Thursday, April 30, 2009

The Week's Worst In Sports

The Week's Worst In Sports
according to Jack McCallum of si.com

I love Mcmahon, so he can never be the worst. T.O. is just an ass! Jr. No one cares anymore about him or NASCAR. Jimmy Smith. What an idiot. Def. the worst on here.


JIM McMAHON
What's next? Ditka flacking Levitra? Oh, wait, he already did that

The former bad-boy Bears QB is endorsing a product called Male Vitality Performance, which, according to McMahon, will "make you a champion in the bedroom."


TERRELL OWENS
They have an excuse, T.O. -- they're retired

The Buffalo Bills' wide receiver will join Jeff Kent, Jennifer Capriati and Robert Horry, among other athletes, on ABC's revival of The Superstars, the celebrity sports competition that will team the jocks with such Z-listers as Ali Landry, Dan Cortese, Paige Hemmis, Joanna Krupa and Julio Iglesias Jr.


INDOOR VOLLEYBALL
Right now, hundreds of young male reporters are angling for a new beat

Interest in the gym version of the set-and-spike sport is bound to decline after the NCAA announced that it has approved "sand volleyball" (read: long-legged women wearing skimpy two-piece suits) as an emerging sport.


NASCAR CREDIBILITY
Somewhere, Junior Johnson is scoffing into his moonshine

After first announcing that there would be no penalties for the paint-trading incident between Casey Mears and Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Phoenix International Speedway, the organization, having heard past criticism that it favors Junior, hit both drivers with a six-race probation.


GOLF VIDEO GAME
It's kind of a preview of the 2010 Ryder Cup

"Ghetto Golf," developed by a Denver-based company, features a character who has to knock his ball off of a series of inner-city hazards, such as dumpsters and exploding gas stations, and overcome, by various violent means, other obstacles such as gangsters, rogue cops and fellow golfers.


JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
One small step toward improving on that 5-11 record

Believing, according to owner Wayne Weaver, that "we should establish a more permanent identity," the franchise "challenged the staff of the NFL to tweak our uniform so it would stand the test of time," and kicked off a new chapter by ... adding more teal to the home jerseys.


JIMMY SMITH
Can I get those prison fatigues in teal?

The former Jaguars receiver, one of the franchise's greatest players, faces multiple drug charges and one for driving with a suspended license after police who pulled him over for excessive window tint found crack cocaine and marijuana.


CANADIENS CROWD
Sure, we make a lot of Canada jokes, but we're always very respectful during your incredibly repetitive anthem

Continuing a tradition, the playing of The Star Spangled Banner at Bell Centre drew a chorus of boos before Game 3 of the Canadiens-Bruins series, a scene that was not repeated before Game 4 after Montreal general manager/coach Bob Gainey admonished the crowd.


CHASE FIELD
Apparently, they're dissatisfied with the team's slow start

Grasshoppers, always a problem this time of year in the Valley of the Sun, have invaded the playing field, dugouts, seats and pressbox of the Arizona Diamondbacks home field.

POST-FIGHT TRANSLATIONS
How do you say, "I sucked" in Portuguese?

The Fight Network reported that Anderson Silva's translator and manager, Ed Soares, misrepresented what the MMA star said after his uninspiring victory against Thales Leites because he wanted fans to think that the fighter had apologized for his performance.



THIS WEEK'S MOST CAPTIVATING BLOG
LPGA glamour girl Natalie Gulbis on her appreciation of Ivanka Trump's jewelry line, her scorn of a country music star and her shocking ouster from Celebrity Apprentice:

"This week's task was to host a charity auction for the Ivanka Trump jewelry line. Unfortunately, we did not raise the most money, and we lost. Mr. Trump and Ivanka thought that one of the main reasons we lost was because the selected jewelry was not visible enough from the runway. And because I was in charge of picking the jewelry, I was the one to go. I found that choosing the jewelry was extremely difficult because all of Ivanka's jewelry designs are stunning. While in the board room that night, I was sure that Clint Black would be fired. I thought he should have been fired last week, and I thought that this week was possibly his time. I also thought it might be Joan [Rivers], because she was the project manager, and we did lose the task by $150K. In the end, even though I was the second leading fundraiser on our team, I ended up being fired. I did, however, feel that it was the nicest way I could have been

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

List of Early Entries to the NBA Draft



COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Early entries to NBA Draft, updated April 20

The ones that are in bold I believe should not go pro for one reason or another. Blair I am just being selffish cause I love his play, but I think he could stay a year and go number one next year. Mullens from Ohio State, come on man, you couldn't even start for a sub-par buckeye team in a weak big 10. Nice knowing you pal! The guy from florida, what is your name? Enough said! Rozen from USC, atleast one more year for you, unless he knows they are about to go on proby. The two boys from Syracuse, Flynn needs to work on plenty of fundamental skills to be a role player in the league, Devendork, are you serious? You need at least another year before you go cause the NBA is gonna be like prison for you, they don't take kindly to men who abuse young women. Luke Haron......, that's right, I forgot your name, just like everyone else has this year. Drue from UCLA, I think I know who you are, well wait where did you play again? Patty Mills, you can't stay healthy, you can't get yoour team to the dance and for goodness sakes your name is Patty! Big Dude from UCONN, yeah, you'll go high in the draft, but you won't last. You have no Offensive game and you are not physically or mentally tough enough. Good-Luck! Summers from G-Town again, what is your name and where did you play? Just my thoughts, enjoy!!!!

Player Position School Year
Dominique Archie Forward South Carolina Junior
DeJuan Blair Center Pittsburgh Sophomore
Derrick Brown Forward Xavier Junior
Chase Budinger Forward Arizona Junior
Nick Calathes Guard Florida Sophomore
Patrick Christopher Guard Cal Junior
Earl Clark Forward Louisville Junior
Dwyane Collins Forward Miami Junior
Brandon Costner Forward N.C. State Junior
Austin Daye Forward Gonzaga Sophomore
DeMar DeRozan Guard USC Freshman
Eric Devendorf Guard Syracuse Junior
Devan Downey Guard South Carolina Junior
Tyreke Evans Guard Memphis Freshman
Rodrick Flemings Forward Hawaii Junior
Jonny Flynn Guard Syracuse Sophomore
Taj Gibson Forward USC Junior
Blake Griffin Forward Oklahoma Sophomore
Daniel Hackett Guard USC Junior
Luke Harangody Forward Notre Dame Junior
James Harden Guard Arizona State Sophomore
Paul Harris Guard Syracuse Junior
Jordan Hill Center Arizona Junior
Jrue Holiday Guard UCLA Freshman
Damion James Guard Texas Junior
James Johnson Forward Wake Forest Sophomore
Mac Koshwal Center DePaul Sophomore
Gani Lawal Forward Georgua Tech Sophomore
Jodie Meeks Guard Kentucky Junior
Patty Mills Guard Saint Mary's Sophomore
Tasmin Mitchell Guard LSU Junior
B.J. Mullens Center Ohio State Freshman
Patrick Patterson Forward Kentucky Sophomore
DaJuan Summers Forward Georgetown Sophomore
Shawn Taggart Forward Memphis Junior
Jeff Teague Guard Wake Forest Sophomore
Hasheem Thabeet Center Connecticut Junior
Dar Tucker Guard DePaul Sophomore
Michael Washington Forward Arkansas Junior
Jeremy Wise Guard Southern Miss Junior

Early entries to NBA Draft, updated April 27
Player Position School Year
Dominique Archie Forward South Carolina Junior
DeJuan Blair Center Pittsburgh Sophomore
Derrick Brown Forward Xavier Junior
Chase Budinger Forward Arizona Junior
Nick Calathes Guard Florida Sophomore
Earl Clark Forward Louisville Junior
Dwyane Collins Forward Miami Junior
Brandon Costner Forward N.C. State Junior
Stephen Curry Guard Davidson Junior
Austin Daye Forward Gonzaga Sophomore
DeMar DeRozan Guard USC Freshman
Eric Devendorf Guard Syracuse Junior
Devan Downey Guard South Carolina Junior
Wayne Ellington Guard North Carolina Junior
Chinemelu Elonu Center Texas A&M Junior
Tyreke Evans Guard Memphis Freshman
Rodrick Flemings Forward Hawaii Junior
Jonny Flynn Guard Syracuse Sophomore
Taj Gibson Forward USC Junior
Blake Griffin Forward Oklahoma Sophomore
Daniel Hackett Guard USC Junior
Luke Harangody Forward Notre Dame Junior
James Harden Guard Arizona State Sophomore
Paul Harris Guard Syracuse Junior
Gerald Henderson Guard Duke Junior
Jordan Hill Center Arizona Junior
Jrue Holiday Guard UCLA Freshman
Damion James Guard Texas Junior
James Johnson Forward Wake Forest Sophomore
Mac Koshwal Center DePaul Sophomore
Gani Lawal Forward Georgua Tech Sophomore
Ty Lawson Guard North Carolina Junior
Jodie Meeks Guard Kentucky Junior
Patty Mills Guard Saint Mary's Sophomore
Tasmin Mitchell Guard LSU Junior
B.J. Mullens Center Ohio State Freshman
Patrick Patterson Forward Kentucky Sophomore
Scottie Reynolds Guard Villanova Junior
Donald Sloan Guard Texas A&M Junior
Tyler Smith Guard Tennessee Junior
DaJuan Summers Forward Georgetown Sophomore
Shawn Taggart Forward Memphis Junior
Jonathan Tavernari Guard BYU Junior
Jeff Teague Guard Wake Forest Sophomore
Hasheem Thabeet Center Connecticut Junior
Dar Tucker Guard DePaul Sophomore
Jarvis Varnardo Forward Mississippi State Junior
Greivis Vasquez Guard Maryland Junior
Michael Washington Forward Arkansas Junior
Jeremy Wise Guard Southern Miss Junior
Nic Wise Guard Arizona Junior

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

NFL Draft Grades, Streals and Reaches



Pete Prisco's team-by-team grades from www.sportsline.com

Arizona Cardinals
Best pick: Third-round pick Rashard Johnson is a rangy safety who has good instincts. He won't start, but should be a good special-teams player.
Questionable move: Not trading up to get Donald Brown. He fit their offense better than Beanie Wells.
Second-day gem: Greg Toler. Taken in the fourth round, this corner from St. Paul College has loads of physical skill.
This is an organization that has turned the corner when it comes to drafting. B-

Atlanta Falcons
Best pick: I love the pick in the first round of defensive tackle Peria Jerry. He will be an impact player right away.
Questionable move: Safety William Moore, the team's second-round pick, has to prove he can be a cover player before I think he was a good choice that high.
Second-day gem: Fourth-round pick Lawrence Sidbury, a pass rusher from Richmond, will be the apprentice to John Abraham. He has great quickness.
If they hit on Moore, this will be an A draft. I love Jerry. He might be better than B.J. Raji. B+

Baltimore Ravens
Best pick: Second-round pick Paul Kruger is a tough player who will push for time as a 3-4 rush player. He fits with the Ravens.
Questionable move: Passing on a receiver or a corner to take Michael Oher. I get that you take big people when you can, but they needed other help.
Second-day gem: They really don't need a running back, but landing Virginia's Cedric Peerman in the sixth round is a nice pick.
They always seem to land good players. Ozzie Newsome and Eric DeCosta are good at what they do. B

Buffalo Bills
Best pick: First-round pick Aaron Maybin has great burst off the corner, and this is a team that badly needs it.
Questionable move: Taking center/guard Eric Wood in the first round. He's a good player, but what about tackle?
Second-day gem: Fourth-round pick Shawn Nelson is a pass-catching tight end who will be involved early since the Bills lack a real threat at his position.
I like what they did. Maybin will really help. But they still have to find somebody to replace Jason Peters. B-

Carolina Panthers
Best pick: Second-round pick Sherrod Martin is an athletic safety who can run. You need that in a division with Drew Brees and Matt Ryan.
Questionable move: Trading a 2010 first-round pick to get Everette Brown. I like Brown, but he is undersized at defensive end.
Second-day gem: Some expected Duke Robinson to be a second-round pick and the Panthers landed the Oklahoma guard in the fifth.
They didn't have a first-round pick because they traded it for the chance to draft tackle Jeff Otah last year, but they made some nice moves to get some impact players. Trading next year's No. 1 is always risky. C+

Chicago Bears
Best pick: It's not a draft pick, but trading their first-round pick to get quarterback Jay Cutler is the move of the year.
Questionable move: Trading out of the second round. They had no picks on the first day. Wow.
Second-day gem: I love third-round pick Juaquin Iglesias. He will be a factor as a slot receiver for Cutler.
They get that if you count Cutler, which I do. A

Cincinnati Bengals
Best pick: They didn't get scared off of Andre Smith because of his post-playing issues. This is a Pro Bowl tackle.
Questionable move: Taking Rey Maualuga in the second round. He's a thumper, but he lacks the coverage skills.
Second-day gem: Third-round pick Chase Coffman is a tight end who should be a factor as a rookie in the passing game.
For a team that has been ripped for poor drafting the past decade or so, they did a really nice job. This draft might just make them a playoff team. B+

Cleveland Browns
Best pick: I love the pick of receiver Brian Robiskie in the second round. He will be a starter as a rookie.
Questionable move: Trading down as much as they did and not quite getting the value they deserved. The Jets got the better of them in that deal for the fifth pick.
Second-day gem: Sixth-round pick James Davis was a highly rated back a year ago, but he struggled as a senior. There is talent there.
I like some of their picks, but they didn't get enough in their trade downs. C

Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
Best pick: I like quarterback Stephen McGee in the fourth round. He'll be a backup, but a good one.
Questionable move: Why use a pick on kicker in the fifth round when Nick Folk is so good? It makes no sense.
Second-day gem: Fourth-round defensive end Victor Butler is a speed rusher who has a lot of athletic ability. He fits in their 3-4 scheme.
They had a lot of picks, but what did they get? And trading the first- and third-round picks for Roy Williams last year is questionable. D+

Denver Broncos
Best pick: Darcel McBath, their second-round pick, is a rangy safety they badly need in the back end of their defense.
Questionable move: Trading next year's first-round pick to draft corner Alphonso Smith. He's a good player, but that could be a high pick.
Second-day gem: Fifth-round pick Kenny McKinley is a smart receiver who will fill the slot position role for the Broncos.
If you count trading away Cutler and trading away next year's No. 1, this wasn't a good first draft for the new regime, even if Moreno will be a star. C-

Detroit Lions
Best pick: I like tight end Brandon Pettigrew with the No. 20 in the first round. He's a good blocking tight end and he can catch.
Questionable move: Not taking an offensive tackle in the first five rounds. They need help there.
Second-day gem: Fourth-round pick Sammie Lee Hill is a project from Stillman who has a lot of athletic ability. At 6-4, 329 pounds he has the size Jim Schwartz loves from his defensive tackles.
They had two first-round picks and hit on both in Pettigrew and Matt Stafford with the first pick. Nice job, Martin Mayhew. A

Green Bay Packers
Best pick: They had to get a power player inside and took B.J. Raji in the first round. He is a load.
Questionable move: Trading back into the first round to get USC linebacker Clay Matthews. I didn't like that move at all. He's good. Not that good.
Second-day gem: Landing tackle Jamon Meredith in the fifth round could prove to be a steal for a team in need of a tackle.
Ted Thompson added some nice players, but I think the Matthews move is questionable. B

Houston Texans
Best pick: I really like third-round pick Antoine Caldwell, a center from Alabama. He will be their starter in a year.
Questionable move: Not getting a secondary player early in the draft. That was a definite need.
Second-day gem: Tight end James Casey, taken in the fifth round, is a good pass-catching tight end who can complement Owen Daniels.
I liked Brian Cushing in the first round and they added a lot of nice picks after that. B

Indianapolis Colts
Best pick: Second-round pick Fili Moala will prove to be a steal. He could have easily been a first-round pick a year ago.
Questionable move: Taking Donald Brown with other needs. But Brown will be a good player. They have issues with Joseph Addai.
Second-day gem: Defensive tackle Terrance Taylor is short, strong player who will be a good player on the next level. He's been a three-year starter.
Overall grade: B+.
Bill Polian strikes again. When does he not? B+

Jacksonville Jaguars
Best pick: I love the choice of Arizona receiver Mike Thomas in the fourth round. He is small, but he has good speed. He will also help the return game.
Questionable move: Trading back into the third round -- giving up a 2010 second-round pick -- to land William & Mary corner Derek Knox. He has speed, but that was high.
Second-day gem: Receiver Jarrett Dillard from Rice could be a lot like Keenan McCardell, their former great receiver. He's not a burner, but he knows how to get open.
I like the pick of Eugene Monroe in the first round, but why two tackles in the first two? The third-round picks were iffy. All in all, though, it was a solid first draft for GM Gene Smith. B

Kansas City Chiefs
Best pick: Third-round corner Donald Washington is raw, but he has a lot of athletic ability.
Questionable move: Taking Tyson Jackson with the third overall pick is a move that will be watched closely. Why not Aaron Curry?
Second-day gem: Fifth-round pick Colin Brown is a tackle from Missouri with good size who could be a starter down the road.
I didn't like the pick of Jackson with the third overall pick. But they did get a quarterback in Matt Cassel with their second-round pick. C

Miami Dolphins
Best pick: I love the choice of corner Sean Smith in the second round. He is big at 6-3, 210 pounds, and he can run.
Questionable move: Taking Pat White in the second round. Yes, I know they run the Wildcat formation, but it's still high for him.
Second-day gem: Fourth-round receiver Brian Hartline was a productive college player who will be better than Patrick Turner, who went to the Dolphins the round before.
The pick of White drives it down, but I like taking corners Smith and Vontae Davis. B-

Minnesota Vikings
Best pick: Second-round pick Phil Loadholt will push for time as the starting right tackle as a rookie. He's that powerful.
Questionable move: Taking Percy Harvin with the 22nd pick. He will be a feast-or-famine pick. The foot injury has to be a concern.
Second-day gem: Jasper Brinkley was a productive college linebacker in a big conference. He is a value pick in the fifth round.
If Harvin is what they think he is, and he stays clear of problems, this grade will be higher in a few years. B-

New England Patriots
Best pick: There were many who thought Connecticut corner Darius Butler would be a first-round pick. The Pats did a great job getting him in Round 2.
Questionable move: Taking North Carolina receiver Brandon Tate in the third round. He has character issues and is coming off an ACL injury.
Second-day gem: Linebacker Tyrone McKenzie, their fifth-round pick, was a productive player at South Florida who will bring more athleticism to a position that needs it.
They added some good players and even added a second-round pick in next year's draft. Bill Belichick gets it. B+

New Orleans Saints
Best pick: Their first one was their best. They filled a major need in the secondary taking Ohio State safety/corner Malcolm Jenkins in the first round.
Questionable move: Having only four draft picks and using one on a punter, trading up to get him.
Second-day gem: Stanley Arnoux, a fourth-round pick out of Wake Forest, is a linebacker who could help on special teams.
They just didn't have enough picks for a better grade. C
New York Giants analysis Grade
Best pick: I like Clint Sintim in the second round. He's a good, solid player who will be an impact player early in his career.
Questionable move: Taking Hakeem Nicks in the first round. He has speed, but did they force it?
Second-day gem: Landing running back Andre Brown in the fourth round is a steal. He's a nice replacement for Derrick Ward.
Jerry Reese has another good draft for the Giants. B-

New York Jets
Best pick: Making the move up to get Mark Sanchez makes their draft. I love the aggression.
Questionable move: Trading up to get Shonn Green in the third round. Do they really need a back?
Second-day gem: They didn't have any with few picks.
It's all because they made the move to get Sanchez. He will make their draft for years. B+

Oakland Raiders
Best pick: Darius Heyward-Bey. Yes, their first pick. Most think they should have taken Michael Crabtree, but they picked the right guy.
Questionable move: Taking safety Mike Mitchell in the second round. He was over-drafted, but maybe all the analysts and scouts missed.
Second-day gem: Wide receiver Louis Murphy has good speed and will prove to be a nice value pick in the fifth round.
The second-round pick is what drives this down. What did Al Davis do? D

Philadelphia Eagles
Best pick: They had no idea they'd get receiver Jeremy Maclin in the first round. They will love his speed in their offense.
Questionable move: Hard to find any. I mean it.
Second-day gem: Fifth-round pick Cornelius Ingram is a wonderful athlete who will be the new L.J. Smith in their offense.
If you count adding left tackle Jason Peters and corner Ellis Hobbs, they had an amazing week. A+

Pittsburgh Steelers
Best pick: Evander Hood was a nice pick in the first round because age is becoming an issue on their defensive line.
Questionable move: Waiting until the third round to address the offensive line and doing so only once.
Second-day gem: Fourth-round pick Mike Wallace is a speedy receiver who could help fill the void left by Nate Washington.
Kevin Colbert remains one of the league's most underrated talent evaluators. B

St. Louis Rams
Best pick: Getting linebacker James Laurinaitis in the second round is a nice move. He is a big hitter who has good instincts. Steve Spagnuolo will love him.
Questionable move: Passing on Eugene Monroe for Jason Smith. That's a move we'll watch closely for the next 10 years.
Second-day gem: Fourth-round pick Dorell Scott has talent, but he under-achieved last season. But he has talent to get into the rotation at defensive tackle.
They couldn't miss with the second overall pick and they did some other nice things. B-

San Diego Chargers
Best pick: Guard Louis Vasquez, the team's second-round pick, is a feisty lineman who fits in with what the Chargers want to do.
Questionable move: Taking Larry English with the 16th pick might have been a little high. And it really wasn't a need. Some teams had second-round grades on English.
Second-day gem: Fourth-round pick Vaughn Martin played his college ball in Canada, but he initially was set to go to Michigan State. He is 6-3, 331 pounds and has a lot of raw ability.
I just didn't think they did a lot of really good things. But English can change that if he becomes another Shawne Merriman. C-

San Francisco 49ers
Best pick: I really like sixth-round pick Bear Pascoe. He is a blocking tight end who is a former quarterback.
Questionable move: Taking Michael Crabtree. That foot makes it a risk. So does his diva act.
Second-day gem: Fifth-round pick Scott McKillop is a feisty linebacker Mike Singletary will come to love. He will be a special-teams star.
I'm just not enamored with what they did. C-

Seattle Seahawks
Best pick: Second-round pick Max Unger can play guard or center. Some had him rated as first-round talent.
Questionable move: Passing on Mark Sanchez for Aaron Curry. They better hope like heck Matt Hasselbeck holds up.
Second-day gem: Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel could prove to be a steal in the sixth round. He has a good arm and threw it a lot at Rutgers.
They should have landed Sanchez. Curry will still be an impact player, but this is a quarterback-driven league. B-

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Best pick: In the third round they took Roy Miller, a defensive tackle out of Texas. They needed more size inside, and has it at 6-5, 305 pounds.
Questionable move: Taking Josh Freeman with the 16th pick. He'd better be special. I think he's a project.
Second-day gem: I love the pick of Oregon State receiver Sammie Stroughter in the seventh round. He has a chance to make this team.
They better hope like heck that Freeman turns out to be a star. They didn't get much else. C-

Tennessee Titans
Best pick: Second-round pick Sen'Derrick Marks will remind Titans fans of Josh Evans, their former tackle. He played hurt late last season, but he was a dominant player before that.
Questionable move: Taking Kenny Britt with their first pick. I know he runs better than Brian Robiskie, but I would have taken Robiskie.
Second-day gem: South Carolina tight end Jared Cook will become a favorite friend of Kerry Collins. He is a good receiver.
They always do a good job, and this year was no different. B

Washington Redskins
Best pick: They needed a defensive end and landed one in Brian Orakpo, who fell to the them at 13. He will be a rookie starter.
Questionable move: Trading their second-round pick away last year to the Dolphins for Jason Taylor. How'd that work out?
Second-day gem: Third-round pick Kevin Barnes has a chance to be a factor as a nickel corner.
I like Orakpo, but they landed little else that excites. And not having a second-round pick really hurt. C

The 2009 NFL draft is now one for the history books as the Kansas City Chiefs made the final selection as night fell over New York City on Sunday. There were several surprises throughout the seven rounds, as one would expect in a sparsely talented draft. Here's a list of the best bargains and reaches from last weekend's event:

Steals
Eugene Monroe/OT/ Jacksonville/9th selection: The Jaguars desperately wanted to come out of this draft with a stud at the tackle position. It was a godsend when Monroe dropped into their laps on the ninth pick.

Michael Crabtree/WR/San Francisco/10th: The inability to work out prior to the draft and off-the-field questions almost kept Crabtree from being a top-10 choice. He is great value for the Niners, a receiver-starved team.

Brian Orakpo/DE/ Washington/13: Orakpo was one of the draft's best athletes and is a terrific football player. He became a bargain once the Buffalo Bills passed him up with the 11th selection.

Jeremy Maclin/WR/ Philadelphia/19th: When the Oakland Raiders took Darrius Heyward-Bey with the seventh pick, the result was Maclin sliding much further into Round 1 than most thought possible. The Eagles made sure to trade up and select this game-breaking receiver and return specialist.

Chris Wells/RB/ Arizona/31st: Teams were concerned about Wells' injury history, plus the fact he's a bit one-dimensional in his game. Arizona still came away with a steal as Wells will be a great fit.

Rey Maualuga/MLB/ Cincinnati /38th: Maualuga came into the draft process physically out of shape and unprepared mentally. Regardless, he is still a dominant middle linebacker when hitting on all cylinders. He was worth a roll of the dice at the top of Round 2.

Everette Brown/DE-OLB/ Carolina/43rd: Brown's Combine measurements of 6-feet-1½ and 256 pounds concerned teams that wondered what his true position would be. Carolina, which will hold onto Julius Peppers, saw an opportunity to bookend Brown with their Pro-Bowl defensive end.

Connor Barwin/OLB-DE/ Houston/46th: Barwin is a difference-maker and considered a fringe first-round pick by most. He'll flourish in Houston's defensive system, which will allow Barwin to run loose and chase the quarterback.

Jarron Gilbert/DL/Chicago/3rd round: Gilbert's drop down draft boards is mystifying considering the results of his senior campaign plus his workouts leading up to the draft. He offers starting potential and could turn into the steal of the '09 draft.

Michael Johnson/DE/ Cincinnati/3rd round: Johnson was rated as the top senior prospect coming into the season and offers early first-round athleticism. His consistency on the field leaves much to be desired but he was worth a roll of the dice in the third round.

Shawn Nelson/TE/Buffalo/4th round: Nelson was a legitimate second-round talent but his marginal blocking skills pushed him down draft boards. He's a vertical threat who will see action as a rookie.

Jasper Brinkley/MLB/Minnesota/5th round: Brinkley played well as a senior and posted terrific workouts in the run up to the draft. Concerns about his surgically-repaired knee pushed him two rounds deeper into the draft than his talents warrant. Brinkley offers starting potential should he stay healthy.

Jamon Meredith/OL/Green Bay/5th round: Meredith comes off a tough campaign in which he struggled with injury and position change. Several teams gave him a second-round grade. Meredith will compete for several offensive line spots with the Packers.

Duke Robinson/G/Carolina/5th round: Robinson was rated as the No. 1 guard in the draft for most of the season. His terrible play against Florida in the BCS title game coupled with uninspired performances at the Senior Bowl and combine pushed him down draft boards. Robinson is still a legitimate NFL lineman. Carolina came away with a gem.

Reaches
Tyson Jackson/DL/Kansas City/3rd selection: Jackson made a late charge up draft boards despite some average workouts the past two months. His selection was based largely on the fact he's the best two-gap end in the draft, but Jackson comes with large amount of downside risk.

Darrius Heyward-Bey/WR/Oakland/7th: Al Davis loves speed but his history of drafting players primarily based on combine 40 times has been disastrous. Heyward-Bey was not the best receiver on the board when the Raiders were called to the clock with the seventh pick, never mind being rated well below many of the other players available.

Larry English/DE-OLB/ San Diego/16th: English is the perfect fit for the Chargers 3-4 alignment, yet you cannot help but question using the 16th pick on a prospect who struggled to break 4.8 seconds in the 40 at the combine.

Alex Mack/C/Cleveland/21st: Eric Mangini traded down on three occasions in the first round, then reached for Mack with the 21st pick. Mack is solid on the pivot yet not dominant enough to justify Cleveland bypassing on so many talented players to get him.

Jairus Byrd/CB/Buffalo/2nd Round: Byrd ran pedestrian times in the 4.6 range during his pro-day workout. He's a solid prospect , but there were at least a half dozen higher-rated cornerbacks available to the Bills when they selected him at the top of Round 2.

Michael Mitchell/S/Oakland/2nd Round: Davis and the Raiders continued to draft workout warriors in the second round. Mitchell is a terrific athlete who made a late rise up draft boards after a good pro-day workout. He's a developmental prospect who was selected at least three rounds earlier than his talents warranted.

Richard Quinn/TE/Denver/2nd Round: Quinn was a part-time player in North Carolina's offense. He possesses a good degree of upside potential and was a prospect on the rise, yet Denver left several higher-rated tight ends on the board when they chose him with the final choice of Round 2.

Terrance Knighton/DT/Jacksonville/3rd Round: Knighton, an athletic defensive tackle who struggles with weight issues, was rated as a late-round selection. He has too much downside for a mid-third-round choice.

Derek Cox/CB/Jacksonville/3rd Round: Cox was a nice small-school player with adequate size/speed numbers. He carried a late-round rating and was a reach in the third round.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Where are they now? NFL Draft Busts!



6 Draft busts and where are they now according to MJD from yahoosports.com
1. Andre Ware, No. 7 overall, 1990.

The Heisman trophy winner was drafted by the Detroit Lions, but only got four years to soak in the expert tutelage of head coach Wayne Fontes. He could never beat out Erik Kramer or Rodney Peete for a permanent starting job, and ended up with the Raiders, where he was also promptly cut. Ware then made the move to the Canadian League, where he was also quite terrible.
But he's doing just fine these days, working as a college football analyst for ESPN, and as part of the Houston Texans broadcast team.

2. Ryan Leaf, No. 2 overall, 1998.

After doing everything he could to hurt the Chargers short of burning down Qualcomm Stadium and stabbing Junior Seau in the neck, Leaf bounced around to a couple of other NFL teams, most notably the Cowboys, but never found any success.
After leaving the NFL, Leaf spent a while coaching at West Texas A&M (he worked as the quarterbacks coach, and as the head coach on the golf team), but resigned after he asked a player for a pain pill.
But the good news for Leaf is that he managed his draft money well, he married a Chargers cheerleader, and you'll be happy to know that he's still making time for fun.

3. Lawrence Phillips, No. 6 overall, 1996.

After stellar rookie and sophomore years in which he averaged 3.3 and 3.4 yards per carry, respectively (had Phillips been able to stick with football and progress at the same rate, he'd be getting ready to average 4.6 yards per carry this season!) Phillips bounced around to a couple of other NFL teams, NFL Europe, Arena Football and the Canadian League. His career ended when two CFL teams cut him because he was kind of a jerk.
What's he doing these days? A 10-year stretch in California state prison. I'll let Wikipedia sum up his post-football criminal career:

On August 21, 2005, Phillips was arrested for assault after allegedly driving a car into three teenagers, following a dispute with the teens during a pick-up football game in Los Angeles, California. At the time of the arrest, Phillips was wanted by the San Diego, California, police in connection with two alleged domestic abuse incidents involving a former girlfriend, who claimed that Phillips choked her to the point of unconsciousness during one of the incidents. In addition, the Los Angeles Police Department was seeking Phillips in connection with yet another, separate domestic abuse allegation that had occurred previously in Los Angeles.
In March, 2006, the Associated Press reported that Phillips had been ordered to stand trial on felony assault with a deadly weapon charges stemming from the August 21, 2005, incident. The assigned judge dismissed two counts of child abuse and one count of leaving the scene of an accident, but continued the trial on the more serious charges.
On October 10, 2006, Phillips was found guilty of seven counts of assault with a deadly weapon. On October 3, 2008, Phillips was sentenced to 10 years in a California state prison.

4. Blair Thomas, No. 2 overall, 1990.

It feels a little unfair to call Thomas a bust, because his career was largely derailed by injuries, but he didn't last long in the league, and only gave the Jets four years and 2,009 total rushing yards.
That wasn't his only contribution to football, though. Thomas was the running backs coach at Temple University, where he helped develop two NFL running backs, which is two more than Temple has any right producing. Jason McKie and Stacey Mack both benefited from Thomas's coaching.
Today, Thomas and former Eagles receiver Kenny Jackson own a small chain of sports bars named "Kokomo's." They have "deep fried stuff galore".

5. Ki-Jana Carter, No. 1 overall, 1995.

Ki-Jana beat out even Ryan Leaf as Charles Robinson's worst all-time first-round draft pick back in 2007. That's the top of the mountain for draft bustage, really.
Carter tore up his knee in his first preseason game as a rookie and was never the same. He managed to stick around the league for seven more years, despite mostly anemic numbers. He peaked with the Redskins in 2001, when he carried 63 times for 308 yards and a 4.9 yards per carry average. After that, though, he failed to gain 100 more yards in his career.
I was hoping to find out that Ki-Jana and Blair Thomas opened up a roller disco together in State College, but that's not the case. Carter lives in Miami, does a little local broadcasting and hosts a Monday Night Football event at a Casino.

6. Tim Couch, No. 1 overall, 1999.

As a number one overall draft pick that went to a team in Cleveland, you might call Tim Couch "the anti-LeBron." Couch did manage to start for five years in Cleveland, though he only won 22 games in those five years, and his quarterback rating never broke out of the 70s. It wasn't like he didn't bring anyone any joy, though. Former Steelers broadcaster Myron Cope loved to make fun of him.
Couch tried to latch on with several other teams after finally being let go by the Browns, but he never saw another down of NFL action. He's currently working as a Kentucky Wildcats football analyst for the Big Blue Sports Network, but his best move was marrying former Playboy Playmate Heather Kozar, so he's got that going for him. Which is nice

Friday, April 24, 2009

NFL's Best and Worst RED Flag Players

NFL's Best and Worst RED Flag Players


Todd Marinovich, QB, USC
Bred to be a quarterback by his father, Marv, Marinovich flamed out spectacularly. He entered the 1990 season as a Heisman Trophy candidate but a benching and an arrest for cocaine possession took care of that. He entered the 1991 draft, was selected by the Raiders with the 24th overall pick but was out of the league by the end of the 1992 season. Ineffectiveness and drug problems were the reason. Ever since, Marinovich has been in persistent trouble with the law, virtually all of it drug-related.



Dan Marino, QB, Pittsburgh
After a brilliant college career, rumors surfaced in advance of the 1983 draft that Marino used cocaine. The rumors – unfounded and unproven – resulted in Marino dropping all the way to the 23rd overall pick. Five quarterbacks went ahead of him before the Miami Dolphins drafted him. Marino went on to become the most prolific passer in NFL history (since passed by Brett Favre) and still holds the single-season record for passing yards (5,084). He’s a Hall of Famer.



Winston Justice, OT, USC
Projected as a possible top-10 pick in 2006 (like USC teammates Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and LenDale White), Justice had an arrest for waving a toy gun at a car as he and a friend were rolling down the street. Justice claimed he thought he knew people in the other car and was joking. That hullabaloo caused consternation about Justice and he wasn’t drafted until the Eagles grabbed him with the 39th overall pick. He’s been a mediocre player for them.



Lawrence Phillips, RB, Nebraska
During his junior year, Phillips battered his ex-girlfriend, dragging her down a flight of stairs by her hair. Nebraska coach Tom Osborne suspended Phillips but didn’t boot him from the team. Phillips played in the Fiesta Bowl and was outstanding. Phillips declared for the draft and the St. Louis Rams looked past his transgressions and used the sixth pick in the 1996 NFL Draft on him. He played in 27 games for the Rams before walking out on the Rams and getting cut. Then he went to the Dolphins – the late 90s home for wayward players – and washed out there as well. He went to the CFL and legal troubles followed him there. He finally wound up in jail for running his car into three teenagers in California after a dispute during a pickup football game.



William Green, RB, Boston College
Suspended twice for marijuana use at BC, Green was taken with the 16th overall pick by the Cleveland Brown in the 2002 draft. He started every game his rookie year but in 2003 he was arrested in late October for DUI and marijuana possession. He was suspended for the rest of the 2003 season, had a poor 2004, an injury-plagued 2005 and was released. He is out of the league.



Cecil Collins, RB, McNeese State
In four games at LSU back in 1997, Collins ran for 596 yards on 72 carries (8.3 per rush). But he liked to sneak into the rooms of sleeping women and watch them sleep. Doing so got him arrested twice at LSU. Then he failed a drug test while on probation and landed in jail. He transferred to McNeese and declared for the 1999 draft. Miami took him in the fifth round. He played in eight games. Then in December of ’99, he snuck into the home of a Miami woman as she slept. He was arrested and sentenced to 15 years. His release date is 2014.


Luis Castillo, DT, Northwestern
After playing in pain with an injured elbow during his senior season, Castillo took androstenedione to quicken his rehab from the injury in advance of the 2005 Combine. The "andro", made infamous by Mark McGwire, showed up in a urine test at the Combine. Castillo sent a letter to all 32 teams admitting his use and explaining why. The Chargers took him with the 28th overall pick and he’s been a productive player for San Diego.



Michael Vick, QB, Virginia Tech
In his 2001 NFL Draft preview, the late draft guru Joel Buchsbaum said of Vick, “within two weeks of entering his name into the NFL draft pool, he changed agents and supporting cast which may show immaturity and instability on his part.” If only. After making it to three Pro Bowls and becoming the first quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards in 2006, Vick’s world imploded. He’s currently nearing the end of a 20-month sentence for running an interstate dogfighting ring. The pre-draft red flags were never enough to make anyone think Vick would end up like this, though. Ironically, when Vick’s brother, Marcus, came out in 2006, teams fled from him because of concerns about his character. Marcus Vick went undrafted in 2006 because of character concerns. Wrote ESPN in April 2006: “The difference between Marcus and Michael Vick? In a word, character.”



LenDale White, RB, USC
The big-bodied running back who’d been so productive at Southern Cal looked woefully out of shape at the 2006 NFL Draft. He managed just 15 reps on the bench press and looked sloppy at his shirtless weigh-in. White, who was expected to be a first-round pick initially, wound up going 45th overall to the Titans. He’s been an able player for Tennessee, rushing for 1,110 yards in 2007 and 15 touchdowns in 2008.



Dimitrius Underwood, DE, Michigan State
Warning signs were there. Underwood missed most of his senior season with a high ank le sprain that some around the Spartans program felt was a ruse that masked bigger issues. A personality disorder. But the Vikings were bewitched by Underwood’s physical skills and they took him with the 29th pick in the 1999 draft. He walked out of training camp August 1 and didn’t return. Released by Minnesota, the Dolphins claimed him off waivers. He was injured in his only preseason game. He attempted suicide with a steak knife in September, 1999. The Dolphins released him in December. In 2000, the Cowboys signed Underwood. He played in 19 games for them before attempting suicide again in January 2001, running into traffic.



Vince Young, QB, Texas
After leading Texas to the national championship as a junior, Young declared for the 2006 NFL Draft. His three-quarters throwing motion concerned some. A greater brouhaha emerged when it was reported that Young scored a six on the standardized Wonderlic test administered at the NFL Combine. The desperately low score was disputed by the NFL and the test was readministered. Young scored a more respectable 16 the second time. Tennessee took Young with the third overall pick. After a brilliant rookie season in 2006, Young regressed in 2007, throwing nine touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Injuries and personal turmoil landed Young on the bench in 2008. His future seems cloudy.



Matt Leinart, QB, USC
After a terrific college career in which he won the Heisman as a junior, two minor red flags were raised about Leinart as the 2006 draft approached. The first was that he lacked great arm strength. The second, more nebulous one was he had a “Hollywood” mentality, that he enjoyed his celebrity and the adulation and attention that accompanied it. The Cardinals took Leinart with the 10th overall pick. He’s had some juvenile indiscretions but nothing of major substance. He also hasn’t yet emerged as a starter for Arizona.



Warren Sapp, DT, Miami
Thirteen days before the 1995 NFL Draft, the New York Times reported Sapp tested positive for cocaine and marijuana. Less than 24 hours later, the NFL issued a statement that Sapp did not test positive for cocaine, omitting any reference to weed. Easily one of the best defensive linemen in that draft, Sapp was expected to go in the top five. He wound up going 13th to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, went to seven Pro Bowls, was a four-time All Pro and – aside from being an agitator – was never in any legal trouble before retiring after 2007.



Randy Moss, WR, Marshall
Involvement in a high school brawl – and the resulting battery charge – resulted in Notre Dame revoking a scholarship. A positive marijuana test while on probation resulted in Florida State revoking his scholarship. He went to I-AA Marshall in 1996 and, when Marshall made the move to Division I in 1997, Moss – a sophomore – was the best receiver in the nation. But on draft day, 1998, 20 teams passed on Moss before Minnesota selected him with the 21st pick. He’s had dustups since being in the league but has also caught 135 touchdowns in 170 games for the Vikings, Raiders and Patriots.



Maurice Clarett, RB, Ohio State
After turning in one of the most memorable freshman seasons in college football history for Ohio State in 2002, Clarett’s life spiraled downward. He never played another game for OSU, bounced in 2003 for a variety of missteps. He tried to enter the 2004 draft but was turned away because he was fewer than three seasons out of high school. He performed terribly at the NFL Combine in advance of the 2005 draft but the Broncos took a chance on him with a third-round pick (101 overall). He was released by Denver in late August and, after two arrests, is currently in jail.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Ball State QB deflated, not defeated! Nate Davis






Ball State QB deflated, not defeated


BELLAIRE, Ohio -- Molly Feller didn't want to overburden Nate Davis, but she also wanted to light up a little boy's world.
Feller had known Davis, a standout quarterback at Ball State and a current NFL draft prospect, since the days when Davis spent countless hours as a prep helping her class for physically and mentally disabled kids at Bellaire High School. She knew how much Davis loved being around those children then. She also sensed a return visit might give him a nice break from the scrutiny of the pre-draft process.

Nate Davis file
Scouts Inc.: Athletic playmaker … Displays quick feet on drops … Very good arm strength … He won the distance competition in the College Football All-Star Skills Competition with throw of 69 yards in the air, just 5 yards short of Joe Flacco's record-setting throw in 2008. … Thickly built but shorter than ideal … Can he see the entire field over taller NFL linemen? Complete report


So Feller called and asked Davis if he'd be willing to attend the birthday party for an autistic boy. Twenty minutes later, Davis strolled into the classroom with a wide grin. Suddenly, there was no reason for him to fret about all the discouraging reports about his declining draft stock. For the next 90 minutes, all Davis cared about was eating cheese pizza and laughing with a child he'd just met.
"You could see it was a release for him," Feller said. "Nate has always been aware of how other people are struggling in the world and being there helped him keep things in perspective. It let him know that whatever is happening in his own life, things really aren't as bad as they might seem."
Davis didn't show up in that classroom last Friday because he wanted to make a celebrity appearance. He went because he felt a bond with those kids. They might have had more severe issues, but Davis also has spent most of his life dealing with a learning disability. And as the draft approaches, he's hoping teams won't hold that against him when deciding whether to invest in his future.
The past four months have been rough for Davis, 21. When he left Ball State following a record-setting junior season, he seemed destined to follow Ben Roethlisberger, Chad Pennington and Byron Leftwich as the next great Mid-American Conference quarterback to enter the NFL. Now -- thanks to a couple late-season losses, a mediocre combine showing and a pro day that attracted just one team -- Davis' stock has dropped so fast it feels like somebody has latched a Ford F-150 to it. Some reports project Davis -- who as recently as November was forecasted by some draft gurus as a possible first-round pick -- as a mid- to late-round selection, at best.
But what really might be compromising Davis' draft stock is the issue surrounding his smarts. He has a learning disability (often referred to as LD) that makes it harder for him to learn by reading information. It's a problem that has been documented since he was in junior high school.
"I do have a disability, but it's not an issue in football," he said. "I just learn differently than other people. I'm more of a visual learner."
“Some teams will rate him as a third- or fourth-rounder but I just didn't like him very much. … Plus, I had a guy tell me he isn't smart enough to play in this league.
” -- An AFC assistant coach on Ball State QB Nate Davis
The problem, however, is that Davis hasn't done enough in his pre-draft workouts to mitigate concerns. The 6-foot, 1⅜-inch, 226-pound prospect has a powerful right arm and instinctive feel for the game, but there are fears about how he'll process an NFL playbook.
As one AFC assistant coach said: "Some teams will rate him as a third- or fourth-rounder, but I just didn't like him very much. I love his passion, but it's hard to feel good about a guy with his size who's not a quick-twitch athlete. You'd like to see him have better accuracy or touch or some kind of intangible. I really didn't see that in him. Plus, I had a guy tell me he isn't smart enough to play in this league."
That last remark really peeves Davis and his supporters. He can accept the nitpicking of his physical traits, but Davis fails to understand the notion that he might not grasp an NFL offense. The people who know Davis understand that he's spent the past nine years proving that his learning disability never affected his play. So they argue it shouldn't be such a discouraging red flag at this point in his career.
The Davis camp said teams need to watch more film and see how Davis competed during three record-setting seasons at Ball State.
"His learning disability was never mentioned when Ball State was 12-0 last season and it wasn't mentioned when he was throwing 50-yard strikes at places like Nebraska [in 2007]," said Jose Davis, Nate's older brother and a former quarterback in the Canadian Football League and Arena League. "But now it's apparently a problem."
"I know I can throw the football and I know I can play this game," Davis said. "The big thing for me is staying focused on just being myself and not trying to be something that I'm not. I keep saying this, but I just believe that it only takes one team to fall in love with you. That's all I really think about."
The main reason Davis remains so confident in his ability is that he knows full well what it's like to beat down adversity. He's been doing it since the seventh grade, when his junior high teachers suspected his bad grades were merely the result of laziness.
"I had eight classes when I was in the sixth grade and I came home with seven F's one semester," Davis said. "I did pass gym, though."
Davis' parents, Charles and Linda, eventually discovered that their youngest son didn't have a problem with effort; his reading skills were an issue. Nate would become so frustrated during a test that either time would run out or he would just give up midway through the exam. Charles Davis blames himself for not discovering the issue sooner.
"I was so absorbed with getting him out of [Bellaire] through sports that I didn't realize what needed to be done," Charles said. "I take the blame for that one."
One of the first things Davis' parents did after uncovering the problem was find Nate a tutor named Chris Sampson, a learning disabilities professor who worked at nearby Wheeling Jesuit University. After performing a series of diagnostic tests, Sampson discovered a few key issues: Davis read at a slower rate than average students, struggled with multisyllabic words and needed to improve his writing skills. In other words, the issue wasn't intelligence; it was the way Davis processed information.
Davis had the kind of problem that affects up to 5 percent of the U.S. population (according to studies cited by Sampson) and she created valuable strategies to help him cope. They read books together to improve his vocabulary. They decoded multisyllabic words that gave Davis trouble and broke them down into components that were easier for him to understand. They started out working together twice a week that summer and then continued their sessions -- for at least an hour a week -- as Davis progressed into high school.
"Nate knew he learned differently and that he had to find different methods to learn," said Sampson, who now teaches at Bethany College. "He was always very open to that."
"As soon as I started working with her, I saw that I could do this," Davis said. "It only took a few weeks for me to see the difference."
Davis eventually became a more confident student. He also reached out to other kids as he became a three-time all-state quarterback at Bellaire. Throughout his high school career, he made a point of spending at least a few minutes a day in Feller's class for disabled kids, many of whom dealt with issues like autism. When Davis wasn't in the classroom, he'd slap high-fives with the students in the hallways and eat lunch with them in the school cafeteria.
One day, Feller told a child who was causing problems in class that she was going to tell Nate about the trouble. Once Davis spoke to the boy, the issues never came up again.
"Most high school kids look at kids like these and only see the differences," Feller said. "It scares them and they don't know how to react to the [disabled kids]. Nate was the total opposite. He made it cool to hang around with these kids."
Said Davis: "I just liked working with handicapped kids. My belief is that you shouldn't be ashamed of the gifts God gave you. Some people were born with an ability to read better than me. I was given a gift to throw a football. But I also know that if I have to work harder at something I'm not good at, then I'm willing to do whatever it takes."
After a two-game span in which he fumbled eight times, Nate Davis' draft stock has tumbled from possible first-round status.
Davis had that same attitude when he became a freshman starter at Ball State. The Cardinals' coaches say that Davis never struggled to pick up the offense during his freshman season. Stan Parrish -- then the Cardinals' offensive coordinator and now Ball State's head coach -- simply spent more time explaining his system through film and diagramming plays on a board. Senior quarterback Joey Lynch helped fill in the blanks whenever Davis seemed confused.
Davis does admit that it wasn't until early in his sophomore season that he felt completely comfortable in the system -- "I was just playing backyard football as a freshman," he said. Still, he managed to impress people as he learned.
As a true freshman in 2006 against Eastern Michigan, Davis threw three touchdown passes as a backup in his first game. He made his first start in the fifth game of the season, throwing for four scores against Northern Illinois. On Nov. 4 in the Big House, Davis led the five-touchdown underdog Cardinals to within a hair of upsetting then No. 2-ranked Michigan. The Wolverines escaped with a 34-26 victory, but only after Davis failed to complete a fourth-and-goal pass from the Michigan 7 in the final three minutes.
As a sophomore, Davis set school records with 3,667 passing yards and 30 touchdown passes while remaining just as focused off the field. He had tutors for every class, extra time for tests and he often had his course work tape-recorded so he could listen to it at home.
"It was important for him to succeed," said former Ball State head coach Brady Hoke, who now coaches at San Diego State. "He had the same competitiveness on the field that he had in the classroom."
Davis' 2008 season was so magical -- he led Ball State to a 12-0 start while also earning MAC Offensive Player of the Year honors -- that it still baffles people as to why he seemingly has regressed the past four months.
Davis' problems started against Buffalo in the MAC Championship game, Hoke's last game before he left for his current job at San Diego State (Parrish replaced Hoke as head coach).
A flu-ridden Davis played poorly in that 42-24 loss Dec. 5 to the Bulls. A month later in the GMAC Bowl against Tulsa, Davis was less than stellar in a 45-13 loss. In the span of those contests, Davis fumbled an astounding eight times. Davis dismisses the showings as merely rare instances of poor performance.
"He had a nice reputation until the end of last year," said an AFC personnel director of Davis. "But that conference championship game and that bowl game probably left a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths. When you have those kinds of problems on a big stage, it can create a lot of doubts in people's minds."
After declaring himself eligible for the draft -- a decision prompted by Hoke's decision to accept the San Diego State job -- Davis then ran into more trouble at the NFL combine. He spent five weeks training in Tampa and bulked up to the point that he was 226 pounds in Indianapolis, roughly nine pounds more than he weighed in college. That extra weight contributed to Davis' running an uninspiring 40-yard dash in 4.95 seconds at the combine.
He also struggled with his passing. After playing his entire college career with a glove on his throwing hand, he tried to show scouts that he could pass just as easily without that accessory.
Still, as difficult as those moments were, Davis felt optimistic about his pro prospects.
"I didn't lose my confidence," said Davis, who said he took the Wonderlic test without any special accomodations. "I just knew I had to prove myself to people again."
Unfortunately, that opportunity didn't come on Ball State's pro day. Nobody associated with Davis -- not his family, his agent Joel Segal, Parrish or anyone else at Ball State -- can explain why only one scout attended the Cardinals' showcase for Davis and other prospects. At least 10 league personnel experts were expected to be on the Muncie, Ind., campus to see Davis, whom several NFL talent hunters were touting as a possible first-round pick in November 2008.
Indianapolis Colts quarterbacks coach Frank Reich was the only scout to see Davis during the March 20 pro day, and that's likely because of Muncie's proximity to Indianapolis.
To his credit, Davis didn't let that embarrassment distract him as he threw 70 passes to his former Cardinals teammates that afternoon.
"I wasn't disappointed even though I was expecting more people. I just needed to stay focused," Davis said.
But after the event, Davis walked over to his father with a confused look in his eyes.
"Dad," he said, "I can't believe only one team showed up for this."
"That hurt me," said Charles Davis. "Because I know if he was thinking that after it was over, he had to be thinking that when it started."
“Now I realize Ball State isn't the NFL but I haven't been around a quarterback with better pocket presence than Nate. And I recruited Tom Brady to Michigan when I was there.
The hard part for Davis now is that he has no other opportunities to impress scouts on the field. If he had shown them the kind of athleticism and refined passing he displayed during much of his career at Ball State, he might have been considered in the same company as more highly touted quarterbacks like Georgia's Matt Stafford, USC's Mark Sanchez and Kansas State's Josh Freeman. Instead, he gave teams more reason to start wondering about his mental acumen.
It hasn't been easy for Davis' family and friends to hear that talk questioning his ability to grasp an NFL offense.
Said Hoke: "If you put anybody on the right team and in the right system, they're going to be successful. I'm sure there have been other quarterbacks who've played in the NFL with the same kind of disability that Nate has. But the kid learns visually as well as anybody. That matters as a quarterback because once you take the snap, it's all vision and feel after that point. Now I realize Ball State isn't the NFL but I haven't been around a quarterback with better pocket presence than Nate. And I recruited Tom Brady to Michigan when I was there."
Added Parrish: "Nate is a quick learner. I've had guys who were straight-A students who've had a hard time learning this system because it's a pro offense with pro terminology. It's just a matter of getting on the same page with him. That's why we haven't swept anything under the rug with this. Not everybody who comes into that league is going to be like the kid from Boston College [Atlanta Falcons quarterback and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Matt Ryan]. But Nate has a great upside as a passer. He can do some things you can't teach."
The key thing that Davis keeps hearing from his supporters is how important it is for him to stay focused on what might happen next. That, by the way, doesn't appear to be a hard task for him. He's both highly optimistic and competitive. He doesn't dwell on adversity.
He's already been encouraged by a meeting with the Colts last week and he's just as excited by scheduled visits with the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers this week.
"The biggest thing Nate has going for him is his ability to throw the football," said former NFL quarterback Steve DeBerg, who worked with Davis in Tampa, Fla. "He can throw the ball as well as anybody. And all I know is that it's easier to teach somebody who to throw the ball to than to teach them how to throw it."
Plus, Davis already knows he's beaten tougher obstacles in the past. That's why he's still looking forward to having family and friends over for a little party on draft weekend April 25-26. Regardless of how long it takes for the phone to ring that weekend, he expects to celebrate one thing: an opportunity to play at the next level.
"I'm willing to do whatever it takes," Davis said. "I don't care if I'm a first-round guy or if I have to come in as a free agent. All I want is a chance."

Nate Davis file
Scouts Inc.: Athletic playmaker … Displays quick feet on drops … Very good arm strength … He won the distance competition in the College Football All-Star Skills Competition with throw of 69 yards in the air, just 5 yards short of Joe Flacco's record-setting throw in 2008. … Thickly built but shorter than ideal … Can he see the entire field over taller NFL linemen? Complete report

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

The Best of the Rest in the 2009 NFL Draft



Here's the Better-Than team for 2009:


Tom Brandstater, QB, Fresno State: He played for four different coordinators at Fresno, which can be tough on a quarterback. He has good size at 6-5, 220 pounds and he has a good arm. He's a pure pocket passer. Worth a late-round look.

Kory Sheets, RB,
Purdue: He is 5-11, 200 pounds and has decent speed. The advantage is he played in a pro-style offense at Purdue and understands the passing game. He plays faster than his 40 time.

Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State: Think Keenan McCardell, the former NFL receiver. That's Robiskie. He's smart, knows how to get open and loves the game. His father played in the league and now is now a coach for the Atlanta Falcons, so you know he has a good pedigree.

Juaquin Iglesias, WR, Oklahoma: He isn't a burner, but he knows how to get open. He will make a heck of a slot receiver. He knows how to run routes. He will also be a good return man.

Mike Thomas, WR, Arizona: He's small at 5-9 and 190 pounds but has speed and knows how to get open. He's another ideal slot receiver for a team that needs help there right away.

James Casey, TE, Rice: Whenever I watched this former minor league baseball player I was so impressed. He played offense and defense at Rice. The scouts wonder if he's tough enough to play tight end. I say he can. If not, you create ways to get him involved in the offense. Think Bo Scaife of the Titans.

Cornelius Ingram, TE, Florida: He suffered a serious knee injury last season and missed the entire season, but he has amazing athletic ability. He isn't a pure tight end, but he will be dynamic in the passing game. He does have to work on his blocking.

Phil Loadholt, T, Oklahoma: His stock has risen in recent weeks. I think he's a 10-year starter and sometimes Pro Bowl player. He did have trouble with Brian Orakpo in the Texas game, but that happens. He's a left tackle, but he might be better suited to the right side.

Lawrence Sidbury, DE, Richmond: He was a 4-3 end at Richmond, but can also play 3-4 outside linebacker. Some have compared him to Dwight Freeney, but he's not that fast. He can get after the quarterback and he's a willing run player. Once competed in the 100-meter dash, which says a lot about his speed.

Fili Moala, DT, Southern Cal: A year ago, he was considered a possible first-round pick. Now there's no way. Why? He was inconsistent last season. But I still think that first-round ability is there. It will come out on the next level.

Bear Pascoe, TE, Fresno State: He's a former quarterback who developed into a heck of a blocking tight end. He isn't a real pass-catching threat down the field, but he can be effective short.

Sammie Stroughter, WR, Oregon State: He has had some problems in his career, causing him to miss time, but he's a nice receiver and a good return man. He might be worth a look late.

Tony Carter, CB, Florida State: He's 5-9, 175 pounds and looks every bit of playing that small. But he's smart and he has been an effective cover corner. He's an ideal nickel corner. He didn't get invited to the combine but he will play in the league.

Sen'Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn: He played both defensive end and tackle at Auburn, but I think he plays tackle in the NFL. He is smallish for a tackle, but he is quick and strong. He reminds me a little of Warren Sapp.

Terrance Taylor, DT, Michigan: He's a squatty nose tackle who started for three years at Michigan. That means something. He's only a little over 6-feet, which will drive down his draft stock, but he will find a way onto a roster and contribute as a capable backup for some team.

Frantz Joseph, ILB, FAU: He's a Boston College transfer who plays with a fiery temperament. He really excels in the run game. He might only be a two-down linebacker, but he's worth a look on the second day.

Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia: He led all linebackers in sacks with 13 in 2008. He played outside in Virginia's 3-4 scheme, so there is no adjustment for him on the next level. At 6-2, 260 pounds, he has a thick frame and good quickness. He will be drafted higher than many expect.

Marcus Freeman, OLB
, Ohio State: When you watched Ohio State play the past couple of seasons, this kid always showed up on a star-studded defense. He is just under 6-1, which will hurt, but he has good speed and a knack for finding the football. He will be a solid starter on the next level.

Sean Smith, CB, Utah: At 6-3, 210 pounds, he ran 4.45 for the scouts. Some insist he isn't fluid enough to play corner on the next level. I don't buy it. When I watched him at Utah, he looked more like a corner than a safety. He's new to the position, so his best football is in front of him.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Pro wrestler dad prepared Laurinaitis for NFL


Pro wrestler dad prepared Laurinaitis for NFL
Former Ohio State star linebacker grew up a bit differently than other kids


good article from www.msnbc.com on Ohio State's James Laurinaitis

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Joe Laurinaitis knew his middle child was bound for greatness about the time he saw the 12-year-old doing piledrivers and slamming his younger sister on the family’s backyard trampoline.
“He’d say, ’Hey, Daddy, look what I did! I did the Undertaker’s move!”’ the proud father said.
Now James Laurinaitis is ready to follow in his dad’s footsteps as a professional athlete, only in the NFL instead of the WWE.
Joe is the face-painted, mohawked menace known as Animal, part of the legendary Road Warriors and Legion of Doom. While other kids’ dads worked more predictable jobs for a living, James’ old man stepped into the squared circle, hit people with chairs and put them in sleeper holds.
At home, though, he was just dad — with a twist.
“There’s the face paint, and he still has a mohawk for his haircut and it’s been 25 years he’s had that,” James said with a chuckle. “But he never brought Animal home. Even my friends in school, they always knew him as Coach Joe or James’ dad. Not Animal. My friends didn’t know him that way. He always did a great job of just keeping it separate.”
After starting at linebacker the last three years at Ohio State, James is preparing for the NFL draft on April 25. A two-time Associated Press All-American, he is expected to go in the first round.
His father’s voice rises to a thundering growl — it’s even a little scary over the phone — when he considers that any team might consider another college linebacker ahead of his son.
“The only thing I wish for James is that he actually gets the respect he deserves and gets drafted where he deserves to go,” Joe snorts.
He concedes that James’ humility, even temperament and love of books came from his mother. But there are still signs that “Little Animal” is a chip off the ol’ block.
“Now he says, ’Anybody who gets drafted above me, I’m putting a picture on my wall and when I get ready to do my second contract, I’m going to see how many of those guys are still around the league,”’ Joe said.
Despite being best known as Animal, Joe was in most ways a typical father, coaching his kids’ teams, encouraging them from the stands, trying to teach them the rules of the game on one of the 100 or so days a year he wasn’t being a Road Warrior.
“He was a really good coach,” James said. “Some of the parents that didn’t know him, he would frighten them a little bit. They just saw this huge bark but there was never any bite. ... And it was not like he wore the biggest T-shirts either. He always had a shirt on that didn’t fit him that well and he was 310 pounds of muscle. Other coaches didn’t really want to mess with him.”
The Laurinaitis home, although conventional in many respects, was slightly off center in others. James, his younger sister Jessica (a college student) and older brother Joe (a police officer and expectant father in the Dayton area) lived a life different from their friends.
How many households have pay-per-view parties and invite the neighborhood over to watch daddy bash some guy’s head? How many kids have dads who know how to apply body paint?
“When they were younger and they would do things for school spirit or go to a high school football game, I would paint them up,” Joe said. “Like, James’ whole football team. I would be sitting there in the kitchen and there would be 10 or 12 kids over and I would paint the whole team up and then send them off to the game. Same if it was Halloween. James was me for Halloween for a few years there.”
Julie Laurinaitis wasn’t your typical mom, either. How many sons refer to their mother as “a beast” in a loving way?
“When she was about 20 years old she could dead lift 315 pounds,” James said. “She was a beast. But she was still tiny. She was a swimmer in high school and ran track. She definitely was long and lean. She would play quarterback in the backyard. When we were in kindergarten, waiting for the bus, she would be the one throwing me the football. She took a beating raising the three of us.”
Growing up, James played baseball (a catcher, like his dad), wrestled and was a defenseman in hockey. A friend and teammate in middle school was Blake Wheeler, one of the top rookies in the NHL this season with the Boston Bruins.
But football appealed to James’ sense of order. He played quarterback on offense, then switched to linebacker when the other team had the ball. His father would say to him, “If you were quarterbacking, what play would you call now?” It helped James to think ahead, to anticipate what an offense would do. It’s a trait that he carried over to his college days, when his intuition paid big dividends.
The most decorated linebacker ever at Ohio State, he was a two-time Big Ten defensive player of the year, won the Nagurski Award as a sophomore, the Butkus Award the next year and the Lott Award as a senior.
One wonders if he would have been such an accomplished athlete if his father had been or claims adjuster or a senator.
“That’s a good question,” he said. “I don’t think so, not with the way my dad used to train and the genetics he gave me. If he didn’t love sports, maybe I’m not an athlete at all. There’s a lot of what ifs there.
“If he had chosen another profession, no matter what he’d have been my coach and he’d want me to do sports. Sometimes parents’ interests have to get a kid going.”

Monday, April 20, 2009

2009 NBA Awards



the following are different articles dealing with the nba awards race from espn, cbssports, and si. i thought you would like to have all in one article so it would be easier to read. i agree with most of them: i have LeBron as MVP, Mike Brown as Coach of the Year, Danny Granger as Most Improved, D. Howard as Def. MVP, OJ Mayo as Rookie of the year, I also have a new award...... Biggest Disappointment of the Year: GREG ODEN! What do you think?????????




www.espn.com's NBA mvp votes 18 total votes from 18 diff. sports writers at espn. As you can tell only one idiot voted against LeBron for 1st place........ Jon Barry!! Maybe that is why he didn't last in the league very long. DUH!!!!!!


The tally
1. LeBron James: 89 points (17 first-place votes, 1 second)

2. Dwyane Wade: 62 points (1 first-place vote, 8 second, 7 third, 2 fourth)

3. Kobe Bryant: 53 points (8 second-place votes, 5 third, 1 fourth, 4 fifth)

4. Dwight Howard: 31 points (1 second-place vote, 2 third, 10 fourth, 1 fifth)

5. Chris Paul: 22 points (3 third-place votes, 3 fourth, 7 fifth)

6. Chauncey Billups: 8 points (1 third-place vote, 1 fourth, 3 fifth)

7. Paul Pierce: 3 points (1 fourth-place vote, 1 fifth)

8. Tony Parker: 2 points (2 fifth-place votes)





NBA Awards picked by www.si.com Ian Thomsen and Chris Mannix

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Ian Thomsen
LeBron James
FORWARD
PPG RPG APG SPG
28.4 7.6 7.2 1.69

2. Kobe Bryant, G, Lakers
3. Dwyane Wade, G, Heat
4. Chris Paul, G, Hornets
5. Dwight Howard, C, Magic
To think that LeBron has yet to peak. At 24, he has led the Cavs to the league's best record and an improvement of at least 21 victories while accumulating the numbers of a modern-day Oscar Robertson. Bryant edges Wade for second because nothing in the regular season is more valuable than leading a team into championship contention. Which does not diminish the accomplishments of Wade, who is the reason Miami is back in the playoffs after its 67-loss season in 2007-08.
Chris Mannix
LeBron James
FORWARD
PPG RPG APG SPG
28.4 7.6 7.2 1.69

2. Kobe Bryant, G, Lakers
3. Dwyane Wade, G, Heat
4. Chris Paul, G, Hornets
5. Dwight Howard, C, Magic
In addition to his overwhelming offensive play, James has developed Tayshaun Prince-like defensive skills (if he's within 30 feet of the ball when a fast break starts, he's a threat to block a shot) and a Steve Nash-like ability to raise his teammates' games. The truly frightening fact is that the six-year veteran is far from a finished product. With some improvements in his on-the-ball defense and post game, James could be the runaway winner of this award for the next five years.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Ian Thomsen
Derrick Rose
GUARD
PPG RPG APG FG%
16.8 3.9 6.3 47.5

2. Brook Lopez, C, Nets
3. O.J. Mayo, G, Grizzlies
Not only does Rose promise to eventually join Chris Paul and Deron Williams among the top point guards in the league, but he also showed instant leadership of a Bulls franchise that had been seeking an elite star since Michael Jordan. The Nets have their center for the next decade in Lopez, a huge steal with the No. 10 pick. Mayo holds on for the bronze despite a second-half sprint to the finish by Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook.
Chris Mannix
Derrick Rose
GUARD
PPG RPG APG FG%
16.8 3.9 6.3 47.5

2. O.J. Mayo, G, Grizzlies
3. Brook Lopez, C, Nets
I had Mayo on top most of the season, but his swoon in March combined with Rose's leading the red-hot Bulls into the playoffs clinched it for the Chicago point guard. Manning the NBA's most complex position like a 10-year vet, Rose has been consistent from start (18.9 points, 6.1 assists in November) to finish (19.0 points, 6.8 assists in April). Mayo may still turn out to be a star, but Rose is poised to join the elite class of point guards next season.

COACH OF THE YEAR
Ian Thomsen
Mike Brown
WINS LOSES
66 15

2. Rick Adelman, Rockets
3. Erik Spoelstra, Heat
A dozen others could be recognized but no one is more deserving than Brown, who has emphasized defense while building a team around LeBron that resembles the dynamic Phil Jackson created in Chicago several years ago. Adelman started the year developing a half-court offense through Tracy McGrady and finished it winning with two young, up-tempo point guards (Aaron Brooks and Kyle Lowry) and a defense anchored by Shane Battier, Ron Artest and Luis Scola. Spoelstra put together the league's biggest one-year improvement as a rookie coach.
Chris Mannix
Stan Van Gundy
WINS LOSES
58 23

2. Mike Brown, Cavaliers
3. Nate McMillan, Trail Blazers
You could make a case for the coach who has taken his team from rags to riches (Spoelstra); the coach who has led his young team to the brink of hosting a first-round playoff series (McMillan); the coach whose team has dominated all season (Brown); or a few other strong candidates. But Van Gundy gets my vote for transitioning from one starting point guard (Jameer Nelson) to another (Rafer Alston) without skipping a beat, for developing spindly Rashard Lewis into an All-Star power forward and for molding a team of fourth-quarter killers (51-1 when leading with five minutes left).

SIXTH MAN AWARD
Ian Thomsen
Jason Terry
GUARD
PPG APG FG% FT%
19.5 3.4 46.1 88.0

2. Nate Robinson, G, Knicks
3. Chris Andersen, F-C, Nuggets
Terry, a starter most of his career, has a higher scoring average than any of the last 18 Sixth Man winners. He has been a steady presence for playoff-bound Dallas. Robinson (16.6 points in 62 games as a sub) had several big performances for the Knicks. Andersen (2.46 blocks) provided crucial production in limited minutes.
Chris Mannix
Jason Terry
GUARD
PPG APG FG% FT%
19.5 3.4 46.1 88.0

2. Nate Robinson, G, Knicks
3. Travis Outlaw, F, Trail Blazers
Terry is a valuable contributor on a playoff team who always seems to be operating under control. Robinson is also an explosive scorer; that's the good. The bad is that he is reckless with the ball, makes as many boneheaded plays as he does spectacular ones and often has looked to be one turnover away from being throttled by his coach. Advantage, Terry.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
Ian Thomsen
Danny Granger
FORWARD
PPG RPG BPG 3PG%
25.7 5.0 1.42 40.0

2. Devin Harris, G, Nets
3. Kevin Durant, F, Thunder
Granger does a lot of scoring and a good deal of everything else for the Pacers, who were forced to rely entirely on him because of a near-year-long knee injury to Mike Dunleavy. Harris made the most of the opportunities drawn up for him by coach Lawrence Frank to join Granger as a first-time All-Star. Durant turned from an erratic rookie into a budding star who looks like he'll be dominant sooner than later.
Chris Mannix
Devin Harris
GUARD
PPG APG SPG FT%
21.3 6.9 1.65 82.0

2. Paul Millsap, F, Jazz
3. David Lee, F, Knicks
I don't understand some voters. Kevin Durant? He was the No. 2 pick in the draft last season. Danny Granger? He was already nearly a 20-point-per-game scorer and good enough to warrant a $60 million contract in the offseason. This award belongs to a player who burst onto the scene to become a star. No player fits that description better than Harris, who improved his scoring average an NBA-best 6.5 points.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ian Thomsen
Dwight Howard
CENTER
DRPG BPG SPG MPG
9.6 2.92 .97 35.9

2. LeBron James, F, Cavaliers
3. Kevin Garnett, F, Celtics
Known as a finesse three-point team, the Magic rank No. 3 in field-goal defense because Howard controls the defensive boards and the paint. James has committed to defending, which is a big reason why the Cavs rank in the top two in scoring and shooting defense. Though KG sat for most of the final two months, his fingerprints are all over Boston's NBA-leading field-goal defense.
Chris Mannix
Dwight Howard
CENTER
DRPG BPG SPG MPG
9.6 2.92 .97 35.9

2. Kevin Garnett, F, Celtics
3. Kobe Bryant, G, LA Lakers
As tempted as I was to vote for Shane Battier, Ron Artest or Bryant, it's impossible to overlook Howard's accomplishments for the Magic, who have become a top defensive team. Howard is set to join Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton, Hakeem Olajuwon and Ben Wallace as the only players to lead the NBA in rebounding and blocked shots.

ALL-NBA TEAMS
First Team

Ian Thomsen
Kobe Bryant
GUARD
PPG RPG APG SPG
26.8 5.2 4.9 1.46

Dwyane Wade
GUARD
PPG RPG APG SPG
30.2 5.0 7.5 2.19

LeBron James
FORWARD
PPG RPG APG SPG
28.4 7.6 7.2 1.69

Paul Pierce
FORWARD
PPG RPG APG FG%
20.5 5.6 3.6 45.7

Dwight Howard
CENTER
PPG RPG BPG FG%
20.7 13.9 2.92 57.4



Chris Mannix
Kobe Bryant
GUARD
PPG RPG APG SPG
26.8 5.2 4.9 1.46

Dwyane Wade
GUARD
PPG RPG APG SPG
30.2 5.0 7.5 2.19

LeBron James
FORWARD
PPG RPG APG SPG
28.4 7.6 7.2 1.69

Tim Duncan
FORWARD
PPG RPG APG BPG
19.3 10.6 3.5 1.69

Dwight Howard
CENTER
PPG RPG BPG FG%
20.7 13.9 2.92 57.4




Second Team
G Chris Paul, Hornets
G Brandon Roy, Trail Blazers
F Tim Duncan, Spurs
F Pau Gasol, Lakers
C Yao Ming, Rockets
G Chris Paul, Hornets
G Brandon Roy, Trail Blazers
F Paul Pierce, Celtics
F Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks
C Yao Ming, Rockets


Third Team
G Tony Parker, Spurs
G Deron Williams, Jazz
F Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks
F Chris Bosh, Raptors
C Shaquille O'Neal, Suns

Pierce is a first-teamer because of his leadership in Garnett's absence. Gasol stepped into Andrew Bynum's role at midseason while posting terrific numbers. Roy is a shadow MVP as the league's least-recognized fourth-quarter star. Bosh is to Toronto as Garnett was recently to Minnesota, a proud star who holds up his end regardless of others' failings. The most difficult omissions were Joe Johnson (nosed out by Parker) and KG (who missed too many games).
G Tony Parker, Spurs
G Deron Williams, Jazz
F Kevin Garnett, Celtics
F Pau Gasol, Lakers
C Shaquille O'Neal, Suns

Wade's season was enough to bump Paul from the first team. Williams, who was slowed by an ankle injury early in the season, came on strong in the second half to edge Joe Johnson on the third team. Shaq returns to the All-NBA team thanks to his best season in three years. There was no room for New Orleans forward David West, among others. Along with Paul, West has kept the injury-plagued Hornets viable in the Western Conference.





articles on nba awards
ken berger www.cbssports.com
Awards: By royal decree, King James ends MVP debate

It's the argument that never ends. What does MVP mean? It's time to stop it. It's not that hard.
Stop trying to dissect, redefine, interpret and reinterpret what should be the simplest award in any sport. Don't get caught up in trivial matters such as the meaning of words. The ultimate team award in any sport is the championship trophy. It goes to whichever team wins the championship -- the team that had the best season. And so the greatest individual honor in any sport should be decided the same way. It should go to the player who had the best season.
You can try to parse the meaning of the award by offering whatever spin you like on the meaning of the word "valuable." But that is the ultimate subjective judgment. Year-end awards are always subjective by nature, but that doesn't mean I have to decide them based on hypotheticals. How do we know how good Cleveland would be without LeBron as compared to, say, how good the Heat would be without Dwyane Wade, the Magic would be without Dwight Howard, or the Thunder would be without Kevin Durant, for crying out loud? That's not the point. The point is, how good were these teams with their best player?
So, enough. The MVP trophy is the greatest individual honor, and it goes to the individual player who had the best season.

Pretty simple. That's why the MVP ballot I'm submitting to the NBA by 3 p.m. ET Thursday looks like this:

1. LeBron James
2. Dwyane Wade
3. Kobe Bryant
4. Chris Paul
5. Dwight Howard


LeBron was the most dominant force in the game by any measure -- individual statistics, team success and how those two were related. He imposed his will more than any other player on all aspects of the game -– halfcourt offense, halfcourt defense and transition. His team had the best record in the league, largely because of him. You can carve up the statistics of my top three -- James, Wade and Bryant -- any way you like. They're comparable in most significant areas and divergent in every way you'd expect. (James, a small forward, was a better rebounder. Bryant, the perimeter assassin, was the best 3-point shooter. Wade, a great off-ball defender, was second only to Paul in steals.) Among them, the Big Three accounted for seven of the 10 50-point games in the league this season –- three apiece for James and Wade, one for Kobe. And Kobe's was the most memorable, the Roger Maris (61) he dropped at Madison Square Garden in February.
So with such closely matched statistical accomplishments, what should the tipping point be? It's a question I posed to all three of my finalists -- or was present when someone else posed it -- at one point or another this season. LeBron had the best answer.
"No idea," he said. "I'm glad I'm not on the board of selecting the MVP. There's a lot of MVP candidates out there -- myself and Kobe and Dwyane and Dwight and Chris Paul. There's a lot of guys. For me as an individual, I just try to put our team in position to win ballgames every time we go out there. And that's all I can do."
And that's what he did, better than anyone else in the NBA. He did it with his offense, his passing, his defense -- both on and off the ball -- and with his leadership, charisma, speed and brute force. I don't know how else to explain it, other than to say he was the best player in the league this season, and I defy anyone to tell me otherwise.

Here's the rest of my awards ballot for 2008-09:

Rookie of the Year
1. Derrick Rose, Bulls
2. O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies
3. Brook Lopez, Nets


Rose had the biggest impact of any rookie, starting at point guard from Day 1 and leading his team to the playoffs. Not only that, he kept the Bulls on course after a deadline trade that changed the offensive and locker room dynamics.
Russell Westbrook came on around midseason, but Mayo had the more consistent year, shot a higher percentage (overall and on threes), and toiled in just as much obscurity. I gave Lopez the slight edge over Minnesota's Kevin Love because he started more games, shot a higher percentage, and blocked more shots.

Coach of the Year
1. Rick Adelman, Rockets
2. Stan Van Gundy, Magic
3. George Karl, Nuggets


The Rockets started the season without Shane Battier, finished it without Tracy McGrady and made the whole Ron Artest thing work. If that doesn't earn you Coach of the Year honors, tell me what does.
Van Gundy got a talented, sometimes nonchalant group to focus on the details -- and didn't panic when Jameer Nelson went down. The Spurs' Gregg Popovich deserves plenty of consideration, especially considering the injuries to Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili and the way the coach seamlessly integrated Matt Bonner, Roger Mason, Ime Udoka and rookie George Hill into the most startlingly efficient -- if banged-up -- operation in the league. But my third vote goes to Karl, who had his hands full with Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith and who provided the most important part of the following equation: great point guard + great coach = team success.

Defensive Player of the Year
1. Dwight Howard, Magic
2. LeBron James, Cavaliers
3. Dwyane Wade, Heat


When you lead the league in rebounds and blocks, as Howard did, you have pretty much staked your claim to this award.
Battier should be on this list every year except this one; he missed too many games. Same for Kevin Garnett. So that opened my mind to some out-of-the-box thinking. For an award usually dominated by specialists, I'm going with great all-around players for my other two picks. According to 82games.com, LeBron led all the top contenders in defensive efficiency; when he was on the floor, the Cavs gave up 7.3 fewer points per 100 possessions than when he wasn't. Wade was the only player in the league with at least 100 blocks and 100 steals and became the first player 6-4 or shorter to record 100 blocks in a season.


Sixth Man Award
1. Jason Terry, Mavericks
2. Travis Outlaw, Trail Blazers
3. J.R. Smith, Nuggets


It's hard to average 20 points a game in the NBA; even harder when you come off the bench. Thus Terry (19.5 ppg) gets the nod.
You can't leave a member of the most productive bench in the league off your sixth-man ballot; thus, Portland's Outlaw slides into the two hole. Smith doesn't like coming off the bench in Denver, but there's no debating he's good at it. Smith had 18 20-point games, and sealed his status as a top sixth man with 45 Tuesday night against Sacramento. His play has been one of the biggest reasons the Chauncey Billups trade paid such lofty dividends.

Most Improved
1. Devin Harris, Nets
2. Danny Granger, Pacers
3. Paul Millsap, Jazz


If I'd been deciding this at the All-Star break, my first vote would've gone to Chris Duhon, who went from being a pariah in Chicago to a capable floor general in New York. But Duhon's nagging injuries and the dramatic drop in his production knocked him out of my top three.
The change of scenery and increased role in New Jersey certainly agreed with Harris, who increased his averages in all the major categories and earned his first All-Star nod. It's scary to contemplate where the Mavericks would be if they hadn't traded him.
Granger became the first player in NBA history to increase his scoring average by five or more points in three successive seasons. Without Millsap, the Jazz would've been dead in the water when Carlos Boozer went down.
One caveat: Nene deserves a nod here, considering he came back from testicular cancer and increased his scoring average (5.3 to 14.6) and rebounding average (5.4 to 7.8). But those numbers aren't dramatically higher than his averages two years ago (12.2 ppg and 7.0 rpg), so it's hard to justify a most-improved vote. If the NBA still awarded Comeback Player of the Year, Nene would've gotten my vote.