Update

Some more down time as we prepare for final exams. We apologize, and will be back 100% full speed starting next week as finals are over and our lives go back to normal.

In the meantime, head over to the message board and talk about anything your heart desires.

Thanks,
Neil

Let's talk about BUSTS

Yesterday, news leaked that the Oakland Raiders plan to cut JaMarcus Russell. Russell, as you all know, was the #1 overall draft pick in 2007 from LSU. Physically, Russell was an animal coming out of college. Standing 6'6", tipping the scales at 260lbs, and having a cannon for an arm. Russell never did see any significant improvement in his game. He also always managed to show up at training camp 20lbs heavier than he had the previous season, tipping the scales at just under 300lbs at the Raiders most recent mini-camp.

Russell is an obvious bust, I don't think there's any room for debate on that. But my question is: Is JaMarcus Russell the biggest bust in NFL history? Only one man comes to mind that can put up a fight for this title: Ryan Leaf. Let's take a trip down memory lane for those that don't remember the details on the Ryan Leaf story (or should I call it a tragedy?)...

Leaf was a standout at Washington State, and in 1997 was named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year, as well as a Heisman Trophy finalist. In the draft that following spring, Leaf and Peyton Manning were considered the top 2 players. Many actually believed that Leaf would be better than Manning. The San Diego Chargers held the #3 pick in the draft, and traded with Arizona who had the #2, to ensure that they would get 1 of the 2 coveted quarterbacks. San Diego gave up two 1st round picks, a 2nd round pick, and a 3-time Pro Bowler to move into the #2 slot. Manning obviously went #1 to Indianapolis, and the Chargers took Leaf without hesitation and knew they'd found their franchise QB of the future.

Leaf lasted 3 seasons. Russell just finished his 3rd season. So now let's make the comparisons...

Leaf

Games: 25

Touchdowns: 14

Incerceptions: 36

Yards: 3,666

Completion percentage: 48.4

QB Rating: 50.0

Salary: 4 years/$31.25 million, with $11.25 million guaranteed. This was at the time the biggest guaranteed signing bonus ever for a rookie.

Russell

Games: 31

Touchdowns: 18

Interceptions: 23

Yards: 4,083

Completion percentage: 52.1

QB Rating: 65.2

Salary: 6 years/$68 million, with $31.5 million guaranteed. It is also worth noting that Russell didn't agree to a contract until up into September, missing the entire offseason training camp.

So, who wins?

Russell had the better numbers. he was statistically better than Leaf in every catagory. However, he also made a LOT more money than Leaf did. So if you want to look at a ratio of money earned vs. performance, this one might be too close to call.

We will let the readers decide. Leave a comment or head over to the message board.

A little change

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to let you all know that we're throwing a little changeup...I've created a forum/message board, to go hand-in-hand with this site.

From what I'm gathering, we're getting a lot of readers on this blog, but there's very few people commenting. I thought a message board might be a better option for most readers because it will allow you all to talk about what YOU want to talk about, instead of having to comment on the things we blog about.

The blog will continue and will serve as the place where we post our primary thoughts on the sporting world. The message board is for YOU, the readers, to say what's on your mind the way we do in the blog. Of course Tyler, Brandon, and I will be chipping in on the message board too.

The address for the board is http://eastkysportstalk.proboards.com. Be sure to add it to your bookmarks.

Thank you all for reading our blog. We hope you continue to do so daily, and continue spreading the word.

MIA

Does anybody know how we can get this face on a milk carton?



Napier and I are filing a missing person report on our good friend and fellow blogger, Tyler.



In the sporting world, there's not much to post on this morning. We've covered the NFL Draft pretty well. Basketball is slow, with no UK-related recruiting news to talk about.

Stay tuned. And if you see Mr. Lykins, tell him his pal over here at East KY Sports Talk miss him.

NFL Draft, Day 2

Day 2 (Rounds 2 & 3) of the NFL Draft came and went yesterday, and Day 3 (Rounds 4-7) are underway as I type this.

- Jimmy Clausen highlighted Day 2. It blows my mind that the Browns, Bills, Raiders, Seahawks and Chiefs passed on the best QB in the draft, TWICE. It simply baffles me. But their incompetence turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Clausen. He was picked up witht he #48 overall pick by the Carolina Panthers. Now he finds himself playing for a legit playoff contender instead of a bottom-dwelling, 5 wins or less team.

- Colt McCoy feel even further. He was drafted with the #85 pick to the Cleveland Browns.

- For my fellow UK fans, Corey Peters was drafted in the 3rd round by the Atlanta Falcons, and earlier this morning the Philadelphia Eagles picked up Trevard Lindley in the 4th.
(UPDATE: John Conner was drafted by the New York Jets as I wrote this post)

- The Bengals made some quality selections. Carlos Dunlap, a DE from Florida in the 2nd round...and Jordan Shipley, WR from Texas who you may remember from the NCAA Championship game.

- Who's had the best draft so far? Look no further than the Bay Area. The 49'ers are having a fantastic draft. And their neighbors in Oakland, although they foolishly passed on Jimmy Clausen, have made some quality selections too.

The Sweet Smell of Victory...

I woke up this morning in a terrific mood. Why you may ask? The smell of victory was in the air as I "took down the tuna"! That's right, Neil went down last night. I might have been as indecisive as Dusty Baker trying to decide whether to lead off with Willy Taveras or Alex Gonzalez last season, however, when it came to crunch time I took care of business.

Now Neil "tuna-melt" Borders, will have to pay up, and buy me a delicious, medium-well, new york strip. Don't worry, there will be pictures taken and posted.....believe that!

Now to my first round thoughts....

- I just want to go ahead and get it over with right now, I am happy for Tim Tebow, but I don't see how you justify a first round pick on him. I know he has high character, he's a leader, a winner, and he might have been the best player in college football history (which is debatable), but his game just isn't relevant enough to waste a first round pick on. His mechanics are flawed, he doesn't get great reads on coverages, and the jump pass will get thrown down his throat in the NFL. In college he was a "man among boys" running over defenders at will, Tebow won't be able to do that in the NFL. Quite frankly, I hope the best for him because he is a natural born hero, but I don't see him ever starting in the NFL in any system.

- Josh McDaniels, what are you and the front office of the Broncos doing? You trade down to get your wide reciever in Demaryius Thomas, I understand that, but you trade back up to get Tebow, and make him your third option at quarterback? I just feel like the Broncos could have got a pocket-passer relevant to Josh McDaniels style in later rounds, the Broncos should have stayed put, and got some players to play in some need areas like a safety, Brian Dawkins isn't going bto stay young forever, or maybe another pass rushing outside linebacker to take some pressure off Elvis Dumervil. Will see how the "Tebow project" goes, because either way, your paying him first round money.

- Jacksonville takes Defensive Tackle Tyson Alualu with the 10th pick? Most didn't have him being taken until late in the first round or early in the second. This seemed like a bit of a reach to me, why not trade down and get some more pics? Why not take C.J. Spiller to boost your running game? I know the Jags have Maurice Jones-Drew, but two backs thrive in Jack Del Rio's system; take a look back at how good they were when they had Fred Taylor firing on all cylinders with Jones-Drew. Why not take Earl Thomas? You have a hole at safety, and Thomas has all-pro written all over him. Jacksonville was last in sacks last year in the NFL, why not take a pass rusher like Derrick Morgan or Jason Pierre-Paul? I guess DT John Henderson will have some company next year, or does that make him trade bait? This pick just sends a lot of mixed signals. Jacksonville should have stayed patient, traded down, picked up some picks, and got this guy later on in the first if they valued him that highly. How does Alualu make your team better? You took him at 10, for crying out loud! First round picks are supposed to instantly help from my vantage point, this pick just doesn't mold into that instant gratification.

- Al Davis has done it yet again. Davis takes an inside linebacker in Rolando McClain instead of addressing his offensive line, which was non-existent last year, or the Raiders dilemma at quarterback. I guess Al and that boys will address their issues in the later rounds? They now have plenty of linebackers after trading for Kamerion Wimbley. Instead of "Win, Baby, Win" it should be "Think, Baby, Think".

- Now that we have some of the sour stuff out of the way, lets get positive and talk about some teams who helped themselves:

• Detroit Lions- You get the best player in the draft in defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to help your line and then you pick up a speedster running back at pick 30 in Jahvid Best. Great night for the Lions they picked up maybe the next Reggie White, and got another offensive weapon to go along with Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, Brandon Pettigrew, and Kevin Smith. I'm not saying they are a playoff calibar team, but they did help themselves.


• San Francisco 49ers- Some question their picks of two offensive lineman in the first round, but I like it. Offensive tackle Anthony Davis has more upside than anyone in the draft and offensive guard Mike Iupati is a house, whose great in run blocking schemes. Mike Singletary is bringing back the "Monster's of the Midway" old school, Chicago Bears football to the bay.


• Dallas Cowboys- They just rolled out the carpet for Dez Bryant, Tony Romo must be the happiest man in Texas at this moment. They pick up arguably the best talent in the draft at 24 to go with Wide receivers Miles Austin and Roy Williams, not to mention the pass catching abilities of Jason Witten, and you still have Marion "Tugboat" Barber at running back and the lightning-fast Felix Jones, pretty good day for the 'Boys! In my book, they just moved up to the third best offense in football behind the Saints and Colts.

All in all, this first round had a lot of shifting, lot of head scratching picks, and best of all, enough drama for your momma! Oh, I almost forgot to mention the biggest winner of the draft, "ME" or did I already mention that? Either way, it was an entertaining first round and I can't wait for Borders to entertain me with a steak!

Until Next Time, Adios!

-

1st round thoughts

Congrats to Brandon, who won the 2010 mock draft duel. He flip-flopped more than John Kerry, but in the end was able to correctly pick 8 or 9 of the 32 selections, which doesn't sound like much until you sit down and try to do it better yourself.

Round 1 came and went, and had even more "wow" moments than usual. Here are some quick thoughts i'm left with...

- How does the best QB in the draft slide completely out of the 1st round? Clausen will be gone in the first 5 picks of friday night's 2nd round. Maybe as soon as the 2nd pick of the 2nd round, which belongs to the Minnesota Vikings.

- Cleveland's offense has been historically bad the last couple of seasons, yet they spend their 1st round pick on defense. Not only that, but a player they could have still grabbed had they traded down 3-4 spots.

- Al Davis lives up to his reputation and provides another draft day "wtf" moment, although not as questionable as other moves in recent years. Rolando McClain will be a great football player for the Raiders but they have far too many holes to fill on the O-line, and their QB situation is an obvious mess.

- Tim Tebow is on a "Rocky Mountain High". I knew some team just couldn't resist, but I didn't think it'd be Denver. They spend a 1st round pick on a guy that will be the #3 QB on their depth chart. Is Josh McDaniels the new Al Davis?

- Bob Stoops is apparently the John Calipari of football, with 4 Oklahoma Sooners going in the 1st round, including 3 of the top 4 picks. The Big 12 dominated the 1st round of the draft, having 9 players from their league selected.

- Ben Roethlisberger remains a Steeler. I can't help but think that the Rooney's weren't too serious about getting rid of him because i'm sure they got offers tonight.
-

What a day!

It's days like this that make running this blog so fun.

- To start the day off, I was able to get some airtime on Sirius/XM Radio's "Rivals Radio" show. If you're not familiar with it, it is a daily show from rivals.com and they REALLY know their stuff. Host Bill King is great, and took UK's side basically every time all other media outlets threw us under the bus during the Tubby and Billy G departures. Check their site out HERE. If you're a fan of college basketball and football, then this show alone makes the XM or Sirius subscription cost worth it.

I was able to ask Bill King if he thought Marquis Teague would end up at UK. He said he believed he would, didn't claim to have an inside scoop but that was just the way it was looking. He also said that even with Gilchrist, Teague, and Quincy Miller (who UK is the leader for), UK's 2011 class wouldn't be the best class of all time.

- At 1:30pm Bill, along with Evan Daniels and a few others found their predictions came true as Marquis Teague, the #2 recruit in the 2011 class committed to Kentucky. UK now has verbal commitments from the top two players from the class, and is in the lead for the #3 player too.

- For a night cap, we have the NFL draft. I absolutely love the NFL draft and think it's great that they've changed the format to put it into primetime.

A few predictions for the draft:

- Ben Roethlisberger and Albert Haynesworth will have new teams, with Big Ben getting his new home sometime tonight. Both are mega-stars int he league who aren't seeing eye-to-eye with their respective front offices, and Draft Day is the biggest trade day of the NFL year. Pittsburgh is shopping Roethlisberger for a 1st round pick, preferably a high one. Speaking solely in terms of talent, he's definitely worth it. But he's out for at least 4 games, possibly 6. Will a team give up that high of a draft pick for a player that will will have to set out AT LEAST 25% of the season? I believe one will be pull the trigger before all is said and done.

- Tim Tebow will be drafted in the 1st round. I can't help but think that so many scouts and GM's are simply downplaying their interest in Tebow so he will be available late in the 1st round. I'm going to go out on a limb and say he's drafted by New England.

- For fellow Bengals fans: Earl Thomas, Taylor Mays, Jermaine Gresham. One of these 3 names will be called when the Bengals make their choice with the #21 pick. Who Dey!

Last Minute Changes...

I guess since the 2010 NFL Draft is coming up soon, i'm am scattering, indecisive, and changing picks on my mock draft by the minute. So here is my final mock draft...

1. St. Louis- Sam Bradford, QB

2. Detroit- Ndamukong Suh, DT

3. Tampa Bay- Gerald McCoy, DT

4. Washington- Trent Williams, OT

5. Kansas City- Eric Berry, S

6. Seattle- Russell Okung, OT

7. Cleveland- Dan Williams, DT

8. Oakland- Anthony Davis, OT

9. Buffalo- Bryan Bulaga, OT

10 Jacksonville- C.J. Spiller, RB

11. Denver- Earl Thomas, S

12. Miami- Sergio Kindle, OLB

13. San Francisco- Jimmy Clausen, QB

14. Seattle- Derrick Morgan, DE

15. NY Giants- Rolando McClain, ILB

16. Tennessee- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE

17. San Francisco- Joe Haden, CB

18. Pittsburgh- Maurkice Pouncey, OC

19. Atlanta- Brandon Graham, OLB

20. Houston- Kareem Johnson, CB

21. Cincinnati- Dez Bryant, WR

22. New England- Jermaine Gresham, TE

23. Green Bay- Mike Iupati, OG

24. Philadeaphia- Kyle Wilson, CB

25. Baltimore- Demaryius Thomas, WR

26. Arizona- Sean Weatherspoon, OLB

27. Dallas- Charles Brown, OT

28. San Diego- Ryan Mathews, RB

29. NY Jets- Linval Jospeh, DT

30. Minnesota- Jared Odrick, DT

31. Indianapolis- Jerry Hughes, OLB

32. New Orleans- Daryl Washington, OLB

No more changes, now its time just to sit back and see what happens!

Until Next Time, Adios!

The Showdown...

Looks like me and Borders will recoil an old rivalry as we battle off in a "Mock NFL Draft" showdown! This makes the third year we have squared off, with this year being the "rubber match". I won in 2008 and he won last year. This year the stakes are high! The loser must buy the other a steak dinner and will probably brag on a "must-read" post on this website. All in all, I don't like to lose and neither does he.





Since he posted yesterday, I guess we have saved "The Best for Last!" Here is my revised mock draft, which is much different from the one I posted a month ago.





1. St. Louis Rams- Sam Bradford, QB... Rams will try to hit a home run and get their quarterback for the future. Question is can he come back from a nasty arm injury to be their QB for a long time to come? Only time will tell.





2. Detroit Lions- Ndamukong Suh, DT... Best player in the draft. He looks like a young John Randle, Suh will have an immediate impact in Detroit.





3. Tampa Bay Bucs- Gerald McCoy, DT... Strength and quickness not only to stop the run, but also get to the quarterback in a hurry. The "Tampa 2" will be back with McCoy being the Warren Sapp hybrid.





4. Washington Redskins- Russell Okung, OT.... With the new acquisition of Donovan McNabb, Mike Shanahan will look to protect his new quarterback and get an offensive tackle to help in his zone blocking scheme.





5.Kansas City Chiefs- Brian Bulaga, OT... If I were the Chiefs GM I would go with Eric Berry at this position, but I can see the relevance of bolstering your line as well. I see the Chiefs going safe and taking Buluga to play opposite beside one of the their first round draft picks last year Brendan Albert.





6. Seattle Seahawks- C.J. Spiller, RB... This will come as a shocker to some, but I see Pete Carroll pulling the trigger and taking a Reggie Bush-esqe back in Spiller. Carroll will find ways to use this speedster just like he did Bush at USC.





7. Cleveland Browns- Eric Berry, S...This is the steal of the draft! Berry when it is all set in done, maybe the best player to come out of 2010 draft. He's a younger version of Ed Reed with his pursuit of the football. The Dawg Pound will love this pick and they will get exactly what they want: A playmaker on the defensive side of the ball.





8. Oakland Raiders- Trent Williams, OT... He has some character issues, but who doesn't in Oakland? Williams will make a great addition to the Raiders line. This is just a guess, because who knows what Al Davis is going to do?





9. Buffalo Bills- Dan Williams, DT...Williams has moved up the draft board in a hurry. Buffalo will use the big nose tackle to give their 3-4 defense some much needed credibility.





10. Jacksonville Jaguars- Earl Thomas, S... Two safeties in the top 10? I must be crazy! I know they wasted a pick on safety Reggie Nelson in the past, but this time they will get a gem in Thomas, he's mentally and physically ready for the NFL.





11. Denver Broncos- Rolando McClain, ILB... Some people say Dez Bryant, but with his character issues in question, they will look to bring in a tackling machine in McClain.





12. Miami Dolphins- Derrick Morgan, DE... He will fit in nicely to the 3-4 defense. They can use this quick defensive end outside as either an end or an outside linebacker to put pressure on the quarterback.





13. San Francisco 49ers- Anthony Davis, OT... Best pure pass-blocker in the draft, they need a right tackle and Davis has great value at 13.





14. Seattle Seahawks- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE... The comparison to Mario Williams is spot on, this would give the Seahawks a great guy on the edge with pass rushing ability. This would give the Seahawks two great picks in the first round.





15. New York Giants- Mike Iupati, OG... The Giants have a need at the guard position and Iupati is going to be a great one. He has great footwork and the power to help the Giants relentless run attack offense.





16. Tennessee Titans- Brandon Graham, OLB... Graham has shot-up the draft board since the senior bowl. He will be an under-sized end in the NFL, but the Titans had success on prior under-sized ends, so why not Graham?





17. San Francisco 49ers- Jimmy Clausen, QB... Maybe Alex Smith's days are numbered in San Francisco, if not, watch for someone to trade up to this pick and get Clausen.




18. Pittsburgh Steelers- Maurkice Pouncey, OC/G...Pouncey has the versitility to play either center or guard for the Steelers, his physicality will be well liked in the "Steel" city.





19. Atlanta Falcons- Jerry Hughes, DE... This guy could go anywhere from 12-30, just depends on your preference. He's a great speed-rusher from the outside with excellent speed, a good fit for Atlanta.





20. Houston Texans- Joe Haden, CB... They're definitely going corner. After Dunta Robinson left town; it is currently the Texans biggest weakness. Haden will be a great fit in Houston.




21. Cincinnati Bengals- Dez Bryant, WR... Marvin Lewis must have found a four-leaf clover, because Bryant would be an instant playmaker for the Bengals. He's got top 10 talent and an attitude that will right along with the rest of the "riff-raff" in Cincy. If his character problems dwindle he could be the offensive rookie of the year.





22. New England Patriots- Sergio Kindle, OLB... Perfect fit for the Patriots. His pass-rushing abitlity will already put him in a starting role for the Pats, if he drops this far, he will be a steal.





23. Green Bay Packers- Kareem Jackson, CB... They need a corner to go with Woodson, and he's the best on the board.





24. Philadeaphia Eagles- Charles Brown, OT... This guy is underrated, he played in a great system at USC, and will be around the league for many years to come. Great runblocker and could possibly be the best offensive tackle taken in this draft, when it's all set and done.





25. Baltimore Ravens- Jermaine Gresham, TE... I see Baltimore trading this pick, but if they get it look for them to take someone to replace Todd Heap and his production, Gresham is the best pass-catching tight end in the draft.





26. Arizona Cardinals- Demaryius Thomas, WR... Good replacement for Boldin, has top-15 potential, and will be a great asset for Matt Leinart or Derek Anderson.





27. Dallas Cowboys- Roger Saffold, OT... They need someone to replace Flozell Adams and he's the best offensive tackle left. Similar situation to what Green Bay has to do at 23. If Brown slips the Cowboys wouldn't hesitate to get his services.





28. San Diego Chargers- Ryan Mathews, RB... Great 1-4 gap runner and will be a great compliment to Darren Sproules. Watch nose tackle Terrence Cody's name to come up here as well, after the departure of Jamal Williams





29. New York Jets- Jared Odrick, DE... Chalk-up another good pick up for the Jets this offseason. He's versatile and can play defensive end or tackle.





30. Minnesota Vikings- Kyle Wilson, CB... Great value pick at this point, he would be a nice addition to a secondary who gave up a ton of yards last year.




31. Indianapolis Colts- Tyson Alualu, DT... Fits the penetrating, all-or-nothing, defensive style of the Colts.





32. San Diego Chargers- Everson Griffen, DE... The super bowl champs get a kid with great pass-rushing skills and character flaws, if he gets his act together, he could be great.





On the Brink of the First Round

• Taylor Mays, S


• Colt McCoy, QB


• Arrelious Benn, WR


• Carlos Dunlap, DE


• Bruce Campbell, OT

There are a number of scenario's that could come up. Trades will probably be abundant, but we don't know those yet. I can see it now, a delicious Ribeye compliments of Neil Borders, ah, how sweet it will be!

Until Next Time, Adios

Revised and final NFL mock draft

Trades and free agency really changes how a draft will play out. For instance, the Skins will definitely not even be considering taking Jimmy Clausen with their #4 pick like I originally predicted now that they've signed Donovan McNabb. So With a little over 24 hours until the draft begins, here is my final guess at how it'll go...

1. St. Louis Rams - Sam Bradford, QB Oklahoma. This is a no brainer.

2. Detroit Lions - Ndamukong Suh, DT Nebraska. This is 100% a wrong move, but hey, it's the Lions. They desperately need to protect their franchise QB, but will go with the best player in the draft instead.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Gerald McCoy, DT Oklahoma.

4. Washington Redskins - Russell Okung, OT Oklahoma St. The Skins get their franchise QB, now they get the #1 O-lineman in the draft to help keep him clean. Look out NFC East!

5. Kansas City Chiefs - Brian Baulaga, OT Iowa. Matt Cassell got mauled last year so KC will take the best available O-lineman.

6. Seattle Seahawks - Eric Berry, Safety Tennessee. Pete Carroll won't pass on arguably the #1 player in the entire draft.

7. Cleveland Browns - Jimmy Clausen, QB Notre Dame. New Browns GM Mike Holmgren has worked with some of the best QB's of all time: Montana, Young, and Favre. He should love having the top QB prospect of 2010 fall to him with the #7 pick.

8. Oakland Raiders - Bruce Campbell, OT Maryland. Raiders owner Al Davis loves guys who put up crazy numbers, and Campbell's numbers at the Scouting Combine were unreal.

9. Buffalo Bills - Trent Williams, OT Oaklahoma. You can never go wrong with picking a stud O-lineman, which Williams clearly is.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars - Derrick Morgan, DE Georgia Tech. If the jags ever want to with the AFC South, they'll have to take care of business against Peyton Manning. So they will add another quality pass rusher after signing Aaron Kampman.

11. Denver Broncos - Rolando McClain, ILB Alabama. Linebackers are rarely drafted this high, but Josh McDaniels isn't exactly a conventional thinker on draft day.

12. Miami Dolphins - Jason Pierre-Paul, DE/OLB South Florida. Bill Parcells LOVES drafting linebackers. Pierre-Paul will fit in nicely in Miami's 3-4 defense.

13. San Francisco 49'ers - Joe Haden, CB Florida. The Niners go with the best player available (BPA) and crab the top corner in the draft.

14. Seattle Seahawks - CJ Spiller, RB Clemson. The Hawks grabbed the top defensive playmaker with their first pick, now they pick up the top playmaker on the offensive side of the ball.

15. New York Giants - Dez Bryant, WR Oklahoma St. Eli Manning needs someone to throw the ball to. Bryant is a top 10 talent, but his character issues will cause him to slide.

16. Tennessee Titans - Everson Griffen, DE Southern California. After losing Kyle Vanden bosch and cutting Javon Kearse, the Titans have absolutely nothing at defensive end.

17. San Francisco 49'ers - Anthony Davis, OT Rutgers. The Niners go BPA again and get a quality O-lineman.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers - Maurkice Pouncey, C/OG Florida. As much as everyone would enjoy seeing Roethlisberger get his brains knocked out, if the Steelers want to keep him as their franchise QB, then they absolutely must get some O-line help.

19. Atlanta Falcons - Brandon Graham, DE Michigan. The Dirty Birds were not a very good pass rushing team. If they want to win the very competitive NFC South, they need to address this issue.

20. Houston Texans - Kyle Wilson, CB Boise St. Houston's secondary was already bad and got torched by Peyton Manning on two different occasions last season. Then on top of that, Houston's best CB left in free agency.

21. Cincinnatti Bengals - Earl Thomas, Safety Texas. The Bengals will be tghrilled if a player as good as Earl Thomas falls to them.

22. New England Patriots - Jermaine Gresham, TE Oklahoma. The Pats need a tight end, and the best tight end in the draft falls right in their lap. Belichek luck strikes again.

23. Green Bay Packers - Taylor Mays, Safety Southern California. Go back and watch what Kurt Warner did to the Packers in the playoffs if you have any queestion what Green Bay plans on doing with this pick.

24. Philadelphia Eagles - Mike Iupati, OG/OT Idaho. Andy Reid goes BPA and gets his new franchise QB some extra protection.

25. Baltimore Raven - Jared Odrick, DE/DT Penn St. Will make a perfect lineman in a 3-4 defense.

26. Arizona Cardinals - Sean Weatherspoon, ILB Missouri. Arizona was hurt badly from players leaving as Kurt Warner, Anquan Boldin, and Karlos Dansby are all gone. They will replace Dansby with this pick.

27. Dallas Cowboys - Nate Allen, Safety South Florida. Jerry Jones gets an upgrade at a much needed position.

28. San Diego Chargers - Dan Williams, DT Tennessee. San Diego cut their starting nose tackle. Williams has great numbers and enough size to play nose tackle.

29. New York Jets - Sergio Kindle, OLB Texas. You can't have enough pass rushing linebackers in a Rex Ryan defense, and the best OLB in this year's draft falls right in his lap. The Jets' great offseason keeps on rolling.

30. Minnesota Vikings - Patrick Robinson, CB Florida State. BPA for the Vikings.

31. Indianapolis Colts - Charles Brown, OT Southern California. Colts' O-line is still good, but it's not what it used to be.

32. New Orleans Saints - Carlos Dunlap, DE Florida. New Orleans has needs at DE, and Dunlap is a steal at #32

The Great Salesman

When John Calipari agreed to become the head coach of UK Basketball, even the program's biggest haters couldn't deny what a remarkable combination it was: The NCAA's hottest coach and best recruiter, brought together with the most succesful and storied team in America.

How good of a salesman is Coach Cal? He makes roughly $4 million per year to coach the Cats, but I personally belive he could make more money by selling cars or real estate. That's how good he is. Bring a man of his recruiting caliber to a school that can practically recruit on it's own just by it's namesake, and you get what we currently have at the University ofd Kentucky. Kentucky's practice facility, arena, fanbase, and history are second to none. Calipari's ability to put young men into the NBA is second to none. And now these two special forces are working together to make history and to make magic for the Commonwealth.

The Big Blue Nation let out a collective gasp when the Cats were eliminated in the Elite Eight and a mass exodus occured in which 5 players departed for the NBA. How did Calipari respond? By signing the #1 point guard in the country, the #1 shooter in the country, and arguably the best big man in the country (via Turkey, of course)....

Last year's class of Wall, Cousins, Bledsoe, Orton, Dodson, and Hood can be argued as the best recruiting class ever. The '10 class is looking to be almost as good. Rivals.com listed Brandon Knight as the #1 high school player in the nation in their latest update. They have Doron Lamb ranked #21, but he is regarded as the best shooter in the country. Enes Kanter isn't ranked at all, but many believe he is a better big man than Jared Sullinger who is the #3 player in the country and the MVP of the McDonald's All-American Game.

It doesn't stop there. Mike Gilchrist verbally committed to the Cats last week too. Gilchrist was considered by many to be the best high school player in the country this past season...as a sophmore. Some experts have said he is the best high school player to come out of the northeast since Kobe Bryant. Wow. UK is also in the lead for #3 player Quincy Miller, #9 player Anthony Wroten Jr, and is running in a two team race with Louisville for #2 player Marquis Teague. If Cal can sign all these guys, the 2011 class will without doubt be the top recruiting class of all time.

3 seasons at Kentucky. 3 of the top 10 recruiting classes in the history of college basketball. If Calipari doesn't hang Banner #8 (and more), it certainly won't be due to a lack of talent.

Guilty until proven innocent...

Today i'm going to do something that I REALLY don't like doing: I will defend a person that I don't like. As a Bengals fan, I can't stand Big Ben and in particular, the Steelers organization as a whole.

If you're not familiar with the Ben Roethlisberger situation, allow me to make a long story short: a woman accused him of sexual assault, and there was not enough evidence to make an arrest or file charges. This was the second time in 8 months that such accusation has been made against Roethlisberger. In July '09, a woman made the same claim against the Steelers quarterback, only to have a co-worker swear an affidavit saying the accuser was not only bragging about sex with Big Ben, but was hoping that she'd be pregnant by the 2 time SuperBowl winner.

No charges filed. No arrests made. And a two game suspension likely coming. This is where I take issue.

Obviously we are supposed to have a "innocent until proven guilty" mentality. And sure, he puts himself in this situation by drinking, partying, and sleeping around. But unless there is a clause in Roethlisberger's contract that says "I promise to be a good guy", then suspending him is wrong.

The Georgia District Attorney who declined to file charges against Big Ben said it best: "We do not prosecute morals, we prosecute crimes". Roethlisberger might be a sleazeball, and as a public figure and role model to young kids, he should be ashamed of himself. But the NFL and Steelers organization should not start this new precedent of punishing players for crimes they have not committed, or actions that aren't even crimes to begin with.

The Best of the Best..

It feels like its been forever since I have graced your computer screen with my infinite wisdom, or lack there of. If you have read my opinion pieces before you know I love controversy! This post will be no different and i'm sure you, your pal, your neighbor, and even your baby cousin will probably disagree, but that's what makes this so fun, and I hope to hear your opinions'.

Now lets get to the good stuff! With the NBA playoffs coming up next week, I started pondering on some of the "NBA stallions" I have watched in the past, great players I have watched have incredible games, and lead their teams to history. Being 25 years old, I have seen game-winners, game-missers, and saw some get late game-jitters.

I have decided to turn the "sports blog world" on its ear, and give you my Top Five NBA Players that I have "seen" in my short time on this earth. For some of the older readers I hope to see yours as well, and that goes for the younger readers as well. I will go in descending order starting with 5 and going to 1.

5. Larry Bird- The "Hick from French Lick" was silky smooth. Bird could do it all on the court, he, of course, could shoot; when he walked in the gym you better find him, or it could be a long night. His miraculous passes, just when a defender thought he had good position on Bird and "stopped the ball", Larry Legend would pull a shoestring pass to Parish, Johnson, McHale, etc. and make the defense look as if they were standing in quicksand. Always a joy to watch him and Magic Johnson in the 80's.

4. Magic Johnson- He made "showtime" in L.A. When the Lakers came on a fast break in the 80's you better watch out! Johnson was one in a million, he could handle, post up smaller guards, and could make the hardest play look rudimentary. Magic was 6'9 and was the first "Taller" point guard I had ever seen. He had the body of a power forward, with the ball skills of a guard. Johnson and Bird made the 80's "must see" basketball.

3. Shaquille O'Neal- Never has a center came in the league and dominated like Shaq did since the days of Russell and Chamberlin. Shaq was 110% power basketball! Brilliant post moves, an excellent defensive presence, an eye for rebounding, and just an intimidating presence in the paint. With his numerous titles and big heart, Shaq was and still is, a lot of fun to watch. He literally brought weightlifting into the NBA. Why you might ask? No one could guard him, so centers' power forwards', etc. had to get stronger or "The Diesel" would push them all over the court.

2. Kobe Bryant- The "Diva" of the NBA is undeniably a great player. He mirrors Michael Jordan with his all-around play. I'm not a huge Bryant fan, but he is a winner! Bryant has an uncanny ability to put the ball in the hoop and now in his later years, he gets other teammates involved. He has learned to be unselfish and play "team" basketball. I would describe Bryant as a player who evolved from a talented scorer to an all-around dynamo. Look at his hands, he has the rings to prove it.

1. Michael Jordan- If I was to put a video of the game of basketball in a time capsule for the future, it would be an hour of his "Airness" playing the game. He was the complete player on the court, with his offensive presence, he did things unimaginable with basketball in his hands, came through in the clutch time and time again, and made the people that played around him better. On the defensive end, he was just as tenacious. He would guard the best player on the court, be counted on to score, distribute, and could handle pressure brilliantly. I loved to watch Michael Jeffery Jordan play the game! He truly he is the greatest of all-time!

- Now I know, some of you are saying "Where's LeBron?" Yes, he is amazing and yes, I love to watch him play. In my opinion however, I want to see him play at a high-level as long as the guys I have mentioned on this post and I want to see him win a ring. When he does that I will most likely move him up. I can't wait to see your top 5, leave it in the comment box, and let me hear the ridicule. The thrill of debate, you got to love it!!

Until Next Time, Adios!

Back to work...

Sorry about the downtime. Tyler is coaching girls t-ball, Brandon has been busy partying with Ben Roethlisberger, and I'm teaching a "Zumba for Men" seminar...

Just kidding of course.

Everyone's been extremely swamped with school, work, etc. Add that to the fact that it's a slow time of year in the sporting world, and you've got yourself a blog that needs a little TLC. We'll be back full force starting this week.

Thanks for reading,
- Neil Borders

Catch a glimpse of the future...

Wondering what the future holds for UK basketball? Check out the Nike Hoops Summit tonight at 10pm on Fox Sports.

Many UK recruits (and one signee) will be taking the floor in this All-Star game. The USA team is highlighted by Brandon Knight, who is by many considered to be the starting point guard for Kentucky this fall. Terrence Jones will also be on Team USA and he is a recruit that Coach Cal is going after HARD.

The highlight of the "World" Team is Enes Kanter, the big man from Turkey that has already committed to UK.

So check it out. You could see as much as 60% of UK's starting 5 for next season.

Why Make Things So Difficult?

After four Kentucky freshman (Wall, Cousins, Bledsoe, and Orton) and an almost certainty that junior Patrick Patterson will declare soon, i started thinking about the ambidextrous process the NBA uses when conducting its "Draft Lottery".

The process gives ALL 14 teams not making the playoffs a chance to get the number one overall pick in the NBA Draft. With the team with the worst record getting the best chance to get the pick. How you might ask? Through a series of various "ping-pong ball probabilities" that would make Archimedes himself smile. My question is this fair? The NFL and MLB lets the team with the worse regular season record get the number one pick each year. Now why must the NBA make things so difficult?

I know in 1984 the NBA decided to "change it up", after accusations of teams "tanking" games to get higher picks in the draft. My question is how do you prove that? I'm sure that can be said in every sport; but seriously how are you going to tell me a professional sports organization is going to "tank" games, when fans pay their hard-earned money to watch games.

This "lottery" process also gives teams who is maybe a player away get a lot better in a hurry, when a team who has lost more games that year doesn't get the chance. Case in point: 1997, the San Antonio Spurs win the lottery and select Tim Duncan. The next year, he joins David Robinson, who was injured most of the '96 season, to win the NBA Championship the following year. Is this fair?

Look back at past draft lotteries, how many times since 1990 has the worst team in the league won the lottery? Answer: Three times! (1990, 2003,2004) How is this feasable?

I believe the NBA Draft should be conducted just like the NFL and MLB, when it comes to what team, gets what pick, in the 1st round. The worst team, with the worst record, should have a chance to get better. With the "NBA Draft Lottery" who knows if that will ever happen.

Until Next Time, Adios!

Put Him In Already!

It's 2010, and the player with the most hits in MLB history still isn't in the Hall of Fame! Pete Rose compiled 4,256 hits in his days with the "Big Red Machine" in Cincinnati, but he is kept out of the "Hall" by gambling on MLB games. So, the question is should the fact that he shined on the field be looked at more than what he did off?

Pete Rose, came by the nickname "Charlie Hustle" not by hustling bookies out of money, but by his play on the diamond, where he never took a play off. How can "Hall" voters sit back and let one mistake keep the "MLB Hit King" out of the MLB Hall of Fame.

I know this is a touchy topic to some, and yes, he did make the mistake of gambling on MLB games; but it has been ages since this happened, and he has admitted to it and feels like he let the game down. People make mistakes and get addicted to things. (Drugs, Alcohol, Gambling, etc.) That being said, I believe that players voted into the "Hall" during the "steroid era" isn't the correct move. If your going to punish Rose for his crimes, you should punish players for taking illegal drugs as well.

Once again, i'm not condoning Rose's actions. I am simply stating that Pete Rose always left it on the field, help the reds win numerous championships in the 1970s, and like I said before, he is the all-time leader in hits!

His level of play on the field should be looked upon as reason enough to put Petey in the Hall of Fame. People make mistakes, just like the "Hall Voters" have for years not putting Rose in the Hall!

Until Next Time, Adios!

I want YOUR help...

Spring is in the air. The smell of fresh cut grass, pollen, and everything else that makes me sneeze is all around. Seeing the leaves turn green also lets us know it's time for baseball season to kick off. There's only one problem: I dont like baseball.

Let me clarify. I actually do like the game of baseball itself. It's MLB that I don't like. No salary cap and a 162 game season make MLB baseball practically unwatchable for me. I keep my eye on the Reds and even go to a game every now and then, but thats more out of fun than it is a love for the game. So help me out...

- Help me like a sport where one player can make $33 million per year (A Rod), while one team only pays their entire roster a combined $35 million (Pittsburgh Pirates).

- Help me like a sport where a team could lose 15 games in a row and still be in playoff contention.

In the NBA and NFL, a team can draft a great player and then build a team around him. In the MLB, a team can develop a young player into a superstar only to find themselves unable to write a paycheck big enough to keep him. It's as if there's a farm system within the league itself. A player will develop and fine tune his skills with a team like the Reds or Brewers, then the big money teams from Boston and New York roll through and sweep them away with their bottomless pit they call a bank account.

The thing I love most about football (especially college football) is that every game matters. In college football, the entire season is basically a tournament because one loss can essentially knock you out of a chance to play for the title. With a 162 game season, a team could lose 5 games in a row and not blink an eye. If your favorite football team loses 5 in a row, you'll likely find the head coach sitting at the local unemployment office come seasons end. (Note: The NBA season is WAY too long too, but that's another story itself.)

I Got News for You Two.....

Now don't let the title think I am attacking you guys lol. Neil and Tyler, I have read both of your arguments, and they're both compelling. Now being that my opinion is still not changed, I will tell you why I still agree that the mid-major won't be as competitive in the upcoming years, when it comes to the final four. Remember, I said "FINAL FOUR". Maybe, the squirrel will find a nut and cause some upsets, but it won't be "final four worthy".

Neil- The "one and done" rule will help more than hinder, reasoning behind:

1. Some of those players that might have went on to the NBA are now going to college for a year, these players can help win a national championship. i.e. Carmelo Anthony.

2. All these big names will go to teams in power conferences. The "little man" will get lost in the shuffle.

3. Coaches once exposed to the mid-major usually end up at power conferences after they show they can coach. Mark Few, is the exception. This means some coaches who go to power conferences, are proned to look at not only the "one and done's" but the "leftovers" as well. i.e. Thad Matta, when at Xavier he got "leftovers" to play well for him, and now he gets some players like Evan Turner during recruitment and he turned out to be a star! He was ranked #49 by ESPN in the class of '07. He turned out to be pretty good under a coach that learned at the mid-major level.

Tyler- I love your opinion on buying into the system at the right time; and your right, the parity this year was great. However, you are looking at a year when teams like N.C., UCONN, and UCLA were all down. This isn't going to happen year after year. The perennial powers will be back to the forefront next year.

You see, what your saying will happen, about every 5 to 10 years. I think we saw a year when like I said in my post, you found that special mix. Let see what kind of schedule Butler has next year and if Brad Stevens stays. I give them credit they beat some good teams, but lets face it this year, didn't have the "big dogs" at their best.

I just feel like talent will still rise to the top, history shows it. I could be wrong but I just feel the mid-major's don't have the same talent as the power conferences, fluxuate in coaching too often to stay competitive, and it take that special team to find that chemistry you talk about.

- So guys that is only my opinion, you guys have valid arguments; but lets just see if they can have the same success year after year before we say mid major teams will be getting to the final four as much as power conferences. History tells us it doesn't happen often. Lets let them make more history before we predict history.

Until Next Time, Adios!

Tyler Will Now Stick His Nose In

I think that this years tournament is proof that college basketball is not what it used to be, in today's game there is so much parity that anyone team seeded in the top 10 or 12 seeds could make the Final Four. So, therefore, I think that experience and playing within a system will be the number one factor in every tournament. Take a look at Butler, they were not as talented as Syracuse, Kansas State, Michigan State and Duke, they defeated three of those teams and nearly knocked off Duke. In my opinion, Butler will be a top 5 team next season, but that does not mean that they will make the Final Four once again. It all boils down to this, which teams are buying into the system at the right time, if you play a certain way and your players are hitting stride and buying into the system at tournament time, then you will go far.

System and Chemistry > Talent...I don't care what Calipari says.

Neil disagrees with Brandon.

Nice read on your take on the mid-majors, but I must respectively disagree with you on this one, bud.

There is more parity than ever in college basketball. Look at how long it's been since UK won a title and look at how long it took for Duke to win another title. Here's why...

The one and done rule
Thanks to the "one and done" rule, players are no longer allowed to jump straight to the NBA after high school. This makes for greater parity in the game. Since players must go to college for a year, their choice of school can be totally different than if they were going to college and planned on staying for 3-4 years.

Derrick Favors to Georgia Tech, OJ Mayo to USC, Michael Beasley to Kansas St...these are all recent moves that never get made if the one and done rule didn't exist.

Whether you think the rule is a good idea or not, there's no denying that it's spreading the talent out to more teams. Mid-major coaches have to be quick to jump on other teams' "leftovers", like Butler did with Lexington's own Shelvin Mack.

Don't Get Used to the Mid-Major....

For 2 out of the last 5 years a school from a mid-major conference has made the final four in men's college basketball. George Mason in 2006 and now Butler this year made memorable tournament runs, and we almost saw the Bulldogs pull of a milestone upset against Duke. In the history of college basketball, we haven't seen many of the smaller schools from a non-power conference play into the third weekend of the NCAA Tournament. So, don't get used to seeing Cinderella wear the slipper all the way to the end.

George Mason's and Butler's story is "heart felt" and true "feel-good stories" for college basketball, but for those of you who have jumped on the mid-major bandwagon, you might want to hop back off.

These stories don't come along everyday and it takes a special group of young men to go this far. Truth is, the major power conferences are going to get all the great recruits, who will automatically have the talent to make a team "Final Four Worthy", and might leave after only a season or two. Mid-major conferences will try to get the athlete to come to their school who believes in the "team game" and may get better in their system. To build a team of players who are all in it for the team, is hard to find these days. Look at the past, how many mid-major schools have been to the final four in the last twenty years? Only the two I mentioned, so finding these "team players" who are good enough to take you into the third weekend, doesn't neccessarily grow on trees.

Some may say "Butler is good and young", but do you know how hard it is to make to consecutive final fours'? Especially, when your a mid-major? Gordon Heyward could go pro, injuries could occur, and this team will not sneak up on anyone next year. Those of you already penciling-in Butler for another run, better breathe a little!

Mid-major accolades make for great stories, but that is exactly what they are stories, and not the norm. We all love to see the "little man" triumph; history shows us however, they don't have triumphant finishes a lot.

Next year, get ready to see the perennial powers come back to form and kick the little man back to the back of the line. A good "tall-tale" is a fun read, but like I said before, its just a story that will stand out, and not the norm!

2006's George Mason and 2010's Butler will be those stories. Now time to get back to the "real world" where more times than not, the norm usually prevails.

Until Next Time, Adios!

10 Reasons to Hate Duke

10. Unattractive Girls- Go ahead, call me shallow, vein, a jerk, or whatever, but let's face it, Duke has some ugly chicks. When looking at girls who are in college, I don't picture Laura Bush with a Cameron Crazies T-shirt on.

9. Private School- I'm sure anyone who has attended a public university can have a little hate for a private, trust fund school, Duke is a prime example.

8. Cameron Indoor Stadium- I am sick and tired of hearing about how great of a building that place is, it's a dump, it holds about 9,000 people and the announcers sit on a cat walk, not counting the fact that it looks like a Cathedral from the outside.

7. Student Body/Uninformed Fanbase- The majority of the students at Duke University who call themselves "Crazies", probably have no clue about anything concerning the history or present of the game of basketball. As bad as I hate to say it, Lin, the Accounting major from Taiwan, is probably not the basketball guru of his time.

6. Floor Slapping- This should be self explanatory, is it really necessary to slap the floor after every, pass, dribble, shot, charge, defensive stop and water break in the game of basketball? Duke's men's basketball team spends more time with their hands on the floor than Pamela Anderson on a boat.

5. White Guys- Why so many?

4. J.J. Redick/Jon Scheyer/Kyle Singler/Steve Wojciechowski/Shain Battier- Why do you take so many charges? Then why do you slap the floor? But most importantly, why make that face as if you have been castrated with a dull butter knife every time you are in a position of agony or strain?

3. Arrogance- Duke players have acted like they have been blessed by God, as if they are the disciples of Christ, walking the Earth in search of a chick rated 4 on a scale of 1 to 10 while playing basketball and whining to every person in a black and white striped shirt.

2. Coach K- I'll be the first to tell you that, Mike Krzyzewski is a great coach, there is no doubting that, but I will also tell you that the sight, sound and thought of him repulses me. Whether it's the fact that he looks like a weasel, sounds like a weasel and complains about every call made during a game, just radiates through his being. Coach K is also associated with Bobby Knight, which is a story of it's own. Krzyzewski is a guy who can win a national title, do great humanitarian work, and still be hated by nearly everyone else who follows college basketball.

1. Christian Laettner- It's hard for me to utter that name, the mere thought of it causes me to go into a deep state of nausea and depression. Do I really have to go into the 1992 Elite 8 game, I really don't want to, and I shall not. Just by looking at his name, you should be infuriated, and want to kick the nearest thing near you. I think it's safe to say that he is by far the number one reason to hate the Duke University Blue Devils. Ughhh.

I can think of other reasons, but these are the ones that really get me, let's hear some more reasons of why you hate Duke.

As the madness comes to an end...

And it's down to two.

Good vs. Evil....David vs. Golliath.

I just want to say that anyone that cheers for Duke over Butler probably also cheers for dogs to get hit by oncoming traffic as they attempt to cross the street.

Duke not only made it to the championship game, but did so in a fashion that was rubbed right in Kentucky's face by doing exactly what the Wildcats werechallenged to do and couldnt: knocked down jump shots. West Virginia put their 2-3 zone on the Dukies, and Duke responded by jacking (and making) 3's from all over the place. Kyle Single, John Scheyer, and Nolan Smith knocked down a combined 12 3-point buckets and the Blue Devils shot 52% from beyond the arc as a team. WV's Joe Mazzula, who was a hero in the Elite Eight against UK, was held to 4 points.

Neil rants on Donovan McNabb

Donovan McNabb gets so little respect that even Rodney Dangerfield feels sorry for him. The Philadelphia Eagles are now entertaining trade offers for the most unappreciated sports star that I can think of.

Statistically, McNabb is a fantastic quarterback. According to STATS Inc., his 100 interceptions in 4,746 career attempts is the third-lowest interception percentage in NFL history among players who’ve thrown at least 1,500 passes. But that hasn't stopped Philadelphia residents and sports columnists being overly critical of him his entire career. From the moment his name was announced, Eagles fans boo'd viciously because their beloved team drafted him over Ricky Williams. Ask any Cleveland Browns fan if they could go back in time 11 years and take McNabb over Tim Couch and see what they say. On the contrary though, most Philly fans probably still consider it a mistake.

McNabb is coming off his sixth Pro Bowl season. Not only has he thrown for more yards and touchdowns than any QB in Eagles history, but he's their all time winningest QB too....not to mention the five NFC championship games and a Super Bowl appearance that the Eagles have earned with McNabb under center.

Now, let's look at who should and shouldn't be looking to trade for Donovan McNabb...

The following teams have their QB of the future, barring an unforeseen circumstance, won't be looking to acquire a quarterback in the next 2 years or more: Bears, Bengals, Chargers, Chiefs, Colts, Cowboys, Falcons, Giants, Jets, Lions, Packers, Patriots, Ravens, Saints, Steelers, and Texans.

- The Redskins need a quarterback but NO WAY do the Eagles trade McNabb within their own division, so they are out.

- The Cardinals, Dolphins, Panthers, and Titans still have question marks at quarterback, but they will give their respective quarterbacks more time to see if they will pan out or not.

- That leaves us with the following teams that could definitely use McNabb's services: 49'ers, Bills, Broncos, Browns, Buccaneers, Jaguars, Rams, Raiders, Seahawks, and Vikings

Here's my shortlist of 4 teams that REALLY should pursue the trade, in reverse order...

- Cleveland Browns: With Carson Palmer, Joe Flacco, and Ben Roethlisberger all in the AFC North, this division is packed with star power at QB. New Browns GM Mike Holmgren knows his quarterbacks, having coached Joe Montana, Steve Young, Brett Favre, and Matt Hasselbeck. He'd have some stud O-linemen to keep him clean, but really nobody to throw it to.

- San Francisco 49'ers: Playing in an easily winnable NFC West, acquiring a quarterback as good as Donovan McNabb should make The Niners favorites to win their division. He'd have two great, young targets to throw to in Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis.

- Denver Broncos: If Denver can make Brandon Marshall happy and find a way to make it work with him, then they will have a fantastic WR corps with him and Eddie Royal. Their defense is also solid with stars like Champ Bailey and Elvis Dumervil. If knocking the Chargers off the throne in the AFC West is their goal, they need a quarterback better than Kyle Orton to lead the way.

- Minnesota Vikings: This one makes perfect sense. The Vikings are, from top to bottom, possibly the best team in the NFL. A very solid defense, the best runningback in the league, and an up and coming receiving corps. But Favre can't do it forever, and even if he could, who wants to deal with that drama every single offseason? The Vikings need to just trade for McNabb, shore up their QB position for the next 5 years, and enjoy the many postseasons that will soon follow.

Dreaming of a Chance

When you grow up in the Bluegrass State you're brought up on church-going morals, good home cooking, and Kentucky Basketball. (Excluding U of L fans, so try not to get to offended). I can remember as a child watching the 1991-92 Kentucky Wildcats. This team would come to be known as "The Unforgettables", why you might ask? Because this was just after the dark days of UK basketball, grade tampering, and recruiting violations came about. Needless to say, most UK fans weren't in the best of spirits during basketball season.Then this group of upstarts came along and won't be forgotten by UK fans because of their hustle, passion, and never say die attitude. Plus, three "home grown" boys started: Richie Farmer (Clay Co.), Deron Feldhaus (Mason Co.), and John Pelphrey (Paintsville). They finished 29-7 and played one of the more memorable games ever, in the East Regional Final against Duke, and were beat 104-103 in overtime. Christian Laettner, blah, blah, blah, it's ancient history.

Now that you have read this, besides this team how many "home grown" UK players can you remember that made a major statement with the Cats? Probably not many. Of Course, Darius Miller came along nicely this year and Jon Hood could make significant strides this off season, but some of the more talented players from the Bluegrass that have seemed to "slip threw the cracks" and get away from the Cats in recent years. Here are a couple I think the Cats let slip away in the past.

- Chris Lofton, this sharp shooter from Mason Co. ended up at Tennessee. He had a fantastic career for the Vols, and would have looked good in blue. I know the class coming in of Rondo, Morris, Crawford, and Bradley were supposed to be the second coming, but it didn't work out that way, Lofton would've been a great fit and maybe Tubby regrets that now. I think he would have been a nice fit after Patrick Sparks graduated. He put up better numbers than Crawford and Bradley in the SEC, and should have been a Wildcat.

- Scotty Hopson, Billy Gillispie should have paid more attention to this kid, and next year you find out why. He is great athlete, whose shot will get better, and will be a first or second team all-SEC preformer at Tennessee, by his senior year. Heck, he could be an all-american by this time as well. I guess people who didn't meet Billy Clyde's defintion of "work", need not get a look. I guess Dakotah Euton could work though. HAHA

These two both got away to Tennessee! This can't happen! I implore Coach Cal if he does see potential in a Kentucky boy, don't shy away. I know McDonald's All Americans have all the accolades, but how many of them have been busts? I know Lofton had a great career, and the only player we got in the 04' class that could have "held a candle" to him was Rondo his freshman and sophomore year, and we all know what he is doing in the NBA.

I know there have been the Brandon Stockton's and the J.P. Blevins's, however, Kentucky still has a pedigree of great basketball talent. Maybe in this year's class, there aren't any players capable in the state that can play at UK, but maybe next year there will. I just hate to see UK pass up on great players from state. I always heard recruit within, and I believe in that.

Heart, loyalty, passion, will to do anything it takes to win: Kentucky "home grown" talent! The quote "if you build it, they will come." should tell high school basketball coaches in the state to coach hard, instill good work ethic in players, and maybe, just maybe......Coach Cal will come! I hope to see Kentucky High School basketball players step up, work hard, and play at Rupp, not only for the state tournament, but as a Wildcat!

Mass Exodus?

Word around Columbus (site of the McDonald's All American game which is on TV right now) is that UK recruits are being told that Kentucky will be losing 5 players to the NBA this offseason.

According to CatsPause, UK target Doron Lamb said that Coach Cal told him "the whole freshmen class is leaving", and that there will be 9 open scholarships. the question is whether Cal meant that literally. Patterson, Wall, Cousins, Bledoe are all gone according to MANY reports. Then there's the 3 seniors that are obviously gone. Liggens and Harrelson are both coming back. That leaves 3 question marks: Daniel Orton, Darnell Dodson, and John Hood.

- Ortons dad apparently told Jerry Tipton of the LHL that his son will declare for the draft, but not hire an agent which would leave the door open for his possible return to Lexington. A followup came out saying Orton has yet to declare.

- Reports are also popping up that Darnell Dodson will be transferring. I don't know the basis for these rumors and a transfer just doesn't make sense here. Darnell got plenty of playing time and even a couple of starts for one of the top teams in the country.

- Some also believe that John Hood will be moving on and transferring. Although him transferring would make a lot more sense than Dodson, this is merely speculation.

This past October we were introduced to a completely new UK squad at Big Blue Madness. Prepare yourself for a possible deja vu come this October as we could see as many as 9 new Cats taking the floor at Rupp.

Building For The Future

Now, I'm not here to claim that I know how to build a successful college basketball program or recruit for the present and the future, but I'm going to throw my two cents in anyway.

Coach John Calipari has proved that year in and year out he can recruit the best of the best, one and done after one and done. This is great, players want to play for a coach that can put you in the NBA, and Calipari is certainly the guy, but at some point, you have to recruit for the future and for the university. I know Coach Cal says that he will recruit the best of the best, as he should, but his entire class year in and year out should not be four 5 star players. Recruiting is not hardly a science, as players who are ranked high can be busts, and players that are ranked low, can be superstars, ie. Dwane Wade. But instead of recruiting just the best talent at each position, maybe Calipari should take a page from the Tom Izzo/Coach K playbook, and recruit the best players that fit your style and that fit your program.

If Calipari continues to recruit the way he has in the past, Kentucky will have the best players in the country year in and year out, but at the same time, will have the least experienced players year in and year out. In the future, wouldn't it be better to have a class of four players that look something like: three 4 stars and a superstar one and done type player. We all know that a superstar recruit can have an immediate impact on a programs success, but what about future success within the program. Not to toot the same horn over and over, but if you look at Michigan States recruiting classes, they are normally what I explained an ideal class to be, a few solid guys who can contribute as Freshman, but will get better and better down the road, and more importantly, leave their respected university with a degree. Say what you want about Izzo and his style of play, but Michigan State has reached the Final Four 6 out of the last 12 seasons, that is getting it done. If you have a class where you have the opportunity to get four guys like we did in the 2009 class, take it, but this should not be a yearly thing. If Cal can recruit a couple program guys to go along with a couple elite guys, not only will we have great talent, but the programs graduation rate will improve and the team will be more tournament built for the future.

As a student at the University of Kentucky, a lifelong resident of the commonwealth, and someone who has bled blue my entire life, I pay roughly 10,000 dollars a year to the university that I have loved my entire life. I want the players that play for our program to realize that they have 30,000 fellow students and millions of Kentuckians that would kill to have their opportunity, not just the opportunity to play for college basketballs greatest program, but the opportunity to receive a free education from the commonwealths flagship institute. I am proud of what we accomplished this season, but I would also hope that we have a program where the players understand what "Kentucky" means, and how great it is to wear that across their chest.

Basically, what I am trying to say is, maybe the best talent is not the best for the program, build for the future, and take pride in our university, the commonwealths college.

Lovin' the Ville'

According to the Louisville Courier Journal, Louisville Head Coach, and social playboy, Rick Pitino, will recieve a 4 year extension. So, with all of the talk that our boy, Ricky P, could possibly jolt for another job has went out of the window. Pitino will be battling it out with Cal's Cats over the next few seasons, and surely enjoying a few hearty meals at Porcinis.

Expansion to 96, Not So Much....68 is Relevant

Expansion is a term used in sports when talking about starting something new, whether it be a new franchise in the NBA, MLB, etc. or starting new leagues in various sports. Now, the term expansion is being thrown around in Division I, NCAA basketball. This type of "expansion" would be expanding the 64-team basketball tournament, held every March, to 96 teams!

This idea is outrageous! I know what the NCAA is dreaming of: dollar signs, cash registers' exploding, and swimming in "moolah", but is the money worth "watering down" the tourney with boring games? To those still dreaming, "Yes", but to the college basketball fan who enjoys the thrill of March Madness, "No!"

Think about the teams you would have in the tourney, I mean does college basketball really want the stigma of, "Hey, we don't have to play hard, we can have a losing record and still get in the field." Don't get me wrong not all teams with losing records are going to get in, but some will, and it makes regular season conference play irrelevant, as well as, conference tournaments.

What I do propose is expanding the field to 68. Every one-seed would be rewarded by having two teams play "play in games" to see who will play each. They already have one a year, what is the problem with having three more? This would also give three more at-large bids. If look year after year, people usually complain about three or four teams who didn't make it. This year, Mississippi State, Virginia Tech, and Illinois were all talked about as being "NCAA worthy", with this system all three would've made the field.

I feel a 68 team field would love most happy, 96 however, is just too many teams. You what they say, "if it isn't broke, don't try to fix it". With all the complaining going on year after year, what is it going to hurt to try?

Until Next Time, Adios!

Cin-cinn-ati (Part 2)

We have already looked at Ardolis Chapman and his role this year, and a look at potential players on the trading block this season. Now lets look at some more questions the Cincinnati Reds have going into the 2010 MLB season.

3. How will Edinson Volquez bounce back after Tommy John Surgery?

Statistics show that it is tough for pitchers to bounce back after Tommy John Surgery because of the unpredictable nature of how they will come back from the injury. Volquez showed he had dominate stuff before his injury with a great fastball and maybe the best changeup in the game. Now, it's time to play "the waiting game" and see just what productivity Volquez can have this season. Look for him to come back slowly this year; I just can't see him bouncing back to form this season after the extensive surgery he has went threw over the past year.

4. Who is going to play left field for the Reds this year?

With Stubbs in center and Bruce in right, the left fielder for this season is still up for grabs for the 2010 Reds. A host of Reds have been looked at this spring training to fill the void in left. Some of the names vying for the opening day spot are: the resigned Johnny Gomes, Wladimir Balentin, Chris Dickerson, Laynce Nix, and Josh Anderson.

Garrett Anderson's name has also been thrown around, if the Reds were to sign the veteran he would make a nice addition in left. Look for the Reds to keep this race within the team and go with what they have now. They will platoon this position until they find their answer. They need production out of this position, if they find this, the season might be plentiful for the Reds. Big thing is they need an answer quickly.

My prediction would be that Gomes will be your opening day starter in left. He hits well, but is lacking in the defensive department. The power hitter will probably get the start after being resigned. If he hits, he stays, if not, well there are plenty of mediocre talent to choose from. haha

5. Can Jay Bruce be the player they need him to be?

Bruce will need to bounce back from a sophomore campaign in which he had 22 HR's and 58 RBI's. A nagging wrist injury cost the young right fielder last year, but this year they need more production out of Bruce.

The right-fielder is a "all or nothing" hitter, what I mean is he has power to all fields but strikeouts have hampered his production. He is sometimes a dead pull hitter who needs to spray around the baseball to all fields. If he can do this and be consistent he will become a hitter who hits around .290 to.300 all year, the Reds will be set with a lot of good sticks in the middle of their lineup. Shorten the cut and used the whole field Brucey!

These are 5 big questions the Reds have for the season, I will have more info to come on the infield, outfield, starting pitching rotation, and the bullpen of the Reds in the days to come.

I will even have what I think to be their overall record as well!

Until Next Time, Adios!

BREAKING NEWS

John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins named AP All-Americans today. They are only the 9th pair of teammates to be selected together and the first since JJ Reddick and Sheldon Willliams of Duke in 2006. They are also UK's first All-Americans since Ron Mercer in 1997. Ohio State junior Evan Turner, Syracuse junior Wes Johnson and Villanova senior Scottie Reynolds round out the list.

Cin-cinn-ati (Part 1)

You got to love the spring time, leaves start to bud back on trees, flowers start to bloom, and another year on the diamond picks up full speed ahead! This year our boys to the north, the Cincinnati Reds have playoff aspirations just like all the other 31 teams in the MLB. Its been 14 years since the Reds made the post-season, they would like to change that 2010. The Reds have a good nucleus in tact, but there is always question marks when it comes to small market ballclubs like the Reds. Lets look at some of these questions for this years club.

1. Where does Ardolis Chapman fit in the rotation?

The Cuban fireballer signed a lucrative contract this winter to the tune of 6 yrs. for 30 million dollars! This is big bucks for a small market ballclub to invest in a pitcher who hasn't even taken a major league mound yet. Considering they're paying him "mucho dinero" all Reds fans are hoping he comes along quickly and can get in the rotation as soon as possible.

He has shown signs of brilliance so far in spring training, with his 100 mph fastball and sharp slider he could turn out to be a gem. I look at the Reds letting him get some starts in the minor's before bringing him up to "the show". One thing is for certain this "flamethrower" has Cincy fans dreaming of a festive future and October appearances. If things keep progressing, Chapman keeps improving, the Reds could get back to the top. With a young rotation, Chapman could be, "just what the doctor ordered" to go with Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto, Homer Bailey, and youngster Mike Leake.

A rotation with those four, including Chapman could end up being the best young rotation in baseball for years to come.

2. Who will be on the trading block this season?

You'll hear me say this over and over, but small market ballclubs aren't able to afford and spend like bigger market clubs like the Yankees and Red Sox, and teams like the Reds have to look to build young talent. This being said, even if they build this talent, sometimes it even gets too good to afford.

Teams like the Reds grow talent and look for journeymen, players who have been around the league and are looking for a job. Sometimes these journeymen are either traded for or signed in the off-season, and sometimes they have big years, want more money, and have to be traded for younger talent.

Now that you know how the "monopoly" of baseball works, lets look at some of the players who might have to be traded:

-Bronson Arroyo- Great pitcher who changes speeds better than anyone in the league, a big market team may need a pitcher like Arroyo for the stretch run

-Aaron Harang- Another older pitcher with a live fastball and a great slider, he also might be needed by a playoff contender around July as well.

- Ramon Hernandez- Good inside out hitter that can be traded for a younger talent. If Ryan Hanigan keeps improving he could be trade bait.

- Brandon Phillips- Maybe the best overall second baseman in baseball, he will be expensive to keep around Cincy for the long-term.

Now if the Reds are in the playoff hunt this could change, but if not look for the Redlegs to shop these players.

More underlying Reds questions to come.

Until Next Time, Adios!