Perhaps it was a stretch, not everyone was fooled, but I had to utilize my business trip to Denver to my advantage and pleasure! I really did have an excellent dinner at The Denver Chop House and Brewery. Jay Cutler could have been there, but apparently the baby was on the phone with his agent Buss Cook and Jerry Angelo, the Chicago Bears GM.
So, biggest story of the NFL off-season thus far is the Jay Cutler trade to Chicago. Everyone was thinking Detroit, Tampa or the Jets, but apparently they're not as crazy as da Bears. A team without great receivers, a complete offensive line, a strong secondary and a return man, (yes, I said without each of those)Jerry Angelo and the Chicago Brass sold out, quite literally. Denver sends Jay Cutler and 2009 5th round pick. Chicago sends Kyle Orton, 2009 1st Round pick, 2009 3rd Round pick and a 2010 1st Round pick. Wow.
The Chicago fan's argument is "we're not good with number 1 picks". Since 2003, it's been so-so for them: 2003 Michael Haynes DE (Penn State) & Rex Grossman QB (Florida), 2004: Tommie Harris DT (Oklahoma), 2005 Cedric Benson RB (Texas), 2006 no pick, 2007 Greg Olsen TE (Miami FL), 2008 Chris Williams OT (Vanderbilt). I have news for you Bears fans, NO ONE hits on 1st round picks all the time. Pick franchise and look - two of the most highly touted "build through the draft teams": Eagles: 2003 Jerome McDougle DE (Miami FL), 2004 Shawn Andrews OT (Arkansas), 2005 Mike Patterson DT (USC), 2006 Broderick Bunkley DT (Florida State), 2007/2008 no #1 picks - a total of 1 All-Pro's - Shawn Andrews at Guard in 2006. Patriots: 2003 Ty Warren DT (Texas A&M), 2004 Vince Wilfork DT (Miami FL) & Ben Watson TE (Georgia), 2005 Logan Mankins OG (Fresno State), 2006 Lawrence Maroney RB (Minnesota), 2007 Brandon Merriweather DB (Miami FL), 2008 Jerrod Mayo ILB (Tennessee) - one Defensive Rookie of the Year (Mayo), one second team All-Pro (Mankins). Aside from The Super Bowl Champion Steelers since 2003: Troy Polamolu, Ben Roethlisberger, Heath Miller, Santonio Holmes, Lawrence Timmons and Rashard Mendenhall.
Ok, so enough listing player names, I like the trade for the Broncos - they practically robbed the Bears. Kyle Orton was the Bears starter last year and showed a lot of moxy and guts coming back from injury, almost leading the team to the playoffs. Once touted as a possible 1st round selection at the beginning of his Senior year at Purdue - it's been quite a fall from grace for him, though he had a pretty good year in 2008 - especially from a fantasy perspective - and came back hurt. Jay Cutler is essentially "Cush" from the movie Jerry Maguire.
Ok so enough football for now. While I was out in Denver on business, I took in a Denver Nuggets game. $25 gets you a nosebleed section ticket, but I was quite impressed by the concessions there including the $8 Herradura Margarita I started with and the awesome burger later on. Oh, one other thing, the give away that night was pretty funny - a Denver Nuggets belt buckle! What the Frick am I going to do with a belt buckle?!? I don't think I've ever worn one - even when my mom was dressing me! The game was against the Knicks. It was a strange game. Denver was up by TWENTY SEVEN POINTS early in the second quarter and right after halftime, the New York D'Antoni's cut the lead to TWO!!! Of course 'Melo was out much of that time, and in the end, Denver won by 12 or something, but they really were toying with them it felt. Now that we're a week into the playoffs, I really think they may have a shot to take the Lakers to 6 games if they meet - but the Nuggets as a 2 seed are still no where near the Lakers in my opinion. With LeBron melting his shoes in Cleveland and Detroit, I think it'll be Kobe versus LeBron in an awesome NBA finals. But all that said, it's BronBron's time - the MVP will be awarded in a few weeks, and a Finals MVP and Championship are soon to follow.
The Philadelphia Eagles made a big trade, addressing Left Tackle to get Jason Peters from the Bills. Supposedly someone they looked at last year's off season when he was disgruntled in Buffalo. Not a bad trade moving up in the world based on the pick they got from Carolina this year after trading back last year - AND they got Peters in the deal. This definiely solidifies their Offensive line with some outstanding reserves (one of whom I think could be moved if a trade is made for Anquan Boldin). Essentially the two new tackles (LT Peters and RT Stacy Andrews) and center (Jamaal Jackson) as well as RG Shawn Andrews are all set and Todd Heremans, Max Jean-Gilles and Nick Cole are all vying for one position at LG - with some substantial backups. The Eagles will always grab at least one OLineman in the draft and a few others as undrafted free-agents - that's Andy Reid's M.O. Most think the 21st pick will garner a RB - likely Knowshon Moreno (a NJ product) and reports have the asking price for Anquan Boldin down to a 2nd rounder! The Eagles, no doubt, will have a busy weekend.....starting NOW.
A lot more has happened these past few weeks since the Cutler post. There's only one true way to sum it up....
Around the Balls:
White-stitched- The Yankees are worried about their #3 pitcher, the Phillies had a scare this week with their Ace, Florida started like a ball of fire and the Washington "Natinals" didn't, 2008 NL Cy Young Tim Lincecum finally won his first game, and Toronto is leading MLB in run differential. The season is off to an ok start, but much of the news has been around off-season acquisitions, the Phillies losing a broadcasting legend and the fact that attendance is down. Sure, we all expected the attendace struggles and it will continue through the next month or so - but I'd be willing to say that families will head to the ball park for those "staycations" at home this summer. Sure, the Yankees probably won't sell out more than once or twice unless they make a playoff run and places hardest hit by the economy like Detroit will have to offer crazy promos to fill the bowl or hope they win 100 games to cover their payroll, but those luxury suites and $2600 tickets out there will be 60% full if that. It'll be something to watch as the year presses on, just hope for good baseball.
Big-brown-oblong- The weekend is here that we've all been waiting for! Ok - probably just me, Mel Kiper, Todd McShay, Chris Berman and Mark Sanchez. It comes on the most beautiful weekend of the year on the East Coast and for sure the temp will be rising in draft "war rooms" across the country. News early this morning, Matthew Stafford, the rocket-armed quarterback from Georgia has agreed to a contract with the Detroit Lions. SIX years, $72 MILLION with $41.7 MIL guaranteed! Wow - he'll play in a place where an automaker owns the naming rights to the field, where GM calls home and reportedly is dumping its Saab, Hummer, Saturn and Pontiac brands (see Edmunds.com), where crime is king (#1 most dangerous city according to Forbes) . All I have to say is that the NFL owners and the Players union better come to terms on some sort of scale for incoming rookies. The Free market is great, but I wonder how Detroit can turn that franchise around? The question will be - is Stafford going to turn out like a Manning or a Ryan Leaf? He and Calvin Johnson can be a tremendous force, but will they have any other cast around them? It should prove to be an interesting weekend with the down stream effect of Stafford, Cutler, Mark Sanchez, Anquan Boldin, Braylon Edwards and others. --> Check out my draft updates over the next 48 hours straight from my Blackberry right here.
Tiny-white-dimpled- Well, the ESPN question before Majors is "Tiger or the Field". If you took the field for the Masters, you were correct, but got a scare on Sunday morning. A lot of criticism arose during and soon after Augusta that Tiger is a front-runner, he's never come from behind to win like Jack did in 1983 or something. He and Phil made a run on Day 4 two weeks ago - but the gap was too wide. Sure - a similar thing has been said recently about LeBron James - that he couldn't make the big shot to close out games - and King James showed up the media a few times this year. Not saying Tiger needs to come from behind, nor will he look to achieve this, but I argue he could walk away from the game in the next year and still have a strong argument for the title of "Best Golfer ever". Sure he hasn't reached the number of Majors Jack Nicholaus has, but he for years crushed the competition. I'm not buying the whole "Jack played in an era with better golfers" thing - every other sport has improved since the late 1970's/early 80's - why would golf be any different. The field is stronger now - that's why there isn't one true competitor for Tiger - which again makes my case why he's already achieved T-B-E.
Black-rubber-non- Martin Brodeur has been back, but faltered down the stretch mainly because of some poor play in front of him, although he just did tie the all-time playoff shut-out mark. Look for the Devils to close out the Hurricanes on Sunday night and get to the Eastern/Wales Conference Finals on the back of Brodeur and Zach Parise. And holy crap - for those that missed it, check out the goal by Alexander Ovechkin of the Capitals from last night! Around one guy, through the skates of another, stumbled, kicked the puck to himself then a back-hand shot off balance to score an amazing goal. Oh the days when watching hockey and dancing in refried beans was cool.
Big-orange-round- The Philly Seventy-sixers are looking strong. I still can't figure out why their mascot is jacked up ugly bunny, but the team is playing well, up 2-1 on the Orlando Dwight Howards. Andre Igudola sure was the correct "A.I." to keep and the supporting cast is playing well through their ups and downs. Just such a hustle-first team that may again only get to the second round this year, but have an amazing base of Igudola, Andre Miller, Samuel Dalembert and Thaddeus Young for the future. We'll see how 2010 turns out - maybe 55+ wins and a 3 seed? They'll still be behind the LeBron's - who one day will actually jump feet first through the rim or clear into the 20th row.
Updates:
I will be sending updates live from my location and Blackberry "blogging" with my thoughts throughout the draft over the next 2 days. Stay right here at Dom's Dish-dot-blogspot-dot-com for all your draft insight!
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