Great, now I just jinxed the Cubs again and will probably watch the Cards come back from a 2-0 deficit....
Friday, October 9, 2009
Maybe I should write something...
But I like to let the pictures do the talking...
Great, now I just jinxed the Cubs again and will probably watch the Cards come back from a 2-0 deficit....
Great, now I just jinxed the Cubs again and will probably watch the Cards come back from a 2-0 deficit....
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Look at the first half; Predictions for the second
Well, let's take a look at some of those pre-season predictions that yours truly said would happen.
AL Winners: Rays, Twins, Angels, Yankees as WC
Well, If the season ended today, the Angels and Yankees would be in the playoffs. The Rays have struggled a little this season and the Twins are still four back. I still both teams have not played up to their potential and are capable of making a run during the second half. Both have had some pitching problems and when it comes around, they will be tough to beat
AL MVP: Mark Teixiera
Under the radar: Justin Morneau
AL Player to falter: Dustin Pedroia
Both Teixiera and Morneau are MVP canidates and will continue to fight to get the award. Jason Bay is another canidate as is Morneau's teammate, Joe Mauer. This will be a tight race as nobody has really distanced themselves from the others. As for Pedroia, he is having a good year, but it won't compare to last year. He his hitting 20 points lower and only has 4 home runs so far. Again, a very good player, but nowhere near where he was in production from the last year.
AL Cy Young: Roy Halladay
AL Cy Yuk: AJ Burnett
If Halladay gets to stay in the American League, it will be a two horse race between him and Zack Grienke for the Cy Young. This could be something like Lincecum and Santana did last year in the NL. Burnett hasn't been bad, but he hasn't been great either...he leads the AL in walks, but has an 8-4 record to go along with an ERA under 4.00. If I had to choose a Cy Yuk, it would be Fausto Carmona, who has been demoted.
Five position players that will breakout:
Adam Jones, OF, Baltimore Orioles....umm...Check! All-Star! Absolutely raking!
Kendry Morales, 1B, Los Angeles Angels....he is starting to play everyday and showing he belongs. Has been hitting over .300 since June 1st.
Alexei Ramirez, SS, Chicago White Sox....In the middle of May, he was batting .200. That average is up to .280. Ramirez is really starting to come around, has shown more plate discipline and has the speed and the power. I would say he is on his way!
Shin-Soo Choo, OF, Cleveland Indians....Choo is hitting over .290 with double digits in steals and home runs. He is one of the few bright spots on the roster and looks like he will be in the Indians outfield for years to come.
Alex Gordon, 3B, Kansas City Royals....Injuries have made him worthless this year.
Five pitchers that will breakout:
Joakim Soria, RP, Kansas City Royals....Soria has been dominating has a closer with a brief moment on the DL. You should have heard of him by now
Kevin Slowey, SP, Minnesota Twins....Slowey started off cold and picked it up in May and early June. He is on the DL now, but still has 10 wins and a very solid K:BB ratio
David Price, SP, Tampa Bay Rays....Price finally got the call up and looks like he won't be back down ever again. He has had his ups and downs but you can see why he was a number one pick
Brett Anderson, SP, Oakland A's.... As with all young pitchers, has been good and bad. Remember, he is still only 21 years old...
Rick Porcello, SP, Detroit Tigers...Started off very fast and has cooled off since then. Still has nasty stuff but I would like to see more strikeouts.
NL Winners: Mets, Cubs, Dodgers, Phillies as WC
The Mets and Cubs have been devastated by injuries. For the Mets, Delgado, Reyes, Beltran have all been on the DL. The bullpen is much better than previous years, but they need to get healthy quickly if they want to make a run. The Cubs have had two, count them, TWO games with their opening day lineup. If Soriano and Bradley ever start hitting, this will be a very dangerous team. The Phillies just signed Pedro and along with the Dodgers are both trying to pry away Halladay from the Blue Jays. Both of those teams should make the playoffs.
NL MVP: Manny Ramirez
Under the radar: Hanley Ramirez
NL Player to falter: Ryan Ludwick
When you get suspended for 50 games, you aren't winning the MVP. The way Hanley has played the first half puts him in the race. Unfortunately for him, he has Albert Pujols in the way. But, unfortunately for Pujols he has Ryan Ludwick and others hitting behind him with a batting average of .240. Pujols should not be thrown to the rest of the year and will be on Ludwick and others to carry the Cardinals.
NL Cy Young: Johan Santana
NL Cy Yuk: Roy Oswalt
Johan started out filthy, but had an ERA over 6.00 in June. He is going to have a tough time to catch either Lincecum or Dan Haren. Oswalt strugged the first two months, but is starting to come around. I don't usually fault guys for being hurt, but Brad Lidge is nowhere close to the form he was last year and would probably get the award at the moment.
Five position players that will breakout:
Andre Ethier, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers....Ethier strugged a little bit with Manny out of the lineup, but has had some huge walk-off hits for the Dodgers. He will be a great player.
Stephen Drew, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks....Drew was injured early in the season, but has been raking since he came off the DL. It looks like he is on his way though.
Elijah Dukes, OF, Washington Nationals....Was given a chance and now is back in the minors.
Justin Upton, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks....An absolute beast in right field with power, speed, and average. He will be a very, very special player.
Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds....Votto has missed a huge portion of the season, but while he has been playing, all has done is hit over .350 with power.
Five pitchers that will breakout:
Ricky Nolasco, SP, Florida Marlins....Sent to the minors, but has been dominant since he has been back.
Chris Volsted, SP, Florida Marlins....Up and down just like the other young pitchers.
Jonathan Sanchez, SP, San Francisco Giants....Also sent to the minors, came back and threw a no-hitter. The stuff is there, can he keep it together?
Sean Marshall, SP, Chicago Cubs....Sent to the bullpen since the Cubs needed a lefty out there. Been a great reliever, might get chance to start in second half.
Yovani Gallardo, SP Milwaukee Brewers....He has been filthy and carried the Brewers pitching staff.
Second half predictions:
AL East: Red Sox. They have the Yankees number this year and have enough pieces to pick up whatever they may need at the deadline.
AL Central: Twins. I think the pitching will come around and they can catch the Tigers and the White sox.
AL West: Angels. The Mariners and especially the Rangers will make things much more interesting than they were last year
AL Wild Card: Rays. I think they can hold off the Yankees...especially with the lack of pitching the Yankees have.
AL MVP: Justin Morneau. Expect a big second half from him.
AL Cy Young: Roy Halladay if he stays, Zack Grienke if he doesn't.
NL East: Phillies. The Mets aren't healthy, the Braves & Marlins both have issues. Phillies also could make a move to get Halladay
NL Central: Brewers. If the pitching holds up, they will make the playoffs easily holding off the Cubs and Cardinals.
NL West: Dodgers. With Manny fully back, they will run away with the division. Pitching and hitting is already top notch.
NL Wild Card: Cubs. If this team gets healthy and starts to hit, watch out. The pitching has been there all season, just need some timely hits.
NL MVP: Albert Pujols. Only because of his first half. He shouldn't get pitched too the rest of the year...but he still will for some odd reason. GIVE HIM THE BONDS TREATMENT!
NL Cy Young: Tim Lincecum. Any questions?
Playoffs:
AL Division: Red Sox over Twins, Angels over Rays
NL Division: Dodgers over Cubs, Phillies over Brewers
AL Championship: Angels over Red Sox
NL Championship: Dodgers over Phillies
World Series: Dodgers over Angels in 6.
AL Winners: Rays, Twins, Angels, Yankees as WC
Well, If the season ended today, the Angels and Yankees would be in the playoffs. The Rays have struggled a little this season and the Twins are still four back. I still both teams have not played up to their potential and are capable of making a run during the second half. Both have had some pitching problems and when it comes around, they will be tough to beat
AL MVP: Mark Teixiera
Under the radar: Justin Morneau
AL Player to falter: Dustin Pedroia
Both Teixiera and Morneau are MVP canidates and will continue to fight to get the award. Jason Bay is another canidate as is Morneau's teammate, Joe Mauer. This will be a tight race as nobody has really distanced themselves from the others. As for Pedroia, he is having a good year, but it won't compare to last year. He his hitting 20 points lower and only has 4 home runs so far. Again, a very good player, but nowhere near where he was in production from the last year.
AL Cy Young: Roy Halladay
AL Cy Yuk: AJ Burnett
If Halladay gets to stay in the American League, it will be a two horse race between him and Zack Grienke for the Cy Young. This could be something like Lincecum and Santana did last year in the NL. Burnett hasn't been bad, but he hasn't been great either...he leads the AL in walks, but has an 8-4 record to go along with an ERA under 4.00. If I had to choose a Cy Yuk, it would be Fausto Carmona, who has been demoted.
Five position players that will breakout:
Adam Jones, OF, Baltimore Orioles....umm...Check! All-Star! Absolutely raking!
Kendry Morales, 1B, Los Angeles Angels....he is starting to play everyday and showing he belongs. Has been hitting over .300 since June 1st.
Alexei Ramirez, SS, Chicago White Sox....In the middle of May, he was batting .200. That average is up to .280. Ramirez is really starting to come around, has shown more plate discipline and has the speed and the power. I would say he is on his way!
Shin-Soo Choo, OF, Cleveland Indians....Choo is hitting over .290 with double digits in steals and home runs. He is one of the few bright spots on the roster and looks like he will be in the Indians outfield for years to come.
Alex Gordon, 3B, Kansas City Royals....Injuries have made him worthless this year.
Five pitchers that will breakout:
Joakim Soria, RP, Kansas City Royals....Soria has been dominating has a closer with a brief moment on the DL. You should have heard of him by now
Kevin Slowey, SP, Minnesota Twins....Slowey started off cold and picked it up in May and early June. He is on the DL now, but still has 10 wins and a very solid K:BB ratio
David Price, SP, Tampa Bay Rays....Price finally got the call up and looks like he won't be back down ever again. He has had his ups and downs but you can see why he was a number one pick
Brett Anderson, SP, Oakland A's.... As with all young pitchers, has been good and bad. Remember, he is still only 21 years old...
Rick Porcello, SP, Detroit Tigers...Started off very fast and has cooled off since then. Still has nasty stuff but I would like to see more strikeouts.
NL Winners: Mets, Cubs, Dodgers, Phillies as WC
The Mets and Cubs have been devastated by injuries. For the Mets, Delgado, Reyes, Beltran have all been on the DL. The bullpen is much better than previous years, but they need to get healthy quickly if they want to make a run. The Cubs have had two, count them, TWO games with their opening day lineup. If Soriano and Bradley ever start hitting, this will be a very dangerous team. The Phillies just signed Pedro and along with the Dodgers are both trying to pry away Halladay from the Blue Jays. Both of those teams should make the playoffs.
NL MVP: Manny Ramirez
Under the radar: Hanley Ramirez
NL Player to falter: Ryan Ludwick
When you get suspended for 50 games, you aren't winning the MVP. The way Hanley has played the first half puts him in the race. Unfortunately for him, he has Albert Pujols in the way. But, unfortunately for Pujols he has Ryan Ludwick and others hitting behind him with a batting average of .240. Pujols should not be thrown to the rest of the year and will be on Ludwick and others to carry the Cardinals.
NL Cy Young: Johan Santana
NL Cy Yuk: Roy Oswalt
Johan started out filthy, but had an ERA over 6.00 in June. He is going to have a tough time to catch either Lincecum or Dan Haren. Oswalt strugged the first two months, but is starting to come around. I don't usually fault guys for being hurt, but Brad Lidge is nowhere close to the form he was last year and would probably get the award at the moment.
Five position players that will breakout:
Andre Ethier, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers....Ethier strugged a little bit with Manny out of the lineup, but has had some huge walk-off hits for the Dodgers. He will be a great player.
Stephen Drew, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks....Drew was injured early in the season, but has been raking since he came off the DL. It looks like he is on his way though.
Elijah Dukes, OF, Washington Nationals....Was given a chance and now is back in the minors.
Justin Upton, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks....An absolute beast in right field with power, speed, and average. He will be a very, very special player.
Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds....Votto has missed a huge portion of the season, but while he has been playing, all has done is hit over .350 with power.
Five pitchers that will breakout:
Ricky Nolasco, SP, Florida Marlins....Sent to the minors, but has been dominant since he has been back.
Chris Volsted, SP, Florida Marlins....Up and down just like the other young pitchers.
Jonathan Sanchez, SP, San Francisco Giants....Also sent to the minors, came back and threw a no-hitter. The stuff is there, can he keep it together?
Sean Marshall, SP, Chicago Cubs....Sent to the bullpen since the Cubs needed a lefty out there. Been a great reliever, might get chance to start in second half.
Yovani Gallardo, SP Milwaukee Brewers....He has been filthy and carried the Brewers pitching staff.
Second half predictions:
AL East: Red Sox. They have the Yankees number this year and have enough pieces to pick up whatever they may need at the deadline.
AL Central: Twins. I think the pitching will come around and they can catch the Tigers and the White sox.
AL West: Angels. The Mariners and especially the Rangers will make things much more interesting than they were last year
AL Wild Card: Rays. I think they can hold off the Yankees...especially with the lack of pitching the Yankees have.
AL MVP: Justin Morneau. Expect a big second half from him.
AL Cy Young: Roy Halladay if he stays, Zack Grienke if he doesn't.
NL East: Phillies. The Mets aren't healthy, the Braves & Marlins both have issues. Phillies also could make a move to get Halladay
NL Central: Brewers. If the pitching holds up, they will make the playoffs easily holding off the Cubs and Cardinals.
NL West: Dodgers. With Manny fully back, they will run away with the division. Pitching and hitting is already top notch.
NL Wild Card: Cubs. If this team gets healthy and starts to hit, watch out. The pitching has been there all season, just need some timely hits.
NL MVP: Albert Pujols. Only because of his first half. He shouldn't get pitched too the rest of the year...but he still will for some odd reason. GIVE HIM THE BONDS TREATMENT!
NL Cy Young: Tim Lincecum. Any questions?
Playoffs:
AL Division: Red Sox over Twins, Angels over Rays
NL Division: Dodgers over Cubs, Phillies over Brewers
AL Championship: Angels over Red Sox
NL Championship: Dodgers over Phillies
World Series: Dodgers over Angels in 6.
Friday, June 12, 2009
And then there was ONE
One game. One goal. One dream. One more chance. Winner take all. Game SEVEN. Are you ready?
The National Hockey League, where we are finally off of life support happens! The NHL could not have scripted a better ending....except maybe an overtime to go with the game? The Detroit Red Wings trying to repeat as champions and bring some hope and joy to the city (like Michigan State failed to do) against the Pittsburgh Penguins and superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Gary Bettman has to be the happiest he has been in a LONG time.
Each team or city can claim their own fame with a victory tonight:
Detroit: Where we still have the Red Wings to cherish.
Pittsburgh: The city of champions (plus the Pirates).
If you want a recap from the previous six games, check out this article by Scott Burnside by clicking here! Or if you would rather get a game seven preview, check out this one.
This is truly what hockey needs. Two great teams going at each for sixty minutes (maybe more) to be crowned a champion. If the Red Wings play like they have at home all season and the playoffs, it should be a breeze. They need to come out early and push the Penguins around and establish their dominance on the home ice. The Penguins need to get a big game out of Crosby or Malkin or both. Neither have scored a point during the past two games. The biggest x-factor in this game will be Marc Andre-Fleury. If the Penguins goalie can fight off the Red Wings attack on the net, the Penguins might come out on top, if not, it will be another championship in Detroit.
The NHL: Where game SEVEN in the Finals happens. (Penguins 3-2)
The National Hockey League, where we are finally off of life support happens! The NHL could not have scripted a better ending....except maybe an overtime to go with the game? The Detroit Red Wings trying to repeat as champions and bring some hope and joy to the city (like Michigan State failed to do) against the Pittsburgh Penguins and superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Gary Bettman has to be the happiest he has been in a LONG time.
Each team or city can claim their own fame with a victory tonight:
Detroit: Where we still have the Red Wings to cherish.
Pittsburgh: The city of champions (plus the Pirates).
If you want a recap from the previous six games, check out this article by Scott Burnside by clicking here! Or if you would rather get a game seven preview, check out this one.
This is truly what hockey needs. Two great teams going at each for sixty minutes (maybe more) to be crowned a champion. If the Red Wings play like they have at home all season and the playoffs, it should be a breeze. They need to come out early and push the Penguins around and establish their dominance on the home ice. The Penguins need to get a big game out of Crosby or Malkin or both. Neither have scored a point during the past two games. The biggest x-factor in this game will be Marc Andre-Fleury. If the Penguins goalie can fight off the Red Wings attack on the net, the Penguins might come out on top, if not, it will be another championship in Detroit.
The NHL: Where game SEVEN in the Finals happens. (Penguins 3-2)
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Now, THAT is a ring!
Just stare at them. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. I guess that's what happens when you become World Champions for a SIXTH time! Anyways, if you want the full story about the rings go here: http://news.steelers.com/article/105667/ or if you want to read the story from the Post Gazette, visit: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09161/976217-66.stm
Friday, June 5, 2009
5 things that will fix the Cubs
Alrighty, this .500 record garbage is making me sick. This team should be winning more than it is losing. With that in mind, here are five things the Cubs can do to take control of the NL Central and get to the playoffs again.
- The easiest and most obvious is get healthy. When Rich Harden comes back, it will instantly upgrade our rotation and our bullpen. With him, Z, Dempster, Lilly and Wells, our bullpen can now go in order of 9th inning backwards: Gregg, Marmol, Guzman, Heilman, Marshall, and Ascanio. Sorry, the Patton experiment should be over. That should solve some of our bullpen issues.
- If something still fails in that bullpen, go and find a left handed reliever. There are two lefties out there that might be available for the right price. Jeremy Affeldt from the Giants and Dan Meyer from the Marlins. The Giants are looking for another batter and when Miles and Ramirez come back, we would have some extra infielders at our exposal. The Marlins always are looking for pitching as we have found out with many trades.
- In my mind, I still think we do not have an everyday second baseman. Look, Mike Fontenot is a great player. I just don't think you can play him a full week and especially against lefties. He can fill it at third and second when the Cubs are facing some tough righties. Rumor is Dan Uggla might be available and it would get the Cubs another right power bat. Another option might be Felipe Lopez from Arizona with the D'Backs falling mightily this year.
- TRADE for Jake Peavy. Look, Peavy will give up his no trade clause for the right team. That right team is the Chicago Cubs! Put together a package that would be acceptable for the Padres and snatch him up for the next four years!
- Don't do anything. What? Confused yet? Okay, when and if the Cubs stay healthy, we have already seen what their pitching will look like.
- OF's -- Soriano, Kosuke, Bradley (Johnson & Hoffpauir)
- IF's -- Ramirez, Theriot, Fontenot, Lee , Soto (Blanco, Scales, Freel, Hill)
This is a lineup if used properly can win games. Sori, Theriot, Fukudome, Ramirez, Bradley, D-Lee, Soto, Fontentot...or if Kosuke struggles like he did last year, switch him with D-Lee and go from there.
Don't panic Cubs fans. There is still plenty of time left in this season to win some more games!!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Lakers vs. Magic, who ya got?
THE NBA: "Where our dream match-up failed happens". Okay, so there is no Kobe vs. LeBron in this years NBA final like 95% of the watching public and David Stern wanted to happen. But, we still have a couple of intriguing things between the Los Angeles Lakers and the surprising Orlando Magic. Okay, maybe the Magic are just "happy to be here", but maybe not. If they play like they have since game 5 of the Boston series, Orlando will wrap up this series easily.
Here are the biggest storylines heading into the series.
Here are the biggest storylines heading into the series.
- Can Kobe Bryant win a title without Shaq? Kobe is 3-2 in the NBA Finals. The three wins came when Shaq was the best player on the team and that is indisputable. The two losses, Kobe was the best player and what did he do in those two series? In 2004 vs. Detroit, he averaged some great numbers (24-4-3, along with a 38% FG and 17% 3Pt) and last year against Boston he came away with (26-5-5, 40.5%, 32% and 4.7 TO's per game). Kobe needs a title without Shaq to defend his legacy and he is running out of time.
- Can Dwight Howard become the next great big man? Look, Dwight Howard is Superman, but is he more than that? All season, critics asked if he could be more mean and not have so much fun. If he plays like he did against the Cavs, he could be on his way to getting more than his share of NBA titles.
- Can Orlando continue to shoot the way they have the last 10 games and can L.A. defend them? Orlando has been shooting at a 45% clip from beyond the arc. Absolutely ridiculous and if it continues they will win this series. The Lakers have the players to match up with Orlando. Odom can check Lewis, Ariza checks Turkoglu, and Kobe can defend Alston. The Magic will no longer have 6'3 and 6'1 guards on them like they did in the Cleveland series.
- Can Jameer Nelson be effective? If Nelson plays and plays well, he will be the X-factor. Nobody on the Lakers can defend Nelson's quickness and getting him back is going to be a HUGE difference for Orlando.
- Can somebody else step up for Los Angeles? Andrew Bynum, this is for you! Derek Fisher? How about anybody coming off the bench? The Lakers would like you to play now.
- Will the referees continue to make dumb calls? Does this question really need to be asked?
- Last and most important...it is the individual match-up that we have been waiting for since 2006. We FINALLY get to see....J.J. REDICK vs. ADAM MORRISON with a championship on the line!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, who you got?
I have Lakers in six.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Tony Romo misses cut
In case you missed it, because you probably did, Tony Romo attempted to qualify for the 2009 U.S. Open. Romo started off with a fine round, shooting even on the front nine in the rain. However, the back nine was not as kind to him. He had a back nine score of 44, including five bogies and one triple-bogey. So, what can we say about Romo's golf game compared to his football career. Let's take a look:
2006: Romo started 11 games...first six games, he was 5-1, the last five he was 1-4 including a playoff loss
2007: Romo started 17 games...first thirteeen games, he was 12-1, the last four, he was 1-3 with another playoff loss
2008: Romo started 13 games...first nine games, he was 7-2, the last four, 1-3 again and the Cowboys missed the playoffs
I see some sort of correlation between his golf game and his football game...Tony Romo starts off hot and fades down the stretch...The stats don't lie!!!
2006: Romo started 11 games...first six games, he was 5-1, the last five he was 1-4 including a playoff loss
2007: Romo started 17 games...first thirteeen games, he was 12-1, the last four, he was 1-3 with another playoff loss
2008: Romo started 13 games...first nine games, he was 7-2, the last four, 1-3 again and the Cowboys missed the playoffs
I see some sort of correlation between his golf game and his football game...Tony Romo starts off hot and fades down the stretch...The stats don't lie!!!
Monday, May 4, 2009
It's a King's World and you are a witness.
FINALLY! The NBA got one right! LeBron James has been chosen by the NBA as the league's MVP.
Save the arguments. You absolutely can't tell me any legitimate reason why King James should NOT have been the MVP. So, please don't try. But, if you would like to argue, here are the justifications.
Stats:
LeBron: 28.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 7.2 apg, 48.9 FG%, 34.4 3Pt%, 78.0 FT%, 1.7 spg, 1.1 bpg, 2.9 topg
DWade: 30.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 7.5 apg, 49.1 FG%, 31.7 3Pt%, 76.5 FT%, 2.2 spg, 1.3 bpg, 3.4 topg
Kobe: 26.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.9 apg, 46.7 FG%, 35.1 3Pt%, 85.6 FT%, 1.5 spg, 0.4 bpg, 2.6 topg
What do the stats tell us? First of all, any MVP consideration based strictly off of statistics automatically can take Kobe off of the list. Kobe was outplayed (based on stats) by both LeBron and Wade. Here is another little nugget. DWade may have led the league in PPG, but he also led the league in shot attempts as well. And how about this. LeBron led his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. ALL FIVE CATEGORIES! Only three players have done this before: KG, Pippen, and Dave Cowens.
Team Improvement:
Cavs in 07-08: 45-37
Cavs in 08-09: 66-16
Cavs improve: 21 games
Heat in 07-08: 15-67
Heat in 08-09: 43-39
Heat improve: 28 games
Lakers in 07-08: 57-25
Lakers in 08-09: 65-17
Lakers improve: 12 games
As you can see the Heat improved the most of any of the three teams. However, they traded Shaq during mid-season and Wade only played in 51 games. Can you say tanked season? They changed more pieces between seasons than either the Cavs or Lakers and you knew they were tanking down the stretch to get either Rose or Beasley. The Lakers had Pau Gasol for an entire season this year and were coming off a finals loss. Do you really think the Cavs won 21 more games than last year because of Mo Williams? The Cavs and the Lakers finished with the league's best records while the Heat ended up getting the number five seed in the Eastern Conference. As many people say, "The MVP comes from the best player on the best team". So, that would eliminate DWade from their votes.
Let's put something else into perspective here. The Cavs had the second best home record in NBA history. They could have tied it, but rested their starters in the finale. The team that has the record is the 85-86 Boston Celtics, who had four hall of fame players on their team! The Cavs? Mo Williams was an all-star replacement....and that is about it!
LeBron CLEARLY was the best player in the league this year and he is only 24 years old and this is his sixth year in the league. You want something else to think about? Remember LeBron's stats from this year? Well, how about Kobe's stats from his sixth NBA year?
LeBron: 28.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 7.2 apg, 48.9 FG%, 34.4 3Pt%, 78.0 FT%, 1.7 spg, 1.1 bpg, 2.9 topg
Kobe: 25.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.5 apg, 46.9 FG%, 25.0% 3Pt%, 82.9 FT%, 1.5 spg, 0.4 bpg, 2.8 topg
And even though I shouldn't do it...when somebody else was 24 years old, they had:
35.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.9 apg, 53.5 FG%, 13.2 3Pt%, 84.1 FT%, 3.2 spg, 1.6 bpg, 3.1 topg
You will notice the points per game. The NBA has changed in the past 20 years. Scoring used to be way up and this guy played on one of the LEAST scoring teams in the league (they averaged 105 points per game...which was 19th out of 23 teams). That guy I am referring to is someone you may heard of. His name is Michael Jordan.
Look, there is no way I am comparing LeBron to MJ. It's not possible. Different leagues. I say to compare Jordan to anyone else is a joke. But that was just to put LeBron up against somebody else. However, I will compare LeBron to Kobe. And what do Kobe lovers always say? Look at the rings. Well, I say look at what Kobe did during those years. The last year the Lakers won the title was the 01-02 season. That was Kobe's sixth season. Kobe supposedly has been the best player since that time. And how many NBA titles has he had in that time? As many as LeBron does.
In his sixth year, LeBron has proven that he is the top player in the NBA. There are no questions about it. The scary part is that his ceiling has NOT been reached yet! If you think he is great now, just wait about four more years to see what he is like.
And if you still doubt him now, come back and see me in June after LeBron holds up the NBA trophy for the first time....
Save the arguments. You absolutely can't tell me any legitimate reason why King James should NOT have been the MVP. So, please don't try. But, if you would like to argue, here are the justifications.
Stats:
LeBron: 28.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 7.2 apg, 48.9 FG%, 34.4 3Pt%, 78.0 FT%, 1.7 spg, 1.1 bpg, 2.9 topg
DWade: 30.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 7.5 apg, 49.1 FG%, 31.7 3Pt%, 76.5 FT%, 2.2 spg, 1.3 bpg, 3.4 topg
Kobe: 26.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.9 apg, 46.7 FG%, 35.1 3Pt%, 85.6 FT%, 1.5 spg, 0.4 bpg, 2.6 topg
What do the stats tell us? First of all, any MVP consideration based strictly off of statistics automatically can take Kobe off of the list. Kobe was outplayed (based on stats) by both LeBron and Wade. Here is another little nugget. DWade may have led the league in PPG, but he also led the league in shot attempts as well. And how about this. LeBron led his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. ALL FIVE CATEGORIES! Only three players have done this before: KG, Pippen, and Dave Cowens.
Team Improvement:
Cavs in 07-08: 45-37
Cavs in 08-09: 66-16
Cavs improve: 21 games
Heat in 07-08: 15-67
Heat in 08-09: 43-39
Heat improve: 28 games
Lakers in 07-08: 57-25
Lakers in 08-09: 65-17
Lakers improve: 12 games
As you can see the Heat improved the most of any of the three teams. However, they traded Shaq during mid-season and Wade only played in 51 games. Can you say tanked season? They changed more pieces between seasons than either the Cavs or Lakers and you knew they were tanking down the stretch to get either Rose or Beasley. The Lakers had Pau Gasol for an entire season this year and were coming off a finals loss. Do you really think the Cavs won 21 more games than last year because of Mo Williams? The Cavs and the Lakers finished with the league's best records while the Heat ended up getting the number five seed in the Eastern Conference. As many people say, "The MVP comes from the best player on the best team". So, that would eliminate DWade from their votes.
Let's put something else into perspective here. The Cavs had the second best home record in NBA history. They could have tied it, but rested their starters in the finale. The team that has the record is the 85-86 Boston Celtics, who had four hall of fame players on their team! The Cavs? Mo Williams was an all-star replacement....and that is about it!
LeBron CLEARLY was the best player in the league this year and he is only 24 years old and this is his sixth year in the league. You want something else to think about? Remember LeBron's stats from this year? Well, how about Kobe's stats from his sixth NBA year?
LeBron: 28.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 7.2 apg, 48.9 FG%, 34.4 3Pt%, 78.0 FT%, 1.7 spg, 1.1 bpg, 2.9 topg
Kobe: 25.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.5 apg, 46.9 FG%, 25.0% 3Pt%, 82.9 FT%, 1.5 spg, 0.4 bpg, 2.8 topg
And even though I shouldn't do it...when somebody else was 24 years old, they had:
35.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.9 apg, 53.5 FG%, 13.2 3Pt%, 84.1 FT%, 3.2 spg, 1.6 bpg, 3.1 topg
You will notice the points per game. The NBA has changed in the past 20 years. Scoring used to be way up and this guy played on one of the LEAST scoring teams in the league (they averaged 105 points per game...which was 19th out of 23 teams). That guy I am referring to is someone you may heard of. His name is Michael Jordan.
Look, there is no way I am comparing LeBron to MJ. It's not possible. Different leagues. I say to compare Jordan to anyone else is a joke. But that was just to put LeBron up against somebody else. However, I will compare LeBron to Kobe. And what do Kobe lovers always say? Look at the rings. Well, I say look at what Kobe did during those years. The last year the Lakers won the title was the 01-02 season. That was Kobe's sixth season. Kobe supposedly has been the best player since that time. And how many NBA titles has he had in that time? As many as LeBron does.
In his sixth year, LeBron has proven that he is the top player in the NBA. There are no questions about it. The scary part is that his ceiling has NOT been reached yet! If you think he is great now, just wait about four more years to see what he is like.
And if you still doubt him now, come back and see me in June after LeBron holds up the NBA trophy for the first time....
Friday, April 24, 2009
The day before the draft...
Twas the day before the draft; when all across the land
Everyone seemed happy; except for booing Jets fans
The draft boards were hung in war rooms with care
Teams hoping their number one pick would still be there
The players wrestled with thoughts of their new threads
While visions of large amounts of money danced in their heads
And owners were thinking of how to make a rookie salary cap
Al Davis had just started to awaken from his long winter nap
When out of the Lions' room there arose such a clatter
It seemed they had just signed quarterback Matthew Stafford
Away to the televisions we ran with a laugh
Knowing Detroit had finally started the draft
The lights were turned up so we could see Kiper glow
While he mocked McShay about how his picks blow
When, what to our wondering eyes should appear
The NFL Countdown crew was finally here
With a giddy little host, so lively and quick
Berman was too anxious for the Rams to make the next pick
More players on the stage with jerseys they came
Roger Goodell mentioned them all by the right name
Now Smith!, now Curry!, now Crabtree and Jackson!
On Sanchez, on Raji!, on Orakpo and Maclin!
To the top of the draft! to the top of them all!
Be lucky your not one whose draft stock will fall!
Coaches kept to themselves but you could see a little sly
As the player they wanted kept getting passed by
They would grab the phone as fast as they could
Knowing that their draft was going to turn out good
And then, in a spark, we heard on the speakers
That Kiper thought two teams had just grabbed sleepers
The Vikings were almost out of time and started running around
Wondering if they would get passed again in the first round
Over in the green room there was a player still there
Knowing this must how Quinn felt the time he was here
Then a loud noise came popping in from the back
It looked like the Patriots were putting some videos in their packs
Another figure standing with his eyes twinkling, looking so merry
Coming from the new stadium and the crowd yelled JERRY!
He cracked a smile but we could see it was just a show
He couldn't have been more happier about getting rid of T.O.
While we were waiting for the next big move to be made
Drew Rosenhaus looked on waiting for his clients to be paid
Out came the last player from the green room with a big round belly
When he ran with his shirt off it looked like a blob of jelly
He was chubby and plump as if he had not trained
Even though he hired an agent before his last college game
Roger tried to finish the day but started to feel a little sick
Knowing he would soon have to deal with the problem known as Michael Vick
There were some who will be drafted that will go straight to work
They will fill their teams with joy knowing they aren't jerks
And those who pass on Curry and Crabtree will be out of their mind
They are the best players that will be drafted in two thousand and nine
Soon camps will come and head coaches finally get to blow their whistle
It will only be a matter of time before we see the first dismissal
As Mr. Irrelevant was chosen, the fans started to reflect on the past
The last words were spoken, THIS CONCLUDES THE 2009 DRAFT!
Everyone seemed happy; except for booing Jets fans
The draft boards were hung in war rooms with care
Teams hoping their number one pick would still be there
The players wrestled with thoughts of their new threads
While visions of large amounts of money danced in their heads
And owners were thinking of how to make a rookie salary cap
Al Davis had just started to awaken from his long winter nap
When out of the Lions' room there arose such a clatter
It seemed they had just signed quarterback Matthew Stafford
Away to the televisions we ran with a laugh
Knowing Detroit had finally started the draft
The lights were turned up so we could see Kiper glow
While he mocked McShay about how his picks blow
When, what to our wondering eyes should appear
The NFL Countdown crew was finally here
With a giddy little host, so lively and quick
Berman was too anxious for the Rams to make the next pick
More players on the stage with jerseys they came
Roger Goodell mentioned them all by the right name
Now Smith!, now Curry!, now Crabtree and Jackson!
On Sanchez, on Raji!, on Orakpo and Maclin!
To the top of the draft! to the top of them all!
Be lucky your not one whose draft stock will fall!
Coaches kept to themselves but you could see a little sly
As the player they wanted kept getting passed by
They would grab the phone as fast as they could
Knowing that their draft was going to turn out good
And then, in a spark, we heard on the speakers
That Kiper thought two teams had just grabbed sleepers
The Vikings were almost out of time and started running around
Wondering if they would get passed again in the first round
Over in the green room there was a player still there
Knowing this must how Quinn felt the time he was here
Then a loud noise came popping in from the back
It looked like the Patriots were putting some videos in their packs
Another figure standing with his eyes twinkling, looking so merry
Coming from the new stadium and the crowd yelled JERRY!
He cracked a smile but we could see it was just a show
He couldn't have been more happier about getting rid of T.O.
While we were waiting for the next big move to be made
Drew Rosenhaus looked on waiting for his clients to be paid
Out came the last player from the green room with a big round belly
When he ran with his shirt off it looked like a blob of jelly
He was chubby and plump as if he had not trained
Even though he hired an agent before his last college game
Roger tried to finish the day but started to feel a little sick
Knowing he would soon have to deal with the problem known as Michael Vick
There were some who will be drafted that will go straight to work
They will fill their teams with joy knowing they aren't jerks
And those who pass on Curry and Crabtree will be out of their mind
They are the best players that will be drafted in two thousand and nine
Soon camps will come and head coaches finally get to blow their whistle
It will only be a matter of time before we see the first dismissal
As Mr. Irrelevant was chosen, the fans started to reflect on the past
The last words were spoken, THIS CONCLUDES THE 2009 DRAFT!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
What's this? MOCK DRAFT 5.0
It has been ages since my last update...I think it is finally time to step up and do one more first round mock before my final copy comes out! Here we go...again...
1. Detroit Lions -- Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
--I've stayed with this pick throughout everything. The Lions should make sure this is signed, sealed and delivered before Saturday.
2. St. Louis Rams -- Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
--The Rams clearly need help on the line and Smith has become the top offensive lineman on the board. This should be an easy selection for St. Louis.
3. Kansas City Chiefs -- Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
--Remember way back when I said the Chiefs would get Cassel? Well, go look...it is there somewhere. This spot now is where Curry should reside. The Chiefs have slowly improved their team over the winter and this should help them to keep improving!
4. Seattle Seahawks -- Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
--Another one that I have said should have happened from the beginning. Crabtree is going to be a flat out stud in this league and if the Seahawks pass up on him, they will regret it!
5. Cleveland Browns -- Brian Orakpo, DE/OLB, Texas
--The biggest need for the Browns is to find a rush end/outside linebacker. Orakpo would fit the bill perfectly and would be the start to trying to improve that defense.
6. Cincinnati Bengals -- Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
--The Bengals need people to protect for Carson Palmer. They don't have the smartest scouting staff in the world and it wouldn't surprise me if they grabbed big Andre.
7. Oakland Raiders -- Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri
--Oakland needs playmakers badly. Jeremy Maclin would be the best option here. He has great speed and would be an instant deep threat for Al Davis and the Raiders.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars -- B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College
--In some shape or form, I see the Jaguars trading out of this pick. However, assuming that they do not do that, I would say Raji is the pick. After trading Marcus Stroud last year, the Jaguars run defense suffered a little bit. Raji could help get that defense back.
9. Green Bay Packers -- Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
--The Packers would be absolutely ecstatic if Monroe falls to them. They have a big need on the line and Monroe is considered by some as the best tackle prospect.
10. San Francisco 49ers -- Mark Sanchez, QB, USC
--If nobody jumps up to the top ten to try and trade for Sanchez, I expect the 49ers to take him. Shaun Hill is not the answer at quarterback. The question is do the 49ers want to risk another pick on a top QB that will fail to develop?
11. Buffalo Bills -- Aaron Maybin, DE/OLB, Penn State
--Maybin has the explosiveness off the outside that Bills really need. The biggest question with him right now is if he will be able to keep weight ON his body.
12. Denver Broncos -- Everette Brown, DE, Florida State
--The Broncos will definitely try to make a push to try and trade up to grab Sanchez. If they are unable to do so, it shouldn't hurt them much because they will be able to stockpile talent.
13. Washington Redskins -- Brian Cushing, LB, USC
--Yet another team who is interested in trying to move up for Mr. Sanchez. However, the Redskins have more glaring issues. Like trying to find a linebacker. Cushing has great size and strength and could immediately help out the defense.
14. New Orleans Saints -- Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State
--The Saints need to load up on defense so the offense doesn't have to score 40 points for the team to win. The rumor is that they are looking at Jenkins' teammate, Beanie Wells. They would be smarter to go with a defensive player (especially in the secondary).
15. Houston Texans -- Clay Matthews, LB, USC
--Guess who works on the Texans' coaching staff? Clay's uncle, Bruce...you know the Hall of Fame offensive lineman. Did you get that one right? Houston would make a very smart move if they were able to draft Matthews at this spot!
16. San Diego Chargers -- Rey Maualuga, LB, USC
--They still have questions at running back, but I think they can pick someone up later in the draft. Maualuga would fill a hole right away and can become an instant playmaker.
17. New York Jets -- Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State
--The Jets might have something up their sleeve. They haven't made a big splash in trying to go after a quarterback in the off-season. So they are either sold with what they have, will try to make a move up towards the front of the draft or stick here and draft Freeman.
18. Denver Broncos (from Chicago Bears) -- Chris 'Beanie' Wells, RB, Ohio State
--With a new coach and GM in place, maybe it will FINALLY be time for Denver to select a running back in the first round and hopefully one that can stay healthy.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU
--The Bucs want to start building from the interior out again. Jackson would be a solid choice here because of his build and strength.
20. Detroit Lions (from Dallas Cowboys) -- Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss
--The Lions would be wise to grab Stafford number one for another reason. There are plenty of second tier tackles that will be available in this slot and Oher could contribute as a rookie.
21. Philadelphia Eagles -- Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia
--Moreno would be a good compliment back to Brian Westbrook. Westbrook still manages to get dinged up time to time and having a back like Moreno could help Westbrook stay in more games.
22. Minnesota Vikings -- Percy Harvin, WR, Florida
--The Vikings should think long and hard about drafting Harvin. Not only would he be a deep threat, but it would cause defensive coordinators to think more on how to stop Harvin and Adrian Peterson.
23. New England Patriots -- James Laurinitis, LB, Ohio State
--The Patriots linebackers are getting old and they traded Mike Vrabel. I think Laurinitis just seems destined to be a Patriots player.
24. Atlanta Falcons -- Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss
--The Falcons need to start building the middle of the defense again. Jerry would be an absolute fit with the team and could work his way into the rotation.
25. Miami Dolphins -- Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois
--Davis is probably the best pure corner in the draft and would be an immediate upgrade at the position. The Dolphins could get a receiver in round two and Parcells loves to draft defense first.
26. Baltimore Ravens -- Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
--This is the deep threat that the Ravens crave. Heyward-Bay has had a little trouble with the dropsies, but the potential is too great to pass up on.
27. Indianapolis Colts -- Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers
--Unfortanetly for the Colts, most of the top defensive guys will be gone. Britt should be the favorite over Hakeem Nicks because of his speed and would be a weapon to the Colts.
28. Buffalo Bills (from Carolina through Philadelphia) -- Eben Britton, OT, Arizona
--The Bills basically traded Jason Peters for this pick, so they better take the best available lineman. Hopefully they got a DE with their first pick and it would allow them to take Britton here.
29. New York Giants -- Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina
--Unless they trade for Braylon Edwards, the Giants will be drafting a wide receiver. Nicks would be the best available left for them to take. Although, if Brandon Pettigrew was around, that would not shock me either.
30. Tennessee Titans -- Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest
--The Titans biggest need is probably a wide receiver, but as we know, they don't believe in taking one in the first round. Smith can give them some time as a rookie and eventually be the replacement for Nick Harper.
31. Arizona Cardinals -- LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh
--I like the idea of the Cardinals taking McCoy over Donald Brown. I think McCoy can give them more than Brown can and will be a good future back.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers -- Alex Mack, C, California
--The Steelers will focus on both sides of the line and it looks like Mack is the best center prospect. Mack can groom for one year until Justin Hartwig's contract runs up.
1. Detroit Lions -- Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
--I've stayed with this pick throughout everything. The Lions should make sure this is signed, sealed and delivered before Saturday.
2. St. Louis Rams -- Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
--The Rams clearly need help on the line and Smith has become the top offensive lineman on the board. This should be an easy selection for St. Louis.
3. Kansas City Chiefs -- Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
--Remember way back when I said the Chiefs would get Cassel? Well, go look...it is there somewhere. This spot now is where Curry should reside. The Chiefs have slowly improved their team over the winter and this should help them to keep improving!
4. Seattle Seahawks -- Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
--Another one that I have said should have happened from the beginning. Crabtree is going to be a flat out stud in this league and if the Seahawks pass up on him, they will regret it!
5. Cleveland Browns -- Brian Orakpo, DE/OLB, Texas
--The biggest need for the Browns is to find a rush end/outside linebacker. Orakpo would fit the bill perfectly and would be the start to trying to improve that defense.
6. Cincinnati Bengals -- Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
--The Bengals need people to protect for Carson Palmer. They don't have the smartest scouting staff in the world and it wouldn't surprise me if they grabbed big Andre.
7. Oakland Raiders -- Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri
--Oakland needs playmakers badly. Jeremy Maclin would be the best option here. He has great speed and would be an instant deep threat for Al Davis and the Raiders.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars -- B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College
--In some shape or form, I see the Jaguars trading out of this pick. However, assuming that they do not do that, I would say Raji is the pick. After trading Marcus Stroud last year, the Jaguars run defense suffered a little bit. Raji could help get that defense back.
9. Green Bay Packers -- Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
--The Packers would be absolutely ecstatic if Monroe falls to them. They have a big need on the line and Monroe is considered by some as the best tackle prospect.
10. San Francisco 49ers -- Mark Sanchez, QB, USC
--If nobody jumps up to the top ten to try and trade for Sanchez, I expect the 49ers to take him. Shaun Hill is not the answer at quarterback. The question is do the 49ers want to risk another pick on a top QB that will fail to develop?
11. Buffalo Bills -- Aaron Maybin, DE/OLB, Penn State
--Maybin has the explosiveness off the outside that Bills really need. The biggest question with him right now is if he will be able to keep weight ON his body.
12. Denver Broncos -- Everette Brown, DE, Florida State
--The Broncos will definitely try to make a push to try and trade up to grab Sanchez. If they are unable to do so, it shouldn't hurt them much because they will be able to stockpile talent.
13. Washington Redskins -- Brian Cushing, LB, USC
--Yet another team who is interested in trying to move up for Mr. Sanchez. However, the Redskins have more glaring issues. Like trying to find a linebacker. Cushing has great size and strength and could immediately help out the defense.
14. New Orleans Saints -- Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State
--The Saints need to load up on defense so the offense doesn't have to score 40 points for the team to win. The rumor is that they are looking at Jenkins' teammate, Beanie Wells. They would be smarter to go with a defensive player (especially in the secondary).
15. Houston Texans -- Clay Matthews, LB, USC
--Guess who works on the Texans' coaching staff? Clay's uncle, Bruce...you know the Hall of Fame offensive lineman. Did you get that one right? Houston would make a very smart move if they were able to draft Matthews at this spot!
16. San Diego Chargers -- Rey Maualuga, LB, USC
--They still have questions at running back, but I think they can pick someone up later in the draft. Maualuga would fill a hole right away and can become an instant playmaker.
17. New York Jets -- Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State
--The Jets might have something up their sleeve. They haven't made a big splash in trying to go after a quarterback in the off-season. So they are either sold with what they have, will try to make a move up towards the front of the draft or stick here and draft Freeman.
18. Denver Broncos (from Chicago Bears) -- Chris 'Beanie' Wells, RB, Ohio State
--With a new coach and GM in place, maybe it will FINALLY be time for Denver to select a running back in the first round and hopefully one that can stay healthy.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU
--The Bucs want to start building from the interior out again. Jackson would be a solid choice here because of his build and strength.
20. Detroit Lions (from Dallas Cowboys) -- Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss
--The Lions would be wise to grab Stafford number one for another reason. There are plenty of second tier tackles that will be available in this slot and Oher could contribute as a rookie.
21. Philadelphia Eagles -- Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia
--Moreno would be a good compliment back to Brian Westbrook. Westbrook still manages to get dinged up time to time and having a back like Moreno could help Westbrook stay in more games.
22. Minnesota Vikings -- Percy Harvin, WR, Florida
--The Vikings should think long and hard about drafting Harvin. Not only would he be a deep threat, but it would cause defensive coordinators to think more on how to stop Harvin and Adrian Peterson.
23. New England Patriots -- James Laurinitis, LB, Ohio State
--The Patriots linebackers are getting old and they traded Mike Vrabel. I think Laurinitis just seems destined to be a Patriots player.
24. Atlanta Falcons -- Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss
--The Falcons need to start building the middle of the defense again. Jerry would be an absolute fit with the team and could work his way into the rotation.
25. Miami Dolphins -- Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois
--Davis is probably the best pure corner in the draft and would be an immediate upgrade at the position. The Dolphins could get a receiver in round two and Parcells loves to draft defense first.
26. Baltimore Ravens -- Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
--This is the deep threat that the Ravens crave. Heyward-Bay has had a little trouble with the dropsies, but the potential is too great to pass up on.
27. Indianapolis Colts -- Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers
--Unfortanetly for the Colts, most of the top defensive guys will be gone. Britt should be the favorite over Hakeem Nicks because of his speed and would be a weapon to the Colts.
28. Buffalo Bills (from Carolina through Philadelphia) -- Eben Britton, OT, Arizona
--The Bills basically traded Jason Peters for this pick, so they better take the best available lineman. Hopefully they got a DE with their first pick and it would allow them to take Britton here.
29. New York Giants -- Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina
--Unless they trade for Braylon Edwards, the Giants will be drafting a wide receiver. Nicks would be the best available left for them to take. Although, if Brandon Pettigrew was around, that would not shock me either.
30. Tennessee Titans -- Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest
--The Titans biggest need is probably a wide receiver, but as we know, they don't believe in taking one in the first round. Smith can give them some time as a rookie and eventually be the replacement for Nick Harper.
31. Arizona Cardinals -- LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh
--I like the idea of the Cardinals taking McCoy over Donald Brown. I think McCoy can give them more than Brown can and will be a good future back.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers -- Alex Mack, C, California
--The Steelers will focus on both sides of the line and it looks like Mack is the best center prospect. Mack can groom for one year until Justin Hartwig's contract runs up.
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