something slightly cheerier

The Seattle Times story on David Kirtman becoming a Seattle Seahawk.

final words on the draft as its own phenomenon

Having watched parts of the coverage, I am inclined to join the "so what" crowd, at least in terms of the draft as a media event.

It makes for plenty of fuel for prognostication, but there's something dishonest about a group of people who create a set of predictions and then lambast the draftees for not meeting those expectations — when those draftees don't draft themselves.

Even the apparently good people, i.e. Jaworski, on ESPN give the appearance that they have forgotten a simple fact: they report on the action, they are not the action. Jaworski went on a rampage about how Jay Cutler will be the best, most durable quarterback in the 2006 draft, going on about "…that's why he's my guy!" Sorry to disappoint, but no, he's the Denver Bronco's guy.
I stayed tuned in long enough to see someone from the Packers refuse to answer the following question: did Favre suck last year because he wasn't getting coached, or because he wouldn't listen? Respect to the teamate who told the WWL crew that they were asking the wrong question and continued to refuse to answer it.

It’s spring practice!

Spring practice has started. Primary stories, no surprise, are Booty being the unofficial starting quarterback until Sanchez out-throws him, and trying to figure out who to play at tailback. Hershel Dennis seems a logical starter, and Carroll will try Whitney Lewis at tailback because he hasn’t had much luck as a wideout…

Trojans Spring Into a New Era  – LA Times

For Now, Booty is No. 1 QB – LA Daily News

On the draft front:

Leinart claims via his agent that he’s still assuming he’s going to New Orleans, says the Times-Picayune.  Whereas, some blowhard on ESPN radio is claiming that Leinart is going to go to the Jets, because it’s a better marketing fit for the NFL and the Saints are too flaky to be trusted with a superstar… we shall see. The New York Daily News wasn’t so sure.
In the meantime,  the Denver Post is suggesting that the move by Edgerrin James to Arizona, and Jamal Lewis staying at Baltimore, means that LenDale White may end up at Denver. Not looking forward to having a reason to look positively on the Broncos, but life is like that sometimes.

filling in space

Stop the presses! Leinart might still be going to New Orleans! Or maybe not!

Disturbing thought

It’s just as well that the Redskins don’t have a first round pick in the draft. I was talking to a friend about where various Trojans might end up, and it struck me that LenDale White is a potentially good fit for the Redskins’ running game — power running still matters to them, and they can’t realistically have Clinton Portis carry them for a season…

Since I can’t get my head around supporting a pro team, far less joining in the annual hysteria around the Redskins, I was briefly worried that my favorite Trojan offensive player of the last couple of seasons might cause me cognitive dissonance. But having checked the drafting position of the Skins, I think I can rest easy. I hope so.

surprise-free zone

News from the combine is not exactly startling. Leinart, Bush, and Vince Young are confident. Bush wants to be drafted first. Vince Young is not perhaps a rocket scientist, but apparently not a total moron either. (No point in pseudo-eggheads like me trying to act superior while he laughs all the way to the bank.)

I am indebted to the LA Times for reporting that Marcedes Lewis, late of UCLA, is not trying to grow any taller, despite scouts’ off-the-record concerns (what a load of crap, really).

The only interesting items as far as I am concerned is that LenDale White is admitting to eating all of the family dinners over the holidays, and Michael Hoff wants to buy an IHOP. I would venture to say that LenDale White can stand to be a little heavy; having defenders hanging onto his shirt or his love-handles doesn’t seem to make much difference when they are flapping in the slipstream.

And I am now willing to forgive Michael Hoff for thwarting 4th-and-National-Championship for having the most eccentric franchise-owning dream of this and probably several preceding drafts.