Eagles Draft Coverage, Continued
Mar 31, 2008 Eagles Rumors
What a day. If you’ve ever worked with patent attorneys before, you probably have rushed for the beer fridge as quickly as I did when I got home. What a long, boring day. And to top it off, the Giants got shutout by the Dodgers. Not one extra-base hit… just a sign of things to come.
Anyway, back to the fun. As promised, a compilation of 2nd round mock draft projections for the Eagles. These aren’t as easy to find as your standard first round mocks, but I’ve been able to put together a good starting list. As always, if you have a site to recommend (even your own, please feel free to send it in). Here goes:
The second round gives the “experts” a little better opportunity to be creative, but as you can see they still like the Eagles taking a shot on a wide receiver.
We have three mocks that are also listed in our first round compilation, and those guys all at least care enough to be sure the Eagles are taking players at different positions in each round. Here’s a breakdown:
- Chris Steuber: WR, CB
- Walter Football: WR, CB
- Scott Wright: CB, DE
So, even with the Asante signing, the experts think the Eagles will be looking to add depth at the cornerback position on day 1. Do you agree?
Eagles Draft Coverage Continued
Mar 31, 2008 Eagles Rumors
Once again it’s time for our weekly mock draft compilation update. We had a couple of changes from last week, as expected. I think it’s likely that there will be a few changes each week as we inch closer to April 26th. Here’s the data:
Chris Steuber of Scout.com joined many of the other “experts” when he changed his Eagles choice to Desean Jackson (from Kenny Phillips). Also making a change (thankfully) was the website SportsXChange.com, which previously had the Eagles taking Dan Connor. They maintained their uniqueness, though — and now are the only site on our board that has the Eagles getting their grubby little hands on Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.
Coming up later today — a 2nd round mock compilation.
Opening Day
Mar 31, 2008 MLB
One of the best days of the year in my book. Games all day long, fans excited in every ballpark (well, almost every ballpark). Just a lot of fun. And a fresh fantasy season too!
I had an incredible weekend of fantasy drafts — my AL-only auction set a record for length at almost nine hours. I’m OK with my squad, which I think will be more of a contender next season than this one (we have a complicated keeper system).
Anyway, in just a bit I’ll have the update on the draft spreadsheet — who all the experts are picking for the Eagles.
Tags: MLB
Davidson Rules
Mar 28, 2008 NCAA Basketball
For those of you who haven’t seen this yet… another reason to cheer for Davidson tonight:
One of Davidson College’s famous perks is the free laundry service for students. Now the school is adding another freebie: watching the Wildcats play in the NCAA tournament’s round of 16.
The school’s board of trustees set up a fund Wednesday to pay for any student wishing to travel to Detroit to see Davidson play Wisconsin in the Midwest Regional semifinals. Students will get free bus transportation, two nights lodging and a ticket to Friday’s game.
Awesome. Enjoy the games!
Portis 2008 — 1800 yards?
Mar 28, 2008 Eagles Rumors
Stump Mitchell, apparently, is a bit delusional. He’s the running backs coach of the Redskins, and he thinks Clinton Portis can rush for 1800 yards in the new offense to be implemented by Jim Zorn.
Sports Illustrated reports that Redskins assistant head coach/running backs coach Stump Mitchell is optimistic that RB Clinton Portis will have a big year playing in Jim Zorn’s West Coast Offense. “We think that he can be a 1,800-yard back this season,” Mitchell said. “Running behind that offensive line, he should average four-and-a-half to five yards per carry.” The story adds that Portis is working out in D.C., not Miami as his usual custom, and that Portis is a candidate to catch more passes out of the backfield after getting 47 receptions last season, mostly on check-down passes.
That’s pretty laughable on a lot of levels. For one, Portis has been nothing more than an average running back while he’s been with the Redskins. His YPC average last season was a terrible 3.9 (it has gotten worse each of the last two years).
In order to run for 1800 yards one of two things has to happen — either the running back has to be able to stay healthy through a 400+ carry season (a dubious proposition for a running back who already has a lot of mileage) or the running back has to average more than five yards a carry (which Portis has never come close to).
On top of that, this is yet another new offense for a team that is challenged in that area. In a division with three good defenses.
Not. Gonna. Happen.
Your Wii Wants to Enlist
Mar 27, 2008 Gaming
This is pretty darn cool. Military scientists are working with the Wiimote to design a better bomb-defusing robot. The machine is called a “Packbot” and also has a machine gun mounted on it.
[Metro UK] Wii controls used to defuse bombs.
Despair
Mar 27, 2008 MLB
One popular Giants’ blogger has had enough.
Five years on the Giants, and during that time, I’ve been mostly critical of them, but at least there seemed to be some sense of competence and respect in the way they went about their business. I haven’t agreed with everything, but at least they appeared to be giving an honest effort. The way these last couple of year has gone, and the way they (Magowan and Sabean, in particular) have been acting, is, frankly, abhorrent to me. Most of you have noticed that all I ever write anymore is complaints and criticisms. Well, I’ve noticed, too.
This team makes me mad, disappointed, and most importantly, uninterested. I am not interested in being lied to. I am not interested in a team that has so little respect for its fans that they would think it’s OK to shit all over the greatest player in team history. I am not interested in an owner and general manager who think it’s OK to field a team of has-beens, misfits, and never-was, washed-up players; and then lie about it right to my face.
Yikes. Ladies and Gentlemen, you’re 2008 San Francisco Giants!
By the way, this team is now 8-20 in spring training. They played their own AAA Club, Fresno, yesterday… and lost. San Francisco is a baseball town, there is no doubt. But this team is going to start and finish terribly, and there is little in the way of young hitting talent to make anyone hopeful. That is enough to badly damage attendance anywhere. And 2009 isn’t going to be any better.
Brian Sabean is not going to last into next season as GM. He better not, anyway. Under his control, this team has not drafted and developed a single significant hitter through its own system. Not one! It’s embarrassing.
Barry Bonds covered up the many mistakes of the Sabean era for a long time. Now that he’s gone, it’s apparent to even the casual fan that this guy is a fraud.
Tags: San Francisco Giants
LSU Pro Day
Mar 27, 2008 Eagles Rumors
While many eyes focused on Glenn Dorsey at the LSU Pro Day yesterday (by all accounts, he looked good), there was another Tiger that turned in an outstanding day. One that might be interesting to the Eagles:
Doucet turned in a strong performance, catching every ball that was thrown in his vicinity. The All-SEC performer also shined in the individual drills, running a 4.56 second 40-yard dash and posting a 34 1/2-inch mark in the vertical jump.
Doucet said although he is pleased with his performance today, he would rather be judged by what he can do on the football field.
“The 40 [yard dash] is not really what makes a football player,” he said. “I’m a lot faster than I actually timed out. Playing the game of football, you’re not going to just run a straight line all day. I play a lot faster than I time.”
Doucet is 6 feet flat and a strong 215 pounds. He will likely be taken in the second round. If the Eagles pass on a wide receiver in the first round (which seems likely), they will almost certainly take one at some point in the middle rounds.
[Star Ledger ] — Here’s a report from the Rutgers Pro Day
[Hartford Courant] –And one from UConn
[Scout.com] — South Carolina
Update: Virginia Tech Pro Day is today. The Eagles have been linked to two players on the Hokies — offensive lineman Duane Brown and wide receiver Eddie Royal.
Tags: 2008 NFL Draft, Early Doucet
Fantasy Baseball Advice
Mar 26, 2008 Fantasy Sports, MLB
Opening day is nearly upon us and the busiest weekend of the year for fantasy geeks is imminent. I have two events to attend: an 8+ hour auction for an AL-only league on Saturday, and a shorter, simpler draft for a mixed league on Sunday.
I’m always interested in reading general fantasy advice when I come across it — whether I agree with it or not. With that in mind, here are some general principles I’m trying to stick to this year:
1. Go young. If I’m trying to make a decision between two players with similar stat projections, I’m going with the younger one. Younger players tend to be injured less and more likely to have an even better season than you would expect. As an example, if you’re looking for a #1 outfielder in your AL-Only league and you’re trying to decide between Bob Abreu and Alex Rios.. go with Rios.
2. In a mixed league, try to take one closer from the AL and one from the NL. It really sucks when your closers are playing each other.
3. With Johan Santana gone, there’s no sure things in the AL for top-tier pitching. Take a chance on some guys who just came off “down years” — like Jeremy Bonderman.
Guys On My Radar:
Dustin McGowan (SP, Blue Jays) — Coming off what was quietly a very good second half.
Jack Hannahan (3B, Oakland A’s) — Eric Chavez mystery injury sounds like it could keep him out for a while. Hannahan may not smack a ton of homers, but he’s hit for average at every level.
Jeremy Bonderman (SP, Detroit) — Coming off a down year so stock could be low. Only 26.
Jeremy Guthrie (SP, Baltimore) — Future ace in Baltimore
Jeremy Accardo (Closer, Blue Jays) — BJ Ryan is not ready for full-time duty and may not be for some time.
Edwin Encarnacion (3B, Reds) — Ready for a breakout year.
Guys I’m staying away from:
Josh Beckett (SP, Boston) — Let someone else pay a king’s ransom for him. He came in to camp fat and he’s already injured.
Any Hitter on the Giants — **Tear…
Jermain Dye (OF, Chicago) — Getting old, due for an injury, and if the White Sox are in trouble could be traded out of the AL (they have Carlos Quentin waiting).
Nick Markakis (OF, Baltimore) — Everyone is talking about him, and he has no protection in that lineup any more.
Richie Sexson (1B, Seattle) — Do not even consider him. Just cross him off before you start.
Carlos Delgado (1B, NYM) — For whatever reason, people still consider him a legitimate #1 first baseman. He’s not.
Note: I may update this list as the day goes on, as I’ve made the decision to completely forgo work for the rest of the day in favor of fantasy research. God Bless America.
Tags: 2008 Fantasy Baseball
College Pro-Day Roundup
Mar 26, 2008 Eagles Rumors
It looks like the biggest news yesterday came from the Arkansas Pro Day, but it didn’t come from Darren McFadden or Felix Jones.
Wide receiver Marcus Monk opened up some eyes with dramatic improvements over his showing at the combine.
Arkansas’ leader in career touchdown receptions ran a 4. 41 and 4. 43 in the 40-yard dash at the indoor Walker Pavilion, where representatives with 26 NFL teams looked on.
“I want to let everybody know that I’m back,” Monk said. “It’s been a long, long year.”
Eighteen former Razorbacks participated in Arkansas’ Pro Day and one player stuck out the most, ESPN NFL analyst Chris Mortensen observed.
“Marcus Monk without question,” Mortensen said. “… All of a sudden, there’s a lot of buzz on him.”
Monk didn’t play at all last year because of a knee injury. It looks like he’s fully healthy, and his performance yesterday could really improve his draft stock — from the late rounds to the middle.
Elsewhere, here’s a report on the Wake Forest Pro Day.
Tags: College Pro Days, NFL Draft 2008
