I'll be the first to admit that Tiger Woods has done more for the game of golf than probably any other athlete in history, but watching yesterday's U.S. Open Playoff round, I couldn't help but chear for Rocco Mediate.
I'm not a Tiger fan. Never have been, and probably, never will be. Of course, coming from a city like Seattle that hasn't won a major championship since 1979 when the Sonics defeated Philadelphia in the NBA Finals, I tend to root for the underdawg. Tiger has already won his fair share of championships. Coming into the weekend, he had 13 major championships under his belt including two U.S. Open titles. But that seems to never be good enough for Tiger, which is a testament to a true champion.
Unless you're a golf fanatic, chances are, you probably never had heard of Rocco Mediate before this past weekend. Mediate wasn't even ranked in the top 150 golfers of the world. You have to go back to 2002's Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic to find the last tournament Mediate has won since joining the PGA Tour back in 1985. He entered this past weekend's U.S. Open tournament as a 45-year-old 'nobody' with back problems. But after four rounds, he held everyone's attention.
But Tiger Woods never seems to fade in major tournaments. The guy is bulletproof on a golf course. You just can't bring him down. Heading into the final 18th hole on Sunday, Woods needed a birdie to tie Rocco and force a playoff. On Saturday, Tiger had worked his usual magic, and produced an eagle on the 18th. Sunday, all he needed was a birdie.
The 18th hole along Torrey Pines' South Course measures 571 yards, and is considered to be a par 5 for professionals. Woods only needed 4, rimming in a 12 foot putt on his final shot to set up an 18 hole playoff with Rocco on Monday.
Mediate fell behind early, dropping to a 3 shot deficit through 10 holes, but he followed with three straight birdies to pull even with Tiger, and eventually took the lead heading into the final hole of their playoff. But once again, Woods was up to the challenge, needing a birdie on the par 5, 18th. Meanwhile, Rocco set himself up again with a chance to win it, a makeable 20 foot birdie putt on the 18th, but Mediate failed to close out the tournament, hooking his shot to the right and around the cup. That allowed Tiger to once again seize the moment, and eventually another major tournament, defeating Rocco on the 19th hole by one shot.
One major theme heading into this past weekend's U.S. Open was Tiger's return following his third knee surgery, which he underwent just several days after the Masters Tournament last April. Woods hadn't even walked a full 18-hole course leading up to Thursday's opening round, but it didn't seem to affect Tiger's game all that much. Woods expressed frustration and even showed glimpses of pain throughout the five rounds, but in the end, the result was the same.
When Tiger turned pro in 1996 at the age of 20 years old, golf was in desperate need of a new hero, one that could recapture the magic that Jack Nicklaus had delivered for so many years. And Tiger did not disappoint. With this weekend's win, he's now just four major victories away from tying Nicklaus with the most by any player in history. But Woods did it with a surgically repaired knee, one that wasn't even ready to get back on the greens. And despite one of his least impressive performances, Tiger still beat the field, even on one leg.
Golf needed a hero, and Tiger delivered. But Woods is no longer a fan favorite. The 'underdawg' has taken over. On Monday, "Rocco" chants thundered over Tiger's applause. More people were pulling for Mediate, rather than for Woods. But they didn't get their wish. Is Tiger just that good? Or is the rest of the field that bad? We may never know. But for golf to continue to grow, it must find a worthy challenger to Tiger. One that can defeat him on a continual basis, even when Woods is at full strength.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Friday, June 6, 2008
Break Point
Hello My Friends,
I apologize for my lack of entries over the past several weeks. This last week has been incredibly busy, at least nationally. The NBA Finals just tipped off, while the NHL season just wrapped up. Speaking of the Stanley Cup Finals, what a treat! Pittsburgh and Detroit were spectacular! Even if you're not a hockey fan, you have to admit that the series was exciting. With elimination on the brink in game 5, down 3-2, the Penguins forced overtime by scoring with just 35 seconds left in regulation, spawning two and a half overtimes, which Pittsburgh eventually scored the sudden death goal to force game 6. Two days later, down 3-1 with less than 2 minutes to play, the Penguins rallied one final time. Marian Hossa scored on a powerplay with just 1:27 to go in regulation to pull the Pens within 1 goal. Hossa would get one final chance, an unbelievable shot as the buzzer rang. Hossa somehow got his stick around Red Wings' goalie, Chris Osgood, sliding the puck along the goaline, but it never crossed into the net.
As I watched game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals, I wondered to myself why the NHL is one of the least watched sports here in America. The game is fast and exciting, especially during playoff time. It's a combination of football and soccer on ice. And then it came to me. Hockey is the only sport to request two breaks within a game. Football, basketball and soccer all require just one halftime, generally 15-20 minutes long, while baseball has its seventh inning stretch. But hockey has a break following each period, consisting of 20 minutes. While I understand the sport is very physically demanding, multiple breaks just slow the game down. Hockey is a very intense sport, and once it ends, most fans need time to wind down. But after 20 minutes, it's hard to regain your attention. Maybe if hockey could at least shorten their breaks to just 10 minutes, it would help retain many of the fans that change the channel in between periods, and never turn it back.
I apologize for my lack of entries over the past several weeks. This last week has been incredibly busy, at least nationally. The NBA Finals just tipped off, while the NHL season just wrapped up. Speaking of the Stanley Cup Finals, what a treat! Pittsburgh and Detroit were spectacular! Even if you're not a hockey fan, you have to admit that the series was exciting. With elimination on the brink in game 5, down 3-2, the Penguins forced overtime by scoring with just 35 seconds left in regulation, spawning two and a half overtimes, which Pittsburgh eventually scored the sudden death goal to force game 6. Two days later, down 3-1 with less than 2 minutes to play, the Penguins rallied one final time. Marian Hossa scored on a powerplay with just 1:27 to go in regulation to pull the Pens within 1 goal. Hossa would get one final chance, an unbelievable shot as the buzzer rang. Hossa somehow got his stick around Red Wings' goalie, Chris Osgood, sliding the puck along the goaline, but it never crossed into the net.
As I watched game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals, I wondered to myself why the NHL is one of the least watched sports here in America. The game is fast and exciting, especially during playoff time. It's a combination of football and soccer on ice. And then it came to me. Hockey is the only sport to request two breaks within a game. Football, basketball and soccer all require just one halftime, generally 15-20 minutes long, while baseball has its seventh inning stretch. But hockey has a break following each period, consisting of 20 minutes. While I understand the sport is very physically demanding, multiple breaks just slow the game down. Hockey is a very intense sport, and once it ends, most fans need time to wind down. But after 20 minutes, it's hard to regain your attention. Maybe if hockey could at least shorten their breaks to just 10 minutes, it would help retain many of the fans that change the channel in between periods, and never turn it back.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
In light of this weekend's state softball tournaments here in Great Falls, I've decided to preview the Class AA by issuing my predictions. As you may know, CMR has been a powerhouse across the state over the past decade. Between 1997-2001, the Lady Rustlers won a state record, 5 consecutive state championships. This past year, CMR reclaimed the title for the sixth time in their school history, which ranks only second to Billings Senior, who has won eight.
The Favorite: I think it's safe to say that CMR is the favorite once again this year. Despite seeing their four year run as Eastern AA Conference champions come to an end, the Lady Rustlers have one advantage on their side that no other team shares: home field. CMR will get to play each game in front of their entire fan base, which can make a difference even in softball. The Lady Rustlers also have the state's most potent offense who can score at will. In their final six games, the club scored 76 runs while holding their opponents to just 9. From top to bottom, their lineup is lethal. They also have a solid pitching staff which includes Kira Bigler and Brittany Allen which composes a nice 1-2 punch. And don't forget about their sophomore, Ashley Keeler, who was untouchable in the team's second crosstown game. The team has hit their stride at just the right time, and if they can continue their momentum through the state tournament, they should have no problems in winning their seventh state championship.
Don't Count Out: Billings West and Helena Capital are respectable considerations in this category. West beat out CMR for the Eastern AA's conference crown, and defeated the Lady Rustlers in two of their three meetings this year including an 8-0 shutout right here in the Electric City. Meanwhile, Capital garnered the Western AA's top seed for the second consecutive year. They are also all too familiar with CMR who beat the Lady Bengals in last year's state championship game, 15-8. Capital has reached the championship series of the state tournament in three of the last four years, a feat no other AA team has done. However, in order to reach the state championship series, they'll most likely have to go thru CMR in the semifinals.
The Dark Horse: Helena High is a very dangerous team. In order to reach the state tournament, they were forced to win the final two games of a best of three series with Flathead this past week, which ended on an emotional walk-off home run by Ashten Colvin in the bottom of the 8th inning of game 3. The Lady Bengals have about as much momentum as any of the other seven teams heading into the state tournament. Look for them to ride their starting pitcher, Josie Grotbo, who is one of the best in the state this year. She's coming off an 18 inning, 30 strikeout performance against Flathead. Helena's greatest nemesis will be getting past the first round. They have a very tough test against CMR. If the Lady Bengals do prevail, it should set up a very interesting matchup against their crosstown rival, Capital, whom they split their regular season series with this year.
The Favorite: I think it's safe to say that CMR is the favorite once again this year. Despite seeing their four year run as Eastern AA Conference champions come to an end, the Lady Rustlers have one advantage on their side that no other team shares: home field. CMR will get to play each game in front of their entire fan base, which can make a difference even in softball. The Lady Rustlers also have the state's most potent offense who can score at will. In their final six games, the club scored 76 runs while holding their opponents to just 9. From top to bottom, their lineup is lethal. They also have a solid pitching staff which includes Kira Bigler and Brittany Allen which composes a nice 1-2 punch. And don't forget about their sophomore, Ashley Keeler, who was untouchable in the team's second crosstown game. The team has hit their stride at just the right time, and if they can continue their momentum through the state tournament, they should have no problems in winning their seventh state championship.
Don't Count Out: Billings West and Helena Capital are respectable considerations in this category. West beat out CMR for the Eastern AA's conference crown, and defeated the Lady Rustlers in two of their three meetings this year including an 8-0 shutout right here in the Electric City. Meanwhile, Capital garnered the Western AA's top seed for the second consecutive year. They are also all too familiar with CMR who beat the Lady Bengals in last year's state championship game, 15-8. Capital has reached the championship series of the state tournament in three of the last four years, a feat no other AA team has done. However, in order to reach the state championship series, they'll most likely have to go thru CMR in the semifinals.
The Dark Horse: Helena High is a very dangerous team. In order to reach the state tournament, they were forced to win the final two games of a best of three series with Flathead this past week, which ended on an emotional walk-off home run by Ashten Colvin in the bottom of the 8th inning of game 3. The Lady Bengals have about as much momentum as any of the other seven teams heading into the state tournament. Look for them to ride their starting pitcher, Josie Grotbo, who is one of the best in the state this year. She's coming off an 18 inning, 30 strikeout performance against Flathead. Helena's greatest nemesis will be getting past the first round. They have a very tough test against CMR. If the Lady Bengals do prevail, it should set up a very interesting matchup against their crosstown rival, Capital, whom they split their regular season series with this year.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Statisticians Beware!
Sometimes in television, we don't get enough time to run every story, which is why I guess I set up a blog in order to write down my thoughts and provide some of you with stories you don't hear about every day.
This past week in baseball, the Cleveland Indians' pitching staff has been unbelievable. In their seven game homestand, their entire staff combined has allowed just 4 runs in 64 innings. Those of you trying to do the math, that's 1 run every 16 innings. What's even more impressive is that their starting pitching staff pitched 44 1/3 consecutive innings without allowing a run until that streak came to an end on Thursday when their starter, Aaron Laffey made a poor throw to first on a ground ball which resulted in an unearned run. Laffey went on to shut out the Oakland A's hitters before his relief gave up a meaningless run in the top of the 9th. The Indians' starting staff is now at 50 1/3 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run, while they finished their seven game homestand with a stifling ERA of 0.16! And after all of that, the club finished their homestand with a 6-1 record. Their only loss came this past Monday when their closer, Rafael Betancourt gave up 3 runs in the top of the 10th inning after their starter, Cliff Lee, pitched nine scoreless innings. We shall see in the coming days if Cleveland's starting pitching staff is able to continue their dominance on the mound.
This past week in baseball, the Cleveland Indians' pitching staff has been unbelievable. In their seven game homestand, their entire staff combined has allowed just 4 runs in 64 innings. Those of you trying to do the math, that's 1 run every 16 innings. What's even more impressive is that their starting pitching staff pitched 44 1/3 consecutive innings without allowing a run until that streak came to an end on Thursday when their starter, Aaron Laffey made a poor throw to first on a ground ball which resulted in an unearned run. Laffey went on to shut out the Oakland A's hitters before his relief gave up a meaningless run in the top of the 9th. The Indians' starting staff is now at 50 1/3 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run, while they finished their seven game homestand with a stifling ERA of 0.16! And after all of that, the club finished their homestand with a 6-1 record. Their only loss came this past Monday when their closer, Rafael Betancourt gave up 3 runs in the top of the 10th inning after their starter, Cliff Lee, pitched nine scoreless innings. We shall see in the coming days if Cleveland's starting pitching staff is able to continue their dominance on the mound.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
A History Of Violence
In light of this past weekend's tragedy at Churchill Downs, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss the rare calamities in sports. If you're not aware by now of the story, last Saturday during the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby, the filly known as Eight Belles was euthanized on the track immediately following the race. As the horse crossed the finish line at full speed, her jockey, Gabriel Saez, used his whip in order to slow down the filly as he feared her momentum would carry her into the outside barrier of the track. However, Saez' action forced Eight Belles to immediately pull up by using her front legs as a break, and in that instant, the filly broke both of her ankles. The horse never made it off the track alive, as she had to be put to sleep by trainers after finishing second in the annual Run for the Roses.
Since then, animal rights activists from organizations such as PETA and the U.S. Humane Society have been protesting for change in the sport, including banning the use of a whip as well as instituting a minimum age requirement for race horses to four years old.
While I agree that it was a tragic event, we must move on. This is nothing new in the horse racing industry. In fact, this past year here in Great Falls I watched a horse be euthanized on the ExpoPark's racetrack right before my very eyes after it broke one of its legs. While it's a sad reality, it is part of the sport. Sure, there are rules and regulations that have been institutionalized within the sport to provide race horses with protection. However, there are freak accidents.
Take football for example. Over the past decade, there have been numerous accounts of high school and collegiate athletes who have died due to dehydration as well as an excessive amount of exposure to heat. Since then, the NCAA as well as state high school athletic governing bodies have imposed additional rules allowing for players to receive more water breaks during practices. They've also regulated the number of practices and hours each team is allowed per week. However, these accidental fatalities still occur.
These accidents happen in every sport. This past year, a hockey player almost died after his throat was sliced open by one of his teammate's skate during an NHL game. The gash was measured up to an inch and a half deep calling for immediate medical attention. By the time Richard Zednik had arrived at the hospital, he had already lost five pints of blood. Luckily, Zednik is alive today.
The list goes on. Buffalo Bills tight end, Kevin Everett, was nearly paralyzed after sustaining a fracture and dislocation of his cervical spine during the NFL's opening weekend this past season when Everett lowered his head to make a tackle on a kickoff. Everett spent the next several days on a respirator before he was able to regain voluntary movement in his arms and legs. Today, he is able to walk on his own again.
In 2001, former NASCAR driver, Dale Earnhardt died after crashing into wall while rounding turn 3 of the final lap of the Daytona 500. Earnhardt had become the fourth fatality amongst NASCAR drivers during a nine month span. Since then, the sport has instituted new rules in order to protect drivers.
Sports aren't always safe. Tragedies and even fatalities of animals and even humans may occur. It's the risk one takes when driving a race car over 200 miles per hour around a two mile track amongst fourty other cars. It's realistic to assume that injuries will occur when two human bodies amassing 250 pounds collide at full speed, even with padding. And if you push horses to their maximum performance enough times, sooner or later, one will take a bad step and break its limb. While there are rules that are applied to protect athletes and animals within each sport, they can't prevent all injuries from occuring. And while this past weekend's accident was a tragedy, it also serves as a reminder. Sports are a source of entertainment, but they can also be very dangerous.
Since then, animal rights activists from organizations such as PETA and the U.S. Humane Society have been protesting for change in the sport, including banning the use of a whip as well as instituting a minimum age requirement for race horses to four years old.
While I agree that it was a tragic event, we must move on. This is nothing new in the horse racing industry. In fact, this past year here in Great Falls I watched a horse be euthanized on the ExpoPark's racetrack right before my very eyes after it broke one of its legs. While it's a sad reality, it is part of the sport. Sure, there are rules and regulations that have been institutionalized within the sport to provide race horses with protection. However, there are freak accidents.
Take football for example. Over the past decade, there have been numerous accounts of high school and collegiate athletes who have died due to dehydration as well as an excessive amount of exposure to heat. Since then, the NCAA as well as state high school athletic governing bodies have imposed additional rules allowing for players to receive more water breaks during practices. They've also regulated the number of practices and hours each team is allowed per week. However, these accidental fatalities still occur.
These accidents happen in every sport. This past year, a hockey player almost died after his throat was sliced open by one of his teammate's skate during an NHL game. The gash was measured up to an inch and a half deep calling for immediate medical attention. By the time Richard Zednik had arrived at the hospital, he had already lost five pints of blood. Luckily, Zednik is alive today.
The list goes on. Buffalo Bills tight end, Kevin Everett, was nearly paralyzed after sustaining a fracture and dislocation of his cervical spine during the NFL's opening weekend this past season when Everett lowered his head to make a tackle on a kickoff. Everett spent the next several days on a respirator before he was able to regain voluntary movement in his arms and legs. Today, he is able to walk on his own again.
In 2001, former NASCAR driver, Dale Earnhardt died after crashing into wall while rounding turn 3 of the final lap of the Daytona 500. Earnhardt had become the fourth fatality amongst NASCAR drivers during a nine month span. Since then, the sport has instituted new rules in order to protect drivers.
Sports aren't always safe. Tragedies and even fatalities of animals and even humans may occur. It's the risk one takes when driving a race car over 200 miles per hour around a two mile track amongst fourty other cars. It's realistic to assume that injuries will occur when two human bodies amassing 250 pounds collide at full speed, even with padding. And if you push horses to their maximum performance enough times, sooner or later, one will take a bad step and break its limb. While there are rules that are applied to protect athletes and animals within each sport, they can't prevent all injuries from occuring. And while this past weekend's accident was a tragedy, it also serves as a reminder. Sports are a source of entertainment, but they can also be very dangerous.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Sportsmanship Matters!
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. And in this case, a picture is all that captured one of the greatest acts of sportsmanship of all time.The average life for a college graduate is four years. And they fly by quickly. Especially, if you're a student athlete. And for Mallory Holtman, a senior on the Central Washington University softball team, her time is running out. This past Saturday, Holtman dressed up in her home white uniform for the last time in her collegiate career as her team prepared to face off against Western Oregon in a doubleheader on Senior Day.
At 13-5, Western Oregon entered the weekend on top of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings with a one game lead over Central Washington (12-6) heading into a crucial conference doubleheader against the Wildcats. A sweep by either team would give them a commanding lead in the conference with just four games remaining.
The Wolves unloaded their offense in the first contest, compiling 10 hits and 8 runs to defeat CWU 8-1. Which meant, the Wildcats needed a win in the second game in order to remain in the hunt for a regular season GNAC championship.
With the score all knotted at 0-0 in the top of the 2nd, Western Oregon's senior outfielder Sara Tucholsky came through for the Wolves with her biggest hit of her life. With runners on 1st and 2nd, Tucholsky drilled a pitch well over the centerfield wall for her first home run of her career. In fact, Tucholsky had never hit a home run in either high school or college until Saturday. However, being caught up in the moment while rounding first base, Tucholsky realized something was wrong. She forgot to touch the bag. NCAA rules enforces that a player must touch every base along the diamond in order for a run to count. But as Tucholsky changed directions to make her way back to first, she felt her right knee crumble beneath her as she fell to the ground in pain. The senior had torn her ACL.The anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, is one of four major ligaments located in the medial part of the knee connecting the femur to the tibia. And if the ligament is torn, it can hinder one's ability to run, and possibly, even walk. In Tucholsky's case, she could do neither as she layed by the 1st base bag inable to move.
Tucholsky's teammates had already rounded the bases, recording two runs for Western Oregon. But the third could not be counted unless their senior was able to follow them across home plate. Umpires had given the team the option to replace Tucholsky, however, the team would have to forfeit her run by sending a pinch runner to 1st base. And any contact as an active baserunner by her teammates would result in an out. That's when sportsmanship intervened.
As a senior on the Wildcats softball team, Mallory Holtman owns nearly every offensive record at the school. She's accumulated more hits, runs, RBI's and home runs than any other player in Central Washington history. And playing in her final home game of her collegiate career, one that could help her reach the postseason for the first time in her four years at CWU, Holtman's selfless attitude put all of that aside. The first baseman from White Salmon, Washington and her teammate, Liz Wallace, a junior from Florence, Montana, lifted their opponent, Tucholsky, and carried her on their shoulders around the bases and across home plate. Western Oregon would go on to win the game, 4-2, taking a three game lead over Central Washington in the conference standings, and all but ended the hopes of a postseason birth for the Wildcats.
Whether you're a student, or an athlete, four years in college can seem like a blur. But for seniors Mallory Holtman and Sara Tucholsky and junior Liz Wallace, their college careers were clearly defined last Saturday. And their legacy has been captured thanks to that one picture which expresses their spectacular moment of sporstmanship. I guess it's true what they say, a picture is worth a thousand words!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
NFL's Gambling Party
I love this time of year. The weather is finally clearing up and getting warmer (except for this week, of course). Everything is turning green again. Trees are regrowing their leaves. Flowers are blooming. And if you listen carefully, you can hear the faint sound of a lawnmower off in the distance, or in our case here in Great Falls, a snowblower. Either way, it means Summer is almost here.
But let's not jump ahead too quickly. I love this time of year because for two days this weekend, football will matter again. Of course, I'm talking about the NFL Draft. Now, I had planned on analyzing this year's Draft Class before I realized I'm no Mel Kiper or Todd McShay. Simply, I have neither the time nor the means to study every available player across the board in this year's draft. Unlike myself, team executives, general managers and scouts have spent the past several months researching college players from top to bottom all over the country. By now, scouts can tell you anything and everything you need to know about this year's draft class. Their 40 time, bench press, vertical jump, latteral test, squat, etc., you name it. They've even developed their own IQ tests called the Wonderlick, which can test a player's common knowledge from math and science to everyday life. And that's when I was reminded of why the NFL Draft is just one giant gambling party.
How do you put a price tag on the "potentiality" of talent? How can we assess somebody's future? The answer is, we can't. But every year, people try. There's always at least one player in the draft that stands out amongst their fellow companions. They're compared to the next great "somebody." Whether it be Joe Montana, Reggie White, Jerry Rice, or a Dick Butkus, analysts are constantly searching for parallels of past legends, and using it to hype the future players of the NFL. It happens every year. For example, Arkansas' running back, Darren McFadden is already being compared to the likes of Walter Payton. But it's not fair. Why can't Darren McFadden be compared to Darren McFadden? We put so much pressure by expecting great things from these 21 and 22 year olds who are just exiting college, and receiving their first taste of "real life." Or, are they? Soon after McFadden hears his name called on Saturday, he is likely to be handed a multi-million dollar contract. On top of that, he'll make upwards of $15 million dollars for just signing his name on a dotted line. That's the reality of the NFL Draft. And then analysts wonder why the players they rate so high are just as likely to bust as they are to succeed.
Take a look at the top overall draft picks over the past ten years:
1998: Peyton Manning - Indianapolis Colts (QB): This is probably the only number one pick who has lived up to his potential. Since joining the league, Manning has started in all 174 games for the Colts including the playoffs. He's already thrown for over 41,000 yards in his career, and has a 306-86 touchdown-interception ratio. in 2007, Manning led the Colts to the franchise's first Super Bowl victory since moving to Indianapolis.
1999: Tim Couch - Cleveland Browns (QB): In five seasons in Cleveland, Couch played in just 62 games, in which he threw 64 touchdown passes along with 67 interceptions. He was never able to lead the Browns to the postseason, and was cut by the team in 2004. Couch has made several comeback attempts which have all failed, and is currently not playing in the NFL.
2000: Courtney Brown - Cleveland Browns (DE): As you can see, Couch didn't have much of an impact in his first year in Cleveland. For the second straight year, the Browns owned the top overall pick in the draft, selecting Penn State's Courtney Brown. After a promising rookie season which included 70 tackles and 4.5 sacks, Brown struggled to stay healthy playing in just 26 games between 2002-2004. Brown signed with Denver as a backup in 2005, and helped the Broncos reach the AFC Championship game. However, in 2006, he tore his ACL, and was released by the team the following year. He's currently listed as a free agent.
2001 Michael Vick - Atlanta Falcons (QB): Vick was the most athletic quarterback prospect ever to be drafted. After spending half of his first season on the bench in order to give him time to adjust to the speed of the NFL, Vick started in 15 games for the Falcons in 2002, leading Atlanta to an upset win in Green Bay in the first round of the playoffs. In 2003, he suffered a fractured fibula which forced him to miss 11 games. However, in 2004, Vick returned to lead Atlanta to the NFC Championship game before losing to Philadelphia. In 2005, Vick was accused of contracting genital herpes to a woman and was sued for failing to inform her of his disease. In 2006, Vick had his best statistical season in the NFL, throwing for nearly 2,500 yards and 20 touchdowns, and also rushed for over a 1,000 yards. But before the 2007 season, Vick admitted to hosting and financing an illegal dogfighting operation at his home in Virginia, and was sent to jail. While being free on bail, Vick tested positive for marijuana, a clear violation of the conditions upon his release. In December of last year, he was sentenced to 23 months in prison, where he is currently residing. There is no guarantee that he will be readmitted to the NFL.
2002 - David Carr - Houston Texans (QB): In five seasons with Houston, Carr threw for just 13,500 yards, 59 touchdowns, and 65 interceptions. He was released after the 2006 season when the franchise acquired Matt Schaub from Atlanta. He was immediately picked up by Carolina this past season and served as a backup where he played in 6 games for the injured Jake Delhomme. But after struggling in Carolina, Carr was released by the Panthers. He has currently signed a one year contract with the New York Giants where he'll battle for their backup quarterback position.
2003 - Carson Palmer - Cincinnati Bengals (QB): The Bengals were smart with their top draft pick. They sat Palmer in his rookie year to give him a chance to adapt to the NFL, while veteran quarterback Jon Kitna went on to have a stellar season earning him "Comeback Player of the Year" honors. But in 2004, the Bengals handed the starting job over to Palmer who led Cincinnati to an 8-8 record. A year later, Palmer lived up to his expectations, passing for nearly 4,000 yards and 32 touchdowns while leading the franchise to their first division title since 1990. However, in the first round of the playoffs, Palmer severely injured his knee on the second play of the game and was forced to spend his entire offseason rehabilitating. In 2006, Palmer started in all 16 games for the Bengals, and passed for over 4,000 yards and 28 touchdowns, but his team struggled down the stretch, and missed the postseason after posting just an 8-8 record. This past season, he put up similar numbers (4,131 yards, 26 TD), but also threw a career high 20 interceptions. Cincinnati finished with a 7-9 record, and missed the playoffs for the second year in a row. During the offseason, his primary widereceiver, Chad Johnson, has asked for the franchise to be traded.
2004 - Eli Manning - New York Giants (QB): Originally selected by San Diego and then traded on draft day to New York, Manning spent the first half of his rookie season with the Giants on the bench while being tutored by Kurt Warner. He played in the final nine games, and struggled by finishing with disappointing passer rating of 55.4. In 2005, Manning finished in the league's top 5 in passing yards and touchdowns while leading New York to an NFC East championship. However, he struggled down the stretch, and performed miserably in his first playoff game, passing for just 113 yards and 3 interceptions in their loss to Carolina. Eli's numbers in 2006 stacked up very similar to his '05 season, passing for over 3,200 yards, 24 TD's, but was picked off 18 times as the Giants lost to the Eagles in the Wild Card round of teh playoffs. In 2007, Manning struggled early with injuries on the field, dislocating his shoulder in the first game against Dallas. Meanwhile, the New York fans and ownership began questioning his ability to lead after the Giants started 0-2 to open the season. Manning answered his critics by engineering 11 straight road victories, an NFL record, which included a 17-14 upset win over the previously undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.
2005 - Alex Smith - San Francisco (QB): Smith was drafted number one overall after leading the University of Utah to a perfect season in his senior year. However, his collegiate success did not translate into his NFL career. In his rookie campaign, Smith played in just nine games, throwing for 875 yards, 11 interceptions and just one touchdown. During the offseason, the 49ers hired Norv Turner as their offensive coordinator to help mentor their young quarterback. And it payed off. In his first full season with the club, Smith played in all 16 games, completing nearly 60 percent of his passes for nearly 3,000 yards, 16 touchdowns along with 16 inteceptions. However, during the offseason, Turner was lured away by San Diego to become the Chargers head coach. Smith entered the 2007 season with his third offensive coordinator. He was forced to miss 9 games after separating his shoulder in Week 4 against Seattle. He claimes it affected his accuracy, which could be the reason behind a disappointing season, which Smith completed less than 50 percent of his passes, and threw just 2 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.
2006 - Mario Williams - Houston Texans (DE): Many believed this was a bust from the start considering USC's Heisman trophy winning running back Reggie Bush was passed up by the Texans for Williams. Many fans in Houston even booed the Texans' selection. In his first season, Williams didn't help himself. The NC State product finished with 47 tackles, 4.5 sacks and forced one fumble, which wasn't exactly what Houston had expected from their number one overall pick after giving him a contract reported to be worth more than $60 million dollars, $26 million of that guaranteed. However, in 2007, Williams did show progressive signs of improvement, finishing with 59 tackles, 14 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
2007 - JaMarcus Russell - Oakland Raiders (QB): Praised for his arm strength and size, many analysts predicted Russell to have a brilliant career in the NFL. After being drafted number one overall by the Raiders, Russell struggled to work out a contract with the franchise. He held out through training camp and even through the first week of the season before finally reaching a deal with Oakland in September worth $68 million dollars that included $31.5 million in guarantees. On December 2 of last year, Russell made his first professional appearance coming off the bench for Josh McCown, playing in two series where he completed 4 of his 7 pass attempts for 56 yards. Russell made his first career start in the team's final game of the season. The former LSU quarterback finished his rookie campaign with 373 yards, 2 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He has already been named as the Raiders' starting quarterback for this upcoming season.
But let's not jump ahead too quickly. I love this time of year because for two days this weekend, football will matter again. Of course, I'm talking about the NFL Draft. Now, I had planned on analyzing this year's Draft Class before I realized I'm no Mel Kiper or Todd McShay. Simply, I have neither the time nor the means to study every available player across the board in this year's draft. Unlike myself, team executives, general managers and scouts have spent the past several months researching college players from top to bottom all over the country. By now, scouts can tell you anything and everything you need to know about this year's draft class. Their 40 time, bench press, vertical jump, latteral test, squat, etc., you name it. They've even developed their own IQ tests called the Wonderlick, which can test a player's common knowledge from math and science to everyday life. And that's when I was reminded of why the NFL Draft is just one giant gambling party.
How do you put a price tag on the "potentiality" of talent? How can we assess somebody's future? The answer is, we can't. But every year, people try. There's always at least one player in the draft that stands out amongst their fellow companions. They're compared to the next great "somebody." Whether it be Joe Montana, Reggie White, Jerry Rice, or a Dick Butkus, analysts are constantly searching for parallels of past legends, and using it to hype the future players of the NFL. It happens every year. For example, Arkansas' running back, Darren McFadden is already being compared to the likes of Walter Payton. But it's not fair. Why can't Darren McFadden be compared to Darren McFadden? We put so much pressure by expecting great things from these 21 and 22 year olds who are just exiting college, and receiving their first taste of "real life." Or, are they? Soon after McFadden hears his name called on Saturday, he is likely to be handed a multi-million dollar contract. On top of that, he'll make upwards of $15 million dollars for just signing his name on a dotted line. That's the reality of the NFL Draft. And then analysts wonder why the players they rate so high are just as likely to bust as they are to succeed.
Take a look at the top overall draft picks over the past ten years:
1998: Peyton Manning - Indianapolis Colts (QB): This is probably the only number one pick who has lived up to his potential. Since joining the league, Manning has started in all 174 games for the Colts including the playoffs. He's already thrown for over 41,000 yards in his career, and has a 306-86 touchdown-interception ratio. in 2007, Manning led the Colts to the franchise's first Super Bowl victory since moving to Indianapolis.
1999: Tim Couch - Cleveland Browns (QB): In five seasons in Cleveland, Couch played in just 62 games, in which he threw 64 touchdown passes along with 67 interceptions. He was never able to lead the Browns to the postseason, and was cut by the team in 2004. Couch has made several comeback attempts which have all failed, and is currently not playing in the NFL.
2000: Courtney Brown - Cleveland Browns (DE): As you can see, Couch didn't have much of an impact in his first year in Cleveland. For the second straight year, the Browns owned the top overall pick in the draft, selecting Penn State's Courtney Brown. After a promising rookie season which included 70 tackles and 4.5 sacks, Brown struggled to stay healthy playing in just 26 games between 2002-2004. Brown signed with Denver as a backup in 2005, and helped the Broncos reach the AFC Championship game. However, in 2006, he tore his ACL, and was released by the team the following year. He's currently listed as a free agent.
2001 Michael Vick - Atlanta Falcons (QB): Vick was the most athletic quarterback prospect ever to be drafted. After spending half of his first season on the bench in order to give him time to adjust to the speed of the NFL, Vick started in 15 games for the Falcons in 2002, leading Atlanta to an upset win in Green Bay in the first round of the playoffs. In 2003, he suffered a fractured fibula which forced him to miss 11 games. However, in 2004, Vick returned to lead Atlanta to the NFC Championship game before losing to Philadelphia. In 2005, Vick was accused of contracting genital herpes to a woman and was sued for failing to inform her of his disease. In 2006, Vick had his best statistical season in the NFL, throwing for nearly 2,500 yards and 20 touchdowns, and also rushed for over a 1,000 yards. But before the 2007 season, Vick admitted to hosting and financing an illegal dogfighting operation at his home in Virginia, and was sent to jail. While being free on bail, Vick tested positive for marijuana, a clear violation of the conditions upon his release. In December of last year, he was sentenced to 23 months in prison, where he is currently residing. There is no guarantee that he will be readmitted to the NFL.
2002 - David Carr - Houston Texans (QB): In five seasons with Houston, Carr threw for just 13,500 yards, 59 touchdowns, and 65 interceptions. He was released after the 2006 season when the franchise acquired Matt Schaub from Atlanta. He was immediately picked up by Carolina this past season and served as a backup where he played in 6 games for the injured Jake Delhomme. But after struggling in Carolina, Carr was released by the Panthers. He has currently signed a one year contract with the New York Giants where he'll battle for their backup quarterback position.
2003 - Carson Palmer - Cincinnati Bengals (QB): The Bengals were smart with their top draft pick. They sat Palmer in his rookie year to give him a chance to adapt to the NFL, while veteran quarterback Jon Kitna went on to have a stellar season earning him "Comeback Player of the Year" honors. But in 2004, the Bengals handed the starting job over to Palmer who led Cincinnati to an 8-8 record. A year later, Palmer lived up to his expectations, passing for nearly 4,000 yards and 32 touchdowns while leading the franchise to their first division title since 1990. However, in the first round of the playoffs, Palmer severely injured his knee on the second play of the game and was forced to spend his entire offseason rehabilitating. In 2006, Palmer started in all 16 games for the Bengals, and passed for over 4,000 yards and 28 touchdowns, but his team struggled down the stretch, and missed the postseason after posting just an 8-8 record. This past season, he put up similar numbers (4,131 yards, 26 TD), but also threw a career high 20 interceptions. Cincinnati finished with a 7-9 record, and missed the playoffs for the second year in a row. During the offseason, his primary widereceiver, Chad Johnson, has asked for the franchise to be traded.
2004 - Eli Manning - New York Giants (QB): Originally selected by San Diego and then traded on draft day to New York, Manning spent the first half of his rookie season with the Giants on the bench while being tutored by Kurt Warner. He played in the final nine games, and struggled by finishing with disappointing passer rating of 55.4. In 2005, Manning finished in the league's top 5 in passing yards and touchdowns while leading New York to an NFC East championship. However, he struggled down the stretch, and performed miserably in his first playoff game, passing for just 113 yards and 3 interceptions in their loss to Carolina. Eli's numbers in 2006 stacked up very similar to his '05 season, passing for over 3,200 yards, 24 TD's, but was picked off 18 times as the Giants lost to the Eagles in the Wild Card round of teh playoffs. In 2007, Manning struggled early with injuries on the field, dislocating his shoulder in the first game against Dallas. Meanwhile, the New York fans and ownership began questioning his ability to lead after the Giants started 0-2 to open the season. Manning answered his critics by engineering 11 straight road victories, an NFL record, which included a 17-14 upset win over the previously undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.
2005 - Alex Smith - San Francisco (QB): Smith was drafted number one overall after leading the University of Utah to a perfect season in his senior year. However, his collegiate success did not translate into his NFL career. In his rookie campaign, Smith played in just nine games, throwing for 875 yards, 11 interceptions and just one touchdown. During the offseason, the 49ers hired Norv Turner as their offensive coordinator to help mentor their young quarterback. And it payed off. In his first full season with the club, Smith played in all 16 games, completing nearly 60 percent of his passes for nearly 3,000 yards, 16 touchdowns along with 16 inteceptions. However, during the offseason, Turner was lured away by San Diego to become the Chargers head coach. Smith entered the 2007 season with his third offensive coordinator. He was forced to miss 9 games after separating his shoulder in Week 4 against Seattle. He claimes it affected his accuracy, which could be the reason behind a disappointing season, which Smith completed less than 50 percent of his passes, and threw just 2 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.
2006 - Mario Williams - Houston Texans (DE): Many believed this was a bust from the start considering USC's Heisman trophy winning running back Reggie Bush was passed up by the Texans for Williams. Many fans in Houston even booed the Texans' selection. In his first season, Williams didn't help himself. The NC State product finished with 47 tackles, 4.5 sacks and forced one fumble, which wasn't exactly what Houston had expected from their number one overall pick after giving him a contract reported to be worth more than $60 million dollars, $26 million of that guaranteed. However, in 2007, Williams did show progressive signs of improvement, finishing with 59 tackles, 14 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
2007 - JaMarcus Russell - Oakland Raiders (QB): Praised for his arm strength and size, many analysts predicted Russell to have a brilliant career in the NFL. After being drafted number one overall by the Raiders, Russell struggled to work out a contract with the franchise. He held out through training camp and even through the first week of the season before finally reaching a deal with Oakland in September worth $68 million dollars that included $31.5 million in guarantees. On December 2 of last year, Russell made his first professional appearance coming off the bench for Josh McCown, playing in two series where he completed 4 of his 7 pass attempts for 56 yards. Russell made his first career start in the team's final game of the season. The former LSU quarterback finished his rookie campaign with 373 yards, 2 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He has already been named as the Raiders' starting quarterback for this upcoming season.
Of course, I could go on. Do I dare mention Ryan Leaf? But there are several players that have surprised us over the years. Take Tom Brady, for example. Many, including myself, believe he's one of the best quarterbacks to have ever played the game. He's already won three Super Bowls, and was 3 points away from another this past year as well as a perfect season. No other quarterback in the history of the game has had as much success as Brady has been able to achieve at his age. Did I mention he was selected in the sixth round by the Patriots and was the 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft? He's already being compared to Joe Montana. And speaking of Montana, after graduating from Notre Dame, he had to wait until the 3rd round to hear his name called. Now looking back, what team wouldn't have traded away all of their picks that year for Montana? He went on to win four Super Bowl titles with San Francisco and was named as the game's MVP in three of them. He also won two individual NFL MVP trophies.
So I ask you again, how can you put a price tag on the potentiality of talent? I realize that there must be some kind of draft process which provides an order in which teams are assigned based upon their previous season's record. And you'll always have the "prospects," which show great promise in becoming the next star in the NFL. But what happens when they don't? I guess the NFL Draft really is just a gamble after all!
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