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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