SB Nation User Blog: styg50

2009 Denver Broncos Schedule

styg50 — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:03:50 -0000

Denver Broncos 2009 Schedule
Week	Opponent (2008 record)	Day	Time
Wk 1	@ (4-11)	Sunday, September 13th	11:00 AM mst
Wk 2	Vs (4-12)	Sunday, September 20th	2:15 PM mst
Wk 3	@ (5-11)	Sunday, September 27th	2:15 PM mst
Wk 4	Vs. (9-7)	Sunday, October 4th	2:15 PM mst
Wk 5	Vs. (11-5)	Sunday, October 11th	2:15 PM mst
Wk 6	@ (8-8)	Monday, October 19th	6:30 PM mst
Wk 7	BYE
Wk 8	@ (11-5)	Sunday, November 1st	11:00 AM mst
Wk 9	Vs. (12-4)	Monday, November 9th	6:30 PM mst
Wk 10	@ (8-8)	Sunday, November 15th	11:00 AM mst
Wk 11	Vs. (8-8)	Sunday, November 22nd	2:15 PM mst
Wk 12	VS. (12-4)	Thursday, Nov. 26	6:20 p.m. MST
Wk 13	@ (2-14)	Sunday, December 6th	11:00 AM mst
Wk 14	@ (12-4)	Sunday, December 13th	11:00 AM mst
Wk 15	Vs. (5-11)	Sunday, December 20th	2:05 PM mst
Wk 16	@ (9-7)	Sunday, December 27th	11:00 AM mst
Wk 17	Vs. (2-14)	Sunday, January 3rd, 2010	2:15 PM mst

From Whence Character

styg50 — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:21:58 -0000

Character.

It is a word that is tossed about casually, but with the weight of an anvil, and woe to those who must catch it and try to make sense of it. Caught up in the idea are every word and action associated with a human being, and yet from that morass we are to come away with a judgment as to whether our values are reflected by another soul, or endangered by it.

Sometimes it seems easy, almost too easy. Some young men and women are so ensorceled in the fabric of "character," so swaddled in its many layers and truisms that doubt begins to creep into the mind of the beholder. The phrase "too good to be true" rings with its hollow promise, and a player like Tim Tebow or Knowshon Moreno becomes regarded with mystery, as if we can't know truly who they are, underneath all of those layers.

On the other hand we have the Robert Ayers and Chris Bakers of the world, young men with only the scarcest of rags to cover their modest souls. This threadbare transparency shows us the night which has taken up residence within them, this black serenity which must always live within their souls, and which no amount of time may expunge.

But know that for those of us who seek the truth, the rags and transparency are a blessing. We can see that the elbows have been patched, that the soles have been worn thin, that the cloak allows water and wind to pass through. Of course, the darkness passes through as well.

And with it, stars.

To understand the fabric of character, and how a rag of it can clothe as well as a bolt of it, we must first divide it up into two ideas.

The first idea is character as an aspect, that is, character as it applies to everyone. This is the simpler of the two tasks. The second idea will be to describe the threads that weave together to create GOOD character.

Character as an aspect is described thusly, by the venerable Merriam-Webster:

a: one of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish an individual

c: the complex of mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person

Sigh. If you love words as I do, you are familiar with the process of divining useful definitions from typical dictionaries. You will also have multiple dictionaries, especially OLDER ones, which you will refer to in your efforts. In this instance I see right away a preponderance of verbiage, always a red flag in a definition. A definition should delimit a concept, with concise edges and essential data, not blur the boundaries with words like "or" and "often". Often, but not always? How is that definitive?

First lets strike the "often" from the second part of the "definition, since your ethical and mental traits most certainly do individualize you. After referring to a few (older) dictionaries, and pondering the concept myself, let us forward another definition, the one afforded us from the Ayn Rand Lexicon:

Character is the moral essence of a man.

Which is to say, character is your self-made identity, expressed by your actions in accordance with your principles. To further illuminate the idea, consider character to be your identity, except it only subsumes the part of your identity which you shape by choosing, accepting and following through on particular moral values. And of moral values I am here referring to those values which you choose of your own volition (i.e. not under coercive force), and which have the power to shape the whole of your life, not just a specialized part of it (for example, maintaining your gap may certainly be a value worth pursuing on the football field, in that lone specialized environment, but it falls far short of being a guiding principle in choosing your friends, or in establishing your relationship to government).

Put simply, character is what you are morally, essentially.

I searched in vain for any popularly accepted conception of character that did not fit under this set of limits. But it still leaves wide open the much more critical issue of determining what constitutes good character.

Above I described character as a woven fabric, consisting of many threads. I phrased it this way for a reason. Studying the idea of character made one thing very clear, and that was: no part of good character can be validated in isolation from the other parts.

What this means is that while you can look at any individual thread of character (and there are, potentially, many such threads), and examine it for the purpose of better understanding it, no individual thread can be validated apart from the whole cloth it constitutes. This is why a rag of good character is just as potent and valid as a yard; character doesn't exist in quantity, but only quality.

As to what actually constitutes good character, I will leave it to the community to discuss the individual threads, those shining stars of virtue, at your leisure. Threads like Honesty, Integrity, Independence, Productivity all deserve substantial attention, and books could be written on each topic. For this post, I will severely limit myself to discussing the whole cloth of good character itself, as well as briefly touching upon the fundamental action subsumed under that whole cloth as well as briefly covering their antithesis.

Good Character

If character is your moral essence, and if your morals are the guiding principles meant to further your life, than good character can properly be described as those moral principles which further a good life, i.e. one of happiness. Within this statement I make a number of metaphysical, epistemological and ethical assumptions in order to claim that happiness is a good barometer for judging your life. Among the assumptions is the critical metaphysical assumption that reality is the standard by which everything must be consistent. This is certainly a point that is open to debate, and which a book could be written about. Since this is not a book, I will go ahead and operate on the metaphysical assumption contained in the Law of Identity, A=A, and leave any debating of this point in the comments. I caution you: if you do not agree with this principle (identity) than it would be best to come to terms with that idea before arguing the points in the post, as they are reliant upon it.

To continue, with reality as the standard, the primary principle which subsumes all the others is the idea of rationality, i.e. the non-contradictory use of your mind to identify, pursue, acquire and protect values. Rationality says simply, that real things must be pursued by real means according to reality. Reality dictates that a human has a certain nature, and that a pear has a certain nature and that water has a certain nature. Rationality dictates that a human should eat the pear and drink the water. No matter how complex the ethical discussion, at its base it will reduce to a discussion of reality vs. fantasy, rationality vs. irrationality.

In looking to acquire players of "good character" the Broncos have put a premium on rationality, on players whose focus is turned outward on reality, and on applying their values on the world around them in the hopes of impacting it enough to feel the reverberations of those values back to them. To the wayside have fallen those whose attention is turned inwards upon their emotions, whose actions show an unwillingness to act as reality demands, whether that is staying in your assigned gap (integrity), earning your position on the staff (productivity), or uttering truthful statements (honesty). The process has not been a perfect one, and has oscillated between degrees of both rationality and irrationality, but there can be no doubt about the commitment of energy to acquiring rational players, and of divesting the team of irrational players.

It is also worth noting that, like most men, those that have been acquired or discarded are mixed quotients of rationality and irrationality, swinging like a pendulum between the two extremes. But good character begins with the discovery of the damage irrationality can cause, and the search for good character necessarily involves the search for those who expend added vigor in attaining greater heights of rationality, and of sustaining those heights longer.

Rod Smith is an example par excellence of such an upswing. His moral pendulum has remained rigid in the upper-most regions of high character for so long that it seems seized, as if it couldn't possibly fall back, ever. But what keeps it up there is his knowledge that it could fall back, at any time, and that only consistent, virtuous action will keep it there.

And at its root, all virtuous action consists of one fundamental activity. One single effort can be identified in the way a player plays, practices, or speaks in interviews.

That action is: Focus.

I am talking here about purposeful alertness. Many of you have already identified this trait in McDaniels, and I have seen it referred to several times as "detail-oriented," which is a bit inaccurate. What he is doing specifically is remaining open and mentally alert, even in relatively insignificant circumstances.

Note that focus implies effort. Compare this to the lackadaisical, out-of-focus drifting that seems to have been the hallmark of the Denver Broncos for several years now. There was a profoundly disturbing inability to maintain any significant degree of intensity, i.e. focus.

Just like focusing your eyes as a baby, the act of focusing your mind is an acquired skill, and one that must be exercised frequently and regularly. This does not mean pain, but it does mean struggle. Great character means, essentially, embracing that struggle through continuous, scrupulous mental effort, in a lifelong commitment. It is a fundamental struggle based on principle. And, just like focusing your eyes, it is a struggle that gets easier the longer you do it, until a negligible amount of effort is required to sustain it. However, it would be a mistake to think that NO effort was required, at any stage.

The identification of Focus as a primary virtuous action, leads also to the identification of its antithesis, the act of evasion. I am speaking here of mental evasion, of anti-effort, indeed the resentment of the effort required to focus. Evasion can be anything from ignoring the need for a coaching staff while promoting friends, to making off-the-cuff remarks with no regard for their effect. Both instances reject the moderate-to-high amounts of effort required to maintain consistency with reality, and both unnecessarily place the onus of grasping reality on someone, anyone, else.

Again it is worth noting that focus is an effort, and evasion is the vacuum which occupies any moment where focus is not observed, or actively shunned, and that most men swing between the two states in varying degrees of control. And again, the higher the degree of focus, and the higher the degree of control over that state, the higher the degree of moral character in that person.

Focus as the primary indication of rationality, rationality as the primary indicator of good character. The idea is a pretty simple one. The better you use your mind, the better person you will be. This has no relation to overall intelligence either. A brute can have just as much moral fortitude as a genius, and vice versa. What matters is effort.

Take heart in noting the focus with which a player like Robert Ayers addresses his past. He can recall the details and the emotions. He addresses it directly without fear. That is not the act of an evader, of one who has shoved their past into a cloistered recess, to become a cobweb-covered specter that haunts them and breeds a fear so profound that they jump at shadows. Ayers, and others like him, have used their past as the momentum they need to begin the upward trend in their character. Denver catches them at their apex.

It will take a certain amount of effort and energy for them to stay there. But now we know that it is the same effort and energy that will help them stay here, with the Denver Broncos.

MHR Draftivus Contests--"Top Twelve Mock" Winners Announced

styg50 — Mon, 04 May 2009 00:49:46 -0000

I have finally finished grading out over 500 entries into our multiple Draftivus contests, and it is time to announce some more winners! We already announced the winners to the Top Twelve Mock Contest, and their prizes are on the way.

Tonight we will announce the winners to the 32-Pick 1st round Mock, the 7 Round Broncos Mock, as well as the 11 raffle winners from the Draft Day Open Threads (I had fun reading back through those threads and finding all the entries. Those were some fun threads, pulled off in awesome style).

Click through to see all the winners!!

*********

32-Pick First Round Mock

First Place Winner

jonahsilas.............MHR Tshirt featuring Peyton Hillis, and an autographed Peyton Hillis Rookie card.

Second Place Winner

bleedorange-blue(dan meyer)..........MHR Coffee Mug and some Orange and Blue Coffee.

Third Place Winner

RockyMountainWay...........MHR and Peyton Hillis drink coasters.

Honorable mention goes to: Calibroncoboy, bfree2bronc, steve o', Ted Haw, Topnation, gnarlybroncodude, David Neill, studbucket and blackshirt4broncos.

*********

7 Round Broncos Mock

First Place Winner

gnarlybroncodude(thanks to his +10 points).............MHR Tshirt featuring Peyton Hillis, and an autographed Peyton Hillis Rookie card.

Second Place Winner

ElwayComeLately..........MHR Coffee Mug and some Orange and Blue Coffee.

Third Place Winner

Zappa...........MHR and Peyton Hillis drink coasters.

*********

Open Thread Raffle Winners

First Pick Winner

Kaptain Kirk............

Second Pick Winner

jaffe28..........

Third Pick Winner

JonTollerud..........

Fourth Pick Winner

Rob4Braves...........

Fifth Pick Winner

Papigrande...........

Sixth Pick Winner

broncosmontana...........

Seventh Pick Winner

Broncoman.........

Eighth Pick Winner

dave cheffy...........

Ninth Pick Winner

Stedfeldt..........

Tenth Pick Winner

broncoboy...........

*********

Open Thread "Winner's Circle" Raffle Winner

Winner's Circle Raffle Winner

SlamDunktheFunk..............

**********

The Raffle winners were determined by counting every comment in the open threads as an entry, and then ten winners were drawn (by my lovely wife). Naturally, prolific commenters, and lucky commenters had the best chance, which is fine, since we wanted to promote open thread activity with this contest anyways.

The winner's raffle was determined by pooling all the "correct calls" in the open threads (there weren't very many, let me tell you...), and drawing one winner out. All the raffle winners will have some commemorative Draftivus goodies coming to them.

Here is a big MileHighSalute to all the Draftivus Winners! Please send your mailing info to mhr.contests@gmail.com in order to receive your very special 2009 Draftivus winner-only swag! This wraps up Draftivus 2009, hope you all had fun with it!

......N' Dog

styg50 — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:52:43 -0000

......N' Dog

Hog....

styg50 — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:51:41 -0000

Hog....

MHR Draftivus Contests--"Top Twelve Mock" Winners Announced

styg50 — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 03:58:23 -0000

Draftivus has finally wound to a close around these parts. The wrapping paper is strewn around the living room, some of you are sleeping soundly, knowing that your favorite players are in orange and blue, while others are figuring out where their presents were bought so that they can take them in and exchange them.

There is a lot ot agree about, and there is a lot to disagree about, but one thing is for certain: you guys made MHR's Inaugural Draftivus a HUGE success, and I thank you.

I'm talking about 6000+ comments in the frontpage threads alone, plus thousands more spread across many great fanpost discussions. I'm talking about 40,000+ visitors checking into some of the finest coverage and highest quality discussions that could be found for the Broncos draft this weekend. I'm talking about 2000+ solid members, 6 hardworking editors and 1 visionary leader with a press pass.

I'm talking about one of the best draftday experiences I have had the pleasure of enjoying, with company too good to be true. And regardless of the draft's outcome, I think that is why we are all here.

But I also need to talk about some special members, guys who get to represent a "slice of the MHR communtiy" and who will live forever in Draftivus fame. Its time to start announcing the 2009 Draftivus Winner's Circle, starting with the winners of the "Top Twelve Mock Contest"!

Click through to see who they were!!

*********

First Place Winner

Calibroncoboy (103/144 pts) .............MHR Tshirt featuring Peyton Hillis, and an autographed Peyton Hillis Rookie card.

Second Place Winner

BroncoJoe311 (+10 Bonus Points) (97/144)..........MHR Coffee Mug and some Orange and Blue Coffee.

Third Place Winner

gnarlybroncodude (96/144 pts)...........MHR and Peyton Hillis drink coasters. I "won" a set of these myself, and I love 'em, they look awesome!

*********

As you can see, BroncoJoe311 was able to discover the "secret-player" that was hidden in the Draftivus contest posts, and his bonus ten points was just enough to edge him into the 2009 winner's circle. Honorary mention goes to Ejruiz, scottwchicago, studbucket and topnation for some also very high scoring entries. Overall it was a very highscoring contest, with only a small handful of "duds" (names reserved to protect the innocent).

There were a TON of entries, way more than I was expecting, and so I am still tallying scores and auditing the openthread raffles (basically, if you were there, you are IN!). Expect the First Round Mock Winners to be announced tomorrow night, the 7 round Broncos Mock winners to be announced the next night, and for the raffle winners to be announced the night after.

Here is a big MileHighSalute to all the Top Twelve Mock Winners! Please send your mailing info to mhr.contests@gmail.com in order to receive your very special 2009 Draftivus winner-only swag!

BRONCOS SIGN 15 COLLEGE FREE AGENTS

styg50 — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 04:21:10 -0000

2009 NFL Draft
Position	Player	School	Comments
DL	Everette Pedescleaux	Northern Iowa	6'6" 305lbs, transferred to a small program so he could get on the field and play. I like that he made a name for himself forcing fumbles and blocking kicks. Nice project.
CB	Domonique Johnson	Jackson State	6'2" 198lbs, athletic and confident, who got stuck with a tweener (S/CB) label. had team highs in INTs and pass break ups his senior year. Some injury concerns.
WR	Lucas Taylor	Tennessee	6'0 189lbs, this is a rebound player who has proven he can be coached and get better. Had a poor senior season after rocking in 2007 with Ainge behind center, and suffered through injuries and academic problems. Is he smart enough for McD's squad? We'll soon find out.
WR	Nate Swift	Nebraska	6'2" 203lbs, excellent blocker, great hands, runs good routes, and can line up at any WR slot from wide to inside, and be effective. Has been diagnosed with a rare illness, but has been in remission since he was very young.
LB	Lee Robinson	Alcorn State	6'2" 249lbs, He is a good tackler, reads plays well and is instinctual in following the play to the ball. Like WW, one of his strongest assets is keeping blockers away from his legs and keeping hands out of his frame, which leaves him free to make the tackle at the line of scrimmage. His open-field tackling could use work however, as he doesn't consistently break down but he shows a ton of hustle and is quick to congratulate teammates, making him a respected member of the team.
NT	Chris Baker	Hampton	6'2" 326lbs, had charcter trouble so bad he had to go to a new school to start setting things right again. Was he successful? We'll know soon. I knew from the first time I kicked him off my board that destiny would bring us together again. Can't say I like it.
FB	Marquez Branson	Central Arkansas	6'2" 247lbs, this is our Hillis clone, in case the unthinkable happens. Good receiver, excellent blocker with plenty of pop, and has experience as a true H-back. Not as supremely talented as Hillis, but a scrappy guy who will surprise any team that takes or faces him.
CB	Tony Carter	FSU	5'9" 179lbs, another player who is known for an aggressive, attack the ball style, and who was successful. Can be bullied a bit, but is a firece competitor.
WR	Travis Shelton	Temple	5'9" 185 lbs, basically a pure return man who set the Temple record for return yardage. Has an NCAA best 31.30yd KOR average.
WR	David Grimes	Notre Dame	5'10" 178lbs, experienced 4 year contributorwho played special teams for several years before being promoted to the starting offense where he got consistently better. As a return man averaged 22 and 25 yds in his freshman and sophomore seasons, respectively.
DE	Rulon Davis	Cal	6'5" 281, former marine who transferred to Cal and flashed explosive, athletic playmaking ability. Emerged as a team leader quickly at Cal, and has a tough, no nonsense attitude.
P/K	Britton Colquitt	Tennessee	6'3" 205lbs, 2nd coming of Todd Sauerbraun, Colquitt has had at least four alcohol related off the field incidents, including a DUI/fleeing the scene, which was his latest transgression. Should be in ALANON, not O&B.
OT	Stanley Bryant	ECU	6'5" 282lbs, small school transfer to ECU and started 8 games, but a knee injury derailed him at the start of his 2008 campaign.
OT	Marcus Gordon	Kentucky State	6'5" 298lbs, My notes must be out of date cause I have this kid playing for Louisville, not Kentucky State....
RB	Kestahn Moore	University of Florida	5'10" 207lbs, ran heavy at his proday, on advice that he could get on a roster as a fullback, and ended up clocking in slower than expected. Not the best hands, not terribly elusive, had some fumble issues but fits the one-cut scheme of 1000 yard backs of yore. Excellent blocker in the passing game and is a smart kid.

Chris Baker (6-foot-2, 326 pounds) is a rookie defensive tackle from Hampton University who joined the Broncos as a college free agent on April 27, 2009... Totaled 69 tackles (32 solo), 8.5 sacks (60 yds.) and one blocked kick in 11 games (8 starts) in his only season at Hampton in 2008 after transferring from Penn State University, where he earned a starting role as a sophomore in 2007... Recorded 43 tackles (21 solo) and 4.5 sacks (37 yds.) in 20 games (8 starts) during his two seasons playing for Penn State (2006-07)... Helped the Nittany Lions' defense finish No. 7 in the nation against the run as a starter in 2007, allowing only 87.9 rushing yards per game, and led the defensive line with 37 tackles, including 4.5 sacks (37 yds.)... Saw time as a reserve in eight games for Penn State as a redshirt freshman in 2006... Competed at several defensive line positions during his collegiate career at both Hampton and Penn State... Played three seasons of football at Windsor High School in Windsor, Conn.... Competed in basketball only during his sophomore prep season... Voted senior class president at Windsor High School... Christopher Isaiah Baker was born on Oct. 8, 1987, in Windsor, Conn.

Marquez Branson (6-foot-3, 248 pounds) is a rookie tight end from the University of Central Arkansas who joined the Broncos as a college free agent on April 27, 2009... Played 23 career games in two seasons at Central Arkansas after transferring from East Mississippi Community College... Totaled 82 career receptions for 1,236 yards (15.1 avg.) with 18 touchdowns at Central Arkansas... Finished his collegiate career ranked fifth in Central Arkansas history with 18 receiving touchdowns... Earned All-Southland Conference recognition as a senior in 2008 after posting 45 catches for 737 yards (16.4 avg.) with 11 touchdowns in 12 games... Led all FCS tight ends in both receptions and touchdown catches in 2008... Recorded a career-high 174 receiving yards on five receptions with three touchdowns (79, 59 and 13 yds.) against Quincy University (9/20/08)... Totaled 37 catches for 499 yards (13.5 avg.) with seven touchdowns in 11 games as a junior in 2007 at Central Arkansas, earning all-conference accolades... Had 17 catches for 175 yards (10.3 avg.) with one touchdown in his final year at East Mississippi C.C.... Attended Starkville High School in Starkville, Miss., where he was a two-time all-state selection.

Stanley Bryant (6-foot-5, 282 pounds) is a rookie tackle from East Carolina University who joined the Broncos as a college free agent on April 27, 2009... Played 19 career games (14 starts) in three seasons for the Pirates after transferring from Elizabeth City State University, a Division II school in Elizabeth City, N.C.... Became a starter at left tackle for East Carolina midway through his junior year in 2007... Helped East Carolina defeat three consecutive ranked opponents from 2007-08 during his streak of 11 consecutive starts that helped the school earn a No. 14 national ranking from the Associated Press early in 2008... Started all six games he played as a senior in 2008 and missed eight games with a knee injury... Played a total of 261 snaps and was credited with 22 knockdown blocks as a senior... Saw time in all 13 games (8 starts) as a junior, logging 584 plays from scrimmage and recording 40 knockdowns... Earned a roster spot at East Carolina in the spring of 2006 after joining the program as a transfer walk-on... Attended Goldsboro High School in Goldsboro, N.C., where he was a three-year letterwinner... Majored in economics at East Carolina... Stanley Myron Bryant was born on May 7, 1985.

Tony Carter (5-foot-9, 177 pounds) is a rookie cornerback from Florida State University who joined the Broncos as a college free agent on April 27, 2009... Started all 50 career games he played at FSU and totaled 139 tackles (104 solo), nine interceptions (173 yds.) and 26 passes defensed... Scored touchdowns on three interception returns and one fumble recovery return for the Seminoles... Added nine career punt returns for 132 yards (14.7 avg.) with one touchdown... Started 33 consecutive games to end his collegiate career... Became the first player in Florida State history to return a blocked extra point and a blocked field goal for scores in the same game when he accomplished the feat as a sophomore against Clemson (9/16/06)... Started all 13 games as a senior in 2008, earning second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors... Posted career highs in tackles (45) and interceptions (4) as a junior in 2007... Named second-team freshman All-America and freshman All-ACC as a redshirt freshman in 2005, posting a team-high 12 pass breakups while starting all 13 games... Attended Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, Fla., where he was rated the No. 2 cornerback in the nation by Rivals.com and also saw time at quarterback and wide receiver... Received a bachelor's degree in social science from FSU and is working toward a second degree in political science from the school... Father, Tony Sr., played basketball at Florida State... Tony Carter was born on May 24, 1986, in Jacksonville , Fla.

Britton Colquitt (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) is a rookie punter from the University of Tennessee who joined the Broncos as a college free agent on April 27, 2009... Played 43 career games at Tennessee, punting 209 times for 8,897 yards (42.6 avg.) with 73 punts placed inside the 20-yard line... Only had one punt blocked for his collegiate career and also handled kickoff duties... Received first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors as a sophomore in 2006 and second-team all-conference accolades as a junior in 2007... Played seven games as a senior in 2008, punting 42 times for 1,821 yards (43.4 avg.) with 13 punts placed inside the 20-yard line and a 71-yard long... Saw time in all 13 games for the Volunteers as a junior in 2007 and averaged 41.6 yards per punt (62-2,579) to earn second-team All-SEC honors... Ranked seventh in the nation and second in the conference with a 44.9-yard punting average (46-2,066) as a sophomore in 2006 to earn consensus All-SEC honors... His 44.9-yard punting average as a sophomore was the fourth-best season mark in school history, and he finished the year with 18 punts placed inside the 20-yard line and only four touchbacks... Received all-state honors as a junior and senior at Bearden High School in Knoxville, Tenn., where he kicked and punted... Also lettered in soccer in high school, helping Bearden to a No. 1 national ranking and a state championship as a junior (25-0 record)... Father (Craig), brother (Dustin) and cousin (Jimmy) all punted for Tennessee... Craig Colquitt won two Super Bowl rings as the Steelers' punter from 1978-84, Dustin Colquitt punts for the Chiefs and Jimmy Colquitt punted for the Seahawks in 1985... Majored in mechanical engineering at Tennessee... Britton Colquitt was born on March 20, 1985.

Rulon Davis (6-foot-5, 281 pounds) is a rookie defensive end from the University of California who joined the Broncos as a college free agent on April 27, 2009... Played 21 career games (10 starts) for the Golden Bears in three seasons after transferring from Mt. San Antonio College, a junior college in Walnut, Calif.... Totaled 40 tackles (18 solo), 5.5 sacks (45 yds.) and three forced fumbles during his career at Cal... Started seven of the nine games he played as a senior in 2008 and recorded 19 tackles (8 solo), four sacks (28 yds.) and two forced fumbles... Missed five games with a foot injury as a senior... Given the Bob Tessier Award as Cal's most improved defensive lineman... Posted 16 tackles (9 solo) in six games (3 starts) as a junior in 2007... Contributed as a reserve as a sophomore... Began his collegiate career at Mt. San Antonio College in 2004... Rated by Rivals.com as the No. 21 junior college prospect in the country after the 2005 season despite redshirting during that campaign... Attended Charter Oak High School in Covina, Calif., where he played on the offensive line... Joined the Marine Corps for three-plus years after high school and was deployed to Iraq as an avionics technician in March of 2004, serving in a helicopter squadron... Owns the top recorded vertical jump of all-time for a Cal defensive lineman at 33.5 inches... Double-majored in sociology and African-American studies at California... Named after former Broncos defensive end Rulon Jones, who played for the club from 1980-88 and was twice named to the Pro Bowl... Rulon Davis was born on June 16, 1983, in San Diego.

Marcus Gordon (6-foot-5, 298 pounds) is a rookie tackle from Kentucky State University who joined the Broncos as a college free agent on April 27, 2009... Started all 12 games in his only season at Kentucky State after transferring from the University of Louisville... Served as a reserve guard and tackle for the Cardinals in 2006 after redshirting in 2005... Was a two-year starter at Highland Community College in Highland, Kan., before his time at Louisville... Received honorable mention All-Jayhawk Conference recognition at Highland C.C. in 2004 and was voted the team's best offensive lineman... Attended Westside High School in Memphis, Tenn., where he earned all-region and all-conference honors in addition to receiving the team's Best Lineman Award... Majored in sociology at Kentucky State... Marcus Gordon was born on June 20, 1984, in Memphis, Tenn.

David Grimes (5-foot-10, 177 pounds) is a rookie wide receiver from the University of Notre Dame who joined the Broncos as a college free agent on April 27, 2009... Played 45 career games (22 starts) at Notre Dame, totaling 90 receptions for 900 yards (10.0 avg.) with seven touchdowns along with 36 kickoff returns for 852 yards (23.7 avg.)... Named one of three captains for the Fighting Irish as a senior in 2008 along with linebacker Maurice Crum Jr. and fellow Broncos rookie safety David Bruton... Started eight games as a senior in 2008 and caught a career-high 35 passes for 321 yards (9.2 avg.) with three touchdowns, marking his third consecutive season with at least 26 receptions... Posted 27 catches for 224 yards (8.3 avg.) with two touchdowns as a junior and 26 catches for 336 yards (12.9 avg.) with two scores as a sophomore... Returned 15 kickoffs for 338 yards (22.5 avg.) as a true freshman... Attended St. Martin DePorres High School in Detroit, where he was named a first-team all-state selection as a senior after catching 48 passes for 800 yards (16.7 avg.) with eight touchdowns... Also played basketball (guard) in high school... Majored in marketing at Notre Dame... David Michael Grimes was born on Dec. 31, 1986, in Los Angeles.

D.J. Johnson (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) is a rookie cornerback from Jackson State University who joined the Broncos as a college free agent on April 27, 2009... Played 24 career games in two seasons at Jackson State after beginning his collegiate career at the University of Missouri... Totaled 66 career tackles (52 solo) and 10 interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns, at Jackson State... Added 27 pass breakups and five kickoff returns for 120 yards while posting one forced fumble and one blocked kick with Jackson State... Named second-team All-America by the Associated Press and first-team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference as a senior after leading his team and placing third in his conference with five interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown... Selected as the Defensive MVP of the 2007 SWAC Championship Game during a junior season in which he started 12 games and had a team-high five interceptions... Played seven games (4 starts) at Missouri and had 17 tackles... Attended LaMarque High School in LaMarque, Texas, where he competed in football, basketball and track... Majored in psychology at Jackson State... Domonique Johnson was born on Nov. 7, 1985, in Texas City, Texas.

Kestahn Moore (5-foot-10, 207 pounds) is a rookie running back from the University of Florida who joined the Broncos as a college free agent on April 27, 2009... Played 53 career games (21 starts) at Florida, totaling 235 carries for 1,281 yards (5.5 avg.) with 13 touchdowns along with 38 receptions for 231 yards (6.1 avg.) with three scores... Helped the Gators to BCS National Championship wins during the 2006 and '08 seasons... Had four games will multiple rushing scores for his career... Named a team captain and saw time in all 14 games (5 starts) for Florida during its national championship season as a senior in 2008, rushing 29 times for 142 yards (4.9 avg.) with four touchdowns... Also was the Gators' lead blocker on punt and kickoff returns as a senior... Registered a career-high 578 yards on 104 carries (5.6 avg.) with six scores in 13 games (8 starts) during the 2007 season, a year in which he received Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll accolades... Attended Mansfield Summit High School in Arlington, Texas, where he averaged 9.5 yards per carry (132-1,256) and had 12 rushing scores as a senior... Majored in sport management at Florida... Kestahn Moore was born on April 13, 1987.

Everette Pedescleaux (6-foot-6, 305 pounds) is a rookie defensive end from the University of Northern Iowa who joined the Broncos as a college free agent on April 27, 2009... Played 51 career games (21 starts) at Northern Iowa and totaled 112 tackles, 11 sacks and six blocked kicks... Helped lead Northern Iowa to playoff appearances in 2005, ‘07 and ‘08 along with conference titles in each of those seasons... Earned third-team All-America honors from the Associated Press as a senior in 2008 when he registered 62 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks... Also was a member of Northern Iowa's basketball team during his redshirt freshman and sophomore seasons but did not play in any games... Enrolled at the University of Minnesota in January 2005 but transferred to Northern Iowa before the start of the '05 season... Attended Robbinsdale Armstrong High School in Plymouth, Minn., where he played football and basketball... Was a two-time all-conference and all-state selection in football and a three-time all-conference performer in basketball... Set school prep records for career points (1,474) and rebounds (702) in addition to being named Minnesota's "Mr. Basketball" in 2004... Double-majored in studio art and communications at Northern Iowa... Everette Pedescleaux was born on Jan. 19, 1985, in Plymouth, Minn.

Lee Robinson (6-foot-3, 245 pounds) is a rookie linebacker from Alcorn State University who joined the Broncos as a college free agent on April 27, 2009... Totaled 334 career tackles (193 solo), 18.5 sacks (112 yds.), three interceptions (66 yds.), 11 pass breakups, seven forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 43 career games at Alcorn State... Had 12 games with at least 10 tackles for his collegiate career and scored two touchdowns (one interception return, one fumble return)... Posted a team and career-high 111 tackles (71 solo) along with 3.5 sacks (17 yds.) and three interceptions in 12 games as a senior in 2008... Ranked fifth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in tackles per game (9.3) during his senior campaign to earn first-team all-conference honors... Selected to play in the Texas vs. the Nation All-Star Game following his senior year... Registered 82 tackles (41 solo), including 14 for a loss, as a junior in 2007 after totaling a career-high 7.5 sacks (64 yds.) as a sophomore... Attended Amite County High School in Liberty, Miss., where he lettered in baseball, basketball, football and track... Won the state title in the long jump and triple jump as a senior... Joins Louis Green as Alcorn State alumni among Denver's current linebackers... Majored in animal science at Alcorn State... Lee Robinson was born on April 23, 1987, in Centreville, Miss.

Travis Shelton (5-foot-11, 185 pounds) is a rookie wide receiver from Temple University who joined the Broncos as a college free agent on April 27, 2009... Played 36 career games (12 starts) at Temple, totaling 64 receptions for 784 yards (12.3 avg.) with four touchdowns and 25 rushes for 205 yards (8.2 avg.)... Added 97 career kickoff returns for a school-record 2,507 yards (25.8 avg.) with two touchdowns and two punt returns for 14 yards... Totaled 3,510 all-purpose yards for his career (97.5 yards per game)... Earned second-team All-Mid-American Conference honors as a kickoff returner as a senior in 2008, leading the nation with a 31.3-yard return average (23-720) while adding a 92-yard touchdown return (at Kent State 11/12/08)... Played 11 games (4 starts) as a senior and finished the year with 20 catches for 230 yards (11.5 avg.)... Averaged 196.7 all-purpose yards per game as a sophomore in 2006, seeing action in Temple's final six games (5 starts) and totaling 1,180 yards... His 196.7 all-purpose yards per game average would have led the nation if he played in 75 percent of his team's games... Returned 27 kickoffs for 778 yards (28.8 avg.) with a 96-yard touchdown (vs. Bowling Green 10/28/06) and added 20 receptions for a career-high 344 yards (17.2 avg.) with three scores as a sophomore... Received Eastern College Athletic Conference all-star honors as both a wide receiver and return specialist in 2006... Attended South Plantation High School in Plantation, Fla., where he played wide receiver and running back in addition to serving as a return specialist... Competed in track in high school, placing eighth nationally in the 60 meters... Has three first cousins in the NFL (Broncos LB Andra Davis, Patriots DB Jarvis Herring and Bears WR Devin Hester)... Majored in African-American studies at Temple... Travis Shelton was born on April 23, 1985.

Nate Swift (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) is a rookie wide receiver from the University of Nebraska who joined the Broncos as a college free agent on April 27, 2009... Played 51 career games (29 starts) at Nebraska, totaling a school-record 166 receptions for 2,476 yards (14.9 avg.) with 22 touchdowns... Finished his career ranked second in Nebraska annals in both receiving yards and receiving touchdowns... Had eight 100-yard receiving games for his career... Added 28 career punt returns for 352 yards (12.6 avg.) with one touchdown... Received honorable mention All-Big 12 Conference accolades as a senior in 2008, totaling the second-most receptions (63), receiving yards (941) and receiving touchdowns (10) for a year in Cornhuskers history as a 13-game starter... Also returned 23 punts for 296 yards (12.9 avg.) with one touchdown as a senior... Saw time in 12 games (8 starts) as a junior in 2007 and had 36 catches for 520 yards (14.4 avg.) with three touchdowns... Earned honorable mention All-Big 12 accolades as a redshirt freshman in 2005, posting 45 catches for 641 yards (14.2 avg.) with seven scores... Set Nebraska freshman records for every major receiving category... Attended Hutchinson High School in Hutchinson, Minn., where he was a three-year starter and scored 72 career touchdowns... Led the state of Minnesota with 2,500 rushing yards and had 30 touchdowns as a senior, earning Minnesota Player of the Year honors from the Associated Press... Was a two-time second-team Academic All-Big 12 selection (2005-06) at Nebraska, where he majored in construction management... Nate Swift was born on Aug. 24, 1985.

Lucas Taylor (6-foot-0, 185 pounds) is a rookie wide receiver from the University of Tennessee who joined the Broncos as a college free agent on April 27, 2009... Played 46 career games (23 starts) at Tennessee, totaling 113 receptions for 1,433 yards (12.7 avg.) with six touchdowns... Had six 100-yard receiving games for his career... Added 26 kickoff returns for 546 yards (21.0 avg.) and 13 punt returns for 80 yards (6.2 avg.) during his collegiate career... Threw two career touchdown passes (56 yarder vs. Georgia 10/16/07 and a 48-yarder vs. Florida 9/16/06)... Played 11 games (10 starts) as a senior in 2008 and posted 26 receptions for 332 yards (12.8 avg.) with one touchdown... Received second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors (Associated Press) as a junior in 2007, ranking second in the conference in receiving yards (1,000) and third in receptions (73) while totaling five receiving scores and starting all 13 games... His 73 catches marked the second-best season total in UT annals... Posted at least 100 receiving yards in three of the Volunteers' first four games in 2007 and finished the year with five 100-yard receiving efforts... Recorded career highs in receptions (11) and receiving yards (186) at Mississippi State (10/13/07)... Earned honorable mention Class 5A all-state honors at Carencro High School in Lafayette, La.... Threw for 55 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for more than 1,500 yards with 15 scores as a senior at Carencro... Ran for 539 yards and six touchdowns in a single game during his senior prep campaign... Majored in sport management at Tennessee... Lucas Taylor was born on Sept. 28, 1986.

2009 NFL Draft Open Thread--College Free Agents

styg50 — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 16:39:54 -0000

Get your votes in here for your favorite CFA's!!

Note: Chart subject to correction and confirmation!

2009 NFL Draft
Position	Player	School	Comments
DL	Everette Pedescleaux	Northern Iowa	6'6" 305lbs, transferred to a small program so he could get on the field and play. I like that he made a name for himself forcing fumbles and blocking kicks. Nice project.
CB	Domonique Johnson	Jackson State	6'2" 198lbs, athletic and confident, who got stuck with a tweener (S/CB) label. had team highs in INTs and pass break ups his senior year. Some injury concerns.
WR	Lucas Taylor	Tennessee	6'0 189lbs, this is a rebound player who has proven he can be coached and get better. Had a poor senior season after rocking in 2007 with Ainge behind center, and suffered through injuries and academic problems. Is he smart enough for McD's squad? We'll soon find out.
WR	Nate Swift	Nebraska	6'2" 203lbs, excellent blocker, great hands, runs good routes, and can line up at any WR slot from wide to inside, and be effective. Has been diagnosed with a rare illness, but has been in remission since he was very young.
LB	Lee Robinson	Alcorn State	6'2" 249lbs, He is a good tackler, reads plays well and is instinctual in following the play to the ball. Like WW, one of his strongest assets is keeping blockers away from his legs and keeping hands out of his frame, which leaves him free to make the tackle at the line of scrimmage. His open-field tackling could use work however, as he doesn't consistently break down but he shows a ton of hustle and is quick to congratulate teammates, making him a respected member of the team.
NT	Chris Baker	Hampton	6'2" 326lbs, had charcter trouble so bad he had to go to a new school to start setting things right again. Was he successful? We'll know soon. I knew from the first time I kicked him off my board that destiny would bring us together again. Can't say I like it.
FB	Marquez Branson	Central Arkansas	6'2" 247lbs, this is our Hillis clone, in case the unthinkable happens. Good receiver, excellent blocker with plenty of pop, and has experience as a true H-back. Not as supremely talented as Hillis, but a scrappy guy who will surprise any team that takes or faces him.
CB	Tony Carter	FSU	5'9" 179lbs, another player who is known for an aggressive, attack the ball style, and who was successful. Can be bullied a bit, but is a firece competitor.
WR	Travis Shelton	Temple	5'9" 185 lbs, basically a pure return man who set the Temple record for return yardage. Has an NCAA best 31.30yd KOR average.
WR	David Grimes	Notre Dame	5'10" 178lbs, experienced 4 year contributorwho played special teams for several years before being promoted to the starting offense where he got consistently better. As a return man averaged 22 and 25 yds in his freshman and sophomore seasons, respectively.
DE	Rulon Davis	Cal	6'5" 281, former marine who transferred to Cal and flashed explosive, athletic playmaking ability. Emerged as a team leader quickly at Cal, and has a tough, no nonsense attitude.
P/K	Britton Colquitt	Tennessee	6'3" 205lbs, 2nd coming of Todd Sauerbraun, Colquitt has had at least four alcohol related off the field incidents, including a DUI/fleeing the scene, which was his latest transgression. Should be in ALANON, not O&B.

Denver Broncos Select C Blake Schlueter, TCU

styg50 — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:28:07 -0000

This is a smart move, even we don't see immediate dividends.

He is a bargain basement fill in at center, with the agility and quicks to make you feel confident in his upside. His scouting report from NFLDraftcountdown:

Strengths:
Good athlete...Quick and agile...Terrific balance...Excellent mobility and range...Smart with nice awareness...Tough, aggressive and plays with a nasty demeanor...Great motor...Nice work ethic...Experienced.

Weaknesses:
Severe lack of bulk...Average strength and not real powerful...Isn't stout at the point of attack...Gets rag-dolled at times...Doesn't get a great push...Not a good fit for every team...Durability may be an issue.

Notes:
Was a three-year starter for the Horned Frogs...Named 2nd Team All-Mountain West as a senior...Was selected a team captain in 2007 and 2008...Had surgery to repair a torn labrum in 2006...Undersized but athletic pivot who could excel in a zone blocking scheme...Wowed scouts at his Pro Day workout and might have gotten himself drafted.

Poll

How do you like the pick?

yay!

372 votes

Nay!

115 votes

487 votes | Poll has closed

2009 NFL Draft Open Thread--Round 7

styg50 — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 15:49:19 -0000

2009 NFL Draft
Round/Pick	Team	Player, Position	School
7.210	ATL	Vance Walker, DT	Georgia Tech
7.211	STL	Chris Ogbonnaya, RB	Texas
7.212	KC	Javarris Williams, RB	Tennessee State
7.213	PHI	Paul Fanaika, OG	Arizona State
7.214	MIA	J.D. Folsom, LB	Weber State
7.215	CIN	Fui Vakapuna, RB	Brigham Young
7.216	CAR	Captain Munnerlyn, CB	South Carolina
7.217	TB	E.J. Biggers, CB	Western Michigan
7.218	GB	Brad Jones, LB	Colorado
7.219	SF	Curtis Taylor, FS	LSU
7.220	BUF	Ellis Lankster, DB	West Virginia
7.221	WAS	Eddie Williams, TE	Idaho
7.222	IND	Pat McAfee, P/PK	West Virginia
7.223	HOU	Troy Nolan, S	Arizona State
7.224	SD	Demetrius Byrd, WR	LSU
7.225	DEN	Blake Schlueter, C	TCU
7.226	PIT	A.Q. Shipley, C	Penn State
7.227	DAL	Mike Mickens, CB	Cincinnati
7.228	DET	Lydon Murtha, OT	Nebraska
7.229	DAL	Manuel Johnson, WR	Oklahoma
7.230	PHI	Moise Fokou, OLB	Maryland
7.231	MIN	Jamarca Sanford, FS	Mississippi
7.232	NE	Julian Edelman, QB/WR	Kent State
7.233	TB	Sammie Stroughter, WR	Oregon State
7.234	NE	Darryl Richard, DT	Georgia Tech
7.235	DET	Zack Follett, LB	California
7.236	IND	Jaimie Thomas, OG	Maryland
7.237	KC	Jake O'Connell, TE	Miami of Ohio
7.238	NYG	Stoney Woodson, CB	South Carolina
7.239	TEN	Ryan Durand, OG	Syracuse
7.240	ARI	LaRod Stephens-Howling, RB	Pittsburgh
7.241	PIT	David Johnson, TE	Arkansas State
7.242	TEN	Nick Schommer, DB	North Dakota State
7.243	WAS	Marko Mitchell, WR	Nevada
7.244	SF	Ricky Jean-Francois, DT	LSU
7.245	SEA	Courtney Greene, S	Rutgers
7.246	CHI	Lance Louis, TE	San Diego State
7.247	SEA	Nick Reed, DE	Oregon
7.248	SEA	Cameron Morrah, TE	California
7.249	CIN	Clinton McDonald, DT	Memphis
7.250	JAX	Rashad Jennings, RB	Liberty
7.251	CHI	Derek Kinder, WR	Pittsburgh
7.252	CIN	Freddy Brown, WR	Utah
7.253	JAX	Tiquan Underwood, WR	Rutgers
7.254	ARI	Trevor Canfield, OG	Cincinnati
7.255	DET	Dan Gronkowski, TE	Maryland
7.256	KC	Ryan Succop, PK	South Carolina