Grading the Draft

This was probably one of the most entertaining and unpredictable drafts that I can remember. I only missed maybe a hour and a half of the entire draft by going to play a round of 18 Sunday morning. So it was needless to say I was very into the happens of the 2009 NFL Draft. Grading teams for the draft is funny because you really don't get a sense if the teams drafted well for at least a couple of seasons. So instead of grading teams, here's a small list of my winners and losers from the Draft and a little look on my thoughts on how the Washington Redskins did. Hope that you feel your teams did well, because if you didn't it could be a long 4 months until the season.

WINNERS

Green Bay - It was hard to miss in the 1st round being so deep, but grabbing B.J. Raji and Clay Matthews as instant starters was key to their draft.

Buffalo - The Bills did everything they were suppose to do in this draft as far as addressing their needs.

NY Giants - Unfortunately the Giants did an excellent job, grabbing players late in the draft that could have immediate impact.

San Francisco - Not only did they land a monster in Michael Crabtree, but they acquired a 1st rounder next year for the 43rd and 111th choices.

Philadelphia - I really didn't understand the pick of Jeremy Maclin, because he is not a possession receiver, but the Eagles are definitely loaded on the offensive side of the ball next year.

LOSERS

Oakland - Darrius Heyward-Bey?

Kansas City - If they really think that Tyson Jackson is going to be a stud fine. But, was he really worth the 3rd overall pick or could you tried to trade out and get more, because you need it.

Cleveland - They certainly didn't make out in the Sanchez trade. And I am quite confident that they didn't do their homework or their computers weren't working. Because they had to be a better reason for deciding not to pick for 2 + hours.

Dallas - Their draft consisted of nothing more than special teams players.

Carolina - They basically gave away their 1st round pick next year for a d-back from a mid-major and a special teams returner...nice!

Washington's Draft

I kept looking over to my brother as the DEs started to slip in the top 10. Then, Brian Orakpo was really falling. Then, the Broncos take Knowshon Moreno...THANK YOU! WOW! Orakpo is going to be a stud. Obviously if you saw my Big Board I was really high on this kid from the start. And I think that he will be a force playing along side with Albert Haynesworth. And with Andre Carter on the other side of the d-line, I don't want to jinx anything but...forget it. Let's just say it has been a while since the Redskins had a "real" pass rush since the 80s - early 90s. They didn't hold a round 2 pick because of the trade for Jason Taylor (thanks for nothing). In round three they drafted a cornerback from Maryland in Kevin Barnes. I like the pick after the loss of Shaun Springs, but this kid is no ordinary DB. He stands at six feet and his reach is outstanding. They didn't draft any offensive linemen, this is something that really bothered me. But, I can't get to worked up they didn't do anything too stupid and they came away from the draft with all their draft picks for next year. If their linebackers they drafted in the 5th and 6th rounds can compete for a back up position, I think that the Skins had a very good draft considering they were without a 2nd and 4th round pick.

The Most Exciting Play in Baseball

With two outs, Ellsbury not only caught me off guard but the Yankees as well.

Deez' Mock Draft

I will continue the best draft picks by your team next week. But, before I head to Jacksonville this weekend for a much needed break. I will be posting you my mock draft for the 1st round. After much debate, and listening to countless hours of analysts, I have decided what team is doing what. Last year I did pretty well, this year I am looking for 50% correct. I can't wait for the draft, and this year I don't even have to rush out of work. Let's take a look at who I think will be going where, with a little overview on why. P.s. keep in mind that trades are always possible and my predictions are for the teams not the pick.

Deez' 2009 Mock Draft

1. Detroit Lions - Matthew Stafford/QB/Georgia

If they think that Stafford is a franchise QB then they have to go with him.

2. St. Louis Rams - Jason Smith/OT/Baylor

The Rams couldn't be happier seeing this man in a Rams jersey after Orlando Pace.

3. Kansas City Chiefs - Aaron Curry/OLB/Wake Forrest

Scouts say he is the best player in this years draft. Chiefs need a lot of help.

4. Seattle Seahawks - Mark Sanchez/QB/USC

After thinking that Sanchez is going to fall in this draft, it makes perfect sense here at 4.

5. Cleveland Browns - Brian Orakpo/DE/Texas

I don't know what the Browns will do here, but they should take Orakpo but they prob. won't.

6. Cincinnati Bengals - Eugene Monroe/OT/Virginia

This kid is a can't miss for the Bengals. Even though Andre Smith certainly acts like a Bengal.

7. Oakland Raiders - Michael Crabtree/WR/Texas Tech

They are all about the big names of the draft, Crabtree in my opinion has the biggest.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars - B.J. Raji/DT/Boston College

The Jags would have loved to see Crabtree here, but they will settle for a DT or trade the pick.

9. Green Bay Packers - Aaron Maybin/DE/Penn State

This makes sense. The Pack will be looking to add somebody to start right away with this pick.

10. San Francisco 49ers - Jeremy Maclin/WR/Missouri

The Niners will love seeing a playmaker like Maclin fall to ten for them. Instant offense!

11. Buffalo Bills - Tyson Jackson/DE/LSU

The Bills are in definite need of a pass rushing DE. They have to go with this position and BA.

12. Denver Broncos - Robert Ayers/DE/Tennessee

With all the DEs going fast they have to take one here. But, I really don't think that they will stay here.

13. Washington Redskins - Andre Smith/OT/Alabama

Here's the thing...I want them to go with a DE, real bad. But if this mammoth is on the board they need someone to fill in for aging Jon Jansen. I really am expecting fireworks on late Saturday afternoon with Dan Synder tearing up the phone lines. But, if I am them, and this player is on the board, this really is a no-brainer.

14. New Orleans Saints - Chris Wells/RB/Ohio State

The only way this doesn't happen in my opinion is if somebody jumps up to get him b4 the Saints do.

15. Houston Texans - Brian Cushing/OLB/USC

I don't know if any of you have seen USC's linebackers last year. But, Cushing was the one that stood out.

16. San Diego Chargers - Rey Maualuga/ILB/USC

I am getting queasy just thinking about him and Merriman playing the 'skins week 17.

17. New York Jets - Josh Freeman/QB/Kansas State

Jets fans won't be very happy as usual with their pick, but where else did you want them to go.

18. Denver (from Chicago) - Clay Matthews/OLB/USC

Like I said, I don't believe that they will pick at either spot, but this addresses both needs.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Everette Brown/DE/Florida State

I really believe that this could end up being the steal of the draft. This kid is crazy good!

20. Detroit Lions - Michael Oher/OT/Mississippi

The Lions did what they were suppose to, grab a QB and OT with their first round picks.

21. Philadelphia Eagles - Knowshon Moreno/RB/Georgia

I was trying to find a way out of the Eagles drafting him but I can't. Only if they pull a "Stevey" again.

22. Minnesota Vikings - Eben Britton/OT/Arizona

This is going to be an interesting draft for the Vikings, what they will do first is key.

23. New England Patroits - James Laurinaitis/ILB/Ohio State

After addressing their cornerback need during free agency, linebacker is the smart play.

24. Atlanta Falcons - Larry English/DE/Northern Illinois

I thought that they might go elsewhere, but with Tony Gonzalez coming to town I changed my mind.

25. Miami Dolphins - Darrius Heyward-Bey/WR/Maryland

My Dolphin readers should be extremely happy with this playmaking speedster from the ACC.

26. Baltimore Ravens - Hakeem Nicks/WR/North Carolina

They won't be happy missing out on Heyward-Bey, but Nicks is a nice replacement.

27. Indianapolis Colts - Kenny Britt/WR/Rutgers

The WR draft class is so deep that the Colts will just be happy one of them will still be on the board.

28. Philadelphia (from Carolina) - Brandon Pettigrew/TE/Oklahoma State

The NFC East just got that much tougher with this pick. I hate the Pitbull and all Eagle fans if this happens!

29. New York Giants - Jared Cook/TE/South Carolina

The G-men really get screwed here, as the big wide outs are gone, and the Eagles steal Pettigrew from them.

30. Tennessee Titans - Percy Harvin/WR/Florida

The Titans are going to build their offense with speed, short passes from Collins to Harvin sound nice.

31. Arizona Cardinals - LaSean McCoy/RB/Pittsburgh

NFL experts are saying that Hightower doesn't look like the answer, McCoy could very well be.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers - Vontae Davis/CB/Illinois

I thought Dr. Z was crazy when I saw his picks, but when the Steelers see this guy on the board, he will be gone!

The Best NFL Draft Pick by Your Team

ESPN Insider had a great idea leading up to the draft. Team by team they put the top 10 draft choices in the history of the franchise. One thing that I didn't like was that they put draft picks like John Elway on the top 10 for the Colts or Brett Favre for the Falcons. Starting today up until the Draft next Saturday here at The Nutz, I will be listing the best picks by a franchise in their history. But it'll be a little more insightful. My criteria is as follows: value at pick, value for the franchise as a whole, overall success by the player, and what he meant to the team during his career. I will go division by division. Hope you enjoy and if you think that I am wrong in anyway...you know what you can do!

AFC West

Denver Broncos- Terrell Davis 1995 Rd. 6 Pick 196

No player that makes this list will have such a short impact with a team and still be worth the best player ever drafted by it's franchise. Davis won the hearts in Colorado very quickly after being drafted so late in the '95 draft. With only seven years under his belt in Denver he is still the team all-time leading rusher. What won me over for T.D., was John Elway had a problem in Super Bowls until he arrived. And Davis was a major force on the Broncos offense for both of their championship teams having won Super Bowl MVP in one of them. Never ever getting enough credit Davis is one of those running backs that we will always look back and say that he had "What could have been" careers.

Kansas City Chiefs- Tony Gonzalez 1997 Rd. 1 Pick 13

The best tight end the game has ever seen, and to think he wasn't a half bad basketball player in college as well. With the team on the decline the last couple of years the team can not afford to get rid of this guy after all he has done for the franchise, let alone the seats he puts in the stands. Gonzalez, still looking for a chance to play in the Super Bowl, is the all-time tight end leader in single season catches (102), career touchdowns (76), and yards (10,940). This ten-time Pro-Bowler is the Kansas City Chiefs and I really can't imagine him in another jersey.

Oakland Raiders- Marcus Allen 1982 Rd. 1 Pick 10

I still don't know how he fell to 10 in the draft after what he did in college. Playing ten years for the silver and black, Allen is best remembered for his heroics in Super Bowl XVIII. He ran for 191 yards, caught 2 passes for 18 yards, and scored 2 touchdowns in the Raiders 38-9 victory over my Washington Redskins. He went to 6 Pro-Bowls, was the rookie of the year, won NFL MVP in 1985, and was a two-time All-Pro selection. One of the lowest things owner Al Davis has done was run this man out of town, something that should have never been done to a guy that brought winning in the NFL to the west coast.

San Diego Chargers- Junior Seau 1990 Rd. 1 Pick 5

No player in the NFL at any point in my life was really the face of a franchise like Seau was. Seau was the San Diego Chargers! His dancing and fist pumping after great plays also stood out negatively, but the Chargers fans loved it and him for it. For the entire 90s he led his team in tackling, and was a major part of the Chargers getting to the Super Bowl in 1994. Especially for his 16 recorded tackles in the AFC Championship game. He was a great man in the California area to have. Having started the Seau Foundation, that deals with raising money for drug awareness, abused kids, and college scholarships.

The Best NFL Draft Pick by Your Team

ESPN Insider had a great idea leading up to the draft. Team by team they put the top 10 draft choices in the history of the franchise. One thing that I didn't like was that they put draft picks like John Elway on the top 10 for the Colts or Brett Favre for the Falcons. Starting today up until the Draft next Saturday here at The Nutz, I will be listing the best picks by a franchise in their history. But it'll be a little more insightful. My criteria is as follows: value at pick, value for the franchise as a whole, overall success by the player, and what he meant to the team during his career. I will go division by division. Hope you enjoy and if you think that I am wrong in anyway...you know what you can do!

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens- Ray Lewis 1996 Rd. 1 Pick 26

Say what you want about the character of this linebacker, he is one of the best the game's ever seen. He was the fifth linebacker taken in the '96 Draft, but proved his worth even though scouts thought his size was too small. When Baltimore got a NFL team back to their city they were in need of a man that can carry the team on his back, and Lewis was most certainly the amn for the job. 10 Pro-Bowl selections along with being a 2-time Defensive Player of the Year award winner. Not to mention Super Bowl MVP in their win against the G-men in 2000.

Cincinnati Bengals- Anthony Munoz 1980 Rd. 1 Pick 3

Though him being selected this high led to much debate, Munoz proved to be the right choice for the Bengals, something that certainly lacks in Bengals draft history. Standing at 6'6'', Munoz was an absolute beast on the line, giving his quarterbacks time to throw and running backs room to run. Despite his history of being hurt, he only missed 3 games in his 12 years with Cincinnati. Finished his career as an 11-time Pro-Bowl selection, 10 All-Pro nominations, a member of both All-Decade team of the 1980s and the 75th Anniversity All-Time team.

Cleveland Browns- Jim Brown 1957 Rd. 1 Pick 6

Arguably one of the best running backs in league history, Brown rushed for over 12,000 yards and had 126 touchdowns in a 9-year career with the Browns that ended before he turned the age of 30. Every season he played, Brown was voted into the Pro Bowl, and is the only rusher in NFL history to average over 100 yards a game for his career. He led this old franchise to a NFL Championship in 1964, was a 3-time NFL MVP, and of course was a member of the 75th Anniversity All-Time team.

Pittsburgh Steeler- Terry Bradshaw 1970 Rd. 1 Pick 1

This was the toughest of all the picks thus far. But, this man quarterback his Steeler team to 4 Super Bowl Championships in which two of them resulted in him being the MVP. Having Franco Harris in the backfield, and the "Steel Curtain" defense helped a lot don't get me wrong, but Bradshaw still had to play well for them to win. His threat of the deep pass always opened thing up for other plays. This 3-time Pro- Bowler also won the NFL MVP award in 1978 and in 1999, he was ranked number 44 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. Not to mention that Bradshaw's post season record is an astonishing 14-5.

April 20th

On this day 23 years ago, Michael Jordan went to the Garden and put on a show for the ages. You gotta love the background music!

My 1st College Baseball Game of 2009

Yesterday my father, brother and I headed to Gainesville to catch a couple of top 25 teams face each in an SEC battle on the diamond. #16 ranked Ole Miss came to the Sunshine State and face a #25 Gator team that desperately needed a victory yesterday. McKenthan Stadium was ranked in the top 10 a year ago as one of the best looking baseball complexes in college baseball. So being a huge fan of good looking baseball fields, I was glad to see it again. But I really want to add, and to finally put this into my blog.

I hate Florida Gator fans!

The chats, the complaining, I hate it. They are sooooo spoiled it's disgusting. The entire game I kept hoping that Tim Tebow will get caught with marijuana soon, just so I can throw that in Gator fans' faces. I like Tebow too. But, honestly, Gator fans might be worse than UCONN fans. Coming from me, that says alot! Back to the game.

With the weekend series split so far, and the Gators heading road games against Georgia and LSU soon, winning this 3-game series would boost this teams chances with a field of 64 bid. The Rebels from Ole Miss were ranked 9th in my pre season picks, and they looked sharp yesterday. The 1st inning looked liked signs of disaster, when the Rebels All-American closer/turned starting pitcher Scott Bittle couldn't find the plate, walking in two runs in the opening inning. But, after that he certainly settled down by pitching six innings with 8 strikeouts and allowing only more more earned run after the terrible first frame. For the Gators, starting pitcher Alex Panteliodis (3-5), was pitching too poorly, but was pulled after walking the first batter in the 5th and only allowed 3 earned. The thing that confused us baseball fans in the stands was why he was pulled? Because the next two pitchers used were awful. Florida head coach Kevin O'Sullivan was making some questionable moves throughout the game, which meant to me that he was really in a panic about winning this game. Also, the Gators All-American centerfielder Matt den Dekker had a tough series. He went 0-5 yesterday with 3 strikeouts, as a lead off hitter, finishing 0-11 for the weekend series. The other lead off hitter for the Rebels on the other hand was unbelievable! Centerfielder, Jordan Henry was the epitome of what a lead off man should be. He got on base all 5 times yesterday. Was patient as patient can get, walking 4 times and hits a high bouncing infield single in his final at-bat. He also stole 3 bases! The Rebels ultimately won the game 5-3 after 8 innings, with the help of catcher Kyle Henson 2-run homer. The reason for the 8 innings is that the SEC rules state if a game lasts longer than 3:30 on a Sunday they have to end the game at the top of the next inning for traveling purposes for the road team. The Rebels are now 28-11 and 11-7 in the SEC while the Gators dropped to 26-14 and 10-8. The Gators are in trouble now. Like I said earlier they have some serious road series coming, and the field of 64 is slimming by the day. As for the Rebels the bulk of their tough games are already over, so expect them to keep climbing up the top 25 board while the Gators will surely drop out when the polls come out today.

Here's a look at the current top 25 as of April 13th in USA Today.

The Best NFL Draft Pick by Your Team

ESPN Insider had a great idea leading up to the draft. Team by team they put the top 10 draft choices in the history of the franchise. One thing that I didn't like was that they put draft picks like John Elway on the top 10 for the Colts or Brett Favre for the Falcons. Starting today up until the Draft next Saturday here at The Nutz, I will be listing the best picks by a franchise in their history. But it'll be a little more insightful. My criteria is as follows: value at pick, value for the franchise as a whole, overall success by the player, and what he meant to the team during his career. I will go division by division. Hope you enjoy and if you think that I am wrong in anyway...you know what you can do!

AFC South

Houston Texans- Andre Johnson 2003 Rd. 1 Pick 3

Even though at the beginning of his career he was like a see-saw, he is finally starting to get it and in my opinion is one of the top wide receivers in the league. Every time you watch a Texans game their are Johnson's #80 jerseys in the stands. The success of the Texans revolves around him getting the football and making plays. Why do you think that they signed him in '07 to a 6 year extension over 60 million? At 27, he has already been to 3 Pro-Bowls with two 1st team All-Pro selections.

Indianapolis Colts- Peyton Manning 1998 Rd. 1 Pick 1

Wilipedia calls him the NFL's most markable player. They are correct! I didn't think that it was much of a toss up when he was drafted over Ryan Leaf, but obviously it really wasn't. Since being drafted by the Colts Manning has been the ultimate driver behind the one of the league's most potent offenses. Finally winning a Super Bowl in 2006 has capped a career filled with Pro-Bowl selections and 3 NFL MVP awards.

Jacksonville Jaguars- Fred Taylor 1998 Rd. 1 Pick 9

I didn't really get a sense of how valuable Taylor was to this franchise until I moved down to Florida. All the football he has ever played has been played in the state of Florida, for that he is a leader in the community. Fred Taylor jerseys have filled the entire northern part of Florida for ten years. Even though he has not received much recognition for his play the man was still very valuable to this franchise as far as staying competitive. He was asked to go to his first Pro-Bowl in '07, and even through 3 injury filled seasons, each year he wasn't hurt he rushed for over 1200 yards.

Tennessee Titans- Bruce Matthews 1983 Rd. 1 Pick 9

It doesn't happen enough times that teams get a great amount of credit when drafting an offensive lineman in the first round. But, when that player sticks with your time through good times and bad for 18 years, he was well worth the pick. Matthews, is one of the best offensive lineman in the history of the game, having been selected to 14 Pro-Bowls, 9 All-Pro 1st teams, and a member of the 1990s All- Decade team. Whatever and wherever asked to play, he just did. Having started 292 of his 296 games at all the positions on the offensive line.

How Bad Can Things Get?

Just when you thought things couldn't possibly get any worse for the Washington Nationals. Something like this happens during Friday night's game against the Marlins!

Look out everyone...here comes the Washington N A T I N A L S!

NBA Playoff Preview (1st Round)

I don't know about most of my readers, but I have had a tough time following the NBA this season. Yea, I know all about how Lebron, Kobe, and Dwayne have played this season since ESPN talks about them constantly. But, between football, college basketball, and now baseball the NBA just can't get a hold of someone like me. And it has been this way for a while. Yea, I still check out scores and have an idea of what is going on in the NBA when it is on television, but I never really go out of my way to find out what happened in the league the night before. The NBA Playoffs begin tonight with lots at stake, and still, I find it hard to look for great story lines. Yea, you have Lebron looking for his first title, KG out in Boston, and some possible upset specials in the 1st round of the Western Conference. But, the last couple of seasons for me the regular season always started this weekend. So I am going to try my best and follow the NBA a little closer over the next 3 months (at least it feels that long) and do the best I can to handicap the games for my readers. Here's a look at my 1st round predictions...

EAST

#1 Cleveland vs. #8 Detroit

No chance for the Pistons. Lebron is going to take over this series early. CAVS 4-1

#2 Boston vs. #7 Chicago

The baby Bulls will hang in there, but ultimately the Celts will prevail. CELTS 4-2

#3 Orlando vs. #6 Philadelphia

The Magic have to get rid of the Sixers early, just so that they can be ready for Rd. 2. MAGIC 4-2

#4 Atlanta vs. #5 Miami

Watching the Hawks on SportsCenter has impressed me, but so has Wade! HEAT 4-3

WEST

#1 Los Angeles vs. #8 Utah

Phil Jackson is so dominate in the first round and he doesn't even break a sweat. LAKERS 4-1

#2 Denver vs. #7 New Orleans

My NBA upset special. As long as I have a blog, I will never go against Chris Paul. HORNETS 4-3

#3 San Antonio vs. #6 Dallas

Everyone loves the Mavs in this series, not me! I thought the Spurs are great at home? SPURS 4-2

#4 Portland vs. #5 Houston

Somebody needs to help me out with this one, I really don't have a clue. So I am going with a push meaning my pick won't occur until game 7.

The Best NFL Draft Pick by Your Team

ESPN Insider had a great idea leading up to the draft. Team by team they put the top 10 draft choices in the history of the franchise. One thing that I didn't like was that they put draft picks like John Elway on the top 10 for the Colts or Brett Favre for the Falcons. Starting today up until the Draft next Saturday here at The Nutz, I will be listing the best picks by a franchise in their history. But it'll be a little more insightful. My criteria is as follows: value at pick, value for the franchise as a whole, overall success by the player, and what he meant to the team during his career. I will go division by division. Hope you enjoy and if you think that I am wrong in anyway...you know what you can do!

AFC East

Buffalo Bills- Thurman Thomas 1988 Rd. 2 Pick 40

For 12 seasons Thomas was the face of a franchise that owned the AFC during the early 90s which led to 4 straight Super Bowl appearances. He led the league in total yards for 4 consecutive seasons, a Pro-Bowler 5 times, 1991 League MVP, and a spot on the NFL's All-Decade team of the 90s. Thomas finished his career with the Bills as the all-time leading rusher.

Miami Dolphins- Dan Marino 1983 Rd. 1 Pick 27

Even though he was the last of the great quarterbacks drafted in the '83 draft, he was definitely the most important. Marino had held or holds almost every single NFL passing record. Even though he never won a Super Bowl, Marino was the major reason for the success of the franchise during his time there. Marino was a 9-time Pro-Bowler and NFL MVP in 1984. How much did Marino mean to the Dolphins? Well, he has a bronze statue of himself outside Dolphin Stadium, and the city of Miami renamed the street the Stadium is on from Stadium Street to Dan Marino Blvd.

New England Patroits- Tom Brady 2000 Rd. 6 Pick 199

This really wasn't a difficult choice. It is one thing for a drafted player in the 6th round become a Pro-Bowler, it's another for that player to lead their team to 3 Super Bowls wins. At the age of 31, he is already regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the game, with a NFL MVP in 2007, two Super Bowl MVPs, and Sporting New's Sportsman of the Year 2005. I can't think of a late round draft choice that has meant more to his team than Brady.

New York Jets- Mark Gastineau 1979 Rd.2 Pick 41

Regarded as one of the best defensive linemen in the history of the game. For ten seasons he was the face of the Jets defense which led to 5 Pro-Bowls, a NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1982, and in 1984 he recorded at that time 22 sacks in a single season which was a NFL record. His shocking retirement after only ten seasons was hard for Jets fans to swallow, but he left the game as the all-time sack leader and his #99 will always be remembered in New York.

Random Thoughts Today

Sorry for the couple day hiatus, been trying to get over my trip to Orlando, where "snowbirds" are owning the streets for hopefully one last week. The weather in the dirty south has been unbelievable! So much so that we are starting are hurricane season a little earlier than usual. I have many thoughts on my mind today with the baseball season and other topics in sports. I heard that the Connecticut weather has been great lately! And just so you know, the high school baseball regular season is coming to a close...in April!

During my entire life of watching football on Sundays (or Mondays) I have heard the voice of John Madden. For better or worse Madden was always there to make you chuckle. Whether it was Sunday afternoons, Monday Nights, or Sunday nights he was the voice you really just got use to over the years. His passion for the game of football really showed while he was broadcasting games, especially for the older players on the field. Ones that put their time in the game, like he did. Madden announced his retirement today from being the ultimate color-man on television during the fall. It is certainly going to be a weird season not hearing his voice, especially during the playoffs. I don't know if I am going to miss him in the booth, but he certainly will never be forgotten!

My father decided last week during the opening of the season, and more so now, that he is going to root hard for all the underdogs in the Major League this year. He sure picked one hell of a year to do that. 5 of the six divisions in the Majors currently have 1st place teams leading the division that were suppose to finish in the gutter at years end. Out of all the teams the Florida Marlins are currently 8-1, after sweeping the Braves this afternoon. My father quickly has jumped on the bandwagon. Living in Florida and watching young talented kids playing the game you love is awesome! That's why it was so easy for me to like the Rays last season. There is something about watching young prospects make a name for themselves that is fun to watch. Yea, some might be playing for themselves so that they can get that multi-year contract. But they are all playing hard and every inning you see them taking the extra base or diving for balls. How can you not love that? I just hope the Mariners can keep it up!

It was just announced on ESPN that Kevin Garnett might miss the playoffs. Sorry Boston, maybe next year!

The hateful Duke basketball guard Greg Paulus is now trying to play football. After a being a 4 year bball player as a Blue Devil he is going to try and play a sport that won him Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior in high school. First he tried out with the Green Bay Packers, like Aaron Rodgers doesn't have enough to worry about, and now he says that he is going to compete for the Michigan quarterback job. You heard correctly, the University of Michigan Wolverines! NCAA rules state that if a player does not have a red-shirted year, and since he is graduating this year, he can go to a graduate school and play one more season. And since Michigan really doesn't have much of a competition for their starting QB job, why not the Wolverines? Obviously, having sat on the bench a little more this season at Duke got him to thinking about the future and his alternatives. He's 6'1'' and 180 pounds, if he does get to play this year, maybe being a hated Dukie really wasn't worth it after all.

I never thought that I would say this but...I hate Mel Kiper right now. Yea, I can't stand the quarterback situation in Washington right now, but that doesn't mean I want a QB taken 13th overall in this month's draft. Kiper has the Washington Redskins taking Mark Sanchez with their 1st of 5 picks in this years draft. With so many needs at other positions, this makes me look forward to the upcoming season less and less. And now owner Dan Synder wants to draft him. Somebody must hate me!

Oh and before I leave, if Isiah Thomas' reputation hasn't taken enough of a hit. Did you hear the Athletic Director announce him to the podium as "Isiah Thompson"? Still trying to find the video so I can show it. Hilarious!!!

Happy Easter Weekend!

It must be Easter Weekend, since I found myself drinking each of the last 4 days. Easter Weekend all got started at "The Apartment", and I can't help but to think about the time I spent being an absolute drunk for 4 consecutive days. So from us here at The Nutz ,to everyone, hope you have a safe and happy Easter Weekend. Ahh...memories huh BadChoiceMilk?

Deez' Big Board

We are exactly 2 weeks away from the biggest day for college players and NFL teams during the spring season. I have some time before I make my predictions on who is going where in the draft, so before I make my trip to see America's Favorite Couple here is a look at my top 25 players on my Big Board for the NFL Draft.

1. Michael Crabtree WR Texas A&M

2. Brian Orakpo DE Texas

3. Aaron Curry OLB Wake Forest

4. Jason Smith OT Baylor

5. BJ Raji DT Boston College

6. Jeremy Maclin WR Missouri

7. Matthew Stafford QB Georgia

8. Aaron Maybin DE Penn State

9. Knowshon Moreno RB Georgia

10. Eugene Monroe OT Virginia

11. Andre Smith OT Alabama

12. Malcolm Jenkins CB Ohio State

13. Chris Wells RB Ohio State

14. Robert Ayers DE Tennessee

15. Percy Harvin WR Florida

16. Everette Brown DE Florida State

17. Rey Maualuga ILB USC

18. Mark Sanchez QB USC

19. Brandon Pettigrew TE Oklahoma State

20. Tyson Jackson DE LSU

21. Hakeem Nicks WR North Carolina

22. Brian Cushing OLB USC

23. Peria Jerry DT Mississippi

24. Vontae Davis CB Illinois

25. James Laurinaitis ILB Ohio State

Way Too Soon

I would be lying if I said I knew of Nick Adenhart before his death early Thursday morning. Getting the chance to watch his final game was an honor. I don't thank Directv ever, but this time they did something right for me, without even knowing it. Directv allows us baseball fans with no money to preview their MLB package for the first two weeks of the season. While watching their game-mix, you get the opprotunity to watch 8 games at once. So, I got home late from work Wednesday night, there were only a few games for my viewing at 10:00. One of the games was the Athletics/Angels game. I saw this kid pitching that I didn't know for a couple innings absolutely owning the A's. And I thought "wow", this kid is pretty impressive. To that I had enough and was getting tired and work at 7:00 am was in the back of my mind. So I turned off the television, not knowing that live on tv, Nick Adenhart was pitching the last game of his life. The 22-year old, a year less than my youngest brother, was taken away from this cruel earth by a drunken driver after the game of his life. He had just finished pitching 6 strong innings of shut-out ball for his Angels. Something that many thought wasn't possible after overcoming majors odds against him. Tommy John surgery before the MLB Draft dropped him to the 14th round, 4 seasons in the minors, and in his 3 previous starts in the majors his ERA was 9.00. But all that was behind him for 2 hours Wednesday night. He pitched the game of his life at the Major League level with his father in the stands. Why would God take him away after such a glorious day? The Angels are favorites to get to the post season this year and you'd be ignorant to think that God doesn't work in mysterious ways. For one night, Nick Adenhart made a name for himself, unfortunately most of us wouldn't of appreciated his work if it wasn't for his death.

Rivals.com 2009 Top Recruits

For my final post about college basketball here is a look at the top recruits and their schools for next season. You can click on the player or the school and check them out for yourselves. These players in Rivals top 25 are all 5 star recruits. Thanks to Rivals.com!

2009 Rank Pos Ht/Wt Schools

1- John Wall Raleigh (NC) Word Of God Christian Academy G 6-4/184 list

Blazingly fast with the basketball, Wall is an impeccable ball handler with court savvy. The right hander has a penchant for beating defenders with his left hand and can then counter with a terrific left to right behind the back dribble. Finding teammates on the move is his forte, but he is also an excellent finisher at the rim. His jumper is still a work in progress, but it is good enough to keep the defense honest.

2- DeMarcus Cousins Mobile (AL) LeFlore F 6-9/250 Kentucky

Power forward with top notch inside/outside skills.

3- Xavier Henry Oklahoma City (OK) Putnam City G 6-6/210 list

Sweet shooting lefty also has size.

4- Derrick Favors Atlanta (GA) South Atlanta C 6-9/220 Georgia Tech

Skilled post player with soft touch.

5- Jordan Hamilton Los Angeles (CA) Dominguez F 6-7/210 Texas

Point forward with a strong all around game.

6- John Henson Tampa (FL) Sickles F 6-10/200 North Carolina

Developing prospect has lots of upside.

7- Kenny Boynton Plantation (FL) American Heritage School G 6-2/187 Florida

Compact scorer has a more than reliable pull up jumper.

8- Avery Bradley Henderson (NV) Findlay Prep G 6-3/175 Texas

A big time scoring threat from the off guard position.

9- Lance Stephenson Brooklyn (NY) Lincoln G 6-6/195 list

Physical guard who plays with an aggressive attitude.

10- Renardo Sidney Los Angeles (CA) Fairfax F 6-10/250 USC

Good in both the high post and the low post.

11- Michael Snaer Moreno Valley (CA) Rancho Verde G 6-4/185 Florida State

Athletic shooting guard has a complete game.

12- Milton Jennings Summerville (SC) Pinewood Prep F 6-9/200 Clemson

A serious inside/outside scoring threat.

13- Abdul Gaddy Tacoma (WA) Bellarmine Prep G 6-3/170 Washington

Rangy point guard with a great feel for the game.

14- Mouphtaou Yarou Rockville (MD) Montrose Christian F 6-9/210 Villanova

Physical post player with a skill game.

15- Latavious Williams Humble (TX) Christian Life Center F 6-7/195 list

Ultra-athletic forward with a high ceiling.

16- Dominic Cheek Jersey City (NJ) St. Anthony G 6-5/175 Villanova

Dead-eye shooter with ball handling skills.

17- Dexter Strickland Elizabeth (NJ) St. Patrick G 6-3/175 North Carolina

Great feel for the game and even better scorer.

18- Thomas Robinson Wolfeboro (NH) Brewster Academy F 6-8/222 Kansas

Athletic post player who is a relentless rebounder.

19- Royce White Hopkins (MN) Hopkins F 6-7/210 Minnesota

A multi-dimensional forward with a surprisingly polished game.

20- Ryan Kelly Raleigh (NC) Ravenscroft School F 6-9/205 Duke

Finesse forward with dangerous face up game.

21- Alex Oriakhi Tilton (NH) Tilton School C 6-9/245 Connecticut

Athletic power forward who can go and get the ball.

22- Daniel Orton Oklahoma City (OK) Bishop McGuinness C 6-10/260 Kentucky

Long big man who is good in the high post.

23- Wally Judge Jacksonville (FL) Arlington Country Day F 6-9/218 Kansas State

Intriguing forward who can own the boards.

24- Dante Taylor Fort Washington (MD) National Christian Academy F 6-8/230 Pittsburgh

A raw talent with great upside.

25- Maalik Wayns Philadelphia (PA) Roman Catholic G 6-1/190 Villanova

Tough, physical point guard in the Philly mold.

Tyler Hansbrough's Legacy

After another successful season of The Nutz predicting a champion in a pre season post, in North Carolina, I can't help to remember that I picked them to win the last two years. The main reason why is I had all the confidence in the world with the man pictured above. I have never ever been a bad critic of him, instead I have embraced all is positives and stayed away from the negatives. Today, the ESPN radio show Mike and Mike in the Morning asked the question I never even thought about.

"Is Tyler Hansbrough on UNC's all-time 1st team?"

Tough question? I think not. Here's his credentials:

All-American 1st team 07, 08, 09

All-American 2nd team 06

Naismith Player of the Year 2008

ACC Player of the Year 08,

All-ACC 1st team 06, 07, 08, 09

Most career point in ACC history

And now a National Championship

Hansbrough is the epitome of what a college basketball player is. Night in and night out he comes to play. He leaves it all on the floor. He came back for one reason, win a National Championship. It wasn't about the scoring record, or more personal achievements. It was about one last run with his coach and his teammates. I am not at all talking about what this kid can do at the next level, that's for another day. But, I will say this, I wouldn't doubt him at the next level. Even with all his achievements from his freshman year, he has progress into one of the more dominate players in NCAA history. He might not look good doing it, but he always got the job done. In this day of the college basketball player, you don't find many that have enormous talent that want to stick around for all 4 years. I will say this, you will never again see another kid like Tyler Hansbrough and for this reason he has to be on UNC's all-time team. So thank you Tyler it certainly has been our pleasure.

My all-time North Carolina team:

G - Kenny Smith, 1984-87

G - Michael Jordan, 1982-84

F - James Worthy, 1980-82

F - Antawn Jamison, 1996-98

F - Tyler Hansbrough, 2006-09

39 Years Young

Ken Griffey Jr. in his second stint with the Seattle Mariners, hits a homer in his debut in Minnesota last night. Many questions surround what "The Kid" will be able to do this year. So far so good. As Junior tied the Major League record with his 8th homerun on Opening Day as well as hitting his 41st homer verses the Twins, the most against any team he has played against. Pretty remarkable considering he played 9 seasons in the NL. Keep it up Ken!

Random Thoughts Today

As I wait anxiously for the actual start of the season (why can't everyone play on Sunday), I have a few things on my mind that I would love to get into. We have the NCAA Championship game tonight along with numerous MLB games, well maybe not numerous...

When are the geniuses in the Major League Baseball front office going to wise up and change the start of the season schedule. We already have two games canceled today, the Boston/Tampa and Chicago/Kansas City games. Can someone explain to me why on earth these games are being played in Boston and Chicago in the first week of April. Is it really that important to play these games in the northern part of the country to start the year? These are divisional opponents as well, they play 18 times during the season. You can't tell me that it is that big of a deal to play in a dome in April. Am I wrong here? What is going through MLB's mind? I am truly lost for words right now so I am going to jump to another topic.

I was talking to the Pitbull yesterday and he asked me if I thought if Michigan State won the game verses Connecticut or did Connecticut lose the game. This is probably the most commonly asked question in big games when a very good team loses to an underdog. I didn't even studder. "Michigan State totally out played UCONN!" Out hustled them in every aspect, and more importantly, in Pitbull's own words..."Out-muscled them!" I couldn't put it better myself. For the first time this season I saw a very good Husky team get "out-muscled", it was really stunning to watch. Say what you want about the Big Ten, but I really believe that UCONN's toughest games in the tournament were by their games against the Big Ten opponents (Purdue and MSU). And Coach Tom Izzo put it best that they are a blue-collared sort of team. That is exactly what the Big Ten is all about! They might not produce lottery picks, but the teams in the Big Ten are blue collar teams that leave it all on the court every night. They run offensive sets in the half court, and they will body it up with anyone, including a guy like Hashemm Thabeet.

I am so sick and tired of everything that doesn't have to do with sports. Netflix is driving me insane. I think that I have had Zack and Miri Make a Porno in my Queve for at least 2 months. Is there a problem Netflix? There must be! I went out for the first time and used a RedBox today. One dollar a day for a rental, and I was able to see Slumdog Millionaire this morning, which was great. So Netflix is getting closer and closer to cancellation, especially with me on the verge on buying a house. Also, HBO is another one driving me Nutz. I have been giving HBO the benefit of the doubt and been keeping it on my Directv package. But enough is enough. The movie selections are awful lately. The same movies all day long. And to make matters worse Directv just raised the price of HBO to 14.99 a month, a two dollar increase. April 17th is my next statement date, which will be the last day for HBO in my house. I gotta start saving and their is no better way to start then eliminating HBO and Netflix from my budget. Sorry guys but a man has to eat!

Finally, back to the game tonight. I am sure that most of you heard that Magic Johnson gave the Spartans a speech before their game verses UCONN. Well, tonight a special guest is suppose to be in the Tarheel locker room before the game. That's right, it's today's Hall of Fame inductee Michael Jordan. Magic verse Michael again?

Hall of Fame?

The Basketball Hall of Fame will be announcing it's 2009 class today. Anyone that doesn't vote for Mike today should lose the right to ever vote or for that matter, get fire from whatever job he holds.

2009 MLB Predictions

Sorry for the lack of MLB posts this week. It's been hot and the lack of liquids to the body brought me to much needed nap times. This morning before the season begins tonight i will give you my predictions on the Major League season. I decided to stick with the AL East predictions that was given to me from my Mom earlier this week. So make sure your fantasy rosters are set and hope you all enjoy the 2009 MLB season.

American League

A couple of things about the American League that's intriguing, that has nothing to do with the top AL East teams, is just how good the Twins are this year and who can be this year's Rays. Well, with the latter first, the Rays are going to be this years Rays. They are too good in the wrong division and will love playing the under appreciated card all season. But as for the others, I really like Oakland this season, even though I firmly believe in a down year if you wanna call it that from Matt Holliday. Kansas City is going to be a lot better than what people think this season. Look out for Gil Meche as a darkhorse Cy Young candidate. Toronto and Baltimore are very close and will both show signs of it with a few series victories over the rest of the AL East. As far as the Twins are concerned, wow I like this team. Can you believe that there were talks not to long ago about dis banning the team? The Twins are loaded with young talented players with speed and contact hitters in their line up, and a starting rotation that is going to turn heads. Especially with my sleeper stud Kevin Slowey. The Angels should run away early, but keep a close eye on the A's in late July when they make their run at the division title. Here's my predictions...

East

1. Tampa Bay - $

2. Boston 2 *

3. New York 4

4. Toronto 18

5. Baltimore 26

Central

1. Minnesota - $

2. Cleveland 5

3. Chicago 6

4. Kansas City 10

5. Detroit 15

West

1. Los Angeles - $

2. Oakland 3

3. Seattle 11

4. Texas 17

National League

As far as the NL is concerned there are not any surprises on my part for this league. Everybody including myself have the same 4 teams making the playoffs and I really can't find an argument for anyone else. The race for the NL East is all about bullpens. The best bullpen will win the division. I am really hating on a repeat performance for Brad Lidge this season. So for this reason, I love what the Mets have done and they will actually play well in September because of the bullpen and win the division. And by the way, the Nationals aren't half bad (my father). My team under the radar is going to be the Cardinals. Their offense is still loaded, and who am I to say that Chris Carpenter won't come back to full form. The Cubs should run away with this division, but watch for the Cards. A lot of people are very high on the Diamondbacks in the West. Why may I ask? The Dodgers will win the division and the Diamondbacks must finish in second, but keep an eye on the Giants. I love what the organization has done with their young prospects and it was like they saw the future without Bonds and found a team to become a great unit. Without too many surprises here's my finishes...

East

1. New York - $

2. Philadelphia 2 *

3. Atlanta 8

4. Florida 11

5. Washington 15

Central

1. Chicago - $

2. St. Louis 7

3. Milwaukee 9

4. Cincinnati 13

5. Houston 16

6. Pittsburgh 30

West

1. Los Angeles - $

2. Arizona 5

3. San Francisco 8

4. Colorado 15

5. San Diego 18

Playoffs

Tampa Bay defeats Minnesota

Los Angeles defeats Boston

New York defeats Los Angeles

Chicago defeats Philadelphia

Los Angeles defeats Tampa Bay

New York defeats Chicago

World Series

New York Mets defeat Los Angeles Angels 4-2

Hungry at the Park

If your hungry at the park or just want something to go with your $8 beer. The best choice to go with is of course...peanuts. $4 or $5 for a bag that will fill you up and last you several innings. If your looking for something new....I've always enjoyed the ice cream in a helmet(especially just to get the helmet). The Brevard County Manatees(Washington Nationals Spring training facility) took it to another level with their 'Taco in a helmet'. Yummy.....However, the one getting the most press right now is the best deal. Weighing in at 4 lbs. and 4,800 calories(Thats about 2.5 days of caloric intake, based on a 2,000 calorie diet). The Western Michigan White Caps did it right...And despite the negative attention by being called a "dietary disaster" by the White Caps own trainer. I present the Fifth-Third burger.... $20 of filthiness on an eight inch bun. Just think about this...Since the calories are over 2 days worth...You just spent $20 dollars on 2 days of food. 5 burgers, a cup of chili, salsa, cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese, fritos, sour cream..pure awesomeness!!!

Fifth Third Ballpark Burger

Final Four

How's everyone's picks? Probably like mine, unless of course your a blogger that runs his own tournament pools, he's not even a college basketball guru (Big East or Uconn only), and somehow is winning his own bracket. Whatever, I can hate all I want since I am 1500 miles away and this is my party and I'll cry if I want to. The fact of the matter is this weekend, that there are only 4 teams and only 4 days left. So thank god for baseball season starting on Sunday because I would be lost until the week before the NFL Draft. Everybody is expecting the only 1 seeds left to advance to Monday's Championship match up. Is it that clear cut? We here at The Nutz don't think so. So I am going to just make arguments in my preview for the underdogs. I'll explain...

Michigan State vs. UCONN 6:07

Let's get right to the first game and all of my favorite UCONN fans. My only wish right now, at this point, would only be me in Connecticut and getting the chance to know how all of Huskymania feel about their next game. Because I would only smile at all of them that think that they have a this game in the bag. And for those of you that are crying about Michigan State playing a "home game", well cry me a river, if your good enough then just win the game and stop complaining. Lot's of hate out of me today, huh? Alright well let's get to the game. Who will win the rebounding stat and the Spartans outside shooting are my keys. As we saw with Missouri and Purdue they stayed in the game while they were hitting their jumpers, when they weren't, well we already know. As for the rebounding, I wouldn't care about Uconn's fast break points with the team that Coach Izzo has on the floor, so I would send 4 guys crashing the boards. That's just me. And if the Huskies decide to rebound like the way they got away with it against Purdue, they surely will lose. I saw a stat today that doesn't surprise me one bit, and I am going back to my "always complaining about something" Husky fans. Uconn has a season ratio of trips to the foul line compared to their opponents of 8.5 to 1. So I will guarantee you this, Uconn in foul trouble or Michigan State is at the line more often, the Huskies are going down...Connecticut...DOWN!

Villanova vs. North Carolina 8:47

I have been a huge fan of watching Villanova in HD all season long. So when Scottie Reynolds hit the game winner last weekend, I danced around the bar like a jerk. People probably thought that I went to Nova, or I had them in my bracket. Well, they were wrong, I was just happy to see them play another game. Even though beating Pitt wasn't good for my picks. Problem is in this game is that this match up heavily favors the Tarheels. The Wildcats want to run, they want to play man to man, and well they want to run. This is what makes North Carolina successful. I posted after the Duke/UNC game that Coach Krzyzewski is too proud to change his defensive tactics against a team like the Tarheels and that is why they lost. Coach Jay Wright needs to change it up...no, has to! And honestly, I would go right at Tyler Hansbrough...right at him! Find a way to frustrate him, and there is no better way to frustrate a competitor like Tyler than have him sitting on the bench early in foul trouble. Nova's defense is really going to have to shine and turn turnovers into instint points. I really don't see many Tarheel fans packing the streets of Detroit for this one. So expect like in the first game for the fans to cheer louder for the underdogs. The start of the game is important, don't let the Tarheels up early...stay in the game as long as you can and keep the fans on your side. Don't worry Wildcats, even though the Tarheels were my pre-season pick on The Nutz to win it all, I will rooting for you again. So do me proud and give me another attempt at my dancing at the bar...like a jerk!

My Thoughts...

I am sure that most of my readers, which might total up to a handful, are interested on how I feel about the latest news about Jay Cutler and the Washington Redskins. Many of you already know how I feel about Jason Campbell. So when I hear "experts" about how this makes no sense on the Redskins behalf of going after a guy like Cutler. All I can say is...

"Are you NUTZ!!!!!!!!"

The Broncos want 2-1st round picks for Cutler...that's great, give it to them Washington!

The Broncos do not want to package a quarterback...fine we'll keep Campbell around for s#!ts and giggles.

Jason Campbell was great at the start of the season...what happened after the start?

Jason Campbell is still young and has potential...you want him you can have him.

The Redskins always do this with high profile guys and it backfires...maybe with 40 year-olds not with 25 year-olds!

Jay Cutler threw 18 interceptions last season...he also threw 25 TDs and over 4500 yards

Jay Cutler will become a cancer...we haven't been to the Super Bowl in 18 years, I'll take my chances.

All 24 and Under Team

We are at a very special time in Major League Baseball. I can't remember when I have seen so many young up and coming players that will be gracing us on the playing field for the next ten years. We have seen more and more organizations bringing up their prospects sooner and sooner. This is something that doesn't happen often. Many of these top prospects that come out of high school aren't even playing in the minors for very long. Something that many general managers thought was nutz, especially when the Mariners did it with a certain kid named Junior. Today in honor of the young studs that we will be getting the pleasure to see for a long time, I will be posting my American and National League 24 and under teams, with their age, position, and team. Some of them have already made a name for themselves while others will be very, very soon. Enjoy!

American League

BJ Upton-24-OF-Tampa Bay

Adam Jones-23-OF-Baltimore

Travis Synder-21-OF-Toronto

Brandon Wood-24-SS-Anehiem

Evan Longoria-23-3B-Tampa Bay

Gordon Beckham-22-2B-Chicago

Billy Butler-22-1B-Kansas City

Matt Wieters-22-C-Baltimore

David Price-23-SP-Tampa Bay

Joakim Soria-24-RP-Kansas City

National League

Jay Bruce-21-OF-Cincinnati

Matt Kemp-24-OF-Los Angeles

Cameron Maybin-21-OF-Florida

Emmanuel Buriss-24-SS-San Francisco

Ryan Zimmerman-24-3B-Washington

Ian Stewart-23-2B-Colorado

Prince Fielder-24-1B-Milwaukee

Pablo Sandoval-22-C-San Francisco

Tim Lincecum-24-SP-San Francisco

Jonathan Broxton-24-RP-Los Angeles