R. Rich

Other than Reggie Bush and maybe Matt Leinart, I think D'Brickashaw Ferguson is the best player in this draft........so far. There's always a chance someone like Ted Ginn would come out early (though I doubt it).

The defense will take a major hit in terms of starters (all but the LBs are seniors), but will have plenty of decent athletes ready to step in. The one thing I'll be looking for in the early signings is a good crop of offensive linemen. They really need that.

And to think, nobody thought the Lions would get to this point going into the season. I know I didn't. Way to shut up all the doubters and naysayers, JoePa! Even Phil Steele, whose college football guide is the best BY FAR, had PSU as the #60 team in his poll and picked them to finish 6th or 8th in the Big 11. So, it looks like there won't be a showdown w/ "that school" in Tempe...too bad. I would've tried to go to that one instead of next year's regular season game in South Bend. Maybe we get Miami instead? Interesting. I think that would be a nice matchup too. One thing: I love the comment from JoePa in his postgame interview: (interviewer) "How many people do you think thought that you would be in this position @ the beginning of the season?" (JoePa) "I don't know and I don't care." Classic JoePa right there.

That list is garbage. Where's the really great football towns like Des Moines (IA), Pine Bluff (Ark), Shippensburg (PA), and Los Angeles?

A good choice. Unfortunately, he's gone as well. A lot of them are stalking up on offensive linemen early on. Go figure. Here's the rundown so far.... Round 1 Chicago- RB Shaun Alexander Washington- QB Peyton Manning Cleveland- DE Dwight Freeney Tennessee- RB Jamal Lewis Atlanta- QB Tom Brady Baltimore- FS Ed Reed Minnesota- RB LaDainian Tomlinson Green Bay- QB Donovan McNabb Round 2 Green Bay- LB Ray Lewis Minnesota- WR Randy Moss Baltimore- OT Orlando Pace Atlanta- RB Priest Holmes Tennessee- LB Keith Bullock Cleveland- DE Julius Peppers Washington- WR Terrell Owens Chicago- CB Champ Bailey Round 3 Chicago- OT Walter Jones Washington- WR Marvin Harrison Cleveland- CB Nate Clements Tennessee- SS Rodney Harrison Atlanta- WR Chad Johnson Baltimore- LB Takeo Spikes Minnesota- LB Julian Peterson Green Bay- WR Torry Holt Round 4 Green Bay- DT Kris Jenkins Minnesota- LB LaVarr Arrington Baltimore- OT Jonathan Ogden Atlanta- CB Chris McCalister Tennessee- CB Patrick Surtain Cleveland- LB Derrick Brooks Washington- LB Al Wilson Chicago- QB Ben Roethlisberger Round 5 Chicago- DT Rod Coleman Washington- LB Joey Porter Cleveland- FS Sean Taylor Tennessee- WR Joe Horn Atlanta- DE Simeon Rice Baltimore- DE John Abraham Minnesota- QB Daunte Culpepper Green Bay- CB Ty Law Round 6 Green Bay- DT La' Roi Glover Minnesota- LB Brian Urlacher Baltimore- LB Zach Thomas Atlanta- TE Tony Gonzalez Tennessee- DE Richard Seymour Cleveland- DT Marcus Stroud Washington- DE Jason Taylor Chicago- OG Steve Hutchinson Round 7 Chicago- WR Steve Smith Washington- DE Michael Strahan Cleveland- OG Alan Faneca Tennessee- DT John Henderson Atlanta- CB Samari Rolle Baltimore- DT Kevin Williams Minnesota- SS Roy Williams Green Bay- RB Willis McGahee Round 8 Green Bay- C Olin Kreutz Minnesota- S Brian Dawkins Baltimore- CB Ronde Barber Buffalo*- DT Shaun Rogers [*-formerly Atlanta] Tennessee- OT Willie Roaf Cleveland- OT Willie Anderson Washington- DT Casey Hampton Chicago-OT Flozell Adams Round 9 Chicago-OT Marco Rivera Washington-CB Antoine Winfield Cleveland-SS Troy Polamalu Tennessee-QB Steve McNair Buffalo-OT Jordan Gross

No Shows: 1. Rockpile 2. R. Rich See you guys in 4 weeks.

I took over a team in a sim league. This one will be a league where the games are simmed by videogame (ESPN 2K5, I think). One of the owners had to bail, so I said I'd join. Here's my team so far (I joined after the first 7 picks for this team were made): 1. Tom Brady (QB) 2. Priest Holmes (RB) 3. Chad Johnson (WR) 4. Chris McAllister (CB) 5. Simeon Rice (DE) 6. Tony Gonzalez (TE) 7. Samari Rolle (CB) 8. Shaun Rogers (DT) I'm hoping to start building a good offensive line now, but a lot of the top tackles have been taken as have the top 4-5 guards.

It sounds like someone who didn't expect much from this season and has been pleasantly surprised. You know, the fan that doesn't sound like an idiot talking trash before games are played.

Whatever happens, this season has far exceeded my expectations. All I hoped for PSU was that their freshman would have an active role, and they sure have.

Winston has continued his solid play, and is now considered the 2nd best tackle prospect in the draft behind Ferguson. Of the top 3 prospects going into this season (Feguson, Marcus McNeill of Auburn and Winston), he's the one I liked the least. He's still better than the rest of the tackles available though. Do I think he could play LT? Absolutely. He's a former TE who will hold his own against many of the speed rushers and is strong enough to handle many of the bull rushers. He also is playing very well after injuring his knee last year, which is surprising. Usually, big guys like linemen have lingering effects of knee injuries and don't bounce back as quickly as he has. Right now, after Ferguson, he's shown that he's the top LT prospect.

My brother graduated from Miami also. He went there from 85-89. He went to school there w/ a pretty decent RB they had named George Swarn, who got drafted by the Cardinals, I think. They also had a really good DB who got drafted by the NY Giants named Sheldon White. He was a pretty good player in the NFL too. Sheldon was also on the track team w/ my brother ( who won 3 MAC high jump titles and 2 MAC triple jump titles there). Miami has a very good KR/WR that people should watch named Ryne Robinson. That kid can flat out fly!

Good post, Bill. D'Brickashaw Ferguson may very well be one of the best LT prospects since Orlando Pace. This kid's athleticism is uncanny, and he's put on some muscle and has shown some good strength in the games I've seen him play. e-dog; top 5 @ the least. More like top 3. I know one thing; if Houston has a top 3 pick (likely), he'll probably be their choice.

Oh yeah, forgot about him. Since Ward isn't a lineman, I'm sure he knew about him before 2 years ago.

Ah, but poker is a sport, Kelly. All of the long hours, the training, the pregame preparation...

I may have heard of Ward before 2 years ago, and I bet I know @ least one other person who did as well...

Well, @ least I'll get to see you @ the game. Hopefully.

Too bad. Hey, if you're going to be in B'more next weekend, give me a call.

I see those types of fans all over. When I went to see the Bills play the Iggles @ the Vet back in '96, we (my Mother, who lived near Philly back then, and I) got our tickets through a broker and they were in the good section. Back then, we could get those seats for $80 each (I can only imagine what they'd cost now). Those fans were pretty subdued, comapred to the folks in the upper decks and in the end zone seats there. Same w/ the Stiller fans @ Heinz Field. Psycho Ward 86 and I were sitting in really good seats (around midfield, just 4 rows from the field on the visitors' side) and I was shocked @ how quiet the fans in that section were. The only ones who made noise were these 2 ladies that sat next to us and a couple drunks who kept bitching about everything in their alcohol-induced rage.

A critique from the "lesser than those in the expensive seats" yahoo who holds season tickets in Section 123, Row 11, seats 4 & 5: I do agree that people have the right to support their team in any way they choose to, as long as it doesn't trample on my right to enjoy the game. Face painters, "First Down Man", and the lot don't bother me, until they stand in my way and refuse to move, or if they decide to tell me how to cheer for my team. In some respect, I do agree w/ your stance on the fans. However, as long as said fans DO NOT trample on my rights, I could care less what they do. Paint your face, wear your silly outfits, do your crazy dances-all of that is fine. Just don't tell me what to do while I'm there and stay out of the view of myself and whoever would accompany me to a game. As long as that respect is given to me, I live and let live. When it isn't, that's a different story, w/ a not-so-happy ending for others. Also, to categorize an entire section of a stadium (thousands of people, many of whom you may have never even met) as 'yahoos' doesn't seem like the act of an "educated" fan. Are there "yahoos" in the end zone? Absolutely, and they're irritating. They're just as irritating, to me, as the "cheese and wine" fans in the expensive seats who mistakenly believe that they're @ a tennis match instead of a pro football game. I consider myself somewhere in the middle: I cheer for my squad, but I try to be mindful of the people around me. I'd like to think that I succeed in being mindful to others more often than I don't. Well, that's my statement, your honor (isn't that how you address a judge?).

Oh yeah, and Cat Stevens is the Islamic one. He goes by Yusef Salaam now, I believe.

Follow the timeline here... Wasn't a Cat Stevens song, which prompted this post from you: Noble attempt, but also incorrect, which led to: Croce did perform "Time In A Bottle" [bTW, The Police performed "Message In A Bottle"]

Love that song!

I'll try to get there between 11:30am and noon.

Very good parody of the Beatles. Of course, it's not as funny as the baby who plots to take over the world or a talking dog (we never see enough of those on TV, do we?).

You have some dignity, and a life. What the heck are you doing on a message board? One of the major requirements here is the lack of those things.