1. I believe that I will spend the rest of my natural life kicking myself for not drafting Adrian Peterson in the 2nd round like I considered. Me, the Super Genius, like Wile E. Coyote figured that Ned Flanders, uh I mean head coach Brad Childress would be married to the dreaded Chester Taylor/Peterson time-share, and I chose the legendary Tatum Bell instead.

(Insert the Florida Evans, "Damn! Damn! Damn!" right here.) Mind you, this was AFTER I told everyone that A-Pete had Canton potential.

2. While I'm on the subject, I also believe that A-Pete just moved into the Top 3for MVP consideration.

3. I believe that Randy Moss should be ranked higher in the MVP voting than Tom Brady. Yeah, I said it.

Two plays sum it up for me - those two ridiculous TDs against the Dolphins. Don't listen to Ron Jaworski's babble about Brady's placement of the ball - he threw it up into double coverage, and Moss hauls it in. No other human being can make that catch. Randy Moss did it twice. Then on Sunday Moss beats Indy's vaunted Cover Two (designed to stop the deep ball) for a momentum-changing 55 yard pass.

4. I believe I found common ground with Jason Whitlock. Randy Moss is the most physically gifted wideout - EVER. Jerry Rice, Cris Carter, and Fred Bilitenkoff had better hands. Bob Hayes may be faster. Steve Largent ran beautiful routes. But none of them combined 4.28 speed, the 6-4 height, the vertical and the  ability to adjust to the pass in midflight.

5. I believe that Jason Whitlock needs to end the Chad Johnson madness. Chad's endzone celebrations have nothing to do with the Bengals inability to stop the run. Ocho Cinco's Hall Of Fame jackets have nothing to do with Odell Thurman's unwillingness to obey the law.

I had a huge problem with the silly gold teeth (since removed), to all but call Chad an Uncle Tom ("Mr. Bojangles"? Come on Jason...) is hitting low. Yeah, I know that being The Black Scold is good business - especially with an organization as conservative as Fox, and it is sometimes necessary. But I despise hypocricy, and Keyshawn Johnson attempting to condemn The Chad - well, Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle. It is NOT ok because Keyshawn is in the media. Shame on you Jason.

6. I believe that no good quarterback has every possesed the hideous body language that Peyton Manning displays in clutch siutations.

I'm sorry, but when the pressure is on, he looks like Rex Grossman on caffine overload looking for a fix. No one who is so allegedly cerebral as Manning should be as frenetic. When the Colts started that last drive, and Manning dropped back, his body language screamed "Gottathrowitfast gottathrowitfast"...and those two fumbles while being sacked? Grossman-esque.

7. I believe that we can expect more media heads to experience multiple Farvegams in the second half of the season. Brett Favre is experiencing a renaissance because he's shown consistently better judgement than I have seen from him in a few years.

Simply put, for the first time in years, coach Mike McCarthy has gotten Brett to limit his boneheaded throws that are always ALWAYS glossed over by the media (i.e. "Favre-gasms") with "Brett is a gunslinger", "Brett sure is having fun..."

By the way, why wasn't the game stopped when Brett threw his record-breaking 277th pick? 

8. I believe that the San Diego Chargers lost their first November game in four years on Sunday, and it won't be the last. Marty has got to chuckling.

9. I believe that Hines Ward is a man's man. He blew up Ed Reed and Tom Scott in the SAME GAME? Tell me the last time you saw a 190 pound receiver drop a couple of All-Pro head-hunters in the same CAREER, much less the same game?

10. I believe that Brian Billick has lived off his offensive genius rep for at least five years too long. Blame Randy Moss. Remember, Billick was the offensive coordinator for the record-setting Vikings with the rookie Randy Moss catching 17 TDs, and the team scoring a record 556 points, which may go down in flames to this year's Pats squad.

Since The Offensive Guru moved to B-more, the Ravens have ranked 26th, 21st, 31st, and 24th in yardage the last four seasons. They've never been higher than 14th in the Billick era in any offensive category except once.

Bonus belief: Sebastian Janikowski just missed a would be NFL record 64 yard FG, hitting the upright on a bomb that would have been good from at least 70 yards. And unlike Jason Elam's kick, the stadium in Oakland actually sits BELOW sea level. 

Yet, when or if  the record gets broken, I believe there is something about Tom Demsey's record-setting kick in 1970 - perhaps it was the posts on the goal line (which meant that Dempsey launched it from his own 37 yard line), the old-school kicking style, or the NFL Films shot from the side...it will always be number one in my book.

Until the next time friends...

I 'm not here to bury Michael Vick. He's done that to himself.

And too many people are getting a kick out of doing it.

This morning, I was listening to WFAN in New York, and the noted writer John Feinstein was on with the hosts. and at some point he noted that "in technical terms, Mike Vick is SCREWED!"

And then he and the hosts laughed. Heartily.

Must be nice to see the black boy go down in flames huh?

For the last two weeks, the drumbeat to ban Vick for life has reached proportions that should have been reserved for Ted Bundy and sexually deviant Catholic priests. Last week, I double-checked all of the stories on Vick to confirm that their wasn't some human bodies found on that Virgina property Vick owned.

Listening to the hue and cry from all of these "animal lovers", it is easy to conclude that if 3,000 pitbulls had died from the insurgencyand IEDs, the US would have been out of Iraq by now, and Dubya would be facing impeachment.

Cleary, it isn't enough for some people that he has trashed his reputation, will lose close to 80 (yes, EIGHTY) million dollars from the Atlanta Falcons, not even counting the endorsement money that he'll never see.

It isn't even enough that he will serve more jail time than Scooter Libby, Karl Rove, or Martha Stewart.

Or that the QB AKA Ron Mexco will do more jail time than those two friends of Ray Lewis who knifed two men to death in Atlanta on Super Bowl week five years ago.

It isn't enough for many people that Vick will do more time (and have a longer NFL suspension) than Leonard Little, who committed vehicular manslaughter.

It isn't close to enough for many that Vick will suffer more than even Robert Blake, who all but put an ad on Craig's List and eBay begging someone, ANYONE to wack his wife.

No, this lynch mob (which is showing more passion about animals than their fellow man in most cases - not that is anything new) will not be happy with anything but the utter destruction of Michael Vick. Man, it is good to know I live in such an enlightened society.

We get upset about cruelty to animals - and rightly so. What happened was horrible. What Vick has done to his life is terrible. I take no pleasure in either dog fighting or in what has happened to Number Seven, but it seems that many in the media (not coincidently mostly white members) seem to.

It is the ugly, only partly hidden part of the racial divide that kicks in here. Dan LeBatard wrote a brilliant piece displaying it. "...the black athlete with...demons usually isn't permitted the kind of embrace that rehabbng white 'characters' often receive. Can you name a black equivalent to John Daly?" 

GIven that climate, there is always a desire to not just criticize, or condemn, but to demonize and destroy wrong-doing knuckleheads who happen to be black. And God forbid you actually have the gall to show any human kindness to the demon. Donovan McNabb said he would support his friend Michael Vick - and got ripped for it.

Why?

Deion Sanders made several valid points in explaining Vick's mindset while not condoning is actions - and what did he get for it? The NFL Network telling Prime Time, please kindly check your First Amendment rights at the door.

Isn't there something wrong with that?

Being as guilty as Vick appears to be seems to help matters immensely in the minds of some folks. All you have to do is look at how the name of O.J. Simpson has been invoked -repeatly - a full decade after the so-called Trial Of The Century in the hopes that Vick "doesn't get off". 

Oh, and somebody call me the next time a white celebrity gets linked with O.J.

Therein lies the difference between black and white fans here. Many whites - in and out of the media - seem to take a sort of perverse glee in The Fall Of Vick, just listen to the hysterical screams for a lifetime ban. You listen to many a black fan, media figure, and the disappointment (as opposed to vitrol) and hurt is tinged with a hope of redemption some day. There is no doubting that Michael Vick brought this on himself, whether he "merely" bankrolled Bad Newz Kennels (and left his "friends" to do the heavy lifting), or particpated in the execution of the dogs. Getting too much too soon, being coddled way too much can have that effect. But unlike Mike Tyson, Vick seems (and that is a big word) to have it in him to fix his life. What he does with what remains of his NFL career is a distant priority at this time.

These times will truly test him. People he thought were his friends have, are, and will abandon him. Celebrity is truly proving fleeting as self-righteous moral outrage has made PETA appear nearly mainstream. (Scary isn't it?)  Media people who supported him are forced to condemn him. You can only imagine what those with an axe to grind are saying. Actually, you don't have to imagine. They are screaming the loudest and most piously of all.

Clearly, a lifetime ban on Vick for his transgressions (and don't even try to use gambling as the wedge issue - Vick didn't bet on football, much less his own team) in light of everything else he has and will lose, is nothing more than overkill. Even a two year suspension rates that way. For all of the strained comparisons to Pacman Jones, Jones is likely to be back in a year despite his transgressions against human beings.

One can only hope that Rodger Goddell doesn't take the David Stern path of The Big Grandstand Punishment, but it does play well with some.

Overall, I do not hold a lot sympathy for Vick's predicament (even though I suspect given his background, he had no idea that dog fighting would be viewed this way).

What I do have is compassion for the young man. That he can rise and redeem and learn from this. And hopefully, so will some of us.

Thanks for being patient!

Wrapping up the Legend's Draft Analysis!

And now on to the breakdown (I decided to leave the previous comments in smaller type)...

     

xphoenix87 New Picks  - Wes Unseld, Bruce Bowen, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Michael Jordan, Moses Malone, John Stockton

Wesley Unseld. 6-7... by 6-7... went 270, and could set a pick on Mount Rushmore. And put Rushmore on the IR. While he may not finish like Karl Malone, you may actually see John Stockton grin in anticipation. With this the question becomes, does KG move to the 3, with Moses at the 4? This may mean LeBron off the bench. Enviable. Now with the 7th round pick...

BRUCE BOWEN? Remember that Sesame Street song, "One of these things just doesn't belong here..."?

As someone put it, it is a sign of a diluted NBA. Bruce is a pitbull defender that Michael Vick would love. Dirty sometimes for sure, but can guard 3 positions. But he is an offensive near-zero, who once shot better from 3 point range than from the foul line. For an entire season. Michael Cooper was just as good a defender and better offensive player. Not feeling that pick, which took a tad bit off of a well balanced, physical lineup.

Question to the GM: What do you plan to do with LBJ? And why Bowen?

dehbashi - Jason Kidd, Jerry Lucas, Paul Arizin, George Gervin, Tim Duncan, Nate Thurmond, Clyde Drexler

'Bashi went and got one of the few players in the history of the game who can dominate and only take 3 shots in Jason Kidd. Of course, you may want to call him "Ason Kidd" with that poor excuse for a jumper. Still, Kidd is clutch and his defense gives this team three lockdown defenders. The next pick netted another underrated baller in Jerry Lucas. One of 4 men NBA history to have a 40 rebound game. Two Area Code shooting range. Could play the 4 or 5. This team will rate as an interesting chemistry experiement. Kidd and Clyde on the break, with Nate and Duncan on the glass. Ice providing creative scoring. This team is still a bit light on 3 point shooting (don't be surprised if Lucas is his team's best 3 point shooter), but should be pretty good on defense. And I wonder against some of the better inside teams if this crew can get post scoring from someone other than Duncan.

Deh-bash looked to fill a need for pure shooting by getting the late, great (RIP) "Pitchin Paul", one of the first great jumper shooters in the NBA, and sweet as sugar on the break pulling up. Tough, but may be a tad slow in certain matchups. I love giving props to the Old School, but you can get P.A. at least two rounds later.

In the 5th round... cue up Queen (or Vanilla Ice, if you're under 30)...doo doo do doo doo do...Ice Ice Ice baby... Nice pick here in getting one of the most dynamic scorers ever. Bar none. Ice can score from inside, outside, finger rolls, bank shots, jumpers, runners...but defense? I guess if you score 40, as long as your man doesn't get 35, you're ok. I guess...

Of course, it is permissible to ask - where in the hell is the point guard? Clyde The Glide can hold it down in spots, but a purer ball handler is needed. And Arizin would have kept - some good point guards were there for the taking. Three shooting guards? Er....um....

   
joshQpublic - Dave DeBusschere, Nate Archibald, Elgin Baylor, Walt "Clyde" Frazier, Bill Russell, Jerry West, Kevin McHale.

Dave D. was considered one of the greatest defensive power forwards ever, and it means that there will be no defensive dropoff when Russ or Mchale need a breather. I'm not sure where Tiny fits on a team where Frazier and West get the burn. But the only man to lead the league in assists and points in the same season will make a spot, and can also turbocharge the fast break. In fact, this team can start five All-League defenders in Russell, West, Frazier, McHale, and DeBusschere if it so desired. Tight...

G-Central Question to the GM: Who starts up front? How do you work Baylor into the offense?

He was once described as "the Father" in the Father/Son/Holy Ghost Trinity of Hang Time. Elgin Baylor goes 30th - at least 15 spots lower than he should have. How???

Now Josh gets a guy who averaged 35ppg twice, and averaged 15 boards a game regularly. There may be a problem with defense here, but Baylor already has experience working with West. Will McHale be able to move out of the post to give Elgin some operating room?

In the 5th, Josh nabs Clyde, merely the greatest defensive guard of his era. In fact the West-Frazier backcourt is the best defensive backcourt in this field. This team should be able to run all night with Russell triggering the break to Clyde and The Logo, and then Baylor and McHale can deal in the half-court. Tough crew. He's making it hard for me to be too critical.

genez13 - Pete Maravich, Patrick Ewing, Rick Barry, Allen Iverson, Magic Johnson, Shaq, Karl Malone

Huh. Genez certainly doesn't believe in karma. The controversial Pistol Pete finally goes off the board, and now you have three guards who need the ball in Magic, Iverson, and Maravich. You thought Marbury and Francis would be a hassle! He adds Patrick Ewing, the star-crossed Knicks center who Never Won The Big One. Nice backup for this crew. Of course, the real question is this- Will the combined 10 rings of Magic, Shaq, and Barry overcome the baggage of Ewing, Maravich, AI, and Malone? This team may be the most likely to scoe 160 points in a game. And if I'm a tabloid writer, this is where I want to be. Maybe The Four Letter Network will produce a show about this locker room called "When Genez Is Burning".  

Recently, Rick Barry said that he could teach Shaq to shoot underhand and turn him into a 75% foul shooter. Shaq said, in effect that it wasn't manly to shoot underhand, and he couldn't do it.. Sigh...

On court, this team has everything - in theory. Magic can allow AI to be a shooting guard, which he is despite his 5-11 frame. Slick Rick can bomb from outside to ease any double-team pressure, and watching Barry and Magic move the ball will be breathtaking.

It's the part above the neck that you have to worry about with this crew. Few players could set off a ref - or a teammate - forget an opponent - the way Rick Barry could. The Answer is known in some parts for The Question - as in: "PRACTICE? We're talking about PRACTICE..." Karl Malone had his diva moments, and Shaq's ego was a big reason why he couldn't finish his career as a Laker.

Magic will have his hands full with this crew if they have a losing streak. Yet, show me a player EVER who has the heart of AI, or the will of Magic. This is the most volatile team in the field. Moreover, Shaq is an indifferent defender on pick and rolls, Magic is an OK at best defender, and Barry and Iverson are better at playing the passing lanes. This five can be exploited on occasion.

Hmm, I can see an opponent bodily picking up Barry and using him to commit Hack-A-Shaq. In fact, I'd pay to see that...

ricko - Alex English, Joe Dumars, Steve Nash, David Robinson, Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, Elvin Hayes

Two understated, underrated guys go to ricko. Quick, who scored more points than anyone in the 1980s? More than Jordan, Wilkins, Kareem, Issel, Malone? That's right, Mr, Smooth, Sir Alex English. Of course, on a team with so many scorers, I'm not sure quite where he fits. Joe D makes more sense. Perennial All-Defensive selection will make up for Nash's shortcomings, and he can play both guard spots and knock down jumpers.

This team has varied scoring, but again, chemistry and the absence of a true bruiser on the glass may be a problem. Hayes needed Unseld, Robinson needed Duncan. Now both men have each other. Hmmm...

Ricko grabs the real Stevie Franchise in the fourth, followed by The Admiral in the 5th. Nice pick this deep, but the pressure will be on David to prove that he has the steel to play in THIS league.

Question: Can Larry Bird learn to live with Nash controlling the ball as much as he does? Can Kobe? There will be some adjustments (sorry Kobe, but I don't think they'll run the triangle here), but it will come down to two factors:
1. Can Robinson and Hayes bang enough when they need to? Maybe.
2. Can  Kobe and The Big E keep from slugging each other in the locker room?

Probably not.
You also have two very good defenders in Kobe and Robinson, and three guys who can get torched. Hell, Bird and Nash couldn't guard ME - and I can't go to my left very well...This team may want to play some zone now and then...


GR8ONE54 - Bill Walton, Dwayne Wade, Reggie Miller, Dominique Wilkins, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy, Scottie Pippen

The NBA's answer to Gale Sayers gets nabbed by GR8. Bob Ryan once said that if he had to play one basketball game for planetary supremacy, he'd pick Bill Walton, even over Bill Russell. (Ryan was always prone to bouts of irrationality.)

Trouble is, Walton would probably trip over the foul line, break a bone, and I'd have to learn to speak Klingon-ese.

Having said that, Walton is a great pick here. He would HAVE to start at power forward next to Wilt, and could take care of any dirty work that Wilt couldn't do. Interior defense just got a major upgrade. D-Wade is pretty good value here despite his youth. He'd have to upgrade his defense, and this team only has Reggie Miller as a proven consistent 3 point threat. But Wade is already a transcendant talent.

Reggie Miller?

Ahead of Elgin Baylor (who could play the 3 or the 4)? Ahead of Scottie Pippen for that matter? Ahead of Rick Barry (who you could put at the two)? I realize character concerns (or was it the salary cap?) that probably caused some guys to drop pretty far, but

 [my inner Stephen A....is...fighting...to ...get ...out]

THAT IS UN-ACCEPTABLE! THIS WAS NOT A GOOD PICK!

Sorry.

Reggie is a great jumper shooter who stopped driving to the basket in the late 80s and couldn't lock down his sister Cheryl on defense. Nice niche player. And he'll may double-teams pay. He'd better. Now this was followed with the incredibly underrated Human Highlight Film. Of course, he plays the same position as Pippen. It is possible we may see a team that has Wilt dominate the glass and kicks it out to Cousy who feeds Pippen and Wilkins for some Posterizing/YouTubing of some poor schmoe... but there is still a hole at PF, and Miller is the only truly consistent outside shooter.

                     

Hoffman - David Skywalker, Chris "Moon" Mullin, James "He's Not" Worthy, Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon, Isiah Thomas

Somebody at The Barbershop asked me once who was better at 23 - Kobe or MJ? My answer was David Thompson. I got some looks, to put it nicely. But anyone who saw Thompson his first 4-5 years knows what I'm talking about. He was Jordan before Jordan. MJ was taller, but Thompson had a better jumper. Wow. Chirs Mullin will drop that lefty J from the deep corners all night to open the middle for the Muslim Connection inside. Slow afoot? Perhaps, but one slower guy can be compensated for considering the defense they have inside. I wonder how much offense would the two big men give up to allow Thomas, Thompson, and Monroe to take it to the rack?

Questions to the GM: Who starts with Thomas, Thompson or Monroe? How do you plan to funnel the offense, through Kareem or Hakeem?

Big Game James takes over at the three to swoop to the basket, play nasty wing defense, and stick the mid-range jumper. It helps that he played with Kareem. Isiah will be glad to be on the same side as a guy who put up 36-10-10 in a Game 7 against his Pistons.

Having said all of these nice things, I think Worthy could have been had a few picks later. Barry or Baylor would have been better picks at this spot - Barry because of his phenomenal range, and Baylor because he could do everything Worthy could, and was a better rebounder. 

The 5th round featured a mild surprise with the selection of Black Jesus. Kareem loved him from the Rucker Park days, and probably influenced this pick. Isiah had better not try to pull a Dantley on The Pearl and get him traded. Besides, Earl showed that he could blend his Divine Game with Clyde Frazier, a mature Thomas will be looking forward to this.

Alas, this backcourt can be exploited somewhat on defense. And 3 point shooting may be questionable.


AK47Spiderman - George "99" Mikan, Dikembe Mutumbo, Bob Pettit , Charles Barkley, Oscar Robinson, Julius Erving, John Havlicek

I have to have a soft spot for the first great pivot man in NBA history. I assume we can pass Mikan through a processor that would upgrade him to play in the 21st century? Mikan did not adjust well to the shot clock in 1955 - what happens in 2007? I'll tell you, you have a poor man's Illgasukas. He takes up room, will block shots, and can play physical. So can Deke. A great defender in his prime, I still think he takes a back seat to Willis Reed or Artis Gilmore. Heck, I'd even consider Zelmo Beatty, Bob Lanier, or Dave Cowins. None of them were quite as good on D, but all of them could score and board.

Question to the GM - Why two slow centers?

This team had some major issues on the front line, and clearly drafted solidly for need. Pettit the first great power forward in the league, could also play some center (but not for long against some of these front lines!), Bob will draw fouls and clear the glass (he, Lucas and Wilt are the only players to average 20-20 for a season). Then the next pick was Sir Charles...now there were fewer more awe-inspiring sites than The Breadtruck in his prime on the break going coast to coast...yes, especially impressive in those little shorts.

But AK drafted TWO power forwards? Or is that 3 small forwards? Or do I count Barkley 1.5 times? If AK47 really wants to channel Don Nelson and play smallball, you put Pettit at C, Barkley at the 4. But we're now talking a front line that is 6-7, 6-4, and 6-9. Lord help you in a half-court game. Wilt won't... :-)

Best Value Picks - Thompson, Walton, Mullin, Lucas

OK Value Pick - Mikan, Archibald

HUH?! Pick - Bowen, Mutumbo, Ewing

(Some Of The) Best players on still on board: Dennis Rodman,  Bob McAdoo, Dave Bing, Sidney Moncrief, Alvin Robinson, Dirk Nowitski, Gus Johnson, Dolph Schayes