NFL First Round Mock Draft

Thanks to Jake Smith for his tireless efforts to put this together for us. Let’s get right to it!

1. STL – Sam Bradford

St Louis released Marc Bulger. It is clear they are going for a QB and Bradford is a clear #1, and quarterbacks in this draft all scream project players.

2. DET – Ndamukong Suh

Ever since they traded Shaun Rogers to Cleveland they have been missing that dominate man on the front. Suh is the definition of beastly. He almost single handily beat Texas in the Big 12 Championship.

3. TB – Gerald McCoy

There is a huge debate on who is better, McCoy or Suh. I think they are both amazing DTs and will be first year producers, but I like Suh’s explosion off the ball a bit more. Either way I think TB has been missing that Warren Sapp like player, and McCoy is a Sapp caliber guy.

4. WAS – Russell Okung

They’ve got their QB, young WRs that are up and coming and a good RB duo. Now lets protect McNabb. McNabb had a great OL at Philly and it’s never a good idea to have bad protection for an older QB.

5. KC – Bryan Bulaga

I think KC would like to take Eric Berry here, but it is way too early for a Free Safety (too much money). Bryan Bulaga is only 20 years old and is very deserving of a top 5 draft pick, this is a franchise lineman.

6. SEA – Trent Williams

Trent Williams is probably just as good as Okung and Bulaga, but his work ethic puts him at 3rd best OT.

7. CLE – Eric Berry

Dez Bryant looks like a for sure pick here, but Cleveland has come out and said they aren’t super interested in him. I truly believe it’s smoke and mirrors, but Cleveland needs help in so many places. Eric Berry is the best safety in the draft, barely edging Earl Thomas in my opinion.

8. OAK – Bruce Campbell

To be totally honest this pick is pretty much tongue in cheek. Al Davis is just plain crazy and he loves guys who show up big in workouts. Bruce Campbell had an insane workout. Campbell is an amazing athlete who needs a lot of technique work, hell the guy only started 17 games. (Sean and JP note: Plus, he carries a big boomstick)

9. BUF – Anthony Davis

Buffalo is another team with many needs and with young QBs you need some protection. Your guess is as good as mine who will be QB of Buffalo, I’m going with Brian Brohm.

10. JAX – Earl Thomas

Jacksonville could really go a lot of directions here. I wouldn’t be surprised to seem them go after CJ Spiller. Letting go of Fred Taylor seemed to show how important he was to that running game. But I don’t think you can pass on Earl Thomas. Thomas is a cover safety who isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder into someone. This guy has extra effort written all over him.

11. DEN – Dez Bryant

No more Brandon Marshall. They need a top flight receiver. I think all the talks of Bryant’s maturity and work ethic is blown way out of proportion.

12. MIA – Dan Williams

Jason Ferguson is already past his prime and the dolphins need a fix at nose right now. Dan Williams is the perfect fit for any team searching for a NT.

13. SF – Sergio Kindle

Kindle will provide the edge rushing OLB that SF craves, wants, needs.

14. SEA – CJ Spiller

Spiller showed impressive speed in the combine, and Seattle’s starter last year was Julius Jones, enough said.

15. NYG – Rolando McClain

The Giants clensed their hands of an aging Antonio Pierce, and now they need a new captain on that defense. Rolando McClain is the definition of inside backer, and he has good sideline to sideline speed.

16. TEN – Jason Pierre-Paul

Kyle Vanden Bosch is gone.

17. SF – Jimmy Clausen

Clausen will be your Aaron Rodgers/Brady Quinn in this years draft. SF is just tired of Alex Smith, what a waste of a #1 pick, but he is good enough to hold the team down for 1 more year while Clausen is groomed to take over.

18. PIT – Maurkice Pouncey

This guy fits Guard/Center and is how Pit will finally replace Alan Faneca.

19. ATL – Brandon Graham

Atlanta is hurting for a pass rushing DE/OLB, they can’t seem to hold on to LBs. Either way this is a good fit.

20. HOU – Joe Haden

Top rated CB at #20? No more Dunta Robinson? This is a no brainer for Houston.

21. CIN – Jermaine Gresham

Gresham injured his knee in 2008, but decided to come back for another chance at a National Title. We all know how that ended. Gresham didn’t have an all star senior year, but he also didn’t have the cast around him. I think he drops to Cincy purely on the fact that nobody before them is in desperate need of a TE.

22. NE – Everson Griffen

New England needs to finally replace Seymour and Griffen is a good fit at end.

23. GB – Mike Iupati

Green Bay was in serious need of OL help last year, Rodgers was on the run too much. I think Iupati is a good interior lineman who has the ability to play OT, but I’d prefer to see him at guard.

24. PHI – Kyle Wilson

Philly is letting Sheldon Brown go and they need a guy to step in now. Joe Haden is considered the best CB in the draft, but I really like Kyle Wilson. Wilson performed on the underrated Boise State defense, which I watched last year and they were insanely good.

25. BAL – Demaryius Thomas

Anquan Boldin, Donte Stallworth and Derrick Mason?? Why would you add Demaryius Thomas to the mix. Well Mason will be gone in 2 years and stallworth was cheap enough that you had to give him a try. Demetrius Williams is never going to be the WR that the Ravens want/need him to be, so Thomas is a sure pick.

26. ARI – Derrick Morgan

Many think the cardinals are going to be quick to replace Dansby who left for the Dolphins, but I think a bigger need is defensive end. Enter Derrick Morgan a 4-3 end who the Cardinals could only be so lucky if he falls this far to them.

27. DAL – Charles Brown

He isn’t your top tier OT, but he is a guy who can be thrown in the competition for starting tackle coming into camp. With the release of Flozell Adams, the cowboys have to really focus on OL depth.

28. SD – Ryan Mathews

Ryan Mathews is a versatile back with good speed. It’s obvious SD is in need of RB, they let go of LT and almost let Sproles leave. That must mean their confidence in their RBs was not very good. I see Mathews as being a good contributor, but don’t expect Hall of Fame player.

29. NYJ – Jared Odrick

Defense? Really? Yes! The only “weak” spot or “declining” spot on the Jets defense is their DE. Jared Odrick is the perfect size for a 3-4 DE, but don’t be surprised if the Cowboys jump on Odrick.

30. MIN – Taylor Mays

Taylor Mays was talked up before the draft to be a phenom, compared to Troy Polamalu. Problem with me is he is slow, I mean real slow. He reminds me of Roy Williams after he peeked.

31. IND – Jerry Hughes

A good outside rusher to give some relief to Freeney. This improvement makes an already great Colts team even scarier.

32. NO – Sean Weatherspoon

The Saints lost Fujita in free agency, and I always feel like they are searching for a good LB. Sean Weatherspoon is a steal at this last pick.

Money Talks…But it Don’t Hit and Pitch and it Don’t…Balk?

Sorry for the shitty Neil Diamond reference,  but talking about money and baseball gets me fired up. I’m not sure why I equate Neil Diamond with being fired up, but that’s not why I’m here. I stand before you today to dispel a myth about baseball.

You can’t buy a championship. Period.

Does having money to spend help? Absolutely.  But it doesn’t win the title. End of story.

As I’ve stated before, I’m a Yankees fan. You’re saying to yourself, “Self, of course he would say money doesn’t buy championships. He doesn’t want to feel as if those titles are tainted.” I will never feel that money taints titles, plus, some already are tainted thanks to A-Rod and Clemens. But I stopped worrying about the money issue when the Yankees were going through their recent dry spell.

*Disclaimer* – Yes, I realize it doesn’t count as a dry spell if it’s only eight years long after winning four in five years. But we did miss the playoffs one year… *Disclaimer*

During that eight year hiatus from our God given place at the top of baseball (kidding), we had, by the far, the largest payroll in baseball each year (and still do). But aside from the loss to Arizona in 2001, at the tail end of careers for key players such as Paul O’neill, Tino Martinez and Scott Brosius, all we had was a collection of all-stars. A nice problem to have, yes, but it has been proven time and again that a random collection of all-stars won’t get the job done.

In that time period, we saw an upstart Angels squad rally behind a stuffed monkey, the Marlins have another “win and sell” party, two groups of idiots and a return to baseball glory for teams in Chicago (sorry Cubs), St. Louis and Philadelphia.

What those teams had is what really makes a champion. And that is chemistry, one of the most overused and overvalued terms in sports. But in a sport like baseball, where you play 162 games in about 185 days, around the same 24 guys everyday, chemistry is very important. Chemistry doesn’t have to mean getting along with everyone on the team. It helps, but true chemistry occurs when every member of the team is truly playing for the goal of winning a championship. You could tell that the Red Sox of 2004 and 2007 had great chemistry and got along great, but those were teams on a mission that would not be stopped. The same can be said for any team that wins a championship, and that is my point. The Yankees of 1996-2000 were built with a lot of money, but they were built with a lot of thought into how pieces would fit together and who the right guys were to be those pieces. Same with the team in 2009.

I do, however, feel that we should have a salary cap in baseball, as well as a salary floor, because it always seems to come down to the same 5 or 6 teams every year that have a real shot to contend. We see upstarts like the Tampa Bay Rays come and go. The Twins have opened their wallet for Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau, so hopefully other smaller market teams will follow suit. I am a Yankees fan, but I’m a baseball fan first. And more teams being able to contend is just better for the game. Maybe, when the next round of labor talks come up, the players and owners can come together and make some decisions that are truly better for the game. But, I doubt it.

- Sean

Men Behaving Stupidly

I don’t much like getting on a moral high horse, and that’s not what I’m doing here. I also don’t much like to talk about the race card because, as a white man, its hard to talk about racial issues without coming off as a racist. So, just to be clear, I’m not a racist. I’m an equal opportunity hater. But, I would like to talk about two men in the sporting world, one white and one black, who have done very stupid things but have handled them in very different ways and, as a result, seem to have been treated very differently by the media.

First off is Ron Washington, a black man and the manager of the Texas Rangers. Recently, a story came out about Washington failing a drug test last year due to cocaine. By all accounts, he was very upfront with the organization about the issue and offered his resignation, which was declined, immediately. He wasted no time in apologizing for his decision and made no excuses. Because of that, he has largely been given a pass by the local and national media, and that is something I can agree with. Given the state of baseball drug issues the last few years, and given the bullshit apologies we’ve heard from various athletes, it’s very refreshing to hear a public figure immediately come out and own up to his mistakes and ask for forgiveness. He doesn’t need our forgiveness. We all make stupid mistakes and decisions in our lives, for various reasons. But the fact that he immediately owned up to the issue and didn’t try to make excuses shows immense character. People in all walks of life should take a lesson from Washington on how to handle personal adversity and mistakes.

The other man, our white man, is Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has now had allegations of sexual misconduct against him twice in less than a year. While no charges have been files against him, the incredible stupidity he has shown by continuing to put himself in these situations is incredible, and even though the media fervor has died down, his stupidity was a major focal point of most sports related discussions after the story first broke. I’m not trying to say that Roethlisberger needs to not have a life outside of football. I’m not saying he can never go out and have a good time with his buddies. This is a free country and, within the constraints of the law, we can more or less do what we please. But there comes a time when you need to realize that you are a major celebrity in this country and there are many people out there who would love to take advantage of that status. Be smarter about where you’re going, what potential clientele might be there and who you are surrounding yourself with.

There is no doubt that an admission of using cocaine is more serious than unproven allegations of sexual misconduct. I’m not here to crucify either of these guys. But the differences in the way these situations have been handled, and the ability of the two men to learn from their mistakes (although we’ll have to wait and see on Washington) is astronomical.

Maybe the way athlete’s are treated when they get in trouble is not a race issue. Maybe its a “learn how to own up to your mistakes” issue.

- Sean

Let the Madness Begin

It’s March, baby! We’ve already seen Winthrop, East Tennessee State and Murray State win their conference tournaments and earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament. More will be determined in the coming days, as the rest of the conference tournaments are played out. Regardless of who you follow or who you root for, we are less than two weeks away from the most exciting postseason tournament in sports.

I. Am. Pumped.

Is there anything better than those first two days of the tournament, when, if you have the time, you can sit on the couch all day and watch nothing but basketball? Is there anything more exciting than watching all the upsets go down, even that one 16 seed who hangs with the big boys for 25 minutes before finally falling apart? The answer is no. There is nothing more exciting in sports. If you think otherwise, you’re wrong.

When it comes to college sports, I don’t have any real rooting interest. I follow a few teams casually, just checking their rankings and records periodically throughout the season. Being from New Jersey, I take interest in how Seton Hall and Rutgers play, as well as St. Johns. I also follow Georgetown, mainly because of my youthful devotion to Patrick Ewing.

But, more so than any other college team, I find myself actually rooting for Texas A&M. My good friend Jared is a major A&M fan. I give him shit about it, clowning on Aggies and their sporting ineptitude. But when it comes to basketball, I’m kinda hooked on ‘em. I took notice a few years back when Acie Law was leading the Aggs deep into the tournament, and Billy Gillespie looked like the next big thing in coaching. Who knew that leaving College Station would be your worst career movie, eh Billy?

The more I watch A&M, the more on board with their team I become. Aside from Donald Sloan, they don’t really have another player who can get their shot and bury it at any given point. What they do have, however, is a true team. Their guys know their roles and what they have to do to succeed. They bust their asses every play of every game, and they have the rare trait of never looking past a team. They come ready to play, whether its Kansas or Nebraska. That’s a team I can get behind.

So, sit back and enjoy. Get your brackets filled out and your pool rules ratified. We’re in the final month of the college basketball season, and they always save the best for last.

Let’s Talk About Tiger

For the love of all that is holy, I just don’t care anymore. I’m tired of hearing about all the chicks he slept with. I’m tired of hearing about his being in sex rehab. I’m tired of the hoopla that surrounded his public statement yesterday.

Just get right with your family and get right with yourself, and get back to playing golf.

The fact is, Tiger Woods doesn’t owe us an apology. The only people he owes an apology to are his wife, his kids and his mom. No one else in this world is in a position to judge him for his mistakes.

He doesn’t owe an apology to parents who told their kids to look up to him. Don’t allow public figures to be a roll model for you or your kids, for anything other than their game performance. If you are taking your moral cues from celebrities, you have bigger issues.

Besides, no matter what Tiger says, no one is going to take him seriously. “He’s only sorry because he got caught.” No shit. How many times have you apologized for something before you got caught doing it? Most times, people do not consider the ramifications of their actions until they are caught. Does that excuse the action? Absolutely not. But to say someone is insincere in their apology because they didn’t apologize before they were caught is just ridiculous. It seems as though the fact he was caught is a bigger crime than the act itself.

So let’s all just move on from the Tiger Woods story. Let’s see how he acts on the golf course for the rest of his career. Let’s see how he treats his wife for the rest of their time together, if they even stay together. The only way we’ll ever know if Tiger was sincere in his apologies is to observe how he acts from here on out. Until then, let’s just move on.

Top 10 Amazing Dunkers

In honor of the NBA All-Star Weekend in here in Dallas, I present, in my opinion, the top 10 dunkers in NBA history. Again, this is merely my opinion, and I’m sure I will not include some great ones, so feel free to let me know where I’m an idiot. Away we go…

10. Brent Barry – Only whitey ever to win the dunk contest. That, by itself, puts him on this list. But just barely.

9. Nate Robinson / Spud Webb – I’m including these 2 together because their accomplishments in the dunk contest are equally amazing.  For these 2 little guys to beat the likes of Wilkins, Jordan and Dwight Howard remains completely mind blowing.

8. Darryl Dawkins – Chocolate Thunder gets points for not only shattering backboards, but also for the outrageous names he gave his dunks. Plus, he was an alien from the planet Lovetron. We are lucky that he took time out of practicing interplanetary funkmanship to show us how to put it down with authority.

7. LeBron James – I struggled with the decision to put him on this list because of his baffling refusal to show his stuff in the dunk contest. But, when he wants to take it to the basket, he’s dunking over anyone that gets in his way. May well be at the top of this list when his career is over. And if he ever competes at All-Star Weekend.

6. Shawn Kemp – When he wasn’t too busy having kids, Shawn Kemp thrilled us with his aerial skills. Another guy who would dunk over anyone who got in his way with unmatched hostility. During his and Gary Payton’s hay-days, you did not change the channel when a Sonics game was on T.V.

5. David Thompson – With a nickname like Skywalker, you have to be on this list. Thompson had the ability to take your breath away whenever the ball was in his hands. And, most of the time, he did.

4. Julius Erving – Doctor J revolutionized the air game in his days in the ABA, helping the smaller league compete with the much higher profile NBA.

3. Vince Carter – Dude straight up leaped a 7’2″ guy in the Olympics. Yeah, he was a french guy, but still.

2. Michael Jordan – It always seemed as if Jordan could fly. Even when he was coming down, he seemed to have a little lift left in reserve. And he really made Patrick Ewing look silly.

1. Dominique Wilkins – The human highlight film. I never saw anyone display more in-air acrobatics than ‘Nique. Sorry, Mike, but Dominique is number 1 on this list.

It’s Olympics Time!

Yes, it’s Olympics time once again. The opening ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics are happening in Vancouver, British Columbia this evening. But, I’m not here to break down any events or athletes. I don’t follow the Olympics that closely, and I never will.  I just want to talk about the beauty of the Olympics.

The Olympic Games is sport in its most pure form. The athletes are out there representing only themselves and their countries. These people aren’t concerned about where their next contract is coming from or what city they may be playing for next season. They are not worried about holding something back to save for the next game. The Olympians leave everything out on the field for that gold medal, because you never know if you’re going to have a chance to get back. You can’t worry about leaving anything in the tank when you only get to compete at the highest level every 4 years. 4 years can be the difference between being on top of your game and struggling to stay afloat.

However, The Olympics are a fantastic case study of civilization as a whole. Many people, from many different backgrounds, all thrown together and competing for the same goal. Isn’t that a microcosm of our world? Regardless of where you come from, where you’ve been and where you’re going, aren’t we all working towards the same basic goals?

I don’t mean to jump on a soapbox, but the world can learn a few things from The Olympics. Let’s stop allowing our differences to stand in the way of progress. Let’s stop worrying about the new skier that may hurt your chance for a medal, or the new guy at the office who is gunning for your promotion. Like the Olympians, we need to take the competition in stride, and use it to better ourselves and the world we live in.

Now is not only the time to sit back and watch some fantastic competition, but also time to sit back and watch these athletes interact with each other and take joy in the fact that, despite their different backgrounds and countries of origin, they are all fighting for the same thing. Just like our world outside of sports.

Enjoy!

Top 10 Scariest 3-Point Shooters

In honor of the upcoming NBA All-Star Weekend here in Dallas at Dallas Cowboys Stadium, I’ve picked, in my opinion, the top 10 scariest 3-point shooters since the 3-point contest began in the 1985-1986 season. I use the word scary because this is very much a list of guys that scared me when they had an opening to launch a 3. And away we go…

10. LeBron James – I put him on here because I hate watching him settling for 3-pointers. There is no one in this league that can stop him. Take it to the basket. Please!

9. Bruce Bowen – Not only was Bowen a helluva defender during his NBA career, but you couldn’t leave him open on offense. If he had space while he was camped in the corner, that 3 was going up and in.

8. Steve Kerr – If he could get the shot off, it was going in. And he was always clutch.

7. Tim Hardaway – Might be a surprise for Timmy to be on this list, but when he would bring the ball up, do a quick crossover and pull up for the 3, you just knew it was dropping. And he was deadly against the Knicks during his Miami Heat days.

6. Dirk Nowitzki – Just a scary shooter from anywhere on the court. Especially if he’s feelin’ it.

5. Ray Allen – Dude has an absolutely beautiful release, and has always had a knack for making shots when it counts.

4. Chauncey Billups – You’d be hard pressed to find a guy that has made more big shots in the last decade than Billups.

3. John Starks – At times you were clutch, but Game 7 of the 1994 Finals…you’re still shooting in my nightmares.

2. Reggie Miller – Game 1, 1995 Eastern Conference Finals, Pacers vs. Knicks. ‘Nuff said.

1. Larry Bird – There is no one else in NBA history (Okay, maybe Jordan) that I want on my team when I need a big shot to win a game, especially a 3.

This list represents the 10 guys I think of when I think of scary 3-point shooters. I know I’ve missed some guys, so feel free to chime in with your opinions.

- Sean

So I was Wrong…

I beg your pardon, dear readers, but I was dead wrong. Apparently, you can still bet against Peyton Manning in a big game.

But first, congratulations to the New Orleans Saints on winning your first Super Bowl in franchise history. And leave it to New Orleans to be the first city, in my memory, to throw their parade at night.  Absolutely fantastic!

Back to the point, which I can’t emphasize enough. I was wrong. Manning looked confused and disoriented at times. He made bad throws and hurried throws. And he got picked. Quite possibly the worst interception of his career, given what was at stake for his personal legacy. To make matters worse, you didn’t even have the decency to shake hands with the opposition. That is just classless.

My mother’s friend Cindy, a Louisiana native, said she lost all respect for Peyton Manning. That’s saying a lot, considering the clout that the Manning family has in New Orleans and Louisiana. I won’t go so far as to say I lost all respect for Manning. Lord knows we all make stupid decisions and do things we regret in the heat of the moment. But it was still a very classless move.

Now, I don’t want to seem like I’m crediting Manning for the Saints’ victory, because I’m not. The Saints totally earned this victory, not only with clutch performances from their players (Drew Brees, Garrett Hartley and Tracy Porter, to name a few), but also with fantastic play calling by Sean Payton. Brees was absolutely amazing in his MVP performance. It seems odd that I would mention a kicker as a key performer, but considering the terrible kicking we have seen in the playoffs, and the field position advantage the Colts would have had if those kicks were missed, his performance was just as integral to the victory as any other.

Perhaps the biggest story of the Super Bowl, however, was the Saints defense. They held a dynamic Colts offense to 17 points and baffled one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. And they made one of the biggest defensive plays in Super Bowl history, Tracy Porter’s interception return touchdown that effectively ended the game. It was said that you can’t rely on turnovers to win big games. The Saints don’t rely on turnovers, they make ‘em happen.

So, again, I was wrong. My apologies to the Saints. And, congratulations! It’s been a long time coming. Enjoy it.

You’ve given all of us hope. If the Saints can win a Super Bowl, anyone can win a Super Bowl. Except the Jets…

- Sean

Dirk Nowitzki ruined my pick-up game

By Ira Brooker

(We’d like to thank Ira for taking time out of his immensely busy schedule to do this for us, you should follow him on Twitter and read his blog “Talent For Idleness” like every single day, it’s better then anything else I read.-Jaime)

Lately, I seem to be giving up more outside shots in my pick-up games. An untrained observer might suggest that this has something to do with me being 31 years old and losing a few steps from a game that had precious few to spare in the first place. I can see where someone might draw that conclusion, but I have a different theory. I blame Dirk Nowitzki.

Ever since I starting holding down the lane for my seventh-grade B-squad, I’ve been a Big Man. It’s a relative term – in NBA parlance, my 6’5”, 240-pound frame would probably make me a bulky shooting guard – but in the arenas of the upper Midwest I’ve usually been the biggest guy on the court. When I was learning my low-post licks, being a big man meant banging bodies, blocking shots and pulling down rebounds. Scoring was a vague possibility if I happened to grab an offensive board right under the hoop or if my point guard happened to look inside instead of dribbling off his foot or chucking up an ill-advised 17-footer.