2008 NFL Draft - Pseudo Live-Blog
6:45pm: With the first round over (and in record time - 3 hours less than last year, thank God) I'm packing it in for the night. All in all, a pretty exciting NFL Draft so far. Lots of trades, some surprises, and two outright stick-ups by the Eagles & Ravens. Glad to have been here. Let's see who wins the Chad Johnson auction tomorrow...
6:38pm: Nice, Mort makes a fried chicken joke to Keyshawn, and everyone on the ESPN set freezes mid sentence. God forbid anyone makes a joke anymore. Wonder how long it takes for ESPN to force a Mort apology and banish him to Cold Pizza (sorry - "First Take") for six months...
6:32pm: ...Or, the Jets can trade up to take a tight end. Either way, really. By the way - ESPN just cut away to the fans for a lead-in to a commercial break, and it reminded me of a mosh pit back in high school. Just a bunch of white guys, probably a little drunk, jumping up and down with their hands in the air, making general asses of themselves. God I hated high school. Almost as much as I hate these Jets & Giants fans.
6:23pm: Gotta admit, I'm a little scared right now. The Jets just traded back into the first round at #30 with Green Bay - I've got to imagine they're going to grab a runningback or receiver. Then there's the Patriots' forfeited pick, then the Giants go #32. All in all, this is going to be an interesting 25 minutes for New Yorkers.
5:22pm: Now that we've had our first major "Character issue" pick - Aqib Talib from Kansas going #20 to Tampa Bay, I'm heading out for a little while. I am interested to see how the ESPN crew, and Goddell handle the 31st overall pick - I'm wondering if they'll jsut holda moment of silence, or if they'll wait the full 10 minutes for the pick before announcing "Oh, that's right, the Patriots forfeited it because of a stupid rule that every other coach in the NFL violates in some way or another". But until that time, I'm out.
5:17pm: Yet another highway robbery... Phily trades out of the first round with the Panthers, and they pick up Carolina's 2nd and 4th pick this year,
and Carolina's #1 next year! Andy Reid is either a genius or a complete moron, and I'm leaning toward genius.
5:11pm: Finally, someone woke up and took Jeff Otah off the board. The Panthers traded up with Philly to get him, causing many confused Eagles fans to hold their heads in disbelief, followed shortly by the ceremonial booing and throwing of batteries towards the stage. Nice moment here as the NFL honors military servicemen on stage... and the ESPN crew spends the first 55 seconds of a 60 second ceremony continuing to debate the Otah pick. Seems like they finally shut off the microphones right in the middle of a Keyshawn Johnson point - I'm sure he'll be OK with that...
5:01pm: The Ravens have traded back up into the first round, taking Houston's #18 overall pick. Looks like they're grabbing Joe Flacco from Delaware ahead of Briam Brohm & Chad Henne. Interesting... talk about someone raising their stock through a great showing at the combine. Mel Kiper must be thrilled about this pick - he's been pimping Flacco as a first rounder for weeks. I just enjoy typing the name Joe Flacco - seems like he belongs in a bodega in northern Jersey instead of shoulderpads in Baltimore, but whatever.
4:58pm: I'm not even going to pretend to know how to pronounce or spell the name of the offensive tackle the Lions just selected #17 overall. All I know is that they A) didn't take the best available tackle, and B) didn't select a wide receiver. I'm disappointed on many levels here.
4:55pm: Chris Mortensen with the throwaway line of the first round so far, in describing Arizona's first round pick Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: "He only has one kidney, but GM's seem to have decided that they're OK with that." Wait... what?!?
4:47pm: And naturally, the Lions immediately trade away the pick to the Chiefs, who use it to take yet another offensive lineman not named Otah. At least this one was a guard - Brandon Albert. It's almost like the Lions are teasing me - dropping farther and farther down the board so they can justify using a first round pick on a receiver, as long as it's at like #25 overall...
4:42pm: Crap - Steve Young just proved why he belongs on the stage ahead of me. He made a great point - the Lions have the best QB in the NFC North right now in Jon Kitna... which is a really scary thought for the NFC North. Detroit has to go either runningback or o-lineman.
4:37pm: We've had three offensive tackles taken so far, and yet the consensus #2 tackle on just about every board - Jeff Otah - before this draft started is still available. How is this possible? Jake Long - OK, that makes sense. But Ryan Clady and Chris Williams ahead of Otah? Really? By the way - I've got fingers and toes crossed right now praying the Lions manage to take DeSean Jackson. It would be even better if they grabbed Malcolm Kelly - not only would they screw up by taking another first round receiver, but they wouldn't even get the consensus best one out there...
4:29pm: The Panthers take Jonathan Stewart at #13, leading ESPN to run a quick montage of Stewart's running plays from Oregon. I think in the nine clips they showed, I counted seven different Ducks' uniforms - each of which nearly gave me a seizure. We're nearing the moment of truth for the Lions... I'm giddy just thinking about Roger Goodell saying "With the 15th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, Matt Millen has committed career suicide and selected DeSean Jackson."
4:25pm: After Buffalo & Denver make largely non-descript picks, it's Carolina, Chicago & Detroit. Anybody else hoping that the Lions get stuck with taking "Best Available"... and it's a receiver? I'm openly rooting for this to happen.
4:17pm: Random funny note - the ticker at the bottom of the screen running each team's "Key loss" and "Key addition"... for Seattle they list the Key Loss as "PK Josh Brown". Really? He was the biggest loss? Not the 2005 NFL MVP Runningback that the Seahawks cut last week? Also, Chris Berman just said the patriots were going to get a 15 yard penalty for "holding the Mayo". God I loathe him - not only was the joke unfunny, but I can't remember the last time I saw a 15-yard holding penalty in the NFL.
4:13pm: Love the Jets fans trying like hell to drown out the Patriots' pick... And love the pick of Jerod Mayo here for New England. Corner or LB - had to be one or the other. I thought Mayo would
go 9th to Cincy, but certainly not upset with landing him 10th. The extra 3rd round pick from the Saints should come in handy as well.
4:11pm: In theory, with Buffalo & Denver holding the next two picks, the Pats could maybe afford to move down again here, since neither of those teams need a corner. But I still expect them to take Rodgers-Cromartie here and try to shore up the hole that Asante Samuel left in going to Philly.
4:07pm: Good Lord - the Ravens absolutley robbed the Jaguars for that pick! They moved down 18 spots in the first round, and picked up
three more picks for their trouble? Harvey better turn into an All-Pro in the next three years...
4:01pm: The Jags take who? I mean, I've seen this kid Derrick Harvey play, but I can think of a couple d-lineman still on the board who have got to be better than him. Maybe it's the hometown discount thing - the kid did go to college 20 miles away from Jacksonville. And I'm extremely disappointed to see Keith Rivers celebrating at his house with the Bengals on the clock. Was really hoping he'd drop to the Patriots at #10 overall. But I'm not complaining if they end up with Rodgers-Cromartie, and I'm sure they won't be either. They had 2 guys in mind, and as long as they get either of them, they've got to be happy.
3:56pm: OK, I don't think
anybody saw a Jacksonville/Baltimore trade coming. I thought the Ravens
might move down if Matt Ryan was gone, but that's an awful steep move to 26th. Maybe they'll package a bunch to come back up and get a QB, but Brian Brohm or Joe Flacco should both be available around the mid 20's... this could work out very well for them, both in gaining picks and saving salary money.
3:53PM: ...and the Saints take Sedrick Ellis. Of course they do.
3:51pm: "There has been a trade between the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints. The Saints are now on the clock..." How am I not on stage instead of Steve Young? What analysis does he really bring that I couldn't?
3:43pm: Hmm... Jets & Patriots back to back... nah, no chance the fans at Radio City get fired up for the next twenty five minutes... Jets take Gholston. Excuse me while I go fashion a nice little noose for my stupidity... Actually, no. I'd like to see who the Pats take, or if they take anybody, before I go hang myself for missing an opportunity like this.
3:35pm: You know, I'm legitimately pissed at myself. Bodog.com, among other sites, was offering all kinds of odds on the top 10 picks in the NFL Draft (obviously with Jake Long off the board). So far with the Chiefs grabbing Glenn Dorsey, I'm five for five, four for four in actual "unknowns". If the Jets take Gholston and the Pats trade with the Saints to grab Sedrick Ellis, I'm quitting while I'm ahead.
3:27pm: Wow -
4 for 4... I know, I'm stunned too. But honestly, was there ever a doubt that the Raiders would take the home run offensive threat with the questionable off-field personality in Darren McFadden? I mean, that had to be like a 23/27 favorite on the board at The Mirage this morning...
3:13pm: Just flipped on the draft (don't ask... got busy)... looking pretty good from
yesterday's post. Got the #1 & #2 pick correct so far, Long & Long. Let's see where the Falcons go... loving the ESPN montage here showing all the shit Atlanta's been through in the past 12 months. Tough year.
Labels: Draft, Live Blog, NFL, NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
Alright everybody. I’ve been studying. I’ve read everything I can get my hands on relating to this year’s NFL Draft. I’ve watched countless hours of Mel Kiper & Todd McShay arguing about Glenn Dorsey’s knees, Vernon Gholston’s arm strength and Matt Ryan’s presence. And after all that, I’ve come up with this analysis of the 2008 NFL Draft. Ready?
I’m about 97% certain that Jake Long, offensive tackle from Michigan, is going to be picked #1 overall by the Dolphins. After that, well as always, it’s pretty much a crapshoot. Hope you haven’t come here looking for some type of competent breakdown of the entire first round of the draft, because let’s face it guys – none of us ever get it right.
Jake Long, well that’s the gimme. Since he’s already had the press conference in a Dolphins cap and expressed how happy he is to be in Miami, I’d say it’s a done deal. Let’s just roll through the rest of the top 10 because let’s face it – after the first 10 picks, most of us are in a Kiper Coma on the couch anyway.
2. St. Louis Rams
Chris Long, DE – Virginia. It’s a coin flip between Long & Glenn Dorsey here for the Rams. Long has the advantage of an NFL pedigree, and he allows them to move Adam Carrikker back to D-Tackle and improve their pass rush.
3. Atlanta Falcons
Matt Ryan, QB – Boston College. No brainer, unless they try to trade down since nobody from 4-7 really needs a QB. There’s a risk involved in that move though, as the Ravens at pick #8 are praying that Ryan slips to someone they can trade up with for whatever reason. But the Falcons have to know by now that Byron Leftwich & Joey Harrington aren’t going to cut it this season.
4. Oakland Raiders
Darren McFadden, RB – Arkansas. I can’t imagine a situation in which Al Davis passes on the big time offensive threat, even when the defense is getting older and slowing down. McFadden is the obvious choice here, even with the money they’ve spent on Dominic Rhodes & Lamont Jordan the past two offseasons. However, if Davis isn’t the one calling the shots here, look for a defensive presence – either Dorsey or Gholston.
5. Kansas City Chiefs
Glenn Dorsey, DE – LSU. The Chiefs have plenty of time to pick up a densive lineman to replace the newly departed Jared Allen – in fact, since they got another first rounder out of the deal, they could use it to get his replacement. But this pick gives them an impact defender on an abysmal defensive line that ranked 28th in rushing yards allowed last season but was top 10 in passing yards allowed and sacks recorded. Why wait when you can get him here?
6. New York Jets
Vernon Gholston, DE/LB – Ohio State. I just don’t think there’s anyway this kid lives up to the hype he’s created for himself. He’s not Mike Mamula, but he was a middle of the road prospect until he showed up in Indianapolis and showed off his biceps. If he gets put into a system that showcases his skills, or if he gets moved to LB full time, he could be a good defensive player for a long time. But I don’t think he’s got what it takes to bang bodies on the line in the NFL.
7. New England Patriots
Keith Rivers, LB – USC. Let me start by saying I’m almost 100% convinced that the Patriots do not keep this pick. But if somehow the Pats do keep it, they take a cornerback (Cromartie?) or linebacker (Rivers), because D-Line is probably the one spot in New England (besides QB) that should be set for the next five years. There’s all kind of talk about the Saints and/or Bengals trying to move up, both of whom are in love with Sedrick Ellis. Cincy has the #9 pick, New Orleans has the #10. And if I’m New England, I’m moving this pick to whichever team offers me a first round flip with a third rounder and next year’s first or second. With all the holes Cincy needs to fill, I can’t see them offering that much. (Also, if New England’s smart – which they’ve proven to be – they take the newly acquired third rounder and package it with their own second rounder and make a play to Miami for Jason Taylor. Picks #63 and either 73 or 74 overall in the draft might be enough to get Taylor away from the Dolphins, even if Belichick & Parcells would have to shake hands to make it happen.)
8. Baltimore Ravens
Antonio Rodgers-Cormartie, CB – Tennessee State. The Ravens obviously are more in need of a stable quarterback than another big playmaker on defense. But if Ryan’s off the board, the next QB will be one of either Brian Brohm, Joe Flacco or Chad Henne. None of those three are top-10 picks, so the Ravens will either have to trade down (or use other picks to trade back up later in the round) or else take the best available player that they feel like fits their team. A star CB with big play potential certainly fits that bill.
9. Cincinnati Bengals
Jerod Mayo, LB – Tennessee. Plenty of options to choose from in the 9-hole, but I think the Bengals are going to need to focus on fixing their defense this year. Side Note: How in the hell did Cincy turn down a first and a third round pick for Chad Johnson? Especially when the third rounder could turn into as much as another first?!? Good God – never before has a team been offered a five quarters for a dollar trade after the dollar has publicly said that they don’t want to be in that particular wallet anymore, and the Bengals decided to turn it down? Are they expecting more for their disgruntled dollar? Perhaps five quarters and a dime? Sometimes sports makes no sense to me – the only explanation I can come up with is that Marvin Lewis doesn’t want to give in and trade Chad away because he’s afraid that anyone on the team who doesn’t like his approach will immediately go to the media and whine about the situation to try and get traded. Thing is – that’s what happens anyway.
10. New Orleans Saints
Sedrick Ellis, DE – USC. I’m writing this as if New Orleans is actually making this pick. Honestly, I believe the Saints end up with Ellis at #7 overall, and the Pats grab Rivers here. Either way, New Orleans could use a little more help on the O-Line and Pitt’s Jeff Otah would be hard to pass up here, but Rivers is the best LB still available, and the Saints’ defense was absolutely awful in ’07.
I could go on and on about the rest of the round, or even the draft, but let’s face it – I’ll be stunned if I’ve gotten even three of these picks right. Except Jake Long. I’m feeling pretty confident about that one.
Last year, I live-blogged the NFL Draft from a golf course. Or at least, I attempted to. Things didn’t work out so well after my cell phone/PDA battery decided that 45 minutes of combined battery life were more than enough for one day. This year, I’ve got a newer, better cell phone/PDA with almost three hours of life… and even more importantly, I’ll be home in front of my TV! I’m not planning a full live-blog, but I am going to try to login a couple times per round at least through the first and drop some informational nuggets out there for all of you to enjoy.
Other quick notes before I bow out for the night:
n It was very nice to have the Bruins semi-relevant in this area again, if only for a couple weeks. I stayed away from writing about them last week because I didn’t want to seem like every other writer who jumped off the bandwagon years ago and just got back on in time for the postseason. Two years ago, I wrote this post about the state of the NHL. And until about two months ago, I stood by everything I had said. But then I slowly started flipping channels and coming across VersusHD (thank God!)… and then I started checking out the standings and realizing that the sport wasn’t nearly as dead as it was last season… and then ESPN started showing me more and more NHL highlights, and suddenly I was right back into it. I will freely admit that I probably watched 30 hockey games total this year, and most of them were Penguins games back when I was still in the ‘burgh. But I’m very glad to have hockey back in my life. Now, if the Bruins could just find a way to never play the Canadians again…
n I had actually planned to jump on here last week and write a quick breakdown of the first round of the NBA playoffs. But it turns out that I have even less time to do stuff now that I’m not working a normal 9-5 job anymore. My days are all screwed up when I spend 14-18 hours one day playing cards, then the next two days trying to catch up on sleep. Anyway, for the record, I have the Celtics (duh) in four, Magic in five, Cavs (don’t EVER trash talk LeBron… duh) in six, and Pistons in six winning in the East, with the Spurs in five, Hornets in five, Jazz in six & Lakers in five in the West. I know – really going out on a limb there taking the top four seeds in each conference. After that, I’ve got the Celtics in six over Cleveland, Magic in seven over Detroit, Lakers in six over Utah and Spurs in five over New Orleans. Finally, I like the Celtics in six over Orlando and Lakers in seven over the Spurs. I’m leaving the Finals alone for now. Too far away to start guessing at that.
I should be on here tomorrow, even if it’s only for a couple of quick-hit posts during the NFL Draft. See you all then.
Lata.
Labels: Draft, NBA, NFL, NHL, Playoffs, Postseason
Boston Celtics Rebuilding Plan, Version 4.9.2.4824...
Let me begin by saying one thing: I'm not much for using my imagination any more than I have to. I prefer to have things cut and dried, laid out before me. I choose what I like or don't like, and that's that.
Which is why last night's NBA draft threw me a complete curveball. For the past week or so, all Celtics' fans have heard about was "We're getting KG... no, Marion... no, Jermaine O'Neal... wait, maybe Kobe?" Then, for awhile, it looked like the C's were going to package Paul Pierce up and start from scratch. Again. Which probably would have made me cut the last shred of a tie that I have with the team.
Then came yesterday. The news started crawling along that a package was in the works with Seattle, basically centering around Ray Allen for the #5 overall pick in the draft, with contracts to be added. When I first heard about it, I was not a fan. Ray Allen, though a great scorer when his shot is on, is essentially a better outside shooting version of Paul Pierce, or worse yet, Antoine Walker. Plus, he's coming off of double-ankle surgery this offseason - not exactly a gold star for someone who relies on a jump shot. And naturally, he's on a max contract.
Not to mention my assumption that any trade offer for a guy with Allen's reputation would probably have to include either Gerald Green, Al Jefferson or the only real trading chip the C's had, Theo Ratliff's contract.
But then the reports started trickling in - Ray Allen and the Sonics' 2nd round pick for the #5, Delonte West and Wally Szcerbiak's yearly knee injury. Well hey now, that's a whole different story. Somehow, Danny Ainge managed to pull off what, on the surface, looks like a no-brainer trade. They gave away a the #5 draft pick in a 2-man draft (3 if you count Horford), a 1/2 hybrid player in WEst who, though he improved immensly last year, will probably never be able to handle PG or SG duties exclusively in the NBA, and a major contract for a very good shooter who can't play defense or stay on the floor.
What they got in return was a major contract for a very good shooter who can't play defense or stay on the floor and a hugely underrated big man in the second round ("Big Baby" Davis), assuming he can get his weight in check. Plus, Davis should have a chip on his shoulder, since he was expecting to go in the teens and somehow slipped to #35 overall.
Right now, the C's have an Opening Night starting five of Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Al Jefferson and either Davis or Kedrick Perkins. That's not too bad - two max veterans with something left to prove in pursuit of a ring, and a handful of very good, very affordable young guys. Plus they managed to hold on to their only real tradeable contract, and the player with the most "Imagination potential" in Gerald Green.
Sure, they might give up 115 points a night, since Ray Allen has never played defense well, and Paul Pierce has slipped lately (in fact, that could be a real problem since players will drive the lane and draw contact calls on Jefferson, Perkins and Davis), but if they can score 120, the numbers will even out.
They probably don't win the East next year - I'll settle for an Atlantic Division title and a Top-4 playoff seed, preferrably advancing at least one round. But they just got a hell of a lot better than the team that was desperate to land a top-2 draft pick three months ago.
Lata.
Labels: Celtics, Draft, NBA, NBA Draft, Playoffs here we come, Trade
2007 NFL Draft - The Ultimate Live-Blog: Day 2
8:35AM (Monday) - Nice time to lose web access for over a day. Blame ComCast for their shoddy service. So glad to be dumping them in a week when I move. At least I got to watch the Sox/Yanks finale. By the way, since I obviously spent a lot of time watching ESPN this weekend, let me put this out there: The SportsCenter commercial with David Ortiz, Jorge Posada, Orestes Destrade and Wally the Green Monster might be the best "This is SportsCenter" ad they've ever run. Just for the acting by Wally, dropping his tapes and running in horror when he sees David Ortiz in the Yankees cap.
Classic.Anyway, this weekend could not have worked any better for me personally, between a round of golf, the NFL Draft and the Pats' acquisition of Randy Moss (if New England is any worse that 3-1 Super Bowl favorites by the end of the week, jump on them now), the Sox taking 2 of 3 from the Yankees, winning the final weekend home poker game at my place, and still having enough time to drive to a friend's house to hang out and watch the WWE Pay-Per-View late Sunday night, it was absolutely perfect. I freely admit this live-blog kind of floundered by Sunday, mostly because I had no way to jump on here until I got to work this morning.
Oh, there were NBA & NHL playoff games this weekend? Must've missed those...
Unless something major happens between now and next Wednesday, I probably won't post again until after I move to Pittsburgh and get a little settled in (think mid to late-May). But if this is the last weekend I get to work with for awhile, it certainly was a good one.
12:25 - OK, so apparantely I missed a lot of big names getting drafted or moved the poast weekend. Here's my quick, mini-breakdown of some of the biggest stuff:
- Cleveland, San Francisco, and Oakland have completely rebuilt their teams. Of that group, the Niners were the most advanced before this weekend, and probably will have the biggest jump in next year's standings. With their offseason, I could easily see 3-4 more wins and a playoff berth.
- Oakland has done a real nice job rebuilding their offense. They actually had a fairly competant defense over the past could of seasons, but their defense was completely inept. Now they have their franchise QB in JaMarcus Russell, a highly regarded tight end in Zach Miller, and absolutely stole Michael Bush at running back in the fourth round. The AFC West is going to be a tough place to play next season. Of course, if they knew they were going to trade Randy Moss all weekend, it might have been nice to grab a wide receiver.
- I have absolutely no idea what the Dolphins were thinking thus far into the weekend. They needed a franchise QB, so they pass on Brady Quinn to take a glorified return man #9 overall. They then take a QB in John Beck in the second round. I know what you're thinking: "Who the hell is John Beck?" My point exactly. If you're going to reach for a QB, at least reach for someone your fan base has heard of - Troy Smith, Drew Stanton, etc. Hell, they could have drafted Chris Leak this weekend and at least appeased their fan base.
- If the Chiefs end up dealing away both Trent Green and Larry Johnson, I will immediately pencil them in for a 4-12 season. Between their collapsing offensive line, and now the possibility of losing a starting QB and the second-best running back in the game... they'd become the '06 Raiders, only with a worse defense. You know what... let's make that a 2-14 season.
That's enough of an update for now. I'm getting settled in for the Sox/Yanks finale in about a half hour, and I'll check in periodically with other draft thoughts.
12:08 - Just woke up... and the Patriots are getting Randy f'ing Moss. That's some good news. I'll be back shortly when I'm a little more coherant and I've had some coffee.
Labels: Draft, Live Blog, NFL
2007 NFL Draft - The Ultimate Live-Blog!
7:55 - Alright everybody, here's the plan. I'm heading out to once again consume frosty beverages. Since just about every other site out there has closed up shop for the night, I don't feel nearly as bad about leaving.
HOWEVER, I fully plan to wake up at some point tomorrow (God-willing) and put up some analysis of the late second and all of the third rounds... and then sit in my comfy bar-co-lounger for the fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds and just space out, updating sporadically about whatever makes me smile. I hope my 10+ posts throughout the day have informed and entertained, anf if nothing else, I leave you knowing this: I got one rippin' sunburn today while trying to post using the PDA. I couldn't see the screen in th golf cart, so I had to hang out the side while I typed... directly in full sunlight. For those of us that are "Melonin-challenged" (i.e. one shade short of albino), this leads to a solid farmer's tan on the arms and a nice set of raccoon eyes from behind the shades. I'll make a solid impression at the bars tonight.
See you all tomorrow, at some point, hangover be damned.
7:35 - Keyshawn Johnson is "very excited" to have Dwayne Jarrett joining him on the Panthers... let's see how long that lasts once Keyshawn realizes he's going to be losing touches every game as the season goes on. By the way - I haven't seen the entire draft so far, obviously, but this Keyshawn/Jarrett interview via satellite/phone might be the worst idea of all-time. These are two guys who don't appear to have mstered the face-to-face interview yet, and we're expecting them to converse coherantly 3000 miles away from each other with a 3 second delay?
7:31 - Also, I should have mentioned... it's nice having Miami & Buffalo in the AFC East with the Pats. Can always count on them for at least one "Huh?" moment in every draft.
7:30 - Wel, that was an anti-climactic ending. Always tough when your best hitter ends the game in the on-deck circle. Anyway, some quick reactions to the draft so far today:
-- Cleveland Browns' fans are going to look back at today one of two ways - either they just completely revamped their team and put themselves in a great position to compete for the next five years, or they blew it big time, giving #3 money to an o-Lineman and trading away the future for a "System" QB. I think it's the former.
-- Here's ESPN.com's "analysis" from the Patriots' end of their trade with SF for the #28 overall pick: "The Patriots like to acquire future No. 1 picks." Oh, you think so doctor? I was convinced they would trade that pick right up until the point that I looked at the screen and saw Paul Pozlusny still on the board... but getting San Fran's #1 in '08 is huge. Great trade for both teams.
-- Denver got one hell of a player in Jarvis Moss... but they gave up three picks to get him. He'd better pan out - especially when the first of the three traded picks turned into Reggie Nelson.
-- Quick Reactions: Seattle is no gimme in the NFC West next season. Arizona got some serious help today, and obviously, San Fran has had a monster offseason to date. St. Louis... well, somebody's gotta finish last.
-- I'm always fascinated with trades like the one San Diego & Chicago made. Both teams were good last season. San Diego had one real pressing need - Linebacker. Chicago has one real pressing need - QB. So what happens? The Chargers give up three picks this year and one next year to draft a second round Safety. I'm sure this will all make sense once the alcohol wears off.
7:15 -
Please forgive my ignorance. I went to take a shower (for some reason, I sweat an inordinate amount while golfing. Must be the alcohol.) and suddenly realized it was the 9th inning of a Red Sox/Yankees game. Needless to say, I haven't spent much of the past 45 minutes reading up on draft day happenings. I'll get back to you all shortly.
6:30 - Guys, it was a thing of beauty. Seriously, you should've seen it. Me and my buddy Jay pulled the golf cart into the 19th hole just as the Patriots' clock ran out for pick #24. I picked up the PDA, all set to offer instant analysis on the safety, linebacker, or trade that was about to be announced, only to see the following message: "Your battery has insufficient power to support the function you have requested. Please recharge and try again later." Ugh. Of the many things that have happened since the 3:35 update, let me say this - Brady Quinn slipping to the Browns (via trade) is ridiculous. I'm sure the ESPN guys have beaten this to death already, but the first thing I thought was - "He's either the next Aaron Rodgers or the next Joe Montana." I'm hoping it's the former, because I'd hate to have to listen to ND apologists for the next ten years. Cleveland has done a hell of a job so far in this draft - let me catch up on all the picks and trades and I'll offer some actual analysis in about twenty minutes. Then I'm going to go take a shower and probably get ready to head out drinking for the night, but the PDA is recharging, and provided Verizon Wireless can give me coverage in random pubs in Watertown, I'll try to check in a couple more times before the night is over. I think I just have to chalk this one up as a "Brett Favre" day - trying to do too much with too little. At least I had a decent round of golf and a handful of good beers and nachos. Back again soon.
3:35 - Right now, Notre Dame haters are rejoicing. Brady Quinn is likely to slip to AT LEAST 21st to the Jags... I had to relload the Yahoo coverage 3 times... I couldn't believe he's still out there.
2:25 - Marshawn Lynch and Ted Ginn... Those might be two of the biggest reaches I've ever seen in a first round. Also, we won't discuss that I'm shooting a 68... Through 10 holes.
1pm - 4 holes in, and I'm "Golfing by 4's" - I am only scoring in multiples of 4 so far... 8, 8, 4, 8. Solid round. Plus, I managed to hit a ball backwards without having it hit anything else. Looks like the first 4 picks have been pretty bland... Everyone going where they're "supposed" to go. More in an hour.
11:30 - Finally made it to the course... With a half-dry shirt. This will be a most interesting round of golf. On an NFL note, Peter King just reported on WEEI that Randy Moss absollutely would be dealt today. Just imagine if the Patriots parlay Deion Branch into Randy Moss... Wow.
10:38 - You know, my dryer takes much longer than it should to dry out one shirt. I'm glad my tee time isn't until about 11:45. Also, it gives me a chance to watch the Pre-Draft Pre-Game. I thought I'd miss Michael Irvin's antics on the ESPN NFL Crew but I've got to say, as much as I hated Keyshawn Johnson back when he was still playing, the guy actually knows his stuff about the game. Even if he just said that The Raiders could quickly become the next Patriots' by taking JaMarcus Russell #1 overall. Plus, he doesn't feel the need to scream all of his observations at me. Wait, what do you mean he's still playing? Are you sure?
10:31AM - Almost forgot to mention it -
click here to read my "pseudo-prediction" (second comment on the page) for what I think could happen in this first round later today - ignore the part where I say I won't be Live-Blogging today. I just wanted it in writing, just in case it happens, so I can either look like a complete genius, or complete buffoon...
10:25AM - You really should see me right now. I'm half-dressed (the important half is covered), just waiting for my shirt to come out of the dryer so I can get in my car and drive to the golf course. I figured this would be an excellent time to start today's Live Blog thingy.
Unfortunately, half of the "suspense" from the draft - "Who's going #1?" Appears to be gone, as ESPN is reporting that, for once, the Raiders are doing something smart and taking JaMarcus Russell with the first overall pick. I was really hoping they'd do something completely off the walls, like send Al Davis to the podium to draft Marcus Allen or something, just as a goof.
Anyway, I'm heading for the laundry room, followed by the golf course. I'll be checking in shortly after 11AM, and probably every half-hour or three holes on the course, whichever is easier. Of course, if my phone decides to lose coverage (a distinct possibility) or battery life (an even greater possibility), I might be checking in sometime around 4PM with my next update.
Enjoy the day fellas.
Labels: Draft, Golf, Live Blog, NFL, Technology is a wonderful thing
The Ultimate NFL Draft Live Blog
Alright NFL fans, this weekend is the second biggest news time for the league, falling right behind Super Sunday, and somewhere slightly ahead of the daily "When Will Brett Favre Retire" headlines.
Naturally, this is the best time for a young, aspiring, Internet junkie writer like myself to sit back, pop open a frosty alcoholic beverage or eight, and wax poetic about the "length" and "upside" of very, very large men, most of whom I will probably never meet.
So where do I plan to be while I do this?
Playing my first (and probably last) round of golf of 2007. But that will not stop me. Technology is an amazing thing, and presuming I have enough battery life and patience, I plan to blog via a handheld PDA/Phone in-between snap hooks off the tee and multiple attempts at getting out of sand traps.
There's a 50/50 shot my phone ends up in a water hazard in frustration, and an even better shot that by about the 10th hole I am rambling incoherently about how the Raiders are definitely going to screw up the first pick by not taking Reggie Bush (like I said - alcohol may be involved), but I'm going to give it a shot.
Some of you may remember my last shot at live blogging, during the second round of the NFL playoffs back in January (
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3). It was a fun experience, even if I couldn't feel my fingers for about 17 hours after. As far as Saturday goes, I figured - what the hell.
Shanoff put out the challenge on his page earlier today, so I might as well do my best to answer the call.
Please don't rip me apart for spelling errors - I'll be using a keyboard about 3"x2.5" in total length (by comparison, my hands are almost 11" in length - it's going to be tough), and my PDA lacks a spell-check system. But I'm going to do my best, and if all goes well, you might even get a chuckle or three out of the day. Also, feel free to jump in the comments as I go along. I get an e-mail every time you guys comment, so I should notice it shortly after it shows up.
So I'll see you back here, bright and early (i.e. sometime around 11AM) Saturday morning. Keep in mind that I'll be checking the picks via ESPN.com rather than actually watching the draft live as it happens, so don't expect too many random jokes about Kiper's hair, Stuart Scott's lazy eye, or Chris Berman in general. (Although I do have the capabilty to watch the draft on through the web, my PDA/Phone doesn't have the battery life to hold up much past a half hour or so. Also, I'd prefer not to get kicked off the golf course.) I also expect that Blogger.com will find some way to screw this up entirely - like making each update into a new, separate post (definite possibility), but it's worth a shot.
That's it. Let's get the clusterfuck underway.
Lata.
Labels: Draft, Golf, Live Blog, NFL, PDA, Technology is a wonderful thing
