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Where are they now?

On the eve of the NFL draft I thought it might be fun to reminisce a little. With two Heisman winners in this I thought I would take a look at the past decade's trophy winners and see where they are now. Stick with me this should be fun!

2000: Chris Weinke- Unfortunately for Mr. Weinke his post collegiate career in football was doomed for failure. He didn't start his college career until he was a 27 year sophomore. He spent some time in the minor league baseball system before joining the Seminoles. He was drafted into the NFL at the age of 29, when most players start winding down their career at 30. In the NFL he did set a record, most consecutive losses in a season with 14. He has been inactive for 2 years, according to Wikipedia ( a very trusted source) he was working for a financial firm last we heard of him!

2001: Eric Crouch- We all know about the great career that Crouch had at Nebraska. In 2002 he was drafted by the St. Louis rams as a wide receiver. But he wasn't really with that. He left the Rams without ever playing a game. He eventually played in the NFL Europe as a safety. Then he went to the CFL as a fourth string quarterback. Eventually he was cut by the Toronto Argonauts. He signed a contract to play in the AAFL (All-American football league) but the league eventually folded.

2002: Carson Palmer- Carson Palmer is a successful quarterback for the Bengals. He has been to the Pro-bowl twice, and was even named MVP once.

2003: Jason White- Jason White went undrafted after his career at Oklahoma. After overcoming two devastating knee injuries his first two years in college, he won the Heisman in his third year. White was a finalist again in 2004 for the Heisman. In 2005 he was not drafted into the NFL, due to the perceptions of his knee injuries and his weak arm. He has never played professional football, except as a short stint on the Titans' practice squad. He owns a few businesses in the Oklahoma City area.

2004: Matt Leinart- Matt Leinart won the Heisman. He was drafted in the top 10 by the Arizona Cardinals. His lack of production caused him to get benched for veteran Kurt Warner. He is still the back-up in Arizona. But with the retirement of Kurt Warner he might have a chance to start.

2005: Reggie Bush- Reggie Bush was one of the most dynamic college football players in the country. He was drafted 2nd overall by the Saints. He is now a utility player on one of the most talented offenses in the NFL and now has a Super Bowl ring.

2006: Troy Smith-Troy Smith is now a back-up on the Baltimore Ravens. He was set to be the starter last year until he fell ill, giving way for Joe Flacco and his unlikely run to the playoffs. Smith sees time in the "wildcat" offense, as well as a little bit of wide receiver. His greatest accomplishment is off the field, where he is an activist for the Fitkid act.

2007: Tim Tebow- Tim Tebow has become an icon, and a house hold name all over the country. He is waiting to see where he will go in the NFL draft and if he will get a shot to play quarterback in the league. He has a number of pursuits off the field including missionary work and prison ministries.

2008: Sam Bradford- Sam Bradford returned to Oklahoma this year after winning the Heisman. He was injured in the first game, and after a brief return against Texas, he set out the entire season. It is yet to be decided how this has effected his draft status but he is still the top rated quarterback in the NFL draft .

2009: Mark Ingram- Ingram won the Heisman this year, and the National Championship over Texas. After the Alabama spring game it appears that he isn't even the best running back on the Crimson Tide roster.

Those are the last decades of Heisman winners. Some are successful others are not. We will see what the future holds for Tebow, Bradford, and Ingram. Live like no one is watching and check out the new website, goseecoach.com

Bust and Boom!

Picking the draft is not as an exact science. Thus the reasons we have busts (Ryan Leaf), and steals (Tom Brady). So the disclaimer for this blog is that this is purely conjecture. These are the guys who I think will be late round steals and also the guys who will be drafted higher than they should be. This is the first in my week long coverage of the draft.

Let's start with the busts:

Bust #1: Jimmy Claussen- This kid is an unmistakable talent. He has a ton of measurable. But it is the intangibles that Claussen is lacking. In his three years at Notre Dame I rarely saw any signs of leadership. There weren't any moments that made me think he had what it took to be an NFL quarterback. We have seen on many occasions that it takes more than a strong arm and accuracy to excel at the next level. I hope I am wrong about Claussen because I love the Irish.

Bust #2: Jason Pierre-Paul- This one hurts almost as much as Claussen. I really enjoyed watching this kid play. But while watching he seemed to rely on his raw talent a tad bit too much. In the games I watched he only seemed to be giving it his all two-thirds of the time. That will make for a mediocre pro.

Bust #3: Sean Witherspoon- This is more about a team reaching than it is about Witherspoon's talent. Witherspoon is a solid mid-second round pick. Unfortunately a team with a linebacker need will reach out of panic after Rondo McClain comes off the board. Witherspoon will probably go in the first round and be labeled a bust by his 2nd year.

Those are just a quick few. Like in the case of Witherspoon, a lot of draft busts are due to teams reaching or playing a player before they are ready. But like I said you just never know

Next up are our draft steals, enjoy!

Steal #1: Colt McCoy- As much as I hate the University of Texas, I constantly found it hard to root against this kid. (And not because he was born in Hobbs, New Mexico or that I watched him play in high school.) He is a leader and he has guts. He played every down of his college career with an unmatched intensity. He has a stronger arm than people might think and his accuracy is off the charts. But as I mentioned before it takes more than that to be an NFL talent. His leadership and poise are undeniable. McCoy is going to go late to middle second round. And whoever drafts him will have an elite quarterback, just don't rush him on the field.

Steal #2: Eric Decker- Decker is a big strong wide receiver. He has decent speed and great hands. He runs almost perfect routes. His size makes him a tough match-ups for most corners and his deceiving speed makes him impossible to cover when matched up with safeties and linebackers. There are some questions regarding Decker after he injured his ankle late in his senior season. He will slip late in the draft and someone will get a steal.

Steal #3: Dan Lefevour- This is an extremely talented quarterback lurking outside the big names. He ran a faster 40 time than Tim Tebow at the combine. He already has a refined NFL style release. He is an accomplished passer and runner. He will be perfect for a west coast style offense. Like Tebow, Lefevour ran the spread in college so there are some questions as to rather he can play under center. But I think that given some time on the bench to learn and grow he will be an elite quarterback in this league. It will be a blessing if he is drafted by the Patriots or the Colts.

If there are some sure things in this draft it is the offensive and defensive linemen. This class is stocked full of potential game changers at those positions. I am super excited about this year's draft class. I want to see what these kids can do for the NFL. Live like no one is watching and put little weight into the things I say.

Side note: I also think that Myron Rolle is going to go late in the draft. Depending on where his focus is at he can be a major contributor to an NFL defense. But I cannot condemn him if he chooses to focus on his academics.

Dismantled

My Broncos are now barely recognizable. It started just over a year ago with the firing of Mike Shanahan, and has now spiraled out of control. This morning the Denver Broncos traded one of the league's most productive wide receivers, Brandon Marshall, to the Miami Dolphins for a second round pick this year and a second round pick next year. I knew it was coming, but I was hoping against all odds that the organization and Marshall would work it out. This time last year my Broncos traded away Jay Cutler, our young franchise quarterback. This brings to light the question, What the hell is coach Josh McDaniels doing?

This question may take awhile to answer. After the Broncos drafted Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall in 2006 they added Eddie Royal in 2008. It seemed that the Broncos were headed in the right direction offensively. They had a young nucleus, that given time under Shanahan's tutelage would grow into an offensive powerhouse. That never happened. Just one year later the Broncos fired Mike Shanahan and hired young Patriots' assistant, Josh McDaniels. McDaniels' first move was to try to trade Jay Cutler for Patriot back-up quarterback, Matt Cassell. Cutler caught wind of the trade talks and took it very personally. The drama ballooned and finally culminated in the trade of Cutler to the Bears for Kyle Orton and some draft picks. Bronco fans, including myself were confused. But McDaniels wasn't done ticking people off. The trade of his franchise quarterback made Brandon Marshall very angry. He started causing problems for McDaniels. While Marshall was still productive on the field he was causing trouble in the locker room. Everything seemed to have smoothed itself out however with a 6-0 start. But as the season started to unravel, so did the locker room. Marshall was again unhappy and now he is gone. The most unexplainable move from the off season was the release of defensive coordinator, Mike Nolan. The Bronco defense was one of the few bright spots for a team that couldn't consistently produce on offense. Up until today the Broncos have had a relatively quiet off season. Other than the addition of Brady Quinn via trade, the Broncos really haven't done a whole lot. Now we have just lost our only consistent offensive weapon.

I understand that draft picks are good. Especially when a team needs to build from scratch. But this is something that never had to happen. The Broncos had a young offensive team, before last year defensive development was the problem. Now both sides of the ball need a lot of work. The good news is we still have Knowshon Moreno and Eddie Royal. Live like no one is watching and always wait and see.

Disclaimer: I know that I am supposed to be objective, but somethings never go away. My love for the Broncos is deep and undying. I am not sorry for this love, but I am sometimes ashamed of it!

Lefty Does it Right!

The Masters seems to be filled with drama and excitement every year. I am not sure if it is media hype or the air of Augusta, but something seems different at the Masters. There is always a breathtaking story line or a fabulous finish. This year was no different. Between Tiger's return to Fred Couples amazing four days we were fascinated.

I think it served Phil Mickelson, the man who would end up donning the green jacket, well that no one was even paying attention to him. Phil had a remarkable three hole stretch yesterday going eagle, eagle, birdie to put himself in contention going into Sunday and the final 18. With the type of quiet consistency that is the trademark of the man, Phil took the lead on Sunday and won the Masters by three strokes. While the golf world was ohhing and awwing over Couples' run and Tiger playing his way in and out of contention, Phil was paring and birdieing his way to 15 under.

Tiger played well I have to admit, but that is a discussion for a different time. This was Phil's day. I have grown to love Phil as a golfer. His class and composure are completely old school in today's flashy world of golf. Just under a year ago, Phil's wife and mother were both diagnosed with cancer. After taking a leave of absence to be with his family Phil has come out swinging. Winning his third green jacket today was certainly a fitting end to a Masters' tournament filled with stories. Congratulation Mr. Mickelson. Live like no one is watching and remember, lefties always do it right.

In the conversation

A good friend and I are always arguing sports top 10's. I won't see him again until Friday but I am sure that the UConn women Huskies will be a topic of conversation. But before he gets a chance to make an argument I present you with the question, are the UConn Women Huskies the greatest college basketball team ever?

College basketball has not seen the type of domination demonstrated by these very talented women since John Wooden and his men's UCLA teams of the 60s and 70s. In fact the two teams are quite comparable. Both UCLA and UConn have four undefeated seasons including back to back undefeated national championships. UCLA was lead by iconic coach John Wooden, UConn also has a legend at coach in it's own right, Geno Auriemma. Both teams devastated opponents and overpowered them with a never ending supply of talent.

So how does this all tie together? The UCLA teams of the 60s and 70s are considered by many the best teams ever in college basketball. If the UConn lady Huskies are comparable in every category including national championships, (UCLA has 10 and UConn has 7) are they in the conversation for the greatest team in college basketball? I say yes. There is no way to exclude this team from the argument. From coaching all the way down to bench play, the Lady Huskies are better than any current competition and have dominated their sport like few we have ever seen.

I am no sports chauvinist. I don't think we should classify great teams by gender. If you are the best than you are the best. Live like no one is watching and play like a girl!

Big Monday....

Yesterday was a huge sports day. It was so big I needed a full 24 hours to process it. Not to mention I was a little distraught after a half-court shot didn't find it's mark. I have a little bit of underdog hangover. But I am willing to shake it off for a chance to break down the day.

I want to start with the Donovan McNabb trade. I am on the on the fence here. While I agree that it might have been time for Philadelphia to move on, I am not sure that Kevin Kolb, or Mike Vick for that matter, is the answer for this team. While they needed to part ways with McNabb, I can not believe that they are confident with what they have left on the roster. Kolb has not had enough playing time to really establish his credibility and as talented as Vick is I am not sure that he can run that west coast style of offense. McNabb was perfect for that offense and he finally had some weapons. Given another year this offense might have exploded. The trade is definitely an upgrade for Washington Redskins. I like Jason Campbell, but up until this point in his career he hasn't been able to get the job done. With Mike Shanahan steering this ship Donovan McNabb has a shot to end his career on a high note. If the Redskins upgrade their offensive line and find a running game this could be a good football team.

Next up is the Tiger Woods' press conference. I make no secret of the fact that I like Tiger Woods as a competitor. I also make no secret of the fact that his off course problems hasn't changed that. I am extremely proud of the press corp that showed up yesterday. They asked the HGH question and were classy in approaching some of the other questions we feel we need answered. I think Tiger handled himself well. He was poised and candid. Hopefully this presser will push the Tiger conversation away from his sultry secret life and toward his golf. I really think that Tiger has an opportunity to win this tournament. It all will depend on his rust to talent ratio.

Yesterday was also baseball's opening day. That is really all I have to say about that. I mean the Cubs got destroyed and baseball season is like 400 games. So does opening day really matter. NO!

Finally the Men's NCAA national championship game. It was all we could have hoped for. Butler played exactly the way they have played the whole tournament and Duke played extremely well. When Heyward missed the fade-away jumper and then ultimately the half-court heave I felt the air seep out of my chest. It was a devastating moment for those kids. The Bulldogs were impressive. Duke proved all the experts wrong by making it to the title game. On top of that they played a complete team game and won the national championship. It was not the storybook ending that most of us were hoping for, but it was a hell of a game and fun tournament to watch.

Now for a quick side note about the tournament and brackets. Elysa won the bracket challenge this year. She picked solely by mascot. Not only that she has picked the national champion for the second straight year. I have nothing to say. There is no doubt that I will never hear of this.

Well that is my thoughts on Big Monday. I have to get back to watching the women's national championship game. Live like no one is watching and wait and see.