2010 NFL Draft Live Rundown: Do they serve alcohol in Radio City Music Hall?

I figure that since the NFL decided to move the draft to a Thursday night in direct conflict with three NBA Playoff matchups and four NHL Playoff games, they are daring me to keep up The Blue Team Live Rundown tradition. My counter-move? Transporting additional televisions downstairs and cueing up a second computer in the kitchen for optimal viewing/information/writing. Like Lebron going to the basket, I will not be denied:

It is 7:30pm. The Bulls lead Cleveland 27-20 in game 3 and the Senators lead Pittsburgh 2-0 in game 5. The NFL Network is on the big screen in HD with NHL on the PIP. ESPN Draft coverage gets the sound until I can't take anymore Berman on TV #2, & the NBA is to the far left on TV #3. Let's get it.

7:32: Welcome from the Commish, Roger Goodell. I still like this guy. Nice tie tonight, Rog.

7:34: The St. Louis Rams are on the clock.

7:35: Made the mistake of un-muting TV #1 while Michael Irvin was talking. Scrambling for the remote to alleviate the situation. I can't believe this guy is still employed given his off-field issues and on-air ineptitude.

7:36: Sam Bradford is either ordering pizza or getting congratulations from the Rams. "Yeah, I want pepperoni & pineapple on that pie...thin-and-crispy would be good".

7:37: With the first pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams select Sam Bradford, quarterback, Oklahoma.

7:39: Hunger has set in already. I botched my pregame tonight and neglected to pick up dinner. I am now facing leftovers for the fourth night in a row (got on a cooking spree last weekend) or having to run out to grab something real fast. Decisions, decisions...

7:43: Ndamukong Suh goes #2 to Detroit. He apparently killed a tablecloth and made a shirt out of it for draft night.

7:44: An aside about Suh. I had the pleasure of seeing him play in person twice the past two years: once at Nebraska & once here in Blacksburg. Watching him walk into the tunnel at halftime last year, I realized how ginormous this dude is, his calves are the size of my waist. But he walked so lightly for a big guy. Having seen him dominate the Hokies last year, I think he is the best player I have ever seen in person while working at Tech. Better than Matty Ice even.

7:47: Pens cut the lead to 2-1. What a great place to watch a hockey game, the Igloo in Pittsburgh. Had an awesome time there three years ago. Many thanks to Jean-Claude Van Dam for saving it and the world in "Sudden Death".

7:48: Prime Time interviewing Suh on NFL Network. I think Suh just referenced the Lions' "organation". A clear slip-of-the-tongue, but humorous nonetheless. Meanwhile, Pens go on the power play.

7:52: Gerald McCoy to Tampa Bay. Nice story about his emotion tonight honoring his mama.

7:58: Trent Williams from OU goes #4 to the Deadskins. Mel Kiper Jr makes the guy sound like a workout wonder with questionable motivation. Perfect pick for the 'Skins, an underachiever. "Silverback" will fit right in.

8:02: Derrick Rose is doing work against the Cavs.

8:03: Btw, take note that OU just had three guys go in the first four picks. They might have been the best team last year, but Bradford's injury put them out of it. I'd feel bad for them if I liked the Sooners, but...I don't.

8:05: Eric Berry time, going #5 to Kansas City. Funny, most mock drafts had him falling a bit further down, even though he is the second-best player in the draft. Saw him in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl last year and he was great. His team sucked though - thanks Lane Kiffin. I like this guy, he was very highly-rated coming out of high school and has backed it up, starting for three years and going high in the draft. Definitely think KC is moving in the right direction.

8:07: Why the hell is the Tomahawk Chop playing in the background? Because the Chiefs use it too. So no, you weren't dreaming when you heard it just then, and no, FSU doesn't have anyone getting drafted this high. They sucked last year too, remember?

8:13: Long discussion regarding Seattle needing CJ Spiller here instead of a left tackle. He won't last until they pick again at #14, so I wonder if the Seahawks might not look at trading up a bit to snag him. Jacksonville at #10 perhaps? Either way, love Spiller. More on him later.

8:15: Seattle takes Russell Okung #6. Many folks just had the "OMG, he's not Asian?!?" epiphany, as Bill Simmons referenced in his mock draft on Wednesday. Too bad, he'd have really fit in perfect in Seattle had that been the case. He also would be 5-6 and 140 lbs.

8:18: Interesting spot by Coors Light. Typical "Silver Bullet" train arriving with frost-brewed refreshment, but all the actors are African-American. I don't recall Coors Light targeting the African-American demographic much in the past, at least not exclusively in a TV spot. You see this from some major brands (McDonald's comes to mind), but I find it a bit odd coming from a brand typically associated with Caucasian consumers.

8:20: Michael Smith reports Joe Haden being taken by Cleveland over Kyle Wilson, citing Haden's alma mater of Florida boasting better competition than Wright's Boise St. Terrible reason to make that pick, in my opinion. Not saying Haden is not good, just saying that logic is unreasonable.

8:23: Commish confirms the report, Haden goes #7 to the Browns. Enjoy the city with no nightlife Joe, at least according to fellow Gator alum Joakim Noah. I once wrote that the Bobcats should draft Noah. They instead took Brandan Wright, traded him to Golden St for Jason Richardson, then eventually shipped J-Rich to Phoenix for Raja Bell & Boris Diaw. So basically we traded the chance to draft Noah for Boris Diaw's $9 million/year, PLAP ass. FML.

8:26: Bobcats tangent rant over. Uncover the kids' ears.

8:27: Raiders are on the clock. Geez. I feel like it is Derrick Morgan for some reason, even though they don't really have DE high on their need list. Annnnd, nevermind, Rolando McClain is on the phone.

8:28: McClain it is to Oakland at #8. Rolando is surrounded by 2,396 of his closest friends. Mel Kiper is not impressed. I personally think he can't be terrible, a safer pick if you will, than some of the other guys available at this point.

8:31: Who the heck are all these people with McClain?

8:31b: Buffalo Bills go with my boy CJ Spiller at #9. CJ, my brother...it is cold in Buffalo. He is going to a team with Fred Jackson & Marshawn Lynch already on board. Interesting. Something tells me one of those guys, most likely Lynch, is on his way out the door. Bills really needed an o-lineman here, but I guess Spiller's ability is just too good to pass up.

8:33: When I was working at Clemson, we watched Spiller's commitment to the Tigers live online. It was a big deal for Clemson to steal a kid out of the Gators' backyard, so people really loved him from the get-go. I hope he does well and will really be pulling for him on a team I used to claim as my #1 pre-Panthers.

8:34: Flyers score to go up 3-0 on New Jersey. What a disappointing end to the Devils' season, from 2-seed to home for the summer in five games. Wow.

8:35: FYI, tonight's attire is my DeAngelo Williams Panthers jersey. Peppers' jersey has been retired for the time being. Makes me really glad my Dad dropped $30 on this one for me when we weren't sure Williams would be any good.

8:36: Cleveland is getting trounced by Chicago right now, down 21 midway through the third quarter. Yikes.

8:38: Jacksonville reaches for Tyson Alualu from Cal at #10. Wow. Never saw him this high in any mocks. Mel does not kill the pick, nor does Mike Maycock on NFL Network. But I do. If he was a possibility for the Panthers at #48, then he has no business getting drafted here.

8:39: First trade of the night, as the 49ers move up to #11, gaining the pick from Denver for their #13 & fourth-round pick. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has tied the game vs Ottawa after a lengthy review. This series is on the brink for the Sens.

8:43: Anthony Davis goes #11 to San Francisco. Ho hum.

8:46: Another trade, Miami gives up the 12th pick to San Diego. Lots of debate as to who the Chargers are targeting: Ryan Mathews, Dan Williams, Derrick Morgan, Earl Thomas, etc. Mort thinks it is Mathews and he is correct. NFL Network just got scooped on that one. Miami got a nice package to move back here.

8:52: Philly drops two 3rd rounders & their #24 pick for the Broncos' 13th pick to take Earl Thomas. The fans' consensus? "Eagles suck". Tom Jackson has made a good point about teams that are not great right now going out to draft in areas that they were particularly good in when they were successful. San Diego gets a RB to replace LT, Philly takes a safety to replace Brian Dawkins, etc.

8:55: Jason La Confora on NFL Network reporting something...I think he was giving a presentation to his US History classmates. Dude looks straight up nerdy.

8:56: And everything just reported is wrong. Philly takes Brandon Graham at #13. Morgan & Thomas both still on the board. Jon Gruden loves this kid as does Tom Jackson. I'm clueless on this dude. All I know is he better be pretty good with all that extra practice Rich Rodriguez had the Wolverines doing last season.

8:59: Sal Pao reporting. I love Sal Pao.

9:00: Food update: I made breakfast for dinner during picks 3-5, hence why the rundown is a little thin there. Six eggs, four turkey sausage links, two packs of grits, and a whole wheat blueberry waffle. OJ to drink, hold the Bacardi. Already had dessert too: MCC ice cream with a cookie. Boom.

9:02: Deon interviewing the Iowa lineman, giving him some good-natured crap about still being on the draft board. Maycock says Seattle going with Earl Thomas, who he likes better than Eric Berry. Earl is on the phone with somebody...

9:04: Earl Thomas goes 14 to Seattle. Earl's mama hugs him forever. She is now Earl Thomas' rich mama.

9:07: Derrick texts in lamenting the Giants draft position as of now. Derrick Morgan is there for them or a trade out is a possibility according to my favorite Rhode Islander.

9:08: Lebron almost tears down the rim on a ferocious two-handed slam to cut the Bulls' lead to 9 points with 9 minutes left. Chicago is not winning this series, but they might not win a game if they blow this lead. Pens are on the power play on my PIP.

9:10: I can think of many better things than hanging out with Mike Ditka while wearing a sweater vest.

9:11: Mort weighs in on Clausen. It's San Fran at 17 or a plummet. I could see someone trading up to snag him though.

9:11b: Cavs cut it to 6 on a Delonte West three ball. Bulls are gagging.

9:12: Jason Pierre-Paul goes to NYG at 15. Jews and Guidos rejoice. The chic next to Pierre-Paul is wearing white undies as she just showed America. Thanks for that, ma'am. I'll mail you $10.

9:15: Holy crap, the dude did 14 consecutive back handsprings at the combine. I'll wear white panties the day I can do that. Question is can he sack the quarterback though.

9:17: Pittsburgh scores to go up 3-2. Is that the end for Ottawa?

9:20: Derrick Morgan finally goes #16 to Tennessee. I smell an enigma here, not sure he can dominate at the pro level. We'll see.

9:22: Senators tie it back up so no, not the end for the Sens. At least not yet.

9:25: The 49ers use the Panthers' pick at #17 to select Mike Iupati. Good thing the Panthers traded this selection last year for #43 in 2009. Whew.

9:29: Steelers take Maurkice Pouncey at #18. Make-A-Wish kid reads the pick, something really cool the NFL has started doing this year. What a neat moment for that kid.

9:30: Props to Peter King for nailing picks 17 & 18.

9:32: Atlanta goes with Sean Weatherspoon, the freak athlete linebacker from Missouri, at #19. We'll see if he's ready for my boy DeAngelo in the open field.

9:34: Ottawa survives a Penguins' power play with six minutes left while Chicago leads 104-99 late, made tougher by Hinrich bricking two free throws. Now it is 104-102 as Lebron nails a three-pointer. Seriously, that all happened in the time it took me to type the previous sentence. Now Derrick Rose has a flashback to the 2008 National Title game, bricking one of his own. Bulls by three with ten seconds left. Hockey goes from PIP to big screen, flipping with NFL Network, sound to NBA for a minute. Can't pass up a potential big moment with Marv Albert announcing.

9:36: Houston takes Kareem Jackson at #20. The Boise St DB is still available, weird.

9:38: Chicago smartly fouls Varejao on the inbounds pass, as he hits just one of two freebies.

9:39: Men across the country swoon as Erin Andrews makes an appearance from California covering Clausen, followed by Jenn Brown from Austin, TX with McCoy. The perfect trifecta is broken by some douchebag with Tebow that I didn't see in time to catch his name. Meanwhile, Cincinnati takes Jermaine Gresham, the TE from OU. Another dang Sooner. Bill Simmons predicted Gresham here I think.

9:41: Brad Miller knocks down two for the Buls, giving them a four-point lead. Pittsburgh & Ottawa heading to OT. And Mo Williams cuts the lead to one for Cleveland. Wow.

9:43: NFL Network says Demaryius Thomas to Denver at #22 and is correct. He's tall, but I've never seen him run anything other than a deep route/jump ball because of the Georgia Tech offense. He's also not as good as Dez Bryant. Have fun catching passes from Kyle Orton's mustache, Demaryius.

9:46: Chicago hangs on, barely, 108-106, as Anthony Parker misses a halfcourt heave that would have won the game. Moving on to the Lake Show visiting Kevin Durant & Co. Also, the Flyers beat Jersey 3-0 to win the series in the NHL first round.

9:49: Ed Werder reports that Josh McDaniels wanted to take Demaryius Thomas because he reminds him of Brandon Marshall, who he just traded to Miami. Um, what? That's the dumbest thing I've heard tonight, which is possible only because Michael Irvin is still muted on TV #1.

9:51: Bryan Bulaga goes to Green By at #23. Perfect fit, as Chris Berman states. Is that his girlfriend or sister he just hugged? I'm hoping sister because a) he hugged her like a sister, not a girlfriend; and b) if it is the gf, she's about to get upgraded since he's getting paid. Although, she might be the hottest girl in Green Bay. Hmm, what a debate that would be. I am probably getting in trouble right now, I better stop.

9:55: LA up 10-0 already in OKC. The Thunder are learning about the post-season right now. Chances in game two were wasted and Kobe took his game up four notches while Durant couldn't quite do it. One day, it will be Durantchula taking games over like that. And yes, that's the best nickname I've heard for the kid yet. Someone please come up with something better than that.

9:58: Dallas trades up to #24 as Todd McShay reports that the Cowboys like Dez Bryant. Spot-on Todd, as we see Bryant's people partying it up at his house. NFL Network goes to Prime Time who credits God for handling this situation. Dez is crying hysterically, as Deon mentions himself & Michael Irvin "being there" for a guy like Bryant. I guess "being there" includes meeting with the kid while he's still in college and getting him suspended for the last nine games of last season.

10:02: Controversy in the Pens game at Ottawa scores on a kicked puck it appears, leading to a review. No goal, correctly called on the ice. Cut to the reaction from the Ottawa player just in time to see him drop a Canadian F-bomb. "What's that aboot," he wonders.

10:05: For the record, I think Dez Bryant is going to be really, really good.

10:05: Huge news of the night, as Baltimore trades their pick to Denver for the Broncos to select Tim Tebow. Berman & the ESPN gang are confused as crap as to what just happened, but nonetheless, Tebow going to Denver. I love Tebow and what he stands for, but golly gee, I'm not sure this is the right move. Clausen on the board, McCoy on the board...plus Denver has Orton & Quinn already on their roster.

10:07: Denver has also made another a huge move, changing their name from the Broncos to the Boy Scouts.

10:08: Denver gave up their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th rounders for this pick. Good night, what a gamble. Story of the first round, no question. Baltimore made out like bandits here, imo. I'm really happy for Tebow though.

10:10: My boy Shivers, a native Denverian...Denverer...uh, Denverite...he is from Denver. Anyway, his insight on the Tebow selection: "Brady Quinn & Tim Teabag oh dear God, this has got to be a nightmare of some sort." I think he's skeptical.

10:12: Tebow gives Jeremy Schapp a good interview while wearing a sweet teal shirt. The Broncos got themselves leader and a worker, no doubt. The parallels to Tyler Hansbrough continue.

10:13: Speaking of Psycho T, he won a National Title while at North Carolina. In case you've forgotten.

10:14: Shivers continues: "I think we should be in the freakin arena league with this draft."

10:16: Good night in Chicago sports as the Blackhawks lead Nashville 3-0 late, needing a win tonight.

10:17: Tim Tebow thanks the critics for the motivation. He won't be short on motivation I'm afraid.

10:17b: Arizona takes Dan Williams at #26. About time that dude got picked. Mel Kiper gives himself some props mentioning this is where he had Williams going in his final mock draft. Mel has had a decent night, but I think I saw his hair sweat following the Tebow pick.

10:20: Jason Spezza, one of Ottawa's best players, takes a dumb penalty for a cross check, negating the remaining :24 seconds on a Sens power play. Let's see if the Pens can capitalize on his bonehead move.

10:23: Nope. No pressure by Pittsburgh. Compounded by a Pittsburgh penalty right after the power play expires.

10:24: New England grabs Devin McCourty at 27. Two Rutgers guys in the first round. I recall Carolina beating the do-do out of the Scarlet Knights a few years ago on a Thursday night game. So there's that. But, as Gruden points out, this kid is versatile, which New England values.

10:27: Next year, I'm having people over for the draft. I need some banter and good quotes. I can't really quote myself when I'm just talking aloud to...well, myself. So, applications are being taken beginning now for the NBA Draft & NFL Draft nights at my house. BYOB and chip dip.

10:28: Speaking of, I'm hungry again. Cereal time?

10:29: Lakers by eight with seven minutes remaining in the second quarter. Double OT in the hockey game, which is a problem because the Versus coverage joins the next game in progress. We've missed all of Chicago/Nashville already and could be impeding on San Jose/Colorado, who are in a critical game five of their own.

10:30: Miami takes Jared Odrick 28th overall. Sounds like he is going to the DE spot in Miami's 3-4 defense per the analysis.

10:33: The Jets have 3:11 remaining until they make their pick. Just sayin'.

10:35: J-E-T-S take Kyle Wilson 29th. He should fit in very well as a nickel guy. Fans are excited, probably not so much because they like the pick, but more because their team had a surprisingly good season/playoff run and because they got to wait until 29th to make a pick. Keep in mind that picks are much better when you've been drinking for three hours already. I assume they serve alcohol at the draft? Someone please advise on this, I'm not sure if they do or not.

10:38: I just tried to google the answer to my question and found that a lot of people do a live blog of the NFL Draft. But, I did not find the answer to my pondering.

10:40: Jon Gruden might be tipsy, so I think they must serve alcohol at this draft. He thinks Minnesota should take Jahvid Best to add to All Day.

10:42: A lot going on here. Jason La Confora points out that Baltimore recouped everything they gave up for Anquan Boldin, but higher picks than they would have had in those rounds. Ozzie Newsome's eyes "bugged out" when he heard the offer from Denver. Duh.

10:42b: Minny trades the 30th pick to Detroit to select...Jahvid Best. Gruden was half right. He still might be tipsy, but maybe that's his general nature. I think it is safe to say that is the case after watching him tear apart the quarterbacks on the ESPN special earlier this week.

10:46: Jahvid Best is an awesome pick for the Lions if they can block anyone. What weapons on offense now for Stafford in Best & Megatron (Calvin Johnson), not to mention Kevin Smith if he can get healthy from his knee injury.

10:50: I wonder how these TV guys go about choosing suits for three national television appearances in a row? Luckily no one shopped at Craig Sager's closet, as the TNT sideline reporter has on an off-blue coat with redish shirt and tie, complete with a flower on it.

10:52: ESPN faux-pas as they come back from the 1983 montage with Gruden, not realizing his mic was up, showing Mel Kiper a text message that says "what a crazy league, a lot of dumbass picks". I told you Gruden had been sipping on the syrup during breaks.

10:54: Jerry Hughes goes to Indy at 31. I'm glad we only have one round tonight.

10:59: Blogger needs to make it easier to upload pictures. I just spent an entire commercial break uploading and formatting the picture at the top of this entry. Whew. Plus, it has screwed up the formatting of the remainder of the blog and I can't get it fixed. I need to move to Word Press.

11:02: Drew Brees comes out to read the 32nd pick for his Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints. That's pretty cool. Saints take Patrick Robinson to conclude Round One. Thursday night is ov-ah.

Finishing up tonight, I'm still hungry and the Pens & Sens are still playing hockey. Clausen still has no home for next year; think the Rams are going to have some calls tonight for pick #33? Better yet, do you think they regret taking Bradford 1st overall instead of Suh or trading down, then taking Clausen or McCoy to open the second round? Minnesota sits right behind them and KC is just a few picks back, so I doubt one or both of these QBs last too long Friday night.

Quickly on the Panthers, who have no selection until #48 tomorrow night...I think they go WR. Fox & Hurney are not going to draft a QB who won't help the team next year that high. Instead, if there is a new coach and/or front office following next season, I could see that regime taking on the responsibility of drafting the new franchise QB to fit their taste/scheme. It is still possible they use the 3rd rounder on a QB I suppose - hopefully my main guy, LeFevour. DE or DT would make a lot of sense in addition to WR in those first two picks. I really like Mardy Gilyard from Cincinnati myself, as he is a solid catcher of the pigskin as well as a good return guy. Tom Sorensen of the Charlotte Observer made a similar case for Dexter McCluster from Ole Miss, who is versatile in the mold of Percy Harvin. Problem is the Panthers have not exactly shown a penchant for creativity when it comes to offense and McCluster is far from a polished WR at this point. Arrelious Benn also could be an option at WR. On the defensive side, Carlos Dunlap would be great at DE. Very interesting to see where the Panthers go and perhaps even more interesting to see what happens at the top of Round Two with the aforementioned quarterbacks.

Thanks for reading, ya'll be good.

This Blog is Looking a Little Blue in the Face...

It's been long enough, Blue Team. Nearly two months without a post? Enough already, write something so people can begin wasting time at work and in class again. Somehow I've managed to not write anything on Michael Vick, Brett Favre, Serena Williams, Carolina's hoops schedule, Kanye West, the MLB pennant races, or the nude jogger in Waxhaw, NC (no, it's not anyone in my family...I don't think). The obligatory college football & NFL previews were also temporarily shelved. But, in honor of Mark McGwire, let's keep all that in the past and move forward...sort of.

The NFL season is only a week old and yet it has already surprised us in numerous ways. Though there were not that many "upsets" once the games actually ended, there were some incredible games and finishes where we might not have expected them. Keep this in mind: every season, there are probably 4-6 teams that are going to make the playoffs, barring a major injury. There are probably 6-8 teams that barring a miracle, make-a-movie-about-it season, are not going to make the playoffs. Everyone else looks about even on paper in mid-September. You can seemingly count on Pittsburgh, New England, & probably the New York Giants this year. I'd argue that's all. Indy has defensive issues and a ton of new coaches, Tennessee's QB is still Kerry Collins, San Diego apparently is going to continue playing down to the level of its competition, Baltimore is stuck behind Pittsburgh and doesn't have a go-to offensive weapon in the AFC. Philadelphia is replacing the late Jim Johnson as its Defensive Coordinator and always must deal with a fragile QB & RB in MccNabb & Westbrook, Minnesota & Green Bay both have system challenges (Minny's offensive changes around Favre & the Packers transition into a 3-4 defense), and the Panthers...well, they suck. Even though the "playoff locks" don't always end up being dominant, they generally are going to finish in the top six of their conference. My point is this: there aren't as many locks this year. Bill Simmons has said that he feels the NFL has entered the "Tyson Zone" of unpredictability and I would agree with that; the above analysis helps show us why.

That being said, I think the AFC looks pretty simple this year. The Patriots, Colts, Titans, Steelers, Ravens, & Chargers are all solid. I also like the J-E-T-S to be good under Rex Ryan - lowered expectations and not dealing with the Brett Favre hoopla will help this team. Give me 6 of those 7 in the post-season. The NFC is a bit tougher, as the Giants, Iggles, Vikings, & Packers are the only team I'm counting on for much right now. The NFC South is pretty wide open and the NFC West just shouldn't put a team in the post-season anymore. The only "sleepers" I'll give you are the aforementioned J-E-T-S and Coach Singletary's 49ers (might they manage 9-7 and a division title?). I'm not counting New Orleans as a sleeper, as it wouldn't surprise anyone if they are very, very good this season. The Super Bowl smells like New England vs Green Bay to me, with the Pats coming out on top.

A quick aside: I checked out ESPN.com's NFL Predictions chart last week and noticed a startling trend: no one picks an NFC team to win the Super Bowl. Out of 16 guessers (cause that's all they're doing: guessing, just like you or me), not a one picks a National Football Conference foe to take home the Lombardi Trophy. Weird.

Moving on to the hometown Panthers, last Sunday was obviously awful. The entire team played poorly, but Jake Delhomme was clearly the worst, giving the Eagles possession of the football five times by himself. Add this performance to last season's post-season debacle and you get this. Of course, he's not the only one under fire. Apparently a 38-10 loss at home in the FIRST GAME of the season, after going 12-4 and winning the NFC South last season, is worthy of John Fox's job coming into question. Sigh.

The Panthers are 0-1. Just like Cincinnati, just like Arizona (Remember them? The team who murdered the Pamfuzz in the playoffs last year?), just like Tennessee. You don't get two losses for a bad performance like that. Now, don't get me wrong: I don't think 2009 is going to be a great season for the Carolina Panthers. The schedule is tougher, the depth is thin, and their best run stuffer is already done for the season...the karma is just not there for this team. Then again, last season started with its best player punching out its big-money defensive back in training camp and still ended up 12-4 - some karma, huh? Anyway, I do not foresee 12-4 again, but I also do not think we're headed for 4-12 either. Things often snowball in the NFL, so it's important to right the ship and get a win in at least one of the next two games (at Atlanta, at Dallas) so the team isn't staring at 0-3 and having to deal with the media and fans tearing them to bits. Even at 1-2, the season can easily be salvaged. So don't risk breaking your leg jumping off the bandwagon yet. Breath, stretch, shake and let game one go.

Moving to the college game, I have not had the chance to see a lot of games thus far. I did catch the Carolina game at UCONN (what an ugly game), I've seen Michigan play and win twice thanks to being in Michigan for Labor Day (congrats again to Gracie and Ryan), and I was able to watch USC squeak by The Overrated State University (henceforth my name for the Buckeyes). Of course I saw the employer, Virginia Tech, in both its effort versus Alabama & Marshall. The Hokies will be fine, typical 10-2 or 9-3. But my Tar Heels...I'm concerned. Health is far too big of an issue and it's only September. The offensive line was thin in May and is anorexic now, special teams are shaky, and the wide receivers have not given me any reason to be optimistic for this season, sans Erik Highsmith's two big 3rd down conversions last Saturday. The defense has done a nice job thus far, but the offense must find a way to put consistent points on the board and be able to move the football like they did during the fourth quarter at UCONN. My 8-4 prediction is starting to feel more like 6-6. Sigh again.

But in other news, Carolina did win the 2009 National Championship. Happy sigh. I feel better.

No promises, but The Blue Team seems to be back in bidness. We'll turn our attention to more of the world of sports again sometime soon. Bye bye bye...

Even PETA Would Shoot Those Panthers

An NFL season that heard the Carolina Panthers growl ferociously all year long ended with a hardly a meow Saturday night. Those vicious, punishing, so-talented-it's-sick Arizona Cardinals (sarcasm?) came into Charlotte and intercepted the Panthers on their way to hosting the NFC Championship (get it? Intercepted. See how I did that?). In the most recent entry here on The Blue Team, I mentioned the Cardinals not being a great matchup for the Panthers because of a weakness in the secondary, but thought the Carolina defense would be motivated and the home team would prevail if they took care of the ball and were not overhyped. Instead, all of those contingencies were violated.

The seconday was horrendous, the defensive front produced little pressure, and the linebackers looked typically lost in coverage. More in-depth in my worry was that Arizona would move Fitzgerald around pre-snap (check), try and get him matched up on Richard Marshall (check), and cross him through the middle on our linebackers (and check). Warner had all day to throw the ball, which was a schematic error of collosal proportions. Pressuring a quarterback as prone to sacks, turnovers, and injury as Warner is might be the only way to beat him. I can assure you that letting him sit back and wait for a receiver to come open is not effective. This just goes to show you that the Panthers' coaches do not have a lot of confidence in the secondary in man-to-man coverage, or even just Cover 1. The few blitzes that were run when the game was still in doubt ended up with a toasted DB.

On the other side of the ball, the offense got away very quickly from running the football. Then again, it did not really have the football for much of the second quarter. Jake was just awful. Dreadful. Ghastly. Deplorable. Really all of these things. Delhomme is this type of quarterback: at the end of the year, his numbers look decent. Plus, you cannot measure his intangibles and leadership. Each year, he has 3-4 really good games (270, 2 TDs, clutch throws, etc); each year, he has 2-3 really bad games (170, 3 INTs, missing open guys). In those really good games, he leads the team to victory more often than not; in the really bad ones, he gives you NO CHANCE to win. Saturday night was one of those games that most decent NFL quarterbacks have once a year or so. Unfortunately, it was on the biggest stage thus far. He is known for trying to force the ball into coverage and locking onto a wide receiver (Smith) and he did both all night. Of course, the naysayers and Debbie Downers will spend the entire off-season whining about Delhomme, saying he needs to go. While I'm all for drafting and developing a quality quarterback, I am not for getting rid of Delhomme. Remember last year? David Carr and the white gloves? How bad the team was without its leader at QB? Until there is clearly a better/younger option, then keep Delhomme and learn to hand the ball off 40 times a game.

In closing, this game and season ended in incredibly disappointing fashion. Not to take away from the good things, but the lingering feeling is definitely "what might have been". This is the NFL, not college football, meaning two major differences exist: 1) a real champion is crowned; and 2) winning is the only expectation. And the Panthers did not win. Hopefully next season will begin, and end, with a roar.

NFL Stands for "No Freakin' Logic"

Back in September, I wrote a Nostradamus-esque piece about the upcoming NFL season. 23 (hey, that's Michael Jordan's number!) thoughts/predictions on the season to be, with commentary and analysis. Before we delve into looking at this weekend's playoff slate, let's take a moment to make fun of what I made fun of a few months back:

1) No one will go undefeated. Survey Says: Correct. Tennessee lasted the longest before falling to Brett Favre. Not the Jets. Just Brett Favre.

2) No one will go 0-fer. Survey Says: Incorrect. The Detroit Lions will now live in infamy. A brief aside on this - the Lions will be good in one of the next two season. Whoever survives and sticks around on this Lions team will be incredibly motivated to make people forget this season and it will be the "Story of the Year" whenever this happens. And Calvin Johnson will be the best wideout in the league when he gets a consistent quarterback.

3 & 4) Chad Ocho Cinco is sucko and Marvin Lewis needs to go crazy. Survey Says: Correct and N/A. Lewis was headed for the unemployment line until a late-season winning streak, but never went off. And Chad is MIA following a season of non-productivity.

5) The Colts will have to play out the entire season to make the playoffs. Survey Says: 97% correct. 3-4 record turned into 12-4 following the nine-game win streak. Played full-tilt until the final week.

6) Colts is a wimpy nickname. Survey Says: Duh. Still wimpy. My adorable 3 year-old neighbor, Emma, is not even scared of Colts and she wouldn't trick-or-treat this year.

7) 49ers will be good. Survey Says: Correct. Sort of. I really think they would have won the division if Singletary had been their coach all year. San Fran was the best team in the NFC West, but could not get out of the gate and dug themselves too big of a hole.

8) DeKyle. Survey Says: DeKyle is a great choice for my son's name and you cannot convince me otherwise.

9) Dallas is going to be really good or really implode. Survey Says: Incorrect, because my follow-up sentence was "I vote for the former". But boy did they ever implode. I watched the entire 44-6 loss at Philly with the sound on in order to soak up the moment. Boy do I ever hate Dallas.

10 & 11) San Diego (in German...) will sleepwalk through the year and still be 12-4. Survey Says: 1/2 credit - they did sleepwalk through most of the year, but only ended up 8-8...and in the second round of the playoffs. Makes no sense.
12) The local Redskins' fans will be disappointed. Survey Says: Right on! After starting 6-2 and yelling "hip hip hooray" in the locker room, the Skins fell apart and missed the playoffs. And I loved it.

13) Brett Favre will be overexposed. Survey Says: so will TO. Correct.

14 & 15) Carolina will be 10-6...or 6-10. Survey Says: Correct. The secondary was good enough to survive, the pass rush was better, Delhomme played fine, and the 2-RB system was outstanding.

16) AFC Playoff Teams - Survey Says: 2/3. I was correct on 4 out of 6, missing New England & Jacksonville. New England was clearly good enough to make it, but Jacksonville...wow.

17) NFC Playoff Teams - Survey Says: 1/3. I got the Panthers & Eagles. Missed the Cowboys, Packers, 49ers, and Saints. Yikes.

18) Carolina is 10-6 and Jon Beason is a Beast. Survey Says: Correct, except it was 12-4.

19) I will win at least one fantasy league this year. Survey Says: Correct. The Hokie Thugs put on a rally for the ages in the Phi Alpha League, sneaking into the playoffs and pulling off an upset in the finals. My MVP? Baltimore's Defense and...Tyler Thigpen. Anytime you win a championship behind a Coastal Carolina Chanticleer, it calls for a celebration.

20) Praying for Miss Angela. Survey Says: always, no matter what.

21) Tar Heels Football will be pretty good. Survey Says: Correct.

22) So will Virginia Tech football. Survey Says: the sky is blue.

23) Pittsburgh over Dallas in the Super Bowl. Survey Says:...


Four good NFL Playoff matchups this weekend. A quick breakdown of what is to come:

• San Diego at Pittsburgh: I still like the Steelers, mainly for being at home. The week off helped their health and I like Big Ben to bounce back with a good next three games or so. Plus, in my unpublished picks last week, San Diego was my only miss (I had Indy), so I'm still a little peeved with the Bolts. And oh, I did pick Pittsburgh to win the Super Bowl at the beginning of the season, as seen above, and I'm too stubborn to change my mind now. That O-line worries me, but that defense does not. Whoa.
• Baltimore at Tennessee: I'll take the home squad here. I really enjoyed watching this Baltimore team all season, especially Ed Reed & Co on the defensive side of the ball. However, I think Tennessee can force Joe Flacco to beat them and I'm not sure he's up to the challenge quite yet. Plus, the Ravens' corners can be beaten (Reed has covered this weakness for them all season). In a game that Baltimore will surely blitz often (both run and pass blitzes), that means a lot of man coverage for the DBs. I see Kerry Collins exploiting that matchup just enough to get a victory for the Titans.
• Philadelphia at New York Giants: The only upset I am picking - Eagles win. Philly is the worst possible matchup for the Giants. Without Plaxico Buress, the Giants have no wide receiver who requires a safety over the top, freeing up the Eagles to bring heat early and often. However, the Eagles' blitz will not be hunting after Eli Manning exclusively. In their upset of the G-Men earlier this season, the Eagles did a great job run blitzing and keeping the Earth, Wind & Fire combo from running the Giants down the field. A lack of success on first and second down left many third-and-long situations, allowing Philly to bring the heat on Manning and force him into bad throws under duress. As a result, I really think the Giants success in this game depends on their ability to stay out of third-and-long offensively. On the other side of the ball, the Eagles are not going to bother trying to run the ball down New York's throat. Instead, they will use screens, swings, reverses, etc to simulate a running game and force the Giants to respect a "run game" of sorts. Westbrook is just healthy enough to make this work and destroy New York again. Finally, I see DeSean Jackson continuing to have an impact, both on returns and as a deep threat offensively. (Ok, to be honest, New York probably wins this game because everyone is sniffing Philly's jock right now, but I just cannot find a scenario that makes sense matchup-wise. Plus, I want the Panthers playing at home next weekend).
• Arizona at Carolina: I'll take the Panthers. This really is not a great matchup for Carolina, as the secondary is the worst part of their defense (ahem, Ken Lucas). However, Anquan Boldin is less than 100% and I think having already seen Arizona's passing attack race up and down the field once this year will help motivate and teach the defense. As long as the Panthers take care of the ball and do not come out overhyped, I think they will come out on top.

In other news, there is a BCS Championship Game Thursday night that has drawn some coverage on ESPN this week. Do not confuse this with a National Championship Game, as that would only happen if everyone had a chance to play for the title. The blog entry related to fixing this system is coming very soon, I promise. For now, let's pick the game. I think Florida has had enough time to prepare for the OU offensive attack and can at least slow down Sam Bradford and the Sooners enough to pull this one out. A couple of untimely turnovers by the current Heisman winner will cost the Sooners. I like the Gators 34-24.

The first hater step, the first hater gettin' tossed out

NFL Stands for "Not For Long"

The above quote was famously made by then Atlanta Falcons head coach Jerry Glanville to an official after what he deemed to be a bad call. As in, "sir, this is the NFL, which stands for Not For Long when you make those kind of calls." It might be one of my favorites of all-time related to sports, up there for "we talkin' 'bout practice", "we didn't do diddly-poo", and "playoffs?!". I tell you all of this because I needed a creative title for an NFL Preview blog and that was the first thing that popped into my mind. Besides, I got to watch all of those classics while linking to them. With that being said, here is a list of some number of NFL thoughts, predictions, and ramblings. I'll decide how long the list is when I finish numbering it.

1. No one will go undefeated this season. I mentioned it following the Super Bowl, but as time has progressed, my disappointment in New England has grown. I am a fan only of the Independence High School Patriots, not the New Englanders. I do prefer them in general over the New York Giants, but would never lose sleep over them losing the the G-Men under normal circumstances. But I decided the other day that New England's Super Bowl XVIXXIVI loss is the most disappointed I have been in regards to the outcome of a game between two teams I do not have major rooting interest in. As in, I would not normally care that much who won, might have a slight preference at most. But to see NFL history of that magnitude pass us by is just really disappointing to me.

2. No one will go 0-fer either. Don't forget, through week 12 last season, the Fightin' Fish of Miami had not won a football game. Leave it to Baltimore to fix that for us. I don't think any team is quite that bad this year, but 2-14 is not out of the realm of possibility (Kansas City, I'm looking at you).

3. Chad "Ocho Cinco" might be the biggest idiot in sports history. He is a PR machine, but what do people really think about him? At least he has not gotten arrested or contributed to any major scandels thus far, which is saying something considering his surroundings in Cincinnati. Marvin Lewis should just get himself fired. You know, streak on the field during a game or something so that Cincinnati can talk about how "embarrassed" they are by his actions and are "forced to make a change". Do something memorable Marvin and then run after they release you from the hell that is that organization.

4. Did I just ask to see Marvin Lewis' junk on national TV? Oops. Wear a thong Marv, thanks.

5. The Colts are going to actually have to play an entire season. For the first time since 2000 or so, Indy will not have clenched their division or a playoff berth in November and will not be resting starters the last 3 games. Between Manning and Jeff Saturday (Tar Heel) dealing with injuries, plus a tough division, the Young Horses will have to fight for a post-season berth.

6. "Colts" has to be one of the wimpiest nicknames in professional sports. Check out the definition of colt. Would you want to be known as one of those? A compliment to a man is being referred to as a "stallion", not a "young, inexperienced person".

7. I like the 49ers this season. Last year, they were the trendy playoff team. This year, everyone assumes they are going to suck. Their defense is solid, Frank Gore is pretty good, and Mike Nolan needs a good season as coach. The problems are being in the first year of a Mike Martz offense (complicated), having below-average wide receivers, and DeShaun Foster is their backup running back. DeShaun is a great name. His game, not so much.

8. As much as I like the name "Lil' Kyle" for my son, I could be convinced of "DeKyle" as well. Make me a good argument on that one, I'll hear you out.

9. Dallas is either going to be really, really good or implode. I vote for the former.

10. Whale's Vagina is going to sleepwalk through another season and still be 12-4 or so. San Diego has enough talent to do that. The bigger issue is that I just wasted 20 minutes watching Anchorman clips on YouTube as a result of that joke.

11. And now, so did you. What a classic.

12. Living in Blacksburg, with a ton of Northern Virginia (Nova) transplants, there is a huge Redskins' following. There also used to be a large Atlanta Falcons following as well until DoggyGate. Anywho, I will say that Skins fans are loyal and loud. I will also say that this season, they will be disappointed. 6-10 disappointed.

13. Brett Favre has slight indigestion from the chicken burrito he had for dinner last night and ESPN has Wendy Nix on site to report on his condition. Turning it over to Wendi:

"Yes, it appears that Brett Favre did indeed consume a chicken burrito last evening. According to sources close to the situation, he was dining with his wife, Deanna, and actually ate the entire burrito in five minutes, twenty-seven seconds. It appeared to have been topped with sour cream, but no cheese since he no longer lives in Wisconsin and has to eat cheese on everything. Following the burrito, approximately forty-two minutes later, Favre was seen clutching his upper stomach and burping slightly. Thankfully, a couple of TUMS alleviated the pressure and Favre was able to sleep well throughout the night. ESPN will have a Town Meeting, an E:60 story, two SportsCenter features, a six-pack of questions, and Lou Holtz "Dr. Lou" segment, and of course its own Bottom-Line caption to update fans on the situation. Pedro Gomez will also shadow him moving forward, and Chris Berman will be by to blow Brett...I mean, lend his support. Now, back to the studio."

14. I am hopeful for the Panthers this year, but a number of things have to fall right: better secondary play and pressure on the quarterback leading to an increase in opposing teams' turnovers, Jake Delhomme's arm not falling off, and using the 2-RB system correctly. Williams and Stewart seem to be the kind of guys that are looking to make an impact in any way possible and do not care about the spotlight right now. A two-headed rush monster is just what this team needs. I can really see 10-6. But...

15. My theory is that each season, 75% of NFL teams have the ability to finish 10-6 or 6-10. Not somewhere in between, but those exact records. For example, I can talk myself into a 6-10 Carolina Panthers season just as easily as 10-6. This is also a league where every team has hopes of the playoffs each year (again excluding a handful - KC, Miami, Atlanta, and probably Baltimore), which is why the NFL is the most popular in pro sports: every fan feels like this could be their team's year.

16. AFC Playoff teams - New England, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Jacksonville, Indy, Tennessee (same 6 as last year which means it won't happen; don't believe in Cleveland; Houston, the Jets, and Buffalo are all 8-8 or 9-7 though)

17. NFC Playoff teams - Dallas, Green Bay, New Orleans, San Francisco, Carolina, Philadelphia (no Giants which was tough; Seattle finally misses; and not buying the Minnesota hype).

18. I talk myself into: Carolina is 10-6 and Jon Beason becomes a household name.

19. I will win at least one fantasy football league this year. I am in three, just like last season. Last year, I finished 2nd in two leagues and dead-freakin-last in a co-ed league that I co-founded and commish. How embarrassing is it to lose to your girlfriend, two female cousins, a school teacher, and a pharma-to-be who paid no attention all season? Pretty bad. But, shout out to cousin Car battling through freshman year of college, cousin Whitney battling through senior year of college, and cousin Lindsey for getting knocked up (by her husband, cousin-in-law Jason) and being preggers with "niece" numero uno. Quasi-Uncle Kyle is stoked. Anyway, the Hokie Thugs are determined to bring home a victory in one of these leagues in 2008.

20. Also, a shout out to Miss Angela - keep fighting, you are always in my prayers.

21. The Tar Heels were awful against McNeese State, but you knew that already. Maybe the team will use the extra rest this weekend to improve the run game and pass rush (fat chance on the second one) and the parachuters can practice landing at the correct stadium. My advice: remember that Kenan Stadium is the one with people actually in it to watch the game.

22. The Hokies hope to get well against the Purple Paladins of Furman this weekend. I had a friend in high school who wore a Furman University hat all the time because it said "FU" on it. Rutledge, if you're reading this crap for some awful reason, congrats on your recent tying of the knot. The Hokies, meanwhile, are switching back to using Tyrod Taylor at quarterback in some capacity, which has been the talk of Blacksburg this week. I did overhear a conversation this week about how it was stupid to waste Taylor's redshirt because "our season is already F-ed up anyway". Glad to know that a close loss in your first game to a good non-conference foe on a neutral field ruins the season. Moron.

23. It's time. All my rowdy friends are coming over tonight: Super Bowl XLIII Pittsburgh 31 Dallas 17.

With the 13th pick in this year's NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers select...

Just over twenty-four hours remain until the beginning of the marathon known as the NFL Draft. Months of coverage and analysis will come to a point tomorrow as the fortunes of thirty NFL teams are changed - for better or worse - for the next few years. The experts have weighed in and everyone's baby mama has compiled a "Mock Draft" (aka, guessing the first round with little actual knowledge of the teams, players, or anything besides what Mel Kiper Jr. thinks). Finally, tomorrow, we will actually find out where these talented, sometimes troubled, and usually overpaid future NFL stars (and busts) will be playing next season.

When I was a youngster, I compiled mock drafts for both the NFL & NBA. In the car, in church, at dinner or wherever I had time, I was ranking prospects and evaluating team needs. If you think I'm lying, come to my house sometime. My mama will cook you dinner, my dog will try to bite you, and I'll show you old mock drafts, as I still have them all. My NFL Drafts were not always the best - too many players I'd never heard of and not enough TVs to have seen them all play. My NBA Drafts, on the other hand, were quite solid for an eight year-old. I distinctly remember counting money with my Dad at church on Wednesday night, June 27, 1990 and informing my Dad's friend Jerry Blanchard that Derrick Coleman was about to go number one in the NBA Draft. Clearly, I was right. I still put together NBA Mock Drafts, as I did this past week for the upcoming June draft. The NFL, however, does not do much for me. I will be watching the draft tomorrow, but only to see the drama unfold and who the Carolina Panthers select.

So why do people love the draft so much? Three reasons: 1) every fan has an opinion and cannot be wrong. This is the same reason people love college recruiting so much. "I love our pick of Ryan Leaf, he's the real deal". It's not until three years later that anyone can tell you differently. Therefore, everyone's an expert and as a fan, you seemingly have equity in the draft because you know exactly what is going on (not). 2) every team does something exciting. "We traded up for the right guy!" "We traded down and got value picks!" "Our youth movement is on!" "Super Bowl or bust baby!" Most fans are excited, no matter what their team does, because someone has convinced them that it is the right thing to do. Of course, some fans are known more for their negativity than others. 3) optimism is abound. Every organization has a positive spin on their selections. The future is bright. Last season is officially last season and next season is now. That fat defensive lineman from Michigan State is the key to Super Bowl success. Then again, so is that slow, undersized receiver from Mississippi Valley State.

So, on to the only part that The Blue Team cares about: the Carolina Panthers. I have had a few draft-related discussions on the Panthers and their options, mostly with Rhino and Whitney. In those discussions, inevitably, we relive some good picks by the Panthers, some bad picks by the Panthers, and the worst selection of all-time.

Of course, the Charlotte Observer has been covering the draft for a month. After much analysis & consternation, the paper finally came to the same conclusion I've been at for over a month: draft Derrick Harvey, the defensive end from Florida, if he's available. Unfortunately, much like Patrick Willis last season, I do not think Harvey will last until the Panthers' selection. Therefore, sitting at number 13 does not look fun to me. The need for a great pass rusher on the side opposite The Artist Formerly Known As Julius Peppers is clear and must be addressed somewhere in this draft. Of course, there are not a lot of great players at that position outside of the first round, so I think it is very important to draft an impact guy early. If Harvey is gone, Phillip Merling from Clemson and Calais Campbell from Miami are the next best available DEs. Merling was not spectacular in his time as a Tiger, but he was solid. Campbell has all of the physical "freak" measureables, but never really brought it every down in college at The U. Also note that if Vernon Gholston or Sedrick Ellis slipped down to number 13, the Panthers would poop their silver britches and grab either off the board immediately.

Offensive lineman galore in this draft's first round, and the Panthers would like to have a good one. As Rhino and I discussed, picking up a late first-rounder to grab an o-lineman would be nice. Anyone else for the fat guy from Boston College? Here here.

As for the two glamour positions the Charlotte Observer has been blabbering about for a month, the Panthers would like to select a running back at some point and would also like to add a quarterback to the roster for training camp. I wouldn't be shocked if Jonathan Stewart from Oregon or Rashard Mendenhall from Illinois became the 13th pick if Harvey is gone. However, drafting a running back that high would really make me question the team's confidence in DeAngelo Williams. I was not a huge fan of that selection when it was made, so I'm not arguing (even though I now own a DeAngelo jersey. Hey, it was $29.99 and Ma & Pa bought it for me). I'm of the opinion that waiting until one of our third round picks to draft a running back would be a good idea. For the record, I think Kevin Smith could be a problem waiting to happen, or feel he gets slighted in the draft and play pissed off for twelve years. Can you say boom or bust?

On the quarterback side, if the Panthers love Matt Ryan that much, then go get him. I mean it. When a team likes a player so much, then be aggressive, b-e aggressive and make sure he ends up on your squad. He does not fit the need for next year, he will not win games in 2008, but he might be the long-term QB answer after Delhomme. Just be ready for the catcalls and boo-birds that come with a quarterback-in-waiting situation. Remember, this is the same fanbase that thought David Carr was The Second Coming and wanted Delhomme benched for him. How'd that work out? Anyway, taking a QB later in the 3rd or 4th round is fine and quite frankly expected.

Ultimately, I think the Panthers take Ryan Clady from Boise St or trade down after Harvey is already gone before pick 13. Someone will make a nice offer in order to get to Stewart or Mendenhall, so options will arise.

Everyone keep in mind that the NFL Draft starts at 3:00pm this year, not 12:00pm as in the past. So enjoy the extra hours of sleep and get ready for a marathon of Mel Kiper Jr (good) & Chris Berman (bad).

So I let her lick the rapper...