If you're a longtime reader of the blog, you know that I love me some ESPN fantasy games. Being a dork, I also am a big fan of draft forecasting. Hence my borderline obsession with the ESPN Draft Forecaster. Hop on and play with me for your chance to win 2 grand at Best Buy-- just make sure not to beat me, because I want a new laptop.
Alright, here's the latest version of my mock draft, which I will be submitting via the Draft Forecaster Competition:
1. Andrew Luck, QB (Indianapolis)
2. Robert Griffin III, QB (Washington)
3. Morris Claiborne, CB (Minnesota)
Alright, so the third overall pick is pretty highly contested. But the way I see it, they're in a league with Stafford, Cutler, and that Rodgers guy that nobody has heard of. I can understand grabbing the SoCal kid, and I can understand trading down for a shot at getting multiple guys. But at the end of the day, I think the Vikes management stays home and takes a Corner to stay competitive in their own league. And besides, it's not like that secondary is any good.
4. Trent Richardson, RB (Cleveland)
I don't know what all the fuss is about on this pick. It seems pretty clear to me.
5. Luke Kuechly, ILB (Tampa Bay)
This kid out of Boston College is a beast and I'm really high on him. The two positions Tampa could have used were corner (Cam Newton, Matt Ryan, Drew Brees...) and another runningback. Well, tough sledding, because the premiere guys at those slots just got taken. They can still grab a quality backer though, one who I think will be big in the league even ten years from now. Kuechly is about as highly decorated as they come and is a great pick, even though the two players the Bucs want here are already gone.
6. Justin Blackmon, WR (St Louis)
7. Melvin Ingram, DE (Jacksonville)
It's entirely possible that someone will trade up for the Jax spot to grab Tannehill before the Dolphins can. It's entirely possible, but I don't think it's going to happen.
8. Ryan Tannehill, QB (Miami)
9. Fletcher Cox, DT (Carolina)
10. Matt Kalil, OT (Buffalo)
At this point, Buffalo management loses their lunch from sheer excitement, realizing that Kalil has fallen to them all the way down at ten. I've been harping on Buffalo to fill their holes on the line for a couple years now. Guess the joke is on me.
11. Stephen Gilmore, CB (Kansas City)
This is admittedly a weird pick, but KC has been drafting with purpose of late. They want to build a sick young defense, and this gets them one step closer. The Chiefs' pass coverage was rather average last year, and now that they play Philip Rivers and Peyton Manning twice a year, they will need to take steps to be proactive against those players.
12. Quinton Coples, DE (Seattle)
13. Michael Floyd, WR (Arizona)
Now that the Arizona coach and management has denied that they will take Michael Floyd as per the request of Larry Fitzgerald, they can get on with taking Michael Floyd as per the request of Larry Fitzgerald.
14. Mark Barron, S (Dallas)
Mark Barron is one of my favorite picks in this draft, and Dallas' secondary is what needs the most help. They've already started patching the holes, and this (or fellow Alabama teammate and other possible Cowboy Dre Kirkpatrick) gets the Boys closer to winning the NFC East.
15. Brandon Thompson, DT (Philly)
16. Courtney Upshaw, DE (New York Jets)
17. David DeCastro, OG (Cincinatti via Oakland)
Cincinatti needs two things really badly- a Guard and a receiver to play opposite of AJ Green. I guess it's a good thing they have two first round picks then, huh?
18. Dontari Poe, NT (San Diego)
This is another weird pick, but the Chargers draft like dumbasses. It's not even close to their biggest need, but I just have a feeling they are one of the few teams that could potentially be in the market for this big, risky guy from Memphis who could just as easily be a bust as he could be a stud.
19. Riley Reiff, OT (Chicago)
Chicago is trying to have the best run game of the three NFC North teams that could actually compete for the division championship. They will probably be thrilled that Riley fell this far and snatch him up before anyone else can get him.
20. Dre Kirkpatrick, CB (Tennessee)
21. Kendall Wright, WR (Cincinatti)
22. Joe Adams, WR (Cleveland via Atlanta)
Pop Quiz: name a wide receiver from the Cleveland Browns that is actually worth naming in an online blog's hypothetically demonstrative pop quiz.
23. Janoris Jenkins, CB (Detroit)
The Lions grab Jenkins for the same reason Minnesota grabs Claiborne.
24. Cordy Glenn, OT (Pittsburgh)
The Steelers will be ecstatic to grab Glenn. He's a utility guy that can play multiple positions, and that's useful for a banged up line like the one in Pittsburgh.
25. Michael Brockers, DT (Denver)
26. Jonathan Martin, OT (Houston)
The Texans could easily opt to grab some quality guys to replenish their front 7, which has taken a couple hits over the last few months-- there's certainly enough d-linemen and backer prospects in the late first round. But that's just it- there's so many that they'll stick around into the early second round, where they'll have another pick. So I think the Houston's address a less critical need (O-line) here, if not for lack of quality prospects later on, then at the very least as a sign of good faith that they are willing to do what it takes to protect their stud Arian Foster and the running game.
27. Dont'A Hightower, ILB (New England via New Orleans)
New England will be looking to upgrade a rather paltry pass rush after last years' Superbowl appearance, and Hightower could be a monster rushing through the inside. OLB is a bigger need, but big boy Beli has to like the intangibles about Dont'a. He seems like a Patriot kind of guy.
28. Jared Crick, DE (Green Bay)
Similarly... I don't know what it is about Crick and the Packers, but he just seems like their type of guy.
29. Whitney Mercilus, DE (Baltimore)
If Ray Lewis doesn't want to be friends with an End whose last name is literally "merciless," then I'm not sure who he does want to be friends with.
30. Brian Quick, WR (San Francisco)
A bit of a bold pick by me, but I think San Francisco's defense will hold through the first round without a front 7 pick, which are most of what remains when you look at the prospects left on the board. I think the Niners elect to upgrade their West Coast stuff and go with a bit of a sleeper pick that could quickly evolve into a nice pass-catching threat. App State might have that guy in Brian Quick.
31. Kevin Zeitler, OG (New England)
Collegiate flag football players from Circle K International could have rushed through the holes in New England's offensive line by the end of last year. Going with a pass rush guy is fine for the first pick, but New England is just being irreponsible if they don't take an offensive guy here.
32. Coby Fleener, TE (New York Giants)
Frankly, I'd be shocked if the Giants didn't address the gaping need at tight end here.
That's all I've got for you today, come back next week (when school is done with) for a lot more content on the AL East and the hockey/basketball playoffs.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
2012 NHL Playoff Predictions
With so much going on in the regular season- Bowl games, NCAA basketball, NBA, and others- it can be hard to keep up with the daily grind of the NHL regular season. But strangely enough, I've gotten really excited for the hockey postseason the last few years. So in the spirit of getting too drunk and banging on plexiglass while 220 pound Russians beat the shit out of each other ten feet in front of you, here are my predictions for the 2012 playoffs:
In the East:
Senators at Rangers: The East's top overall seed might not be the hottest team in hockey, but they're still too good for Ottawa to upset. I've got the Rangers going deep, taking care of the Sens in 5.
Caps at Bruins: It's not just because I'm a fan. Really. But I just have a weird feeling. Maybe it's because they lose when they should win, so I expect them to win when they're the underdog. I don't know. I think Ovechkin has an overall crappy series, but the Caps dig out the win in 6.
Devils at Panthers: Can both these teams lose? I don't know. For a three seed, I just think the Florida Panthers are awfully bad. If I have to pick one of these teams, I've got the Devils of the (lack of) Garden State in 5.
Flyers at Penguins: Can this be every playoff series? Honestly, watching the inter-Pennsylvania showdown will be light years better than every other playoff series in the East. I will be watching every game. It's gonna come down to the wire, but I've got the Flyers in 7.
In the West:
Kings at Canucks: I thought Vancouver was head and shoulders above everyone else last year and they still didn't win. This year, when I think they don't quite have the same magic... forget it. I don't see this team winning, and with some fresh injuries coming to light, I think they barely beat the Kings in the first round. Canucks in 7.
Sharks at Blues: St Louis has done a nice job flying somewhat under the radar with a very good team because St Louis isn't really a Mecca of hockey. But who cares? The blues are crazy good and I think they go deep. The sharks won't be getting far this year. Blues in 5.
Blackhawks at Coyotes: Phoenix is one of those franchises that, regardless of how good they are, I never really see them going far. Chicago might not be a great team like they were when they won the cup in 2010, but I think their experience and players gets the best of the southwestern boys. Blackhawks in 7.
Red Wings at Predators: What is it with the 4/5 matchups this year? This matchup is gonna be sick. I'm excited to see how Detroit plays with how bad they've been away from the Motor City, especially playing in a dangerously underrated hockey town like Nashville. Wings will be a tough out, but I think the Preds will get it done. Preds in 7.
Eastern Final: Caps at Rangers (Rangers in 5)
Western Final: Preds at Blues (Blues in 7)
Stanley Cup: Blues at Rangers (Blues in 6)
In the East:
Senators at Rangers: The East's top overall seed might not be the hottest team in hockey, but they're still too good for Ottawa to upset. I've got the Rangers going deep, taking care of the Sens in 5.
Caps at Bruins: It's not just because I'm a fan. Really. But I just have a weird feeling. Maybe it's because they lose when they should win, so I expect them to win when they're the underdog. I don't know. I think Ovechkin has an overall crappy series, but the Caps dig out the win in 6.
Devils at Panthers: Can both these teams lose? I don't know. For a three seed, I just think the Florida Panthers are awfully bad. If I have to pick one of these teams, I've got the Devils of the (lack of) Garden State in 5.
Flyers at Penguins: Can this be every playoff series? Honestly, watching the inter-Pennsylvania showdown will be light years better than every other playoff series in the East. I will be watching every game. It's gonna come down to the wire, but I've got the Flyers in 7.
In the West:
Kings at Canucks: I thought Vancouver was head and shoulders above everyone else last year and they still didn't win. This year, when I think they don't quite have the same magic... forget it. I don't see this team winning, and with some fresh injuries coming to light, I think they barely beat the Kings in the first round. Canucks in 7.
Sharks at Blues: St Louis has done a nice job flying somewhat under the radar with a very good team because St Louis isn't really a Mecca of hockey. But who cares? The blues are crazy good and I think they go deep. The sharks won't be getting far this year. Blues in 5.
Blackhawks at Coyotes: Phoenix is one of those franchises that, regardless of how good they are, I never really see them going far. Chicago might not be a great team like they were when they won the cup in 2010, but I think their experience and players gets the best of the southwestern boys. Blackhawks in 7.
Red Wings at Predators: What is it with the 4/5 matchups this year? This matchup is gonna be sick. I'm excited to see how Detroit plays with how bad they've been away from the Motor City, especially playing in a dangerously underrated hockey town like Nashville. Wings will be a tough out, but I think the Preds will get it done. Preds in 7.
Eastern Final: Caps at Rangers (Rangers in 5)
Western Final: Preds at Blues (Blues in 7)
Stanley Cup: Blues at Rangers (Blues in 6)
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Dear Diary: JMU/OSU Championship Game/Some things are Universal
After crashing pretty hard on Friday night, I got up Saturday morning and headed straight for the breakfast table in the hotel lobby. On the way there, I ran into none other than (JMU WBB head coach) Kenny Brooks, who I had never been so happy to see in my entire life. Knowing that I had finally caught up with the girls, who had been anywhere from 4-10 hours ahead of me for most of the previous day, was really comforting. I wished him luck and told him I was not-so-secretly rooting for him (I'm clearly bad at being "objective" at times) and continued into the lobby so that I could drink my weight in orange juice.
Most of the girls came through the lobby while I was eating. Some recognized me and said hi; some probably recognized me, but were stuck inside their own head wondering why/how the hell I was in Stillwater with them; a few had no idea who I was (bench players who don't ever go to pressers). Either way, it was cool to feel like I really belonged to a team or a movement that was this big, even though I clearly don't play women's basketball.
I spent the morning driving around Stillwater, seeing what there was to be seen... well, it turns out there isn't much of that in Oklahoma. I pass several fast food places, an inordinant number of Conaco gas stations, and one rather large and strangely placed refinery plant and... suddenly I was out of Stillwater and back in BFN. I kept driving because I had literally nothing else to do, but even that got boring after about 10 miles, so I turned around and headed back to my hotel to watch TV until I needed to leave.
Then there was the game. We lost, and there was an issue with my press credentials. Honestly, I don't have much to add about the game that I didn't already write in the three stories I wrote for the paper. Oklahoma State deserves a lot of credit for playing a great game, shooting insanely well (60% from the field in the second half ). I thought the refs got caught up in the moment and ESPN's agenda, wanting to make OSU into "the good guys" and JMU into "the bad guys" because of the horrific plane crash that killed the Cowgirls' head coach in November. Foul calling was very inconsistent, and at one point, I tweeted that the refs were "handing out And 1 calls to OkSt like it was candy on Easter morning." That pretty much summed up my feelings. Other than foul calling, though, they seemed pretty on top of things, and they should be commended for that.
Lauren Whitehurst fouled out with about a minute to go, and that was heartbreaking to watch. I was just a few feet away from the bench, and that's really when the tears started to flow. Everyone was crying after the game, but it wasn't the "we lost" type of crying that tends to border on sore-loserdom. It was the "it's over, we'll never have this again" cry that, though sad to watch, really spoke to the character of this team. Above all things- winning, competition, even the game of basketball itself- these girls loved each other and they loved playing with each other. That much was very clear in their actions, and it was clear when I spoke to them multiple times throughout this postseason run. That's what made Lauren special, and that's what made this team special.
(and now I have to plug myself... for more on Lauren and her incredible career at JMU, check my career recap in tomorrow's paper)
I talked to Kenny after the game, and his pride in this team and their accomplishments was 100 times more pronounced than his disappointment in coming up short of the championship. And that's how it should be. I've always liked Kenny. People say this about coaches all the time, but KB is truly a class act who I enjoy being around.
After I had done everything I needed and taken care of business after the game, I started disrobing on my way to the car. I was wearing three layers of clothes in near-100 degree weather, so I was understandably on fire. Every parking lot within half a mile of the basketball/football complex was reserved for Oklahoma State cars and their crazy orange parking passes, so I had to park on the side of a gravel road (on the outskirts of BFN) probably a mile away from the stadium. Tie in hand, as I'm walking back to the car unbuttoning my shirt, a friendly lady from Oklahoma (Oklahoman? Oklahomian? Stillwater Resident? Person who can bear incredible heat? All of the above?) commented in my general direction, "Tie in hand, you must be coming from an interviw, right?"
"haha, no, actually I was press for the WNIT game."
And that felt weird to say. Still getting used to it I guess.
Now that I was in no particular rush, I took my time driving off of the Oklahoma State campus. OSU as a whole looks like a big college from a big town/small city that God just picked up and shifted to the middle of nowhere. Not only is the State campus bigger than the surrounding town, but it looks much nicer. Campus looks like an oasis to the blacktop strip that comprises the rest of Stillwater.
Still, as I'm driving back through campus, there are other noticable differences between JMU and Oklahoma State. The big thing that I noticed was the presence of fraternity houses. Instead of being hidden away in the depths of the city or various apartment complexes like at JMU, fraternity houses seemed like the cornerstone that the University's designers built around. It was easy to to imagine tons of students spilling out onto the sidewalks and corners of the campus from the Lambda Chi house that seemed to tower over the surrounding streets...
...wait, that's because it is actually towering over the streets. These frat boy geniuses had constructed a wooden platform, emptying out from their back porch, that raised 15 or 20 feet above the streets. A couple dozen lawn chairs were strewn across the tops of these platforms as guys reclined, shirtless, working on their minor in multitasking by tanning and shotgunning beers at the same time. One guy stood in the middle, chucking a football across the road to a guy standing on the sidewalk. He wore teal shorts and a button down long-sleaved shirt, despite the fact that it was approximately the temperature at which an oven cooks a pizza outside. He had a pair of Croakies covering his eyes that, in the 45 second span I spent watching him while I was stopped at a light, he moved from his eyes to the top of his head and back three separate times. He was barefoot, but if he had a closet full of Sperries to choose from, guess who wouldn't be surprised? This guy. (And the rest of America.)
As I sat continuing to watch this character, who would be more than welcome on USA, he grabbed a beer and tossed it to one of his friends. The friend looks at the beer, looks back at Croakies, and then sets the beer down on the ground. Croakies comes over, opens the beer, and shoves it in the guys face. The guy chugs the beer, and Croakies throws him another one and cracks a big grin to himself. He was clearly very impressed with his beer distribution skills. When the guys starts having trouble drinking the second one, Croakies starts laughing so loud I can hear him from my car. He starts giving double guns to his friends like he's the Expert Witness, and his friends shoot him back finger-pointing signs of approval.
Then, the light turned green, and I drove off.
I went to Wendy's to grab dinner after that, but as I stood in line, all I could thing was this:
Some things are universal, and douchebag is definitely one of them.
Most of the girls came through the lobby while I was eating. Some recognized me and said hi; some probably recognized me, but were stuck inside their own head wondering why/how the hell I was in Stillwater with them; a few had no idea who I was (bench players who don't ever go to pressers). Either way, it was cool to feel like I really belonged to a team or a movement that was this big, even though I clearly don't play women's basketball.
I spent the morning driving around Stillwater, seeing what there was to be seen... well, it turns out there isn't much of that in Oklahoma. I pass several fast food places, an inordinant number of Conaco gas stations, and one rather large and strangely placed refinery plant and... suddenly I was out of Stillwater and back in BFN. I kept driving because I had literally nothing else to do, but even that got boring after about 10 miles, so I turned around and headed back to my hotel to watch TV until I needed to leave.
Then there was the game. We lost, and there was an issue with my press credentials. Honestly, I don't have much to add about the game that I didn't already write in the three stories I wrote for the paper. Oklahoma State deserves a lot of credit for playing a great game, shooting insanely well (60% from the field in the second half ). I thought the refs got caught up in the moment and ESPN's agenda, wanting to make OSU into "the good guys" and JMU into "the bad guys" because of the horrific plane crash that killed the Cowgirls' head coach in November. Foul calling was very inconsistent, and at one point, I tweeted that the refs were "handing out And 1 calls to OkSt like it was candy on Easter morning." That pretty much summed up my feelings. Other than foul calling, though, they seemed pretty on top of things, and they should be commended for that.
Lauren Whitehurst fouled out with about a minute to go, and that was heartbreaking to watch. I was just a few feet away from the bench, and that's really when the tears started to flow. Everyone was crying after the game, but it wasn't the "we lost" type of crying that tends to border on sore-loserdom. It was the "it's over, we'll never have this again" cry that, though sad to watch, really spoke to the character of this team. Above all things- winning, competition, even the game of basketball itself- these girls loved each other and they loved playing with each other. That much was very clear in their actions, and it was clear when I spoke to them multiple times throughout this postseason run. That's what made Lauren special, and that's what made this team special.
(and now I have to plug myself... for more on Lauren and her incredible career at JMU, check my career recap in tomorrow's paper)
I talked to Kenny after the game, and his pride in this team and their accomplishments was 100 times more pronounced than his disappointment in coming up short of the championship. And that's how it should be. I've always liked Kenny. People say this about coaches all the time, but KB is truly a class act who I enjoy being around.
After I had done everything I needed and taken care of business after the game, I started disrobing on my way to the car. I was wearing three layers of clothes in near-100 degree weather, so I was understandably on fire. Every parking lot within half a mile of the basketball/football complex was reserved for Oklahoma State cars and their crazy orange parking passes, so I had to park on the side of a gravel road (on the outskirts of BFN) probably a mile away from the stadium. Tie in hand, as I'm walking back to the car unbuttoning my shirt, a friendly lady from Oklahoma (Oklahoman? Oklahomian? Stillwater Resident? Person who can bear incredible heat? All of the above?) commented in my general direction, "Tie in hand, you must be coming from an interviw, right?"
"haha, no, actually I was press for the WNIT game."
And that felt weird to say. Still getting used to it I guess.
Now that I was in no particular rush, I took my time driving off of the Oklahoma State campus. OSU as a whole looks like a big college from a big town/small city that God just picked up and shifted to the middle of nowhere. Not only is the State campus bigger than the surrounding town, but it looks much nicer. Campus looks like an oasis to the blacktop strip that comprises the rest of Stillwater.
Still, as I'm driving back through campus, there are other noticable differences between JMU and Oklahoma State. The big thing that I noticed was the presence of fraternity houses. Instead of being hidden away in the depths of the city or various apartment complexes like at JMU, fraternity houses seemed like the cornerstone that the University's designers built around. It was easy to to imagine tons of students spilling out onto the sidewalks and corners of the campus from the Lambda Chi house that seemed to tower over the surrounding streets...
...wait, that's because it is actually towering over the streets. These frat boy geniuses had constructed a wooden platform, emptying out from their back porch, that raised 15 or 20 feet above the streets. A couple dozen lawn chairs were strewn across the tops of these platforms as guys reclined, shirtless, working on their minor in multitasking by tanning and shotgunning beers at the same time. One guy stood in the middle, chucking a football across the road to a guy standing on the sidewalk. He wore teal shorts and a button down long-sleaved shirt, despite the fact that it was approximately the temperature at which an oven cooks a pizza outside. He had a pair of Croakies covering his eyes that, in the 45 second span I spent watching him while I was stopped at a light, he moved from his eyes to the top of his head and back three separate times. He was barefoot, but if he had a closet full of Sperries to choose from, guess who wouldn't be surprised? This guy. (And the rest of America.)
As I sat continuing to watch this character, who would be more than welcome on USA, he grabbed a beer and tossed it to one of his friends. The friend looks at the beer, looks back at Croakies, and then sets the beer down on the ground. Croakies comes over, opens the beer, and shoves it in the guys face. The guy chugs the beer, and Croakies throws him another one and cracks a big grin to himself. He was clearly very impressed with his beer distribution skills. When the guys starts having trouble drinking the second one, Croakies starts laughing so loud I can hear him from my car. He starts giving double guns to his friends like he's the Expert Witness, and his friends shoot him back finger-pointing signs of approval.
Then, the light turned green, and I drove off.
I went to Wendy's to grab dinner after that, but as I stood in line, all I could thing was this:
Some things are universal, and douchebag is definitely one of them.
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