With all you guys seemingly writing award winning pieces in attempts to secure a sweet 16 spot  in NGS2, and due to my Marcus Vick type ineligibilty, i thought i'd have a go at some light relief  with some Power Rankings after the recent post-draft  Mini Camps closed. Man, i miss football...

 

1. Pittsburgh Steelers.
Got to put the defending champs on top of the pile. They’ll get over the loss of Bettis and Von Oelhoffen, and you could even argue Holmes is already an upgrade over Randle El in the passing game. Plus, the like of Roethlisberger, Miller and Polamalu should improve as they continue to mature.

2. Carolina Panthers.
In my opinion the Cats were the best team in the NFC playoffs before their running game literally got KO’d in Chicago and Seattle. But, the Panthers have had a strong off-season improving D-line depth, getting DeAngelo Williams in the draft to back up Deshaun “Mr. Glass” Foster, and adding Keyshawn Johnson to give Delhomme another passing game option other than Steve Smith, and… umm… Steve Smith. The Panthers are for real.

3. New England Patriots.
Too high? Maybe, but the Patriots were conference semi-finalists last year and  will again be challenging this year. Yes the Pats lost key veterans, but the Pats front office obviously thought their best days were behind them. Getting Maroney and Jackson in the draft was huge, and if the Pats can get healthy again in the secondary, and perhaps re-sign Ty Law, they’ll again win the AFC East and be in the playoffs.

4. Denver Broncos.
No faith in Jake? Cutler will take over in Mile High in the next couple of years, but the Broncos are built to win right now. If Javon Walker returns to form of 2004, the Denver Offense will have a consistent deep threat to make the offense far more dangerous. They are the best in a pretty  tough division.

5. Seattle Seahawks.
Maybe a little low for last years NFC champs, but losing Hutchinson will be huge, and Dyson played well at corner for them last year. All eyes are on Shaun Alexander to prove he is worth the big contract.

6. Indianapolis Colts.                      
Would be higher had they re-signed Edge, but that wasn’t an option. Addai will be good, but will take time to get to the high level that James played at. Manning will pass more than ever; so look for huge stats and another playoff choke.

7. Washington Redskins.
The Skins head the best division in football, they paid big money for impact free agents, and now it appears they have more threats on offense which was there problem in last years playoffs as teams shut down Moss, Cooley and Portis. They are above the other NFC East teams primarily based on their coaching staff.

8. New York Giants.
It’s all about Eli. Star RB? Check. Receiving threats? Check. Pass rush? Check. Upgraded LB corps? Check. Better coverage players? Check. Can Manning step up and make it happen? I think he just might.

9. Miami Dolphins.
Word of Daunte Culpepper’s rehab is encouraging and Dom Capers has good defensive talent to work with. If Culpepper doesn’t play early, the Fins season could take a nosedive in a hurry. Ricky Williams self-inflicted absence will hurt, but Ronnie Brown will do fine.

10. Dallas Cowboys.
They’ve given themselves a chance with their off-season pick-ups. Owens, Glenn and Witten are great targets, but can the O-line give Bledsoe enough time to find them open?

 

11. Atlanta Falcons.
An abysmal end to the last season, the Falcons mailed in the last game against Carolina, leaving a sour taste about this team . An aggressive off-season brought them Abraham, Milloy, Crocker and Williams on defense. The focus will again be on Vick to make the offense tick, and if he can, this team could be very, very dangerous.

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The focus of the off-season was improving the O-line and they’ve done so, including 1^st rounder Davin Joseph. Two questions, Can Chris Simms put this team on his back? And can the ageing veterans including Brooks and Galloway keep up their form and stay injury free.

13. Philadelphia Eagles.
One of the great drafting teams, the Eagles did it again to revitalise a beleaguered roster from last year. Bunkley, Justice, Jean-Gilles all had first round talent, while Avant is typical Eagle “platoon” receiver and Jeremy Bloom could be a real X-factor on special teams. Darren Howard was a great FA pick up.  McNabb looks focused, and this team could surprise many.

14. Jacksonville Jaguars.
Losing Jimmy Smith hurts, bad. Why? Because they now have no proven no.1 receiver for Leftwich to aim at. A recent trade rumor of Ashley Lelie could be interesting, and maybe July cuts might favour them. The defense should again be good and Mercedes Lewis will be a very good TE straight away.

15. San Diego Chargers.
Philip Rivers will do OK, but there is bound to be a slight drop from Drew Brees’ production over the last couple of years, and that could make a big difference. The Power struggle between Smith and Schottenheimer cannot be allowed to affect the teams play, it shouldn’t.

16. Kansas City Chiefs.
Could use a WR to complement Kennison and Gonzalez, although everyone knows they go how LJ runs this year. The is still their weak suit, but they have enough playmakers in Surtain, D. Johnson, and new arrival Hali to make things happen.

17. Minnesota Vikings.
Can Brad Johnson carry the load at QB? A great pick up in Hutchinson, and Chester Taylor tends to point to a pound the rock offense, while Koren Robinson and Troy Williamson can provide the gas in the passing game. The defense has to play well.

18. Chicago Bears.
Last years great defense supported a bad offense, and somehow the bears refused to upgrade the offense in the off-season, mainly going defense in the draft.  They will again be tough to beat in a bad division.

19. Arizona Cardinals.
Can Kurt Warner keep Matt Leinhart on the bench? If he does, that means the Cards could be playoff contenders. The addition of Edgerrin James is huge, but the O-line and defense may hurt them. You could argue them to be higher, but then again, the are the Cardinals...

20. St. Louis Rams.
They replace the offensive genius of Mike Martz with the intriguing vertical offense of Scott Linehan. Will it work? Free agent Will Witherspoon and 1dt round pick Tye Hill provide quality additions to the defense.

21. Cinncinati Bengals.
If Carson Palmer can go in September, the Bengals will be higher (almost top 10). But “the guy” is only 4 months removed from major knee surgery, and Anthony Wright is the back up, not good. Jonathan Joseph was a great pick up for the Bengals secondary.

22. Oakland Raiders.
The Silver and Black have rolled the dice on Aaron Brooks at QB. It could be a stroke of genius, or it could equally be a disaster. They addressed the defense nicely in the draft with 2 playmakers in Huff and Bing. They could upset many of the so-called “better teams” this year.

23. Baltimore Ravens.
Will go up (a lot) as soon as the Steve McNair signing is made official, McNair to Mason was one of the most productive passing duos in the league for years. The defense has a lot of talent - can they get it right?

24. New Orleans Saints.
Lucked out with the dynamic Reggie Bush in the draft, but the concern has to be the state of Drew Brees shoulder. Can the defense step up?

 

25. Houston Texans.
They messed up by taking Williams over Bush, but the Texans had a very solid free agency and draft. Can Kubiak mesh the talent quickly enough to make a run this year? I doubt it. Look for big improvements in David Carr with E. Moulds and a healthy Andre Johnson out wide.

26. Cleveland Browns.
Is Charlie Frye going to take the Browns forward? Word has it he is well liked and respected by all of the Browns vets and the coaching staff are high on him. The speedy return of Edwards and the play of K2 (remember him) will be important. Crennel will have the defense performing well.  They might be tough to beat.

27. Tennessee Titans.
With Steve McNair on his way out of town, can Billy Volek step up? I don’t think so, and Vince Young is a long way from being ready. LenDale White could be a Boom or Bust pick in R2. The Titans should again struggle in 06.

28. New York Jets.
A tough assignment for a new, young coach in Eric Mangini. A lot will depend on if Chad Pennington can get and stay healthy. It looks like the Jets may be in rebuilding mode.

 

29. Green Bay Packers.
Great news! Brett Favre is coming back. Bad news! Brett Favre is coming back. AJ Hawk could be a pro-bowler as a rookie.

 

30. Buffalo Bills.
Who is the starting QB? It should be Losman, but Holcomb and Nall also have claims for the job. That’s never a good thing, and this offense has no identifiable leader with Moulds having left town. The defense is good but it has to be Baltimore 2000 good if the Bills are going to contend.

31. Detroit Lions.
I love Ernie Sims’ game, but was he the guy they should have taken in R1? McCown and Kitna are stop gap QBs and could struggle to pick up Mike Martz playbook which is as big as “War and Peace”. It could be another year of boo’s for Matt Millen, and Joey Harrington is nowhere to pass blame onto.

32. San Francisco 49ers.
Do you think Vernon Davis was crying at the draft because Alex Smith will be his QB next year? The 49ers are a long way of being competitive and perhaps have the worst roster of all NFL teams. At least Mike Nolan will have them playing hard and they have a good kicker in Joe Nedney, “every cloud…”

 

Please criticise as you find fit.  

 

 

The other important influence is of course the Hip-Hop movement providing a crossover culture. In the modern days of Sports stars being idolised and iconographed in various ways by different people, Hip-Hop videos do more than anything to glamorise their favorite athlete by wearing jerseys, and shouting out their boys in lyrics. There seems to be an ever increasing affiliation between the two, with rappers perhaps envying the money and instant fame enjoyed by todays star athletes and the athletes in turn envying the crazy partying lifestyle of todays biggest music stars. Indeed, todays youth are so influenced by their favorite Hip-Hop stars, that seeing 50cent or Jay-Z in a throwback may even encourage a kid to go and buy that jersey more so than watching AI play ball or Mike Vick overthrowing his WRs on Sundays. Nothing shows the value of the relationship between Hip-Hop and sports than joint business ventures. Jay-Z is a  part-owner of the New Jersey Nets, while RnB star Usher is a silent partner in the ownership of the Cleveland Cavaliers. And of course the other, is the alliance between Reebok and G-Unit producing the best selling sneaker of 2005, to go with the S. Carter from Jay-Z which was the best seller in 2004. Another example of how sports merchandise is big money.

So over the last 20 years, athletes have not only gained a place in our lives for throwing, catching, hitting, kicking and running, but they have slowly infiltrated our every day life. They are on your television during adverts for "24" and "ER",  they occupy giant billboards befitting of the biggest movie stars and musicians, some may be on your cereal boxes staring at you while you do your best to wake up in the morning. They are helping companies sell you things you don't want, but because they are affiliated to someone you may like or even idolise, you feel that maybe it would do no harm to buy such a thing.

So where will it all end? Can the Sporting evolution continue to out grow the Arts worlds such as film, television and music? Will they become ever more integrated to the point where the clear lines that currently exist between sports and showbiz become blurred? Or has that already happened? Is the increasing accessibilty of Sports in danger of over saturating our sports thirst,  by providing things we'd rather not know? Will we care a bit too much if / when Paris Hilton makes a sex tape with Matt Leinart?  Like it or not, the era of sports ruling our culture is here, and as the marketing executives at Nike would say "We are all witnesses".

 

Big weekend in sports with the return of the NBA playoffs, a burgeoning scandal regarding the poster boy of the forthcoming NFL draft, more HR'#### in the majors, and Lavar Arrington finally finds a home.

- LeBron James opened the playoffs in style for the Cavs, recording a triple-double in an easy win for the Cavs. What does this mean? Yes, the King has arrived and displayed his monumental talents jumping on the Wizards early and keeping the foot on the gas. But if he thinks the Wiz and Gilbert Arenas plays that bad for the rest of the series he's sadly mistaken, and the Cavs will get a wake up call against the Pistons in the Confernce Semi-finals.

- The Spurs handled the Queens in game 1. Was anyone surprised by this? Really? I didn't think so. The Kings showed their same old faces in game one and a rout was on the cards by the time the first quarter was in the books. On a talent standpoint the Kings (Bibby, Wells, Artest, 'Reef, Miller) would worry any no.1 seed, particularly one with a hobbled superstar. But the Spurs handled their business and preserved home court with Tony Parker and Nick van Exel leading the way in the beat down. The Spurs have the deepest roster in basketball, and anyone hwo thinks Rick Adelman can outcoach Pop, is out of their mind. The bad news for the Kings, Artest is supended for game 2 and things will only get worse...

- Phoenix gets acquainted with the free throw line, and made the most of it. Hitting 30 of 32 free throws was an example of how to punish a young teams over enthausiasm to make a splash in R1 against a number 2 seed. Yes, Kobe wasn't killing it on Sunday as he's prone to do against PHX, but if you send an opponent that shoots that well from the stripe to the line 32 times in one game, you deserve to lose. Watch out for Kobe to blow up in game 2 (you can tell he was agitated playing "within the offense on sunday"). Steve Nash for MVP...

- RIck Carlisle is a great coach. He really is and anyone who thinks other wise is a fool. FIrst he builds up that Detroit team to a 50win team without 'Sheed - which would have taken it all once Sheed arrived - with or without Larry Brown and his cantankerous ways, then he goes to Indiana and endures 2 of the most horrible seasons a coach can suffer through injuries and Ron Artest's insanity and still he drags the team to the playoffs through pure coaching. And now Carlisle's Pacers have pinched home court from the much fancied NJ Nets. Will they win the series? I don't think so, but Carlisle has worked miracles in Indy again, and if he can ever get a dependable All-Star performer (JO too injury-prone), and a couple of dependable veterans together.. look out.

- Anyone noticed the amount of Homers being smacked in the Majors this year in this alleged "post steroid" era. I looked it up and Homers are up over 20% on last year, mostly through the performances of the likes of Albert Pujols, Morgan Ensberg, Chris Shelton, Travis Hafner, and Jim Thome. Erm, is this supposed to happen? Didn't most people expect the no. of Homers to go down post juice? Lots of theories have been put forward - the baseballs are harder, all players (apart from Barry) are healthy at this time of year,  the pleasant hitting conditions in a mild April in the midwest, and Pujols new stomping ground is a lot more hitter friendly than the old Busch stadium. The most interesting theory is that the Pitchers were also hitting the juice hard, and have suffered a drop off this year. Interesting stuff, and a lot more pleasing to watch on TV...

- Barry finally nails 709. Woohoo! Break open the pinata. I've had all the Barry watch i can take, and now hope the hysteria around him dies down for a while. Sure he's chasing legendary figures and legendary records, but Bonds isn't worthy of the attention, there are far better players playing ball at the moment to turn you attention to, until Bonds cracks 714 and 715, and then we can all go about our lives again....

- Reggie Bush's family alledgedly were given a free lease to a home in San Diego California, allegedly putting his college eligibility in doubt. They are talking about taking away the kids greatest honor of his life so far, the heismann.  Big deal, Reggie Bush is less than 7 days away from becoming a multi-, multi- millionaire. Everyone knew this kid would be special and would always make it to the NFL and get paid a kings ransom to play.  In my opinion the NCAA rules regarding eligibility are ridiculous , and the fact that guys aren't "paid" to play football doesn't mean they're not getting dollars. You don't think Matt Leinhart's made money from his LA exploits? please. You also think Vince Young was academically eligible at UT? Please.. I'll let someone with a better handle on the college scene write a more informative blog, but while college guys shouldn't necessarily be paid for performing on saturdays, penalizing them for helping their families have a better lifestyle until they get paid for real is just wrong.

- Brett Favre - Hurry Up and take a s*hit or get off of the toilet! Your team needs to know what to do in the upcoming draft.

- Lavar Arrington should be spitting mad about his new deal with the G-men. He bought out the remaining 4.4mill on his contract so he could pursue lucrative free agency money. The result? a 5.5mill signing bonus, and a base contract averages that pays 3.7. Again the Postons show they are the most incompetent agents on the NFL market this side of Major Bud Adams, now if only they can find Ty Law a new home....

- One final point which none of you will care about,  but really got me going on Saturday concerns sportsmanship. A huge game in the English Premiership between Arsenal and Tottenham was played with the victor moving one step closer to qualifying for the lucrative European Champions league (worth approx 25mill to either team). With Arsenal needing to win and the game at 0-0, two arsenal players collided with each other and lay stricken on the pitch. Tottenham collected the ball and ignored arsenal's plea's to kick the ball out of touch so the players could receive treatment and proceded to score causing uproar amongst the arsenal fans and players. Arsenal would later rescue a 1-1 draw out of the game but still trail Tottenham in the race for European qualification. Question is, were Tottenham right to play on and score?

 
Roll on the NFL draft on the weekend, here's hoping your team drafts who you want! Out....

Back again with the NFC winners and losers from FA prior to the draft at the end of April. 

NFC EAST 

Dallas Cowboys

Key Additions -  Mike Vanderjagt (K),  Rocky Boiman (LB),  Jason Fabini (OT),  Terrell Owens (WR),  Ryan Hannam (TE),  Akin Ayodele (LB),  Kyle Kosier (OT)

Key Losses - Torrin Tucker (OT),  Larry Allen (OG),  Jacob Rogers  (OT),  Keyshawn Johnson (WR),  Dan Campbell (TE),  Scott Fujita (OLB),   Dat Nguyen (LB),  La'Roi Glover (DT)

Draft needs - The Cowboys have loaded up for a run at the Superbowl this year, so an impact player in any position would be valuable. They could use a safety alongside Roy Williams and offensivel ine help also.

Overall - The addition of TO is huge for Dallas. Owens will have a massive chip on his shoulder and provided he doesn't unload on Bledsoe, who will make mistakes as always, Dallas offense could be explosive with Glenn, Witten and Julius Jones.

New York Giants

Key Additions - Will Demps (S),  R.W. McQuarters (DB),  Jason Bell (CB),  Quentin Harris (S), Sam Madison (CB)

Key Losses - Will Allen (CB),  Shaun Williams (S),  Kendrick Clancy (DT),  Brent Alexander (S),  Barrett Green (LB) Jason Whittle (OG)

Draft needs - Got to get one of the better linebackers if they are still available. The Giants are obviously happy about the offensive side of the ball, and made no attempts to sign any high priced offensive free agent.

Overall - The Giants will be happy with the overhaul of the secondary and the arrival of Demps and Maddison is certainly an upgrade over Allen and Williams. Remains to be seen if Eli Manning continues to grow in the the offense, or will they regret not supplying him with another weapon? Signing Lavar Arrington would be a very big deal for this defense, particularly if one of the better LBs in the draft is not there when the Big Blue get to pick.

Philadelphia Eagles

Key Additions - Ed Jasper (DT), Jeff Garcia (QB), Jabar Gaffney (WR),  Matt Schobel (TE),  Darren Howard (DE), Shawn Barber (LB),

Key Losses -Keith Adams (LB),  N.D. Kalu (DE),  Mike McMahon (QB),  Terrell Owens (WR)

Draft Needs. - Ask 5 different people, you'll get 5 different answers. Whether its LenDale White to provide muscle (and fat) to the running game, Chad Jackson or Santonio Holmes to add more talent to the WR corps, or an impact defensive player at LB or lineman. I think the Eagles will be tempted by a LB such as Ernie Sims and let McNabb work with the talent he has at WR and TE.

Overall - The Owens loss was obvious since last year, so the Eagles gained more than they lost. The arrival of Jevon Kearse really propelled the Eagles defense 3 years ago, and now the addition of Howard should do the same. How will McNabb cope without a genuine star WR to throw to? I guess we'll find out. Eric Moulds would have been a great addition.

Washington Redskins

Key Additions - Kenny Wright (CB),  Mike Pucillo (C),  Andre Carter (DE/OLB),  Adam Archuleta (S),  Antwaan Randle El (WR),  Christian Fauria (TE),  Brandon Lloyd (WR)

Key Losses - Omar Stoutmire (S),  Patrick Ramsey (QB), Ryan Clark (S),  Robert Royal (TE),  Matt Bowen (S),  Walt Harris (CB),  Brandon Noble (DT), Tom Tupa (P),  LaVar Arrington (LB)

Draft Needs - With no R1, Dan Snyder tried to fix all aspects in FA, in the 2nd round they may look at a young DB or LB to groom in Greg Williams defense.

Overall - Money talks, and all of the arriving FA's have seen the light side of Snyder's chequebook. As always the Redskins have overpaid for what they got, although Andre Carter will be an extra pass rusher of high calibre. Replacing Arrington's playmaking abilities will fall to the likes of Sean Taylor (provided he's acquited of firearm offenses), and CB Carlos Rogers, Shawn Springs.

NFC NORTH

Chicago Bears

Key Additions -Brian Griese (QB),  Dante Wesley (CB)

Key Losses - Jerry Azumah (CB)

Draft Needs -Cornerback and Wide receiver are positions of need if this team are to improve on last years performance.

Overall - We know what to expect from the Bears next season, run the rock and play defense. No team has done less in FA and the bears could have used another addition to an average WR corps. The addition of Griese will be important to either push or supplant Grossman at QB.

 
Detroit Lions

Key Additions - Mike Furrey (WR/S),  Idrees Bashir (S), Josh McCown (QB),  Jon Kitna (QB),  Dan Campbell (TE), Corey Bradford (WR),  Shaun King (QB)

Key Losses - Wali Rainer (LB), Jeff Garcia (QB), R.W. McQuarters (DB), André Goodman (CB)  Kyle Kosier (OG), Joey Harrington (QB)

Draft Needs - They should draft defense. They really should. Would you bet against Millen taking Chad Jackson or Santonio Holmes in R1? I know i wouldn't. Maybe the Lions should draft Cutler if he falls that far as the QB of the future, as very few of the Lions fans truly believe Kitna or McCown are the long-term answer at the position. Michael Huff of Texas is likely choice, with a pass rusher and LB other obvious needs.

Overall - Not good. Furrey and Bashir will provide little impact on defense, whereas the Kitna, King and McCown situation does nothing but scratch heads, particularly with Martz complicated and intricate offense to be installed. Did they really need another WR? A big draft is needed, but with Millen's history, i wouldn't hold my breath.

Green Bay Packers

Key Additions - Marc Boerigter (WR),  Billy Cundiff (K) Ben Taylor (LB),  Ryan Pickett (DT),  Marquand Manuel (S)

Key Losses -  Grey Ruegamer (OG), Tony Fisher(HB),  Mike Flanagan (C),  Craig Nall (QB),  Ryan Longwell (K),  Antonio Chatman (KR/WR), Na'il Diggs (LB)

Draft Needs - Where to start? With Brett Favre sitting on his arse in Mississipi waiting for impact players to join, the likely best options are AJ Hawk and Mario Williams. Favre would love to play with D'Brick  Ferguson also. Elsewhere, the entire roster needs upgrading particularly in Javon Walker carries out his threats to not play.

 
Overall - Not good enough for supposedly one of the better franchises in the NFL. The Pack need to make a play for either Arrington, Woodson, Law etc.(i know they'll overpay but they have no other choice), and follow up with a big draft day to please their fans.

Minnesota Vikings

Key Additions -  DeQuincy Scott (DE),  Tank Williams (S),  Mike McMahon (QB),  Tony Richardson (RB) ,  Steve Hutchinson (G),  Jason Whittle (OL),  Chester Taylor (RB),  Ben Leber (LB),  Ryan Longwell (K)

Key Losses -  Lance Johnstone (DE),  Raonall Smith (LB),  Nate Burleson (WR),  Sam Cowart (LB),  Melvin Fowler (C),  Michael Bennett (RB), Toniu Fonoti (OG), Daunte Culpepper (QB),  Corey Chavous( S),  Brian Williams (CB)

Draft Needs - QB of the future, LB and Line depth are needed for the Vikes.

Overall - The Wilf / Childress era has begun in earnest, and you have to like the Vikes intentions. They are going to commit to running the ball with the additions of Hutchinson, Richardson and Taylor as they know Brad Johnson won't be able to carry the load on his own. The addition Leber is a start at LB but they need more firepower there. The big concern is the long term future at QB having traded Culpepper, who would have become a distraction with regards to his contract.

NFC SOUTH 

Atlanta Falcons

Key Additions - Wayne Gandy (OT),  John Abraham (DE),  Chris Crocker (S),  Lawyer Milloy (S)

Key Losses -  Bryan Scott (S), Barry Stokes (OT),  Kevin McCadam (S),  Kevin Shaffer (OT),  Brady Smith (DE)

Draft Needs - Having given up an R1 for the rights to Abraham, the Falcons could still use secondary help and a wide bodied, run stuffing DT.

Overall - Look for a big improvement in the Falcons this year. Last year, they lost the ability to get to the QB which will be addressed by Abraham lining up across from Kerney, and the play from their safeties was terrible. Milloy will add veteran leadership and Crocker will add youth and enthausiasm to the position. Gandy will be an upgrade at OT as the Falcons develop younger linemen for the future.

Carolina Panthers

Key Additions -  Keith Adams (LB),  Reggie Howard (CB),  Keyshawn Johnson (WR), Kevin McAdam (S),   Shaun Williams (S),  Damione Lewis (DT), Justin Hartwig (C),  Maake Kemoeatu (DT)

Key Losses -  Kemp Rasmussen (DE),  Idrees Bashir (S),  Dante Wesley (CB),  Will Witherspoon  (LB),  Marlon McCree (S),  Brandon Short (LB) Brentson Buckner (DT), Stephen Davis (RB), Rod Smart (KR)

Draft Needs - Running Back and Linebacker are the major needs

Overall - Always count on the Panthers to make solid moves in FA. Losing Witherspoon will hurt but they were unable to match the offer he got from the Rams. Lewis and Kemoeatu make great D-line additions while Keyshawn will be a compliment to the terrific Steve Smith.

New Orleans Saints

Key Additions -  Bryan Scott (S),  Chris Horn (WR),  Mark Campbell (TE),  Anthony Simmons (LB),  Omar Stoutmire (S),  Michael Bennett (RB),  Drew Brees (QB), Scott Fujita (LB)

Key Losses - Wayne Gandy (OT),  Mel Mitchell (S)  Kendyl Jacox (OG),  Aaron Brooks (QB),  Fakhir Brown (CB),  Darren Howard (DE),  Sedrick Hodge (LB),  LeCharles Bentley (C),  Boo Williams (TE)

Draft Needs - Offensive Line, Cornerback, and Linebacker are all major needs. They are desparately tring to trade the 2 pick to NYJ or GB or any other team interested in Leinhart, but they should protect the money the have in Brees with Ferguson.

Overall - A new era in NO, the enigmatic Brooks had to go, as did disgruntled LeCharles Bentley, and Darren Howard wanted a new start. Brees has shown ability the last 2 years, but how will he fare without LT and Gates around...?

Tampa Bay Bucanneers

Key Additions -  Torrin Tucker (OT),  Jamie Winborn (LB),  Toniu Fonoti (OG)

Key Losses -  Todd Steussie (OT),  Billy Cundiff (K),  Dexter Jackson (S),  Jameel Cook (FB),   Brian Griese (QB), Jeff Gooch (LB),  Matt Stinchcomb (OG)

Draft Needs - Wide receiver, O-line and Safety

Overall - Lost more than they gained, the official Chris Simms era begins now. Expect a drop off from last year, namely because ATL and Carolina will be better...

NFC WEST 

Arizona Cardinals

Key Additions -  Edgerrin James (RB), Kendrick Clancy (DT), Milford Brown (OG),

Key Losses -  Russell Davis (DT),  Josh McCown (QB), Quentin Harris (S) 

Draft Needs - They will be praying Vernon Davis falls to them to add the last piece of an offense loaded at skill positions. O-line help for James in also essential.

Overall - They will be sadly mistaken if they feel James will bring his productivity from his Colts day sto the desert. He is still a massive upgrade and is terrific in pass protection which is essential with Warner a complete statue at QB. They will need more to challenge the Hawks and Rams in the division.

San Francisco 49ers

Key Additions -  Sammy Davis (DB),  Larry Allen (OG),  Walt Harris (CB),  Bryan Gilmore (WR),  Antonio Bryant (WR), Jesse Palmer (QB)

Key Losses -  Rashaun Woods (WR),  Fred Beasley (FB),  Julian Peterson (LB), Andre Carter(OLB), Brandon Lloyd (WR) Chris Cooper (DE), Johnnie Morton (WR),  Ahmed Plummer (CB)

Draft Needs- Oh dear. The 9ers need help on both sides of the ball. Particular needs are LB and a upgrade at RB.

Overall - Like the Packers, the 9ers are in a sorry state. Alex Smith needs serious help around him if he's going to succeed and the 9ers aren't in a position to give it to him. Joe Nedney's leg will get another work out this year.  The 9ers will be awful....

Seattle Seahawks

Key Additions -  Kemp Rasmussen (DE), Oliver Celestin (S),  Nate Burleson (S),  Tom Ashworth (G) Russell Davis (DT),  Julian Peterson (LB)

Key Losses -  Steve Hutchinson (G),  Ryan Hannam (TE),  Rodney Bailey (DE), Marquand Manuel (S),  Joe Jurevicius (WR),  Andre Dyson (CB), Jamie Sharper (LB)

Draft Needs - Secondary, Offensive line and Defensive end are all in need of solid additions.

Overall - Victim of the poison pill sheet on Steve Hutchinson, the Vikings got a valuable signing in Ashworth, and a terrific pick up in Julian Peterson. Nate Burleson will be a home favorite at Q-West field, and a good draft should see them contending for NFC championship honours again.

St Louis Rams

Key Additions -  Todd Steussie (OT) Raonall Smith (LB),  Matt Turk (P),  Tony Fisher (HB),  Gus Frerotte (QB),  Fakhir Brown (CB),  Will Witherspoon (LB), Corey Chavous (S),  La'Roi Glover (DT)

Key Losses -  Corey Ivy (CB),  Rex Tucker (OG),  Ryan Pickett (DT),  Adam Archuleta (S) Damione Lewis (DT), Chris Claiborne (LB)

Draft Needs - Defensive backfield needs an upgrade and the Rams should address that with pick 11 in R1. They could also use another LB, and O-lineman depth.

Overall - One of the more interesting teams to look out for in 2006, the Rams could benefit from Linehan's new offensive system, and also a new attitude on defense bought by Witherspoon and veteran safety Chavous.

Who do you guys think will be the most improved players in 2006, or the ones from the upcoming draft that may outperform low expectation / live up to high ones? Conversely, who are the players who will have a drop off year, fail to live up draft expectations, or have Old Father Time finally catch up on their ageing bodies....? Here's my list. 

The Good.

1). Michael Vick - QB,  Atlanta Falcons.

Vick's statistical numbers have been, to be nice, average in the first 2 years of the Jim Mora / Greg Knapp era in Atlanta. While Vick has been able to win games with clutch 3rd down plays and a terrific running game led by Warrick Dunn, Vick's distinct lack of mastery of the WCO has been all to obvious.... until now. Why? Because of Vick's outrageous athletic ability, he grew up playing football based on his talent and lack of understanding of an inticate offense. Evn his early days in the NFL under Dan Reeves, it was obvious Vick was "winging it" running simple pass plays and scrambling for big plays. They say it takes 3 years to master the type of offense Vick is being asked to run in Atlanta, and its time for Vick to show whether he can opening up the passing game to complement a terrific running game. Having continuity at WR whith White, Jenkins and Finneran will help along with Crumpler at TE and a fine pass catching FB in Justin Griffith. Along with what should be a much improved Atlanta defense (still could use a run stuffing DT), the Falcons can soar in 2006 if Vick can stay healthy and live up to expectations. I think he will.

2). Phillip Rivers - QB, San Diego Chargers

Is it me or are a lot of people already writing this guy off? Let me see, he was thought highly enough of to be drafted no. 4 and swapped with essentially Shawn Merriman for Eli Manning (always make that trade by the way) and was set to take over outright before Drew Brees became the comback player of the year in 2004. The reason why i think Rivers will succeed in San Diego is for the same reasons Brees improved so dramatically in '04, namely he has LT to hand off to, and has Antonio Gates to throw to. Brees wasn't a good NFL QB until Gates showed up and changed the dimensions of the Bolts offense, and was a probowler as soon as he turned up , coincidence? I don't think so. Rivers will exceed all expectation in SD this yeat and lead the Bolts to the playoffs.

3). Jason Witten - TE, Dallas Cowboys

We all know Witten is a fine tight end all ready, but watch him take off in the Cowboys offense with the arrival of Terrell Owens. Owens will draw heavy coverage on every snap and Witten will be the biggest beneficiary woorking against soft zones and single man coverage, his stats could be huge.

4). Chester Taylor - RB, Minnesota Vikings

One of the bigger surprises of the offseason was the Ravens electing to keep Jamal Lewis and sign Mike Anderson rather than give Taylor a shot as the starting RB. This guy could be huge this year, as the Vikings could and should resort to a heavy balanced running attack as Brad Johnson isn't going to go balistic in the air like Culpepper could. The Vikes look likely to go with an LB in R1 instead of drafting a RB talent such as Laurence Maroney.  Taylor is fast and strong and could have the impact similar to that of Larry Johnson in KC last year. Also, they didn't sign Hutchinson for nothing....

5). Matt Leinhart - QB, Tennessee Titans (Probably)

It looks more and more likely Leinhart ends up in Nashville, and with Steve McNair likely to be headed elsewhere, Leinhart will be able to beat out Billy Volek and take the starters role. Leinhart's numbers in college were greatly enhanced by the fact most of the best players on the field were on his team, but there is no denying the guy can play. In Tennessee he'll have a solid set of receivers (Givens, Bennett, Calico, Jones) and TE's (Troupe and Kinney) and a good group of backs (Brown and Henry). It would be no surprise if Leinhart was an instant success in a young Titan team who may rise again.

The Bad.

1). Curtis Martin - RB, New York Jets

Been a great player for a long, long time in the NFL. But last year showed Martin had hit the 30yr old wall, albeit 2 years too late, suffering from injuries and not hitting the hole like he used to. In  what will be a different offense, no certainty surrounding the QB position (Pennington, Ramsey, Leinhart, Young?), and no game breaking WR's to help soften the load on his shoulders, Martin will become a grinding 2-3 yard/carry back and will be forced to hand over the reigns to either Blaylock or Houston. Sad, but true...

2). LenDale White - RB, Denver Broncos or Carolina Panthers (Probably)

I've been on about White before, but he's still realy bothering me. He's a talent, but with many questioning his maturity and dedication to football, White will be an overweight bust this year in the NFL. Its easy to see why teams would be high on the only bruising back in the draft with good speed, vision and experience of an NFL style offense. White has had an embarrassing last couple of months with a terrible combine and practical no-show at USC's pro day, all culminating in a torn hamstring diagnosed by a chiropractor of all people (FYI running backs and bad hamstrings don't mix well together...). Many now think this is in part due to an "understanding" with a team that will take him in R1 already in place, who most believe to be his home town Broncos. Look for White to not live to live up expectations next year, or any year until he realises whats at stake in his career.

3). Michael Strahan - DE, New York Giants

The two most important players for NYG last year are in the latter stages of their career and i feel their age may catch up with them soon. Barber was terrific last year and i think he has a little gas left in the tank, but i do wonder about Strahan. One of the great DE's of the his generation Strahan had a re-birth last year after a divorce (nothing quite as motivating as having to give her half , eh MIke?) and lining up opposite rising star Osi Umenyiora. I just wonder if Strahan may lose that extra step this year and not be able to beat the double teams that opponents will throw at him, purely out of respect for him. By the end of the year, Strahan could be reduced to a situational pass rusher, now go and watch him get 15 sacks...

4). Willie McGinest - DE/OLB, Cleveland Browns

Another great player, who has moved teams to reunite with Romeo Crennel and get more $. But McGinest is old and in my opinion had slowed last year before a big performance against JAX in the playoffs. The main reason for his decline i believe however, will no longer be playing alonside fellow terrific defensive players such as Seymour, Bruschi, Colvin, Harrison etc.

5). Brad Johnson - QB, Minnesota Vikings

Did a great job last year rescuing the Vikes season (with a little help from the defense and special teams) after Culpepper's injury and the love boat fiasco. But Johnson will know entering the season its on his shoulders and the team will enter the season with high hopes in a poor division. Johnson will have an improved running game through the Hutchinson / Taylor combination and he has some recieiving talent. I think Johnson will struggle this year, again age (38) will be a contributing factor.

With draft fever growing every day,  the best way to look at the potential drafting for each team is to look back at whats gone on over the last couple of months since Free Agency began. Starting with the AFC. 

AFC EAST

Buffalo Bills. 

Key Additions - Craig Nall (QB), Matt Bowen (S), Andre Davis (WR), Peerless Price (WR), Larry Triplett (DT), Robert Royal (TE)

Key Losses -  Eric Moulds (WR), Ron Edwards (DT),  Sam Adams (DT),  Mark Campbell (TE) Lawyer Milloy (S)  Mike Williams, (OT) Feb. 24 (cut).

Key Draft Needs - Where to start? DT, a game breaking WR or TE, and a pass rusher are probably the key needs, but the Bills probably would need twice the amount of draft picks to get it done.

Overall: The Bills need to enter full scale rebuilding mode in the next couple of years and has started the clearout well by getting rid of the likes of Moulds, Adams and Milloy who have all either seen better days or have bloated contracts. They also gave up on Williams who was a high draft pick. But, the additions of Nall, Bowen and Davis aren't going to cause too much anxiety amongst division rivals, and the 10$ million resigning of Peerless Price has made Marv Levy and Ralph Wilson look like senile old fools, again.... A solid draft day is needed.

Miami Dolphins

Key Additions -  Deke Cooper (S),  Will Allen(CB),  Kelly Campbell (WR),  Renaldo Hill(CB),  Daunte Culpepper, André Goodman (CB),  Sedrick Hodge (LB),  L.J. Shelton (OT). 

Key Losses -  Tebucky Jones (S), Sam Madison (CB),  Reggie Howard (CB), Gus Frerotte (QB)

Draft Needs - Hard to really assess, the Fins will probably go after "the best player available" whether it be a potential star DB, O-line help, or more youth at LB.  

Overall: The obvious overhaul off the offseason in Miami was in the secondary which is Nick Saban's coaching speciality, and they have gotten younger by getting rid of Jones and Madison. The addition of Shelton, and the resigning of Damion McIntosh is important to protecting new prize QB Daunte Culpepper, and if the Fins can snag one of the better linemen in the upcoming draft, this Fins team could make some noise in January.

 New England Patriots

Key Additions - Mel Mitchell (S), Eric Warfield(CB), Tebucky Jones (S),  Martin Gramatica (K) , Reche Caldwell (WR)

Key Losses - Tom Ashworth (OT),  Adam Vinatieri (K) Tim Dwight (WR) , Tyrone Poole (CB),  David Givens (WR),  André Davis (WR) Christian Fauria (TE) Willie McGinest (OLB)

Draft Needs - The dynasty is in danger of crumbling, but don't write off the Pats just yet. A solid draft at LB, and maybe a younger running back to spell Corey Dillon and the Pats should make another playoff run.

Overall: No team has gained as much publicity over the free agency period as the Pats, as they have primarily lost key players. But a closer look reveals they have let go ageing players looking for bigger money elsewhere (Vinatieri, McGinest), or younger role players looking to be a star for big money elsewhere (Givens). Belichick has brought in some wiley veterans to his much maligned secondary last year. Caldwell is the type of receiver who can flourish in the Pats multiple receiver sets, and they have held over enough quality to be a strong team yet again.  

New York Jets

Key Additions - Andre Dyson (CB),  Monsanto Pope(DT),  Tim Dwight (WR),  Patrick Ramsey(QB),  Kimo von Oelhoffen (DE/DT)

Key losses - John Abraham (DE), Kevin Mawae (C), Ty Law (CB), Jason Fabini (OT),  Jay Fiedler (QB)  Jerald Sowell (FB)

Draft Needs - The Jets need help in several areas and must be torn between drafting Matt Leinhart (in a possible trade up), Brick Ferguson, and Super Mario Williams. But the Jets need a solid all around draft to upgrade an average looking roster. Two picks in R1 should help.

Overall: The Jets need to find a replacement for Abraham somewhere in the draft whether its Williams or not. They did the right thing in letting Law go and run his mouth on the Free Agent circuit (hows that going Ty?) while Mawae was a sensible cut considering his age. Dyson was an underrated pick up for the secondary, which should be a well coached unit by Mangini's new crew.

 
AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens

Key Additions - Corey Ivy (DB),  Mike Anderson (RB) Justin Bannan(DT), Trevor Pryce (DE)

Key Losses - Will Demps (S)  Dave Zastudil (P) Anthony Weaver (DE)  Chester Taylor (RB), Maake Kemoeatu (DT)

Draft Needs - Is Boller the answer at QB still? Who knows, but the Ravens may well have a shot at Jay Cutler in the draft. Demps needs to be replaced, while Pryce is an adequate replacement for Weaver at DE

Overall: Lost more than they gained, look for Demps, Taylor and Kemoeatu to impact their new teams.

 
Cinncinati Bengals

Key Additions - Sam Adams (DT), Antonio Chatman (WR), Dexter Jackson (S)

Key Losses -   Kim Herring (S), Kevin Walter (WR), Jon Kitna (QB) Matt Schobel (TE),  Duane Clemons (DE)

Draft Needs - Any defensive playmaker would do, possibly a premier corner if available. Schoebel's pass catching ability needs to be replaced and there are several good TE's in the draft.

Overall: The addition of Adams will make a huge difference to the porous Bengal run defense that was their Achilles last year. Look for Thurman and Pollack to benefit from the wide bodied arrival at the heart of the defense. Kitna could be a big loss if Palmer fails to get back before September. 

Cleveland Browns

Key Additions - Willie McGinest (OLB),  Ted Washington (NT) Dave Zastudil (P), Joe Jurevicius (WR)  Kevin Shaffer (OT),  LeCharles Bentley (C)

Key Losses -  Ben Taylor (LB) , Chris Crocker (S), Aaron Shea (TE), Antonio Bryant (WR),L.J. Shelton (OT),  Kenard Lang (DE)

Draft Needs - Interior D linemen. Washington is old and Browns fans would love to get Ngata. Also some youth at outside LB would be useful.

Overall: One of the big spenders of the free agent period, the Browns may well have overpaid for ageing players such as Washington and McGinest. Still, the spending attitude must be applauded, and the new age in Cleveland continues with Crennel's squad is definitely headed in the right direction, getting Bentley was huge...

Pittsburgh Steelers

Key Additions -  Rodney Bailey (DE),  Ryan Clark (S)

Key Losses -  Chris Hope (S),  Kimo von Oelhoffen (DE),  Antwaan Randle El, (WR) Mike Logan (S) 

Draft Needs - Replace Antwan Randle El's X-factor, D-line upgrade, Safety.

Overall: No huge moves from the champs. Their only real decision was whether or not ot match any offers for Randel El, and Dan Snyder took that decision out of their hands. Much like the Pats, they'll be alright.

 
AFC SOUTH 

Houston Texans

Key Additions - Eric Moulds (WR), Wali Rainer (LB), David Loverne (OG), N.D. Kalu (DE),  Sam Cowart (LB), C Mike Flanagan (C) Jeb Putzier (DE) Kevin Walter (WR),  Anthony Weaver (DE),  Jameel Cook (FB)

Key Losses -  Tyson Walter(C),   Jabar Gaffney (WR),  Corey Bradford (WR), Milford Brown (OG),  Marcus Coleman (S)  Tony Hollings (RB)

Draft Needs - Reggie Bush + offensive line help is essential if this team is going to go anywhere soon.

Overall: Signs of intent by the Texans. Entering their 5th year as a franchise its about time the Texans began putting together a playoff worthy team. Moulds and Putzier give Carr more options other than Andre Johnson. Should they be able to upgrade the O-line and snag Bush with in the draft, the pressure will firmlly be placed on David Carr's shoulders.

 
Indianapolis Colts

Key Additions -  Adam Vinatieri/(K)

Key Losses -   Mike Vanderjagt (K),  David Thornton (LB)  Edgerrin James (RB),  Larry Tripplett (DT)

Draft Needs - Replace  Edgerrin James, get more O-line help to stop Manning ####ing about protection. Help at LB would be a bonus.

Overall: Like Pitt and NE, the Colts as a premier team lose more than they gain, Vinatieri is a clear up grade over Vanderjagt. The loss of James will impact the Colts offense until Manning and company figure things out.

 
Jacksonville Jaguars

Key Additions -  Stockar McDougle (OT),  Mike Williams (OG),  Brian Williams (CB)

Key Losses -  Deke Cooper (S), Jamie Winborn (LB),  Kenny Wright (CB),  Akin Ayodele (LB)

Draft Needs - If they can't sign Lavar Arrington, the Jags need a stud linebacker (Wimberley / Ryans) to be one of the best defenses in the league.

Overall: The Jags identified a need and went out to fix it. The O-line has to eb good due to Leftwich's long  setup and throwing stride. Williams was an underacheiver in Buffalo, but with Mike Tice coaching the line (something he's actually good at) the improvements should be notable.  They did overpay for Brian Williams though.

Tennessee Titans

Key Additions -   Chris Hope (S),  David Givens (WR),  Kevin Mawae (C),  David Thornton (LB)

Key Losses -    Tank Williams (S),  Rocky Boiman (LB)  Justin Hartwig (C)  Brad Hopkins (OT)

Draft Needs - Replace Steve McNair as that situation seems unretrievable. Matt Leinhart would be ideal with Norm Chow.  More help in the secondary is also needed as is a premier pass rusher if available.

Overall: No superstars, but the Titans have to be happy with the quality of their acquisitions. They may have overpaid for Givens who has never faced double coverage as a Patriot. Thornton will be a real upgrade as a defensive leader. 

 
AFC WEST

Denver Broncos

Key Additions - Kenard Lang (DE)

Key Losses -   Monsanto Pope (DT),  Mike Anderson (RB) Trevor Pryce (DE),  Jeb Putzier (TE) 

Draft Needs - Already a very good team, if the Broncos can find a pass catching TE, and premier pass rusher (missed out on Abraham) they will challenge again. RB and OL help may also be required. John #### is also getting old.  Two R1 picks are important in realizing those needs.

Overall: Another AFC leading team that made little noise in FA, the Broncos will rely on the draft to reload for another run at the superbowl.

Kansas City Chiefs

Key Additions -  Lenny Walls (CB),  Ron Edwards (DT), Quentin Griffin (RB)

Key Losses -  Marc Boerigter(WR),  Tony Richardson (FB),   Chris Horn (WR),  Shawn Barber (LB),  Dexter McCleon (CB),  Eric Warfield (CB)

Draft Needs - Defense. And lots of it. A playmaking DB is essential alongside Patrick Surtain, while a premier pass rusher is also needed. If the Chiefs could find a big play WR the Chiefs offense could be lethal.

Overall: Strange that the Chiefs didn't go all out to get the biggest names possible. They have the Offensive line, TE, QB and RB to make a real offensive push, but you feel they need a game breaking WR to blow teams out in the first half. If they draft well this could well be a playoff team.

Oakland Raiders

Key Additions -  Duane Starks (CB),  Rashad Moore (DT),  Aaron Brooks (QB),  Tyrone Poole (CB)

Key Losses -  Ed Jasper (DT),  Renaldo Hill (CB),  Kerry Collins (QB),  Derrick Gibson (S),  Denard Walker (CB),  Ted Washington (DT).

Draft Needs - Can they overlook Vernon Davis and Vince Young if they are available? They should look to draft defense, and draft defense big. They need to develop a pass rush oppposite Derrick Burgess and need secondary help.

Overall: Hard to know what to make of the Raiders acquisitions this spring. If Walter is the guy at QB, surely he would have been worth starting this year rather than bringing in Brooks. I think Brooks will succeed throwing to Moss and Porter, but the Raiders need to find some defensive studs in the draft or they'll be playing catch-up all year long, something Brooks won't be able to do.

 San Diego Chargers

Key Additions -   Aaron Shea (TE),  Marlon McCree(S)

Key Losses -  Drew Brees (QB),  Ben Leber (LB), Justin Peelle (TE),  Reche Caldwell (WR) 

Draft Needs - More secondary help and another target for new QB Rivers.

Overall: McCree was one of the key additions of free agency as he provides a massive upgrade in a terrible secondary. The Bolts have one of the best front 7s in football, which is pointless if they are continuously burned by big passing plays. A good draft, and solid QB play from Rivers could get them into the playoffs as a wild-card.

Now for the controversial part, my 1-16 ranking of AFC free agency.

 
1. Miami - Needed a franchise QB, went out and got one. Saban is turning the Fins around.
2. Cleveland - Crennel's old boys will do him well for a year or so. Bentley was a great signing.
3. Houston - Improvements in personnel have been made.
4. Tennesee - Solid veteran players added to young team, what now for McNair?
5. Jacksonville - Fixed the O-line problems, can they get Arrington?
6. Cinncinati - Sam Adams will be huge for them, literally....
7. Denver - Wangled another R1 pick, no great changes needed.
8. New York Jets - Back up QB in place, difficult draft  choices ahead.
9. San Diego Chargers - McCree is a good addition, can Rivers replace Brees?
10. Baltimore - Will miss Demps, Kemoaetu and Taylor.
11. Oakland - Its all about Aaron.. for 12 months. Defense needed.
12. Indianapolis - Got a great kicker, but lost a great RB.
13. Kansas City - Nothing spectacular, need a good draft
14. Pittsburgh - Didn't need to do much, so they haven't.
15. New England - Umm, at least they did better than Buffalo
16. Buffalo - 10mil to Peerless Price puts them at the bottom.

NFC to follow later. Comments appreciated. 

With less than a month before the biggest day of his career, LenDale white is clearly intent on displaying a clear lack of intelligence when it comes to getting drafted as high as possible (and there for geting as much cash as possible).

While i'm the first to say 40 yard times are one of the most over-hyped and over-rated drills in the whole drafting process (i.e. just 'cos you run 4.3 in a straight line doesn't  mean you can adjust to football travelling 40 yards in the air at a 40 degree angle to you, and just 'cos you run a 4.4 doesn't mean you can see the holes an o-line will create for you), it remains the bread and butter for a running back hoping to be taken in the first round of the draft. If White doesn't run between now and the draft are teams in need of a running back going to go solely on what they've seen from White's college game film (dominated by Mr Bush and Mr Leinhart)?, or are they going to talk players such as Deangelo Williams, Laurence Maroney, and Maurice Drew, all of whom worked out to positive feedback in the lead up to the draft?  

White's camp have maintained he is hampered by a hamstring injury sustained at the combine, and setting down a time for the 40 with a hamstring injury would be more harmful to White than not running at all. Fair point, but the fact remains that White failed to put down a time at the combine and the clock is ticking down to the draft at the end of April.

If White was injured as reported, would it have not been better to not attempt  anything if you're obviously not in shape (either due to injury or a little excess living). White managed 15 reps of the 225lb bech press as a power back, while Reggie Bush managed 24 as a "speed back". This type of result  could inadvertantly hurt White more than anything.

Its clear to see from his college days that LenDale White is a player. A big bodied back, with an adequate skill set who has played in a pro-style offense throughout his college career. What's also emerging is Mr White may be a turd, someone who believes they don't have to earn their way in the pro game as they enjoyed success in college. But as Texans GM Charley Casserly said "If you're a team, how do you take a running back who doesn't runa 40-yard dash? Indeed...

Ok, so this has been bugging me for a while now. Nate "The Fake" Robinson is the reigning Slam Dunk Champ. Has the dude dunked in an NBA game yet? If he has it must have passed me by., where as AI Jnr pulls of a dunk so sick everyone in the Toyota Center (including ballers like Kobe) couldn't quite believe what just happened. Nate over Spud was a nice touch for all people with "short man syndrome"  in the world, but get real for a minute -  you see dudes doing that all the time at your nearest court - and Desmond Mason jumped over a 6"10' Rashard Lewis in 2002, so it wasn't original either. So my point is, why aren't the leagues best in game dunkers voted into the contest every year by the fans - i guarantee you Nate wouldn't be voted in in. Here's my take on the top 10 dunk artists in the game today. (Note, Amare Stoudamire, and Tracy McGrady not included due to injury this season, Shaq not included 'cos he's a fat ####.) 

10. Kirk Snyder (NO). Does this guy have any game apart from dunking? I guess they needed someone to replace Birdman in that respect. In that case expect Snyder to be seen next year in Vegas needing 18 attempts to complete a dunk . If he manages it in only 14, he may just win the damn thing.

9. Desmond Mason (NO). A great dunk artist who produces filthy in-game dunks to add to his impressive contest back catalog.

8. Dwight Howard (ORL). Reportedly able to touch the back board a full 30inches above the rim, there is no-one is basketball who can block this guys dunks. Howard will be ready for basketball domination in a few years.

7. Shawn Marion (PHO). One of my favourite players in the league, The Matrix brings the flavor every night. Marion has no doubt benefitted since Nash came to the desert, but Marion has improved Nash's game as well, as Steve knows he can lob the ball high in the air at the rim and Marion will put it through.

 6. LeBron James (CLE). A terrific in game dunker due to his amazing physical talent, its a small wonder James elected to participate in the skills competition in Houston against Wade, Nash and Paul, when he would have been a favourite to win the dunk contest.

5. Josh Smith (ATL). J-Smoove makes it look too easy most of the time, which was why he didn't progress to the final in Houston (a 2 handed dunk from the foul line!!!?). But Josh is crazy in games as well, and makes many highlight reel plays for Atlanta both blocking shots and sending it down. Plus, it always looks better when its lefty.

4. Dwayne Wade (MIA). One of the greatest athletes in the whole of sports today. Wade at 6-4 can rise as high as anyone else, and he is creating an impressive back catalog of dunks. What makes Wade's crams extra special is what he is able to create for himself off the dribble, weaving in and around defenders before throwing it down. Wade is the most entertaing player in the league right now.

3. Andre Iguadola (PHI). This dude is crazy. AI's athleticism is off the charts, and is creativity is insane also - as Josh Smith said after the contest, no-one else would even think of going behind the backboard. Thats how 'Dre gets down, and his in game dunking (including last sundays crush in garbage time in Indy) has only gotten sicker since he was mugged of the dunk title.

2. Jason Richardson (GS).  A back2back dunk champion, with possibly the craziest dunk of all time (of the floor between the legs windmill) to win it in 2003, and J-Rich was robbed of the title in 2004, after his off the backboard between the legs effort. In games J-Rich does most of his work off the fast break - and if he's running with B-Diddy in the open floor, watch out.

1. Vince Carter (NJ).  VC15 is having a renaissance year of sublime dunks. Again a former dunk champion after putting on "the show" in 2000, Carter is the quintessential poster boy for the modern game, 6-6 and skying for lobs, and rising high above 7footers for constant highlight reel plays. Carter's dunk on Mourning in Dec will rank as one the greatest dunks of all time, and the only reason people know the name Frederic Weis, was because Carter jumped straight over his 7-2 head in the 2000 Olympics (the equivolent of Nate jumping over Vince - i don't think that could happen).

Honorable mentions go to Kobe (No.8 doesn't dunk too much anymore due to the intense defense directed his way), Richard Jefferson (at least he's second best on his team, right?), Josh Childress (they can flush in ATL), Channing Frye (he got game), Chris Bosh (slightly lesser version of D. Howard in the dunk stakes), and Stro Swift (stop, its hammertime!).  

Greetings from a springtime London. OK, so after drinking wine all last night with the lady, and drinking beers in the pub all afternoon with the boyz, here are some sports related things that have crossed my mind recently.

1. Can the NFL not ban Drew Rosenhaus? He may be a power agent, but he's more importantly a major pain in the #### and causes nothing but trouble for NFL franchises, while in-turn giving all of his clients god complexes.

2. Why do NFL teams who finish with the lowest regular season record automatically have the first draft pick? Surely it would be better if the team could evaluate the draft talent and then pick what number they want to select a player. Its not the case this year, but surely the 49ers would rather not have put 50mill into Alex Smith pockets last year but they were unable to find suitable value for a trade out.

3. Why are NBA deals guaranteed? This really gets on my end. If you suck at your job, and your boss doesn't think you are worth paying - he gets rid of you. In the NBA you sign a big deal at around 30, when you are well past your prime and you often end up making massive cash either sitting on the bench and playing a few minutes a night, or sitting at home (whats up Penny Hardaway?). Don't you think some teams would love to just cut half there roster but can't as the money they've signed on for is guaranteed? Bet your #### if they were like NFL deals, some players would be playing harder to ensure their house looks fly on the next episode of cribs.

4. Why isn't the NFL season longer? Yeah, i know its fast, furious and causes injuries but do teams really need 7/8 months of the year playing pitch and catch, working out, and learning playbooks, and then playing the boring pre-season (the biggest cause of irritating injuries). So NFL, please extend the season to either 18 or 20 regular season games - if your looking for a reason to do this  - money... !!!

5. Why do Universities try and cover up the issue of academic eligibility?  Look, there are 3 kinds of people in this world. The academically gifted, the physically gifted and the rare breed of person who is brilliant at everything (i hate them..!). Most athletes (mainly talking about football players here) aren't going to have astounding careers as scientists, writers, nobel prize winners etc. but in the current world of athletes earning more in a year than most working people earn in 40years - why is that important? So why do colleges say that their star athletes (who bring in huge revenue for them) are academically eligible, when they put their players on courses a 7yr old could pass - and invariably "assist" them through the course so they can continue partying, scoring with hot girls and using their god given gifts to star for them on saturday afternoons. I have no problem with Vince Young attending a good academic institution like UT, even if he couldn't tell a fork from a spoon. The guy was a great football player for them and did so much more for the longhorns than any math student could, but i do have  problem with people like Mack Brown coming out and saying how intelligent Vince and all his other players are. Hey Mack, scoring a 7 on the Wonderlic doesn't really say he's that bright does it? But he'll earn more money than any of us will ever see, and good luck to the kid - he deserves it.

6. There are too many NBA regular season games. Why play 82 reg season games. Why? Why 82? Its called diluting the product in advertising terms and when you have 3/4 games a week, it doesn't really make each game that special, does it? I'd rather they played around 60 each season,  making each game more meaningful and competitive and giving players more time to get and stray healthy.

7. The NFL salary cap is too complicated for normal fans. Teams have "cap guys" employed to work round this, so how can regular fans be expected to understand its inner workings? They should simplify it to saying "Every NFL team may have total salaries of up to 150million a year on a 53man roster, and they may spend it how they wish". Then, we can actually see where the money is going, and which players are value for money and more importantly who isn't.

8. Television adverts are the worst things for sports fans. Ever. A big game, a touchdown, 4mins left in the 4th quarter, game all square. 3 minut