When you were growing up, did you ever wonder what would happen if your favorite cartoon/tv show/movie characters decided to play football? Who would play what position? Of course you did, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this blog. Well, every Friday we'll answer that question for you.
Here is the followup to the widely popular Fake Football Friday Disney article.
On to the offense:
QB - Aladdin (Aladdin) To start, his physical abilities are perfect for a quarterback. He is swift enough to roll-out off the play action and has the arm to make cannon throws. He is smart enough to run the most complex of offenses, but can also improv when needed to. But the most impressive feat is his toughness. He is a street rat that decided to go up against the second most powerful man in Agrabah, then take on a sorcerer, then a freakin genie. He never stands down at any point. Dwight Freeny coming at him? Piece of cake.
RB - Robin Hood (Robin Hood) Swift, light footed, and never seems to go down (even a firing squad of archers don't take him down), all the qualities you want in a running back.
FB - Grumpy (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) At fullback, you basically want your dirtiest player who can get up a move a pile, while occasionally catching a pass out the back field. Oh yeah, and straight up nasty helps too.
WR - Tigger (Winnie the Pooh) With great agility and unnatural leaping ability, Tigger has the looks of a great speed receiver. Although with his antics may get on some nerves and the fact he is close relative to a bengal, he's one arrest away from being traded to Cincy.
WR - Goofy (Various) Big tall receiver who would be willing to block in the mold of Hines Ward. But, even with his new trophy, pretty sure Goofy is a better dancer though.
TE - Genie (Aladdin) A good tight end can make a quarterback's job much easier, especially in the red zone. Genie would be strong enough to help out in the running game, tall enough to help out in the red zone, and fast enough to spread the field. With his skill set, Aladdin really has never seen a friend like him.
T - Mr. Incredible (The Incredibles) Mr. Incredible has the pure strength to stand up to any bull rush and has the quick feet to move with the best of speed rushers. In reality, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't need another person at all on the line.
G - Pumba (Lion King) Anything that is willing to hunt grubs would be perfect for battling down in the trenches.
C - Quasimodo (Hunchback of Notre Dame) The Hunchback already has perfect leverage for handling big nose tackles and definitely has the strength to move them out of the way. He'd also be the try-hard guy of the team also finishing plays and running down field on every possible running play.
G - Horace (Various) Going old school with the Horace selection here. But who better to serve as a workhorse guard than an actual horse? Horace provides the hard nose attitude needed for a guard while also nimble enough to get out in front when he pulls.
T - Baloo (Jungle Book) Big strong and has a little fight in him. Furthermore, he'd do anything to protect those he's taking care of.
OC - Merlin (Sword in the Stone) Cam Cameron, Mike Martz, Al Saunders. All said to be offensive wizards. Then who better to coordinate our offense than an actual wizard. He always comes up with creative solutions (such as becoming a bacteria to win a battle). In addition, he has experience mentoring young talents. Give him a week to prepare and he would utilize all his weapons to the fullest capacity
GM - Doc (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) Smart and savvy enough to assemble the best of teams. Plus as the top appraiser of jewels, he has built a keen eye for acquiring value which would be put to use in free agency.
Public Relations - Timon (Lion King) No one would be better at promoting a team than him. If nothing else, he could always dress in drag and do the hula.
Owner - Scrooge McDuck (Duck Tales) Deep pockets.
Mascot - Roger Rabbit (Who Framed Roger Rabbit?) This crazy monkey lover would do anything for a laugh
Catering - Mrs. Potts / Entire Kitchen (Beauty and the Beast) The best gourmet chef for possible for to keep the box seats happy
Concessions - Mad Hatter / March Hare (Alice in Wonderland) While all the high rollers get the fancy cooking, the regular guys get the chaos of regular concessions. Mad Hatter and the March Hare provide the perfect combination of disarray and tasty treats. Besides think of all the great promotions they'd come up with! Free hot-dog on your Un-Birthday! Pure money maker.
Referee - Cogsworth (Beauty and the Beast) The guy is a freakin' clock. Come on!
Head Coach - The one, the only . . . . .. Mickey Mouse! Iconic as Belichek, likeable as Dungy, and more successful than Noll, Walsh, and Gibbs combined. Mickey has everything necessary to lead this team to victory. Players respect, hard work ethic, the brains for creative schemes, a little magic up his sleeve, his own fan club, and an impeccable win-loss record.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
"When It Comes to Football, God is prejudice - toward big fast kids"
*Very rarely will I ever give updates about college football, but I feel as if this study would correlate to the NFL as well.
And here is the shocking news that published scientists decided to report on:
"College football scouts tend to seek high school football players who are bigger and faster than the rest, according to new research."
Really?
Really?
Pretty sure that's how everyone scouts, unless you work for the Buffalo Bills.
I guess this news also confirms that Jason Alexander will never get a shot to play college ball. On the other hand, Michael Richards might have a pretty good shot (granted his character flaws might push him down the draft a little bit)
And here is the shocking news that published scientists decided to report on:
"College football scouts tend to seek high school football players who are bigger and faster than the rest, according to new research."
Really?
Really?
Pretty sure that's how everyone scouts, unless you work for the Buffalo Bills.
I guess this news also confirms that Jason Alexander will never get a shot to play college ball. On the other hand, Michael Richards might have a pretty good shot (granted his character flaws might push him down the draft a little bit)
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Pop Culture Comparisons - Reggie Bush is . . . . .
The May 21st Rapture
The rapture was all over news. Reggie Bush is all over the highlight reel.
The rapture had a lot of hype and build up. Reggie Bush was the number 2 overall pick.
The rapture came and went without anything. Reggie Bush's time in New Orleans is about to come to an end without him ever being a number 1 back.
The rapture was created by following calculations and numerical data. Reggie Bush was defined by his 40 time and number of touchdowns.
The rapture was the face of many billboards and media campaigns across the country. Reggie Bush was the face of NCAA Football '07
There was one mastermind of the rapture. Pete Carroll was the mastermind behind Reggie Bush.
People thought the rapture was legitimate. People thought Reggie legitimately won the Heisman.
The rapture was all over news. Reggie Bush is all over the highlight reel.
The rapture had a lot of hype and build up. Reggie Bush was the number 2 overall pick.
The rapture came and went without anything. Reggie Bush's time in New Orleans is about to come to an end without him ever being a number 1 back.
The rapture was created by following calculations and numerical data. Reggie Bush was defined by his 40 time and number of touchdowns.
The rapture was the face of many billboards and media campaigns across the country. Reggie Bush was the face of NCAA Football '07
There was one mastermind of the rapture. Pete Carroll was the mastermind behind Reggie Bush.
People thought the rapture was legitimate. People thought Reggie legitimately won the Heisman.
Reggie Bush's Pop Culture Comparison is . . . . . .
THE MAY 21st RAPTURE
Friday, May 20, 2011
Fake Football Friday - Disney
When you were growing up, did you ever wonder what would happen if your favorite cartoon/tv show/movie characters decided to play football? Who would play what position? Of course you did, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this blog. Well, every Friday we'll answer that question for you.
This week:
What would happen if Disney characters decided to play football? And sorry, no villains allowed; only the good guys. Here is our starting defense:
DE - Beast (Beauty and the Beast) A literal animal, Beast is the ideal build to set the edge. Strong enough to stand his ground in the running game and quick enough to get around the best of tackles, Beast would be a good bet for 12-15 sacks a year.
DT - Little John (Robin Hood) Maybe not the most tenacious player, but at his size he would plug up the running game and command a double team on every play. Think Pat Williams.
DT - Kruk (Emperor's New Groove) Again, not the most tenacious, but strong enough to hold his ground and quick enough to penetrate as a 3 technique.
DE - Sully (Monsters Inc) Pairing Sully with Beast gives us two dynamic feared pass rushers that both hold up against the run. Sully makes this a pick your poison defensive front
OLB - Tarzan (Tarzan) Quick enough to swipe apes and strong enough to kill a leopard, I think he'll do just fine on the weak side.
MLB - Simba (Lion King) The king of Pride Lands makes a perfect fit as leader of the defense. When Scar jumps through the flame to attack Simba, he looks completely bad ass. Now imagine that's Simba (who has to be twice as jacked) pouncing on a scat back like Jerious Norwood. Can we say another year on IR?
OLB - Hercules (Hercules) A mortal who defeats every monster he comes across and can hang with the gods? Just try coming across the middle against this guy.
FS - Stitch (Lilo & Stitch) If a good coach could reign him in, Stitch would be the perfect safety. Able to make up ground, but also strong enough to jar the ball loose when necessary.
SS - Donald Duck (Various) Not much can get in his way when he's angry. Also, not too many people can understand him. Can anyone say Troy Polamalu?
CB - Peter Pan (Peter Pan) If he was allowed to fly, this would be a no-brainer. Even without flying though, he's quick and agile enough to handle most receivers and smart enough to bait the quarterback into throwing a few picks
CB - Mulan (Mulan) Seriously, is there anything this girl can't do? Anybody that take down Attila the Hun nearly single handed would be alright at any position. We put here for her combination of speed and strength, not to mention giving our secondary some size to cover taller receivers.
K - Jack (Nightmare before Christmas) His long legs and calm composure lends perfect for clutch field goals
P - Rabbit (Winnie the Pooh) He's got to be able to do something with those big feet right? If not, he'd be useless (just like punters are 98% of the time)
KR - Max (A Goofy Movie) We like him. He's good enough to make the team, but not necessarily good enough to start. Sounds like the perfect special teams player.
Special Teams Players - Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Alice in Wonderland) Who wants to go running down field to bust up a wedge? Who wants to get run over protecting the punter? Who wants all the glory of being a long snapper or holder? These guys will do just fine.
DC - Br'er Rabbit (Song of the South) Br'er Rabbit causes enough pain to Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear barely trying. Furthermore, he does it all with his head, most of the time never touching either of them. Give him a week to prepare for an offense and watch what crazy schemes he can come up with.
What are thoughts? Anybody dare to go up against this fearsome defense?
Next friday we'll unveil the offense with a few surprises, especially at quarterback.
This week:
What would happen if Disney characters decided to play football? And sorry, no villains allowed; only the good guys. Here is our starting defense:
DE - Beast (Beauty and the Beast) A literal animal, Beast is the ideal build to set the edge. Strong enough to stand his ground in the running game and quick enough to get around the best of tackles, Beast would be a good bet for 12-15 sacks a year.
DT - Little John (Robin Hood) Maybe not the most tenacious player, but at his size he would plug up the running game and command a double team on every play. Think Pat Williams.
DT - Kruk (Emperor's New Groove) Again, not the most tenacious, but strong enough to hold his ground and quick enough to penetrate as a 3 technique.
DE - Sully (Monsters Inc) Pairing Sully with Beast gives us two dynamic feared pass rushers that both hold up against the run. Sully makes this a pick your poison defensive front
OLB - Tarzan (Tarzan) Quick enough to swipe apes and strong enough to kill a leopard, I think he'll do just fine on the weak side.
MLB - Simba (Lion King) The king of Pride Lands makes a perfect fit as leader of the defense. When Scar jumps through the flame to attack Simba, he looks completely bad ass. Now imagine that's Simba (who has to be twice as jacked) pouncing on a scat back like Jerious Norwood. Can we say another year on IR?
OLB - Hercules (Hercules) A mortal who defeats every monster he comes across and can hang with the gods? Just try coming across the middle against this guy.
FS - Stitch (Lilo & Stitch) If a good coach could reign him in, Stitch would be the perfect safety. Able to make up ground, but also strong enough to jar the ball loose when necessary.
SS - Donald Duck (Various) Not much can get in his way when he's angry. Also, not too many people can understand him. Can anyone say Troy Polamalu?
CB - Peter Pan (Peter Pan) If he was allowed to fly, this would be a no-brainer. Even without flying though, he's quick and agile enough to handle most receivers and smart enough to bait the quarterback into throwing a few picks
CB - Mulan (Mulan) Seriously, is there anything this girl can't do? Anybody that take down Attila the Hun nearly single handed would be alright at any position. We put here for her combination of speed and strength, not to mention giving our secondary some size to cover taller receivers.
K - Jack (Nightmare before Christmas) His long legs and calm composure lends perfect for clutch field goals
P - Rabbit (Winnie the Pooh) He's got to be able to do something with those big feet right? If not, he'd be useless (just like punters are 98% of the time)
KR - Max (A Goofy Movie) We like him. He's good enough to make the team, but not necessarily good enough to start. Sounds like the perfect special teams player.
Special Teams Players - Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Alice in Wonderland) Who wants to go running down field to bust up a wedge? Who wants to get run over protecting the punter? Who wants all the glory of being a long snapper or holder? These guys will do just fine.
DC - Br'er Rabbit (Song of the South) Br'er Rabbit causes enough pain to Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear barely trying. Furthermore, he does it all with his head, most of the time never touching either of them. Give him a week to prepare for an offense and watch what crazy schemes he can come up with.
What are thoughts? Anybody dare to go up against this fearsome defense?
Next friday we'll unveil the offense with a few surprises, especially at quarterback.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Pop Culture Comparisons - Tom Brady Is . . . . . .
Barack Obama.
Barack is the most powerful figure in the US government. He is suave and savy and is the man that the nation looks to for political movements. Brady is one of the most powerful players in the NFL, both on and off the field. He was named as one of the primary players named in the leagues antitrust lawsuit.
Barack barely adverted a government shutdown. Brady is trying to avoid a league shutdown.
Barack recently passed the Affordable Care Act, arguably the most important piece of legislation in within the last ten years. Brady was the quarterback that started the tuck rule, arguably the most important rule implementation in the last ten years.
Barack Obama orchestrated the team that killed Osama Bin Laden. Tom Brady orchestrated the 2007 team that killed everyone (in the regular season)
Barack had to deal with the gulf oil spill, which destroyed the gulf and killed many animals including dolphins. Brady has made a living off of killing the Miami Dolphins twice a year.
After a high popularity rating during the campaign, Barack suffered low approval ratings. However, with his recent successes, he has come back stronger than ever. Brady suffered an ACL and MCL tear in 2008 and then came back stronger than ever, winning his second MVP in 2010.
Barack wasn't highly regarded until he dominated the 2004 Illinois Senate race. Brady wasn't highly regarded until he dominated the end of the 2001 season.
Barack's recent nemesis was a man with bad hair. Brady's nemesis is a man that makes a bad face.
Tom Brady's pop culture comparison is . . . .. . .
BARACK OBAMA!
Barack is the most powerful figure in the US government. He is suave and savy and is the man that the nation looks to for political movements. Brady is one of the most powerful players in the NFL, both on and off the field. He was named as one of the primary players named in the leagues antitrust lawsuit.
Barack barely adverted a government shutdown. Brady is trying to avoid a league shutdown.
Barack recently passed the Affordable Care Act, arguably the most important piece of legislation in within the last ten years. Brady was the quarterback that started the tuck rule, arguably the most important rule implementation in the last ten years.
Barack Obama orchestrated the team that killed Osama Bin Laden. Tom Brady orchestrated the 2007 team that killed everyone (in the regular season)
Barack had to deal with the gulf oil spill, which destroyed the gulf and killed many animals including dolphins. Brady has made a living off of killing the Miami Dolphins twice a year.
After a high popularity rating during the campaign, Barack suffered low approval ratings. However, with his recent successes, he has come back stronger than ever. Brady suffered an ACL and MCL tear in 2008 and then came back stronger than ever, winning his second MVP in 2010.
Barack wasn't highly regarded until he dominated the 2004 Illinois Senate race. Brady wasn't highly regarded until he dominated the end of the 2001 season.
Barack's recent nemesis was a man with bad hair. Brady's nemesis is a man that makes a bad face.
Tom Brady's pop culture comparison is . . . .. . .
BARACK OBAMA!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Turning Winston Moss and Bruce Hill into Steve Young
Check this ingenious way to still be football fanatics during the lockout:
Bar Offers Free Beer During Lockout
This makes so much sense! People that need the off season to survive (at least until football really starts) are either A) pretending the lockout doesn't exist and are partying anyway or B) depressed because of the lack of football. . . . . either way, beer solves the problem!
Bar Offers Free Beer During Lockout
This makes so much sense! People that need the off season to survive (at least until football really starts) are either A) pretending the lockout doesn't exist and are partying anyway or B) depressed because of the lack of football. . . . . either way, beer solves the problem!
NFC Draft Analysis
After much deliberation and more analysis than Matt Millen would understand, here is the breakdown for the NFC teams from the draft.
Panthers - This draft will always be judged by how Cam Newton(QB) plays. Regardless though, this had to be the pick. Newton scored 100 more points than the entire Panther team did last year. If he can continue to be an accurate passer and if he is used correctly, he will be a great asset for the team. The Panthers also picked up a couple DTs in the third round which will greatly help their upfront play. The worst part of this draft was last years trade for Armanti Edwards(WR) that left them without a second round pick. When you also factor in that Steve Smith will probably be traded once the transaction freeze is lifted, it looks as if this team will have another high draft pick next year.
Bucs - By selecting Adrian Clayborn(DE) in the first and De'Quan Bowers(DE) in the second, the Bucs filled their need for a pass rusher to combine with their two DT draft picks from last year. However, each came with big question marks (Clayborn has Erb Palsy and Bowers may need reconstructive knee surgery). If these picks work for them and if both McCoy and Price come back from injury, Tampa will have the feared defense they've been lacking since Derrick Brooks left. Foster(OLB), Stocker(TE), and Black(SS) all have potential to start down the line.
Falcons - The Falcons made the big splash of the draft by giving up a kings ransom (2010 1st, 2nd, 4th & 2011 - 1st, 4th) for a WR. How many teams can truly say they were a #2 rookie WR away from winning the Superbowl? I think they gave too much for a player that will only make them marginally better. They also failed to pick up a pass rusher (although they have been linked to Vikings DE Ray Edwards, but if they have to trade for him, what else do they have to give up?) If Julio Jones isn't the next coming of Lynn Swann, then this draft (and next years) is a bust.
Saints - On paper, it looks as if Mardi Gras town got a couple of great players filling big needs. But in reality, neither Mark Ingram(RB) nor Cameron Jordan(DE) are great fits for this club and it leaves them depleted for the future. The Saints needed a pass rusher, but Jordan is more of a run stuffing DE. Ingram is a great back, but was he worth the 1st and 2nd round selection they gave up to draft him? My first instinct says no, but only time will tell. Martez Wilson(OLB) has potential to be an above average starter for this defense, but other than that the Saints didn't do a whole lot for themselves.
Skins -Washington is definitely a better team, but that really isn't that hard. The biggest surprise was their willingness to disregard the quarterback position. Unlike the Seahawks, I don't think they did enough to build their foundation. I'm one of the few that isn't sure that first round pick Kerrigan can make the successful transition to OLB. Helu and Hankerson have potential to be productive players, but not with John Beck or Rex Grossman at quarterback. Last year, Shanny did a great job of getting two starting offensive tackles. This year they did nothing to beef up their interior line, which will make it tough for them to be productive on offense.
Cowboys - Similar to Washington, Jerry Jones grabbed a bunch of really good players, but I'm not sure any of them filled a need. Doug Free is a better LT than most teams have, yet they drafted Tyson Smith(OT). They have a good 1-2 punch with Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, but drafted Demarco Murray(RB) in the third. Bruce Carter(ILB) could turn out to be one of the steals of the draft, but did they need him when they already had Brooking, last year 2nd rd pick Sean Penn, Bradie James, and Leon Williams to man 2 spots? For a team that doesn't have too many holes when healthy, I would've liked to see them grab a couple players who could have had a huge immediate impact. Furthermore, they did nothing to address their biggest hole at safety.
Eagles - First round pick Danny Watkins(G) was a surprise in the first round, but has potential to be one of the great picks of the first round (think Logan Mankins). Adding Jaiquawn Jarrett (SS) in the second round gives them a formidable young safety combo that could cause problems for the rest of the division. They also added Casey Matthews (MLB) [Clay Matthews younger brother]. While not as explosive as his older brother, it will be interesting to see if Casey can make an impact beyond special teams for a club that hasn't had a steady linebacker presence since Jeremiah Trotter.
G-Men - Getting Prince Amukamara (CB) at 19 was a steal. He adds quality to an already up and coming secondary. Marvin Austin (DT) has either boom or bust potential as some teams had a first round grade on him but he sat out all last year due to the Tarheel NCAA scandal. James Brewer was my favorite later round lineman and could start at left tackle in a couple of years.
Bears - I'm not a fan of Gabe Carimi (OT) as a future left tackle and think the Bears just drafted the second coming of Chris Williams. I think Carimi's upside is right tackle, but probably at guard down the road. I thought second round pick Stephen Paea (DT) would've been perfect for a 3-4 team, but the Bears have done well with larger tackles in their Tampa 2 system. Nathan Enderle (QB) landed in the perfect spot for him. He can sit and learn Martz's system and develop for a couple of years. He has Marc Bulger upside.
Vikings - Since the Beijing National Stadium wasn't draft eligible, they took their next biggest need. Although I don't believe this is a quarterback driven league (more on that to come), I don't fault the vikes for taking their biggest need by far on either side of the ball. The vikings have started Dante Culpepper, Todd Bouman, Spergon Wynn, Gus Frerottte, Brad Johnson, Tavarais Jackson, Brooks Bollinger, Kelly Holcomb, Brett Favre and Joe Webb at quarterback since the turn of the century. With the exception of one good year out of Culpepper and Favre, not exactly a high quality list. Ponder has been compared to Chad Pennington, which would be ideal. He gives them someone they can hopefully plug in for 8 years and not have to worry about the position. The rest of the draft proved them to get great value in players like Kyle Rudolph (think Jason Witten), Ballard gives them versatility up front, Burton has potential to be a good man cover corner, Love will be a swing tackle at worst, and the rest have backup potential with excellent special teams play. Very solid, but not great draft.
Lions - Somehow, the paperbaggers ended up getting the best DT (and arguably best player) in the draft again. Although they didn't fill any of their needs (Prince Amukamara would've also been a great pick), Fairley (DT) was just too good to pass up. Same thing can be said argued Mike Leshoure (RB) and Titus Young (WR). If these players play up to their potentials, it could work out very well for them; otherwise, teams will keep attacking their holes and all they will have is depth at luxury positions.
Packers - When you're the Super Bowl champs, how many holes can you have? As much as I think they should've gotten another dominant pass rusher to compliment the tough guy, I can't fault them for getting a LT of the future (especially since I think Bulaga will bust). The rest of the draft was about getting weapons for Rogers, which I actually think was needed. Driver is just about done, James Jones will probably be allowed to walk, and outside of the playoffs last year, Nelson hasn't been starter quality. DJ Williams (TE) and Ricky Elmore (DE) are two interesting names to keep an eye on.
Cards - Arizona helped their defense immediately by getting one of the most freakish athletes to come out in the last five years. Patrick Peterson (CB) is large enough to play in the box strong safety but can run with nearly any receiver and is a dynamic punt returner. Ryan Williams (RB) was one of the biggest head scratchers in the draft considering the depth they already had there and the success of later round running backs. Adding Anthony Sherman (RB) in the fifth says that Wiz must not be happy at all with his running game. Personally, I love the two late round linebackers they picked. Sam Acho (OLB) and Quan Sturdivant (OLB) have a chance to pair with Daryl Washington to make a very dynamic group in a couple of years.
Seahawks -Pete Carroll may have reached for his entire draft, but I like the way he is building this team. Given his success last year and success at USC, it's hard to argue too much. Carpenter (RT) and Moffit (RG) will be an anchor to that line along with Okung and Spencer. This will help the running game and give protection to whoever is playing quarterback (my bet is Whitehurst gets the nod for a year or two). Wright (OLB) and Legree (FS) are athletic enough to eventually start and were worth the flyers.
Rams - Like the Packers, the Rams spent most of the draft trying to upgrade weapons for Sam Bradford. Greg Salas (WR), Austin Petits (WR), and Lance Kendricks (TE) all were worth taking in hopes they develop into legitimate receiving threats, but my instincts say they are more the same that they already have on the roster. Bradford will still need help outside. Getting Robert Quinn (DE) was great value and has potential to bookend with Chris Long to form a feared pass rush in a division that already has deficiencies along the offensive line and at quarterback.
Niners - The niners were this years big winners in my book. Kaepernick (QB) was my favorite quarterback in the entire draft and landed in the perfect spot. He has the physical and mental tools to succeed, especially if he is able to come along slowly and learn from Coach Harbaugh. Aldon Smith (OLB) gives them another great play maker at linebacker and could give them a feared pass rusher off the edge. Culliver (CB) has good size and speed and could start as a nickel defender in his first year. Kilgore (OL), Hunter (RB), Miller (DL) will all prove to be quality backups.
Panthers - This draft will always be judged by how Cam Newton(QB) plays. Regardless though, this had to be the pick. Newton scored 100 more points than the entire Panther team did last year. If he can continue to be an accurate passer and if he is used correctly, he will be a great asset for the team. The Panthers also picked up a couple DTs in the third round which will greatly help their upfront play. The worst part of this draft was last years trade for Armanti Edwards(WR) that left them without a second round pick. When you also factor in that Steve Smith will probably be traded once the transaction freeze is lifted, it looks as if this team will have another high draft pick next year.
Bucs - By selecting Adrian Clayborn(DE) in the first and De'Quan Bowers(DE) in the second, the Bucs filled their need for a pass rusher to combine with their two DT draft picks from last year. However, each came with big question marks (Clayborn has Erb Palsy and Bowers may need reconstructive knee surgery). If these picks work for them and if both McCoy and Price come back from injury, Tampa will have the feared defense they've been lacking since Derrick Brooks left. Foster(OLB), Stocker(TE), and Black(SS) all have potential to start down the line.
Falcons - The Falcons made the big splash of the draft by giving up a kings ransom (2010 1st, 2nd, 4th & 2011 - 1st, 4th) for a WR. How many teams can truly say they were a #2 rookie WR away from winning the Superbowl? I think they gave too much for a player that will only make them marginally better. They also failed to pick up a pass rusher (although they have been linked to Vikings DE Ray Edwards, but if they have to trade for him, what else do they have to give up?) If Julio Jones isn't the next coming of Lynn Swann, then this draft (and next years) is a bust.
Saints - On paper, it looks as if Mardi Gras town got a couple of great players filling big needs. But in reality, neither Mark Ingram(RB) nor Cameron Jordan(DE) are great fits for this club and it leaves them depleted for the future. The Saints needed a pass rusher, but Jordan is more of a run stuffing DE. Ingram is a great back, but was he worth the 1st and 2nd round selection they gave up to draft him? My first instinct says no, but only time will tell. Martez Wilson(OLB) has potential to be an above average starter for this defense, but other than that the Saints didn't do a whole lot for themselves.
Skins -Washington is definitely a better team, but that really isn't that hard. The biggest surprise was their willingness to disregard the quarterback position. Unlike the Seahawks, I don't think they did enough to build their foundation. I'm one of the few that isn't sure that first round pick Kerrigan can make the successful transition to OLB. Helu and Hankerson have potential to be productive players, but not with John Beck or Rex Grossman at quarterback. Last year, Shanny did a great job of getting two starting offensive tackles. This year they did nothing to beef up their interior line, which will make it tough for them to be productive on offense.
Cowboys - Similar to Washington, Jerry Jones grabbed a bunch of really good players, but I'm not sure any of them filled a need. Doug Free is a better LT than most teams have, yet they drafted Tyson Smith(OT). They have a good 1-2 punch with Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, but drafted Demarco Murray(RB) in the third. Bruce Carter(ILB) could turn out to be one of the steals of the draft, but did they need him when they already had Brooking, last year 2nd rd pick Sean Penn, Bradie James, and Leon Williams to man 2 spots? For a team that doesn't have too many holes when healthy, I would've liked to see them grab a couple players who could have had a huge immediate impact. Furthermore, they did nothing to address their biggest hole at safety.
Eagles - First round pick Danny Watkins(G) was a surprise in the first round, but has potential to be one of the great picks of the first round (think Logan Mankins). Adding Jaiquawn Jarrett (SS) in the second round gives them a formidable young safety combo that could cause problems for the rest of the division. They also added Casey Matthews (MLB) [Clay Matthews younger brother]. While not as explosive as his older brother, it will be interesting to see if Casey can make an impact beyond special teams for a club that hasn't had a steady linebacker presence since Jeremiah Trotter.
G-Men - Getting Prince Amukamara (CB) at 19 was a steal. He adds quality to an already up and coming secondary. Marvin Austin (DT) has either boom or bust potential as some teams had a first round grade on him but he sat out all last year due to the Tarheel NCAA scandal. James Brewer was my favorite later round lineman and could start at left tackle in a couple of years.
Bears - I'm not a fan of Gabe Carimi (OT) as a future left tackle and think the Bears just drafted the second coming of Chris Williams. I think Carimi's upside is right tackle, but probably at guard down the road. I thought second round pick Stephen Paea (DT) would've been perfect for a 3-4 team, but the Bears have done well with larger tackles in their Tampa 2 system. Nathan Enderle (QB) landed in the perfect spot for him. He can sit and learn Martz's system and develop for a couple of years. He has Marc Bulger upside.
Vikings - Since the Beijing National Stadium wasn't draft eligible, they took their next biggest need. Although I don't believe this is a quarterback driven league (more on that to come), I don't fault the vikes for taking their biggest need by far on either side of the ball. The vikings have started Dante Culpepper, Todd Bouman, Spergon Wynn, Gus Frerottte, Brad Johnson, Tavarais Jackson, Brooks Bollinger, Kelly Holcomb, Brett Favre and Joe Webb at quarterback since the turn of the century. With the exception of one good year out of Culpepper and Favre, not exactly a high quality list. Ponder has been compared to Chad Pennington, which would be ideal. He gives them someone they can hopefully plug in for 8 years and not have to worry about the position. The rest of the draft proved them to get great value in players like Kyle Rudolph (think Jason Witten), Ballard gives them versatility up front, Burton has potential to be a good man cover corner, Love will be a swing tackle at worst, and the rest have backup potential with excellent special teams play. Very solid, but not great draft.
Lions - Somehow, the paperbaggers ended up getting the best DT (and arguably best player) in the draft again. Although they didn't fill any of their needs (Prince Amukamara would've also been a great pick), Fairley (DT) was just too good to pass up. Same thing can be said argued Mike Leshoure (RB) and Titus Young (WR). If these players play up to their potentials, it could work out very well for them; otherwise, teams will keep attacking their holes and all they will have is depth at luxury positions.
Packers - When you're the Super Bowl champs, how many holes can you have? As much as I think they should've gotten another dominant pass rusher to compliment the tough guy, I can't fault them for getting a LT of the future (especially since I think Bulaga will bust). The rest of the draft was about getting weapons for Rogers, which I actually think was needed. Driver is just about done, James Jones will probably be allowed to walk, and outside of the playoffs last year, Nelson hasn't been starter quality. DJ Williams (TE) and Ricky Elmore (DE) are two interesting names to keep an eye on.
Cards - Arizona helped their defense immediately by getting one of the most freakish athletes to come out in the last five years. Patrick Peterson (CB) is large enough to play in the box strong safety but can run with nearly any receiver and is a dynamic punt returner. Ryan Williams (RB) was one of the biggest head scratchers in the draft considering the depth they already had there and the success of later round running backs. Adding Anthony Sherman (RB) in the fifth says that Wiz must not be happy at all with his running game. Personally, I love the two late round linebackers they picked. Sam Acho (OLB) and Quan Sturdivant (OLB) have a chance to pair with Daryl Washington to make a very dynamic group in a couple of years.
Seahawks -Pete Carroll may have reached for his entire draft, but I like the way he is building this team. Given his success last year and success at USC, it's hard to argue too much. Carpenter (RT) and Moffit (RG) will be an anchor to that line along with Okung and Spencer. This will help the running game and give protection to whoever is playing quarterback (my bet is Whitehurst gets the nod for a year or two). Wright (OLB) and Legree (FS) are athletic enough to eventually start and were worth the flyers.
Rams - Like the Packers, the Rams spent most of the draft trying to upgrade weapons for Sam Bradford. Greg Salas (WR), Austin Petits (WR), and Lance Kendricks (TE) all were worth taking in hopes they develop into legitimate receiving threats, but my instincts say they are more the same that they already have on the roster. Bradford will still need help outside. Getting Robert Quinn (DE) was great value and has potential to bookend with Chris Long to form a feared pass rush in a division that already has deficiencies along the offensive line and at quarterback.
Niners - The niners were this years big winners in my book. Kaepernick (QB) was my favorite quarterback in the entire draft and landed in the perfect spot. He has the physical and mental tools to succeed, especially if he is able to come along slowly and learn from Coach Harbaugh. Aldon Smith (OLB) gives them another great play maker at linebacker and could give them a feared pass rusher off the edge. Culliver (CB) has good size and speed and could start as a nickel defender in his first year. Kilgore (OL), Hunter (RB), Miller (DL) will all prove to be quality backups.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Super Bowl 34 - Kevin Dyson
Beer, nachos, bone crushing hits, irrational yelling at the tv, painting your chest when its -40 out. Ah yes, football gives us the perfect excuse to do nothing on Sundays, Monday Nights, and Thursdays every now and then. But why stop there? Why can't football exist 24/7? Well this is your chance to get one more yard, one more day of football as if it came straight from John Randle's mouth.
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