Crushed in mockery...

As I try to put the crushing season of the Irish behind me I have decided to give my first mock draft of the season. Order based on predictions for the end of the season...

ROUND 1
1. StL ~ Jimmy Clausen QB Notre Dame
2. TB ~ Ndmukong Suh DT Nebraska
3. Det ~ Russel Okung OT OSU
4. KC ~ Gerald McCoy DT Oklahoma
5. Oak ~ Taylor Mays S USC
6. Wash ~ Sam Bradford QB Oklahoma
7. Buff ~ Trent Williams OT Oklahoma
8. Cle ~ Eric Berry S Tenn
9. Sea ~ Dez Bryant WR OSU
10. SF via Car ~ Joe Haden CB Florida
11. Hou ~ Earl Thomas S Texas
12. Tenn ~ Rolando McClain LB Alabama
13. Jax ~ Brandon Spikes LB Florida
14. Mia ~ Derrick Morgan DE/LB G Tech
15. Pitt ~ Brian Bulaga OT Iowa
16. Den via Chi ~ Terrence Cody NT Alabama
17. Atl ~ Patrick Robinson CB FSU
18. SF ~ Carlos Dunlap DE Florida
19. Dal ~ Sergio Kindle DE/LB Texas
20. NyJ ~ Golden Tate WR Notre Dame
21. Philly ~ Dan Williams DT Tenn
22. Balt ~ Arrelious Benn WR Illinois
23. Arz ~ CJ Spiller RB Clemson
24. Cinncy ~ Jermain Gresham TE Oklahoma
25. NyG ~ Anthony Davis OT Rutgers
26. Minn ~ Sean Witherspoon LB Missouri
27. NE ~ Ricky Sapp LB Clemson
28. GB ~ Corey Wootton DE Northwestern
29. SD ~ Jonathan Dwyer RB G Tech
30. Sea via Den ~ Selvish Capers OT W. Virginia
31. NO ~ Greg Hardy DE/LB Mississippi
32. Indy ~ Marvin Austin DT UNC

ROUND 2
33. Stl ~ Mike Iupati OL Idaho
34. TB ~ Nate Allen S S. Florida
35. Det ~ Brandon Graham DE Michigan
36. KC ~ Aaron Hernanndez TE Flordia
37. Oak ~ Jason Pierre-Paul DE/LB Florida
38. Wash ~ Ciron Black OT LSU
39. Buff ~ Brandon LaFell WR LSU
40. Cle ~ Eric Norwood LB S. Carolina
41. Sea ~ Colt McCoy QB Texas
42. Car ~ Tim Teabow QB Florida
43. Hou ~ Toby Gerhart RB Stanford
44. NE via Tenn ~ Perrish Cox CB Oklahoma
45. NE via Jax ~ Sam Young OT Notre Dame
46. Mia ~ Jahvid Best RB Cal
47. Pitt ~ Jared Odrick DT/DE Penn State
48. TB via Chi ~ Jon Asamoah G Illinois
49. KC via Atl ~ Mardy Gilyard WR Cinncy
50. SF ~ Vladimir Ducasse G U Mass
51. Dal ~ Brandon Ghee CB Wake Forrest
52. NyJ ~ Darrell Stuckey S Kansas
53. Philly ~ Sean Lee LB Penn State
54. Balt ~ George Selvie DE/LB S. FLorida
55. Arz ~ Anthony McCoy TE USC
56. Cinncy ~ Jeremy Williams WR Tulane
57. NyG ~ Arthur Jones DT Syracuse
58. Minn ~ Roger Saffold G Indiana
59. NE ~ Kam Chancellor S Va Tech
60. GB ~ Charles Brown OT USC
61. SD ~ Tony Washington OT ACU
62. Den ~ Kyle Wilson CB Bosie State
63. NO ~ John Jerry G Mississippi
64. Indy ~ Darryl Sharpton LB Miami

Notre Dame wish list...

Obviously the Irish want to win out, go to as big a bowl game as possible, ink Seantrel Henderson and the monster recruiting class that comes with him. Then little things like talking Jimmy and Golden out of going pro, Cryst from trying to transfer, and talking Teo out of his mission.

However there are a few more things...

BCS #15 Pittsburgh get beat by BCS#23 Notre Dame and then beat BCS #8 Cinncy and BCS #21 West Virgina.

Tulsa to beat BCS #18 Houston.

Hawaii or better yet Nevada to beat BCS #7 Boise State

Utah to beat BCS #6 TCU

BCS #14 Oklahoma State to beat BCS #3 Texas and then lose to Oklahoma

BCS #12 Penn State to beat BCS #4 Iowa but lose to Michigan State and Ohio State

BCS #17 Ohio State to beat BCS #12 Penn State but lose to Michigan

BCS #20 Arizona to beat BCS #10 Oregon and then get throttled by BCS #5 USC

BCS #19 Miami get beat by Southern Florida

BCS #9 LSU beat BCS #2 Alabama and then lose to BCS #25 Ole Miss

BCS #11 Georgia Tech get beat by Georgia

BCS #2 Alabama lose to both BCS #9 LSU and BCS #22 South Carolina or Auburn

BCS #22 South Carolina get beat by Tennessee but the beat #2 Alabama and #1 Florida

It is a long shot but it could happen!

Loss

The death wave of one public figure after another continues to assault and pummel us and the latest is a 36 year man in the prime of his life.

Ed McMahan seemed to be on my TV my whole life and while I cannot remember details of watching as a youth I know I did.

As I child I have strong memories of being in my peepaw's den, shooting pool. On the wall was the famous poster of Farrah Fawcett with her head lights on and on the radio was Michale Jackson. While I cannot say I am personally damaged because of the loss of either, I can say losing them both on the same day seems to be an ominus conclusion that those younger days are gone. 

Karl Malden was an under rated actor good at both villain and hero, I wish more people understood how good he was. 

For the most part these deaths were not shocking though. Many of these folks had long standing medical conditions.  

Then came the most shocking Steve McNair, a man younger than I am, cut down in his prime. I fondly remember watching games from tiny Alcorn State because ESPN though we had to see this kid. We did, his combination of grit, determination, size, speed, and fire was awesome to behold. I went on to watch his NFL career, even finding myself (a career Packer fan) rooting for the Titans and Ravens with McNair. I will not say McNair was my favorite player but I can say he was close, his fourth and 4 yards "just give me the rock coach, I got this" mentality was contagious and exactly what NFL QBs are supposed to be about. 

I will miss Steve McNair and his style of play and I hope his children carry on his legacy. Prayers and wishes to McNairs. Thanks for the picture Mr. Bryne 

Rumblings from the Suprachiasmatic nucleus June 3rd

I have been asked several times for an opinion on the G.O.A.T and several other sports topics, so here we go...

The G.O.A.T ~

1. I still think he was pound for pound the greatest QB to ever play football.

2. Ted Thompson should have handled it better but they should not have risked locking up Rodgers on a swan song.

3. He was outstanding for the Jets until the injury (Oakland game) at which time he should not have been allowed to play any more.

4. His arm is shot and with out surgery it will not be ready in time to play in 2009 - 2010 season.

5. The media needs to leave this alone.

6. I had a Majic Man poster on the wall before Favre took over and my cheese head is still a cheese head, and while some Jets stream might have been allowed pig tails are not.

End of that talk.

Better questions?

1. Why the hell is the Williams wall not suspended yet? I will enjoy seeing the Vikes go 0 and 4 when the wall is out, just wish it would happen already.

2. Why the hell do we need corporate sponsored practice jerseys in the NFL? NFL owners basically have a key to the US treasury, to get money whenever they want. why whore out the retail space on a players back.

3. If teams do sell the pack of a player’s jersey would the Browns get more for Shaun Rodgers back than Josh Cribbs’? :)

Crew Chief Talk?

I do not want to say anything bad about Tony Eury Jr., he and Dale were to close and each talked the other into doing things that hurt the performance on the track. The change was over due and I am glad to see it. However it will all be for naught if the new chief does not have the balls or freedom to tell Dale "I will set it up, you shut up and drive it”. It cannot get worse so why not right?

4/3 or 3/4?

Most of you that know me and have read any of my stuff know I am a BIG HUGE fan of the flexibility of the 3/4 defense. Even when you use it as a 4/3.
I wanted Green Bay to convert to the 3/4 nine years ago. I firmly believe if they had the afore mentioned G.O.A.T would have more than one Super Bowl ring.
KGB would not only be the all time leading sack leader for the Packers but probably still able to play at the NFL level.
The packers roster has been screaming 3/4 for years.
Quick undersized DTs give up the run in the 4/3 but become run stuffing DEs in the 3/4.
Quick coverage LBs like Barnett roam around and make plays at an alarming rate in the 3/4.
Versatile athletes like DE/LB Kampman (a college LB), LB Poppinga (a college DE), and SS Rouse (a college LB and CB) get to rotate about, stand up, put a hand down, and drive QBs nuts with their pre snap reads.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the packers moving to the 3/4. I loved it before they added BJ Raji (the 2nd coming of Shaun Rodgers) and Clay Matthews (Kevin Greene 2) but adding these two monsters makes it so much better.

What about you guys what do you want to hear rumbled on?

Getting my Etta James on!

"At last my love has come along


my lonely days over and life is like a song


Ooh, yeah, yeah


At last the skies above are blue


My heart was wrapped up in clover


the night I looked at you "



Finally it has happened, the nightmare that was Tony Kornheiser is no longer going to befoul Monday Night Football. His fear of flying finally getting the better of him Tony K announces he will not return to the TV staple.


As if that news was not good enough, ESPN announces they will replace the King of the stupid bomb with the King of the F bomb.


That is right legendary curse master Jon "Chucky" Gruden will join the three man team on Monday Nights!


"This is a tremendous opportunity and I am very excited to be associated with ESPN and Monday Night Football," Gruden said in a statement released by ESPN. "I grew up a fan of Monday Night Football, and whether I've coached on Monday night or watched, I've hardly missed a game all these years. "To join Mike and Jaws in the booth and to work alongside this top-notch team is going to be a real thrill."


Now I am sure we can all agree this is a short lived gig. Gruden will no doubt go back to collecting QBs on the sideline either in the Pros (Philly, Cinncy) or in college (Notre Dame) but for this season he will bring his big boy vocabulary and little boy hair cut to the booth!

As for Kornheiser, unfortunately he will continue to spare up the sports universe with his existence on Pardon the interruption, but that show is so easy to ignore I will not even know it. More important is the fact that the 65 pound putz whose football knowledge extends as far as the jocks he sniffed in junior high school and the jocks who administered swirly to him every WED, is gone and never again do we have to experience him sparing us to death during God's gift to humanity football.

Happy days are here again!

Prayers

At all times we each have something or someone to pray for. I assume each of you, like me do that praying in your own way and feel uncomfortable putting your burdens on others.

Some where Mark Herlich is doing the same thing. Herzlich is a 6'4 240 pound wrecking ball All American LB. With 110 tackles, six interceptions, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries last year on the way to being named the ACC defensive player of the year. No small feat when you consider one of the men he beat out, defensive teamate BJ Raji, went #9 overall.

He seeks and destroys ball carriers, quarterbacks, and all things offensive on the football field. A projected first rounder in next years draft, Herlich was considered a top 45 player in this years draft had he declared.

Today it was announced that Herlich has Ewing's sarcoma, a cancer found in soft tissue and bone. The rough and tumble LB known for his war painted face (as emmulated by EO Jr in flag football) and 410% motor is not going quietly however...

"Obviously, I was shocked. I had been extremely focused on preparing for my senior season at Boston College and for life beyond that. Now, I must channel all that energy into facing my toughest opponent yet, and that is exactly what I will do," Herzlich said in a statement released by the school.

Nor is Herlich ready to give up his football days...

"At this point, I do not know what this means for my football future, but I am determined to rid my body of this disease so that I can put that uniform back on," he said. "Thank you in advance for your prayers and concern. Together, we will fight this and win."

Obviously football is not the priority any more and to see a awesome physical specimen like Herzlich struck with a disease like this puts life into perspective for all of us, but it is good to see his fire and drive alive. That passion maybe what it takes for him to win the biggest battle of his life.

I for one will be adding Herzlich to my prayer list and I hope anyone that reads this also has room. I too will pray for the rest of my list and for each of your list.

Random, randomness

Needless to say the 2009 edition of EO's mock draft was a failed bit. I lacked the courage of my convictions at #3, I knew KC wanted Tyson Jackson. I knew Tyson Jackson was the best pick for their depth chart, I just did not believe that they would pull the trigger there.

With out question once the train left the rails at #3, it was impossible to get it back on track.

So with the bar set so HIGH with that mock and the fact I refuse to issue meanignless draft grades (Packers GREAT / Raiders HORRIBLE) lets try a random mock of next years 2010 draft. *order determined by projection of records conduction in a highly scientific way I invented, called guesstimation...

1. Oakland ~ Taylor Mays 6'3 230 S USC


2. Detroit ~ Russell Okung 6'5 300 OT Oklahoma State


3. Cinncy ~ Terrence Cody 6'5 360 DT Alabama


4. St Louis ~ Sam Bradford 6'4 218 QB Oklahoma


5. Kansas City ~ Greg Hardy 6'4 265 OLB Mississippi


6. Arizona ~ Jermaine Gresham 6'6 262 TE Oklahoma


7. Buffalo ~ Brandon Spikes 6'5 247 LB Florida


8. Carolina ~ Brandon LaFell 6'3 210 WR LSU


9. Seattle ~ Trent Williams 6'5 310 OT Oklahoma


10. Jacksonville ~ Tim Teabow 6'3 240 QB Florida


11. New York Jets ~ George Selvie 6'4 252 DE/OLB S. Florida


12. Minnesota ~ Colt McCoy 6'3 216 QB Texas


13. Atlanta ~ Sergio Kindle 6'4 254 OLB Texas


14. Miami ~ Ciron Black 6'5 330 OT LSU


15. Tampa Bay ~ Trevard Linely 6'0 180 CB Kentucky


16. Washington ~ Ndamukung Suh 6'4 305 DT Nebraska


17. Chicago ~ Antonio Coleman 6'2 252 LB Auburn


18. Tennessee ~ Adam Ulatoski 6'8 310 OT Texas


19. Baltimore ~ Joe McKnight 6'0 200 RB USC


20. Denver ~ DeMarcus Granger 6'3 305 DT Oklahoma


21. Cleveland ~ Sam Young 6'8 330 OT Notre Dame


22. New Orleans ~ Mark Herzlich 6'4 238 LB Boston College


23. Dallas ~ Brandon Lang 6'4 250 DE/OLB Troy


24. Houston ~ CJ Spiller 5'11 195 RB Clemson


25. San Fran ~ Everson Griffen 6'3 265 DE/OLB USC


26. Philly ~ Lawerence Marsh 6'5 305 DT Florida


27. Green Bay ~ Carlos Dunlap 6'6 285 DE Florida


28. San Diego ~ Sean Witherspoon 6'1 235 LB Missouri


29. Indy ~ Bryan Bulaga 6'6 304 OT Iowa


30. Pitt ~ Greg Romeus 6'5 265 DE Pitt


31. New England ~ Gerald McCoy 6'4 295 DT/DE Oklahoma


32. New York Giants ~ Ras I Dowling 6'2 200 CB Virgina