SI’s Don Banks breaks down the ripple effects of the NFL enforcing its 80 man roster this offseason. Previously, teams were able to carry a handful of extra guys because they got exemptions for guys who played in the now-defunct NFL Europa.
So what, right? Those guys probably weren’t going to make the team anyway, right?
One prime example of the difficult internal roster decisions that are now unfolding revolves around the issue of how many specialists teams can afford to bring to camp. Before this year, standard operating procedure was to bring two kickers, two punters and two long-snappers to camp. That’s a luxury not likely to continue at the 80-man limit. Rather than necessarily searching for the best available talent at those positions, teams are prizing versatility above all else. If you’re a punter who can also kick off, or a kicker who can handle some punting duties at least in the preseason, your chances to receive an invite to an NFL camp have risen significantly.
Which means the emphasis has shifted from “the best guy” to the most versatile.
Gary Zauner, a former Vikings, Ravens and Cardinals special teams coach, is now a Phoenix-based special teams consultant who trains kickers, punters and snappers and helps them find roster spots within professional football. Several NFL teams have contacted him this spring seeking candidates for double duty in camp, rather than the top-rated prospect at any one particular position. “They’re no longer taking the best guy, they’re taking the guy who is the most convenient for them given the 80-man limit,” Zauner said. “To me, it’s just a case where the NFL didn’t look at this decision long enough. Everybody’s trying to maximize the combination guy rather than the true specialists. Teams are saying get me a kicker who can punt, or a punter who can field goal kick and kick off. But the guys they’re bringing in aren’t as quality as they can be. Almost no one is bringing in two of everything this year. You need two kickers, two punters and two snappers to get through camp and get guys some rest. It’s going to be a problem unless it’s addressed.”
Wah wah. Kickers aren’t really football players anyway, right? This doesn’t just affect kickers.
“It’s going to affect older players,” the AFC general manager said. “Because older players that need to have rest and need to be managed through the preseason are going to have to practice more. Coaches are going to say, ‘I don’t want to sign this guy. He can only do one-a-days in camp, or he’ll need a day off twice a week. I won’t be able to practice.’ Older, veteran teams are going to be impacted.”
Get ready for a fresh round of debate on the necessity of a four-game preseason schedule as well, league sources say, because with starters needing to play more in those August exhibition games due to the reduction in the number of camp bodies, there will be more injuries suffered by regulars. And that will get everyone focused on the camp-roster issue.
So, we’re likely to see more injuries as a result of this? That’s not good. But there’s more. Some teams will actually have fewer than 80 players to utilize.
In addition, a team that went deep into the playoffs last season, and perhaps suffered some injuries doing it, may be at an even more severe disadvantage under the 80-man camp roster limit. Consider the Patriots at the start of camp in 2007, coming off their run to the previous AFC title game. New England had defensive end Richard Seymour and receiver Chad Jackson starting camp on the preseason physically unable to perform list, and safety Rodney Harrison was suspended by the league late in the preseason for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. All three players counted against the team’s 80-man camp roster, shrinking the Patriots’ pool of available players even further.
“Players who had offseason surgery and start camp on PUP, not being able to practice really hurt you now,” said the AFC general manager. “That becomes a big problem with fewer roster spots available. I know we’re going with one kicker and one long-snapper in camp this year, and we’ve always had two of each in the past. Maybe you go with one fewer quarterback, one less arm in camp. That means your starter is throwing more. That’s one thing that everybody loved about NFL Europa, the quarterback exemption you got from it. But having one less arm in camp, one less quarterback to develop, that’s a big thing. This thing goes in a lot of different directions.”
So, if everybody sees what a big problem this is, it’s easy enough to up the roster size, right? Not so fast. There’s the Ralph Wilson Factor.
The impetus behind the owners’ move to freeze rosters at 80 is the cost savings they realize from having fewer players in camp, especially given that teams were reportedly losing roughly $1 million per year on NFL Europa. More importantly, with team owners trying to build the case that their profit margins are surprisingly thin given the nation’s economic downturn, and that the players received too much of the financial pie in the 2006 CBA settlement, they’re in no mood to send the signal that another half-dozen camp roster spots per team is negotiable.
[…]
“We hear it’s a bargaining chip in the next round of CBA negotiations,” said one league executive. “The 80-man camp roster is going to be a two or three-year problem that will have to be dealt with by everyone, because the owners can’t just give the union jobs and not get anything in return for it. Getting camp rosters back where they were before will be part of any new CBA deal that eventually gets done.”
Football people within the NFL rightly believe it’s a pretty short-sighted approach by league owners, because the downside costs of limiting camp rosters to 80 could far outweigh the meager savings of slicing six bodies from a team’s preseason contingent. During the preseason, rookies only make about $1,000 per week, so the cost of carrying six more collegiate free agents is minimal compared to the risk of having to pay off multiple players with injury settlements brought on by short-handed teams not being able to patiently wait while a player recovers from a preseason injury.
Oh, and those six extra guys who had no real shot at making the team, anyway? It’s not really true.
Teams that are known for giving undrafted players a legitimate shot to make their roster will also feel the impact of having fewer roster spots in camp. The Colts are perhaps foremost on that list, and both head coach Tony Dungy and general manager Bill Polian have been outspoken in their opposition to the 80-man roster limit. “I think we had six guys (from our) Super Bowl (team in 2006) who were collegiate free agents and played prominent roles,” said Dungy last month, himself a former undrafted free agent who made the Pittsburgh Steelers roster as a rookie in 1977. “Gary Brackett, Josh Thomas, Jeff Saturday, Dominic Rhodes, Ben Utecht, and Aaron Moorehead. This is what we try to sell, that if you come to us, we’ll give you a chance to show what you can do. But this means we’ll miss out on some of the guys who could have helped us.”
So, to recap: Some guys who are better than the guys currently on each team’s roster won’t make the team. Some veterans will be injured and not playing for the team. Practices will be watered down, making the teams less sharp. All to save some billionaires a few thousand bucks and some leverage with the union.
Jay Bergman was an institution at UCF where he had been baseball coach for 28 years. From the Orlando Sentinel-
The University of Central Florida fired baseball coach Jay Bergman because he was accused of sexually harassing a team equipment manager, a university source has confirmed.
Bergman used a bat to simulate raping equipment manager Chris Rhyce in early March, said the university source and two other sources with knowledge of the allegation. The university source asked for anonymity because he is not authorized to speak for UCF.
The three sources said Rhyce told the university in a written complaint that he was held down on the field, fully clothed, by a baseball staff member before a March 7 game while the players watched. Bergman was said to have grabbed a bat and shoved it toward Rhyce’s buttocks.
Bergman coached for almost 26 years at UCF.
File this under embarrassing ways to taint or destroy a long career. The UCF Baseball field is named for Bergman.
I’m inclined to believe the allegations. Bergman was suspended for one game in 2006 for inappropriate behavior towards one of his players. The lawyer for Bergman is denying what happened (of course), and the school is clamming up. (of course) Go to the link and read the Orlando Sentinel article to form your own opinion.
The University of Florida quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner sure does interesting things when away from school.
During spring break, Tebow added a new facet to his fame. In an impoverished village outside General Santos City in the Philippines, Tebow helped circumcise impoverished children.
On the Friday of a weeklong trip to the orphanage his father’s ministry runs in Southeast Asia, Tebow assisted with the care of locals who had walked miles to the temporary clinic that the ministry helped organize. More than 250 people underwent medical and dental procedures, some of them from “Dr. Tebow,” who has no formal surgical training.
“The first time, it was nerve-racking,” he said. “Hands were shaking a little bit. I mean, I’m cutting somebody. You can’t do those kinds of things in the United States. But those people really needed the surgeries. We needed to help them.”
Tebow didn’t plan on operating that day in the Philippines — his job was to preach to the hundreds of people before they had teeth pulled or cysts removed. But as the day rolled on, he grew curious about the three Filipino doctors and his friend, UF graduate and aspiring doctor Richard “R.B.” Moleno, in the bus-sized vehicle that served as a mobile hospital.
Tebow started as a helper and gofer, holding tools and running errands for the medics. By afternoon, he was asking questions and looking for more active ways to help. And by the end of an exhausting day, he was wearing gloves and a mask, wielding surgical scissors, finishing off stitches with a snip.
The patients were too young to ask Tebow his medical background. What would the parents say if they knew about his other sideline, pardon the pun? Free medical care is free medical care I guess.
Kim is 22 years old, American, and been playing the PGA Tour since 2007. From AP-
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Knee surgery prevented Tiger Woods from attempting to defend his Wachovia Championship title. Anthony Kim didn’t disappoint fans at Quail Hollow Club looking for Tiger-like brilliance.
In a near flawless performance Sunday, the 22-year-old Kim became the youngest winner on the PGA Tour in six years. Following monster drives with flagstick-hitting approach shots and steady putting, Kim shot a 3-under 69 to cruise to five-shot win over Ben Curtis.
The former NCAA freshman of the year at Oklahoma won’t turn 23 until next month. But he dominated a star-studded field by finishing with a 16-under 272 total, three shots better than the previous tournament record held by Woods.
“I’m a little bit numb right now, but that walk up 18 was the best feeling of my entire life,” Kim said. “I’ll never forget that feeling. I had chills going up and down my spine. I want to recreate that as many times as possible now, so I’m really going to work hard.”
Kim earned $1,134,000 and became the youngest winner since Sergio Garcia won his third PGA Tour title in the 2002 Mercedes Championship.
Kim brought memories of Garcia, but for a different reason, when he strolled to the first tee Sunday with a four-shot lead and no PGA Tour wins. Garcia blew a six-shot lead at Quail Hollow in 2005 and lost in a playoff to Vijay Singh.
Anthony made it look easy yesterday, he was never seriously challenged. With his win, Anthony becomes one of the VERY small group of Americans under age 30 with a PGA Tour title to their credit.
Kim had a solid enough rookie season in 2007, finishing 60th on the money list. It will have to be seen if he can make this year’s Ryder Cup team. He was 24th in points before the Wachovia Championship.
Note- Can the golf media give winners credit this weekend. It’s absurd to report the name of the golfer who won a tournament in a news story only after you first mention a player who wasn’t even in the field. AP’s golf and auto racing reporters last weekend must be using the same style book.
AUSTIN, Texas - Chicago Bears running back Cedric Benson was charged with failing a sobriety test while operating a 30-foot boat, then resisting arrest before being hit with pepper spray and dragged ashore by officers.
Benson faces charges of boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest after the incident Saturday night on Lake Travis, Travis County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Roger Wade said Sunday.
Benson was released from jail early Sunday on a $14,500 bond. The charges are class B misdemeanors, each punishable by up to six months in jail and a $2,000 fine. A call to Benson’s agent was not immediately returned.
Benson was operating the boat with 15 passengers aboard when he was stopped by a Lower Colorado River Authority officer for a random safety inspection. He failed a field sobriety test on the officer’s boat and was uncooperative when the officer tried to take him ashore, the authority said.
Players getting arrested for DUI or being intoxicated are regular occurences. The only reason Benson stands out, is because he did it while boating. Leave it to NFL players to find many different ways to get in trouble with the law.
RICHMOND, Va. - Richard Childress always tells his drivers that luck occurs when preparation meets opportunity. Clint Bowyer proved the boss right on Saturday night.
Bowyer was a surprise winner at Richmond International Raceway, stealing a win that first seemed destined for Denny Hamlin, then Dale Earnhardt Jr. Neither made it to Victory Lane, though, because of a wild ending that saw three drivers denied the trip Bowyer made to Victory Lane.
*****
Hamlin, the hometown favorite, ran away with the race and led a record 381 of the 400 laps in search of his first Cup victory at Richmond. Nobody came close to challenging him until a leaking right front tire allowed Earnhardt and Kyle Busch to catch him.
The two drivers split Hamlin as they moved past him, with Earnhardt emerging as the leader with 18 laps to go. Hamlin’s tire finally failed with eight to go, and NASCAR accused him of intentionally bringing out the caution that regrouped the field and gave Busch a chance to race Earnhardt for the win.
The two staged a strong battle for the lead when the race resumed, but contact between the two cars in turn three sent Earnhardt into the wall.
*****
Bowyer used the opportunity to slide past both Earnhardt and Busch and into the front for the first time all night. Bowyer then held off Busch on a final restart to score his first Cup victory of the season, second of his career.
Here’s the video of what happened between Earnhardt and Busch last night.
I watch next to no auto racing these day. Back in the 70’s before I went in the military, I followed NASCAR quite a bit. These days my auto racing is pretty much confined to the Indy 500.
Clint Bowyer won last night’s race, he didn’t steal it. Hamlin’s car quit on him, fine. Busch and Earnhardt tangled with each other putting the kibosh with both these driver’s chances. Bowyer crossed the finish line first, he’s the winner. Memo to AP- Drop the ’steal shit’
For did Al Unser steal his 4th Indy 500 in 1987, when Mario Andretti who was running away with the race for 180 laps, had his day end due to electrical failure?
Did Richard Petty steal the 1979 Daytona 500 after Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison collided on the final lap? That was the race with the famous fight afterwards that also involved Donnie’s brother Bobby.
I don’t remember anyone saying those races were stolen. The difference between A. Unser and Richard Petty versus Bowyer is that they were stars and Bowyer isn’t. So Bowyer gets slighted in his moment of triumph by it being said he stole the race. What a bunch of bull crap.
The only reason I’m writing this, is the ‘Morgan Pressel had the US Open stolen from her’ meme that is still floated by the golf media. Remember the 2005 US Open and Birdie Kim’s bunker shot that won the tournament? The way you here it today is that Morgan had it stolen from her. Let me point out a few salient facts.
1- Pressel finished 2 shots behind Kim.
2- Pressel finished tied for 2nd with fellow amateur Brittany Lang.
So even if Birdie hadn’t holed out, and made bogey or worse on 18 like almost the entire field did that day, Morgan still would have had to go 18 holes in a playoff with at least Lang, and possibly Kim also. In other words Morgan still hadn’t won the tournament by any stretch of the imagination.
Yesterday’s broadcast of the LPGA tournament in Oklahoma, mentioned Lang’s 2nd place finish in 2005. For a change it was nice to hear the media remember someone tied Morgan that day.
Note- The golf media has another meme going about the 2005 US Open also. That Lorena Ochoa lost it. Lorena hit 2 balls in the water at 18 on Sunday, finishing with a quadruple bogey 8 and 7 over par for the tournament. If Lorena scored what most of the field did on Sunday at 18, bogey she would have finished 4 over. Now if Kim had finished bogey too like the media wishes, how can they say both Ochoa lost the 05 Open and Pressel had it stolen from her? The two memes are contradictory.
Bowyer was opportunistic, Kim may have been lucky the hole got in the way of her ball. When it is all said and done, they are the champs. No member of the media can take that away from them.
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings want Kenechi Udeze to focus on his fight against leukemia and not worry about his financial situation.
The defensive end was placed on the reserve-non-football-illness list Friday, coach Brad Childress announced. That makes him ineligible to participate in the 2008 season, but guarantees him his $807,500 salary for the year. Udeze revealed two weeks ago that the cancer was in remission, and that his older brother has matching bone marrow for a pending transplant.
“He can focus on getting well. He’s done a great job with that so far. He’s been positive. He’s been upbeat,” said Childress, who praised owner Zygi Wilf for the decision.
Since the cause of Udeze’s illness is not football related, the Vikings were under no obilgation to pay his salary for 2008.
Udeze signed a five-year contract as a first-round draft pick out of Southern California in 2004 and will be a free agent next March. Once the season is over, Childress said the Vikings will revisit Udeze’s status.
A very nice humanitarian gesture by the Vikings ownership and management. As a fellow cancer survivor, I wish Udeze good luck in his battle against leukemia. My half sister Patty is also a leukemia survivor.
The most exciting two minutes in all of sports was raced today.
Big Brown backed up his trainer’s boasts with an explosive finishing kick and won the Kentucky Derby on Saturday — a day marred by the fatal breakdown of the filly Eight Belles.
The unbeaten Big Brown took charge when the 20-horse field turned for home. Under the urging of jockey Kent Desormeaux, Big Brown cruised to a 4 3/4-length victory to become the seventh unbeaten Derby winner with his fourth consecutive win. The last one was Barbaro in 2006
Big Brown made it look easy today with a convincing victory. Now it has to be seen if the horse can win the Triple Crown. There hasn’t been a Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.
Here’s the video of the 2008 Kentucky Derby.
After the race was over, one horse had to be put down.
The cheers for the winner’s decisive victory were cut short when Eight Belles, the runner-up, was euthanized on the track minutes after the race when she collapsed with two broken front ankles.
What a terrible thing to happen on horse racing’s biggest day of the year. Eight Belles collapsed on the back stretch after the race was over. What happened today brings back memories of Ruffian and her tragic end.
Some may say Eight Belles was raced too hard, but these are fragile animals as Barbaro reminded us just recently.
The 2007 AJGA Player of the Year is among the leaders after the first round of the Semgroup Championship. From the Tulsa World-
BROKEN ARROW—Vicky Hurst, a 17-year-old high school senior from Melbourne, Fla., got a sponsor’s exemption into the SemGroup Championship and isn’t squandering the opportunity.
After nine first-round holes, Hurst was 3-under par and had a two-shot lead on the field. She settled for even par, but her score — posted despite sinister wind gusts — was still good enough to lead you to believe the kid was born on a golf course,
Which Vicki almost was. Back to that later.
Vicki is at present playing her rookie year on the Duramed Futures Tour. At present, Vicki is #1 on that tour’s money list. If you think Vicki has played the LPGA pros a great many times before the Semgroup, think again. Vicki, who has had a very impressive amateur record, is only playing in a LPGA event for the second time on a sponsor’s exemption. How many sponsor’s exemptions has Michelle Wie gotten since 2002? Like 30?
Hurst is just one part of the wave of Korean-American girls who will soon be influencing US Ladies Professional golf. Vicki’s Mom Koko, who caddies for her daughter but not this week, was born in South Korea. I think we’ll be hearing alot of more of Vicki, Kimberly Kim, Jenny Shin, and others in the years ahead.
The rest of the Tulsa World article is below the fold.
Hurst’s mom, Koko, was very pregnant with Vicky back in June of 1990. Koko was playing a round of golf at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland and made it as far as the 16th hole.
“I was ready to hit the ball,” said Koko Thursday.
Then Koko’s water broke and Vicky was on the way. Considering the way Vicky came into the world, it’s no surprise she graduated to professional golf before graduating high school.
Call it destiny.
“I’m not sure,” she said. “I grew up in a golfing family and I think today I’m headed in the right direction.”
Vicky, the 2007 AJGA Player of the Year, is the sixth consecutive player of the year to skip college and turn pro. She joined the LPGA’s development league and last week set a Duramed Futures Tour 54-hole scoring record while earning her first pro victory.
The competition is major league at Cedar Ridge this week, but Vicky played like she belonged amid the world’s best golfers. She said it was “awesome” to see her name atop the leaderboard.
“I think she knows she is good enough,” said Koko, who travels with her daughter to tournaments.
“But I don’t know if she feels comfortable out here. After a few more tournaments, she will be more comfortable.”
Vicky did not make the cut while playing as an amateur in three previous tournaments against LPGA competition — two U.S. Opens and the 2007 Ginn Open. She played in the Ginn Open nearly a year after the death of her father, Joe.
“He’s up there hopefully looking downonme,”Vicky said. “I think his attitude towards my golf and golf in general was just have fun and keep your heart in the game and no matter how bad of a shot you hit, you are still out there playing and enjoying the game.”
Vicky said she was not nervous at the start of the first round. She admitted to being a little nervous toward the end of the round because she wanted to post a good score.
Vicky is juggling coursework and class work with the intent of graduating May 17. Teachers and administrators at Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy have been flexible in allowing her to do correspondence work and take make-up exams.
She regrets that she didn’t get to go on a senior class outing to Disney World, but sacrifices have to be made if you are golf ’s next big thing.
John Smoltz may return to the bullpen in light of recent shoulder problems and injuries to the Atlanta Braves‘ closer an setup man, David O’Brien reports.
John Smoltz hopes to be back pitching in 15 to 30 days and said he would consider returning to the closer role.
After going on the disabled list Tuesday with inflammation in the rotator cuff and a biceps tendon in his pitching arm, Smoltz said it’s possible he would return to the closer role where he dominated during the 2002-04 seasons. “Yes,” he said during a phone interview Tuesday night. “Right now I’m sitting at ground zero, taking it day by day, looking at every option to help this team get to the playoffs and end my career the way I’d like to end it.”
It was a surprising acknowledgment from Smoltz, who returned to his preferred starting role in 2005 after converting 154 saves in 3 1/2 seasons as a closer, including a National League-record 55 saves in 2002. He is 47-26 as a starter since the beginning of the 2005 season. The condition of his shoulder, coupled with elbow problems for Braves relievers Peter Moylan and closer Rafael Soriano, has made Smoltz open-minded about moving back to the bullpen.
First, he has to heal. He has been ordered to go 5-7 days without picking up a ball. “I won’t rush back,” he said. “I’ll use the best judgment to do what it takes to come back and be successful. The last thing I want to do is bounce back and forth on the DL. “I will be fine. The team will be fine. And the next time I throw will be because I’m ready.”
It’s an intriguing idea. Smoltz was dominating as a closer but then found himself helplessly sitting in the bullpen during the playoffs while lesser starters gave away games. An ace starter is simply more valuable to a team than even the best closer. But a great closer is better than a starter who can’t stay healthy.
With the 2008 NFL Draft in the books, draft grades already turned in, and long months ahead before the first meaningful — or even meaningless — games, what’s an NFL fan to do? Start thinking about the 2009 draft, of course.
1. Atlanta Falcons — Fili Moala, DT, USC
Atlanta finally gets its playmaking interior defensive lineman. Moala has flown under the radar to this point but he should emerge from the shadow of 2008 No. 7 overall pick Sedrick Ellis and become one of the elite defenders in college football this fall.
2. Detroit Lions — Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech
Coach Rod Marinelli’s defense is predicated on speed up front, and Johnson is blessed with plenty of that. Johnson was overlooked while playing in a rotation last season, but it won’t take long for the rangy edge-rusher to make his mark in 2008.
3. Kansas City Chiefs — Matt Stafford*, QB, Georgia
Another injury-plagued and disappointing season out of fragile QB Brodie Croyle will force the Chiefs to address the position with this high draft pick in 2009. If the supremely talented Stafford continues to progress as he did last fall, he could easily emerge as a top-five pick next April.
4. Miami Dolphins — Al Woods, DT, LSU
At 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds, Woods is a physically imposing defensive tackle with enough size and strength to anchor the middle of a 3-4 defense.
5. Cincinnati Bengals — Sen’Derrick Marks*, DT, Auburn
The Bengals got shut out in their pursuit of an elite defensive tackle in this year’s draft, but 2009 will be more kind. Marks is an undersized playmaker with the first-step quickness to disrupt as a 3-technique tackle, which is exactly what Marvin Lewis’ defense needs along its front.
6. Oakland Raiders — Andre Smith*, OT, Alabama
Smith stepped in immediately as the Tide’s starting left tackle and continues to improve with more coaching and game experience. The Raiders could enlist a player with his kind of skills to take care of their most recent first-round investments in QB JaMarcus Russell and RB Darren McFadden.
7. Chicago Bears — Tim Tebow*, QB, Florida
It’s almost certain that the Bears will need a quarterback come next offseason. Unfortunately, next year’s crop of signal-callers does not look promising at this point. Bears fans won’t be thrilled if the team uses a high pick on another Gators quarterback following the failed Rex Grossman experiment, but Tebow’s unique blend of skills and rare intangibles might be too good to pass up. Should Tebow elect to leave school early, however, his uncommon skill set could make him the most difficult prospect at any position to grade.
8. San Francisco 49ers — Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi
Oher, who possesses the size and athletic ability to develop into an upper-echelon starting tackle in the NFL, would make an ideal bookend opposite 2007 first-rounder Joe Staley.
9. St. Louis Rams — Rey Maualuga, ILB, USC
Maualuga is the top senior prospect on my 2009 draft board at this insanely early point in the process, although he wouldn’t be the first senior off the board. I’ve never seen a defensive player take over a game the way Maualuga did versus Illinois in the Rose Bowl, and his recognition skills are clearly catching up with his rare physical tools.
10. New York Jets — Knowshon Moreno*, RB, Georgia
Moreno burst onto the scene as a redshirt freshman in 2007 and he should build on that momentum as a first-year starter behind a more mature offensive line during the upcoming season. The Jets were not able to land McFadden in this year’s draft but Moreno would be worth the wait if he’s available in 2009.
11. Tennessee Titans — Michael Crabtree*, WR, Texas Tech
Do not pigeonhole Crabtree; he’s not just a product of coach Mike Leach’s pass-crazy offense. The tall, long-armed receiver could be the go-to-target QB Vince Young so desperately needs.
12. Houston Texans — Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State
Jenkins made a wise decision to return as a senior. He needs to improve his footwork and overall man-to-man cover skills to prove to scouts he’s capable of playing corner in any scheme at the next level. Regardless, the Texans could use his ball-hawking skills in their secondary, no matter whether it’s at cornerback or safety.
13. Denver Broncos — James Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio State
Laurinaitis surprised many NFL scouts when he elected to return to Columbus for his senior season. Assuming he continues to make progress in 2008, there’s no reason to believe he will fall out of the top 20 picks in next year’s draft. The instinctive, high-motor inside linebacker would be a nice addition to a Denver defense in search of more stout defenders up the middle.
14. Baltimore Ravens — Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois
The Ravens need an upgrade at corner and a young playmaker like Davis, who possesses rare athleticism for his size, would be an ideal fit.
15. Philadelphia Eagles (from CAR) — Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
The Eagles failed to land a go-to-receiver in the 2008 draft (no, DeSean Jackson does not qualify). Instead of going the free-agent route to land a weapon for veteran QB Donovan McNabb, they might as well use one of two first-round picks in ‘09 on a future primary target for future QB Kevin Kolb.
16. Arizona Cardinals — LeSean McCoy*, RB, Pittsburgh
After Arizona failed to find a complement for Edgerrin James in this year’s draft, the Cardinals’ need at running back will be far more pressing in the spring of ‘09. McCoy is a supremely talented sophomore who is draft eligible after spending a year in prep school, and he is reportedly already eyeing the 2009 draft.
17. Buffalo Bills — Travis Beckum, TE, Wisconsin
Beckum could emerge as a top-20 pick if he can add 10-15 pounds to his frame while maintaining his big-play ability as a receiver during his senior season.
18. Philadelphia Eagles — Phil Loadholt, OT, Oklahoma
After failing to land one of the record-setting seven offensive tackles selected in the first round of this year’s draft, coach Andy Reid will be craving a big fella like Loadholt in 2009.
19. Washington Redskins — Greg Hardy*, DE, Mississippi
Hardy is flying under the radar right now despite notching 10 solo sacks the past two seasons, and the Redskins will be looking for a young pass-rushing threat after failing to land one during the latest draft.
20. Minnesota Vikings — Percy Harvin*, WR/RS, Florida
Staying healthy for a full season would all but guarantee Harvin a spot in the first round of the NFL draft, either next year or in 2010.
21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Ciron Black, OT, LSU
The Bucs will be looking to enlist the services of a talented left tackle prospect such as Black, who displays quick feet for a 6-5, 315-pounder.
22. Green Bay Packers — Max Unger, OT, Oregon
Unger, who projects as a first-day pick in next year’s draft, is the type of versatile lineman the Packers typically covet.
23. Cleveland Browns — Ricky Sapp, DE/OLB, Clemson
Sapp is an up-and-coming talent with outstanding speed and pass-rushing potential. He should fit perfectly as a rush linebacker in a 3-4 scheme like the one employed in Cleveland.
24. Seattle Seahawks — Duke Robinson, G, Oklahoma
The Seahawks are still looking for a long-term solution at left guard, so why not use this pick on the player who is at this point the top prospect at that position.
25. Pittsburgh Steelers — Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU
Jackson is among the elite senior defensive prospects right now but that might not hold up for 12 full months, as he’s simply not a great fit for every team’s defensive scheme. At 6-5 and 290, Jackson is best suited to play defensive end in a three-man front like the one employed in Pittsburgh.
26. New Orleans Saints — Gerald McRath, OLB, Southern Miss
The Saints will be looking for an injection of youth and athleticism at linebacker and the speedy, undersized McRath falls in line with that objective.
27. New York Giants — Brandon Spikes, ILB, Florida
The Giants could use a quick and powerful tackling machine like Spikes after failing to address that need early in the 2008 draft.
28. Jacksonville Jaguars — William Moore, S, Missouri
Moore emerged as a playmaking machine in 2007, when he notched 114 tackles and eight interceptions. At 6-1 and 215 pounds he could be the versatile strong safety Jacksonville needs opposite FS Reggie Nelson.
29. Indianapolis Colts — Vance Walker, DT/DE, Georgia Tech
Walker has the right blend of tools to provide depth along the interior of Indianapolis’ quick-but-undersized defensive line.
30. San Diego Chargers — Auston English, DE/OLB, Oklahoma
English is an instinctive, high-motor player with very good speed and fluid hips for a young defensive end. He already has experience dropping into coverage on zone-blitz looks within Oklahoma’s complex defensive scheme.
31. Dallas Cowboys — Demetrius Byrd, WR, LSU
Wide receiver is the one area Dallas did not address during an otherwise promising 2008 draft. Byrd has a lot to prove as a senior but he certainly has the blend of size and deep speed it takes to emerge as a first-round draft pick.
32. New England Patriots — Brian Cushing, OLB, USC
The Patriots continue a recent trend of drafting linebackers by using this selection on the versatile Cushing. The 6-5, 248-pounder has experience on the strong side and as a rush linebacker, which will be attractive to a New England coaching staff that likes versatility in its linebackers.
This, of course, is a silly exercise, in that we don’t know how the 2008 NFL season is going to turn out, which means we don’t know what order teams will pick, and that college players rise and fall dramatically over the course of a year. Brian Brohm, for example, went from a probably first overall selection to a mid-2nd rounder. But, hey, it’s entertaining if nothing else.
The limited field event will take place on a weekend between events in Hawaii and South Korea. From LPGA.com-
Haikou, China, 29th April 2008 – The China Golf Association (CGA), Grand China Air, the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and IMG today jointly announced that Grand China Air will title sponsor the LPGA’s first ever event in China, the Grand China Air LPGA, to be played from the 24th to 26th October, 2008 at the Haikou West Golf Club in Hainan’s capital, Haikou.
It is the first LPGA tournament to be played in China and the tournament was specifically developed by the CGA, the LPGA and IMG, as a platform for Grand China Air to promote their brand around the world as they look to expand into international markets.
Sixty-three of the world’s best players will compete for a purse of US$1,800,000. The player field is made up of the top 51 ranked available players on the LPGA Official Money List as of the 14th of September, 2008, and 12 invited players to be decided by the CGA, Grand China Air and IMG.
The new tournament was a poorly kept secret for months. While covering the Stanford International last weekend, the husband of one prominent tour player confirmed to me the China tournament would be added to the 2008 tour schedule.
The LPGA is truly an international tour. Interest in women’s professional golf seems stronger outside the US than within. Therefore it makes sense for the LPGA to increase the amount of tournaments it plays world-wide. With China on board now, how long will it be before events are played in Australia, Abu Dhabi, India, or somewhere in South America? Not long in my considered opinion.
This comes less than a month after the team had one of its worst seasons ever. From the Sun-Sentinel-
MIAMI - Last place and the Hall of Fame will be the final two stops of Pat Riley’s coaching career.
In a move that took days of deliberation but was hinted at months in advance, Riley announced today he is stepping down as coach of the Heat to concentrate fulltime on what had been his dual role as team president.
The announcement was made at an afternoon news conference at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Assistant coach Erik Spoelstra was named Riley’s replacement. Spoelstra has been with the franchise for 12 seasons.
Born Nov. 1, 1970, Spoelstra becomes the youngest current NBA coach, 69 days younger than Nets coach Lawrence Frank.
In September Riley gets inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, an honor he deserves.
Riley quit coaching the Heat once before in 2004, but came back the following year. As long as the Heat are as bad as they are, Riley won’t be coaching them again. I get the distinct impression Riley can’t stand constant losing. On the other hand if the team looks destined for a title, he’ll step back in. Look what happened with Stan Van Gundy in 2005.
Right now the Heat are a long way from winning anything. They have one certifiable star(Wade) who at the same time is brittle. After that, the team doesn’t have much. Miami is in for a rebuilding project. I wonder if Riley has the patience to see it through as team President.
The Dallas Cowboys traded down and out of the 2008 NFL Draft, taking only six players but gaining a 2009 3rd and 4th in the process. They’ve been busy in the hours since the draft, though, signing a bevy of undrafted free agents.
WR Danny Amendola, Texas Tech
TE Drew Atchison, William & Mary
WR Mark Bradford, Stanford
OT Andrew Brecher, Harvard
SS Dowayne Davis, Syracuse
RB Keon Lattimore, Maryland
FB Julius Crosslin, Oklahoma State
DT Marcus Dixon, Hampton
OG Brandon Hale, Sam Houston State
P Jay Ottovegio, Stanford
QB/WR Daniel Polk, Midwestern State (college QB as project WR)
DE Darrell Robertson, Georgia Tech
Most of these guys are likely camp fodder with no realistic chance of making the team. Two or three, though, will likely stick and others will make the practice squad.
I’ll update the list as it changes in the days before camp.
As those who read my live blog know, I thought the Dallas Cowboys, under the questionable leadership of Jerry Jones, really flubbed this draft. The passed on Rashard Mendenhall, a consensus Top 10 running back, in favor of Felix Jones because they thought he’d be a better backup. They took a tight end in the second round, also as a backup, because they thought they’d needed one after giving away Anthony Fasano, whom they’d taken in the 2nd round two years earlier, for a 4th rounder. Then they traded down five consecutive times on Day 2 before finally picking someone: Yet another backup running back! And a reach defensive lineman that they were going to convert into another unneeded linebacker.
Aaaargh! Bad Jerry! Shades of 1995!
Grade: F. Well, not really. More like a C+.
Almost all the experts, including guys I really respect like Dallas Morning News superstar Rick Gosselin, gave them above average grades, though. A couple even gave the team an “A.” Partly, that’s a function of having two first round picks and picking two quality guys with them. Partly, it’s a function of my penalizing them for what the could have done (or, in the case of the Fasano trade and subsequent drafting of his replacement, could have avoided). Mainly, I think, they just count the value of the players against an imaginary draft board rather than in terms of the woulda-coulda-shoulda criteria that I use. And, of course, they’re not Cowboys fans and are probably more objective.
At any rate, without further ado, here are their assessments. I’ll add on to the bottom of the list over the next couple of days, as this will serve as a permanent scorecard to use for looking back in a couple of years in addition to satisfying people’s curiosity in the long months before the opening kickoff in September.
The Cowboys were cruising along with a great draft until reaching for LB Walden in the sixth. RB Choice in the fourth and CB Scandrick in the fifth were superb second-day selections. RB Jones will be a boon to the special teams.
Dallas Cowboys: Felix Jones will join Marion Barber in the Cowboys’ backfield and will also return kicks. Cornerback Mike Jenkins has really good ball skills and should be a major contributor this season in the secondary. Tight end Martellus Bennett has talent and should be able to help out in the passing game. Running back Tashard Choice had a knee injury in 2007; otherwise he would have gone a little higher in the draft. He can run between tackles, but isn’t going to run away from anyone in space. I projected Boise State cornerback Orlando Scandrick to go late in the second round, and I was surprised to see him last until the fifth round. However, the Cowboys didn’t draft a wide receiver, which I thought was one of their top three need areas.
Dallas Cowboys: Excellent job in filling needs but bypassing Rashard Mendenhall? Had to get RB and did, in explosive Felix Jones. He’ll dovetail nicely with Marion Barber III. Then moved up three spots in deal with Seattle and grabbed CB Mike Jenkins, which gives them some insurance regarding Pacman Jones and his uncertain status (currently suspended). TE Martellus Bennett steps in for traded Anthony Fasano.
Cowboys. What they got was better than trading for Darren McFadden. Felix Jones may be just as good a running back. Taking Mike Jenkins makes them less dependent on Pacman Jones.
Best pick: I’m a big fan of Arkansas running back Felix Jones, who went 22nd in the first round. He is a home-run threat every time he touches it.
Questionable move: Hard to find one. They had a good two days, but taking tight end Martellus Bennett in the second round might be it. With Jason Witten on the roster, that was a luxury pick.
Second-day gem: Corner Orlando Scandrick has nice cover skills. Were it not for some attitude questions, he might have been taken higher than the fifth round.
Overall grade: A. With two first-round picks, it was hard to mess things up. Getting corner Mike Jenkins after Jones fills a need.
The Cowboys didn’t land Darren McFadden, but still had a quality draft. Some may argue that Arkansas running back Felix Jones wasn’t the best one available, but he did score 20 touchdowns in college and has breakaway speed. Georgia Tech RB Tashard Choice is a bruiser much like Marion Barber and adds to the depth at that position. At worse, he’s a special teams player. South Florida CB Mike Jenkins has super coverage skills and Jerry Jones was wise to trade up to get him. Texas A&M tight end Martellus Bennett has the size to be a great blocker and with Jason Witten around, there’s no reason he has to catch the ball.
Paul Zimmerman, SI’s “Dr. Z,” doesn’t actually issue grades but includes the Cowboys under “More Drafts I Like.” They weren’t “Numero Uno” — the Miami Dolphins got that honor — but this was the next highest category.
McFadden’s running mate, Felix Jones, can fly; he averaged 8.7 yards a crack last season. Perfect counterpart for Marion Barber, but farther down the Cowboys got lucky when Tashard Choice, a slashing type of runner, fell to them. Mike Jenkins is a fine corner to team with Terence Newman.
Picks: RB Felix Jones, DB Mike Jenkins, TE Martellus Bennett, RB Tashard Choice, DB Orlando Scandrick, DL Erik Walden
Positives: Jones, Jenkins, Choice
Negative: No young wide receiver to develop.
Bottom line: B+. Only six picks, but Jones and Jenkins are solid picks. However, taking Jones over Rashard Mendenhall because he was used to playing a backup role makes no sense. That doesn’t make Felix a bad pick, it just links him forever to Mendenhall. Jenkins can return kicks and gives great insurance at cornerback for Pacman Jones. The addition of Pacman also counts, and Dallas doesn’t have a lot invested for the talent level. Bennett is intriguing and Choice could be a steal in the fourth round.
ESPN’s Jeffri Chadiha ranked the “10 best marriages of talent, team needs.”
5. Felix Jones, RB, Dallas Cowboys The Cowboys could’ve taken Rashard Mendenhall with this pick, but Jones wasn’t a bad choice, either. Jones has that electric speed that will make him a nice counterpart to bruising runner Marion Barber. He’s also comfortable as a change-of-pace back after sharing time with Darren McFadden at Arkansas. Throw in Jones’ kick return ability and his underrated pass-catching skills, and you’ve got a versatile weapon who can elevate an already potent offense.
Cowboys took advantage of 2 first round picks by adding Felix Jones and Mike Jenkins who will play immediately. Orlando Scandrick was a quality pick in the fifth round and could surprise alot of people. Tashard Choice is a great back but a bit of a surprise.
Dave Halprin (Grizz), Blogging the Boys [GRADE: B]:
I like Felix Jones and think he’ll add instant speed to the offense and will upgrade our special teams. Mike Jenkins was great value at #25 and is insurance for Pacman and a step towards building a younger secondary for the future. I’m not thrilled with Martellus Bennett in the second round, he’s a great athlete but not enough production for me and thought we could fill the spot of a second TE later. Tashard Choice is a solid pick with good value at that spot although I’m not sure Dallas needed to go for a 2nd RB at that spot. Orlando Scandrick adds another piece to an upgraded secondary and flashes excellent speed. Erik Walden felt like a reach in the 6th round and will be a project, maybe not the best use of that pick.
Owner Jerry Jones was predictable with his two first-round picks. The thinking here is he should’ve taken RB Rashard Mendenhall instead of RB Felix Jones to replace Julius Jones (Seahawks), but his loyalty to alma mater Arkansas won out. CB Mike Jenkins was a solid choice with the other No. 1. TE Martellus Bennett (third) fills the need created by dealing backup Anthony Fasano to the Dolphins.
Best Pick: Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas, Round 1. -Everyone knew where Jones was headed, but that is because he makes so much sense. He is a great compliment to Marion Barber, and with Barber being a free agent after next year, is insurance in case he leaves.
Worst Pick: None. The Cowboys had a very good draft, landing talent with a lot of potential at need positions.
2nd Day Steal: Orlando Scandrick, CB, Boise St, Round 5. Scandrick has all the talent in the world to develop at corner. He was an early entrant, and will not be forced to play immediately. He can develop at his own pace, and could be big time in a few years.
Overall: A. An elite team just added big play ability to the offense, and depth to the secondary.
The Cowboys did exactly what they set out to do with their two first-round picks. They wanted to get a running back, and opted for explosive and versatile Felix Jones from Arkansas. Some will criticize them for passing on Mendenhall, but they have every reason to feel good about Jones. They also wanted to get a cornerback, and they made a trade with Seattle to move up three spots and select South Florida’s Mike Jenkins, one of the draft’s best at the position. The fourth-rounder the Cowboys traded to Tennessee for Pacman Jones is a risk, even if the talented cornerback is reinstated.
Drafts can’t be rated with grades the day after the draft although fans seem to consider them must reading. But NFL personnel consider three years the period needed to determine who can play and who can’t. So 2005 grades are the ones given this year.
The three-year results again reflect that the draft, not free agency, is still the way to win.
Even with huge salaries to first-rounders, draft picks are still cheaper than free agents and put less strain on a salary cap. Even if players don’t start right away, good ones can be developed to replace those players who take the money and run to the highest bidder.
[…]
The draft was run by Jerry Jones and two guys who are now the Dolphins’ brain trust - Bill Parcells and Mike Ireland (have faith for 2010, Dolphins fans.) They took two Pro Bowlers (running back Marion Barber and linebacker DeMarcus Ware) and the three starters on the 3-4 defensive line (Chris Canty, Marcus Spears and Jay Ratliff, a seventh-rounder who took over at nose tackle when Jason Ferguson was hurt).
Yes, Tony Romo’s development at quarterback after being signed as an undrafted free agent in 2003 is probably the main reason the Cowboys had the NFC’s best regular-season record at 13-3. But you can’t overlook a draft that netted two Pro Bowlers and an entire defensive line.
