How John Madden Democratized Football

I’ll admit, I’m not a huge John Madden fan. I’d prefer to have Chris Collinsworth or Ron Jaworski calling games. However, my dislike for him as an announcer is the exact reason that makes him the best football announcer ever, he made the very complex, very simple.

He coined phrases like “in the box”, and the “red zone,” which to casual fans, explains why teams may run or pass the ball, and showed the emphasis coaches place on key parts of the field.

Thanksgiving football games became traditions in many households because he talked about about football in a way that engaged non-fans of the sport.

He democratized the sport by creating heroes (Brett Favre), legends (Joe Montana), that people could relate to.  He basically invented the telestrator,  showing the casual fan what these heroes saw, and what made them so great.

In essence, he was the gateway drug for many people into the sport, and the NFL’s rise in popularity can probably be attributed to him as much as any other one person.

I’m not going to miss Madden calling games, but I will miss the legions of fans that started watching the sport because of how accessible he made it.

The NFL is certainly in a worse place today because he retired.

John Madden Calls it Quits: The Audience Loses its Voice

John Madden transcended football, the sport he coached and later covered.  There has never been a sports announcer quite like him.  He was an American sports original. 

Madden never talked over our heads.  He would hit us at eye level with small, punchy, syntax-challenged words, pictures, and insights.  He said it, we got it.

John Madden talked about football in a way that everyone could understand.  Along with the fine points of team strategy, he also pointed out the silly, inane little things that go on in games that other announcers would never dare mention.  He often said what we were thinking.

While he wasn’t a comedian, he had a comic’s timing.  We laughed along with him because he never tried to pretend that football was more than just a game. 

But at the same time, when the miraculous happened on the field, those unbelievable moments that cement us as fans, he knew just how to describe what we saw and more importantly why it happened.

John Madden will leave one of the most unusual and profound legacies in the history of pro football.  Great coach, great broadcaster, video game pioneer, and perhaps the all-time sports every man. 

He is the one guy who really makes me feel old.  I say that because I can remember very clearly when Madden was young. 

Madden first made headlines when he was named coach of the Oakland Raiders in 1969.   At 32 years old, he was the youngest coach in pro football.

Madden inexplicably retired from the Raiders after the 1978 season.  He would never coach again.  During his time on the sidelines, he crafted the best record in NFL history based on winning percentage with 103 wins and only 32 losses.  

He coached the Raiders to their first Super Bowl victory in 1977.  He was an unexpected success as a coach who, after retirement, would immediately start to build a resume as football’s most unique and successful voice as a broadcaster.

Madden started broadcasting football games 30 years ago.  Most of the time he worked with another football man turned broadcaster, Pat Summerall.  

The two teamed up to become the essential game to listen to for more than 20 years.  When Madden went to Monday Night Football he generated much of the same magic with his new partner Al Michaels, with whom he also worked on NBC’s new Sunday Night Football. 

Just like he left the game as a coach, Madden is now leaving the announcer’s booth on his own terms and in his own time.

To a lot of kids, Madden is a video game.  In fact the game that bears his name is the most successful sports video game in history.

John Madden is clearly more than a game.  In fact he was more than a coach or broadcaster. 

In the purest sense, John Madden was really a great communicator.  In the easiest to understand language possible, Madden told us what is really going on during a football game.  His take on football and his easy folksy manner in explaining it made the game more accessible. 

Football will not be the same without him.

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Peyton Manning: The Ultimate Difference Maker In the NFL

This article is the summarizing of a blog I read this morning.   You can read that blog in its entirety at http://www.pro-football-reference.com/blog/?p=1808

 

The article begins with a simple premise; if you have two field goal kickers who make 80% of their kicks in a season are they effectively equal. The author proposes that they are not equal based on percentages alone.

He argues that a field goal made from 40-50 yards is more valuable than a field goal made from 10-20 yards. Based on that premise he broke down the career field goals of kickers from various distances and compared what they made/missed versus what the average kicker would have made/missed. 

The argument seemed logical enough and generated positive responses, so this year he decided to apply the same logic to the quarterback position. 

The author basically tries to remove the defensive performance of the team from the win-loss equation, breaking it down in much the same way he did for place kickers.

The argument given is that a quarterback that wins a game when the defense gives up three points shouldn’t be weighted the same as a quarterback that wins a game when the defense gives up 26 points.  

For the purpose of this breakdown, he divided the groups based on points given up by the defense. 0 – 10 points, 11-20 points 21-30 points etc….

He then took the win/loss record of the QB in those situations and compared it with the average win/loss record. 

He uses Joe Namath as his example and states that Namath played in games where the defense allowed 0-10 points 17 times.

Based on the average a QB would be expected to win 15.9 games. Joe Namath won all 17 so for that category his is +1.1

This analysis goes to show that a team’s win/loss record can be a very misleading statistic.

The best example given by the author is that of Trent Dilfer (63-46) and Daunte Cullpepper.(43-56)       0-10           11-20           21-30         31-40         41-50

Daunte Culpepper    | 5-0 1.000   | 7-4 0.636 | 17-6 0.739 | 6-7 0.462  | 8-39 0.170 |
Trent Dilfer                | 30-5 0.857  | 9-7 0.563 | 13-8 0.619 | 9-12 0.429 | 2-24 0.077

In this example, Dilfer has played in 35 games where the defense gave up less than 10 points and Culpepper has played in 47 games where the defense has given up more than 41 points.  

Cullpepper has actually won a higher percentage of games in every category but has a worse win/loss record. 

It becomes fair to suggest that Trent Dilfer has an inflated W/L record courtesy of of the fact that nearly half of his wins came when his defense kept the other team to 10 points or less. 

As for the player at the top of this ranking.   It’s probably no surprise that Peyton Manning tops the list.  

It is almost a given that throughout his career, Manning has lifted his team to victory when they otherwise probably had no business winning.  In fact he won an MVP last year for doing just that.  

Just as the author points out, you have to acknowledge that the Colts offense as a whole deserves some of the credit for that number. Despite that, you simply can’t dispute the fact that if you put any other quarterback on the Colts from 1998 to today, the numbers would suggest the Colts would have won less games. As many as 31.7 games if an average QB was in his place.

Clearly there is a component to any NFL game that reaches beyond the numbers. A human element that you can’t quantify or measure. That unbelievable play that turns a game and the momentum.  

The statistical analysis offered by the author needs to be taken with a grain of salt.  That being said, I think it does an excellent job of putting the win/loss record into perspective.  

He correctly concludes that winning in the NFL is a team effort. We place way too much emphasis on the quarterback when a team wins or loses.

The author believes that if people insist on using that statistic to measure a QB, then you need to look further into the numbers to see the quarterback’s actual impact on that number.

This article did an excellent job of that for me, I enjoyed reading it, and sharing my thoughts on it. I am interested to hear the thoughts of others who have read it, given that the topic discussed tends to be a hot button issue here at B/R.

 

Aaron Maybin Visited the Baltimore Ravens

As the Blue-White game is now just over a week away, so is the NFL Draft.

Aaron Maybin is one of the hot names out there, going from anywhere between top five and top 15 in many mock drafts. I am not typically a fan of mock drafts or the so called “draft experts” but I have to admit that I will check them out from time to time and look to see where the Penn Staters are in the mix.

Maybin leads the way among the many former Nittany Lions.

He has potential but will need to get some work done to improve his overall game, as can be expected from most juniors in similar positions. I took some time yesterday to post some thoughts on his recent visit to the Baltimore Ravens yesterday on Examiner.

Those of you following Nittanydelphia on Twitter may have already seen it, but if you have not then you can click here to read it.

In the end I have Maybin going to Buffalo Bills to play with Paul Posluszny. Where do you think he is heading?

John Madden: 30 Unforgettable Years

April 16, 2009 was a very sad day for (most) football fans across the country. News broke that the great John Madden was retiring and would no longer be in the booth for any NFL games.

It really saddens me that a close friend of mine, as well as another article I read, had nothing good to say about Madden, other than his coaching career.

Such comments like “the man hasn’t said anything insightful in at least five years,” really upset me.

First off, he is 73 years old; of course he isn’t going to be as insightful as when he was 50!

Second of all, I disagree completely. He may not have overwhelmed us with insightful comments, but in nearly every game he had some great tidbits about this and that.

Lastly, anyone who watches football on a semi-consistent basis shouldn’t feel the need to hear insightful comments. They would already know quite a bit about whatever was happening and those that don’t know a ton about football aren’t watching so that they can learn why a play is run a certain way on a certain down in a certain situation, they are watching because they are likely with someone that does know a lot about football.

Also, is there anything wrong with watching a football game just to hear whatever it is Madden has to say? The man was one of, if not the greatest, coaches of his generation. I don’t care how old he is, he is going to have (and give) plenty of insight.

I have had the great pleasure of listening to Mr. Madden for my entire life, and I have absolutely no problem with anything Madden did, or didn’t, say or do.

Here’s to you, John Madden, for 30 incredible years in the booth. You will be missed by many.

Thank you for so many great memories! (Not to mention a hell of a video game!)

Do the Carolina Panthers Have the 2009 NFL Draft Held Hostage?

Even though teams prepare for the draft with scientific precision, there may just to be a 6’8″ elephant, wearing a No. 90 jersey standing in middle of the room at your draft party just waiting to stir things up.

At this point in the draft process every NFL team has their draft boards completed and they have backup plans for the “just in case” scenarios.  Teams even have redundant plans just in case the backup plans go awry.

The combine, pro days and special workout visits are all over. The medical reports are in, the player background checks are done, the most recent “40” times have been reviewed and all the game film you could ever imagine someone reviewing, has been watched.

However, the 2009 draft is still up in the air for teams picking after the Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers and any other team that would like to have the services of a pro-bowl defensive end.

Why are those team’s draft boards in possible disarray? Well, it comes down to two words, Julius Peppers.  

So, can an uncertain team with a unknown combination of potential draft picks really hold part of the NFL draft hostage?  Well, they may not hold the entire in their draft in limbo but one had better believe that teams drafting near potential Carolina trading partners are getting as a bit edgy at this point.

Things even get more hairy for them if they are wanting to draft a defensive end or a defensive tackle.

There are only a few teams who are even capable of getting close the services of Julius Peppers. Why are there not more teams in the fray, trying to make a deal with Carolina?

It would have to be because they simply cannot afford the salary cap hit or they do not have the draft picks to trade to Carolina or they are not a team Peppers has expressed an interest in. The two teams that do have a real shot at trading for Julius Peppers are the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles. 

According to Jared Allen’s agent, Ken Harris, the Eagles were deep in the process of trying to sign Jared Allen last season, and the Eagles were there, right in the thick of things, trying to get a deal done and acquire Allen, right up until the Vikings filled up a Brinks truck and backed it up in Allen’s driveway.

Things may just go as planned in Saturday’s draft and the Panthers will go forward and try to find the best defensive lineman available with their 59th pick.  Panthers’ General Manager, Marty Hurney, said today he fully expected Julius Peppers to play for the Panthers this season.

But another team said that not long ago about a star player who wanted out as well. The Denver Broncos’ brass recently claimed they expected Jay Cutler to remain a Bronco just a few weeks ago, of course, until Cutler was traded away.

Hurney may be genuine in his beliefs that Peppers will be around and playing hard for the Panthers in 2009, just because of the money and the draft picks it would cost a team to make a run at Peppers. 

Another thing that does not bode well for an 11th-hour draft-day deal is the Peppers has yet to sign the $17 million tender offer that is currently on the table.  Until that document is signed nothing at all can happen. No other team can officially even try to negotiate with the Panthers until Peppers signs the offer.

New England Patriot officials have made it clear they are very interested in Peppers possibly becoming a Patriot, but they want him to sign his current tender offer so a deal can be struck with the Panthers.     

Before last year’s draft the Philadelphia Eagles did not get Jared Allen, but they tried. As much as the smothering Eagles’ defense covets a super quick, devastatingly fast pass rusher coming off of the end of the line, they missed making the deal. But this year is different.  

The Eagles have the draft picks to make a run at Peppers and most of all, they have the salary cap space to pay him. It also does not hurt that the Eagles are contenders and they do play the kind of defense Peppers wants to play in.

If a deal does happen it will impact this year’s draft and the teams who are looking for top quality defensive ends and defensive lineman are going to have to plan for it. Any teams who pick anywhere near the teams involved in a possible trade, may just have their game plan  changed for them in a big way this Saturday afternoon.

When it comes to a deal, the Eagles also have something in their corner that New England does not have. The Eagles have a few veteran pass rushers on their roster the Panthers would love to get their hands on and they have a history of “doing business” with Carolina.  

A Panthers-Eagles deal could include Carolina getting the first round draft pick back form Philadelphia that they traded away in the day of the 2008 draft in order to draft Jeff Otah in the first round and a veteran to help stop the hemorrhaging on the Panthers defensive front.  

The Panthers had success making their last deal with the Eagles. The draft day trade move turned out to be brilliant as Jeff Otah was arguably the best rookie tackle to play in the NFL last season.

Many believe had Otah been part of the 2009 draft that he may well have been the top pick or at least taken in the top five.  So, the Panthers have to feel good about their past dealings with the Eagles.

There are a handful of scenarios that could happen this Saturday as it relates to the Panthers’ trading Peppers away and that kind of move could change the face of the draft.

One has to remember, when it comes to these types of deals there is always that quite team, lurking in the tall grass, that has the ability to spring up, make a trade happen and send several teams, waiting their turn to draft,into a minor tailspin.  It will all unfold this Saturday.

For the conspiracy theorists out there: There is one little straw for you to grasp at, if you are so inclined. The thing that may just be a tip of the Carolina Panthers’ draft game plan is all about scheduling. I know the Panthers feel they owe the fans something for last January’s loss to Arizona in the playoffs and that is probably all this “draft party” is.

So, why does the Panthers’ weekend “draft party” at Carowinds Amusement Park seem a bit peculiar? I know it is a stretch and the whole thing looks like it is nothing more than corporate goodwill and  marketing combined in an attempt to attract Panthers’ fans back into the fold but there is something that will not go away when it comes to having a party with nothing to celebrate.

The odd thing about this Saturday’s Panthers’ party, which is specifically for the Carolina Panthers draft and seeing who Carolina will pick, all comes down to when it is held. It may not seem like anything special, except one look at the scheduling of the event reveals an obvious logical flaw. 

The event the Panthers are sponsoring ends at 8:30 EST. What does that have to do with anything? Well, one has to consider the Panthers draft pick and when it comes up.  The Panthers are scheduled to make their first pick at the 59th spot in the second round.

The funny thing is, according to the draft time clock and the past NFL drafts the 59th draft pick will come at approximately 9:30 EST. The pick may actually come closer to 9:45 if more teams take time making their picks.

What does this scenario mean? Either someone is a lousy planner and scheduler or someone at the Carolina Panthers organization knows a whole lot more about something that may happen with the Panthers and their ability to make a draft pick before the 8:30 shutdown occurs. 

We will all have to wait and see if anything “big” happens this Saturday. But for now, all we know is, there is a pro-bowl defensive end who wants out of Charlotte, NC and a General Manager who believes that same end will play for him next season.

All the facts we actually know are minimal.  Marty Hurney says Peppers is expected to play for Carolina next season. We know Julius Peppers says he wants out and there are four teams he would like to play for and that he wants to play in a 3-4 defense.

That  sort of narrows the list of options, especially since one of the two teams, that have been leaked by the Peppers’ camp as teams on Peppers’ preference radar is not really in a position to accommodate Peppers on their roster.

The Dallas Cowboys, a destination where Peppers would like to land, do not have the draft picks to get close to a deal with the Panthers and the only other team that has been announced as a team Peppers would like to play for is the New England Patriots.  The Patriots have seemed receptive but they do not pick to the bottom third of the first round and the Patriots have a pressing need for an inside linebacker to pair with Jerod Mayo. 

Finally, it would a dereliction to overlook all of the teams picking in the upper tier of the draft, who just happen to need a defensive end.  Peppers may snub other teams that do not fit his particular model but there may be a point in the next 24 hours when money and reason change his mind. 

With that said, the team with the very first pick in the 2009 draft needs almost every position on their roster filled. The Carolina Panthers picking first overall!

Call me crazy but the Detroit Lions could really use a proven defensive end and a proven NFL superstar pass rusher is a lot more appealing than a college player who may possibly have had just one productive season before winding up a first round pick. The Kansas City Chiefs, picking third, are still stumbling after trading away Jared Allen.

The Green Bay Packers desperately need a defensive end and the Panthers just completed a trade with the Packers for long snapper, JJ Jansen, earlier this week.

I wonder if all the the Panthers and Packers talked while about trying to put together this week’s trade was a backup long snapper or if a particular defensive ends name happen to pop up? Now, the odds of the Panthers getting anywhere near the top ten in the first round of this draft is very unlikely.

The odds of the Panthers getting anywhere near a top five or 10 draft pick is about as unlikely as  Julius Peppers’ comments after cleaning out his locker the morning after the Panthers’ stunning loss to the Cardinals. 

Who would have ever guessed this home-state, fan favorite whose hometown is just a relatively short drive away from his Lake Norman estate would ever say he wanted to leave the only team he has ever played for and a team where he was about to become the highest paid defender in the history of the sport.

Who could have guessed he would leave the place where he is arguably the face of the franchise and is adored by the team’s owner and by a huge portion of the team’s fan base? 

Peppers did toss out that one bit of hope for Panthers’ fans and that was his comment about not crippling his team. This Saturday will be the first big sign if there was any validity to the “not cripple” part of Peppers’ comments.

My best guess for the Panthers’ future, as of right now, is just accepting things at  at face value. Peppers will probably play one last season in Carolina and be the highest paid player on the block earning over a million dollars a game.

I feel the Panthers will restructure Delhomme’s contract so they can sign their second round defensive lineman and so they can acquire a few free agent defensive linemen and another possible defensive end who may just pop up as training camp ends and cuts approach. 

However, ask me my opinion tomorrow afternoon and the answer may be 180 degrees different.

The Miami Dolphins Have The 25th Pick, What Direction Will They Take?

April 25 is right around the corner and NFL teams are scampering to get their list of players they want to draft.

This year’s draft will be one to remember. I feel a lot of good players are coming out, especially Florida State standout Everette Brown and Florida State running back Antone Smith, who ran a 4.26 at the combine.

More importantly, what direction will my favorite team, the Dolphins, go with the 25th pick?

I’ve narrowed it down to a few players who I think will be most suitable to help our cause. We have the acclaimed “most difficult” schedule this season and will need to draft very smart to follow up last season’s 11-5 AFC East champions mark.

When you look at our offense, I see a few holes. Not gaping holes that need to be filled as soon as possible or we will drop below .500, but holes that need to be filled in order to be successful.

Our offensive line was plagued with a few injuries last year but still held up pretty well. Rookie guard Jake Long had a good year, made the Pro Bowl, and dished some nice blocks for Ronnie.

I think our major hole is in the wide receiver slot.

Greg Camarillo was hurt for the majority of the season but played well up until that point. Tedd Ginn Jr. is a great speedy receiver, but not a No. 1 option. Devone Bess is just an athlete but with time can become a good receiver in the NFL.

If the Dolphins don’t land a wide receiver in free agency, that will be our main priority in this year’s draft.

None of our wide receivers had more than two touchdowns last year. Our leading touchdown grabbers were Anthony Fasano, with seven, and David Martin, with three. Both play tight end.

With that said, the Dolphins are going to want to look at some wide receivers, specifically big bodied ones, not small, quick guys like Tedd Ginn.

If you look at the most successful wide receivers in the NFL, like Terrell Owens, Braylon Edwards, Andre Johnson, all these guys are big bodied with great hands.

Personally, I like Hakeem Nicks out of NC State or even Percy Harvin. Jeremy Maclin would be a great fit. I’d be happy with all these guys.

But you and I know, in recent years Bill Parcells has refused to draft a wide receiver in the first round, and will probably lean more to the defense. Maybe an outside linebacker or a corner back.

With Andre Goodman testing free agency, and Will Allen most likely heading there next season as well, the Dolphins may look at Vontae Davis or Darius Butler.

The Dolphins, as you may know, play the 3-4, dropping a defensive end into a linebacker. Matt Roth was one who did this and had a successful season in making the conversion.

Maybe, If Everette Brown slips to the Dolphins we’d draft him and have him convert like we did Matt Roth. I was able to watch Everette Brown at Florida State, and with his size and athleticism, he would be able to make the change no problem.

With all this said here is my draft board for the Dolphins.

1. Percy Harvin

2. Hakeem Nicks

3. Vontae Davis

4. Darius Butler

5. Jeremy Maclin

6. James Laurinaitus

7. Everette Brown (If he’s available when we’re up I’d draft him over anybody)

DENVER BRONCOS: Orton-for-Cutler, Who Got the Better Deal?

Who is the real winner?

While there has been plenty written about the trading of Jay Cutler for Kyle Orton, one thing I have noticed is there isn’t a lot of optimism being shared.

Sure, on the surface this deal does not look much like a win-win situation for the Broncos. All everyone sees is that Denver has traded away its 2006 first round pick (No. 11 overall) and Pro Bowl quarterback.

It makes sense to ask, “What are they thinking?”

I would like to say that I do live in reality and tend to keep my feet on the ground, so when I offer this perspective, please take it with a grain of salt (or maybe slightly bigger than a pebble).

When I look at this trade, it doesn’t appear at first glance that the Broncos made an even swap, but then I have to really look and ask, “Who is the real winner?”

With Josh McDaniels bringing in a system that has surely proven to be quarterback-friendly and very much capable of making a journeyman look like a stud (just ask the Chiefs—they bought into it), should Denver fans really be counting Orton out? 

While McDaniels was the offensive coordinator in New England, Patriots quarterbacks threw 95 touchdown passes and eclipsed 12,000 yards passing in three seasons.

OK, he had lots of help with Tom Brady and Randy Moss, but one can hardly argue the performance of Matt Cassel last season.

It’s hard to argue the Bears made good in this deal with the acquisition of Cutler. His 4,500 yards passing and 25 touchdowns say enough about his talent, but there’s one concern fans will have in the Windy City: Who will he throw to?

For the Broncos, on the other hand, just what did they pick up?

While in Chicago, Orton was not much of a playmaker, throwing only 30 touchdowns and passing for just 5,300 yards in the four years he played for the Bears. However, he was a successful leader, compiling a record of 21-12.

So what makes Orton so special or the quarterback that McDaniels “wanted,” and how did the Broncos win in this deal?

When you take a closer look at what they really got, it’s a little clearer to see that they got more than meets the eye.

Sure, it’s argumentative, but Orton was a quarterback in a run-first system that did not have any playmakers (Devin Hester is still a work in progress) in the passing game.

When you examine what he had to work with, where he had to work, and what he was asked to do, he never had a chance to produce big numbers.

So why should anyone expect things to be different in Denver?

In Mile High country, Kyle will have the tools to make plays and run a system that will not be reliant on him to make all of the plays.

With weapons like Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, Brandon Stokley, and Peyton Hillis, Orton should easily rise among the ranks of fantasy quarterbacks in 2009.

Remember, Orton is a byproduct from the University of Purdue (the same place that produced quarterback Drew Brees), where he threw 31 touchdowns during his senior campaign.

As a senior at Purdue in 2004, the former Boilermaker opened up the season with three 300-yard passing games in his first four starts and threw no fewer than four touchdowns in each of those contests (17 total in the first four games).

Injuries midseason slowed down his Heisman-like season, but Orton finished strong with 522 passing yards (tying a record set by Brees) and six touchdowns in the team’s regular season finale.

Yes, that was then and this is now, but if anyone ever doubted Orton’s ability to play quarterback, you only need to look closer at his résumé. He can chuck the rock.

In Chicago, he was not asked to throw the ball, evident by his 465 passing attempts in 2008 (Cutler threw 616 passes).

Under the Broncos’ new head coach, quarterbacks averaged 549 passes over the past three seasons.

We are only in April, but considering the additional draft picks the Broncos picked up in the deal for Orton, it may be too early to concede which team actually got the better in this deal.

The Bears are going to bank on Cutler’s big arm, but they had better find him some targets soon.

The Bronco faithful should have a little more faith in the new system that has been brought over from Foxboro and the talent that was already in place.

I won’t make any bold predictions here, but if you’re a Bronco fan, you have to like the prospects of what could be in 2009. Just don’t look too closely at their schedule.

 

By The Prodigy

2009 NFL Schedule Preview: NFC North

2009 NFL Draft: Who Should the Jets Draft.

So, it’s getting closer and closer to Christmas day for me—the 2009 NFL draft on April 25.

My New York Jets have the uncomfortable 17th pick and to me the only option is either trading up or trading down.

Some of the projected mocks have players like Percy Harvin and Josh Freeman going to the Jets, and I would not be pleased.

I am not confident Freeman will be anything, and Harvin is a giant ego with no position. I don’t want to hear about this “weapon” thing. If you can’t play full time at either RB or WR you’re not worth a first rounder.

One guy I have been eyeing up lately is the USC QB Mark Sanchez. His stock has been skyrocketing and I am hoping with every fiber of my being that he will slip to say 12 or even lower, so the Jets can jump up and snag him.

He seems to be a very well-rounded QB with no real weakness. He strikes me as the guy who has what it takes to be a star.

I know he has little experience, but I think college experience is overrated, compared to NFL style intangibles, which I believe he has.

If Sanchez goes much earlier, say fourth to Seattle, and is not a feasible option for gang green, I would love to target another trade up for Michael Crabtree.

Don’t tell me 40 times, injuries, I don’t want to hear it. This is a big game WR in the mold of Fitzgerald. Mark my words—he will be a star and the Jets are in desperate need of a No. 1 wide-out.

The only player that I could see possibly getting to the Jets that I wouldn’t mind them staying put for is LSU DE Tyson Jackson.

A prototypical 3-4 DE, with run stopping ability that makes him a perfect fit for the improving Jets defense.

If all the above options fail, trade down.

Going down to a late first, and being able to pick up an extra second, would not be too bad.

I am a fan of Hakeem Nicks and Kenny Britt, but I’m kind of torn on Darius Heyward-Bey. Use the extra second to pick up a guy like Ron Brace or LeSean McCoy.

 

Here’s a list of guys I like:

Mark Sanchez

Michael Crabtree

Tyson Jackson

Hakeem Nicks

Ron Brace

Benny Britt

Fiola Moala 

 

Here’s a list of guys I don’t like:

Percy Harvin

Josh Freeman

James Laurinaitis

Derrick Williams

Beanie Wells

Michael Johnson

Vonte Davis

Brian Cushing

 

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