Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
1. CAR: QB Cam Newton. First of all, so glad the Panthers didn't make us wait the whole 10 minutes. Secondly, loved how Cam handled his interview---prodigious playing ability aside, he's a very likeable starry-eyed young man---and wow, what a one year ascent---from first time starter in Division 1---to an undefeated season in the SEC where at times their backs were against the wall, as early as the South Carolina game and as late as the Alabama game---to the Heisman and the NCAA Championship---to #1 pick in the NFL Draft. Yet another manifestation of the American Dream. But---after a few ephemeral moments of feeling happy for him and his family---the realization set in: this is the QB we are going to have to beat in game 1. Sure hope he's not all smiles after that one.
2. DEN: OLB Von Miller. What a disparity of reactions---there was Cam Newton all smiles and as starry-eyed as ever and now there's Von Miller crying his eyes out on the phone with his hands shaking---it reminded me of LSH and how endearing it was to see him cry about being drafted by the Cardinals. Where it took Cam Newton one year of college football to get here---Miller toiled through 4 years at A&M---thus the gravity of the situation was fully understood by this mature young man. And BTW---that Bronco pass rush is going to be dynamite---which left me feeling glad that we played the Broncos last year and won't have to for a few more years.
3. BUF: DT Marcel Dareus. Seemed all business---and my reaction was, phew, this means we will be able to draft Green or Peterson or attract a big trade offer.
4. CIN: WR A.J. Green. What a highlight reel. But all I could think about were the phone calls the Cardinals were getting and yet when they showed the Cardinal draft room, it looked awfully quiet and sedate in there---didn't like the vibe I was feeling. Of course, the networks go for breaks---a yearly tradition with the Cardinals on the clock. And as more time was ticking off the clock, the more I knew---the pick would be...
5. ARI: CB Patrick Peterson. It's funny and I don't know if you felt the same way, but after watching Newton's elation and Miller's meltdown---how come when players the Cardinals pick are on the phone there never seems to be elation or laughing or smiles---just seriousness---and it makes me wonder what the Cardinals say to these kids---from the look on PP7's face, it almost seemed like he was being told the travel arrangements and the next 48 hours' agenda. Anyway---as soon as I saw PP7's red tie and handkerchief---my emotions soared. And he handled himself with real class and poise. I think he knew that Arizona was going to be his team---and the way he talked about the Arizona crowds---and how this time around the Cardinals are going to win the Super Bowl---there was only one word to describe the feeling: euphoria.
6. ATL: WR Julio Jones. When the details of the trade were announced, I could not believe my ears and eyes. What? 2 1s---a 2---and 2 4s? For Julio Jones? And then ESPN shows 5 of Jones' 8 drops last year---all on what should have been easy catches. Now, don't get me wrong---I think very highly of Jones---what they didn't show is how he took a hitch pass 65 yards in about 5.6 seconds to go ahead of LSU---and how he ran a 4.3 at the combine with a broken foot. Yet, like all of you, I started wondering...did the Cardinals turn down a similar offer? Dropping down to 27 may have been a deal breaker for me as well...but still an extra 1st and 4th for next year? That would make even Bill Belichick envious. But then it dawned on me as to why the Cardinals probably weren't offered that deal...as the rest of the trades confirmed, teams like to trade across conferences NFC to AFC---and the Falcons would not want an NFC team to reap such a yield...so they targeted the Browns.
7. SF: OLB Aldon Smith. Wow---they sure had me fooled. I was convinced they would take QB Jake Locker or DE/OLB Robert Quinn. No questions about Smith's talent...but man is he raw. The only thing I couldn't help thinking about after this was how Levi Brown is going to contend with an edge athlete like Smith...and how I'd much rather have Brown blocking the other Smith from the LG spot, as in DT Justin Smith.
8. TEN: QB Jake Locker. I was not surprised at all...esp. when I was sure he would go a pick earlier. There's just too much to like and build on with Locker...and having that running game to help him in Tennnessee makes this pick even better.
9. DAL: T Tyron Smith. I was expecting more of a surprise here---but Smith was their guy all aong and is the edge athlete teams need these days.
10. JAX: QB Blaine Gabbert. Wow---the second AFC to NFC trade---to a team that I thought was pretty well set at QB. Interesting too that Shanny passed on Gabbert. I believe Locker was his guy. This trade may mean NFL (not for long) for Jack Del Rio, who really needs to take his team to the next level, and bypassing some major defensive talent and giving up their 2nd rounder too for a QB who is two years away from playing---that makes this such a questionable move. But then, Boomer says that taking gabbert at #10 means playing him right away. Not sure I agreed with that---
But this is when I started realizing the just awful coordination and chemistry the 3 man ESPN booth was displaying. Gruden was directing all his zeal and passionate comments at Mel---Mel wasn't even reacting or answering Grude's questions, in fact most of the time Mel was perusing his notes or writing something down---while Boomer---through some weak attempts at humor---would then try to rescue us from the awkward pauses that ensued after Mel didn't respond to Grude's questions. Just plain weird.
The saddest I felt:
Seeing Ryan Kerrigan go at #16 to the spot the Redskins traded down to 9while picking up the #49 pick and wishing the Cardinals had made that deal with Jacksonville.
The most irate I felt: watching Pete Carroll kicked back in his chair for an exhasting 10 minutes beside his "NASA crew"---Knowing they were going to have to make their pick anyway---and it was right then that all the good momentum of the draft came to a ridiculously egregious halt. Can anyone stand Pete Carroll?---and it makes me all the more eager to see the Cardinals take it to him.
The most inspired I felt: the whole bit on Baylor G's Danny Watkins and his band of firefighters.
Although---and maybe I am wrong---I do not think the NFL Draft should be the forum for recognizing American soldiers---I don't feel that it gives them the due respect and undivided attention they deserve.
Other annoyances:
1-Drew Rosenhaus draped all over Jimmy Smith.
2-Nick Saban using the draft as a PR stunt---it would have been one thing had he remained at the Alabama table like other coaches do---but to go up to the stage to have his hug with Mark Ingram was clearly, imo, a Drew Rosenhaus type maneuver.
3-ESPN's poor reporting of the trades and the compensations. Mike Mayock had the Falcons' deal down almsot right from the get-go.
4-I like Mayock but can't stand the 5 man booth---and have never liked Michael Irvin...and I prefer Lombardi to Mooch.
Most interesting insight after the draft:
Kurt Warner talking up Ryan Mallett's skills. Warner thinks he's the most talented QB in the draft. As I say...interesting...hmmm....
Enjoy night 2 ASFN! Stay thirsty and hungry, my friends!
2. DEN: OLB Von Miller. What a disparity of reactions---there was Cam Newton all smiles and as starry-eyed as ever and now there's Von Miller crying his eyes out on the phone with his hands shaking---it reminded me of LSH and how endearing it was to see him cry about being drafted by the Cardinals. Where it took Cam Newton one year of college football to get here---Miller toiled through 4 years at A&M---thus the gravity of the situation was fully understood by this mature young man. And BTW---that Bronco pass rush is going to be dynamite---which left me feeling glad that we played the Broncos last year and won't have to for a few more years.
3. BUF: DT Marcel Dareus. Seemed all business---and my reaction was, phew, this means we will be able to draft Green or Peterson or attract a big trade offer.
4. CIN: WR A.J. Green. What a highlight reel. But all I could think about were the phone calls the Cardinals were getting and yet when they showed the Cardinal draft room, it looked awfully quiet and sedate in there---didn't like the vibe I was feeling. Of course, the networks go for breaks---a yearly tradition with the Cardinals on the clock. And as more time was ticking off the clock, the more I knew---the pick would be...
5. ARI: CB Patrick Peterson. It's funny and I don't know if you felt the same way, but after watching Newton's elation and Miller's meltdown---how come when players the Cardinals pick are on the phone there never seems to be elation or laughing or smiles---just seriousness---and it makes me wonder what the Cardinals say to these kids---from the look on PP7's face, it almost seemed like he was being told the travel arrangements and the next 48 hours' agenda. Anyway---as soon as I saw PP7's red tie and handkerchief---my emotions soared. And he handled himself with real class and poise. I think he knew that Arizona was going to be his team---and the way he talked about the Arizona crowds---and how this time around the Cardinals are going to win the Super Bowl---there was only one word to describe the feeling: euphoria.
6. ATL: WR Julio Jones. When the details of the trade were announced, I could not believe my ears and eyes. What? 2 1s---a 2---and 2 4s? For Julio Jones? And then ESPN shows 5 of Jones' 8 drops last year---all on what should have been easy catches. Now, don't get me wrong---I think very highly of Jones---what they didn't show is how he took a hitch pass 65 yards in about 5.6 seconds to go ahead of LSU---and how he ran a 4.3 at the combine with a broken foot. Yet, like all of you, I started wondering...did the Cardinals turn down a similar offer? Dropping down to 27 may have been a deal breaker for me as well...but still an extra 1st and 4th for next year? That would make even Bill Belichick envious. But then it dawned on me as to why the Cardinals probably weren't offered that deal...as the rest of the trades confirmed, teams like to trade across conferences NFC to AFC---and the Falcons would not want an NFC team to reap such a yield...so they targeted the Browns.
7. SF: OLB Aldon Smith. Wow---they sure had me fooled. I was convinced they would take QB Jake Locker or DE/OLB Robert Quinn. No questions about Smith's talent...but man is he raw. The only thing I couldn't help thinking about after this was how Levi Brown is going to contend with an edge athlete like Smith...and how I'd much rather have Brown blocking the other Smith from the LG spot, as in DT Justin Smith.
8. TEN: QB Jake Locker. I was not surprised at all...esp. when I was sure he would go a pick earlier. There's just too much to like and build on with Locker...and having that running game to help him in Tennnessee makes this pick even better.
9. DAL: T Tyron Smith. I was expecting more of a surprise here---but Smith was their guy all aong and is the edge athlete teams need these days.
10. JAX: QB Blaine Gabbert. Wow---the second AFC to NFC trade---to a team that I thought was pretty well set at QB. Interesting too that Shanny passed on Gabbert. I believe Locker was his guy. This trade may mean NFL (not for long) for Jack Del Rio, who really needs to take his team to the next level, and bypassing some major defensive talent and giving up their 2nd rounder too for a QB who is two years away from playing---that makes this such a questionable move. But then, Boomer says that taking gabbert at #10 means playing him right away. Not sure I agreed with that---
But this is when I started realizing the just awful coordination and chemistry the 3 man ESPN booth was displaying. Gruden was directing all his zeal and passionate comments at Mel---Mel wasn't even reacting or answering Grude's questions, in fact most of the time Mel was perusing his notes or writing something down---while Boomer---through some weak attempts at humor---would then try to rescue us from the awkward pauses that ensued after Mel didn't respond to Grude's questions. Just plain weird.
The saddest I felt:
Seeing Ryan Kerrigan go at #16 to the spot the Redskins traded down to 9while picking up the #49 pick and wishing the Cardinals had made that deal with Jacksonville.
The most irate I felt: watching Pete Carroll kicked back in his chair for an exhasting 10 minutes beside his "NASA crew"---Knowing they were going to have to make their pick anyway---and it was right then that all the good momentum of the draft came to a ridiculously egregious halt. Can anyone stand Pete Carroll?---and it makes me all the more eager to see the Cardinals take it to him.
The most inspired I felt: the whole bit on Baylor G's Danny Watkins and his band of firefighters.
Although---and maybe I am wrong---I do not think the NFL Draft should be the forum for recognizing American soldiers---I don't feel that it gives them the due respect and undivided attention they deserve.
Other annoyances:
1-Drew Rosenhaus draped all over Jimmy Smith.
2-Nick Saban using the draft as a PR stunt---it would have been one thing had he remained at the Alabama table like other coaches do---but to go up to the stage to have his hug with Mark Ingram was clearly, imo, a Drew Rosenhaus type maneuver.
3-ESPN's poor reporting of the trades and the compensations. Mike Mayock had the Falcons' deal down almsot right from the get-go.
4-I like Mayock but can't stand the 5 man booth---and have never liked Michael Irvin...and I prefer Lombardi to Mooch.
Most interesting insight after the draft:
Kurt Warner talking up Ryan Mallett's skills. Warner thinks he's the most talented QB in the draft. As I say...interesting...hmmm....
Enjoy night 2 ASFN! Stay thirsty and hungry, my friends!
