The NFL Draft is over...256 picks, 28 draft day trades, 15 television hours worth of coverage and 1 last blog to read. Mine.
I’m I the only one who liked the last years format of the NFL draft. I liked that the way Draft Days were split, rounds 1-3 on day one and 4-7 on day two. This years draft had the first two rounds on Saturday, and I was left wanting more draft. Was that just me?
With agents clearly fashion policing their clients and hiring personal stylists will we ever see a Jalen Rose-ian performance again? The closest we came to it this year was Aaron Curry and even that wasn’t all that bad. I want to see bold, bright colors, gentlemen. Wear a suit that I could never pull off in a million years. And a hat. With a feather.
Did anyone from the Lions even try to negotiate with Matt Stafford’s agent? I mean 41.7 million dollars guaranteed! That’ll buy a lot of donuts at the Franklin Cider Mill. There is no simpler pleasure than cider and donuts...
The NFL has to fix the rookie salary structure and soon. No longer does your team receiving a top ten pick come with the same hope it once did. As a fan your main hope isn’t that your teams top pick can turn around your favorite franchise, but that he doesn’t become a bust that analysts will talk about for years later. Furthermore, It’ll allow teams more flexibility to move those top picks, which is always exciting from a draft standpoint.
Speaking of flexibility to move picks, is there anyone who is more upset with the Seahawks, GM Tim Ruskell than Chiefs, GM Scott Pioli. Just to fill you in, Ruskell days before the draft came out and said publicly that they had no intentions of drafting Mark Sanchez. That left the Chief’s Pioli leverage-less, in their only way to move out of the third pick, which they desperately wanted to do. Had the price tag not been so steep, Pioli might have been able to deal the pick and still get Tyson Jackson later in the draft. But the Chiefs couldn’t and decided to take him third, giving him a bust potential sized contract.
While we’re on the Chiefs, I watched the draft with a bunch of rabid Chief’s fans. Some fans were on the Aaron Curry bandwagon, some felt like it could go another direction, others were just hoping Scott Pioli would bring some of that Patriot magic and pull off some amazing deal. So when the Chiefs stayed at three and took Jackson, one Chief fan, will call him “Warrior” was so upset that I thought we were going to have to ask for his belt and shoelaces. It took the anger level of the day from zero to McEnroe.
I really can’t believe the Oakland Raiders. I know Roger Goodell can’t take the keys away from Al Davis, but couldn’t Goodell and the other owners have an intervention? The man is addicted to speed, not meth, but 40. Davis used to be a functional speed addict, he got guys like Cliff Branch and Tim Brown, but now Davis’ addiction had gotten out of control. He’s lying (the Lane Kiffin ordeal) and stealing (from the season ticket holders) to maintain his speed fix. It’s really sad. Could we get him to take part in a documentary about franchise owners, but it’s really an episode of Intervention. Who would be in the intervention room? Jack Lambert, Art Shell... John Madden! Would Madden telestrate his speech to Al? Errr, here’s you. Here’s me. Here’s a heart for cuz (Pow!) I love ya... Ahhh, you’re an addict. (Boom!) And what you’ve got to do here is (Bam!) Get some help. Today.
I’d actually pay to see that...
The Eagles have just dominated the draft... The got two starters, Jason Peter and Ellis Hobbs, for draft picks. They get great value in Maclin at 19. LeSean McCoy is a Pennsylvania kid, who played college ball at Pittsburgh, now he gets to learn from Brian Westbrook in a system that is perfect for him. Despite his ACL injury that kept him out his senior season, Cornelius Ingram should be ready to play and he may end up being one of the steals of the draft. Also, Victor “Macho” Harris is on The Sports Pad all-nickname team. And did I mention that the Eagles also added a 3rd, 5th and 6th round picks in next years draft?
I don’t understand what’s going on with the Cincinnati Bengals. They continue to pick low character guys and then Marvin Lewis wonders why they lead the league in arrests. Andre Smith has all-world talent and an all-world appetite. The main thing you look for in an offensive lineman is motivation. Are they willing to do the work in the weight room? Andre Smith’s Pro Day at Alabama was all I needed to see. Rey Maualuga is like dating a bipolar supermodel, yeah sure the physical stuff is amazing but you are never quite sure when that crazy switch is going to be flipped. But the best pick of them all is Bernard Scott who has been kicked off two teams (one high school, one college) and the last one was for punching his coach. Marvin Lewis you might get Carlesimo’d!
I’m really excited for the Jacksonville Jaguars. They add Torry Holt in the offseason and then grab two of my favorite late round WRs, Mike Thomas and Jarett Dillard. Two high character guys who get an unbelievable chance to learn from one of the games best. They also add Eugene Monroe who can come in and start yesterday for the Jags. I would, however, liked to have seen them add more defensive personnel.
With all the pomp and circumstance of the Mr. Irrelevant pick, is it really irrelevant anymore. They get a parade, gifts, a BBQ, golf outings. That’s pretty relevant. If you think about it, the second to last pick of the draft is the most irrelevant pick. So I nominate Dan Gronkowski as the real Mr. Irrelevant. Who’s with me?? I know it’s a stretch, but I’d just like to see the Lions win something...
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Also the Jags pick up Eben Britton! Their offensive line is going to give the quarterback so much time, even Byron Leftwich could get a pass off.
ReplyDeleteGood call on the Bengals. They even passed up Monroe to take Andre Smith. Didn't they pass up Laureniatis as well?
Allergic to character!
Great blog, keep it up.
Thanks, for the compliment!
ReplyDeleteThe Jags definitely added depth to their line, they also signed Tra Thomas from the Eagles.
The Bengals did pass on Monroe and take Smith, the 2nd OT off the board. But didn't pass on Laureniatis, he was taken 3 picks earlier by the Rams. But given the chance, I'm sure they would have.
Also for all those readers out there, there are other drafts I liked and others I hated. If you felt like your team got left out, bring it up here.
or email it to the thesportspad01@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteThe Tyson Jackson pick is growing on me. I know that, as a Chiefs fan, every pick grows on me due to my blind optimism which is a prerequisite for being a Chiefs fan.
ReplyDeleteBut there really weren't that many DE's that fit the Chiefs new scheme, which really isn't a 3-4 but a under 4-3 or something like that. I tried to read up. It is complicated.
Obviously they would have liked to trade and something about Curry scared them off. Since I can't profess to even understand the defense even when it is layed out in graph form*, I'm going to assume that Scott Pioli determined him to not have the right skill set for it.
It is early but I heard the Lions would be going after Foote. That could help your linebacker situation considerably.
Mr. Irrelevant is a kicker. The Chiefs current kicker is a joke. Like an MMA fighter with no arms or legs. And Down's. So I think that pick has a chance to make the team just like some Mr. Irrelevants of the past.
I don't have a problem with Andre Smith's size, just his attitude. Show me five left tackles and I'll show you five fatasses. I'm sure the positive environment of the Cincinnati locker room will work wonders with Andre Smith. Put his locker next to Ocho Cinco's and he'll be sure to instill the passion and dedication that it takes to be an on-board member of the Bengals.
And David Robinson is still no warrior. Even though technically he is a warrior.
One last thing, please post your all-nickname team next.
signed,
The Warrior. You know, since you can't sign in as anything but Anonymous if you don't have a Wordpress account, whatever the hell that is.
Oh the star.
* http://www.trojanfootballanalysis.com/43_under_blitz_schemes.html
a raiders documentary gets my money too.
ReplyDeletethis draft was boring.
any trade that happened was boring.
the players were boring.
the only interesting aspect was the raiders.
the circus in oakland is a must see for any football fan.
jab at the bengals all you want, that draft has more potential than any 20 teams total drafts.
if my team drafted A smith, Maualuga, and michael johson ( the georgia tech def end)
i'd still be drinking and braggin about superbowl next year. i'd even toast to chase coffman.
BUT!
since its the bengals, we assume it's a matter of time b/f those rookies starting get their paychecks less league fines.
i blame marvin lewis, somehow this guy has kept his job.
I knew you would convince yourself to like the pick, Warrior. I don't think the Chiefs were scared off by Curry, but they just liked Jackson more and couldn't trade out of the 3 spot.
ReplyDeleteAs per your, Andre Smith comment, O-lineman are big and have guts, but not like that. Smith is just fat, with no muscle tone whatsoever. That's just laziness, which is the first ingredient for making a bust.
I'm working on an all-nickname team for you.
Signed,
The Sports Pad
P.S. You're a Warrior, even though technically you're not one.
Bingbrew, the Raiders on Hard Knocks would be really, really interesting.
ReplyDeleteThe reason why I had such a problem with the Bengals draft is the refuse to acknowledge the reasons why their team is in the shape that it is, poor character. All the while drafting players with considerable question marks when it comes to that department.
Just look at the Falcons situation, granted they didn't have as many poor character players. Just one really big one (Vick), but you could argue that was equally damning to the franchise as the multiple arrests were for the Bengals. So what did the Falcons do, they put a premium on character. So they draft Matt Ryan, sign Michael Turner, trade for Tony Gonzales. Their entire draft this year, not one player the Falcons drafted had any blemishes on their record. That's why the Falcons are now back to being a contender in the NFL and the Bengals continue to collect troubled, high profiel athletes.