The NFL Draft is this weekend, and I am absolutely giddy.
Other than Opening Day in baseball and the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, the draft is my favorite sporting event from mid-February to August. Seriously.
It announces the arrival of football season again, after about three months off after the Super Bowl. It's such an inexact science, and that's what makes it fascinating.
One team's first rounder is another team's third. Some teams are thrilled to find the ultimate sleeper in the third round, while others consider him undraftable.
Then teams have to balance wants and needs, character issues and the strength of certain positions.
I'd love to post my complete, 32 team mock draft -at least the first round of it. But for your sanity, and mine, I'd like to offer an analysis on what I think the Carolina Panthers should do this year.
Ranked below, in order, is what I think Carolina's draft board should look like for players who might be available at No. 14.
No. 1: Patrick Willis, MLB, Ole Miss
I don't think he'll make it to Carolina - he'll go to either Buffalo or San Francisco, maybe even Detroit if the Lions trade down. But he'd be the perfect pick. He has experience going against the toughest college football teams. He's fast. He can wrap, tackle and pursue, and is an incredibly hard worker.
Perhaps most importantly, he's healthy. Given Dan Morgan's spotty history and uncertain future, this is a guy worth trading up and getting.
No. 2: LaRon Landry, S, LSU
I think Landry might be gone, too, but depending on how everything shakes out, he may slip this far. He's not quite the playmaker that Sean Taylor is, but he's pretty darn close. Some scouts think he's the best defensive player in the draft. I'm not sure he's on a Gaines Adams level, but not only is he an elite safety prospect, he fills a huge void at safety. Carolina is incredibly thin at safety, and its only reliable guy in Mike Minter will retire at the end of the season.
No. 3: Jamaal Anderson, DE, Arkansas
I kind of went back and forth between Anderson and the No. 4 guy on my list. Anderson is a little raw, but tremendously talented. Julius Peppers is obviously going to cause havoc on his side of the line, but with Kris Jenkins' future up in the air and Mike Rucker coming off major knee surgery, Carolina needs someone to take all of the heat off Peppers. Stanley McClover is the main backup right now after the release of Al Wallace, and while I think the second-year pro out of Auburn has tremendous potential, he was a seventh round draft pick and is certainly not a proven commodity. Anderson won't have to be an every down player right away. He can be a situational player, spelling Rucker and taking a certain percentage of snaps, and be completely ready for the starting gig next season.
No. 4: Reggie Nelson, S, Florida
This is the first guy so far that will almost certainly be available when Carolina drafts. Nelson had a great season at Florida, and has remarkable range. He's not quite the playmaker Landry is, and I haven't seen him been effective in run support, but would fill a huge need. This would not be a reach, either. He's really good.
No. 5: Adam Carriker, DE/DT, Nebraska
I'm normally not one for taking guys mainly because they can play two positions, but Carriker is a solid player with an outstanding background. He's really rocketed up the depth charts, has great character, and may not even be around for this pick. In all of the mock drafts I read, some have him going as high as No. 6 while some have him slipping to late in the first round. The Panthers could use him in the same way as Anderson, grooming him to replace Rucker at the end of the season.
No. 6: Greg Olsen, TE, Miami
This would be a fringe pick. The Panthers are starved for a tight end, and have been since Wesley Walls left. Freddie Jones and Kris Mangum just didn't cut it. I don't think Olsen is in the class of Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez or even Jeremy Shockey, but he would be a very nice addition. So many teams don't need a tight end, at least in the first round, so it would be wise to trade down and get him.
No. 7: Trade down
There's no one else worth picking at this point. Ted Ginn is a very fast wide receiver - so was Skyler Green from LSU (cut by Dallas). I think Ginn is definitely a reach as a WR - his value lies in being a kick/punt returner as well. No. 14 is just too high for a return guy who could develop into a good receiver. Anthony Gozalez, the best receiver on Ohio State last year, could be available in the second round. The wide receiver class is so deep this year, that there will still be plenty of options in the second round, maybe even the third.
No outside linebacker is worth this pick. Who's the best prospect? Is it Jon Beason? Lawrence Timmons? Paul Posluszny? I love Posluszny, the Penn State prospect, but move down and get him. Outside linebacker isn't a huge need, either.
Feel free to comment below and ask any questions, or make your own predictions. I discussed the Panthers because I figured it would be the team of most interest, but we can talk about anything draft related. I'd love to get some conversations started.
After all, tomorrow is the eve of the draft, which is like Christmas Eve and the last day of school all rolled into one.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
North Iredell/West Iredell softball thoughts
Here are a few items and general thoughts from last night's game that didn't make it into the print edition.
Stutts' and Pennell's numbers were eerily similar.
IP H R ER BB K
Stutts 12 6 0 0 0 13
Pennell 12 5 1 0 4 14
The only category that's not nearly identical is the number of walks, and those didn't make a difference - one of them was intentional.
Unofficially, Stutts tossed 132 pitches and Pennell tossed 173. 173! That's incredible.
Stutts went 3-for-4 at the plate with an intentional walk, and Pennell went 1-for-4.
As for the playoff picture, both teams sport identical conference records. West's overall record is better, so they own the tiebreaker. Each team has three games left, with two common opponents: West Rowan (13-4, 7-2) and Carson (7-8, 4-5). West's final game is against Northwest Cabarrus, who is second in the conference, and North will play Mooresville (seventh in the conference) on Thursday.
North catcher Leslie Payne had plenty of motivation during her final at bat, which resulted in her sacrifice fly to win the game. But perhaps the biggest factor in her mind was rest.
"I was starting to get tired, and Hannah was starting to get tired," Payne told me after the game. "I was ready for it to end."
The umpires did an excellent job managing the game. The home plate ump had a very wide strike zone, but he was consistent throughout. And the only bad call was reversed. The field umpire ruled in the top of the eighth inning that West Iredell pinch runner Brandi Lewis was out on a pickoff throw from Payne. After making the "out" call, he immediately summoned the home plate umpire to the field, where the two had about a 15 second discussion. The call was eventually changed, and it was the right call.
Statesville golf
In a side note, Statesville's Dalyn Bellingham shot a team-high 38 during Monday's North Piedmont Conference match.
That was important for the Greyhounds, as Bellingham never shot better than a 47 on the five other Monday's throughout the season. On Thursdays, however, he shot a 39 three times.
In my opinion, this was probably the most contested game - in any sport - of the entire spring season. North's Hannah Stutts and West's Hannah Pennell engaged in a classic pitcher's duel in a game that went into 12 innings.
Stutts' and Pennell's numbers were eerily similar.
IP H R ER BB K
Stutts 12 6 0 0 0 13
Pennell 12 5 1 0 4 14
The only category that's not nearly identical is the number of walks, and those didn't make a difference - one of them was intentional.
Unofficially, Stutts tossed 132 pitches and Pennell tossed 173. 173! That's incredible.
Stutts went 3-for-4 at the plate with an intentional walk, and Pennell went 1-for-4.
As for the playoff picture, both teams sport identical conference records. West's overall record is better, so they own the tiebreaker. Each team has three games left, with two common opponents: West Rowan (13-4, 7-2) and Carson (7-8, 4-5). West's final game is against Northwest Cabarrus, who is second in the conference, and North will play Mooresville (seventh in the conference) on Thursday.
North catcher Leslie Payne had plenty of motivation during her final at bat, which resulted in her sacrifice fly to win the game. But perhaps the biggest factor in her mind was rest.
"I was starting to get tired, and Hannah was starting to get tired," Payne told me after the game. "I was ready for it to end."
The umpires did an excellent job managing the game. The home plate ump had a very wide strike zone, but he was consistent throughout. And the only bad call was reversed. The field umpire ruled in the top of the eighth inning that West Iredell pinch runner Brandi Lewis was out on a pickoff throw from Payne. After making the "out" call, he immediately summoned the home plate umpire to the field, where the two had about a 15 second discussion. The call was eventually changed, and it was the right call.
Statesville golf
In a side note, Statesville's Dalyn Bellingham shot a team-high 38 during Monday's North Piedmont Conference match.
That was important for the Greyhounds, as Bellingham never shot better than a 47 on the five other Monday's throughout the season. On Thursdays, however, he shot a 39 three times.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Don Imus and Virginia Tech
This blog entry isn't really about sports. But that's sort of been the norm the past two weeks: sports teams, or sports settings, serving as the backdrop for far bigger stories.
Don Imus kicked this whole mess off with his classless and tasteless comment on April 4 about the Rutgers women's basketball team. It does not need to be, and will not be, reprinted here.
With Imus still in the news nearly two weeks later, Seung-Hui Cho opened fire at Virginia Tech, murdering 32 innocent people in a rash of senseless, tragic killings.
What now?
The killings at Virginia Tech really cemented my belief that we - the media and society both - put too much emphasis on things that just aren't worth the coverage and time we give them.
Look at Imus. He's an aging radio host, a shock jock who makes his money by saying stupid, degrading things. His comments toward Rutgers were the last in a long list of hastily uttered hateful barbs.
And then the questions came. Did this cross the line of free speech, as guaranteed by the First Amendment? Should Imus be fired?
The most important societal question was never asked: How, in 2007, do such viewpoints exist?
Firing Don Imus does not change anything. There's 200 Imus's out there, all ready and willing to say something controversial to get a check.
Then Cho opened fire, and suddenly, that Imus “story” just didn’t seem so important any more.
Colleges, sports teams and humanity in general wept and grieved together for the 32 victims.
And then the questions came. Was the Virginia Tech administration to blame? What was Cho’s parents’ role? How does the right to bear arms figure in to all of this?
Have you seen the video of Cho holding a gun, posing like a maniacal, self-proclaimed martyr? I will always be convinced that what happened at Virginia Tech could never have been prevented. One man, so full of rage and evil, of venom and misguidance, could not have been stopped.
So here’s the next question. How do we – or can we – make sure this never happens again?
Don Imus kicked this whole mess off with his classless and tasteless comment on April 4 about the Rutgers women's basketball team. It does not need to be, and will not be, reprinted here.
With Imus still in the news nearly two weeks later, Seung-Hui Cho opened fire at Virginia Tech, murdering 32 innocent people in a rash of senseless, tragic killings.
What now?
The killings at Virginia Tech really cemented my belief that we - the media and society both - put too much emphasis on things that just aren't worth the coverage and time we give them.
Look at Imus. He's an aging radio host, a shock jock who makes his money by saying stupid, degrading things. His comments toward Rutgers were the last in a long list of hastily uttered hateful barbs.
And then the questions came. Did this cross the line of free speech, as guaranteed by the First Amendment? Should Imus be fired?
The most important societal question was never asked: How, in 2007, do such viewpoints exist?
Firing Don Imus does not change anything. There's 200 Imus's out there, all ready and willing to say something controversial to get a check.
Then Cho opened fire, and suddenly, that Imus “story” just didn’t seem so important any more.
Colleges, sports teams and humanity in general wept and grieved together for the 32 victims.
And then the questions came. Was the Virginia Tech administration to blame? What was Cho’s parents’ role? How does the right to bear arms figure in to all of this?
Have you seen the video of Cho holding a gun, posing like a maniacal, self-proclaimed martyr? I will always be convinced that what happened at Virginia Tech could never have been prevented. One man, so full of rage and evil, of venom and misguidance, could not have been stopped.
So here’s the next question. How do we – or can we – make sure this never happens again?
Thursday, April 19, 2007
North Iredell/Lake Norman softball thoughts
Some general observations that couldn't fit into today's story:
North Iredell has some serious bats. Hannah Stutts is capable of putting one over the fence at any time, and all spots throughout the lineup are great contact hitters. But the Raiders will have to do a better job of getting their runners home when it's time for the playoffs. North stranded 12 runners on base in six innings, six in scoring position. At least one runner was left on base in every inning.
Although it didn't alter the final score in any way, Lake Norman second baseman Ashley Belsole made an incredible defensive play. With first baseman Ashley Malone inching toward the plate to field a potential bunt, North's Rebecca Burris popped a pitch well foul on the first base side. Belsole got a great jump and made an awesome diving catch deep in foul territory.
The home plate umpire was a little testy. After making a very questionable strike call (it looked way outside to me), someone from North's side of the bleachers hollered "Come on, blue!" The umpire halted the action, turned to point in the general direction of the voice and snarled "Watch it." Hey, he deserved to be heckled. His strike zone was inconsistent all game.
I wrote in my story how Stutts drove in a run while Lake Norman was trying to intentionally walk her. What I didn't mention was that during her at bat in the fifth inning, Stutts strode to the plate and batted left handed - she's not left handed, nor a switch hitter. She laughed about it after the game and said she was just "trying something different." She was intentionally walked successfully that time.
North Iredell has some serious bats. Hannah Stutts is capable of putting one over the fence at any time, and all spots throughout the lineup are great contact hitters. But the Raiders will have to do a better job of getting their runners home when it's time for the playoffs. North stranded 12 runners on base in six innings, six in scoring position. At least one runner was left on base in every inning.
Although it didn't alter the final score in any way, Lake Norman second baseman Ashley Belsole made an incredible defensive play. With first baseman Ashley Malone inching toward the plate to field a potential bunt, North's Rebecca Burris popped a pitch well foul on the first base side. Belsole got a great jump and made an awesome diving catch deep in foul territory.
The home plate umpire was a little testy. After making a very questionable strike call (it looked way outside to me), someone from North's side of the bleachers hollered "Come on, blue!" The umpire halted the action, turned to point in the general direction of the voice and snarled "Watch it." Hey, he deserved to be heckled. His strike zone was inconsistent all game.
I wrote in my story how Stutts drove in a run while Lake Norman was trying to intentionally walk her. What I didn't mention was that during her at bat in the fifth inning, Stutts strode to the plate and batted left handed - she's not left handed, nor a switch hitter. She laughed about it after the game and said she was just "trying something different." She was intentionally walked successfully that time.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
2007 Iredell County Track & Field Championships
Mooresville won the boys county track meet, and it was hardly a surprise.
Loaded with exceptional distance runners, sprinters and field athletes, the Blue Devils scored 250 points. To put that in perspective, Statesville finished second with 95 and West Iredell was third with 87.5.
There are plenty of reasons why the Blue Devils won convincingly, and have won every meet they've been in this year.
Members of the 2006 cross country championship team now run distance for Mooresville. The Blue Devils also have Jamel Allison, who won a state title in the triple jump last year. He's a mortal lock to win all three jumps - long, triple and high - in the conference meets.
But the No. 1 reason for Mooresville's dominance is the middle school program. Basically, the Blue Devils have a middle school feeder - no other county school does.
That's two extra, crucial years to teach the fundamentals of the sport. And it's paying off.
You can click here to read about the Mooresville boys track team, and click here to read Brian Meadows' story on the girls event, which Mooresville also won.
Also, our R&L Game of the Week video footage is available at the top of this page.
Regan Hill and Jess Norman both took some really good pictures, available here in a slideshow.
I'll have a recap of South Iredell's performance in Thursday's R&L. The Vikings did quite well for being the only 2A school at the six-team meet.
Loaded with exceptional distance runners, sprinters and field athletes, the Blue Devils scored 250 points. To put that in perspective, Statesville finished second with 95 and West Iredell was third with 87.5.
There are plenty of reasons why the Blue Devils won convincingly, and have won every meet they've been in this year.
Members of the 2006 cross country championship team now run distance for Mooresville. The Blue Devils also have Jamel Allison, who won a state title in the triple jump last year. He's a mortal lock to win all three jumps - long, triple and high - in the conference meets.
But the No. 1 reason for Mooresville's dominance is the middle school program. Basically, the Blue Devils have a middle school feeder - no other county school does.
That's two extra, crucial years to teach the fundamentals of the sport. And it's paying off.
You can click here to read about the Mooresville boys track team, and click here to read Brian Meadows' story on the girls event, which Mooresville also won.
Also, our R&L Game of the Week video footage is available at the top of this page.
Regan Hill and Jess Norman both took some really good pictures, available here in a slideshow.
I'll have a recap of South Iredell's performance in Thursday's R&L. The Vikings did quite well for being the only 2A school at the six-team meet.
Monday, April 16, 2007
North Iredell/Statesville soccer notes
Here are a few notes from last night's game that I couldn't squeeze into my story.
North is a team that knows how to respond. Sarah Ann Waugh scored a goal 19 seconds into the game for Statesville, a high arcing shot from 20 yards away that really had no business going in. The Raiders scored two minutes later. When Statesville tied it 2-2 in the 52nd minute, North scored two goals in 90 seconds to take a 4-2 lead. While the Raiders can respond, they're going to have to shake off that Spring Break-rust against some of the upper echelon teams in the conference.
North's Ana Ramon scored late in the first half on a free kick. Ramon, with the ball a good 25 yards from the goal, drilled a high, bending shot that went into the net. Head coach Tim Watson said Ramon took advantage of the sun being in the goalie's face as well. Watson also told me Ramon has scored on 60 percent of her free kicks this year, which is just an outstanding number.
The Raiders play again on Wednesday against conference leader Lake Norman. Lake Norman is ranked No. 3 in the state for all public 3A soccer teams. After nearly defeating the Wildcats last year, North was on the receiving end of a 12-0 butt-kicking its first match with Lake Norman earlier this year. The team appears ready for another chance.
"We're all excited," Ramon said after the game. "It won't be a 12-0 loss this time. We want to at least try and tie them, hopefully beat them."
North is a team that knows how to respond. Sarah Ann Waugh scored a goal 19 seconds into the game for Statesville, a high arcing shot from 20 yards away that really had no business going in. The Raiders scored two minutes later. When Statesville tied it 2-2 in the 52nd minute, North scored two goals in 90 seconds to take a 4-2 lead. While the Raiders can respond, they're going to have to shake off that Spring Break-rust against some of the upper echelon teams in the conference.
North's Ana Ramon scored late in the first half on a free kick. Ramon, with the ball a good 25 yards from the goal, drilled a high, bending shot that went into the net. Head coach Tim Watson said Ramon took advantage of the sun being in the goalie's face as well. Watson also told me Ramon has scored on 60 percent of her free kicks this year, which is just an outstanding number.
The Raiders play again on Wednesday against conference leader Lake Norman. Lake Norman is ranked No. 3 in the state for all public 3A soccer teams. After nearly defeating the Wildcats last year, North was on the receiving end of a 12-0 butt-kicking its first match with Lake Norman earlier this year. The team appears ready for another chance.
"We're all excited," Ramon said after the game. "It won't be a 12-0 loss this time. We want to at least try and tie them, hopefully beat them."
NBA Draft 2007
I heard something pretty funny while flipping through the channels yesterday.
After stumbling onto Fox Sports during a news update, I watched an anchor say: "Ohio State center Greg Oden will likely enter the NBA Draft. If Oden does enter this season, he is likely a top-two pick."
Let's not kid ourselves here. Oden WILL come out early, and he WILL be selected No. 1 overall. It's not even close.
The anchor was hinting that some teams will also likely consider Texas forward Kevin Durant with the top pick.
This has nothing to do with Durant's incredible numbers his freshman season at Texas, nor his nearly flawless game. The guy can shoot, drive, post up, dribble and defend.
But he's not 7'0", and he's not the best true center to come through college in at least 25 years.
Durant is certainly more flashy than Oden, perhaps even more polished offensively. But NBA teams have always won titles by building around centers.
Let's look at some numbers.
The best center of all time, Bill Russell, won 11 rings.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (who turns 60 today)? Six titles.
Wilt Chamberlain? Two titles.
Hakeem Olajuwon? Two titles.
Shaquille O'Neal? Four titles.
If you make a list of the best centers of all time, the first player you reach that never won a ring is Patrick Ewing - and his Knicks lost in the Finals to Olajuwon's Rockets.
I'm not quite sure who to compare Durant too, really.
He's definitely a Tracy McGrady/Kevin Garnett type of athlete. Combined rings for those two? Zero.
Both will be incredible pro's. But Oden will have much more jewelry when his career is over.
After stumbling onto Fox Sports during a news update, I watched an anchor say: "Ohio State center Greg Oden will likely enter the NBA Draft. If Oden does enter this season, he is likely a top-two pick."
Let's not kid ourselves here. Oden WILL come out early, and he WILL be selected No. 1 overall. It's not even close.
The anchor was hinting that some teams will also likely consider Texas forward Kevin Durant with the top pick.
This has nothing to do with Durant's incredible numbers his freshman season at Texas, nor his nearly flawless game. The guy can shoot, drive, post up, dribble and defend.
But he's not 7'0", and he's not the best true center to come through college in at least 25 years.
Durant is certainly more flashy than Oden, perhaps even more polished offensively. But NBA teams have always won titles by building around centers.
Let's look at some numbers.
The best center of all time, Bill Russell, won 11 rings.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (who turns 60 today)? Six titles.
Wilt Chamberlain? Two titles.
Hakeem Olajuwon? Two titles.
Shaquille O'Neal? Four titles.
If you make a list of the best centers of all time, the first player you reach that never won a ring is Patrick Ewing - and his Knicks lost in the Finals to Olajuwon's Rockets.
I'm not quite sure who to compare Durant too, really.
He's definitely a Tracy McGrady/Kevin Garnett type of athlete. Combined rings for those two? Zero.
Both will be incredible pro's. But Oden will have much more jewelry when his career is over.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
