Even a perverted relentless hamster like myself knows there is only so much the butt can take. So rest your rears Dolfans, today we get to look at the misfortune of the rest of the NFL. Enjoy laughing at the misfortunes of other teams as I give them the poke!
Let’s start with the gold standard of all busts. In the 1998 NFL Draft there was a great QB debate. The Colts held the first overall choice, the Chargers the 2nd. Both were in the market for a QB. But who would the Colts select first, Peyton Manning, the technician with NFL bloodlines or the up and comer from Washington State, Ryan Leaf. Leaf had a rocket arm, but the Colts went conservative and selected Peyton Manning.
That left the Chargers who were pokied by yours truly. Manning is on his way to the Hall of Fame, Leaf finished his career with a more than 2 -1 Int to TD ratio and a 50 QB rating. Leaf also added an indictment for burglary and possession of a controlled substance to his legacy. The photo below illustrates how the great QB debate of 1998 worked out in the end.
Leaf might be the biggest Draft bust of all time. Until another QB rivaled him in 2007. Its not easy to be the worst pick in Raiders history but JaMarcus Russell might have achieved that. After drafting Russell with the #1 pick of the 2007 draft the Raiders proceeded to give him a 68 Million dollar contract with 31.5 guaranteed. This of course was before the rookie salary cap came into effect – actually Russell might be one of the reasons owners begged for the rookie salary cap.
Russell was a great athlete from a powerhouse team in the SEC but in the NFL, he was a great big pokey hurting butts on every coast. Some say Russell had a drug problem but I wouldn’t know anything about that…heehee…
Quarterbacks and busts in the NFL can be synonymous. Its a tough position to evaluate. I could write a whole blog on quarterback busts from the state of Ohio. But I will spare Ohio the pain.
One of the first draft busts I ever remember was a Linebacker from Oklahoma. Coming into the NFL Brian Bosworth was all hype. The Boz sold t-shirts and haircuts to tasteless fans all over the country. The hype must have gone to his head, he actually wrote letters before the supplemental draft to many NFL teams declaring that if they signed him he wouldn’t play for them. When the Seahawks ignored the letter and drafted him they signed him to the biggest rookie contract of all time at that time. He ended up playing three years for the Seahawks. Guess how this photo of an attempted tackle on Bo Jackson worked out.
Another overhyped prospect worth mentioning is Tony Mandarich. The Packers whiffed on this athletic freak they attempted to draft as the cornerstone of their offensive line. Madarich was built like the Incredible Hulk and NFL teams and Sports Illustrated, who helped build the hype at the behest of Mandarich’s agent, were excited to see this guy bulldoze defenses. But it didn’t work out that way. Some say steroid testing played a part in his quick decline. Mandarich made a comeback with the Colts years later. But trust me, that pokey hurts!
But as Dolfans, you don’t care about the misses of any of these teams do you? You want to hear about the butt hurt of the AFC East.
Let’s start with the obvious: The New York Jests. The Jests misses are countless, Marc Sanchez, Blair Thomas and Kyle Brady all come to mind. But I would rather go with something a little more recent. In 2008, the Jests were eager to see Rex Ryan’s defensive scheme at work. The centerpiece would be a premier pass rusher….heehee…they got Vernon Gholston instead…
What’s worse than wasting a first round pick on a bust – how bout wasting a first and a second round pick. That is what the Bills did in 2004. In that draft the Bills selected Lee Evans with their first round pick. They still needed a QB though. So they traded up from the second into the 22nd pick of the 2004 draft and gave up their 1st round pick in 2005 in the trade. With the 22nd pick of the 2004 draft…heehee…the Buffalo Bills select J.P. Losman….heehee. Now that’s a pokey!
And that brings us to the Cheats. If you listen to the National Media you will hear that Belicheat can do no wrong. The same media will tell you the Cheats play by the rules. But the laughing Dolphin doesn’t buy that. While Belicheat has avoided disaster in the 1st round, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounds are littered with disappointments. Aaron Hernandez, Laurence Maroney, Chad Jackson, Shawn Crable, Kevin O’Connell and Brandon Tate are all examples of these misses. But for this blog I’m going with Terrence Wheatley. After 2007 the Patriots missed on a ton of defensive backs and Wheatley jumps out as the biggest miss. That’s Patriot Pokey!
Players that find their way out of the NFL in a few years are not the only way to judge busts. After all, the average NFL career is not very long. Sometimes teams just miss at a better player at the position they drafted. Like in 1983 with the New Jests on the clock with the 24th pick of the draft. As all of you know, the Jests used the pick on Quarterback Ken O’Brien.
O’Brien wasn’t half bad. He put up some big numbers on some jests teams with bad defenses. But three picks after O’Brien was selected the Dolphins selected a Hall of Famer to play Quarterback for them. Pokey works in mysterious ways. For decades the Jests will wonder why they took O’Brien over the Great Dan Marino.
Who knows who gets poked in 2015. Better hope its not the Dolphins. But Hamsters have no prejudices.
This post was endorsed by Pokey. Don’t be fooled by fakes. Look for the Seal of Pokey!
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SCHEDULE RELEASED
HERE IT IS!
Finsmob Unleashed 
Tim C’mon man…I meant that Trenton Brown guy for Special Teams.
He’s actually projected to only be able to play RG in a powerblocking scheme as he is a punch and mash type player.
LOL, sorry I read it as D’s post being that he replied.
PIGGY; YET another truly fine analysis. Your comment that Ken O’Brien “wasn’t half bad” is on the money. In 1985, Ken O’Brien had the highest QB rating in the National Football League!! –His 96.3 rating bested Boomer Esiason (93.2), Joe Montana (91.3), Dan Fouts (88.1) and some guy named Marino (84.1). Not-so-bad guys like Elway, Kosar and Warren Moon were well behind—–an indication of the high quality of quarterbacking in the NFL in 1985!! –In my opinion, the mid-to-late ’80’s was the GOLDEN AGE OF QUARTERBACKING. Really good quarterbacks, like Phil Simms, Danny White and Jim McMahon, barely drew any notice during an era that was full of Hall of Fame talent at the quarterback position.
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Tomorrow we will relive another GOLDEN AGE as the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins take their Perfect Season dreams to Foxborough to play the New England Patriots. Three weeks earlier,the Dolphins slaughtered the Patriots 52-0 in what remains the most lopsided victory in the history of this rivalry. Head coach John Mazur was fired after that game and replaced by former Green Bay Packer Phil Bengston. Problem was Bengston was stuck with the same players on defense. –Miami’s offensive coordinator, Howard Schnellenberger, mused “We scored 52 last time and there’s no reason we can’t have similar success this time!” And head coach Don Shula was in no mood to ease-off the accelerator. Both Shula and Schnellenberger believed they were leading the Greatest Football Team in NFL history. The OLD DOLFAN will put you on the 50 yard line to witness Game #12 of “ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!!” –Hope you enjoy it!!
http://news.yahoo.com/coyote-attacks-new-jersey-163708468.html
I saw that. I’ve seen them mountain biking in the past. I haven’t gone riding in awhile though.
Try, I just got home and I’m cooking salmon so I’m not fully engaged right now. LOL
So we open at Washington.
at Jacksonville week 2?
Bills and Jest at home round out the first quarter of the season.
What’s with the hard to read formatting? Just do it black and white. Sorry folks, not many 1PM games in the heat.
http://www.nfl.com/schedules/2015/REG/DOLPHINS
THE DEATH WATCH for Marlins manager Mike Redmond is officially “on.” –The under achieving Miami club is 3-10, and losing to the Phillies tonight in the bottom of the 4th inning. A loss tonight by the Marlins could bring about a managerial change before tomorrow’s game.
NOTICED the Fins play AT New England late October just 4 days after playing Houston!!!–What a fucking by the schedule maker!!! –Fucking CHEATRIOTS strike again!
With the way the schedule plays out, Miami needs to start fast. …5-1.
Better hope Albert is back for week 1 and playing like his old self!!!
On paper, the last 10 games as a whole is pretty tough.
8 out of our first 11 games are on the road. SHIIIIITTT
Giants on MNF
And one Sunday night game
Take another look the Sunday game is a Thursday Nighter.
Oh Yeah that explains NFL Network
The first 6 games of the schedule are not so tough
We have to come out strong
4 of our last 5 games are in home
The only road game is in San Diego
No cold weather games
When is the last time that happened
Sure we guy the jests on 11/29 in ny
But that is not so cold
Btw who want to go
DolfansNYC will be organizing something
You know I am in.
Okay so the schedule comes out and my brother-in-law texts me right away and says: “road trip!” LOL
So that’s already in the hopper. We just have to figure out the logistics and how many people are going. My friend and I who is also a Dolphin fan are in the mix but my brother-in-law may end up with 2-8+ Giants fans going. Oh my!
By the way, 5 of the last 7 games at home doesn’t suck. We play no extreme cold weather games – at the Jets Nov. 29th.
Oh yeah, we also have another bye week 5 after the London game. LOL
I know we are home but finishing with Indy and Pats is still pretty brutal.
Do you wanna be good and win battles or eat cupcakes? LOL
Cupcakes Yum!
rgs, if you want to be a good team you beat teams on your schedule and make the playoffs. If we’re relying on easy then what are we really shooting for?
A repeat of 2008 when we had a cream puff schedule. I am not too proud to admit I would like that.
Who’s talking about relying on anything. Just discussing the schedule just like everyone else who’s a fan of any of the teams in the league. On paper, the beginning looks easier than at the end. …nothing more.
Maybe I can talk my cowboy buddies into a trip to Miami?
The only thing I don’t like w/ the schedule is the late season WC trip versus the Chargers.
You don’t think we can beat Mariotta?
The West Coast trips are the hardest
But I take that over a cold weather game
Ken,
Beating the Pats and Colts last two weeks should clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
But Hulk want cupcakes. Tim mentioned cupcakes now Hulk only want cupcakes. LOL.
Fuck ya!!!!
If you can’t do it you don’t deserve it!
OINK YEAH!!!!
Cheats with a bye in week 4, I’m in shock.
One thing that jumps out at me, I call them a disadvantage, is Buffalo getting us and the Patriots after mini byes. NE at Buff week 2 after NE playing week one on Thursday Night and us on week 9 after coming off a Thurs. game with the Cheats.
I haven’t looked for us getting any of those games where our opponents play us coming off of the mini bye or bye.
Nov.22 game vs. Cowboys and Dec. 6 game vs. Ravens are the two most attractive possibilities for FINSMOBUNLEASHED Get-together in Miami. BOTH games are 1 PM starts on Sunday. –Last 2 home games (COLTS and PATS) run afoul of Christmas and New Years.
Actually Week 17 is intriguing so as to do New Years in So. Fla.
Of course I have not run that idea by my wife yet.
I don;t disagree
but there is the traveling thing around the holidays which kills people
OD
I’m not a fan of either of those dates
They run afoul of thanksgiving and a lot of people will be traveling
I’m kind of a bigger fan of the earlier dates like
9/27 and 10/25
I added the Schedule to the to the top of the blog
Hey Twice if you are out there
Do you know of a way we can add the pic of the schedule to the sidebar
I know I’m not supposed to say it, but again with the early fucking bye week. It’s ridiculous how often that happens. And I am not into conspiracy theories- that’s another site- but the patriots 4 days after a team we have never beaten.. Really?
It was our yr to play the Thursday game on the road, so why not play in a place we won’t win anyways?
excuse me … 7 of our first 10 games are away games… Am I counting this right?
Isn’t that horrendous? You guys don’t think that is a killer? if we don’t do well on the road, then we will be so far behind, we might have guys giving up. Again. Or at least we will have a string of “playoff” type must-win games to keep from getting that seventh (play-off killer) loss.
In all honesty 8 of our first 10 are away due to the London “Home Game”
I was about to mention that
That is an away game too
One way or another you have to play 8 away games
And the redskins, Jags and titans aren’t exactly powerhouses
I wold rather have the home/warm weather games late in the year
That is a huge advantage
if we had a lot of away games early int he seaosn every season it would be a good thing
Yes but a fair amount of cream puffs in the early road schedule while our 2 first home games are Jets and Bills. Not too bad imo.
6 of the first 9 on the road one is a bye, but most of those games are against somewhat weak teams, so it’s all good.
Naples, actually it’s 4-6 – we host the London game. LOL
Not a lot of playoff teams from last year though – only 2 with the Pats and Cowboys. If we want to be a good team what are we afraid of? I don’t get this thought process and every year fans think we get screwed by the schedule. We’ve stared at the playoffs late in the season the last 2 years and collapsed. Stop that! LOL
Good teams win games, mediocre teams fall short and bad teams draft high. 😉
We only play the Bills after they have a bye week, and we have the Thursday game the week before, and we have no one after the mini bye, so all in all I’m not complaining about the schedule.
4 of last 5 at home… we will have NO excuses if we can’t ‘finish’ the season this time. 😉
If we win all our home games and lose our away games in the first 10, we are 3-7 and already out of the play-offs before the schedule turns around for us.
Do you see that happening?
btw Don’t forget:
If we win all our home games and lose all our away games we finish 7-9.
I like playing the jets in London, since we can’t beat them at home, and 50% of the fans are jets fans anyways.
I get Naples point that one of our big advantages is playing in the heat of Miami in September and early October and that advantage is somewhat minimized in this schedule but still overall I don’t think it’s a bad schedule for us especially since we are not in the cold at all in December.
I don’t mind the neutral weather games, if we don’t get the home Sept games don’t give us the Dec road games. Why is our home opener at 4:00 PM, Ross you’re an idiot.
Ugh. I didn’t catch that. No hot weather games for us I guess.
The schedule actually works to Suh$ favor though. He had never spent a season inv south Florida. He’ll get to play a lit of the hot part of the season in nicer environs. And if I am thinking correctly, only 3 dome games.
The Flying Pig says:
April 21, 2015 at 8:59 pm (Edit)
I added the Schedule to the to the top of the blog
Hey Twice if you are out there
Do you know of a way we can add the pic of the schedule to the sidebar
I could make the pic of the schedule the new background? We’ve looked at the back of Suh’s head for quite a while. lol
Yeah, I won’t be pissed if you removed the back of Suh’s head. Now if Brady was on the ground behind him…
I think we are due for a new background
But I’m not feeling the schedule as the background
we won;t be able to read it so it defeats the purpose
Maybe after the draft, we should change our background to the draftee pick
You know the inevitble pick of the draftee wearing a #1 Dolphins jersey
Phins 2nd Home game isn’t until Oct. 25th vs. Texans.
Naples
Its true
if we can’t wint he road games we will be out of the playoff early
but every year if you go 0-8 on the road you are out of the playoffs
sometimes it just doesn’t happen until December
If we do what we have been doing the last few years and start off hovering around .500 for the first half of the season
then we have a stretch at the end that puts us in a good position to make a run
Its an ideal set up to play so many road games early
The only real disadvantage is the London game in terms of losing the extra home game
Not (London Game), see my post above.
Piggy:
10/25 is the Texans. You know we can’t do that game.
We will bring them luck
….like we did for the Tennessee game
That’s week 16, oh wait a minute.
I’ve always thought and lots of experts (esp. players) agree that it is more of an advantage to get teams in the heat early than it is a disadvantage for us to have to travel to cold weather late. We beat the *stealers in the snow and KC in 12 degrees recently. We beat the patsies* ( *a team who has never gone undefeated) in the heat just last year.
Texans would be a good game for Mobfest….we finally break the curse and beat Houston.
owes you a beer
I actually think the best Fest Game would be the Texans Game
b/c its 1pm
and not around a traveling holiday like Thanskgiving or XMAS
That’s Watt I was thinking 😉
I have to look at my schedule at work but I am not thinking I can make that one. I am supposed to go out to home office in Ohio that week I believe but you don’t need me for a fest. Might be difficult for me with my trial schedule this year.
We have one game on the schedule that we can’t win, in NE on Thurs., but whatever, we can’t beat them their anyways with the 12th man known as the zebra on their side, and the rest of the schedule is good.
We can poison their chowdah
But will you 😉
Anyone else concerned how bad Detroit played against the cheats last yr (Suh being a Lion)?
apples and oranges
Suh didn’t have Earth Wake lining up next to him.
I don’t see this as that bad of a schedule.. Our tuff games seem to be in our house later in the season. I don’t care for the early bye week. I’ll be in SD for the west fest and another game or two in Fla..
I may be up for the SD game, only 5 hrs away. Anyone else going?
I think its a pretty good schedule
The reality is no matter what the schedule says there is room for us to complain
and so that is what we are doing….lol
Steve honestly?
I think looking at that schedule, I predict we will go 14-2.
I would tell my friends off this blog 12-4.
I’d go public on about a 10-6 year.
I’d put money on 8-8 or better.
No Miller could mean 6-10.
if Grimes is hurt, 4-12.
nouhmsayin?
You might be right with 1 of those predictions.. LOL!!!
You forgot the additional prediction:
If Piggy never wakes up 16-0 and a Super Bowl win
I know dreaming, but a guy I worked with commited suicide the yr before the SF Giants won the first of the 3 World Series Titles, he was a big Giants Fan.
I don’t see Miller or Grimes going down derailing us. What I do see is Knowshon signing on the cheap, after the draft.
London is a neutral game and then both teams have the bye afterwards. It’s an NFL promotional game and is what it is. That’s why our home schedule looks bad early. But we play 5 of 7 at home to end the season. It’s just not balanced.
Really what we’re looking at is 2-5-1 (London) to start and 5-3 home advantage with 5 of 7 to finish. Until we establish home dominance it doesn’t matter. We were 4-4 at both home and on the road last year along with 3-3 in the division and 6-6 in the conference, .500 all around. Let’s hope this team wins 2-3 more games this year.
Would’ve been better and most likely made the playoffs if the injury bug didn’t hit late last yr.
Alright Dog I’m in, just put in my leave request for Christmas break.
Cool.. I’m there for sure.
Even if I can’t get the time off its not too far away to make it back to work. That stadium sucks getting out though, I need to make sure I park somewhere near the exit. First time I was there I parked on the east side it took 2 hrs to get out.
What’s up Phin Dog? Good to see you.
Everything is good Ken. Like you I have been extremely busy… Hope all is well with you.
I complain but things are alright. That’s cool you and Steve are going to meet up for the SD game. Go get us a win.
Tim
You are overlooking the obvious fact about the London game:
The Queens in a Whore
That favors the Jests….its simple whore math
LOL, as ridiculous as we think it is to have a queen. LOL
Dolphins ranked 1st as team most helped by the schedule: http://espn.go.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/12733192/pittsburgh-steelers-teams-toughest-2015-schedules-nfl
Dog, where do you live?
Laguna Hills.. About an hour and a half away..
Steve if Miller goes down we have no NFL quality RB (at this moment).
I am strongly in favor of re signing Moreno. I think they are waiting to see if Gurley is BPA @ 14
If so, we take him and go to the SB in his yr 2.
If Grimes gets hurt, esp. in the first month, we have no CB who can shut down anybody’s #1 WR which means the losses will pile up. (on our current roster)
If Philbin gets hurt there will be litter all over the stadium for our home games. Could be a huge disadvantage..
Someone get this man a beer and a some cheer! LOL
If a meteorite hits our practice facility we have problems. So does probably a few other teams. 😉
I honestly think losing Grimes and Miller is more dangerous than losing Suh and Tannehill.
(As our roster is currently staffed)
That’s crazy talk Naples! Who pissed in your Cheerios today?
Losing Suh would be huge, but losing Alberts may be the worst, depending on what we do in the draft.
If a hurricane wipes out Sun Life we will have no home games.
We shall play in the eye of the hurricane
But Ross will get to build a new stadium.
I got it!
We have to go 3-1, 3-1, 2-2, 2-2 based on previous strength of schedule – but so many on the road or neutral. Maybe we can be better than that and win 1 or 2 more. If not, we’re right back where we’ve been. Until it happens let’s watch the games and hope for the best.
Why bother watching the games when we can predict the results….
you’re crazy Tim…do you know how much time it will take to watch 16 games
(Piggy shakes his head in disbelief)
Somebody hide all the sharp objects from Naples. JK bro. I get your point but injuries happen and we can’t carry 53 starters on our roster.
The one improvement I am looking for in Philbin is not f’n up with those timeouts he called when the other team was frantically driving with time running out.
But Suh will help that. He would’ve disrupted both Rodgers and Stafford on at least one play, and one more stop is all we needed in both of those cases and we are in the playoffs.
Those timeouts were inexcusable. They have me really soured on Philbin. Just bad game management. I am hoping he learned from that.
They worked at the end of the half against the cheats, but overall and at the end of the game they were horrible.
Dog, I know Laguna Hills we have a timeshare in Newport, and I lived in So Cal for about 13 yrs.
9 in a row for the Mets!
7 in a row for the Dodgers!!
That’s less. Like your amp goes to 10 and mine goes to 11. LOL
The Mets just won their 9th in a row to go 11-3 with a 7-1 win over the Bravos. The Mets! LOL
Their core is pitching. The Phins should be DL, QB and a ball control pass/run offense. Complement each other. Make it tough on teams with force up front, move the ball, eat up time and score.
That’s what we did last yr between the Raiders game and the 11 week or so when all the injuries started piling up.
What the Hell is a Met ?
Short for Metropolitans.
The way the NFL works, as soon as you have lost 6 games, you are in the single-elimination playoffs.
(rare exception is a very balanced division like San Diego, Seattle, and Carolina had in recent years.)
We actually might have one of those this year if we all 3 can split or better with NE.
The cheats may actually struggle this yr, like they started doing last yr (KC Game), this yr it will be a DB problem.
I think this is the year we beat Houston.
(better guys?)
Atta boy Naples!
It’s a work night so I must get my rest. I am out. Peace to you all.
Night Ken
The NFL must think we’re all really stupid to continue following their sport even though they allow the cheats to not only cheat like they do, but to get every call imaginable.
unlessss
they draft Gurley.
Gurley would be nice, but I don’t think the FO has the patients to wait for him to heal, we’ll see.
Steveccv.
Book your time share in Newport and we can carpool or take the train from irvine. I’m 10 minutes from Newport.
ccnv.. Sorry man !!!
I can’t get it that time of yr, we’ll be staying in SD most likely.
If we pull a surprise and draft Gurley, he along with Miller better light it up on the ground and out of the backfield receiving. I wouldn’t be against that if it’s lethal with Williams backing up, but it better make a huge difference on offense as in scoring.
When would anyone think Gurley will be ready? History tells us it’s usually the next season at 100%.
If Gurley was 100% he’d likely go top 10. What would anyone expect from him this year? I get it with him, he can grind and wear down opponents in a game with tough yards, chunk yards and some big runs. Will he be ready to help us in 2015 and where does Miller fit in?
How can drafting Gurley be a surprise when there’s been lots of talk about us doing just that?
I meant we will finally beat the Texans …unless THEY draft gurley.
PIGGY: SAW your comments on potential Mobfest dates/games. ONE of the advantages of an earlier get-together is the fact that we should NOT yet be eliminated from the playoffs by the midway point of the season (yuk, yuk)!! UNLIKE most on this board, I do NOT expect us to make the playoffs this season unless Hickey hits several home runs in the draft. And I DO BELIEVE this will be Philbin’s LAST YEAR as head coach, even though he signed a multi-year extension several months ago. A 5th consecutive non-winning season will seal Joe’s fate.
————
OUT for tonight.
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Speaking of Miami coaches on the way out, the Marlins fell to 3-11 tonight after another lopsided loss, this time to the Phillies. Mike Redmond is going-going-GONE!!!
I really think every team needs two NFL quality RBs.
Last year we all complained when they did not run Miller late in games because they were concerned about his snap count. But he was our only starter quality RB, so they had to protect him. If we had 2, they could both get 10-12 carries and in spots they like best, and both be fresh in January (better guys?)
Added schedule to sidebar – not perfect will clean up tomorrow.
Also, as far as the schedule goes – screw you, NFL…thanks for the 4 days between games before we play the Pats, then a nice January afternoon in South Florida when we play them the second time.
Tim,
Remember AP came back from an ACL in 2012 and was within 8 yards if Dickerdons record.
That’s not the norm though, and very unlikely for someone else in a skilled position to do.
Brian, I agree with Steve. AP wasn’t a rookie either.
Steve, pre-draft hype. I always go back in the day learning draft rumors. In 1993 I read in TSN and PFW we would draft Terry Kirby 1st rd because we were rumored to want to draft him. The same with KAJ in 1996 and JT in 97. We drafted all of them in the 3rd round. Team interest doesn’t mean 1st round. Speculation runs wild and everyone runs with it. LOL
The draft hasn’t really changed since then. Just more resources for us to follow via computer/devices. Teams still rank prospects the same way.
I can’t wait for the first I can’t believe they drafted him there. LOL
I heard on NFL Sirius last week that the NFL combine doctors did a followup with Gurley to check on his progress and the official word was (quoting the news guy on NFL Sirius here) “He’s on pace to be 100% by the beginning of camp.
Seems miraculous, and I’m a bit surprised you guys hadn’t heard it, but that’s what they said anyway.
I wouldn’t be surprised if we took him. In fact, there’s very few positions I’d be surprised if they took, and many many players that I think are in the realm of taking. I can’t predict shit with this draft. I could see Gurley in the first and Coates in the 2nd.
Here’s a Mortensen report on Gurley, the first quote is Dr James Andrews (whom most of us will recognize), the surgeon who did the surgery:
——
“I heard some fuss that Gurley wouldn’t let teams examine him and that’s just totally misleading,” said Andrews. “The team physicians I have spoken with who are there — and I have spoken to a bunch of them — were all happy about what they saw. I mean, they’re smart enough to know you can’t have 32 teams pulling and tugging on a knee just 3½ months removed from surgery. But the doctors I spoke with said he looked great and I’d say he’s probably six weeks ahead with his recovery.”
One team’s doctor said Gurley’s relatively simple surgery — there was no other damage to his knee other than the ACL — leave expectations that the Georgia running back would be able to “fully play the game” nine months after the surgery, which would project him as being ready for a team’s preseason. This team doctor said the “surgery is almost always a slam dunk” and stability, range of motion and quad strength are early predictors for success.
Andrews said he spent time observing and re-examining Gurley before the running back left for the Combine.
“Gurley’s quad muscle is way ahead of what you would expect even at this stage and that’s vital to a good recovery, as you know,” said Andrews. “The Georgia trainer, Ron Courson, did a great job the first six weeks post-surgery and then Todd came here (at he Andrews Institute in Pensacola, FL) and I was very happy before he left for Indianapolis He’s been running on a treadmill, running underwater, he’s never had any swelling and these teams will get to see just how much more progress he will continue to make before the draft (April 30-May 2).”
Gurley has been projected to be a late first-round draft choice or no worse than the top half of the second round if he has no setbacks with the knee.
Article written back in February btw. The recheck with the combine Drs is said to have gone very well.
Steve and Phindog, I’m 90% certain I’m in for the SD game as well. I’ll be driving and be more than happy to bring tailgating stuff.