Fun with the NFL Draft

I’ve got to hand it to Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay of ESPN. They kept me entertained for hours while providing “cutting edge” analysis of the 2009 NFL Draft, which I watched for a good part of the weekend. The two spend hundreds, probably thousands, of hours watching and breaking down film so that they are ready when Christmas comes around a second time for them. Of the first 16 picks of draft this year, the two “experts” were only right in five of their picks in the latest mock drafts released before the draft. While some picks are nearly impossible to predict (the Jets trading up to get QB Mark Sanchez), the first three picks were pretty much decided well before the Draft began and were no surprises. Here’s my reaction to some of the picks:

• Good luck to QB Matthew Stafford, who was drafted first overall by the Detroit Lions (who did not win a game last year). Stafford gets to throw to Calvin Johnson, a very talented receiver; that is, as long as he’s not running away from the defenders that his terrible offensive line let through. Let’s hope he has more success than Dan Orlovsky.

• The Jets made an aggressive play to nab USC QB Mark Sanchez at the number 5 spot. The Jets didn’t have to give much up to move up from 17 and I hear that Sanchez was working with USC Strength Coach Chuck Berry for the past year, so you have to feel confident about the pick.

• Oakland, which now has a stable of talented offensive weapons but no offensive line (or defensive for that matter) passed up the two “best” WRs in the draft to take Maryland’s Darrius Heyward-Bey. 49ers fans rejoiced as Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree fell to them at 10.

• My New England Patriots trade away many of their picks, but were able to snag CB Darius Butler of UConn in the second round. Most predicted that the Patriots were going to take Butler in the first round but the Pats were able to save some money by waiting 19 picks to draft him. The Celtics are apparently borrowing Butler for a week to fill in for the numerous injuries the Celts are struggling with.  

• Cincinnati drafted TE Chase Coffman in the third round to replace Kellen Winslow, but more importantly to help Chad Ochocinco. Now that TJ Housh"yomomma" is gone, and Kelley Washington left two years prior, Chad Ochocinco’s dance partners have dwindled to none. We’ll see if Coffman is up to the tough challenge and high standards left behind by the two.

If I was a gambling man…

I’d put my money on the Boston Bruins to win their next series, regardless of who they’re playing. They’re just that dominant right now… Cleveland can’t be stopped. Look for them to sweep their next opponent (the winner of the Atlanta-Miami series)…Take Seattle and Felix “The King” Hernandez over heavy-set Bartolo Colon and the erratic White Sox.

CMS Sports News

Larry Wang became the first Stag to win the Ojai Valley Division III Singles Title by beating John Watts of WashU (in St. Louis)…Stags Tennis take travel to UC Santa Cruz in a match that will determine Regional’s home court advantage…Athenas Softball dropped two games to Whittier but remain in third heading into the weekend’s SCIAC champions hosted by #1 seeded Redlands…Track & Field continues to dominate SCIACS with a flurry of athletes setting NCAA qualifying results…Women’s Water Polo ended the season with two consecutive wins but fell short of a SCIAC championship finishing 5th in the conference.