SB Nation - Donald Brown

Who Will the SEC's next Heisman Winner Be?

Year2 — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:30:56 -0000

Whether Tim Tebow plays against LSU or not, it's going to be difficult for him to win the Heisman this year. He's simply not putting up monster numbers, and the run heavy game plan the Gators used against Kentucky portends that he won't be passing enough when healthy to have eye popping stats. An Eric Crouch-style Lifetime Achievement Heisman is always possible, but as long as Colt McCoy stays healthy and doing his thing, it's probably his trophy to lose.

So if Tebow doesn't win it this year, it's unlikely anyone else from the SEC will. You generally have to be well known for a season before you get a chance to vie for the statuette. The only other SEC players besides Tebow who really have that kind of recognition are Jevan Snead, whose campaign basically exploded in the hangar last week, and Eric Berry, who was a long shot as a defender anyway and whose team isn't good enough for him to win it.

On the other hand, the quarterback from Cincinnati (!) is currently fourth on several Heisman polls, so anything is possible this year. Then again, Tony Pike did get some publicity for leading the Bearcats to a BCS bowl last year, so the point probably still stands. But who has a decent chance in future years?

A.J. Green, WR, Georgia

He's now got one fifth place vote on each of the ESPN Heisman tracker and the Heisman Pundit poll. The ESPN hype machine has also got a hold of him too, and once that happens, you've got a much better chance. He's clearly the best player on one of the SEC's marquee programs, and he's only going to get better as time goes along.

Chances: Not that great. Wide receivers basically have to be punt and/or kick returners too in order to have a chance at the Heisman. Maybe Green can make up for that in blocking more field goals, but if fantastic pure receivers like Larry Fitzgerald and Calvin Johnson can't do it, Green will be hard pressed to pull it off.

Greg McElroy, QB, Alabama

Alabama has famously not ever had a Heisman winner, and an anti-Southern bias has been cited as the reason why. Considering that LSU, Auburn, South Carolina, Georgia, and all three major programs in Florida have Heisman winners, that's not terribly likely. It's got more to do with Bama historically winning with defense and adequate offense, and great offensive players are generally who win it.

That brings us to McElroy. He's third in the country in passing efficiency and has a 7-1 touchdown to interception ratio. He's behind some of the other top guys (like Pike and McCoy) in passing yards, but his yards per attempt is sky high. He'll be held back some in the Heisman race by Alabama's reputation as a run-first team, but as he grows he'll get to do more and it doesn't hurt that he gets to throw to Julio Jones.

Chances: Decent. He's a clean cut, white quarterback from a power school, just like seven of the last nine Heisman winners (and this year's too if it's McCoy or Tebow). If Alabama continues its dominant play this season, he'll get some love for next year.

Any Running Back, RB, Any School

I'm just going to go ahead and cover them all now: no. They will not win Heismans. None of them. Not Mark Ingram, not Trent Richardson, not Bryce Brown, not Onterio McCalebb, or anyone else you can think of. In order to win the Heisman as a running back, you pretty much have to break the all time rushing record or run for over 1,900 yards in a season (unless you're Reggie Bush and the media annoints you the winner in the prior off season). The record got Ricky Williams and Ron Dayne the hunk of bronze, and going over 1,900 yards is what got Eddie George and Barry Sanders theirs.

The issue is that I don't think anyone is going to reach that high a plateau. Every team that emphasizes rushing in the conference does so with a platoon. The current conference rushing leader, Montario Hardesty, is only on pace to rush for 1,455 yards this season. That's a nice total for sure, but it's not Heisman territory. Even after Hardesty graduates, Bryce Brown will probably share carries with David Oku and whatever other stud running backs they recruit to Tennessee. And even if someone does get that high a rushing total, it's not a guarantee. Donald Brown, Kevin Smith, Garrett Wolfe, and Darren Sproles can all back me up on that.

Chances: Non existent. You can't play in a rotation and win the Heisman unless you're Reggie Bush, and he's on the Saints now.

Anyone Else?

It's too early yet to say who else could have a shot. Julio Jones is the only other player with the name recognition required, but as McElroy's star rises, Jones' chances fall. There's no way a Heisman electorate with a consistent historical preference for quarterbacks is going to pick a receiver over the guy throwing to him.

John Brantley might get some speculative votes early next year simply for being the Florida quarterback, and I'll bet that some of the running backs (especially Ingram) will get some too. For right now though, Green and McElroy look like the safest bets.

Comparing the Online Recruiting Ranking Services

Buck Bravo — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:00:11 -0000

Rivals, Scout, and ESPN all provide ranking systems for recruits headed to Division 1 football programs. Often, ratings of individual players will vary greatly from one service to another. In an attempt to determine which service most accurately projects the future performance of players, let's take a look at the ratings that were given to the 2009 NFL first round draft picks back when they were being recruited for college football:

PICK

NAME

COLLEGE

TEAM

RIVALS

STARS

SCOUT

STARS

ESPN

RATING

Matthew Stafford

Georgia

Jason Smith

Baylor

Tyson Jackson

LSU

Aaron Curry

OLB

Wake Forest

Mark Sanchez

USC

Andre Smith

Alabama

Darrius Heyward-Bey

Maryland

Virginia

Boston College

Texas Tech

Penn State

Georgia

Texas

Ohio State

OLB

USC

Northern Illinois

Kansas State

Tennessee

Missouri

Oklahoma State

California

Florida

Ole Miss

Ole Miss

Illinois

OLB

USC

Donald Brown

Connecticut

Louisville

North Carolina

Rutgers

Ohio State

Missouri

ESPN did not start ranking recruits until 2006, so players from before that time have no ranking. Despite this limitation, let's look at the trend lines for the different services:

While Scout may have had the most 5 star rankings for recruits who ultimately became first round NFL draft choices, Rivals had the best trendline for accurately ranking future NFL talent. A more comprehensive analysis looking at later rounds and previous years would best determine which service best analyzes talent. If I were retired or writing for TDG full time, I'd be eager to put such a report together for later this week. For now, the first round of the 2009 NFL draft will have to suffice.

The Great College Football Debate: The Michigan State Spartans

Maize n Brew Dave — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:09:21 -0000

With Michigan Football just weeks away, the guys at Maize n Brew are getting a little antsy for the season to start. The only way around it? Argue about football. Argue a lot. Each of us have already gone through Michigan's 2009 Football Schedule with a ~~fine tooth comb~~ a single half-assed glance and come out with completely different opinions on games, wins, losses, and season outcomes. Take a look for yourself, here are Beauford's, MnB Dave's, and SCM's predictions.

With the exception of Delaware State, every game is a bone of contention between us. Michigan State? You bet your ass. None of us can agree on it. So rather than duel it out with pistols at dawn or get our brawl on, fight club style, we engage in The Great College Football Debate. Five to six questions on the team in question. Five to six ~~in-depth~~ ~~half-ass~~ mediocre answers. You get content, we get to look like complete and total ~~idiots~~ geniuses in a few months. Sounds like a plan to us. We've already held The Great College Football Debate on Notre Dame, Iowa and Penn State, so now it's time to take a look at the fightin' Dantonios of Michigan State.

So, without further ado:

The Great Debate: The Michigan St. Spartans

1) Ringer: gone; Hoyer: gone. What's a realistic expectation of this offense that replaces a work horse running back and a marginal quarterback?

SCM: Several previews I've read on MSU seem to use the logic that unproven/inexperienced talent will be able to fill in any of the gaps losing Hoyer and Ringer have left. Never mind that Ringer tallied 390 carries last year... and we thought we rode Mike Hart hard in '06 (318 carries)??? Without a Clydesdale like Ringer to carry the offense or an experienced QB to lean on, I'm not sure exactly what Dantonio is going to do. Hoyer might have indeed been marginal, but replacing a senior QB is replacing a senior QB. Dantonio clearly is out of the Tressel-ball mold, but without a known commodity (at least early on) to move the sticks and burn the clock, will he have to open up the offense a bit? Methinks so. I think State will be nothing more than "meh" on offense, they do return 7 starters from the 8th ranked O in the league last season (IIRC), but if they continually put an excellent defense in bad situations while trying to find their "spark", it's going to burn them. MSU was fortunate to end up with the record they did last year despite being outgained by their opponents on average. Counting on the defense to let the offense catch-up-to-speed without any consequences is... well it's a mistake in logic I made leading up to last season.

390 carries of this. Photo via pennlive.com

Maize n Brew Dave: I think the expectations for this offense need to toned down just based on the departures on the offensive line. MSU lost two starting linemen who combined for 26 starts last year. And it's not like last year's line was overpowering anyone to begin with. Ringer carried the ball 390 times but only rushed for a 4.2 average and 1637 or so yards. That's notsogood when you consider Shonn Green had 307 carries and rushed for more than 200 extra yards. Hell, Jahvid Best at Cal rushed for 1580 on 194 carries. Almost TWO HUNDRED fewer carries than Ringer. In the Big East, Donald Brown of Connecticut rushed for 2083 yards on 367 carries. What I'm getting at is that it seems no one had more carries and did less with them than Michigan State's offensive line. Face it, the only rusher in the NCAA's top 75 in yards per game with a lower yards per carry average was Josh Nesbitt of Georgia Tech. Why does that sound weird? Because Nesbitt's a Quarterback!

If Dantonio runs the same offense he did last year there's no way in hell MSU is able to replicate its offensive success this year. Ringer was a special player, seemingly solely based on his ability to run into a brick wall time after time and not get injured. To expect that kind of durability year after year from any group of running backs, let alone one back, is absurd. The ground game is going to take a big step back. That said, I'm not willing to write off the passing game. Brian Hoyer was "competent" the same way Anthony Morrelli was (i.e., not that good).

Smile Cousins! via SBnation.com

Personally I think Cousins or Nichol (who was a 4 star Oklahoma commit) will be better than Hoyer from the first snap. Cousins has some game experience. Nichol has the big arm. And both of them have outstanding receivers to throw to. I think you'll see dramatic improvement out of the offense in the passing game which should soften the decline of the running game. All things considered, this should still be an Offense in that 6-8th range in the Big Ten. More big plays by the receivers but much fewer on the ground.

Beauford Bixel: This is one of those looming question marks with fangs that every fan dreads. As loath as I am to focus solely on the skill positions, replacing an all-Big Ten running back and a senior quarterback is never easy. Waiting in line behind Hoyer are, however, two quarterbacks who were at least somewhat highly touted and don't possess the "true freshman" status that sent Michigan into a Sparty-No!-esque tailspin last year. Keith Nichol was a 4-star out of Michigan who originally committed to Oklahoma before realizing he was buried on the depth chart. He transfered back to State, and ran the scout team last year while sitting out per NCAA rules. Kirk Cousins, another in-state product, enters the spring as the tentative starter having spent two years in the MSU system, although he was a 2-star to Scout with a smattering of MAC level offerings. Cousins does, however, possess a winning smile.

Replacing a senior quarterback is never good, but both of these options > Walk-on.

Andre Anderson appears to be the starting running back, but nobody is going to replace Javon Ringer's 390 carries on their own. State will likley employ a bevy of running backs to try to match Ringer's production. Anderson - another 2-star - is built to break big plays, and containing him will be a priority.

More of The Great Debate: the Michigan State Spartans after the jump....

2) D'Antonio has been a bit...gruff...when it comes to how he speaks and deals with Michigan. Adding fire to the rivalry? Or just being a dick?

SCM: Without sugar coating it, he's a dick. He handled the whole Mike Hart "little brother" thing like a petulant child and hasn't done anything to reverse that image since. State fans being comprised mostly of petulant children with raging inferiority complexes, I'm sure they love it. I would be willing to bet he also throws an "sc" in front of "UM" every time he mentions the school in correspondence. In a roundabout way he's added fire to the rivalry just in the aspect that he is an ass and it's certainly more fun to beat someone who's going to give you press conference gold afterward.

MnB Dave: Dantonio strikes me as a bit of a Mike Keenan, if you'll forgive crossing sports and the professional/amateur distinction. He's a harsh disciplinarian. He doesn't tolerate any BS. He's a good tactician. And he's pressed every right button to motivate his team and fan base over the last two years. He's not a particularly friendly guy to an outsider, but outsiders don't matter to him. What's important is his team. His school. And he knows that the most important thing to his school and his team is to beat Michigan consistently. As Michigan fans, we're not used to the backtalk coming from East Lansing. It's been a while since the Spartans have been a legitimate threat on the football field. So the constant white noise emitting from the Spartan fanbase has been easy to ignore. But Dantonio, to his credit, realizes that the fan base is insanely tired of the "we'll get ‘em next year" mentality of program since Saban left. And the only way you change that mentality is with a little bit of force from the top. So, yeah, maybe Dantonio's being a little bit of a dick, but that's what he has to be to bring MSU back to relevance in the Big Ten and national picture. And to do that, he's got to take Michigan down.

BB: I will cop to writing this question solely to get a response from SCM, which he provided with aplomb. I do think that D'Antonio is rather prickish when it comes to Michigan, and I think his comments about Mike Hart's height were completely bush league, but uh, yeah Hart did have a mouth on him too, so there's that.

3) Greg Jones remains one of my favorite players in the Big Ten. His defense returns a ton of starters. What's your primary concern vis a vis our offense vs. their defense?

Greg Jones taking in the Citrus Bowl from field level. Photo via Collegefootballfansite.com

SCM: In the conference, MSU ranked 8th in total D and rushing D along with a 6th in pass D last season. So, uh, why exactly all of the hyperbole about the D heading into this season? Sure Greg Jones is talented, I have no qualms there. Yes they return 8 starters, but outside of the LBs, what scares you on that defense? My primary concern is making sure that we open up the middle of the field early on to get the rushing game going and prevent the Spartan D from simply throwing the kitchen sink at Forcier.

MnB Dave: Other than the linebackers, honestly, there's no one on the Spartan defense that really scares me. Oren Wilson at DT is good, but not spectacular. The same can be said for Trevor Anderson at DE. It's a decent returning pair, but you're also plugging in two new starters from your special teamers and limited back-ups into that line. What shocks me is that even as bad as Michigan was last year, its run defense was actually better than Michigan States'. Check out the numbers. I think MSU's run defense will improve a bit with the veteran ‘backers in the mix, but it's not a world beating defensive front. On the back end, the Spartans have two veteran corners, but some issues with their returning safeties (injuries, not being that good, etc...). I think deep coverage is going to be an issue this season as well. Bad safeties = nightmares. Trust me. I know this. With Michigan State's question mark next to Wilson, I think you'll see a lot of running away from Wilson and Anderson and towards the less experienced guys. I also think, as good as the linebackers are, you'll see a lot of the slot receiver on roll outs against the safeties. Once those safeties are up at the line, maybe lob some bombs deep. But the first priority is to gain yards against the unproven guys.

BB: The defense last year was good enough to win some ball games, but not quite experienced enough to lean too heavily on. That's why Ringer and Hoyer's ability to keep drives alive were paramount. This year, the defense is going to have to be a rock because this offense is likely to put them in some bad situations. Greg Jones is awesome, and when I look at this defensive unit, I see a lot of speed, which could make the read-option a non-option. They look to me to be a bit undersized (only one defensive lineman approaches 300 lbs, and sophomore DT Kevin Pickelman is 255 lbs.), and could be subjected to MINOR RAGE.

4) Given the track record for games played @ MSU, lay down some odds for what freaky occurrence will happen this year.

SCM: By freaky occurrence do you mean "cheating" ('01) or "horrifyingly blatant bad call" (Henne's "fumble" in '05)? Given the continuation of officials' inability to properly call a football game in this series (see Brandon Minor's "TD" last year) I think it's even money that something rage-inducing happens this year as well.

MnB Dave: Even money. You can't have a Michigan/Michigan State game without a referee doing something that makes pull your hair our.

BB: The absolutely horrendous officiating in this game has gone back and forth over the years, what with the "million-year second," the "forward pass fumble," and last year's "Minor-Pylon-TD." My guess is that a paraglider drops onto the field to disrupt play. Wait, that's already happened?

Anyway, it will be scored a touchdown for Purdue, who won't be involved in this game.

5) A lot of talk has been made of MSU snapping up in-state recruits. Address this.

SCM: I am not really concerned, I haven't seen many instances where U of M and MSU have been vying for the same coveted guy yet. Rodriguez gave perhaps the best quote on this topic: "To judge on that and give a perception that one school is dominating the state ... I don't know how much validity there is to that. I know the last couple years, the recruiting classes we've got what we've felt are the best players in the state. Our primary focus in recruiting starts in Michigan and expands in other areas of the Midwest and then south." The reporter followed with: "But there seems to be the perception that Michigan State is taking over the state in recruiting" Rodriguez responded "Last I checked, Mike Martin and Will Campbell were playing for Michigan. Depending on your agenda, whoever you talk to, whatever their agenda is will lead the conversation. I feel pretty good about our reputation in state." Huzzah. In other words, we've gotten the guys we've wanted to get out of the state of Michigan.

MnB Dave: Not that big a deal. Sure you'd like to nab all the top talent in-state every year, but that doesn't happen. Oh wait. It does. Anyone trumpeting the OMG MSU OWNZ0RS INSTATE!!1!!!1 isn't paying that much attention to who's being recruited. In the 2009 class, lessee... Michigan took the top player. Same in 2008. Same in 2007. It'll be the same in 2010 because Devin Gardner is pretty much a lock to be ranked as the top dual threat QB in the country. If there's an issue, MSU is snapping up a lot of guys to starter in East Lansing who would usually be depth guys at Michigan. That'll be something that needs to be addressed if Michigan's national presence doesn't allow them to recruit depth from across the country. Wait... it does? Never mind then.

It's not an issue.

BB: The bottom line here is that MSU has always grabbed some in-state recruits. Notice both their quarterbacks are in-state products, one a 4 star who committed to powerhouse Oklahoma before transfering. Michigan has, however, been able to nab the tippy-top talent from in-state while continuing to focus more on Florida and Texas. Campbell, Gardner, White, Martin - these are all players who have committed to Rodriguez during his tenure at Michigan. We'll always lose out on a Gholston every now and again (he appears to be headed to MSU, at any rate), but by and large, the tizzy about Michigan losing in-state recruits has been mostly fabricated by shaudenfraud-filled fans of opposing schools.

(If you're looking for other break downs, check out The Great College Football Debate on Notre Dame, Iowa and Penn State)

Football Outside of the Big Ten - The Big East

Bama Hawkeye — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:05:46 -0000

From time to time, it's important to look outside the Big Ten and remind ourselves that there is football being played by other teams in other conferences. The Rivalry, Esq. continues its look at those other conferences with the league that better be watching its back, the Big East.

The Big East survived the ACC raids and found itself thriving in the new college football landscape. In the 2005 season, West Virginia stunned SEC Champ Georgia in the Sugar Bowl (played in Atlanta, no less). In 2006, West Virginia, Rutgers and Louisville played some of the most compelling football games of the season. If not for the biggest kick in Rutgers history, Louisville, not Florida, would have played for the national title against Ohio State. In 2007, South Florida was ranked as high as number two in the country, and West Virginia needed only to beat a weak Pitt team in their finale to play Ohio State for the MNC. Pat White got hurt, and the Panthers sprung the upset. The Mountaineers still crushed the Big 12 Champion Oklahoma Sooners in the Fiesta Bowl.

But last year, the league seemed to take a step back. It's not that the league was bad. It just didn't have an elite team. In fact, the case could be made (and was made) that team-for-team, the Mountain West had surpassed the Big East. It certainly had at the top. So the question remains, is there a team that can dominate the league and be discussed for a national title, or is it another year of a solid conference without an elite team?

Greatest QB in Big East History? I'll say yes.

The Rivalry, Esq. has already looked at these conferences:

Sun Belt MAC Independents WAC

Conference USA Mountain West

1) 2008 Recap

a. Who Won the League?

The Cincinnati Bearcats came out of nowhere to finish with a 10-2 (6-1) record and their first Big East crown. They all but locked up the title with a 28-21 win over Pitt at Nippert Stadium.

b. Games of Note

The Big East champion Bearcats showed the distance between Big East Champ and Big XII Champ during their 52-26 loss at Oklahoma. West Virginia lost a game at Colorado that they should have won, but turned around and beat Auburn (which pretty much ended the Tommy Tubberville Era on the Plains). Pitt and Syracuse both scored dramatic victories over Notre Dame in South Bend.

One of the wins took longer than the other.

c. Games Against the Big Ten

Shonn Greene won the RB-battle against LeSean McCoy, but Pitt won a close victory over the Hawkeyes. Syracuse looked bad in both of their games.

Date	Big East Team	Score	Big Ten Team	Score	Location
August 30, 2008	Syracuse	10	Northwestern	30	Evanston, IL
September 13, 2008	Syracuse	13	Penn State	55	Syracuse, NY
September 20, 2008	Pitt	21	Iowa	20	Pittsburgh, PA

d. Bowl Games

The Bearcats didn't seem too over-matched by Virginia Tech, but they also didn't seem to be of the same caliber in their 20-7 Orange Bowl loss. In the five other Big East bowl games, the Big East had four winners: UConn pummeled Buffalo 38-20 in the International Bowl, Rutgers won the Papa Johns's Bowl 29-23 over NC State, South Florida crushed Memphis 41-14 in the St. Petersburg Bowl, and West Virginia defeated North Carolina 31-30 in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. The West Virginia win would be Pat White's fourth bowl win as a starting quarterback.

Donald Brown was really good and got far too little attention.

Meanwhile, Pitt faced Oregon State in a Sun Bowl that left Verne Lundquist crying for the SEC game of the week. 3-0, the Beavers won on a second quarter field goal. Dave Wannstedt tried a 58 yard field goal rather than go for it with two minutes left and the Panthers facing a 4th and 8 at the OSU 41 yard line. That pretty much sums up Dave Wannstedt (says this life-long Bears fan).

2) 2009 Preview

a. Games of Note

Pay attention to West Virginia and South Florida. They'll say a lot about the Big East. The Mountaineers play two games against mid level teams from the SEC and Big XII. They can win both. Will they? The Bulls travel to Florida State and host Miami. Winning either of those would be huge.

Date	Big East Team	Opponent	Location
September 12, 2009	UConn	North Carolina	East Hartford, CT
September 19, 2009	West Virginia	Auburn	Auburn, AL
September 19, 2009	Cincinnati	Oregon State	Corvallis, OR
September 26, 2009	South Florida	Florida State	Tallahassee, FL
September 26, 2009	Louisville	Utah	Salt Lake City, UT
October 1, 2009	West Virginia	Colorado	Morgantown, WV
November 14, 2009	Pittsburgh	Notre Dame	Pittsburgh, PA
November 28, 2009	South Florida	Miami	Tampa, FL

b. Games Against the Big Ten

Syracuse coach Doug Marone gets welcomed into the Big Ten before he ever sees the Big East.

Date	Big East Team	Big Ten Team	Location
September 5, 2009	Syracuse	Minnesota	Syracuse, NY
September 12, 2009	Syracuse	Penn State	State College, PA
September 19, 2009	Syracuse	Northwestern	Syracuse, NY
November 28, 2009	Cincinnati	Illinois	Cincinnati, OH

c. Bowl Affiliations

The Big East alignment stays the same as last year. My guess is that the Big East team will be the last one selected by a BCS bowl, which would land them in the Sugar Bowl. A Big East bowl team will go to the Gator Bowl...unless Notre Dame finished with 7-9 wins. In that case, they won't be good enough to go BCS, but they'll be eligible to be picked over the second place Big East team. The Papa John's Bowl now selects an SEC team (if available) instead of a Conference USA team to face a Big East squad.

3) 2009 Projections

a. Who Will Win the League?

No one knows. Seriously, this is the most uncertain league in the nation. Pittsburgh seems to have the most talent coming back, but they also have Dave Wannstedt as coach. West Virginia has the biggest shoes to fill; will someone step up at quarterback? South Florida has been unable to take the next step. Cincinnati has lost a ton from their champs from last year. Rutgers no longer has Mike Teel at QB. Louisville is intriguing, but I'm not gutsy enough to push them all the way to champs. Connecticut and Syracuse are not up to the level of the other teams. So who do you pick? How do you pick?

I'm going with the best offensive and defensive lines, but I've got to be honest. This is a pick against the field more than a vote for the Scarlet Knights. I would bet that the league champ, whether it be Rutgers or someone else, has at least three losses and will be the subject of at least five "The Big East doesn't deserve a BCS Bid" articles.

b. Any Wins Against the Big Ten?

Syracuse is now playing a game short of half of a Big Ten schedule. I don't see them winning any of these. If they snag one, it will likely say a lot more about their opponent than the Orange. Or, Greg Robinson was just that bad.

Michigan, this is your new defensive coordinator.

I like the Illini, but Illinois better be careful. It's always tough to go out of conference after the Big Ten season has concluded, and a young Bearcat squad should have a good idea as to what they're doing by November.

c. Who Goes Bowling?

I'm putting Rutgers in the Big Easy. I think that Notre Dame is a BCS team, which means that Pitt goes to the Gator Bowl. West Virginia goes to Birmingham to play an SEC team in the Papa John's Bowl; Louisville (who takes a couple of big steps forward this year) heads to Charlotte to face an ACC squad in the Car Care Bowl. South Florida returns to the St. Pete's Bowl (and complains about it), while the Bearcats head north to the International Bowl.

Somebody who hopes these predictions are accurate.

d. Any MNC Hopes?

It's not that it can't happen; it's just that I don't see the team capable of doing it in 2009. Louisville was an offsides penalty away from the 2006 BCS Championship game. West Virginia was a Pat White injury away from the 2007 game. So it can happen, but I don't see the Big East team that can do it this year.

e. The Rivalry Notes

This is a question posed to one of the site's founders that relates the conference at hand with the Big Ten. Graham Filler is up again...

Would Penn State be in a better or worse place if in 1993 they joined the Big East instead of the Big Ten?

Worse. 3 words: continuity, longevity, cash. Penn State could have been the Big East's 9th team and ensured the in-conference continuance of "rivalries" that weren't really rivalries (West Virgina? Penn State leads 48-9-2 all time. Temple? Hasn't beaten PSU since WWI. Pitt? Nice game, but not close in the 1980's). Instead, the Nittany Lions chose a conference with schools that are generally happy to be where they are and a cash cow TV deal. In comparison, the Big East offered more upheaval, crowded/tiny football markets, and less opportunity to create a national brand.

One ironic thing...If PSU had joined the Big East and Miami (FL) and VT had made their eventual departure, PSU would be complaining that their weak conference schedule is causing them problems in the national spotlight. This is, of course, similar to what happened last year...in the Big 10. So some things are unavoidable.

2009 Colts Rookie Mini-Camp: Final wrap-up

BigBlueShoe — Mon, 04 May 2009 15:24:56 -0000

More photos » by Tom Strattman - AP

7 months ago: Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Caldwell during a news conference after football minicamp at the Colts headquarters in Indianapolis, Friday, May 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Tom Strattman)

Browse more photos »

Obviously, we're not going to get much out of a rookie mini-camp designed to help these kids transition from college to the pros. There is no evaluation. No game plan implementation. Only drills, play book introduction, and interviews, interviews, interviews. Really, what this camp does is introduce the rookies to us (the fans) as well as the NFL. And so far, the introduction as felt a very positive first impression on everyone.

Austin Collie gives a nice interview on Colts.com. Seems like an intelligent guy, though in the interview it seemed he was looking off at something else while Jeffery Gorman asked his questions.
Interesting note on Collie: When drafted people said he was Indy's "Wes Welker." Most of us Colts fans chuckled at this because Wes Welker is actually New England's "Brandon Stokley." Stokley gave Bill Belichick nightmares when he played slot receiver in Indy, and when New England implemented an offense similar to Indy's a few years ago, one of the first things they did was signed Wes Welker to play the "Stokley" role. Back to Collie, the reason Austin fell to to the 4th round because of his 40 time (4.60), leaving some to ask "How can this guy be a Stokley or Welker-type receiver?" Well, Stokley ran a 4.54 at his Combine in 1999, and Welker ran a 4.60 at his. Slot receiver is more about precise route-running, finding holes in the zone, and catching EVERYTHING thrown at you. Not necessarily timed speed. Oh, and guess who Bill Polian compared Collie to: Brandon Stokley.
Collie and second year WR Pierre Garcon will likely dook it out over the starting slot receiver spot. Edge right now: Garcon.
Jerraud Powers may have been the WTF pick for us Colts fans, but when interviewed he seems like a high character guy.
This has been made clear by Colts brass: Joseph Addai is the starting running back; Donald Brown is the back-up. The Colts are going to use even more Two-Back sets in 2009. I know this is often a VERY heated discussion here, but opinions aside, here is how the Colts will start things in 2009: Addai starting; Brown backing up.
I agree with John. Mike Hart has the edge on Chad Simpson and Lance Ball as the #3 back. Lance Ball is the wild card though. If he has an impressive training camp and pre-season, he could push Hart out the door.
Starting offensive line wil likely be LT Tony Ugoh, LG Jamey Richard, OC Jeff Saturday, RG Mike Pollak, RT Ryan Diem. I have no faith in Ryan Lilja's health. If he comes back, YAY! That's gravy! I'm not getting my hopes up. Guys like rookie Jaimie Thomas are nice depth, but unless Pollak or Richard really suck in TC, they won't lose their jobs.
Another year, another Penn State undrafted rookie with a troubled past.
I get the sense Jim Caldwell really liked Curtis Painter. He talked about him a great deal on draft day. Caldwell was a QB coach for years. If anyone on the club knows what to look for when it comes to QB play, it's Caldwell. So, if he like Painter, then Painter has to have some serious potential.

With rookie camp closed, OTAs will start as we forge ahead with the post-Draft off-season. As we do so, we will continue breaking down the Colts roster, looking for Training Camp battles and areas that need improvement.

Go Colts!

2009 Colts Rookie Mini-Camp: Can you "Fili" the love for the DTs?

BigBlueShoe — Sun, 03 May 2009 13:58:54 -0000

More photos » by Tom Strattman - AP

Indianapolis Colts first-round draft pick Connecticut running back Donald Brown. (AP Photo/Tom Strattman)

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Today is the last day of Colts Rookie Mini-Camp, and if you have followed coverage of the camp (what little you can get) you see that the focus of much of the coverage is not necessarily first round pick Donald Brown (pictured right). Brown is not getting ignored or anything, but the guy who really keeps popping up in all the mini-camp coverage is second round pick Fili Moala, DT out of USC.

Ed Thompson of ColtPower.com conducted an excellent interview with Fili as camp ended yesterday. The interview provided us with some quotes that are helping warm Colts fans to the USC rookie:

Thompson: It's got to be exciting for you, knowing that no matter which defensive tackle spot you end up playing, you'll either have Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis next to you.
Moala: Yeah, those guys can rush the passer. The Colts were one team that we watched a lot of film on at USC. Those guys get up the field, they have multiple pass-rush moves, and they're savvy veterans. I'm sure that I'll have nothing but good times there and will learn a lot of the tricks of the trade.

Fili also showed appreciation for his old college fans, and expressed interest in entertaining his new fanbase:

Thompson: As you depart USC, is there anything you want to say to the fans there? And is there anything you want to say to the Colts fans?
Moala: I want the USC fans to know how appreciative I am of all the years they cheered me and my teammates on. And to the Colts fans, here's to the future. I'm only going to get better, and I'm determined to be the best and to show everyone that I'm one of the elite tackles in this draft. I know it's going to take years, but I'm going to come in and be as productive as I can be, knowing that I'm going to continue to rise. And let's go win some Super Bowls!

I know this kid hasn't played a lick of pro ball, and I know he will struggle when he goes up against tough, interior offensive linemen, but regardless... I like him already. It's hard not to when you see quotes like that or when you watch Jeffery Gorman's interview with him on Colts.com. It's funny to see his reaction when he talks about line coach John Teerlick. I'm willing to bet Teerlick did a "happy man" dance when he saw Indy drafted Moala. And, if anyone recorded this theoretical happy dance, YouTube it already!

Indeed, the interior of the Colts defensive line is a big focus this offseason, especially the rookies. The Colts also drafted 4th round pick Terrance Taylor from Michigan, and while Fili might be getting all the love from fans and press, Taylor is just as important (if not more important) to the success of this team.

Since Ed Johnson was kicked off the team, the Colts have desperately searched for a quality nose tackle for their Tampa 2 scheme. They tried to trade for Buffalo's John McCargo last season, but McCargo's nagging back injury snuffed the deal. They then signed Antonio "Mookie" Johnson off Tennessee's practice squad, and while Mookie played very well overall in 2008, the kid was only on the team two weeks before getting thrown into the starting line-up. That's not a lot of time to learn a new defense, get comfortable with teammates, and start producing. This off-season, players like Mookie Johnson (who was signed for two years) will have time to learn the defense, get conditioned, and get comfortable playing for the Colts. In addition to that, rookies like Terrance Taylor are now in the fold, and Taylor knows the kind of role Indy is asking him to play:

At 319 pounds, Taylor definitely fills one of the team's needs. He's currently the biggest defender on the roster.
"It makes me feel good," Taylor said. "It's always good to go to a place where they need you. You're not just there because they had another pick. They've got a lot of great veterans and leaders I can learn from."

Like Fili, Terrance was a bit surprised that a team like the Colts would draft him:

Like Moala, he didn't expect to be drafted by the Colts.

"It was a surprise to me," Taylor said. "They had called me information-wise, but other than that, it was a surprise that I was coming here. They needed some guys to stop the run, and I'm the guy to do that."

Also thrown into the mix are rookie free agents Pat Kuntz (DT, Notre Dame) and Adrian Grady (DT, Louisville). I have no idea how Kuntz and his 285 pound frame will factor into the Colts d-line rotation, but I almost don't care. The dude is friggin' hilarious. He can belch the alphabet, and did so on Indy's 1070 The Fan a few days ago. Listen to it. It's pretty friggin' funny.

This man will burp the alphabet on cue. So yep, he's a keeper!

Belching aside, Kuntz could play three technique at the DT spot, or the Colts could use him as a replacement for DE Josh Thomas. Thomas, a hard-working, sturdy run defender at the DE spot, has not been re-signed. At 6'5, 271 pounds, Thomas added a great deal of size to Indy's edge. When team's went power run against the Colts, Thomas was one of the few line defenders who could snuff out the run. Kuntz is 6'3, 285 pounds and might be able to fill the roll Thomas once held. If not, the Colts should still keep Kuntz on the payroll so he can burp the alphabet over the loud-speakers at "The Lube" on gameday.

Adrian Grady is the mystery player to me. Like Eric Foster last year, I don't know much about Grady (watched zero Louisville games in 2008). However, like Foster, Grady might have been a bit of a steal:

Grady, meanwhile, has been called a "diamond in the rough" by NFL scouts after posting good numbers for the Cardinals (41 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two sacks) as a senior last fall.

At 6'2, 305 pounds, Grady fits the bill as a Tampa-2 tackle. But, which kind of tackle? Is he a three tech or a NT? Or both? Staying healthy was Grady's biggest problem at Louisville. He did stay healthy his senior season and really broke out. Scouting reports say he is quick and can push the pile. He's also active and never quits on plays. His negatives are he is not great at the point of attack, and has limited pass rushing moves. But, he shows a lot of potential, and unlike Foster (who played admirably at NT last year only weighing 270 pounds), Grady has the size and frame to play NT.

Adrian Grady wants to hear you scream his name!

Photo: cache.daylife.com

So, as the rookie mini-camp winds down, and the June team mini-camp waits on the horizon, the Colts are looking at having Fili Moala, Mookie Johnson, Terrance Taylor, Eric Foster, Keyunta Dawson, Adrian Grady, Daniel Muir, and Pat Kuntz as their defensive tackles. I think it is safe to say the Colts took their DT depth issues VERY seriously this off-season, and brought in some high quality, high character guys who will shore up the interior of this defense. Start getting excited...

2009 Colts rookies get assigned their jersey numbers

BigBlueShoe — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:12:44 -0000

With rookie camp starting today, the Colts have assigned numbers to their drafted and un-drafted rookies.

1ST ROUND PICK - RB DONALD BROWN, UCONN - #31

2ND ROUND PICK - DT FILI MOALA, USC - #95

3RD ROUND PICK - CB JERRAUD POWERS, AUBURN - #49

4TH ROUND PICK - WR AUSTIN COLLIE, BYU - #17

4TH ROUND PICK - DT TERRANCE TAYLOR, MICHIGAN - #62

6TH ROUND PICK - QB CURTIS PAINTER, PURDUE - #7

6TH ROUND PICK - P PAT MCAFEE, WEST VIRGINIA - #1

7TH ROUND PICK - OG JAIMIE THOMAS, MARYLAND - #73

The undrafted rookies are not listed on the team page at this time. Jersey numbers for all rookies are subject to change as camps open, players get released or signed, etc.

[UPDATE 4:59PM] Colts.com has now updated their roster page with undrafted rookie jersey numbers.

2009 Indianapolis Colts NFL Draft Grades: New Colts RB Donald Brown

BigBlueShoe — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:26:40 -0000

More photos » by Tom Strattman - AP

7 months ago: Indianapolis Colts first-round draft pick Connecticut running back Donald Brown talks with the media at the Colts headquarters in Indianapolis, Sunday, April 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Tom Strattman)

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I hope you all enjoyed your weekend as much as I did. These last two days were the busiest this blog has ever been. Today and tomorrow, I'll be handing out "grades" for the eight picks the Colts made in the 2009 NFL Draft. These grades are based on whether the selected player filled a need and, based on their potential, warranted their selection at their respective pick.

First up:

Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut
Round 1, Pick #27

Indianapolis ranked dead 31st last in the entire National Football League last year when it came to running the football. That's right. The team with the best QB in the league and a passing attack that scares DBs right out of their sneakers could only average a paltry 3.4 yards a carry for 1,274.

Now is running the football the be all and end all in the NFL? No. The worst rushing team in football was the Arizona Cardinals (3.5 a carry, 1,178total yards) and they were a stupid Kurt Warner INT away from winning the Super Bowl. However, the Cardinals play in the NFC, which is JV when compared to the AFC. Sorry NFC fans, but you don't have Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in your conference. The AFC does.

In the AFC playoffs, successful teams find a way to run the football effectively late in games. In 2006, the Colts beat the Chiefs, Ravens, Patriots, and Bears in the playoffs in no small part due to their running game. The dynamic pair of Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes ran all over those respective teams as Indy marched to their first Super Bowl.

Now, Dom is gone, and the Colts (and Bill Polian) seemed to come into this draft looking for someone to replace Rhodes by providing another "spark" in the running game. So, when Pick #27 in the first round came up, Polian did not hesitate:

Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut

Brown is an explosive back who can burst through the line with tremendous speed. In the press conference following the selection, Polian used the word "game breaker" eight times when referring to Brown. From Mocking The Draft's scouting report on Brown:

Has possibly the best stiff arm in this class. Uses power and quickness in his stiff arm to knock opponents backward. Bursts into and out of holes with good speed. Uses his agility to avoid a lot of hard contact. Smart. Knows how to set up his blockers. Decent as a pass catcher. Known as a player who gives a lot of effort in the weight and film rooms.

What Brown supposedly lacks in "breakaway speed." If you watch videos of him, he will shoot through the hole, get past the linebackers and into the secondary, and is then "off to the races." However, one a few occasions, once he is "off to the races," guys have run up and caught him from behind. Whether or not this will happen in the NFL remains to be seen, but as a general rule of thumb, it is better to have a player who can burst through a hole quickly than one who can't. A guy like Reggie Bush has amazing breakaway speed, but he really struggles hitting the hole, and he often cannot get past the front seven.

This pick was made to provide a "game-breaking" dynamic to the Colts offense. Remember how all of us wanted Matt Forte last year? Well, now we've got a player similar to Forte, and we're pairing him with a (hopefully) healthy Joseph Addai and an offensive line that has seen a lot of new depth signed recently.

DRAFT GRADE: High Marks

AFTER FURTHER REVIEW: The 1st Round Live Blog (Tape Delayed)

Josh from Hollywood — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 02:15:01 -0000

More photos » by Jason DeCrow - AP

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FOOCH'S NOTE: Josh put this together and offered it up and I thought we could hold off with more in-depth analysis until tomorrow. Let's end the night with a little levity.

For those who don't know (a.k.a. "n00bs"), I posted a columns a couple of times a week during last season (you can check those out here). Due to time constraints, I've gone postless since the Super Bowl, but I'm back with a vengeance for the greatest offseason event in sports -- Draft Day.

I’ve watched the NFL Draft for over 20 years now. And I’ve never experienced it in any other way than on ESPN. I can still vividly remember being super pissed when the Jets took Roger Vick, a RB out of Texas A&M, with the 21st pick in 1987, because Mel Kiper made it clear the Niners wanted to take him at #22. Boy, that really came back to bite the Niners, huh?

When the NFL Network began airing the draft, I always meant to give their coverage a try. But I’m a creature of habit, so I never managed more than a cursory click-over during a commercial or particularly annoying part of ESPN coverage. The coverage was decent enough, with Mooch, and Deion, and Marshall Faulk. It also had Rich Eisen leading the charge, a huge improvement over Berman. The Net’s version of Mel Kiper is Mike Mayock. He actually played in the NFL, so he’s got that going for him. And he’s every bit as abrasively East Coast as Mel -- his Phillyese is quite similar to Mel’s Baltimorese.

Because I’m so into my comfortable routines, I’ve never actually gave them a shot, going with them right from the get-go. But after 20+ years of Chris Berman’s bad jokes, Mel Kiper’s hair, and the ever expanding Scott Stuartization of their coverage, I’ve finally had enough. I need to go one year without it. So today’s the day -- except for that rare click-over during commercials, I plan to stay ESPN-free today. I'm flying with The NFL Network -- The Net, for short -- all day today. Won’t you join me on this journey of discovery?

8:59am -- I’m all ready for this draft. All settled in on the couch, got my notebook, food, drink, computer, TV’s on. I’M READY ROCK N’ ROLL!!!

9:01 -- Wait, the draft’s not on. Checking my programming guide, I see it doesn’t start until 1pm. Totally forgot about that. So I got up at 8:30am for no absolutely no reason. Oh well, more time to ~~download porn~~ do research.

11:47 -- After a long nap, I’m back and ready to roll again. Turn on the NFL network pre-~~game~~ draft just in time to see Rich Eisen toss it to Santa Clara, where Brian "Creepy Pinky" Baldinger is at Niner HQ. He breaks big news on the Niners plan of action for the draft: "That’s what this draft is all about -- improving the roster, improving their chances of winning next season." Mind blown. Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor.

11:49 -- After that truly enlightening report from Baldinger*, the feed switches back to the ballroom, where a camera mounted up high gazes down at reporter’s doing stories on the main floor. This shot includes a sweet look at Erin Andrew’s ass. Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor again (this time for real). We’re going to see a lot of talent on display here today, but surely none will be as awe-inspiring as that. * No actual enlightening included

11:50 -- More shots from the ballroom floor, including one of Michael Crabtree. Rich Eisen and Marshall Faulk take this opportunity to praise him for his lavender shirt. There’s a joke in there somewhere, but I’m too lazy to look for it.

11:53 -- Back from commercial, we’re presented with a 3-man satellite desk where Brian Billick, Charles Davis, and Brian Billick discuss the Jets. Dukes’ microphone appears to be turned off -- nice work by the crew there, and I’m not being sarcastic.

11:57 -- Dukes’ mic is now working -- the Lord giveth, and He taketh away.

12:00pm -- High noon. Now I can start drinking alcohol without feeling guilty. Don’t get me wrong -- I’ve been drinking since dawn, it’s just that until now I’ve been feeling guilty about it.

12:01 -- Nice ponytail, Cushing. Now that was sarcasm.

12:01 -- Two good bits of info from the main desk: 1) Mike Mayock calls this the worst draft in recent memory. 2) Steve Mariucci has been nominated for an Emmy. I’m not sure which is more disappointing.

12:02 -- What the hell is that?! It looks like Bill Belichick, now there appears to be something on his face I’ve never seen there before. I know this sounds crazy, but it has all the earmarks of... a smile.

12:06 -- Belichick drops the nice guy act when Eisen asks about the Matt Cassel, giving a typically lifeless answer. This is a good thing, because Smiling Belichick was giving me cold chills down my spine.

12:25 -- The NFL network airs a retrospective on the QB class of 1983. They call Todd Blackledge "the biggest bust in Kansas City Chief history", then proceed to show him a) taking a shotgun snap to the face, and b) the worst mullet in NFL history. Somewhere, Blackledge sits in the dark listening to The Smith’s and cutting himself.

12:35 -- The Niners unveil their new jerseys. A nation says, "Meh". I like them, myself. Reminiscent of the 80’s version, which is all I ever wanted.

12:45 -- Deion introduces the top prospects in the draft. Jets fans boo him. Jets fans are in full-throat, as usual. This is really their day, more than any other. When I think "NFL Draft", I think "Jets fans booing".

12:46 -- Watching the top prospects all take the stage, I can’t help but wonder which of them will look back on this day as the highlight of not just their career, but their life. It sounds a little morbid when put like that, but it’s really morbid when you realize none of us will ever achieve such greatness. I’m making another drink.

12:59 -- John Gruden: "I’m fired up!" Gruden, fired up? I’m shocked, shocked.

1:01 -- The Net opens their coverage with a terrible, repetitive, annoying song. ESPN opens theirs with Chris Berman. This is like ‘Sophie’s Choice’, only in reverse.

1:03 -- The Commish steps to the podium to announce the first pick. I’m going on record to say I think it will be Matthew Stafford.

1:04 -- Oh my, I was right! Matthew Stafford is the #1 pick in the Draft, and the New York crowd shows it’s class by booing him and then chanting "Overrated".

1:10 -- The lambs are on the clock. Mayock says Spanolouloloulououo wants to improve the ground game, as shown by his off-season moves -- including personal favorite Mike Karney.

1:12 -- Copious shots of Mark Sanchez on his cell at his home in Orange County before the Rams pick at #2. Sanchez is doing the right thing -- chill at home, and celebrate with your friends and family instead of doing it before hundreds of strangers in person and the prying eye of the national TV camera.

1:14 -- As their time expires, the Lambs pick is in. Mayock says a team might purposely pass up their pick, insinuating the Rams might do it. Eisen corrects him that there is a pick -- Jason Smith.

1:19 -- ESPN comes back from commercial for 8 seconds before Berman says anything. I turn back to The Net.

1:22 -- The Chiefs are on the clock, and Gruden says they will go offense here, as Haley wants to give Cassel another weapon. Crabtree? Really? The Chiefs had a terrible pass rush last year and also got pushed around. And they already have Bowe.

1:23 -- The Chiefs pick is in. Eisen explains that the pick was be checked for spelling and pronunciation before it is "processed" and handed to the Commish. It’s Tyson Jackson. Note to self: Don’t listen to Jon Gruden.

1:32 -- The hosts talk about the widespread rumor that Seattle is picking Mark Sanchez, but the Seahawks select Aaron Curry. And this is why you watch from home like Sanchez is doing. If he was at Radio City, the cameras would be so far up in his grill we’d know if he trimmed his nose hairs recently or not.

1:36 -- Rich Eisen sees people on the phone and starts a rumor there might be a trade. Mayock says it could be someone moving up to snag Sanchez, or it could involve Braylon Edwards to the Eagles (but wouldn’t that involve the Browns getting another pick, not losing this one?).

1:38 -- Eisen was right -- there is a trade, and it’s the Jets! Jets fans are beside themselves, and I am too. Everybody said they liked Freeman, but could this be for Sanchez?

1:39 -- It is! It’s Mark Sanchez! The Net has him on TV at his home putting on a Jets cap before he’s even picked. Maybe he should’ve come to New York after all.

1:41 -- Most Jets fans are thrilled and cheering, but the camera is staying trained on two guys who hate the move. They’re scowling, and one clearly says, "This horrible! I’m so pissed!" I love Jets fans.

1:50 -- The Bengals take Andre Smith, and his ample breasts.

1:54 -- The Raiders are on the clock and everybody is thinking a speedy WR. Why? Because they are the Raiders. Is it Crabtree?

1:56 -- Oakland does pick a WR, but not the ones most people were talking about -- Darrius Hayward-Bey. Mayock: "A classic Al Davis pick". Meanwhile, Crabtree's still on the board. I wonder if he wishes he was watching at home.

1:59 -- The Jags are on the clock. Gruden is saying it might be Crabtree.

2:05 -- It’s Eugene Monroe. Second reminder to self: don't listen to Gruden. That makes 3 OT’s in the first 8 picks. Mayock: "He can bend!" Okaaaay.

2:06 -- Crabtree continues to slip. If he slips past Green Bay (which he should -- no way they need another WR), he'll be there for the Niners. That both excites and terrifies me. He could be a poor man’s Jerry Rice, or he could be a rich man’s Rashaun Woods.

2:08 -- And there’s Raji on the phone -- the telltale sign of an upcoming pick (or a Drew Rosenhaus production). This is happening, it’s really happening.

2:10 -- I feel like Jessie in that very special ‘Saved By the Bell’: I’m so excited... I’m so scared! I don’t know whether to root for Crabtree, or against him.

2:13 -- The Pack takes BJ Raji, and the Niners are on the clock. What will they do? I hope they don’t screw this up. They really have no choice but to take Crabtree. You just don’t see talents like that slip to you that often. They have to do it, or potentially watch while he blows up elsewhere.

2:18 -- Crabtree on the phone! And grinning! This is good. Being on the phone is always a good sign you’re about to get picked, but the fact his expression went from "My dog just got run over" to "I’m the next Jerry Rice" in two minutes means he’s about to be a Niner.

2:21 -- It’s official -- Michael Crabtree is a Niner, and I’m thrilled. It took me like 10 seconds to go from "Should we?" To "What the [SITE DECORUM] are you talking about?! Of course, we should!". In fact, I don’t know that I’ve been this excited about a pick in a long time. I knew Patrick Willis would be great, and I hoped Alex Smith and Vernon Davis would be. I honestly don’t know what Crabtree will be, but I’m damn excited to find out.

2:23 -- I click over to ESPN on the other tuner, and rewind to watch their coverage of the pick. It’s quickly followed by a interview between Crabtree and Erin Andrews -- this works on so many levels of entertainment. Great TV.

2:25 -- So Crabtree is headed to San Francisco -- at least there he won’t be the only man in a lavender shirt. See, I told you there was a joke in there somewhere.

2:26 -- The Bills select Aaron Maybin at #11, but I’m still too busy thinking about Crabtree to comment.

/goes back to picturing Crabtree beating Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for a long TD on Monday Night Football, and Ron Jaworski getting so excited while talking about his talent, he has an orgasm on national TV.

2:31 -- The Broncos take Knowshon Moreno. They could use the help at RB, but what about that porous defense?

2:33 -- The picks are coming fast and furious now as the Skins take Brian Orakpo. I like how much quicker the Draft moves now -- I used to get so bored between picks, but now the pace is much more crisp and efficient.

2:40 -- The saints pick is in, and Jamie Dukes says what many others have -- they’ll take Beanie Wells. But it’s Wells’ teammate, Malcolm Jenkins.

2:43 -- The camera catches Brian Cushing putting his hand in his nose, then his mouth. Seconds later, his gets a call clearly telling him he’s about to be picked. Apparently, the Texans just can’t resist I guy with a ponytail who eats his boogers on national TV. Who can blame them?

2:45 -- It’s official -- the Texans take Brian Cushing. One more douchebag in Texas.

2:51 -- The Chargers take Larry English at #16. I’d like to give you some informed analysis on this pick, but to be perfectly honest, I’ve never heard of Larry English.

3:01 -- Cleveland trades down again -- sending the #17 pick they got from the Jets to Tampa, who picks Josh Freeman. Cleveland must be picking up quite a few picks today. If they end up trading Braylon Edwards for picks today, they could end up setting some kind of record.

3:02 -- The guys at the mian table are all giving Gruden crap about Tampa finally drafting a big-time QB now that he’s gone. Gruden is smiling, but he clearly wants to kill them all.

3:06 -- The Broncos use their second pick in the last half-hour to select Robert Ayers, finally adding some help to their D. The Net shows video of him absolutely owning Michael Oher in a Senior Bowl practice. Mayock: "He might be a big reason Oher hasn’t been drafted yet."

3:11 -- Eisen announces that the Browns have traded down yet again. They’ve dealt the #19 pick they got from Tampa to Philly, moving down to the Eagles’ spot at #21. The Eisen: "They’re stockpiling late-round picks, and also have three 2nd’s from their trade with the Jets."

3:13 -- Who did the Eagles trade up 2 spots to nab? Jeremy Maclin. between him and DeSean Jackson, the Eagles can't say they don’t have speed at WR.

3:19 -- Detroit uses their second pick to take Brandon Pettigrew. I’m surprised -- with all the problems they have, I’d think there would be a better use of their resources than that.

3:21 -- The Browns are on the clock. Again. They can’t possibly make another trade, can they?

3:24 -- Nope, no trade -- the Browns have made a pick: Alex Mack.

3:26 -- The Vikes are on the clock, and Mayock is pushing Percy Harvin as a way to help them stretch the field. Gruden concurs.

3:28 -- The Vikes do take Percy Harvin. Remember, the last time they took a WR who tested positive for pot in college it was Randy Moss. Dope-smoking WR’s FTW!

3:30 -- As the guys from The Net all celebrate the Harvin pick, Mayock gets off the line of the day: "We’re all patting ourselves on the back here, but if ends up on the Love Boat smoking a bone, we’ve all got a problem." I think I like this guy. No way Kiper comes up with a line like that.

3:36 -- The Pats trade down, sending the #23 pick to Baltimore, who takes Michael Oher. He may have slipped further than many people thought, but this has still got to be a great day for Oher -- his journey has now officially taken him from the outhouse to the penthouse. If you haven’t already read about his story in The Blind Side, I don’t know what you’re waiting for.

3:42 -- The Falcons take Peria Jerry. Or is it Jerry Peria?

3:45 -- The Dolphins are on the clock, and the guys on The Net are making the point that Parcells likes bloodlines -- both Brian Robiskie (son of Terry) and Clay Matthews (son of Clay) are available. The Phins make their pick -- Vontae Davis, VD’s brother. I don’t think those were the type of bloodlines they were talking about.

3:50 -- Fatigue is starting to become a factor. I’m not used to working this hard on a weekend. All this drinking and eating and watching and typing has me feeling more dead than that guy Donte Stallworth ran over. Too soon?

3:52 -- Bill Belicheck is making a run at the Browns -- the pats have traded down for the second time today, and trail Cleveland by only one trade-town. The Pats entered with 11 picks in the draft, and 6 in the top 100 -- more than anybody else. They now have 13 picks overall, and 8 in the top 100.

3:53 -- The Packers get the Pats pick, trading up from #26 to take Clay Matthews.

4:00 -- The Colts select Donald Brown. That’s all i have to say about that.

4:04 -- The Bills select Eric Wood. Mayock informs us that he is "not sexy". Seeing as he is an offensive lineman, I don’t find that especially surprising.

4:09 -- The Giants (and their loud mouth fans) take Hakeem Nicks to fill their void at WR, though I still wouldn’t be surprised if they trade for a big name WR between now and training camp.

4:18 -- With the #30 pick, the Titans choose Kenny Britt to fill the gaping hole left by Brandon Jones. Gaping, I tell you. Gaping.

4:20 -- Know what time it is? Time for Percy Harvin to get high. That’s what time it is.

4:22 -- The Cards are on the clock. Eisen suggests they might take Beanie Wells, but Mayock says he’s too similar to Tim Hightower, and Faulk agrees. Seriously? I think Wells in a whole other class than Hightower.

4:28 -- Yup, the Cards take Beanie Wells. And Mayock does a quick flip-flop, saying Wells is an "upgrade". He does question his ability to stay healthy. Faulk sticks to his "same as Hightower" argument

4:30 -- The world champion Steelers cap off the 1st round by drafting Evander "Ziggy" Hood. I’m not watching ESPN, but I’d be willing to bet $1,000 Chris Berman just made a "Ziggy Stardust" reference.

4:32 -- Alright, that’s it for me. I’m TiVoing the rest of this, while I go see if my wife is still speaking to me.

2009 DN NFL Draft Live (Sort Of) Blog

ericj69 — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:54:59 -0000

Welcome ladies and gentlemen! Eric here, live from my buddy's palacial Fargo apartment. Although the flood scare has come and gone, he lives close enough to the river where it's still only about 50 yards from his place. Pretty surreal. I'm sitting here with my group of friends eagerly awaiting the draft. (Note: One of them is a Packers fan, so I'll only call him an "acquaintance".) I'll be here throughout the first round posting my thoughts and observations about everything I see in the next few hours. Be sure to check back and refresh this post every 15-30 minutes to keep up with my latest ramblings.

2:48: We're almost ready to rock! Of course the #1 pick is already decided thanks to the Detroit Lions grossly overpaying Matt Stafford last night. Over forty-one million dollars guaranteed for someone who's never played a down...only in the NFL. If this isn't a case for an NBA-style rookie salary cap, I don't know what is.

Great end-of-game here between Denver and New Orleans as a preview on ESPN...I'm still amazed that NBA coaches get paid so much to draw up plays that are only slightly more organized than 3rd grade gym class. Carmelo's desperate heave of a shot probably wasn't what George Karl drew up.

2:52: Wow that half-court shot was close! New Orleans is still alive. Now bring on what we came here for! Time for upsides, overhypes, Berman, Kiper, McShay, and of course, boos from Jets fans!

2:55: Wow, great start by ESPN--bringing out Erin Andrews and Rachel Nichols in the first 2 minutes! And Jim Schwartz, can you be any creepier in that interview? He looks ridiculously nervous...I guess I would be too if I just gave someone $41.7 million.

Side note: We stopped at the liquor store before the game, and let's just say we aren't going to run out any time soon. An excellent grab-bag of Mojo Risin', Rush River Bubblejack, Bell's Two Hearted Ale, Michelob Golden Light, Coors Light, AC&ME IPA beer, Jagermeister, and some mint-chocolate liquor we had last time we were in Fargo. Good times. The first drinking game rule: take a drink every time you hear "upside". So if I can't spell by 4:00, you know what happened.

2:59: Berman said it best--ARE YOU READY FOR SOME NFL DRAFT?!?!

3:03: Our first Roger "I AM THE LAW!" Goodell sighting. After an awkward attempt at hyping up the crowd, he announces the inevitable Matt Stafford pick. Of course, the Jets fans greet him with boos. Great start. We just decided to add "arm strength" as one of our drinking phrases.

3:07: One of my buddies' neighbors just stopped over. He's a Bucs fan that went to the University of Florida, and he claims Erin Andrews is even hotter in person. He is my new hero.

3:10: Debated drinking every time we hear "Mark Sanchez", but we all decided against the inevitable alcohol poisoning.

3:15: The Rams go with Jason Smith--smart, predictable pick there in my opinion. Bulger still has something left if he can stay upright for more than a second or two.

3:17: Our first Coors Light coach commercial of the day...I think we're going to get beaten over the head with those today.

3:20: I remember how much I used to love Berman when I was about 13...and I think that's why most sophisticated football fans don't like him.

Herm Edwards is here! "Hey coach, how would you destroy your old team with the #3 pick?" Herm Edwards was a piss-poor coach, but I think he'll actually be a pretty decent analyst. WE CAN BUILD ON THIS!

3:24: Done with beer #1...so does that mean I'll have 16 beers down by the end of the first round? Meanwhile, the Chiefs just selected Tyson Jackson. It's a stretch to pick him that high, but he's a good fit for the 3-4 scheme in KC.

3:30: That ESPN touch screen thing has to be one of the dumbest wastes of money in the history of broadcasting. Just because you have the technology doesn't mean you have to use it.

This Seattle pick is going to change how the rest of the first round goes. And they pick...Aaron Curry! I really like that pick for them, especially over Sanchez or Crabtree. Plus, Curry gave us our first crier of the draft! Congrats, you big, rich sissy. On the plus side, the big momma's boy got to talk to Erin Andrews. Awww.

Note: That Seahawks neon green is easily the worst color on any uniform in major sports. Yeesh.

3:39: Ooooh, a trade!! The Jets just traded up from 17 to 5, obvoiusly setting them up to pick Mark Sanchez. If you can make the (most of the) Jets fans at the draft cheer, you obviously made a pretty bold move. I'm not completely sold on Sanchez. He walks the NFL franchise QB walk, but it remains to be seen whether he'll back it up on the field. One solid college year doesn't make you a stud.

I love ESPN's shots of the two pouting Jet fans. It just goes to show you can't please everyone. By the way, did ESPN give out a mandate NOT to say "upside"? I don't think I've heard it once! Maybe it's only a 2nd-round word.

3:46: Not a bad haul for the Browns in return. They still get the 17th pick, which will cost about $10 million less than Sanchez, a 2nd-rounder later today, and a few bodies. If Curry was still there at #5 the Browns probably take him, but I have no problem with that move if I'm a Cleveland fan.

3:51: The Bengals pick Andre Smith instead of Eugene Monroe at tackle...this makes total sense for all the wrong reasons. A big talent with work ethic and attitude problems? Welcome to Cincinnati!

3:58: Another perfectly bad fit at #7...Darrius Heyward-Bey, aka "The Next Troy Williamson". He's perfect for the vertical passing game Al Davis has been in love with since 1979; I'm sure he'll enjoy watching passes from Russell sail over his head next year. I just bet a shot against my buddy that the Jags are going with Crabtree at 8. He took "the field". Please, Jack Del Rio, I do NOT want Jag this early in the day!

4:05: Shit. Eugene Monroe to the Jags. Kids, don't drink and blog.

4:10: Hey ESPN, quit giving the pick away before it actually happens! Obviously, the Packers take B.J. Raji at 9. My Packers buddy approves, and I must say I do too. Solid pick for that weak D in Wisconsin.

4:13: And your 2009 Brady Quinn Award for the saddest face at the NFL Draft goes to...Michael Crabtree! Can the Vikes trade up for him?? Hmm...

4:17: I thought McShay would be more heavily involved with the ESPN broadcast. I had a theory that Mel Kiper was the Paula Abdul of ESPN's draft coverage, and he was slowly getting phased out by the newer, younger, flashier replacement. But it appears that Mel still rules the roost.

4:21: And Crabtree can put on that happy face! Great pickup for the Niners. He'll have fun watching Shaun Hill's passes land at his feet next year.

4:25: Forgot to mention that we're now drinking every time Erin Andrews is on camera. Double the fun!

4:27: Aaron Maybin to the Bills. He'll have fun answering questions about T.O. next year.

4:31: The Broncos pick Knowshon Moreno. The lady from his family in the pink shirt just accidentally showed her butt crack. Whoops. I'd usually make the "and he just gained 1,000 yards" joke, but Mike "unhealthy tan" Shanahan is no longer there.

And wow, the Redskins go super-quick with Orakpo! Another good pick. Saints on the clock--they have to go defense, right?

4:36: Hey Donald Brown! Entourages...you're doing it wrong.

4:43: And the Saints do go with defense, Malcolm Jenkins. Bold prediction: the Saints secondary won't suck as bad next year.

4:45: Brian Cushing to the Texans. And if that brunette is his girlfriend, he hit the jackpot well before Houston picked him.

4:52: The Chargers go with Larry English. Believe it or not, I didn't catch too many Northern Illinois games this year so I won't pretend to know if this was a good pick or not. Meanwhile, I just bet my Packer buddy a shot that the Browns are going defense. This is the best draft ever, and the Vikes haven't even picked yet!

4:57: The Bucs strangely moved up a whopping two spots to 17...Josh Freeman here? They gave up a 6th rounder to do it; pretty bizarre.

5:01: Yep, they went with Freeman, aka "The Next Tarvaris Jackson". I thought QB-happy Jon Gruden got fired? The Bucs fan here isn't exactly thrilled with this pick, and I can see why.

5:06: The Broncos go defense with Robert Ayers. It's now a certainty that Harvin will be available at 22, but I really think Philly will go with Maclin.

Meanwhile, GREAT SportsCenter commercial with Drew Rosenhaus and Scott Van Pelt. Rosenhaus represents all that's wrong with the NFL these days, but he can poke fun at himself pretty well.

And Cleveland trades down YET AGAIN! Looks like Philly will take Maclin two picks earlier. I really like what the Browns are doing today. They have to be threatening to pick the guy that the other team wants...brilliant strategy.

5:13: Yep, Maclin to the Eagles. Let the great Harvin debate begin again...

5:15: If you haven't done the Streak for the Cash on ESPN yet, you need to start doing it. We've all been doing it here throughout the draft, and it's the most addicting game I've ever played.

5:21: The Lions continue to amaze me, going offense with Pettigrew. I guess they have another pick at 33, but they really need help on D...

5:27: Alex Mack to the Browns, who finally picked. VIKES ARE ON THE CLOCK!

THE PICK IS IN!

MICHAEL OHER LOOKS PISSED!

....

PERCY HARVIN!!!!

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOUR NEWEST MINNESOTA VIKING, PERCY HARVIN!

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, START YOUR BONG JOKES!!!

As I've said here many times before, I'd rather have Hakeem Nicks here. But I can't complain with the Harvin pick. He makes our offense potentially a lot more interesting...now only if Brad Childress can utilize him like he should.

I hope our site doesn't crash.

5:35: After taking a quick peek through the comments, it appears that your attitude is cautious optimism for the most part. I completely agree with you there. Meanwhile, the Pats traded their pick to the Ravens, a curious choice since they already have 11 picks stockpiled for this draft. And the Ravens pick Oher...a pick I would have also been happy with. He's a great story.

5:41: The Falcons go with Peria Jerry. I'm happy only because I had "defense" on my ESPN Streak for the Cash with that pick. Seriously guys, this game is like free sports betting crack. Go sign up now.

5:46: The Dolphins go with Vontae Davis, who was originally Gonzo's selection for the Vikings at 22. He's a stud, and a great addition to Miami. Meanwhile, I'm 4 beers and 4 Jag shots deep...now THAT'S multitasking kids! Thank goodness I decided to only blog during the first round, because typing is becoming more and more meticulous by the minute. Dude, I just used the word "meticulous". Hehe.

5:53: The Patriots are obviously copying the Browns' blueprint for success, trading their pick for the second time today to the Packers. My ~~d-bag friend~~ Packers fan buddy applauded the Clay Matthews pick by exclaiming "YES!! ANOTHER WHITE LINEBACKER!" Meanwhile, Rey Maualuga eagerly awaits his chance to hump Erin Andrews again.

6:03: The Colts go with Donald Brown...I really liked watching him in college. It gives them depth at RB with the oft-injured Addai, but I think they could have addressed a more pressing need there.

6:05: Eric Wood to the Bills. Three or four more solid OL guys and the Bills will have a good offensive line next year.

And my personal best 7-win streak on Streak for the Cash came to a crashing halt thanks to that pick. I will now bathe in hydrochloric acid.

6:09: The GEEEEEEEEE-MEN select my man-crush, Hakeem Nicks. Now I have to cheer against him Week 17...and I'll be OK with that eventually. My buddies are getting pretty drunk, especially the lightweight Packers fan here; thank goodness I'm "taking it easy" and blogging. Fargo bartenders, I apologize in advance for tonight.

6:18: The Titans go with Kenny Britt, a great "need" pick for them. Oh crap, I've been watching the draft too long; I'm talking like Mel Kiper!

6:31: The Cardinals went with Beanie Wells, and to finish off the first round, the champs went with Ziggy Hood. Wow, I'm really approving of most of these first round moves. Maybe I'm just being nice because the beer is kicking in?

Well, that concludes my live blogging for the day. Three and a half hours of fun. Check out Gonzo's second round thread for more. Enjoy the rest of the draft, and make sure to stay tuned to see what the Vikings do with their pick. I'm going to have a couple more beers (who am I kidding, way more than that) and enjoy the Fargo night life. Cheers, and don't get dunked on by Patrick Chewing!

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