What If The Redskins Never Drafted RGIII?

Well, I think the experiment may be just about over.  After a surprising rookie of the year campaign, capped off by a NFC East title and a torn ACL, I believe it is time to put Robert Griffin III out to pasture.  Are there other issues with the Washington Professional Football Team?  Sure.  But this team beat the Tennessee Titans and the Dallas Cowboys in Dallas (who were in 1st) with Colt McCoy, because of McCoy's play, and McCoy isn't even that great.  What he can do, however, is play smart, fast, and unselfish.  Colt McCoy understands that, if the pass rush is getting to him, he needs to throw the ball faster.  He gets that forcing a ball into triple coverage probably isn't the best idea.  He seems to know that the Redskins have very talented position players, so all he has to do is get them the ball and watch them work.  Yet it seems like the franchise QB in Landover, Maryland doesn't get any of that.  His play speaks for itself.  RGIII has regressed because he doesn't have that speed anymore.  He isn't a true rushing threat because his knees are gone, and if he gets hit he will just get hurt once more.  At least when Derrick Rose gets hurt and comes back, he plays well.  Griffin is lost, and has lost his team and the fans.  I don't think he ever had the coach.  Pretty soon, he will lose the owner too.  Then all he will have is his Subway commercials to rock himself to sleep at night.

So, looking back on it, was it worth it to trade three 1st round picks and a 2nd round pick for a guy that gave you one good season?  Hey, I liked RGIII coming out of college.  But I also believe in building through the draft, and not trading up often.  That many picks for one guy?  Quite a hefty haul for a QB with an injury history.  Also, because no one seems to remember this, Heisman trophy winners haven't been that good in the NFL recently.  Cam Newton? Regressing very quickly.  Mark Ingram?  Just now becoming a true feature back.  Bradford? Nope. Tebow? Ha! Bush? Nice complimentary back.  Palmer? Hurt again.  You'd have to go back to Ricky Williams or (a better example) future Hall of Famer Charles Woodson to get a true impact player who won the Heisman.  So, knowing RGIII had an injury history, and knowing that Heisman winners didn't do well, what if the Redskins had decided to stay at the #6 pick and keep all those future selections?  What if the Redskins never drafted Robert Griffin III?  Let's break it down by draft.  Note- I am not going to come in and say that the Skins would have reached for late round picks that turned out to be good.  Russell Wilson wasn't going in the Top 10, so he isn't getting picked there.  I will work off of comparably graded players to the spot or the round in which the pick was made.  So, let's start with the scene of the crime, the 2012 NFL Draft.

The biggest need for the Redskins entering into the 2012 Draft was quarterback.  No question about it.  However, there are 4 QBs graded with 1st round talent.  So, with Luck and RGIII going in the Top 5, the Redskins select Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M.  The inside word was that the Shanahans wanted Tannehill over Griffin anyway, but Mr. Snyder instead decided that star power was more important than draft picks.  Ryan Tannehill has started every game since he was drafted, and has progressed in his play.  He holds almost all the rookie records for passing in Dolphins history, which is saying something considering Marino played there.  He currently has the Miami Dolphins at 6-3, has thrown 17 touchdowns and only 7 picks this year.  He would fill the need at QB.  Then, we move on to the second round, where the Redskins have options.  They needed some secondary help, and Janoris Jenkins is available.  They could take a very talented WR from South Carolina named Alshon Jeffery, though they went on to sign Pierre Garcon, so WR wasn't a huge need.  They also need some offensive line help.  I think they would take a very talented tackle/guard from Stanford, Johnathan Martin.  Now, imagine if Martin had never gone to the Dolphins.  He would have never met Richie Incognito.  He would have gone to a team that, instead, had a bit of veteran leadership in the form of London Fletcher, Trent Williams and Mike Shanahan.  He could be plugged in at their guard or right tackle, and could have easily replaced the oft-injured Jamaal Brown.  The Skins address their biggest two needs with their first two picks, and keep their 1st rounders in 2013 and 2014.

Moving on to the next season, the Redskins may or may not have been just as good with Tannehill over RGIII, so they could have won the division.  Even if they didn't, though, they would have been much improved from that team that was drafting #6 overall.  So, we'll say they would pick in roughly the same spot.  Coming into the 2013 Draft, the biggest need for the Skins was secondary.  They needed corners, safeties, and backups for both.  So, lucky for them, Desmond Trufant is available.  Trufant is a starting corner for the Atlanta Falcons, and set a franchise record for most passes deflected by a rookie in the 2013 season.  This also allows for more flexibility with the Skins' 2nd round pick.  They could draft David Amerson (like they really did) or they could have drafted DJ Swearinger, the safety from South Carolina.  Considering how well the other safeties Washington drafted later turned out (Baccari Rambo is no longer on the team, and Phillip Thomas is always hurt), a combo of Trufant and Swearinger would have been preferable.  You get a solid young corner and a hard-hitting safety, addressing your biggest needs, and (ta da!) have your first round pick for 2014!

With the combo of RGIII and Kirk Cousins at the helm, the Skins had an abysmal 2013 season, and ended up with the #2 pick overall in the draft.  It is entirely possible that could have happened with Tannehill as well.  I, however, am willing to guess they would have picked at least 10th, thus eliminating everyone picked 1-9 instead of just eliminating Clowney from the Skins options.  The big needs for the actual Redskins were O-line, secondary, pass rushing and a replacement for London Fletcher.  For my hypothetical Redskins, Johnathan Martin is still solid on the line, so right tackle or guard can be addressed in later rounds.  Trufant and Swearinger are both NFL starters and are doing well, so secondary becomes a secondary need.  That means that the pass rush or middle linebacker is the top need.  There is CJ Mosley, Aaron Donald, Ryan Shazier, and numerous others.  It is a little too early to tell who the Skins could have gotten around there that would have been the best case scenario, but the point is they would have had fewer needs to fill and more options to take.

The best franchises in football tend to build through the draft.  They either get almost all their impact players from it, kind of like the Ravens and Seahawks, or they pick the right guys to compliment big free agents, like the Broncos.  For many years, the Redskins have just not done that.  So, was trading all of those picks for RGIII the right thing to do?  I think its pretty clear it wasn't.  Yes, hindsight is 20-20.  Yes, its possible that the Skins are so cursed that all of these players would have been garbage anyway.  Yes, it is true that the Skins don't understand what the draft is all about.  But I am not picking guys that are instant Pro Bowlers with these picks.  Its not like I am taking Andrew Luck.  I am just giving them solid players that were available where these picks were slotted.  Instead of one injury prone QB, you end up with a starting QB who hasn't missed a game, a starting RT/RG, a starting CB that means you can take a starting safety with your second round pick, and a first round talent on the defensive front 7, whoever it could have been (I probably would have taken Mosley).  That is a boatload of talent.  That's the core of a perennial contender.  It could be rubbing salt in the RGIII-shaped wound in the heart of DC fans, but with every skipped pass, every interception in triple coverage, and every time that injury cart is driven onto the field, we are reminded what could have been if the Redskins had not traded for the #2 pick, and had not drafted Robert Griffin III.

A Thought on the Arizona Cardinals' QB Situation

Somehow, even with Carson Palmer being hurt twice this season (and now out for the year), the Arizona Cardinals are the best team in the NFC.  They have a great defense, excellent offensive weapons, and have gotten fairly good play out of both Palmer and backup Drew Stanton.  Stanton will be playing out the rest of the season since Palmer tore his ACL Sunday afternoon.  While Palmer just signed a 3-year $50 million extension, the Cardinals eyes have to now be shifting to a time without their oft-injured QB.  And no, I don't believe Logan Thomas is the future of the franchise.  So, it seems to me that while Stanton will be playing for the starting spot at the beginning of next year, and that it may be time for Arizona to research this year's deep crop of talented college quarterbacks.

Since the Cardinals are doing well this season, it is not likely they will be picking in the top 20 of the 2015 NFL Draft.  So Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston and possibly Bryce Petty could be off the table.  If Petty happens to be there in the late 1st, I think the Cardinals should pick him, but let's just assume he won't be.  The next QBs expected to be around are UCLA's Brett Hundley, Michigan State's Connor Cook, and Oregon State's Sean Mannion.  While Mannion has the size, I don't think he has the consistent talent that an NFL team would be looking for in a QB of the future.  Cook has played very well at times, but other times his defense has saved him.  He will only be a junior, and may want that one more season in East Lansing in such a deep QB class.

Finally there is Hundley, who could have been a 1st Round pick last season in my opinion.  Almost all of his numbers are up this season from last year, and he has the Bruins sitting at 8-2.  While his mobility would be a great asset to any team, his most impressive stat is a 72% completion rating, and that is with an a yards per attempt average of 8.4.  He isn't just dumping off passes to his check-down all game to inflate that number.  Add in the fact that Brett Hundley just happens to be from the Phoenix suburb of Chandler, Arizona, and I think the pick makes perfect sense.  Assuming Hundley comes out this year, I think the Cardinals have to take him.  Carson Palmer will be 35 before the start of next season, and will be coming off his 2nd ACL tear of his career.  The Cardinals are a team that is talented and young enough to be in Super Bowl contention for a couple seasons.  The time could be right to take a dynamic young playmaker like Brett Hundley.

WWE Network Pick of the Week

Hello all.  Now that I am done going to way too many weddings, I have been able to catch up on some old school wrestling.  My pick for this week is WCW's Beach Blast 1992.  Rather old school I know.  I picked this for three matches in particular, which I find highly entertaining.

The first is a match between Scotty Flamingo (later to be known as Raven) and the late Flyin' Brian Pillman.  It is a great match between two men whose careers went in very different directions.  Before his untimely death, Pillman had gone from a high flying cruiserweight to a tag team champion with Stunning Steve Austin in the group known as the Hollywood Blondes (ignoring the fact that neither was from California) in WCW.  He then went to WWE and feuded with Austin, establishing Stone Cold as one of the faces of the infamous Attitude Era.  Flamingo, of course, went to ECW and established his hardcore persona known as Raven, who had successful runs in ECW, WCW and WWE.  Their Beach Brawl match shows two future stars still learning their way around the ring in a very entertaining match.

The second match pits two men who were already stars, but would go on to be extremely popular in the business.  Sting, the longtime face of WCW, competes in a Falls Count Anywhere match against Mick Foley's hardcore persona, Cactus Jack.  Extraordinarily entertaining match, and one that Foley said was his favorite during his entire time in WCW, and one of his favorites overall.

Finally, for a good old fashioned wrestling match, it doesn't get much better than Ricky Steamboat vs Rick Rude in a 30 minute Iron Man match.  I don't even think I have to explain that anymore.  If you don't like that match, then you shouldn't call yourself a wrestling fan.

There are some other fun parts of this early 90s event, such as the bikini contest between Missy Hyatt and Madusa, The Steiners defending their tag team titles, and a 6 man tag featuring (among others) Steve Austin, Arn Anderson, Dustin Rhodes and Paul Heyman on the outside.  So, watch it, enjoy it, and if you don't have the WWE Network, GET IT!

For Football Reasons Only, The Redskins Need Michael Sam

I have made no secret of my complete support of Michael Sam in his quest to be the first openly gay man to play in the NFL.  I think he should be able to do so, and he has gotten a bit of a chance.  It is interesting that the team that drafted him, the St. Louis Rams, cut him and now have the 23rd ranked defense, and are dead last in the league in sacks from a defensive line that was supposed to be the best in football.  Call it karma, if you want, because the Cowboys signed Sam and are off to a 6-1 start.  But now Dallas, too, has let Sam go.  This is where my beloved dumpster fire, the Washington Redskins, come into play.

Would it be great publicity to sign him?  Of course.  Would letting Sam play for the team help balance out all the negativity surrounding the team's name, Dan Snyder's attitude, the oft-injured franchise QB, and an abysmal record?  Sure would.  However, that should have nothing to do with his signing.  There are 3 amazingly obvious, football-only reasons that the Washington Redskins need to sign Michael Sam immediately.

1. Brian Orakpo is hurt again.  The 3-time Pro Bowler and current franchise player of the DC Football team re-tore his pectoral muscle this past week, and is out for the rest of the year.  In fact, there is a good chance his career in DC is over unless he wants to take a massive pay cut in the offseason.  The Skins looked like they were going to be moving on anyway, and still have a pass rush anchored by Ryan Kerrigan.  However, another injury would leave them severely short on edge rushers.  Michael Sam could come into a 3-4, play behind more experienced guys, work on his coverage and rush skills, and provide another serviceable warm body for Jim Haslett to plug into his system.

2. The Redskins may have the worst special teams in the league.  While the unit played well in their win over the Tennessee Titans, they still have massive holes on coverage and blocking.  This is where they could use a guy like Michael Sam.  A quality edge rusher can require more than one blocker, thus allowing one of the faster guys to get to the opposing punter or kicker cleanly.  Furthermore, a former SEC Defensive Player of the Year probably knows how to tackle guys, which seems to be an issue for the rest of the squad.  Also, Sam has the same build and speed as former Skins Pro Bowl Special Teamer Lorenzo Alexander, who may be the most sorely missed player in recent DC Football history.  To prove you can play in the NFL, you have to start on special teams.  Sam could flourish in this much-needed role.

3. Michael Sam knows the Cowboys system.  In case you didn't know, the Redskins and their fanbase absolutely hate the Dallas Cowboys.  So, why wouldn't the team want to gain every upper hand they could going into a week when they play the 6-1 division leaders?  Sam could have insight into the intricacies of Dallas' defense.  We know Colt McCoy will need all the help he can get.  A failure to sign Sam when he has experience in Dallas and when you have the open spot on your roster is a massive oversight.  Bill Belichick does this kind of move all the time, and he has won as many Super Bowls as Joe Gibbs.  As an organization, the Skins should probably start doing more things the Patriots would do.  They seem to be doing alright.


So there you have it.  Not one, not two, but three football-based reasons the Skins should sign Michael Sam immediately.  It has nothing to do with giving this young man a chance to make history.  It has nothing to do with trying to get positive publicity, though Snyder et al need as much as they can get.  It doesn't even have anything to do with the fact that Washington, DC has been voted one of the most gay-friendly cities in the United States.  It only has to do with football.  Sign the kid.  Improve the team.  Beat Dallas?  Maybe.

A New Feature- JFLAN's WWE Network Pick Of The Week!

Hello all.  Apologies for being somewhat absent recently.  All of my friends seem to be getting married, requiring me to spend a long time away from sports and concentrating on things like love.  Disgusting, I know.  But, I am back, and I will now have a new weekly feature.  For those of you lucky enough to be wrestling fans, you hopefully know how amazing the WWE Network is.  Every pay-per-view ever by WWE, WCW, and ECW.  All future WWE PPVs.  Original content like WWE Countdown, Wrestlemania Rewind, and even the 2 hour documentaries about the real life rises to fame of some of WWE's biggest stars.  All of this, of course, is available for just $9.99.  So, I have decided to pick something from the Network for you all to watch.  So, with my inaugural pick, I have chosen the 1996 Royal Rumble!

I picked this because, at one point in my life, I memorized the entire entry order from the 30-man over the top rope battle royal.  It is a good one, featuring some major stars like Diesel, Shawn Michaels, Owen Hart, Yokozuna, and the Rumble debut of "The Ringmaster" (soon to be known as Stone Cold Steve Austin) and the WWE debut of Vader.  Plus, keep a lookout for Dr. Isaac Yankem, who would later be rebranded (in amazing fashion) as Kane.  There is also an excellent main event, as Undertaker took on the WWE Champion Bret Hart.

Again, I highly recommend viewing this gem from the mid-90s, and encourage you to sign up for the WWE Network.  If you aren't a wrestling fan... well... your loss.

How to Realistically Solve The NFL's Current Issues

So, Emperor Roger Goodell is in a bit of hot water right now as everyone knows.  It is impossible to watch any football game, sports news show, or even national news program without hearing about his mishandling of the Ray Rice situation.  Now, it is conceivable that he will resign if enough pressure is put on him by the owners and the NFL sponsors.  I am still not sure that will happen, so I have come up with another solution.  It won't make anyone happy, but everyone will be at least satisfied.

Step 1- Suspend Roger Goodell without pay for the entirety of the 2014-2015 season, up to and including the NFL Draft in May.  I give to you the NFL Personal Conduct Policy, Section 2-

Standard of Conduct:
While criminal activity is clearly outside the scope of permissible conduct, and persons who
engage in criminal activity will be subject to discipline, the standard of conduct for persons
employed in the NFL is considerably higher. It is not enough simply to avoid being found guilty
of a crime. Instead, as an employee of the NFL or a member club, you are held to a higher
standard and expected to conduct yourself in a way that is responsible, promotes the values
upon which the League is based, and is lawful.
Persons who fail to live up to this standard of conduct are guilty of conduct detrimental and
subject to discipline, even where the conduct itself does not result in conviction of a crime.
Discipline may be imposed in any of the following circumstances:
• Criminal offenses including, but not limited to, those involving: the use or threat of violence;
domestic violence and other forms of partner abuse; theft and other property crimes; sex
offenses; obstruction or resisting arrest; disorderly conduct; fraud; racketeering; and money
laundering;
• Criminal offenses relating to steroids and prohibited substances, or substances of abuse;
• Violent or threatening behavior among employees, whether in or outside the workplace;
• Possession of a gun or other weapon in any workplace setting, including but not limited to
stadiums, team facilities, training camp, locker rooms, team planes, buses, parking lots, etc., or
unlawful possession of a weapon outside of the workplace;
• Conduct that imposes inherent danger to the safety and well being of another person; and
• Conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity and reputation of the NFL, NFL clubs, or
NFL players.

That last bullet point. "Conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity and reputation of the NFL, NFL clubs, or NFL players." I'd say the commish has broken that one a bit.  There are perfectly reasonably grounds for his suspension without pay.  His pay for the last fiscal year was around $40 million, which is simply bonkers.  So, losing out on a massive chunk of that cash, along with removing him from the public eye, as well as showing that even the commissioner is governed by these collectively bargained rules is a very smart decision.

While this is not as final as his dismissal from the position, suspending Goodell with that sizable of a financial loss speaks volumes.  That money could even be used to start a fund to help the victims of domestic abuse, and just like that, the NFL is getting good publicity.

Step 2- Have the interim commissioner (whoever that may be) establish an executive committee to review all domestic violence issues within the league.  I would say make it all high ranking people from inside football, and maybe one or two from outside.  Make it a seven-member committee, consisting of a majority women.  Now, that is not to say that all domestic violence occurs as with men as the aggressor.  I need only point out the transgressions of US Women's Soccer Team goalie Hope Solo, who allegedly abused her sister and nephew.  But when dealing with the NFL, I imagine that a majority of the issues will be driven by male violence.  This committee can give a fair, balanced and in depth look into each incident, and adjudicate accordingly.  With this, there would be an impartial body that to which even the officer of the commissioner would have to answer.

Step 3- The 3 E's-

- Educate the players about why domestic violence is wrong (should be obvious). These steps are pretty straight forward.  It goes without saying that domestic violence is wrong.  Pretty much all violence is wrong.  But in the NFL we are dealing with some muscled up alpha males that get their brains knocked around for a living.  Sometimes they may need a refresher course on acceptable behavior (then again, a good deal of society need those courses too).

- Enforce the stricter rules which are now in place.  One thing I can give a bit of credit to Goodell for is putting into place the new rules, stating that those guilty of domestic violence will be suspended 6 games without pay for a first offense, and face a lifetime ban for a second.  Those are appropriately tough rules.  Make sure that those are enforced, even if that means that some who have yet to be suspended committed their crime under the old rules, like Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy.  His issue is currently being played out in court, so the NFL is waiting to see what will come of that.  If he is found guilty, he should immediately be suspended for the next six games, even if it includes playoffs or spans two seasons.  Make an emphatic correct statement instead of flubbing clueless wrong ones.

- Establish a culture in which this is no longer an issue.  I read recently that, at his Elite 11 Camp, (a training camp for the top 11 high school QBs going into college), former NFL QB and current ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer holds a seminar about the proper ways to treat women, i.e. with respect and not hitting them.  This should be expanded throughout youth football.  It isn't that difficult of a message to grasp.  Furthermore, at the rookie intro meetings to the NFL, where they teach players how to manage money and conduct themselves in public, there should be a class teaching about the evils of domestic violence.  If you ingrain the message so strongly into the youngsters entering the league, then the number of domestic violence incidents will hopefully drop.


If these relatively easy steps are followed, not only will the fervor for Goodell's head subside, but the league as a whole will be stronger due to the character of its players, coaches and executives rising.  This is not a difficult issue.  It is almost always wrong to hit your spouse, girl or boyfriend, relative, child, stranger on the street.  Just don't do it.  I leave you with the wise words of CBS's James Brown (DC's own) from the pregame show of tonight's Ravens/Steelers game:

"Two years ago I challenged the NFL community and all men to seriously confront the problems of domestic violence especially coming on the heels of the suicide of Jovan Belcher, and girlfriend Kasandra Perkins, yet here we are again confronting the same issue of violence against women.  Now, lets be clear, this problem is bigger than football.  There has been, appropriately so, intense and widespread outrage following the release of the video showing what happened in the elevator at the casino.  Now wouldn't it be productive if this collective outrage could be channeled to truly hear and address the long-suffering cries for help from so many women and, as they said, do something about it?  An ongoing, comprehensive education of men about what healthy, respectful manhood is all about.  And it starts with how we view women.  Our language is important, for example: When a guy says "You throw a ball like a girl" or "You're a sissy," it reflects an attitude that devalues women, and attitudes will eventually manifest in some fashion.  Women have been at the forefront in the domestic violence awareness and prevention arena, and whether Janay Rice considers herself a victim or not, millions of women in this country are.  Consider this- According to domestic violence experts, more than three women a day lose their lives at the hands of their partners.  That means that since the night of February 15th in Atlantic City, more than 600 women have died, so this is yet another call to men to stand up and take responsibility for their thoughts, their words, their deeds, and to get help.  Because our silence is deafening and deadly."

College Football is Back!

Well, its that wonderful time of year again.  Baseball season is coming to crunch time, only one more preseason NFL game, and college football is back for real!  I love me some NCAA football.  Of course, the NCAA may not be around for that much longer in the way we know it.  But hey, we should enjoy it while we can.  Here are some of my thoughts heading into the season:

-  It makes me very sad that Notre Dame and Michigan will be playing for the last time (for a while) on September 6th.  I grew up loving this game, and never knowing who to root for.  Coming from an Irish Catholic family outside of the state of Ohio or the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I actually like Notre Dame football.  However, I was also a big X-Men fan as a kid, so when I heard there was a team called the Wolverines, I decided they would be my favorites.  Anyway, it has been a great rivalry that has provided some insanely fun games.  Hopefully the 6th won't be any different.

-  Losing Braxton Miller is a massive blow to the hopes of Ohio State to win the National Title.  Yes, they can still win the Big 10 (14...) without him, and Urban Meyer is a great coach, but he needs to work a minor miracle without his starting QB.  Miller was going to be in the hunt for the Heisman.  Losing that kind of talent is never easy.

-  This will be another one of those "Year of the Quarterbacks".  Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston, Brett Hundley, Bryce Petty, Kevin Hogan, Connor Cook, etc.  The list goes on.  All of these players will be in the Heisman conversation at some point, as well as being scouted for the next level.  I could list 7 teams that could draft a QB in the 1st round next year.  If these talented signal-callers can lead their team to the Final Four, they would certainly be looked at in a better light.  I, of course, will be rooting for Kevin Hogan because he is a proud graduate of Gonzaga College High School in Washington, DC.  Hail!

-  How will the SEC do this year?  Yes, it is the best conference in college football.  However, the teams have a tendency to beat themselves up more than they should.  A team like Florida State can cruise through a relatively easy ACC schedule (maybe Syracuse upsets them.... No, we won't...) and be fairly rested before the playoffs.  But with so much talent in the SEC, can a team make it through to the Final Four unscathed?  Can more than one team make it?  I could see a top 4 of Florida State, Oregon, Alabama and a team like Wisconsin going undefeated and making it.  The BCS-era arguments of a 1-loss SEC team vs an undefeated Big 10/12/ACC team are still around.  Just called something different now.  Personally, I feel that if you are undefeated in a power conference, you should probably be in the Top 4 of the polls.

-  My Syracuse Orange, fresh off a Texas Bowl title, start their season Friday vs Villanova.  This used to be a great Big East basketball game.  We'll see how it goes for football.  Florida State is the only true guaranteed loss on our schedule, but I still expect something like 7-5.  I hope for more.  Right now there is no true #3 team in the ACC.  Louisville lost their QB and their coach.  The presumptive #2 Clemson lost Taj Boyd and Sammy Watkins.  If everything goes well (and I mean EVERYTHING), the Orange could be looking at a New Years Day bowl game for the first time in years.  I'll be giddy if that happens.  Also, look at our fancy new uniforms!

-  So who wins it all?  Who will take the first College Football Playoff oddly-shaped, rather suggestive trophy?  Honestly, have you looked at the top of it?  I can't be the only one that thinks they made a major design flaw.  But I digress.  If history has taught us anything, it is that the SEC is great, and that Nick Saban hates losing much more than he enjoys winning.  Alabama may have to overcome the loss of AJ McCarron to the pros, but I think that they will be able to win it all given the depth of their talent.  Of course, I could be wrong.

Abilene Christian vs. Georgia State starts of the madness tomorrow on ESPNU.  I know I'll be watching.

Enjoy the season!

Wizington DC?

So, there is no doubt that the #1 team in my home Metro area, Washington DC, is the American football team which shall not be named.  After that, it used to be the Capitals, but their lack of star power other than Ovechkin and continuous lack of a Stanley Cup may have them fading a bit.  The Washington Nationals are powered by Stras, Harper, Gio, Werth, and fun racing president mascots.  I care about them more than I do the Redski... I mean, that football team with RG3.

That brings us to the Wizards.  For a half a decade, they were a distant fourth in the collective mind of those actually from the area, which is a shame because DC is a fantastic basketball town.  Not only are there high quality college teams like Georgetown, Maryland, GW and George Mason, but you also have some of the best high school teams in the country in the area.  If you took a starting 5 made up of only current guys from the greater DC/Baltimore area, it would look like this (courtesy of elitedaily.com)-

That would be one hell of a starting 5.  They'd average 110 points a game... even if they gave up that much too.  So DC is a basketball town deserving of a solid basketball team.  And it looks like the Wizards are actually becoming one.

The Wizkids made it to the second round of the playoffs last year before bowing out to a Pacers team that remembered how to play basketball just in time.  John Wall and Bradley Beal are legitimate young stars whose ceilings are just getting higher.  The team re-signed the Polish Hammer Marcin Gortat in order to keep the excellent front court of him and Nene (when healthy) together.  But it is the smaller moved that may have made the team even better.

The first, and biggest, move was not re-signing Trevor Ariza.  Now, I like Ariza a ton, and he was the best two way player on the team last year for sure.  But he was due for a pay day that we didn't want to give him.  When he signed with the Rockets, it left us a bunch of money to move around to other players.  It also gave the team a chance to see if Otto Porter Jr was worth the #3 pick in last season's draft.  He and Glen Rice Jr have been tearing it up in Summer League recently, both knowing that they now have a chance to get substantial minutes with Ariza gone.

Second, the Wizards signed Paul Pierce.  Yes, he is old, but he has a ton of experience with winning, dealing with tough losses and getting back up, and how to overcome adversity.  He can be the veteran leader that this team did not always have last year.  Nene could only do so much, and what can a center really say to a team run by its two starting guards?  Also, if he is able to tutor Otto Porter and teach him how to really play, then this could be the biggest steal of free agency.

Next, the Wizards added depth to their front court.  One of the main reasons the Wizards struggled at times recently was that Nene is injury prone.  The way to solve this was to find better backups.  Over the past two days, the Wizards have added Kris Humphries and DeJuan Blair, both solid veterans who have had moments of brilliance for playoff teams.  Getting them (for practically nothing) will help fill the void that Nene will almost certainly leave when he gets hurt.

And then there is the real reason that not signing Ariza is a good thing, and why the Wizards fans are starting to talk more about this franchise.  In the summer of 2016, Kevin Durant becomes a free agent.  The Wizards will have a sizable amount of cash available, and the idea of the Slim Reaper coming back home to play for his childhood team is almost too tantalizing not to talk about.  Every DC sports writer is starting to think that Durant may pull a LeBron and come home to revive the team.  The Wizards will still be a solid team then too, since Wall and Beal are so young.  The Wiz could offer Durant a max deal and still have money left for other (cheaper) players to pair with the big 4 of Wall, Beal, Durant and Gortat.  It is a beautiful scenario, and one that those of us in DC would love to see.

So, yes, even while (my favorite team in DC) the Nationals are tied for first, while the Caps are trying to rebuild around Ovechkin without a goalie once more, and while Dan Snyder continually fights for the right to keep THAT name, the Wizards are slowly turning heads over to F and 7th Streets, NW for some compelling action on the hardwood.  Finally, a great high school and college basketball town may have a NBA team worthy of its fandom.  The city wants it.  The city needs it.  And it looks like the Wizards are ready to be it.

JFLANland NBA Draft Preview

Time for another draft!  True, I do not get into the NBA Draft as much, mainly because I am a bigger NFL fan than NBA fan, but I can still hold my own with the NBA Draft.  This Thursday will see teams not only trying to get better by bringing in new players, but also try to dump as much salary as they can to afford LeBron or Melo (or both!).  Here are just a few thoughts for the two round spectacular.

- I know there isn't a great history of all stars from Duke, but I would take Parker over Andrew Wiggins.  Wiggins has a ton of potential, yes, but Parker is ready to be a star now.  Also, if you look at recent Kansas players in the NBA (so, ones coached by Bill Self) there is even less success than Duke.  I don't really trust the Cavs to make the right move at all regardless, but give me Jabari if I had to improve that sorry team right now.

- 7 feet tall.  Back problems resulting in surgery.  Foot problems resulting in surgery.  Sorry Joel Embiid, I am not touching you with a 39 and a half foot pole.  All the best, but you have Greg Oden written all over you.

- There are apparently rumors that the 76ers are shopping Rookie of the Year winner Michael Carter-Williams, and then plan on taking Dante Exum from Australia as their pick at #3.  So, you trade away an already proven NBA point guard for a prospect from down under?  Maybe this is why the Sixers are so bad.  Whoever gets MCW would be getting a steal.  I know the Lakers have been a little interested if they are able to trade Steve Nash.  The only thing that might stop that from happening is if the Lakers are trying to shed as much salary as possible to make a run at the superstars to pair with Kobe.

- Apparently the top 2 boys from Syracuse are taking a bit of a slide down the draft board.  At one point, Tyler Ennis was in the mix to be the 1st point guard taken.  Now, he will be lucky if he is the 4th.  Exum, Marcus Smart, Elfrid Peyton, Zach Levine, and Mr. Kemba 2.0 Shabazz Napier may all go ahead of my guy Tyler.  I'd like to see him end up with a team that will let him play right away, like Toronto (he is from its suburbs).  And then there is Jerami Grant.  This one hurts me, because I knew Grant should come back for one more year.  He is so freakishly athletic, and has an amazing pedigree (Son of Harvey Grant, nephew of Horace Grant), but doesn't have a jump shot yet.  I have seen him go anywhere from the mid-20s to the mid-2nd Round.  I wish the best for the guy, but if he had come back to Cuse for one more year, taken over as the primary guy at SF for CJ Fair, and proven he can do it all, I think he had Top 10 written all over him.

- Speaking of CJ Fair, his workouts have been good enough that he is now an early 2nd round prospect.  My Wizards could take a run at the Baltimore native, because we can never have enough small forwards.

- Do you want to know the real reason why I love the NFL Draft more than the NBA Draft?  Foreign players.  They don't show up and play in the NBA for 3 years!  It isn't fair to the guys that played college and are ready to go right now.  For example, Dario Saric is a Top 10 guy, but just signed with a Euroleague team for 3 years, meaning that he won't show up for at least 2.  I don't understand what the appeal is for teams that need to win now.  The coach and GM may be gone before their new draftee even arrives in America!

- TJ Warren.  Whoever drafts him will be happy.  He was unstoppable in the ACC.

- Somehow, the Spurs will find the perfect player or two for their system.  He could be French, he could be a senior, but no matter what, he will work for Pop and his crew.

- I understand the drinking game for the Draft is drink every time Jay Bilas says wingspan, among other things.  If you want some more ideas to use with your friends, take a look here.


Enjoy the Draft my friends.

JFLANland 2014 NFL Mock Draft- Round 5

Here it is, my final round of the 2014 Mock Draft.  After this point, it will be players that barely anyone has heard of, and I don't think many of you will read it.  So, we stop at 5.  Here we go!

1 (141). Houston Texans- Davonta Freeman, RB, Florida State

2 (142). Washington Redskins- Jordan Zumwalt, ILB, UCLA

3 (143). Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia
          Still no idea if Mike Glennon is starter material, so the Bucs might take Murray to learn from McCown.

4 (144). Jacksonville Jaguars- Seantrel Henderson, OT, Miami

5 (145). Cleveland Browns- Nevin Lawson, CB, Utah State

6 (146). Seattle Seahawks- Zach Kerr, DT, Delaware

7 (147). Atlanta Falcons- Max Bullough, ILB, Michigan State

8 (148). Minnesota Vikings- James Gayle, DE, Virginia Tech

9 (149). Buffalo Bills- Lamin Barrow, OLB, LSU

10 (150). Jacksonville Jaguars- Terrence West, RB, Towson

11 (151). Tennessee Titans- Jordie Tripp, OLB, Montana

12 (152). New York Giants- Ed Stinson, DE, Alabama

13 (153). St. Louis Rams- Ross Cockrell, CB, Duke

14 (154). New York Jets- Lache Seastunk, RB, Baylor

15 (155). Miami Dolphins- Mike Davis, WR, Texas

16 (156). Chicago Bears- Jared Abbrederis, WR, Wisconsin

17 (157). Pittsburgh Steelers- Billy Turner, OT, North Dakota State

18 (158). Dallas Cowboys- Shaq Evans, WR, UCLA

19 (159). Jacksonville Jaguars- Walt Aikens, CB, Liberty

20 (160). Arizona Cardinals- Trey Burton, TE, Florida

21 (161). Green Bay Packers- Jeff Matthews, QB, Cornell

22 (162). Philadelphia Eagles- Dez Southward, S, Wisconsin

23 (163). Kansas City Chiefs- Taj Boyd, QB, Clemson
          I think there are a ton of similarities between Boyd and Alex Smith. He'd fit in well in Andy Reid's system.

24 (164). Cincinnati Bengals- TJ Jones, WR, Notre Dame

25 (165). San Diego Chargers- Michael Schofield, OT, Michigan

26 (166). Indianapolis Colts- Dontae Johnson, CB, NC State

27 (167). New Orleans Saints- Anthony Johnson, DT, LSU

28 (168). Carolina Panthers- Heff Janis, WR, Saginaw Valley State

29 (169). New Orleans Saints- Travis Swanson, OC, Arkansas

30 (170). San Francisco 49ers- David Fales, QB, San Jose State
          Jim Harbaugh went on record saying that Fales was a Top 5 QB. I bet he takes him.

31 (171). Denver Broncos- Kain Colter, WR, Northwestern

32 (172). Seattle Seahawks- Khyri Thornton, DT, Southern Miss

33 (173). Pittsburgh Steelers- Kadeem Edwards, OG, Tennessee State

34 (174). New York Giants- Bryan Stork, OC, Florida State

35 (175). Baltimore Ravens- Michael Sam, DE, Missouri

          Yes, I think Michael Sam goes in the 5th, and I think he goes to the perfect team for him.  Baltimore can never have too many pass rushers.  He can come in on passing downs and get to the QB.  Plus, no other player in the draft brings the kind of maturity and intangibles as Sam does.  He has shown immense courage and poise in his quest for acceptance for his homosexuality.  I am a huge fan of his.  Plus, Maryland has marriage equality (their governor is a proud graduate of my high school. Woot!) so if catches on with the team he can choose to get married there also.  The Ravens are the kind of team, with total stability in the front office and community, that can deal with the press surrounding Sam, and benefit from it.  Everybody wins.  And you can't tell me the SEC Defensive Player of the year doesn't deserve to get drafted.

36 (176). Green Bay Packers- Tyler Lawson, OC, Utah State


And there it is.  5 Rounds, straight from my brain to your eyeballs.  I imagine that no more than 3% of these picks will be right, but a man can dream.  I hope you enjoyed reading these 5 posts.  It is a labor of love, to be sure.  Now, sit back and enjoy the next three days of Draft Mania!  Thanks for reading!

JFLANland 2014 NFL Mock Draft- Round 4

Ready for those players you have never heard of, but will be more important to your team than the guys that went in Round 1?  So am I!  Here we go for Round 4!

1 (101). Houston Texans- Cody Latimer, WR, Indiana

2 (102). Washington Redskins- Westin Richburg, OC, Colorado State

3 (103). Atlanta Falcons- Chris Sims, RB, West Virginia

4 (104). New York Jets- Jeremiah Attaochu, OLB, Georgia Tech

5 (105). Jacksonville Jaguars- Trai Turner, OG, LSU

6 (106). Cleveland Browns- De'Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon

7 (107). Oakland Raiders- Kareem Martin, DE, UNC

8 (108). Minnesota Vikings- Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt

9 (109). Buffalo Bills- Martavis Bryant, WR, Clemson

10 (110). St. Louis Rams- Tom Savage, QB, Pittsburgh
          Sam Bradford is pretty much in a put up or shut up year now.  They need a game plan for the future.

11 (111). Detroit Lions- Paul Richardson, WR, Colorado

12 (112). Tennessee Titans- Zach Mettenberger, QB, LSU
          Jake Locker is in the same boat as Bradford. He needs to stay on the field and produce.

13 (113). New York Giants- Donte Moncrief, WR, Ole Miss

14 (114). Jacksonville Jaguars- Daquan Jones, DT, Penn State

15 (115). New York Jets- Christian Jones, OLB, Florida State

16 (116). Miami Dolphins, CB, Lindenwood

17 (117). Chicago Bears- Brent Urban, DT, UVA

18 (118). Pittsburgh Steelers- Vic Hampton, CB, South Carolina

19 (119). Dallas Cowboys- Brandon Linder, OG, Miami

20 (120). Arizona Cardinals- Brock Vereen, S, Minnesota

21 (121). Green Bay Packers- Caraun Reid, DT, Princeton
          I didn't know Princeton had a football team...

22 (122). Philadelphia Eagles- Telvin Smith, ILB, Florida State

23 (123). Cincinnati Bengals- Jackson Jeffcoat, DE, Texas

24 (124). Kansas City Chiefs- Craig Loston, S, LSU

25 (125). San Diego Chargers- Adrian Hubbard, OLB, Alabama

26 (126). New Orleans Saints- Kevin Norwood, WR, Alabama

27 (127). Cleveland Browns- Shamar Stephon, DT, UConn

28 (128). Carolina Panthers- Marqueston Huff, CB/S, Wyoming

29 (129). San Francisco 49ers- Jalen Saunders, WR, Oklahoma

30 (130). New England Patriots- Dan McCullers, DT, Tennessee

31 (131). Denver Broncos- Jaylen Watkins, CB, Florida

32 (132). Seattle Seahawks- Marcus Smith, DE, Louisville

33 (133). Detroit Lions- Russell Bodine, OC, UNC

34 (134). Baltimore Ravens- John Brown, WR, Pittsburgh State

35 (135). Houston Texans- Chris Kirksey, OLB, Iowa

36 (136). Detroit Lions- Ego Ferguson, DT, LSU
          One of my favorite names in the draft. Ego!

37 (137). New York Jets- Tre Boston, S, UNC

38 (138). Baltimore Ravens- Taylor Hart, DE, Oregon

39 (139). Atlanta Falcons- Jeoffrey Pagan, DE, Alabama

40 (140). New England Patriots- Ty Zimmerman, S, Kansas State


One more round to go in my mock.  Has your favorite player gone yet?  There are a few big name college QBs left to go, as well as the most talked about late-round talent ever.  Check back later tonight for Round 5!

JFLANland 2014 NFL Mock Draft- Round 3

More mock?  MORE MOCK!  I'll only comment on the interesting picks from here on out.

1 (65). Houston Texans- Ja'Wuan James, OT, Tennessee

2 (66). Washington Redskins- Bashaud Breeland, CB, Clemson

3 (67). Oakland Raiders- Loucheiz Purifoy, CB, Florida

4 (68). Atlanta Falcons- CJ Fiedorwicz, TE, Iowa
          Tony Gonzalez might actually be retired now. Atlanta has a big need at TE.

5 (69). Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Scott Crichton, DE/OLB, Oregon State

6 (70). Jacksonville Jaguars- Allen Robinson, WR, Penn State
          My alma mater, Syracuse, was beating PSU when Robinson was out of the game. Then he came in, and we lost.

7 (71). Cleveland Browns- Robert Herron, WR, Wyoming

8 (72). Minnesota Vikings- Tre Mason, RB, Auburn
          Peterson's backup left for Jacksonville, so they need another talented workhorse running back.

9 (73). Buffalo Bills- Crockett Gillmore, TE, Colorado State

10 (74). New York Giants- Kelcy Quarles, DT, South Carolina

11 (75). St. Louis Rams- Ka'Deem Carey, RB, Arizona

12 (76). Detroit Lions- Carl Bradford, OLB, Arizona State

13 (77). San Francisco 49ers- Dominique Easley, DT, Florida

14 (78). Dallas Cowboys- Antone Exum, CB/S, Virginia Tech

15 (79). Baltimore Ravens- Dion Bailey, S, USC

16 (80). New York Jets- Phillip Gaines, CB, Rice

17 (81). Miami Dolphins- Ed Reynolds, S, Stanford

18 (82). Chicago Bears- Stanley Jean-Baptiste, CB, Nebraska

19 (83). Cleveland Browns- Ahmad Dixon, S, Baylor
          The Browns have so many picks in the first 3 rounds. If they don't hit on at least 2 guys, they are cursed.

20 (84). Arizona Cardinals- Jeremy Hill, RB, LSU
          Hill might be the biggest running back I have ever seen.

21 (85). Green Bay Packers- Marcel Jensen, TE, Fresno State

22 (86). Philadelphia Eagles- Aaron Colvin, CB, Oklahoma

23 (87). Kansas City Chiefs- Jon Halapio, OG, Florida

24 (88). Cincinnati Bengals- AJ McCarron, QB, Alabama
          Andy Dalton thinks he is a franchise QB? Then let him beat out a proven winner.

25 (89). San Diego Chargers- Brandon Coleman, WR, Rutgers

26 (90). Indianapolis Colts- Chris Smith, DE, Arkansas

27 (91). New Orleans Saints- Cameron Fleming, OT, Stanford

28 (92). Carolina Panthers- Kendall James, CB, Maine

29 (93). New England Patriots- Andre Williams, RB, Boston College
          Blount is out, Ridley fumbles, and Vareen gets hurt. Tom could use a good running game.

30 (94). Sand Francisco 49ers- Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina

31 (95). Denver Broncos- John Urschel, OG, Penn State

32 (96). Minnesota Vikings- Preston Brown, ILB, Louisville

33 (97). Pittsburgh Steelers- Will Sutton, DT, Arizona State

34 (98). Green Bay Packers- Demarcus Lawrence, DE, Boise State

35 (99). Baltimore Ravens- Dri Archer, RB, Kent State
          Ray Rice was awful last year, and Dri Archer could be the next Darren Sproles.

36 (100). San Francisco 49ers- Logan Thomas, QB/TE, Virginia Tech
          A very similar QB to Kaepernick, he may also be used as a tight end across from Vernon Davis.


Keep an eye out the rest of the night for Rounds 4 and 5.  One more day til the Draft!

JFLANland 2014 NFL Mock Draft- Round 2

Hope you enjoyed Round 1.  On to Round 2 we go.  I will be giving less analysis with these picks, concentrating Once again, the Houston Texans are on the clock-

1 (33). Houston Texans- Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri
          Texans get their QB in Round 1, and a very good DE in Round 2.

2 (34). Washington Redskins- Morgan Moses, OT, UVA
          The Skins' first pick is used on someone to play right tackle and protect RG3.

3 (35). Cleveland Browns- Gabe Jackson, OG, Mississippi State

4 (36). Oakland Raiders- Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU

5 (37). Atlanta Falcons- Antonio Richardson, OT, Tennessee
           Matt Ryan needs protection whenever possible.

6 (38). Tampa Bay Buccaneers- David Yankey, OG, Stanford

7 (39). Jacksonville Jaguars- Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, Eastern Illinois
          The Jags get their QB of the future in Round 2. He can sit behind Henne for a few months.

8 (40). Minnesota Vikings- Keith McGill, CB, Utah

9 (41). Buffalo Bills- Jimmy Ward, S, Northern Illinois
          Jarius Byrd is in NoLA, so safety is a big need.

10 (42). Tennessee Titans- Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio State
          The first RB off the board goes to the team that lost Chris Johnson

11 (43). New York Giants- Xavier Su'a-Filo, OG, UCLA

12 (44). St. Louis Rams- Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama
          Here is the tackle! The Rams get the top WR, top safety and a talented (if oft injured) tackle.

13 (45). Detroit Lions- Terrence Brooks, S, Florida State

14 (46). Pittsburgh Steelers- Ryan Shazier, OLB, Ohio State

15 (47). Dallas Cowboys- Stephen Tuitt, DT/DE, Notre Dame

16 (48). Baltimore Ravens- Chris Borland, ILB, Wisconsin
          May not be the next Ray Lewis, but can start right away.

17 (49). New York Jets- Troy Niklas, TE, Notre Dame
          More weapons for a team without any.

18 (50). Miami Dolphins- Brandon Thomas, OG, Clemson

19 (51). Chicago Bears- Deone Buchanon, S, Washington State

20 (52). Arizona Cardinals- Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State
          My favorite QB in the draft. Best situation for him, may go to them in Round 1.

21 (53). Green Bay Packers- Shayne Skov, ILB, Stanford

22 (54). Philadelphia Eagles- Kyle Van Noy, OLB, BYU

23 (55). Cincinnati Bengals- Jack Mewhort, OT/G, Ohio State

24 (56). San Francisco 49ers- Marcus Martin, OC, USC

25 (57). San Diego Chargers- Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech

26 (58). New Orleans Saints- Marcus Roberson, CB, Florida

27 (59). Indianapolis Colts- Cyril Richardson, OG, Baylor
          The Colts use their first pick on protection for their franchise QB. He gets hit too much.

28 (60). Carolina Panthers- Joel Bitonio, OT/G, Nevada

29 (61). San Francisco 49ers- Trent Murphy, OLB, Stanford
          Navarro Bowman is coming off a terrible injury, and Aldon Smith may be in jail. San Fran needs a pass rush.

30 (62). New England Patriots- Ra'Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota

31 (63). Denver Broncos- Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington
          A great change of pace back to team with Montee Ball.

32 (64). Seattle Seahawks- Josh Huff, WR, Oregon



That's Round 2.  I will be posting Rounds 3-5 tomorrow, and then the Main Event happens Thursday! Get pumped!

JFLANland 2014 NFL Mock Draft- Round 1

IT'S HERE!  After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, I have finally finished my 2014 Mock Draft.  It will be 5 rounds long, because even I, a total draft nerd, is clueless once we get to the 6th round.  This will probably be completely wrong, but this is what I would do if I was GM of every team.  It may not mean I take players I like the most, but it will mean that I mock the players I think will fit in with their team the most.  So, without any further stalling and explanation, here is Round 1!  The Houston Texans are now on the clock.

1. Houston Texans- Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M
          Yep, him.  Johnny Football.  I know that Clowney is a freak.  I know that Mack is a sure thing.  But the Texans need a QB more than anything else.  This is a QB league, and this is a Texas QB.  I hate to admit it, but the guy has impressed me.  He stayed out of trouble, had an awesome pro day (in pads!), and can come in and start Day 1 or sit behind Keenum/Fitzpatrick for a bit.  Plus, this guarantees that Reliant Stadium will be sold out every week, and a ton of Texas residents will buy Manziel jerseys.  Its win-win, and (again, can't believe I am saying it) it is the right pick.

2. St. Louis Rams- Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson
          I am not completely sold on taking a receiver this high ever, and I would love it if they took a tackle instead to protect their oft-injured QB, but this draft is deep on receivers and offensive lineman.  I'll play it risky and hope I can get a quality OT later in this round or in Round 2.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars- Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
          I could say that the Jags should take a QB here.  Chad Henne is fine, and the Jags might not be sold on a QB in this draft yet.  However, Clowney is the premier physical talent in this draft.  If he falls to 3, I imagine Jax's phone ringing off the hook.  Since I don't predict trades, I'll have them taking the freak with their first pick.

4. Cleveland Browns- Blake Bortles, QB, UCF
          Cleveland want Johnny Manziel.  Their owner loves him.  But he is gone, so Cleveland could either take the best player available on the offense or defensive lines, or panic and take a QB.  Its Cleveland.  They will panic.  Luckily for them, Bortles might have the highest ceiling of any QB in the draft.  If he gets the right coaching (which I am worried about since it is Kyle Shanahan at OC for them now), then he cold be something special for a team that needs a franchise passer.

5. Oakland Raiders- Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn
          Its hard to believe someone this talented can fall to #5, but this draft will be a crazy one.  Some folks are saying Robinson is the next Larry Allen.  If that isn't reason enough to take this man with a Top 5 pick, I don't know what is.  He fits a need, and can anchor your line for the next decade.

6. Atlanta Falcons- Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo
          Falcons fans may want Clowney, but it is Mack that is widely considered the most complete player in the draft.  He will come in right away to help a defense that has to deal with Brees and Newton twice and year.  Another OT could be a possibility here, but not if Mack falls this far.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M
          Ok, honesty time:  I am in no way sold on Mike Evans.  I think he is overrated.  He got away with a ton of offensive pass interference, and was the benefit of Manziel's escapability.  He is a gifted athlete, but I think he will fail to live up to his ability.  That being said, Tampa lost Mike Williams, so they need another WR opposite Vincent Jackson.

8. Minnesota Vikings- Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville
          I do not accept that the guy who was the #1 QB going into the year, and only lost 1 game, is somehow going to slip into Round 2.  I think this is a massive smokescreen by half the teams in the league that all want the guy.  Bridgewater is ready to play in the NFL now, and is an upgrade over Ponder and Cassell.  Put him with Adrian Peterson, and you FINALLY have an offense that can compete in the NFC North.

9. Buffalo Bills- Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M
          It seems like every year I mock the Bills taking a tackle in the first or second round.  It also seems like every year they don't listen to me, and tackle remains one of their biggest needs.  Well, here you go, Buffalo.  Matthews can play both tackle positions extremely well.  He can pass and run block.  He is the right pick.  Take him.  Please.

10. Detroit Lions- Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State
          Again, secondary seems to be one of the Lions' biggest needs each year.  The only reason they aren't able to win their division is that their defense cannot stop anyone from throwing on them.  Gilbert is the best corner in the draft, though passing on local boy Darqueze Dennard might be tough.  Speaking of...

11. Tennessee Titans- Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State
          If Gilbert is the #1 corner, Dennard is 1A.  Fits a major need,and might be the best player available.

12. New York Giants- Eric Ebron, TE, UNC
          Difficult pick, but the Giants lost so many weapons on offense.  Eli needs help.

13. St. Louis Rams- Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama
          A bit of a swerve. Arguably the top safety, filling another major need. Tackle will come eventually.

14. Chicago Bears- Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt
          The best defensive tackle in the draft goes to a team who used to run on defense.  He can help the Monsters of the Midway get back to the way they were.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers- Marquis Lee, WR, USC
          Mike Wallace left before last season.  Emmanuel Sanders left this season.  They need weapons.

16. Dallas Cowboys- Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State
          The Cowboys defense was awful.  They need a proven winner who can clog the middle of a line.

17. Baltimore Ravens- Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan
          Any time you can get a top 10 talent at 17, its awesome.  The Ravens get possibly the tought OT in the entire draft.  He can slide in at left tackle to protect Flacco, and move Eugene Monroe over to the right side, thus improving the entire line.

18. New York Jets- Odell Beckham Jr, WR, LSU
          Can you name a WR on the Jets besides Eric Decker?  Neither can I.

19. Miami Dolphins- Zach Martin, OT, Notre Dame
          Due to Johnathan Martin and Richie Incognito leaving Miami, the Fins need a ton of OLine help.

20. Arizona Cardinals- Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA
          Super-talented buy raw rusher.  Needs seasoning, but could be fantastic.

21. Green Bay Packers- Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville
          The best safety in the draft to a good team that needs him. Win-win.

22. Philadelphia Eagles- Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State
          Losing DeSean Jackson hurts, even if they kept Cooper and Maclin.

23. Kansas City Chiefs- Davonte Adams, WR, Fresno State
          I am of the opinion that Adams might be the best WR in the draft. I think 23 is a steal for him.  Plug him in opposite Dwayne Bowe, and you have two tall playmakers that can catch anything.

24. Cincinnati Bengals- LeMarcus Joyner, CB, Florida State
          I am expecting a mini run on corners in the late 1st/early 2nd.  Joyner is solid, and fits a need.

25. San Diego Chargers- Louis Nix III, DT, Notre Dame
          The big nose tackle can anchor a defense that has to deal with Peyton and Jamaal Charles.

26. Cleveland Browns- Jason Verrett, CB, TCU
          The Trent Richardson pick turns into the corner that can start opposite Joe Haden.

27. New Orleans Saints- Dee Ford, OLB, Auburn
          Ford thinks he is better than Clowney. He can prove it in Rob Ryan's blitzing system.

28. Carolina Panthers- Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida State
          Can you name a Panthers' WR?  Exactly.

29. New England Patriots- Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech
          Gronk gets hurt, and he who shall not be named is in jail forever.  Pass-catching TE is needed.

30. San Francisco 49ers- Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State
          They lost Carlos Rogers, and need to be able to cover receivers.

31. Denver Broncos- CJ Mosley, ILB, Alabama
          A major need filled with the best player available at the position.  Win for the Broncos.

32. Seattle Seahawks- Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington
          They have some wideout depth (not a ton), but they need better tight end receivers.


That's it for Round 1.  Keep an eye out for Round 2!

A Quick Note, and Wise Words from Keith Law

Hello true believers (yes, I just ripped off Stan Lee)

Apologies for not writing more.  While I love this hobby, real life stuff has gotten in the way a bit.  Nevertheless, I have completed three rounds of my NFL Mock Draft, should be doing at least one more round soon.  Expect that to be up by this weekend if life doesn't throw any surprises my way.  It should be a good draft, because so far we have no clue who is going where.  That is fun.  Makes for a better viewing experience.

Now, this is what I missed- the Wizards are in the playoffs and doing well, Syracuse basketball is over and may struggle next year, the Skins don't have a first round pick but picked up good free agents, the Caps fired Oates and GM GM, Donald Sterling is racist, Michael Pineda likes pine tar, The Undertaker lost at WrestleMania 30, the Ultimate Warrior passed away, and it looks like winter finally ended.

Oh, and then there are my Nationals... (grumble....)

Bryce Harper will be out until July with a torn thumb ligament.  He got this sliding into 3rd while stretching out a double to a triple.  Bryce Harper has always hustled.  Never doubted that for a second.  But Matt Williams, our inexperienced new manager, didn't see it that way this year.  He benched the 21 year old and then publicly embarrassed him in front of the entire world by calling him out for not fake hustling out a routine grounder to the pitcher.  I, for one, am incensed over the entire situation.  The Nats already have a rash of injuries, and now the team loses Bryce for 2+ months.

It seems I am not the only one who is upset.  ESPN writer Keith Law agrees with me.  Here is his Insider column, for all of you.

 Monday, April 28, 2014
The mishandling of Bryce Harper

---

By Keith LawThe Washington Nationals went a little off the board this winter with the hiring of manager Matt Williams, a respected coach with the Arizona Diamondbacks and former All-Star who had a grand total of zero games of professional managerial experience. 

That inexperience has shown all over the place, as Williams has demonstrated that he's in way over his head so far -- never more so than in his mishandling of the team's most talented player, Bryce Harper, who is now headed for surgery on his thumb and will be lost until at least early July. 

Leaders do not make their points at the expense of their best subordinates, but that is exactly what Williams did when he chose to pull Harper from a game on April 19 because Harper didn't fully run out a routine ground ball back to the pitcher. Harper was coming off an injured quad and, from what I'm told, battling the flu on the day when he chose, wisely, not to run out a ground ball so routine that had the pitcher rolled the ball to first base he still would have had beaten Harper by a few feet. Asking any player to run that ball out shows an emphasis on superficial, meaningless behavior over actions that actually increase the team's chances of winning a game. No one ever scored an extra run by showboating for the cameras, but that is exactly what Williams wanted Harper -- who was injured and sick -- to do. 

Harper singled out 

Williams' tirade on "lack of hustle," directed at a player who is hustle incarnate, was a low point for the Nationals this season, but Harper's injury, which came as he tried to stretch a double into a triple by -- wait for it -- hustling, is a new nadir. It's bad enough that the inexperienced manager felt the need to heap dispraise on Harper in a public forum; it's worse that those empty criticisms might in any way have led to Harper taking more of a risk than usual and tearing that thumb ligament. 

	An injury suffered on a bases-clearing triple against the Padres on Friday will hold Bryce Harper out until at least early July, according to multiple sources.

On top of that, Williams seems to have it in for Harper, treating him more harshly than he has treated other players who've committed similar or graver mistakes. On April 18, the Nationals played an ugly game, making three errors -- two by Ian Desmond -- and misplaying several others. Williams didn't bench anyone during the game for sloppiness or lack of focus, and more importantly, he didn't throw any of his players under the bus after the game, refusing to even tell the media what he'd said to them after the shoddy performance. “That's for me and my team, and nobody else's business,” he told reporters. So why did Williams feel so willing to degrade Harper to the media after Harper's perceived lack of hustle?

On April 20, a day after The Benching, Jayson Werth batted with two outs in the bottom of the first inning, checked his swing, and grounded out to first base … but clearly gave up on the play before first baseman Matt Adams threw the ball to pitcher Shelby Miller. Williams didn't bench Werth, didn't call him out during or after the game, didn't do anything. Why is Werth immune to criticism for failure to false-hustle but Harper gets publicly shamed for it? 

Of course, after Harper's injury, Williams was quick to point out that Harper "plays the game hard." But that was always the case; it's just that Harper also plays it smart, and doesn't waste time with false hustle -- probably because false hustle has yet to win any team a ballgame. The entire incident has highlighted that the Nationals organization made a mistake in hiring a manager with zero experience in Williams, who spent the first few weeks of the season trying to figure out how far down in the lineup he could bury Harper. 

Source of injuries 

The Nationals took a calculated risk in 2010 when they chose to move Harper, who played catcher as an amateur, out from behind the plate immediately after signing him, removing him from the middle of the field and from a position he'd played since childhood -- and a position he played well. Although catcher is normally a more injury-prone position than the outfield, Harper's unfamiliarity with the outfield and with playing on a corner could have been a factor in several of his injuries in pro ball, including his collision with the outfield wall in Los Angeles last April. 

The move to right field may have gotten Harper to the majors faster, but it put him at a position with a much higher baseline (replacement-level) against which we measure his performance, meaning that the Nationals may have left a lot of value on the table by shifting him to the outfield. It's probably too late to return Harper to catching -- although I don't doubt that Harper could do it, as he still has the athleticism and the arm -- so why are the Nationals so willing to further devalue the guy who should be the franchise player by claiming he doesn't hustle and perhaps driving him to overdo it in response? 

Washington has to do without Harper for at least the next two months now, and there's no internal replacement likely to come close to his level of production. Before he returns, however, the organization has to come up with a better plan for managing their most valuable asset -- and if that means finding a manager better able to do that, so be it. 

 I wholeheartedly agree, Mr. Law.  I may trust Matt the Bat coming off the bench, but so far Matt the Manager has shown himself to be a fool.  Either he needs to learn fast, or he needs to dust off his resume.

5 Amazing Reasons You Should Get the WWE Network

With my Syracuse Orange now out of the NCAA Tournament, and with Nationals opening day still just over a week away, I can turn all of my attention to my new obsession, the WWE Network.  It is awesome.  Truly wonderful.  There are so many excellent reasons why every wrestling fan should pay the very reasonable $10 a month to get this new streaming service.  I have tried to do my best to boil it down to 5, and here they are.

1.  All of the pay-per-views are included.  No longer will you have to pay $50-$70 for 3 hours of entertainment which doesn't always live up to the hype.  Instead, you can stream them all on the WWE Network for no extra cost than your subscription fee.  It should be awesome.

2.  All of the old PPVs from WWE, WCW and ECW are available.  You have the chance to watch all of the best matches ever.  The other day, I was able to watch the first World War 3 PPV from WCW.  You can watch the birth of the nWo at Bash at the Beach.  You can stream the 1998 King of the Ring, and watch Mick Foley vs the Undertaker in that epic Hell in a Cell.  It is fantastic.

3.  You can appreciate all the stars that have retired or passed.  There are few things better than watching an Owen Hart match.  One of them might be watching a Randy Savage match.  They have both passed away, but their legacy lives on in their matches.  HBK will always be the showstopper even now, after he retired, because you can watch his amazing matches on the WWE Network.

4.  The original content is great.  Countdown shows (which I clearly love), panel discussion that provide backstage views of the business, specials that highlight the old school side of wrestling from the territory days: Its all there.  If you are just a fan, or a historian of the wrestling business, you will find something that will entertain you for hours.

5.  Its just fun.  That's all it is.  "Sports Entertainment".  So many people look down on the entertainment that is pro wrestling, and then they go out and rot their brains with reality TV.  WWE is an entertainment company.  Pro Wrestling is an entertainment business, and people love it.  WWE Raw is the longest running weekly episodic television show in history.  There are no reruns, there is no offseason.  Every week, these folks put out a product that entertains millions of people around the world.  Lots of folks will never get it.  But a lot of us do.  I was hooked the first time I saw wrestling, and will be a fan forever.  That's why I got the WWE Network.  If you love wrestling, you should too.

What I Learned from the NFL Scouting Combine

As you all know, I am a NFL Draft nut.  I love it.  I am happier on NFL Draft weekend than I am on Thanksgiving.  I don't have to travel, I get to eat food I really enjoy (sorry, just not huge into the traditional spread), and the Cowboys and Lions are only occasionally talked about.  So the Scouting Combine the past few days is like the official beginning of the Draft year, which makes me a very happy man.  Here are some of the players I liked/disliked and things I learned watching the Combine this year:

- Blake Bortles took full advantage of being the only top QB on display this year.  With Manziel, Bridgewater and Carr opting not to throw.  Was he perfect?  No.  But he got stronger as the day went on with unfamiliar wide outs.  He showed great agility in the running/jumping drills, and a strong arm.  He has prototypical QB size at 6-5, 232.  He could fit right into the style that Bill O'Brien brings to the Texans.

- We knew that Jadeveon Clowney was a freakish athlete.  He ran a 4.5 40 and a defensive lineman.  The question as always been about his drive, his motor, his heart, etc.  As a Redskins fan, I know the pain of getting a guy with a ton of talent that really doesn't care much about football (Hellooo Albert Haynesworth).  He would scare the bejesus out of me if I was considering him.  If I were a team in the Top 5, I would use the thought of drafting him as trade bait, because I know there are other GMs that would love him more than I do.  Could he be a Hall of Famer?  Of course.  He has that talent.  But I'd rather have a guy with no questions than one with a ton of them.

- That guy, by the way, would be Khalil Mack, OLB/DE, Buffalo.  Mike Mayock says he is the best player in the draft at any position.  I know he looked damn good at the Combine.

- If all of the Top 5 teams didn't have questions at QB, then this could be known as the year of the Offensive Tackle.  Greg Robinson from Auburn, Jake Matthews from Texas A&M, and Taylor Lewan from Michigan are amazing.  I, personally, would rate all three of them higher than I would Eric Fisher or Luke Joeckel, the top 2 picks from the 2013 draft.  They all show up the tape, and they all had amazing workouts, Robinson especially.  Some folks were comparing him to Hall of Famer Larry Allen.  That's high praise.

- I don't know if I have ever heard of a defensive lineman being underrated when he won pretty much all of the awards he was up for, but that was the case with Pitt's Aaron Donald.  He is an amazing college DT, and should make an impact in the pros.  He doesn't have the same size as Louis Nix III, the Notre Dame nose tackle who has drawn comparisons to Vince Wilfork, but he may be more talented and more explosive.  He benched 225 lbs 35 times, which is 14 times more than athletic freak Clowney did.  He probably secured a place in the first round, and made himself a nice chunk of change.

- The WR class is extremely deep.  Lots of guys impressed, but if I am a team with a need in the late 1st or early 2nd round, I am looking at Davonte Adams from Fresno State.

- My favorite MLB- Jordan Zumwalt, UCLA.  He may not be a top talent, but I thought he had a great combine.  Excellent size, looked fluid in all of his movements, and showed surprisingly good hands for a linebacker.  In the modern NFL, possessing the ball may be the most important aspect.  I think he could be a steal in the 4th or 5th

- Michael Sam will be able to handle the media frenzy and any slurs thrown his way.  His press conference and Q&A with the press over the weekend was fantastic.  His combine wasn't terrible, but showed that he can compete.  He is a pass rusher, and in a pass first league, they are always needed.  Someone will draft him, and he will make a positive impact both on and off the field

- History was made.  Rich Eisen ran a sub-6 40 yard dash.  Amazing.


More to come from Pro Days as the Draft nears, and my 2014 NFL Mock Draft will be coming in April!

JFLANland's Super Bowl Pick

I don't think I have been this torn on a Super Bowl pick in a while. On the one hand, I think that the Seahwaks have an advantage is almost every relevant stat and trend. The top defense usually beats the top offense. Their style of football is more conducive to an outdoor night game in 40 degree temperatures.  They have the kind of secondary that can completely cancel out Thomas, Decker and Welker.  Every number tells me to pick Seattle.

However, I love Peyton Manning. I wholeheartedly believe he is the greatest quartback of all time.  No other QB has had to win multiple championships with his numbers to prove that. !arino has none. Favre only has 1, and now has one fewer appearances in the big game than Peyton does.  He has been stellar this season, and I believe has the drive and leadership to will his team to a victory today.

So, what is my pick? Do I go with the numbers and my head, or do I pick my the better story and my heart...

The heart wins.  Give me Denver, 27-23.

Enjoy the Super Bowl, everyone!

AFC and NFC Championship Picks

I went 4-0 last week, picking the favorites.  Home field held true for 3 of the 4 teams, and I just have a hunch that it will today... for one team.  That being said, I am unsure which home team that will be.  But here it goes, my picks for the Conference Title games!

- Denver Broncos over New England Patriots 34-31

- Seattle Seahawks over San Francisco 49ers 20-16

I'll take the home teams to win, setting up a Broncos-Seahawks Super Bowl in MetLife Stadium.  I don't know if it is the best matchup for the NFL to have, but it is a possibility.  I expect to get at least one of these picks wrong, but it is just so hard to tell.  Any given Sunday...

Enjoy the games!

NFL Playoffs: Divisional Round Predictions

So, I only went 1-3 in my Wild Card Weekend picks.  I thought home field mattered.  I still think it does, so here is some more of the same in my Divisional Round predictions.

- Seattle Seahawks over New Orleans Saints 24-14

- New England Patriots over Indianapolis Colts 21-20

- San Francisco 49ers over Carolina Panthers 14-10

- Denver Broncos over San Diego Chargers 35-27

That's 3-1 for the home teams.  Maybe I will be right this time.

Enjoy the games!

My Wild Card Weekend Picks

Here are my picks for Wild Card weekend. I apologize in advance to the teams I am jinxing.

- Kansas City Chiefs over Indianapolis Colts 24-21

- New Orleans Saints over Philadelphia Eagles 28-27

- Cincinnati Bengals over San Diego Chargers 20-17

- Green Bay Packers over San Francisco 49ers 31-28



Enjoy the games, and try to stay warm!