on bowl teams are practicing every day in December anyway. Let them spend the weekend proving they're the best. Every round doesn't need to be traeted like a current bowl game, where teams leave a week early and spend days engaging in pomp and circumstance before kick off. It would be more of an extension of the regular season. This would actually provide more time for most athletes to devote to academics, as fewer teams would be active every week.
I didn't plan the travel required or the game locations. I tried to put all of the high seeds as close to home as would be reasonable in the first round, (which can be difficult, as there are few good bowl opportunities in the mid west, where Michigan, Ohio St. and Notre Dame are located) but after that it was all up to chance. Some later round game locations actually favored the lower seeded teams (Michigan playing Georgia Tech in Atlanta in round two for instance). I'm not sure that should be a factor in deciding who should play in which game though.
The title game could easily continue to rotate between the four current BSC bowl locations, with the final game also rotated among the four current locations on New Year's Day. The one sad part about that is that it would take away the excitement of all of the great New Year's Day bowl games, but let's face it, The BCS ruined that about five years ago. All of the Bowls are meaningless as it now stands, and that would be a small price to pay for this awesome tournament that includes the major bowls and provides a true National Champion.
The NCAA forces it's basketball teams to play in their own sanctioned post-season tournament. It's time for the NCAA to flex some football muscle with the conference commissioners who are afraid to take on the smaller schools and would rather sit in their money grubbing boys club in bed with the BSC. Give everyone a chance at the title. There is a misconception that big conference teams want to make as much money as possible. That isn't entirely true. A football tournament like this one would bring in twice as much money as the NCAA gets now out of the bowl system. The BSC conference teams and coaches only want to make as much money as they can while keeping the non-BCS teams relatively poor. They get enough trouble as it is when every couple of years a Utah, Tulane, Colorado State, Fresno State, Air Force, Marshal, BYU, or TCU has a good enough team to get ranked in the top ten. (They got so sick of Louisville that they eventually included them into the club.) What would happen if those smaller schools could actually tell their recruits that if they come to their school, they could win a National Title? Pretty soon the smaller schools will get a little bit more of the pie, and the big boys won't be quite as big any more. I'm sure any SEC athletic director will tell you, life is hard enough when you're winning in big time college football. Most don't have the guts to do it on a level playing field.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Friday, May 26, 2006
Life is fair in Connecticut - or - Crippling children through emotional handouts
In an attempt to teach their young people that life is always fair and that they should never be subjected to adversity in life, The football committee of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference, the state board that governs high school sports, has adopted a "score management" policy to keep teams from winning by more than 50 points. (http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/news/story?id=2457707)
The new rule threatens to suspend coaches who win games by what the state considers to be too wide a margin. At fist I just assumed that Connecticut football had simply been handed over to the T-ball mothers. As it turns out, there are actually coaches who welcome this policy. Football committee chairman and chief mangina Leroy Williams defends the insanity saying, "When you get someone down, you don't have to kick them. The key thing to remember is, it's about the quality of the game. It's about teaching kids right from wrong. It's about the game of life and that's how we had to look about it."
The game of life? Life isn’t like that. Life doesn’t take it easy on you if you are under qualified out of your league or getting your ass kicked. Life doesn’t care about your feelings either. This whole fiasco is the result of a bunch of adults who would rather cripple kids by lying to them about reality than get embarrassed by their colleagues. What a bunch of assholes. I also love the statement “…it’s about the quality of the game…” Putting in backups and telling tem not to try too hard is not adding to the quality of the game. If anything all it does is increase the risk of getting injured.
In football’s earlier days, blowouts of more than 100 points were not unheard of. There used to be a mentality in this country that the greatest disrespect you could show to an opponent was to take it easy on them. Treating another team like your kid brother because you feel sorry for them was much more humiliating than a 70-0 final score. There is no shame in losing to someone who is better than you. It is possible to lose and still feel good about your effort. When I played peewee soccer in first grade they used to tell us that it didn’t matter who won or lost, but how we played the game. Maybe had I grown up in Connecticut they would have told me that my self worth was directly related of the outcome of the game, and that if I was going to get my ass handed to me, and least the midgets and girls will be out in the second half so I can give them a taste of their own medicine! (hopefully)
The new rule threatens to suspend coaches who win games by what the state considers to be too wide a margin. At fist I just assumed that Connecticut football had simply been handed over to the T-ball mothers. As it turns out, there are actually coaches who welcome this policy. Football committee chairman and chief mangina Leroy Williams defends the insanity saying, "When you get someone down, you don't have to kick them. The key thing to remember is, it's about the quality of the game. It's about teaching kids right from wrong. It's about the game of life and that's how we had to look about it."
The game of life? Life isn’t like that. Life doesn’t take it easy on you if you are under qualified out of your league or getting your ass kicked. Life doesn’t care about your feelings either. This whole fiasco is the result of a bunch of adults who would rather cripple kids by lying to them about reality than get embarrassed by their colleagues. What a bunch of assholes. I also love the statement “…it’s about the quality of the game…” Putting in backups and telling tem not to try too hard is not adding to the quality of the game. If anything all it does is increase the risk of getting injured.
In football’s earlier days, blowouts of more than 100 points were not unheard of. There used to be a mentality in this country that the greatest disrespect you could show to an opponent was to take it easy on them. Treating another team like your kid brother because you feel sorry for them was much more humiliating than a 70-0 final score. There is no shame in losing to someone who is better than you. It is possible to lose and still feel good about your effort. When I played peewee soccer in first grade they used to tell us that it didn’t matter who won or lost, but how we played the game. Maybe had I grown up in Connecticut they would have told me that my self worth was directly related of the outcome of the game, and that if I was going to get my ass handed to me, and least the midgets and girls will be out in the second half so I can give them a taste of their own medicine! (hopefully)
Thursday, April 27, 2006
2006 NFL Mock Draft
With the happiest day of the year – NFL draft day – fast approaching, I have taken the liberty of easing the burden on several General Managers who aren’t yet sure where to go with their football franchises. This draft does not take into account potential trades, free agent signings, or failed drug tests that may occur before the actual draft. The Houston Texans are on the clock...
Houston Texans – Reggie Bush, RB (USC)
Bush is the perfect combination of athleticism, potential, and the ability to sell tickets. Some in Houston would prefer home grown Vince Young, but Gary Kubiak and the Texans need to win now and they will go with the best player in the draft. Top end tackles will still be available in round two.
2. New Orleans Saints – Mario Williams, DE (NC State)
Perhaps the most impressive physical specimen in the draft, Williams gives the Saints a one man defensive overhaul. Could play the DE position in 4-3 or OLB in a 3-4 in the Terrell Suggs mold. He will be a game changer from the moment he steps onto the field, provided he doesn’t take plays off and learns to focus a little more during games.
3. Tennessee Titans – Matt Leinart, QB (USC)
The most ready for play off the three first round QB’s, Leinart already has an established report with Titan OC Norm Chow. The late rumor is that The Titans will pass on Leinart, and that he could fall as far as the Cardinals. That, as much as anything, makes me think he’ll go to Tennessee.
4. New York Jets – D’Brickashaw Furguson, OT (Virginia)
The more he is scrutinized, the more Ferguson reiterates that he is the premier lineman in the draft. The only real criticism is that he is too light at 312 lbs, but he’s young. He has time to grow into his 6’6” frame.
5. Green Bay Packers – Green Bay, A.J. Hawk, LB (Ohio State)
Reminds many of former Ohio State LB Mike Vrabel. Hawk is one of the premier playmakers in the draft. LB is a definite need for the packers and pairing the deceptively athletic Hawk with Nick Barnett would fortify the LB core in Green Bay.
6. San Francisco 49res – Vernon Davis, TE (Maryland)
Davis produced the most impressive workouts of any player in the draft. Michael Huff may make more sense as far as filling holes, but after losing Brandon Lloyd, the Niners had better find some way to build around last year’s number one pick, QB Alex Smith. Davis has 4.38 speed and is a better pass catching weapon than any receiver in this year’s draft class.
7. Oakland Raiders – Vince Young, QB (Texas)
This pick is more for value than necessity. Aaron Brooks is certainly not a long term solution at the QB position, but there is a lot of talk that Al Davis very much likes last year’s third round choice Andrew Walters as the future for the Silver and Black. With a number of top DB’s in the draft, Oakland could have their choice of prospects to sure up a bad secondary.
8. Buffalo Bills - Broderick Buckley, DT (Florida State)
Quick for his size and has experience playing both the one and the three techniques in the 4-3. One of the strongest players in the draft (44 reps at the combines), he should provide a nice anchor for the newly implemented cover two in Buffalo.
9. Detroit Lions – Michael Huff, S (Texas)
Huff can fill a spot at either CB or S. He excels in coverage and as a blitzer, providing versatility to any defense. Comparisons to Ronnie Lott are no too far fetched for Huff, the best DB in a very deep group.
10. Arizona Cardinals – Winston Justice, OT (USC)
Justice managed to slide under the radar for most of the season at USC because of all of the talent on the Trojan’s overall roster, but he has since flown up most draft boards. He has a long reach and great balance in pass protection. O-line is the only thing keeping the Cardinal’s offense from being on an elite level, and Justice should help raise the bar in Arizona.
11. Saint Louis Rams – Jimmy Williams, CB (Virginia Tech)
Jay Cutler will continue to slide as Aaron Rodgers did last year. Shut down corners are still a hot commodity in this league, and Williams has the ability to take away half of the field in coverage. There are questions about William’s character, but the rams have been willing to take a chance on a great talent before.
12. Cleveland Browns – Ernie Simms, LB (Florida State)
Plays non stop and excels in pass coverage. Simms’ athleticism has helped him to skyrocket up most draft boards. Has been knocked for his size, but is almost exactly the same size as Derrick Brooks (6’0”, 228 lbs.). Simms can be a destructive force off the edge, an important role in Romeo Crennel’s defense.
13. Baltimore Ravens – Haloti Ngata, DL (Oregon)
Big bodies in the middle are a must to free up the LB in a 4-3 defense, and Ngata fills the middle as well as anyone. He should be able to provide some of the help that Ray Lewis has been crying about.
14. Philadelphia Eagles – Chad Jackson, WR (Florida)
A blistering 4.32 time in the 40 at the combines helped Jackson to move up the WR list. Jackson’s size, speed, athleticism, and lapses in concentration are reminiscent of another former Eagles receiver. WR is a clear need for Philly, but OL could also be a priority come draft day.
15. Denver Broncos (From Atlanta) – Santonio Holmes, WR (Ohio State)
Holmes is a little undersized (just over 5’10”), but has great speed and separates well from coverage. With Rod Smith turning 36 this year and Ashley Lelie’s continued inconsistency, Holmes will be a good fit in Denver.
16. Miami Dolphins – Chad Greenway, LB (Iowa)
Has drawn Teddy Bruschi comparisons for his knack for making plays. Greenway has faced questions about his ability to take on and shed blocks, but is an excellent tackler with a nose for the ball. Miami needs depth and youth at LB, and Greenway would be a great long-term fit.
17. Minnesota Vikings – Jay Cutler, QB (Vanderbilt)
Minnesota can’t pass on a franchise QB slipping this far. Several scouts have Cutler rated higher than both Young AND Leinart, even though he may not be ready to play right away. Cutler could sit this season and learn from Brad Johnson before taking over as the full time starter in a year or two.
18. Dallas Cowboys – Donte Whitner, S (Ohio State)
With the signing of Terrell Owens, the Tuna looks again to the defense. Dallas’ number one priority now shifts to getting Roy Williams back to Strong Safety and bringing in someone who can run deep in coverage. Whitner’s deep speed and ability to make plays on the ball have helped him to become a late riser in most draft rooms.
19. San Diego Chargers – Ty Hill, CB (Clemson)
Perhaps the fastest player in the draft, Hill is as good a cover corner as anyone in this class. This would fill a great need in San Diego where they lack players in the secondary who can turn and run. Hill should not slip passed the top 20.
20. Kansas City Chiefs – Johnathan Joseph, CB (South Carolina)
The defense served as the fall guy in K.C. throughout the Vermiel era. Herman Edwards will set a new tone, beginning with this physical corner. Joseph has good cover skills and tackles with a purpose. He will need to be coached to improve technique, but has definite raw skill and tremendous upside.
21. New England Patriots - DeAngelo Williams, RB (Memphis)
A steel for the Patriots here, Williams is second only to Reggie Bush as far as running backs go in this draft. Williams will help to save some wear on Cory Dillon’s legs and provide some future security at the RB position in New England.
22. San Francisco 49ers (From Redskins via Broncos) - LenDale White, RB (USC)
Defense? Defense is for teams that need to win games. The Niners just need to score some points. Despite the questions about his desire and conditioning, White is the type of between the tackles runner that thrives in Norv Turner and Mike Nolan’s offense. By adding a stronger O-Line, Vernon Davis, and LenDale White, Alex Smith now has the weapons he needs to live up to his status as a former number one overall pick.
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jason Allen, DB (Tennessee)
At first Allen was rated lower because he was thought to be caught as a tweener between CB and S, but workouts have shown that he may be able to start right away at either position. The original “Tampa 2” has been missing an enforcer in the secondary since John Lynch was released. Allen will get a chance to fill that void.
24. Cincinnati Bengals – Manny Lawson, DE (NC State)
Overshadowed by teammate Mario Williams during the regular season, Lawson began making a name for himself during the combine and in personal workouts. He is able to stand his ground at the point of attack as well as rush the passer with outstanding athleticism.
25. New York Giants – Ashton Youboty, CB (Ohio State)
Poor run support in the secondary cost the Giants dearly last season, hence the need for a top flight corner who can bring it physically. Youboty likes to take chances is coverage, but he plays the ball well and has good technique, making up for the occasional big play he may give up.
26. Chicago Bears – Leonard Pope, TE (Georgia)
Pope is a big improvement on offense for a team with relatively few needs on the defensive side of the ball. He is a physical player and an exceptional receiver who will help open up the Bears passing game.
27. Carolina Panthers – Lawrence Maroney, RB (Minnesota)
Maroney is a sharp cutting runner with good vision. He is still growing into his frame and will need time to develop into a full time starter, but he will be able to contribute when needed for an always brittle backfield in Carolina.
28. Jacksonville Jaguars - DeMeco Ryans, LB (Alabama)
Concerns about size and durability cause Ryans to drop a little, but his production when on the field at Alabama was unmistakable. An outstanding pass rush (a plus in the AFC South) and very good instincts make Ryans an attractive selection near the end of the first round.
29. New York Jets (From Broncos) – Kamerion Wimbley, DE/OLB (Florida State)
Technically sound player who’s stock had been hurt because of injury. The bad news is that Wimbley will be confined to the 3-4 his whole career because he’s too much of a tweener to play in a 4-3. The good news is he’ll be an outstanding edge rusher for whichever 3-4 team lands him. Think of Wimbly as a poor man’s Willie McGinnis in Eric Mangini’s new defense for the Jets.
30. Indianapolis Colts – Bobby Carpenter, LB (Ohio State)
Technically the Colts have a greater need for an inside player, and Carpenter played the outside at Ohio State, but LB is too much of a need for the Colts to leave him on the board. His toughness and instinct will be an immediate help for Toney Dungy.
31. Seattle Seahawks – Deuce Lutui, G (USC)
Lutui is a technician on the offensive line and has incredible athletic ability. He will help relieve some of the sting of loosing Chad Hutchinson to free agency. The Seahawks have invested a lot in Sean Alexander, so they need to ensure that he will continue to be able to rack up yards and TD if they want to return to the Super Bowl.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers – Sinorice Moss, WR (Miami)
Moss may be able to help Steeler fans forget about Antoine Randal-El. A little undersized but a perfect fit to play in the slot, Moss is also an explosive return man. He may not be able to throw like Randal-El, but he has the type of versatility that Bill Cower and Ken Whisenhunt love to play with.
Houston Texans – Reggie Bush, RB (USC)
Bush is the perfect combination of athleticism, potential, and the ability to sell tickets. Some in Houston would prefer home grown Vince Young, but Gary Kubiak and the Texans need to win now and they will go with the best player in the draft. Top end tackles will still be available in round two.
2. New Orleans Saints – Mario Williams, DE (NC State)
Perhaps the most impressive physical specimen in the draft, Williams gives the Saints a one man defensive overhaul. Could play the DE position in 4-3 or OLB in a 3-4 in the Terrell Suggs mold. He will be a game changer from the moment he steps onto the field, provided he doesn’t take plays off and learns to focus a little more during games.
3. Tennessee Titans – Matt Leinart, QB (USC)
The most ready for play off the three first round QB’s, Leinart already has an established report with Titan OC Norm Chow. The late rumor is that The Titans will pass on Leinart, and that he could fall as far as the Cardinals. That, as much as anything, makes me think he’ll go to Tennessee.
4. New York Jets – D’Brickashaw Furguson, OT (Virginia)
The more he is scrutinized, the more Ferguson reiterates that he is the premier lineman in the draft. The only real criticism is that he is too light at 312 lbs, but he’s young. He has time to grow into his 6’6” frame.
5. Green Bay Packers – Green Bay, A.J. Hawk, LB (Ohio State)
Reminds many of former Ohio State LB Mike Vrabel. Hawk is one of the premier playmakers in the draft. LB is a definite need for the packers and pairing the deceptively athletic Hawk with Nick Barnett would fortify the LB core in Green Bay.
6. San Francisco 49res – Vernon Davis, TE (Maryland)
Davis produced the most impressive workouts of any player in the draft. Michael Huff may make more sense as far as filling holes, but after losing Brandon Lloyd, the Niners had better find some way to build around last year’s number one pick, QB Alex Smith. Davis has 4.38 speed and is a better pass catching weapon than any receiver in this year’s draft class.
7. Oakland Raiders – Vince Young, QB (Texas)
This pick is more for value than necessity. Aaron Brooks is certainly not a long term solution at the QB position, but there is a lot of talk that Al Davis very much likes last year’s third round choice Andrew Walters as the future for the Silver and Black. With a number of top DB’s in the draft, Oakland could have their choice of prospects to sure up a bad secondary.
8. Buffalo Bills - Broderick Buckley, DT (Florida State)
Quick for his size and has experience playing both the one and the three techniques in the 4-3. One of the strongest players in the draft (44 reps at the combines), he should provide a nice anchor for the newly implemented cover two in Buffalo.
9. Detroit Lions – Michael Huff, S (Texas)
Huff can fill a spot at either CB or S. He excels in coverage and as a blitzer, providing versatility to any defense. Comparisons to Ronnie Lott are no too far fetched for Huff, the best DB in a very deep group.
10. Arizona Cardinals – Winston Justice, OT (USC)
Justice managed to slide under the radar for most of the season at USC because of all of the talent on the Trojan’s overall roster, but he has since flown up most draft boards. He has a long reach and great balance in pass protection. O-line is the only thing keeping the Cardinal’s offense from being on an elite level, and Justice should help raise the bar in Arizona.
11. Saint Louis Rams – Jimmy Williams, CB (Virginia Tech)
Jay Cutler will continue to slide as Aaron Rodgers did last year. Shut down corners are still a hot commodity in this league, and Williams has the ability to take away half of the field in coverage. There are questions about William’s character, but the rams have been willing to take a chance on a great talent before.
12. Cleveland Browns – Ernie Simms, LB (Florida State)
Plays non stop and excels in pass coverage. Simms’ athleticism has helped him to skyrocket up most draft boards. Has been knocked for his size, but is almost exactly the same size as Derrick Brooks (6’0”, 228 lbs.). Simms can be a destructive force off the edge, an important role in Romeo Crennel’s defense.
13. Baltimore Ravens – Haloti Ngata, DL (Oregon)
Big bodies in the middle are a must to free up the LB in a 4-3 defense, and Ngata fills the middle as well as anyone. He should be able to provide some of the help that Ray Lewis has been crying about.
14. Philadelphia Eagles – Chad Jackson, WR (Florida)
A blistering 4.32 time in the 40 at the combines helped Jackson to move up the WR list. Jackson’s size, speed, athleticism, and lapses in concentration are reminiscent of another former Eagles receiver. WR is a clear need for Philly, but OL could also be a priority come draft day.
15. Denver Broncos (From Atlanta) – Santonio Holmes, WR (Ohio State)
Holmes is a little undersized (just over 5’10”), but has great speed and separates well from coverage. With Rod Smith turning 36 this year and Ashley Lelie’s continued inconsistency, Holmes will be a good fit in Denver.
16. Miami Dolphins – Chad Greenway, LB (Iowa)
Has drawn Teddy Bruschi comparisons for his knack for making plays. Greenway has faced questions about his ability to take on and shed blocks, but is an excellent tackler with a nose for the ball. Miami needs depth and youth at LB, and Greenway would be a great long-term fit.
17. Minnesota Vikings – Jay Cutler, QB (Vanderbilt)
Minnesota can’t pass on a franchise QB slipping this far. Several scouts have Cutler rated higher than both Young AND Leinart, even though he may not be ready to play right away. Cutler could sit this season and learn from Brad Johnson before taking over as the full time starter in a year or two.
18. Dallas Cowboys – Donte Whitner, S (Ohio State)
With the signing of Terrell Owens, the Tuna looks again to the defense. Dallas’ number one priority now shifts to getting Roy Williams back to Strong Safety and bringing in someone who can run deep in coverage. Whitner’s deep speed and ability to make plays on the ball have helped him to become a late riser in most draft rooms.
19. San Diego Chargers – Ty Hill, CB (Clemson)
Perhaps the fastest player in the draft, Hill is as good a cover corner as anyone in this class. This would fill a great need in San Diego where they lack players in the secondary who can turn and run. Hill should not slip passed the top 20.
20. Kansas City Chiefs – Johnathan Joseph, CB (South Carolina)
The defense served as the fall guy in K.C. throughout the Vermiel era. Herman Edwards will set a new tone, beginning with this physical corner. Joseph has good cover skills and tackles with a purpose. He will need to be coached to improve technique, but has definite raw skill and tremendous upside.
21. New England Patriots - DeAngelo Williams, RB (Memphis)
A steel for the Patriots here, Williams is second only to Reggie Bush as far as running backs go in this draft. Williams will help to save some wear on Cory Dillon’s legs and provide some future security at the RB position in New England.
22. San Francisco 49ers (From Redskins via Broncos) - LenDale White, RB (USC)
Defense? Defense is for teams that need to win games. The Niners just need to score some points. Despite the questions about his desire and conditioning, White is the type of between the tackles runner that thrives in Norv Turner and Mike Nolan’s offense. By adding a stronger O-Line, Vernon Davis, and LenDale White, Alex Smith now has the weapons he needs to live up to his status as a former number one overall pick.
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jason Allen, DB (Tennessee)
At first Allen was rated lower because he was thought to be caught as a tweener between CB and S, but workouts have shown that he may be able to start right away at either position. The original “Tampa 2” has been missing an enforcer in the secondary since John Lynch was released. Allen will get a chance to fill that void.
24. Cincinnati Bengals – Manny Lawson, DE (NC State)
Overshadowed by teammate Mario Williams during the regular season, Lawson began making a name for himself during the combine and in personal workouts. He is able to stand his ground at the point of attack as well as rush the passer with outstanding athleticism.
25. New York Giants – Ashton Youboty, CB (Ohio State)
Poor run support in the secondary cost the Giants dearly last season, hence the need for a top flight corner who can bring it physically. Youboty likes to take chances is coverage, but he plays the ball well and has good technique, making up for the occasional big play he may give up.
26. Chicago Bears – Leonard Pope, TE (Georgia)
Pope is a big improvement on offense for a team with relatively few needs on the defensive side of the ball. He is a physical player and an exceptional receiver who will help open up the Bears passing game.
27. Carolina Panthers – Lawrence Maroney, RB (Minnesota)
Maroney is a sharp cutting runner with good vision. He is still growing into his frame and will need time to develop into a full time starter, but he will be able to contribute when needed for an always brittle backfield in Carolina.
28. Jacksonville Jaguars - DeMeco Ryans, LB (Alabama)
Concerns about size and durability cause Ryans to drop a little, but his production when on the field at Alabama was unmistakable. An outstanding pass rush (a plus in the AFC South) and very good instincts make Ryans an attractive selection near the end of the first round.
29. New York Jets (From Broncos) – Kamerion Wimbley, DE/OLB (Florida State)
Technically sound player who’s stock had been hurt because of injury. The bad news is that Wimbley will be confined to the 3-4 his whole career because he’s too much of a tweener to play in a 4-3. The good news is he’ll be an outstanding edge rusher for whichever 3-4 team lands him. Think of Wimbly as a poor man’s Willie McGinnis in Eric Mangini’s new defense for the Jets.
30. Indianapolis Colts – Bobby Carpenter, LB (Ohio State)
Technically the Colts have a greater need for an inside player, and Carpenter played the outside at Ohio State, but LB is too much of a need for the Colts to leave him on the board. His toughness and instinct will be an immediate help for Toney Dungy.
31. Seattle Seahawks – Deuce Lutui, G (USC)
Lutui is a technician on the offensive line and has incredible athletic ability. He will help relieve some of the sting of loosing Chad Hutchinson to free agency. The Seahawks have invested a lot in Sean Alexander, so they need to ensure that he will continue to be able to rack up yards and TD if they want to return to the Super Bowl.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers – Sinorice Moss, WR (Miami)
Moss may be able to help Steeler fans forget about Antoine Randal-El. A little undersized but a perfect fit to play in the slot, Moss is also an explosive return man. He may not be able to throw like Randal-El, but he has the type of versatility that Bill Cower and Ken Whisenhunt love to play with.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Double Standard
It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything, but I’ve been meaning to write on a popular subject lately. This Duke Lacrosse situation has been bugging me since the story first broke. I write some of this with the risk of sounding sympathetic to sex offenders. Make no mistake; people who commit crimes (sex crimes in particular) should be punished to the full extent of the law. But I have a hard time with the way that people accused of committing a sex crime – namely men – are treated with such a double standard when it comes to these cases.
It isn’t fair that the accuser’s identity is kept secret while the images and faces of the accused are flaunted about in the media. This is done partly so that women will feel free to press charges without having to suffer the indignity that accompanies such publicity. Meanwhile, the men who are accused are paraded around the media like criminals throughout the proceedings, before any evidence is even presented.
Two years ago several BYU football players were accused of committing a gang rape. The names of the players were printed in several papers and web sites, ruining their reputations, while the identity of the accuser was always quietly guarded. Before the case could even be brought to trial, it was discovered that the female accuser had lied about the rape because she felt guilty and embarrassed about having engaged in consensual sex with multiple football players at a party. Even after bringing false charges, the whore’s name was still never printed, nor did any media publication issue an apology to the players for portraying them as rapists.
Now the same thing has been going on at Duke for over a month. The entire Lacrosse team has been vilified, despite the fact that ABSOLUTELY NO EVEIDENCE OF ANY WRONG DOING HAS BEEN PRESENTED! So far we’ve seen that (1) there is no DNA evidence implicating any Duke Lacrosse player, (2) photos have shown that the accuser arrived at the scene that night already having sustained several injuries, (3) the accuser was “passed out drunk” (according to police reports) when police were called to pick her up, (4) the girl who was with the accuser that night has no illegal activity to report, (5) the accuser never mentioned Duke, lacrosse, a party, any lacrosse players, or anything relating to it to the doctors who tended to her that night, and (5) not one member of the Lacrosse team felt strongly enough to come forward with any significant information.
We’ve also seen 47 scholarship athletes loose a year of competition, a senior class see their careers end prematurely, several incoming recruits sent to competing schools, and a damn good coach who had nothing to do with any of this, Mike Pressler, forced to resign after 16 exemplary years at Duke (including three Atlantic Coast Conference championships and a trip to last year's national final).
Today two individual players were indicted in the rape case. I wont print their names (even though their names and faces are all over the national news) because they have not been found guilty of a crime. Weather they are guilty or not, they will spend the rest of their tenure in college, and long after, identified by the accusations brought against them.
These two boys may have done something horrible, they may have not. That is for a jury to decide. For the last month, it seems that Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong has been determined to keep searching until he finds something. (Don’t you think it’s strange that a fourth search warrant was also filed today? Why are they still searching for evidence if they have already indicted the players?) I guess he kind of has to though, seeing as how he went on record saying that he was confident that a crime had been committed before bothering to find any evidence. It would look pretty bad for a DA who’s up for re-election later this year to announce that he knows a crime was committed and then not prosecute anyone.
Without a super secret piece of surprise evidence, the case will resort to a “he said, she said” situation, at which point the accusers reputation will be destroyed in the courts in an effort to discredit her character. If that happens in this case, it’s a slam-dunk for the defense. If the accused really did commit this crime, I hope they go to jail. If they didn’t, I feel sorry for what they will have to go through for the next several years. Anyway. I’m off to go buy a Duke Lacrosse T-shirt.
It isn’t fair that the accuser’s identity is kept secret while the images and faces of the accused are flaunted about in the media. This is done partly so that women will feel free to press charges without having to suffer the indignity that accompanies such publicity. Meanwhile, the men who are accused are paraded around the media like criminals throughout the proceedings, before any evidence is even presented.
Two years ago several BYU football players were accused of committing a gang rape. The names of the players were printed in several papers and web sites, ruining their reputations, while the identity of the accuser was always quietly guarded. Before the case could even be brought to trial, it was discovered that the female accuser had lied about the rape because she felt guilty and embarrassed about having engaged in consensual sex with multiple football players at a party. Even after bringing false charges, the whore’s name was still never printed, nor did any media publication issue an apology to the players for portraying them as rapists.
Now the same thing has been going on at Duke for over a month. The entire Lacrosse team has been vilified, despite the fact that ABSOLUTELY NO EVEIDENCE OF ANY WRONG DOING HAS BEEN PRESENTED! So far we’ve seen that (1) there is no DNA evidence implicating any Duke Lacrosse player, (2) photos have shown that the accuser arrived at the scene that night already having sustained several injuries, (3) the accuser was “passed out drunk” (according to police reports) when police were called to pick her up, (4) the girl who was with the accuser that night has no illegal activity to report, (5) the accuser never mentioned Duke, lacrosse, a party, any lacrosse players, or anything relating to it to the doctors who tended to her that night, and (5) not one member of the Lacrosse team felt strongly enough to come forward with any significant information.
We’ve also seen 47 scholarship athletes loose a year of competition, a senior class see their careers end prematurely, several incoming recruits sent to competing schools, and a damn good coach who had nothing to do with any of this, Mike Pressler, forced to resign after 16 exemplary years at Duke (including three Atlantic Coast Conference championships and a trip to last year's national final).
Today two individual players were indicted in the rape case. I wont print their names (even though their names and faces are all over the national news) because they have not been found guilty of a crime. Weather they are guilty or not, they will spend the rest of their tenure in college, and long after, identified by the accusations brought against them.
These two boys may have done something horrible, they may have not. That is for a jury to decide. For the last month, it seems that Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong has been determined to keep searching until he finds something. (Don’t you think it’s strange that a fourth search warrant was also filed today? Why are they still searching for evidence if they have already indicted the players?) I guess he kind of has to though, seeing as how he went on record saying that he was confident that a crime had been committed before bothering to find any evidence. It would look pretty bad for a DA who’s up for re-election later this year to announce that he knows a crime was committed and then not prosecute anyone.
Without a super secret piece of surprise evidence, the case will resort to a “he said, she said” situation, at which point the accusers reputation will be destroyed in the courts in an effort to discredit her character. If that happens in this case, it’s a slam-dunk for the defense. If the accused really did commit this crime, I hope they go to jail. If they didn’t, I feel sorry for what they will have to go through for the next several years. Anyway. I’m off to go buy a Duke Lacrosse T-shirt.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Absolutely Maddening!
March Madness may indeed be the greatest sporting event in the country. It is estimated that over 3.8 Billion dollars worth of productivity will be lost due to Americans watching tournament games at work, and I think that’s awesome. In any other country in the world life would be completely put on hold for a sporting event of this magnitude, and I have to say, I love it as much as anyone, except for the one thing that seems to get everyone else so aroused: The upsets. I hate upsets. An upset is a situation where a lower seeded team beats a team seeded at least three spots higher than they are. I think that upsets ruin tournaments. Admittedly there are exceptions to every rule, (seeing UConn lose for example wasn’t that bad because they have been a bunch of heartless hacks just going through the motions for 30 minutes a game until it mattered all season long, so it was nice that they finally got their comeuppance.) but for the most part I don’t see the entertainment value when the best players get knocked out too soon and the best teams choke. Stories that unfold and players that emerge like Tyrus Thomas of LSU, Joakim Noah of Florida, or Patrick O’Brien of Bradley are neat to see, not to mention they help the NBA scouts (the worst in pro sports) by doing their jobs for them, but I want to see top players who have been great for their whole careers matched up against each other in the post season rather than a bunch of Cinderellas who never showed up until tourney time. Two months ago, who would have given a rat’s ass about Glen Davis vs Jai Lewis? Are you telling me that’s better than Reddick v McNamera or Morrison or Paul Davis v Tyler Hansbrough? I didn’t spend all season following these guys to wave goodbye after the first weekend of the tournament. At any rate, at least it’s not the BCS.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Why are hot chicks so dumb? I’ll explain it to you
Not long ago I went to the local Village Inn, which was lovely, for a breakfast skillet. While parking, my friends and I noticed a car with writing on the back windshield containing phrases like, “Hot girls on a road trip”, and “Honk at us, we’re hot!” Naturally I was anxious to get inside and take a gander at these sirens, and then I was reminded of one of nature’s constant truisms: Hot chicks don’t advertise. Needles to say, the breakfast skillet was the most attractive thing at the V.I. that morning. This is one of Darwin’s cruelest twists. Less attractive girls are genetically driven to convince themselves that they are hot in order to propagate the species. This is necessary because most chicks aren’t hot, and the human race would simply die out otherwise.
I could write an entire thesis on this subject, but I’ll try to sum it up more quickly here. Hot chicks are stupid by nature because if they were smarter than the average girls, they would quickly take control of all male actions and severely limit the growth of society. Look at how easy it was for a skank like Monica Lewinsky to infiltrate the White House. Imagine what she could have done if she were mildly attractive! Think about it. Is there anything more deadly than a really hot girl who knows how hot she is and wields that hotness for her own personal gain? If hot girls were to become aware of the power they posses and unite their collective hotness, Amazonian rule would result in a matter of days.
This is also why all girls think they are fat. The fat perception is nature’s way of preserving order. Let’s face it, if women ruled the world we’d still be struggling with discoveries like fire and manmade tools. And don’t give me any of that, “wait a minute, so and so is beautiful and she’s a genius” bull crap. Some sheep come out black (it helps the species to continue to evolve), but the general rule is always consistent. So don’t complain or get down on hot chicks if they don’t quite measure up above the neck. It’s not their fault. In fact, they’re just doing their part to keep society from imploding. So go ahead and buy that dumb hottie a drink, and let nature take its course.
I could write an entire thesis on this subject, but I’ll try to sum it up more quickly here. Hot chicks are stupid by nature because if they were smarter than the average girls, they would quickly take control of all male actions and severely limit the growth of society. Look at how easy it was for a skank like Monica Lewinsky to infiltrate the White House. Imagine what she could have done if she were mildly attractive! Think about it. Is there anything more deadly than a really hot girl who knows how hot she is and wields that hotness for her own personal gain? If hot girls were to become aware of the power they posses and unite their collective hotness, Amazonian rule would result in a matter of days.
This is also why all girls think they are fat. The fat perception is nature’s way of preserving order. Let’s face it, if women ruled the world we’d still be struggling with discoveries like fire and manmade tools. And don’t give me any of that, “wait a minute, so and so is beautiful and she’s a genius” bull crap. Some sheep come out black (it helps the species to continue to evolve), but the general rule is always consistent. So don’t complain or get down on hot chicks if they don’t quite measure up above the neck. It’s not their fault. In fact, they’re just doing their part to keep society from imploding. So go ahead and buy that dumb hottie a drink, and let nature take its course.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Paul Walker Kicks Ass
Paul Walker is by far my favorite actor. Joyride sucked, but everything else this guy turns up in is absolute box office gold (not taking revenue generated into account). He’s like a brooding combination of Mark Paul Gosselaar and Rick Schroder all rolled into one. If you’ve yet to accept Paul Walker as the most real dude in Hollywood, let me present his latest quote about other actors who cry about the hardships thrust upon them by their own fame (quotes courtesy of WWTDD):
"All these people who complain and bitch about it ... move. Get the fuck out. You don't like the press, why the hell are you shopping on Rodeo Drive? Come on, it's easy to disappear if you want to."
That’s certainly refreshing, but not near as cool as his statements about filming the movie “Into the Blue” with the exceedingly foxy Jessica Alba:
“Come on, dude, you know what I'm looking at. I couldn't take my eyes off that ass. I'm sorry. She's beautiful. And she's such a pain in my ass, too. But that's what I love about her. She's the kind of girl you just want to have angry sex with for the rest of your life because it's just that good."
I couldn’t give a better description of Jessica Alba myself. His slightly unnatural affection for animals in the newly released “Eight Below” may be the only thing that keeps Walker from overtaking Tom Brady as my heterosexual man-crush.
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Sites, alteus, forteus...
Ever since America stopped honoring soldiers as heroes (thanks, you damn ungrateful hippies), it seems that as an alternative we often find influence and inspiration from the world of sports. Recently I was again reminded of the indomitable spirit of the pure athlete, the ability to overcome despite terrible setbacks and insurmountable odds. I’m not referring to one of those sappy vignettes from NBC’s coverage of the Olympic Games in Turino, but rather to last weeks Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.Let us all celebrate the triumphant return of SI swimsuit model and uber-hottie Petra Nemcova! Nemcova barely escaped the jaws of death when last year’s terrible tsunami devastated Phuket, Thailand, where she has been vacationing. The exquisite Petra clung to life as the waves ravaged her, breaking her hip and causing severe cuts and bruises.
It’s always a shame when someone so hot suffers so, but a year later, Nemcova found her way back onto the pages of my swimsuit issue, (where she belongs) with a small tribute in her honor behind the “All star cover model Beach Party” section. I want to thank Ms. Nemcova for here drive and desire to return to what she loves, where she does so much good for so many others, inspiring a new generation. I don’t use the word “hero” very often, but I’m sure others will agree, that Petra Nemcova is a true international hero.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Hugo Chavez is a goof ball…
How ‘bout that Hugo Chavez? Somebody needs to remind this guy that Venezuela is still a few pegs down from global super power. Every time I here another quote from this guy I picture him sitting around in his underground lair calling Harry Belafonte “Number Two,” and deciding to go with the old classic of stealing a nuclear warhead and holding the world hostage for ONE BILLION DOLLARS! Chaves wants to end “American imperialism.” The only people who use the phrase “American imperialism” are anti- Americans and people who live in the U.S. who feel guilty for living in the richest country in the world, as if they themselves are causing other countries to live in squalor. If the U.S. were to practice real imperialism, and actually gave our rights and/or protections to other nations, third world countries would be fleeing like a member of Dick Cheney’s hunting party to every U.S. port. Some people confuse the spread of democracy with being imperialistic. They are called Socialist Dictators or Warlords. These are the only people who oppose democracy because in a democracy they would have to earn their political standing. I always want to see the look on some Iranian’s face when he hears Belafonte – sitting in his massive Bel-Air mansion – say that the U.S. is a terror state. That’s an interesting perspective from someone who lives his life in a perpetual day spa. Do you think that real terrorists get pissed off when people call President Bush a terrorist? I would.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
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