In The Books...

Well, with the first round done and dusted, let’s take a look at the winners and the losers of the 2010 Draft so far…

Get this: Tim Tebow is a first round pick. I said it, I meant it and I was right. But I did NOT expect things to pan out like this. Jimmy Clausen, widely regarded as the number two QB in the draft, is still on the board. That’s good (nay, GREAT) news for a team like the Bills who passed on servicing their strong need at the position and now find themselves positioned well at the top of the second (with the 9th pick) and Clausen still available – head-scratching. Concerns were raised over Clasuen’s ability to lead; word on the street was he had some character issues. But a good record and solid throwing mechanics should’ve seen him go higher, regardless of where he’s picked-up now. I think the Bills might trade up for him to just to make sure, but I doubt it’ll be necessary – the teams ahead of them either aren’t looking for a QB or have expressed disinterest in Clausen (the Browns are more likely to take Colt McCoy due to Mike Holmgren’s dislike for JC). Failing a move to the Bills, the Panthers or maybe even the Chiefs could pick Clausen up somewhere between 48 and 50.

Eric Berry hopped off at the number five – a fair representation of his talent and character and now he finds himself the latest piece in an increasingly youthful – and promising – Chiefs line-up. The Chiefs haven’t threatened the postseason for the best part of the last decade, and although they likely won’t be hoisting aloft the Lombardi trophy come February, they are now well-positioned to climb steadily and become elite contenders in two or three seasons’ time.

CJ Spiller – widely expected to land in Seattle – was passed and finds himself in a highly-talented tandem with Marshawn Lynch in Buffalo, coming off the board at number nine. This isn’t a bad move for the Bills – especially given Clausen’s continued availability – as this cold-weather, run-first team needs a group of solid backs to take the load off whoever steps in to the QB roll. It’s probable they won’t be able to throw the ball effectively for a couple of seasons yet now that they are almost certainly going to train-up a young signal caller and have parted ways with solid pass-catcher, Terrell Owens, and so relying on smash mouth football is a smart decision.

Another team whose moves I like are the Houston Texans. They play in arguably the toughest division in the AFC (though this may change this year) and are forced to contend with the perennial successes of the Colts and Titans, and the occasionally prolific Jaguars. This team has to really work in its six division games and, in recent years with the addition of long-time back-up, Matt Schaub, and the progression of all-star receiver, Andre Johnson they have given an excellent account of themselves. Their defence is not to be sniffed at either. But having lost high-grade cornerback Dunta Robinson in free agency they had no choice but to address that need first in the draft: they did just that, snaring Kareem Jackson with the twentieth pick. And, in the second round, they might have the chance to select another Running Back – most likely Auburn’s Ben Tate – a tough, no-nonsense runner who could balance Houston’s explosive, score-fast offence.

Tomorrow I’ll take a look at developments after Round Two and then, for the rest of the week, evaluate how teams have done and speculate as to which positions still need attention for the teams most capable of making a run in the postseason.

God, it’s good to be a football fan…


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Attention Sports Fans...

Sorry to do this to you guys, but the blog will be on hiatus until June (I have some travelling to do and so much work my life will be cluttered beyond belief). When I return I will look to up the ante somewhat with more regular posts, hopefully going daily by July and adding new content to appeal to aspects of gentile life other than the following of world sport.

Until then amigos,

Adieu


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Draft Day Looms...

With the Draft a tantilising 5 days away, everyone who follows the NFL is getting excited about the prospect of fresh faces populating their team's locker room. But some faces aren't yet set in the minds of those who will be deciding on the names to call come the 22nd.
Scouts and evaluators face many problems in choosing the next generation of super stars - it isn't always as simple as comparing numbers and choosing the highest score. Some players have baggage, be it in the form of injuries, character issues or schem-fit concerns. Some players with talent make themselves hard to like with off-field behaviour and others, even those with a unanimously high-grade, may not sit well in a certain system and, for that reason, will find themselves passed over in favour of a more mouldable player.
When you have players with similar grades and similar college records, how do you choose? Size, speed and general athelticism aren't the only factors and, in these close calls, it is often the intangibles that decide on said player's jersey-colour for the upcoming season.
Shocks will occur, but rest assured the men in charge do everything for a reason.

Let's just hope it's the right one...


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For Whom the Bell Tolls...

Pittsburgh Steelers fans rejoice. The above is something that will continue to be a common site around Heinz Field. Roethlisberger isn't going anywhere - Big Ben's time in Pennsylvania is not yet at a close. Some other big names, though, are without the support of their former clubs and are looking for new homes as the draft approaches. Let’s take a look at three Pro-Bowl standouts, drifting in the mire of unsigned talent.


Landanian Tomlinson


Long-time Chargers stalwart, Tomlinson, has found himself marooned in free-agency. The one-time league rushing force is now the wrong side of thirty and hoping that a contender will offer him decent money for a one or two year contract – at this stage in his career, having lost the step on his younger rivals, he can’t hope for anything better despite his undisputed pedigree.

Given his advanced years and increasingly injury-prone status he will likely end-up serving as a mentor/back-up to a young prodigy. I could see the bolstering Jets as an ideal landing spot for LT. Shonn Green is expected to carry the load, but having released veteran back, Thomas Jones who wound-up in a Chiefs uniform, they could do with a bit of experience in their run-first system.

No doubt Bill Belichek of the New England Patriots would like to add Tomlinson to his already deep and exceptionally old corps of runners, but would probably not be able to offer the money to buy his services.

The Seahawks need a rusher to replace long-gone Shaun Alexander – their last league MVP, but under Pete Carroll they are aiming to get younger and if CJ Spiller falls to them in the draft, Tomlinson may be surplus to requirements.

Maybe Green Bay would care for his services? Even Chicago, who are doing everything they can to get better in the trenches, on both sides of the ball. Either the Jets, Packers or Bears would pose attractive opportunities for a player who’s got it all but a ring.


Albert Haynesworth


After his massive season with Tennessee, Haynesworth found himself in a position to sell himself to the highest bidder; securing bucket-loads of cash in the process. The Redskins stepped-up with an almost foolishly brash bid. He was a bust in DC. Now he's looking for a new home. Plenty would take the Haynesworth who anchored the Titans to a league-shaking 13-3 record, but few would pay over the odds for the decidedly average player that suited up in burgundy and gold.

I wouldn't be surprised if he went to the Patriots for love over money - he surely has enough of the latter by now. What Haynesworth needs if he hopes to ever recapture the value of his Tennessee days is a bit of team success.

Like Tomlinson he needs a ring, but not as urgently – he will likely return to form in the right set-up. If the Pats fail to sign our next point of call – Jason Taylor – they could come knocking: Haynesworth, if he hopes to regain a bit of credibility, would be wise to answer the door.


Jason Taylor


Well, we know he can dance, but can he still play? JT is a Miami legend – it’s rare that a player so in demand returnes to the team he has played all but one of his pro-seasons with for personal reasons, when, at one time at least, so much money would’ve been pushed his way for his services.

Taylor’s desire to remain in the Dolphins’ fold, though, has lowered his potential value – the Dolphins aren’t offering their only current Hall of Fame lock a big contract because they know they can pull on his heartstrings and get him for cheap. They might be wise to sign him, though – even at his age he is still a productive player with superb leadership qualities. And Taylor, who is also hungry for a Super Bowl ring, might find hanging around in Miami a good way to get his hands on one. I’m not saying the Dolphins rank amongst serious contenders, but it’s worth considering that they were good last year and have got a lot better already in free-agency. Parcells is a draft wizard, too, and it should be no surprise if it transpires that they, not the Patriots, are vying with the Jets for the AFC East.

Whatever happens, Taylor should stay in that division. Any of the four teams there would benefit from his services, and given the fact he’s playing-out the twilight of his career, he’s great value for whoever picks him up.


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The Tough Get Tougher...

Hang on. A second.This is getting silly.

The AFC East - consisting of the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets - is getting better - much better. And that's saying something for the division that has provided three Superbowl champions, one Superbowl loss and a handful of AFC championship game appearances in the last decade. This may very well be the best division in football. Perhaps the AFC South - Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars - can lay to the title after last season, but don't be surprised in all four teams in the AFC East cause a stir this year.

The worst in the division is still Buffalo - last year they were woefully disappointing: even with Terrell Owens in the fold they couldn't blow the game wide open. They struggled to some turgid wins and head-scratching losses and now enter this season needing upgrades at most key positions.

But not all.

Amazingly, Buffalo ranked second against the pass last year and, in a pass-happy league - even more so, division - that means something. They've a pair of tight corners and a safety (Jaryius Byrd) who nabbed himself nine interceptions last year. That's pretty amazing.

And that's not all. Sure, Buffalo have no QB - literally - a head coach whose feet are embarrassingly dry and no one who can catch. No one. But what they do have is a running back tandem that has proved itself praiseworthy. Led by Lynch, the Bills have the potential to do some damage between the tackles. They need a QB and a genuine receiving threat now that Owens is out of a job, but with those pieces in place - both probably serviceable from the draft - they could contend.

Now to the big boys. The Patriots are the Patriots. Not the '07 Patriots anymore, but a Bill Belichek team is always going to figure in the mix. With Welker back in the mix after his injury, and Brady with a year of fine-tuning under his belt, look to them to regain they're swagger. They need to upgrade their corners, though, if they are to survive in a league that now boasts possibly the game's most talented receiver, Brandon Marshall.

At 6' 4" and 230 lbs, Marshall with his speed and sticky palms, creates match-up nightmares for defences around the league. He landed in Miami after they sent two second round picks Denver's way for the talented but troubled Pro Bowler. With young QB Chad Henne pulling the trigger in Miami, Marshall should see a lot of touches and his presence downfield will help the development of strong-armed, but previously target-less Henne.

That makes the Dolphins contenders: they are a well coached unit regardless of previous personnel deficiencies, and with Bill Parcells overseeing the influx of new players and managing the draft, they can expect to get a lot better before the season opens in September. Who knows - they, like division rivals, the New York Jets, might fight their way to the AFC championship game on the back of some big performances from a young team who might just gel this year.

And that leads us to the Jets. Despite not winning the East last year, their impressive run - literally and metaphorically - to the AFC championship game was inspiring. They felled the Chargers - the league's hottest and arguably most overdue team. They went down to the Colts (who they had beaten to make it to the post-season) but they have some seriously tasty players and even more for the upcoming season. The addition of Antonio Cromartie (pilfered from San Diego) gives them the best corner tandem in the NFL - no doubt. In a pass-happy league and the most pass-happy division, this pair of shut-down corners could very well be the difference maker. Sure, Sanchez needs a target on his side of the ball or they will have to rely solely on Shonn Green to rack up the points on the ground, but the draft and free agency can service that - the addition of Superbowl winning receiver (and MVP) Santonio Holmes has already made them better. They got Holmes cheap too so they've got loads of wiggle room in the draft and Rex Ryan seems savvy enough to make it count.

Can I wait to see how this division pans out? No. No I can not. Until the season kicks-off, though, the first battle will be fought in a week's time as the talented organisational brains behind these four franchises pick from the college droves.

Will we see another Tom Brady in this year's draft? Who knows, but if any one of these teams can succeed in picking-up a Pro Bowl player from the lower rounds, look to them to start the season favourites. Right now, though, my pick for the East is the Jets and a relatively split record for the other teams - the depth of talent might see only one team make it out of this division as the others shoot each other in the feet.

Let the games begin...


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The Clock's Ticking For Big Ben...

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a reputation: they are brutal; hard-hitting; uncompromising; trash-talking; rival-hating; unforgiving perennial winners. They play smash mouth football. They are tough, both on and off the field.

Over the years they have had some pretty vicious, even unsavoury, characters lining their dressing rooms, but one name that doesn't spring to mind when you scan back over their history is current Quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger.

'Big Ben' as he is affectionately known, has, in the last five years, led the Steelers to two Superbowl victories. And he's only been starter for six seasons. Needless to say, he got out of the gate fast, and despite his two championship seasons, it was perhaps his first that sticks in the memory for his shock-value.

Roethlisberger stepped in to replace injured Tommy Maddox under center early in the season. The young QB led his young team to a surprising 15-1 record, losing only to the eventual Superbowl Champion New England Patriots in the AFC championship game.

Then came Superbowl XL - the most fitting of swansongs for long-time hero Jerome Bettis who retired on top of the world, winning in front of the his hometown crowd in Detroit, no less.

Then came a motorcycle accident that nearly killed Ben who had been riding without a helmet. The commissioner was pissed off.

Then came the first allegation that Roethlisberger has sexually assaulted a woman in a hotel room. The commissioner was pissed off.

Then another Superbowl, but now it's happened again, and this repeat 'offence' is threatening to sully the career of one of football's most promising youngsters.

A couple of weeks ago, Big Ben was out partying with some buddies in a student area near his home in Lake Tahoe. This is not against the law. Apparently, sometime during the night - so the accuser alleges - Ben assaulted a women and was sexually violent towards her in a club. The case has since been dropped, but the cloud lingers over Big Ben's head.

There are two obvious suggestions: either Ben has a serious problem but enough money to buy the silence of the women he's harassing, or, perhaps more likely given the fact that he is a two-time Superbowl winning Quarterback, a statuesque, good-looking young man and could probably choose from a line of beautiful women rather than having to force himself on them, he is the victim of slander.

If a woman cries wolf for money or attention, the world listens no matter who she's accusing. Having happened once, its all the more likely to happen again - Ben is a big drinker, liable to get himself into these situations and be exploited due to his reputation - deserved or not.

But then psychologists might say that it is precisely that picking-up women is so, so easy for a man of Ben's fame that this kind of alleged abuse is the only thing that appeals. Not to drag Tiger into this, but look at Woods' tastes: pretty extreme. For most of us, a bit of slap and tickle with the local bar-loitering strumpet would be just dandy, but I guess there's only so many times you can go down that road before the scenery all looks the same. I imagine that's what drove (ha ha) Woods to the levels of...quirkiness we've been let-in on.

So Roger Goodell - NFL commissioner and all round bad-ass - is currently reviewing the possibility of disciplinary action for Roethlisberger. He might be fined, even suspended or forced to undergo counselling or therapy. Fair? Well, it's probably in everyone's best interests. Let's just hope it all gets sorted out soon and that this is the last we hear of Roethlisberger's off-field activity - he's much more fun to watch.


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Spill the Beans...

CJ Spiller


How good is CJ Spiller? Touted as the top RB in a class that, as the draft approaches, is looking impressively deep, Spiller is attracting a fair bit of interest, and could likely be taken by the Seahawks at number six. A fair reflection of a player of his projected calibre, and a definate necessity for a team who lacked any sort of bang on their offence - that's a problem when you play in the NFC west against RBs like Frank Gore and Steven Jackson, WRs like Larry Fitzgerald and (formerly) Anquan Boldin, QBs like Kurt Warner and (hahaha) Marc Bulger.


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Fighting His Way Up the Boards...

Jimmy Clausen


The number two Quarterback in the draft has yo-yoed in the minds and on the mock draft boards of experts for weeks. Initially, this year’s QB crop was rated poorly, with only Bradford slated to sneak into the first round. Things have changed since then – Clausen has leapt up the charts and is no not only a first-rounder, but a pretty likely top-ten prospect.

He lacks the intangibles possessed by Tebow (who seems to be shaping up as the number three QB, though whether that is for his skill at the position, or his general footballing brain, is as yet unclear), but he does have stacks of leadership, and a tendency to play the game with his head – in his final season at Notre Dame he threw only 4 interceptions against 28 touchdowns.

This kid was highly touted out of high school. He was so good that he won all 42 games he started in high school and won the Hall of Fame trophy in 2006. He comes from a strong footballing heritage – both his brothers played Division I football in Tennessee. He has the background. The only thing that kind of goes against him is his relatively recent return to the form that say him rated nationally as the top QB out of college. His first two seasons at Notre Dame were unremarkable – his second solid enough, but his third was off the charts. His ball protection must be his biggest selling point. That and his pedigree – coached by Charlie Weiss at Notre Dame, he is ready for a pro-style offense.

The Browns, who are looking for a QB for the future, could take him at 7, but Holmgren has gone o record saying he doesn’t like him much, and wish he did more. That pretty much locks them into Berry, but where will Clausen fall?

Washington shored-up their situation with the stellar addition of Donovan McNabb so they’re out of the mix. Buffalo need a guy, so do Jacksonville and Seattle. I’m sure Belicheck would love him in New England as a future project, but the chances of him trading up when Brady looks good for another few years yet seem unlikely.

I’m going to wager that the Jaguars will take Clausen tenth. I think the Bills will shoot for Tebow early in the second or try and move-up and take him in the first. He is more robust than Clausen, whose first college season was marred by niggling injuries sustained as a result of a school-record 34 sacks.

The Jaguars can protect the young guy and give him a chance to shine. He may be the piece that Jack Del Rio needs to save his job.


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Hit Me Up...

Eric Berry


Here's a guy who has it all. Rated by many as the top player in the draft, it seems unlikely that the Browns will be able to pass him up, should he still be on the board at number 7 - that's assuming the Redskins fail to find a decent OT in free agency and take Okung in the draft, otherwsie they may pounce for this wonderful young man who could fill the void left by the late Sean Taylor and add another Pro Bowl defender to their decent corps. It's a shame his position (safety) isn't a prime position for big money, otherwise he would be number one. He has zero character issues and is a fast, smart, physical player with good size and fantastic ball skills.

There really isn't much more that can be said. The only possible draft ramifications where Berry is concerned is the possibility of a trade. So who might want to move up for Berry?

Well, despite his amazing athleticism, there may not be too many in the market for a top-ten safety. The 49s and Texans definately need help in the secondary, but they will likely look to corners who are versatile and, given their lower selection points, cheaper. Oddly, the team that owns the league's most consistently brilliant safety - Ed Reed - might look to add depth to their nickel package by trading up for Berry. Hard to see them compensating the Browns enough to warrent a nearly twenty-spot climb, but who knows? Maybe Reed himself would go to the Ravens' division rivals to shore-up the future of his team, but I doubt it. I think that Berry will go in the top seven with no movement, unless maybe the Patriots surprise everyone and try and snare a solid successor to Rodney Harrison with some serious fireworks... Stranger things have happened...


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Catching a Cold...

Dez Bryant


Here’s a guy who’s been put through the mill. Dez Bryant is almost undoubtedly the most talented receiver in the draft, but he is continuing to slide due to a combination of fluffed work-outs and vicious rumours. He’s not a bad character kind of guy. He won’t leave teams with the same headache as the late Chris Henry (Bengals), the incarcerated Plaxico Burress (Giants) or even the wise-talking, if law-abiding, Terrell Owens (where he lands this year is anyone’s guess).

Bryant was initially projected to go in the top ten, but now he is creeping towards the back-end of the first round. Some analysts have him landing in Arizona: this would be Christmas come early for the rebuilding NFC West champs in light of tough playmaking receiver Anquan Boldin’s departure for the streets of Maryland.

I’m a Cardinal – I’d love to see a high-grade player with immense physicality like Bryant wind up in the desert. But really? Surely a receiver-light team will pick him up sooner than that? The Bengals could do with a viable opposite for Chad Ochocinco, but perhaps they do have more pressing needs elsewhere. And adding to that, I still think that Cincinnatti should give TO a one year deal even if it amounts to nothing more than a stop-gap experiment.

Bryant should go in the teens to early twenties. If AZ snap him up, the West might once again be theirs.


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Draft Me Up...

Well, it's been a while... Too long, in fact. My absence from keeping y'all updated has been regrettably forced by long working hours, the absence of a trustworthy internet connection and my disinclination to add yet more speculation to the ever-growing shit-tip of guess work that commonly leads up to the NFL draft.

But now, a mere handful of days from the biggest event in any college player's career, I feel it's time I took-up where I left off and gave you my personal insight into a few key players who have been working their butts off for the scouts, and postulate where they are likely to land come draft day and, possibly more interestingly, where they might work best.

Every day in the run-up to the draft I'll pick a player and discuss their most probable new homes. Now, I'm not a scout - I've never seen these guys play in person - and much less do I have a fully comprehensive understanding of each teams financial wiggle-room and how it might affect free agent signings that could have a knock-on effect in the draft, but here's my surface overview of the first four players whose lives are up for dissection.


Sam Bradford


Two months ago, the experts had this guy sliding to the Cardinals and me (a long-time Desert Bird aficionado) jumping for joy. Sure, I'm more than happy to give Matt Leinart a decent shot at filling Kurt Warner's roomy size elevens, but seriously, a little competition can't hurt. That said, I'm always sceptical when a QB is projected this high (the men in the know suggest Bradford is a lock for the struggling St Louis Rams who own the first overall pick). College excellence really means very little in the pros, and this is probably no more true than for the QB position. QBs are pretty players: they have the charisma, often the looks and always the voice. Remember how highly Brady Quinn was touted? Well, he slid to number 23 and wound-up at his childhood team, the Browns, only to be shipped to Denver a fortnight ago for a lack of game. Fair? Probably not in his case, but for so many it is exactly what they deserve. The number one pick carries with it a great deal of responsibility and, on the team's part, financial investment. These days, with all the guaranteed money going the players' way, I would always be tempted to trade down in the first round and hope to pick up a compensatory second or third round selection - often the local of mouldable talent and at a fraction of the price.

Bradford will almost certainly go the Rams who have lost faith in the league's one-time highest paid player, Marc Bulger. Where he might land as a result is anyone's guess - although he would be a fine tutor for his youthful replacement, he'd be a damn expensive back-up. Maybe Philadelphia - who, just this week, sent the face of their franchs, Donovan McNabb, to Washington and now hope to soar to their usual heights on the back of the impressive, though as yet untested, Kevin Kolb. Kolb has been sitting behind McNabb for as long as most Running Backs play the game and is likely more than ready, but the Eagles' penchant for hoarding Pro Bowl QBs should not be overlooked. Perhaps more likely is Arizona, who, without Warner, have diddlysquat in terms of experience, although they have snared Derek Anderson who has one decent season under his belt at the Browns. They might have hoped to pick-up Delhomme from the Panthers but he wound-up in Cleveland - a clear stop-gap player until Mike Holmgren finds a franchise QB he can trust. As unpopular and, perhaps, boring a pick as it is, I would like to see an anchor taken top. Like Joe Thomas who went third for the Browns a couple of seasons ago, that kind of money deserves a long term return. A non-skill position can offer that kind of longevity and is more likely to grind out its bang for its buck. So with the top pick and top QB all but sew-up, what other talent is left at that position in the latter half of the first round? Call me crazy if you like, but I like Florida's poster-boy. None other than Tim Tebow.


Tim Tebow


Okay, so Tebow has taken shed-loads of stick in recent weeks for a poor, long-winded throwing motion, a lack of focus and is somehow criticisable tendency to 'play' football.

Two years ago, Tebow was on the cover of the now defunct British rag, First Down, touted then as the future of the NFL. He is tough. He is gritty. He is a utility player in every sense of the word. He is not just what Pat White is to the Wildcat, or what Michael Vick is to a footrace with the cops. He is the Wildcat package in one body and he would never in a million years find himself in trouble with the law, but you can bet your seventh round pick on him being able to escape capture if he did.

Tebow has worked on his wind-up. He's getting better. Sure, ideally you want the finished article - especially in a first round prospect - but this guy has so much talent for the game, can he really be overlooked? If he falls to the Bills in the second they will feel like its Christmas. He is so robust he could probably (probably) survive a full season behind their porous offensive line and likely make some wowing plays with his arm, feet and maybe even hands.

Rumours are he might go to the Saints. Possible? Sure, but unlikely. Brees will play for longer than Tebow should be sat. Arizona could take him - they should definitely look at him if he's around in the second (though I doubt he will be). I'd say look to the Bills or Cleveland to take him in the second round, unless some voodoo goes down and he winds up somewhere like Jacksonville as a result of a first round trade-down from tenth to the mid-twenties. Don't rule that out. Teams needing a QB in the next couple of seasons could look to get good value on their first-round pick and slide for Tebow, who likely won't go above 25th. I hope he gets a first day selection. This guy's the messiah!


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