LEADING OFF
Happy Cinco De Mayo!!
Cinco De Mayo is an important holiday, because without it, Mexico would be ruled by the French, and how friggin weird would that be?
RIP Chris Candido
For those of you who don’t know, Chris Candido is a former WWF, ECW, WCW, and TNA wrestler who died last week due to complications from an in-ring injury suffered at TNA’s recent “Lockdown” event. Wrestling may be a staged performance where the outcome is predetermined, but it is most assuredly real. Wrestlers are amazing athletes and entertainers who bring a little bit of happiness to the lives of their fans. Without them putting their bodies through hell doing what they love, I wouldn’t have a site where I can do what I love, writing about sports. So thanks.
NFL GENUINE DRAUGHT- NFC NORTH
Change is in the air in the erstwhile Black and Blue division. Green Bay has dominated the division for the better part of the last decade, but lately they seem to have all the markings of a franchise in decline. Meanwhile , the Vikings have excised the 200 lb. tumor known as Randy Moss, and improved their defense through free agent signings. The Lions have an exciting young offense, and the Bears remain perpetually inept. How did these longtime rivals decide to use their draft picks? Let’s find out:
Green Bay Packers
DAY 1
1st Round, 24th Pick- Aaron Rodgers, QB, Cal
Rodgers was obviously drafted to be the heir apparent to Brett Favre. The interesting part is that the only similarity Rodgers and Favre has is that they both play quarterback. Their styles of play couldn’t be more different. While Favre has relied on athleticism and instinct throughout his Hall of Fame career, Rodgers is seen as a Quarter-bot who plays well within a short passing system. Maybe the Packers don’t remember, but their defense was piss poor last year. They might have been better off going defense in the first round, and crossing the Favre retirement bridge when they come to it.
2nd Round, 51st Pick- Nick Collins, CB/S, Bethune Cookman
This was one of the most confounding picks of the draft. Collins projected out to be a late round draft pick, but the Pack took him the 2nd round. They like the fact that he, in theory, can play corner or safety. However, being that he played his college ball at Bethune Cookman, I have to question whether he can play either at an NFL level. He does possess good speed, but this pick is, in draft parlance, a reach.
2nd Round, 58th Pick- Terrence Murphy, WR, Texas A&M
While wideout was low on the Packer’s need list, Murphy has the tools to be a good possession receiver. He is known for having superior catching ability and at 6-1, 202, has the size to go over the middle. Murphy also ran a 4.39 40 yard dash which means he has speed too, even though he wasn’t an effective deep threat in college.
And the rest..
Marviel Underwood (4th round, Safety, San Diego St.) has good speed and plays with abandon. He can provide much needed help in the secondary. BYU linebacker Brady Poppinga (4th round) could provide 3rd down pass rush. The offensive line took some hits in free agency, and Junius Coston (5th round, NC A&T) and William Whitticker (7th round, Michigan St.) are all the Pack came away with to try and plug the holes. WR Craig Bragg (6th round, UCLA) is a burner. Defensive tackle Mike Montgomery (6th round, Texas A&M) hustles and could stick with strong special teams play.
Minnesota Vikings
DAY 1
1st Round, 7th Pick- Troy Williamson, WR, S. Carolina
With USC WR Mike Williams still on the board, the Vikings chose instead to go with speed at that position in drafting Williamson. Williamson is a better fit for the Vikings offense in that he is more likely to get open for the home run ball that QB Daunte Culpepper loves to throw. Williamson is big (6-1, 203) and fast (4.32 40 yard dash), but some feel he is limited to strictly catching the bomb. Personally, he reminds me of another highly drafted WR from a school in the Carolinas, Seahawk WR Koren Robinson. That’s not a good thing.
1st Round, 18th Pick- Erasmus James, DE, Wisconsin
James is seen as a complete, 3 down defensive end. On top of that, he is an absolutely outstanding pass rusher. The only knock on James is that he has an injury history. Outside of that, James is seen as somebody who can be a Pro Bowl player one day.
2nd Round, 49th Pick- Marcus Johnson, OT, Ole Miss
Johnson is an athletic tackle who moves well. The only concern with him is that his physical strength is not at the level of other offensive tackles. However, his quickness should serve him well in the Vikings offense, which is primarily geared toward the passing game. He also brings versatility in that he can either play guard or tackle.
3rd Round, 80th Pick- Dustin Fox, CB/S, Ohio St.
A few years ago, a player like Fox may not have been drafted. However, in this era where the Patriots have used undersized, versatile players as a key element of winning 3 Super Bowls, the rules have changed. Fox is a “tweener” in that he can play either corner or safety. He’s not quite big enough to play safety, not quite fast enough to play corner. However, he plays intensely and with good instincts, which in today’s NFL counts for a lot.
And the rest..
A lot of people are high on Florida RB Ciatrick Fason (4th round). He’s an underclassman who had injury problems. Given time to learn behind the Vikings other backs he could develop. Defensive tackle CJ Mosley’s (6th round, Missouri) stock took a nosedive at the combines, but he played well on the field in college and could be a good short yardage run stopper.
Detroit Lions
DAY 1
1st Round, 10th Pick- Mike Williams, WR, USC
After drafting Charles Rogers and Roy Williams #1 in the last two drafts, the Lions continued to load up at wideout by selecting Williams. Williams sat out last season after a botched attempt to enter the 2004 draft, and only played 2 seasons at USC. The concern with Williams is that he lacks speed. He is big and athletic and catches everything thrown at him, but can he get open? He has drawn a lot of comparisons to fellow USC alum and Cowboy WR Keyshawn Johnson. The Lions may be a good fit for him, because with 2 other game breaking receivers all the pressure and defensive gameplanning wont be on him.
2nd Round, 37th Pick- Sean Cody, DT, USC
Cody was seen as the best pass rushing defensive tackle available. There are concerns though about his ability to stop the run, and therefore his ability to stay on the field. However, he is a disruptor who will get in the opponent’s backfield and cause havoc.
3rd Round, 72nd Pick- Stanley Wilson, CB, Stanford
The Lions have two pretty good corners already in Dre Bly and Fernando Bryant, which is good because Wilson is talented but raw. He has very good speed and plays hard, but his instincts are not yet there. The Lions hope he can learn from the vets and be ready to slide into a starting spot in a couple of years.
And the rest…
QB Dan Orlovsky (5th round, Connecticut) has seen his stock drop due to a lack of accuracy. He is a good game manager though, and could develop under coach Steve Mariucci. DE Bill Swancutt (6th round, Oregon St.) is a sound, tough player who could prove to be a good value pick.
Chicago Bears
DAY 1
1st Round, 4th Pick- Cedric Benson, RB, Texas
Cedric Benson wants you to know that he’s NOT Ricky Williams. Yes he is a running back, yes he went to Texas, yes he has the same style of running, and YES he has had marijuana issues. But, he cut off his dreds so he is NOT Williams. The Bears had better just hope he is not Curtis Enis. Benson is a power running back but is also seen as lacking speed and character. Given the Bears history of drafting goofballs in the 1st round like Enis, Cade McNown, and David Terrell, they may have wanted to shy away from someone with character issues. Cadillac Williams was right there.
2nd Round, 39th Pick- Mark Bradley, WR, Oklahoma
Bradley saw his stock rise by posting some good numbers at the combines, most notably running a 4.38 40 yard dash. There are concerns that he has stone hands though, but his athleticism can’t be denied. He either will be a steal or a bust. Of course, a lot of that depends on what team a guy gets drafted by, and the Bears aren’t exactly known for developing great offensive players in recent years.
And the rest…
Nobody saw their prospects dim more in the 2004 season than Purdue QB Kyle Orton (4th round). Orton entered the season as a Heisman Trophy front runner and slam dunk 1st round pick. Suffice to say he had a bad year, and found himself drafted in the 4th round. Still, he has the size and the ability, so this may be a steal for the Bears. WR Airese Currie (5th round, Clemson) is small and fast. The Bears hope he can stretch the field and give them a much needed deep threat.
MLB APRIL IN REVIEW- NL
While the American League is perennially dominated by the behemoths in New York and Boston, the NL is traditionally pretty wide open. How did things shake out in April (and the first 4 days of May)?
NL East
Florida Marlins 15-10, 1st Place tie
The Marlins rode excellent pitching and a pretty good offense to a successful April. Miguel Cabrera continues to blossom into a superstar with a .371 average, and Carlos Delgado has added punch to the lineup since coming over from Toronto. The pitching staff has an insane ERA of 2.75. That just doesn’t happen. 4 of the Fish’ 5 starters (Josh Beckett, AJ Burnett, Dontrelle Willis, Brian Moehler) have ERA’s under 3. That can’t hold up the rest of the year, but with Beckett, Burnett and Willis’ stuff it might.
Atlanta Braves 16-11, 1st Place tie
The Braves lineup struggled in April with the team batting a weak .245. Looking at the Braves lineup, this doesn’t seem like a problem that will go away. Atlanta is relying on its tried and true formula of great pitching to remain near the top of the division. Mike Hampton, Tim Hudson, and John Thomson were great in April and John Smoltz is making the transition back to the rotation. Dan Kolb has been shaky as the closer but still has 8 saves.
Washington Nationals 14-13, 3rd Place
That the Nats have competed well in their first season in DC shouldn’t be a big surprise. The lineup has a good amount of pop with Vinny Castilla, Jose Guillen, Nick Johnson, Brad Wilkerson, and Jose Vidro all off to good starts. Castilla and Guillen in particular have made all the difference in the Natspos’ lineup by presenting real power threats in a lineup that lacked that last year. The starting pitching has been no better than average, which is about right for the talent level on it. Closer Chad Cordero has been great but the rest of the bullpen has struggled.
NY Mets 13-14, 4th Place
New acquisitions Carlos Beltran and Pedro Martinez have performed very well, but yet the Mets continue to struggle. The reason for this is that other than Pedro, the rotation has been miserable. Tom Glavine has been horrid and uncharacteristically wild so far, and Victor Zambrano has had hitters bat .324 against him. The bullpen has also been subpar, with closer Braden Looper stuggling and his setup men not faring a whole lot better.
Philadelphia Phillies 12-15, 5th Place
The Phillies have had two of their starting pitchers perform much better than expected, and are still in last place, so what does that tell you about this team’s prospects for the rest of the year? Brett Myers and Jon Lieber have been outstanding, but the rest of the rotation has been beaten like piñatas. Pat Burrell has been carrying the offense without a lot of help from anybody else, most notably Jim Thome, who has been injured and/or bad so far this year. Fired manager Larry Bowa was supposedly all that was keeping this team from succeeding. Apparently, the Phillies had other problems too.
NL Central
St. Louis Cardinals 17-8, 1st Place
It appears that the Cards are indeed, that good. After cruising to an NL Central title last year, there was a prevailing sense that the team was not as good as its record last year. They have disproved that so far this year, and the main reason is pitching. The pitching staff was the big question mark headed into the year, but just as last year the rotation is rock solid 1-5 and good enough to keep the team in games and let the loaded lineup win it. The team has even dealt well with the injury of its closer, Jason Isringhausen, getting saves from 3 different relievers since he went out.
Chicago Cubs 12-13, 2nd Place tie
I live in the Chicago area, and I can tell you it’s been a long time since I’ve heard LESS about the Cubs than I have so far this year. Their fans are no longer happy with rooting for the cuddly little losers, Sammy Sosa isn’t blowing kisses in right field any more, and not even Cub fans are gullible enough to think this team is a contender. Kerry Wood continues to be more like Kerry Glass, as him getting through a start without leaving with an injury is almost as newsworthy as Carlos Zambrano making it through a start without getting ejected. The closer situation is a mess and Derek Lee is the only guy hitting. The fact that the Cubs have not yet played the Braves, Marlins, Dodgers, or really anybody else good yet (save for 2 games with the Cardinals) and they are still under .500 doesn’t bode well either. The bottom is going to drop out on this team.
Milwaukee Brewers 12-13, 2nd Place tie
The Brewers are off to, for them, a very good start. The reason for this is that the starting pitching has been good enough to keep the team in games, and the bullpen has been superb allowing them to win games late with key hits by people like Lyle Overbay and Brady Clark. Derrick Turnbow has won the closers job from Mike Adams, and has been lights out. Turnbow has a .093 batting average against, and has allowed only 4 hits in 13 innings. Matt Wise has also been great in a setup role with a 0.82 WHIP ratio (baserunners per inning, anything under 1 is outstanding). In a weak NL Central the Brew Crew could surprise and take second place this year.
Houston Astros 11-14, 4th Place
Houston has been a miserable 1-10 away from Minute Maid Park this year. This, and their subpar record has overshadowed the fact that they have had a lot of young players play very well so far this year. Chief among them is CF Willy Taveras, who hasn’t been Carlos Beltran but is hitting .280 with 10 stolen bases and has thrown a few runners out from his position. Jason Lane has also played well, clocking in at .275 with 4 homers and 13 RBIs. The top 3 of the rotation has been great as expected with Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens, and Roy Oswalt all pitching like All-Stars, but nobody has stepped up to be anything but dismal in the 4 or 5 slot. If the Astros don’t vault into contention soon, they may just go with an all out youth movement because they have a lot of veteran players who could be useful to contending teams.
Cincinnati Reds 10-16 5th Place
Boy was I wrong about this team. You may remember, but probably don’t, that I predicted the Reds to win the NL Central this year. They won’t do that. The Reds have too many players in their lineup who know how to do nothing but swing as hard as they can on every pitch and hope they hit it. The pitching isn’t helping either as the NL is batting .295 against the Reds’ staff.
Pittsburgh Pirates 9-16, 6th Place
The only drama remaining in the Pirates season is whether or not manager Lloyd McClendon will be the first skipper given the heave ho this year. Last year the Pirates were scrappy in the early going, but this year they’ve just been crappy. OF Jason Bay has been the only guy in the lineup who doesn’t look like he belongs in the minor leagues. Closer Jose Mesa has been good as well, but the rest of the rotation, including highly touted Oliver Perez, have been lousy.
NL West
LA Dodgers 17-9, 1st Place
The Dodgers took a lot of heat for making some questionable moves in the offseason, but so far everything has worked out better than expected. Jeff Kent, Cesar Izturis, and Milton Bradley have led an offense that has been getting the job done. Meanwhile, Derek Lowe has been everything the Dodgers hoped for and more in posting a 1.96 ERA through April. Yhency Brazoban has filled in flawlessly for injured closer Eric Gagne, racking up 9 saves.
Arizona Diamondbacks 16-11, 2nd Place
Every fan of the Royals, Pirates, Brewers, Tigers, Devil Rays or any other team that has sucked for years and years and years on end should be disgusted with the way the D-backs have rebounded from losing 111 games last year, to looking like a team that will contend for the division title all year. Yes, they have brought in some high profile, big money players such as Troy Glaus and Russ Ortiz, but they also are doing this after losing Randy Johnson and Steve Finley. Oddly enough, it hasn’t been the big signees Ortiz and Javier Vazquez anchoring the staff, it has been lesser lights like Shawn Estes, Brandon Webb, and Brad Halsey that have led the Snakes to their good start. Don’t forget closer Brandon Lyon, who has been absolutely untouchable and already has 11 saves.
San Francisco Giants 14-12, 3rd Place
Felipe Alou has done a good job with this club. They are old and devoid of star players with Barry Bonds out. This has forced them to give a lot of different people playing time, and those people have been producing enough to keep the Giants’ heads above water. Jason Ellison, JT Snow, and Lance Neikro have all hit well in part time roles. Omar Vizquel and Pedro Feliz have anchored the offense on a day to day basis. The pitching staff has disappointed though, and losing closer Armando Benitez to an injury really hurts.
San Diego Padres 13-14, 4th Place
For a long time, manager Bruce Bochy and GM Kevin Towers had a pretty good thing going in San Diego. They would crank out average seasons year after year, cry poor, and generally come out of the whole thing looking pretty good based on those two factors. All that has changed. The new ownership says that the mission of the organization is to be the best baseball organization in the world, and A’s architect Sandy Alderson has been brought in to oversee that. Now all of a sudden, things are not so cozy. The whole roster is under review and haven’t really been acquitting themselves well. If the Padres aren’t serious contenders by the trade deadline, there’s going to be a lot of changes. Jake Peavy has been the lone strong performer on the team thus far, sporting a 2.32 ERA and a .208 opponents batting average.
Colorado Rockies 6-18, 5th Place
Well, the record is awful. They have a had a nice story in the development of infielder Clint Barmes, who is hitting at a .392 clip and is the early front runner for NL Rookie of the Year. The Rocks are long on lineup prospects, but still will always be short on pitching. It can be argued that a major league team in Denver will never be successful on the field because no decent pitcher will ever want to pitch there, and you’ll never get a good handle on whether your lineup is any good or not away from Coors Field because their stats are so inflated from those games at the high altitude. This organization really does try, but while other teams can’t compete because of financial limitations that come with the city they play in, the Rockies can’t compete because of the altitude of the city they play in, and you can’t fix that.
NBA PLAYOFFS- For Shizzle My Wizzle
– As a Bulls fan, that Wizzle/Bulls game last night where the Bulls came back from 20+ down only to lose on a last second shot by Gilbert Arenas was about as heartbreaking as it gets. My only solace is that these 2 teams are in reality only playing for the right to get housed by Miami.
– Speaking of the Heat, it almost looks like Shaq was a set of training wheels for Dwayne Wade during the season. Now the training wheels have come off and Wade is showing he can do this thing on his own. I guess we should have known somebody that could lead MARQUETTE to the Final 4 would be pretty damn good in the NBA.
– Well I’ll be damned if the Nuggs didn’t just roll over and die in the playoffs.
– Looks like Boston is finally going to lose a playoff game/series in SOME sport thank God.
– Why doesn’t USA Basketball just send the Pistons to represent Amerka in international competition. They play the best team basketball of any team in the world, and they are all from right here in Amerka. Except for Darko Mlicic.
– Geez somebody forgot to give Jason Williams his Prozac after getting swept by the Suns.
– No team crapped its pants in the first round more than the Sac Kings. They may as well start booking a hotel in Secaucus, NJ for next year at this time.
– Houston vs. Dallas has been the best thing on TV, on any channel, the last 2 weeks. Yes, better than “Fallen Idol”.
PIMPS UP HOS DOWN
Well that is it for this week homeboys. I leave you with a roadmap for where to go next:
Pat Nguyen speaks on Jeff Van Gundy’s $100K fine, Kwame Brown’s flamingness, and the Zen Master’s next gig.
IP SPORTS
Oli Porter doesn’t like Chelsea. He’s probably really happy they lost to Liverpool.
IP SPORTS
Steve Price should be covering NASCAR professionally. That’s about all I can say about him.
IP SPORTS
Tal Aubrook misses “Slamball”, but not as much as I miss “Rollerjam”
IP SPORTS
Eugene Tierney brings the baseball week in and week out.
IP SPORTS
Enjoy! See ya next week where we’ll look at the NFC South’s draft, check in on the NBA playoffs, and I’ll tell you how I feel on my 30th birthday.
