2/24 | Predictions

2007-02-23T22:20:00.000-05:00

(10/8) Pittsburgh @ (12/12) Georgetown (2, CBS)
.::.Breakdown: Obviously with Aaron Gray out for tomorrow’s tilt, Georgetown will be favored. Even with a healthy Gray, the Hoyas are too hot to lose at home in a nationally televised game. Look for Roy Hibbert and Jeff Green to combine for 38 points and 17 rebounds. Pitt guard Levance Fields counters with 23 points, but it’s not enough.
.::.Prediction: Georgetown 68, Pittsburgh 61

(16/16) Marquette @ (NR/23) Notre Dame (3:30, ESPN Full Court)
.::.Breakdown: Crucial game for both 9-5 teams. Would love to call this the Big East Game of the Day, but Pitt-Gtown earns that billing. Notre Dame is 17-0 at home this season and with the fourth and final bye for the Big East tourney on the line, the Irish will sneak past the Eagles.
.::.Prediction: Notre Dame 72, Marquette 65

Georgia Tech @ (24/19) Virginia (3:30, ESPN Full Court)
.::.Breakdown: For Georgia Tech it’s a must win game, but with the game being played at Virginia … it’s almost impossible. J.R. Reynolds and Sean Singletary combine for 44 points.
.::.Prediction: Virginia 75, Georgia Tech 64

(3/3) Florida @ LSU (3:45, CBS)
.::.Breakdown: LSU is off the bubble, but this game could put them in better shape for the SEC tourney. However, Florida won’t lose for a second consecutive Saturday.
.::.Prediction: Florida 66, LSU 59

Auburn @ (25/25) Alabama (5, ESPN Full Court)
.::.Breakdown: The Crimson Tide lost a crucial game to Tennessee the other night, so the remaining three games are even more important. Good news for Alabama…those three games are at home against Auburn, Ole Miss and at Mississippi State.
.::.Prediction: Alabama 69, Auburn 55

(21/22) BYU @ San Diego State (6)
.::.Breakdown: BYU is already close to being a lock, but a win at San Diego State would definitely help their cause. Problem is Brandon Heath and company will pull off the upset at home … especially considering the Aztecs got smoked the last time these two teams played.
.::.Prediction: San Diego State 78, BYU 74

Stanford @ (4/4) UCLA (6)
.::.Breakdown: Both teams are headed to the NCAA tournament, but somebody has to win this game … it’s UCLA behind – yeah, you guess it – Arron Afflalo.
.::.Prediction: UCLA 84, Stanford 71

Washington @ (23/24) Oregon (10:30)
.::.Breakdown: Washington needs to win if they want to remain in bubble conversations, if not they’ll have to make some serious noise in the Pac-10 tourney. The Ducks have been faltering as of late, but the win against Washington State on Thursday gets them back on track. Aaron Brooks will score 26 and the Ducks squeak at the ‘w’.
.::.Prediction: Oregon 83, Washington 79

Rankings: AP/ESPN

Season Record: 8-4

1/17 | Predictions

2007-01-17T18:39:00.000-05:00

(23/25) Virginia Tech @ Florida State (7)
.::.Prediction: FSU 74, Virginia Tech 71

(20/20) Notre Dame @ Villanova (7, ESPNU)
.::.Prediction: Villanova 70, Notre Dame 66

(4/4) UNC @ (19/16) Clemson (7, ESPNHD)
.::.Prediction: UNC 82, Clemson 74

(22/24) Tennessee @ Auburn (8, FSN South/Sun Sports)
.::.Prediction: Tennessee 68, Auburn 61

Mississippi @ (16/19) LSU (8, n/a)
.::.Prediction: LSU 80, Mississippi 68

(10/9) Alabama @ Vandy (8, n/a)
.::.Prediction: Alabama 68, Vandy 67

Purdue @ (2,3) Wisconsin (8, ESPN Full Court)
.::.Prediction: Wisconsin 73, Purdue 58

Rankings: AP/ESPN
Season Record: 3-2

1/16 Lots of action on...

2007-01-16T20:18:00.000-05:00

Tuesday, January 16 we have lots of college basketball on _________ [insert whatever the hell ESPN calls their Tuesday nights of basketball].

>Pitt is hosting the always tough Connecticut. (ESPN2, 7)

>Maryland travels to ACC rival Virginia. (Raycom/Lincoln Financial Sports, ESPN Full Court, 8)

>A nice SEC matchup w/ Kentucky @ South Carolina (ESPNHD, 9)

>And the game of the night ... two ranked teams Texas @ Oklahoma State (ESPN2, 9)

1/9 | Ohio State @ Wisconsin (Halftime report)

2007-01-09T22:00:00.000-05:00

Well, now that I've finished wiping the drool off my face from staring at Erin Andrews, the 1st half was exactly what I expected. Physical. Low scoring. Big Ten basketball at it's finest.

In the matchup of the fourth and fifth ranked teams, Greg Oden has as many points and rebounds as he does fouls: 2. Ivan Harris is leading the way for the Buckeyes with 11 points on 3-6 shooting from long distance. On the other side of the sideline, Kammron Taylors paced the Badgers in the 1st half with 11 points.

Look for Ohio State head coach Thad Matta to continue to try and pound the ball down low to Oden. If that doesn't work, Daequan Cook and Ron Lewis better step up their games.

Wisconsin is shooting 43 percent from the field compared to the Buckeyes 27 percent, so if the Badgers want to win this game they're going to have to capitalize on OSU's shooting woes.

Now back to the game ... and Erin Andrews.

1/9 | Ohio State @ Wisconsin

2007-01-09T21:38:00.000-05:00

7:46 left in the 1st half, Wisconsin up 19-13. Greg Oden has two fouls already. Not good for the Buckeyes.

December 9 Predictions (Late shift)

2006-12-09T17:15:00.000-05:00

Arizona (14 - AP, 15 - ESPN/USA TODAY) @ San Diego State (Not Ranked)

Upset alert is at level 11 out of a possible 10. Brandon Heath (20 ppg, 2.4 spg) is probably the best guard on the West Coast and his Aztecs have tied the best nine-game start in school history.

They are going up against the legendary Lute Olsen, though folks, and his 14th ranked Wildcats are ranked that high in the country for a reason.

Highly touted freshman Chase Budinger (19.4 ppg, 6.9 rpg) gets all the attention, but Ivan Radenovic (18.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg)

Prediction: San Diego State 75, Arizona 70

=====

Washington (13, 8) @ Gonzaga (18, 18)

With the nation's longest home winning streak, the Bulldogs will have their hands full with in-state rival the Washington Huskies.

Gonzaga through the first couple weeks, were much better than I gave them credit for. Then when I start giving them daps, they go off and lose to Washington State (useless info of the day: my alma mater Radford lost to the Cougars by 17 ... but WSU is 8-1 this year).

So I'll just keep my mouth shut about Gonzaga. I will say that they will look for a big game out of Josh Heytvelt (17.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg) as he goes up against HS class of 2005 Top 10 recruit Spencer Hawes (12.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg).

Prediction: Gonzaga 72, Washington 68

=====

Xavier (24, NR) @ Creighton (NR)

A lot of readers have been writing me this week telling me to keep an eye on Creighton in this matchup. I respect Dana Altman. He's a great head coach and his BlueJays will have a great season in the Missouri Valley Conference and will move onto the NCAA tournament. But they won't get past the X-men.

Xavier is one of the most balanced teams in the country. Yeah I said it. And no I haven't been drinking the kool-aid. Forwards Josh Duncan (13.6 ppg, 5 rpg) and Justin Doellman (10.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg) complement each other wonderfully. Stanley Burrell (11.8 ppg, 3.4 apg) is the best guard in the state of Ohio and probably the best guard in the A-10. Justin Cage ( 9.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg) is one of the most versatile players in the nation. Oklahoma transfer Drew Lavender (6.5 ppg, 4.1 apg) is beginning to gel with the rest of the team. Head Coach Sean Miller's squad will get to at least the Sweet 16 and beyond.

Sorry, but no upset here.

Prediction: Xavier 77, Creighton 71

December 9 Predictions (Early shift)

2006-12-09T14:06:00.000-05:00

Wisconsin (11 - AP, 12 - ESPN/USA Today) vs. Marquette (17, 20)

If you're a big fan of guard play ... this one is for you. Everyone is on the Dominic James (17 ppg, 4.2 apg) bangwagon, I'm not sold on him yet. Let's see what he can do against the Badgers stud-studded backcourt in Kammron Taylor (11.9 ppg) and Alando Tucker (19.3 ppg).

Wes Matthews (Marquette) and Michael Flowers (Wisconsin) are underrated and watch for them to have big games.

Prediction: Wisconsin 64, Marquette 59

=====

Texas A&M (6, 6) vs. UCLA (1, 1)

Things don't get any easier for the Aggies. After losing at LSU on Tuesday in a rematch of last year's NCAA tournament classic, the Aggies now have to travel to Cali to face the #1 Bruins. C'mon that's not fair. Well life isn't fair, so Acie Law (13.6 ppg, 4.8 apg) and company has to deal with it.

Texas A&M boasts four guys that average in double figures going up against the Bruins, who also have four that are up in double figures. Arron Affalo (17.1 ppg) vs Law is going to capture everyone's attention and rightfully so.

Prediction: UCLA 84, Texas A&M 77

A great night for college hoops...

2006-12-05T22:25:00.000-05:00

I'm so glad I have off "work" tonight. Got to witness Oklahoma State-Syracuse (ESPN HD). Then the ending of Northern Iowa @ Iowa (ESPN Full Court). Now flipping between Louiville-Arizona (ESPN HD), Cal State Fullerton @ UCLA (Fox Sports College Sports), Gonzaga @ Washington State (Fox Sports Pacific) and Texas A&M @ LSU (ESPN Full Court) - a rematch of last year's NCAA tournament classic.

The Louisville-Arizona game ... everyone is talking about the Diaper Dandies - Derrick Caracter and Chase Budinger - of Louisville and Arizona respectively, but the real matchup to watch is Juan Palacios (U of L) vs Ivan Radenovic (U of A).

A great night for college hoops...

P.S. I have a guy crush on Dick Vitale.

Jimmy V

2006-12-05T21:28:00.000-05:00

When I was kid I loved college hoops (still do, it's my #1 passion), but I remember at the time Jimmy Valvano's spoke at the 1993 ESPY awards, I was just 10 years old. I thought he looked weird, thought he talked weird, but I knew he was an important figure in college hoops. I was fairly young to realize what he had accomplished and what he was dying from, but I just remember my dad telling me all the great Valvano moments. I had the remote control on that day and in most cases with some guy talking for more than two minutes, I would have changed the channel. Not that day. Not that speech. Even if I was a 9 year-old or a 10 year-old at the time, I was drawn to him and to his speech.

"30 seconds ... what are you nuts ... enjoy your life with all the precious moments you have...don't give up, don't ever give up."

Everytime I watch his speech - being played right now on ESPN - I still get choked up.

He was and is the face of college hoops.

Orange Bowl...

2006-12-05T21:10:00.000-05:00

Oklahoma State vs Syracuse right now who have brought seas of orange.

Oklahoma State was up 67-54 with 3:52 remaining, a minute left now ... 67-64 OK State.

Great game so far.

Paul Harris is about to take over.

Big week of NCAA FB? How about NCAA hoops...

2006-12-03T21:29:00.000-05:00

What a week it was - in fact - still is, in the world of college hoops.

.::. Georgetown-Duke was a sloppy game but still came down to the wire. Bottom line: both teams are overrated.

.::. Just as I was beginning to write a piece about Maryland basketball being a top 10 (maybe even top 5) program ... they fall to lowly Notre Dame. Still at 8-1 the Terps are a team to be afraid of come March.

.::. Nice week for University of Florida football program; not the same for the basketball team.

.::. Speaking of football: while we won't see an Ohio State-Michigan rematch for the championship; in basketball, don't be surprised to see a Ohio State-UNC rematch for the championship.

.::. I have no idea who Missouri has played, but just throwing it out there ... they are 9-0.

.::. I told you Marquette is overrated.

.::. Butler and Marist are two teams that weren't in my preseason Top 10 Mid-Majors, but should've been. They'll be in my next batch, because guards A.J. Graves (Butler) and Jared Jordan (Marist) are two unknown studs of college hoops.

.::. So let's get this straight. Gonzaga lost Adam Morrison to the NBA, but somehow they are 8-1 with wins over UNC and Texas. Hmmm...

.::. The ACC > Big East.

.::. Have to do it ... big congrats to my Radford Highlanders of the Big South Conference for upsetting the Richmond Spiders (@ Richmond) by 17. Next up for RU? A home date with 2006 Final Four squad George Mason.

October 6 | The most interesting stat...

2006-10-06T14:06:00.000-04:00

Baseball is a game of stats. Analysts, fanatics, hitting coaches drool over them. Well just because it's the playoffs don't think the importance of stats are going to change.

In 8 playoff games thus far, the away team has won 5 of those games.

October 5 | MLB Predictions

2006-10-05T20:18:00.000-04:00

1st round of MLB playoff predictions...

Doug McKinney
Oakland-Minnesota: Minnesota Twins
Detroit-New York (AL): New York Yankees
St. Louis-San Diego: St. Louis Cardinals
Los Angeles (NL)-New York (NL): New York Mets

Rocky Parrish
Oakland-Minnesota: Minnesota Twins
Detroit-New York (AL): Detroit Tigers
St. Louis-San Diego: St. Louis Cardinals
Los Angeles (NL)-New York (NL): Los Angeles Dodgers

Derek Miller
Oakland-Minnesota: Minnesota Twins
Detroit-New York (AL): Detroit Tigers
St. Louis-San Diego: San Diego Padres
Los Angeles (NL)-New York (NL): Los Angeles Dodgers

Trade Market: Alfonso Soriano to any of 20 teams (rumor)

2006-07-29T17:31:00.000-04:00

my thoughts...

http://www.natsfanatics.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=93&Itemid=28

Trade Market: White Sox turn down Crisp for Buehrle (rumor)

2006-07-29T16:08:00.000-04:00

Red Sox get:
Mark Buehrle

White Sox get:
Coco Crisp

As reported by the Boston Globe, the White Sox turned down an offer from the Red Sox that would send OF Coco Crisp to the White Sox for starter Mark Buehrle. So, as it stands, this is just a rumor.

It's no seacret that the White Sox aren't too thrilled with the production they've received from rookie center fielder Brian Anderson. Even if ESPN reported that he wouldn't be part of a deal to the Washington Nationals for Alfonso Soriano.

Buehrle, a left-handed starter who likes to work quickly, is suffering from a case of "tale of two seasons" syndrome: starting the year off hot, before going 0-5 in his last five starts. He's still one of the more reliable pitchers in the game - and if it helps matters - he's 3-1 all-time at Fenway Park with 12 strike outs in 4 games.

Crisp, despite injuries, has played pretty well this season. He would be a major upgrade over Anderson in CF for the White Sox.

If Crisp were moved, that would pave way for Wily Mo Pena. While Mo Pena would help the Red Sox offensive attack tremendously, is it at the expense of having a linebacker playing centerfield? That's a lot of routine singles/doubles that could turn into triples and inside the park home runs.

Trade Market: Carlos Lee to the Rangers (official)

2006-07-29T13:53:00.000-04:00

Brewers get:

OF Kevin Mench
RHP Francisco Cordero
OF Laynce Nix

Rangers get:
LF Carlos Lee
OF Nelson Cruz
LHP Julian Cordero

The Rangers - who weren't supposed to be major players in the trade market - got the two best players involved in this six-player deal. Carlos Lee has been rumored to be heading out of Milwaukee for sometime now and with Texas acquiring him, there aren't too many big time bats left on the market. Lee will bat in the middle of the line-up, helping a struggling Rangers offense. Cruz wasn't getting any looks in Milwaukee, but Texas has found a place for him, adding him to their MLB roster. The book on Cruz is that he has awesome power, will knock in some runs, steal some bases, but will have his fair share of strike outs. In AAA-Nashville, he compiled 20 HRs, 73 RBIs, stole 17 bases ... but struck out 100 times.

With this move it seems the Brewers are packing in the rest of the season. Although Mench is capable of hitting 20 homers and driving in 70 runs, the Brewers lost a lot in this deal, even if Lee was going to be a free agent in the offseason. Francisco Cordero could relieve Derrick Turnbow of his closing duties. Laynce Nix has been a minor leaguer as long as Lance Bass has been, well, happy.

Winner:

US Open | Ferrie who?

2006-06-16T16:13:00.000-04:00

Kenneth Ferrie leads the US Open -3 overall (-4 today). I am thinking the same thing as you. Who the hell is Kenneth Ferrie?

US Open - Winged Foot Nightmare

2006-06-16T14:34:00.000-04:00

Phil Mickelson is about to tee off on the 5th (+2) ... wow smoked it. Great shot.

Most golfers competing in this US Open haven't been able to say the same thing. Winged Foot to golfers has been like the Boston Marathon to Star Jones.

Poor Tiger Woods. He finished the first two days with a +12, most likely cutting his US Open short. He claimed after today's round (76) that he was "pissed" and that he "wasn't ready to play golf this weekend."

Some "sleepers" to keep an eye out for: Jim Furyk (+1), Jose Maria Olazabal (+4) and Adam Scott (+4).

My selection: c'mon now. Mickelson.

End of 1st round...

2006-04-29T17:17:00.000-04:00

Lots of surprises, lots of tears and not enough Rachel Nichols. Taking a quick peep at the picks, San Fran came out as a winner. Laurence Maroney (New England) and Deangelo Williams (Carolina) were steals as well as Santonio Holmes at the 25th pick by Pittsburgh. Funny how three of the best teams in the NFL just got even better.

More coverage to come later. Nice to see the Redskins make a move. I have no idea how Dan Snyder comes up with all the money. Nice for him, lucky for us.

Vernon Davis is a stud

2006-04-29T13:07:00.000-04:00

The man, the machine, the monster, the beast, the cyborg.

Vernon Davis is a phenomenal athlete. I had the pleasure of seeing him play in high school. When I mean pleasure of and when I mean seeing, I mean going up against him in a preseason game. When I mean going up against him, I mean tackling him. When I mean tackling him, I mean attempting too (with three other guys).

It was probably the single greatest athletic moment of my life - or shall I say, our lives - but we all knew this guy (again...machine, monster, beast, cyborg) would be special.

At Maryland, he would make a spectacular catch, but he would not fall to the ground after the catch. Scouts love the YAC (sorry just trying to be cool, it's short for Yards After Catch) and Vernon Davis is all about the YAC.

The 49ers got the guy (again...machine, monster, beast, cyborg) they wanted. And they're automatically on the rise. Congrats Vernon.

Obviously Taylor's Thinking...I don't know what the hell he's thinking?!?!

2006-04-29T12:37:00.000-04:00

As Ari Gold - yes the stud agent from Entourage who is played by Jeremy Piven - says: you don't pass on a hit.

Passing on Reggie Bush, a hit, is a career ender. Charlie Casserly, by picking Mario Williams #1 overall over Bush, your career is over.

Don't get me wrong. I loved Casserly in his Redskins days. He did a great job in bringing in talent and keeping the fans happy, but if I'm a Texans fan, I am irate.

I've heard the reports that yeah the only way to win in the Division is to beat Peyton and his Colts. Well, how do you know this Williams kid - whose highlight reel consists of a few nice plays against my Maryland Terps - is the real deal?

Reggie Bush is one of those few safe, sure picks. The Texans just passed on a hit.

Randy Engstrom's Mock Draft

2006-04-29T12:23:00.000-04:00

1. Houston Texans (2-14)
Top five needs: DL, OL, S, and WR
The pick: RB, Reggie Bush, USC.
How can you pass up the most talented player in the draft? You can’t; that is why the Texans will draft Bush.

2. New Orleans Saints (3-13)
Top five needs: LB, QB, Trade down
The pick: DE, Mario Williams, N.C. State.
The Saints got their man in Drew Brees; so their immediate focus becomes the other side of the ball. They improve their pass rush and tackling with the speed and athleticism the sack happy Williams will bring to the defense.

3. Tennessee Titans (4-12)
Top five needs: QB, LB, and RB
The pick: QB, Matt Leinart, USC.
The Titans address their need for a young, franchise quarterback with their 3rd overall pick. Leinart will get to team up with his former offensive coordinator, Norm Chow; last time these two hooked up they won a National Championship together.

4. New York Jets (4-12)
Top five needs: OL, RB, DE, and QB
The pick: OT, D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Virginia.
The Jets have a lot of needs. This is going to be a very important draft for this team. They are going to take safe, smart picks. They shore up the O-line by drafting Ferguson. Many think a QB is an option here, but they have enough young talent to get by and hold off on a quarterback till the later rounds.

5. Green Bay Packers (4-12)
Top five needs: RB, WR, LB, OL, and DL
The pick: LB, A.J. Hawk, Ohio St.
This is just the player the Pack needs. Hawk brings a passion for the game, not unlike that we’ve seen for many years in Brett Favre. The “times they are a changing” though and Favre won’t be around much longer. The days of a powerful offense out of Green Bay is in the past and their resurgence on defense is in the not so far future.

6. San Francisco 49ers (4-12)
Top five needs: WR, LB, CB, and OL
The pick: WR, Chad Jackson, Florida.
The 49ers need playmakers on the both sides of the ball. Since they have invested so heavily in QB Alex Smith, it makes sense for them to look for a player who can help his progress. I like the Niners to take Jackson for his exceptional size, speed, and athleticism. Many will feel this spot is too early for Jackson, but I see him as having a lot of upside, and someone who will work hard to make a name for himself in the NFL.

7. Oakland Raiders (4-12)
Top five needs: QB, LB, DT, G, and S
The pick: QB, Vince Young, Texas.
The Raiders are getting tons of raw talent and potential with this pick. Everything that could have went wrong for Young before the draft did, so his reputation took a hit. Because of this the Raiders get a remarkable talent with a chip on his shoulder and a lot to prove. All signs point to big changes for this troubled franchise.

8. Buffalo Bills (4-12)
Top five needs: DT, OT, TE, S, and CB
The pick: TE, Vernon Davis, Maryland.
The Bills will be pleasantly surprised to find Davis available at this spot. They would most likely be leaning toward taking Haloti Ngata to replace the big hole on their D-line. However, with the way TE’s are becoming so important to an offensive attack they take the highly touted Davis to improve they dismal offense.

9. Detroit Lions (5-11)
Top five needs: OL, DE, DB, and QB
The pick: DB, Michael Huff, Texas.
What the Lions have been doing is drafting the glamour positions. It’s flashy, but doesn’t get your team to the playoffs. That Lions switch it up this year in hopes of changing their luck around. They improve their secondary by drafting the talented Huff from the National Championship team the Texas Longhorns; they’ll hope his winning attitude will rub off on the others.

10. Arizona Cardinals (5-11)
Top five needs: QB, TE, S, and OT
The pick: OT, Winston Justice, USC. Although it will be hard to pass up the over-hyped Jay Cutler to fill their need of a young QB; the no longer want to play for the future. The Cards are ready to win games this season, and the key to that is getting their newly acquired running game going. Edge and Justice thank the Cards by helping them make their first playoff appearance in ages.

11.St. Louis Rams (6-10)
Top five needs: CB, DT, C, and G
The pick: CB, Antonio Cromartie, Florida St.
The Rams need a shut down corner. They won’t find one in this draft, but they’ll settle for the closest thing they can find; that being the big corner out of Florida St., 6’3” Antonio Cromartie. He’s recently emerging among teams due to his recent workouts. He’s drawing rave reviews and has solidified himself as a round 1 pick.

12.Cleveland Browns (6-10)
Top five needs: DL, RB, and DB
The pick: DT, Brodrick Bunkley, Florida St.
Cleveland had a busy off-season shoring up their offense through free agency. They’ll use their first round pick, as well as many others, to solidify their defense. This is the year the Browns push for a playoff spot.

13.Baltimore Ravens (6-10)
Top five needs: OL, S, LB, CB, and QB
The pick: DT, Haloti Ngata, Oregon.
Clearly the Ravens are interested in moving down this draft. What they wish to acquire will be around later in the draft; so they are looking to acquire more picks. If not they’ll be pleased to take one of the top defensive players in the draft.

14.Philadelphia Eagles (6-10)
Top five needs: DT, WR, LB
The pick: LB, Chad Greenway, Iowa.
Philly would love to see B’more move down in the draft so they can get a top DT. If this can’t be done they’ll settle for one of the top 3 linebackers available.

15.Denver Broncos (13-3) from Atlanta
Top five needs: DT, QB, WR, and S
The pick: WR, Santonio Holmes, Ohio St. Denver’s top priority is grabbing playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. They would have rather taken Chad Jackson, but are still pleased to find Holmes fall in their lap.

16.Miami Dolphins (9-7)
Top five needs: OL, LB, and DB
The pick: DE/LB, Kamerion Wimbley, Florida St.
Miami will use their first rounder on Kamerion WImbley. They like his versality and physical attributes. Wimbley will have a chance for a starting spot if he proves himself during training camp and the pre-season.

17.Minnesota Vikings (9-7)
Top five needs: LB, RB, and QB
The pick: RB, DeAngelo Williams, Memphis.
Although the Vikes acquired Chester Taylor in the off-season, he isn’t a proven starter. The Viking were high on Williams and will gladly take him with their 17th pick.

18.Dallas Cowboys (9-7)
Top five needs: OT, LB, FS, and QB
The pick: QB, Jay Cutler, Vanderbilt. The Cowboys solidified their team through free-agency. They don’t really have any glaring needs, so they’ll look to add depth. With the aging Bledsoe at the helm; the Cowboys will take “safest player in the draft”, according to Ron Jawarski.

19.San Diego Chargers (9-7)
Top five needs: S, CB, WR, OT, and LB
The pick: WR, Sinorice Moss, Miami(FL). The Chargers will have to wait till later rounds to fill their glaring needs on the offensive line with the likes of Sinorice Moss available. They’ll be happy to give young QB Phillip Rivers another flashy option down the field. Moss also is a capable special teams player.

20.Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)
Top five needs: CB, DE, WR, and OT
The pick: CB, Jimmy Williams, Virginia Tech. This pick is really a toss up between Williams and Jonathon Joseph out of South Carolina. K.C. is in desperate need of a corner who can not only be a ball hawk, but a solid tackler as well. One of the two should fit the bill.

21.New England Patriots (10-6)
Top five needs: LB, WR, K, and T
The pick: LB, Ernie Sims, Florida St.
The Patriots need to come up with a linebacker who can play right away in this draft. They’ll be hard pressed to pass up Ernie Sims in this position. Manny Lawson could intrigue them because of his versatility; which the Patriots love in their draft picks.

22.San Francisco 49ers (4-12) from Washington through Denver
Top five needs: LB, CB, and OL
The pick: CB, Jonathon Joseph, South Carolina. This is the exact reason the 49ers traded for this spot in the draft. Not only do they improve their passing game, but now they have a weapon to shut down the opposing teams air attack.

23.Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5)
Top five needs: CB, OT, and DE
The pick: DE/LB, Manny Lawson, N.C.State.
Tampa gets a real physical specimen with this pick. Lawson is a beast at 6’6”, 250 lbs.; and will be an iatrical part of that dominant Bucs D in the future.

24.Cincinnati Bengals (11-5)
Top five needs: DT, DB, TE, and DE
The pick: DB, Jason Whittner, Ohio St.
The real need here is a safety. With Whittner and Allen to choose from, they’ll take the local product and hope he can help produce right away.

25.New York Giants (11-5)
Top five needs: DB, LB, and WR
The pick: LB, DeMeco Ryans, Alabama. This is debatable with the new signing of LaVar Arrington, but Ryans is spoken highly of throughout the Giants organization; and he’ll be a hard talent to pass up in this position.

26.Chicago Bears (11-5)
Top five needs: TE, LB, DB, and WR
The pick: DB, Jason Allen, Tennessee. This is a versatile pick. He can play corner and safety. He’s an aggressive player, and would fit in nicely with the Bears defensive scheme.

27.Carolina Panthers (11-5)
Top five needs: DB, TE, and RB
The pick: S, Daniel Bullocks, Nebraska.
Bullocks is not rated this high, but he fits a need of the Panthers. Not only does he fill a gaping hole, but he brings a tough attitude and commitment to the team that the Panthers are really looking to acquire with their first round pick.

28.Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4)
Top five needs: CB, OT, LB, and S
The pick: CB, Tye Hill, Clemson.
Jacksonville is starting to get thin at the corner position. They’ll realize Hill is the best corner left in the draft and will pounce on him before addressing their other needs. Hill will likely contribute right away in nickel situations.

29.New York Jets (4-12) from Denver
Top five needs: OL, RB, DL, and QB
The pick: C, Nick Mangold, Ohio St.
The Jets know they need a RB. Curtis Martin is on the wrong side of 30, and his replacements won’t be able to handle a regular workload. However, their O-line is in worse condition and will be addressed by grabbing their centerpiece for years to come.

30.Indianapolis Colts (14-2)
Top five needs: RB and LB
The pick: RB, Laurence Maroney, Minnesota.
This is going to be one of the biggest steals in the draft. Maroney has incredible tangables. He is very shifty and elusive. He has great ability to break it around the corner and pick out the weak man to attack. The Colts shouldn’t lose a step by replacing Edge with Maroney. Prediction: AFC Championship appearence

31. Seattle Seahawks (13-3)
Top five needs: CB, DE, S, and OL
The pick: DE, Mathias Kiwanuka, B.C.
Earlier in the year Kiwanuka was considered a top 10 pick. Then he got dominated by D’Brickshaw and his stock plummeted. He’s going to have to work hard, but the Seahawks get a future starter with this first round pick.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5)
Top five needs: WR, RB, and C
The pick: RB, LenDale White, USC.
Is this a Jerome Bettis clone, or Ron Dayne? The Steelers need to replace the Bus with another big man; White is the perfect compliment in the Steelers running game and should spell Willie Parker admirably.

A Colossal Blunder: Houston Texans, Meet Sam Bowie

2006-04-29T04:20:00.000-04:00

A Colossal Blunder: Houston Texans, Meet Sam Bowie
Coby DuBose

8:00 AM

With the first overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft, the Houston Texans select...Sam Bowie? Wait a second, isn’t that the guy that Portland chose over Michael Jordan? Oh yeah.

On Friday, ESPN.com reported that the Houston Texans had reached a deal, in principle, with N.C. State defensive end Mario Williams. While Williams is a nice player, and probably has many pro bowls ahead of him at the defensive end position, he’s not Reggie Bush. Mario Williams is a once in a draft type of talent, while Bush is a once in a generation type of guy. Simply put, the Texans gaffed badly on this one. Reportedly, the team had trouble reaching a financial agreement with Bush. Hey Texans, draft him now, sign him later. Instead, the Texans have destroyed mock drafts like a March Saturday beats up office pools.

Word out of New Orleans says that Saints’ front office personnel are planning to send a Bush-sized thank you card to Houston following Saturday’s proceedings. They unexpectedly unwrapped a bar of chocolate and found the golden ticket. “Oh My, Charlie!” Come to think of it, Reggie Bush is exactly what New Orleans needs. He will come and make an impact immediately, energizing the community and fan base. In ten years, when Bush is living out those comparisons to Sanders and Sayers, Texans front office executives may only receive air time for their Titanic sized flub up.

Like in the 1990s classic, Dumb and Dumber, a busload full of scantily clad Hawaiian Tropic girls came to Houston, asking them to draft Bush, the preverbal oil to their tanned skin. Like in the movie, the Texans’ front office sent them down the road, happily explaining that there were a couple lucky GMs in the town right ahead. Don’t be surprised if the Texans are still picking first in 2015, and are shaking their heads saying, “One day, Harry, we’ll get our chance...”

There’s still time to fix this. All hope is not lost. Maybe I will wake up tomorrow and this will all have been a dream. The Texans will draft their Michael Jordan, and the Saints will be left to fill a Sam Bowie sized need. For the sake of those in Houston, we can only hope that this is the case.

The Masters

2006-04-09T15:10:00.000-04:00

During one of the Masters commercials the other day, I saw an allergy advertisment - I believe Nasonex - where a young bee was allergic before taking the medicine which then allowed him to successfully do his business in a flower containing pollen. I was scratching my head at how a bee can be allergic and also the fact that some marketing manager thought it was a brilliant idea to make an advertisment featuring keeping a bee healthy and alive.

Then when the coverage came back on, my eyes laid on something even more astonishing. Phil Mickelson is the only player to finish in the Top 10 in seven consecutive Masters. After having an impressive third round of gold this morning, Mickelson has to battle off the likes of Fred Couples and Tiger Woods in order to capture his second Masters green jacket.

It'll be a lot more interesting to watch his run rather than watching a bee use allergy medicine.

Welcome

2006-04-05T03:04:00.000-04:00

Welcome one and all to Feature Presentation. Hope you enjoyed opening day as much as we did. I was at the Orioles-Devil Rays game at Camden Yards - or at least this morning I was told I was - and it brought a smile to my face (maybe that was the beer) to see baseball return. Should be an interesting year. Make sure to check out all of our MLB coverage to kick off the new season. Enjoy.